Automobile seat belt holder

A seat belt holder is provided for securing a latch plate of an associated unused seat belt to the molding around the base of the automobile seat, thereby preventing the latch plate from annoyingly rattling around when the vehicle is in motion. The seat belt holder includes a body providing a snap fit tab and an opposing latch plate receptacle. The latch plate receptacle is adapted to removably engage the latch plate, while the snap fit tab is adapted to removably snap connect to various molding elements of automobile seats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to seat belts and, more particularly, an automobile seat belt holder for securing an unused seat belt latch plate to the molding around the base of the automobile seat.

Automobiles and their seat belts being necessities of modern life, and so are some of their annoyances. For example, the rattling noise caused by a loose seat belt clip hitting on or along a door frame or seat when the vehicle is in motion.

As can be seen, there is a need for an automobile seat belt holder for securing a seat belt latch plate to the molding around the base of the automobile seat, thereby eliminating the rattling noise caused by a loose seat belt clip hitting on a door frame or seat when the vehicle is in motion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, an automobile seatbelt holder includes a body; a latch plate receptacle provided by the body; and a snap fit connector provided by the body.

In another aspect of the present invention, the automobile seatbelt holder includes a body extending from a first end to an opposing second end; at least one side of the body being concaved throughout extension between the first and second ends; a latch plate receptacle provided by the first end, wherein the latch plate receptacle communicates to an interior portion of the body providing a convex portion to removably engage a latch plate of an automobile seatbelt; and a snap fit connector provided by the second end, the snap fit connector includes a flange extending perpendicularly from a periphery of the body; a clip portion extending from the flange; and a hook portion transversely extending from a distal end of the clip portion in the direction of the body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a seat belt holder for securing a latch plate of an associated unused seat belt to the molding around the base of the automobile seat, thereby preventing the latch plate from annoyingly rattling around when the vehicle is in motion. The seat belt holder includes a body providing a snap fit tab and an opposing latch plate receptacle. The latch plate receptacle is adapted to removably engage said latch plate, while the snap fit tab is adapted to removably snap connect to various molding elements of automobile seats.

Referring now toFIGS. 1 through 9, the present invention provides a seat belt holder10having a body20, a snap fit tab30, and a latch plate receptacle40. The body20and snap fit tab30may a unitary construction of thermoplastic elastomer or other sufficiently strong, durable, non-metallic (to prevent a rattling noise) material. The latch plate receptacle40may provide a slot communicating to an interior portion44of the body20adapted to removably engage a latch plate42of a conventional seat belt12, wherein the latch plate receptacle40is dimensioned to receive the latch plate42therethrough. The interior portion44may provide a convex portion50dimensioned and adapted to removably retain the latch plate42, as illustrated inFIG. 9

The body20may have a tapered rectangular shape, though cylindrical, oval, square, triangular or other geometric shape are a possibility so long as the body20functions in accordance with the present invention as described herein. Namely, the body20may provide a tapered portion22and/or concave side portions to accommodate or “hug” seat and/or molding elements when in use, as illustrated inFIG. 8.

On the opposing side of the latch plate receptacle40the snap fit tab30may be disposed. The snap fit tab30may be adapted to attach the body20to the plastic molding32around the base of an automobile seat, as illustrated inFIG. 8. The snap fit tab30may have a flange34extending perpendicularly from a periphery of the body20, thereby the flange34is adapted to keep the seat belt holder10in an upright orientation during use. A clip portion36may extend perpendicularly from the flange34in a direction over the body20, as illustrated inFIG. 5. The clip portion36may have a hook portion38transversely extending from a distal end thereof in the direction of the body20, wherein the clip portion36is biased in an engaged configuration, whereby the clip and hook portions36and38are adapted to snap fit on planar elements, such as those found on the molding32of automobile seats.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. Providing the seat belt holder10disclosed above. A user may securely (yet removably) engage the latch plate42of a loose seat belt12by sliding the former into the latch plate receptacle40, as illustrated inFIG. 7. Then the user may snap the snap fit tab30onto the plastic molding32around the base of the seat. These two steps may be reversed. In any event, the latch plate42of the loose seat belt12cannot rattle about when the seat is unoccupied and the vehicle in motion.