Buckle for restraint belts, particularly for car safety seats for children

#This application claims benefit of Serial No. TO2011A001122, filed 7 Dec. 2011 in Italy and which application is incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications.

#The present invention relates in general to a fastening device for restraint belts, particularly for car safety seats for children, and more in particular to a buckle for such a fastening device.

#The restraint belts used on car safety seats for children typically comprise three branches, which can be releasably connected to each other by means of a fastening device comprising a buckle attached to the free end of one of the branches and two tongue-like coupling elements (hereinafter simply referred to as “tongues”), which are attached to the other two branches and are intended to be inserted into an inner body (preferably made of metal) of the buckle along a direction of insertion and to be locked therein to ensure that the belts are fastened around the trunk of the child sitting in the seat.

#Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, given purely by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

#FIGS. 1 and 2 are exploded perspective views, from above and from below, respectively, of a fastening device for three-branch restraint belts, particularly for car safety seats for children, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

#FIGS. 3 and 4 are a perspective view and a side elevational view, respectively, of the snap coupling mechanism and of the inner body of the buckle of the fastening device of FIGS. 1 and 2 in the open position, i.e. in the unlock position of the locking element of that mechanism;

#In the following description and claims, terms such as “upper” and lower” are to be intended as referring to the orientation of the fastening device as shown in FIG. 1, where the release button of the buckle is visible from above.

#With reference first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fastening device for three-branch restraint belts, particularly for car safety seats for children, is generally indicated 10 and basically comprises a buckle 12 intended to be attached to the free end of a belt branch (not shown) and a pair of tongue-like elements 14 (hereinafter simply referred to as tongues) intended to be attached each to a respective belt branch (also not shown) and to be inserted into the buckle 12 to be locked therein in order to ensure that the belts are fastened around the trunk of the child sitting in the seat.

#Each tongue 14 preferably includes a metal core made for instance as a plate-like element integrally forming a stem portion 16, which is adapted to be inserted into the buckle 12 along a direction of insertion x and locked therein, and an attachment portion (not shown), in which a slot 18 is provided for attachment of the tongue to the respective belt branch. The stem portion 16 of each tongue 14 also forms at its free end a coupling tooth 20, which extends perpendicular to the direction of insertion x. The metal core is fully covered by a layer of plastic material or rubber, which is advantageously obtained by overmoulding of that material over the metal core.