DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD
[001] The present invention relates to a seat belt system for a vehicle. The seat belt system includes an anti-slippage device for securing a seat web buckle from slipping away into seat frame pockets.

BACKGROUND
[002] Generally, a seat belt system is known for securing occupants of a vehicle from a sudden / unexpected injury in an event of a crash / collision or an abrupt halt or roll-over of the vehicle. Various such known seat belt systems employed for the occupants’ seats generally include web buckles located in a seat frame pocket and tongue shaped structures, each of which is coupled to webs employed for latching purposes. Also, it is known that such seat belt systems may be coupled to a seat frame with a rigid member or flexibly coupled to a seat frame with the webs. While a 1st row occupant’s seats have rigidly fixed seat belt systems, a 2nd row occupant’s seats, specifically a 60P seat variant has a flexible seat belt system.
[003] It has been observed that a limitation exists while donning the seat belt when such conventional seat belt systems are flexibly coupled to the seat frame with the webs. In such conventional seat belt systems, the web buckles tend to slip away through gaps of a seat pocket and fall into the seat frame and remains un assessable to the occupant. The occupants are thereby often discouraged from using the seat belt system, leading to compromised safety of the occupants in the vehicle.
[004] Therefore, there exists a need to provide a seat belt system to overcome one or more of the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY
[005] Accordingly, an exemplary aspect of the present invention discloses a seat belt system for a vehicle comprising a first webbing flexibly coupled to a seat frame. A seat web buckle is interconnected with the first webbing. A second webbing is flexibly coupled to a tongue shaped member. An anti-slippage device coupled to the seat frame has at least an inner cross-sectional surface area circumscribing and gripping the first webbing and the seat web buckle protruding outwards and away from the inner cross-sectional surface area for covering a seat pocket gap and confining lateral slipping of the first webbing and the seat web buckle into a bottom of the seat frame through the seat pocket gap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[006] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[007] Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a seat belt system for a vehicle with an anti-slippage device for a seat web buckle, according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention;
[008] Figure 2 through Figures 2a and 2b illustrates a top view and a side view of an anti-slippage device for the seat web buckle of the seat belt system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and
[009] Figure 3 through Figures 3a and 3b illustrates a top view and a side view of an anti-slippage device for the seat web buckle of the seat belt system, according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[010] Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and may have not been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to the other elements to help improve understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference signs are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[011] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiment illustrated.
[012] Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention. Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to a person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth relating to specific components to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
[013] In general, the present invention claims a seat belt system for a vehicle comprising an anti-slippage device coupled to a seat frame having at least an inner cross-sectional surface area circumscribing and gripping a first webbing and a seat web buckle for covering a seat pocket gap and confining lateral slipping of the first webbing and the seat web buckle into a bottom of the seat frame through the seat pocket gap.
[014] According to an exemplary aspect, the present invention discloses a seat belt system comprising a first webbing flexibly coupled to a seat frame. A seat web buckle located within the seat frame, said seat web buckle interconnected to said flexible first webbing. A second webbing flexibly connected to the seat frame or a vehicle body. A tongue shaped structure interconnected to the flexible second webbing for latching into said seat web buckle upon donning by an occupant of the vehicle. An anti-slippage device located on top of said seat frame circumscribing said first webbing and seat web buckle for preventing slipping away of the seat web buckle through the seat pocket and falling at bottom of said seat frame.
[015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the anti-slippage device for the seat web buckle comprises at least a layer of a substrate having an opening removably fixed on top of said seat frame circumscribing said first webbing and said seat web buckle. The seat web buckle protrudes therethrough said opening away from the seat frame towards the seat pocket. The opening is sized of a predetermined cross-sectional area for favorable gripping of said first webbing or seat web buckle within its internal edges, thereby restricting lateral slipping of said seat web buckle through gaps of the seat pocket into the seat frame.
[016] According to the exemplary embodiment, said at least one layer of the substrate is made up of plastic fibers that may include but not limited to polypropylene (PP). The seat frame, the webs, the tongue shaped structure, and the seat web buckle may be made of known materials and is not limited thereto.
[017] According to another exemplary embodiment, an anti-slippage device for the seat web buckle comprises a first webbing or seat web buckle interlocked intermediate a first member and a second member thereby preventing slipping away of the seat web buckle through the seat pocket into the seat frame. According to the exemplary embodiment, said first member includes at least a plurality of legs oppositely facing at least a plurality of legs of said second member for directly interlocking first webbing and seat web buckle therebetween. According to the exemplary embodiment, the anti-slippage device may include but not limited thereto a rod located within slots of said at least plurality of oppositely facing legs of said first member or said second member for preventing direct interlocking of said members. Interlocking the webbing or the seat web buckle occurs only when the rod is removed manually and said members are biased towards each other for interlocking the webbing or seat web buckle to prevent slipping away of the seat web buckle through the seat pocket into the seat frame.
[018] According to the exemplary embodiment, at least said first member or second member with said rod located therein may include but not limited thereto a magnetic member or ferromagnetic member or an actuator with a biasing member located in at least said plurality of legs of said first member or second member or a combination thereof. According to the embodiment, the biasing member may be but not limited thereto a magnetic surface, or an actuator loaded by a spring or a combination thereof and the biasing force may be but not limited thereto a magnetic force, or a spring force or a combination thereof.
[019] The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results. As used in the present disclosure, the forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” “made of” and “having,” are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated elements, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
[020] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of seat belt system referred in the description are for the purpose of understanding and nowhere limit the invention. The skilled person will be able to devise various structures, shapes and components of the seat belt system that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the present invention. All the terms and expressions in the description are only for the purpose of the understanding and nowhere limit the invention. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Terms like first, second, top, bottom, anterior, posterior, inner, outer, forward, rearward, ends, and the like are used to differentiate between objects having the same terminology and are in no way intended to represent a chronological order, unless where explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof. Thus, while particular type of structure, material, thickness, area, height, width, length, shape, diameters, quantity, numbers of the first webbing, second webbing, seat web buckle, a seat frame, tongue shaped member, anti-slippage device, forward legged member, rearward legged member, first and second leg ends, rod member, slots, magnetic or ferromagnetic members, actuator and springs, method of assembling or manufacturing, have been disclosed, nowhere limit the invention and are provided for understanding of the invention. It will be appreciated that the embodiments may be manufactured with other design parameters and configurations as well and are not limited to those described herein above may be as per operational requirements by making necessary changes and is not limited to those described herein and nowhere limits the scope of the invention and are provided only for reference and for understating purpose of the invention.
[021] Figures 1-3 disclose a seat belt system (100), a first webbing (110), a seat web buckle (115), a seat frame (120), a second webbing (130), a tongue shaped member (135), an anti-slippage device (140), a forward legged member (242, 342), a rearward legged member (244, 344), a first leg end portion (2421, 3421, 2441, 3441), a second leg end portion (2422, 3422, 2442, 3442), an actuator (350), and a compressed spring (355).
[022] According to an exemplary aspect of the present invention, Figures 1-3, disclose seat belt system (100) for a vehicle comprises a first webbing (110) having a bottom end portion flexibly coupled to a seat frame (120). A seat web buckle (115) is interconnected with a top end portion of said first webbing (110). The seat web buckle (115) is located within the seat frame (120). A second webbing (130) having an anterior end portion is flexibly coupled to a tongue shaped member (135) for enabling latching of said tongue shaped structure (135) into said seat web buckle (115). The second webbing (130) has a posterior end flexibly connected to either the seat frame (120) or a vehicle body. The tongue shaped member (135) is interconnected to the flexible second webbing (130). In application of the seat belt system (100), an occupant of the vehicle latches the tongue shaped structure (135) into the seat web buckle (115). An anti-slippage device (140) is coupled to said seat frame (120). Referring Figure 1, the anti-slippage device (140) is provided on top of the seat frame (120). The anti-slippage device (140) has at least an inner cross-sectional surface area (145) circumscribing and gripping said first webbing (110) and said seat web buckle (115). The seat web buckle (115) is protruding outwards and away from said inner cross-sectional surface area (145). The anti-slippage device (140) aids in covering a seat pocket gap and confining lateral slipping of said first webbing (110) and said seat web buckle (115) into a bottom of said seat frame (120) through said seat pocket gap.
[023] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, anti-slippage device (140) is removably or fixedly coupled to said seat frame (120). The anti-slippage device (140) may comprise at least a substrate layer having a surface opening (145). The seat web buckle (115) protrudes through the opening (145) away from the seat frame (120). The surface opening (145) is sized of a predetermined cross-sectional area to favorably grip the first webbing (110) within its internal edges, thereby restricting lateral slipping of the seat web buckle (115) through gaps of a seat pocket into the seat frame (120).
[024] Referring figures 2a-2b, according to another exemplary embodiment, the anti-slippage device (140) comprises a forward legged member (242) having a first leg end portion (2421) and a second leg end portion (2422) and a rearward legged member (244) having a first leg end (2441) portion and a second leg end portion (2442). According to the exemplary embodiment, the forward legged member (242) with the first leg end portion (2421) and the second leg end portion (2422) is a magnetic member and the rearward legged member (244) with the first leg end (2441) portion and the second leg end portion (2442) is a ferromagnetic member facing each other. The first webbing (115) is confined within the magnetic forward legged member (242) and the ferromagnetic rearward legged member (244). The first magnetic leg end portion (2421) diagonally faces the second ferromagnetic leg end portion (2442). The second magnetic leg end portion (2422) diagonally faces the first ferromagnetic leg end (2441) portion. A rod member (150) is removably housed within a plurality of co-axial slots located within each said first and second leg end portions (2421, 2422) of said forward legged member (242) or each said first and second leg end portions (2441, 2442) of said rearward legged member (244). The lateral slipping of said first webbing (110) and said seat web buckle (115) is confined and directly interlocked intermediate said forward legged member (242) and rearward legged member (244) on complete de-coupling of said rod member (150) from said plurality of slots and simultaneous engaging of said forward legged member (242) or said rearward legged member (244) towards each other with a biasing magnetic force.
[025] Referring figures 3a-3b, according to still another exemplary embodiment, the anti-slippage device (140) comprises a forward legged member (342) having a first leg end portion (3421) and a second leg end portion (3422) and a rearward legged member (344) having a first leg end (3441) portion and a second leg end portion (3442) facing each other. The first webbing (115) is confined within the forward legged member (342) and the rearward legged member (344). The first leg end portion (3421) diagonally faces the second leg end portion (3442). The second leg end portion (3422) diagonally faces the first leg end (3441) portion. According to the exemplary embodiment, the forward legged member (342) with the first leg end portion (3421) and the second leg end portion (3422) or the rearward legged member (344) with the first leg end (3441) portion and the second leg end portion (3442) may be configured to internally house an actuator (350) coupled to a compressed spring (355). A first end of said actuator (350) is coupled to said rod member (150) and a second end of said actuator (350) is biased against said compressed spring (355). The rod member (150) is removably housed within a plurality of co-axial slots located within each of said first and second leg end portions (3421, 3422) of said forward legged member (342) or each of said first and second leg end portions (3441, 3442) of said rearward legged member (344). The second end of the actuator (350) is biased against an inner end surface of the forward legged member (342) or the rearward legged member (344) via a compressed spring (355). When the rod member (150) is completely dislocated from the slots, the spring (355) expands and the actuator 350 biases against the second member (344) to favorably grip the first webbing (110) to prevent slipping away of the seat web buckle (115) through the seat pocket into the seat frame. On complete de-coupling of said rod member (150) from said plurality of slots and simultaneous engaging of said forward legged member (342) or said rearward legged member (344) towards each other with biasing of an actuator loaded expanding spring force, the lateral slipping of said first webbing (110) and said seat web buckle (115) is confined. The first webbing (110) and said seat web buckle (115) are directly interlocked intermediate said forward legged member (342) and rearward legged member (344). When the rod member (150) is completely dislocated from the slots, the spring (355) expands, and the actuator (350) biases against the second member (344) to favorably grip the first webbing (110) to prevent slipping away of the seat web buckle (115) through the seat pocket into the seat frame.
[026] According to the exemplary embodiment, the seat belt system (100) may be of lap type, shoulder type, or integrated lap-and-shoulder type. In an exemplary embodiment, the seat belt system (100) is of an integrated lap-and-shoulder type. With the teachings of the present invention, the slippage of the seat web buckle through the seat pockets in the 2nd row 60P seat variant is restricted, while putting on the seat belts. The seat belt system (100) for a vehicle adds better/easy accessibility while wearing the seatbelt.
[027] There have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments of exemplary indicative implementation of a seat belt system. It will also be apparent to a skilled person that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a single broader invention, which may have greater scope than any of the singular descriptions taught. There may be many alterations made in the description without departing from the scope of the invention. The present invention is simple in construction and design, integrated, cost effective and easy to manufacture and assemble. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited to said configuration disclosed thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise not restrictive to the terminology described herein above. The seat belt system is not limited to a 2nd row 60P seat variant; accordingly, the concept can be applicable to a seat belt system in front row as well by making necessary changes and is not limited to those described herein. Any discussion of embodiments included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.

