JP2001233179A - Buckle device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a buckle device capable of reliably judging whether a latch locks a tongue plate or not. SOLUTION: A pressure-sensitive sensor 110 is arranged between the lower plate 30 in a case 12 and the bottom plate 18 of the case 12 to face the latch 84 along the coupling and moving direction of the latch 84 via the through hole 92 of an upper plate 28 and the through hole 94 of the lower plate 30. The tongue plate 36 is inserted into the case 12 to a place where the latch 84 can penetrate a coupling hole 88 formed on the tongue plate 36, then the latch 84 is moved through the coupling hole 88 and the through hole 94 to press the pressure-sensitive sensor 110. Whether the latch 84 penetrates the coupling hole 88 of the tongue plate 36 or not can be detected by detecting this pressing force.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a buckle device for holding an occupant's body in a restrained state by a webbing belt in a vehicle seat belt device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A buckle device constituting a part of a seat belt device for restraining the body of an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat by a long belt-shaped webbing belt is a buckle device provided with a tongue plate provided on the webbing belt. When the latch penetrates the hole formed in the tongue plate in a state where the webbing belt is inserted into the case, the lock state is established, and the webbing belt is mounted.

There is a type of such a buckle device in which a sliding contact and a fixed contact are provided inside a case. The sliding contact is attached to a slider arranged in the case. The slider is disposed on the locus of insertion of the tongue plate inserted into the case or on the locus of movement of a member such as an ejector disposed on the locus of insertion. Is reached, and when further inserted into the case in this state, it is slid in the case by being directly pressed by the tongue plate or indirectly via a member such as an ejector.

On the other hand, the fixed contact contacts the sliding contact in a state where the tongue plate is moved to a position where the through hole of the tongue plate is positioned on the above-mentioned movement path of the latch and the latch can pass through the through hole. It is provided at a position where you can touch,
When the sliding contact comes into contact, the sliding contact is conducted. Also,
The fixed contact is electrically connected to an indicator provided on an instrument panel or the like of the vehicle, for example, via a control device such as a computer, and when the control device detects conduction between the sliding contact and the fixed contact, Alternatively, the indicator is turned on when conduction is not detected.

That is, when the tongue plate is inserted to a position where the sliding contact and the fixed contact are electrically connected, it is determined that the latch has passed through the through hole of the tongue plate and locked the tongue plate. It can be determined from the lighting of the indicator whether or not the lock has been achieved.

[0006]

However, according to the above-described structure of the detecting means, even if the latch does not penetrate through the through hole of the tongue plate even though the tongue plate is inserted into the case, the tongue does not move. Since it is determined that the plate is locked, the reliability is lacking in this sense.

An object of the present invention is to provide a buckle device that can reliably determine whether or not a latch has locked a tongue plate in consideration of the above fact.

[0008]

According to the buckle device of the present invention, an insertion hole for inserting a tongue plate provided on a webbing belt for restraining an occupant's body in a mounted state is formed, and the buckle device is inserted inside. A case provided with a guide for guiding the tongue plate, and a case provided inside the case so as to be movable along an opening direction of a through hole formed in the tongue plate, and penetrating through the through hole of the tongue plate. A latch that locks the tongue plate by moving the tongue plate through the through hole of the tongue plate in a state where the tongue plate is in a predetermined engagement position in the case, and moves the latch on a side opposite to the latch. A pressure-sensitive sensor that is provided along the direction to face the latch and that detects a pressing force from the latch side.

According to the buckle device having the above configuration, when the tongue plate is inserted from the insertion opening of the case and guided by the guide in the case and reaches the predetermined engagement position, the latch moves to the tongue plate side. Through the through holes formed in the tongue plate. Thereby, the tongue plate is locked by the latch.

When the latch penetrates the through hole, the latch comes into contact with a pressure sensor provided on the opposite side of the latch through the through hole, and the latch presses the pressure sensor. By detecting the pressing force at this time by the pressure-sensitive sensor, it can be detected that the latch has moved to pass through the through hole of the tongue plate, and it is detected that the tongue plate has been locked by the latch.

