Belt guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11628799-B2
Application number	US-202117404108-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2021
Priority date	Aug 21, 2020
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

A belt guide ( 2 ) having a base structure ( 9 ) and a bracket part ( 13 ), wherein the base structure ( 9 ) includes a body contact portion ( 17 ) configured to abut a body part ( 3 ), wherein the bracket part ( 13 ) is connected to the base structure ( 9 ) via a connecting structure and includes a belt contact surface ( 19 ) facing the base structure ( 9 ) to guide a belt between itself and the body part ( 3 ) or the base structure ( 9 ), wherein the connecting structure is configured to hold the bracket part ( 13 ) such that it cannot move relative to the base structure ( 9 ) in a normal state and to yield under the action of a predetermined load, in particular a load acting from the direction of the body part ( 3 ), to allow the bracket part ( 13 ) to move relative to the base structure ( 9 ) toward the body contact portion ( 17 ) in a release state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A belt guide having a base structure and a bracket part, wherein the base structure comprises a body contact portion which is configured to abut a body part, wherein the bracket part is connected to the base structure via a connecting structure and comprises a belt contact surface which faces the base structure to guide a belt between the belt contact surface and the body part or the base structure abutting the body part, wherein the connecting structure is configured to hold the bracket part such that it cannot move relative to the base structure in a normal state and to yield under an action of a load which is at or exceeds a predetermined limit to allow the bracket part to move relative to the base structure toward the body contact portion in a release state;
wherein the belt contact surface, together with the body part or the base structure abutting the body part, forms a belt guide slot, wherein, in the release state, a depth of the belt guide slot is reduced by movement of the bracket part.

2. The belt guide according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the connecting structure forms an integral connection between the base structure and the bracket part in the normal state and comprises at least one connecting point that breaks under the action of the load which is at or exceeds the predetermined limit to cause the release state.

3. The belt guide according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the bracket part comprises two parallel legs and a web portion extending between the legs, wherein the web portion comprises the belt contact surface and the legs extend away from the belt contact surface at right angles to the web portion, wherein each of the legs connected to the base structure via at least one connecting point of the connecting structure, wherein, for each of the legs, the at least one connecting point is configured to hold the leg such that it cannot move relative to the base structure in the normal state and to yield under the action of the load which is at or exceeds the predetermined limit to cause the release state.

4. The belt guide according to claim 3 ,
wherein
the base structure comprises two base elements, each of which is connected to one of the legs.

5. The belt guide according to claim 3 ,
wherein
the base structure or each base element comprises a leg receiving portion.

6. The belt guide according to claim 3 ,
wherein,
when viewed from the web portion, each of the legs of the bracket part projects beyond an abutment plane formed by the body contact portion.

7. The belt guide according to claim 6 ,
wherein
the leg of the bracket part comprises at least one elastic latching element that projects beyond a contour of the leg in a direction pointing away from an extension direction of the leg in the release state and is configured to move back behind the contour of the leg under pressure from the outside and to spring back outward when the pressure is released, and which comprises a latching surface that faces the body contact portion in the extension direction of the leg.

8. The belt guide according to claim 7 ,
wherein
the elastic latching element comprises an abutment surface which faces in the direction pointing away from the extension direction of the leg and, in the release state, is aligned with the contour of the leg or projects slightly beyond it.

9. The belt guide according to claim 1 ,
wherein
the body contact portion comprises at least one elastic support element, which projects from the base structure and is configured to bear resiliently against an outer abutment surface of the body part.

10. An arrangement of a belt guide on a body part formed as a B-pillar, of a motor vehicle, wherein the belt guide is configured or fastened such that a part of the belt guide facing the passenger compartment yields in the direction of the body part under the action of a load which exceeds a predetermined limit from a load acting perpendicular to the body part, wherein the belt guide is configured according to claim 1 .

11. A belt guide having a base structure and a bracket part, wherein the base structure comprises a body contact portion which is configured to abut a body part, wherein the bracket part is connected to the base structure via a connecting structure and comprises a belt contact surface which faces the base structure to guide a belt between the belt contact surface and the body part or the base structure abutting the body part, wherein the connecting structure is configured to hold the bracket part such that it cannot move relative to the base structure in a normal state and to yield under an action of a load which is at or exceeds a predetermined limit to allow the bracket part to move relative to the base structure toward the body contact portion in a release state;
wherein the bracket part comprises two parallel legs and a web portion extending between the legs, wherein the web portion comprises the belt contact surface and the legs extend away from the belt contact surface and the web portion;
wherein the base structure comprises two base elements, each of which is connected to one of the legs.

12. A belt guide having a base structure and a bracket part, wherein the base structure comprises a body contact portion which is configured to abut a body part, wherein the bracket part is connected to the base structure via a connecting structure and comprises a belt contact surface which faces the base structure to guide a belt between the belt contact surface and the body part or the base structure abutting the body part, wherein the connecting structure is configured to hold the bracket part such that it cannot move relative to the base structure in a normal state and to yield under an action of a load which is at or exceeds a predetermined limit to allow the bracket part to move relative to the base structure toward the body contact portion in a release state;
wherein the body contact portion comprises at least one elastic support element, which projects from the base structure and is configured to bear resiliently against an outer abutment surface of the body part.

13. An arrangement, comprising:
a body part formed as a B-pillar of a motor vehicle having a passenger compartment;
a belt guide located on the body part, wherein the belt guide is configured or fastened such that a part of the belt guide facing the passenger compartment yields in a direction of the body part under an action of a load which acts perpendicular to the body part and exceeds a predetermined limit;
wherein the belt guide includes a base structure and a bracket part, wherein the base structure comprises a body contact portion which is configured to abut the body part;
wherein the bracket part is connected to the base structure via a connecting structure and comprises a belt contact surface which faces the base structure to guide a belt between the belt contact surface and the body part or the base structure abutting the body part;
wherein the part of the belt guide facing the passenger compartment comprises the belt contact surface;
wherein the connecting structure is configured to hold the bracket part such that it cannot move relative to the base structure in a normal state and to yield under the action of the load which acts perpendicular to the body part and exceeds the predetermined limit to allow the bracket part to move relative to the base structure toward the body contact portion in a release state.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Sbongk Albert

Classifications

• B60R2022/1818

  Belt guides · CPC title

• B60R22/24 Primary

  secured to the side, door, or roof of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R22/32

  Devices for releasing in an emergency, e.g. after an accident {; Remote or automatic unbuckling devices (unlocking devices for retractors B60R22/3416)} · CPC title

• B60R22/12 Primary

  Construction of belts or harnesses (B60R21/18 takes precedence {; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005}) · CPC title

• B60R22/18

  Anchoring devices · CPC title