,CLAIMS:
1. A seat belt system (100) for a vehicle, said seat belt system (100) comprising:
a first webbing (110) having a bottom end portion flexibly coupled to a seat frame (120);
a seat web buckle (115) interconnected with a top end portion of said first webbing (110);
a second webbing (130) having an anterior end portion flexibly coupled to a tongue shaped member (135) for enabling latching of said tongue shaped structure (135) into said seat web buckle (115); and
an anti-slippage device (140) coupled to said seat frame (120), said anti-slippage device (140) having at least an inner cross-sectional surface area circumscribing and gripping said first webbing (110) and said seat web buckle (115) protruding outwards and away from said inner cross-sectional surface area for covering a seat pocket gap and confining lateral slipping of said first webbing (110) and said seat web buckle (115) into a bottom of said seat frame (120) through said seat pocket gap.

2. The seat belt system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said anti-slippage device (140) is removably or fixedly coupled to said seat frame (120).

3. The seat belt system (100) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said anti-slippage device (140) has at least a substrate layer of polypropylene (PP).

4. The seat belt system (100) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said anti-slippage device (140) has a forward legged member (242, 342) having a first leg end portion (2421, 3421) and a second leg end portion (2422, 3422) and a rearward legged member (244, 344) having a first leg end (2441, 3441) portion and a second leg end portion (2442, 3442).

5. The seat belt system (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said anti-slippage device (140) has a rod member (150) removably housed within a plurality of co-axial slots located within each said first and second leg end portions (2421, 2422, 3421, 3422) of said forward legged member (242, 342) or each said first and second leg end portions (2441, 2442, 3441, 3442) of said rearward legged member (244, 344).

6. The seat belt system (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4-5, wherein said forward legged member (242) is a magnetic member with a magnetic said first and second leg end portions (2421, 2422) and said rearward legged member (244) is a ferromagnetic member with a ferromagnetic said first and second leg end portions (2441, 2442).

7. The seat belt system (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4-5, wherein said anti-slippage device (140) has an actuator (350) coupled to a compressed spring (355) and housed within said first leg end portion (3421) or said second leg end portion (3422) of said forward legged member (342) or said first leg end (3441) portion or said second leg end portion (3442) of rearward legged member (344).

8. The seat belt system (100) as claimed in claim 7, wherein a first end of said actuator (350) is coupled to said rod member (150) and a second end of said actuator (350) is biased against said compressed spring (355).

9. The seat belt system (100) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 4-9, wherein said lateral slipping of said first webbing (110) and said seat web buckle (115) is confined and directly interlocked intermediate said forward legged member (242, 342) and rearward legged member (244, 344) on complete de-coupling of said rod member (150) from said plurality of slots and simultaneous engaging of said forward legged member (242, 342) or said rearward legged member (244, 344) towards each other with a biasing magnetic force or an biasing actuator loaded expanding spring force or a combination thereof.