Seat belt locking unit and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a seat belt buckle unit (1) comprising a buckle (2) and a buckle tongue (3) connected to a seat belt (4). The buckle has a locking assembly (5) comprising a locking means (50) which in a closed state of the seat belt buckle unit achieves a positive engagement with the buckle tongue. The buckle has an unlocking means (55) by which the locking means can be disengaged from the buckle tongue upon application of an unlocking force in order to cause an open state of the seat belt buckle unit. An unloading mechanism (6) is provided between the buckle tongue and the buckle, which, upon tilting of the buckle tongue in the buckle, causes the buckle tongue to move slightly further into the buckle and / or which receives a portion of the pulling force, the force transmission between the buckle tongue and the locking means being unloaded, said tilting occurring in the event of a vehicle collision as a result of a sudden tensioning of the seat belt triggered by a belt tensioner. The invention also relates to a vehicle whose seat belt assembly has a seat belt buckle unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a seatbelt locking unit. It also relates to a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising at least one seatbelt assembly having such a seatbelt locking unit. Background Technology

[0002] Today, seatbelt assemblies in vehicles, especially motor vehicles, are equipped with tensioning devices that suddenly tighten the seatbelt in the event of a collision, firmly pressing it against the occupant's body in the vehicle seat. This ensures the body is connected to the vehicle seat with as little gap as possible, allowing energy dissipation devices within the vehicle to optimally brake the occupant's kinetic energy. Furthermore, by tensioning and restraining the body to the vehicle seat, safety devices located in or on the vehicle seat, such as side airbags, can optimally protect the occupant.

[0003] In a side impact, the occupant's body does not stretch the pre-tensioned seatbelt due to inertia. In a side impact, the pretension force of the seatbelt, acting on the seatbelt by the tensioner and thus on the seatbelt locking unit, remains after the collision. Therefore, the increased tension acting on the seatbelt, caused by the tensioner and introduced into the locking mechanism from the latch, results in an increased release force that disengages the locking mechanism from its engagement with the latch, leading to an increased unlocking force. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved seatbelt locking unit that allows for easy unlocking of the seatbelt even after the belt tensioner is activated.

[0005] The objective is achieved by a seatbelt locking unit.

[0006] The seatbelt locking unit includes a lock and a latch connected to the seatbelt. The lock has a locking assembly including a locking device that engages with the latch in a form-locking manner in the closed state of the seatbelt locking unit and holds the latch in place. This allows the tension acting on the seatbelt to be transferred from the latch to the lock via the locking device. The lock also has an unlocking device that disengages the locking device from the latch when an unlocking force is applied, thereby opening the seatbelt locking unit. In this open state, the latch can be pulled out of the lock. A feature of the invention is the provision of an unloading mechanism between the latch and the lock. When the latch is tilted in the lock, the unloading mechanism causes the latch to move slightly into the lock and / or receives a portion of the tension, thus unloading the force transmission between the latch and the locking device. This tilting occurs in the event of a vehicle collision due to a sudden tension triggered by the seatbelt tensioning device.

[0007] Here, the tilting of the locking tongue is generated by a force acting laterally on the locking tongue, extending laterally from its surface. This force induces an overturning moment that causes the locking tongue to tilt about the clamping portion of its free end, which is embedded in the lock. The tilting axis extends in a plane extending from the surface of the locking tongue.

[0008] advantage

[0009] In the state following a collision and after the resulting tensioning via the belt tensioning device, i.e. when the tension caused by the collision force no longer acts between the belt latch and the locking device in the seatbelt locking unit, the unloading mechanism provided according to the invention assumes a portion of the tension caused by the belt tensioning device, and thus unloads the connection between the locking device and the belt latch, thereby reducing the unlocking force.

