Abstract:
A method of installing a seat belt system ( 100 ) into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the system of the type including a seat belt retractor ( 501 ), a height adjuster ( 102 ) and a web guide ( 104 ), the method including the steps of: a) providing a height adjusting mechanism having a bar or track and a carrier; b) securing the web guide to the carrier so the height adjuster and web guide form a subassembly; c) locating and securing the retractor to a desired location within the vehicle and; d) lifting the subassembly and manipulating the height adjuster to a desired location in the vehicle and securing the height adjuster to the desired location, wherein the step of lifting the subassembly simultaneously locates the web guide to its desired location.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/705,562, filed on Aug. 4, 2005. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a height-adjusting mechanism for a D-ring (also called a web guide) of a seat belt system. 
     Reference is made to  FIG. 5 , which shows a portion of a passenger compartment  600  of a typical automotive vehicle  602 . The front and rear doors and windows  604  and  606  are shown diagrammatically with a B-pillar  610  therebetween.  FIG. 5  also shows the components of a typical three-point seat belt system generally identified by numeral  500 . This system  500  includes a seat belt retractor  501 , a length of seat belt webbing (belt)  502 , a tongue  504 , which is slidingly received on the seat belt webbing, and which divides the seat belt webbing into a shoulder belt portion  506  and a lap belt portion  508 . The lap belt portion  508  is secured via a first anchor  510  to the vehicle floor or other structural component of the vehicle. The shoulder belt portion slidably receives a web guide (D-ring)  512  that typically has a support surface over which the shoulder belt slides. Web guides and D-rings are used interchangeably. U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,311 is illustrative of a simple web guide and is incorporated herein by reference. 
     It is now commonplace to mount the web guide on a vertically adjustable mechanism, which is typically called a height adjuster  550 . U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,050,907 and 5,230,534 are illustrative of this type of adjustable mechanism and are incorporated herein by reference. The system  500  further includes a seat belt buckle  520  that is secured to the vehicle floor or seat frame  534 . The height adjuster  550  will most usually include a rail or track  552  that is secured to the upper regions of the B-pillar by one or more fasteners. The height adjuster  550  further includes a carrier  554  that is slidably received on the track or rail  552 . The rail, track and carrier can take many forms. The carrier  554  will include a threaded bore to receive a shoulder bolt  556  that is used to secure the D-ring  512  to the carrier. Historically these tracks have been secured to the B-pillar by two threaded fasteners inserted within corresponding openings  551  within the track or rail. Alternatively, the lower portion of the track or rail can be formed as a hook that is received through an opening within the B-pillar, thereby securing the lower end of the track. With this design the upper end of the track is secured by a single threaded fastener. In  FIG. 5 , the vehicle seat is identified by numeral  530 . For the purpose of illustration, the seat  530  has been moved rearward, see arrow  532 , from its normal installed position and from the B-pillar  610  of the vehicle. 
     The manufacturer of the seat belt system  500  will supply the system to the automotive assembly factory in three parts: the height adjuster  550 , the buckle  520  and a subassembly  560  comprising the retractor, seat belt, tongue, D-ring, and anchors. 
     The installation of the seat belt system into the vehicle is relatively straightforward. The track/rail  552  is moved in the direction of arrow  570  to the B-pillar  610  and secured by the required number of fasteners. The buckle  520  is secured by a fastener such as  522  to its mounting surface (the vehicle floor or seat belt frame). Subsequently, the retractor  501  is secured typically by one bolt to a lower portion of the B-pillar. Thereafter, the web guide (D-ring)  512  is lifted (see arrow  572 ) toward the previously mounted carrier  554  and aligned to the carrier  554 . With the D-ring in place, the installer obtains shoulder bolt  556  and twists the shoulder bolt into the threaded bore. 
     In a production line environment in which the vehicle may be moving down the assembly line, it is difficult to hold the D-ring in place and maintain the alignment of the D-ring to the carrier and then insert the shoulder bolt  556  while holding the D-ring in place. Additionally, the shoulder bolt can be dropped or misplaced, adding valuable time and cost to the assembly process. Further, the assembler must hold the D-ring in one hand, insert and thread the shoulder bolt with another hand and then, once the shoulder bolt is partially threaded to the carrier, locate, lift and use a power screwdriver to complete the installation. As can be appreciated, each of the installation steps takes time, and under certain situations some of these installation steps have to be repeated, as these steps may not have been done properly during the first instance. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved height adjusting assembly for a seat belt as well as an improved method of assembly. 
