Automobile seat belt system with automatic unlocking function

Claim 2

A seat belt system for an automobile, comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; a means for actuating said unlocking means; and a means for controlling said actuating means wherein said locking means comprises a salient portion rotatably supported at one end of said buckle and a spring for pushing said salient portion, said tongue plate having a hole for receiving said salient portion; and wherein said unlocking means comprises a lever associated with said salient portion, and a slide button having a tapered portion in contact with said lever.

Claim 3

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises a cable connected to said slide button and to a handle lever for locking a door of said automobile.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises a cable connected to said slide button and to a brake lever.

Claim 5

A seat belt system for an automobile, comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; means for selectively actuating said unlocking means; and means for controlling said actuating means, wherein said controlling means includes a means for detecting whether a brake lever of said automobile is turned on and a means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means a predetermined time period after said brake lever is turned on.

Claim 6

A seat belt system for an automobile, comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; means for selectively actuating said unlocking means; and means for controlling said actuating means, wherein said controlling means includes a means for detecting whether a brake lever of said automobile is turned on and a means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means a predetermined time period after said brake lever is turned on.

Claim 7

A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said actuating means comprises an electrical actuator.

Claim 8

A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a key switch of said automobile is turned on or off; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means for a predetermined time period after said key switch is turned off.

Claim 9

A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a door of said automobile is open or closed; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means for a predetermined time period after said door is opened.

Claim 10

A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a door of said automobile is open or closed; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means when said door is open.

Claim 11

A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said locking means comprises a salient portion rotatably supported at one end of said buckle and a spring for pushing said salient portion, said tongue plate having a hole for receiving said salient portion; and said unlocking means comprises a lever associated with said salient portion, and a slide button having a tapered portion in contact with said lever.

Claim 12

A seat belt system for an automobile, comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; means for selectively actuating said unlocking means; and means for controlling said actuating means, wherein said controlling means includes a means for detecting whether a brake lever of said automobile is turned on, and a means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means when said brake lever is turned on.

Claim 13

A seat belt system for an automobile, comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; means for selectively actuating said unlocking means; and means for controlling said actuating means, wherein said controlling means includes a means for detecting whether a brake lever of said automobile is turned on, and a means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means when said brake lever is turned on.

Claim 14

A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said actuating means comprises an electrical actuator.

Claim 15

A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a key switch of said automobile is turned on or off; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means for a predetermined time period after said key switch is turned off.

Claim 16

A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a door of said automobile is open or closed; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means for a predetermined time period after said door is opened.

Claim 17

A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a door of said automobile is open or closed; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means when said door is open.

Claim 18

A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said locking means comprises a salient portion rotatably supported at one end of said buckle and a spring for pushing said salient portion, said tongue plate having a hole for receiving said salient portion; and said unlocking means comprises a lever associated with said salient portion, and a slide button having a tapered portion in contact with said lever.

Claim 19

A seat belt system for an automobile, comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; means for selectively actuating said unlocking means; and means for controlling said actuating means, wherein said controlling means includes means for detecting whether deceleration of said automobile exceeds a predetermined value, means for detecting whether velocity of said automobile is zero, and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means for a predetermined time period after the deceleration of said automobile exceeds said predetermined value and the velocity of said automobile becomes zero.

Claim 20

A seat belt system for an automobile, comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; means for selectively actuating said unlocking means; and means for controlling said actuating means, wherein said controlling means includes means for detecting whether deceleration of said automobile exceeds a predetermined value, means for detecting whether velocity of said automobile is zero, and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means for a predetermined time period after the deceleration of said automobile exceeds said predetermined value and the velocity of said automobile becomes zero.

Claim 21

A system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said actuating means comprises an electrical actuator.

Claim 22

A system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a key switch of said automobile is turned on or off; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means for a predetermined time period after said key switch is turned off.

Claim 23

A system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a door of said automobile is open or closed; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means for a predetermined time period after said door is opened.

Claim 24

A system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said controlling means further comprises: means for detecting whether a door of said automobile is open or closed; and means for driving said actuating means to actuate said unlocking means when said door is open.

Claim 25

A system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said locking means comprises a salient portion rotatably supported at one end of said buckle and a spring for pushing said salient portion, said tongue plate having a hole for receiving said salient portion; and said unlocking means comprises a lever associated with said salient portion, and a slide button having a tapered portion in contact with said lever.

Claim 26

A seat belt system for an automobile comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; means for selectively actuating said unlocking means; and means for controlling said actuator means, wherein said locking means comprises a salient portion rotatably supported at one end of said buckle and a spring for pushing said salient portion, said tongue plate having a hole for receiving said salient portion, said unlocking means comprises a lever associated with said salient portion, and a slide button having a tapered portion in contact with said lever, and said controlling means comprises a cable connected to said slide button and to a brake lever of said automobile.

Claim 27

A seat belt system for an automobile comprising: a seat belt retractor anchored to a frame of said automobile; a seat belt having one end anchored to said automobile frame and another end secured to said retractor; a tongue plate secured at an intermediate position of said seat belt; a buckle anchored to said automobile frame, said buckle having a means for locking said tongue plate and a means for unlocking said tongue plate; means for selectively actuating said unlocking means; and means for controlling said actuator means, wherein said locking means comprises a salient portion rotatably supported at one end of said buckle and a spring for pushing said salient portion, said tongue plate having a hole for receiving said salient portion, said unlocking means comprises a lever associated with said salient portion, and a slide button having a tapered portion in contact with said lever, and said controlling means comprises a cable connected to said slide button and to a brake lever of said automobile.