The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 16, 1990
Filed:
Feb. 22, 1990
David Prentkowski, Warren, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
A tongue assembly for use in a three-point continuous loop seat belt system is freely slidable along the belt to enable use of a light retractor spring. The tongue assembly includes a lock bar slidable along a base. The base has a flat leading end portion, a parallel offset trailing end position, and a connector section extending at an angle between the leading and trailing end portions. Whe the tongue assembly is engaged with the buckle, the belt wraps around the lock bar, and the lock bar is slid along the angled connector portion of the base toward the trailing end portion. The belt is clamped between the lock bar and the trailing end portion, to restrain the vehicle occupant. When the tongue assembly is disengaged from the buckle, the belt extends through the tongue assembly in such a manner that the belt may move freely through the tongue assembly. Since the belt may move freely through the tongue assembly, the retractor wind-up spring need not be strong enough to lift both the belt and the tongue assembly, and a light retractor spring may be used.