IP Library Granted Patent US 11,142,161
Granted Patent B2
US 11,142,161 · App. 16/088,370 · Granted Oct 12, 2021

Belt deflector

Inventors: Yves Clauss (Potsdam, DE); Heinrich Einsiedel (Ulm, DE); Gerhard Frey (Steinheim, DE); Peter Linde (Blaustein, DE); Rainer Mangold (Merklingen, DE); Thomas Bertram (Senden, DE)
Assignee: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS GERMANY GMBH
B60R22/201B60R22/185B60R2022/1818
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,142,161
App. No.
16/088,370
Granted
Oct 12, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a belt deflector with a main element ( 100 ) that can be attached to the structure of a vehicle, and with a belt support element ( 200 ) that is movable relative to the main element ( 100 ) and forms a support surface ( 231 ) or support edge for a safety belt ( 20 ) to be deflected. According to the invention, the belt deflector comprises an intermediate element ( 300, 400 ) that is deformed when the movable belt support element ( 200 ) is moved relative to the main element ( 100 ), in the direction of the intermediate element ( 300, 400 ), and because of this deformation is pressed against the safety belt ( 20 ).

Claims (63)

1. A belt deflector, comprising

a main element which is fastenable to a vehicle structure, and

a belt contact element which is movable in relation to the main element and forms a contact surface or a contact edge for a seat belt which is to be deflected,

wherein the belt deflector has a deformable intermediate element which—during a relative movement of the movable belt contact element relative to the main element and in a direction of the intermediate element—deforms and is pressed against the seat belt by said deformation;

wherein

the movable belt contact element ( 200 ) is U-shaped and has two side portions ( 210 , 220 ) arranged parallel, and a base portion ( 230 ) connecting the two side portions ( 210 , 220 ),

the intermediate element ( 300 , 400 ) is arranged between the two side portions ( 210 , 220 ) arranged parallel, and

an outer side of the base portion ( 230 ) forms the contact surface ( 231 ) for the seat belt ( 20 ) and an inner side of the base portion ( 230 ) forms a clamping surface ( 232 ) for the intermediate element ( 300 , 400 ).

2. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the intermediate element ( 300 , 400 ) is arranged, in particular clamped, between the main element ( 100 ) and the belt contact element ( 200 ).

3. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the belt deflector is a plug-in tongue ( 10 ) for a belt buckle of a seat belt system, and

the plug-in tongue ( 10 ) has a plug-in portion ( 110 ) suitable for plugging into the belt buckle, and a slot ( 11 ) for passage of the seat belt ( 20 ).

4. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the movable belt contact element ( 200 ) is held by the main element ( 100 ) so as to be displaceable linearly along a predetermined sliding direction.

5. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a sliding direction corresponds to a direction of force which the seat belt ( 20 ) exerts on the belt deflector.

6. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the belt deflector has a slot ( 11 ) for passage of the seat belt ( 20 ),

one edge of the slot ( 11 ) is formed by the main element ( 100 ) and an opposite edge of the slot ( 11 ) is formed by the intermediate element ( 300 ), and

a slot width (D) of the slot ( 11 ) is determined by the respective deformation state of the intermediate element ( 300 ).

7. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 6 , characterized in that

the main element ( 100 ) comprises a metal core ( 101 ) which is coated in sections with plastic ( 102 ) or is embedded therein, and

that edge of the slot ( 11 ) which is delimited by the main element ( 100 ) is formed by a portion of the main element ( 100 ) that is coated with plastic ( 102 ) or is embedded therein.

8. A belt deflector, comprising

a main element which is fastenable to a vehicle structure, and

a belt contact element which is movable in relation to the main element and forms a contact surface or a contact edge for a seat belt which is to be deflected,

wherein the belt deflector has a deformable intermediate element which—during a relative movement of the movable belt contact element relative to the main element and in a direction of the intermediate element—deforms and is pressed against the seat belt by said deformation;

wherein

the belt contact element ( 200 ) has, on an outer side ( 211 ), a first guide pin ( 212 ) which projects into a first guide groove ( 120 ) of the main element ( 100 ) and is guided by said guide groove, and

on an opposite outer side ( 221 ) has a second guide pin ( 222 ) which projects into a second guide groove ( 120 ) of the main element ( 100 ) and is guided by said guide groove, and

the first and second guide groove ( 120 ) are arranged parallel, and the two side portions ( 210 , 220 ), which are arranged parallel, of the U-shaped belt contact element ( 200 ) are arranged between the two guide grooves ( 120 ).