[0011]

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a buckle device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the buckle device 10 at an appropriate position. It is shown. As shown in these figures, the buckle device 10 includes a substantially box-shaped case 12. Case 1
Reference numeral 2 is made of a synthetic resin material. A longitudinal slit hole 14 is formed at one end in the longitudinal direction along the width direction of the case 12, and an opening 16 is formed at the other end.

A buckle body 20 is accommodated in the case 12. The buckle main body 20 includes an anchor plate 26 as a guide that is attached by rivets 24 to an attachment piece 22 extended from a vehicle (not shown). The anchor plate 26 is formed by bending the center of the long plate material in the longitudinal direction, and has two parallel upper plates 28 and lower plates 30 at predetermined intervals. An insertion hole 32 is formed at the center of one end (bent portion) of the anchor plate 26, and a tongue plate 36 is inserted from the insertion hole 32 into an insertion portion formed between the upper plate 28 and the lower plate 30. 34. In the tongue plate 36,
An insertion hole (not shown) is formed, and in this insertion hole,
The webbing of the seat belt device is inserted. The mounting piece 22 is inserted and fixed from the other end of the anchor plate 26.

The ejector 3 is provided in the anchor plate 26.
8 is slidably accommodated in the longitudinal direction of the anchor plate 26 (the direction of arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the opposite direction). An eject spring 40 is disposed between the ejector 38 and the mounting piece 22, and the ejector 38 is moved toward the insertion hole 32 (arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2).
(Towards the opposite direction).

From both ends in the width direction of the ejector 38, a pair of square pieces 42 projecting toward the mounting piece 22 is provided. The ejector 38 is pushed by the tongue plate 36 and the mounting piece 22
Is formed at a predetermined position so as to press a projection (not shown) provided on the button 50 at a position substantially at the center in the longitudinal direction of the square piece 42 when it moves toward. The slide of the ejector 38 is a square piece 42.
The contact portion 46 formed in the vicinity of the front end contacts a projection (not shown) projecting from the anchor plate 26 into the insertion portion 34, and is limited to a certain range.

The button 50 is located on the upper plate 2 of the anchor plate 26.
It is attached to the 8 side. The button 50 is formed in a substantially quadrangular frame shape in a plan view, and has an operation unit 52 for pressing operation.
And a pair of parallel outer plates 54 protruding from the vicinity of both ends in the width direction of the operation unit 52, and a pair of parallel inner plates 58 protruding from the width direction inside of the outer plate 54. I have.

The outer plate 54 is formed with a claw piece 62 directed inward. The pawl pieces 62 are engaged between the upper plate 28 and the lower plate 30 of the anchor plate 26 from the outside of the anchor plate 26, so that the button 50 cannot be detached from the anchor plate 26, and Longitudinal direction (Fig. 1
And the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2 and the direction opposite thereto).

A projection 64 is provided on the inner surface of the inner plate 58 so as to project therefrom. Further, on the operation unit 52 side of the projection 64, a release surface 66 is formed which is gradually inclined in a direction away from the anchor plate 26 toward the operation unit 52. When the tongue plate 36 is not inserted into the insertion portion 34, the projection 64 is provided with a latch 8 as a locking member described later.
4 and the engagement direction (the direction of arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 2)
To prevent the latch 84 from moving. In addition, the protrusion 64
When the tongue plate 36 is inserted into the insertion portion 34 and the latch 84 is engaged with the engagement hole 88 of the tongue plate 36 (locked state), the latch 84 abuts on the upper surface of the contact piece 86 of the latch 84 to engage. The movement of the latch 84 in the release direction (the direction opposite to the arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 2) is prevented.

When the button 50 moves in the unlocking direction (the direction of the arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2) in the locked state, the pressing force is applied to the latch 84 in the unlocking direction (FIG. 1).
(In the direction opposite to arrow B in FIG. 2), and pushes contact piece 86 from the lower surface side. As a result, the latch 84 moves in the disengagement direction.

The upper plate 28 is provided with a holding block 80 that straddles the inner plate 58 at a position inside the outer plate 54 of the button 50. The holding block 80 has a pair of parallel holding plates 82, and the latch 8 is located between the holding plates 82.
4 are arranged. The holding plate 82 is an anchor plate 2
6 is prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction (the direction of arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the opposite direction), and the engagement direction and the disengagement direction (the direction of arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the opposite direction). Direction).

