Abstract:
A securement arrangement for a seat belt closure of a three-point seat belt system in a vehicle comprises an anchor piece secured to the vehicle, a closure body, and a generally U-shaped closure body retaining assembly for mounting the closure body on the anchor piece. A spring disposed between a pair of U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly biases the closure body into its home position. A contact element emits a signal to be processed by an onboard signal processing unit when the closure body, due to the application thereto of a load imposed by the seat belt, is displaced so as to overcome the biasing force of the spring. The contact element correspondingly moves out of contact and emits a signal in response to its movement out of contact.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a securement arrangement for the seat belt closure of a three-point seat belt system of a vehicle with a vehicle-secured closure body retaining assembly for mounted support of the closure body. 
   In connection with three-point seat belt systems, in the context of which the use of a securement arrangement for the seat belt closure is known, the problem occurs in connection with a locked-together seat belt that it must be determined, via appropriate measurements, whether, for example, a vehicle occupant has secured the seat belt or a child seat has been secured to the vehicle seat by means of the seat belt, because the decision to deploy or not deploy an airbag dedicated to the respective vehicle seat will be made dependent upon such information. This problem is addressed in WO 98/51546 and, in this publication, a solution to this problem is indicated in which, in connection with a high tension in the belt as correspondingly occurs in the event of an accident involving an occupant secured in the vehicle by the seat belt, a belt closure is displaced against the bias of a spring and thereby effects the release of a switch which transmits an electrical signal to a control device mounted on the vehicle. Further details in WO 98/51546 for the realization of such a proposed solution are not to be found. 
   Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,915 as well as DE 199 48 666 C1 each disclose force measurement devices disposed on securement arrangements for seat belt closures in vehicles which are configured such that the force sensors on the seat belt closure anchorage provide a signal to an evaluation unit or a control unit, which corresponds with other security-related devices in the vehicle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention provides a solution to the challenge of providing a constructive configuration of a displaceably arranged closure with integrated force measurement. 
   The solution to the challenge is embodied in the advantageous embodiments of the invention. 
   The invention provides, in one embodiment thereof, that the closure body retaining assembly is configured as a U-shaped body and the closure body is displaceable in opposition to its vehicle-secured anchorage against the force of a spring, which biases the closure body into its home position and which is disposed between the U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly, the closure body, due to the displacement thereof caused by the load imposed thereon, effecting, via switching of a contact, the emission of a signal to a signal processing device on the vehicle. The invention comprises, in one embodiment thereof, the feature that the vehicle-secured anchorage for the closure body retaining assembly is configured as an anchor piece secured to a vehicle-secured component. In this manner, three components are available for the constructive realization of the inventive concept-namely, the closure body, the closure body retaining assembly, and, as may be optionally provided, the anchor piece or, respectively, the fastening of the closure body retaining element on the vehicle piece. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the closure body is movable relative to the closure body retaining assembly against the bias of the vehicle-secured anchor and the contact is configured, on the one hand, on the vehicle-secured anchor and, on the other hand, on the switch elements mounted on the closure body retaining assembly. 
   In accordance with an embodiment of the invention for realization of the afore-described concepts, a fastening stone having a fastening means extending therethrough and a spring for biasing the closure body retaining assembly against the fastening stone are disposed between the U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly. In further details thereof, it can be provided that the fastening means for the fastening stone extends through respective longitudinal holes formed in each of the U-forming legs of the U-shaped closure body retaining assembly and that the closure body retaining assembly is displaceable relative to the fastening stone which is secured to the vehicle via the fastening means. 
   It is further provided that the open ends of the U-forming legs of the U-shaped closure body retaining assembly are secured to the closure body and the spring is disposed in the space between the fastening stone and the closed ends of the closure body retaining assembly and is supported thereagainst, whereby, for this purpose, the fastening stone comprises a shoulder, extending in the direction of the closed sides of the closure body retaining assembly, for guiding the spring. 
