Device to prevent objects from falling out under a vehicle seat

Abstract

A protective device (1) against falling objects, intended to be installed around a vehicle seat belt buckle (2) and to extend between the buckle (2) and the walls of a passage hole located in a seat cushion and through which said buckle (2) passes, the device (1) comprising a ring (10) adapted to fit around the buckle (2) and to extend between the buckle and the walls of the passage hole, the ring (10) being made of an elastic material and being compressible in its thickness. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Device for protecting against the loss of objects under a vehicle seat

[0001] The invention relates to a protective device preventing the loss of an object between a seat and a vehicle seat belt buckle, a vehicle equipped with such a device, and a method of installing such a device.

[0002] In order to restrain a passenger seated in a vehicle seat in the event of a collision, vehicles are equipped with seat belts that are reversibly attached to belt buckles by means of a latch that locks into the buckle. For rear passengers, the belt buckle is generally fixed to the vehicle floor located under the seat cushion. The seat cushion for these rear passengers generally has a passage hole through which the belt buckle passes. This passage hole allows the belt buckle to pass through the cushion and to be fixed to the vehicle floor located under the cushion. In other words, the belt buckle can be positioned in this passage hole so as to be accessible from the seating surface of the bench seat intended to accommodate a passenger while remaining fixed to the vehicle floor, and to allow the belt latch to be locked into the buckle.For example, document FR2765169 describes such a provision.

[0003] The drawback of such a solution is that a gap remains between the belt buckle and the sides of the opening. A small object, for example a coin, can slip into this gap along the belt buckle and fall onto the floor under the seat. Retrieving the object can then be difficult, especially in the case of a seat that is not removable or requires special tools to remove.

[0004] The objective of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks. In particular, one of the aims of the invention is to provide a simple device to manufacture and implement in order to prevent the loss of an object between a seat belt buckle and the seat cushion.

[0005] This goal is achieved according to the invention, by means of a device for protection against falling objects, the device being intended to be installed around a vehicle seat belt buckle and to extend between the buckle and the walls of a passage hole located in a seat cushion and through which said buckle passes, the device comprising a ring adapted to fit around the buckle and to extend between the buckle and the walls of the passage hole, the ring being made of elastic material and being compressible in its thickness.

[0006] The thickness of the ring is defined as the thickness of the ring along the radial direction of said ring. Considering an outer face of the ring, corresponding Given a ring with an outer face facing outwards and an inner face opposite the outer face, corresponding to the face of the ring facing the central opening, the thickness is the distance between the outer and inner faces. In other words, in the case of a circular ring, the ring's thickness is measured by the difference between its outer radius and its inner radius.

[0007] Thus advantageously, once the device is threaded around the belt loop, it forms a compressible thickness and is able to fill the space between the belt loop and the walls of the passage hole, adapting to the shape of the hole thanks to the elasticity of the ring and its compressibility, reducing the risk of an object, especially a small one, falling through the passage hole, between the walls of the passage hole and the belt loop.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ring is made of a compressible elastic foam.

[0009] Advantageously, the ring is thus made simply using a single element of compressible elastic foam. For example, the ring is made of an elastomeric foam or even of a silicone foam.

[0010] In another embodiment of the invention, the protective device comprises an adhesive on the inner face of the ring, said inner face being oriented towards the inside of the ring.

[0011] Thus advantageously, the adhesive makes it possible to ensure effective and durable retention on the belt buckle, despite the movements of the buckle during its use.

[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the ring corresponds to a section of a hollow cylinder extending longitudinally along an axis, the section being oblique at an angle with respect to the axis of said cylinder of between twenty degrees and seventy degrees.

[0013] Thus advantageously, when the extension axis of the belt buckle, i.e. the direction in which it extends, is not perpendicular to the surface of the seat cushion, the ring creates a surface in the passage hole substantially parallel to the surface of the seat by choosing the angle of the section with respect to the axis of the hollow cylinder so that it is close to the angle that the extension axis of the buckle makes with respect to the surface of the seat cushion, for example when using the belt buckle, i.e. when a passenger sitting on the seat fastens a seat belt onto the belt buckle.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the protective device comprises a retractable compression means compressing the ring in its thickness, between the inner and outer faces of the ring, the outer face of the ring being opposite the inner face, so as to maintain the ring in a compressed state reducing its thickness, the ring (10) expanding from its compressed state towards an expanded state when the compression device is removed. In other words, when the compression device is removed, the ring is released and expands.

[0015] Advantageously, the protective device is easily slipped onto the belt loop positioned in the opening, reducing the inconvenience caused by the sides of the opening, as the thickness of the ring is reduced by the compression means. Once the protective device is installed around the belt loop, removing the compression means allows the ring to expand due to its elasticity and press against the sides of the opening, thus preventing objects from passing through it.

[0016] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a motor vehicle seat belt buckle and a protective device as described above, the protective device being threaded around the seat belt buckle.

