US3639951A - Safety belt buckle - Google Patents

Safety belt buckle Download PDF

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Publication number
US3639951A
US3639951A US802535*A US3639951DA US3639951A US 3639951 A US3639951 A US 3639951A US 3639951D A US3639951D A US 3639951DA US 3639951 A US3639951 A US 3639951A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
baseplate
latch plate
latch
spring
plate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US802535*A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Masahiko Inoue
Ken Tojyo
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Toyota Motor Corp
Original Assignee
Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Toyota Motor Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tokai Rika Co Ltd, Toyota Motor Corp filed Critical Tokai Rika Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3639951A publication Critical patent/US3639951A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
    • A44B—BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES, SLIDE FASTENERS, OR THE LIKE
    • A44B11/00—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts
    • A44B11/25—Buckles; Similar fasteners for interconnecting straps or the like, e.g. for safety belts with two or more separable parts
    • A44B11/2503—Safety buckles
    • A44B11/2507—Safety buckles actuated by a push-button
    • A44B11/2511—Safety buckles actuated by a push-button acting perpendicularly to the main plane of the buckle, e.g. placed on the front face of the buckle
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T24/00—Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
    • Y10T24/45—Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock]
    • Y10T24/45225—Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock] including member having distinct formations and mating member selectively interlocking therewith
    • Y10T24/45602—Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity
    • Y10T24/45675—Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity having pivotally connected interlocking component
    • Y10T24/45696—Requiring manual force thereon to interlock or disengage
    • Y10T24/45712—Requiring manual force thereon to interlock or disengage having interlocking portion thereof housed continuously within cavity

