GB2230938A

GB2230938A - Seat belt adjuster

Info

Publication number: GB2230938A
Application number: GB9007881A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Partridge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-05-06
Filing date: 1990-04-06
Publication date: 1990-11-07
Also published as: GB9007881D0; GB8910459D0

Abstract

A seat belt adjuster has a pair of jaws 2, 3 for clamping a first length of seat belt webbing and an outwardly projecting member 4 for restraining and guiding a second length of seat belt webbing. The adjuster may be clamped onto a vertical length 30 of seat belt webbing at a suitable height such that a second length of webbing may pass comfortably diagonally across the body of the user, thus enabling the seat belt to be adapted for use with a wide range of sizes of passenger. Two embodiments of the adjuster are disclosed (Fig. 1 and Figs. 2 and 3). In the former embodiment the jaws are secured together by bolts and wing nuts, whereas in the latter the jaws are of plastics and are hinged to one another and secured together by a snap fitting. The internal faces of the jaws may be ribbed. <IMAGE>

Description

Seat Belt Adjuster The present invention is concerned with adjusters for vehicle seat belts and, in particular, adjusters permitting the shoulder belt of a conventional lap-and-diagonal seat belt to be adjusted to suit occupants of different sizes (such as children).

Conventionally, a vehicle seat belt incorporates a lap belt and a diagonal belt which extends diagonally across the shoulder and torso of the occupant. In the case of a child or short adult, the diagonal belt may be a source of danger because instead of passing over the shoulder and torso it may pass over the neck or face.

Various proposals have been made for dealing with this problem; one such proposal is described in U.S. Patent 4799737 and comprises an adjuster movable between upper and lower attachment point secured to a wall of the vehicle, with tracks connecting the two attachment points along which the adjuster may travel.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and readily usable means for adjustment of a vehicle seat belt to suit a range of sizes of occupant.

According to the present invention, therefore, there is provided a seat belt adjuster, which comprises: a) a pair of opposed clamping jaws for releasably clamping therebetween a first portion of webbing; b) a restraining member arranged to project from an outer face of one of said jaws such that a substantially closed boundary is defined, which boundary in use substantially surrounds a second portion of webbing spaced from but connected to said first portion of webbing clamped between said jaws; and c) releasable locking means for locking said jaws together with said first portion clamped between said jaws.

The restraining member is preferably formed separately from the clamping jaws, the restraining member preferably being pivotally connected to one of the jaws.

Each of the clamping jaws is preferably provided with respective formations on its inner face capable of grippingly engaging the first portion of webbing as it is clamped between the jaws.

The clamping jaws may advantageously be hinged together along a common edge. The locking means preferably comprises complementary formations arranged on opposed clamping jaws to engage one another by means of a 'snap fit'.

In a first embodiment, it is preferred that the restraining member is provided with an elongate portion locatable remote from the pair of clamping jaws, which elongate portion is joined at its ends to respective transverse elements, which elements are preferably pivotally connectable to or engageable with one of the clamping jaws.

It is particularly preferred that the transve elements are pivotally engageable with the rear clamping j the transverse elements preferably projecting through respective apertures provided in the front clamping jaw.

Preferably in this embodiment, the opposed clamping jaws and restraining member are of a plastics material.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the restraining member may take the form of a 'split' ring member, preferably pivotally connected to an outer face of one of the clamping jaws.

In this embodiment, the means for clamping the jaws together may comprise a plurality of screw-threaded bolts passing through the other of said jaws, and a corresponding number of nuts each capable of engaging said remote face of the latter jaw. Typically, each jaw is a generally flat plate member, one thereof having apertures for receiving said bolts.

The present invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary adjuster according to the invention; Figure 2 is an illustrative view showing the way in which an adjuster according to the invention can be used to lower the region of contact between a seat belt and a child sitting in a vehicle seat; Figure 3 is a plan view of a pair of clamping jaws of a preferred adjuster according to the invention; and Figure 4 is a side elevation of the adjuster shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 1, the adjuster 1 comprises an inner plate member 2, an outer plate member 3 and a split loop 4.

