Abstract:
A release resistant buckle cover is shown having a primarily rectangular shape for engagement with a top release female buckle portion of a seat belt. A plurality of gaps are provided to provide passage of the male belt to the female buckle for engagement of the seat belt. The gaps are also used to provide passage of a thin object such as a key to be inserted through one of the gaps to compress the top release button of the female buckle to release the male belt thus disengaging the seat belt.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of US provisional patent application number 60/116,262 filed, Jan. 19, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates to a device for keeping a seat belt buckled such that it cannot be released prematurely by a rider. 
     Seat belts save lives. Most persons wear seat belts and many states have enacted seat belt laws. Many laws require infant seats and child seats for persons below a specific weight. This device can be used with a seat belt alone or in combination with car seats, booster seats or harnesses used to retain passengers in a vehicle. 
     The problem addressed is that the belts can be released by bored or curious children or handicapped children and adults. The caretakers may not realize that the seat belt is unbuckled and this could increase the seriousness of injuries if involved in an accident. In the case of handicapped children or adults, the rider is coordinated enough many times to release the belt themselves, but not cognizant of the dangers of releasing the seat belt while riding in a moving vehicle. Other times, the riders may release the seat belt and amble about the moving vehicle or cause harm to other passengers, or interfere with the driver. 
     It is a serious problem when riders can release the seat belts themselves at inappropriate times. If the driver even notices the belt is released they must then stop the vehicle and reattach the belt. This is inconvenient at the least and can require stopping on a busy street or highway posing a hazard to the person who exits the car, if necessary, to reattach the seat belt. If there is another assistant or adult, they must unfasten their belt and lean over the seat or walk back to re-attach the released belt. This is inconvenient, dangerous and time consuming. 
     When the belt is re-attached, the rider will many times release the belt again requiring attention, to once again re-attach the belt. 
     Several devices in the art have addressed this issue of retaining the seat belt in the attached position. Many of the newer vehicle seat belts, seat belt recalls and retrofits have the release button on the top of the buckle. The embodiments disclosed are particularly effective for top release seat belt buckles. A user could use the device in multiple vehicles or while traveling on vacations in friends or rental vehicles and still deter the release of top release buckles. 
     Therefore, if a rider is traveling in a newer vehicle and coordinated enough to release the buckle this many times occurs with no known acceptable cost effective solution. 
     For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a Release Resistant Buckle Cover that will inhibit the release of the seat belt on belts with the release button on the top of the buckle. 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the prior art, there is a need for a device that will prevent a rider from releasing the seat belt of a top release belt buckle. 
     OBJECTS OF INVENTION 
     A first object of the present invention is to provide a device that will inhibit the untimely release of top release button seat belts. 
     A second object of the present invention is to provide a device to discourage the untimely release of top release button seat belts. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that is not unduly complicated, but discourages the untimely release of the seat belt. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a device to discourage the release of top release button seat belts that is reasonably priced. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that is relatively easy to manufacture. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device that will function with the majority of the top release button seat belts. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that is esthetically appealing. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device that can be manufactured from readily available materials. 
     It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device that does not require an inordinate amount of time to attach and release from the buckle. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a device that is unlikely to wear out. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that can readily be removed by rescue workers if the vehicle is involved in an accident. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a device that does not interfere with the safe operation of the seat belts. 
     It is a final object of the present invention to provide a device that is easily stored if removed from the seat belt buckle. 
     These together with other objects of this invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize this invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of this invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of this version of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows an end view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a side view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows is a top view of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a cutaway side view of one embodiment of the present invention with a female buckle portion, male belt portion and release key. 
     FIG. 6 shows an end view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown in FIG. 1 a perspective view of the release resistant buckle cover  12 . The buckle cover  12  is primarily rectangular in shape having an open or hollowed out central portion  36 , FIG. 2, for surrounding a female buckle A, FIG.  5 . While this embodiment shows a buckle cover  12  having an approximately rectangular configuration, the buckle cover  12  could be custom fit to a particular model or company shape of female buckle A and therefore could take on other configurations matching the female buckle A, such as round or oblong or oval and others. 
