GB2284740A

GB2284740A - Improvements relating to vehicle seat belt arrangements

Info

Publication number: GB2284740A
Application number: GB9424919A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cecil Norman Unwin
Original assignee: UNWIN C N LTDS; CN Unwin Ltd
Current assignee: UNWIN C N LTDS; Braunability UK Ltd
Priority date: 1993-12-14
Filing date: 1994-12-09
Publication date: 1995-06-21
Also published as: GB9424919D0; GB9325563D0

Abstract

A seat belt anchorage has an inertia reel 1 at the top of a floor mounted column 2. Moreover, a floor mounted socket 9 receives and releasably retains a tongue 8 captive to the reel. With a seat (11, Figs. 2 and 3) having a frame presenting a gap at the angle where the backrest meets the part on which the user sits, the socket 9 is connected to the floor by a stem 10 extending through that gap, the socket itself, in its mounted orientation, being incapable of passing through the gap and thus providing an additional restraint for the seat. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements relations to Vehicle Seat Belts This invention relates to vehicle belts. It is particularly concerned with those for larger vehicles than cars, such as buses or minibuses, where not every seat is immediately adjacent a side wall to which a seat belt can be anchored or attached.

A common solution hitherto has been to mount an inertia reel on the actual seat. The belt is pulled out from this reel and clipped to a socket on a stalk projecting from the floor at side of the seat. However, the seat frame is not usually very robust and, in an accident, the sudden jerk on the inertia reel can cause the frame to buckle or even to disintegrate.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a seat belt anchorage for vehicles, including an inertia reel fitted to the top of a floor mounted column.

Generally, this column will be squat, but high enough for the belt user easily to reach down by his side and grasp the belt without stretching down to the floor.

Preferably, the column extends up from a base plate which bears on the floor of the vehicle and is secured by a bolt entered up through the floor screw threadedly to engage the interior of the column. A load spreading washer and/or plate will normally be fitted between the head of the bolt and the underside of the floor.

The belt will preferably have the conventional tongue releasably retainable by a floor mounted socket on the other side of the seat from the inertia reel.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a seat belt anchorage having an inertia reel with a tongue captive thereto and a socket to receive and releasably retain the tongue, in combination with a seat having a frame presenting a gap at the angle between the backrest portion and the portion on which the user sits, wherein the socket is carried within said angle at the end of a stem attachable to the floor, and wherein the stem can pass through said gap while the socket, at least in its orientation when it is attached to the floor via the stem, is incapable of passing through said gap, the stem and socket thereby providing a restraint for the seat.

Conveniently, the socket, with the stem free, can be oriented to pass through said gap. The reel will preferably be column mounted, as described.

For a better understanding of the invention, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seat belt assembly, Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of a double seat each part of which has a seat belt, and Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the seat of Figure 2, with passenger.

The seat belt assembly of Figure 1 has an inertia reel 1 mounted at the top of a short column 2 projecting up from a base plate 3. The column 2 is square-section steel tube welded to the centre of the square plate 3, and the construction is therefore substantial and strong. Within the column 2 there is screw threading to receive a bolt 4 which is entered up though a hole in the floor (not shown). Its head tightens against a spring washer 5 and a larger circular washer or plate 6. With just one hole to be drilled in the floor, this is a stronger arrangement than bolting through at the four corners of the plate 3, for example.

With a single seat, the column 1 is at one side towards the rear so that a loop of belt 7 can be drawn out from the reel 1 at convenient hand height for someone seated. The belt carries a captive tongue 8 which can be clipped into a socket 9 at the upper end of a floor mounted stalk 10 on the other side of the seat.

With a double seat 11 as shown in Figures 2 and 3, two reels can be fitted side-by-side immediately behind the centre of the seat, with the sockets 9 at opposite ends.

The belt loops encircle the back rest of the seat 11. The advantage of the columns 2 here is not giving easy access to the tongues 8 to pull the belts out, but in shortening the length of belt needed as compared with a reel on the floor, and in providing an anchorage point for the belt immediately adjacent the angle of the seat.

However, although that arrangement is illustrated, it may be preferred to invert it and have the reels 1 at the ends of the seat and the stalks 10 at the middle, poking through the angle of the seat to make the sockets 9 just accessible there. The rigid steel frame of the seat, concealed beneath the upholstery, generally has two members at the angle with a narrow gap between them through which a socket cannot ordinarily pass, at least not with the orientation shown in Figures 2 and 3. Should there be an accident tending to tear the seat from the floor, the sockets 9 will jam in the angle and restrain the seat.

Even with the arrangement of Figures 2 and 3, the stalks 10 may pass through the ends of the gap described, and a single seat may also have this extra safety feature.

Claims

1. A seat belt anchorage for vehicles including an inertia reel mounted at the top of a floor mounted column.

2. A seat belt anchorage as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the column extends up from a base plate which bears on the floor of the vehicle.

3. A seat belt anchorage as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the column is secured by a bolt entered up through the floor, screw threadedly to engage the interior of the column.

4. A seat belt anchorage as claimed in Claim 3, wherein a load-spreading washer and/or plate is fitted between the head of the bolt and the underside of the floor.

5. A seat belt anchorage as claimed in any preceding Claim, and including a floor mounted socket laterally spaced from the column to receive and releasably retain a tongue captive to the reel.

6. A seat belt anchorage substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

7. A seat belt anchorage having an inertia reel with a tongue captive thereto and a socket to receive and releasably retain the tongue, in combination with a seat having a frame presenting a gap at the angle between the backrest portion and the portion on which the user sits, wherein the socket is carried within said angle at the end of a stem attachable to the floor, and wherein the stem can pass through said gap while the socket, at least in its orientation when it is attached to the floor via the stem, is incapable of passing through said gap, the stem and socket thereby providing a restraint for the seat.

8. A combination as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the socket, with the stem free, can be oriented to pass through said gap.

9. A combination as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein the seat belt anchorage is as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4.

10. A combination substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.