Illuminated safety belt buckle for a safety belt device of a motor vehicle

Abstract

An illuminated belt buckle for a seat belt device of a motor vehicle including a housing (1), a push button (2) displaceable in the housing (1), an insertion slot (12) delimited by an edge section (23) of the housing (1) and the push button (2) for insertion of a belt tongue that can be locked in the belt buckle, and at least one light-emitting surface (13,14). The light-emitting surface (13,14) having a linear contour, the shape of which matches the shaping of a laterally positioned edge side (24) of the push button (2) when viewed toward the insertion slot (12).

Claims

1. An illuminated belt buckle for a seat belt device of a motor vehicle, comprising, a housing, a push button displaceable in the housing, an insertion slot delimited by an edge section of the housing and the push button for insertion of a belt tongue that can be locked in the belt buckle, first and second light-emitting surfaces, the light-emitting surfaces have a linear contour, the shape of which matches the shape of a laterally positioned edge side of the push button viewed toward the insertion slot, wherein one of the light-emitting surfaces is formed on each of two light-conducting components fastened to the housing, each of the light-conducting components having a light-entry surface, a light source communicating with the light-conducting components via at least one fiber-optic light guide coupled for light transmission to the light-emitting surfaces, the light-conducting components proceed from the light-entry surfaces to widen toward the light-emitting surfaces, the at least one fiber-optic light guide presents at least one light-input surface associated with the light source and forms two light-exit surfaces separated from each other, with each of the two light-exit surfaces communicating for light transmission with the light-entry surfaces of the light-conducting components.

2. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 1, wherein, the two light-emitting surfaces extend to an end of the insertion slot.

3. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 2, wherein, the light-emitting surfaces have a width identical to or less than that of the insertion slot.

4. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 1, further comprising a second laterally positioned edge side, the light-emitting surfaces being disposed on different of the laterally positioned edge sides of the push button.

5. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 4, wherein, the light-emitting surfaces are formed symmetrically with respect to a central axis of the push button.

6. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 4, wherein, the insertion slot has a shorter length than a width of the push button, the width oriented parallel to a longitudinal extension of the insertion slot of the push button, and each of the light-emitting surfaces on the laterally positioned edge sides of the push button are formed to have portions converging toward each other toward the insertion slot.

7. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 4, wherein, the light-emitting surfaces extend to an end of the insertion slot, with the insertion slot extending between the two light-emitting surfaces.

8. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 4, wherein, the light-emitting surfaces on the edge sides of the push button further have generally parallel portions along the laterally positioned edge sides of the push button.

9. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 1, wherein, the light-conducting components include an attachment section affixed to a wall of the housing and an input-coupling section projecting into a cavity within the housing.

10. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 9, wherein, the light-conducting components are formed to rest with the input-coupling section, at least sectionally, flat against the wall of the housing.

11. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 9, wherein, the light-emitting is surfaces are formed larger than at least one of the light-entry surfaces.

12. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 1, wherein, the light-conducting components are formed from a plastic part that is stable in shape and transparent.

13. The illuminated belt buckle according to claim 1, wherein, the at least one fiber-optic light guide splits proceeding from the at least one light-entry surface into two branches separated from each other, and each of the light emitting surfaces is associated with one of the branches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained below on the basis of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying Figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a housing of a seat belt buckle with two light-emitting surfaces in an oblique view;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a housing with two light-emitting surfaces in an initial embodiment, viewed toward the insertion slot; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a housing with two light-emitting surfaces in a second embodiment, viewed toward the insertion slot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) In FIG. 1, half of a housing 1 of a seat belt buckle can be seen in a seat belt installation for a vehicle. In the housing 1, a push button 2 is provided, which is movably guided in the housing 1 and accessible through an opening 28 on the front face of the housing 1. In the housing 1, there is also a locking mechanism, not displayed for the sake of the overview, that can be released by pressing the push button 2 down or else inserting the push button 2 into the housing 1. The half of the housing 1 to be identified is completed, after the locking mechanism is assembled, by a second half not shown so that the locking mechanism is surrounded by the housing 1 on all sides.

