Belt buckle for a safety belt device of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a belt buckle (10) for a safety belt device of a motor vehicle, having a housing (11), a push button (12) which can be moved in the housing (11), an insert slot (13) for inserting a belt tongue which can be locked in the belt buckle (10), and at least one light source (14) which surrounds the insert slot (13) and the push button (12). The light source (14) has a carrier (16), wherein the carrier (16) has a front side (17) and a rear side (18), wherein a plurality of LEDs (19) are arranged on the front side (17) of the carrier (16) and electric resistors (20) are arranged on the rear side (18) of the carrier (16).

Description

[0001] Belt buckle for a safety belt device of a motor vehicle

[0002] The present invention relates to a luminous belt buckle for a safety belt device of a motor vehicle having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] Belt buckles for motor vehicle safety belt systems are generally used to securely lock a belt tongue that is slidably guided along a belt webbing or firmly connected to one end of the webbing. For this purpose, the belt buckle has an insertion slot for the belt tongue and a locking mechanism that can be released via a push button. The locking mechanism is spring-loaded and automatically locks the belt tongue when inserted into the insertion slot. To release the belt tongue, a passenger wearing the seatbelt presses the push button, which releases the locking mechanism and ejects the belt tongue due to the released spring force of the locking mechanism.

[0004] Such belt buckles have been state-of-the-art for many years. One problem with such buckles is that the occupant has to find the relatively narrow slot in the buckle, into which they insert the tongue to fasten the seat belt.

[0005] DE 39 04 125 A1 discloses a belt buckle with a light source, wherein the light source is coupled to predetermined light-emitting surfaces of the belt buckle via a light-conducting material. The light-emitting surfaces here are the push button itself and / or a light-emitting surface arranged on a side surface of the insertion slot opposite the push button. Since the push button must be designed to be movable in order to function, the light-conducting material fixedly arranged in the push button must be positioned in the push button such that the light entry surface of the light-conducting material is optically connected to the external light source when the push button is not pressed.If the light entry surface of the light-conducting material is not connected to the external light source in this position due to manufacturing-related shape and position deviations or mechanical influences, the light is not or not completely introduced into the push button, so that the push button itself does not light up or lights up less brightly than would be desired.

[0006] From DE 10 2007 047 704 A1, it is also known to provide a light guide in the belt buckle, which light guide has at least two light-emitting surfaces arranged at the ends of the insertion slot. The light-emitting surfaces themselves are triangular in shape and arranged in a free triangular area of ​​the front side of the housing between the edge of the housing and a conical side surface of the push button. In particular, the light-emitting surfaces are dimensioned such that they fill the free areas in the corners of the front side of the housing as extensively as possible to achieve the greatest possible luminosity.

[0007] From the publication DE 10 2015 215 254 B4, an illuminated belt buckle is known in which the light-emitting surface is formed by a circumferential surface light source on the front side of the housing, wherein the surface light source is designed as a luminous thin-film component. A ring element is additionally provided on the front side of the housing, which covers the surface light source from the front side of the belt buckle and from the radial outer side of the belt buckle, thus protecting it from damage. The ring element is manufactured using a two-component injection molding process and has a translucent area on the front side in the form of a continuous circumferential band and an opaque area on its radial outer side, so that the belt buckle is deliberately illuminated only on the front side.

[0008] The object of the invention is to provide a further improved and cost-effective belt buckle with improved lighting.

[0009] To achieve this object, a belt buckle with the features of claim 1 is proposed. Further preferred embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims, the figures and the associated description. To achieve this object, a belt buckle for a safety belt device of a motor vehicle is proposed, comprising a housing, a push button that can be moved in the housing, an insertion slot for inserting a belt tongue that can be locked in the belt buckle, and at least one light source arranged circumferentially around the insertion slot and the push button. It is proposed that the light source have a carrier, wherein the carrier has a front side and a back side, wherein a plurality of LEDs are arranged on the front side of the carrier, and electrical resistors are arranged on the back side of the carrier.

[0010] The LEDs, which can also be referred to as light-emitting diodes, are arranged circumferentially on the front of the carrier so that when the light source is activated, an illuminated frame is formed around the push button and the insertion slot. The illuminated frame is preferably evenly bright across its circumference. Overall, very good homogeneity of the illumination can be achieved, whereby the illumination can, for example, be multi-colored using RGB LEDs or alternatively monochrome. In advantageous embodiments, an animation can also be achieved by controlling the LEDs in terms of color and brightness, either overall or individually. The control can, for example, be dependent on the inserted state of a belt tongue.

