GB2263620A - An actuator for an adjustable seat belt pillar loop - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to conceal a height adjustment mechanism 36, 44 for a seat belt pillar loop 28, a slidable trim panel section 26 is mounted in front of the adjustment mechanism, and has a spring-loaded trigger mechanism 32, 34, 64 to operate the adjustment mechanism via an abutment 50 and operating lever 48. The trigger mechanism, together with its spring 64, is moulded in one piece together with the slidable trim panel section 26, the single piece then being folded about a pair of live hinges (60, 62, Fig. 5) moulded therein, to form the actuator. <IMAGE>

Description

AN ACTUATOR FOR AN ADJUSTABLE SEAT BELT PILLAR LOOP This invention relates to an actuator for an adjustable seat belt pillar loop, for use in passenger motor vehicles.

In passenger motor vehicles, three-point seat belts are commonly used and it is well known to mount the loop which forms the upper anchorage on a height adjustable mechanism at the top of the vehicle B-pillar.

It is also desirable to be able to conceal the height adjustment mechanism behind a trim panel mounted on the Bpillar. A concealing panel of this nature should be simple to manufacture and assemble, as well as providing the facility to operate the concealed adjustment mechanism.

According to the present invention, there is provided an actuator for an adjustable seat belt pillar loop arrangement which has a latch mechanism operable to secure the loop in one of a variety of positions, the latch mechanism being releasable to allow movement of the loop between its various positions, wherein the actuator comprises a trim panel for covering the pillar loop arrangement, the panel having an aperture through which the belt can pass to and from the loop, a spring-loaded trigger for releasing the latch mechanism, and means for gripping the actuator to move it up and down whilst the latch mechanism is released, the spring for the trigger being a plastics leaf spring moulded integrally with the trigger and with the trim panel.

By making the actuator as a single plastics moulding which incorporates the trim panel and the trigger with its spring, a particularly elegant and simple solution is produced.

The actuator is conveniently constructed in the form of two main components which are joined by a live hinge. The two components can be moulded in the "opened out" condition, and then can be folded about the live hinge after moulding to position the moveable parts of the trigger mechanism relative to the trim panel. The components can then be fixed to one another in this position either by welding or by closing mechanical snap-fastenings.

The trigger mechanism preferably comprises a trigger member for cooperating with the latch mechanism, a grip portion connected to the trigger member, and plastics leaf springs connecting the trigger member and the grip portion to the actuator The grip portion may cooperate with a corresponding grip portion on the trim panel, so that the two grip portions can be squeezed together to move the trigger member in a direction which operates the latch, whilst at the same time compressing the plastics leaf springs so that when the grip portion is released the energy stored in the springs returns the grip portion and the trigger member to their original positions.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of parts of the interior of a vehicle showing a front seat and a seat belt for use therewith; Figure 2 is a front view of an adjustable seat belt pillar loop actuator in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is a cross-section through the actuator of Figure 2, showing part of the vehicle body structure; Figure 4 shows the actuator in accordance with the invention, as-moulded and before assembly; and Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of the actuator.

Figure 1 shows a vehicle interior with a front seat 10, a side door 12 and a three-point attachment seat belt 14. The seat belt is attached to the vehicle at an upper mounting 16 on the B-pillar 18, at a lower mounting (not shown in the drawing) at the bottom of the B-pillar, and to the vehicle floor via a socket 20 into which a tongue 22 can be engaged.

In order to increase the comfort for a person sitting in the seat 10, it is known to provide an adjustment mechanism by which the upper mounting 16 can be moved up and down on the B-pillar 18, and various arrangements have been proposed for achieving this.

It is also conventional practice to mount a trim panel over the B-pillar, and it is advantageous if the height adjustment mechanism can be concealed behind the trim panel.

In order to allow this to happen, it is necessary to provide a slidable section as part of the trim panel. In Figure 1, the trim panel is indicated with the reference 24, and the sliding trim panel section is indicated with the reference 26.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement in more detail. The device shown in Figure 2 incorporates both a sliding trim panel section 26 and an actuator device which can be operated to allow the height of the seat belt pillar loop 28 to be moved up and down on the B-pillar 18. The peripheral shape and the surface contour of the sliding trim panel section 26 will be chosen to conform to the shape of the remainder of the trim panel 24, so that a hole cut in the trim panel 24 is always closed by the sliding section 26, irrespective of the position of the section 26 within its range of adjustment. In Figure 2, the shape of the cutout in the Bpillar trim panel 24 is shown by dotted lines 30.

