US3790209A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Non-detachable snap-lock connector for combination shoulder and lap safety harness
Assignee: American Safety Equipment Corp
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Filing: 1972-09-14
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1992-09-14
Abstract
Abstract A non-detachable snap-lock connector is provided to facilitate installation of a combination shoulder harness and lap harness vehicle restraint system, in which the shoulder and lap harness assemblies may be manufactured, shipped and mounted in a vehicle as separate unconnected components and as a final assembly step the shoulder harness is irreversibly permanently snap-locked to the lap unit by means of the provided connector. In this safety restraint system, the shoulder harness must be worn along with the lap restraint, thus necessitating a permanent non-detachable connection of an end of the shoulder harness to the lap buckle or tongue plate such that the user does not have the option of disconnecting the shoulder strap and using only the lap harness. By means of the disclosed non-detachable snap-lock connector, installation is completed by a quick coupling engagement of fitting means forming the connector and carried by the portions of the shoulder and lap harnesses to be permanently joined. The connector itself is provided by a first fitting affixed to one of the harnesses, such as the shoulder strap, and a second fitting carried by a tongue plate of a buckle tongue plate combination in the lap restraint unit, and a unidirectional spring lock means disposed therebetween and functioning to irreversibly lock the fittings together upon movement thereof into coupling engagement.
Inventors
- 👤 J Littmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:06
CPC Classifications
A; A44; A44B; A44B11/00; A44B11/25; A44B11/2503; A44B11/2546; A44B11/2549; B; B60; B60R; B60R22/00; B60R22/18; B60R2022/1812
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
In a shoulder harness and lap harness safety restraint system, a non-detachable snap-lock connector for permanently attaching an end of a shoulder harness to the lap harness, comprising in combination with said system: first fitting means affixed to one of said harnesses; second fitting means affixed to the other harness, said first fitting means being movable into coupling engagement with said second means to connect said fitting means and associated harnesses; and unidirectional spring lock means associated with said fitting means providing for irreversible locking of said fitting means together upon said movement into coupling engagement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a shoulder harness and lap harness safety restraint system, a non-detachable snap-lock connector for permanently attaching an end of a shoulder harness to the lap harness, comprising in combination with said system: first fitting means affixed to one of said harnesses; second fitting means affixed to the other harness, said first fitting means being movable into coupling engagement with said second means to connect said fitting means and associated harnesses; and unidirectional spring lock means associated with said fitting means providing for irreversible locking of said fitting means together upon said movement into coupling engagement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
83 words
The connector of claim 1 wherein said first fitting means includes a body having a load pin extending outwardly therefrom and said second fitting means includes a load plate having a pin receiving opening therein for receiving said first fitting means pin to establish said coupling engagement, said spring lock means including a spring member means being resiliently deformable by movement of said pin into said plate opening and being permanently unyielding once in place to lock said pin in said coupling engagement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
133 words
The connector of claim 1 wherein said first fitting means includes a rigid body having a load pin extending outwardly from and being formed with an enlarged head portion offset from said body by a shank portion, said second fitting means including a load plate having an elongate opening enlarged at one end and reduced at the other end to selectively receive and establish coupling Engagement with the pin of said first fitting means by passing the head portion transversely through the enlarged end and laterally moving said shank portion into the reduced end, said unidirectional spring lock means including spring member means for disposition in said opening and being engageable with said pin shank affording unidirectional lateral movement thereof from the enlarged end toward and into the reduced end of said opening.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
149 words
The connector of claim 3, said unidirectional spring lock means further including shoulder means disposed at laterally opposed peripheral locations along said plate opening intermediate the ends thereof, and said spring member means comprising a split ring member having the partially enclosed ring portion thereof circumferentially receiving the shank portion of said pin, said pin and split ring spring member adapted to be disposed in the enlarged end of said opening with the split portion of said spring member having legs extending from the ring portion outwardly and away from the reduced end of the plate opening, said legs having their ends cooperating with said shoulder means to assume an initial bending mode in response to urging of said pin shank portion and split ring member into the reduced end of said opening and thereafter being placed in an unyielding compression mode locking said pin shank portion in place.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
108 words
The connector of claim 4, said shoulder means comprising shoulders formed at laterally opposed locations on the peripheral edge of said opening adjacent an entry to the reduced end of said opening and facing toward the rear thereof, said spring member legs adapted to be disposed for assembly with the ends thereof resiliently slidably engaging the circumference of said opening forward of said shoulders relative to the reduced end, whereupon movement of said pin shank portion into coupling engagement with the reduced end causes the leg ends to be driven rearwardly permanently catching on said shoulders and thereby assuming said unyielding compression mode locking said pin shank portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The connector of claim 4 further comprising a rotation limiting washer having a washer body mounted on said pin and a tab stop fixed to said washer body and being disposed in the plane of said opening to limit rotation thereof and means limiting relative rotation of said washer body and the body of said first fitting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
84 words
The connector of claim 6 wherein said washer body is assembled on said pin between said body and plate of said first and second fitting means respectively, and said tab stop is integral with said washer body bent relative thereto to extend into said plate opening, and said means preventing relative rotation of said washer body and first fitting means being provided by another integral tab extending from said washer body into a tab opening provided for the purpose in said first fitting body.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
105 words
The connector of claim 3 said spring member means of said spring lock means comprising at least one finger disposed along the circumference of said opening intermediate the ends thereof, said finger sloping laterally inwardly and toward an entry to the reduced end of said opening and being laterally flexible and longitudinally rigid such that movement of said pin shank portion into the reduced end of said opening is permitted by a laterally outward camming of said finger whereas a reverse movement is prevented by abutment of the pin shank portion against the free end of said finger at the entry to the reduced end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
95 words
In a method of installing a combination shoulder harness and lap harness safety restraint in a vehicle where the shoulder harness must be permanently connected to the lap harness, the improvement comprising the steps of: anchoring the shoulder harness and lap harness to the vehicle in separate operations with said harnesses being unconnected, and subsequently permanently connecting said harnesses by moving first and second fitting means individually affixed to said harnesses into couplinG engagement and non-detachably locking said fittings in said coupling engagement by a snap-action unidirectional spring lock means associated with said fitting means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
In a method of installing a combination shoulder harness and lap harness safety restraint in a vehicle where the shoulder harness must be permanently connected to the lap harness, the improvement comprising the steps of: anchoring the shoulder harness and lap harness to the vehicle in separate operations with said harnesses being unconnected, and subsequently permanently connecting said harnesses by moving first and second fitting means individually affixed to said harnesses into couplinG engagement and non-detachably locking said fittings in said coupling engagement by a snap-action unidirectional spring lock means associated with said fitting means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |