Safety belt buckle device with automatic unlocking

Claim 2

In a safety belt buckle device comprising first and second components, said first component comprising a fastening member to be attached to a safety belt and the second component being adapted to be fixed to an anchorage point of a movable structure; said second component including locking means for locking the fastening member in the casing, automatic unlocking means for releasing the said fastening member, actuating means for the automatic unlocking means, and means responsive to a parameter of the state of said movable structure and capable of actuating the unlocking means and hence of releasing the fastening member after detection of a change of said parameter of the state of said movable structure; said locking means comprising, on the casing, a triggering device, and elastic means actuating said triggering device in the locking direction; and said automatic unlocking means comprising means for automatically exerting a force against said elastic means to actuate the triggering device, the improvement wherein: (a) the means for automatically exerting a force comprise metallic means capable of exerting a force when heated, said metallic means having a first part joined to said casing and a second part joined to the triggering device, and (b) heating means are provided for heating the metallic element, said actuating means being capable of energising the heating means to produce the automatic unlocking.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein the metallic element is one of a metal and a metallic alloy, and is endowed with a thermal memory.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2, wherein the metallic element is a plate of a metal endowed with a thermal memory, said plate having opposite ends clamped to said casing and a central portion joined to the triggering device, said plate further being capable of developing a force along a direction substantially orthogonal to its median plane.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 1, wherein the metallic element is constituted by a bimetallic strip, said heating means comprising means to pass the electric current directly through said bimetallic strip.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating means are given a time delay between the moment when the variation in said parameter occurs and the moment when the unlocking is commanded, said time delay being from about 1 to about 8 seconds.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 1, wherein the movable structure is a vehicle, and the actuating means responsive to said parameter of the state of the movable structure comprise shock detector means and means for detecting movement of the movable structure, said parameter responsive means being effective to operate the time delayed actuating means for unlocking the belt buckle only after the vehicle has stopped.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 1, wherein said movable structure is an engine-powered vehicle, and wherein said actuating means which are responsive to said parameter of the state of the movable structure, comprise time delayed means for commanding the unlocking of the buckle and operative so as to be actuated by the breaking of the ignition circuit of the engine of the vehicle.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic unlocking means is substantially identical to conventional manual unlocking means.

Claim 10

In a safety belt buckle device comprising first and second components, said first component comprising a fastening member to be attached to a safety belt and the second component being adapted to be fixed to an anchorage point of a movable structure; said second component including locking means for locking the fastening member in a casing, automatic unlocking means for releasing the fastening member, actuating means for the automatic unlocking means, and means responsive to a parameter of the state of said movable structure and capable of actuating the unlocking means and therefore of releasing the fastening member after detection of a change of said parameter of the state of said movable structure; said locking means comprising, on the casing, a triggering device, and elastic means actuating said triggering device in the locking direction; and said automatic unlocking means comprising means for automatically exerting a force against said elastic means to actuate the triggering device, the improvement wherein: the means for automatically exerting a force comprises metallic means for exerting a force when heated, said metallic means having a first part joined to said casing and a seond part joined to the triggering device, heating means for heating the metallic means, said actuating means comprising means for energizing the heating means to produce the automatic unlocking, and wherein, the metallic means comprises a wire of a metal endowed with a thermal memory, said wire having a first end connected to the casing and a second end connected to the triggering device, and said heating means comprises means for supplying an electric current to pass along said wire for heating the wire by the Joule effect.

Claim 11

In a safety belt buckle device comprising first and second components, said first component comprising a fastening member to be attached to a safety belt and the second component being adapted to be fixed to an anchorage point of a movable structure; said second component including locking means for locking the fastening member in a casing, automatic unlocking means for releasing the fastening member, actuating means for the automatic unlocking means, and means responsive to a parameter of the state of said movable structure and capable of actuating the unlocking means and therefore of releasing the fastening member after detection of a change of said parameter of the state of said movable structure; said locking means comprising, on the casing, a triggering device, and elastic means actuating said triggering device in the locking direction; and said automatic unlocking means comprising means for automatically exerting a force against said elastic means to actuate the triggering device, the improvement wherein: the means for automatically exerting a force comprises metallic means for exerting a force when heated, said metallic means having a first part joined to said casing and a seond part joined to the triggering device, heating means for heating the metallic means, said actuating means comprising means for energizing the heating means to produce the automatic unlocking, and wherein, the metallic means comprises a wire of a metal endowed with a thermal memory, said wire having a first end connected to the casing and a second end connected to the triggering device, and said heating means comprises means for supplying an electric current to pass along said wire for heating the wire by the Joule effect.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 9, including two half cylindrical shells defining a chamber in which the wire is disposed.