Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Patent
1996-11-22
1998-04-28
Dickson, Paul N.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
297480, B60R 2236
Patent
active
057435634
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a safety-belt arrangement and more particularly to a safety-belt arrangement intended for use in a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has been proposed previously to provide a safety-belt having a retractor reel adapted to retract the safety-belt when it is not in use. It has also been proposed to provide a web-grabber associated with the safety-belt. Such a web-grabber comprises a housing surrounding the safety-belt and incorporating a wedge which can be moved to a position in which the wedge engages and retains the safety-belt. The wedge may be moved to the safety-belt retaining position in the event that an accident should arise, thus helping prevent any of the safety-belt being paid out in an unintentional manner.
In prior-proposed web-grabbers a housing is provided which is in the form of a casting of metal or a moulding of plastic. The casting or moulding defines a passage through which the safety-belt may pass, the passage having a first planar wall against which the safety-belt may run, and a second opposed wall which is inclined in towards the first wall. A wedge element is mounted for axial sliding movement within the housing. One face of the wedge element abuts and may run along the inclined wall as the wedge element moves into the safety-belt retaining position. When in the safety-belt retaining position the wedge element traps the safety belt against the said planar wall.
It is relatively expensive to provide a housing in the form of a casting or a moulding.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved safety-belt arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention there is provided a safety-belt arrangement for use in a motor vehicle comprising a web-grabber, adapted to grab the web of a safety-belt, the web-grabber comprising a housing formed of an extrusion of metal, the extrusion defining a through-passage having substantially parallel opposed side walls, through which the webbing is adapted to pass, the web-grabber further comprising a wedge present within the through-passage movable from a release position to a web-grabbing position, and an additional element having a face adapted to abut one side wall of the passage and another face, inclined thereto, against which the wedge element may slide.
Preferably the extrusion is of aluminium.
Conveniently the extrusion is provided with reinforcing means adapted to reinforce the opposed side walls of the passage.
Advantageously the side wall of the passage abutted by the additional element is of serrated profile, the corresponding face of the additional element having a corresponding serrated profile.
Conveniently the web-grabber is secured to a retractor for the safety-belt.
Advantageously the extrusion is secured the retractor by means of a strap having one end in the form of a hook which engages part of the extrusion, a part which passes through the passage defined through the housing, and a part which is adapted to be secured to an anchoring point. The strap can thus be secured to the anchoring point directly connecting the extrusion to the anchorning point and transferring any load applied to the extrusion directly to the anchoring point. The retractor is mounted on the strap.
In an alternative arrangement a single fastening bolt is used to secure the retractor mechanism to a fixed part of a motor vehicle, and to secure the strap to the retractor mechanism, the strap having one end in the form of a hook which engages part of the extrusion.
Conveniently the retractor mechanism is provided with means which, when actuated, move the wedge to the web-grabbing position in which the wedge engages the webbing of the safety belt.
Advantageously spring means are provided which normally bias the wedge to a non-webbing-grabbing position.
Conveniently the additional element comprises side pieces which extend across the passage, engaging and retaining the strap, and having projections which are secured to the retractor.
In an alternative embodiment the additional element carries lugs h
REFERENCES:
patent: 4492348 (1985-01-01), Ziv et al.
patent: 4550951 (1985-11-01), Apri
patent: 5029896 (1991-07-01), Ernst
patent: 5323977 (1994-06-01), Frei et al.
patent: 5350195 (1994-09-01), Brown
Dohse Holger
Fiege Marcus
Juchem Alois
Oberlaender Rafael
Autoliv Development AB
Dickson Paul N.
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