Positioning device for vehicle seat belt assembly

A positioning device for use in combination with a vehicle seat belt assembly including webbing connected to a retraction device and extending at a relatively upper end from a force diverter and secured at a relatively lower end to an anchor, and including a latch plate insertable into a buckle and having an opening through which the webbing slides to define a shoulder belt portion between the relatively upper end and the latch plate, and a lap belt portion between the relatively lower end and the latch plate, said positioning device comprising:

• a clamping element frictionally engagable with the shoulder belt portion and positionable immediately adjacent the latch plate so as to maintain the lap belt portion in a desired snug condition when the latch plate is inserted into the buckle by preventing sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would loosen the lap belt portion, while permitting sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would further tighten the lap belt portion;
• said clamping element including a back portion and a cover portion positionable on opposite sides of the webbing, said back portion contacting the latch plate in a buckled-up configuration;
• and
• said positioning device further comprising an outrigger element attached to said cover portion and formed so as to extend generally downwardly in the buckled-up configuration past the opening and to bear against the latch plate for preventing rotation of said clamping element towards the opening.

A positioning device for use in combination with a vehicle seat belt assembly including webbing connected to a retraction device and extending at a relatively upper end from a force diverter and secured at a relatively lower end to an anchor, and including a latch plate insertable into a buckle and having an opening through which the webbing slides to define a shoulder belt portion between the relatively upper end and the latch plate, and a lap belt portion between the relatively lower end and the latch plate, said positioning device comprising:

• a clamping element frictionally engagable with the shoulder belt portion and positionable immediately adjacent the latch plate so as to maintain the lap belt portion in a desired snug condition when the latch plate is inserted into the buckle by preventing sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would loosen the lap belt portion, while permitting sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would further tighten the lap belt portion;
• said clamping element including a back portion and a cover portion positionable on opposite sides of the webbing, said back portion having at least one rear contact surface defining a plane of contact with the latch plate in a buckled-up configuration;
• and
• said positioning device further comprising an outrigger element attached to said cover portion and formed so as to extend generally downwardly in the buckled-up configuration past the opening to a distal end generally within an extension of the plane of contact to bear against the latch plate for preventing rotation of said clamping element towards the opening.

A positioning device for use in combination with a vehicle seat belt assembly including webbing connected to a retraction device and extending at a relatively upper end from a force diverter and secured at a relatively lower end to an anchor, and including a latch plate insertable into a buckle and having an opening through which the webbing slides to define a shoulder belt portion between the relatively upper end and the latch plate, and a lap belt portion between the relatively lower end and the latch plate, said positioning device comprising:

• a clamping element frictionally engagable with the shoulder belt portion and positionable immediately adjacent the latch plate so as to maintain the lap belt portion in a desired snug condition when the latch plate is inserted into the buckle by preventing sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would loosen the lap belt portion, while permitting sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would further tighten the lap belt portion;
• said clamping element including a back portion and a cover portion positionable on opposite sides of the webbing, said back portion contacting the latch plate in a buckled-up configuration;
• and
• said positioning device further comprising an outrigger element attached to said back portion and formed so as to extend generally downwardly in the buckled-up configuration past the opening and to bear against the latch plate for preventing rotation of said clamping element towards the opening.

A positioning device for use in combination with a vehicle seat belt assembly including webbing extending at a relatively upper end from a retraction device and secured at a relatively lower end to an anchor, and including a latch plate insertable into a buckle and having an opening through which the webbing slides to define a shoulder belt portion between the relatively upper end and the latch plate, and a lap belt portion between the relatively lower end and the latch plate, said positioning device comprising:

• a clamping element frictionally engagable with the shoulder belt portion and positionable immediately adjacent the latch plate so as to maintain the lap belt portion in a desired snug condition when the latch plate is inserted into the buckle by preventing sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would loosen the lap belt portion, while permitting sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would further tighten the lap belt portion, said clamping element including
• a back portion and a cover portion positionable on opposite sides of the webbing, the back portion contacting the latch plate in a buckled-up configuration, and
• at least one adjustable tightening device connected to said back portion and to said cover portion for developing a clamping force between said back portion and said cover portion;
• and
• a shoulder belt repositioning element attached to said back portion.

A positioning device for use in combination with a vehicle seat belt assembly including webbing extending at a relatively upper end from a retraction device and secured at a relatively lower end to an anchor, and including a latch plate insertable into a buckle and having an opening through which the webbing slides to define a shoulder belt portion between the relatively upper end and the latch plate, and a lap belt portion between the relatively lower end and the latch plate, said positioning device comprising:

• a clamping element frictionally engagable with the shoulder belt portion and positionable immediately adjacent the latch plate so as to maintain the lap belt portion in a desired snug condition when the latch plate is inserted into the buckle by preventing sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would loosen the lap belt portion, while permitting sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would further tighten the lap belt portion, said clamping element including
• a back portion and a cover portion positionable on opposite sides of the webbing, the back portion contacting the latch plate in a buckled-up configuration, and
• at least one adjustable tightening device connected to said back portion and to said cover portion for developing a clamping force between said back portion and said cover portion;
• a shoulder belt repositioning element attached to said back portion;
• and
• an outrigger element attached to said cover portion and formed so as to extend generally downwardly in the buckled-up configuration past the opening and to bear against the latch plate for preventing rotation of said clamping element towards the opening.

A positioning device for use in combination with a vehicle seat belt assembly including webbing extending at a relatively upper end from a retraction device and secured at a relatively lower end to an anchor, and including a latch plate insertable into a buckle and having an opening through which the webbing slides to define a shoulder belt portion between the relatively upper end and the latch plate, and a lap belt portion between the relatively lower end and the latch plate, said positioning device comprising:

• a clamping element frictionally engagable with the shoulder belt portion and positionable immediately adjacent the latch plate so as to maintain the lap belt portion in a desired snug condition when the latch plate is inserted into the buckle by preventing sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would loosen the lap belt portion, while permitting sliding of the webbing through the opening in a direction which would further tighten the lap belt portion, said clamping element including
• a back portion and a cover portion positionable on opposite sides of the webbing, the back portion contacting the latch plate in a buckled-up configuration, and
• at least one adjustable tightening device connected to said back portion and to said cover portion for developing a clamping force between said back portion and said cover portion;
• a shoulder belt repositioning element attached to said back portion;
• and
• said back portion having at least one rear contact surface defining a place of contact with the latch plate in the buckled-up configuration;
• and
• said positioning device further comprising an outrigger element attached to said cover portion and formed so as to extend generally downwardly in the buckled-up configuration past the opening to a distal end generally within an extension of the plane of contact to bear against the latch plate for preventing rotation of said clamping element towards the opening;
• and wherein
• said shoulder belt repositioning element comprises a plate-like element extending generally perpendicularly to the plane of contact and having at least one opening defining fingers for holding the shoulder belt portion.