Integral with the inner face 5 of inner plate member'2 is a clasp member 6 which embraces and surrounds an elongate portion 7 of the split loop 4. A further portion 8 of loop 4 is generally parallel to portion 7, the two latter portions being connected by an integral curved connecting portion 9. At the end remote from curved portion 9 is an inturned hook-like end 10, which is offset from the axis of portion 7, such that safety belt webbing can be slipped between the free ends 11,12 of the split loop 4. The latter split loop is of a size closely corresponding to the width of conventional safety belt webbing, such that there is little play of the latter when it is inserted in the split loop.

The split loop 4 is itself free to pivot to a limited extent about the axis of the portion 7 thereof, which passes through the clasp member 6; the above-mentioned axis is generally parallel to the planes of both the inner plate member 2 and of the outer plate member 3.

The outer plate member 3 has two apertures 13,14 through which pass respective screw-threaded bolts 15,16, the heads 17,18 of which are held captive by inner plate member 2.

Bolts 15,16 are provided with respective wing nuts 19,20 whereby outer plate member 3 may be secured to inner plate member 2 to thereby form a pair of clamping jaws.

In use (as schematically illustrated in Figure 2, in which like parts are denoted by like reference numerals), an upwardly extending length of webbing 30 (extending from a floormounted anchoring point 31) is secured between the clamping jaws 2,3 just described to a wall attachment loop 32, and then back downwards to be retained by the split loop 4. The belt then extends laterally across the torso of an occupant 33 of a vehicle seat 34, to a further floor-mounted anchoring point 35.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, an alternative belt adjuster is shown comprising a pair of moulded plastics clamping members generally designated 40 which are hinged at a central portion 41. The lower clamp member 42 has a raised peripheral wall 43 which is recessed along the edges 44 to receive peripheral ridges 45 located on the upper clamp member 46. Internal ridges 47 are also provided on the internal surface of the upper and lower clamp members 46,42 such that when the clamp members are locked together, by means of snap-fit formations 48, a portion of the webbing 30 is clamped between the clamping members by interlocking ridges 47.

A 'U' shaped restraining member 50 is pivotally connected to the outer face of the lower clamp member, resting in pivot seat portions 51 moulded intergrally with the lower clamp member. Apertures 52 and 53 are provided in the upper and lower clamp members to facilitate assembly of the adjuster1 and to enable the restraining member to project through the upper clamp member 46.

In use, the restraining member is located around the laterally extending portion of the strap 30, and then located in the pivot seats 51; the clamping members are then snap fitted in a locked position clamping the upwardly extending portion of the strap 30 at a location suitable for the user.

The height at which the adjuster according to the invention can be employed can be readily selected depending on the height of the occupant of the seat, such that the diagonal belt safely traverses the torso of the occupant and not the neck or head region.

Claims

CIAIMS

1. A seat belt adjuster comprising: a) a pair of opposed clamping jaws for releasably clamping therebetween a first portion of webbing; b) a restraining member arranged to project from an outer face of one of said jaws such that a substantially closed boundary is defined, which boundary in use substantially surrounds a second portion of webbing spaced from but connected to said first portion of webbing clamped between said jaws; and c) releasable locking means for locking said jaws together with said first portion of webbing clamped between said jaws.

2. A seat belt adjuster according to claim 1, wherein the restraining member is pivotally connected to one of the jaws.

3. A seat belt adjuster according to claim 1, wherein each of the clamping jaws is provided with respective formations on its inner face arranged to grippingly engaging the first portion of webbing as the latter is clamped between the jaws.

4. A seat belt adjuster according to any preceding claim, wherein the clamping jaws are hinged together along a common edge.

5. A seat belt adjuster according to any preceding claim, wherein the pair of clamping jaws are provided with complementary formations constituting the locking means arranged to engage one another by means of a 'snap fit'.

6. A seat belt adjuster according to any preceding claim, wherein the restraining member is provided with an elongate portion locatable remote from the pair of clamping jaws, which elongate portion is joined at its ends to respective transverse elements, which elements are pivotally engageable to one of the clamping jaws.

7. A seat belt adjuster according to claim 6, wherein the transverse elements are pivotally engageable with the rear clamping jaw, such that the transverse elements project through respective apertures provided in the front clamping jaw.

8. A seat belt adjuster according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the restraining member is in the form of a 'split ring' member.

9. A seat belt adjuster substantially as described herein, with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 2 to 4.