[0010] In the event of a vehicle collision, the sudden tensioning of the seatbelt, triggered by the tensioning device, causes the seatbelt to press tightly against the body of the occupant wearing the seatbelt. Therefore, the tensile stress induced in the seatbelt persists even after the collision. The locking mechanism, for example, is supported on the vehicle seat such that the locking tongue is tilted in the locking mechanism, in the direction vector of the tension force from the seatbelt. This tilting movement is utilized by an unloading mechanism located between the locking tongue and the locking mechanism, so as to receive a portion of the tension and / or move the locking tongue slightly against the tension force into the locking mechanism. Thus, the force transmission between the locking tongue and the locking device is unloaded, and the button with the unlocking device can be operated more easily.

[0011] The present invention is particularly advantageous in the case of a side collision, because at this time, the pre-tensioned seat belt material is less lost due to the occupant's inertial stretching, and therefore the seat belt pretension force acting from the belt tensioner to the seat belt and thus also to the seat belt locking unit is maintained after the vehicle collision.

[0012] Particularly advantageously, the unloading mechanism has a ramp assembly that acts between the locking tongue and the lock, the ramp assembly comprising at least one ramp and at least one guide element that interacts with the at least one ramp. In such a ramp assembly, the at least one guide element slides or rolls on the ramp surface of the at least one ramp, and a longitudinal force acting on the locking tongue in the direction of entering the lock can be applied to the locking tongue in a simple and reliable mechanical manner by means of the ramp assembly and the lateral movement of the locking tongue that occurs when the locking tongue is tilted.

[0013] Advantageously, the ramp assembly has: a first row of teeth disposed on the locking tongue, the first row of teeth having at least one ramp; and a second row of teeth on the locking housing side, the second row of teeth having at least one corresponding ramp constituting a guide element; and the ramp surface of the ramp on the locking tongue side is configured to engage with the ramp surface of the corresponding ramp and slide along the ramp surface of the corresponding ramp.

[0014] It is also advantageous to provide a deformable element between the locking tongue and the belt lock, the deformable element being configured to plastically or elastically deform when the locking tongue is tilted in the belt lock. Under normal conditions, i.e., when the belt tensioning device is not activated, such a deformable element forms a precise guide for the locking tongue, used to guide the locking tongue into the belt lock.

[0015] Advantageously, the deformable element is configured such that the unloading mechanism only functions when the deformable element deforms. This ensures that the unloading mechanism functions only when the belt tensioning device has been activated and the belt latch has therefore tilted. If the belt latch is not tilted, for example because the occupant's body is restrained by the seatbelt during a frontal collision and the seatbelt exerts tension with an additional tension vector to the belt latch, then the tension caused by the collision is supported only by the locking between the belt latch and the locking device.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising at least one seatbelt assembly having such a seatbelt locking unit according to the invention.

[0017] Preferred embodiments of the present invention, with additional structural details and other advantages, are described and explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The attached image is as follows:

[0019] Figure 1 This shows a longitudinal sectional view of the seatbelt locking unit according to the invention in the locked state. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Figure 1 The seatbelt locking unit 1, shown in the closed state, includes a seatbelt lock 2 and a locking tongue 3 inserted into the seatbelt lock, which is connected to the seatbelt 4 at its upper end extending from the seatbelt lock 2.

[0021] In the example shown, the seat belt 4 is a three-point seat belt, which includes a belt 40 that forms a lap belt section 41 and a shoulder belt section 42 in a generally known manner. The belt 40 passes through a guide slot 31, which is provided in a belt turning section 30, which is formed on the upper end of the belt latch 30.

