Vehicular seat belt apparatus (LITE-A-BELT)

• US 4,365,285 A
• Filed: 03/20/1981
• Issued: 12/21/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Larry G. Brundidge
• Original Assignee: Larry G. Brundidge
• Inventors: Brundidge, Larry G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gluck, Irwin
• Application Number:
  US06/245,825
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 362/32, 362/108, 362/75, 362/191, 362/200, 362/208, 362/295, 280/801
• US Class Current: 362/488
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2565 Illuminated buckles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/242 Safety belts; Body harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

Illuminated vehicular seat belt having an illuminated clip structure attachable to a seat belt near or proximate to the buckle having the purpose to facilitate easy location at night or in unlighted parking garages the end or ends of a seat belt; including a fiber optic cord or pipe extending from a light source to a display portion of said buckle for receiving light from said fiber optic pipe.

Claims

1. Improved vehicular seat belts comprising

a pair of seat belt elements forming a safety seat belt apparatus for a vehicle,

a light source means selectively energized to emit light,

a fiber optic cord means disposed along a length of at least one of said seat belt elements and receiving emitted light from said light source and displaying said light onto terminal or buckle members of said seat belt elements, and

switch means for selectively energizing said light source.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said switch means is connected to ignition means of said vehicle.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said switch means is a timed seat belt dash light connected in parallel to said light source.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said switch means is a pressure sensitive seat switch of said vehicle for energizing said light source.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein an ON/OFF switch in a buckle member energizes a light source circuit when said buckle members are interconnected and de-energized said circuit when said buckle members are disengaged.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said fiber optic cord means is flexible and mounted in parallel relation to at least one of said seat belt elements.