GB2249254A

GB2249254A - Automotive seat with seat belt holder

Info

Publication number: GB2249254A
Application number: GB9121858A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Toshio Masui; Yasuyuki Seura; Akihiko Mutou
Original assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ikeda Corp
Priority date: 1990-11-02
Filing date: 1991-10-15
Publication date: 1992-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 2011-10-15
Also published as: JPH0471355U; GB2249254B; GB9121858D0

Abstract

An inclinable seatback 13a has an L-shaped belt holder 15a secured thereto. The webbing 6a of a seat belt device is slidably held by the belt holder 15a, so that the webbing 6a is always positioned in front of the seatback 13a when the seatback is tilted away from and back to its normal position. The L-shaped belt holder may be replaced with a holding projection (28a, Fig. 4) integrally formed on the top of the seatback (23). <IMAGE>

Description

AUTOMOTIVE SEAT WITH SEAT BELT HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to automotive seats having an inclinable seatback, and more particularly, to automotive seats of a type having a seat belt device incorporated therewith.

2. Descristion of the Prior art In order to clarify the task of the present invent ion, one conventional automotive seat of the above-mentioned type will be described with reference to Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

In Fig. 5, denoted by numeral 1 is a rear seat mounted in a motor vehicle, which comprises a seat cushion 2 mounted on a vehicle floor 9 and two inclinable seatbacks 3a and 3b mounted on a rear portion of the seat cushion 2. When the seatbacks 3a and 3b are inclined forward, there is defined behind the seat 1 a considerable opening through which a rear luggage room 4 is exposed to a passenger room, as will be understood from the condition of the inclined seatback 3a.

The seat 1 has two seat belt devices 5a and 5b ofthree-point type incorporated therewith.

Each device 5a or 5b comprises an emergency locking retractor (not shown) mounted in a lower portion of a rear hollow pillar 8 of the vehicle. The rear pillar 8 is positioned behind the seat 1, as shown. A webbing 6a or 6b extends upward from the retractor and comes out into the passenger room through an opening 8a formed in the rear pillar 8. The emergency locking retractor locks the drawing of the webbing 6a or 6b therefrom upon sensing an abnormal shock applied thereto due to a vehicle collision or the like. The webbing 6a or 6b from the opening 8a extends downward along a front outer side portion 3a' or 3b' of the corresponding seatback 3a or 3b and is fixed at its leading end to a vehicle floor 9 behind the seat cushion 2.The webbing 6a or 6b has an apertured tongue member 7a or 7b slidably received thereon. A buckle member 10a or 10b is used for each webbing 6a or 6b, which is located in front of a lower portion of the seatback 3a or 3b. Upon requirement of the seat belt device 5a or 5b, the tongue member 7a or 7b is brought into engagement with the buckle member 10a or 10b. With this, the shoulder and waist portions of a seat occupant are restrained by the webbing 6a or 6b.

When the seat belt device 5a or 5b is not in use, the through ring 7a or 7b is released from the buckle member 10a or 10b causing the webbing 6a or 6b to extend substantially vertically along the front outer side portion 3a' or 3b' of the seatback 3a or 3b in such a manner as shown by the webbing 6b in Fig. 5.

Due to a biasing force produced by the retractor, the webbing Ga or 6b is kept tensioned.

However, the above-mentioned arrangement has the following drawback.

That is, when the seatback 3a, for example, is inclined as shown, the webbing 6a is forced to slip out the outer side portion 3a' of the seatback 3a and take an unsupported but tensioned position behind the inclined seatback 3a as shown. Thus, when, thereafter, the seatback 3a is raised simply, the webbing 6a is left behind the raised seatback 3a. This is disadvantageous in view of a subsequent use of the seat belt device 5a. In fact, in this arrangement, the raising of the seatback 3a should be made while pulling the webbing 6a toward the front of the seatback 3a with operators hand. This is very troublesome.

What is desired is an arrangement which is free of the above-mentioned drawback.

According to the present invention, there is provided, in a motor vehicle having a floor, a combination which comprises a seat including a seat cushion mounted on the floor and an inclinable seatback mounted on the seat cushion; a seat belt device including a belt retractor installed in a fixed portion of the vehicle behind the seat, a webbing crossing over the seatback and having one end retracted by the belt retractor and the other end fixed , a tongue member slidably held by the webbing and a buckle member located in front of a lower portion of the seatback; and holding means for slidably holding the webbing at a given portion of the seatback irrespective of angular positions which the seatback assumes.

Preferred features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an automotive rear seat having two seat belt devices incorporated therewith, in a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of two seatbacks employed in the rear seat of the first embodiment of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a different condition of the rear seat; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a second embodiment of the present invent ion; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional automotive rear seat having two seat belt devices incorporated therewith.

In the following, parts and constructions substantially the same as those of the abovementioned conventional rear seat are denoted by the same numerals and detailed description of them will be omitted.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, particularly Fig. 1, there is shown a first embodiment of the present invention.

The rear seat 11 of this first embodiment comprises a seat cushion 12 mounted on a vehicle floor 9 and two inclinable seatbacks 13a and 13b mounted on a rear portion of the seat cushion 12. The rear seat 11 has two seat belt devices Sa and 5b of three point type incorporated therewith.

Each seat belt device 5a or 5b comprises an emergency locking retractor (not shown) mounted in a lower portion of a rear pillar 8 of the vehicle. A webbing 6a or 6b extends upward from the corresponding retractor and comes out into the passenger room through an opening 8a formed in the rear pillar 8. The webbing 6a or 6b from the opening 8a extends downward along a front outer side portion 13a' or 13b' of the corresponding seatback 13a or 13b and is fixed at its leading end to the vehicle floor 9 behind the seat cushion 2. As shown, the webbing Ga or 6b is passed between the rear end of the seat cushion 12 and the lower end of the seatback 13a or 13b.The webbing 6a or 6b has an apertured tongue member 7a or 7b slidably received thereon. A buckle member 10a or 10b is located in front of a lower portion of the seatback 13a or 13b.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, a generally L-shaped belt holder 15a or 15b is secured to an upper outer side portion 13a" or 13b" of each seatback 13a or l3b.- - That is, the holder 15a or 15b comprises a vertical base part secured through two screws 17 to the upper outer side portion 13a or 13b" of the seatback 13a or 13b, and a horizontal holder part located above the top of the seatback 13a or 13b. As is understood from Fig. 2, a clearance 16 defined between the top of the seatback 13a or 13b and the horizontal holder part of the holder 15a or 15b is about 2 to 3 mm in thickness, which is so determined as to permit a smoothed passing of the tongue member 7a or 7b therethrough.

As is seen from Fig. 1, in use, the webbing 6a or 6b is slidably held or hooked by the holder 15a or 15b.

When, in operation, the seatback 13a for example is inclined forward, the belt holder 15a moved together with the seatback 13a is caused to slide over the webbing 6a permitting the tongue member 7a to pass through the clearance 16 of the belt holder 15a and take a position behind the inclined seatback 13a, as is understood from Fig. 3. This means that even when the seatback 13a is inclined, the webbing 6a is kept held by the belt holder 15a, that is, the webbing 6a is prevented from slipping out the outer side portion 13a' of the seatback 13a.

Thus, when, thereafter, the seatback 13a is raised even simply, the webbing 6a is left on the front side of the seatback 13a. During the raising of the seatback 13a, the belt holder 15a slides over the webbing 6a permitting the tongue member 7a to pass through the clearance 16 of the belt holder 15a but in a reversed direction.

Thus, the webbing 6a, more specifically, the tongue member 7a is always located before the seatback 13a so long as the seatback 13a assumes a raised position. This is very advantageous in view of a subsequent use of the seat belt device 5a.

Referring to Fig. 4, there is a second embodiment of the present invention.