[0022] A tongue section 32 extending from the turning section 30 of the belt lock 3 has a through hole 34 in its lower section, which forms a receiving portion for a bolt 52 of the locking assembly 5, which forms a locking device 50. The locking assembly 5 is disposed in the belt lock 2, which has a belt lock housing 20, on its upper side having an guide slot 21 for the tongue section 32 of the belt lock 3. Inside the belt lock housing 20 are upper guides 22 and 24, which together form the guide slot 21 as an upper guide slot for the tongue section 32; and lower guides 26 and 28, which together form a lower guide slot 27, in which the lower end 32' of the tongue section 32 is received in the lower guide slot in the shown locked state. A free locking region 25 is provided between the upper guides 22, 24 and the lower guides 26, 28, in which the locking device 50 can move, allowing the bolt 52 to be inserted into the through hole 34 of the tongue section 32. A recess 29 is provided on the upper end of the locking housing 20 for the button 54 of the locking assembly 5. The bolt 52 is inserted into the through hole 34 of the tongue section 32, which has been inserted into the guide slots 23, 27, by means of a spring 53, and is held in the through hole by the spring 53. The bolt is coupled to the button 54 via an operating mechanism (not described, but indicated by a dashed line representing the unlocking device 55), such that operation of the button 54 moves the bolt 52 out of the through hole 34 of the tongue section 32 against the force of the spring 53 and releases the bolt, i.e., cancels the locking.

[0023] In the example shown, the upper guides 22 and 24 are formed by a sidewall 54' of the button 54 and a sidewall 61 of a deformable element 60 opposite to the sidewall 54', which is disposed in the locking housing 20 on one side of the guide slot 21. The deformable element 60 is a component of the unloading mechanism 6 of the seatbelt locking unit 1, which will be described below. It goes without saying that, alternatively, the deformable element 60 can be disposed on the locking tongue 3, so that the guide slot 21 is defined by the inner edge of the housing of the locking housing 20 on the side opposite to the button 54.

[0024] Furthermore, the unloading mechanism 6 has a ramp assembly 62 disposed between the locking tongue 3 and the locking 2. In the example shown, this ramp assembly has a row of teeth 63 formed on the tongue section 32, which has overlapping ramps 64 and 65. The ramp surfaces 64' and 65' of these ramps extend downward at an angle away from the tongue section 32. Another row of teeth 66 is disposed on one side of the locking housing 20. This row of teeth has overlapping ramps 67 and 68. The ramp surfaces 67' and 68' of these ramps extend upward at an angle toward the tongue section 32 and form guide elements as corresponding ramps. These guide elements interact with the ramp surfaces 64' and 65' of the ramps 64 and 65 on the tongue section 32 in a manner described below.

[0025] If the strap 40 of the seat belt 4 is tensioned by a (not shown) strap tensioning device with a preload force Fv, then a lateral force Fs acts on the strap turning section 30 of the latch 3. This lateral force causes a moment Ms around the clamping portion between the lower guides 26, 28 of the latch section 32, and thus causes the latch 3 to tilt in the face of the deformation element 60. Here, the deformation element 60 is compressed and deformed in the lateral direction Y. Therefore, based on the lateral force Fs acting laterally on the latch 3, extending laterally from the surface of the latch 3, and based on the overturning moment Ms around the tilting axis caused by this lateral force, the latch 3 tilts. This tilting axis is formed between the lower guides in the region of the clamping portion between the lower guides 26, 28 of the latch section 32, and extends in a plane extending from the surface of the latch section 32, and thus laterally with the through hole 34.

[0026] During this tilt, the ramp surfaces 64' and 65' of the otherwise spaced-apart ramps 64 and 65 on the tongue section 32 of the locking tongue 3 engage with the ramp surfaces 67' and 68' of the ramps 67 and 58 in the locking housing 20, wherein the ramp surfaces 64', 67' and 65', 68' slide relative to each other and at this time pull the locking tongue 3 slightly deeper into the locking housing 20 (in Figure 1(Center facing down). At this time, a portion of the preload Fv applied by the tensioning device is introduced from the locking tongue 3 into the locking housing 20 via ramps 64', 65', 67', and 68', and thus into the locking 2, so that the form-locking engagement between the bolt 52 and the lower edge 34' of the through hole 34 is unloaded. Therefore, the locking assembly 5 can be loosened more easily.

[0027] This invention is not limited to the above embodiments, which are merely used to generally explain the core concept of the invention. Within the framework of the scope of protection, the device according to the invention can more precisely be described as having embodiments different from those described above. Here, the device may in particular have certain features described by combinations of corresponding individual features of the claims.

[0028] The reference numerals in the claims, description, and drawings are merely for better understanding of the invention and should not limit the scope of protection.

