Harness safety alarm

Details Harness safety alarm Harness safety alarm

2002-05-21

2004-10-26

Tweel, John (Department: 2636)

Communications: electrical

Land vehicle alarms or indicators

Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...

C340S539110, C340S573100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06809640

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a harness safety alarm. In particular, the present invention relates to a harness safety alarm that can provide a warning when a safety harness, such as a seat belt, is undone or uncoupled.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is a legislative requirement of many countries that the occupants of motor vehicles be restrained by seat belts. For example, in Australia, it is compulsory that all persons travelling in a motor vehicle must wear a seat belt. The only exception to this law relates to a small number of people suffering from certain medical conditions. Similarly, most States in the United States of America now require that seat belts be worn. Although adults and older children readily accept the necessity of being restrained, a difficulty can arise with younger children who are physically capable of undoing seat belts but lack the understanding of the importance of always wearing the seat belts when travelling in a motor vehicle (in this context, “seat belts” includes safety harnesses on children's car seats as well as normal seat belts). Consequently, there is a risk that young children may undo their seat belt whilst the motor vehicle is in motion without the driver or parents being aware of this occurrence. The presence of an unrestrained child in the motor vehicle during travel is obviously not safe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a harness alarm that will give a warning in the event that a safety harness, such as a seat belt, is undone or uncoupled.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a harness safety alarm for use with a harness that includes a buckle means for closing the harness, said buckle means including a first connecting means for connecting to a second connecting means, the alarm including a magnetic proximity sensor, first attachment means for mounting the proximity sensor to one of the first or second connecting means, a detectable means, second attachment means for mounting the detectable means to the other of the first or second connecting means, said magnetic proximity sensor detecting the presence of the detectable means when said first and second connecting means are coupled, warning means positioned remotely from the magnetic proximity sensor and signalling means for sending a signal between the sensor and the warning means when said magnetic proximity sensor detects that the detectable means is not in close proximity thereto, said signal causing said warning means to emit an audible and/or visual warning
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a harness safety alarm for use with the harness that includes a buckle means for closing the harness, said buckle means including a first connecting means for connecting to a second connecting means, the alarm including sensing means for sensing when the first and connecting means are buckled up and for sensing seperation of the first and second sensing means, a warning means positioned remotely from the sensing means, signalling means for sending a signal between the sensing means and the warning means, wherein said sensing means causes a signal to be sent to the warning means when the sensing means senses that the first and second connecting means are seperated, and said signal causes said warning means to emit an audible and/or visual warning, and programmed means for detecting when the harness has been buckled up, said programmed means sending an activation signal to the warning means to activate the warning means when the programmed means detects that the harness has been buckled up.
The sensing means is preferably positioned on or adjacent to one of the first or second joining means.
Preferably, the buckle means includes a clasping means that clasps onto a tongue means, as is commonly used in car seat belts and child restraints. For convenience, the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to this embodiment.
The sensing means is preferably positioned on or adjacent to the clasping means. The sensing means maybe constructed as a separate unit and affixed to the clasping means by any suitable means, such as the use of an adhesive, the provision of straps having hook and loop type fasteners (eg velcro straps), one or more belts having buckle-type fasteners or by providing the sensing means with any other suitable mounting means for mounting the sensing means to the clasping means. In this embodiment the alarm may be an after-market fitment to existing safety harnesses and motor vehicles. In this embodiment, the sensing means may further comprise attachment means for attaching the sensing means to the clasping means.
In another embodiment the sensing means is built into the clasping means. In this embodiment, the alarm may be an original equipment fitment to car seat belts or child restraint seats.
The sensing means preferably comprises a proximity sensor that senses when the tongue means is positioned close to the clasping means. More preferably, the sensing means comprises a proximity sensor that senses the presence of the tongue means when the tongue means is inserted into the clasping means. When the tongue means is removed from the clasping means, the sensing means senses that the tongue means is no longer close to the sensing means and activates the warning means.
The proximity sensor may comprise a magnetic proximity sensor. Such devices are known and include a magnetic field generation means that produces a magnetic field. Passing a metallic object into or through the magnetic field disrupts the magnetic field and electronics in the proximity sensor can detect that change. The warning means may then be activated.
The alarm may further comprise a detectable means that is detectable by the proximity sensor. The detectable means may comprise a metallic object positioned on or adjacent to the tongue means, or a magnet positioned on or adjacent to the tongue means. The detectable means ensures that the proximity detector detects when the tongue means is removed from the clasp by improving the sensitivity of the sensing means. The detactable means is preferably a separate unit to the tongue means. The detectable means preferably further comprises attachment means for attaching the detectable means to the tongue means. The attachment means may comprise one or more straps having hook and loop fasteners, one or more belts having buckle type fasteners, or an adhesive.
The alarm means also includes a warning means. In its simplest form, the warning means comprises an audible warning means for providing an audible warning should the harness be undone or uncoupled.
In a more preferred embodiment, the warning means includes an audible warning means and a visual warning means. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the warning means comprises a warning unit positioned remotely from the sensing means. In this embodiment the warning unit may be suitably positioned on the dashboard of the motor vehicle or otherwise in the driver's line of sight. The warning unit may provide a visual warning and/or an audible warning to the driver. By positioning the warning unit close to the driver or in the driver's line of sight, the chances of the warning going unheeded are slight. The warning means preferably further comprises mounting means for maintaining the warning means to the dashboard of a vehicle.
The apparatus may further comprise signalling means for sending a signal between the sensing means and the warning means. The signalling means at least sends a signal to the warning means when the proximity sensor detects that the tongue means is not in close proximity to the clasping means, for example, when the seat belt has been undone. More preferably, the signalling means essentially continuously sends a signal to the warning unit to provide an indication of the status of the seat belt at all times that the alarm is activated. In particular, the warning unit is preferably provided with a status indicator that indicates the status of the seat belt. The statu

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