GB2317101A - Belt comfort pad - Google Patents

Abstract

A pad 10 comprising a base 20 and at least one formation 25 to retain the pad on a belt 11, wherein the underside 21 of the base has grooves 23, ribs 26 or protuberances 26A allowing air to flow between the underside 21 of the pad 10 and the user, is characterised in that the pad provides a channel (along which a buckle or a stop on a belt can slide) and has a belt-retaining formation at or substantially adjacent to one end of the pad, so that, in use, when the belt is being retracted, the buckle can travel along or within the channel to about the belt retaining formation. The pad is suitably fitted to a main strap of a seat belt system.

Description

BELT COMFORT PAD This invention relates to belt comfort pads.

There have been many attempts to provide pads which can be fitted to a belt or strap so as to cushion and spread the loads applied by the belt or strap to that part of a person which is supporting the load.

For example, from GB 770214B it is known to provide a pad comprising a base and a pair of flaps unitary with the base and turned in from opposed longitudinal edges of the base to lie in partial contact with the base, so that a strap can be accommodated on the base and held in position thereon by the flaps in a reception space between the flaps and the base. Thus, the edges of the strap are confined within the reception space and the effective width of the area where it imparts a load to a person is increased according to the relative width of the base which is much greater than the width of the strap within the reception space.

Belt comfort pads have been developed to suit the shoulder straps of automotive safety belt systems which, as is well known, are commonly of three point form and comprise a main strap running from a retractor, pretensioning and locking mechanism through an upper mounting and down to a floor or lower mounting. The main strap has a sliding buckle thereon to enter into a quick release latch socket on the end of a further strap attached to a further floor or lower mounting on the other side of the seat to which the safety belt system is allocated, so that the main strap can be brought across the chest of a person seated in the seat, to an extent sufficient to bring the buckle into engagement with the quick release latch socket. The retractor mechanism thereafter will retract the main belt until the slack in the system is taken up and the straps are tensioned to reduce the amount of free movement of the user when the mechanism locks up in the event of a sudden deceleration of the vehicle to which the seat and belt system are fitted.

Pads currently available from motor accessory dealers appear to comprise a thickly padded cushion having flaps of flexible material to which Velcro (a Trade Mark) strips are attached, so that the flaps can be wrapped around the main strap and fastened together by the Velcro to hold the pad in position on the strap.

In Summer cars can get very hot indeed when left in sunlight. The seat belt can absorb a lot of heat and, because of the retractor mechanism, the pre-tensioning will cause the belt to press against the user's neck and upper chest causing such portions of the user's body to become very hot and sweaty and thus causing discomfort for the user.

In order to solve the above problems and yet maintain and provide a degree of comfort for the user of a vehicle seat belt system, the present invention provides a pad comprising a base and at least one formation to retain the pad on a belt or strap, which is characterised in that the underside of the base is grooved, ribbed or provided with protuberances allowing air to flow between the underside of the pad and the user.

There is a further problem in that retractor mechanisms have been common for very many years now in order to retract the main strap of a seat belt system so as not to leave loose lengths of strap lying around to become trapped in the door opening when the user exits the car.

Such loose lengths can become damaged by being trapped so that the strength thereof is reduced, and can catch the feet of a person entering or leaving the car, with the risk of causing an accident. But the fixing of a belt pad to the strap will prevent the belt being fully retracted when not in use thus again creating a loose length of unretracted strap, when the belt system is not being used and in order to solve this further problem, the pad of the invention is preferably characterised in that the pad provides a channel (along which a buckle or a stop on a strap can slide) and has a belt retaining formation at or adjacent to one end of the pad, so that, in use, when the strap is being retracted, the buckle can travel along or within the channel to abut the belt retaining formation.

Thus, the strap can move through the the upper seat belt mounting to close to the usual limit in which the buckle or the belt stop abuts the upper seat belt mounting when the strap is fully retracted, so that the free length of strap not retracted is only lengthened at most by the longitudinal dimension of the belt retaining formation, which can be kept very small so as to minimise the increase in free length of the retracted main strap of the belt system when the pad is employed.