[0029] List of reference numerals

[0030] 1. Seatbelt locking unit

[0031] 2 with lock

[0032] 3. With locking tongue

[0033] 4. Seat belts

[0034] 5 Locking components

[0035] 6. Unloading mechanism

[0036] 20 Lockable housing

[0037] 21. Import the gap

[0038] 22 The guide body above

[0039] 24 The guide body above

[0040] 26. The guide body below

[0041] 27. Guide gap below

[0042] 28. The guide body below

[0043] 29 recess

[0044] 30 with turning section

[0045] 31. Guiding gap

[0046] 32 Tongue segment

[0047] 32' Lower end of tongue segment 32

[0048] 34 through holes

[0049] 34' Lower edge of the through hole

[0050] 40 strip

[0051] 41. Waistband Section

[0052] 42 Shoulder strap section

[0053] 50 Locking devices

[0054] 52 bolts

[0055] 53 Springs

[0056] 54 buttons

[0057] 54' sidewall

[0058] 55 Unlocking Devices

[0059] 60 Deformable elements

[0060] 61 Sidewall

[0061] 62 Sloping surface components

[0062] 63 teeth

[0063] 64 Slope

[0064] 64' Slope

[0065] 65 Slope

[0066] 65' slope

[0067] 67 Slope

[0068] 67' Slope

[0069] 68 Slope

[0070] 68' slope

[0071] Fs Lateral force

[0072] Fv Preload

[0073] Ms torque

[0074] Y (horizontal direction)

Claims

1. A seatbelt locking unit (1) comprising a lock (2) and a locking tongue (3) connected to a seatbelt (4), the lock (2) having a locking assembly (5) including a locking device (50) that engages with the locking tongue (3) in a form-locking state of the seatbelt locking unit (1) and holds the locking tongue in the lock (2), such that the tension (Fv) acting on the seatbelt (4) is introduced from the locking tongue (3) through the locking device (50) into the lock (2); and The lock (2) has an unlocking device (55), through which the locking device (50) can disengage from the locking tongue (3) when an unlocking force is applied, so as to cause the safety lock unit (1) to be in an open state, in which the locking tongue (3) can be pulled out from the lock (2); Its features are, An unloading mechanism (6) is provided between the locking tongue (3) and the lock (2). When the locking tongue (3) is tilted in the lock (2), the unloading mechanism causes the locking tongue (3) to move slightly into the lock (2) and / or the unloading mechanism receives a portion of the tension, and thus the unloading mechanism unloads the force transmission between the locking tongue (3) and the locking device (50). The tilting occurs in the event of a vehicle collision due to the sudden tension triggered by the tensioning device of the seat belt (4).

2. The seatbelt locking unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The unloading mechanism (6) has a ramp assembly (62) that functions between the locking tongue (3) and the locking (2), the ramp assembly including at least one ramp (64, 65) and at least one guide element (67, 68) that interacts with the at least one ramp (64, 65).

3. The seatbelt locking unit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ramp assembly (62) has: a first tooth row (63) disposed on the locking tongue (3), the first tooth row having at least one ramp (64, 65); and a second tooth row (66) on the locking housing side, the second tooth row having at least one corresponding ramp (67, 68) constituting a guide element; and the ramp surfaces (64', 65') of the ramps (64, 65) on the locking tongue side are configured to engage with the ramp surfaces (67', 68') of the corresponding ramps and slide along the ramp surfaces of the corresponding ramps.

4. The seatbelt locking unit according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that, A deformation element (60) is provided between the locking tongue (3) and the lock (2), the deformation element being configured to plastically or elastically deform when the locking tongue (3) is tilted in the lock (2).

5. The seatbelt locking unit according to claim 4, characterized in that, The deformable element (60) is configured such that the unloading mechanism (6) only functions when the deformable element (60) deforms.

6. A vehicle comprising at least one seatbelt assembly, characterized in that, The seat belt assembly has a seat belt locking unit (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The vehicle in question is a motor vehicle.

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