EP0043239A1 — A tongue and buckle fastener for a safety belt

Claim 1

Independent Claim 207 words

A tongue and buckle fastener for a safety belt comprises a tongue (10) having a latching formation (18) thereon, a buckle (12, 110) in which a passageway (30) is provided for receiving the tongue (10), a spring-loaded tongue ejector (36, 90, 100, 112) which is slidable in the passageway (30), a latch member (48) movable transversely of the passageway (30) between a latching position in which it engages with the latching formation (18) to retain the tongue (10) in the passageway (30) and a release position in which the tongue (10) is displaceable by the ejector (36, 90, 100, l12) outwardly along the passageway (30) from its retained position, the latch member (48) being spring-biased into its latching position, and a push button (22) displaceable longitudinally of the passageway (30) and operative when depressed to move the latch member (48) to its release position, characterised by catch means (72, 134) for retaining the push button (22) in its depressed position and release means (184, 114) movable by the ejector (36, 90, 100, 112) for releasing the catch means (72, 134) when the tongue (10) has been inserted into the passageway (30) to such an extent that the latching formation (18) thereon has passed the latch member (48).

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 207 words

A tongue and buckle fastener for a safety belt comprises a tongue (10) having a latching formation (18) thereon, a buckle (12, 110) in which a passageway (30) is provided for receiving the tongue (10), a spring-loaded tongue ejector (36, 90, 100, 112) which is slidable in the passageway (30), a latch member (48) movable transversely of the passageway (30) between a latching position in which it engages with the latching formation (18) to retain the tongue (10) in the passageway (30) and a release position in which the tongue (10) is displaceable by the ejector (36, 90, 100, l12) outwardly along the passageway (30) from its retained position, the latch member (48) being spring-biased into its latching position, and a push button (22) displaceable longitudinally of the passageway (30) and operative when depressed to move the latch member (48) to its release position, characterised by catch means (72, 134) for retaining the push button (22) in its depressed position and release means (184, 114) movable by the ejector (36, 90, 100, 112) for releasing the catch means (72, 134) when the tongue (10) has been inserted into the passageway (30) to such an extent that the latching formation (18) thereon has passed the latch member (48).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

A fastener according to claim 1, characterised in that the latch member (48) and the push button (22) are coupled desmodromically so that the latter is held in its depressed position when the latch member (48) is in its latching position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 52 words

A fastener according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the catch means comprises a lever (72) which is pivotable between a first position in which it holds the push button (22) in its depressed position and a second position in which it holds the ejector (36) in its depressed position.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 42 words

A fastener according to claim 3, characterised by a protuberance (80) on the push button (22) which prevents the lever (72) from moving into its first position to release the ejector (36) when the push button (22) is in its non-depressed position.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

A fastener according to claim 3 or 4, characterised by a protuberance (70) on the ejector (36) which prevents the lever (72) from moving into its second position to release the push button (22) when the ejector (36) is in its non-depressed position.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 87 words

A fastener according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that a slider (92) is located in the passageway (30) on the opposite side of the ejector (36) to that from which the tongue (10) is inserted and has a formation which prevents the lever (72) from moving into its second position to release-the push button (22) when the ejector (36) is in its non-depressed position, the slider (92) being ; displaceable longitudinally of the passageway (30) by the ejector (36) on insertion of the tongue (10).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

A fastener according to claim 6, characterised in that the . slider (92) is resiliently biased in the direction of the withdrawal of the tongue (10).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 44 words

A fastener according to claim 6, characterised in that the ejector (38) has an extension (104) for moving the slider (92) in the direction of the tongue withdrawal while allowing a predetermined amount of lost motion between the slider (92) and the ejector (38).

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 210 words

A fastener according to laim 1 or 2, characterised in that the catch means comprises a spring-loaded catch member (134) attached to the push button (22) so that a detent (138) thereon is urged into engagement with a wall member (118) bounding one side of the passageway (30) so as to be received in a recess (130, 131) in the wall member (118) when the push button is in its depressed position and the release means comprises a release member (114) mounted on the ejector (112) and having an end (116) projecting through a slot (44) in said wall member (118) into the path of said catch member (134) so as to co-operate therewith to move the detent (138) out of the recess (130, 131), said projecting end (116) of the release member (114) being capable of limited longitudinal movement relative to the ejector (112) so that the position of the ejector (112) at which the release member (114) frees the push button (22) during insertion of the tongue (10) is further from the end of the buckle from which the tongue (10) is inserted than the position in which the release member (114) allows the detent (138) to enter the recess (130, 131) during ejection of the tongue (10).

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 210 words

A fastener according to laim 1 or 2, characterised in that the catch means comprises a spring-loaded catch member (134) attached to the push button (22) so that a detent (138) thereon is urged into engagement with a wall member (118) bounding one side of the passageway (30) so as to be received in a recess (130, 131) in the wall member (118) when the push button is in its depressed position and the release means comprises a release member (114) mounted on the ejector (112) and having an end (116) projecting through a slot (44) in said wall member (118) into the path of said catch member (134) so as to co-operate therewith to move the detent (138) out of the recess (130, 131), said projecting end (116) of the release member (114) being capable of limited longitudinal movement relative to the ejector (112) so that the position of the ejector (112) at which the release member (114) frees the push button (22) during insertion of the tongue (10) is further from the end of the buckle from which the tongue (10) is inserted than the position in which the release member (114) allows the detent (138) to enter the recess (130, 131) during ejection of the tongue (10).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 20 words

A fastener according to claim 9, characterised in that the release member (114) is pivotable relative to the ejector (112).

A tongue and buckle fastener for a safety belt

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