Apparatus to ensure use of vehicle seat belt
First Claim
1. An apparatus to ensure use of a seat belt in a motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first means disposed in a seat portion of such motor vehicle for generating and transmitting a first signal indicative of an occupant seated in a seat;
(b) a second means disposed at least one of in and on a predetermined portion of such seat belt for generating and transmitting a second signal representative of such seat belt being one of unlatched and latched;
(c) a third means disposed at least one of adjacent and on such seat belt in a predetermined location and connected to receive said second signal for generating and transmitting a third signal when such seat belt detected as being latched by said second means, extends insufficiently to encircle such occupant of such motor vehicle;
(c) a fourth means disposed in a predetermined location on such motor vehicle connected to receive said first signal indicating such presence of such occupant in such seat of such motor vehicle thereby enabling said fourth means to generate and transmit a fourth signal when said fourth means is activated by also receiving one of said second signal indicating that such seat belt corresponding to such presence of such occupant in such seat of such motor vehicle is unlatched and said third signal indicating that such seat belt is latched but extends insufficiently to encircle such occupant; and
(d) a disabling unit disposed in a predetermined location on such motor vehicle connected to receive said fourth signal for preventing gear engagement in such motor vehicle when said disabling unit receives said fourth signal indicating that such seat belt corresponding to an occupied seat in such motor vehicle is one of unlatched and latched but extending insufficiently to encircle such passenger.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus to ensure use of seat belts in motor vehicles comprises a first transmitter transmits a signal when a seat is occupied. A second transmitter transmits a signal that such seat belt is unlatched or latched. A third transmitter receives such signal and transmits a signal when such seat belt is latched but does not encircle such occupant. A fourth transmitter receives the signal indicating a seat is occupied enabling it to transmit a signal when it is activated by also receiving the signal indicating that such seat belt corresponding to an occupied seat is unlatched and the signal that such seat belt is latched but does not encircle such occupant. A disabling unit is connected to receive the signal, for preventing gear engagement when it receives the signal indicating a seat belt corresponding to an occupied seat is unlatched and latched but does not encircle such passenger.
10 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus to ensure use of a seat belt in a motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a first means disposed in a seat portion of such motor vehicle for generating and transmitting a first signal indicative of an occupant seated in a seat;
(b) a second means disposed at least one of in and on a predetermined portion of such seat belt for generating and transmitting a second signal representative of such seat belt being one of unlatched and latched;
(c) a third means disposed at least one of adjacent and on such seat belt in a predetermined location and connected to receive said second signal for generating and transmitting a third signal when such seat belt detected as being latched by said second means, extends insufficiently to encircle such occupant of such motor vehicle;
(c) a fourth means disposed in a predetermined location on such motor vehicle connected to receive said first signal indicating such presence of such occupant in such seat of such motor vehicle thereby enabling said fourth means to generate and transmit a fourth signal when said fourth means is activated by also receiving one of said second signal indicating that such seat belt corresponding to such presence of such occupant in such seat of such motor vehicle is unlatched and said third signal indicating that such seat belt is latched but extends insufficiently to encircle such occupant; and
(d) a disabling unit disposed in a predetermined location on such motor vehicle connected to receive said fourth signal for preventing gear engagement in such motor vehicle when said disabling unit receives said fourth signal indicating that such seat belt corresponding to an occupied seat in such motor vehicle is one of unlatched and latched but extending insufficiently to encircle such passenger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In combination with a seat belt system for use in a motor vehicle, the improvement for such seat belt system comprising:
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(a) a first means disposed in a first predetermined location in such motor vehicle for generating and transmitting a first signal when an occupant is detected in a seat;
(b) a second means disposed on one of a female and a male portion of a seat belt in such motor vehicle for generating and transmitting a second signal representative of such seat belt being one of unlatched and latched;
(c) a third means disposed on a male portion of such seat belt closely adjacent the end of such seat belt that engages said female portion of such seat belt for receiving said second signal and for generating and transmitting a third signal when such seat belt, detected as being latched by said second means, extends insufficiently to encircle such occupant of such motor vehicle;
(d) a fourth means disposed in a second predetermined location on such motor vehicle for receiving said first signal indicating such presence of such occupant in such seat of such motor vehicle thereby enabling said fourth means to generate and transmit a fourth signal when said fourth means is activated by also receiving one of said second signal indicating that such seat belt corresponding to such presence of such occupant in such seat of such motor vehicle is unlatched and said third signal indicating that such seat belt is latched but extends insufficiently to encircle such occupant; and
(e) a disabling unit disposed in a third predetermined location on such motor vehicle connected to receive said fourth signal for preventing gear engagement in such motor vehicle when said disabling unit receives said fourth signal indicating that such seat belt corresponding to an occupied seat in such motor vehicle is one of unlatched and latched but extending insufficiently to encircle such passenger. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification