Patent Application
20050023815
The present invention relates generally to vehicular restraint systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a shoulder belt height adjuster assembly and method of operating the same.
Motor vehicles typically include active restraint systems such as over-the-shoulder safety belts. Such belts are generally attached to a vehicle door pillar at a position slightly above a passenger shoulder. As a passenger's height may vary considerably, it is sometimes desirable to provide a strategy for adjusting the vertical pillar position of the shoulder belt relative to the passenger. Adjustment of the shoulder belt height at the pillar position may offer optimal safety belt operation and ergonomics.
Several strategies developed to provide shoulder belt height adjustment involve the use of a slidable member that moves vertically relative to a guide rail mounted to the vehicle pillar. Examples of such strategies include U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,901 to Harenberg; U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,439 to Pleyer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,566 to Holzapfel et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,334,629 to Griesemer et. al., which are incorporated by reference herein. In the Griesemer patent, for example, an adjustment carriage (e.g., the slidable member) includes an arresting mechanism that selectively allows the carriage to engage openings formed in a guide rail. Each engagement opening provides a discrete locking adjustment location. As such, a plurality of discrete locking positions are provided, but the number of height adjustment positions is limited to the number of the openings.
Although such patents disclose strategies that may effectively provide shoulder belt height adjustment, they typically provide a relatively small number of adjustment positions. It is possible to increase the number of engagement openings, however, this may reduce the integrity of the parts and/or increase the complexity and cost of the belt assembly. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a larger number of shoulder belt adjustment positions without the need for numerous engagement openings.
Another shoulder belt height adjustment strategy that involves the use of a slidable member moveable within a guide rail includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,273 to Schmidt, which is incorporated by reference herein. In the Schmidt patent, an adjusting element (e.g., the slidable member) includes two rotatable gears providing movement relative to a guide rail. In the Schmidt and other patents (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,901 to Harenberg and U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,566 to Holzapfel et al.), moveable parts (e.g., gears, levers, etc.) are provided as part of the shoulder belt height adjustment assembly. The use of such auxiliary moveable parts may increase the complexity, cost, and failure rate of the assembly. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a shoulder belt height adjustment strategy that does not use auxiliary moveable parts.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a shoulder belt height adjuster assembly and method of operation that overcomes the aforementioned and other disadvantages.
One aspect of the present invention provides a shoulder belt height adjuster assembly. The assembly includes a guide rail, a slide, and a biasing member. The guide rail includes a plurality of fixed rail teeth disposed along at least one longitudinal portion. The slide includes an aperture formed therein for slidably receiving the guide rail along the longitudinal portion. The slide further includes a plurality of fixed slide teeth disposed on an interior slide surface. The biasing member is operably attached to the slide aperture for selectively engaging at least one of the fixed slide teeth into at least one of the fixed rail teeth. The engagement prevents slidable movement of the slide relative to the guide rail in a downward direction.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of adjusting height of a motor vehicle shoulder belt assembly. The method includes selectively preventing sliding movement of a slide relative to a guide rail, sliding the slide in an upward direction by applying an upward force, and sliding the slide in a downward direction by applying a pressing force and a downward force.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a shoulder belt height adjuster assembly. The assembly includes means for selectively preventing sliding movement of a slide relative to a guide rail, means for sliding the slide in an upward direction by applying an upward force, and means for sliding the slide in a downward direction by applying a pressing force and a downward force.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention, rather than limiting the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements,
In one embodiment, the guide rail 20 may be formed from a single piece that is substantially U-shaped and may have a cross-sectional shape that is square, rectangular, oval, or circular. Guide rail 20 may be manufactured from a sufficiently rigid material such as steel, metal, metal alloy, composite, and the like. Guide rail 20 may be formed, for example, by bending an elongated bar piece into the U-shape. Fixed rail teeth 22 may be formed on the guide rail 20 by, for example, a broaching process. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the guide rail 20 geometry, material, fixed rail teeth 22, and method of manufacturing the same may vary without limiting the function of the present invention.
In one embodiment, the biasing member 40 may be shaped to provide a biasing force within the slide aperture 32. Biasing member 40 may be substantially U-shaped to “fit” around a threaded slide channel 38. Furthermore, clip ends 42 may be provided to attach (e.g., “clip”) the biasing member 40 to the slide 30. The biasing member 40 may include at least one, and in this case four, bend formations 44. Biasing member 40 is typically manufactured from a relatively elastic material thus allowing the bend formations 44 to naturally maintain their shape. As such, lateral compression of the bend formations 44 provides the biasing force that selectively engages the fixed slide teeth 34 into the fixed rail teeth 22. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the biasing member 40 geometry, material, and bend formations 42 may vary while still providing the biasing force.
Assembly 10 may include a D-ring 50 for operably attaching the slide 30 to a shoulder belt (not shown). In one embodiment, the D-ring 50 may be attached to the slide 30 with a threaded D-ring bolt 52 received within the threaded slide channel 38. A D-ring cover 54 may be provided to cover the D-ring 50 and D-ring bolt 52. The shoulder belt may be positioned through openings 56, 58 formed in the D-ring 50 and D-ring cover 54, respectively. D-ring bolt 52 may provide a swivel attachment of the D-ring 50 and D-ring cover 52 thereby allowing a swivel motion of the shoulder belt.
Assembly 10 may further include at least one mount 60 for operable attachment to the motor vehicle. Numerous mount designs may be used to operably attach the assembly 10 to the vehicle and include, but are not limited to, bolt mounts, hook mounts, pocket mounts, and the like. The number, position, and design of the mounts may vary based on the design of the assembly 10 and/or the motor vehicle.
In one embodiment, which is also shown
In another embodiment, which is shown
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The assembly 10 height may be adjusted by sliding the slide 30 in an upward direction (as indicated by arrow D). The upward adjustment is achieved by applying an upward force (e.g., in direction of arrow D) to the slide 30. In one embodiment, as the upward force is applied, the slide 30 may ratchet to the guide rail 20 in the upward direction thereby incrementally setting new height positions. A detailed view of a portion 23 of the guide rail 20 is shown in
The assembly 10 height may also be adjusted by sliding the slide 30 in the downward direction E. The downward adjustment is achieved by applying to the slide 30 a pressing force (e.g., in direction of arrow F) and a downward force (e.g., in direction of arrow E). In one embodiment, slidable movement of the slide 30 in the downward direction E is prevented by the engagement of the fixed slide teeth into the fixed rail teeth 22. Application of the pressing force, however, releases the biasing force and thereby disengages the fixed slide teeth from the fixed rail teeth 22. As such, the slide 30 is free to slide in the downward direction E provided that the downward force is simultaneously applied. Given that the slide 30 and attached components have mass, the downward force may be sufficiently provided by gravity alone. Alternatively, the downward force may be provided by a vehicle passenger, electric motor, or other means. Slide 30 may be adjusted in the downward direction E until the pressing force and/or the downward force is/are released or until the slide 30 reaches a lower limit in its range of motion.
Assembly 10 may further include features to provide the upper and lower limits of the slide 30 range of motion. For example, the slide 30 motion may be limited by physical contact with the mount(s), reaching a sliding point where the fixed slide teeth can no longer engage the fixed rail teeth 22, providing flanges (not shown) in the guide rail 20, or by other means.
It is important to note that the “upward” and “downward” directions presently used are relative and are provided to merely illustrate the operation of the shoulder belt height assembly while mounted in a vehicle. The upward and downward directions discussed herein are meant to describe any two directions that are roughly 180 degrees one to another. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the height adjustment and applied force directions may vary and that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiments.
While the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are presently considered to be preferred, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the shoulder belt height assembly, and the method of operation are not limited to any particular design or sequence. For example, the slide, guide rail, and biasing member geometry, size and length, material constitution, relative position, and fixed teeth configuration may vary without limiting the utility of the invention.
Upon reading the specification and reviewing the drawings hereof, it will become immediately obvious to those skilled in the art that myriad other embodiments of the present invention are possible, and that such embodiments are contemplated and fall within the scope of the presently claimed invention. The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be embraced therein.
