GB2524978A

GB2524978A - Buckle and seat belt comprising a buckle

Info

Publication number: GB2524978A
Application number: GB1406250.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary Seale
Original assignee: WRASP Ltd
Current assignee: WRASP Ltd
Priority date: 2014-04-07
Filing date: 2014-04-07
Publication date: 2015-10-14
Also published as: GB201406250D0

Abstract

A seat belt buckle 200 having a housing 202 for connecting to a web 204 and releasably engagable with a complementary part 206 connected to a web 208 and having a locking mechanism for releasably engaging the complementary part, a recess into which the complementary part is insertable to engage the locking mechanism and a release part 212 operable to allow disengagement of the complementary part from the locking mechanism wherein housing has a polymer surface having moulded surface relief 214. The surface relief cover the entirety of the part it is applied to. The relief may comprise information that is detectable by feel such as Braille.

Description

BUCKLE AND SEAT BELT COMPRISING A BUCKLE

This invention relates to a buckle for a seat belt and particularly to a buckle having an embellished surface and to such buckles which are low in weight.

Seatbelts aie typically used to restrain a user of a vehicle or transport system in the event of an accident thereby to protect the user from injuly or death. Seatbelts generally comprise several webs which are brought together and secured around the user using a buckle assembly to restrain the user in a generally fixed position relative O to the immediate environment such as a seat in a vehicle. Seat belts are employed in a wide-range of vehicular applications including in land-going vehicles such as automobiles, cars, lorries, buses and the like, railways and in aircraft, both civil and m i Ii ta ry.

Buckle assemblies are typically positioned to the side of an occupant or in front of an occupant. For example, a "three point" harness system, as typically found in conventional automobiles, can include a shoulder web and a lap web that are releasably secured to a buckle assembly. A "five point' harness system can include a crotch web, first and second shoulder webs, and first and second lap webs that are releasably secured to a buckle assembly positioned proximate to the occupant's mid-section.

Conventionally, seatbelts employ metals, for example cast or pressed steel or aluminium in their construction due to the need for strength to withstand significant forces in order to restrain movement of a wearer in the event of an accident. In certain applications, for example aviation, stringent requirements relating to toxicity and flammability have also meant that metals continue to be employed in the construction of buckles rather than lighter polymer-based materials. Reducing the weight of components in aircraft is desirable in order to improve fuel efficiency for environmental and commercial reasons or to allow greater fuel-carrying capacity or increased payloads. However, many components used inside aircraft still make use of metals in their construction due to the requirements for strength and compliance with toxicity and flammability standards. Low-density metals, such as aluminium and aluminium alloys are typically still much denser than some polymer-based materials but exacting safety standards as regards flammability and toxicity have limited wider exploitation of polymer-based materials. Manufacturing processes using metals however generally offer less design freedom than processes for forming polymer-based articles.

W0201 1/056989 describes a restraint assembly comprising i) a web connector having a tongue with an engagement feature, a web receiving portion and a tongue cover at least partially covering the web receiving portion, ii) a housing assembly to releasably engage the web connector tongue including a housing cover and a locking feature and iii) an actuator for releasing the locking feature and engagement feature wherein the tongue cover, first or second housing cover or actuator includes a 0 surface finish having a durometer hardness equal to or less than about Shore A 70.

The surface finish may be a paint for example a urethane paint or may have a texture of soft leather or be elastically compressible. A surface of a limited hardness with a painted or soft leather texture or compressible cover over the entirety of the housing, actuator or connector cover may offer aesthetic options for the assembly as a whole.

W02010/1 12875 describes improvements in aircraft seats and related components including a seat buckle comprising a moulded polymer encapsulated by a metal flashing wherein the metal flashing conducts heat away from a flame and prevents gases or toxic fumes from the polymer being released when subject to heat or a flame. However, whilst employing a metal flashing to encapsulate a polymer offers a way of reducing weight, the limited design freedom associated with a metal finish is disadvantageous.

We have now found that a buckle having a tailored design which also meets requirements of flammability, toxicity and reduced weight may be provided by employing surface relief to impart aesthetic or functional characteristics.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a seatbelt buckle comprising a housing for connecting to a web and releasably engagable with a complementary part connected to a web, the housing comprising a locking mechanism for releasably engaging the complementary part, a recess into which the complementary part is insertable to engage the locking mechanism and a release part operable to allow disengagement of the complementary part from the locking mechanism wherein housing comprises a polymer surface having moulded surface relief.

