US4916780A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Safeguarding buckle for a safety belt
Assignee: ECIA Equipements et Composants pour lIndustrie Automobile SA
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Filing: 1989-05-19
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Granted: 1990-04-17
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Expires: 2009-05-19
Abstract
Abstract The buckle comprises a latch (10) interacting with a keeper consisting of a base (20), of an ejecting guide bolt (30), of an actuating button (50), of a protective casing (60) and of a securing connection (70), among other things. Means (40) having an insertion and retention system (301, 302, 303, 304), a safeguarding arrangement (410, 420) and a guide device (430, 440) make it possible to safeguard the locked latch in the keeper after it has been introduced into a channel (200) and a receptacle (300) which are oblique relative to one another. The invention is used on safety belts for motor vehicles.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Noel Ballet
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 20:13
CPC Classifications
A; A44; A44B; A44B11/00; A44B11/25; A44B11/2503; A44B11/2507; A44B11/2523; A44B11/2546; A44B11/2565; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/45; Y10T24/45225; Y10T24/45602; Y10T24/45623; Y10T24/45639; Y10T24/45654; Y10T24/4566; Y10T24/4567
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
362 words
Buckle for a safetybelt, especially of motor vehicles used on land, which is intended for connecting a band to an anchorage point and which is composed, among other things, of a latch (10) and of a keeper comprising particularly a base (20) which delimits a channel (200) for receiving the latch (10) at least partially and which is equipped with a nose (210), on which the latch (10) can catch directly when it is locked on the keeper, and, carried by this base, an ejecting guide bolt (30) which delimits a receptacle (300) for receiving the latch (10) at least partially and which is mounted on the base (20) movably between a first retaining position, towards which it is normally stressed elastically, and a second position, towards which it is pushed momentarily during the introduction of the latch. (10) into the keeper for locking it, and an actuating button (50) mounted on the base (20) movably in terms of translational motion parallel to the receptacle (300) between an inactive position, towards which it is normally stressed elastically and which it occupies when the ejecting guide bolt (30) is in its first position, and an active position for causing the ejecting guide bolt (30) to pass from its first position to its second position in order to release the latch (10) from the keeper, wherein the channel (200) and the receptacle (300) are inclined relative to one another and are oriented in such a way that the channel (200) has a slant rising in the direction of the receptacle (300), the ejecting guide bolt (30), when it moves from its first position to its second position, follows a path in the form of a broken line, first approximately parallel to the receptacle (300) and then oblique relative to the latter, and vice versa, and it possesses means (40) for safeguarding the bolt (30) in its first position, for inserting and retaining the latch (10)in the receptacle (300) of the ejecting guide bolt (30) and for guiding the ejecting guide bolt (30) on its path in the form of a broken line when it moves from one of its two positions to the other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
362 words
Buckle for a safetybelt, especially of motor vehicles used on land, which is intended for connecting a band to an anchorage point and which is composed, among other things, of a latch (10) and of a keeper comprising particularly a base (20) which delimits a channel (200) for receiving the latch (10) at least partially and which is equipped with a nose (210), on which the latch (10) can catch directly when it is locked on the keeper, and, carried by this base, an ejecting guide bolt (30) which delimits a receptacle (300) for receiving the latch (10) at least partially and which is mounted on the base (20) movably between a first retaining position, towards which it is normally stressed elastically, and a second position, towards which it is pushed momentarily during the introduction of the latch. (10) into the keeper for locking it, and an actuating button (50) mounted on the base (20) movably in terms of translational motion parallel to the receptacle (300) between an inactive position, towards which it is normally stressed elastically and which it occupies when the ejecting guide bolt (30) is in its first position, and an active position for causing the ejecting guide bolt (30) to pass from its first position to its second position in order to release the latch (10) from the keeper, wherein the channel (200) and the receptacle (300) are inclined relative to one another and are oriented in such a way that the channel (200) has a slant rising in the direction of the receptacle (300), the ejecting guide bolt (30), when it moves from its first position to its second position, follows a path in the form of a broken line, first approximately parallel to the receptacle (300) and then oblique relative to the latter, and vice versa, and it possesses means (40) for safeguarding the bolt (30) in its first position, for inserting and retaining the latch (10)in the receptacle (300) of the ejecting guide bolt (30) and for guiding the ejecting guide bolt (30) on its path in the form of a broken line when it moves from one of its two positions to the other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that these means (40) comprise a safeguarding arrangement (410-420).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
Buckle according to claim 2, characterized in that this safeguarding arrangement (410-420) consists of at least one cam (410) of the base and of at least one cam follower (420) of the ejecting guide bolt (30) which interact by wedging when the ejecting guide bolt (30) is in its first position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that these means (40) comprise an insertion and retention system (301, 302, 303 and 304).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
Buckle according to claim 4, characterized in that this insertion and retention system (301, 302, 303 and 304) consists of a bevel (301) located at the entrance of the receptacle (300) of the ejecting guide bolt (30) and of a ceiling (302), partition (303) and floor (304) delimiting this receptacle (300).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that these means (40) include a guide device (430-440).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
Buckle according to claim 6, characterized in that this device (430-440) consists of at least one slot (430) which is made in the base (20) and into which is engaged at least one wing (440) of the ejecting guide bolt (30).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
Buckle according to claim 7, characterized in that the slot (430) comprises a flat (431) virtually parallel to the receptacle (300) and a ramp (432) oblique relative to the flat (431).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the channel (200) is delimited by a part of two opposite flanks (202) of the base (20), a face (211) of the nose (210) and the cams (410).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the channel (200) is delimited by a part of the two opposite flanks (202) of the base (20), bosses (203) formed on the flanks (202), and a face (211) of the nose (210).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
Buckle according to claim 5, characterized in that the floor (304) comprises a flexible middle sole piece bordered by rigid lateral tongues located at a level below that of the sole piece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic stressing of the ejecting guide bolt (30) and of the button (50) is obtained by means of a single spring (309.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the ejecting guide bolt (30) and the button (50) are fixed to one another.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
Buckle according to claim 13, characterized in that the ejecting guide bolt (30) and the button (50) are made in one piece.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
Buckle according to claim 12, characterized in that the ejecting guide bolt (30) and the button (50) are connected to one another by means of a web (530) delimited by two scores (531-532) allowing local bending.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that it possesses a locking detector (80).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
Buckle according to claim 16, characterized in that the locking detector (80) comprises a microswitch (800), an operating member (801) of which is located in the path of the latch (10).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
Buckle according to claim 16, characterized in that it possesses a lighting device (90).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
Buckle according to claims 18, characterized in that the detector (80) and the lighting device (90) are mounted on a common support (89).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
Buckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the keeper is seated at least partially in a protective casing (60).
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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) | 1993-04-16 | 1993-10-16 | 1994-04-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-04-16 | 1997-10-16 | 1998-04-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-04-16 | 2001-10-16 | 2002-04-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |