SAFETY BELT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A SAFETY BELT

Abstract

The invention provides a seat belt (10) for a motor vehicle comprising a webbing (12) that includes a tubular portion (22) in which at least one electric heating element (24) is accommodated. The invention further provides a method for manufacturing such seat belt (10).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A seat belt (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising a webbing (12) that includes a tubular portion (22) in which at least one electric heating element (24) is accommodated.

17. The seat belt according to claim 16, wherein the tubular portion (22) extends at least over a partial area of the webbing (12) in the longitudinal direction of the webbing (12).

18. The seat belt according to claim 16, wherein the tubular portion (22) is formed by two layers (26, 28) which are connected to each other at the periphery.

19. The seat belt according to claim 16, wherein the electric heating element (24) comprises at least one carrier (32) on which an electrically conductive heating material (34) is disposed, especially wherein the carrier (32) comprises a non-woven and/or the heating material (34) comprises at least one copper strand and/or one carbon fiber.

20. The seat belt according to claim 19, wherein the heating material (34) has been embroidered and/or applied by means of crochet galloon technique onto the carrier (32).

21. The seat belt according to claim 16, wherein the electric heating element (24) is a heating fabric (35).

22. The seat belt according to claim 16, wherein the electric heating element (24) is fixed, especially bonded and/or sewn to the tubular portion (22).

23. The seat belt according to claim 16, wherein the electric heating element (24) is insulated at least in areas, especially wherein an insulated heating material (34), an insulating coating and/or a surrounding insulation is/are provided.

24. The seat belt (10) according to claim 16, wherein the seat belt (10) includes an end fitting (16) on which the electric heating element (24) is electrically contacted.

25. A method for manufacturing a seat belt (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of: providing a webbing (12) and at least one electric heating element (24), and fastening the electric heating element (24) to the webbing (12).

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the webbing (12) includes a tubular portion (22) into which the electric heating element (24) is introduced.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein a tubular portion (22) surrounding the electric heating element (24) is formed after the electric heating element (24) has been fastened to the webbing (12).

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the electric heating element (24) is adhesively bonded to the webbing (12) and/or is sewn to the webbing (12).

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the electric heating element (24) comprises a carrier (32) and a heating material (34) that is embroidered and/or applied by means of crochet galloon technique to the carrier (32).

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein the electric heating element (24) is insulated, especially wherein the electric heating element (24), preferably the heating material (22), is coated and/or laminated with an insulating material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0043] Further advantages and characteristics of the invention will be evident from the following description and the drawings which will be referred to, and wherein:

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a seat belt according to the invention comprising a webbing;

[0045] FIGS. 2a and 2b show schematic views of a tubular portion of the webbing of a seat belt according to the invention;

[0046] FIGS. 3a and 3b show schematic views of two variants of a heating element used in the seat belt according to the invention;

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of a webbing of a seat belt according to the invention in an exploded view;

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of another webbing of a seat belt according to the invention in an exploded view; and

[0049] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of another webbing of a seat belt according to the invention in an exploded view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 illustrates a seat belt 10 for a motor vehicle comprising a webbing 12 a first end of which is assigned to a webbing retractor 14 and a second end of which is assigned to an end fitting 16.

[0051] Moreover, the seat belt 10 comprises a deflecting device 18 via which the webbing 12 is appropriately deflected.

[0052] In addition, a plug tongue 20 through which the webbing 12 is passed is movably arranged on the webbing 12.

[0053] The webbing 12 additionally includes a tubular portion 22 in which at least one electric heating element 24 is accommodated. The electric heating element 24 serves for the heating of a vehicle occupant who is wearing the seat belt 10, especially the webbing 12.

[0054] The electric heating element 24 can be easily contacted via the end fitting 16. Accordingly, the heating element 24 is passed, at least with its contacts, up to the end fitting 16. Thus, the contacts may extend through the webbing 12.

[0055] Equally, the heating element 24 may be embedded in the webbing 12, especially in the tubular portion 22.

[0056] The electric heating element 24 can extend over the entire tubular portion 22 or over a partial area only by which the heating area of the webbing 12 can, inter alia, be defined.

[0057] The tubular portion 22 extends at least over a partial area of the webbing 12, as is schematically shown in FIG. 1.

[0058] As an alternative, the tubular portion 22 can also extend over a longer or shorter area of the webbing 12 in the longitudinal direction of the webbing 12, especially over the entire length of the webbing 12.

[0059] The heating area can be appropriately adjusted via the length of the tubular portion 22 as well as the length of the electric heating element 24 within the tubular portion 22.

[0060] The tubular portion 22 may be formed by an integrally formed fabric portion that is combined at its longitudinal ends at the end so that after that a double-layer webbing 12 is resulting. This is evident from FIG. 2a.

[0061] Also, the tubular portion 22 may be formed by two separate layers 26, 28 the edges of which are connected, for example sewn, to each other. In FIG. 2b, the two sewn edges 30 are emphasized for clarification.

[0062] In sewing the edges 30, moreover the electric heating element 24 may have been fastened to the webbing 12, especially to the layers 26, 28.

[0063] Alternatively, the electric heating element 24 may have been fastened, especially sewn or bonded, initially to a first one of the two layers 26, 28, wherein subsequently the other layer 26, 28 is placed onto the first layer 26, 28 and the electric heating element 24 fastened thereto. Then the two layers 26, 28 can be connected to each other.

[0064] Likewise, the electric heating element 24 may be initially placed onto the first layer 26, 28 only, upon which then the other layer 26, 28 is placed. After that, the two layers 26, 28 are sewn to each other, with the electric heating element 24 being simultaneously coupled to the layers 26, 28 so that it is safely received within the tubular portion 24.

[0065] In each case, the electric heating element 24 is fastened to the webbing 12 in this way and is especially fixed on the tubular portion 22.

[0066] The at least one layer of the webbing 12 may be in the form of a fabric layer, and therefore the webbing 12 outside the tubular portion 22 corresponds to a double fabric.

[0067] Alternatively, the webbing 12 can be manufactured so that the webbing 12 outside the tubular portion 22 constitutes a single-layer fabric. Such webbing 12 can be produced, for example, by a suitable weaving process.

[0068] FIG. 3a illustrates that the electric heating element 24 comprises at least one carrier 32 and one electrically conductive heating material 34.

[0069] The carrier 32 may be a non-woven.

[0070] The heating material 34 may comprise at least one conductive fiber element and/or one conductive strand element, as shown in FIG. 3a. In particular, the conductive fiber element and/or a conductive strand element may be configured as a copper strand and/or as a steel strand including a copper coating and/or as a carbon fiber and/or as a conductive filament.

[0071] The heating material 34 can be arranged substantially in loop shape on the carrier 32 so that the free ends of the heating material 34 are assigned to the same end of the heating element 24. In this way, contacting of the heating material 34 and, resp., the heating element 24 is appropriately facilitated. The broken lines illustrate that the heating material 34 can further be arranged in plural separate loops on the carrier 32, wherein, in such embodiment, the connecting portion 33 of the heating material is omitted.

[0072] The heating material 34 can be generally fixed on the carrier 32, for example by embroidery and/or by means of crochet galloon technique. The heating material 34 may provide the embroidery or crochet material.

[0073] The heating material 34 may be arranged both on one side only or on both sides of the carrier 32.

[0074] As an alternative, the electric heating element 24 is a heating fabric 35 as shown in FIG. 3b. Hence, the electric heating element 24 may also consist of the heating fabric 35.

[0075] In the heating element 24 configured as a heating fabric 35 the respective heating material 34 is especially interwoven with itself to provide a certain stability so that no carrier material is required.

[0076] From FIG. 4 which illustrates a schematic sectional view of the webbing 12 of a seat belt 10, it becomes clear that the electric heating element 24 can be provided with an insulation 36, for example, to be protected against water and sweat, said insulation being, e.g., in the form of an insulating layer with which the heating element 24 can be laminated or coated.

[0077] Alternatively, the heating material 34 itself includes an insulating layer, for example by providing the heating material 34 with an enamel insulation.

[0078] Also, a separately formed insulation 36 surrounding the electric heating element 24 or the heating material 34 may be provided.

[0079] In general, the heating material 34 may comprise at least one conductive fiber element and/or one conductive stranded element such as a copper strand and/or a steel strand including a copper coating and/or a carbon fiber and/or a conductive filament.

[0080] Further, it is visible from FIG. 4 that the electric heating element 24 is adhesively bonded to the webbing 12 via corresponding adhesive points 38, with the heating element 24 including the corresponding insulation 36.

[0081] In particular, via the adhesive points 38 the electric heating element 24 is bonded to the tubular portion 22 formed by the two layers 26, 28 in the shown embodiment.

[0082] Instead of the adhesive points 38, there may as well be provided an adhesive layer 40, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0083] Furthermore, adhesive points 38 and/or an adhesive layer 40 may be provided on one side only.

[0084] The adhesive layer 40 may be a thermoplastic adhesive layer or a thermoplastic adhesive film such as, e.g., a thermoplastic adhesive web.

[0085] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the electric heating element 24 is configured as the heating fabric 35 which is provided with the insulation 36 on each of its sides assigned to the layers 26, 28.

[0086] Between each of the respective insulation 36 and the assigned layer 26, 28, the adhesive layer 40 is further provided.

[0087] FIG. 6 describes another embodiment in which the electric heating element 24 includes, as already described before with respect to FIG. 3a, the carrier 32 on which the electrically conductive material 34 is arranged.

[0088] In the shown embodiment, the electrically conductive material 34 is applied as a coating 42. Insofar, the carrier 32 is coated on both sides with the electrically conductive heating material 34. Alternatively (not shown), the carrier 32 may be coated with the electrically conductive heating material 32 on one side only. Further (not shown), portions of the carrier 32 may be coated on one side and portions of the carrier 32 may be coated on both sides with the electrically conductive heating material 32.

[0089] The coating 42 is very thin so that the retracting behavior of the seat belt 10 will little vary or, resp., will not vary.

[0090] The electric heating element 24 is provided, for example coated or laminated, with the insulation 36, wherein the insulated electric heating element 24 is fastened to the layers 26, 28 by the adhesive layer 40 in the shown embodiment.

[0091] The insulated electric heating element 24 may further be fastened, irrespective of whether it is coated on one side and/or on both sides with the electrically conductive heating material 32, to only one of the layers 26 or 28 on one side only by the adhesive layer 40.

[0092] Instead of the adhesive layer 40, also plural adhesive points may be provided, as already described before.

[0093] That means that the individual layers and coats which, in the FIGS. 4 to 6, are shown separate from each other for reasons of better clarity are directly adjacent to each other.

[0094] In general, the manufacture of the seat belt 10 can be carried out in a simple manner in a calender, a pressing machine or a continuous press, wherein the electric heating element 24, especially the heating fabric 35, is permanently fixed, for example adhesively bonded, within the tubular portion 22 by heat supply and pressure.

[0095] Alternatively, the electric heating element 24, especially the heating fabric 35 and/or the carrier 32 coated with the electrically conductive material 34, are sewn within the tubular portion 22, as already explained before.

[0096] The electric heating element 24 fastened within the tubular portion 22 helps implement an electric heating in a simple and cost-efficient manner in the seat belt 10, namely using the seat belt 10 in which the electric heating element 24 is integrated that acts as a heating system.