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A safety belt buckle so constructed that the minimum number of components are employed for convenience and simplicity of assembling; a movable portion is enclosed by a cover plate and a baseplate so as to be protected from an unexpected impact of any other object, in order to preclude an unexpected disengagement of the tongue from a latched position; and disengagement of the tongue is precisely effected only by pressing on it by means of a finger inserted through an aperture on the cover plate, but is not unexpectedly effected as a result of the force of inertia exerted thereon on collision.
  • the present invention relates to a safety belt buckle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a safety belt buckle characterized by comprising a cover plate secured to the baseplate; a latch plate having one end engaged with one end of the baseplate within said cover plate and pivotally supported so that the latch plate can move swingeably. At the other end, an operative portion is bent or folded to extend under an inner or under surface of the cover plate, said operative end portion of the latch plate being in contact with the undersurface of the cover plate to prevent the latch plate from being pressed upwardly by the force applied by the belowmentioned spring. A spring is secured to the latch plate and presses said latch plate towards the cover plate. An aperture is provided at one part of the cover plate corresponding to the operative end portion of the latch plate.
  • the structure of the conventional safety belt buckle is such that the latch element for engagement of the tongue is released by rotating a swingeable cover plate in an unlatching direction by means of a lever pivotally secured to the rear portion of the baseplate.
  • the conventional safety belt buckle has defects, namely, that the structure is complicated and assembling is troublesome, because numerous components are used. It has another functional defect that an unexpected disengagement of the tongue from the latched position has been often encountered, since the force of inertia, on collision, is exerted thereupon in a direction causing unlatching of the tongue.
  • a principal object of the present invention is to provide a safety belt buckle so constructed that the minimum number of elements are employed for convenience and simplicity of assembling; a movable portion is enclosed by a cover plate and a baseplate so as to be protected from an unexpected impact of any other object, in order to preclude an unexpected disengagement of, the tongue from the latched position; and disengagement of the tongue is precisely effected only by pressing thereon by means of a finger inserted through an aperture on the cover plate, but is not unexpectedly effected by the force of inertia.
  • FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view
  • FIG. 2 is a plan view
  • FIG. 3 is a plan view, with parts cut away.
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken along the line A-A of FIG. 3.
  • Numeral l is a baseplate, which consists of a pair of up standing and inwardly folded flange portions 2, 2 each having at one end thereof a slightly rising end surface 6 with a notch or slit and having a cutout portion 7, at the opposite end thereof, for engagement with a cover plate.
  • a web portion has a reentrant edge portion 3 at the rear or right end in FIG. I, an aperture extending over substantially the entire width thereof near the opposite front or left end part thereof, and a projection 4 formed integrally therewith, for supporting a free end of a tongue 26.
  • the projection 4 is centrally located and extends perpendicular to the web.
  • Numeral 8 is a latch plate, which has one end fitted to said reentrant edge portion 3 so as to pivotally support the latch plate whereby the opposite end portion of said latch plate can swing.
  • a guide aperture 9 is provided at a position corresponding to the supporting projection 4, for receiving said projection therein, and said aperture having at one end thereof an upwardly raised latch portion 10.
  • An upstanding portion 11 extends substantially perpendicularly at a position spaced leftwardly or frontwards from the latch portion and I then is bent perpendicularly to extend frontwardly to form an operative portion 12 with a plane surface.
  • the operative portion 12, at an upper surface thereof, is normally maintained in contact with the undersurface of a cover plate 14.
  • the cover plate 14 has an upright front or left end portion 15 provided with slits 16, 16 at an upper part thereof,and is attached to the baseplate l with the slits l6, l6 interfitting with the cutout portions 7, 7, respectively.
  • the cover plate has at its right end edges 17 which are hooked over each of rising end portions 6, 6. It is to be noted, as best seen in FIG. 4, that a gap 18 is formed between the baseplate 1 and the cover plate 14, so as to permit insertion of the end of tongue 26.
  • Numeral 19 is a spring, which has a reentrant edge 20 at one end and a forked portion 21 with a space for permitting passage of the supporting projection 4, at the opposite end.
  • Said spring 19 is formed in a downwardly or backwardly bent shape, like a bow, and is attached to the latch plate 8 along the undersurface thereof, with the reentrant edge 20 fitted to the slit l3 and with the end of the forked portion 21 contacting the left or front part of the baseplate I, so that the latch plate 8 is pressed upwardly to an extent, due to resilience of the spring, that a narrow gap or space substantially equal to a thickness of the tongue 26 is formed between the undersurfaces of flange portions 2, 2 and a portion defined by the latch portion 10 and the upstanding portion 11 of said latch plate, and that the operative portion 12 thereof is maintained in contact with the undersurface of the cover plate 14.
  • an aperture 22 is provided corresponding to said operative
  • Numeral 23 is a packing plate, which is firmly fixed around the supporting projection 4 to preclude a loose engagement of the supporting projection with the end portion of the guide aperture 9 defined by the latch portion 10.
  • Numeral 24 is a belt bar, which is engaged within the baseplate and around which is wound a belt 25 inserted into the buckle through the aperture 5.
  • the front free end of the tongue 26 passes inwardly beyond the latch portion 10 of the latch plate 8 and presses said latch plate downwardly against the pressure of the spring 19 on the undersurface of the latch portion, until the aperture 27 becomes engaged with the latch portion 10 at its one end contiguous to the front free end, thereby locking the tongue within the buckle, as shown in the drawing.
  • the operative portion 12 of the latch plate 8 is pushed downwardly as appearing in FIG. 4 by pressing on it by a finger inserted through the aperture 22, so that the entire latch plate 8 swings about the reentrant portion 3 as a fulcrum to push the latch portion 10 downwardly below the upper end of the supporting projection 4, whereby the aperture 27 of the tongue 26 is disengaged from the latch portion 10 of the latch plate, thus effecting release of the tongue from the buckle, with extreme ease.
  • the safety belt buckle of the present invention has the advantage of simplicity in construction and assemblage, since a minimum number of components are used, including the baseplate l, the cover plate 14, the latch plate 8 with the integrally formed operative portion, the spring 19 and the belt bar.
  • Other advantages of the safety belt buckle of the present invention are that the tongue is easily released from the latched position simply by pressing the operative portion of the latch plate 8 through the aperture of the cover plate, and an unexpected disengagement or release of the tongue is precluded since engagement of the tongue with the latch plate is forced in its positive direction due to force of inertia exerted thereupon on collision.
  • a safety belt buckle comprising:
  • a baseplate having a hooklike reentrant portion at one end thereof defining integral fulcrum means
  • a latch plate having first and second generally parallel transversely offset portions extending respectively in opposite directions from a transversely extending intermediate connecting portion, one end of said first portion of said latch plate extending into said reentrant portion and being pivotally engaged with said fulcrum means whereby said latch plate is swingable with respect to said baseplate, said first portion having latch means thereon;
  • cover plate secured to said baseplate and overlying said latch plate, said second portion-of said latch plate normally contacting the inner surface of said cover plate under the urging of said spring whereby said cover plate limits swingable movement of said latch plate away from said baseplate, said cover plate having an aperture therethrough in the part thereof contacting said second portion of said latch plate whereby a users finger can be inserted through said aperture to swing said latch plate toward said baseplate, said aperture being laterally offset from said latch means whereby said latch plate can be moved by a relatively light force.
  • a safety belt buckle according to claim 1 wherein one end of said spring is provided with a curved hooklike portion thereon in which is received said one end of said latch plate, said spring being upwardly bowed between its ends and the other end of said spring slideably engaging said baseplate, and an intermediate portion of said spring slideably engaging said latch plate for resiliently urging same upwardly toward said cover plate.
  • a safety belt buckle comprising:
  • a baseplate having integral fulcrum means adjacent one end thereof;
  • a latch plate having first and second generally parallel transversely offsetportions extending respectively in opposite directions from a transversely extending intermediate connecting portion, said first portion being pivotally engaged with said fulcrum means whereby said latch plate is swingable with respect to said baseplate, said first portion having latch means thereon;
  • said baseplate having any integral upstanding projection extending toward said cover plate and terminating in spaced relation thereto, said spring having spaced-apart legs between which said projection extends, said first portion of said latch plate having an opening through which said projection can extend;
  • said spring comprises a bowed, forked, platelike a baseplate having integral fulcrum means adjacent one end thereof' a latch plate having first and second generally parallel transversely offset portions extending respectively in opposite directions from a transversely extending intermediate connecting portion, said first portion being pivotally engaged with said fulcrum means whereby said latch plate is swingable with respect to said baseplate, said first portion having latch means thereon;
  • said cover plate secured to said baseplate and overlying said latch plate, said second portion of said latch plate normally contacting the inner surface of said cover plate under the urging of said spring whereby said cover plate limits swingable movement of said latch plate away from said baseplate, said cover plate having an aperture therethrough in the part thereof contacting said second portion of said latch plate whereby a users finger can be inserted through said aperture to swing said latch plate toward said baseplate, said aperture being laterally offset from said latch means whereby said latch plate can be moved by a relatively light force; said baseplate having an integral upstanding projection extending toward said cover plate and terminating in spaced relation thereto, said spring having spaced-apart legs between which said projection extends, said first portion of said latch plate having an opening through which said projection can extend.
  • said latch means being defined by an upwardly raised section located at the end of said opening in the first portion of said latch plate;
  • said baseplate being generally channel shaped in cross section and having inwardly extending flanges overlying and spaced from the central web thereof, said flanges having one end thereof upturned portions on which are hooked edge portions of said cover plate, said central web having at said one end of said baseplate reentrant portions defining said fulcrum means, said one end of said latch plate extending into said reentrant portions, said one end of said latch plate having a notch therein, one end of said spring being backwardly curved and being received in said notch and hooked onto said latch plate, said spring being upwardly bowed between its ends and the other end of said spring slideably engaging said central web of said baseplate.