     The buckle cover  12  has a first end wall  14  opposite a second end wall  16  joined to first and second side walls  18 ,  20 , FIG.  1 . The bottom of the rectangle has no wall, or is open, while the top of the rectangle has a plurality of ridges and gaps. In a preferred embodiment, the buckle cover  12  is injection molded from a polymer which is relatively unaffected by temperature extremes and UV rays. 
     This particular embodiment shows a first side ridge  22  extending from the first side wall  18 , FIG.  2 . Adjacent the first side ridge  22  is the third gap  44  which allows passage of objects from above the buckle cover  12  into the central portion  36  of the buckle cover  12 . Likewise, adjacent third gap  44  is the first middle ridge  26  which is adjacent to the second gap  42 , which is adjacent to the second middle ridge  28 , which is adjacent to the first gap  40  and ending with the second side ridge  24 , FIG.  2 . Basically, the top surface is alternating ridges and gaps. While this embodiment shows four ridges and three gaps, it is to be understood that fewer ridges could be used as long as there were more than 2 ridges. Likewise, other embodiments could utilize two or more gaps and related ridges. This embodiment in FIG. 2 shows the ridges  22 ,  24 ,  26  &amp;  28  having a rectangular cross section. A rounded, triangular or other shape cross section of the ridges may be feasible. A taper on the ridges may be helpful in addressing manufacturing concerns. Other configurations of the ridges are to be included in the scope of this disclosure such as a zig-zag pattern or special hole pattern and arrangement of the ridges. 
     The side walls  18 ,  20  of the buckle cover  12 , should be large enough such that a female buckle A, as shown in FIG. 5, can be mostly contained within the central portion  36  of the buckle cover  12 . The buckle cover  12  should cover the female buckle A such that no access to the release button R could be obtained except through one of the gaps  40 ,  42 , or  44 . 
     FIG. 5 shows the buckle cover  12  covering the female buckle A having a slot S and a release button R. This embodiment shows that the male belt B inserted through first gap  40  to engage within slot S. This secures the male belt B and female buckle A together such that they cannot be easily accidently released. 
     To release the male belt B from the female buckle A requires one to insert a key K or any other similar object into one of the gaps  40 ,  42 ,  44 . In this configuration, the user would insert key K into either second gap  42  or third gap  44  to engage the release button R and by pushing the release button R releasing the male belt B from the female buckle A. 
     The gaps are sized such that only key sized objects will fit where a childs finger or larger adults finger would not be able to disengage the seat belt. 
     FIG. 3 shows a side view of the buckle cover  12  having a first ledge  50  above the first end wall  14  and a second ledge  52  above the second end wall  16 . The first ledge  50  and second ledge  52  extend between the ridges  22 ,  24 ,  26  along the top of the first end wall  14  and the second end wall  16 , FIG.  3  &amp; FIG.  4 . These ledges  50 ,  52  are important in that they allow the male belt B, FIG. 5, to fully engage the female buckle A. If the buckle cover  12  were merely a box with slots, without ledges  50 ,  52 , there would not be enough thickness and strength to the ridges  22 ,  24 ,  26  to allow the male belt B to fully engage the female buckle A. In other words, in order to have a operational thickness to the ridges  22 ,  24 ,  26  does not allow the male belt B to get close enough to engage the female buckle A. The ledges  50 ,  52  allow the male belt B to get closer to the female buckle A such that they can fully engage. FIG. 4 shows a top view of the ridges  22 ,  24 ,  26  and  28  and gaps  40 ,  42   44 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment having a first side ridge  22 , center ridge  30  and second side ridge  24  having a first gap  40  and third gap  44 . While this embodiment would be functional on most top release seat belts, having only one gap in which to insert the male belt B (not shown) or key K (not shown) could result in greater difficulties in releasing the belt or attaching the belt if the first gap  40  and third gap  44  did not align with the slot S and release button R (neither shown). 
     It will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments, improvements, details and uses can be made consistent with the letter and spirit of the foregoing disclosure and within the scope of this patent, which is limited only by the following claims, construed in accordance with the patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.