(6) The push button 2 and the opening 28 of the housing 1 are dimensioned such that between the push button 2 and an edge section 23 of the housing 1, an insertion slot 12 is present, into which a belt tongue of the seat belt buckle can be inserted to lock the locking mechanism of the belt buckle. The insertion slot 12 is thereby bounded laterally by the push button 2 on one side and by the edge section 23 of the housing 1 on the other side, as can also be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The length L of the insertion slot 12 is dimensioned shorter than the width B of the push button 2 along the longitudinal direction of the insertion slot 12, while the insertion slot 12 is positioned approximately centrally with respect to the push button 2, so that the push button 2 projects over the insertion slot 12 in the longitudinal direction in both directions. Laterally with respect to the push button 2 in the housing 1, two slots 10 and 11 are provided presenting a path that follows the path of the adjacent edge sides 24 and 25 of the push button 2 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The shape of the opening 28 in the housing 1 corresponds, at least approximately, to the cross-sectional shape of the push button 2, so that the slots 10 and 11 also run parallel to the edges of the housing 1 that form the opening 28. In addition, on the side facing away from the opening 28 of the half of the housing 1, a mounting 29, open on one side, is provided, to which a support plate 4 can be attached with a light source 3 attached to it in the form of an LED. In addition to the light source 3, various memory and computation modules can be provided on the support plate 4 for controlling the light source 3 and/or processing additional signals, such as a seat belt buckle switch.

(7) Furthermore a fiber-optic light guide 5 and two fiber-optic components 8 and 9 are provided in the housing 1. The fiber-optic components 8 and 9 are made of a plastic that is stable in shape and transparent to light, such as polycarbonate or PMMA, with light-conducting properties, and they each include an attachment section 19 and 20 and an input-coupling section 21 and 22. The attachment sections 19 and 20 in their cross-sectional shape are formed to correspond to the shaping of the slots 10 and 11, so that the fiber-optic components 8 and 9 with the attachment sections 19 and 20 can each be inserted from the interior of the housing 1 into one of the slots 10 and 11. Alternatively, however, the light-conducting components 8 and 9 can be molded in a 2K molding or spraying process using the plastic of the housing 1. When this is done, during the transition from the attachment sections 19 and 20 to the input-coupling sections 21 and 22, the light-conducting components 8 and 9 display a step that limits the insertion depth of the fiber-optic components 8 and 9 with the attachment sections 19 and 20 into the slots 10 and 11. The insertion depth of the attachment sections 19 and 20, limited by the step, is dimensioned here such that the front side of the attachment sections 19 and 20 in the fastened position with the adjacent surface of the housing 1 forms a homogeneous upper surface on the outside, free of any steps. The outer sides of the input-coupling sections 21 and 22 of the light-conducting components 8 and 9 are further shaped so that the fiber-optic components 8 and 9 in the fastened position rest on the side against the inner wall of the housing 1 and are thus additionally secured. The attachment sections 19 and 20 are formed in their cross-section so that they fill the slots 10 and 11 completely without any gaps. The fiber-optic components 8 and 9 are provided at the front faces of the input-coupling sections 21 and 22 with light-entry surfaces 15 and 16 and at the front faces of the attachment sections 19 and 20 with light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14.

