Alliedsignal Inc.

Breed Automotive Technology, Inc.

Kangol Magnet Limited

Bsrd Limited

David Burke

Andrew John Downie

Alan George Smithson

Harjeet Gill

Ian Alexander Gordon

Tony Chamings

Michael A Mikulec

The present invention provides an improved buckle for a vehicle safety restraint from which more accurate and reliable information on seat belt usage can be obtained. The buckle comprises a buckle head with a passageway for receiving a buckle tongue, and releasable means for locking the tongue in the passageway. A tag such as a coded magnetic strip or a microchip is provided encapsulated in the material of the tongue and a detector is provided in the buckle head in close proximity to the tongue passageway. A detector is provided to suitably read the tag code.

Seat belt buckle

A pretensioner-proof buckle comprises a buckle for a vehicle safety restraint mechanism, the buckle comprising: a housing (,) having a rectilinear channel for receving a fastening member (,); a latching element (,) mounted within the housing and moveable between a first position in which it engages the fastening member and a second position in which the fastening member is released; a release button (,) operatively connected to the latching element for effecting movement thereof between the first and second positions; a blocking member (,) for engaging the latching element under predetermined conditions to prevent movement of the latching element towards the release position; and an inertial mass (,) pivotally mounted to, and contained within side walls of, the release button (,), the mass being arranged to act on the blocking member under said predetermined conditions to move the blocking member into engagement with the latching element. The blocking member slides into position during the acceleration phase of a pretensioning operation and thus secures the buckle against spurious release earlier than in previously known arrangements.

A buckle for a vehicle safety restraint for use with a pretensioner has an actuating button for operating a latch for the tongue of the safety restraint. The button is connected via pulleys to a counterbalancing mass. When the pretensioner is operated and the buckle is retracted, the inertia of the mass counteracts the inertia of the button. Thus the button is prevented from moving in relation to the buckle in a direction which would tend to unlatch the tongue of the safety restraint.

Safety belt buckle

Buckle mechanism

A seat belt buckle (100) operable with a pretensioner (330) connected thereto for moving the buckle a determinable distance to remove slack of the seat belt about an occupant, the buckle comprising: a frame (102), adapted to be connected to the pretensioner (330), defining a tongue receiving opening (170) to receive a tongue (173) as the tongue is moved in a first direction, the frame having a first opening (126a) therein, and opposing frame sides (108a,b), each side including a latch plate slot (110) arranged generally perpendicular to the first direction and an arcuate slot (112), the arcuate slot (112) including a first portion (112a) generally parallel to the latch plate slots (110) and a second portion (113b) angled thereto, a latch plate (180), having end portions (186) movable within the latch plate slots between a locked position in engagement with an opening within the tongue and with the first opening (136a), a weight assembly pivotally connected to the end portions of the latch plate to generate a force upon the latch plate during operation of the pretensioner tending to urge the latch plate into the first opening.

Buckle for use with a pretensioner

A vehicle seat belt buckle mechanism designed for use with belt pretensioning means and being rendered immune to the effects of rapid buckle deceleration following pretensioning action the mechanism having a resiliently movable plate 82 carried by the buckle release button, the resilience being effectively much lighter than release button return springs 49c so that although the plate 82 normally has no effect, in the event of pretensioning action, it slides into an abutting position in the mechanism to inhibit subsequent spurious release resulting from button movement in a crash situation.

In a seat belt buckle a U-shaped main frame (1) has two side portions (7,8) and a tilting locking element (15) located between them to be engageable with a belt tongue (4) when inserted therein, a retaining member (27) being movable in L-shaped cut-outs (11,12) in the side portions between locking and unlocking positions in relation to the locking element (15) by action of the tongue or a release button respectively, and inertial rocking member (20) being pivotally carried by the locking element (15) and spring urged towards a position which locks the retaining member into its said locking position and is unresponsive to pretensioning action on the buckle.

A vehicle seat belt buckle has a socket part with a socket and a latch member for latching a tongue part within the socket. The latch member is held in the latching position by a catch element movable manually to release the latch member by means of a push button to which the catch element is connected either directly or by a lost motion connection. The latch member then rotates to a release position for the tongue under a spring bias, a portion of the latch member positively ejecting the tongue. Instead, the latch member is rotated by the tongue to a release position in which the catch element applies a holding bias overcome by the tongue on reinsertion. In a third arrangement, the catch element is rolled against bias on a profiled surface of the latch member to tilt this to a release position in which it is held by an ejector until the tongue is reinserted.

Growing community of inventors

Carlisle, United Kingdom

David Burke