   In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, to configure the contact, a switch element is provided which is mounted on the closure body retaining assembly and disposed in its closed position due to its contact against the fastening stone in the home position of the closure body, whereby the switch is lifted away from the fastening stone in connection with movement of the closure body retaining assembly relative to the fastening stone and thereby emits a signal indicating its movement out of contact. 
   In an alternative embodiment of the present invention embodying the concept of the closure body retaining assembly, with the closure body mounted thereon, being movable relative to the vehicle-secured anchor, it is provided, in one configuration, that the closed end of the closure body retaining assembly is seated in a fastening opening of the anchor piece and the free ends of the U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly are connected with the closure body, whereby the spring, which is supported, on the one end thereof, against the closed end of the closure body retaining assembly and, on the other end thereof, against the opposed edge of the fastening opening, is mounted between the U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly. 
   In this regard, it can be seen that the anchor piece comprises a shoulder extending outwardly therefrom in the direction of the closure body which engages, in the home position of the closure body retaining assembly, a switch element mounted on the closure body, which itself is supported by the closure body retaining assembly, the shoulder lifting the switch elements away from one another upon movement of the closure body retaining assembly with the thereon supported closure body relative to the anchor piece and thereby effecting the emission of a signal. 
   A useful purpose can be served if several compression springs are provided which extend in the displacement plane of the closure body and the closure body retaining assembly. 
   It can be provided, to stabilize the securement arrangement, that the closure body retaining assembly comprises tongues on its closed end extending axially outwardly, the tongues enclosing the anchor piece therebetween and acting to guide the anchor piece. 
   In a further embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that only the closure body retaining assembly is movable relative to the closure body retaining assembly, which itself is a vehicle-secured component and, in this connection, that the contact is configured, on the one side, on the anchor piece and, on the other side, on the switch elements mounted on the closure body. 
   In this further embodiment, it can be provided that the closed end of the closure body retaining assembly is seated in a fastening opening of the anchor piece and the free ends of the U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly are connected with the closure body, whereby the spring, which is supported, on the one end thereof, against the closed end of the closure body retaining assembly and, on the other end thereof, against the opposed edge of the fastening opening, is mounted between the U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly and whereby the movement of closure body relative to the closure body retaining assembly is made possible by the guided movement of a fastening means, which extends through the U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly and is secured to the closure body, within longitudinal holes formed in the U-forming legs. 
   Preferably, in the just-described further embodiment, the spring is configured as a tension spring, whereby the tension spring is seated, on one end thereof, on the closure body and, on the other end thereof, on a tongue extending out of one of the U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly and bent inwardly between the U-forming legs. 
   To stabilize the securement arrangement, it can be provided that the tongue encloses the end of the anchor piece which extends over the fastening opening of the anchor piece and into the interior space of the closure body retaining assembly. 
   In view of the connection between the closure body and the closure body retaining assembly, it can be provided that the longitudinal holes formed in both U-forming legs of the closure body retaining assembly comprise different transverse extents and that the fastening means comprises a correspondingly stepped transverse section corresponding to the transverse extents of both longitudinal holes. In accordance with further details thereof, the respective U-forming leg of the closure body retaining assembly having the longitudinal hole with the smaller transverse extent can be disposed on the stepped transverse section of the fastening means and can be guided along the stepped transverse section of the fastening means during displacement of the closure body relative to the closure body retaining assembly. 
