Seat belt buckle and method for manufacturing a seat belt buckle

Abstract

The invention describes a belt buckle (10) for a motor vehicle comprising a belt buckle housing (12) as well as a lighting unit (20) present in the area of a tongue insertion opening (36) and including a lamp (22) and a light conductor (16). A front panel (14) surrounding the tongue insertion opening (36) is provided which limits the belt buckle (10) on the end face. The front panel (14) is coupled to the belt buckle housing (12) via at least one detent mechanism (24, 30) such that the light conductor (16) provided at least partially between the front panel (14) and the belt buckle housing (12) is aligned. The invention further describes a method for manufacturing a belt buckle (10).

Claims

1. A belt buckle (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising a belt buckle housing (12) as well as a lighting unit (20) present in the area of a tongue insertion opening (36) and including a lamp (22), a light conductor (16) and a diffusor (18) assigned to the light conductor (16), wherein a front panel (14) surrounding the tongue insertion opening (36) is provided which limits the belt buckle (10) on the end face, and wherein the front panel (14) is coupled to the belt buckle housing (12) via at least one detent mechanism (24, 30) such that the light conductor (16) provided at least partially between the front panel (14) and the belt buckle housing (12) and the diffusor (18) provided between the front panel (14) and the belt buckle housing are aligned.

2. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the detent mechanism (24) comprises at least one first detent element (26) and a first locking element (28) interacting with the first detent element (26).

3. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 2 wherein the front panel (14) includes the at least one first detent element (26) and/or in that the belt buckle housing (12) includes the first locking element (28).

4. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 2, wherein the at least one first detent element (26) is a land having external teeth and/or in that the first locking element (28) is formed by a slit receiving the first detent element (26).

5. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 2, wherein plural first detent elements (26) and/or plural first locking elements (28) are provided.

6. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 5, wherein the plural first detent elements (26) are provided on at least one first side of the front panel (14) and/or the plural first locking elements (28) are provided on at least one first side of the belt buckle housing (12).

7. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detent mechanism (24, 30) comprises at least one second detent element (32) and a second locking element (34) interacting with the second detent element (32).

8. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 7, wherein the second locking element (34) is a land and/or in that the at least one second detent element (32) is formed by a slit having internal teeth and receiving the second locking element (34).

9. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 7, wherein plural second detent elements (32) and/or plural second locking elements (34) are provided.

10. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 9, wherein the plural second detent elements (32) are provided on a second side of the front panel (14) and/or the plural second locking elements (34) are provided on a second side of the belt buckle housing (12).

11. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 7, wherein the front panel (14) includes the at least one second detent element (32) and/or the belt buckle housing (12) includes the second locking element (34).

12. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the detent mechanism (24) comprises at least one first detent element (26), a first locking element (28) interacting with the first detent element (26), at least one second detent element (32) and a second locking element (34) interacting with the second detent element (32), and wherein the belt buckle housing (12) is configured at least in two parts, the first belt buckle housing part (52) including at least the first locking element (28).

13. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 12, wherein the belt buckle housing (12) includes the first locking element (28) and the second locking element (34).

14. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the front panel (14) comprises an application surface (40).

15. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 1, wherein both the diffuser (18) and the light conductor (16) are separate from each of the front panel (14) and the belt buckle housing (12) and held between the front panel (14) and the belt buckle housing (12) via only a clamping force between the front panel (14) and the belt buckle housing (12).

16. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detent mechanism (24, 30) comprises at least one first projection (26) extending from the front panel (14), at least one first slit (28) formed in the belt buckle housing (12) for receiving the at least one first projection (26), at least one second projection (34) extending from the belt buckle housing (12), and at least one second slit (32) formed in the front panel (14) for receiving the at least one second projection.

