Releasable Retractable Seatbelt Deforming Clip
OwnerSuzanne Benoitinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved seatbelt clip is defined by a retractable tether anchored at the buckle intersection of a seatbelt. The retractable tether is connected at its end to a clipping device that accommodates a folded section of seatbelt. A user folds the shoulder strap of a seatbelt in half longitudinally and inserts the folded strap into the clip which holds it in a position to fit between the breasts of a user. In the event of an accident, the tether causes the clip to dislodge and pulls the clip down and away from the wearer.
Claims12
A device for increasing the comfort of a seatbelt wearer, comprising:
- a. a clip for deforming the section of a seatbelt adjacent the cleft of the breasts of a user and re-orienting the section to seat in the cleft;
- b. a tether connected to the clip at one end, and connected to a tether collector for gathering the length of the tether at the other;
- c. the tether collector biased toward a position wherein the tether is retracted to the collector;
- and
- d. an anchor for securely and removably connecting the collector to a position proximal to the seatbelt.
A device for increasing the comfort of a seatbelt wearer, comprising:
- a. a clip adapted to deforming the section of a seatbelt adjacent a user's breast cleft to cause the seatbelt section held by the clip to fold in half and re-orient so that the edges of the folded seatbelt are at a ninety degree angle from the adjacent parts of the seatbelt;
- b. an inelastic tether connected to the clip at one end, and housed in a tether collector at the other;
- c. the tether collector biased toward a position wherein the tether is retracted and housed in the tether collector;
- and
- d. an anchor attached to the tether collector for securely and removably holding the collector in a position proximal to the receptacle side of the seatbelt buckle.
A method of improving the comfort of a person wearing a seatbelt, comprising the steps of:
- a. a user seated in a vehicle seat putting on a shoulder strap seatbelt and connecting the seatbelt buckle;
- b. the user then grasping a seatbelt clip attached to a retractable seatbelt tether disposed in a housing adjacent the seatbelt buckle and pulling the clip away from the housing;
- c. the user then grasping the area of the seatbelt shoulder strap disposed adjacent the user's breasts and folding the area in half;
- d. the user then installing the clip on the folded portion of the shoulder strap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.