Pushbutton buckle with locking means for stud

Claim 2

A seat belt buckle comprising: a. a stud; b. a buckle housing having a planar base, and an opening in the base for receiving the stud to a latching position; c. a latch mounted in the housing for motion parallel to the base between a locking position in which it is disposed in the path of motion of the stud as it is removed from its latching position, and a release position in which it is not in the path of motion of the stud; d. a bias member connected to the latch to urge it toward its locking position; and e. a pushbutton mounted on the housing for a release motion from a first position toward a second position in which it is moved toward the base, and f. a lever connecting said pushbutton to the latch such that the stud cannot be moved from its latching position at such times as the pushbutton is in its first position, and the stud can be moved from its latching position at such times as the pushbutton is in its second position, said lever being supported in the housing for motion about an axis parallel to the base, said lever being connected to the pushbutton so as to be pivoted from a first position toward a second position as the pushbutton is moved from its first position toward the base, said lever being engageable with the latch to prevent motion of the latch from its locking position toward its release position at such times as the lever is in its first position, and being inoperable to prevent motion of the latch when the lever is in its second position.

Claim 3

A seat belt buckle as defined in claim 1, in which the latch is formed so as to be moved by the stud from its locking position toward its release position as the stud is moved through the opening in the base toward its latching position.

Claim 4

A seat belt buckle as defined in claim 1, in which the lever is formed such that it is engageable with the stud so as to be moved toward its second position as the stud is moved through the opening in the base toward its latching position.

Claim 5

A seat belt buckle as defined in claim 1, in which one end of the lever is engageable with the pushbutton, and its other opposite end is formed so as to be disposed in the path of motion of the latch from its locking position toward its release position when the lever is in its first position.

Claim 6

A seat belt buckle as defined in claim 1, in which the stud is moved toward its latching position by a motion of the stud through the opening in the base parallel to the base, the stud having a configuration preventing its motion from its latching position through the opening in a direction normal to the base.

Claim 7

In a vehicle, a seat belt system comprising: a. a pair of lap belts, each having one end connected to the vehicle; b. a buckle having tongue-locking structure carried at the free end of one of the lap belts; c. a plate carried at the free end of the other lap belt, the plate having a tongue releasably engageable with the tongue-locking structure of the buckle to form a connection between the two lap belts; d. a stud having a head, the stud being supported on the plates such that the head is spaced with respect to the plate; e. a shoulder belt having one end connected to the vehicle; f. a buckle housing carried by the shoulder belt and at its other end, the housing having a base with an opening for receiving the stud by a motion of the housing with respect to the plate in which the head of the stud is received toward a latching position in the housing; g. latch means in the housing supported for motion between the locking position, in which it is operable to prevent removal of the stud from its latching position, and a release position, in which it is inoperable to prevent removal of the stud with respect to its latching position; h. a bias member urging the latch means toward its locking position; and i. a pushbutton mounted on the buckle housing for a motion between a pair of positions in which the pushbutton is moved in directions substantially normal with respect to the housing base, the pushbutton being connected to the latch means to allow the latch means to be moved from its locking position toward its release position, at such times as the head of the stud is in its latching position, only subsequent to a motion of the pushbutton between its position toward the base.

Claim 8

In a vehicle, a seat belt system comprising: a. a pair of lap belts, each having one end connected to the vehicle; b. a buckle having tongue-locking structure carried at the free end of one of the lap belts; c. a plate carried at the free end of the other lap belt, the plate having a tongue releasably engageable with the tongue-locking structure of the buckle to form a connection between the two lap belts; d. a stud having a head, the stud being supported on the plates such that the head is spaced with respect to the plate; e. a shoulder belt having one end connected to the vehicle; f. a buckle housing carried by the shoulder belt and at its other end, the housing having a base with an opening for receiving the stud by a motion of the housing with respect to the plate in which the head of the stud is received toward a latching position in the housing; g. latch means in the housing supported for motion between the locking position, in which it is operable to prevent removal of the stud from its latching position, and a release position, in which it is inoperable to prevent removal of the stud with respect to its latching position; h. a bias member urging the latch means toward its locking position; and i. a pushbutton mounted on the buckle housing for a motion between a pair of positions in which the pushbutton is moved in directions substantially normal with respect to the housing base, the pushbutton being connected to the latch means to allow the latch means to be moved from its locking position toward its release position, at such times as the head of the stud is in its latching position, only subsequent to a motion of the pushbutton between its position toward the base.

Claim 9

A seat belt buckle comprising: a. a stud; b. a buckle housing having a planar base, and an opening in the base for receiving the stud to a latching position by a motion of the stud along a path parallel to the base; c. latch means supported in a housing for motion between a locking position in which it is operable to prevent removal of the stud from its latching position in a motion parallel to the base, and a release position in which it is inoperable to prevent removal of the stud from its latching position; d. a bias member urging the latch means toward its locking position; and e. a pushbutton supported on the housing for motion between a pair of positions in directions normal to the base, the pushbutton being connected to the latch means to aLlow the latch means to be moved from its locking position toward its release position at such time as the pushbutton is moved between its positions in a motion toward the base.

Claim 10

A seat belt buckle comprising: a. a stud; b. a buckle housing having a planar base, and an opening in the base for receiving the stud to a latching position by a motion of the stud along a path parallel to the base; c. latch means supported in a housing for motion between a locking position in which it is operable to prevent removal of the stud from its latching position in a motion parallel to the base, and a release position in which it is inoperable to prevent removal of the stud from its latching position; d. a bias member urging the latch means toward its locking position; and e. a pushbutton supported on the housing for motion between a pair of positions in directions normal to the base, the pushbutton being connected to the latch means to aLlow the latch means to be moved from its locking position toward its release position at such time as the pushbutton is moved between its positions in a motion toward the base.

Claim 11

A buckle as set forth in claim 7 including a lever interconnecting said pushbutton and said latch means, said lever having a first position engaging said latch means for preventing said latch means from moving out of its locking position and a second position for allowing said latch means to move to its release position, said lever being connected to said pushbutton so as to be moved to said first position in response to movement of said pushbutton.

Claim 12

A system as set forth in claim 6 including a lever interconnecting said pushbutton and said latch means, said lever having a first position engaging said latch means for preventing said latch means from moving out of its locking position and a second position for allowing said latch means to move to its release position, said lever being connected to said pushbutton so as to be moved to said first position in response to movement of said pushbutton.

Claim 13

A seat belt buckle assembly comprising: a housing having an opening therein for receiving a stud, latch means movably mounted in said housing for movement between a locking position in which it is disposed in the path of the stud into and out of said housing and a release position out of said path of the stud, a pushbutton movably mounted in said housing, a lever movably supported in said housing, said lever having a first position engaging said latch means for preventing the latter from moving out of its locking position and a second position for allowing said latch means to move to its release position, said lever being connected to said pushbutton so as to be moved to said first position in response to movement of said pushbutton.

Claim 14

A seat belt buckle assembly comprising: a housing having an opening therein for receiving a stud, latch means movably mounted in said housing for movement between a locking position in which it is disposed in the path of the stud into and out of said housing and a release position out of said path of the stud, a pushbutton movably mounted in said housing, a lever movably supported in said housing, said lever having a first position engaging said latch means for preventing the latter from moving out of its locking position and a second position for allowing said latch means to move to its release position, said lever being connected to said pushbutton so as to be moved to said first position in response to movement of said pushbutton.

Claim 15

An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said lever includes means engageable with the stud upon insertion of the stud into said housing to move said lever toward its second position.