The rear seat 21 of this embodiment comprises a seat cushion 22 mounted on the vehicle floor 9 and a single inclinable seatback 23 mounted on a rear portion of the seat cushion 22. The seatback 23 shown in the drawing comprises a framed panel 24, a pad material 25 mounted on the frame panel 24 and an outer skin member 26 which covers entirely the framed panel 24 and the pad material 25.

In the second embodiment, two projections 28a and 28b are integrally formed on longitudinally opposed portions of a top of the seatback 23. Each projection 28a or 28b is so sized as to slidably hold or hook the webbing 6a or 6b irrespective of inclined positions which the seatback 23 assumes.

As is seen from Fig. 4, in use, the webbings 6a and 6b are slidably held or hooked by the projections 28a and 28b.

Because of provision of the projections 28a and 28b, the webbings 6a and 6b are prevented from slipping out the outer side portions of the seatback 23 even when the seatback 23 is inclined. Thus, like in the case of the first embodiment, the webbings 6a and 6b, more specifically, the tongue members 7a and 7b are always located before the seatback 23 so long as the seatback 23 assumes a raised position.

Claims

Claims:

1. A motor vehicle - Including a seat including a seat cushion mounted on a floor and an inclinable seatback mounted on said seat cushion; a seat belt device including a belt retractor installed in a fixed portion of said vehicle behind said seat, a webbing crossing over said seatback and having one end retracted by said belt retractor and the other end fixed, a tongue member slidably held by said webbing and a buckle member located in front of a lower portion of the seatback; and holding means for slidably holding said webbing at a given portion of said seatback irrespective of angular positions which the seatback assumes.

2. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the holding means is so arranged and constructed as to permit said tongue member to take a position before said seatback so long as the seatback assumes its raised position.

3. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the holding means is a generally L-shaped holder which comprises a vertical base part secured to an upper outer side portion of the seatback and a horizontal holder part located above a top of the seatback with a given clearance therebetween.

4. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the clearance is so determined as to permit smooth passing of said tongue member therethrough.

5. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 3 or 4, wherein the clearance is about 2 to 3 mm in thickness.

6. A motor vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the belt retractor is of an emergency locking type which locks the drawing of the webbing therefrom upon sensing an abnormal shock applied thereto.

7. A motor vehicle as claimed in any,preceding claim, wherein e belt retractor is installed in a lower portion of a hollow rear pillar of the vehicle, said rear pillar having at its upper portion an opening from which said webbing is drawn to a passenger room of the vehicle.

8. A motor vehicle as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the holding means comprises a projection integrally formed on a longitudinal end of a top of the seatback, said projection being so sized -as to slidably hold or hook the webbing irrespective of whether said seatback assumes any angular position.

9. A motor vehicle including: a seat including a seat cushion mounted on a floor and two inclinable seatbacks mounted abreast on said seat cushion; two seat belt devices respectively -1 associated with said two inclinable seatbacks, each seat belt device including a belt retractor installed in a fixed portion of said vehicle behind said seat, a webbing crossing over one of said seatbacks and having one end retracted by said belt retractor and the other end - - fixed, ' a tongue member slidably held by said webbing and a buckle member located in front of a lower portion of the seatback; and two holders respectively secured to outer side portions of the two inclinable seatbacks, each holder being so arranged to slidably hold the corresponding webbing at a given portion of the corresponding seatback irrespective of angular positions which the seatback assumes.

10. A motor vehicle including: a seat including a seat cushion mounted on a floor and a single inclinable seatback mounted on said seat cushion; two seat belt devices which are associated with respective longitudinal sides of said seatback, each seat belt device including belt retractor installed in a fixed portion of said vehicle behind said seat, a webbing crossing over one longitudinal side of said seatback and having one end retracted by said belt retractor and the other end fixed , a tongue member slidably held by said webbing and a buckle member located in front of a lower portion of the seatback; and two projections integrally formed on respective longitudinal ends of the top of the seatback, each projection being so sized as to slidably hold or hook the corresponding webbing irrespective of angular positions which said seatback assumes.

11. A motor vehicle including a seat with a seat belt device substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 to 3 or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.