The latch 84 is formed in a substantially U-shape when viewed from the front, and has a contact piece 86 extending outward from the upper end in the width direction. An engagement piece 90 extends from the center of the latch 84 in the width direction toward the tongue plate 36. When the tongue plate 36 is inserted into the insertion portion 34 to a predetermined position, the engagement pieces 90 pass through the through holes 92 formed in the upper plate 28 of the anchor plate 26,
It engages with the engaging hole 88 of the anchor plate 26, and further penetrates a through hole 94 (see FIG. 1) formed in the lower plate 30.

A pair of leaf spring pieces 96 project from the holding block 80 toward the operation portion 52 of the button 50, and urge the button 50 in the direction opposite to the arrow A in FIGS. ing. Thereby, an appropriate resistance is generated when the operation unit 52 is pressed.

An intermediate plate 76 having an appropriate opening is provided between the outer plates 52 of the button 50, and a leg 68 projects downward from the intermediate plate 76. . The leg 68 penetrates a long hole 70 formed in the upper plate 28 and is located between the upper plate 28 and the lower plate 30. Slot 70
Is elongated along the direction in which the button 50 slides, and when the button 50 slides, the leg 68 moves along the long hole 70, and the leg 68 moves along the long hole 70. This causes the button 50 to slide. Slot 70
Are located on the movement locus of the tongue plate 36 that moves between the upper plate 28 and the lower plate 30, and the upper plate 2
When the tongue plate 36 reaches the predetermined position between the lower plate 8 and the lower plate 30, the tongue plate 36 comes into contact with the leg 68, and when the tongue plate 36 slides further in this state, the leg 68 is attached to the tongue plate 36. It is pressed and moves.

Further, one end of a leaf spring-shaped lock spring 98 is attached to the button 50. The other end of the lock spring 98 is in contact with the upper surface of the latch 84, and urges the latch 84 in the engagement direction (the direction of the arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 2).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a sensor 110 is housed inside the case 12. The pressure-sensitive sensor 110 has a rectangular thin plate shape as a whole, and a pressing force along the thickness direction acts on the end in the thickness direction, and, for example, the pressure-sensitive sensor 110 is elastically deformed. The electric resistance changes.

The pressure sensor 110 is disposed between the outer surface of the lower plate 30 and the bottom plate 18 of the case 12.
These through-holes 9 extend along the through-holes 92 formed in the upper plate 28 and the through-holes 94 formed in the lower plate 30.
2, 94. Therefore, the pressure-sensitive sensor 110 faces the latch 84 along the moving direction of the latch 84, and the engaging piece 90 of the latch 84 passes through the through hole 92 of the upper plate 28 and Then, after penetrating through the engaging hole 88, it penetrates through the through hole 94 of the lower plate 30 and contacts one end in the thickness direction of the pressure-sensitive sensor 110.

The pressure sensor 110 is electrically connected to a galvanometer 112. The galvanometer 112 is the pressure sensor 11
A change in current flowing through an electric circuit including the pressure sensor 110 and the galvanometer 112 is detected in accordance with a change in the electric resistance value of zero. Further, the galvanometer 112 is electrically connected to an indicator 116 provided on, for example, an instrument panel of a vehicle via a control device 114 such as a computer.
The control device 114 turns on or off the indicator 116 according to the electric signal from the galvanometer 112.

Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

When the tongue plate 36 is not inserted into the insertion portion 34, the projection 64 of the button 50 contacts the contact piece 86 of the latch 84 from below. 84 does not move in the engagement direction (the direction of arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 2).

When the tongue plate 36 is inserted into the insertion portion 34, the tongue plate 36 engages with the ejector 38, and the tongue plate 36 presses the ejector 38, and slides the ejector 38 against the urging force of the eject spring 40. Further, when the ejector 38 slides to a predetermined position, the ejector 38
8, the leg 68 is pressed and moved. Leg 68
Is moved, the projection 64 of the button 50 is separated from the contact piece 86 of the latch 84, and the latch 84 receives the urging force of the lock spring 98 in the engagement direction (the direction of the arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 2). The engaging piece 90 of the latch 84 moves through the through hole 92 of the upper plate 28 to engage with the engaging hole 88 of the tongue plate 36, and after passing through the engaging hole 88, the lower plate 30 It penetrates through hole 94. The button 50 is pushed by the leaf spring piece 96 and moves in the direction opposite to the arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2 to be in the locked state, and the projection 64 of the button 50 contacts the contact piece 86 of the latch 84 from above. , Latch 84
Disengagement direction (direction opposite to arrow B in FIGS. 1 and 2)
Is prevented from moving.

