US 8,898,865 B2Granted

Seat belt adjuster

OwnerTerry A. Campbellinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

An improved seatbelt adjuster for holding the lap seatbelt to the shoulder belt of an automobile seatbelt. The seatbelt adjuster prevents the shoulder belt from rubbing against the neck of a wearer. The adjuster is made of a single unitary piece and therefore cannot be separated. A frame member formed of resilient material has a front portion, rear portion, top edge, bottom edge and space between the front and back portions for containing the lap seatbelt. A parallel pair of dual gussets and rails is molded into the back portion to increase the stiffness of the flap member particularly to prevent it spreading open in hot weather. A snap clip has been added to the flap to avoid inadvertent release in hot weather. A horn gate has been added to the slot to prevent snagging on clothing.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An improved seat belt adjuster for holding a shoulder belt to a lap seat belt, the improved seat belt adjuster comprising:

a) a frame member having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end, a rear end, a first side, a second side, a length, a first width and a second width less than said first width, wherein said frame member encloses a rectangular opening having a length, a width, and first, second, third and fourth corners;
wherein the frame member comprises:
i) a shoulder belt clip member having a first end fixed to the rear end of the frame member at the bottom surface of the frame member, a free end extending towards the front end of the frame member and terminating adjacent to said front end of the frame member, a top surface, a first side and a second side, wherein said clip member is angled towards said rectangular opening, and wherein the clip member has a length and a width less than said length and said width of the rectangular opening;
ii) first and second parallel stiffening ridges projecting from the top surface of the clip member, wherein said first parallel ridge is disposed a first distance inside of said first side of the clip member, wherein said second parallel ridge is disposed said first distance inside of said second side of the clip member, wherein the first and second parallel stiffening ridges commence at said first end of the clip member and terminate at a terminal end a second distance inside of said free end of the clip member, and wherein each of the first and second parallel stiffening ridges includes a belt retaining rounded projection rising from said terminal end thereof;
iii) a rectangular aperture for receiving a rectangular clasping member;
iv) a circular recess for receiving a circular fastening pin;
and
v) first, second, third and fourth pins projecting upwards from said top surface of the frame member and located at the first, second, third and fourth corners, respectively, of the rectangular opening, wherein said pins define a bottom of a lap belt containment channel;
b) a closure member having a length and a width, a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side and a second side, said closure member comprising:
i) a fixed end fixed to said top surface of the frame member at the rear end of the frame member;
ii) a binge located at said fixed end of the closure member so that said closure member can pivot from an open position to a closed position over the frame member;
iii) a free end having a said rectangular clasping member projecting therefrom and proximate and adjacent thereto;
iv) a flat recessed portion between the fixed end of the closure member and said free end of the closure member, the flat recessed portion defining a top of the lap belt containment channel, the flat recessed portion having a top surface and a rear end;
v) said circular fastening pin disposed proximate to the fixed end of the closure member;
and
vi) a first set of pins projecting from the top surface of said flat recessed portion, the first set of pins being located proximate to the rear end of said flat recessed portion and a distance inside of said width of the closure member, said first set of pins abutting a side of the lap seat belt and restraining said side of the lap seat belt from engaging the rectangular clasping member.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

An improved seat belt adjuster for holding a shoulder belt to a lap seat belt, the improved seat belt adjuster comprising:

a) a frame member having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front end, a rear end, a first side, a second side, a length, a first width and a second width less than said first width, wherein said frame member encloses a rectangular opening having a length, a width, and first, second, third and fourth corners;
wherein the frame member comprises:
i) a shoulder belt clip member having a first end fixed to the rear end of the frame member at the bottom surface of the frame member, a free end extending towards the front end of the frame member and terminating adjacent to said front end of the frame member, a top surface, a first side and a second side, wherein said clip member is angled towards said rectangular opening, and wherein the clip member has a length and a width less than said length and said width of the rectangular opening;
ii) first and second parallel stiffening ridges projecting from the top surface of the clip member, wherein said first parallel ridge is disposed a first distance inside of said first side of the clip member, wherein said second parallel ridge is disposed said first distance inside of said second side of the clip member, wherein the first and second parallel stiffening ridges commence at said first end of the clip member and terminate at a terminal end a second distance inside of said free end of the clip member, and wherein each of the first and second parallel stiffening ridges includes a belt retaining rounded projection rising from said terminal end thereof;
iii) a rectangular aperture for receiving a rectangular clasping member;
iv) a circular recess for receiving a circular fastening pin;
and
v) first, second, third and fourth pins projecting upwards from said top surface of the frame member and located at the first, second, third and fourth corners, respectively, of the rectangular opening, wherein said pins define a bottom of a lap belt containment channel;
b) a closure member having a length and a width, a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side and a second side, said closure member comprising:
i) a fixed end fixed to said top surface of the frame member at the rear end of the frame member;
ii) a binge located at said fixed end of the closure member so that said closure member can pivot from an open position to a closed position over the frame member;
iii) a free end having a said rectangular clasping member projecting therefrom and proximate and adjacent thereto;
iv) a flat recessed portion between the fixed end of the closure member and said free end of the closure member, the flat recessed portion defining a top of the lap belt containment channel, the flat recessed portion having a top surface and a rear end;
v) said circular fastening pin disposed proximate to the fixed end of the closure member;
and
vi) a first set of pins projecting from the top surface of said flat recessed portion, the first set of pins being located proximate to the rear end of said flat recessed portion and a distance inside of said width of the closure member, said first set of pins abutting a side of the lap seat belt and restraining said side of the lap seat belt from engaging the rectangular clasping member.

13 more elements