GB2318720A

GB2318720A - Safety belt buckle easily removable from anchor.

Info

Publication number: GB2318720A
Application number: GB9621443A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Temple; John Savill
Original assignee: Nissan Technical Centre Europe Ltd
Current assignee: Nissan Technical Centre Europe Ltd
Priority date: 1996-10-15
Filing date: 1996-10-15
Publication date: 1998-05-06
Also published as: GB9621443D0

Abstract

A seat belt assembly comprises a belt anchored at two points and releasably connected to a connection unit, such as a buckle, via a connector. The connection unit is, in turn, latched to a striker that is firmly fixed to a third anchor point. The latch unit may be mounted to the seat (Fig. 2) to secure the seat in its normal position as well as removing the need to feed the buckles between the squab and the back of the rear seats when the seats are folded forward. The belt may be a three point belt or a two point belt with the other anchor point similarly latched.

Description

SAFETY BELT AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR The present invention relates to a safety belt assembly having particular, but not exclusive application to seats in vehicles which seats may be moved or folded away. The invention further relates to a unit for use with a safety belt assembly which unit has means for attachment to a safety belt connector and further latch means for releasable attachment to an anchoring point.

The rear seats in hatchbacks and estate cars are well known to be folded forward in order to sacrifice seating capacity in exchange for luggage capacity. This causes a difficulty with some of the safety belt anchoring points associated with the seats. Namely, the buckle into which the connector of a safety belt is plugged in use must be securely fixed to the floor, or other structural part, of the car. Typically, these foldable seats hinge about an axis towards the front of the seat squab which is the opposite end of the seat from the anchoring points. The buckles for the seat belt or seat belts are thus left isolated on the floor of the vehicle when the seats are folded forwards. This not only subjects the latch units to a risk of damage but also entails a time consuming procedure to re-thread the buckles between the seat squab and the seat back when the seats are returned to their normal position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety belt assembly which ameliorates these drawbacks. It is a further object of the invention to provide a unit for use with a safety belt assembly to provide such an assembly which amerliorates these drawbacks.

According to the present invention there is provided a safety belt assembly comprising a belt for connection between a first anchoring point and a second anchoring point, a connector mounted to the belt and a unit having means for releasable attachment to the connector, the unit further comprising latch means for releasable attachment to a third anchoring point.

The present invention thus provides a latch unit in two parts.

Namely, an anchoring point and latch means for connection thereto. The latch means preferably comprises a striker and bolt arrangement to provide secure attachment between the anchoring point (or striker) and the buckle which latch is resistant to accidental release.

When the latch unit is provided with means to mount it to the seat, the present invention provides a straightforward procedure for folding seats away from, or back to their normal position. By providing the latch unit with a spring-loaded bolt and a striker (which is mounted securely to the body of the car) with a suitable profile, the latch unit and striker may be reconnected by slamming the seat back into its normal position. The means for releasing the latch unit from the striker will preferably be designed in such a way as to prevent accidental detachment.

The present invention further comprises a belt and a connector mounted thereto, the unit comprising means for releasable attachment to the connector and further comprising latch means for releasable attachment to an anchoring point.

A unit in accordance with the present invention may also be provided independent of the safety belt assembly. Thus, it is also suitable for use with lap-straps and the like. Since a middle seat belt provided in the rear of hatchbacks and estate cars is commonly provided by a lap-strap, the present invention further comprises a safety belt assembly comprising a belt having latch means for releasable attachment to a first anchoring point, a connector mounted to the belt and a unit having means for releasable attachment to the connector, the unit further comprising second latch means for releasable attachment to a second anchoring point.

Thus, both ends of a lap-strap style seat belt may be provided with latch-means in accordance with the present invention.

The latch unit in accordance with the invention may be arranged to comprise means for receiving two connectors from seat belt assemblies for attachment to a single anchoring point or striker. Such a latch unit may comprise a non-releasable end of a lap strap and a socket for receiving a connector mounted to a seat belt. Thus the rear seat of a car may be provided with two safety belts and a lap-strap using just two latch means and striker plates in accordance with the invention.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a safety belt assembly in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 shows a side view, partly in section, of a latch means and striker in accordance with the invention, and Figure 3 shows a exploded diagram in isometric view of a latch means and striker in accordance with the invention.

In Figure 1 a safety belt is connected between an upper ANCHORING POINT and a lower anchoring point and comprises a CONNECTOR movable along its length. The connector may be inserted into a BUCKLE for securing a passenger in known manner. The BUCKLE comprises a button PRESS for releasing the connector from the latch unit.

As an alternative to the lower anchoring point, the safety belt assembly may comprise an INERTIA REEL, as is known in the art, for added convenience.

