RESTRAINT SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present international application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 14/879,881 , filed October 9, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/203,899, filed August 1 1 , 2015, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FI ELD

[0002] The following disclosure relates generally to occupant restraint systems for use in vehicles, and more particularly, to web connectors for use with such restraint systems.

BACKGROUND

[0003] There are many types of occupant restraint systems for use in automobiles, aircraft, all-terrain-vehicles, and other vehicles. Such systems include, for example, seat belts for use by adults and children of sufficient size, and child seats with associated restraints for use by toddlers and small children.

[0004] One method of securing the seat belts or webs around an occupant includes releasably attaching a connector on an end portion of each of the webs to a buckle assembly. The buckle assembly retains the webs around the occupant during use, and also enables the occupant to release and separate the webs for egress after use. Conventional buckle assemblies can be positioned to the side of the occupant or in front of the occupant. For example, a "three point" harness system, as typically found in conventional automobiles, can include a shoulder web and a lap web that are releasably secured to a buckle assembly positioned to one side of the occupant's hip. A "five point" harness system can include a crotch web, first and second shoulder webs, and first and second lap webs that are releasably secured to a buckle assembly positioned proximate to the occupant's mid-section. [0005] Some conventional web connectors are configured to interlock with one another so that they properly align when inserted into the buckle assembly. The buckle assembly will typically not engage the connectors if they are misaligned. In some cases, however, conventional buckle assemblies allow the connectors to move slightly during engagement. This movement can cause the connectors to rub against each other, leading to undesirable wear and tear. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide web connectors with reduced movement to reduce wear and tear during use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWI NGS

[0006] Figure 1A is a front view and Figure 1 B is a rear view illustrating a portion of an occupant restraint system having first and second interlocking web connectors configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0007] Figure 2A is a front view of the web connectors disengaged from a buckle assembly, and Figure 2B is a front view of web connector bodies configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0008] Figures 3A and 3B are enlarged front and rear isometric views, respectively, of the first web connector.

[0009] Figure 4A is an enlarged front view of the second web connector, and Figure 4B is an enlarged rear view of the first and second web connectors separated from each other.

[0010] Figures 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views taken along lines 5A-5A and 5B-5B, respectively, in Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] The following disclosure describes various embodiments of web connectors for use with occupant restraint systems in vehicles. In some embodiments, a first web connector has a first web receiving portion configured to receive a first web and a first tongue portion configured to engage a buckle, and a second web connector has a second web receiving portion configured to receive a second web and a second tongue portion also configured to engage the buckle. The first web receiving portion can include a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a first projection at the first side, and a first recess adjacent the second side. The first recess has a first surface feature. The second web receiving portion includes a second recess and a second projection having a second surface feature. In use, the second recess is configured to receive the first projection, the first recess is configured to receive the second projection, and the first surface feature is configured to engage the second surface feature when the first and second tongue portions are engaged with the buckle. In one aspect of this embodiment, the configuration of the first and second web receiving portions can resist movement between the first and second connectors to reduce wear and tear during use.

[0012] Many of the details and features shown in the Figures are merely illustrative of particular embodiments of the technology. Accordingly, other embodiments can have other details and features without departing from the spirit and scope of the present technology. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that further embodiments can be practiced without several of the details described below. Furthermore, various embodiments of the technology can include structures other than those illustrated in the Figures and are expressly not limited to the structures shown in the Figures. Moreover, the various elements and features illustrated in the Figures may not be drawn to scale.

[0013] In the Figures, identical reference numbers identify identical or at least generally similar elements. To facilitate the description of any particular element, the most significant digit or digits of any reference number refer to the Figure in which that element is first introduced. For example, element 107 is first introduced and described with reference to Figure 1 .

