The present invention relates to a tongue of an inflatable belt device for protecting an occupant of a vehicle such as an automobile in the event of a vehicle collision. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tongue to which a shoulder belt and a lap belt are both connected.
As an example of this type of inflatable belt device, there is a device disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H5-85301 (incorporated by reference herein). FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an inflatable belt device disclosed in the publication.
As shown in FIG. 13, the inflatable belt device 120 comprises an inflatable belt 122 configured as a shoulder belt extending diagonally from the right side to the left side of a vehicle occupant. The device also includes a webbing 122a connected to the inflatable belt 122, a lap belt 123 extending from the right side to the left side of the occupant, and a buckle 124 fixed to, for example, a vehicle floor. A tongue 125 to be inserted into and latched with the buckle 124 when the occupant wears the inflatable belt is also provided. An intermediate guide 126 is provided for guiding the webbing 122a. 
The webbing 122a is a normal webbing which is the same as a typical conventional seat belt and is slidably hung by the intermediate guide 126. The end of the webbing 122a is connected to a seat belt retractor (ELR) 127, which has an emergency locking mechanism and is fixed to the vehicle body.
One end of the inflatable belt 122 is connected to the webbing 122a by sewing or the like and the other end of the inflatable belt 122 is connected to the tongue 125.
The lap belt 123 is a normal webbing which is the same as a typical conventional seat belt and of which one end is connected to the tongue 125 and the other end is connected to a seat belt retractor (ELR) 128, which is fixed to the vehicle body. A gas generator 129, which is actuated to generate high pressure gas in emergency situations, e.g., a collision, is connected to the buckle 124.
The tongue 125 and the buckle 124 have passages allowing gas from the gas generator 129 to flow into the inflatable belt 122.
The inflatable belt 122 comprises a bag formed in a long envelope shape having a large width and a cover. The bag is folded into a band-like shape having a small width and is covered by the cover. In the normal state, the bag is held in the band-like shape. The inflatable belt device 120 can be used in the same manner as the normal seat belt device. As the gas generator 129 is actuated in the event of a vehicle collision, the inflatable belt 122 is inflated, thereby protecting the vehicle occupant.
An example of structure for connecting the lap belt to the tongue is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H11-334513 (incorporated by reference herein). In particular, FIG. 5 of the publication shows the structure. This structure is configured so that a lap belt anchor is attached to a tongue plate and a lap belt is connected to the lap belt anchor. The lap belt anchor is provided with an opening through which the lap belt is inserted. After an end portion of the lap belt is inserted into the opening, the lap belt is folded double along an edge of the opening so that the end portion is superposed on a portion of the lap belt following the end portion. The superposed portions of the lap belt are sewn together by stitching.
In one example of structure of installing an inflatable belt device comprising a tongue, a shoulder belt, a lap belt, and a retractor to an automobile, the retractor is arranged inside a B-pillar and is covered by a pillar cover. The shoulder belt and the lap belt are passed through belt through holes of the pillar cover.
In the inflatable belt device in which the lap belt anchor attached to the tongue plate is connected to the lap belt by sewing just like the device disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H11-334513, the lap belt anchor is attached to the tongue plate and the lap belt is connected to the lap belt anchor in the manufacturing process of the inflatable belt device. In an inflatable belt device of this type and in the aforementioned installation structure in which the retractor is arranged inside a B-pillar, the shoulder belt and the lap belt are required to be previously passed through the belt through holes of the pillar cover before the assembly line of the automobile, because it is impossible to sew the lap belt by using a sewing machine during the assembly line of the automobile.
