Vehicle structure

Abstract

To provide a vehicle structure that can prevent damage to a buckle of a seat belt during a collision, with the buckle being provided in the vicinity of a seat side frame.SOLUTION: A buckle 2 of a seat belt is arranged in the vicinity of a seat side frame 3a. The buckle 2 is set to be rotatable in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The buckle 2 moves in a vertical direction along with its rotation. A lower part of the buckle 2 is configured to move up and down and to pass by a side of an upper surface of the seat side frame 3a. An inclined surface 4 with its lower side inclined in the direction away from the seat side frame 3a is provided in the lower part of the buckle 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle structure in which a buckle of a seat belt rotatable in the vehicle front-rear direction is disposed in the vicinity of a seat side frame.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a seat belt of a vehicle is used by fixing a belt end with an anchor disposed on the right or left side of a seat and connecting a fitting to a buckle rotatably attached to the other side of the seat (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when the buckle of the seat belt is disposed at a height approximately the same as the upper surface of the seat side frame, the lower portion of the buckle may ride on the upper surface of the seat side frame and be damaged due to the rotation of the buckle.

[0005] In particular, as shown in FIG. 4, when a seat belt is provided with a pretensioner, at the very initial stage of a vehicle collision, the pretensioner winds up the seat belt, causing the buckle 101 to be displaced once toward the seat center side and then rotate rearward and upward (arrow A), changing from the normal state 101a to the riding-up state 101b located above the seat side frame 102.

[0006] During and after a subsequent collision, when the occupant is thrown out of the seat and pulls the seat belt forward, the buckle 101 in the riding-up state 101b rotates forward and downward (arrow B). At this time, the lower part of the buckle 101 may strongly contact the upper surface of the seat side frame 102 and be damaged.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle structure capable of preventing damage to a buckle of a seat belt while providing the buckle of the seat belt near the seat side frame.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] To achieve the above object, a vehicle structure according to the present invention arranges a buckle of a seat belt near a seat side frame, and the buckle is Attach the lower end of the buckle stay extended downward rotatable in the vehicle longitudinal direction Attach and is set to a height such that when moving vertically as it rotates, the lower part of the buckle passes by the side of the upper surface of the seat side frame. An inclined surface is provided at the lower part of the buckle Engage a tubular fray cover through which the buckle stay is inserted, and set the length of the fray cover so that its lower end reaches at least the lower side of the seat side frame, set the upper end to the same shape as the lower surface of the buckle, and at a portion facing the vicinity of the upper surface of the seat side frame in the vehicle width direction, with the lower side inclined in a direction away from the seat side frame.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] As described above, according to the present invention, since an inclined surface is provided at the lower part of the buckle of the seat belt with the lower side inclined in a direction away from the seat side frame, the inclined surface can be brought into contact with the seat side frame to guide the buckle riding on the upper surface of the seat side frame to the outside of the seat. As a result, even when the buckle rotates forward and downward while bending toward the center side of the vehicle during a vehicle collision, the buckle does not strongly contact the seat side frame, and damage to the buckle can be prevented.

[0010] Moreover, in order to avoid damage to the buckle caused by strong contact with the seat side frame, if the buckle stay is extended or the strength of the buckle is increased to avoid such strong contact, it is likely to cause deterioration in usability and an increase in cost. However, by guiding the buckle to the outside of the seat on its inclined surface, it is possible to prevent damage to the buckle simply and inexpensively. In addition, by providing an inclined surface at the lower part of the buckle of the seat belt, it is possible to easily secure the mounting surface of the seat cushion and the fastening surface of the seat pan as compared with the case where the inclined surface is provided on the seat frame side.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the vehicle structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle structure according to the present invention provides a pretensioner (not shown) for a seat belt (not shown) equipped on the seat 1 of the passenger seat, and arranges the buckle 2 of the seat belt in the vicinity of the seat side frame 3a of the seat frame 3. The buckle 2 is set to be rotatable in the vehicle front-rear direction, and when moving in the vertical direction along with the rotation, the lower part of the buckle 2 is set to a height passing by the side of the upper surface of the seat side frame 3a. Further, an inclined surface 4 whose lower side inclines in a direction away from the seat side frame 3a is provided at the lower part of the buckle 2.

