GB2243532A - Improvements in or relating to an adjustable pillar loop - Google Patents

Abstract

An adjustable pillar loop for a safety belt for a motor car has a carriage 15 engaging a vertically mounted rail 4. The carriage has a portion which defines the front face of the carriage and there is an aperture 17 in this front face of the carriage. A latch 31 is mounted in position between the part of the carriage that defines the front face and the rail. The latch carries an extension which passes through the aperture, the extension carrying the pillar loop. The latch is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the carriage at one end 40 of the latch and the other end of the latch which is stepped at 42 can engage with recesses 8, 9, 10 formed on the rail. A spring 46 biases the latch towards the latching condition. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION "Improvements in or relating to an adjustable pillar loop" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to an adjustable pillar loop.

A pillar loop is conventionally provided in a motor car having a door pillar or "B" post. Such a pillar loop consists of a loop, and means to mount the loop on the door pillar or "B" post. A safety belt is adapted to pass through the loop, and the height of the loop may be adjusted, by sliding part of the mechanism on which the loop is mounted upwardly and downwardly.

There have been many prior proposals relating to adjustable pillar loops, and the present invention seeks to provide an improved adjustable pillar loop which is cost-effective and simple to manufacture, and which is easy to assemble, but which still provides easy adjustment and is also sufficiently strong to withstand the loads that may be applied thereto under accident circumstances.

According to this invention there is provided an adjustable pillar loop assembly, the assembly comprising a rail, a carriage engaging the rail and slidable along the rail, the carriage having a portion presenting a front face having an aperture formed there through, there being a latch mounted between the said portion of the carriage and the rail, the latch carrying an extension passing through the aperture, the extension carrying the pillar loop, the latch being mounted for a pivotal movement relative to the carriage at one end of the latch, the other end of the latch carrying latching means adapted to co-operate with corresponding engagement means formed on the rail.

Preferably a spring is provided to bias the latch towards a latching condition in which the latching means are in engagement with the said corresponding engagement means.

Conveniently the latch includes a substantially planar central region, the spring serving to bias the substantially planar central region into engagement with the rear of the said portion of the carriage, the spring being located between the latch and the rail.

Advantageously the latch is provided with a rearwardly extending protrusion, the spring having a central aperture to receive the protrusion and two radially opposed outwardly and forwardly directed arms engaging the rear of the said central region of the latch.

Preferably the latch carries, at the latching end thereof, a portion which extends substantially perpendicularly to the central region, the portion having an initial width substantially equal to the width of an elongate central slot formed in the rail, and having a terminal portion of a greater width, the portion of greater width extending to form a perpendicularly extending lip of equivalent width, the co-operating engagement means on the rail comprising cut-out regions formed in the slot, each cut-out region comprising an opposed aligned pair of cut-outs, the cut-out regions being dimensioned to receive the said further portion of greater width, but having a height less than the height of the perpendiculary extending lip.

Conveniently the lip is a vertically upwardly extending lip.

Preferably the upper part of each of said opposed pair of cut-outs is comprised of a forwardly extending tabs.

Advantageously the pivotting end of the latch is provided with a rearwardly extending portion dimensioned to pass through the slot formed in the rail, the rearwardly extending portion carrying a terminal portion which is of greater width than the slot in the rail and also of greater width than the cut-out regions provided in the rail.

Preferably the spring is provided with detent means adapted to engage corresponding detents provided on the rail when the latch is at predetermined positions.

Conveniently the pillar loop is mounted on a bolt which passes through a spacer, the bolt being connected to the latch member, the bolt and the spacer forming said extension of the latch member passing through the said aperture formed in the front face of the carriage.

Advantageously the carriage is provided with a projecting abutment adapted to engage a bolt provided to mount the rail in position to limit the degree of movement of the carriage.

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 exploded view of the essential components of one embodiment of the invention, with part of the latching member being cut away for the sake of clarity of illustration, FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the adjustable pillar loop made from the components of Figure 1 when assembled and when in the latching condition, and FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 illustrating the pillar loop in the adjusting position.

Referring to the drawings a pillar loop assembly is adapted to be mounted on a vertical rail 1. Only the top part of the rail is shown in Figure 1. The rail comprises a channel element of elongate form, having a base 2 and two opposed upstanding side walls 3,4. Apertures are provided at either end of the rail (only one of which, 5 is illustrated) through which bolts may be passed to secure the rail to a door post or "B" pillar of a motor vehicle.

