Buckle cover and buckle device

Abstract

To provide a buckle cover and a buckle device that cover a buckle and can fix a position relative to the buckle.SOLUTION: A buckle cover 1 is a nonwoven fabric formed body that covers at least a lower part of a buckle body 2 of a seat belt device. This buckle cover 1 includes: a peripheral wall portion 10 that covers an outer peripheral surface of the buckle body 2; and a bottom surface portion 12 that is continuous with a lower end of the peripheral wall portion 10 and covers a bottom surface of the buckle body 2. The bottom surface portion 12 is formed with an opening 13 through which a bracket 3 extending from the lower part of the buckle body 2 can be inserted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a buckle cover for covering a buckle of a seat belt device provided in a moving body such as an automobile, and to a buckle device. [Background Art]

[0002] A seat belt device installed in an automobile or the like is configured to latch a tongue, through which webbing for restraining an occupant is passed, into a buckle provided on a side of a seat. In recent years, due to design requirements, many vehicles do not ensure a sufficient gap between the buckle and components such as a center console and a seat side cover. In this case, there has been a problem that the buckle swings when the vehicle travels on a rough road, contacts and interferes with surrounding components, and abnormal noise may be generated.

[0003] Cited Document 1 describes that interference with a center console is prevented by covering a buckle with a buckle cover obtained by weaving a stretchable material into a sleeve shape and providing a high-friction member formed of rubber on an inner peripheral surface of the sleeve. However, depending on the material of the buckle, the buckle cover of Cited Document 1 cannot provide a sufficient frictional force with the inner peripheral surface, and since the buckle cover itself expands and contracts, there is a risk that the buckle cover may shift or turn up when touched by a person's hand or the like. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3172982 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a buckle cover and a buckle device which cover a buckle and can fix a position relative to the buckle. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0006] The buckle cover of the present invention is a nonwoven fabric molded body that covers at least the lower part of the buckle body of a seat belt device, comprising a peripheral wall portion that covers the outer peripheral surface of the buckle body, and a bottom portion that is connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion and covers the bottom surface of the buckle body, wherein the bottom portion has an opening through which a bracket extending from the lower part of the buckle body can be inserted.

[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, the invention further comprises an extension piece extending downward from the edge of the opening.

[0008] In one aspect of the present invention, the extension piece is provided with an insertion hole through which a fixing member for fixing the extension piece and the bracket is inserted.

[0009] The buckle device of the present invention comprises a buckle body for a seat belt device and a buckle cover attached to the buckle body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The buckle cover of the present invention covers the buckle to suppress the generation of abnormal noise and can also fix its position relative to the buckle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a buckle cover according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the buckle cover from below. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the buckle cover attached to the buckle body. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the buckle cover 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a substantially rectangular tubular shape that covers at least the lower part of the buckle body 2 of the seat belt device, and comprises a peripheral wall portion 10 and a bottom surface portion 12 connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 10. When the buckle cover 1 is attached to the buckle body 2, the vertical direction in Figure 1 corresponds to the vertical direction when it is mounted in a vehicle. Hereinafter, the vertical direction of the buckle cover 1 will be referred to as the vertical direction when it is mounted in a vehicle.

[0014] The size and shape of the buckle cover 1 are matched to the outer shape of the buckle body 2. The buckle cover 1 is a nonwoven fabric molded body produced by heating and pressurizing nonwoven fabric in a molding machine, and is rigid and shape-retaining. The nonwoven fabric material can be, for example, pulp, cotton, polyester, polypropylene, nylon, etc. The thickness of the buckle cover 1 is, for example, about 0.3 to 5.0 mm.

[0015] The upper part of the buckle cover 1 is an opening 11. The peripheral wall portion 10 has a pair of opposing side surfaces 10a, 10a and a pair of opposing side surfaces 10b, 10b. Side surface 10b connects the edges of the pair of side surfaces 10a, 10a. Side surface 10a is wider than side surface 10b, and the horizontal cross-section of the peripheral wall portion 10 is approximately rectangular.