As described above, the engagement piece 9 of the latch 84
0 moves until it penetrates the through hole 94, the engagement piece 94
Abuts against the pressure-sensitive sensor 110. Here, since the latch 84 is urged in the engaging direction by the urging force of the lock spring 98, the engaging piece 90 is
Even when the lock spring 98 is in contact with
The pressure sensor 110 is pressed in response to the urging force from FIG.
As shown in (1), the pressure-sensitive sensor 110 is elastically deformed to such an extent that a concave portion is formed on one end side in the thickness direction of the pressure-sensitive sensor 110.

The electric resistance value of the pressure-sensitive sensor 110 changes by being elastically deformed as described above. A change in the electric resistance value of the pressure-sensitive sensor 110 is detected as a change in the current value flowing through the pressure-sensitive sensor 110 by the current detector 112 or the like, and further receives an electric signal from the current detector 112 that has detected the change in the current value. The control device 114 controls the indicator 11
6. A current is supplied to 6 to light the indicator 116. By visually checking the lighting of the indicator 116, the latch 8
It can be surely confirmed whether or not 4 has moved, that is, whether or not the tongue plate 36 has been locked.

In the buckle device 10, as described above, since the movement of the latch 84 is directly detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor 110, the latch 84 does not move even though the tongue plate 36 is inserted. When the plate 36 is not locked, the tongue plate 3
6 is not erroneously detected as locked, and is highly reliable in this sense.

In this embodiment, the movement of the latch 84 is only detected by the pressure sensor 110. However, for example, a sliding contact is provided at the tip of the leg 68, and A fixed contact is provided at a position where the sliding piece can be contacted with the tongue plate 36 inserted to a position where the mating piece 90 can be engaged with the engaging hole 88 of the tongue plate 36. Due to the contact and conduction, the engagement piece 90 of the latch 84 is engaged with the engagement hole 88 of the tongue plate 36
A tongue plate detecting means for detecting that the tongue plate 36 has been inserted to a position where the tongue plate 36 can be engaged may be separately provided.

When the engaging piece 90 of the latch 84 is engaged with the tongue plate 36 to lock the tongue plate 36 in such a configuration, the sliding contact and the fixed contact are in a conductive state, and the pressure-sensitive The sensor 110 is the engagement piece 9 of the latch 84.
The pressing force from 0 is detected.

On the other hand, if the latch 84 is moved despite the fact that the tongue plate 36 is not inserted due to some trouble, the conduction between the sliding contact and the fixed contact is released, The sensor 110 detects a pressing force from the engagement piece 90 of the latch 84.

As described above, since the state of the sliding contact and the state of the fixed contact are different between the locked state of the tongue plate 36 and the state in which the above-mentioned problem has occurred, it is possible to more reliably detect the locked state. In addition, the above-mentioned problems can be detected.

[0037]

As described above, the present invention can reliably determine whether or not the latch has locked the tongue plate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a buckle device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a buckle device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1 and showing a state in which a latch locks a tongue plate.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 buckle device 12 case 26 anchor plate (guide) 36 tongue plate 84 latch 110 pressure sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] An insertion hole into which a tongue plate provided on a webbing belt for restraining an occupant's body in a mounted state is formed, and a guide for guiding the tongue plate inserted therein is provided. A case, a latch provided inside the case so as to be movable along an opening direction of a through hole formed in the tongue plate, and a latch that locks the tongue plate by penetrating the through hole of the tongue plate; In the case, the tongue plate is provided facing the latch along the moving direction of the latch on the side opposite to the latch through a through hole of the tongue plate in a state where the tongue plate is at a predetermined engagement position, A buckle device comprising: a pressure-sensitive sensor that detects a pressing force from the latch side.