Patent ID: 7584998

Claim:
A seat belt assembly for a passenger seat assembly operatively attached to a vehicle structure, the seat belt assembly comprising: a latch member; a buckle member operatively connected to one of the vehicle structure and the passenger seat assembly and configured to selectively attach to said latch member; a first load bearing member having first and second ends, wherein said first end includes flange portions and an aperture, and said second end is operatively connected to said one of the vehicle structure and the passenger seat assembly; a second load bearing member having first and second ends defining first and second openings, said first end of said second load bearing member having a receiving portion configured to receive and mate with said flange portions and thereby interlock said first load bearing member with said second load bearing member to withstand tensile loads; a belt webbing slidably supporting said latch member and having first and second ends, wherein said first end of said belt webbing is secured to said one of the vehicle structure and the passenger seat assembly, and said second end of said belt webbing is coupled to said first opening of said second load bearing member; and a fastener, wherein said aperture is configured to sufficiently align with said second opening to define a channel when said receiving portion is in receipt of said flange portions, said fastener being disposed within said channel and configured to press said first load bearing member to said second load bearing member to confirm that said first load bearing member is interlocked with said second load bearing member, but wherein said second load bearing member stays interlocked with said first load bearing member under said tensile loads without dependence upon said fastener.