Buckle and seat belt device

Abstract

To provide: a buckle having a base to which a plurality of kinds of fastening members can be attached; and a seat belt device provided with the buckle.SOLUTION: A base 4 of a buckle 1 includes: a bottom surface part 40; and a pair of side wall parts 41 standing from side edge parts in a lateral direction of the bottom surface part 40. Openings 49 are formed at both ends of the bottom surface part 40 at an end opposite to a tongue insertion opening in a longitudinal direction of the base 4, and an opening 48 is formed between the openings 49, and support holes 46 are formed respectively in the side wall parts 41. When a metal plate is used as a fastening member for fixing the buckle to a vehicle body member, a rivet 81 for attaching the metal plate to the bottom surface part 40 is inserted through the opening 48. When a wire is used as the fastening member, a rivet 85 for attaching, to the bottom surface part 40, a pulley 83 around which a wire 82 is wound is inserted through the opening 48. When a webbing is used as the fastening member, a web plate 86 is inserted through the support holes 46 and disposed between the pair of side wall parts 41.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seat belt device installed in a seat of an automobile or the like, and a buckle for the seat belt device. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicles such as automobiles are generally provided with a seat belt device for restraining an occupant in a seat that has a seat bottom on which the occupant sits and a backrest (seat back) located behind the occupant. The seat belt device includes webbing for restraining the occupant, a retractor for winding up the webbing, a buckle disposed on the side of the seat, and a tongue disposed on the webbing, and the tongue is fitted into the buckle to restrain the occupant in the seat.

[0003] Conventional buckles have components such as a latch member that enters the locking hole of the inserted tongue and locks the tongue, an ejector that presses the tongue in a direction to disengage from the buckle when the latch member releases the lock on the tongue, and an ejector spring that constantly urges the ejector in the direction to disengage the tongue from the buckle, and these components are attached to a base consisting of a U-shaped frame having a pair of side walls and a bottom.

[0004] Buckles are fastened to the vehicle body by attaching one end of the fastening member to a base and the other end to a vehicle body member (vehicle or seat). Webbing, wire, steel plate, etc. are used for this fastening member, and the base was designed and produced according to the type of fastening member. This resulted in increased mold and management costs. In mass production management, the diversification of parts led to increased capital investment and reduced production efficiency. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2012 / 081189 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and has an object to provide a buckle having a base to which a plurality of types of fastening members can be attached, and a seat belt device including this buckle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The buckle of the present invention is a buckle comprising: a latch member that engages with an inserted tongue to latch the tongue; an operation button for releasing the latch of the tongue by the latch member; and a base that rotatably supports the latch member, wherein the base has a bottom surface and a pair of side wall portions standing up from side edges in a shorter direction of the bottom surface, and a first opening is formed at both ends in the shorter direction of the bottom surface at an end of the base opposite to a tongue insertion opening in a longitudinal direction, a second opening is formed between the first openings, and a support hole is formed in the pair of side wall portions, and a support hole is formed in the pair of side wall portions to connect the buckle to a vehicle body member. When the fastening member connecting the buckle to the vehicle body member uses a metal plate, the second opening is capable of receiving a rivet that attaches the metal plate to the bottom portion, and when the fastening member connecting the buckle to the vehicle body member uses a wire, the second opening is capable of receiving a rivet that attaches a pulley around which the wire is wound to the bottom portion, and when the fastening member connecting the buckle to the vehicle body member uses webbing, the support hole is configured to allow an end of the web plate around which the webbing is wound to be inserted so that the web plate is mounted on the pair of side wall portions.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fastening member further includes a metal plate that connects the buckle to a vehicle body member, and a rivet that passes through an opening and the second opening formed in the metal plate and attaches the metal plate to the bottom portion.

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, the metal plate is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes outward, and the protruding portion is fitted into the first opening.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the buckle further includes a fastening member using a wire that connects the buckle to a vehicle body member, a pulley that is arranged on the bottom portion and around which the wire is wound, a wire plate that is arranged on the pulley and has a claw portion that engages the wire, and a rivet that passes through openings formed in the pulley and the wire plate and the second opening to attach the pulley and the wire plate to the bottom portion.

[0011] In one aspect of the present invention, the wire plate has an arm portion extending in the short side direction, and the arm portion is inserted into the support hole.

[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, a fastening member using a webbing that connects the buckle to a vehicle body member, a web plate whose both ends are inserted into the support hole and which is installed on the pair of side wall portions, and wherein the webbing is wrapped around the web plate.

[0013] A seat belt device of the present invention includes a seat belt to be worn by an occupant, a tongue movably supported on the seat belt, and the buckle of the present invention to which the tongue is engaged. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, since it is possible to attach multiple types of fastening members to the base, a common base can be used regardless of the type of fastening member, thereby reducing costs such as mold costs and management costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a seat belt device including a buckle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a component exploded view of the buckle according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a base to which an iron plate-type fastening member is attached. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a wire-type fastening member. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a base having a wire-type fastening member attached thereto. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a top view of a base with wire-type fasteners attached. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of a base with a wire-type fastening member attached. [Figure 10] 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a top view of a base with a webbing-type fastening member attached. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view of a base with a webbing-type fastening member attached. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the seat belt device 50 is basically a conventionally known three-point seat belt device, and includes a seat belt retractor 53 arranged near a vehicle seat 2, a seat belt 54 that is retractably wound around the seat belt retractor 53 and has a belt anchor 54a at its tip fixed to the floor of the vehicle body or the vehicle seat 2, a guide anchor 55 that guides the seat belt 54 retracted from the seat belt retractor 53 toward the shoulder of the occupant, a tongue 56 that is slidably supported on the seat belt 54 guided from the guide anchor 55, a buckle 1 into which the tongue 56 is releasably inserted, and a fastening member 8 that fixes the buckle 1 to a vehicle body member (the floor of the vehicle or the vehicle seat 52).

[0018] 2 is a parts exploded view showing the buckle 1. The buckle 1 is configured to be detachable from a tongue 56 of a seat belt device 50 that restrains an occupant in a vehicle seat 2, and includes a latch member 3 having a claw portion 31 that can engage with an opening 56a of the tongue 56.

[0019] The buckle 1 also includes an upper cover 11 having an insertion opening for the tongue 56, an operation button 12 for releasing the engagement of the latch member 3, a base 4 for drivably supporting the latch member 3 and the operation button 12, a lower cover 14 connected to the upper cover 11 and accommodating the base 4, a lock pin 15 for restricting movement of the latch member 3 engaged with the tongue 56 in the disengagement direction, an ejector 16 arranged slidably in the longitudinal direction of the base 4 and capable of biasing the tongue 56 in a direction to separate it from the buckle 1, an ejector spring 17 for biasing the ejector 16, and a lever 18 (inertia lever) rotatably supported on the base 4 for preventing movement of the operation button 12 when the operation button 12 receives an inertial force in the release direction when the tongue 56 is engaged with the latch member 3.

[0020] The latch member 3 engages with the inserted tongue 56 to latch the tongue 56. Specifically, the latch member 3 includes a claw portion 31 that rotates in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the tongue 56 enters to engage with an opening 56a of the tongue 56, a pair of flange portions 32 that are rotatably supported by the base 4, and a pair of stoppers 33 that protrude outward from both side surfaces of the latch member 3.

[0021] A slider 34 is slidably disposed on the upper surface of the latch member 3, and a slider spring 35 biases the slider 34 from the flange portion 32 side toward the claw portion 31 side. The slider 34 has a pair of arms 34a extending in the direction of the sides of the buckle 1, and the arms 34a are configured to be capable of being engaged with the operation button 12.

[0022] When the tongue 56 is inserted into the insertion opening of the upper cover 11, the ejector 16 is pushed in by the tongue 56, and the ejector 16 comes into contact with the flange portion 32, rotating the latch member 3 in a direction to engage with the tongue 56. The slider 34 also rotates with the rotation of the latch member 3, and the slider 34, which was restrained by the side portion of the lock pin 15, slides below the lock pin 15 due to the biasing force of the slider spring 35. By such an operation, the claw portion 31 of the latch member 3 engages with the opening 56a of the tongue 56, and the tongue 56 can be restrained by the buckle 1.

