Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-14
2001-10-30
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S808000, C280S804000, C297S481000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308986
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a restraint belt presenter for vehicles, and more particularly to a presenter system that presents the restraint belt to a vehicle occupant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of restraint belts in vehicles is known for providing vehicle occupants with protection in the event of a collision or accident. Conventional restraint belts include a combination of a lap belt portion and shoulder belt portion formed from a continuous belt. In such an arrangement, one end of the belt is anchored to a structural floor member of the vehicle behind a seat on its outboard side. The other end is secured to a retracting mechanism mounted on or in the ‘B’ pillar rearward from the vehicle door, the outboard edge of the ceiling or floor, or in the seat back. A buckle for engaging with a receptacle positioned adjacent to the inboard side of the vehicle seat, is slidably attached to the belt. When not in use, the retracting mechanism biases the belt and buckle toward the outboard side of the vehicle.
To secure a restraint belt, the vehicle occupant typically must first twist around in the seat and reach across their body to try and grab the buckle that is located above and behind the seat. Next, the occupant must draw the buckle and belt across his body such that the shoulder belt portion extends from the retracting mechanism diagonally across the occupant's chest while the lap belt portion is directed across the occupant's lap. Finally, the occupant must releasably secure the buckle to the receptacle. Such prior art restraint systems are undesirable. It is awkward for an occupant to twist around and grab a buckle. Thus, statistics have shown that people will often forget or forego using such prior art restraint systems.
To overcome the problems associated with conventional restraints systems, another type of restraint system known as a “passive” restraint system has been developed. One such passive restraint system uses separate lap and shoulder belts. The lap belt is of a conventional design wherein a retracting mechanism is positioned adjacent to the seat on its outboard side. The shoulder belt has one end attached to the inside of the upper rear corner of the vehicle door. The other end is engaged with a separate retracting mechanism adjacent to the inboard side of the seat. When the vehicle door is opened, the belt extends from the inboard side of the seat away from the seat to the outer comer of the vehicle door, so as to enable the vehicle occupant to enter the vehicle between the shoulder belt and the seat. Once the door is pulled shut, the inboard end of the shoulder belt retracts, thereby securing the shoulder belt around the vehicle occupant. The lap belt is then separately secured across the occupant's lap. While restraint systems of this type reduce the problems associated with the awkward manual fastening of the restraint belt, the positioning of shoulder belt reduces the available room in which the vehicle occupant may enter and exit the vehicle, thus hindering entry and exit of the vehicle.
To provide more room to enter and exit the vehicle, another known type of passive restraint system has the outboard end of the shoulder belt attached to a movable shuttle riding in a track along the upper periphery of the door opening. When the door is opened, the shuttle automatically moves the outboard end of the shoulder belt forward along the track. More room is provided for the occupant to enter and exit the vehicle without becoming inadvertently entangled in the shoulder belt. The lap belt still must be separately and manually fastened across the occupant's lap in the conventional manner.
To simplify restraint systems, another known type of restraint system includes a pivotable armrest positioned on the outboard side of a vehicle seat that has a combination shoulder and lap restraint belt secured in a detent mechanism at the lower forward inboard end of the armrest when the armrest. An end of the lap belt is anchored to the floor of the vehicle while an end of the shoulder belt is retractably attached to a belt reel and tensioner. When the armrest is in a lowered position, the detent serves to position the belt buckle in plain view and adjacent the vehicle occupant to permit easier grasping of the belt buckle for fastening. A guide incorporated with the armrest further assures the proper positioning of the buckle. When the belt is unbuckled and the armrest raised, the buckle is automatically returned to the detent by belt reel and tensioner to maintain the proper positioning of the buckle for the next use. However, the addition of the guide and the detent to the armrest still provide additional manufacturing steps, thereby increasing costs.
Therefore, there exists a need for a restraint presentation system that insures reliable capturing and positioning of the belt for repeated use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a restraint belt presenter assembly for bringing a restraint belt forward from its storage position and presenting it to a vehicle occupant. The invention includes a slidable member positioned adjacent to and alongside a vehicle seat, the slidable member carrying a restraint belt positioning member, and a drive mechanism for moving the slidable member. The slidable member moves between a starting position, where the restraint belt buckle assembly is stored so as not to impede ingress and egress from the vehicle and a presenting position that conveniently positions the restraint belt buckle assembly within clear view and easy reach of a vehicle seat occupant. The drive mechanism includes a generally linear track member and a drive chain assembly that is connected to and supported by the track member and driven by a motor. The motor may be a conventional gear motor having a predetermined gear ratio, an electric motor or other suitable motor. The slidable member is mounted to the track member and is operatively connected to the drive chain assembly such that a drive chain moves the slidable member along the track member between the starting and presentation positions.
In one preferred embodiment, the track member is mounted for pivotal movement such that a distal end of the track member raises the restraint belt positioning member to a predetermined height when as the slidable member reaches the presentation position. The track member may be fixedly mounted to a mounting bracket that is pivotally connected to a vehicle structural component. Alternatively, the track member may be pivotally mounted to the mounting bracket.
To pivot the distal end upwardly into the presentation position, the restraint belt presenter assembly is further provided with a cam member and cam follower. The cam member is operatively connected the drive chain assembly and track member for rotational movement. The cam follower is fixedly secured to a vehicle component adjacent to the track member so as to be engaged with a contoured surface of the cam member. As the cam member rotates, cam follower follows along the contoured surface, pivoting the track mechanism upwardly as the cam member rotates in a first direction. The cam member preferably further includes first and second stop members that restricts the movement of the slidable during the presentation cycle.
In another preferred embodiment, to eliminate the cam member and cam follower components, but still providing for elevation of the buckle assembly once the slidable member reaches the presentation position, the track member is provided with an upwardly extending curved section. Accordingly, one distal end of the track member is positioned at a predetermined height that is higher than the other distal end of the track member. Thus, when slidable member reaches the elevated distal end of the track member and the presentation position, the restraint belt positioning member that is carrying the restraint belt buckle assembly is elevated to a predetermined height that is clearly viewable and within easy reach of a vehicle seat occupant.
Another embod
Campbell John E.
El-Sayed Mohamed
Guertin Arthur L.
Kaczmar Michael P.
Townsend John A.
Ilan Ruth
Joalto Design Inc.
Mai Lanna
Rader & Fishman & Grauer, PLLC
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