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 at least one chamber (24) in which at least one electric, especially band-shaped, heating element (26) is accommodated. The invention further provides a method for manufacturing such seat belt (10).

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A seat belt (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising a webbing (12) that includes at least one chamber (24) in which at least one electric, especially band-shaped, heating element (26) is accommodated.

13. The seat belt according to claim 12, wherein there are provided plural chambers (24) in each of which at least one electric heating element (26) is accommodated, especially wherein the chambers (24) are arranged in parallel to each other.

14. The seat belt according to claim 12, wherein the at least one chamber (24) extends at least over a partial area (22) of the webbing (12) in the longitudinal direction, and/or in that the at least one chamber (24) has a width of 3 to 5 mm.

15. The seat belt according to claim 12, wherein the electric heating element (26) comprises at least one carrier (30) on which at least one heating material (32) is disposed, especially wherein the heating material (32) is loop-shaped.

16. The seat belt according to claim 15, wherein the heating material (32) has been embroidered onto the carrier (30).

17. The seat belt according to claim 15, wherein the heating material (32) is insulated at least in some areas, especially wherein an insulated heating material (32), such as at least one copper strand with an enamel insulation, is provided.

18. The seat belt according to claim 12, wherein the seat belt (10) includes an end fitting (16) at which an electrical contact is applied to the electric heating element (26).

19. A method for manufacturing a seat belt (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of: providing a webbing (12) including at least one chamber (24) and at least one electric, especially band-shaped, heating element (26), and arranging the electric heating element (26) in the at least one chamber (24) of the webbing (12).

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the webbing (12) is fabricated together with the electric heating element (26) in a weaving process, especially wherein the electric heating element (26) is continuously fed during the weaving process of the webbing (12).

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the electric heating element (26) comprises a carrier (30) and a heating material (32) that is embroidered onto the carrier (30), especially wherein the electric heating element (26) is prefabricated.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the electric heating element (26) is insulated at least in some areas, especially the heating material (22).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0033] Further advantages and characteristics of the invention will be evident from the following description and the drawings which will be referred to, and wherein:

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a seat belt according to the invention comprising a webbing; and

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a portion of the webbing of a seat belt according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 illustrates a seat belt 10 for a motor vehicle comprising a webbing 12 the one end of which is assigned to a webbing retractor 14 and the second end of which is assigned to an end fitting 16.

[0037] Moreover, the seat belt 10 comprises a deflecting device 18 via which the webbing 12 is appropriately deflected.

[0038] In addition, a plug tongue 20 through which the webbing 12 is passed is movably arranged at the webbing 12.

[0039] The webbing 12 additionally includes a portion 22 comprising plural chambers 24, as is visible from FIG. 2.

[0040] In each of the chambers 24 an electric heating element 26 is introduced. The chambers 24 are arranged side by side and in parallel to each other, with the chambers 24 extending in the longitudinal direction of the webbing 12.

[0041] Further, the chambers 24 may also be arranged successively in the longitudinal direction of the webbing 12.

[0042] In addition, the chambers 24 may be arranged successively in the transverse direction of the webbing 12.

[0043] Accordingly, the chambers 24 can be provided to be substantially three-dimensionally distributed within the webbing 12.

[0044] The electric heating elements 24 arranged in each of the chambers 24 serve for the heating of a vehicle occupant who is wearing the seat belt 10, especially the webbing 12, during traveling.

[0045] The webbing 12 may include plural chambers 24 that extend over the entire length of the webbing 12 or over a partial area of the webbing 12 only. In particular, the webbing 12 may include plural parallel chambers 24 that extend over the entire length of the webbing. Preferably, the heating elements 26 or at least the carriers 30 of the heating element equally extend over the entire length of the webbing 12, which facilitates simple manufacture of the webbing 12.

[0046] The electric heating element 26 accommodated in the respective chamber 24 may extend over the entire length of the respective chamber 24 or over a partial area only.

[0047] This helps define, inter alia, the heating surface available.

[0048] Via the number of the chambers 24 and, consequently, also the number of the electric heating elements 26 the maximally available heating capacity as well as the corresponding heating surface can be adjusted.

[0049] The electric heating elements 26 are especially band-shaped, therefore they can also be referred to as heating bands. Insofar, the electric heating elements 26 can be easily introduced to the chambers 24 of the webbing 12, i.e., during manufacture of the webbing 12.

[0050] Further, at its periphery the webbing 12 includes edges 28 that are formed during manufacture of the webbing 12.

[0051] For example, the webbing 12 comprises plural layers which are interconnected. The two peripheral or outer layers forming the edges 28 can be sewn, especially at the periphery, to each other.

[0052] Also, the plural layers can be interwoven, wherein also the two peripheral or outer layers forming the edges 28 are interwoven.

[0053] Basically, the chambers 24 may also be provided in one layer of the webbing 12.

[0054] The at least one layer of the webbing 12 may be a fabric layer that comprises, e.g., PET.

[0055] During the weaving process of the webbing 12, the electric heating elements 26 can be continuously fed so that the heating elements 26 are integrated already during manufacture of the webbing 12 so that they do not have to be introduced manually afterwards.

[0056] The heating elements 26 can be sewn directly with the material of the webbing 12 so as to be fastened to the webbing 12, and especially to a layer of the webbing 12.

[0057] Each of the heating elements 26 may comprise a carrier 30 and a heating material 32 that is applied to the carrier 30. The heating material 32 may be coupled to the carrier 30, such as sewn with the carrier 30, by embroidery and/or by means of crochet galloon technique.

[0058] The carrier 30 may be a non-woven or a fabric material to which the heating material 32 is appropriately fastened. Alternatively, the heating material 32 may be introduced or integrated in the carrier 30, for example woven into the carrier 30.

[0059] In particular, a heating element 26 designed in this way is prefabricated so that during the weaving operation it is directly introduced to the respective chamber 24 and is fastened in the webbing 12 during the weaving operation.

[0060] The heating material 32 may be loop-shaped so that the ends of the heating material 32, for example of a heating wire, are located at one end of the respective heating element 26. In other words, at the two ends of the loop the heating material 32 includes corresponding contacts 34 via which an electrical contact then can be applied to the electric heating element 26.

[0061] The heating material 32 may be arranged only in portions on the carrier 30. This allows, for example, endless introduction/interweaving of the heating element 26 during the manufacturing process of the webbing 12, wherein the available heating surface can be defined through the portion of the carrier 30 and, resp., the portions of the carriers 30 on which the heating material 32 is arranged.

[0062] The at least one electric heating element 26 can be easily contacted through the end fitting 16 of the seat belt 10.

[0063] Hence, the heating element 26 is passed, at least with its contacts 34, up to the end fitting 16. The contacts 34 thus can extend through the webbing 12.

[0064] In particular, all of the contacts 34 of the heating elements 26 that are accommodated in different chambers 24 are passed out at one end of the webbing 12, namely at the end of the webbing 12 assigned to the end fitting 16.

[0065] Furthermore, at least some areas of the heating elements 26 may be provided, for the protection, e.g., against water, sweat or abrasion, with an insulation 36, may include an insulating coating and/or may be surrounded by a separately configured insulation, for example.

[0066] Also, the heating material 32 itself can include the insulation 36, and thus can be appropriately insulated.

[0067] For example, the heating material 32 comprises at least one conductive fiber element and/or one conductive stranded element. The conductive stranded element may comprise, for example, a copper strand and/or a steel strand including a copper coating with an enamel insulation. The conductive fiber element may comprise, for example, a conductive filament and/or a carbon fiber with an enamel insulation.