9. A belt deflector, comprising

a main element which is fastenable to a vehicle structure, and

a belt contact element which is movable in relation to the main element and forms a contact surface or a contact edge for a seat belt which is to be deflected,

wherein the belt deflector has a deformable intermediate element which—during a relative movement of the movable belt contact element relative to the main element and in a direction of the intermediate element—deforms and is pressed against the seat belt by said deformation;

wherein

the intermediate element ( 300 , 400 ) is clamped between a first clamping surface ( 232 ), which is formed by the movable belt contact element ( 200 ), and a second clamping surface ( 160 ), which is arranged parallel to the first clamping surface and is formed by the main element ( 100 ), and

a respective distance between the first and the second clamping surface ( 232 , 160 ) determines the deformation state of the intermediate element ( 300 , 400 ).

10. A belt deflector, comprising

a main element which is fastenable to a vehicle structure, and

a belt contact element which is movable in relation to the main element and forms a contact surface or a contact edge for a seat belt which is to be deflected,

wherein the belt deflector has a deformable intermediate element which—during a relative movement of the movable belt contact element relative to the main element and in a direction of the intermediate element—deforms and is pressed against the seat belt by said deformation; and

wherein

the belt deflector has a slot for passage of the seat belt,

one edge of the slot is formed by the main element and an opposite edge of the slot is formed by the intermediate element, and

a slot width of the slot is determined by the respective deformation state of the intermediate element; and

wherein on a side of the intermediate element ( 300 ) which faces away from the slot ( 11 ), a further deformable intermediate element ( 400 ) is arranged, in particular clamped, between the main element ( 100 ) and the belt contact element ( 200 ), said intermediate element likewise being deformed during a relative movement of the movable belt contact element ( 200 ) and being pressed by the deformation against a portion ( 20 a ) of the seat belt ( 20 ) that lies opposite a portion ( 20 b ) of the seat belt ( 20 ) which is located in the slot ( 11 ).

11. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 10 , wherein

the intermediate element is deformable elastically and/or plastically, and/or

the further intermediate element is deformable elastically and/or plastically.

12. A belt deflector, comprising

a main element which is fastenable to a vehicle structure, and

a belt contact element which is movable in relation to the main element and forms a contact surface or a contact edge for a seat belt which is to be deflected,

wherein the belt deflector has a deformable intermediate element which—during a relative movement of the movable belt contact element relative to the main element and in a direction of the intermediate element—deforms and is pressed against the seat belt by said deformation;

wherein

the intermediate element ( 300 , 400 ) has two outer web portions which are arranged parallel and between which a central portion which is thicker in relation thereto is arranged,

one of the two web portions ( 310 , 320 ) is plugged into a holding groove ( 250 , 250 a ) in the belt contact element ( 200 ) and is held by said holding groove, and

the other of the two web portions ( 310 , 320 ) is plugged into a second holding groove ( 150 , 150 a ) in the main element ( 100 ) and is held by said second holding groove.

13. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 12 , characterized in that

the holding groove ( 250 ) in the belt contact element ( 200 ) is adjacent to the first clamping surface ( 232 ) and the second holding groove ( 150 ) in the main element ( 100 ) is adjacent to the second clamping surface ( 160 ), and

the central portion ( 330 ) of the intermediate element ( 300 ) is clamped between the two clamping surfaces.

14. The belt deflector as claimed in claim 12 , characterized in that

the second holding groove ( 150 , 150 a ) in the main element ( 100 ) has a groove wall which is formed by the metal core ( 101 ), and

an opposite groove wall and a groove base are formed by the plastic ( 102 ).

Assignments (3)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jan 13, 2026
From: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS ACQUISITION LLC; JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS JAPAN G.K.; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.; JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS GERMANY GMBH
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
Reel/Frame 074331/0585 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2021
From: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS GERMANY GMBH
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS SECURITY AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 057828/0235 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 24, 2018
From: CLAUSS, YVES; EINSIEDEL, HEINRICH; FREY, GERHARD; LINDE, PETER; BERTRAM, THOMAS
To: JOYSON SAFETY SYSTEMS GERMANY GMBH
Reel/Frame 047293/0904 →