Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-28
2003-12-16
Hong, John C. (Department: 3611)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent...
C029S527200, C029S559000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06662426
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a loop hanger for a seat belt which slidably supports a seat belt webbing (webbing belt) so as to turn over the seat belt at its intermediate portion, the seat belt being provided such that it can be pulled out in an ordinary situation of a vehicle and it can be prevented from being pulled out in an emergency situation of the vehicle, for example, like a three-point seat belt system for an automobile, and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in order to protect an occupant of an automobile at a time of a vehicle collision, a three-point type seat belt which holds the beast of an occupant in a manner extending from the waist of the occupant to his/her one shoulder has been proposed in addition to a two-point type seat belt which holds the waist of the occupant.
Prior to specific explanations to the Related Art, a general and basic structure of a three-point seat belt
70
capable of using a loop hanger according to the invention by referring to
FIG. 3
which is a perspective view of an interior of an automobile
1
, is explained. Incidentally, the tree-point seat belt
70
is provided at each of front seats and rear seats. However, an example of a seat belt system provided at a driver's seat
2
will be explained below for simplification of explanation.
The tree-point type seat belt
70
is extended so as to reach three points of a first anchor
71
provided at a lower portion of a center pillar
3
, a second anchor
72
provided on a portion of a floor positioned between the driver's seat
2
and a front passenger's seat
4
, and a third anchor
73
provided at an upper portion of the center pillar
3
. The three-point type seat belt
70
comprises a webbing belt or a seat belt webbing S, one end thereof being mounted to the first anchor
71
and the other end being taken up or retracted in a retractor (not shown), and a fixing belt
75
, one end thereof being mounted to the second anchor
72
and the other end having a buckle device
77
. Also, a tongue portion or plate
76
which is locked to the buckle device
77
is provided at an intermediate portion of the webbing belt S.
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a conventional loop hanger for a seat belt
100
mounted to the third anchor
73
. The loop hanger for a seat belt
100
is provided with a base member
80
which is made of a steel plate (metal) and which has a bolt passing-through hole
81
for mounting the loop hanger
100
to the third anchor
73
through a bolt and a base slot
82
(refer to
FIG. 2
) through which the webbing belt S is moved in the loop hanger
100
in a sliding manner, and the periphery of the base slot
82
of the base member
80
is entirely covered with a cover member
90
made of synthetic resin, which is insert-molded.
This cover member
90
covers an edge portion
82
a
of the base slot
82
to form a slot
91
through which the webbing belt S is slidably moved along the edge portion
82
a
of the base slot
82
. That is, the webbing belt S is turned back at a lower edge face portion of the slot
91
and it can be pulled out from/taken up in the retractor.
However, since the slot
91
is formed by covering the edge portion
82
a
of the base slot
82
with the cover member
90
which is made of synthetic resin and which is insert-molded, the slidability of the webbing belt S is apt to lower according to reduction of anti-gum up property.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the above problem and an object thereof is to provide a loop hanger for a seat belt which can be maintained with the slidability of the webbing belt without influenced by reduction of anti-gum up property and which can reduce fraction defective or reduce a occurrence ratio of inferior goods, and a method for manufacturing the same.
To achieve the object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a loop hanger for a seat belt (
10
) which slidably hangs a seat belt webbing (S), comprising a base member (
20
) made of a metal plate and having a slot (
21
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is moved, wherein the slot (
21
) is constituted with a long side portion (
21
a
) extending in a generally horizontal direction and a pair of left and right short side portions (
21
b
) communicating with left and right end portions of the long side portion (
21
a
) and extending downwardly, a portion of the base member (
20
) surrounded by the long side portion (
21
a
) and the pair of short side portions (
21
b
) is curved smoothly from a side of the long side portion (
21
a
) in a generally C-shaped sectional configuration, and a curved face (
21
f
) formed by curving the portion of the base member (
20
) serves as a portion (
20
a
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is turned back.
Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention structured in the above manner, since the base member (
20
) is structured such that at least the portion (
20
a
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is turned back is formed integrally with the base member (
20
) so as to curve smoothly in a generally C-shaped sectional configuration, face pressure acting upon the seat belt webbing (S) can be reduced, thereby improving durability of the seat belt webbing (S), and the thickness of the base member (
20
) can be reduced, thereby achieving weight-reduction and cost-reduction.
Also, since the base member (
20
) is made of a metal plate and the portion (
20
a
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is turned back is formed in a curved face so as to curve smoothly in a generally C-shaped sectional configuration, the loop hanger for a seat belt can be maintained with the slidability of the webbing belt without influenced by reduction of anti-gum up property.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a loop hanger for a seat belt (
10
) which slidably hangs a seat belt webbing (S), comprising a base member (
20
) made of a metal plate and having a slot (
21
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is moved; and a cover member (
30
) which covers a portion of the base member (
20
) other than at least a portion (
20
a
) of the base member (
20
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is turned back, wherein the slot (
21
) of the base member (
20
) is constituted with a long side portion (
21
a
) extending in a generally horizontal direction and a pair of left and right short side portions (
21
b
) communicating with left and right end portions of the long side portion (
21
a
) and extending downwardly, a portion of the base member (
20
) surrounded by the long side portion (
21
a
) and the pair of short side portions (
21
b
) is curved smoothly from a side of the long side portion (
21
a
) in a generally C-shaped sectional configuration, and a curved face (
21
f
) formed by curving the portion of the base member (
20
) serves as a portion (
20
a
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is turned back, and wherein the cover member (
20
) is provided so as to cover a portion of the base member (
20
) other than at least the portion (
20
a
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is turned back and which is formed in a generally C-shaped sectional configuration.
In addition to the above operation and effect, since the cover member (
30
) is formed so as to cover the portion of the base member (
20
) other than the portion (
20
a
) through which the seat belt webbing (S) is turned back, the seat belt webbing (S) directly slides on the metal plate-made portion (
20
a
) with the generally C-shaped sectional configuration through which the seat belt webbing (S) is turned back, so that the loop hanger for a seat belt can be maintained with the slidability of the webbing belt without influenced by reduction of anti-gum up property.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a loop hanger for a seat belt according to the first or second aspect, wherein the center of curvature of
Enshu Co. Ltd.
Hong John C.
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
LandOfFree
Method for manufacturing loop hanger for seat belt does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for manufacturing loop hanger for seat belt, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for manufacturing loop hanger for seat belt will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3172482