GB2223159A

GB2223159A - Improvements in or relating to a safety belt system

Info

Publication number: GB2223159A
Application number: GB8822887A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lars Sandvik
Original assignee: GEN ENGINEERING
Current assignee: GEN ENGINEERING
Priority date: 1988-09-29
Filing date: 1988-09-29
Publication date: 1990-04-04
Also published as: GB8822887D0

Abstract

A passive safety belt arrangement has a track 5 formed in or mounted on the door of a motor vehicle and an element 6 which moves along the track, the safety belt being connected to the element. A locking station 11 is provided to receive and retain part of the element which moves along the track, the locking station being mounted on part of the door frame defined by the body of the vehicle and surrounding the door. The locking station 11 and element 6 may comprise a conventional seat belt buckle and cooperating tongue. <IMAGE>

Description

Description of Invention Improvements in or relating to a safety belt system.

The present invention relates to a safety belt system, and more narticularly to a so-called passive safety belt system.

In recent years it has been proposed to provide passive safety belt system, that is to say systems that automatically apply a safety belt to a person when they get into a vehicle such as a car. Normally such a safety belt is applied to the person in response to the door of the vehicle being closed, or in response to actuation of the ignition of the vehicle.

Many passive seat belt systems have been proposed. Some of these systems incorporate a carriage or trolley that can run along a track mounted on or formed in the door of the vehicle, and part of the safety belt is secured to the trolley. It will be understood that when such a system is in use and an accident occurs significant forces may be transferred from the safety belt to the trolley, and thus to the door. If such a system is to be safe the door has to be extremely strong, and also has to be secured to various parts of the door frame that surrounds the door when the door is closed.

It has been suggested that special hooks or bolts should be provided in the door frame to engage and secure the door to ensure that the door will not give way in an accident situation.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved passive seat belt system.

According to this invention there is provided a passive safety belt arrangement, said arrangement comprising a track formed in or mounted on the door of a motor vehicle, an element movable along the track, a safety belt connected to said element, and a locking station adapted to receive and retain part of said element, said locking station being mounted on part of the door frame defined by the body of the vehicle and surrounding the door frame.

Since the locking station is mounted on the door frame, it is not necessary to make the door particularly strong, and no special arrangements have to be made to keep the door shut. The locking station may be mounted on the B-post or the door sill, both of which may easily be made to be strong enough to withstand any forces generated in an accident situation.

Preferably the locking station is pivotally mounted on the door frame. This permits the locking station to adopt a position aligned with any force applied to it during an accident, and also lets the locking station move if the door is opened.

The locking station may be retained in an initial position by spring means, so that the locking station is positioned to receive said part of said element as it approaches the end of the track.

Means may be provided to release said part of the element from the locking station in response to opening of the door. Thus means may be provided to depress an actuating element of the locking station when the locking station moves pivotally in response to opening of said door.

Preferably the locking station comprises a conventional seat belt buckle, and the said element comprises a tongue adapted to be received in and retained by said buckle.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a corner of a door of a motor vehicle in which a safety belt system in accordance with the invention is provided, FIGURE 2 is a view taken as indicated by the lines II-II of Figure 1 when the door is closed, and FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 showing the situation when the door is being opened.

Referring to the drawings the door 1 of a motor vehicle, such as a car has an outer periphery 2, and also has a central raised portion 3 formed on the interior of the door, as is conventional.

The door is received, when in a closed condition, within a frame 4 defined by the body of the vehicle and having a contour that corresponds to the contour of the raised portion 3. A seal (not shown) is provided between the door and the frame. The illustrated part of the frame is formed by the B-post of the vehicle and part of the door sill of the vehicle.

Mounted on the door 1, and extending generally diagonally across the door 1 is a track 5. A locking member 6, in the form of a flat tongue, is mounted for sliding movement along the rail 5. An appropriate motor (not shown) is provided to drive the tongue along the rail.

