# Patent

## Title
Buckles for vehicle seat belt system

## Abstract

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application Ser. No. 06/253,200 filed Apr. 13, 1981, U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,385, issued on Nov. 8, 1983.

## Background
Known prior art safety belt buckle constructions which typically includes a stamped open frame with channel sides limiting pivotal latch deflection under load includes the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,131,451; 3,237,256; 3,242,546; 3,274,655; 3,277,548; 3,449,800; 3,465,393; 3,483,599; 3,588,969; 3,623,191; 3,639,951; 3,686,720; 3,716,895; 4,015,094; 4,052,775; 4,060,879; 4,064,603.

Under heavy test loading it has been found that the channels of such typical safety belt buckle frames formed as sheet metal stampings provide limited resistance for retaining the latched tongue against deflection incident to the angularity between the latch pivotal engagement with the reaction surface of the frame and the latch engagement with the apertured tongue of the connector. Another critical area of limited strength in the prior art stamped frames is the reaction surface for the latch normally formed with a right angle bend at the end of the frame which is engaged by the base of the latch. In each case heavy loading on the belt subjects the stamped channels and reaction base of the frame to critical bending loads inherently incident to the unsupported extremities of the stamping channel and angle edges. Transverse and end release push buttons are per se known in the art apart from combination with a clevis frame.

In order to provide an inherently stronger substitute for the conventional stamped open frame with channel sides, an inverted clevis construction has been employed in the buckle disclosed herein which is formed as a sheet metal stamping doubled over to provide a loop centrally slotted for insertion of the connector tongue with sides of the loop as well as an angle seat adjacent the tongue slot forming a pivotal base for a latch which in its engaged position with the connector tongue registers against a solid portion of one side of the clevis unyieldingly resisting any deflection load imposed on the latch through belt tension under the most severe test loading. The main embodiment provides a transverse release push button manually actuated through an opening in the face of the cover. In a modified embodiment an end release push button is provided having a slide action which actuates a bellcrank having right angle arms for releasing the latch.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of clevis and connector components of a preferred embodiment with plastic cover shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation with latch and release lever added;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the clevis, latch and lever components;

FIG. 4 is a central sectional side elevation of the clevis and latch shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the clevis stamped blank before forming;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the clevis per se;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are respective plan, side and end views of the latch per se;

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are respective plan, side and end views of the spring per se illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 3A;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the stamped blank for the spring illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 before forming;

FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 are respective plan, side and bottom views of the switch housing per se illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 5A.

FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 1 modified to provide an end release push button feature and an ejector for the connector tongue;

FIG. 18 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the modified end release push button and bellcrank feature;

FIG. 19 is a view similar to FIG. 3 modified for the end release push button;

FIG. 20 is a view similar to FIG. 19 illustrating the push button and bellcrank linkage for actuating the latch;

FIG. 21 is a view of the clevis per se illustrated in FIG. 18;

FIG. 22 is a side elevation of the buckle illustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 23 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the bellcrank and ejector of the modified embodiment.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the main elements of the preferred embodiment include inverse clevis 20, latch 21, connector 22, and release lever 23 having projections 24 engaging latch extensions 25. Slotted opening 26 in the loop end of clevis 20 admits insertion of connector tongue 27 having latch engaging aperture 28 with an arcuate surface 29 adapted to engage arcuate end 30 of latch 21.

Plastic cover 31 shown hatched in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a guide opening at plastic end 32 for connector tongue 27 and is riveted at 33 through apertures 34 in the ends of clevis 20 with plastic inserts 35 and 36 adapting the ends of clevis 20 for connection to a belt end (not shown). The plastic end 32 of cover 31 also provides an anchor point for release lever pivot 37 accommodating movement of latch extensions 25 to dotted line position 25a, against a latch spring hereinafter described, moving latch end 30 to a position for releasing tongue 27.

