Remotely lockable seat belt arrangement

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a restraint comprising a buckle ( 200 ) configured to secure a latch ( 120 ) when said latch ( 120 ) is engaged with said buckle ( 200 ). The restraint also comprises complementary locks ( 280 a, 280 b ) associated with said buckle ( 200 ) that are configured to prevent release of said latch ( 120 ) from engagement with said buckle ( 200 ) in a first position and to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a second position. The restraint further comprises an electro-magnet ( 385 ) associated with said buckle ( 200 ) and said locks ( 280 a, 280 b ), said electro-magnet ( 385 ) being configured to prevent said locks ( 280 a, 280 b ) from being moved from said second position when said electro-magnet ( 385 ) is in a first state and to allow said locks ( 280 a, 280 b ) to be moved in a second state, said first state being determined through activation of a remote activator ( 530 ).

1 . A restraint comprising: 
 buckle configured to secure a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle;    complementary locks associated with said buckle and being configured to prevent release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a first position and to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a second position; and    electromagnet associated with said buckle and said locks, said electro-magnet being configured to prevent said locks from being moved from said second position when said electro-magnet is in a first state and to allow said locks to be moved in a second state, said first state being determined through activation of a remote activator.    
   
   
       2 . The restraint according to  claim 1 , wherein said electro-magnetic is energised in said first state.  
   
   
       3 . The restraint according to  claim 2 , wherein said complementary locks are aligned such that electro-magnetic coupling is induced between said locks when said electro-magnet is energised in said first state.  
   
   
       4 . The restraint according to  claim 3 , wherein said electro-magnetically coupled locks engage said latch to secure said latch in said buckle.  
   
   
       5 . The restraint according to  claim 1 , wherein said electro-magnet is mounted on a non-magnetic portion of said buckle.  
   
   
       6 . The restraint according to  claim 3 , further comprising guides for aligning said complementary locks.  
   
   
       7 . The restraint according to  claim 5 , wherein said guides are non-magnetic.  
   
   
       8 . A restraint comprising: 
 buckle configured to secure a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle;    lock associated with said buckle and being configured to prevent release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a first position and to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a second position; and    electro-magnet associated with said buckle and said lock, said electro-magnet being configured to prevent said lock from being moved from said second position when said electro-magnet is in a first state and to allow said lock to be moved in a second state, said first state being determined through activation of a remote activator.    
   
   
       9 . A restraint according to  claim 8 , wherein said electro-magnet is mounted on a non-magnetic portion of said buckle.  
   
   
       10 . A restraint according to  claim 8 , further comprising an override configured to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle when said remote activator is activated.  
   
   
       11 . A restraint according to  claim 8 , wherein an amount of magnetic attraction provided by said electro-magnet is adjustable.  
   
   
       12 . A restraint according to  claim 8 , said electro-magnet being energised in said first state preventing said lock from being moved, and said electro-magnet being de-energised in said second state allowing said lock to be moved.  
   
   
       13 . A restraint according to  claim 8 , wherein said remote activator is in the form of a remote switch configured within a vehicle that has the restraint installed.  
   
   
       14 . A restraint according to  claim 8 , wherein said electro-magnet is switched to said second state upon opening an ignition switch of a vehicle that has the restraint installed.  
   
   
       15 . A restraint according to  claim 8 , wherein the lock is formed by a locking E-piece.  
   
   
       16 . A restraint comprising: 
 buckle configured to secure a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle;    lock associated with said buckle and being configured to prevent release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a first position and to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a second position;    electro-magnet associated with said buckle and said lock, said electro-magnet being configured to prevent said lock from being moved from said second position when said electro-magnet is in a first state and to allow said lock to be moved in a second state, said first state being determined through activation of a remote activator; and    override configured to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle when said remote activator is activated.    
   
   
       17 . A restraint according to  claim 16 , wherein said electro-magnet is mounted on a non-magnetic portion of said buckle.  
   
   
       18 . A restraint according to  claim 16 , wherein said electro-magnet is switched to said second state upon opening an ignition switch of a vehicle that has the restraint installed.  
   
   
       19 . A seat belt arrangement comprising: 
 buckle means configured to secure a latch means when said latch is engaged with said buckle means;    locking means associated with said buckle means and being configured to prevent release of said latch means from engagement with said buckle means in a first position and to allow release of said latch means from engagement with said buckle means in a second position; and    magnetic means associated with said buckle means and said locking means, said magnetic means being configured to prevent said locking means from being moved from said second position when said magnetic means is in a first state and to allow said locking means to be moved in a second state, said first state being determined through activation of a remote activator means.    
   
   
       20 . A method of locking a restraint buckle, said method comprising: 
 securing a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle, said buckle comprising an associated lock configured to prevent release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a first position and to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a second position; and    activating a remote activator to determine a first state for a electro-magnet associated with said buckle, said electro-magnet being configured to prevent said lock from being moved from said second position when said electro-magnet is in a first state, thereby locking said buckle, said electro-magnet being further configured to allow said lock to be moved in a second state.    
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising the step of activating an override to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle when said remote activator is activated.  
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein said electro-magnet is energised in said first state preventing said lock from being moved, and said electro-magnet is de-energised in said second state allowing said lock to be moved.  
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein said electro-magnet is switched to said second state upon opening an ignition switch of a vehicle that has the restraint installed.  
   
   
       24 . A restraint comprising: 
 buckle configured to secure a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle;    release associated with said buckle and being configured to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle upon activation of said release;    lock associated with said buckle and said release, said lock being configured to prevent activation of said release in a first state and to allow activation of said release in a second state, said first state being determined through activation of a remote activator; and    override configured to allow activation of said release when said remote activator is activated.    
   
   
       25 . A restraint according to  claim 24 , said lock comprising at least one magnet, said magnet being energised/de-energised in said first state preventing activation of said release.  
   
   
       26 . A restraint according to  claim 24 , said lock comprising at least one magnet, said magnet being energised/de-energised in said second state allowing activation of said release.  
   
   
       27 . A restraint according to  claim 25 , said magnet being operatively associated with at least one magnetic projection, such that upon activation of said remote activator, said magnet is energised/de-energised securing the magnetic projection in a first position preventing activation of said release.  
   
   
       28 . A restraint according to  claim 25 , said magnet being operatively associated with at least one magnetic projection, such that upon deactivation of said remote activator, said magnet is energised/de-energised such that said magnetic projection moves to a second position allowing activation of said release.  
   
   
       29 . A restraint according to  claim 28 , wherein a biasing means is configured to locate the magnetic projection to the second position upon energising/de-energising said magnet.  
   
   
       30 . A restraint according to  claim 25 , wherein said magnetic projection forms a portion of said release.  
   
   
       31 . A restraint according to  claim 25 , wherein said magnetic projection is independent of said release.  
   
   
       32 . A restraint according to  claim 24 , wherein said remote activator is in the form of a remote switch configured within a vehicle that has the seat belt arrangement installed.  
   
   
       33 . A restraint according to  claim 24 , wherein one or more indicators indicate whether said lock is in said first state or second state.  
   
   
       34 . A restraint according to  claim 24 , wherein said lock is switched to said second state upon opening an ignition switch of a vehicle that has the seat belt arrangement installed.  
   
   
       35 . A restraint comprising: 
 buckle configured to secure a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle;    release associated with said buckle and being configured to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle upon activation of said release;    lock associated with said buckle and said release, said lock being configured to prevent activation of said release in a first position and to allow activation of said release in a second position, said first position being determined through activation of a remote activator; and    override configured to allow activation of said release when said remote activator is activated.    
   
   
       36 . A restraint according to  claim 35 , said lock comprising at least one magnet being operatively associated with at least one magnetic projection, such that upon activation of said remote activator, said magnet is energised/de-energised such that said magnetic projection configures said magnetic projection in said first position.  
   
   
       37 . A seat belt arrangement comprising: 
 buckle means configured to secure a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle;    release means associated with said buckle and being configured to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle means upon activation of said release means;    locking means operatively associated with said buckle means and said release means, said locking means being configured to prevent activation of said release means in a first state and to allow activation of said release means in a second state, said first state being determined through activation of a remote activation means; and    override means configured to allow activation of said release means when said remote activation means is activated.    
   
   
       38 . A seat belt arrangement according to  claim 37 , said locking means comprising at least one magnetising means, said magnetising means being energised/de-energised in said first state preventing activation of said release means.  
   
   
       39 . A seat belt arrangement according to  claim 37 , said locking means comprising at least one magnetising means being operatively associated with at least one magnetic projection, said magnetising means is energised/de-energised in said second state allowing activation of said release.  
   
   
       40 . A seat belt arrangement comprising: 
 a buckle configured to secure a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle;    a release button associated with said buckle and being configured to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle upon activation of said release button;    a locking pin operatively associated with said buckle and said release button, said locking pin being configured to prevent release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a first position and to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle in a second position;    a magnet operatively associated with said buckle and said locking pin, said magnet being configured to retain said locking pin in said first position in a first state, said first state of said magnet being determined through activation of a remote switch; and    a manual override button configured to move said locking pin to said second position, when said remote switch is activated, to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle.    
   
   
       41 . A method of locking a restraint buckle, said method comprising: 
 securing a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle, said buckle comprising an associated release configured to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle upon activation of said release; and    activating a remote activator to determine a first state for a lock associated with said buckle, said lock being configured to prevent activation of said release in said first state and to allow activation of said release in a second state, wherein an override associated with said buckle is selectable to allow activation of said release when said remote activator is activated.    
   
   
       42 . A method according to  claim 41 , wherein upon activation of said remote activator a magnet operatively associated with at least one magnetic projection is energised/de-energised such that said magnet retains said magnetic projection in a first position.  
   
   
       43 . A method according to  claim 41 , wherein upon activation of said remote activator a magnet forming said lock is energised/de-energised in said first state preventing activation of said release.  
   
   
       44 . A buckle configured to secure a latch when said latch is engaged with said buckle, said buckle comprising: 
 release associated with said buckle and being configured to allow release of said latch from engagement with said buckle upon activation of said release;    lock associated with said buckle and said release, said lock being configured to prevent activation of said release in a first position and to allow activation of said release in a second position, said first position being determined through activation of a remote activator; and    override configured to allow activation of said release when said remote activator is activated.    
   
   
       45 . A buckle according to  claim 44 , said lock comprising at least one magnet being operatively associated with at least one magnetic projection, such that upon activation of said remote activator, said magnet is energised/de-energised such that said magnetic projection configures said magnetic projection in said first position.