Chairs and seats – Body or occupant restraint or confinement – Safety belt or harness; e.g. – lap belt or shoulder harness
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-22
2001-11-27
Brown, Peter R (Department: 3624)
Chairs and seats
Body or occupant restraint or confinement
Safety belt or harness; e.g., lap belt or shoulder harness
C297S483000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322149
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to seat belt covering and positioning and in particular to an apparatus that can cover seat belts or other straps and position a shoulder strap for a child.
Infants are often placed in infant car seats when riding in a car. These infant car seats typically have three-point or five-point harness restraints in which seat belts or other apparatus such as buckles attach to the seat at three or five points, respectively. Usually the seat belts pass over the infant's torso, along either side of the infant's head and/or neck, and attach to the seat.
As infants grow into toddlers and small children, they no longer sit in car seats when riding in a car, sitting instead in the seats provided by the car. To secure the children in these seats, the children use the seat belts provided, which often include a lap belt and a shoulder strap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus including a strap cover adapted to receive a seat belt strap through a passage provided by the cover, the passage having a width that is smaller than a width of the seat belt to be received, at least a portion of the cover that is adapted to be disposed over an edge of the strap having a soft exterior surface, the cover including at least one pair of connectors adapted to selectively connect portions of the cover to enclose the seat belt.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The passage has a surface adapted to substantially prevent the cover from sliding relative to the strap when the surface is pressed against the strap. The passage surface includes a plurality of raised portions adapted to provide a high coefficient of static friction. The coefficient of static friction is sufficiently high such that the cover will remain substantially stationary relative to the strap despite forces tending to move the cover along a length of the strap ordinarily encountered when driving when the strap is a seat belt received by the passage and the passage surface is pressed against the strap by securing a person in a seat using the seat belt. The coefficient of static friction provided by the raised portions is substantially the same in both directions along the passage. The cover is adapted to be folded along a fold line. The width of the passage is between approximately 70% and approximately 97% of the width of the seat belt to be received. The pair of connectors provide one end of the width of the passage when coupled together. The cover includes a pair of connectors adapted to be selectively coupled such that the passageway is selectively enclosed.
The apparatus can also include a second strap cover adapted to receive a second seat belt strap, similar to the first-mentioned seat belt strap, through a second passage provided by the second cover similar to the first-mentioned passage provided by the first-mentioned cover, the second passage having a width that is smaller than a width of the second seat belt to be received, at least a portion of the second cover that is adapted to be disposed over an edge of the strap having a soft exterior surface, the second cover including at least one pair of connectors adapted to selectively connect portions of the second cover to enclose the second seat belt.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a combination shoulder strap positioner and seat belt cover system including multiple strap covers each having an interior surface adapted to provide an opening sized to receive a seat belt strap, the opening having a width that is smaller than a width of the seat belt to be received, each cover including a pair of connectors adapted and disposed to couple to each other to selectively enclose the seat belt.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. Each strap cover includes an elastomeric material adapted to engage the strap received in the opening to inhibit the cover from sliding along a length of the strap. The pair of connectors are adapted to pivotally couple to each other.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features a combination shoulder strap positioner and seat belt cover system including multiple substantially rectangular strap covers each including tabs extending from the short edges of the covers, the covers including a soft exterior surface and adapted to be folded along a fold line such that an interior surface of the cover provides an opening for receiving a seat belt, the opening having a width smaller than a width of the seat belt to be received, the interior surface including a plurality of elastomeric bumps adapted to engage the seat belt received by the opening, each cover further including a plurality of connector pairs with one connector in each pair disposed a similar distance from, and on opposite sides of, the fold line, a first pair of connectors disposed a distance approximately 70-97% of the width of the seat belt to be received by the opening and adapted to couple to each other, a second pair of connectors disposed in the tabs and adapted to couple to each other.
Various embodiments of the invention may provide one or more of the following advantages. Apparatus can adapt to an infant and a toddler or small child, providing a “grow with me” product. Harsh edges of seat belts or other straps can be inhibited or prevented from rubbing on an infant's or child's head or neck. Soft, comfortable head support can be provided for an infant in a car seat. A shoulder strap can be positioned for safe, comfortable, and convenient use for a child in a car's seat.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following drawings, detailed description, and claims.
REFERENCES:
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Product Packaging, “Gerry, Adjust-A-Belt” Model 694, U.S. Pat. 4,832,367.
Product Packaging, “Safety 1st, Seat Belt Adjuster,” Model No. 12106.
Product Packaging, “Blue Ridge International Products Company—SafeFit”, Item No. 72512.
Bair Alma B.
Conforti Carl J.
Brown Peter R
Fish & Richardson P.C.
The First Years Inc.
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