Abstract:
A cover for covering a seat belt fastening component is disclosed. The cover includes a first surface adapted to cover a portion of the seat belt fastening component. The cover can be selectively secured to and removed from the seat belt fastening component. The covers may be easily installed and removed, allowing a user to select a color or shape to achieve the desired aesthetic appearance.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/526,079, filed Dec. 2, 2003.  
         [0002]     The present invention relates generally to the field of safety restraint systems. In particular, the invention relates to covers for seat belt buckles and other components of a seat belt system.  
         [0003]     Presently, the appearance of safety belt restraint systems is not customized for the vehicle in which the system is installed. Thus, there remains a need for a safety belt restraint system that can be easily and economically modified to match the vehicle in which the system is installed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     According to one embodiment of the present invention a belt fastener arrangement is provided. The arrangement comprises a cover plate adapted to be selectively engaged with and removed from a belt fastener component.  
         [0005]     The cover plate may include at least one surface to cover at least a portion of the belt fastener component, and means for securing the cover plate to the belt fastener component. The means for securing may include at least two projections adapted to engage opposing sides of the belt fastener component.  
         [0006]     The belt fastener component may be a seat belt latch. Alternatively, the belt fastener component may be a seat belt buckle.  
         [0007]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cover plate is colored to substantially match an interior of the vehicle. In alternate embodiments, the cover plate is colored to substantially match an exterior of a vehicle having the belt fastener component.  
         [0008]     According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a belt fastener arrangement is provided that includes a belt buckle, a belt latch adapted to securely engage the buckle, and a cover plate adapted to be selectively engaged with and removed from at least one of the belt buckle and the belt latch.  
         [0009]     The cover plate may include at least one surface to cover at least a portion of at least one of the belt buckle and the belt latch and means for securing the cover plate to the belt fastener component. The means for securing may include at least two projections adapted to engage opposing sides of the belt fastener component.  
         [0010]     Still a further embodiment of the present invention includes a cover for covering a seat belt fastening component. The cover includes a first surface adapted to cover at least a portion of the seat belt fastening component and wherein the first surface is removably secured to the seat belt fastening component.  
         [0011]     The cover may include at least a pair of opposing side walls extending from a perimeter of the first surface and projections extending inwardly from an end of each of the opposing side walls. The projections may be adapted to engage the belt fastening component on a side opposite the portion covered by the first surface.  
         [0012]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, appended claims, and the accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, which are briefly described below.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial illustration of a seat belt arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a seat belt latch according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a cover according to an embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along IV-IV of the components shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a seat belt arrangement  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. The seat belt arrangement  100  may be employed in a vehicle, such as a passenger car. The arrangement  100  includes a seat belt  120  for securing an occupant seated in a seat  110 , such as a driver&#39;s seat or a passenger seat of a vehicle. The illustrated seat belt includes a shoulder belt. Other embodiments may include only a lap belt. The seat belt  120  is a conventional seat belt and is well known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0019]     The seat belt is secured by fastener components, a belt latch  130  and a corresponding belt buckle  140 . Such fastener components  130 ,  140  are well known in the art. A fastener component will be described in further detail below with reference to  FIG. 2 .  
         [0020]     In an embodiment of the invention, the color of the fastener components  130 ,  140  is selected to achieve a desired aesthetic result. The color may be matched to, or selected according to, the color of the interior of the vehicle such as the seat  110 . For example, if the interior of the vehicle, including the seat  110 , is red, the belt latch  130  and the belt buckle  140  may also be red. Alternatively, the latch  130  may be made blue, while the buckle  140  is made white. In other embodiments, the color of the fastener components  130 ,  140  is selected to correspond to the color of the exterior of the vehicle.  
         [0021]     According to another embodiment the shape of the fastener components  130 ,  140  may be selected to correspond to the vehicle in which the restraint system is installed. For example, the fastener components  130 ,  140  may have a shape corresponding to the logo of the vehicle in order to emphasize and strengthen the brand of the vehicle.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates one fastener component, the latch  130 , in greater detail. The latch  130  includes a handle portion  132  and a latching portion  134 . The handle portion  132  may be made of a hard plastic through injection molding, for example, and is adapted to be grasped easily by a human hand to allow engaging of the latch  130  to the buckle  140  ( FIG. 1 ).  
