U.S. patent application number 10/998576 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-02 for safety belt system.
This patent application is currently assigned to Takata Corporation. Invention is credited to Tanaka, Yoshihiko.
Application Number | 20050115031 10/998576 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34738587 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050115031 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tanaka, Yoshihiko |
June 2, 2005 |
Safety belt system
Abstract
A cover for covering a seat belt fastening component is
disclosed. The cover includes a first surface adapted to cover a
portion of the seat belt fastening component. The cover can be
selectively secured to and removed from the seat belt fastening
component. The covers may be easily installed and removed, allowing
a user to select a color or shape to achieve the desired aesthetic
appearance.
Inventors: |
Tanaka, Yoshihiko;
(Hikone-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FOLEY AND LARDNER
SUITE 500
3000 K STREET NW
WASHINGTON
DC
20007
US
|
Assignee: |
Takata Corporation
|
Family ID: |
34738587 |
Appl. No.: |
10/998576 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60526079 |
Dec 2, 2003 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
24/265BC |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 11/2576 20130101;
Y10T 24/4736 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
024/265.0BC |
International
Class: |
A44B 011/25 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A belt fastener arrangement, comprising: a cover plate adapted
to be selectively engaged with and removed from a belt fastener
component.
2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cover plate includes a
surface to cover at least a portion of the belt fastener component;
and a mechanism for securing the cover plate to the belt fastener
component.
3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the cover plate includes at
least two projections adapted to engage opposing sides of the belt
fastener component.
4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the belt fastener component
is a seat belt latch.
5. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the belt fastener component
is a seat belt buckle.
6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cover plate is colored
to substantially match an interior of the vehicle.
7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cover plate is colored
to substantially match an exterior of a vehicle having the belt
fastener component.
8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cover plate is
substantially the same shape as a logo or mark identifying the
vehicle or vehicle manufacturer.
9. A belt fastener arrangement, comprising: a belt buckle; a belt
latch adapted to securely engage the buckle; and a cover plate
adapted to be selectively engaged with and removed from at least
one of the belt buckle and the belt latch.
10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the cover plate includes a
surface to cover at least a portion of at least one of the belt
buckle and the belt latch; and a mechanism for securing the cover
plate to the at least one of the belt buckle and the belt
latch.
11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein the cover plate includes
at least two projections adapted to engage opposing sides of the at
least one of the belt buckle and the belt latch.
12. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the cover plate is colored
to substantially match an interior of the vehicle.
13. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the cover plate is colored
to substantially match an exterior of a vehicle having the at least
one of the belt buckle and the belt latch.
14. A cover for covering a seat belt fastening component,
comprising: a first surface adapted to cover a portion of the seat
belt fastening component; and a means for selectively securing and
removing the first surface to the seat belt fastening component
15. The cover of claim 14, wherein the means for selectively
securing and removing comprises: at least a pair of opposing side
walls extending from a perimeter of the first surface; and a
plurality of projections extending inwardly from an end of each of
the opposing side walls, the projections being adapted to engage
the belt fastening component on a side opposite the portion covered
by the first surface.
16. The cover of claim 14, wherein the belt fastening component is
a seat belt latch.
17. The cover of claim 14, wherein the belt fastening component is
a seat belt buckle.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional
Application No. 60/526,079, filed Dec. 2, 2003.
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
safety restraint systems. In particular, the invention relates to
covers for seat belt buckles and other components of a seat belt
system.
[0003] Presently, the appearance of safety belt restraint systems
is not customized for the vehicle in which the system is installed.
Thus, there remains a need for a safety belt restraint system that
can be easily and economically modified to match the vehicle in
which the system is installed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to one embodiment of the present invention a belt
fastener arrangement is provided. The arrangement comprises a cover
plate adapted to be selectively engaged with and removed from a
belt fastener component.
[0005] The cover plate may include at least one surface to cover at
least a portion of the belt fastener component, and means for
securing the cover plate to the belt fastener component. The means
for securing may include at least two projections adapted to engage
opposing sides of the belt fastener component.