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  • Buckles (AREA)
US802535*A 1968-03-01 1969-02-26 Safety belt buckle Expired - Lifetime US3639951A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP1968015756U JPS5256086Y1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1968-03-01 1968-03-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3639951A true US3639951A (en) 1972-02-08

Family

ID=11897606

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US802535*A Expired - Lifetime US3639951A (en) 1968-03-01 1969-02-26 Safety belt buckle

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US (1) US3639951A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5256086Y1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3945091A (en) * 1973-09-04 1976-03-23 Stece - Ab Industrifjadrar Buckles for safety belts
US4566160A (en) * 1981-04-13 1986-01-28 Irvin Industries, Inc. End release inverse clevis buckle
US5010630A (en) * 1989-12-15 1991-04-30 Mickelson Steven E Clasp mechanism
US20080313871A1 (en) * 2007-06-19 2008-12-25 Thorbole Chandrashekhar K Impact resistant seat belt buckle
US20130125355A1 (en) * 2011-05-16 2013-05-23 The Engineering Institute, Llc Buckle for preventing inertial de-buckling

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2834870B1 (fr) * 2002-01-18 2004-03-19 Zedel Boucle de fixation a auto-verrouillage et a reglage d'une sangle

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3496615A (en) * 1966-08-24 1970-02-24 Cummings & Sander Inc Safety belt buckle

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3496615A (en) * 1966-08-24 1970-02-24 Cummings & Sander Inc Safety belt buckle

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3945091A (en) * 1973-09-04 1976-03-23 Stece - Ab Industrifjadrar Buckles for safety belts
US4566160A (en) * 1981-04-13 1986-01-28 Irvin Industries, Inc. End release inverse clevis buckle
US5010630A (en) * 1989-12-15 1991-04-30 Mickelson Steven E Clasp mechanism
US20080313871A1 (en) * 2007-06-19 2008-12-25 Thorbole Chandrashekhar K Impact resistant seat belt buckle
US8108976B2 (en) * 2007-06-19 2012-02-07 Thorbole Chandrashekhar K Impact resistant seat belt buckle
US20130125355A1 (en) * 2011-05-16 2013-05-23 The Engineering Institute, Llc Buckle for preventing inertial de-buckling
US9009932B2 (en) * 2011-05-16 2015-04-21 The Engineering Institute, Llc Buckle for preventing inertial de-buckling

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5256086Y1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1977-12-19

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