Seat belt buckle
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorOctavio Morones Virgen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A buckle assembly includes a first plate and a second plate defining a gap therebetween. A button assembly defines a slot aligned with the gap, and is coupled to the first plate and the second plate for movement along a longitudinal axis of the first plate. The button assembly includes a door transversely moveable relative to the longitudinal axis between a closed position covering the slot and a retracted position spaced from the slot. The door includes an angled ledge, that directs fluid through at least one aperture in a sidewall of the button assembly when the door is in the closed position. A block is disposed within the gap. The first plate and the second plate define undulations extending along the longitudinal axis and into the gap. The block mates with the undulation in the first plate and the second plate to fill the gap.
Claims18
A buckle assembly for a seat belt of a vehicle, the buckle assembly comprising:
- a first plate having a first end and extending along a longitudinal axis;
- a second plate having a first end and coupled to the first plate in spaced parallel relationship relative to the first plate to define a gap between the first plate and the second plate;
- and
- a button assembly coupled to the first plate and the second plate adjacent the first end of the first plate and the first end of the second plate, and defining a slot aligned with the gap between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the button assembly is moveable relative to the first plate and the second plate along the longitudinal axis;
- wherein the button assembly includes a door moveable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis between a closed position and a retracted position, wherein the door covers the slot when in the closed position, and is laterally spaced from the slot when in the retracted position;
- wherein the button assembly includes a first half and a second half attached to the first half;
- wherein at least one of the first half and the second half define a ledge extending transverse to the longitudinal axis;
- and
- wherein the ledge defines the slot and supports the door.
A buckle assembly for a seat belt of a vehicle, the buckle assembly comprising:
- a first plate having a first end and extending along a longitudinal axis;
- a second plate having a first end and coupled to the first plate in spaced parallel relationship relative to the first plate to define a gap between the first plate and the second plate;
- and
- a button assembly coupled to the first plate and the second plate adjacent the first end of the first plate and the first end of the second plate, and including a ledge extending transverse to the longitudinal axis and defining a slot aligned with the gap between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the button assembly is moveable relative to the first plate and the second plate along the longitudinal axis;
- wherein the button assembly includes a door supported by the ledge and moveable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis between a closed position and a retracted position, with the door covering the slot when in the closed position, and the door laterally spaced from the slot when in the retracted position;
- wherein the door includes an angled edge extending over the slot when the door is in the closed position;
- and
- wherein the button assembly includes at least one aperture extending through a wall of the button assembly adjacent the ledge, with the angled edge of the door configured for directing a liquid through the at least one aperture when in the closed position.
A buckle assembly for a seat belt of a vehicle, the buckle assembly comprising:
- a first plate having a first end and extending along a longitudinal axis;
- a second plate having a first end and coupled to the first plate in spaced parallel relationship relative to the first plate to define a gap between the first plate and the second plate;
- a block disposed within the gap between the first plate and the second plate and moveable along the longitudinal axis between a raised position and a lowered position;
- a button assembly coupled to the first plate and the second plate adjacent the first end of the first plate and the first end of the second plate, wherein the button assembly is moveable relative to the first plate and the second plate along the longitudinal axis;
- wherein the block includes a first vertical edge, with the upper vertical edge of the block axially aligned along the longitudinal axis with the upper end of the first plate and the upper end of the second plate when the block is in the raised position, such that the upper end of the first plate and the upper end of the second plate are flush with the upper vertical edge of the block when the block is in the raised position;
- wherein each of the first plate and the second plate include a plurality of undulations extending along the longitudinal axis and into the gap between the first plate and the second plate;
- and
- wherein the block includes a first side surface configured to correspond and mate with the first plate, and a second side surface configured to correspond and mate with the second plate, such that a cross section of the block perpendicular to the longitudinal axis substantially fills the gap between the first plate and the second plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.