Non-inertial release safety restraint belt buckle systems

Abstract

Vehicle body restraint systems including buckles for latching and retaining latch plates associated with safety belts wherein the buckles includes latching mechanisms having oppositely oriented release mechanisms which are operative in such a manner that any force applied to one release mechanism which would act to release a latch plate creates an increased force on the opposing release mechanism to retain the latch plate in a locked position. Release of the latch plates can only occur upon the simultaneous activation of the opposing release mechanisms by manual force applied in opposite directions.

1 . A method of providing a non-inertial safety restraint system for vehicles which system includes a latch plate having an opening therein, a buckle housing having an interior passageway for selectively receiving the latch plate and at least one latch member movable within the housing from a first locking position engaging an opening in the latch plate to retain the latch plate within the housing to a second position to permit insertion and removal of the latch plate relative to the interior passageway of the housing, and wherein a pair of oppositely oriented release push buttons are provided extending through openings is opposite sidewalls of the housing, the method including; 
 a) continuously urging the at least one latch to said first locking position thereof by resilient force,    b) moving the at least one latch from the first locking position thereof to the second release position thereof when the latch plate is being inserted within the housing and such that when the latch plate is fully inserted within the housing the at least one latch is moved to said first locking position thereof to prevent withdrawal of the latch plate from the buckle housing and    c) permitting release of the latch plate from the at least one latch only upon the simultaneous application of force to each of the push buttons to move said push buttons toward one another within the housing to thereby cause said at least one latch to be moved to said second release position thereof.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  including the additional step of normally urging each of said oppositely oriented push buttons towards a first locking position to prevent the at least one latch from moving to the second release position by generally equal and oppositely oriented forces.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  including the additional step of providing resilient means between each of said oppositely oriented push buttons such that any force applied toward one of said push buttons to move said one of said push buttons to release the at least one latch applies a force simultaneously to the other of said push buttons to urge the other of the push buttons to remain in a position to prevent the at least one latch from moving to the second release position.