The inflatable belt device assembled to the pillar cover is bulky, thus increasing the cost for carrying it to the assembly line of the automobile.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tongue of an inflatable belt device which allows a lap belt anchor to be easily attached to a body of the tongue, whereby the inflatable belt device can be carried solely (that is, without being assembled with a vehicle interior cover such as a pillar cover) to the assembly line of an automobile.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a tongue of an inflatable belt device is provided. The tongue includes a tongue body which can be latched with a buckle and to which a shoulder belt including an inflatable belt is connected. The tongue also includes a lap belt anchor to be coupled to the tongue body, and at least one insertion member of the tongue body for engaging the lap belt anchor. A stopper is disposed on the tongue body for preventing the lap belt anchor engaged with the insertion member from coming off the insertion member. The stopper can be elastically displaced or deformed from a prevention position where the stopper prevents the lap belt anchor from coming off the insertion member to an escape position where the stopper allows the lap belt anchor to be engaged with the insertion member.
According to the present invention, the tongue of the inflatable belt, the lap belt anchor may be coupled to the tongue body by engaging the lap belt anchor with the insertion member of the tongue body. As a result, the lap belt anchor and the tongue body may be separately carried to the assembly line of automobiles. After passing the shoulder belt and the lap belt with the lap belt anchor into openings of a pillar cover, the lap belt anchor can be coupled to the tongue body during assembly of the automobile. Therefore, the inflatable belt device can be carried without being assembled with a pillar cover to the assembly line for production of an automobile.
When the lap belt anchor is engaged with the insertion member, the stopper is in the escape position so that the lap belt anchor can be smoothly engaged with the insertion member. As the lap belt anchor is fully engaged with the insertion member, the stopper is elastically returned to its prevention position, thereby securely coupling the lap belt to the tongue body.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a tongue of an inflatable belt device includes a tongue body which can be latched with a buckle and to which a shoulder belt including an inflatable belt is connect. A lap belt anchor may be coupled to the tongue body. The tongue body is provided with at least one insertion opening for the lap belt anchor and the lap belt anchor is provided with at least one hook to be inserted into the insertion opening in order to engage with the tongue body. The hook may be elastically displaced or deformed in order to pass through the insertion opening. The hook is returned to its original position or its original configuration after passing through the insertion opening in order to engage with the tongue body.
The lap belt anchor may be coupled to the tongue body by inserting the lap belt anchor having the insertion opening. The hook may be displaced or deformed to pass through the insertion opening when the lap belt anchor is inserted into the insertion opening, so that the lap belt anchor can be inserted deeply into the insertion opening. After the hook passes through the insertion opening, the hook is returned to its holding position or holding configuration, thereby securely coupling the lap belt anchor to the tongue body.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a tongue of an inflatable belt device may include a tongue body which can be latched with a buckle and to which a shoulder belt composed of an inflatable belt may be connected. A lap belt through hole is formed in the tongue body. A lap belt is provided, a front end portion of the lap belt passes through the lap belt through hole and is held by an edge portion of the lap belt through hole. The lap belt is provided at its front end with a hoop portion. The front end of the lap belt is held by an edge portion of the lap belt through hole with a bar member inserted into the hoop portion.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the tongue of the inflatable belt device may be configured so that after the front end portion of the lap belt passes through the through hole of the tongue body, the bar member is inserted into the hoop portion of the front end portion of the lap belt in order to hold the front end portion of the lap belt at the edge portion of the through hole. Both ends of the bar member may be engaged by edge portions of the through hole. Alternatively, the hoop portion may be engaged by the edge portions of the through hole by increasing the thickness of the hoop portion due to the insertion of the bar member into the hoop portion.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, bar member can be elastically deformed such that the bar member in the state inserted into the hoop portion can pass through said lap belt through hole, and can be elastically returned to be held by the edge portion of the lap belt through hole after passing through the lap belt through hole.
According to the present invention, the bar member may be inserted into the hoop portion of the front end portion of the lap belt. The hoop portion is then passed through the lap belt through hole. The bar member elastically deforms to allow the hoop portion to pass through the lap belt through hole. After the hoop portion is passed through the lap belt through hole, the bar member elastically returns to its original form and engages the edge portion of the lap belt through hole.
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.