[0023] On the other hand, when the tongue 56 is to be released, the slider 34 is pushed in by pushing in the operation button 12, and the slider 34 is pushed out from below the lock pin 15 by the biasing force of the slider spring 35. Accordingly, the latch member 3 rotates in the disengagement direction, and the opening 56a of the tongue 56 is released from the claw portion 31 of the latch member 3. Then, the tongue 56 is released to the outside of the buckle 1 via the ejector 16 by the biasing force of the ejector spring 17.

[0024] 2 and 3, the base 4 is a U-shaped frame having a pair of side walls 41 that rotatably support the latch member 3, and a bottom surface 40 that connects the pair of side walls 41. The bottom surface 40 is a member that is rectangular in plan view and has a plurality of openings formed therein, and the side walls 41 stand up from a pair of side edges in the short side direction.

[0025] The side wall portion 41 is formed with a support groove 42, a support hole 43, an engagement groove 44, a support groove 45, and a support hole 46 in this order from one end side (tongue insertion opening side) in the longitudinal direction to the other end side. The support groove 42 rotatably supports the pivot shaft 18a of the lever 18. The support hole 43 receives an end of the lock pin 15 and supports the lock pin 15. The engagement groove 44 receives the engagement shaft of the slider 34 and supports the slider 34 movably within the engagement groove 44. The support groove 45 rotatably supports the flange portion 32 of the latch member 3. The support hole 46 will be described later.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the base 4 as viewed from below, in a case where the bottom surface portion 40 of the base 4 is horizontal and the side wall portion 41 stands upward from the bottom surface portion 40. As shown in FIG.

[0027] A retaining hole 47 extending in the longitudinal direction of the base 4 is formed in the bottom surface portion 40, and the ejector 16 is slidably disposed in the retaining hole 47. An ejector spring 17 is disposed in the retaining hole 47 and biases the ejector 16. A protrusion 47a is formed on an edge of the retaining hole 47, and the protrusion 47a is inserted into the inside of one end of the ejector spring 17. The other end of the ejector spring 17 is attached to the ejector 16.

[0028] An opening 48 (second opening) is formed at the end of the bottom surface portion 40 in the longitudinal direction (the end opposite the tongue insertion opening). The opening 48 is, for example, circular. In addition, openings 49 (first openings) are formed in a pair of side edges (lower edges of the side wall portions 41) on both sides of the bottom surface portion 40 in the lateral direction, sandwiching the opening 48. The openings 49 are located below the support hole 46.

[0029] As described above, the buckle 1 is connected to a vehicle body member by the fastening member 8 (see FIG. 1). One end of the fastening member 8 is attached to the base 4, and the other end is attached to the vehicle body member. As the fastening member 8, a steel plate type, a wire type, a webbing type, or the like is used. The base 4 in this embodiment is capable of mounting these multiple types of fastening members 8.

[0030] For example, as shown in Fig. 5, when using an iron plate type fastening member 8A, an opening formed at one end of the fastening member 8A is aligned with the opening 48 of the bottom surface portion 40 and fixed with a rivet 81. Furthermore, at one end of the fastening member 8A, protruding portions 80 are formed that protrude outward on both sides in the short direction so as to sandwich the opening, and these protruding portions 80 are fitted into the opening 49 of the base 4. The fastening member 8A may be a metal plate other than iron.

[0031] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a wire-type fastening member 8B. One end of the fastening member 8B is a loop-shaped wire 82, which is connected to a bracket attached to a vehicle body member. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the base 4 to which the wire 82 of the fastening member 8B is attached, Fig. 8 is a top view, Fig. 9 is a bottom view, and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Fig. 8.

[0032] The wire 82 is attached to the base 4 using a pulley 83 around which the wire 82 is wound, a wire plate 84 that fastens the wire 82, and a rivet 85.

[0033] The pulley 83 is disposed on the bottom surface portion 40, and a wire plate 84 is disposed on the pulley 83. The wire plate 84 has arm portions 84a extending on both sides in the short direction of the base 4, and claw portions 84b that engage the wire 82 wound around the pulley 83. The arm portions 84a are inserted into the support holes 46 of the side wall portions 41. The wire 82 is sandwiched between the pulley 83 and the claw portions 84b.