         [0023]     The latching portion  134  is the portion of the latch  130  which physically engages the buckle  140  when the seat belt  110  is to be secured. The latching portion  134  is, therefore, preferably made of a strong metal, such as stainless steel. A latching hole  136  is provided on the latching portion  134  to allow engagement with the buckle. Such configurations are well known to those in the art.  
         [0024]     When the latch  130  is engaged to the buckle  140  to secure the seat belt  110 , only the handle portion  132  of the latch  130  may be visible. The latching portion  134  may be completely inserted into the buckle  140 . In this regard, it is the color of the handle portion  132  of the latch  130  that is selected to achieve the desired aesthetic result.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates a removable cover  150  according to an embodiment of the invention to facilitate achieving the desired aesthetic result. The cover  150  is adapted to be easily, but securely, engaged to and removed from the latch  130 . This allows a user to select differing colors to achieve differing desired results. For example, for certain occasions, the user may desire the belt latch  130  to match the interior of the vehicle, while on other occasions, the latch  130  is desired to match the exterior of the vehicle. On still other occasions, the latch  130  may be desired to provide an eccentric look, such as a glittery appearance. Thus, according to an embodiment of the invention, a removable cover may be provided to allow the user to easily alter the appearance of the latch  130 . Similar covers are contemplated for other fastener components, such as the buckle  140  ( FIG. 1 ), as well.  
         [0026]     Also, as described above, the shape of the cover  150  may be altered as necessary to correspond to the shape desired by the vehicle manufacturer. For example, the cover  150  may have the same general shape as the manufacturer&#39;s general or specific logos or trademarks assigned to the particular vehicle in which the system is installed. Alternatively, the cover may bear a logo intended to identify the manufacturer or supplier of the safety belt system.  
         [0027]     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the cover  150  includes a cover plate  152  adapted to cover at least a portion of the latch  130 . The cover plate  152  may be configured to cover as much of the latch  130  as possible without interfering with the engagement of the latch  130  with the buckle  140 . In this regard, the size of the cover plate  152  is substantially similar to the size of the handle portion  132  of the latch  130 .  
         [0028]     A series of walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c  extend from the perimeter of the cover plate  152 . The walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c  may be sized to cover the sides of the latch  130 . Again, the walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c  should not interfere with the engagement of the latch  130  to the buckle  140 . The cover plate  152  and the walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c  combine to form a cavity  156  to accommodate the latch  130  therein.  
         [0029]     In order to secure the cover  150  to the latch  130 , projections  158  are provided to extend inward from the ends of the walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c . In the illustrated embodiment, a projection  158  is provided to extend from each of the three walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c . In other embodiments, projections  158  may extend only from two opposing side walls, such as walls  154   a  and  154   b . The projections  158  are adapted to engage a surface of the latch  130  opposite the surface covered by the cover plate  152 .  
         [0030]     In other embodiments, the cover  150  may not include the walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c . Rather, projections may extend from the perimeter of the cover plate  152  and may be adapted to engage sides of the belt latch  130 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 4  illustrates the installation of the cover  150  on the latch  130 .  FIG. 4  illustrates cross-sectional views taken along IV-IV of each of the cover  150  and the latch  130 . As noted above, the cavity  156  formed by the cover plate  152  and the side walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c  is sufficiently sized to accommodate the handle portion  132  of the latch  130 . The projections  158  are adapted to engage the side of the handle portion  132  opposite the side covered by the cover plate  152 .  
         [0032]     The cover  150  is preferably made of a plastic which allows some resilient bending or flexing of the walls  154   a ,  154   b ,  154   c . In this regard, the walls may be flexed to allow the projections  158  to pass around the handle portion  132  of the latch  130 . By so flexing the walls, the cover  150  may be mounted onto the latch  130 . Similarly, the walls may be flexed allow the projections  158  to clear the latch when removing the cover  150 .  
         [0033]     The above description has described a cover for a particular fastener component, namely, a seat belt latch  130 . It is understood that similar covers are contemplated for other fastener components, such as a seat belt buckle, within the scope of this invention.  
         [0034]     Thus, the color, shape or other appearance of the seat belt fastener components may be easily altered to achieve the desired aesthetic appearance.  
         [0035]     While the present invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto. The scope of the appended claims should be interpreted to encompass all such modifications, similar arrangements and procedures.