Seatbelts having immovable anchor straps

• US 4,973,083 A
• Filed: 12/12/1989
• Issued: 11/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence O. Richards, Sue Richards
• Original Assignee: Lawrence O. Richards, Sue Richards
• Inventors: Richards, Lawrence O., Richards, Sue
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US07/448,852
• Time in Patent Office: 350 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801, 280/808, 297/484, 297/483
• US Class Current: 280/801.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/30 Coupling devices other than buckles, including length-adjusting fittings or anti-slip devices adaptations of manual three-point seat belt systems for use by small passengers using other means than belt anti-slip devices B60R22/024; buckles A44B11/00; releasable fastenings in general F16B

Abstract

A seatbelt construction that includes parallel, vertically aligned strap members that tightly overlie the back part of a seat. The vertical strap members are spaced about shoulder width apart and are interconnected by a third strap member. In a first embodiment, the third strap is horizontally disposed at any preselected height along the extent of the parallel strap members. In a second embodiment, the opposite ends of the third strap are pivotally connected to the parallel straps so that the third strap can be angled from the horizontal when interconnecting the parallel straps. Both embodiments safely secure the passenger without relying on lap belts.

Claims

1. A seatbelt construction, comprising:

a first, vertically aligned strap member disposed in tight fitting, overlying relation to the back part of a seat;

a second, vertically aligned strap member disposed in tight fitting, overlying relation to the back part of a seat;

said first and second strap members being disposed in transversealy spaced apart relation to one another by a predetermined distance and being disposed in substantial parallelism to one another;

a third strap member;

said third strap member having first and second parts disposed in confronting relation to one another;

a buckle member carried at an end of said first part for releasably coupling together said first and second parts;

said third strap member having opposite ends adapted to releasably engage said first and second strap members so that said third strap member interconnects said first and second strap members when said first and second confronting parts of said third strap member are coupled together by said buckle member;

a plurality of vertically spaced fastening members being fixedly secured to said first and second strap members along their respective vertical extents;

a first loop member being disposed in surrounding relation to said first strap member;

a second loop member being disposed in surrounding relation to said second strap member;

each of said first and second loop members having an aperture formed therein of sufficient diameter to receive a preselected fastening member to thereby releasably secure said first and second loop members to said first and second strap members, respectively; and

said third strap member opposite ends being formed integrally with said loop members so that said third strap member extends in a substantially horizontal plane between said first and second strap members at any preselected height along the respective extents thereof.

2. The seatbelt of claim 1, wherein said fastening members are equidistantly spaced along the respective vertical extents of said first and second strap members.

3. The seatbelt of claim 2, wherein said fastening members are protuberances of rivet-like construction.

4. The seatbelt of claim 3, wherein said predetermined distance is substantially equal to the width of the shoulders of an individual of average size.

5. The seatbelt of claim 4, wherein each of said apertures is formed substantially centrally of its associated loop member.

6. A seatbelt construction, comprising:

a first, vertically aligned strap member disposed in tight fitting, overlying relation to the back part of a seat;

a second, vertically aligned strap member disposed in tight fitting, overlying relation to the back part of a seat;

said first and second strap members being disposed in transversely spaced apart relation to one another by a predetermined distance and being disposed in substantial parallelism to one another;

a third strap member;

said third strap member having first and second parts disposed in confronting relation to one another;

a buckle member carried at an end of said first part for releasably coupling together said first and second parts;

said third strap member having opposite ends adapted to releasably engage said first and second strap members so that said third strap member interconnects said first and second strap members when said first and second confronting parts of said third strap member are coupled together by said buckle member;

a plurality of vertically spaced fastening members being fixedly secured to said first and second strap members along their respective vertical extents;

a first loop member being disposed in surrounding relation to said first strap member;

a second loop member being disposed in surrounding relation to said second strap member;

each of said first and second loop members having an aperture formed therein of sufficient diameter to receive a preselected fastening member to thereby releasably secure said first and second loop members to said first and second strap members, respectively; and

said third strap member opposite ends being pivotally connected to different loop members of said first and second loop members.

7. The seatbelt of claim 6, wherein said fastening members are equidistantly spaced along the respective vertical extents of said first and second strap members.

8. The seatbelt of claim 7, wherein said fastening members are protuberances of rivet-like construction.

9. The seatbelt of claim 8, wherein said predetermined distance is substantially equal to the width of the shoulders of an individual of average size.

10. The seatbelt of claim 9, wherein each of said apertures is formed substantially centrally of its associated loop member.