Vehicle Seatbelt with Spring-loaded Window Breaker

Abstract

A window breaking system has a seatbelt buckle interfaced to a vehicle through a seatbelt and a seatbelt receiver interfaced to the vehicle for removably receiving the seatbelt buckle. A window breaking mechanism is integrated to the seatbelt buckle such that, in the event escape from the vehicle is needed, the seatbelt buckle is released from the seatbelt receiver and the window breaking mechanism is used to break a window, through which the user (occupant) is now able to escape.

Claims

1. A window breaking system comprising: a seatbelt buckle interfaced to a vehicle through a seatbelt; a seatbelt buckle receiver for removably receiving the seatbelt buckle, the seatbelt buckle receiver is interfaced to the vehicle; and a window breaking mechanism integrated to the seatbelt buckle.

2. The window breaking system of claim 1, wherein the window breaking mechanism is spring-loaded.

3. The window breaking system of claim 2, wherein the window breaking mechanism comprises a glass-breaking spike that, upon pushing the window breaker against the window, the glass-breaking spike is hurled against the window under force of a spring.

4. A method of exiting a vehicle comprising: disengaging a seatbelt buckle from a seatbelt buckle receiver, the seatbelt buckle having an integrated window breaking mechanism; pushing a movable portion of the integrated window breaking mechanism against a window until a glass-breaking spike of the integrated window breaker hurling at the window; and exiting through an opening vacated by the window.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising a step of removing the window that is now cracked and/or broken before the step of exiting through the opening vacated by the window.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the integrated window breaking mechanism is spring-loaded.

7. The method of claim of claim 6, wherein the integrated window breaking mechanism comprises the glass-breaking spike that, upon pushing the window breaker against the window, the glass-breaking spike hurling against the window under force of a spring.

8. An apparatus for breaking a window comprising: a seatbelt buckle; and a window breaking mechanism integrated into the seatbelt buckle.

9. The apparatus for breaking the window of claim 8, wherein the window breaking mechanism is spring-loaded.

10. The apparatus for breaking the window of claim 9, wherein the window breaking mechanism comprises a glass-breaking spike that, upon pushing the window breaker against a window, the glass-breaking spike is hurled against the window under force of a spring.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of a window breaker integrated into a seatbelt buckle.

[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates an elevational view of the window breaker integrated into the seatbelt buckle showing a seat belt threaded therethrough.

[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the window breaker integrated into the seatbelt buckle showing the window breaker and seatbelt buckle disengaged from the seatbelt buckle receiver and being used to break a window.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a sectional view of a window breaker integrated into a seatbelt buckle 10 is shown. Although any known or future glass breaking device is anticipated, an exemplary window breaking mechanism 24 is shown integrated into the seatbelt buckle 12. This exemplary window breaking mechanism 24 is contained within a housing 50 that is molded to, affixed, or otherwise integrated into the seatbelt buckle 12. The exemplary window breaking mechanism 24 has a movable portion 16 that telescopedly moves in/out of the housing 50. Within the movable portion 16 is a glass-breaking spike 56 that, when not in use, is retained within the movable portion 16 so as to not catch on the occupant's clothing, etc. As the movable portion 16 is pressed against the window 60, the movable portion telescopes into the housing 50, pushing the mass portion 62 attached to the glass breaking spike 56 along an upper edge of the inside of the housing 50, thereby loading a spring that is mounted around a base 64 of the glass breaking spike 56. A tail 78 of the glass breaking spike 56 moves within a rear-bore of the housing 50. Once the movable portion 16 is pushed far enough into the housing 50, the mass portion 62 hits the ramp 51, is freed from the movable portion 16 and the movable portion 16 and glass breaking spike 56 are hurled by the force of the spring 74 toward a aperture 18 in the movable portion 16. The glass breaking spike 56 is pushed out of the aperture 18 far enough to hit the window 60 with enough force as to break the window 60. Again, this is an exemplary spring-loaded glass breaker, as any type of glass breaking mechanism is anticipated to be integrated with the seatbelt buckle 12.

[0018] The window breaking mechanism 24 is molded to, affixed, or otherwise integrated into the seatbelt buckle 12. The seatbelt buckle 12 has a slot for accepting a seatbelt 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The seatbelt buckle has an aperture 15 for engaging within a catch that is within the seatbelt buckle receiver 36 (see FIG. 3). The seatbelt buckle 12 is shaped and sized to fit within a slot 34 of the seatbelt buckle receiver 36.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 2, an elevational view of the window breaking mechanism 24 integrated into the seatbelt buckle 12 showing a seatbelt 20 threaded there through is shown. It is anticipated that the seatbelt 20 be configured in any way that seatbelts are integrated into vehicles. For example, one end of the seatbelt 20 is secured to a floor of the vehicle and opposing ends of the seatbelt 20 is connected to the vehicle, typically through a spring-loaded receiver at one-end for pulling in slack of the seatbelt 20 and locking the seatbelt 20 after detecting stopping force from the vehicle breaking or hitting another object/vehicle, etc.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 3, a perspective view of the window breaking mechanism 24 integrated into the seatbelt buckle 12 showing the window breaking mechanism 24 and seatbelt buckle 12 disengaged from the seatbelt buckle receiver 36 and being used to break a window 60 is shown. In this view, it is shown how the seatbelt 20 threads through the seatbelt aperture 14 of the seatbelt buckle 12. In operation, the seatbelt buckle 12 is disengaged from the seatbelt buckle receiver 36 by pressing a seatbelt release button 32 on the enclosure of the seatbelt buckle receiver enclosure 30. The seatbelt buckle receiver 36 is secured to the vehicle (not shown for clarity and brevity purposes), for example, by a second section of seatbelt material 40. Once the seatbelt buckle 12 is disengaged from the seatbelt buckle receiver 36, the window breaking mechanism 24 is pushed against the window 60, forcing the movable portion 16 to telescope into the housing 50 until the movable portion 16 moves far enough into the housing 50, at which time, the glass-breaking spike 56 is rapidly forced out of the aperture 18 towards the window 60, thereby causing the window 60 to crack and break.

[0021] By having a window breaking mechanism 24 integrated into the seatbelt buckle 12, the window breaking mechanism 24 is readily available and easily located after an accident or when otherwise needed. Although there is no requirement that all seatbelt buckles 12 within a vehicle have the window breaking mechanism 24 integrated therein, it is anticipated that many or every seatbelt buckle 12 within a vehicle have a window breaking mechanism 24 included, as the driver may not be capable of operating the window breaking mechanism 24 and, having multiple window breaking mechanisms 24, one with each seatbelt buckle 12, other occupants are able to individually break their associated windows 60 after an accident.

[0022] Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result.

[0023] It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.