Seatbelt assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10434976-B2
Application number	US-201815906082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	Feb 27, 2018
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

A seatbelt and method of operating a seatbelt that allows webbing to slide between a lap portion and a torso portion through an unlocked weblock of a tongue assembly, and upon forces exerted on the webbing by an occupant, the weblock locking the webbing from movement between the lap and torso portions while flexing to allow for webbing payout in the torso portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a vehicle seatbelt, comprising;
allowing webbing to slide between a lap portion and a torso portion through an unlocked weblock of a tongue assembly; and
upon forces exerted on the webbing by an occupant, the weblock locking the webbing from movement between the lap and torso portions while flexing to allow for webbing payout in the torso portion, wherein the tongue assembly includes a bar secured to a tongue plate and a housing secured to the bar, with the bar flexing by twisting when the weblock is locked, and wherein the housing flexes by bending when the weblock is locked.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, with the locked weblock, the lap portion does not provide additional payout.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the weblock includes a cylindrical member adjacent to the housing, the member having outward extending teeth that engage the webbing in the weblock locked position to prevent the webbing from sliding between the lap and torso portions.

4. A seatbelt comprising:
a tongue assembly having a weblock and a tongue selectively securable to a buckle;
a webbing extending through the weblock between a torso portion and a lap portion; and
the weblock allowing for the webbing sliding between the torso and lap portions when in an unlocked position and flexing in a locked position to prevent sliding between the lap and torso portions while providing webbing payout in the torso portion, wherein the tongue assembly includes an elastomeric bar secured to a tongue plate and a housing secured to the bar, with the bar flexing by twisting when the weblock is locked, and wherein the housing is elastomeric and flexes by bending when the weblock is locked.

5. The seatbelt of claim 4 wherein the elastomeric housing flexes by compression crushing when the weblock is locked.

6. A method of operating a vehicle seatbelt, comprising;
allowing webbing to slide between a lap portion and a torso portion through an unlocked weblock of a tongue assembly; and
upon forces exerted on the webbing by an occupant, the weblock locking the webbing from movement between the lap and torso portions while flexing to allow for webbing payout in the torso portion, wherein the tongue assembly includes a housing secured to a tongue plate, with the housing flexing by compression crushing when the weblock is locked, and wherein the flexing is also by bending of the housing when the weblock is locked.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ruthinowski Richard Edward
• Mccoy Robert W

Classifications

• B60R2022/1806

  for buckles · CPC title

• B60R22/18

  Anchoring devices · CPC title

• A44B11/25

  with two or more separable parts · CPC title

• A44B11/2561

  Tongue elements · CPC title

• B60R2022/281

  for buckles · CPC title