Infant safety device

• US 6,922,154 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2002
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Majda J. Kraljic, Sergio Kraljic
• Original Assignee: Majda J. Kraljic, Sergio Kraljic
• Inventors: Kraljic, Majda J., Kraljic, Sergio
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/300,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20040095252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 340/687, 340/457.4, 340/667, 340/539.1, 340/459, 340/522, 180/271, 180/272, 180/273
• US Class Current: 340/687
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for warning when a person such as an infant has been left in an infant seat in a vehicle and the operator of the vehicle has departed from the vehicle. The apparatus includes an occupant detection mechanism for detecting the presence of an occupant within a seat-belted seat located within a vehicle; optionally a mechanism for detecting the state of the vehicle'"'"'s motion; a control unit for generating an alarm signal when the occupant detection mechanism detects the presence of an occupant within the infant seat and an alarm unit for generating an alarm in response to the alarm signal.

Claims

1. A safety device comprising:

a seat belt interlock has a male connector and a female connector;

said female connector of the said seat belt interlock, for when in use, receiving a vehicular seat belt male connector;

said male connector of said seat belt interlock, for when in use, connecting with a vehicular seat belt female connector;

said seat belt interlock has detection means for determining when said male connector of said seat belt interlock is connected with the vehicular seat belt female connector and the said female connector of the said seat belt interlock is connected with the vehicular seat belt male connector;

the said seat belt interlock has radio frequency signal transmitter means to alert at least one person that the said male connector of the said seat belt interlock is connected with the vehicular seat belt female connector while the said female connector of the seat belt interlock is connected with the vehicular seat belt male connector, and

a signal receiving means which is separate from the said transmitter.

2. The safety device, according to claim 1 wherein the said seat belt interlock signal receiving means which is separate from the said transmitter is a key fob.

3. The safety device, according to claim 2, wherein the said seat belt interlock signal receiving means which is separate from the said transmitter is a key fob has the appearance of a human infant.

4. The safety device, according to claim 3, wherein the said seat belt interlock signal receiving means which is separate from the said transmitter converts a signal received from the said means to alert at least one person to a sound mimicking a human infant.

5. A safety device comprising:

a seat belt interlock has a male connector and a female connector;

said female connector of the said seat belt interlock, for when in use, receiving a vehicular seat belt male connector;

said male connector of said seat belt interlock, for when in use, connecting with a vehicular seat belt female connector;

said seat belt interlock has detection means for determining if at least one said male connector of said seat belt interlock or the said female connector of said seat belt interlock is connected respectively with the vehicular seat belt female connector or the vehicular seat belt male connector;

the said seat belt interlock has radio frequency signal transmitter means to alert at least one person that at least one of the said male connector of the said seat belt interlock or the said female connector of the said seat belt interlock is connected respectively with the vehicular seat belt female connector or the vehicular seat belt male connector, and

a signal receiving means which is separate from the said transmitter.

6. The safety device, according to claim 5, wherein the said safety device transmitter means transmits a second signal to alert at least one person that only one of the said male connector of the said seat belt interlock or the said female connector of the said seat belt interlock is connected respectively with the seat belt female connector or the seat belt male connector.

7. The safety device, according to claim 5, wherein the radio frequency signal is delayed for a specified time interval.

8. The safety device, according to claim 5, wherein the radio frequency signal is generated if the vehicle is not in motion for a specified time interval.

9. The safety device, according to claim 5, wherein the radio frequency signal is generated if the receiver meets or exceeds a specified distance from the transmitter.

10. The safety device, according to claim 5, wherein the said seat belt interlock signal receiving means which is separate from the said transmitter is a key fob.

11. The safety device, according to claim 5, wherein the said seat belt interlock signal receiving means which is separate from the said transmitter is a key fob has the appearance of a human infant.

12. The safety device, according to claim 5, wherein the said seat belt interlock signal receiving means which is separate from the said transmitter converts a signal received from the said means to alert at least one person to a sound mimicking a human infant.

13. A method of alerting an individual that an unsafe condition exists in a vehicle comprising obtaining a safety device comprising:

a seat belt interlock male connector and a seat belt interlock female connector;

seat belt interlock female connector, for when in use, receiving a vehicular seat belt male connector;

seat belt interlock male connector, for when in use, connecting with a vehicular seat belt female connector;

said seat belt interlock has detection means for determining if at least one of seat belt interlock male connector or the said seat belt interlock female connector is connected respectively with the vehicular seat belt female connector or the vehicular seat belt male connector, and;

the said seat belt interlock has means to alert at least one person that at least one of the said seat belt interlock male connector is connected with the said seat belt female connector or the said seat belt interlock female connector is connected with the seat belt male connector, and

operating the device by connecting at least one of the said seat belt female connector with a vehicular seat belt male connector or connecting the said seat belt interlock male connector with a vehicular seat belt female connector.