17. The belt buckle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detent mechanism (24, 30) comprises at least one projection (26) extending from the front panel (14) and having external teeth, and at least one slit (28) formed in the belt buckle housing (12), the external teeth interlocking in the at least one slit (28) when the at least one projection (26) is received in the at least one slit (28).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and characteristics of the invention will be evident from the following description and the drawings which are referred to, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a belt buckle according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the belt buckle from FIG. 1 in the assembled state,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a section across the belt buckle from FIG. 2 along the inserting direction,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the front panel of the belt buckle from FIGS. 1 to 3,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a first belt buckle housing part of the belt buckle from FIGS. 1 to 3,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view on the upper side of the belt buckle during assembly of the belt buckle according to the invention,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the belt buckle of FIGS. 1 to 3 during assembly of the belt buckle according to the invention,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a detail view of FIG. 6, and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a detail view of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION

(11) FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a belt buckle 10 for a motor vehicle comprising a belt buckle housing 12 as well as a front panel 14.

(12) Further, the belt buckle 10 includes a light conductor 16 as well as a diffusor 18 assigned to the light conductor 16. The light conductor 16 is part of a lighting unit 20 which additionally comprises a lamp 22 that is received in the belt buckle housing 12, as is visible from FIG. 3 showing a sectional view of the assembled belt buckle 10 along the inserting direction.

(13) The front panel 14 is assigned to a front end face of the belt buckle 10, whereas the end of the belt buckle housing 12 facing away from the front panel 14 is assigned to an opposed second end face of the belt buckle 10.

(14) From FIG. 1 it is clear already that the belt buckle 10 comprises a first detent mechanism 24 via which the front panel 14 can be coupled or interlock with the belt buckle housing 12.

(15) The first detent mechanism 24 comprises at least one first detent element 26 that is disposed on the front panel 14 in the shown embodiment.

(16) Moreover, the detent mechanism 24 comprises at least one locking element 28 interacting with the first detent element 26, the locking element 28 being provided on the belt buckle housing 12 in the shown embodiment.

(17) In the illustrated embodiment, the first detent element 26 is a land having external teeth, whereas the first locking element 28 is formed by a slit receiving the first detent element 26.

(18) The first locking element 28 in the form of a slit makes sure, due to its width, that the first detent element 26 in the form of a land and including the external teeth interlocks in the first locking element 28 when the front panel 14 is pushed onto the belt buckle housing 12. Especially, in so doing a form closure is resulting.

(19) For example, the tips of the external teeth slide along the inner wall of the first locking element 28 in the form of a slit, in particular wherein the tips are somewhat yielding, thus causing the first detent element 26 to interlock with the first locking element 28.

(20) It becomes further clear from FIG. 1 that the belt buckle 10 comprises, apart from the first detent mechanism 24, a second detent mechanism 30 that comprises a second detent element 32 as well as a locking element 34 interacting with the second detent element 32.

(21) In the shown embodiment, the second detent element 32 is disposed on the front panel 14, whereas the second locking element 34 is provided on the belt buckle housing 12.

(22) In the shown embodiment, the at least one second detent element 32 is formed by a slit having internal teeth and receiving the second locking element 34, whereas the second locking element 34 is formed by a land that can be received by the second detent element 32.

(23) The second detent element 32 configured as a slit makes sure, due to its width, that the second locking element 34 in the form of a land interlocks in the first detent element 32, when the front panel 14 is pushed onto the belt buckle housing 12. Especially, in so doing a form closure is resulting.

(24) For example, the tips of the internal teeth of the second detent element 32 slide along the outer wall of the second locking element 34 in the form of a land, especially wherein the tips are somewhat yielding, thus causing the second detent element 32 to interlock with the second locking element 34.

(25) Insofar, the second locking element 34 is configured substantially identically to the first detent element 26 when the external teeth of the first detent element 26 are disregarded, whereas the second detent element 32 is configured substantially identically to the first locking element 28, when the internal teeth of the second detent element 32 are disregarded.

(26) Basically, plural first detent elements 26 and plural second detent elements 32 are provided on the annularly formed front panel 14 which surrounds a tongue insertion opening 36 of the belt buckle 10, as is evident from FIG. 2.

(27) It becomes clear especially from FIGS. 1 and 4 that the at least one first detent element 26 is disposed, inter alia, on a first side of the front panel 14, whereas the at least one second detent element 32 is disposed exclusively on a second side of the front panel 14 opposed to the first side.

(28) In addition, first detent elements 26 are disposed on the two sides interconnecting the first and second sides of the annularly formed front panel 14.

