Seat belt securing device

Abstract

A seat belt securing device includes a C-shaped hook member having upper and lower legs spaced apart to define a belt receiving slot having a forwardly facing open end. The lower leg is pivotally mounted on a mounting bracket attached to the vehicle body and positioning the hook member adjacent the hip of the seated occupant. The upper leg is engaged by the belt upon entry of the belt into the slot and is arranged relative the pivot so that belt force applied against the hook member by a retractor associated with the belt and by restraint of the occupant maintain the hook member in a downwardly directed belt capturing position. A gate member is pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket and is spring biased to a normal position where its one end engages the upper leg to close the open end of the slot and a latch portion at its other end engages a notch in the lower leg to latch the hook member against rearward belt releasing motion. The spring yields to permit movement of the gate member to a slot opening position when engaged by the belt during engagement of the belt over the upper leg and insertion into the slot. A release lever has a generally planar body portion pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket and a laterally extending occupant accessible push button portion adapted to overlie the upper leg in spaced relation therefrom to permit limited pivotal movement of the release lever relative the hook member. The release lever also has a cam surface for pivoting the gate member out of engagement with the notch of the lower leg during the limited pivotal movement of the release lever. A further occupant depression of the push button portion causes engagement of the laterally extending push button portion with the upper leg to effect rearward pivoting movement of the hook member to release the belt therefrom.