Buckle assembly having single release for multiple belt connectors
AssigneeAmSafe, Inc.
InventorsAllen R. Keene, David Thayer Merrill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A buckle assembly for a vehicle restraint system where the buckle assembly is adapted to receive a plurality of belt connectors, with the belt connectors being simultaneously released upon moving at least one handle to a release position.
Claims21
A buckle assembly for attachment to a plurality of flat, plate like belt connectors, wherein each of the belt connectors includes a latching abutment located adjacent to an upper surface thereof, the buckle assembly comprising:
- a. a buckle base having a bottom portion and parallel spaced apart upstanding parallel flanges at least along lateral edges of the bottom portion;
- b. at least two spaced apart latching mechanisms mounted in parallel with respect to each other between the spaced apart upstanding flanges of the bottom portion, wherein each of the spaced apart latching mechanisms includes (i) a separate latch pawl that is spaced apart from the other one or more latch pawls, wherein each of the separate latch pawls is independently movable relative to the other one or more latch pawls to a position engaging the latching abutment of one of the belt connectors, and (ii) a biasing element urging the latch pawl toward the engaging position;
- and
- c. at least one operating handle movable between positions at which the latch pawls of the latching mechanisms are caused to engage and to disengage connection between the buckle and the belt connectors, the operating handle being configured to serve as a top cover plate for the buckle assembly.
A buckle assembly for attachment to a flat, plate like belt connector with upper and lower surfaces and having a latching abutment located on the upper surface thereof, the buckle assembly comprising:
- a. a buckle base having a bottom portion and parallel spaced apart upstanding parallel flanges at least along lateral edges of the bottom portion.
- b. at least two spaced apart latching mechanisms mounted in parallel with respect to each other between the spaced upstanding flanges of the bottom portion at locations enabling operative interaction with the latch engaging abutment;
- wherein the latching mechanisms include (i) latch pawls movable between a position engaging with the belt connector abutment and a non-engaging position removed from the abutment;
- and (ii) a biasing element urging the pawls toward the engaging position;
- and
- c. two operating handles coupled to the buckle base which ;
- permit a first respective handle to selectively release at least one respective belt connector and a second respective handle to simultaneously release one or both;
- belt connectors, wherein at least one of the two operating handles is movable between positions at which the latch pawl of the respective latching mechanism is caused to engage and to disengage connection between the respective buckle and the belt connector, the at least one of the two operating handles being configured to serve as a top cover plate for the buckle assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.