[0006] The belt fastener component may be a seat belt latch.
Alternatively, the belt fastener component may be a seat belt
buckle.
[0007] According to another embodiment of the present invention,
the cover plate is colored to substantially match an interior of
the vehicle. In alternate embodiments, the cover plate is colored
to substantially match an exterior of a vehicle having the belt
fastener component.
[0008] According to yet another embodiment of the present
invention, a belt fastener arrangement is provided that includes a
belt buckle, a belt latch adapted to securely engage the buckle,
and a cover plate adapted to be selectively engaged with and
removed from at least one of the belt buckle and the belt
latch.
[0009] The cover plate may include at least one surface to cover at
least a portion of at least one of the belt buckle and the belt
latch and means for securing the cover plate to the belt fastener
component. The means for securing may include at least two
projections adapted to engage opposing sides of the belt fastener
component.
[0010] Still a further embodiment of the present invention includes
a cover for covering a seat belt fastening component. The cover
includes a first surface adapted to cover at least a portion of the
seat belt fastening component and wherein the first surface is
removably secured to the seat belt fastening component.
[0011] The cover may include at least a pair of opposing side walls
extending from a perimeter of the first surface and projections
extending inwardly from an end of each of the opposing side walls.
The projections may be adapted to engage the belt fastening
component on a side opposite the portion covered by the first
surface.
[0012] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description are exemplary
and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent from the following
description, appended claims, and the accompanying exemplary
embodiments shown in the drawings, which are briefly described
below.
[0014] FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a seat belt
arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a seat belt latch according
to an embodiment of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cover according to an
embodiment of the invention; and
[0017] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along IV-IV of the
components shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
DESCRIPTION
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a seat belt arrangement 100 according to
an embodiment of the invention. The seat belt arrangement 100 may
be employed in a vehicle, such as a passenger car. The arrangement
100 includes a seat belt 120 for securing an occupant seated in a
seat 110, such as a driver's seat or a passenger seat of a vehicle.
The illustrated seat belt includes a shoulder belt. Other
embodiments may include only a lap belt. The seat belt 120 is a
conventional seat belt and is well known to those skilled in the
art.
[0019] The seat belt is secured by fastener components, a belt
latch 130 and a corresponding belt buckle 140. Such fastener
components 130, 140 are well known in the art. A fastener component
will be described in further detail below with reference to FIG.
2.
[0020] In an embodiment of the invention, the color of the fastener
components 130, 140 is selected to achieve a desired aesthetic
result. The color may be matched to, or selected according to, the
color of the interior of the vehicle such as the seat 110. For
example, if the interior of the vehicle, including the seat 110, is
red, the belt latch 130 and the belt buckle 140 may also be red.
Alternatively, the latch 130 may be made blue, while the buckle 140
is made white. In other embodiments, the color of the fastener
components 130, 140 is selected to correspond to the color of the
exterior of the vehicle.
[0021] According to another embodiment the shape of the fastener
components 130, 140 may be selected to correspond to the vehicle in
which the restraint system is installed. For example, the fastener
components 130, 140 may have a shape corresponding to the logo of
the vehicle in order to emphasize and strengthen the brand of the
vehicle.
[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates one fastener component, the latch 130, in
greater detail. The latch 130 includes a handle portion 132 and a
latching portion 134. The handle portion 132 may be made of a hard
plastic through injection molding, for example, and is adapted to
be grasped easily by a human hand to allow engaging of the latch
130 to the buckle 140 (FIG. 1).
[0023] The latching portion 134 is the portion of the latch 130
which physically engages the buckle 140 when the seat belt 110 is
to be secured. The latching portion 134 is, therefore, preferably
made of a strong metal, such as stainless steel. A latching hole
136 is provided on the latching portion 134 to allow engagement
with the buckle. Such configurations are well known to those in the
art.
[0024] When the latch 130 is engaged to the buckle 140 to secure
the seat belt 110, only the handle portion 132 of the latch 130 may
be visible. The latching portion 134 may be completely inserted
into the buckle 140. In this regard, it is the color of the handle
portion 132 of the latch 130 that is selected to achieve the
desired aesthetic result.