     Accordingly the invention comprises: a seat belt system as well as a method of installing the seat belt system into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the system of the type including a seat belt retractor, a height adjuster and a web guide, the method including the steps of: a) providing a height adjusting mechanism having a bar or track and a carrier; b) securing a web guide to the carrier so the height adjuster and web guide form a subassembly; c) locating and securing the retractor to a desired location within the vehicle and; d) lifting the subassembly and manipulating the height adjuster to a desired location in the vehicle and securing the height adjuster to the desired location, where the step of lifting the subassembly simultaneously locates the web guide to its desired location. 
     Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a passenger compartment of a vehicle and shows a three-point seat belt system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a D-ring fixedly secured to a carrier of a height adjuster. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the D-ring and carrier shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3   a  is an exploded view showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a lock mechanism usable with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a portion of a passenger compartment utilizing a three-point seat belt system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , which illustrate features of the present invention.  FIG. 1  illustrates a three-point seat belt system  100  of the present invention. This system  100  has many of the components used in the prior art. Additionally, height adjuster  102  and D-ring  104  are secured together during initial assembly and encompass part of a subassembly  106 .  FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate in greater detail the connection of the D-ring  104  and the carrier  140  of height adjuster  102 . 
     As will be seen, the integration of the D-ring with the height adjuster  102 , prior to assembly in the vehicle, provides a more efficient method of assembling the three-point seat belt system to the vehicle. In the present invention there is no need for the assembler to laboriously and inefficiently secure the D-ring to the carrier of the height adjuster on the vehicle assembly line, as this step is accomplished during the manufacture of the subassembly  106 , thereby saving time, lowering the cost of the vehicle, making the assembly process less taxing, less stressful and easier for the assembler, and increasing the efficiency of the installation process in the vehicle assembly facility. In the vehicle assembly facility, after securing the seat belt retractor  501  to the B-pillar  610 , the installer grabs the height adjuster  102 , moves same into the desired installation location on the B-pillar (such desired installation location being shown by phantom lines  112 ) and proceeds to install the height adjuster in the manner shown in the prior art. The lifting of the height adjuster  102  carries with it the web guide  104 , as these parts, as mentioned, comprise a subassembly  106 . As can further be appreciated, the present invention eliminates a number of assembly steps found in the prior art. Also, the present invention includes some assembly steps found in a prior art installation, for example the anchor  510  and buckle  520  are appropriately still secured to the vehicle using known techniques. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 2  as well as to  FIG. 3 , which illustrates in greater detail the major elements of the height adjuster  102  (which now includes D-ring  104 ), which is part of the subassembly  106 . Height adjuster  102  includes a bar  120  having a generally oblong cross-section. The bar  120  includes a front face  122 , rear face  124 , and sides  126  and  128 . As illustrated, bar  120  may include a plurality of discrete teeth  130  along side  128 . These teeth  130  are optional as locking will occur with or without the teeth (although the teeth are preferred). Bar  120  includes at least one mounting opening  132  through which a threaded bolt is used to secure the B-pillar  610 . Another mounting opening  134  can be fabricated within the lower portions of the bar. As can be appreciated, an additional mounting fastener would be used in conjunction with opening  134 . As illustrated, bar  120  includes a rearward bend, generally shown as  136 , to form a hook  147  in the lower portion of bar  120 . Hook  147  is received in a vertically oriented opening in the metal forming B-pillar  610 . The bar  120  is then rotated 90° to its vertical orientation and then secured in place to the B-pillar. 
     Carrier  140  is slidably received upon the bar  120 . The carrier  140  includes four sides: a top  142 , a bottom  144 , a front face  146  and a side  148 . A portion of the locking mechanism  250  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) is received in a space  150  between side  148  and bottom  144 . Each of the top  142  and side  148  includes an oval opening  152  for receipt of bar  120 . An oval bushing (not shown) can be inserted within each respective opening  152  primarily to reduce vibration between carrier  140  and bar  120 . The front face  146  includes a keyed fastener opening  154  having a larger diameter portion  156  and a narrow diameter portion  158 . 