(29) This allows to obtain homogenous application of force, thus ensuring a safe detent connection via the two detent mechanisms 24, 30.

(30) The two detent mechanisms 24, 30 make sure that the light conductor 16 and the diffusor 18 can be disposed in the desired position and/or orientation on the belt buckle 10, and hence are aligned, when the belt buckle 10 is assembled, as shall be explained in the following.

(31) Based on the exact alignment, optimum illumination of the tongue insertion opening 36 is safeguarded, as the diffusor 18 is aligned with the light conductor 16 of the lighting unit 20.

(32) The light emitted from the lighting unit 20 reaches the diffusor 18 assigned to the front panel 14 and comprising an exit surface 38 which surrounds the tongue insertion opening 36 to optimally illuminate the same. Accordingly, the diffusor 18 makes sure that the vehicle occupant will not be dazzled by the emitting light.

(33) The exit surface 38 of the diffusor 18 can be recognized from the front end face of the belt buckle 10 so that the vehicle occupant can quickly spot the light exiting at the exit surface 38.

(34) Moreover, an application surface 40 on the front panel 14 which is configured as a chrome surface, for example, may be assigned to the exit surface 38 of the diffusor 18. The application surface 40 equally surrounds the tongue insertion opening 36, with the exit surface 38 of the diffusor 18 being provided between the application surface 40 and the tongue insertion opening 36.

(35) The light exiting at the exit surface 38 can be incident, inter alia, on the application surface 40 which may have a metallic effect, thus causing the light exiting at the exit surface 38 to be reflected and, resp., additionally scattered by the application surface 40.

(36) During assembly of the belt buckle 10, which is especially evident from FIGS. 6 to 9, the front panel 14 is coupled to the belt buckle housing 12 via the corresponding detent mechanisms 24, 30.

(37) Accordingly, the front panel 14 (together with the belt buckle housing 12) aligns the diffusor 18 and the light conductor 16, thus ensuring each of the light conductor 16 and the diffusor 18 to take the desired orientation and, resp., position.

(38) In order to achieve that, the light conductor 16 is forced against a stop face 42 of the belt buckle housing 12 which is clearly visible especially in FIG. 5. The stop face 42 may be circumferential so as to permit full-surface bearing of the light conductor 16.

(39) The front panel 14 likewise comprises a stop 44 against which the diffusor 18 with an edge portion bears in the assembled state. The stop 44 and/or the edge portion of the diffusor 18 may be circumferential so as to permit full-surface bearing.

(40) In the assembled state, thus the light conductor 16 and the diffusor 18 are held clamped between the front panel 14 and the belt buckle housing 12, in particular between the stop face 42 of the belt buckle housing 12 and the stop 44 of the front panel 14.

(41) The stop face 42 and/or the stop 44 may have a geometry that interacts with the light conductor 16 and, resp., the diffusor 18 to appropriately move the latter to the desired orientation and position.

(42) In other words, during assembly of the belt buckle 10, the light conductor 16 and, resp., the diffusor 18 at least partially slide along the stop face 42 and/or the stop 44 so that they are aligned.

(43) Moreover, the light conductor 16 is configured so that it is at least partially surrounded by the diffusor 18 when the belt buckle 10 is assembled. To this end, the light conductor 16 includes an outcoupling surface 46 interacting with the diffusor 18 both mechanically and in terms of light conduction so that the light conducted by the light conductor 16 to the outcoupling surface 46 is transmitted to the diffusor 18.

(44) Via the outcoupling surface 46, the light conductor 16 bears against the diffusor 18 which includes a coupling surface 48 which is assigned to the outcoupling surface 46 and is provided opposite to the exit surface 38.

(45) Moreover, the light conductor 16 comprises a coupling land 50 interacting with the lamp 22 of the lighting unit 20 so that the light emitted by the lamp 22 is coupled into the light conductor 16 via the coupling land 50.

(46) The light coupled into the light conductor 16 is conducted via the light conductor 16 to the outcoupling surface 46 which interacts with the input surface 48 so that the light is introduced to the diffusor 18 and then is outcoupled at the outcoupling surface 38 so as to illuminate the tongue insertion opening 36. The light emitted from the lamp 22 received in the belt buckle housing 12 thus becomes visible to the vehicle occupant.