[0017] The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a seat having a passageway delimited by walls, an assembly as described above, the seat belt buckle being disposed at least partially within the passageway. The protective device is disposed so as to be within said passageway and to extend between the walls of the passageway and the seat belt buckle, in contact with the walls of the passageway.

[0018] In a particular embodiment of the invention relating to the vehicle, the ring extends in a plane substantially parallel to an upper surface of the seat on which a passenger is intended to sit.

[0019] Thus advantageously, the aesthetics of the vehicle, and in particular at the level of the seat and the passage hole, is not degraded, the surface of the visible ring being substantially parallel to the upper surface of the seat.

[0020] The invention also relates to a method for mounting a protective device as described above, comprising in order: - A step of threading the device onto a belt loop, the ring being in a compressed state by the compression means, - A step of removing the compression means in order to generate the expansion of the ring towards an expanded state.

[0021] In a particular embodiment of the assembly method, in which the device includes an adhesive on the inner face of the ring protected by a removable film, the method includes a step of removing the film after the threading step, preferably after the step of removing the compression means.

[0022] Thus advantageously, the positioning of the device can be modified as long as the film is left on the inner face of the ring, and once the device is placed in the correct position, removing the film ensures that the device is fixed to the loop.

[0023] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] [Fig. 1] represents an assembly comprising a belt buckle equipped with the protective device according to the invention.

[0025] [Fig.2] represents the entire [Fig.1] installed in a passageway of a vehicle seat base.

[0026] [Fig.3] represents a rear seat of a vehicle seat having two holes passage with an assembly following [Fig.2] in each of the holes.

[0027] [Fig.4] schematically represents the shape of a ring of the protective device.

[0028] The drawings are schematic representations to facilitate understanding of the invention. The components are not necessarily shown to scale. The same reference numerals correspond to the same components from one figure to another.

[0029] Most motor vehicles conventionally have rear seats, located in the second row, and sometimes in the third row of the vehicle. These rear seats consist of a seat with at least one cushion 3. To restrain passengers seated on the cushion in the event of a collision, a seat belt is conventionally used. This belt is attached on one side to the vehicle structure via a retractor and a guide, and a belt buckle is attached to the vehicle floor. The passenger fastens their seat belt onto this buckle by engaging a latch connected to the belt into the belt buckle 2. The latch, not shown in the figures, is inserted into an opening 21 in the buckle 2. The belt buckle 2, and in particular the opening 21, is accessible to a passenger seated on the cushion 3, the passenger being seated on a surface 32 above the cushion 3.A passage hole goes through the base 3 and opens onto this upper surface 32, the bolt opening 21 being directly accessible from this upper surface 32.

[0030] The seat belt buckle 3 is generally fixed to the vehicle floor, under the seat 3, and passes through the access hole. The access hole is delimited by walls 31, so as to be accessible by a passenger seated on the seat 3. In order to allow movement of the seat belt buckle 2, a space exists between the buckle 2 and the walls 31 of the access hole, in particular to ensure that wearing the seat belt is as comfortable as possible for the passenger.

[0031] To prevent an object from passing between the belt buckle 2 and the walls 31 of the opening, a protective device 1 according to the invention is arranged around the belt buckle 2 as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. The protective device 1 extends between the belt buckle 2 and the walls 31 of the opening when said device 1 is installed on the belt buckle 2. The buckle 2 is placed in the opening, as illustrated in [Fig. 2]. The protective device is in contact with both the buckle 2 and the walls 31.

[0032] The device 1 comprises a ring 10 which is threaded around the loop 2. The ring 10 is made of an elastic material and is compressible in its thickness. The thickness of the ring 10 is defined as the thickness along the radial direction of said ring 10. In other words, considering an outer face 12 corresponding to the peripheral face oriented outwards from the ring, and an inner face 11 opposite the outer face 12, corresponding to the face of the ring oriented in a central opening delimited by the ring 10, the thickness is the distance between the outer face 12 and the inner face 11. For example, in the case of a circular ring, the thickness of the ring is measured by the difference between the outer radius and the inner radius of said ring.It is understood that the inner face 11 is the face of the ring 10 located opposite the belt loop 2 when the device 1 is threaded onto said loop 2, and the outer face 12 is the face of the ring 2 in contact with the walls 31 of the passage hole.

[0033] In one embodiment, the ring 10 is made of a compressible elastic foam. For example, the ring 10 is made of an elastomeric foam or even of a silicone foam.

[0034] The dimension of the ring 10 in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which said ring 10 extends, a dimension which is called height, is for example greater than or equal to 15 mm or greater than or equal to 22 mm.

[0035] In another embodiment, an adhesive is disposed on the inner face 11 of the ring 10, so as to be able to adhere to the belt buckle 2.

[0036] As illustrated in [Fig. 1] and shown schematically in [Fig. 4], the ring 10 corresponds, for example, to a section of a hollow cylinder 9 extending longitudinally along an axis X, the section being an oblique section of the cylinder 9 at an angle α with respect to the axis X of said cylinder 9. The angle α is, for example, between twenty and seventy degrees. For example, the angle is chosen so that the plane in which the ring 10 extends is substantially parallel to the upper surface 32 of the seat 3 on which the passenger sits when the device 1 is installed on the belt buckle 2, when the buckle 2 equipped with the device is positioned in the opening. "Substantially" means that the angle between the upper surface 32 and the plane of the ring is less than 10 degrees.

[0037] For example, the cylinder 9 can be square or rectangular in section with rounded corners, in order to approach the shape of the loop 2 and the passage hole.

[0038] In an unshown embodiment, the protective device 1 comprises a removable compression means that compresses the ring in its thickness, i.e., compresses the ring between its inner face 11 and its outer face 12. The compression means maintains the ring 10 in a compressed state by reducing its thickness. When the compression means is removed, due to elasticity and Due to the compressibility of ring 10, said ring 10 expands and enters an expanded state. The compression means is, for example, in the form of a U-shaped ring, the spacing between the arms of the U being less than the thickness of ring 10 of the protective device 1, so as to compress said ring 10 when it is placed between the arms of the U. Alternatively, the compression means is, for example, composed of wires surrounding ring 10 of the protective device 1 so as to compress said ring 10. Other types of compression means may be used. This compression means allows the ring 10 to be installed on the loop 2, when said loop is in the passage hole, by reducing the thickness of said ring 10.

[0039] As illustrated in [Fig. 3], the seat 3 has two access holes. A belt buckle 2 equipped with a protective device 1 is disposed at least partially in each of these access holes. The protective device 1 is disposed on each of the buckles 2 so as to be in said access hole and to extend between the walls 31 of the access hole and the belt buckle 2 onto which it is threaded. The protective device 1 is in contact with the walls 31 of the access hole by the outer face 12 of the ring 10, and in contact with the belt buckle 2 by the inner face 11.

[0040] The installation of the device on the belt buckle follows, for example, an assembly process comprising the following steps in order: - a step of threading the device 1 onto a belt loop 2, the ring 10 being in a compressed state by the compression means, - a step of removing the compression means in order to generate the expansion of ring 1 towards its expanded state, so that the ring tightens the belt loop 2.

[0041] These steps can be carried out with the belt loop 2 already in the access hole. Compressing the ring 10 allows the device 1 to be easily inserted around the belt loop 2 and into the access hole.

[0042] When the device has an adhesive on the inner face 11 of the ring 10 and a film over the adhesive to protect said adhesive, the assembly method includes a step of removing the film after the threading step, or after the step of removing the compression means. The film allows the ring 10 to be threaded around the belt loop 2 without the adhesive adhering to the belt loop 2, and thus allows the device 1 to be optimally positioned on the loop 2, and then the device to be fixed to the loop 2 using the adhesive by removing the film.

Claims

Demands

1. A protective device (1) against falling objects intended to be installed around a vehicle seat belt buckle (2) and to extend between the buckle (2) and the walls of a passage hole located in a seat cushion (3) and through which said buckle (2) passes, the device (1) comprising a ring (10) capable of being threaded around the buckle (2) and extending between the buckle and the walls (31) of the passage hole, the ring (10) being made of elastic material and being compressible in its thickness.

2. Protective device (1) according to the preceding claim, the ring (10) of which is made of a compressible elastic foam.

3. Protective device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an adhesive on an inner face (11) of the ring (10), said inner face (11) being oriented towards the inside of the ring (10).

4. Protective device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ring (10) corresponds to a section of a hollow cylinder (9) extending longitudinally along an axis (X), the section being oblique at an angle (a) with respect to the axis (X) of said cylinder (9) between twenty degrees and seventy degrees.

5. A protective device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a removable compression means compressing the ring (10) in its thickness, between an inner face (11) and an outer face (12), the inner face (11) being oriented towards the inside of the ring (10) and the outer face (12) of the ring (10) being opposite the inner face (11), so as to maintain the ring (10) in a compressed state reducing its thickness, the ring (10) expanding from its compressed state to an expanded state when the compression means is removed.

6. Assembly comprising a motor vehicle safety belt buckle (2) and a protective device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the protective device (1) being threaded around the belt buckle (2).

7. A vehicle comprising a seat (3) having a passage hole delimited by walls (31) and an assembly according to the preceding claim, the belt buckle (2) being disposed at least partly in the passage hole, the protective device (1) being arranged so as to be in said passage hole and to extend between the walls (31) of the passage hole and the belt loop (2), in contact with the loop (2) and said walls (31).

8. Vehicle according to the preceding claim, wherein the ring (10) extends in a plane substantially parallel to an upper surface (32) of the seat (3) on which a passenger is intended to sit.

9. Method of mounting a protective device (1) according to claim 5, comprising in order: - A step of threading the protective device (1) onto a belt loop (2), the ring (10) being in a compressed state by the compression means, - A step of removing the compression means so as to generate the expansion of the ring (10) towards an expanded state.

10. Assembly method according to the preceding claim, the device (1) comprising an adhesive on the inner face (11) of the ring (10) protected by a removable film, the method comprising a step of removing the film after the threading step, preferably after the step of removing the compression means.

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