(8) The fiber-optic light guide 5 includes a light-entry surface 27 which faces the light source 3 in the fastened position of the fiber-optic light guide 5, so that the light emitted from the light source 3 enters the fiber-optic light guide 5. Proceeding from the light-entry surface 27, the light emitted by the light source 3 is first passed along in an initial section of the fiber-optic light guide 5 to a branching point in which the fiber-optic light guide 5 splits into two branches 6 and 7. The light is then forwarded along the branches 6 and 7 respectively up to light-exit surfaces 17 and 18 at the front faces of the branches 6 and 7. Branches 6 and 7 are so dimensioned and flexible on their own that they can be laid out in the cavity 26 of the housing 1 along a bent path in accordance with whatever installation space conditions are available. In this case, the branches 6 and 7 are dimensioned in length and laid out in such a way that the light-exit surfaces 17 and 18 at the front faces of the branches 6 and 7 face the light-entry surfaces 15 and 16 of the input-coupling sections 21 and 22. The light emitted by the light source 3 is thus initially introduced into the light guide 5 through the light-entry surface 27, then forwarded on through the branches 6 and 7 to the light-exit surfaces 17 and 18. From the light-exit surfaces 17 and 18 the light is introduced through the light-entry surfaces 15 and 16 into the light-conducting components 8 and 9 and finally emitted via the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 of the attachment sections 19 and 20. The light-entry surfaces 27, 15, and 16 as well as the light-exit surfaces 17 and 18 and the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 may be created as surfaces roughened by an appropriate surface treatment, which may be realized by such methods as chemical etching or mechanical processing. The proposed solution of using a central light source 3, a light guide 5, and the two light-conducting components 8 and 9 has the advantage that the light source 3 with the support plate 4 can be positioned at a convenient location for being held in place and making contact, and that the light can be passed via the fiber-optic light guide 5 and the fiber-optic components 8 and 9 to a predetermined location and emitted there. In this way the placement of the light source 3 and the position of the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 can practically be selected independently of one another. Alternatively, the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 may also be created by self-illuminating, electrically activated films or by gas-filled light sources.

(9) The light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 are formed linearly and present a path matching that of the adjoining edge sides 24 and 25 of the push button, as can be recognized in FIGS. 2 and 3. The light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 extend to the ends of the insertion slot 12 and contain the insertion slot 12 between them. The light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 and the insertion slot 12 thereby effectively form a line encompassing the push button 2 on three sides. In so doing, the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 preferably have a width identical to or smaller than the insertion slot 12, so that the occupant encounters the insertion slot 12 with the belt tongue in each case whenever he or she positions the belt tongue with the front side over a position connecting the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 with each other and then moves in the direction of the seat belt buckle. Furthermore, the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 contain the front surface located in the opening 28 of the housing 1 through the push button 2, so that the occupant can very easily encounter the push button 2 even in the dark, simply by pressing on the surface between the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14.

(10) In FIG. 2 the push button 2 has a shape conically tapering on one side in the direction of the insertion slot 12. Thus the edge sides 24 and 25 are shaped so that they converge in the direction of the insertion slot 12. The slots 10 and 11 and the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 of the light-conducting components 8 and 9 that are set into them are aligned approximately parallel to the edge sides 24 and 25 and therefore also run in the direction of the insertion slot 12. Thus, the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 together form an arrow shape pointed in the direction of the insertion slot 12. Furthermore, the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 extend in the direction of the insertion slot 12 almost as far as its ends, so that they optically guide the user to the insertion slot 12.

(11) FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention in which the push button 2 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape. The slots 10 and 11 and the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 situated in them are also created running parallel to the nearest edge sides 24 and 25 of the push button 2. The slots 10 and 11 and the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 each extend around a corner of the push button 2 and exhibit an L-shape in which they are disposed such that two of the legs are parallel to each other and two of the legs are oriented toward each other. Here the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 encompass the two lateral edge sides 24 and 25 and the two sections adjacent to the insertion slot 12 of the edge side facing the insertion slot 12 of the push button 2. Since the insertion slot 12 has a shorter length L than the width B of the push button 2 oriented in this direction, the push button 2 projects beyond the insertion slot 12 past its ends. Thus, the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 converge in the direction of the ends of the insertion slot 12 thereby framing the push button 2, which makes it particularly well-marked optically.

(12) Both embodiments have in common the fact that the actuating surface of the push button 2, plus the insertion slot 12, the front side of the housing 1, and the light-emitting surfaces 13 and 14 are shaped and oriented symmetrically with respect to a central axis M running through the middle of the insertion slot 12 and the middle of the push button 2.

(13) While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims.