GB2348402A

GB2348402A - Adjustable guide means for a vehicle safety belt

Info

Publication number: GB2348402A
Application number: GB0002300A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Kopetzky; Matthias Pleyer; Thomas Herrmann
Original assignee: Takata AG
Current assignee: Takata AG
Priority date: 1999-04-01
Filing date: 2000-02-02
Publication date: 2000-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-02
Also published as: DE19915024A1; DE19915024B4; GB2348402B; GB0002300D0

Abstract

A safety belt arrangement in a vehicle comprises a belt deflection device 17 which is located above the shoulder of an occupant of the vehicle so that the seat belt which is stored on belt roller 12 can be deflected from the vertical towards the shoulder of the occupant after having been directed downwards by passing around an upper reversal member 20. The belt deflection device 17 includes a vertically moveable deflection member 21 which is retained on a rail 23 attached to the side of the vehicle and where a corresponding groove and flange arrangement (see figures 2 and 4) allows the deflection member 21 to be moved to the required height. The deflection member may be retained in place by means of a compression spring (26) which biases clamping inclinations (28,29) into engagement. By moving the deflection guide in a vertical manner it is ensured that the seat belt arrives at the shoulder of the occupant at the correct height and angle so as to afford maximum protection in the event of sudden braking.

Description

2348402 TAKATA (Europe) Vehicle Safety Technology GmbH Safetv belt

arrangement in vehicles The invention relates to a safety belt arrangement in vehicles, in particular in motor vehicles in accordance with the preamble of patent claim 1. It refers in general to a three-point safety belt arrangement, but the invention can however also be used without further ado in a twopoint safety belt arrangement.

For reasons of comfort the belt deflection device which is provided above the belt roller, which is preferably secured at the base of the vehicle, can be designed to be displaceable in the vertical direction so that taller persons can displace the deflection location upwardly and shorter persons can displace the deflection location downwardly. In this way it is achieved that the belt part which extends from the belt deflection device to the person who is buckled in arrives at the shoulder of the passenger at an angle which is not too steep and not too acute, through which the draw-back forces which are exerted on the belt by the torque producing mechanism, which is preferably executed as a spiral spring, does not exert any unpleasant force components on the shoulders toward the rear, but however that an unobjectionable holding of the passenger against the inertial forces is ensured in the event of sudden brakings and in particular in the event of an accident.

Since belt deflection devices, which are preferably secured at a vertical column of the vehicle, must take up quite considerable forces during a full braking and in particular in the event of an accident, the displacement mechanisms must be designed to be particularly stable and strong, which is connected with an increased material and construction cost and complexity.

In belt deflection devices which are not adjustable in height, in contrast, there is no problem in securing them so securely to the vehicle that no danger of a tearing out exists even in the event of an accident.

The object of the invention is to create a safety belt apparatus of the initially named kind having a belt deflection device which is adjustable in height, and which operates absolutely reliably even in the event of an accident in spite of a simple execution with low material cost and complexity.

The features of the characterizing part of patent claim 1 are provided for satisfying this object.

The idea of the invention is thus to be seen in that the actual reversal function is assigned to a turn-about or reversal member which is firmly secured to the vehicle body, whereas the height displacement function is taken over by a height- adjustable deflection member which is arranged below it at the Vehicle body and which does not deflect the belt from the vertical by so great an angle as at least 90 or in the region of 180', but merely by a comparatively small angle in the region of 45'.

1 1 The forces from the belt drawing force transmitted herein to the deflection member in the event of an accident are substantially lower than the stresses arising at the reversal member, which is firmly arranged, so that the deflection member in accordance with the invention can be manufactured with relatively low volume with relatively low material cost and complexity. It therefore takes up little space and projects only comparatively little into the passenger space.

The greatest part of the belt draw force is thus led into the vehicle body through the reversal member, which can be firmly mounted without problem. The substantially lower deflection forces at the deflection member are also transmitted to the vehicle body.

The arrangement of the belt roller is preferably such as results from claim 2.

The further development in accordance with claim 3 is expedient for a compact belt guidance and execution of the deflection member.

Advantageous embodiments are further found in claims 4 and 5.

The exemplary embodiment in accordance with claim 6 is expedient for an execution of the deflection member 21 requiring less space.

Advantageous measures for practical uses of the invention are found in claim 7.

In accordance with claim 8 the height displacement can take place continuously or in the sense that catches are provided at desired spacings into which the displaced deflection member can snap in.

A particularly compact design of the deflection member can be found in claim 9.

The measures in accordance with claims 10 to 21 are advantageous in particular for a continuous displacement with unobjectionable holding -, 4 of the deflection member in every displacement position.

The releasing of the deflection member from its clamping or latching for the purpose of displacement can advantageously take place as is characterized in claims 22 or 23. - Statements on an expedient choice of materials are found in claims 24 and 25.

The preferred magnitude of the deflection angle of the belt from the vertical which is produced by the deflection member in accordance with the invention is characterized in claim 26.

The rail can be particularly advantageously designed as an extrusion section.

A particular advantage of the invention consists in that the safety belt arrangement does not completely fail even if the deflection member in accordance with the invention should break in the event of an accident.

1 Since the deflection member does not reverse the belt, but merely deflects it, a straightening of the deflected belt part takes place in the event of a breaking of the deflection member, through which however the holding function of the belt merely sets in with a slight delay, but is not completely eliminated however.

The deflection member is preferably formed inside and outside through suitable roundings off in such a manner that neither is the belt excessively stressed or even damaged during the drawing in and out nor are persons whose heads strike against the deflection member exposed to a serious risk o f' injury.

The invention will be explained in the following in an exemplary manner with reference to the drawings; shown in these are:

Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a safety belt arrangement in accordance with the invention in a motor vehicle, Fig. 2 an enlarged schematic view in accordance with line II 0 - II in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a section along-line III-III in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 a similar section of a further embodiment.

In accordance with Fig. 1 a belt roller 12 which takes up a belt roll 22 is secured to the base of a vehicle body 11 by means of a housing 34, which is merely indicated in broken lines. The belt roller 12 is subjected to a bias force in the wind-up direction A by a merely schematically indicated torque producing mechanism 13 in the form of a spiral spring. A likewise merely schematically indicated unwind blocking arrangement 14 ensures that the unwinding of the belt 15 from the belt roller 12, which is theoretically possible against the restoring force of the torque producing mechanism 13, is inhibited by the rotational blocking of the belt roller 12 if an attempt is made to unwind the belt 15 rapidly from the belt roller 12 or if accelerations which are caused by an accident arise at the vehicle.

From the belt roller 12 the belt 15 first extends upwardly substantially in the direction of the vertical 33 up to a belt deflection device 17 which is provided above the shoulder 16 of a passenger and which consists of an upper reversal member 20 which is firmly secured to the vehicle body 11 and is preferably designed as a roller and of a height-adjustable deflection member 21 which is arranged beneath the former. Whereas the reversal member 20 deflects the belt 15 substantially by 180' or preferably somewhat more (see the illustration in broken lines in Fig. 1), the deflection member 21 merely produces a deflection of the belt 15 which travels from above to the shoulder 16 of the passenger by an angle which is on the order of magnitude of more or less than about 45" Z"> depending on the size of the passenger.

From the shoulder 16 of the passenger the belt 15 then arrives in the manner which is reproduced only in broken lines in Fig. 1 at a belt lock 18 which is likewise illustrated only in broken lines, where it is secured or, in the case of a three-point embodiment, is led further to a belt securing point 35 at the vehicle body 11. The lower part of the belt lock 18 is led over a draw member 19 to a draw member securing point 36 at the vehicle body 11.

In accordance with Figs. 1 to 3 the deflection member 21 is designed as a preferably rectangular frame 2 V, from which two spaced sliding blocks 2 1 " extend in the direction away from the safety belt 15 through an entry opening 37 into a groove 23'of a rail 23 which is secured vertically at the vehicle body 11 and engage into the latter. The sliding blocks 2 1 are substantially designed in T shape and engage with the transverse T beam behind undercuttings 24 of the groove 2Y. At the end of the undercuttings 24 which faces the entry opening 37 clamping inclinations 28 are provided which lie opposite to corresponding clamping inclinations 29 at the sliding blocks 2 1".

At the side facing away from the frame 2 1' the two sliding blocks 2 1", which have a spacing in the longitudinal direction of the rail 23, have blind bores 2Tin which in each case a compression spring 26 and a recoil pin 25 which is stressed by the latter are accommodated. The two recoil pins 25 project out of the blind bores 27 and stress a carriage 31 which is formed complementary to the groove 23'and which has at the side of the frame 21'two rectangular openings 30 into which the sliding blocks 2 1 ", which have a: rectangular cross-section which is complementary thereto, engage.

The carriage 31 is pressed into the groove 23'by the compression springs 26 and the recoil pins 25. The reaction force which arises in this brings the clamping inclinations 28, 29 into a clamping contact with one another, through which the deflection member 21 is clamped - 8 at the rail 23 in such a manner that a vertical position which is set is maintained.

If the passenger presses with a finger into an actuation depression 32 which is provided outwardly at the frame 2 1', the clamping inclinations 28, 29 are lifted off from one another, with the compression spring 26 being compressed, through which the force locked connection between the sliding blocks 2 V' and the rail 23 is loosened to such an extent that an upward or downward vertical displacement of the deflection member 21 in the direction of the arrows F and G respectively is possible., Ripplings which improve the holding of the deflection member 21 can be provided at the clamping inclinations 28, 29.

The displacement can take place continuously or, if non-illustrated catches are provided, also in accordance with a predetermined pattem.

In order to allow the deflection member 21 to project as little as possible into the passenger space, the safety belt 15, after being passed about the reversal member 20 in the manner which is illustrated in Fig. 1 at 15', should be led to such an extent in the direction towards the part of the belt 15 which is located between the belt roller 12 and the reversal member 20 that the two belt parts have only a slight spacing inside the deflection member 21 which just ensures their mutual movability. Thus in accordance with the invention both the rising and the descending part of the belt 15 are passed through the frame 2 1'. Thus through a guiding of the belt in accordance with 15'in Fig. 1 the constructional depth of the deflection member 21 can be reduced to a minimum. The 1 1 frame could be designed substantially flatter in this case, as is indicated at 2 1"' in Fig. 1.

A passenger displaces the deflection member 21 by pressing the actuation depression 32 relative to his shoulder 16 at such a height that the belt 15 or 15' is on the one hand deflected only as little as possible from its straight direction, through which a higher wearer comfort is ensured, but on the other hand the belt 15 is nevertheless wound up to such an extent in the region of the shoulder 16 that a good holding of the buckled up passenger against being thrust forward is ensured in the event of a sudden braking or in the event of an accident. Taller persons thus displace the deflection member 21 further upwardly and shorter persons further downwardly.

Whereas twice the belt force acts at the reversal member 20, which can however be easily managed as a result of the non-displaceable mounting of the reversal member at the vehicle body 11, only a fraction of the simple belt force arises at the deflection member 21 in the direction away from the rail 23, which is determined by the comparatively small size of the deflection angle of the belt 15 on the order of magnitude of 45 in the deflection member 2 1. The force acting on the deflection member 21 can thus for example be reduced to less than half the belt force. This has an advantageous effect for a compact design of the deflection member 21 which has a low material cost and complexity.

In accordance with Fig. 2, covering aprons 38 which cover over the rail 23 and which counteract the intrusion of contamination between the frame 2 1' and the rail 23 can be formed laterally at the frame 2 1'. The covering aprons 38 are left out in Fig. 3.

