US 5,307,544 A · Seat belt buckle guard

Abstract

A seat belt buckle guard comprises a one-piece, molded plastic, box-like enclosure having one open end and an opposite end wall with a slot. The seat belt buckle fits through the open end into the enclosure with its latch plate receiving slot aligned with the slot in the housing. The latch plate on one belt half can be inserted through the housing slot to make with the buckle. Formed in the top wall and the end wall is an opening for gaining access to the buckle release button. In one arrangement, the opening is a narrow slot through which a flat object, such as a key, can be inserted to operate the buckle's release button. In accordance with an alternative embodiment, the opening is a circular aperture of a size permitting one's finger to be inserted to operate the release button. The opening is surrounded by a tubular stub or neck threaded on its exterior to receive a child-resistant safety cap of the type commonly used on medicine bottles. When the cap is removed, a finger can be inserted to activate a release button or the unit can be separated by folding along the hinge to allow actuation of a lever-type release or to gain access to a release button disposed on a front end edge of the buckle receptacle.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An article of manufacture comprising a hollow rectangular box-like enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls and only one end wall, said top wall having an opening formed through the thickness dimension thereof midway between said two side walls, said one end wall including a transversely extending narrow slot formed through the thickness dimension thereof and extending perpendicular to said two side walls, said opening in said top wall being an elongated narrow slot extending inward from said one end wall and with a further slot in said one end wall extending perpendicular to said transversely extending slot and intersecting said slot formed through said top wall.

In combination with a vehicle seat belt to the type having a webbed strap with a male clasp at one end and a female buckle receptacle at the other end, said female buckle receptacle having a release mechanism thereon, an enclosure for inhibiting unintended release of said male clasp from said female buckle receptacle, comprising:

(a) first and second integrally molded plastic housing members, each having a top surface, a bottom surface and an end surface and first and second side surfaces;
(b) a hinge joining said bottom surfaces of said first and second housing members together;
(c) a semi-circular opening formed through said top surface of each of said first and second housing members;
(d) a semi-circular neck projecting perpendicular to said top surface and including a pattern of threads on said exterior surface of said neck, said semi-circular openings and said necks positioned so that when said first and second members are folded together about said hinge, a circular opening and a tubular neck results;
(e) U-shaped slots formed through said first and second side surfaces of said first and second housing members and positioned so that when said first and second members are folded together about said hinge, said U-shaped slots in the first member cooperates with the corresponding U-shaped slot in the second member to form two elongated slots, one in each of said first and second side surfaces, the elongated slot in said first side surfaces receiving said female buckle receptacle therethrough and the elongated slot in said second side surfaces receiving said male clasp therethrough;
and
(f) a threaded cap removably secured to said tubular neck.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Seat belt buckle guard

Life of this patent

Seat belt buckle guard

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10