# US 12,214,746 B2 · Car seat seatbelt timer apparatus

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- Number: US 12,214,746 B2
- Document ID: US12214746B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/122,494
- Filed: 2023-03-16
- Published: 2024-09-19
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2023-03-16
- Applicants: Sherri Hayward
- Inventors: Sherri Hayward
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214746B2

## CPC

- B60R 22/48: Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
- B60R 2022/4808: {Sensing means arrangements therefor}
- B60R 2022/4816: {for sensing locking of buckle}
- B60R 2022/4866: {Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A car seat seatbelt timer apparatus for alerting a user to a child's presence in a car seat includes a car seat with a buckle that releasably joins a pair of seatbelt segments together. When the buckle is closed, a switch is moved into an activated position, which initiates a timer. Once the timer reaches a predetermined time interval, an audible alarm is generated to notify a user that the buckle has been closed for the length of time of the predetermined time interval. A notification is also sent to a remote electronic device after the predetermined time interval elapses.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A car seat seatbelt timer apparatus comprising:
a child car seat having a seatbelt and a buckle, the child car seat being positionable in a seat of a vehicle, the seatbelt having a pair of segments being coupled to the buckle, the buckle releasably coupling the pair of segments of the seatbelt together, the buckle including a male portion and a female portion;
a switch being mounted to the buckle, the switch being positioned in an activated position when the male portion of the buckle is coupled to the female portion, the switch being positioned in a deactivated position when the male portion is decoupled from the female portion;
a control circuit being electrically coupled to the switch, the control circuit being programmed to initiate a timer when the switch is moved into the activated position wherein the timer is configured to correspond to how long a child has been secured into the child car seat, the control circuit being programmed to terminate the timer when the switch is positioned in the deactivated position;
a sound emitter being electrically coupled to the control circuit, the sound emitter generating an audible alarm when the timer runs for a predetermined time interval; and
if the buckle is uncoupled before the timer runs for the predetermined time interval, the sound emitter does not sound the audible alarm and the remote electronic device does not sound the audible alarm and an remote electronic devices does not display a notification.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a transmitter being electrically coupled to the control circuit, the transmitter generating a wireless signal when the timer runs for the predetermined time interval; and
a remote electronic device being programmed to receive communication from the transmitter, the remote electronic device having a display screen, the remote electronic device displaying a notification on the display screen when the remote electronic device receives the wireless signal from the transmitter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power supply being electrically coupled to the control circuit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the power supply comprises a battery.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the switch is positioned in the female portion of the buckle, the control circuit being positioned in the female portion of the buckle, the sound emitter being mounted on the female portion of the buckle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is positioned in the female portion of the buckle, the power supply being positioned in the female portion of the buckle.

### Claim 7

A car seat seatbelt timer apparatus comprising:
a child car seat having a seatbelt and a buckle, the child car seat being positionable in a seat of a vehicle, the seatbelt having a pair of segments being coupled to the buckle, the buckle releasably coupling the pair of segments of the seatbelt together, the buckle including a male portion and a female portion;
a switch being mounted to the buckle, the switch being positioned in an activated position when the male portion of the buckle is coupled to the female portion, the switch being positioned in a deactivated position when the male portion is decoupled from the female portion, the switch being positioned in the female portion of the buckle;
a control circuit being electrically coupled to the switch, the control circuit being programmed to initiate a timer when the switch is moved into the activated position wherein the timer is configured to correspond to how long a child has been secured into the child car seat, the control circuit being programmed to terminate the timer when the switch is positioned in the deactivated position, the control circuit being positioned in the female portion of the buckle;
a sound emitter being electrically coupled to the control circuit, the sound emitter generating an audible alarm when the timer runs for a predetermined time interval, the sound emitter being mounted on the female portion of the buckle;
a transmitter being electrically coupled to the control circuit, the transmitter generating a wireless signal when the timer runs for the predetermined time interval, the transmitter being positioned in the female portion of the buckle;
a remote electronic device being programmed to receive communication from the transmitter, the remote electronic device having a display screen, the remote electronic device displaying a notification on the display screen when the remote electronic device receives the wireless signal from the transmitter;
a power supply being electrically coupled to the control circuit, the power supply comprising a battery, the power supply being positioned in the female portion of the buckle; and
if the buckle is uncoupled before the timer runs for the predetermined time interval, the sound emitter does not sound the audible alarm and the remote electronic device does not sound the audible alarm and an remote electronic devices does not display a notification.