[0014] Figure 1A is a front view and Figure 1 B is a rear view of a portion of an occupant restraint system 100 having a buckle assembly 140 ("buckle 140") releasably engaged with interlocking web connectors 1 12 (identified individually as a first web connector 1 12a and a second web connector 1 12b) configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Referring to Figures 1 A and 1 B together, each of the web connectors 1 12 includes a web receiving aperture 108 (identified individually as a first web receiving aperture 108a and a second web receiving aperture 108b) that slidably receives a corresponding upper web 102 (identified individually as a first upper web 102a and a second upper web 102b). The web receiving apertures 108 divide the corresponding upper webs 102 into a shoulder web portion 107 that extends over one of the occupant's shoulders and a lap web portion 104 that extends around a portion of the occupant's waste. The buckle 140 is configured to receive a lower web 105 (e.g., a crotch web) that extends downward between the occupants legs. The upper and lower webs 102 and 105 can include various types of woven fabric materials (e.g. , nylon fabric) and/or other suitable belt or strap materials known in the art that provide sufficient strength, flexibility, durability and/or other characteristics. As used herein, the upper webs 102 and the lower web 105 can also be referred to as belts (e.g., seat belts), straps, etc. In some embodiments, end portions of the upper webs 102 and the lower web 105 can attach to anchor points on an occupant seat (e.g., a seat base, sidewalls, etc. ; not shown) and/or on adjacent vehicle structures (not shown) using various methods known in the art. In some embodiments, the restraint system 100 and the corresponding web connectors 1 12 and the buckle 140 can be used to hold toddlers and small children in child seats (e.g., a child car seat). Embodiments of the present technology and applications of the web connectors disclosed herein, however, are not limited to a particular occupant seat arrangement or vehicle structure. For example, while in the illustrated embodiment the web connectors 1 12 and the upper and lower webs 102 and 105 are components of a "five point" restraint system, in other embodiments, the web connectors 1 12 and corresponding webs can be components of a "three point" restraint system or other multi-point restraint system.

[0015] Figure 2A is a front view illustrating the web connectors 1 12 disengaged from the buckle 140. Figure 2B is a front view of the web connectors 1 12 with corresponding connector covers 21 1 (identified individually in Figure 2A as a first connector cover 21 1 a and a second connector cover 21 1 b) removed to show corresponding connector bodies 213 (identified individually as a first connector body 213a and a second connector body 213b) in more detail. Referring to Figures 2A and 2B together, each web connector 1 12 includes a web receiving portion 216 (identified individually as a first web receiving portion 216a and a second web receiving portion 216b) and a tongue portion 214 (identified individually as a first tongue portion 214a and a second tongue portion 214b). Each tongue portion 214 includes a locking feature 217, such as a hook or pawl opening or cutout, and a plurality of surface features, such as raised ridges 206, formed in the corresponding connector cover 21 1 and positioned adjacent the locking feature 217.

[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, each connector body 213 includes an upper portion 218 (identified individually as a first upper portion 218a and a second upper portion 218b) and a lower portion (identified individually as a first lower portion 219a and a second lower portion 219b) extending downwardly from the corresponding upper portion 218. Each upper portion 218 has a web aperture 209 (identified individually as a first web aperture 209a and a second web aperture 209b) aligned with the corresponding web receiving aperture 108. The upper portion 218 of each connector body 213 and a portion of the corresponding connector cover 21 1 that covers the upper portion 218 form the corresponding web receiving portion 216. The lower portion 219 of each connector body 213 and a portion of the corresponding connector cover 21 1 that covers the lower portion 219 form the corresponding tongue portion 214.

[0017] The connector covers 21 1 can comprise a durable material that is molded (e.g. , over-molded by injection molding, etc.), bonded, and/or otherwise attached to the corresponding connector body 213 so that is covers or at least substantially covers the connector body 213. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the connector covers 21 1 are formed from a plastic material. In this embodiment and others, the connector cover can be formed from a nylon plastic that is glassed filled for enhanced durability and stiffness. For example, in one embodiment, the connector covers 21 1 can be formed from nylon type 6/6 with 30% glass fill. In other embodiments, the connector covers can comprise other types of plastics (e.g. , polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.) and/or other manufactured materials having suitable sufficient durability and stiffness. The connector bodies 213 can be formed from metallic materials, such as plate steel that is stamped or otherwise formed using suitable methods known in the art. In other embodiments, the connector bodies 213 can be omitted from the web connectors 1 12, and each web connector 1 12 can be integrally formed from a single material. For example, in such embodiments, the web connectors 1 12 can be injection molded or die-cast solid components. In one embodiment, for example, each web connector 1 12 can be integrally formed from a glass-filled (e.g., 40% glass-filled) nylon material. Accordingly, the features of the present technology are not limited to a particular type of web connector construction and can be used with injection molded solid components, die-cast components, over-molded stampings, etc.

