Patent Abstract:
A method for preventing twisting of a strap of a car seat, the method comprising receiving the strap through a body portion of a device, wherein the body portion includes opposite open ends, and wherein the strap extends through the body portion and protrudes from each of the ends, and positioning the device below at least one of a chest clip and a bottom clip coupled to the strap.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/644,810, filed on Oct. 4, 2012, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/543,124, filed on Oct. 4, 2011, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/622,352, filed on Apr. 10, 2012, the contents of which are each herein incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a device that is applied to a harness strap of safety seat, such as a child safety seat for use in an automobile, to keep the strap in a proper orientation and to prevent the strap from twisting, and a method for using same. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     It is often the case that safety seat harness straps, such as, for example, the straps of a five-point harness for securing a child in a car safety seat, become twisted. This twisting prevents the straps from properly passing through their intended orifices, and/or from being elongated or shortened to appropriately buckle a child into the seat. As a result, the user of the car seat may be prevented from properly adjusting the straps, making it difficult to safely secure a child into the seat and fasten the straps using their corresponding clips or buckles. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a device that prevents unwanted twisting of the safety seat straps, and a method for using same. 
     SUMMARY 
     A device for preventing twisting of a strap, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises a body portion open at opposite ends to receive the strap through the body portion, wherein the body portion includes: an adjustable portion that is capable of being expanded and retracted to vary a length of the body portion; and a slit extending along a side of the body portion between the ends, wherein a size of the slit is capable of being varied to receive the strap through the slit and into the body portion. 
     A width of the device may become narrower in directions toward the ends. The device may have a narrower width at the ends than at a central portion of the body. 
     A method for preventing twisting of a strap of a car seat, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises receiving the strap through a body portion of a device, wherein the body portion includes opposite open ends, and wherein the strap extends through the body portion and protrudes from each of the ends, and positioning the device below at least one of a chest clip and a bottom clip coupled to the strap. 
     The device may be positioned along a thigh of a person sitting in the car seat. 
     The method may further comprise varying a length of the body portion by at least one of expanding and retracting an adjustable portion of the body portion. 
     The method may further comprise inserting the strap into the body portion through a slit extending along a side of the body portion between the ends, and pulling the body apart to open the slit to receive the strap through the slit. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a front side view of a device for preventing twisting of a strap in a retracted state, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a front side view of a device for preventing twisting of a strap in an expanded state, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  shows a perspective view of a device for preventing twisting of a strap, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  shows a front side view of a device for preventing twisting of a strap on a strap, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a standard car seat to show where the device of  FIGS. 1-3  is positioned on a strap of a safety seat, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a device for preventing twisting of a strap, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows a back side view of a device for preventing twisting of a strap, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a back side view of a device for preventing twisting of a strap, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 A- 3 B, the device comprises a body portion  10 , which is open at both ends  12  and  14  to receive a standard car seat strap  20 . According to an embodiment, a width W of the opening at the ends  12  and  14  is slightly larger than a width of the strap  20 . Alternatively, the width W of the opening is the same as or slightly smaller than a width of the strap to ensure a tight fit so that the device does not slip down the strap  20 . According to an embodiment, the width of the device becomes narrower in the directions toward the ends  12 ,  14  so that the device has a narrower width at the ends than at a central portion of the body  10 . The narrower width at the ends  12 ,  14  also prevents slipping of the device on a strap  20 . 
     The device includes an adjustable portion  16 , which can be expanded by pulling in opposite directions on the ends  12 ,  14  of the device, and retracted by pushing in opposite directions on the ends  12 ,  14 . According to an embodiment, an end-to-end length L1 of the device in the retracted state shown in  FIG. 1  is about 5 inches to about 6 inches, and an end-to-end length L2 is about 7 inches to about 8 inches in the expanded state shown in  FIG. 2 , but is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, the device is manufactured as an integral body portion  10  including the ends  12 ,  14  and the adjustable portion  16  positioned between the ends  12  and  14 , and is made of a flexible material, such as, for example, silicone, rubber, or flexible plastic. The flexibility of the device should be sufficient to allow the device to be expanded and retracted upon application of a force, but limited so that the device remains taught once a desired length is obtained. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3B and 4 , according to an embodiment, the device receives a car seat strap  20  through the ends  12  and  14  of the device so that the strap  20  extends through the body of the device and protrudes from both of the ends  12  and  14 . The device is positioned to sit below a chest clip  30  as indicated by arrow A, or under a bottom clip  40  along a child&#39;s thigh as indicated by arrow B. According to different embodiments, one or more twist preventing devices may be used. For example, one device may be used on one strap in location A or B, two devices may be used on left and right straps in location A or B, four devices may be used on left and right straps in locations A and B, and any other possible combinations to prevent twisting of the straps  20 . The size of the device can be varied by the stretching or compressing the adjustable portion  16  to accommodate the different locations and children of different sizes. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , according to another embodiment, the device includes a body portion  50  and ends  52  and  54 , but does not include an adjustable portion between the ends  52  and  54 . The device is similar to embodiment described in connection with  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 A- 3 B, with the exception that a length of the device in  FIG. 5  is not adjustable. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a back side of the device of  FIGS. 1-3  is shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the device includes a slit  18  extending across a back side of the body  10  between ends  12  and  14 . The slit  18  allows the body to be pulled apart so that the device can be installed on a car seat strap without having to undo the car seat strap from the car seat. Therefore, a user can install the device by inserting the strap  20  through the slit  18  without removing the car seat strap from its corresponding orifices in the seat and without rethreading the strap through those orifices. 
     Similarly, in  FIG. 7 , a back side of the device of  FIG. 5  is shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the device includes a slit  58  extending across a back side of the body  50  between ends  52  and  54 . The slit  58  allows the body to be pulled apart so that the device can be installed on a car seat strap without having to undo the car seat strap from the car seat. Therefore, a user can install the device by inserting the strap  20  through the slit  58  without removing the car seat strap from its corresponding orifices in the seat and without rethreading the strap through those orifices. 
     Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described hereinabove, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but may be modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1