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 Title: |
US4893874:
Free falling latch plate assembly
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Childress, Keith D.; Richmond, MI
Corbett, Thomas J.; Sterling Heights, MI
Smith, Michele A.; Davisburg, MI
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| Assignee: |
Saturn Corporation, Troy, MI
other patents from SATURN CORPORATION (494685) (approx. 98)
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| Published / Filed: |
1990-01-16
/ 1988-10-05
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| Application Number: |
US1988000253528
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
A44B 11/10;
A44B 11/25;
B60R 22/30;
B60R 22/18;
Core:
A44B 11/00;
more...
IPC-7:
A62B 35/00;
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| U.S. Class: |
Current:
297/483;
024/196;
Original:
297/483;
024/196;
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| Field of Search: |
297/483,476,468
024/196
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| Priority Number: |
| 1987-07-16 |
US1987000074199 |
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| Abstract: |
According to the invention an improved latch plate assembly for a continuous loop single retractor seat belt system includes a housing having a base wall with flanges slotted to slidably mount a lock bar. The housing is oriented with the flanges facing toward the occupant torso and the belt being routed through the space between the base wall and the sliding bar so that when the belt is stored in the generally vertically extending position between the upper and lower anchors, the belt extends in a minimally convoluted path through the latch plate thereby permitting gravity induced sliding movement of the latch plate along the belt toward the lower end of the belt. The housing is further characterized by an abutment structure adapted upon migration of the lock bar along the slot with the occurrence of generally colinear orientation of the lap and shoulder belts upon buckling of the belt to introduce a substantially convoluted path of belt through the latch plate and trap the belt between the sliding bar and the flange structure so that the travel of the belt through the latch plate is effectively prevented at least in the direction which would extend the length of the lap belt portion.
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| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Leahy, Charles E. ;
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Zugel, Francis K.;
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
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Family Legal Status Report
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| Parent Case: |
This is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 074,199 filed July 16, 1987.
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| Family: |
Show 2 known family members
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First Claim:
Show all 8 claims |
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. In a seat belt system with a continuous length of belt having an upper end mounted adjacent the occupant shoulder and a lower end mounted adjacent the occupant lap, a retractor associated with at least one end of the belt to pull the belt to a stored condition extending generally vertically between the upper and lower ends and permit extension of the belt across the torso of a seated occupant for buckling by a belt buckle mounted inboard of the seat, and a latch plate carried by the belt for engagement by the buckle and including a housing having a planar base wall with a tongue projecting from one end thereof for latching engagement by the buckle, a pair of flanges integral with the base wall and extending perpendicularly therefrom at a lateral spacing somewhat greater than the width of the belt, and a lock bar slidably mounted in slots provided in the flanges, the improvement comprising:
- said housing being oriented with the flanges facing toward the occupant torso and the belt being routed through the space between the base wall and the sliding bar so that when the belt is stored extending generally vertically between the upper and lower anchors, the belt extends in a minimally convoluted path through the latch plate, thereby permitting gravity induced sliding movement of the latch plate along the belt toward the lower anchor;
- and an abutment structure carried by the housing at the end thereof opposite the tongue and adapted upon the migration of the sliding lock bar along the slot with the occurrence of generally colinear overlying orientation of the lap and shoulder belts upon buckling of the belt to introduce a substantially convoluted path of the belt through the latch plate and trap the belt between the sliding lock bar and the abutment structure so that the belt is cinched and travel of the belt through the latch plate is effectively prevented at least in the direction which would extend the length of the lap belt portion.
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| Background / Summary: |
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
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| Description: |
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| Forward References: |
Show 4 U.S. patent(s) that reference this one
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