An elongate vertical slot 6 is formed in the central region of the base 2 of the rail 1. At the top end of the slot 6 two opposed pairs of cut-outs 7 and 8 are provided. These cut-outs serve to widen the slot 6 and thus, each cut-out is cut out of part of the base 2 of the channel forming the rail 1, to the sides of the slot 6. Further cut-outs 9,10,11 are provided at evenly spaced positions down the slot 6, the cut-outs being provided in the form of opposed pairs, the opposed pairs of cut-outs being aligned. Immediately above each cut-out is an inwardly inclined finger or tab 12,13,14.

Each finger or tab has the same width as the respective cut-out. The opposed cut-outs 7 have the greatest height or vertical extent. The remaining cut-outs 8,9,10,11 etc. have a lesser height or vertical extent.

The rail may be formed of any appropriate metal.

The pillar loop mechanism incorporates an assembly which is slidably mounted on the rail. The assembly consists of a carriage member 15, which may be formed of an appropriate metal. The carriage consists of a face plate 16 which defines the front face of the carriage and which has a centrally disposed elongate aperture 17, which has rounded ends. The aperture is of elongate form and has a vertical axis which is substantially aligned with the axis of the rail 1. On each side of the face plate 16 of the carriage 15 is a rearwardly extending flange 18,19 and each flange carries an inwardly directed lip 20,21. Mounted at the top of the face plate 16 of the carriage is an upwardly and slightly rearwardly directed tab 22. The face plate 16, the flanges 18 and 19 and the lips 20,21 effectively define a channel-like form, and this channel-like form is dimensioned so that the carriage 15 may be slidably mounted on the rail, with the lips 20,21 engaged behind the base 2 of the channel that forms the rail 1, and the face plate 16 of the carriage moving in front of the top portions of the side walls 3,4 of the channel that forms the rail 1.

An elongate bolt 23 is provided, having an enlarged head 24 and a threaded end 25. The shank of the bolt is intended to be inserted through an aperture 26 formed in a pillar loop member 27. The pillar loop member defines a loop 28 dimensioned to receive part of a safety belt. The shank of the bolt passes through a tubular spacer member 29 formed of any appropriate material. The spacer member 29 may have, at one end, a protruding boss 30 adapted to be received within the aperture 26. The spacer member 29 is dimensioned to pass through the aperture 17 formed in the face plate 16 of the carriage 15.

A latch member 31 is provided adapted to be located mainly within the carriage 15. The latch member 31 is formed of sheet metal and has a central region 32 defining a vertical front face having a central aperture 33. The central region 32, in this embodiment of the invention, has a width less than the width of the slot 6. Aligned with the aperture 33 is a rearwardly directed internally threaded boss 34. The threaded end 25 of the bolt 23 is dimensioned to be received within the threaded boss 34. At the top of the central region of the latch member 31 there is a 900 bend 35, so the sheet material then extends horizontally in a direction perpendicular to the vertical plane defined by the central region 32 of the latch member.

The horizontally extending portion 36, which has a width less than the width of the slot 6, then broadens to form two outwardly directed steps 37,38. The steps 37,38 define edge faces which are vertically positioned and which are directed towards the carriage member. The broadened portion extends further rearwardly and then 0 passes through another 90 bend 39 to form a vertically upstanding lip 40. The width of the lip 40 (and thus the width of the horizontally extending portion) defined by the outer edges of the stepped regions 37,38 is the same as the total width of the aligned cut-out portions 7,8,9,10,11 etc. of the slot 6. The vertical height of the slip 40 is the same as the vertical height of the cut-out portions 7 of the slot 6, but greater than the vertical height of the other cut-out portions 8,9,10,11 etc.

At the lower edge of the central region 32 of the latch member 31, the material of the latch member is again bent at a bend 41 but the degree of bend is less than 900 - in this embodiment being about 700. This forms a generally rearwardly extending portion. The rearwardly extending portion is then stepped outwardly at two opposed symmetrical steps, only one of which, 42 is visible in Figure 1. The portion continues rearwardly 43 and is then again bent 44 through 900 to form a depending flange 45. The width of the continuing stepped out portion 43, as defined by the steps 42, is greater than the width of any of the cut-out portions 7,8,9,10,11 etc. provided on the rail 1.

A spring element 46 is provided comprising a central ring 47 with a central aperture 48 dimensioned to receive the rearwardly extending threaded boss 34.

Two outwardly and forwardly directed arms 49,50 are provided at diametrically opposed positions.

The width of the ring 47 forming part of the spring 46 is such that opposed edges of the ring will engage the base 2 of the rail 1. As the carriage moves the ring 47 will move over the opposed pairs of inwardly directed tabs 12,13,14 associated with each of the cut-outs. The spring 46 will not pass through the slot 6 and the associated cut-outs.

The pillar loop is assembled by initially mounting the spring 46 on the threaded boss 34, with the ends of the opposed arms 49,50 touching the rear of the central region 32 of the latch member 31. The lower part of the latch member is then manipulated to pass through the opposed cut-outs 9 or 10 for example. Since the width of the rearwardly extending portion 43 and the downwardly extending flange 45 is greater than the width of the cut-out region 9, (or 10) initially one end of the rearwardly extending portion 43 and the associated downwardly extending flange 45 is inserted through the combination of the slot 6 and the cut-out 9 (or 10), subsequently the latch member 31 is moved laterally as far as possible, thus permitting the other end of the rearwardly extending portion 43 and the associated downwardly extending flange 45 to be inserted through the cut-out portion 9 (or 10).The latch member 31 is then centred, with the central region 32 extending through the slot 6 and may be slid to such a position that the upwardly extending lip 40 provided at the top of the latch member 31 is aligned with the cut-out 7. A rearward pressure applied to the top of the latch member 31 moves the lip 40 through the cut-out 7. The latch member may then be slid downwardly slightly so that the stepped portions 37,38 engage the rear of the base 2 of the channel or, preferably, so that these portions pass through the cut-outs 8. The cut-outs 8 do not have as great a height as the height of the lip 40.

Thus, the lip 40 will engage the portions of the base 2 of the channel defining the top of the cut-out 8. The carriage 15 may then be slidably moved along on the rail 1 until the aperture 17 is aligned with the aperture 33 provided in the central region 32 of the latch member 31. The protruding boss 30 provided on the spacing element 29 may then be inserted in the aperture 26 on the pillar loop member 27 and the bolt 23 may be passed through the cylindrical spacer element 29 and have the threaded end 25 engaged with the internally threaded boss 34. The bolt may be tightened so that the bolt, and the spacer are effectively integrally connected to the latch member and form, operatively, an extension of the latch member which passes through the aperture 17 and which carries the pillar loop member 27.

When the pillar loop assembly has been put together as described, the rail 1 may be mounted on the door pillar or "B" post by means of a bolt 51 (see Figure 2) which passes through the aperture 5 formed in the base 2 of the channel that forms the rail 1. A further bolt will pass through the corresponding aperture at the bottom of the rail.

The pillar loop assembly is then in the condition as illustrated in Figure 2 and is ready for use.

The vertical height of the pillar loop may be adjusted by moving the carriage 15 along the rail. This is accomplished by tilting the latch member 31 by applying effectively an upward or tilting pressure to the projecting spacer element 29. Effectively the latch member 31 is tilted about a pivotting axis defined by the engagement of the bent portion 41 with the rear of the face plate 16 of the carriage 15. This serves to move the lip 40, and the broadened part of the horizontally extending portion 36 defined by the steps 37,38, rearwardly, out of engagement with the cut-out portion 8. Thus, only the narrow part of the horizontally extending portion 36 is still aligned with the cut-out portion 8, and this portion has a width which is less than the width of the slot 6. Of course, in tilting the latch member 31 in this way the spring 46 is compressed and in particular the arm 49 of the spring is compressed. The carriage may, however, now be slid in a vertical direction. It will be noted that the protruding arm 22, which is at the top of the latch member 31, will immediately abut the bolt 51 if any attempt is made to move the carriage upwardly. Thus, the carriage cannot be moved upwardly to a position in which the lip 40 is again aligned with the cut-out 7. This prevents the carriage from being inadvertently disconnected from the rail. The carriage can, however, be moved downwardly to a position in which the portion defined by the steps 37,38 is aligned with the cut-outs 9, or with the cut-outs 10, or with the cut-outs 11, and so on.The spring 46 may be provided with depressions thereon adapted to engage the free lips defined by the inwardly directed tabs 13, etc. to provide a degree of resistance of movement of the carriage when the latching element is substantially aligned with a cut-out portion.

This will facilitate the correct positioning of the carriage so that when the spacer member 29 is released, the latch will move, under the bias provided by the spring, to a true latching condition in which the portion defined by the stepped regions 37,38 is engaged in a cut-out region 9,10,11 and so on, and in which the vertical lip 40 is spaced from and engaged with part of the base of the channel. As the carriage is moved to a latching condition the stepped regions 37,38, will be guided, by the rear faces of the tabs 12,13,14, into the cut-outs 9,10,11, etc.

It is to be understood that the height adjuster may be moved downwardly or upwardly by the technique described above.

Should a person wearing a seat belt passing through the height adjuster be in a vehicle that is involved in an accident, a significant force may be applied to the pillar loop 27. The force may have a vertical downward component and may have a horizontal inwardly directed component. The downward force is transferred directly to the latching member, and in particular is transferred to the rail by virtue of engagement of the horizontal portion defined by the outwardly directed steps 37,38 engaging the lower portion of one of the cut-outs 9,10 and so on, depending upon the precise position of the latch. It can be seen that there is direct metal-to-metal contact between the pillar loop and the rail.

Any horizontal force is absorbed initially by engagement of the central region 32 of the latch member with the rear of the face plate 16 of the carriage 15.

If the force is sufficiently large, the carriage will deform, the lips 20,21, tending to straighten out. If the carriage 15 is deformed then the latch member will move slightly horizontally which will bring about engagement of the lip 40 with the rear of the channel. It is to be appreciated that the lower part of the latch, as defined by the rearwardly extending portion 43 and the downwardly extending flange 45 cannot pass through the slot 6 formed in the base of the rail, and when the carriage deforms the portion 43 and the flange 45 will also engage the rear of the rail. Thus, the force will be transferred to the rail by metal-to-metal contact between the upper and lower parts of the latch element and the rear of the rail.

Whilst one embodiment of the invention has been described it is to be appreciated that many modifications may be effected. For example, whilst a channel-formed rail has been disclosed, a flat rail may be used. In the described embodiment the latch pivots against the interior of the carriage. It is possible, however, to arrange for the pivotting point to be on the rear side of the rail on the carriage.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS:

1. An adjustable pillar loop assembly, the assembly comprising a rail, a carriage engaging the rail and slidable along the rail, the carriage having a portion presenting a front face having an aperture formed therethrough, there being a latch mounted between the said portion of the carriage and the rail, the latch carrying an extension passing through the aperture, the extension carrying the pillar loop, the latch being mounted for a pivotal movement relative to the carriage at one end of the latch, the other end of the latch carrying latching means adapted to co-operate with corresponding engagement means formed on the rail.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein a spring is provided to bias the latch towards a latching condition in which the latching means are in engagement with the said corresponding engagement means.

3. An assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the latch includes a substantially planar central region, the spring serving to bias the substantially planar central region into engagement with the rear of the said plate of the carriage, the spring being located between the latch and the rail.

4. An assembly according to Claim 3 wherein the latch is provided with a rearwardly extending protrusion, the spring having a central aperture to receive the protrusion and two radially opposed outwardly and forwardly directed arms engaging the rear of the said central region of the latch.

5. An assembly according to any one of the preced ing Claims wherein the latch carries, at the latching end thereof, a portion which extends substantially perpendicularly to the central region, the portion having an initial width substantially equal to the width of an elongate central slot formed in the rail, and having a terminal portion of a greater width, the portion of greater width extending to form a perpendicularly extending lip of equivalent width, the co-operating engagement means on the rail comprising cut-out regions formed in the slot, each cut-out region comprising an opposed aligned pair of cut-outs, the cut-out regions being dimensioned to receive the said further portion of greater width, but having a height less than the height of the perpendiculary extending lip.

6. An assembly according to Claim 5 wherein the lip is a vertically upwardly extending lip.

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the upper part of each of said opposed pair of cut-outs is comprised of a forwardly extending tabs.

8. An assembly according to any one of Claims 5 to 7 wherein the pivotting end of the latch is provided with a rearwardly extending portion dimensioned to pass through the slot formed in the rail, the rearwardly extending portion carrying a terminal portion which is of greater width than the slot in the rail and also of greater width than the cut-out regions provided in the rail.

9. An assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 8 wherein the spring is provided with detent means adapted to engage corresponding detents provided on the rail when the latch is at predetermined positions.

10. An assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the pillar loop is mounted on a bolt which passes through a spacer, the bolt being connected to the latch member, the bolt and the spacer forming said extension of the latch member passing through the said aperture formed in the front face of the carriage.

11. An assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the carriage is provided with a projecting abutment adapted to engage a bolt provided to mount the rail in position to limit the degree of movement of the carriage.

12. An adjustable height pillar loop assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

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