[0034] The pulley 83 and the wire plate 84 have openings formed in their central portions, and these openings are aligned with the opening 48 of the bottom surface portion 40 and fixed with a rivet 85. In this way, the wire 82 is fixed to the base 4.

[0035] Fig. 11 to Fig. 13 are diagrams for explaining an example of attachment of a webbing-type fastening member 8C. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the base 4 without the fastening member 8C. Fig. 12 is a top view of the base 4 with the fastening member 8C attached, and Fig. 13 is a side view.

[0036] A substantially cylindrical web plate 86 is used to attach the webbing-type fastening member 8C. The ends of the web plate 86 are inserted into the support holes 46, and the web plate 86 is mounted on the pair of side wall portions 41. The central axis of the end portion of the web plate 86 is misaligned with that of the center portion, preventing the web plate 86 from coming out of the support holes 46.

[0037] The long belt-like webbing 87 of the fastening member 8C is looped and has a middle portion that meets with itself. That is, the webbing 87 has two loops connected by a sewn portion. A bracket 88 that is attached to a vehicle body member is connected to one of the two loops, and the other is wound around a web plate 86. This allows the fastening member 8C to be fixed to the base 4.

[0038] In this way, the base 4 according to this embodiment has support holes 46 formed in the side wall portion 41 and openings 48 and 49 formed in the bottom surface portion 40 at the longitudinal end where the fastening members are attached, and is therefore capable of supporting the attachment of each of the iron plate type fastening member 8A, the wire type fastening member 8B, and the webbing type fastening member 8C. Therefore, the base 4 can be used regardless of the type of fastening member, and parts such as the lower cover 14 can be standardized, thereby reducing costs such as mold costs and management costs.

[0039] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Buckle 3 Latch member 4. Bass 8, 8A, 8B, 8C Fastening members 12 Operation buttons 50 Seat belt device 56 Tongue

Claims

1. a latch member that engages with the inserted tongue to latch the tongue; an operation button for releasing the latch of the tongue by the latch member; a base that rotatably supports the latch member; A buckle comprising: The base has a bottom surface and a pair of side walls standing upright from side edges of the bottom surface in a short side direction, a first opening is formed at both ends of the bottom surface portion in a short side direction at an end portion of the base opposite to the tongue insertion opening in a longitudinal direction, a second opening is formed between the first openings, and support holes are formed in the pair of side wall portions; When a fastening member for connecting the buckle to a vehicle body member is a metal plate, a rivet for attaching the metal plate to the bottom surface portion can be inserted through the second opening, When a fastening member that connects the buckle to a vehicle body member uses a wire, a rivet that attaches a pulley around which the wire is wound to the bottom portion can be inserted through the second opening, When a fastening member that connects the buckle to a vehicle body member uses webbing, the support hole is configured so that an end of a web plate around which the webbing is wound can be inserted so that the web plate is suspended from the pair of side wall portions.

2. A fastening member using a metal plate for connecting the buckle to a vehicle body member; a rivet that passes through an opening formed in the metal plate and the second opening and attaches the metal plate to the bottom surface portion; The buckle of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The buckle according to claim 2 , wherein the metal plate is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes outward, and the protruding portion is fitted into the first opening.

4. A fastening member using a wire that connects the buckle to a vehicle body member; a pulley disposed on the bottom surface portion and around which the wire is wound; a wire plate disposed on the pulley and having a claw portion for engaging the wire; a rivet that passes through an opening formed in the pulley and the wire plate and the second opening and attaches the pulley and the wire plate to the bottom portion; The buckle of claim 1 further comprising:

5. The buckle according to claim 4 , wherein the wire plate has an arm portion extending in the short side direction, the arm portion being inserted into the support hole.

6. A fastening member using a webbing for connecting the buckle to a vehicle body member; A web plate having both ends inserted into the support holes and installed across the pair of side wall portions; Further equipped with The buckle of claim 1 , wherein the webbing is wrapped around the web plate.

7. Seat belts worn by passengers; A tongue movably supported on the seat belt; The buckle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the tongue is locked; A seat belt device comprising:

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