[0018] In use, the locking feature 217 is configured to engage the internal locking components (not shown) of the buckle 140 in a conventional manner when a user interlocks the web connectors 1 12 and inserts the tongue portions 214 into an opening (not shown) in an upper side 242 of the buckle 140, as shown by the arrow H. In one aspect of the illustrated embodiment, the relatively thicker plastic material of the connector cover 21 1 at the ridges 206 decreases the amount of surface-to- surface contact between the tongue portions 214 and the internal contact surfaces (not shown) within the buckle 140 across which the tongue portions 214 slide. This, in turn, reduces friction on the tongue portions 214 as they are inserted into the buckle 140. In another aspect of this embodiment, the plastic material of the connector covers 21 1 can insulate the user's hands or other areas of the user's body from the metal of the corresponding tongue portions 214, which may become uncomfortably hot to the touch after prolonged exposure to the sun and/or elevated vehicle temperatures on a hot day.

[0019] The buckle 140 can include a release actuator or button 246 to release the tongue portions 214 and thereby disengage the web connectors 1 12 from the buckle. In one embodiment, the individual tongue portions 214 can be configured to engage a buckle assembly generally similar in structure and function to one or more of the buckle assemblies disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,720,019, filed Nov. 10, 2010, and titled "Buckle Assemblies for Personal Restraint Systems and Associated Methods of Use and Manufacture," and/or U.S. Patent Application No. 12,357,356, filed Jan. 21 , 201 1 , and titled "Buckle Assemblies and Associated Connectors for Use with Child Seats and Other Restraint Systems," both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. In other embodiments, the individual web connectors 1 12 can include tongue portions and/or other locking features configured to engage any of a variety of conventional buckle assemblies.

[0020] Figures 3A and 3B are enlarged front and rear isometric views, respectively, showing the first web receiving portion 216a of the first web connector 1 12a in further detail. Referring to Figure 3A, the first web receiving portion 216a has a front side 320a, a first recess 326 adjacent the front side 320a, a back side 320b opposite the front side 320a, and a first projection 352 projecting at the back side 320b. The first projection 352 extends outwardly from a medial edge 327 in a first direction di . The first projection 352 includes an outer edge 329 extending along a curved path (e.g. , an arcuate path) between the medial edge 327 and a lower edge 321 adjacent the tongue portion 214a. The medial edge 327 extends along a generally straight path between the tongue portion 214a and an upper edge 323 of the first web receiving portion 216a.

[0021] The first recess 326 includes a first inner edge 325, a contact surface 324 adjacent the first inner edge 325, and a first surface feature 334 formed in the contact surface 324. The first inner edge 325 extends along a curved path (e.g., an arcuate path) between the medial edge 327 and the lower edge 321 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first surface feature 334 includes a cavity 336 that extends between the medial edge 327 and the first inner edge 325 in a direction generally perpendicular to the medial edge 327. The cavity 336 has a sidewall 339 and a lower surface 315 adjacent the sidewall 339. In one embodiment, the cavity 336 exposes a metal surface of the connector body 213a. In alternate embodiments, the cavity 336 can extend through the connector body 213a or the cavity can have a shallower depth such that the connector body 213a is not exposed through the cavity 336.

[0022] Referring to Figure 3B, the first web receiving portion 216a further includes a second recess 328 adjacent the back side 320b. The second recess 328 includes a second inner edge 335 and a contact surface 322 between the second inner edge 335 and a portion of the medial edge 327 proximate the upper edge 323. The second inner edge 335 extends generally as an extension of the outer edge 329.

[0023] Figure 4A is an enlarged front view of the second web connector 1 12b, and Figure 4B is an enlarged rear view of the second web connector 1 12b separated from the first web connector 1 12a. Referring to Figure 4A, the second web receiving portion 216b of the second web connector 1 12b has a front side 420a and a second projection 452 at the front side 420a. The second projection 452 extends from a medial edge 427 in a second direction d ₂ generally opposite the first direction 6^ shown in Figures 3A and 3B. The second projection 452 has a first outer edge 425 and a shape that is the same as, or at least generally similar to, the shape of the first recess 326 (Figure 3A) of the first web receiving portion 216a so that the second projection 452 can fit snugly in the first recess 326 when the web connectors 1 12 are properly interlocked with each other.

