Method of assembling a tongue assembly for use with a seat belt system

A method of assembling a tongue which is movable along seat belt webbing and includes a latch plate sub-assembly for engaging a buckle and a cinch bar carried by the latch plate sub-assembly for pivotal movement relative to the latch plate sub-assembly between a first position enabling the seat belt webbing and the latch plate sub-assembly to move relative to one another and a second position clamping the seat belt webbing against the latch plate sub-assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

• inserting a first end of the cinch bar into a first opening in the latch plate sub-assembly by movement of the cinch bar in a first direction;
• inserting a second end of the cinch bar into a second opening spaced away from the first opening in the latch plate sub-assembly by movement of the cinch bar in a second direction generally opposite the first direction;
• maintaining the first end of the cinch bar in the first opening while inserting the second end of the cinch bar in the second opening;
• and
• pivoting the cinch bar counterclockwise in a fourth direction after inserting the second end of the cinch bar in the second opening.

A method of assembling a tongue assembly for a seat belt system comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth:

• providing a latch plate sub-assembly, the latch plate sub-assembly having a webbing opening partially defined by a first side wall and a second side wall facing the first side wall, the first side wall having a first cylindrical opening centered on a first longitudinal axis and the second side wall having a second cylindrical opening centered on the first longitudinal axis, the first side wall having a notch portion extending axially away from the second wall portion;
• providing a cinch bar including a body portion with a first end portion having a first end wall and a second end portion having a second end wall, the body portion extending axially between the first end wall and the second end wall along a second longitudinal axis, the first end wall having a first cylindrical extension pin extending axially away from the second end wall along the second axis, the second end wall having a second cylindrical extension pin extending axially away from the first end wall along the second axis, the first end wall having a projection key portion extending axially away from the second end wall;
• moving the cinch bar to a first position wherein the first end portion is located in the webbing opening and the second end portion is spaced apart from the webbing opening;
• moving the cinch bar to a second position wherein a portion of the first cylindrical extension pin is in the first cylindrical opening and a portion of the projection key portion is in the notch portion with the second end portion of the cinch bar being spaced apart from the webbing opening;
• moving the cinch bar to a third position wherein the first and second end portions of the cinch bar are in the webbing opening such that the second axis is coincident with the first axis, while the cinch bar is in the third position, a portion of the first cylindrical extension pin is in the first cylindrical opening and a portion of the projection key portion is in the notch portion with the second cylindrical extension pin being spaced apart from the second cylindrical opening;
• moving the cinch bar to a fourth position wherein a portion of the first cylindrical extension pin is in the first cylindrical opening and a portion of the second cylindrical extension pin is in the second cylindrical opening with the projection key portion being spaced apart from the notch portion;
• and
• rotating the cinch bar away from the notch portion to a fifth position.

A method of assembling a tongue assembly for a seat belt system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a latch plate sub-assembly having spaced apart first and second side walls partially defining a webbing opening, the first side wall having a notch extending axially away from the second side wall;
• providing a cinch bar having first and second end portions and a key portion at the first end portion extending axially away from the second end portion;
• moving the cinch bar into a first position relative to the latch plate sub-assembly in which the first end portion of the cinch bar is in the webbing opening and the key portion is in the notch;
• moving the cinch bar from the first position to a second position relative to the latch plate sub-assembly in which the second end portion of the cinch bar is in the webbing opening and the cinch bar is supported for rotation on the latch plate sub-assembly and the key portion is spaced axially from the notch;
• rotating the cinch bar from the second position relative to the latch plate sub-assembly to a third position relative to the latch plate sub-assembly in which the key portion is spaced axially and angularly from the notch;
• and
• inserting a length of seat belt webbing between the cinch bar and the latch plate sub-assembly, the seat belt webbing when disposed between the cinch bar and the latch plate sub-assembly preventing the cinch bar from rotating from the third position to the second position to prevent the cinch bar from moving out of the webbing opening.

An apparatus comprising:

• a tongue assembly latchable in a buckle and including a latch plate sub-assembly;
• seat belt webbing extensible through said tongue assembly;
• and
• a cinch bar mounted on said latch plate subassembly and pivotable between a first position in which said webbing and tongue assembly can move relatively and a second position in which said cinch bar and latch plate sub-assembly clamp said webbing to block said relative movement;
• said latch plate sub-assembly and cinch bar having cooperating notch and key features, said key having a first position receivable in said notch to permit assembly of said cinch bar on said latch plate sub-assembly and a second position out of said notch;
• said webbing blocking said cinch bar from moving into the first position in which said key is in the notch.

An apparatus for use with a seat belt webbing comprising:

• a tongue assembly latchable in a buckle and including a latch plate sub-assembly, the seat belt webbing being extensible through said tongue assembly;
• and
• a cinch bar mounted on said latch plate sub-assembly and pivotable between a first position in which the webbing and said tongue assembly can move relatively and a second position in which said cinch bar and said latch plate sub-assembly clamp the webbing to block said relative movement;
• said latch plate sub-assembly and cinch bar having cooperating notch and key features, said key having a first position receivable in said notch to permit assembly of said cinch bar on said latch plate sub-assembly and a second position out of said notch;
• the webbing blocking said cinch bar from moving into the first position in which said key is in the notch.

An apparatus comprising:

• a latch plate sub-assembly having axially spaced first and second side walls, the first side wall having a notch extending axially away from the second side wall;
• a cinch bar having axially spaced first and second end portions and a key portion at the first end portion extending axially away from the second end portion;
• said cinch bar being supportable for rotation on said latch plate sub-assembly between a first position and a second position, said key portion being axially and angularly spaced from said notch when said cinch bar is in said first position and said cinch bar being unremovably supported on said latch plate sub-assembly when said cinch bar is in said first position, said key portion being axially aligned with said notch when said cinch bar is in said second position and said cinch bar being axially slidable between a third position and a fourth position when said cinch bar is in said second position, said key portion being axially spaced from said notch and said cinch bar being supported for rotation on said latch plate sub-assembly when said cinch bar is in said third position, said key portion being disposed within said notch and said cinch bar being unsupported for rotation on said latch plate sub-assembly when said cinch bar is in said fourth position;
• and
• a length of seat belt webbing being disposed between said cinch bar and said latch plate sub-assembly when said cinch bar is supported on said latch plate sub-assembly, said cinch bar being prevented from rotating to said second position when said seat belt webbing is disposed between said cinch bar and said latch plate sub-assembly.