[0011] When installed, the front of the carrier is preferably aligned with the push button of the belt buckle, and preferably parallel to it. The back preferably faces the direction of the belt tongue's insertion.

[0012] According to a further development, it is proposed that the carrier has at least one fastening section for a controller, wherein the fastening section is within LEDs arranged circumferentially on the carrier.

[0013] This eliminates the need for an additional circuit board for the electrical supply and control of the controller, simplifying assembly and reducing the cost of the buckle. The mounting section is preferably located on the side of the insertion slot. This prevents collision with the push button and allows for optimal use of the space in the buckle housing.

[0014] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, it is proposed that at least one controller for controlling the plurality of LEDs is arranged on the back of the carrier.

[0015] The rear-mounted layout allows the height of the electronic components on the front to be kept to a minimum, thus minimizing the distance to a light guide or a transparent part of the housing. The controller can, for example, control the color of RGB LEDs, the brightness, or an animation using the LEDs.

[0016] Furthermore, it is proposed that one resistor on the back be assigned to each of the two LEDs on the front. This allows the illumination intensity for each LED to be adjusted, so that overall, very uniform illumination can be achieved across the entire light source.

[0017] The support preferably has a closed profile. The support of the light source preferably surrounds the movable push button below the contact area for manual actuation. The closed profile increases the stability of the support, allowing it to be designed very narrowly outside the possible and previously described fastening sections. The very narrow support allows the circumference of the belt buckle to be kept as small as possible in the planes perpendicular to the insertion axis for a belt tongue.

[0018] It is further proposed that the support of the light source is ring-shaped.

[0019] In preferred embodiments, the carrier is a printed circuit board (PCB). A printed circuit board (PCB) is also known as a printed circuit board (PCB). Accordingly, the mechanical mounting and the electrical contacting of the LEDs of the light source can be integrated. According to a preferred embodiment, it is proposed that the electrical resistors on the back of the carrier and the LEDs on the front of the carrier be SMD elements. SMD elements are surface-mounted devices, which further minimize the height of the light source and enable cost-effective production.

[0020] Preferably, the LEDs are multi-color LEDs. This makes it possible, for example, to implement various color and lighting schemes in the motor vehicle. This can be advantageously used, in particular, with a controller on the carrier to generate different color schemes with the light source.

[0021] According to a further development, it is proposed that the housing have a transparent, preferably annular, area surrounding the insertion slot and the push button toward the front of the light source carrier. This area allows the light from the light source to be coupled out of the belt buckle, while simultaneously mechanically protecting the light source. An optical diffuser is preferably provided in the transparent area.

[0022] The invention will be explained below using preferred embodiments with reference to the attached figures.

[0023] Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a belt buckle with a light source;

[0024] Fig. 2 shows a light source with distributed LEDs on a carrier, viewed from the front;

[0025] Fig. 3 a light source with electrical resistors on a support, viewed from the back;

[0026] Fig. 4 shows a light source in an oblique view on the back of the light source support; Fig. 5 shows another exploded view of a belt buckle with a light source and connected cable.

[0027] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of a belt buckle 10 for a safety belt device of a motor vehicle. The exploded view of Figure 1 is limited to the essential parts of the embodiment of the belt buckle 10 for illustrative purposes.

[0028] The belt buckle 10 has a housing 11, which in this exemplary embodiment is composed of three parts. The exploded view also shows a base element 15 and a push button 12, which is guided on the base element 15. Furthermore, an insertion slot 13 for a belt tongue of a safety belt of a safety belt device is provided, wherein the belt tongue can be inserted into the insertion slot 13 and locked therein. The locking of a belt tongue in the belt buckle 10 can be released by manually actuating the push button 12 by pressing on the upper outer surface.

[0029] A light source 14 is arranged in the belt buckle 10 around the push button 12 and the insertion slot 13. Light from this light source 14 shines through a corresponding transparent area 24 of the housing 11, upwards in Figure 1, creating an illuminated frame around the movable push button 12 and the insertion slot 13, thereby improving the usability of the belt tongue 10.

[0030] Figure 2 shows the light source 14 from the exploded view of Figure 1. The light source 14 has a carrier 16, in this advantageous embodiment a PCB (Printed Circuit Board). The carrier 16 is plate-shaped and has a front side 17 and a rear side 18 (not visible in the illustration in Figure 1). The carrier 16 has a closed profile with an opening in the center. A plurality of LEDs 19, in this embodiment SMD LEDs 19, are arranged on the front side, so that a circumferentially arranged illumination is formed by the plurality of LEDs 19 with the light source 14, which surrounds the push button 12 and the insertion slot 13 when the belt buckle 10 is assembled. The front side 17 of the carrier 16 is aligned in the assembled state of the belt buckle 10 so that it points in the direction from which a belt tongue can be inserted into the insertion slot 13 of the belt buckle 10.The LEDs 19 are arranged distributed around the circumference of the carrier 16.

[0031] Furthermore, the carrier 16 has two fastening sections 22 that extend from the closed profile of the carrier 16 into the opening in the center of the carrier 16. The carrier 16 has a substantially rectangular shape, see Figure 2, with the fastening sections 22 formed in the inner corners of the carrier 16. The fastening sections 22 are also part of the PCB and are also arranged on the side of the insertion slot 13 in the belt buckle 10.

[0032] Figure 3 shows the same light source 14 from the rear side 18. This view shows the electrical resistors 20, SMD resistors in this embodiment, arranged on the rear side 18 of the carrier 16. The resistors 20 are provided for operating the LEDs 19 on the front side 17, and in this advantageous embodiment, one resistor 20 is assigned to each of two LEDs 19.

[0033] Furthermore, Figure 3 shows a controller 21, here an SMD controller 21, which is also arranged on the rear side 18 of the carrier 16 in the region of a mounting section 22. The controller 21 serves to control the LEDs 19 of the light source 14. The LEDs 19 are preferably multi-color or RGB LEDs, whose color is controlled by the controller 22.

[0034] In an alternative embodiment, the controller 22 can also be omitted, in particular if the LEDs 19 are single-color LEDs 19, so that no control of the color is possible.

[0035] Figure 4 shows the light source 14 in an oblique view from the rear side 18. This view clearly shows that the LEDs 19 and the associated resistors 20 are arranged on different sides, front side 17 and rear side 19, of the carrier 16. Figure 5 shows another exploded view of the belt buckle 10, also showing the cable connections 23 to the light source 14. Furthermore, this illustration shows the transparent area 24 of the housing 11, through which the light from the light source 14 can emerge, enabling an illuminated border around the push button 12 and the insertion slot 13.

[0036] In an alternative embodiment, the transparent region 24 of the housing 11 can be arranged such that the light from the light source 14 can additionally or alternatively exit laterally, circumferentially. In this embodiment, for example, light exits the belt buckle 10 in a radial direction instead of axially circumferentially.

[0037] Furthermore, in possible embodiments, an illuminable logo and / or an illuminable text can be formed with the transparent region 24, regardless of whether the radiation direction is axial and / or radial.

Claims

Claims:

1. Belt buckle (10) for a safety belt device of a motor vehicle with - a housing (11), - a push button (12) which can be moved in the housing (11), - an insertion slot (13) for inserting a belt tongue lockable in the belt buckle (10), and - at least one light source (14) arranged circumferentially around the insertion slot (13) and the push button (12), characterized in that - the light source (14) has a carrier (16), wherein the carrier (16) has a front side (17) and a rear side (18), wherein a plurality of LEDs (19) are arranged on the front side (17) of the carrier (16), and electrical resistors (20) are arranged on the rear side (18) of the carrier (16).

2. Belt buckle (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier (16) has at least one fastening section (22) for a controller (21), wherein the fastening section (22) is within LEDs (19) arranged circumferentially on the carrier (16).

3. Belt buckle (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one controller (21) for controlling the plurality of LEDs (19) is arranged on the rear side (17) of the carrier (16).

4. Belt buckle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one resistor (20) on the rear side (18) is assigned to two LEDs (19) on the front side (17).

5. Belt buckle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier (16) has a closed profile.

6. Belt buckle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (16) of the light source (14) is annular.

7. Belt buckle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier (16) is a printed circuit board.

8. Belt buckle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical resistors (21) on the back (18) of the carrier (16) and the LEDs (19) on the front (17) of the carrier (16) are SMD elements.

9. Belt buckle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the LEDs (19) are multi-colored LEDs.

10. Belt buckle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (11) has a transparent, preferably annular, region towards the front side (17) of the support (16) of the light source (14), circumferentially around the insertion slot (13) and the push button (12).

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