[0024] Referring to Figure 4B, the second projection 452 has a contact surface 459 and a second surface feature 444 formed on the contact surface 459. In the illustrated embodiment, the second surface feature 444 includes a protrusion 456 projecting from the contact surface 459 in a direction generally perpendicular to the second direction d ₂ and away from the front side 420a (Figure 4A). The protrusion 456 has a shape that is the same as, or at least generally similar to, a shape defined by the cavity 336 (e.g., a rectangular shape; Figure 3A) of the first web receiving portion 216a so that the protrusion 456 can fit closely within the cavity 336 when the web connectors 1 12 are interlocked with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the cavity 336 has an elongate rectangular shape. In other embodiments, the cavity 336 can have a different size and/or shape, such as ovular, triangular, square, star, and/or other suitable surface features. In an alternate embodiment, the protrusion 456 can be formed at the first recess 326 and the cavity 336 can be formed at the second projection 452. In some embodiments, the web connectors 1 12 may include additional sets of surface features (e.g., an additional protrusion and corresponding cavity) formed on one or more of the projections 352 and 452 and one or more of the corresponding recesses.

[0025] The second web receiving portion 216b further includes a back side 420b opposite the front side 420a, a third recess 426 adjacent the back side 420b, and a third projection 453 projecting at the back side 420b. The third recess 426 has a contact surface 424, an inner edge 429, and a shape that is the same as, or at least generally similar to, the shape of the first projection 352 so that the third recess 426 can snugly receive the first projection 352 of the first web receiving portion 216a when the web connectors 1 12 are interlocked with each other. Referring again to Figure 4A, the third projection 453 extends from the medial edge 427 generally in the second direction d ₂ . The third projection 453 has a second outer edge 435 and a shape that is the same as, or at least generally similar to, the shape of the second recess 328 (Figure 4B) of the first web receiving portion 216a so that the third projection 453 can be snugly received in the second recess 328 when the web connectors 1 12 are interlocked with each other. In other embodiments, one or more of the projections 352, 452, and 453 and/or the corresponding recesses 326, 328, and 426 can have different sizes and/or shapes than shown in the illustrated embodiment. For example, in one embodiment, the third projection 453 and the corresponding second recess 328 can be rectangular in shape.

[0026] Figures 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of the interlocked connectors 1 12 taken along lines 5A-5A and 5B-5B, respectively, in Figure 2A. Referring to Figures 5A and 5B together, in use, a user can interlock the web receiving portions 216 by generally sliding the projections 352, 452, and 453 over the corresponding recesses 426, 326, and 328, respectively, while simultaneously rotating one of the web receiving portions 216 relative to the other until the protrusion 456 is inserted into the cavity 336. When interlocked, the edges 325, 327, 329, and 335 of the first web receiving member 216a abut the corresponding edges 425, 427, 429, and 435, respectively, of the second web receiving member 216b, and the protrusion 456 extends into the cavity 336 and contacts the lower surface 315 and the surrounding sidewall 339. Engagement between the various edges and surfaces of the web receiving portions 216 restricts or at least reduces relative movement between the web connectors 1 12 when they are engaged with the buckle 140 (Figure 2A). This prevents or at least restricts the web connectors 1 12 from rubbing and sliding against each other during operation, and reduces or eliminates friction that could potentially lead to undue wear and tear between the web connectors 1 12. The reduction or elimination of play between the web connectors 1 12 can also prevent a user's skin and/or clothing from being pinched between the web receiving portions 216 during operation. Additionally, this can further stabilize the web connectors 1 12 while the user inserts the tongue portions 214 (Figure 2A) into the buckle 140 and/or ejects the tongue portions 214 from the buckle 140. The user can separate the web receiving portions 216 by slightly twisting one of the web receiving portions 216 relative to the other. The slight twisting motion pulls the protrusion 456 out of the cavity 336 in the direction of arrow F. The web receiving portions 216 can then be pulled apart. [0027] Appendix A includes an isometric view (Figure A1 ), a front side view (Figure A2), a rear side view (Figure A3), a left side view (Figure A4), a right side view (Figure A5), top side view (Figure A6), and a bottom side view (Figure A7) showing ornamental designs of connectors and a buckle disclosed herein.

[0028] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the various embodiments of the disclosure. Further, while various advantages associated with certain embodiments of the disclosure have been described above in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the disclosure is not limited, except as by the appended claims.