   To provide for the realization of the contact, it can be provided that the closure body retaining assembly comprises a shoulder functioning as a switch element and which extends outwardly from the closure body retaining assembly in the direction of the closure body, the shoulder switch element engaging, in the home position of the closure body, a switch element mounted on the housing of the closure body and the shoulder switch element lifting the switch elements away from one another upon movement of the closure body relative to the closure body retaining assembly and thereby effecting the emission of a signal. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention comprising a closure body with a securement arrangement; 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view of a portion of the one embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a portion of the one embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the closure body with a securement arrangement of an additional embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of a portion of the additional embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of the closure body with a securement arrangement of a further embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the further embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 6 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged plan view showing individual details of the closure body retaining assembly of the further embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The securement arrangement for a seat belt closure, which can be seen in  FIG. 1 , comprises an anchor piece  10 , which is secured to the vehicle in a not-illustrated manner, to which a closure body retaining assembly  11  is mounted, the closure body retaining assembly  11  being, in turn, connected with a closure body  12 , and the securement arrangement further comprising a closure tongue  13 , to which a not-illustrated seat belt of a three-point seat belt is secured, which is inserted into the closure body  12 . 
   The closure body retaining assembly  11  is U-shaped with two U-forming legs  14  and a closed end  15 , whereby the free ends  21  of the U-forming legs  14  of the closure body retaining assembly  11  are connected with the closure body  12 . A fastening stone  16  is disposed between the U-forming legs  14  of the closure body retaining assembly  11  by means of which the closure body retaining assembly  11  is secured to the anchor piece  10  via a fastening bolt  17  extending through the U-forming legs  14  and the fastening stone  16 . Additionally, a compression spring  18  is disposed between the U-forming legs  14  of the closure body retaining assembly  11  and is secured, on one side, to the fastening stone  16  and, on the other side, to the closed end  15  of the closure body retaining assembly  11 , the compression spring  18  biasing the closure body retaining assembly  11  and, thus, as well, the closure body  12 , into the home position toward the left as shown in  FIG. 1  in which the fastening stone  16  is in a disposition against a switch element  19  mounted on the closure body retaining assembly  11 . 
     FIG. 2  shows features of the afore-described securement arrangement in more detail, including, especially, the feature that the fastening stone  16  comprises a shoulder  20  for guiding of the compression spring  18 . It can be further seen that a retainer  23  is mounted on the closure body retaining assembly  11  for the switch element  19  and, additionally, that a fastening bolt  22  is provided by means of which the closure body  12  is mounted to the ends  21  of the U-forming legs  14  of the closure body retaining assembly  11 . It can be further seen in  FIG. 2  as well as in  FIG. 3  that longitudinal holes  24  are provided in the U-forming legs  14  of the closure body retaining assembly  11  which have the fastening bolt  17  extending therethrough, so that the closure body retaining assembly  11 , in connection with overcoming the bias exerted thereagainst by the compression spring  18 , is displaceable toward the right as viewed in the figures of the drawings within the bounds of the maneuver or free play room provided by the longitudinal holes  24 . 
   In connection with a locked-together seat belt, so long as the tension imposed on the seat belt due to the loading thereof does not overcome the predetermined bias of the compression spring  18 , the arrangement of the closure body  12 , the closure body retaining assembly  11 , and the anchor piece  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-3  remains as illustrated in which the switch element  19  secured to the closure body retaining assembly  11  is, via the biasing of the compression spring  18 , maintained in a disposition against the fastening stone  16 . In the event that the predetermined biasing force of the compression spring  18  is overcome, the closure body  12  is displaced toward the right, in that the longitudinal holes  24  in the U-forming legs  14  permit a displacement relative to the fixedly secured fastening bolt  17 , in the context of which the switch element  19  is lifted away from the fastening stone  16  and is thereby actuated. An electrical signal is transmitted, as a consequence of the switch actuation, to a control device mounted on the vehicle at which it is decided whether a dedicated airbag device is to be deployed or not. 
   The additional embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  operates according to the same operating principle as the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , whereby, in a modification of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the closed end  15  of the U-shaped closure body retaining assembly  11  extends into a fastening opening  25  formed in an end of the anchor piece  10 . The compression spring  18 , which is again likewise provided, is supported against the closed end  15  of the closure body retaining assembly  11  and its other end is in engagement with the opposing edge of the fastening opening  25  of the anchor piece  10 . As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , three compression springs  18  arranged adjacent one another provide better stabilization of the connection between the closure body retaining assembly  11  and the anchor piece  10 . To likewise promote such stabilization, tongues  26  extend axially outwardly of the closed end  15  of the closure body retaining assembly which enclose therebetween the anchor piece  10  and thus act as stabilizing guides for the anchor piece  10 . 