With the latch engaged as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 the entire arcuate end 38 of latch 21 engages loop end 39 of clevis 20 below slotted opening 26 thus providing reaction support not only at the extremities of clevis 20 on either side of slotted opening 26 but also in the intermediate space below the slotted opening. It will also be seen that the entire solid upper surface 40 of clevis 20 serves to prevent any deflection of latch end 30 above the latching level illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 incident to the angularity of the latch tongue under high tensile loading of the belts (not shown) on the buckle elements. Thus, the superior strength of the inverse clevis, which substantially limits critical stresses to predominantly tensile and compressive loads and avoids the bending stresses imparted to unsupported channel edges and angle bends of prior art buckle frames, provides an inherently stronger buckle within the parameters of equal size and material thicknesses.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 angularity in the order of 15.degree. between the upper latch surface 41 and horizontal latch surface 42 together with latch end surface 30 normal to surface 41 results in an arcuate contact line 43 with arcuate surface 29 of connector tongue aperture 28, also formed with all sides normal to the surface place of connector 22, inclined at approximately 5.degree. relative to the pivotal axis of latch end 38 thereby providing a release component incident to belt tension on the buckle which is less than the angle of friction of the steel materials employed so that no extreme belt load can ever produce disengaging pivotal movement of the latch, although some assist in minimizing manual release forces required on the release lever under belt tension test loads is accomplished. Latch and connector contact surfaces 30 and 29 are preferably formed with a matching radius and with a latch harness substantially exceeding the connector so that any "brinelling" incident to high belt loads will take place on the connector increasing the initial line contact to a perfectly matching area contact without exceeding the ultimate strength of either element and without the need for special fitting of the contact surfaces other than provision of the same initial radius on surfaces normal to the face plane of each element.

The buckle has been described above with reference to FIG. 1 illustrating the relationship of connector and clevis with cover indicated in hatching; FIG. 2 adding the latch and release lever elements; FIG. 3 showing a bottom view of the clevis with opening for latch extensions engaged by release lever projections; FIG. 4 indicating the engaged relationship of latch and clevis per se; FIG. 5 illustrating the initial blanked configuration of the clevis stamping; and FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 showing the detailed construction of the latch per se.

In FIGS. 2A and 3A an additional return spring 44 required for biasing the latch to engaging position which will resiliently yield to insertion of the connector tongue is illustrated superimposed on the similar FIGS. 2 and 3. Such return spring is illustrated per se in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 and in initial blank form in FIG. 13. Spring 44 is anchored to projections 45 and 45' extending within opening 46 for latch extensions 25 and switch assembly 47, illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4A and 5A. With reference to FIGS. 11 and 13 notches 48 formed in the base of spring 44 engage the clevis stamping on each side of projection 45' and notches 49 formed in the ends of spring arms 50 engage projection 45 to provide an upward spring bias through spring arms 51, having a free position 52, against the underside of latch extensions 25. FIG. 13 illustrates initial blank form of spring 44 before being folded into operative configuration shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, the latter figure omitting spring arms 50 to illustrate more clearly the spring arms 51 per se.

With reference to FIGS. 4a, 5a, 14, 15 and 16, switch assembly 47 includes a switch housing 53 illustrated per se in FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 in which an electrical switch for opening a normally closed circuit between two electrical lead wires 54 is produced by engagement of the leading edge of connector tongue 27 with projection 55 of a rotatable pin 56 having a coiled spring 57 wound on one side with each end thereof normally contacting lead extensions 58 associated with lead wires 54, rotation of projection 55 upon engagement of connector tongue 27 serving to rotate one end of coil spring 57 out of electrical contact breaking the circuit. Plastic switch housing 53 includes a pair of lead wire passages 59, a pair of holes 60 for spring pivot 56, notched projection 61 for engaging clevis projection 45, and recess 62 for accommodating lead wire connections.

Assembly of the buckle is accomplished by the steps of sliding the latch laterally into position within the clevis; inserting the switch housing; placing the spring over the switch housing; deflecting the ends of spring arms 50 to engage notches 49 with clevis projection 45; snapping cover frontal end 63 having retention tangs 64 into engagement with loop extremities 39 of clevis 20, thereby positioning preassembled release lever 23 with its projections 24 into operative engagement with latch extensions 25; inserting plastic end spacer 35 between clevis ends; insertion of plastic sleeve 36 in clevis opening 67, applying main plastic cover body 65 over the clevis assembly and application of rivet 33 to complete assembly of the buckle.

With reference to FIG. 18 end release push button 70 is adapted to actuate bellcrank 71 from its position as shown in full line at 72 with latch 21a engaged to a release position shown in phantom at 73 thereby actuating latch 21a from its latched position as shown in full line at 74 to its release position as shown in phantom at 75.

Compression return spring 76 seated in pocket 77 of push button 70 engages tang 78 provided in slot 79 in clevis 20a moves the push button from the full line position shown in FIGS. 18, 20 and 22 to an outermost position shown in phantom at 80 when the latch is fully engaged with connector 22a. In such position tab 81 on each push button arm 82 slides under a tang 83 on each side of latch 21a to positively block the latch from disengaging by impact or otherwise than deliberate finger actuation of the release push button. Lateral space for arms 82 is provided by a slight narrowing of the bottom of clevis 20a as compared to the full width of clevis 20 shown in FIG. 5.