(47) Further, it is evident from the Figures that generally the belt buckle housing 12 is configured in two parts, as it comprises a first belt buckle housing part 52 and a second belt buckle housing part 54 which may be designed as a sliding or plug-in element that can be appropriately coupled to the first belt buckle housing part 52.

(48) The first belt buckle housing part 52 includes a circumferential or annular bearing area 56 on which the stop face 42 is provided so that, during assembly of the belt buckle 10, the light conductor 16 is forced against the first belt buckle housing part 52.

(49) In addition, at the bearing area 56 both the first locking elements 28 and the second locking elements 34 are provided which correspondingly interact with the first and second detent elements 26, 32 of the front panel 14 to align the light conductor 16 and the diffusor 18 during assembly of the belt buckle 10.

(50) Consequently, it is generally ensured that the belt buckle 10, in particular the corresponding components of the belt buckle 10, i.e., the belt buckle housing 12, the light conductor 16, the diffusor 18 and the front panel 14, are positioned and oriented exactly relative to one another when the belt buckle 10 is being assembled, wherein this is effectuated merely based on the detent connection which comprises the two detent mechanisms 24, 30.

(51) The detent mechanisms 24, 30 moreover make sure that the individual components of the belt buckle 10 and, resp., the belt buckle 10 are/is retained in the assembled state, even if high loads are acting upon the belt buckle 10, for example during acceleration or deceleration.

(52) The plug-in or detent connection moreover makes sure that the lighting unit 20 can be easily replaced, if required.

(53) Furthermore, due to the plug-in or detent connection, optical defects that might impair the illumination of the tongue insertion opening can be effectively prevented. Said defects might occur in the case of an integral connection and in the case of wrong or unfavorable orientation of the light conductor 16 and the diffusor 18.

(54) The detent elements 26, 32 are formed specifically integrally with the front panel 14.

(55) Similarly, the locking elements 28, 34 can be formed integrally with the belt buckle housing 12, especially with the first belt buckle housing part 52.

(56) The first locking element 28 in the form of a slit may further be provided to include internal teeth, wherein the external teeth of the first detent element 26 and the internal teeth of the locking element 28 then are configured correspondingly so that they are engage with each other.

(57) The second detent element 32, viz. the slit receiving the second locking element 34, may be provided with internal teeth which correspond to the external teeth of the second locking element 34.

(58) For manufacturing the belt buckle 10, thus initially the belt buckle housing 12, the front panel 14, the light conductor 16 and the diffusor 18 are provided.

(59) The lamp 22 may have been pre-installed already in the belt buckle housing 12.

(60) Then the components of the belt buckle 10 are arranged relative to each other in the right order so that the light conductor 16 is assigned to the belt buckle housing 12 and the diffusor 18 is assigned to the front panel 14.

(61) After that, the front panel 14 is coupled to the belt buckle housing 12, wherein the detent elements 26, 32 interact with the locking elements 28, 34 to form the detent connection between the front panel 14 and the belt buckle housing 12.

(62) During assembly of the belt buckle 10, i.e., when the detent connection is established, the light conductor 16 and the diffusor 18 are simultaneously aligned so that they adopt the correct position and orientation within the belt buckle 10.

(63) Insofar, the two detent mechanisms 24, 30 establish a safe detent connection of the belt buckle 10 by the front panel 14 assigned to the front end face interlocking with the belt buckle housing 12 assigned to the rear end face.

(64) At the same time, the two detent mechanisms 24, 30 safeguard the desired position and orientation of the light-conducting components of the belt buckle 10, namely of the light conductor 16 and the diffusor 18, by aligning them during assembly via the belt buckle housing 12 and the front panel 14.

(65) This is especially effectuated via the corresponding geometries of the stop face 42, the stop 44, the outcoupling surface 46 and the coupling surface 48.

(66) Basically, in this way it is possible to finely adjust the locking balance during assembly of the belt buckle 10. Said fine adjustment further enables all components to be installed without any dimensional errors and optical defects.