Belt buckle and method for mounting a belt buckle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016007690-A1
Application number	US-201414769826-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2014
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A belt buckle for a seat belt system comprises a support member ( 12 ) inducting a belt buckle mechanism, first and second shells ( 18, 18 ) which together encompass the support member ( 12 ) and an annular cover member ( 14 ) surrounding an end face of the support member ( 12 ). Along the periphery of the annular cover member ( 14 ) at feast a first structure ( 24 ) is formed and in the area of a rim ( 28 ) of the first and second shells ( 16, 18 ) directed to the annular cover member ( 14 ) a respective second structure ( 26 ) is formed. The first and second structures ( 24, 26 ) are engaged with each other and fix the first and second shells ( 16,18 ) to the annular cover member ( 14 ).

First claim

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A belt buckle for a seat best system comprising a support member ( 12 ) including a belt buckle mechanism, first and second shells ( 16 , 18 ) which together encompass the support member ( 12 ) and an annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′) surrounding an end face of the support member ( 12 ), wherein along the periphery of the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′) at least one first structure ( 24 ) is formed and in the area of a rim ( 28 ) of the first and second shells ( 16 , 18 ) directed toward the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′) a respective second structure ( 26 ) is formed and wherein the first and second structures ( 24 , 26 ) are engaged with each other and fix the first and second shells ( 16 , 18 ) to the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′).

12 . The belt buckle according to claim 11 , wherein the first shell ( 16 ), the second shell ( 18 ) and/or the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′) are made of different materials.

13 . The belt buckle according to claim 11 , wherein the first shell ( 16 ), the second shell ( 18 ) and/or the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′) are made at least substantially of polypropylene, acrylonitrile-butadlene-styrene and/or polyoxymethylene.

14 . The belt buckle according to claim 11 , wherein the first structure ( 24 ) is formed to be circumferential about an outer surface of the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′) and/or the second structure ( 26 ) is formed inwardly along the rim ( 28 ) of the end of the first and/or second shell ( 16 , 18 ) directed to the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′).

15 . The belt buckle according to claim 11 , wherein one of the two structures ( 24 , 26 ) includes at least one groove and the other structure ( 26 , 24 ) includes at least one tongue.

16 . The belt buckle according to claim 11 , wherein plural fastening elements ( 20 ) are provided for fixing the two shells ( 16 , 18 ) to each other.

17 . The belt buckle according to claim 16 , wherein the fastening elements ( 20 ) are pin-shaped and are especially arranged in seats ( 22 ) within the shells ( 16 , 18 ).

18 . The belt buckle according to claim 16 , wherein each of the first and second shells ( 16 , 18 ) is fastened to the fastening elements ( 20 ) by a welded, adhesive, screwed, plug-in and/or snap-on connection.

19 . A method of mounting a belt buckle according to claim 11 , comprising the steps of:
attaching the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′) onto the support member ( 12 ). fixing the fastening elements ( 20 ) to either of the shells ( 16 , 18 ) or to the support member ( 12 ), attaching one of the shells ( 16 ) onto the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′), wherein the second structure ( 26 ) at the shell ( 16 ) is made to engage with the first structure ( 24 ) at the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′), attaching the second shell ( 18 ) onto the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′), wherein the second structure ( 26 ) at the shell ( 18 ) is made to engage with the first structure ( 24 ) at the annular cover member ( 14 ; 14 ′), and fixing the fastening elements ( 20 ) to the first shell ( 16 ), to the second shell ( 18 ) and/or to the support member ( 12 ).

20 . The method of mounting a belt buckle according to claim 19 , wherein the pre-assembly of the fastening elements ( 20 ) on the support member ( 12 ) or either of the shells ( 16 , 18 ) is carried out by welding, gluing, screwing, plugging and/or locking, and/or the fixation of the fastening elements ( 20 ) to the first shell ( 16 ), to the second shell ( 18 ) and/or to the support member ( 12 ) is carried out by welding, gluing and/or locking.

Assignees

• Trw Automotive Gmbh

Inventors

• Haas Peter
• Schuech Andrea

Classifications

• B60R22/18

  Anchoring devices · CPC title

• A44B11/2515 Primary

  acting parallel to the main plane of the buckle and perpendicularly to the direction of the fastening action · CPC title

• A44B11/2546 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• B60R2022/1806

  for buckles · CPC title