2-> Fig. 4 shows practically a kinematic reversal of the guidance of the deflection member 21 at the rail 23 in accordance with Figs. 2 and 3. The rail 23 is provided in accordance with Fig. 4 with a T-shaped section instead of with a groove 23'in accordance with Fig. 3, with the two transverse projections 23" of the rail 23 engaging behind undercuttinas 2 1"" of the deflection member 21 which are arranged at the covering aprons 38 of the frame 2 1'which_point towards the rail 23. The clamping inclinations 28 and 29 respectively are provided at the free ends of the transverse projections 23" and in the region of the transition from the covering aprons 38 to the undercuttings 2 1 "". In a mounting bore 27'of the rail 23 there is a helical compression spring 26 2=-> which engages at the other side at the base of the frame 2 1' and exerts a bias force on the deflection member 21 in the direction away from rail 23. In this way the clamping inclinations 28, 29 come to lie in contact with one another. In Fig. 4 that state of the deflection member 21 is illustrated which is achieved by pressing on the actuation depression 32 in order to be able to displace the deflection member 21 along the rail 23.

Both in the exemplary embodiment in accordance with Fig. 2 and in the exemplary embodiment in accordance with Fig. 4, sliding projections 39 can be provided at the rear side of the frame 2 1'which are normally held by the helical compression spring 26 at a distance from the rail 23, but however come to lie in contact at the rail 23 when pressure is exerted on the actuation depression 32 and which then favor the 1 upward or downward sliding process which is triggered by the operating C) person.

: T% List of reference symbols 11 vehicle body 12 belt roller 13 torque producing mechanism (spiral spring) 14 unwind blocking arrangement safety belt 16 shoulder 17 belt deflection device 18 b elt lock 19 draw member reversal member 21 deflection member 2 1' frame 21" sliding block 2 1 flattened frame 2 1" undercutting 22 belt roll 23 rail 23' groove 2Y transverse projection 24 undercutting recoil pin 26 compression spring 27 mounting bore 27' mounting bore 28 clamping inclination 1 1 29 clamping inclination opening 31 carriage 32 actuation depression 33 vertical 34 housing belt securing point 36 draw member securing point 37 entry opening 38 covering apron 39 sliding projection , t, 2w