The pad is preferably made from a resiliently flexible material e.g. an elastomeric plastics material which preferably has sufficient stiffness so as to naturally assume a state in which the belt retaining formation gently embraces the strap or applies a degree of clamping pressure to hold the strap against the base, and the pad is preferably curved longitudinally so that the clamping pressure on the strap is increased when the slack in the belt system is taken up (by pre-tensioning so that the pad is brought to bear against the user's shoulder or chest) whereby to restrain the pad from slipping along the strap whilst the belt system is in use.

However, the degree of clamping pressure is preferably minimal so that the pad can be easily slid along, i.e. up and down the strap e.g. so as not to hinder retraction after use and so as to enable the user to position the strap and the pad in a comfortable orientation prior to or after fastening of the link buckle in the quick release latch.

The ribs, groove walls or projections are preferably sufficiently stiff so as to resist being crushed by the ordinary belt tension so that the main undersurface of the pad is held clear of the user's body whereby to allow air to flow for ventilation purposes between the undersurface and the user to minimise sweating and discomfort.

The base of the pad is preferably sufficiently stiff and thin so as not to increase significantly the amount by which a user can travel forwards when the vehicle is subject to sudden deceleration and the retractor mechanism locks, as can occur with thickly padded soft resilient pads.

The invention will be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 shows a first embodiment of a pad of the invention in situ on a main strap of vehicle seat belt system in front elevation; FIGURE 2 shows an end view of the pad of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 shows a front view of a second embodiment of the pad: FIGURE 4 shows the pad of FIGURE 3 in end elevation; FIGURE 5 shows a front view of a third embodiment of the pad; FIGURE 6 shows an end view of the pad shown in FIGURE 5; FIGURE 7 shows a front view of a fourth embodiment of the pad; FIGURES 8 and 9 show cross-sections through the pad on the lines VIlI-VIlI and IX-IX respectively, and FIGURE 10 shows a longitudinal section through a pair of pads shown in FIGURES 7 to 9 mounted on a common strap and disposed in a stowage position.

The pad 10 is primarily intended for use with a commonplace and well known three point inertia reel seat belt installation in an automobile. It is assumed that the skilled reader hereof will be familiar with such installations which commonly comprise a main strap 11 of high tensile webbing having one end secured in an inertia reel strap retractor, pre-tensioning and locking mechanism (not shown) which automatically tensions the strap 11 and is sensitive to sudden deceleration of the vehicle to seize the strap or reel and prevent the strap being drawn off the inertial reel, a sliding buckle 12 on the main strap, a lower mounting (not shown) securing the other end of the strap 11 to the vehicle, a quick release latch socket (not shown) to receive and hold the buckle, a further strap or stalk securing the latch socket to a further lower mounting (not shown), and an upper mounting 13 through which the strap 11 extends. Although the following description of the forms and embodiments of the pad 10 is in the context of the pad used in such a three point installation, it is possible to use the pad with other forms of seat belts and systems.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 the pad 10 comprises a base 20 having a longitudinally ribbed underside 21, which base is transversely bowed or curved as shown in FIGURE 2 and is, optionally, longitudinally curved or bowed. The longitudinal margins 24 of the base are integral with retaining formations 25, which together with said margins define slots 27 to receive the edges of the strap 11 to hold the strap so that it overlies a front face or topside 22 of the base 21. The pad 10 is made of an elastomeric material so as to be resiliently pliable so that the strap is gently gripped in the slots 27, and has sufficient stiffness to keep the air flow channels 23 between the ribs 26 open. Variations in belt tension due to movement of the user relative to the vehicle will "pump" air along said channels.

The pad 10 only lightly grips the strap, so that it can be slid manually along the strap to a desired position, by the user, whereat it will remain because of said grip.

When the seat belt is released the retractor mechanism will pull the strap 11 through the mounting 13 until either (a) a strap stop 14 on the strap, after traversing the pad 10 through a channel between the formations 25, comes to abut the mounting 13; or (b) the buckle 12 is entrained by a stop button 15 and comes to abut one end of the base 20 and moves the pad until the other end of the base abuts the mounting 13; in which case the effective length of the strap depending from the mounting 13 will be increased by the length of the pad.

In the second embodiment shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 the underside 21 is not ribbed but is provided with a plurality of protuberances 26A of rounded form to raise the base 20 off the user for air to flow therebetween; and the base carries along part of one margin 24 a retaining formation 25A of clip form to define therewith a relatively broad slot 27A of sufficient width or depth to allow the stop 14 to pass therethrough (as indicated in FIGURE 4). The corresponding part of the other margin 24 carries a formation 25B in the form of a belt stop flange, and the formation 25A has an abutment 30 to engage the strap 11 and urge it against the base.

The free end portions 31 of the base are chamfered to facilitate the passage of parts of the buckle 12 and mounting 13 thereacross to overlie the base when the strap 11 is retracted. This embodiment is however adapted to be clipped easily and either right handedly or left handedly onto the strap for those users who wish to remove the pad after each use, or to use their pad in succession of different vehicles.

In the third embodiment of the pad 10, shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the underside of the base is the same as that shown in FIGURE 1 except in that it has grooves 26A formed in its front or obvious face to increase its flexibility and improve the ventilation air flow, and except as to longitudinal extent, the retaining formations 25 are the same but are located at one end of the base, and along the remainder of the length of the base the margins 24 are only provided with the stop flange formations 25B.

The end 31 of the base remote from the formations 25 is chamfered. Thus in case (b) above the buckle 12 can ride up the chamfered end 31 and along in front of said reminder until it abuts the retaining formations 25, so that said free length of the strap 11 is only increased, in the stowage condition, by the short longitudinal length of the formations 25. In the event of two or more such pads 10 being employed on the strap 11, each pad can pivot on the strap about its retaining formations, so that the next below pad can move to overlie the said remainder of the base of the superior pad.

In the fourth embodiment of the pad 10 shown in FIGURES 7 to 10 the base 20 has a waist part 40 in one end portion between a main part 20A and an end part 20B the underside of the main part 20A is provided with protuberances 26A or optionally the ribs 26, and/or grooves 26A). Said end part 20B is slightly narrower than the main part 20A and is provided with the formations 25 of the third embodiment, whereas the other end part 20C of the base 20 has further belt guiding formations 41 of lesser transverse and longitudinal extent to define smaller slots 27A to receive the edges of the strap 11. Along the remainder of the main part the margins carry stop flange formations 25B.

As shown in FIGURE 10 the waist part 40 is flexible, the front or upper end faces 42 of other end part 20C and its formations 41 are chamfered or sloped and the underside end face 43 of the end part 20B is also chamfered or sloped, so that, in the event of two such pads being used on the strap 11, the lower pad on the strap can rise relative to the upper pad on the strap as the strap is retracted until its end face 43 strikes and rides up the end faces 42 to push the main part of the upper pad rearwards from the strap, so that the lower pad can move to overlie the front of the upper pad to allow the end parts 20B to come into abutment or close proximity in the storage position of the strap. Similarly, on approaching the storage position of buckle will be deflected by the end faces 42 to ride over the front of the lower pad until it abuts the formations 25 thereon, as shown.

The invention is not confined to details of the foregoing examples and many variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention further provides and includes a pad having any novel part or feature of form or function, or any novel combination of parts or features disclosed herein. The features of any one embodiment may be substituted for any functionally equivalent feature in any other embodiment or where suitable be incorporated into any other embodiment.

The terms and expressions used herein are by way of example and are to be understood as including and embracing synonyms, equivalent terms and generic terms, and terms applicable to mechanical and functional equivalents of the parts and features particularly disclosed.

