Patent ID: 7225511

Claim:
A non-inertial release restraint buckle assembly for a vehicle having a restraining belt, the buckle assembly comprising; a buckle including a frame and a housing at least partially covering said frame, said buckle having front and rear ends and opposite sides, a latch plate receiving channel defined within said housing, an opening in said front end of said housing communicating with said latch plate receiving channel and of a size to receive a latch plate therein, a latch plate having a locking tong including oppositely oriented end portions, a pair of latching mechanisms slidable mounted within said housing so as to be reciprocally movable in a guide channel defined within said housing and which extends transversely to a central longitudinal axis of said buckle which extends from said front to said rear ends, biasing means disposed on opposite sides of said pair of latching mechanisms for urging said latching mechanisms in opposite directions toward one another to a first inner locking position wherein said latching mechanisms are engageable with said locking tong of said latch plate when said latch plate is inserted in said housing, a release member engageable with said latching mechanisms for moving said latching mechanisms simultaneously outwardly away from said central axis of said buckle to second release positions wherein said latching mechanisms are disengaged from said locking tong of said latch plate so that said latch plate may be removed from said housing, and said biasing means constantly urging said latching mechanisms toward said first inner locking position with oppositely directed forces such that when one of said latching mechanisms is urged away from said locking tong of said latch plate and toward said second release position by an inertial force, the inertial force applies a simultaneous increase in force to urge the other latching mechanism toward said locking tong of said latch plate thereby maintaining the other latching mechanism in said first inner locking position thereof such that both latching mechanisms are only simultaneously release able to permit release of said latch plate upon simultaneous application of forces to move said latching mechanisms from said first inner locking positions to said second release positions.