[0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a removable cover 150 according to an
embodiment of the invention to facilitate achieving the desired
aesthetic result. The cover 150 is adapted to be easily, but
securely, engaged to and removed from the latch 130. This allows a
user to select differing colors to achieve differing desired
results. For example, for certain occasions, the user may desire
the belt latch 130 to match the interior of the vehicle, while on
other occasions, the latch 130 is desired to match the exterior of
the vehicle. On still other occasions, the latch 130 may be desired
to provide an eccentric look, such as a glittery appearance. Thus,
according to an embodiment of the invention, a removable cover may
be provided to allow the user to easily alter the appearance of the
latch 130. Similar covers are contemplated for other fastener
components, such as the buckle 140 (FIG. 1), as well.
[0026] Also, as described above, the shape of the cover 150 may be
altered as necessary to correspond to the shape desired by the
vehicle manufacturer. For example, the cover 150 may have the same
general shape as the manufacturer's general or specific logos or
trademarks assigned to the particular vehicle in which the system
is installed. Alternatively, the cover may bear a logo intended to
identify the manufacturer or supplier of the safety belt
system.
[0027] Referring again to FIG. 2, the cover 150 includes a cover
plate 152 adapted to cover at least a portion of the latch 130. The
cover plate 152 may be configured to cover as much of the latch 130
as possible without interfering with the engagement of the latch
130 with the buckle 140. In this regard, the size of the cover
plate 152 is substantially similar to the size of the handle
portion 132 of the latch 130.
[0028] A series of walls 154a, 154b, 154c extend from the perimeter
of the cover plate 152. The walls 154a, 154b, 154c may be sized to
cover the sides of the latch 130. Again, the walls 154a, 154b, 154c
should not interfere with the engagement of the latch 130 to the
buckle 140. The cover plate 152 and the walls 154a, 154b, 154c
combine to form a cavity 156 to accommodate the latch 130
therein.
[0029] In order to secure the cover 150 to the latch 130,
projections 158 are provided to extend inward from the ends of the
walls 154a, 154b, 154c. In the illustrated embodiment, a projection
158 is provided to extend from each of the three walls 154a, 154b,
154c. In other embodiments, projections 158 may extend only from
two opposing side walls, such as walls 154a and 154b. The
projections 158 are adapted to engage a surface of the latch 130
opposite the surface covered by the cover plate 152.
[0030] In other embodiments, the cover 150 may not include the
walls 154a, 154b, 154c. Rather, projections may extend from the
perimeter of the cover plate 152 and may be adapted to engage sides
of the belt latch 130.
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates the installation of the cover 150 on the
latch 130. FIG. 4 illustrates cross-sectional views taken along
IV-IV of each of the cover 150 and the latch 130. As noted above,
the cavity 156 formed by the cover plate 152 and the side walls
154a, 154b, 154c is sufficiently sized to accommodate the handle
portion 132 of the latch 130. The projections 158 are adapted to
engage the side of the handle portion 132 opposite the side covered
by the cover plate 152.
[0032] The cover 150 is preferably made of a plastic which allows
some resilient bending or flexing of the walls 154a, 154b, 154c. In
this regard, the walls may be flexed to allow the projections 158
to pass around the handle portion 132 of the latch 130. By so
flexing the walls, the cover 150 may be mounted onto the latch 130.
Similarly, the walls may be flexed allow the projections 158 to
clear the latch when removing the cover 150.
[0033] The above description has described a cover for a particular
fastener component, namely, a seat belt latch 130. It is understood
that similar covers are contemplated for other fastener components,
such as a seat belt buckle, within the scope of this invention.
[0034] Thus, the color, shape or other appearance of the seat belt
fastener components may be easily altered to achieve the desired
aesthetic appearance.
[0035] While the present invention has been described by way of
example and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is understood
that the invention is not limited thereto. The scope of the
appended claims should be interpreted to encompass all such
modifications, similar arrangements and procedures.
* * * * *