The polymer surface may cover the entire housing or a part thereof and preferably covers at least the release part or a part thereof The polymer surface may be applied to the relevant part of the buckle for example by overmoulding the polymer onto that part or the relevant part of the buckle itself may be made of polymer and the surface is in fact the surface of that that part.

Suitably, the release part of the housing and/or the underside of the housing comprises a polymer surface having moulded surface relief. The release part may be pivotally mounted so as to allow ready release of the complementary part by the 0 user in a manner known in the art. In a preferred embodiment the release part is constructed entirely from the polymer from which the polymer surface is constructed.

The release part is suitably connected to the rest of the housing via a pin, for example aluminium, which is suitably mounted with a spring action such that after opening and release of the complementary part by a user, the release part returns to a "closed" position relative to the housing by means of a spring urging the release part to the closed position.

The surface relief may provide aesthetic appearance or feel to the buckle but preferably comprises information detectable by feel. In a preferred embodiment, the surface relief comprises information detectable by feel representing branding information, for example an airline logo, user specific information for example a coat of arms or may comprise language. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the surface relief comprises Braille.

The release part may comprise further adornment such as aesthetic adornment, for example decorative or precious metals such as copper, nickel, chromium, silver, gold and platinum or jewels for example in bespoke applications. Decorative or precious metal adornment may be applied as a coating on whole or part of the housing particularly the release part together with the polymer surface.

Advantageously, a buckle according to the invention enables visually impaired or blind people to derive information from the buckle. The information may be of any desired content, for example, it may provide guidance as to operation of the seat belt.

The polymer surface preferably comprises a polymer which complies with prevailing regulations as regards toxicity, flammability and the like in the field of use.

Preferably, the polymer comprises a polyamide, polypropylene or a polyether ether ketone. The polymer may comprise a further component for example glass or carbon. Examples of suitable polymers include VICTREX polyether ether ketone, polyamide 66 filled with 40 to 60% glass or with 4-to 60% carbon and long strand polypropylene filled with 40 to 60% glass.

The housing may comprise one or a plurality of recesses for receiving one or more complementary parts. The buckle is accordingly suitable for use in a "two point" system with Iwo lap webs being securable across a user's waist or pelvic area as typically found in aircraft, a "three point" harness system, as typically found in 0 conventional automobiles or a "five point' harness system including a crotch web, a first and second shoulder webs, and first and second lap webs that are releasably secured to a buckle assembly positioned proximate to the occupant's waist or pelvic area.

Any one or more of the housing in its entirety, the locking mechanism or the release part may be constructed of metal for example steel or aluminium to provide for strength and high durability against wear with repeated locking and unlocking or may be constructed of a polymer material. The polymer material from which the surface is constructed may be the same or different to any polymer material employed in the locking mechanism, release part or otherwise in the housing. Preferably the housing and the release part are formed of a high tensile force aluminium pressing. This may then have the polymer surface applied to it in the relevant areas, suitably by overmoulding in a manner known to those skilled in the art. As the polymer surface is suitably moulded, a wide range of information may be applied to the housing or release part by creating a negative image in the injection mould tool.

Rather than being formed on the housing the polymer surface may be constructed as an insertable part which may be inserted into a retaining location on the housing. In this way, different surface relief may be employed simply by exchanging the insertable part thereby allowing a user to provide tailored information or adornment according to circumstances.

The buckle is suitably attached to the web by any conventional means for example "d" loops or the like and typically will be subject to the greater part of a load during testing or use in restraining the user. The web attached to both the buckle and the complementary part is suitably made to withstand the impact of a simulated crash imposing a load of 22 times gravity crash. The housing suitably has a return loop of seatbelt webbing threaded from underneath over a grip post within the housing. The grip post also bears a high load during a crash and is suitably constructed of steel.

The grip post provides a means of adjusting the tension of the seat belt and provides the interface of the seatbelt to the buckle. The grip post is suitably spun-riveted into place in the housing.

The complementary part may be constructed of a polymer material or a metal for example steel or aluminium to provide for strength and high durability. Suitably, the complementary part is constructed of the same material as the locking mechanism.

The buckle is especially useful as a seat belt in aircraft. The invention further provides an aircraft seat belt comprising a buckle according to the invention connected to webbing forming a first part of the seat belt and a complementary part connected to wedding forming the second part of the seat belt wherein the first and second parts of the seat belt are anchored to a part of the aircraft, for example a seat and are releasably securable by engaging the buckle and the complementary part.

