Patent ID: 7842894
Filing Date: 2010-11-30
Classification: B60R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A seat belt buckle for seat belts, the seat belt buckle comprising a housing, an opening for inserting a seat belt tongue, a locking device for locking the seat belt tongue, a release device for releasing the seat belt tongue from the locking device, and a sensor device for electrically sensing whether the seat belt tongue is locked, wherein the sensor device has a switch arrangement activated by the seat belt tongue, the switch arrangement comprising: an electrically conductive snap-action plate that moves between a first switched position and a second switched position in response to a force applied to an upper side of the snap-action plate, the snap-action plate having a first contact section that is in contact with a first electrical contact element in both the first and second switched positions, a second contact section that is spaced apart from a second electrical contact element in the first switched position and that is in contact with the second electrical contact element in the second switched position, and a third contact section that is in contact with a third electrical contact element in the first switched position and that is spaced apart from the third electrical contact element in the second switched position; and a mechanical activation device that transmits a force exerted on the seat belt tongue during insertion of the seat belt tongue onto an upper side of the snap-action plate in order to move the snap-action plate from the first switched position into the second switched position.