     FIG. 5  shows closer details of the configuration of the contact. Thus, a shoulder  27  is provided on the anchor piece  10  extending in the direction toward the closure body  12  into the housing  28  of the closure body  12 , the shoulder being disposed against a permanent magnet  29  mounted on the closure body  12  which is biased via a spring  30  toward the shoulder  27  of the anchor piece. A Hall effect switch  31  is arranged relative to the permanent magnet  29  such that the movement of the permanent magnet  29  relative to the Hall effect switch  31  effects the emission of a signal. If, in connection with such movement, the closure body  12  has been displaced from its position as described with respect to  FIGS. 1-2  toward the right against the biasing force of the compression spring  18 , the shoulder  27  on the anchor piece  10  lifts away from the permanent magnet  29 , which has been displaced by the spring  30 . This displacement is sensed by the Hall effect switch  31 . 
   The further embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6-8  is distinguished from the two heretofore described embodiments in that solely the closure body  12  is moveably mounted relative to the closure body retaining assembly  11 . The closure body retaining assembly  11 , which, as before, is configured with U-forming legs  14 , corresponds to that shown in the embodiment described with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 5  with its closed end  15  hooked into the fastening opening  25  of the anchor piece  10 . A tongue  32  extends out of one of the U-forming legs  14  of the closure body retaining assembly  11  and is bent inwardly between the U-forming legs  14  in a manner such that the tongue encloses the end of the anchor piece which extends over the fastening opening  15  of the anchor piece  10 ; this tongue  32  simultaneously serves as a hook for securing the end of a tension spring  33  whose opposing end is secured to the closure body  12 . 
   The displacement of the closure body  12  relative to the closure body retaining assembly  11  is made possible by the provision of longitudinal holes  34  in the ends  21  of the U-forming legs  14  of the closure body retaining assembly  11  through which extend the fastening bolt  22 , the longitudinal holes providing the required free movement space for the displacement of the closure body  12  relative to the closure body retaining assembly  11 . In the event that the closure body is moved due to the load imposed thereon by the closure tongue  13  from its position shown in  FIG. 7  to the right against the biasing force of the tension spring  33 , the fastening bolt  22  mounted on the closure body  12  likewise moves to the right within the longitudinal holes  34 . In the same manner as heretofore described, a switch element comprised of a permanent magnet  29 , a spring  30 , and a Hall effect switch  31  can be provided on the closure body  12  to emit signals corresponding to such a displacement, the shoulder  27  of the closure body retaining assembly  11 , which extends in the direction of the closure body  12  into its housing  28 , being in contact against the switch (FIG.  8 ); to this extent, the relationships with respect to the release of contact operate in the same manner as those described with respect to the additional embodiment described with respect to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
   To provide for better guiding of the closure body  12  on the closure body retaining assembly  11 , the longitudinal holes  34  in both U-forming legs  14  of the closure body retaining assembly  11  comprise different transverse extents, whereby the fastening bolt  22  comprises a correspondingly stepped transverse section corresponding to the transverse extents of both longitudinal holes  34 . In this manner, a step  35  is configured on the fastening bolt  22  on which is disposed the upper U-forming leg  14  having, as viewed in the illustration shown in  FIG. 7 , the longitudinal hole  34  with the smaller transverse extent, whereby the stepped transverse section  35  of the fastening means guides the upper U-forming leg  14  during displacement of the closure body  12  relative to the closure body retaining assembly  11 . 
   The specification incorporates by reference the disclosure of German priority document 101 63 917.1 filed Dec. 22, 2001. 
   The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.