Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Reeling device – Multiple windings
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-17
2001-08-14
Rivera, William A. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Reeling device
Multiple windings
C024S0680CD, C024S685000, C024S909000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273353
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to belt shortening devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices suitable for shortening seat belt webbing. In addition, the present invention relates to the removal of slack from seat belt webbing retaining a baby seat in place on a supporting vehicle seat.
In the prior art, lengths of belt material or webbing are commonly used to retain a structure in place. For example, belts are frequently used to retain stacked articles in place on a pallet. Belts are also commonly employed in vehicles to secure an occupant for safety purposes. In particular, these existing belts in vehicles are typically used to secure a baby's seat to the supporting vehicle seat. While belts are effective for security, they suffer from the disadvantage of having unwanted slack which decreases the effectiveness of the belt's ability to secure and retain the baby seat in place.
To address the inherent problem of slack in belts for retaining, there have been many attempts in the prior art to reduce or eliminate such slack. For example, ratcheted spindles have been available in the prior art. The belt webbing is typically routed around the spindle and wound about the spindle with the assistance of the ratchet. Further, the ratchet provides additional leverage and locking to enable the belt to be tightened and released as desired. Also, spring clips have been provided to grip excess portions of the belt to thereby shorten the belt.
However, these prior art devices suffer from many disadvantages which makes them undesirable to use. These prior art devices commonly require that a free end of the belt be routed through the device to enable winding of the belt by the device to effectuate shortening. Other devices permanently incorporate the ratchet take-up mechanism directly on the belt itself. Such devices are commonly used on special belt systems for retaining articles on a pallet. As can be understood, the foregoing prior art devices are unsuitable for shortening vehicle seat belts because vehicle seat belts are not capable of being routed onto a ratchet take-up mechanism due to the presence of bulky buckles, both male and female, present on the free ends of the belts.
In view of the foregoing, there is a demand for a belt shortening device which is well suited for shortening vehicle seat belts. There is a particular demand for a belt shortening device that can be easily retrofitted to an installed baby seat without disengaging the existing belt connection. In addition, there is a demand for a belt shortening device that is compact, inexpensive and easy to operate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention preserves the advantages of prior art belt shortening devices. In addition, it provides new advantages not found in currently available devices and overcomes many disadvantages of such currently available devices.
The invention is generally directed to a novel and unique belt shortening device that can be easily mounted to an existing belt without detaching the belt from its existing connection. The device includes an L-shaped spindle rotatably mounted in a frame and connected to a crank arm to facilitate winding. The spindle includes a longitudinally extending slot which communicates with a laterally extending entry opening. A spring-biased closure is connected to the spindle to close the laterally extending entry opening during winding. When the closure is open and access to the laterally extending entry opening is available, a seat belt is insertable, edge first, into the longitudinally extending slot via the laterally extending entry opening. Once the vehicle seat belt is positioned within the longitudinally extending slot, the closure closes the entry opening and the crank arm is manipulated to, thereby, rotate the spindle to wind the belt therearound. The laterally extending entry opening is positioned at one end of the length of the longitudinally extending slot. A securing tab or pair of tabs may also be employed to secure the belt during winding and unwinding.
For installation and operation, the belt to be shortening is slid, edge first, into the device of the present invention. Such a belt, for example, may be employed to secure a baby seat to a vehicle seat. The belt webbing is inserted into the slot of the device with the entire width of the belt residing completely within the spindle of the device. The belt is threaded into the rotating spindle via the entry opening after first exposing the entry opening by opening the spring-biased closure. The belt is also routed below the guide tabs which are spaced apart from the spindle. The handle of the ratchet mechanism is repeatedly pulled by the user to rotate the spindle and, thus, rotate the spindle which contains the belt. Rotation of the spindle causes the belt to be wound about the spindle reducing the overall length of the belt.
When the desired tension is achieved, pulling of the handle is stopped thus ceasing any further winding of the belt webbing. The ratchet mechanism is provided with a suitable locking device to prevent unwinding of the belt from the spindle. In addition, a lock release is provided to permit the belt to be unwound from the spindle, such as for when removal of the device from the belt is desired. Once the belt is completely unwound, the device can be easily removed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device that can shorten a belt such as a seat belt.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a belt shortening device suitable for shortening a seat belt retaining a baby seat in place on a vehicle seat.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a belt shortening device that can be easily retrofitted to an existing belt web without detaching the belt from its existing connection.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a belt shortening device that requires no additional belt webbing or additional buckles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a belt shortening device that is inexpensive to manufacture.
Another object of present invention is to provide a belt shortening device that is easy to install and operate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a belt shortening device that is compact and portable.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a belt shortening device that can remove undesirable and unsafe slack present in a seat belt that is securing a baby seat to a vehicle seat.
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Barlow, Joseph & Holmes
Berger Constance F.
Rivera William A.
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