     The D-ring  104  is secured to the carrier  140  by a rivet  160 . The rivet  160  prevents the axial displacement of the D-ring and carrier while permitting the D-ring freedom to rotate through a limited range relative to the carrier  120 . The D-ring  104  includes a weight bearing body  162 , which includes an arcuately shaped seat belt supporting surface  164  formed in a U-shaped concave groove. The supporting surface may be smooth, include a number of grooves or projections which, depending on the mounting geometry of the D-ring in the vehicle, might be needed to laterally stabilize the seat belt on surface  164 . As illustrated, D-ring  104  is formed as a one-piece metal stamping and may be appropriately coated to reduce friction with the woven seat belt. The D-ring body  162  includes an opening  170  for receipt of the rivet  160 . That portion of the body  162  facing the front face  146  of the carrier generally about opening  170 , as well as the rear of the opposing two depending sides  163 , has a generally flat surface  165 . This flat surface  165  facilitates rotation of the body  162  relative to the carrier. Further, the seat belt supporting surface  164  is formed as a forwardly extending lip with curved bottom and sides, which extend away from surface  165  (that is, which extend forwardly in  FIG. 3 ). 
     Rivet  160  includes a head  172  and a shaft  174 . The shaft  174  includes an upper portion  176  having a generally circular cross-section. Shaft  174  includes a rectangular lower section  178  positioned below the upper portion  176 . The shaft  174  is sized to slidably fit within opening  154  of carrier  140 . Subsequently, after the rivet  160  is located in the carrier  140 , a rear rivet head  175  (shown in phantom line) is formed at the rear of shaft  174  after assembly, holding the rivet  160  to the carrier  140 . The rear rivet head is located against an inner surface  146   a  of face  146  of carrier  140 . 
     Reference is made to the D-ring shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . As mentioned, D-ring  104  includes opening  170 . Opening  170  includes a first portion  180 , which has a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the upper portion  176  of rivet  160 . The first portion  180  of the D-ring  104  rotates upon the upper portion  176  of the shaft of the rivet  160 . Opening  170  includes a curved lower portion  182  having a diameter greater than the first portion  180 . The lower portion  182  is configured as a sector of a larger diameter circle terminating in the shoulders or stops  184  and  186 . The rotation of D-ring  104  in the direction of arrow  190  is limited to approximately 42 degrees whereupon shoulder  186  contacts one side of section  178  of rivet  160 . Similarly, the rotation of the ring  104  in the direction of arrow  192  is limited to −42 degrees by the engagement of shoulder  184  with the opposing face of rivet section  178 . 
     A lower portion  196 , of the D-ring body  162 , extends downwardly toward surface  164  and creates a narrow spacing  198  through which the shoulder belt  506  (shown in phantom line) extends. This narrow spacing can also be obtained through the use of a trim part  200 . 
     Reference is briefly made to the alternate embodiment of  FIG. 3   a . Those features of rivet  160  such as the shaft  174  and the projecting rivet section  178 , which provide the functions of supporting the D-ring and providing the mechanism stop, have been transferred to the carrier  140 . In this embodiment the shaft  174  is part of a rivet  160   a  inserted within a circular fastener opening  154  in the face  146  of the carrier and secured thereto. The D-ring body  162  rotates about the upper portions  176  of shaft  174 . The D-ring (and trim part  200  discussed below) is secured to the carrier by a threaded bolt  160   b  inserted within a threaded bore  174   a  of the shaft  174 . 
     In certain situations the D-ring is installed relative to a trim panel, and it may be desirable to attach a trim part  200  to the structural portions of the D-ring, which covers openings in the trim panel (which is for example secured to the B-pillar). The trim part  200  includes an opening  202 . Tabs or pins  203   a, b  extend rearward of the trim part  200  and are secured to the D-ring body  162 . The tabs or pins permit the trim part to rotate with the D-ring  104 . Additionally, trim part  200  includes opening  204  below opening  202 . A surface  206  of opening  202  is received behind a lip or groove  210  formed in the D-ring  104  behind surface  164  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . In addition, as can also be seen from  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the body  212  of trim part  200  is wider than the D-ring  104 . When viewed in the direction of arrow  214  the trim part  200  covers the internal spaces and parts of the height adjuster and/or trim panel (not shown). The trim part  200  further includes a depending lobe  220 , which creates a thin spacing  222 , slightly greater than the thickness of the seat belt  506 , through which the seat belt  506  slides. This lobe can also be formed in the D-ring. 
     As is known in the industry, a large trim part (not shown) known as “B-pillar trim” is fitted to the B-pillar  610 . The B-pillar trim has provision to receive the D-ring  104  and a manual activation mechanism, which is used to release the lock mechanism of the height adjuster thereby permitting the D-ring and carrier to become repositioned along the rail  120 . 
     Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, that scope is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.