Seat-belt lock assembly

Abstract

In a belt buckle assembly (8) comprising a belt buckle casing (10) and comprising a lighting device (26) provided at the belt buckle casing (10) for marking the insertion aperture (22) for the plug-in tongue the lighting device (26) includes a lamp (28), especially an LED, as well as a light conductor (32) being positioned at the belt buckle casing (10) in the area of the insertion aperture (22) and tapered in wedge shape toward the lamp (28), the light conductor absorbing and distributing the light emitted by the lamp (28).

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application corresponds to PCT / EP2012 / 003923, filed Sep. 20, 2012, which claims the benefit of German Application No. 10 2011 114 538.2, filed Sep. 29, 2011, the subject matter, of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a belt buckle assembly comprising a belt buckle casing and a lighting device provided at the belt buckle casing for marking the insertion aperture for the plug-in tongue.[0003]Belt buckles comprising lighting devices which serve for marking the insertion aperture for the plug-in tongue of the belt are generally known from prior art. These lighting devices allow for quicker and easier finding of the belt buckle in the dark and for quick recognition of the insertion aperture for the plug-in tongue and thus for simple operation of the belt buckle. The lighting devices are intended, on the one hand, to ensure reliable lighting of the insertion aperture, the prer...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]Therefore, it is the object of the invention to provide a belt buckle assembly which permits as complete and permanent illumination of the insertion aperture as possible with minimum space required.

[0005]The object is achieved in that in a belt buckle assembly comprising a belt buckle casing and a lighting device provided at the belt buckle casing for marking the insertion aperture for the plug-in tongue the lighting device includes a lamp, especially an LED, as well as a light conductor positioned at the belt buckle casing in the area of the insertion aperture and tapered in wedge shaped toward the lamp, the light conductor absorbing and distributing the light emitted from the lamp. The lamp is preferably so small that a conventional belt buckle casing can be used. The previous drawbacks of a small lamp, especially of an LED, viz. a very small illuminated area, are compensated by the fact that a wedge-shaped light conductor is arranged ahead of the lamp for scattering the light emitted from the lamp so that a larger illuminated area is visible on the outside of the belt buckle. Thus in the case of a very small lamp requiring only little space in the belt buckle casing, a very large illuminated area which is clearly visible can be provided. By the wedge shape preferably visible from outside moreover an optical marking of the inserting direction of the plug-in tongue is provided, which assists quicker fastening of the seat belt. Apart from the little space required, an LED in addition offers the advantage that it is very robust and little interference-prone.

[0006]In order to facilitate mounting of the belt buckle preferably a joint carrier member which is fastened to the belt buckle casing is provided for the lamp and the light conductor. The lamp and the light conductor can be pre-assembled on said carrier member so that during mounting of the belt buckle only one component, i.e. the carrier member, has to be fastened to the belt buckle casing. This offers the additional advantage that the exact positioning of the light conductor with respect to the lamp required for achieving good illumination of the insertion aperture can take place in preparation of the mounting on the carrier member. The carrier member can also be supplied with the lamp and the light conductor being pre-assembled.

[0008]The carrier member includes, for example, a plastic sheathing and a conductor especially formed of a lead frame around which the plastic sheathing is injection-molded. The conductor is protected and safely held by the plastic sheathing so that damage of the conductor by vibrations can be safely excluded. At said plastic sheathing also sockets or fastening elements for the lamp and the light conductor onto which said components can be easily attached can be provided so that the plastic sheathing also facilitates assembling of the belt buckle assembly. When the conductor is formed of a lead frame, this has moreover the advantage that the exact shape or the course of the conductor is predetermined and the latter cannot move in an injection mold in which plastic material is injection-molded around the conductor during the injection operation.

[0011]At the inside of the belt buckle casing for this purpose preferably ducts are formed in which the cables are laid. The ducts are formed, for instance, so that the cables do not get out of place during mounting the belt buckle and thus get not jammed between the belt buckle and the belt buckle casing. In particular, the cables can be retained at the belt buckle casing by strain reliefs so that the cables are prevented from rupturing in the case of excessive tensile load.

[0012]In another embodiment, the light conductor can be injection-molded to the belt buckle casing, for instance, so that said light conductor is integrally connected to the belt buckle casing. The light conductor preferably forms a flush even surface with the belt buckle casing such that no disturbing gaps or edges are formed on the outside so that the belt buckle casing offers high-grade appearance.

Problems solved by technology

The lighting devices are intended, on the one hand, to ensure reliable lighting of the insertion aperture, the prerequisite of which is a long life of the lighting, as the belt buckle casings are usually closed by adhesive closure by a welding method so that subsequent opening and exchange of the lamp is not or only possible with great effort.

Moreover, the space within a belt buckle casing is limited so that a very compact design of the lighting device is desired.

Previous belt buckle assemblies meet these requirements only insufficiently.

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