Safety device for prevention of accidental airbag depolyment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9643725-B2
Application number	US-201514801959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2015
Priority date	Jul 17, 2015
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A safety device has a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion defines a cavity for receiving a seat belt buckle assembly and has at least one rear wall portion extending between opposing sidewalls that partially define the cavity. The rear wall portion forms a slot area to permit a strap attached to the seat belt buckle assembly to extend from the cavity when the seat belt buckle assembly is positioned in the cavity. The rear wall portion is configured to prevent the seat belt buckle assembly from moving laterally out of the cavity. The upper portion is hingedly coupled to the lower portion such that the upper portion completely covers the cavity of the lower portion when the upper portion is rotated into engagement with the lower portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A safety device for preventing accidental discharge of an airbag, the safety device comprising:
a lower portion formed from a non-conductive material and defining a cavity having a volume at least as large as an entire seat belt buckle assembly, wherein the lower portion comprises at least one rear wall portion extending between opposing sidewalls that partially define the cavity, the at least one rear wall portion forming a slot area to permit a strap attached to the seat belt buckle assembly to extend from the cavity when the seat belt buckle assembly is positioned in the cavity, and wherein the at least one rear wall portion is configured to prevent the seat belt buckle assembly from moving laterally out of the cavity; and
an upper portion formed from a non-conductive material and hingedly coupled to the lower portion, wherein the upper portion completely covers the cavity of the lower portion when the upper portion is rotated into engagement with the lower portion.

2. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the lower portion comprises a planar portion and three adjacent sidewalls positioned at three adjacent edges of the planar portion, two of the sidewalls on opposing sides of the planar portion, the planar portion and the three adjacent sidewalls configured to define the cavity for receiving the seat belt buckle assembly.

3. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rear wall portion comprises a single rear wall portion extending between opposing sidewalls of the lower portion.

4. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion is hingedly coupled to the lower portion via a third sidewall on the lower portion.

5. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion provides access to the cavity of the lower portion when the upper portion is rotated away from the lower portion.

6. The safety device of claim 1 , further comprising an outwardly extending mounting tab extending from one of the opposing sidewalls, the mounting tab including an aperture therein.

7. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rear wall portion comprises two separate opposing portions, wherein each rear wall portion extends from a sidewall of the lower portion.

8. The safety device of claim 7 , wherein inward ends of each rear wall portion are spaced apart to form a gap to allow the seat belt buckle assembly and associated strap to be inserted into the cavity.

9. The safety device of claim 1 , further comprising means for securely latching the upper portion to the lower portion.

10. The safety device of claim 9 , wherein the means for securely latching the upper portion to the lower portion comprises a locking arm having an end projection mounted on the upper portion and a tab extending inward on an inner portion of one of the opposing sidewalls of the lower portion, the end projection configured to engage the tab when the upper portion is rotated against the lower portion to hold the upper portion securely against the lower portion.

11. The safety device of claim 9 , wherein the means for securely latching the upper portion to the lower portion comprises two locking arms each having an end projection mounted on the upper portion and two tabs each extending inward on respective ones of the two opposing sidewalls of the lower portion, each end projection configured to engage an associated one of the two tabs when the upper portion is rotated against the lower portion to hold the upper portion securely against the lower portion.

12. The safety device of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion and the lower portion are formed from separate parts, and wherein the upper portion is mated to the lower portion via a hinge mechanism.

13. The safety device of claim 12 , wherein the lower portion and the upper portion are formed from a same non-conductive material.

14. The safety device of claim 12 , wherein the lower portion is formed from a first non-conductive material.

15. The safety device of claim 14 , wherein the upper portion is formed from a second non-conductive material.

16. A safety device for preventing accidental discharge of an airbag, the safety device comprising:
a lower portion defining a cavity for receiving a seat belt buckle assembly, wherein the lower portion comprises at least one rear wall portion extending between opposing sidewalls that partially define the cavity, the at least one rear wall portion forming a slot area to permit a strap attached to the seat belt buckle assembly to extend from the cavity when the seat belt buckle assembly is positioned in the cavity, and wherein the at least one rear wall portion is configured to prevent the seat belt buckle assembly from moving laterally out of the cavity;
an upper portion hingedly coupled to the lower portion, wherein the upper portion completely covers the cavity of the lower portion when the upper portion is rotated into engagement with the lower portion; and
wherein the lower portion includes a channel on a lower surface thereof formed in a built-up area of the lower surface for securely holding a tongue plate, the channel adapted to fit an outer periphery of the tongue plate.

17. The safety device of claim 16 , wherein the lower portion further comprises a tab adapted to snugly fit into an inner aperture in the tongue plate.

18. A method for covering a seat belt buckle assembly using a safety device, the safety device including a lower portion formed from a non-conductive material and defining a cavity having a volume at least as large as the entire seat belt buckle assembly, the lower portion having at least one rear wall portion extending between opposing sidewalls that partially define the cavity, the at least one rear wall portion forming a slot area, and wherein the at least one rear wall is configured to prevent the seat belt buckle assembly from moving laterally out of the cavity, the safety device further including an upper portion formed from a non-conductive material and hingedly coupled to the lower portion, the method comprising:
positioning the buckle assembly in the cavity of the lower portion such that a strap coupled to the buckle assembly extends from the lower portion through the slot area;
rotating the upper portion with respect to the lower portion such that the upper portion completely covers the buckle assembly; and
engaging the upper portion with the lower portion to secure the buckle assembly in the cavity.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the lower portion includes a channel on a lower surface thereof formed in a built-up area of the lower surface for securely holding a tongue plate, the channel adapted to fit an outer periphery of the tongue plate, and a tab adapted to snugly fit into an inner aperture in the tongue plate, and further comprising the step of:
positioning a tongue plate against the lower surface so that the outer periphery of the tongue plate fits into the channel and the tab snugly fits into the inner aperture in the tongue plate.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Dowhower Thomas E
• Heinrich Peter M
• Lepore John A

Classifications

• B64D11/06205 Primary

  Arrangements of airbags · CPC title

• B64D2201/00

  Airbags mounted in aircraft for any use · CPC title

• B60R2021/01177

  Misdeployment, e.g. during assembly, disassembly, accident salvage or recycling · CPC title

• B60R2022/021

  Means for holding the tongue or buckle in a non-use position, e.g. for easy access by the user · CPC title

• B64D25/00

  Emergency apparatus or devices, not otherwise provided for · CPC title