Full line position of push button 70 shown in FIGS. 18, 20 and 22 illustrates initial release movement position unblocking tangs 83 and establishing initial actuating contact with bellcrank arm 84 as best shown in FIG. 22. Continued inward movement of push button 70 to its innermost position as shown in phantom at 85 in FIGS. 18 and 22 actuates bellcrank arm 86 on either side to engage latch extension 87 moving the latch to release position as shown at 75 in FIG. 18.

Arcuate seats are provided in the upper leg 88 on either side for bellcrank pivots 89 as shown in FIG. 23 which are retained in position by extensions of spacer 35 shown in FIG. 2. Bellcrank 71, preferably formed as a die casting, has a cross member 90 integrally connecting bellcrank arms 84.

With reference to FIG. 17 an ejector 91 engaged by nose 92 of connector 22a, which compresses springs 93 reacting on spacer 36a, upon full engagement, moves to phantom position 94 upon ejection of the connector which ejector holds the latch depressed in order to prevent the push button from returning to a positive lock position.

A pair of slots 95 in the upper leg 88 of clevis 20a provide clearance for bellcrank arms 86. As shown in FIG. 20, spring 96 biases the latch to engagement position.

With reference to FIGS. 21 and 23 switch housing 97 is constructed with a flat upper surface supporting ejector 91 which has depending guide edges 98.

## Claims

1. A safety belt buckle characterized by a sheet metal loop formed clevis having apertured ends for attachment to a first belt end, a fully surrounded slot in the clevis loop end extremity, a connector having an apertured end for attachment to a second belt end and a tongue insertable through said slot into close proximity with one side of said clevis, said tongue having an apertured end adapted for latch engagement, a latch having a reaction end extending beyond both extremities of said slot pivotally seated against slotted and unslotted portions of said loop end extremity within said clevis adajcent said slot having a latch projection engageable with said tongue apertured end and said one side of said clevis, resilient means biasing said latch toward said engaging position deflectable in response to manual insertion of said tongue, and manually operable means including an end release push button to deflect said latch and resilient means to a tongue releasing position.

2. A buckle as set forth in claim 1 including bellcrank means actuated by said push button for engaging said latch.

3. A buckle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a spring mounted on the other side of said clevis.

4. A buckle as set forth in claim 3 wherein said latch has side extensions and said spring has side extensions engaging said latch side extensions.

5. A buckle as set forth in claim 1 including spring actuated ejector means contacting the end of said connector tongue.

6. A buckle as set forth in claim 5 wherein ejection movement of said ejector means following said connector tongue blocks return of said latch by said resilient means to a position corresponding to latch engagement.

7. A buckle as set forth in claim 1 including resilient means urging said push button to a full latched connector outermost position, and inter-engaging means thereupon operative between said push button and latch positively blocking disengagement of said latch from impact or other than finger actuated release movement of said push button.

8. A buckle as set forth in claim 7 wherein said interengaging means is cleared from its blocking position by initial push button release actuation.

9. A buckle as set forth in claim 7 wherein said interengaging means operates when said latch is in its release position to prevent push button return to said outermost blocking position.

10. A buckle as set forth in claim 7 including spring actuated ejector means adapted to engage and follow the tongue end of said connector during its initial ejection movement and in so doing block the return of said latch to its position corresponding to latch engagement thereby in turn preventing return of said push button to said outermost position.

11. A buckle as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clevis is provided with a pair of arcuate bearing seats and said bellcrank is provided with a pair of cylindrical pivot surfaces intermediate respective bellcrank arms engaging said arcuate bearing surfaces.

12. A buckle as set forth in claim 11 wherein said bellcrank comprises a pair of bellcrank elements each having a pair of bellcrank arms extending at substantially right angles adapted to translate linear push button actuation to transverse latch disengaging movement.

13. A buckle as set forth in claim 12 including an integral transverse connection between said bellcrank elements.

14. A buckle as set forth in claim 13 wherein said bellcrank means is constructed as a die casting.

15. A buckle as set forth in claim 14 wherein said push button is constructed with a pair of side arms each projecting to engage one of said bellcrank arms.

16. A buckle as set forth in claim 15 wherein said push button is constructed as a molded plastic element.