Patent ID: 8813316
Filing Date: 2014-08-26
Classification: B60R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. In a seat belt system with a continuous length of belt having an upper end mounted adjacent the occupant shoulder and a lower end mounted adjacent the occupant lap, and a latch plate assembly carried by the belt for engagement with a buckle; said latch plate assembly comprising: a housing having a base wall with a tongue projecting from one end thereof for latching engagement by the buckle, and a pair of flanges extending from the base wall at a lateral spacing greater than the width of the belt; a lock bar pivotally mounted on the flanges and having the belt wrapping around the lock bar so that a load imposed on the belt pivots the lock bar, the lock bar having a clamping surface moving toward and away from the base wall upon pivoting movement of the lock bar to clamp and unclamp the belt against the housing to prevent or permit transference of the belt through the latch plate assembly; and a detent mechanism provided between the lock bar and the housing to permanently lock the lock bar at a pivotal position clamping the belt against the housing when the load imposed on the belt exceeds a predetermined threshold so that the belt is permanently clamped to prevent a subsequent transference of the belt through the latch plate assembly, the detent mechanism including a detent structure provided on the housing, the detent structure having a detent projection having a cam face and a detent face, the lock bar engaging and camming over the cam face to then engage the detent face to permanently lock the lock bar at the clamping position.