In prior art arrangements the buckle is securely mounted to the floor, or other structural member of the vehicle. However, in a safety belt assembly according to the invention a STRIKER is mounted securely to the floor (for example) of the vehicle and this may be latched and un-latched to a LATCH UNIT connected to the buckle as will be described further with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 2 shows a side view of a portion of an assembly in accordance with the present invention mounted to the FLOOR of a car. A STRIKER is securely attached to the FLOOR of the car by a BOLT. A SEAT has mounted thereto a unit in accordance with the invention of which a SLIDE BRKT is shown in engagement with the STRIKER. The SLIDE BRKT is securely fastened to a FERRULE by means of a PIN. The FERRULE is attached to a COUPLING which may be attached to a buckle for a safety belt connector or to a first end of a lap-strap style safety belt. The SLIDE BRKT, PIN and FERRULE are attached to the SEAT together with a COVER. In order to release the SLIDE BRKT, PIN, and FERRULE arrangement from the STRIKER it is necessary to pull a RELEASE. This will move the SLIDE BRKT towards the right in Figure 2 and release it from engagement with the STRIKER. The FERRULE, COUPLING etc. are thus released from the floor of the vehicle and the seat may be folded forwards. The STRIKER which remains on the floor will be less susceptible to damage and less obtrusive than prior art safety belt assemblies.

The operation of the present invention may be more dearly understood from the exploded diagram shown in Figure 3. In this Figure a pair of buckle and strap mounting ferrules are arranged to fit into a pair of holes provided in a SLIDE BRKT and they are secured their by a PIN and "C" clip arrangement. The SLIDE BRKT engages with a retainer plate and a washer and spring arrangement urges the SLIDE BRKT towards the left in the Figure. The SLIDE BRKT may be urged towards the right of the figure by pulling a release (Figure 2). A COVER is provided to house the aforementioned elements and also to provide some protection of a user from the moving parts. Finally, a HOOK/STRIKER is provided which may be mounted securely to the vehicle, for example, by means of one or more bolts (Figure 2). When the unit shown in Figure 3 is assembled and moved downwards into engagement with the striker, the profile of the striker will urge the SLIDE BRKT towards the right in the figure. If enough downward force is provided to the unit, the SLIDE BRKT will latch under the protruding portions of the STRIKER and will retain this connection firmly until the release is pulled by a user.

In the embodiment shown in figure 3 a pair of buckle and strap mounting FERRULES are shown to be releasably latched to one striker plate. One of these ferrules may be connected to a buckle (figure 1) while the other may be connected to a first end of a lap-strap. Alternatively, both of the mounting ferrules may be connected to buckles. By providing each of these combinations along the back seat of a car, two safety belt assemblies and one lap-strap assembly may readily be provided using two latch units and two strikers in accordance with the invention.

By attaching the buckle and latch unit to the seat with a suitably strong coupling, the assembly and/or unit according to the invention will furthermore provide means for securing the seat to the floor (or other member) of a car when the seat is in its normal position.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A safety belt assembly comprising a belt for connection between a first anchoring point and a second anchoring point, a connector mounted to the belt and a unit having means for releasable attachment to the connector, the unit further comprising latch means for releasable attachment to a third anchoring point.

2. A safety belt assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch means comprises a striker and a bolt which bolt is urged into secure engagement with the striker on dosing of the latch means.

3. A safety belt assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein means are provided for adjusting the length of the belt.

4. A safety belt assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the means for adjusting the length of the belt comprise retractable belt storage means.

5 A unit for use with a safety belt assembly which assembly comprises a belt and a connector mounted thereto, the unit comprising means for releasable attachment to the connector and further comprising latch means for releasable attachment to an anchoring point.

6. A unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the latch means comprises a striker and a bolt which bolt is urged into secure engagement with the striker on dosing of the latch means.

7. A safety belt assembly comprising a belt having latch means for releasable attachment to a first anchoring point, a connector mounted to the belt and a unit having means for releasable attachment to the connector, the unit further comprising second latch means for releasable attachment to a second anchoring point.

8. A safety belt assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second latch means for releasable attachment each comprise a striker and a bolt which bolt is urged into secure engagement with the striker on dosing of the latch means.

9. A safety belt assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, 7 or 8, wherein the unit having means for releasable attachment to the connector further comprises means for attachment to a seat.

10. A safety belt assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the means for attachment to a seat is arranged to retain the seat in its normal position when the latch means is closed.

11. A unit for use with a safety belt assembly as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the unit comprising means for releasable attachment to the connector further comprises means for attachment to a seat.

12. A unit for use with a safety belt assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for attachment to a seat is arranged to retain the seat in its normal position when the latch means is closed.

13. A safety belt assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A unit for use with the safety belt assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.