BUCKLE FOR SEAT BELT

A buckle for a seat belt, the buckle including an electro-mechanical mechanism being user operable to allow mechanical opening of the buckle.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the field of seat belts.

BACKGROUND

FIG.1depicts a prior art seat belt unlocked.

A prior art seat belt20includes a buckle52, being secured to the seat50A, a strap16A, and a tongue14A.

FIG.2depicts the prior art seat belt ofFIG.1being locked.

Tongue14A is for being lockable to buckle52.

Buckle52includes a button12A, for sliding (22) it in relation to a package12B, for releasing the locking by pressing on button12A.

However, the passenger alone may unlock buckle52. The passenger may open the belt at any given time, even while driving, taking risks of not being protected by seat belts while traveling in the car

There is a long felt need to provide a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art.

SUMMARY

A buckle for a seat belt, the buckle including an electro-mechanical mechanism being user operable to allow mechanical opening of the buckle.

The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will be understood from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features are not described in detail.

The reference numbers have been used to point out elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting.

FIG.3depicts a seat belt according to one embodiment of the invention, being unlocked.

A seat belt18according to one embodiment includes a novel buckle10A, being secured to seat50A directly or through a strap16B, and including an electro-mechanical mechanism30A (not shown) for improving the function of the buckling.

Seat belt18further includes prior art strap16A, and tongue14A for being lockable to package12B including a locking mechanism (not shown) by pressing (22) tongue14A into package12B. Mechanism30A (not shown) is covered by a cover28.

Tongue14A is for being lockable to buckle12.

Buckle10A includes button12A, for sliding (22) it in relation to package12B, for releasing the locking by pressing on button12A.

FIG.5depicts the seat belt ofFIG.3being locked and removed of the package, at the state being immediately after the locking of the tongue to the buckle.

FIG.6enlarges the mechanism at the state ofFIG.5.

Mechanism30A includes a latch36, being slideable (39) by a user interface54.

FIG.7depicts the latch and the button ofFIG.5.

At the state ofFIG.5andFIG.6, being immediately after the locking of tongue14A to buckle10A, latch36does not disturb, thus allows sliding22of button12A by pressing thereon.

A solenoid or motor38may slide latch36.

FIG.8depicts a user interface, for controlling the mechanism ofFIG.7, at the state ofFIG.7.

A user interface54, such as smartphone communicating (68) wirelessly to mechanism30A, or being part of the vehicle's dashboard and communicating wirely to mechanism30A, controls motor38of mechanism30A of seat50A, and another motor38of mechanism30B of seat50B, etc., each independently.

Thus, the driver can allow releasing all the safety buckles, or choose a specific one.

FIG.8shows a state that user interface54controls mechanism30A to dispose its latch36to allow sliding (22) its button12A.

FIG.9depicts the user interface ofFIG.8controlling the mechanism ofFIG.7to a different state.

The user, such as the driver may operate user interface54to control mechanisms30A,30B to other states.

FIG.9shows a case where the user operates user interface54to control mechanism30A to avoid sliding its button12A, while controlling mechanisms30B,30C, etc. to avoid sliding their buttons12A.

FIG.10depicts the seat belt ofFIG.3being locked and removed of the package, once the user operates the user interface to avoid sliding the button.

FIG.11enlarges the mechanism at the state ofFIG.10.

FIG.12depicts the latch and the button ofFIG.11.

At the state ofFIG.10,FIG.11andFIG.12, being after the locking of tongue14A to buckle10A, and after the driver has operated user interface54to avoid opening the seat belt, solenoid or motor38slides latch36to a position that pressing on button12A does not slide button12A, since latch36avoids sliding22of button12A. Thus, a passenger lacking user interface54cannot open the seat belt.

FIG.13depicts the mechanism ofFIG.6according to another embodiment.

Mechanism30A may be configured to automatically disallow releasing of tongue14A from package12B upon the insertion/pressing22of tongue14A into package12B.

The automatic disallowing may be obtained by pressing22tongue14A on a switch62to operate motor38directly to slide latch36, or to report insertion22to user interface54, which operates motor38.

Thus, a plurality of passengers, each upon pressing tongue14A by himself to lock the seat belt, cannot release tongue14A by himself. The driver only having user interface54can then allow each passenger independently from the other, to release his tongue14A by himself.

FIG.14depicts a seat belt shown unlocked according to another embodiment of the invention.

Seat belt18according to another embodiment includes prior art buckle52, being secured to seat50A; a novel buckle10B including mechanism30A (not shown) covered by cover28; prior art strap16A; and prior art tongue14A.

Buckle10B further includes a tongue14B for being locked by buckle52.

Buckle10B may include an article56, such as a plate, for covering button12A of buckle52, for not allowing a passenger pressing on button12A, for not allowing removing buckle10B from tongue14B of buckle10B.

The driver may be accompanied by a special tool46that the passengers do not have, for removing buckle10B from tongue14B.

FIG.15depicts a vehicle including the buckles ofFIG.14.

A vehicle70includes a first buckle10B for the belt of seat50A, a second buckle10B for the belt of seat50B, and user interface54communicating with (68) both buckles for controlling them.

Thus, in one aspect, the invention is directed to a buckle (10A,10B) for a seat belt (18), the buckle (10A) including an electro-mechanical mechanism (30A) being user operable to allow mechanical opening of the buckle (10A).

The buckle (10A) may further include a user interface (54) for operating the electro-mechanical mechanism (30A).

The invention is further directed to at least two of these buckles (10A), wherein the user interface (54) is for operating each of the electro-mechanical mechanisms (30A) independently.

The buckle (10A) may further include a package (12B) and a pressable button (12A) being slideable in relation to the package (12B) for releasing a first tongue (14A) from the package (12B), wherein the electro-mechanical mechanism (30A) includes a latch (36) being slideable to allow and to disallow the slidability of the pressable button (12A) in relation to the package (12B).

The electro-mechanical mechanism (30A) may include a latch (36), being slideable to insert into a hole (56) of the tongue (14A) for disallowing removal of the tongue (14A) from the buckle (10A), and being slideable to exit the hole (56) for allowing the removal of the first tongue (14A) from the buckle (10A).

The electro-mechanical mechanism (30A) may be automatically operable to disallow mechanical opening of the buckle (10A).

The buckle (10A) may be secured to a seat (50A).

The buckle (10A) may further include a second tongue (14B), for being locked to another buckle (52) being secured to a seat (50A).

The buckle (10A) may further include an article (56) for avoiding access to the button (12A) of the other buckle (52), the button configured to release any tongue from the other buckle (52).

In the figures and description herein, the following reference numbers (Reference Signs List) have been mentioned:numbers10A,10B denote the buckles according to the invention;12A: button;12B: package housing a locking mechanism;14A,14B: tongues being lockable;16A,16B: straps;18: seat belt according to the invention;20: prior art seat belt;22: sliding by pressing to insert tongue14A;28: cover;30A: electro-mechanical mechanism of buckle10A of seat50A;30B: electro-mechanical mechanism of seat50B;30C,30D,30E: electro-mechanical mechanism of seats50C,50D,50E respectively;32A,32B: motion convertors;36: latch;38: solenoid or motor;39: sliding;42: access for tool46to button12A;46: special tool;50A,50B,50C,50D,50E: seats, each having a belt18;52: prior art buckle;54: user interface;56: hole;60: battery;62: switch or micro-switch;64: electric wire;66: zone;68: communication;70: vehicle.

The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention have been presented for the purpose of illustration, and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form.

Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should be interpreted according to this definition.

The reference numbers in the claims are not a part of the claims, but rather used for facilitating the reading thereof. These reference numbers should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any form.