Claims

Claims

Safety belt arrangement in vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, comprising a safety belt (15), a belt roller (12) which takes up a greater or lesser part of the belt (15), which is rotatably secured at the vehicle body (11), which is subjected to a bias force in the belt wind-up direction by a torque producing mechanism (13), and which further has an unwind blocking arrangement (14) which blocks the unwinding of the belt (15) against the force of the torque producing mechanism (13) in the event of an attempt to rapidly draw out the belt (15) and/or in the event of accelerations caused by an accident, a belt deflection device (17) which is arranged above the shoulder (16) of the passenger who is held by the safety belt (15), to which the belt (15) is led from the belt roller (12) and through which the belt (15) can be deflected in such a manner that it approaches the passenger, and a belt lock (18) to which the bel t (15) extends from the belt deflection device (17), from which the belt (15) is led to the vehicle body (11) where appropriate and which is secured at a draw member (19) which is attached to the vehicle body (11), characterized in that the belt deflection device (17) consists of an upper reversal member (20) which is secured at the vehicle body (11) and which at first at least substantially deflects the belt (15) downwards, and a deflection member (2 1) which is arranged below it, which is height- adj ustably secured at the vehicle body (11) and which deflects the belt (15) from an at least substantially vertical (33) direction to a direction toward the shoulder (16) of the passenger 1 which deviates significantly from the vertical (33).
2. Arrangement in accorda-nce with claim 1, characterized in that the belt (15) extends at least substantially vertically from the belt roller (12) to the reversal member (20).
3. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the part of the belt (15) extending from the belt roller (12) to the reversal member (20) preferably passes undeflected through the deflection member (21).
4. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the part of the belt (15) which extends between the reversal member (20) and the deflection member (2 1) extends at least substantially vertically.
5. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two parts of the belt (15) which extend between the reversal member (20) and the deflection member (2 1) extend at least substantially parallel to one another.
6. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the two parts of the belt (15) which extend through the deflection - 16f- member (2 1) lie at least substantially parallel to one another and preferably close to one another without contact.
7. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection member (2 1) is height- adjustably attached at a preferably at least approximately vertically arranged rail (23) which is secured at the vehicle body (11) or is integrated into the latter.
8. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height- adjustability of the deflection member (2 1) is designed to be continuous or catch-like.
9. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection member (2 1) has a preferably, at least approximately rectangular frame (2 11, the width of which is somewhat larger than that of the belt (15) and the depth of which is somewhat larger than twice the belt thickness.
10. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the deflection member (2 1) has at least one sliding block (2 1") which engages into an undercut groove (23 which is provided in the rail (23) and which extends in the longitudinal direction of the latter, and engages behind the undercutting (24).
1 1 11. Arrangement in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that two sliding blocks (2 1 ") are arranged one behind the other with a spacing in the displacement direction at the deflection member (21).
12. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the deflection member (21) has two unde rcuttings (21") on the side of the frame (2 l facing the rail (23) which engage behind transverse projections (23'1 of the rail (23); and in that a compression spring (26) biases the frame (2 1 away from the rail (23) in such a manner that the undercuttings (2 1"") are pressed against the transverse projections (23'.
13. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 10 to 12, characterized in that holding means (2 1", 2 1'", 2Y, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29) are provided - a at the deflection member (21) and/or at the rail (23) which hold the deflection member (2 1) at a pre-set height.
14. Arrangement in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that the holding means (21", 21"", 2Y, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29) are executed in such a manner that the fixing of the height of the deflection member (2 1) is amplified by a force component which is produced by the belt (15) and which points perpendicularly to the rail (23) and in the direction of the deflection member (2 1).
15. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 10 to 14 characterized in that clamping inclinations (28, 29) which amplify the fixing of the height of the deflection member (21) at the rail (23) are provided at the undercutting or undercuttings (2 1 "", 24) and/ or at the region or regions of the sliding blocks (2 1 ") or, respectively of the transverse projections (23' of the rail (23) which cooperate therewith.
16. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 10 to 15 characterized in that the sliding blocks (21") or the transverse projections (23'3 respectively have a rectangular cross-section.
17. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 10, 11 and 13 to 15, characterized in that each sliding block (2 1 ") engages into a complementary opening (30) of a carriage (3 1) which is displaceably arranged in the groove (2 3
18. Arrangement in accordance with claim 17, characterized in that the carriage (31) has a U-shaped cross-section.

1 1 19-
19. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the claims 10 to 18 characterized in that the sliding blocks (2 1 ") and the frame (2 1 respectively are biased away from the rail (23).
20. Arrangement in accordance with claim 19, characterized in that a recoil pin (25) which is loaded by a compression spring (26) extends from each sliding block (2 1") in the direction towards the base of the groove (23).
21. Arrangement in accordance with claim 17 or claim 18 and claim 19 or claim 20, characterized in that the biasing of each sliding block (2 1") takes place relative to the carriage (3 1).
22. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection member (2 1) can be released out of the locking engagement with the vehicle body (11) or the rail (23) respectively and then displaced to the desired height through the exertion of a pressure substantially perpendicularly to the displacement direction and counter to the holding direction
23. Arrangement in accordance with claim 22, characterized in that an actuation depression (32) is provided at the deflection member (21).
24. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection member is executed as a plastic and/or metal extrusion section.
25. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rail (23) is a metal section.
26. Arrangement in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the belt (15) is deflected below the deflection member (2 1) by an angle in the region of 45 with respect to the part of the belt (15) which is located directly ahead of the deflection member (2 1).

1