A locking station 7 is provided which is adapted to receive and retain the tongue 6 when the tongue 6 is inserted into the locking station.

The locking station 7 is secured to the body of the motor vehicle in the region of the junction between the B-post and the door sill. It will be understood that the locking station may have any appropriate position, depending on the design of any particular embodiment, and may be entirely mounted on the B-post or may be entirely mounted on the door sill. The locking station is always located in the region of the end of the track 5 as formed on the door 1.

In the described embodiment the locking station comprises a bracket 8 that is secured to part of the door frame 4 as defined by the body of the vehicle.

The bracket supports outwardly projecting arms 9 which carry the pivot pin 10 on which is mounted a locking mechanism in the form of a conventional seat belt buckle 11. The bracket 8 also carries a spring 12, which passes around an abutment provided at the end of one arm 9, and which engages the buckle 11, tending to retain the buckle in its initial position as illustrated in Figure 2. The end of the spring 12 is formed with the actuator button 13 of the buckle 11.

As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3 the tongue 6 is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis 14 relative to the carriage 15 that actually engages the track 5. A safety belt 16 engages the tongue 6.

The tongue is mounted on the carriage 15 in such a way that if an accident arises and significant forces are applied to the tongue, then the tongue will become separated from the carriage.

In use of the described arrangement, when a person initially enters the vehicle, the carriage 15 is at the upper end of the track 5. In response to an appropriate signal, generated for example when the door is closed, or when the ignition is switched on, the carriage is driven down the rail to the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The buckle 11 is retained in position by the spring 12 so that as the carriage 15 reaches the end of the track 5 the tongue 6 will be inserted in the open mouth of the buckle, and the buckle will lockingly engage the tongue.

Should an accident arise a great force will be applied to the buckle 11 through the tongue 6.

The tongue will be disengaged from the carriage 15 and the buckle will pivot about the pivot pin 10 so that the axis of the buckle is aligned with the force being applied to the buckle by the belt.

In this position the buckle is best able to withstand the applied loads.

If no accident arises, and the person wearing the safety belt opens his door the buckle 11 will pivot in a counterclockwise direction to the position illustrated in Figure 3. As the buckle moves the action of the spring 12, which passes ground the abutment at the end of the arm 9 is to depress the actuating button 13 of the buckle 11, thus causing the buckle to eject the tongue 6. Thus the door can be opened without the described device being damaged in any way, since the tongue is released in response to the opening of the door.

Claims

1. A passive safety belt arrangement, said arrangement comprising a track formed in or mounted on the door of a motor vehicle, an element movable along the track, a safety belt connected to said element, and a locking station adapted to receive and retain part of said element, said locking station being mounted on part of the door frame defined by the body of the vehicle and surrounding said door.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said locking station is pivotally mounted on said door frame.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the locking station is retained in a pre-determined position by spring means to receive said part of said element.

An at arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein means are provided to release said part of the element from the locking station in response to opening of the door.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4 wherein means are provided to depress an actuating element on said locking station when the locking station moves pivotally in response to opening of said door.

6. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the locking station comprises a conventional seat belt buckle and the said element comprises a tongue adapted to be received in and retained by said buckle.

7. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.

7. A safety belt arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

8. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS

1. A passive safety belt arrangement, said arrange ment comprising a track formed in or mounted on the door of a motor vehicle, an element movable along the track, a safety belt connected to said element, and a locking station adapted to receive and retain part of said ele ment, said locking station being pivotally mounted on part of the door frame defined by the body of the vehicle and surrounding said door.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the locking station is retained in a pre-determined position by spring means to receive said part of said element.

3. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein means are provided to release said part of the element from the locking station in response to opening of the door.

LI. An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein means are provided to depress an actuating element on said locking station when the locking station moves pivotally in response to opening of said door.

5. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the locking station comprises a aonventional seat belt buckle and the said element comprises a tongue adapted to be received in and retained by said buckle.

6. A safety belt arrangement substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.