In order to move the sliding section 26 up and down on the B-pillar, and thus to move the seat belt loop 28 up and down, the actuator incorporates a trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism has a fixed abutment at 32 and a movable abutment at 34. The abutments 32 and 34 are designed so that they can be gripped and squeezed together by a user's fingers, and when the movable abutment 34 is pulled down towards the fixed abutment 32, and held there, then the loop 28 can be slid freely up and down the B-pillar.

A track 36 is secured to the sheet metal 38 of the vehicle body shell by two bolts 40 which screw into weld nuts 42.

A slider carriage 44 slides on this track and has a main loop supporting post 46. The post 46 provides an axis about which the loop 28 can swivel. The carriage 44 also has a trigger lever 48.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the fixed abutment 32 is located on the exposed end of the post 46. The second, movable abutment 34 has a projection 50 on its rear face which engages with the lever 48. When the abutments 34 and 32 are squeezed together, the lever 48 is operated to release the latching of the carriage 44 on the track 36. The abutments 32, 34 can then be used as a handle, whilst they are squeezed together to slide the carriage freely up and down the track to the desired position.

When the abutments 34 and 32 are released, a spring returns the movable abutment to its initial position, and the trigger 48 is then released so that the carriage 44 becomes locked on the track 36.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the construction of the sliding trim panel section 26, which is moulded in one piece, with the springs which act on the movable abutment 34 being part of the moulding.

As can be seen in Figure 4, the sliding section 26 is made up of a front panel 52 which is seen from its rear side in Figure 4. The rear side of the panel 52 has guide formations 54 which facilitate the sliding movement of the section 26 on the main part 24 of the B-pillar trim panel.

The front panel 52 has a cutout 56 through which the seat belt 14 can pass to reach the loop 28, and a cutout 58 for receiving the movable abutment 34.

The movable abutment 34, with its rearward projection 50 is connected to the front panel 52 by a connector portion 59 which itself is connected to the front panel 52 by a live hinge 60 and to the movable abutment by a second live hinge 62.

Figure 5 shows this component in a perspective view, where some folding has taken place about the hinges 60, 62.

Figure 5 also shows two springs 64 which are integral parts of the moulding.

To complete assembly of the actuator, folding is continued in the directions indicated by the arrows 66, 68 until the connector portion 59 lies flat against the back of the front plate 52, the movable abutment 34 projects through the opening 58 and a guide tongue 70 clips into guide lugs 72 on the back of the front plate. The connector portion 59 can be heat-staked to the front panel 52 to complete the assembly which then takes up the configuration shown in Figure 3. Figure 5 also shows a socket 73 for receiving the head of the post 46. As an alternative to heat-staking, the portion 59 and the front panel 52 can be provided with snaplocking formations which can hold the parts together in the desired configuration.

By virtue of the construction shown, the bottom ends, adjacent the hinges 62, of the springs 64 are held fixed on the actuator. The top ends of the springs can however move relative to the bottom ends to increase the curvature of the springs 64, when the movable abutment 34 is squeezed towards the fixed abutment 32. The energy stored in the spring will return the movable abutment 34 to its original position, as soon as it is released.

The construction shown allows very simple manufacturing and assembly of the actuator with all the necessary components being formed in one piece.

Claims (6)

1. An actuator for an adjustable seat belt pillar loop arrangement which has a latch mechanism operable to secure the loop in one of a variety of positions, the latch mechanism being releasable to allow movement of the loop between its various positions, wherein the actuator comprises a trim panel for covering the pillar loop arrangement, the panel having an aperture through which the belt can pass to and from the loop, a spring-loaded trigger for releasing the latch mechanism, and means for gripping the actuator to move it up and down whilst the latch mechanism is released, the spring for the trigger being a plastics leaf spring moulded integrally with the trigger and with the trim panel.

2. As actuator as claimed in Claim 1, constructed in the form of two main components connected by a connector portion and both being joined to the connector portion by live hinges.

3. An actuator as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the components are moulded in the "opened out" condition and are then folded about the live hinge after moulding to position the moveable parts of the trigger relative to the trim panel.

4. An actuator as claimed in any preceding claim, the trigger comprises a trigger member for cooperating with the latch mechanism, a grip portion connected to the trigger member, and plastics leaf springs connecting the trigger member and the grip portion to the actuator.

5. An actuator as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the grip portion cooperates with a corresponding grip portion on the trim panel, so that the two grip portions can be squeezed together to move the trigger member in a direction which operates the latch, whilst at the same time compressing the plastics leaf springs so that when the grip portion is released, the energy stored in the springs returns the grip portion and the trigger member to their original positions.

6. An actuator for an adjustable seat belt pillar loop arrangement, substantially as herein described with reference to an as shown in Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.