[0016] A roughly rectangular opening 13 (bottom opening) is formed in the bottom portion 12. The opening 13 is formed closer to the side surface 10a than the center of the bottom portion 12. The longitudinal side of the opening 13 is roughly parallel to the side surface 10a, and the transverse side is roughly parallel to the side surface 10b. The longitudinal width of the opening 13 is about 50-90% of the width of the side surface 10a. The transverse width of the opening 13 is about 10-80% of the width of the side surface 10b.

[0017] An extending piece 14 extends downward from the central portion of the longitudinal side (the side on the side surface 10a side) of the opening 13. A fixing hole 15 (insertion hole) is formed in the extending piece 14. The size of the extending piece 14 is not particularly limited. For example, the width of the extending piece 14 is approximately 20 to 50% of the longitudinal width of the opening 13. Further, the vertical length of the extending piece 14 is approximately 10 to 30 mm.

[0018] Next, a method for attaching the buckle cover 1 to the buckle body 2 will be described.

[0019] As shown in Figure 4, a bracket 3 extends from the lower portion of the buckle body 2. The lower end of the bracket 3 is passed through the opening 11 and the opening 13 of the buckle cover 1 in sequence, and the buckle body 2 is pushed into the buckle cover 1 such that the bottom surface of the buckle body 2 comes into contact with the bottom surface portion 12 of the buckle cover 1. In the example shown in Figure 4, the lower half of the buckle body 2 is accommodated in the buckle cover 1. The outer peripheral surface and the bottom surface of the buckle body 2 are respectively covered by the peripheral wall portion 10 and the bottom surface portion 12 of the buckle cover 1. As described above, the size and shape of the buckle cover 1 are adapted to the outer shape of the buckle body 2, and there is almost no gap between the inner peripheral surface of the buckle cover 1 and the buckle body 2.

[0020] The height (vertical length) of the buckle cover 1 is preferably approximately 20 to 60% of the height of the buckle body 2.

[0021] A fixing hole (not shown) is provided in the bracket 3. The position of this fixing hole is aligned with the fixing hole 15 of the extending piece 14, and a fixing member 4 such as a rivet (not shown) is inserted into the aligned holes and fixed.

[0022] The buckle device, in which the buckle cover 1 is attached (fixed) to the buckle body 2, is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile by connecting the lower end of the bracket 3 to a vehicle body member (not shown) of the vehicle. An insertion space for a tongue, through which webbing for restraining an occupant is passed, is provided at the upper portion of the buckle body 2.

[0023] Since the buckle body 2 is covered by the buckle cover 1, the generation of abnormal noise caused by the buckle body 2 interfering with the center console, seat side trim, etc. can be suppressed. In addition, the buckle cover 1 is made of a rigid material manufactured by nonwoven fabric molding, and by fixing the extension piece 14 and bracket 3 with the fixing member 4, positional displacement relative to the buckle body 2 can be suppressed.

[0024] The buckle cover 1 may be secured to the buckle body 2 by wrapping vinyl tape around the extension piece 14 and the bracket 3. In this case, it is not necessary to form a fixing hole 15 in the extension piece 14.

[0025] Alternatively, the buckle cover 1 and the buckle body 2 may be fixed together by attaching double-sided tape to the inner surface of the buckle cover 1 or by applying adhesive. In this case, the extension piece 14 may be omitted.

[0026] The above embodiment is just one example of the present invention, and the present invention may have configurations other than those described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0027] 1 Buckle Cover 2 Buckle body 3 brackets 4 Fixing members

Claims

1. A buckle cover which is a nonwoven fabric molded body that covers at least the lower part of the buckle body of a seat belt device, A peripheral wall portion that covers the outer surface of the buckle body, A bottom portion that is connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion and covers the bottom surface of the buckle body, Equipped with, The bottom portion has an opening through which a bracket extending from the lower part of the buckle body can be inserted. The opening further comprises an extension piece extending downward from the edge of the opening, A buckle cover, wherein the extension piece has an insertion hole formed therein for inserting a fixing member that secures the extension piece to the bracket.

2. The seat belt buckle body, The buckle cover according to claim 1 is attached to the buckle body, A buckle device equipped with the following features.

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