Various additional features may be added to the pads within the scope of the invention. For example the pads may be adapted or modified for use with tethering means, e.g. be provided with attachment means such as a hole 46 in the base or a lug 48 thereon, for attachment of a tether, such as a cord 47 (FIGURE 2), which can be attached to the upper mounting 13 and can be adjusted for length, e.g. by being doubled through a grommet 49, whereby to draw the pad 10 up the strap 11 as the strap is being extended across a user to engage the buckle in the quick release latch socket, so that the pad is automatically repositioned when the seat belt is again brought into use, by a particular user who has previously adjusted the pad and the tether to a suitable position.

Claims (13)

1. A pad comprising a base and at least one formation to retain the pad on a belt which is characterised in that the underside of the base is grooved, ribbed or provided with protuberances allowing air to flow between the underside of the pad and the user.

2. A pad comprising a base and at least one formation to retain the pad on a belt characterised in that the pad provides a channel (along which a buckle or a stop on a belt can slide) and has a belt retaining formation at or adjacent to one end of the pad, so that, in use, when the belt is being retracted, the buckle can travel along or within the channel to abut the belt retaining formation.

3. A pad as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 made from a resiliently flexible elastomeric or plastics material.

4. A pad as claimed in Claim 1 or 3 wherein the ribs, groove walls or projections are sufficiently stiff so as to resist being crushed by the ordinary belt tension so that the main undersurface of the pad is held clear of the user's body whereby to allow air to flow for ventilation purposes between the undersurface and the user to minimise sweating and discomfort.

5. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base is stiff and thin so as not to increase significantly the amount by which a user can travel forwards when the vehicle is subject to sudden deceleration and the retractor mechanism locks, as can occur with thickly padded soft resilient pads.

6. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim provided with tethering means to tether the pad to a seat belt mounting.

7. A pad as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the tethering means is adjustable for length.

8. A pad as claimed in Claim 6 or 7 wherein the tethering means comprises a cord, and a hole in the pad to receive the cord.

9. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base is transversely curved.

10. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pad is longitudinally curved or bowed.

11. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim having chamfered or sloped ends.

12. A pad substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, FIGURES 3 and 4, FIGURES 5 and 6, or FIGURES 7 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A seat belt system as claimed in Claim 12 including a plurality of said pads in which at least one pad is arranged to overlie, or be overlaid by, the next adjacent of the pads when the system is in a storage condition.

13. A seat belt system provided with at least one pad as claimed in any preceding claim fitted to a main strap of the system.

14. A seat belt system as claimed in Claim 13 including a plurality of said pads in which at least one pad is arranged to overlie, or be overlaid by, the next adjacent of the pads when the system is in a storage condition.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A pad comprising a base and at least one formation to retain the pad on a belt wherein the underside of the base is grooved, ribbed or provided with protuberances allowing air to flow between the underside of the pad and the user; characterised in that the pad provides a channel (along which a buckle or a stop on a belt can slide) and has a belt retaining formation at or adjacent to one end of the pad, so that, in use, when the belt is being retracted, the buckle can travel along or within the channel to abut the belt retaining formation.

2. A pad as claimed in Claim 1 made from a resiliently flexible elastomeric or plastics material.

3. A pad as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the ribs, groove walls or projections are sufficiently stiff so as to resist being crushed by the ordinary belt tension so that the main undersurface of the pad is held clear of the user's body whereby to allow air to flow for ventilation purposes between the undersurface and the user to minimise sweating and discomfort.

4. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base is stiff and thin so as not to increase significantly the amount by which a user can travel forwards when the vehicle is subject to sudden deceleration and the retractor mechanism locks, as can occur with thickly padded soft resilient pads.

5. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim provided with tethering means to tether the pad to a seat belt mounting.

6. A pad as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the tethering means is adjustable for length.

7. A pad as claimed in Claim 5 or 6 wherein the tethering means comprises a cord, and a hole in the pad to receive the cord.

8. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base is transversely curved.

9. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the pad is longitudinally curved or bowed.

10. A pad as claimed in any preceding claim having chamfered or sloped ends.

11. A pad substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, FIGURES 3 and 4, FIGURES 5 and 6, or FIGURES 7 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A seat belt system provided with at least one pad as claimed in any preceding claim fitted to a main strap of the system.