The buckle of the invention when employed in an aircraft seat belt is preferably light weight. The housing is suitably constructed of aluminium or polymer and comprises a polymer surface. In conventional steel-constructed buckles made by pressing steel, the pressing operation to be performed correctly an excess of material is required (i.e. more than is required to provide the necessary strength).

Advantageously, the weight of the seat belt buckle, or other component, may be reduced by forming it from aluminium or a suitable polymeric material using a moulding operation. Not only are polymers less dense than most metals, but the moulding process enables the component to be formed to precisely the dimensions required to provide the necessary strength, without the need for excess material.

Advantageously, a seat belt comprising aluminium has a reduced weight as compared to a seat belt constructed of steel and use of a polymer surface reduces the amount of material required in the construction of the seat belt by avoiding the need for surplus material that is required when forming metal buckles using conventional pressing methods.

The polymer surface is suitably constructed by over-moulding. In this process, an underlying part, for example the housing or a component of it is provided and then

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the underlying part is mounted inside a mould into which the polymer material for forming the surface is injected or poured to produce the over-moulding to provide surface relief. This enables complex and intricate shapes and relief to be created.

The underlying part may be partially or totally overmoulded with the polymer. A suitable overmoulding process and polymers suitable for use as the polymer surface is described in W02010/1 12875.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a conventional seat belt buckle; Figure 2 shows a seat belt buckle according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a seat belt buckle 100 of the type commonly used in aircraft. The buckle includes a housing 102 affixed to a web 104 of the seat belt, and into which a complementary part 106, affixed to a second web 108 of the seat belt, is inserted.

The webbing 104 is secured to the housing 102 which has a body 110 and a release part 112 is provided and is pivotally attached to the body 110. The release part 112 is spring urged into a closed position in which the complementary part 106 is retained in the housing 102. In conventional aircraft seats, the body 110 and release part 112 and the complementary part 106 are all formed of pressed metal, such as steel, and are relatively heavy components.

Figure 2 shows a seat belt buckle according to the invention. The buckle includes a housing 202 affixed to a web 204 of the seat belt, and into which a complementary part 206, affixed to a second web 208 of the seat belt, is inserted. The webbing 204 is secured to the housing 202 which has a body 210 and a release part 212 is provided and is pivotally attached to the body 210. The release part 212 is spring urged into a closed position in which the complementary part 206 is retained in the housing 202. The release part 212 is made of a polymer for example VICTREX peek polymer and has been produced in a moulding process so as to provide surface relief which provides information to the user of the seat belt. The release part 212 has surface relief 214 formed on its surface. The surface relief 214 suitably comprises information, for example Braille.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A seat belt buckle comprising a housing for connecting to a web and releasably engagable with a complementary part connected to a web, the housing comprising a locking mechanism for releasably engaging the complementary part, a recess into which the complementary part is insertable to engage the locking mechanism and a release part operable to allow disengagement of the complementary part from the locking mechanism wherein housing comprises a polymer surface having moulded surface relief.
2. A buckle according to claim 1 wherein the polymer surface covers the entire the release part or a part thereof.
3. A buckle according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the release part and/or the underside of the housing comprises a polymer surface having moulded surface relief.
4. A buckle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the release part is constructed entirely from the polymer from which the polymer surface is constructed.
5. A buckle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface relief comprises information detectable by feel.
6. A buckle according to claim 5 wherein the information comprises branding information, user specific information or language.
7. A buckle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the information comprises Braille.
8. A buckle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the release part comprises adornment selected from precious metals and jewels
9. A buckle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the polymer surface comprises a polyether ether ketone
10. A buckle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the polymer surface is disposed on a separate part to the housing, the housing comprises a retaining location and the separate part is insertable into the retaining location on the housing so as to display the surface relief.
11. A buckle according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more of the housing in its entirety, the locking mechanism or the release part are constructed of aluminium or a first polymer and the surface relief is provided on the first polymer or the surface relief is provided on a second polymer moulded onto the housing or release part or on a separate insertable part.
12. An aircraft seat belt comprising a buckle according to any one of claims 1 to 11 connected to webbing forming a first part of the seat belt and a complementary part connected to wedding forming the second part of the seat belt wherein the first and second parts of the seat belt are anchored to a part of the aircraft and are releasably securable by engaging the buckle and the complementary part.
13. A buckle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.
14. An aircraft seat belt substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying figures.S