Actuating means for a buckle in a safety belt system
AssigneeTRW Repa GmbH
InventorsThomas Modinger, Ulrich Golz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator for a buckle in a vehicle safety belt system is disclosed. A belt tightener engages on the buckle. In operation, the belt tightener moves the buckle towards the vehicle floor to tighten the webbing. An actuating member is arranged at a stationary location so that relative movement occurs between the buckle and the actuating member when the former is moved towards the vehicle bottom. A force transmitting connection permitting such relative movement is provided between the buckle and the actuating member. This connection can be embodied by a flexible cable or by a rack bar and a tooth member cooperating therewith.
Claims10
A safety belt system comprising:
- a buckle for engaging a tongue secured to a safety belt which extends across a vehicle occupant to restrain the vehicle occupant, said buckle having a release member movable between a retain position and a release position, said release member having an engagement portion, in said retain position said release member preventing disengagement of the tongue from said buckle, in said release position said release member permitting disengagement of the tongue from said buckle, said buckle being movable along a pretensioning stroke by a pretensioner, and
- an actuating means for moving said release member from said retain position to said release position, said actuating means remaining stationary during movement of said buckle along the pretensioning stroke, said actuating means including:
- an actuating element movable by a vehicle occupant;
- rack means for engaging said engagement portion of said release member and for moving said release member from said retain position to said release position, said rack means having a plurality of teeth, said teeth being engageable with said engagement portion of said release member for moving said release member from said retain position to said release position during movement of said rack means, said rack means having a ramp surface means;
- connection means for connecting said actuator element to said rack means and for transferring a linear force in a first direction from said actuator element to said rack means for moving said rack means;
- guide means for shifting said rack means in a second direction which is toward said engagement portion of said release member and which is transverse to the first direction upon movement of said rack means in the first direction, said guide means having a ramp surface means for engaging said ramp surface means of said rack means and for forcing said ramp surface means of said rack means in the second direction by sliding action during movement of said rack means in the first direction.
An assembly for use in a vehicle safety belt system, said assembly comprising:
- a buckle for receiving a tongue to which belt webbing is connectable, said buckle being movable away from a rest position in a direction towards the vehicle floor to eliminate slack in the belt webbing;
- a movable release member associated with said buckle and for, when moved, allowing the tongue to be released from said buckle;
- actuating means for moving said release member, said actuating means including an actuatable element and a force-transmitting connection which connects said actuatable element to said release member and which permits movement between said buckle and said actuating element;
- said force-transmitting connection including a transmission element which is uncoupled from said release member when said actuatable element is unactuated;
- said force-transmitting connection including converting means for, when said actuatable element is actuated and said buckle is moved away from the rest position in the direction towards the vehicle floor, converting a longitudinal travel of said actuatable element into a combined longitudinal thrust and transverse movement of said transmission element to couple said transmission element to said release member and to thereby move said release member to release the tongue from said buckle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.