[0014] The seat 1 is configured by attaching a seat cushion 5 and a seat back 6 to a seat frame 3 fixed on the vehicle floor, and covering and hiding the lower part of the seat cushion 5 among the seat side frames 3a with a resin cover 7. An anchor (not shown) for fixing the end of the seat belt is arranged on the right or left side of the seat 1, and a buckle 2 for connecting the seat belt fittings is attached to the other side of the seat 1.

[0015] The pretensioner provided on the seat belt is for quickly suppressing the forward movement of the occupant and enhancing the effect of the seat belt, and is configured to instantaneously wind up the seat belt to remove slack during a vehicle collision.

[0016] The buckle 2 is a device for inserting and connecting the seat belt fitting into the insertion port 8 on its upper surface, and the lower end of the buckle stay 9 extending downward is rotatably attached to the lower side surface of the seat side frame 3a via a rotation shaft 10 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. A buckle arrangement space 11 is formed around the rotation shaft 10 with a size that allows the rotation of the buckle 2 and the buckle stay 9, by protruding the resin cover 7 to the outer surface side, and the buckle 2 is arranged in a state of tilting forward of the vehicle in this buckle arrangement space 11.

[0017] A reminder harness 12 of a seat belt reminder that issues a warning when the seat belt is not worn is wired on the outer surface of the buckle stay 9, and this reminder harness 12 is covered and hidden by a rigid synthetic resin-made flat rectangular tube-shaped cover 13 through which the buckle stay 9 and the reminder harness 12 are inserted.

[0018] The cover 13 has its upper end set to substantially the same shape as the lower surface of the buckle 2, and is engaged to cover the whole of the lower surface of the buckle 2. The lower end is set thinner than the upper end, and an inclined surface 4 is formed at a portion facing the vicinity of the upper surface of the seat side frame 3a in the vehicle width direction.

[0019] The length of the burlap cover 13 is set to a length that allows its lower end to penetrate below the upper edge of the resin cover 7, preventing it from riding up onto the resin cover 7 located on the opposite side of the inclined surface 4, and covering the entire reminder harness 12 with the burlap cover 13 and the resin cover 7.

[0020] According to the above configuration, since the inclined surface 4 is formed on the burlap cover 13 that engages with the lower part of the buckle 2, when the buckle 2 rides up on the seat side frame 3a, the inclined surface 4 can be brought into contact with the upper edge of the seat side frame 3a to guide the buckle 2 outward of the seat. As a result, even if the buckle 2 that has ridden up on the seat side frame 3a rotates forward, damage to the buckle 2 due to strong contact with the seat side frame 3a can be prevented.

[0021] Particularly, when the vehicle collides, at the very beginning of the collision, the pretensioner winds up the seat belt, causing the buckle 2 to rotate rearward and upward while being displaced toward the center of the seat, changing from the normal state 2a to the riding-up state 2b. After that, even when the seat belt is pulled forward and the buckle 2 rotates forward and downward, the buckle 2 will not be damaged by strongly contacting the seat side frame 3a.

[0022] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and appropriate modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, the inclined surface 4 can be formed not only on the burlap cover 13 engaged with the buckle 2 but also directly on the lower part of the buckle 2. Also, the buckle 2 can be attached not only to the side surface of the seat side frame 3a but also to the vehicle floor. Moreover, it is not necessarily required to be equipped with a pretensioner for the seat belt.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0023] 1 Seat 2 Buckle 2a Normal State 2b Riding-up State 3 Seat Frame 3a Seat side frame 4 Inclined surface 5 Seat cushion 6 Seat back 7 Resin cover 8 Insertion port 9 Buckle stay 10 Rotation axis 11 Buckle placement space 12 Reminder harness 13 Patch

Claims

【Claim 1】 In a vehicle structure where a buckle of a seat belt is disposed near a seat side frame, the buckle is rotatably attached at the lower end of a buckle stay extending downward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and when moving vertically as it rotates, the lower part of the buckle is set to a height that passes by the side of the upper surface of the seat side frame, a cylindrical cover for inserting the buckle stay is engaged with the lower part of the buckle, the cover is set to a length such that its lower end reaches at least the lower side of the seat side frame, the upper end is set to the same shape as the lower surface of the buckle, and an inclined surface that inclines in a direction away from the seat side frame is provided at a portion facing the vicinity of the upper surface of the seat side frame in the vehicle width direction. The vehicle structure is characterized by this.

Images