Booster Belt

Abstract

Vehicle seatbelts are designed to increase the likelihood of passenger survival in the case of a crash or collision. The optimal positioning of a vehicle seatbelt is over a passenger's shoulder, across their chest and upper thighs. Children weighing between 18 and 36 kg should be placed in a booster seat in order to raise them up to an appropriate height so that the adult seatbelt may protect them better. The current design of booster seats makes it difficult for children to buckle themselves into a vehicle and thus requires an adult to reach around the child and buckle them in. The current design of booster seats also does not ensure that the lap belt portion of a seatbelt will not move up to the lower abdomen of a child under normal driving conditions. The addition of a booster belt to a child booster seat will address both of the above-mentioned inconveniences and safety concerns with existing booster seat designs. Attracting magnetic materials will be used to set the female buckle on the booster belt in a more favourable position on the booster seat. This allows for easy buckling of the belt by children and ensures the lap belts are correctly positioned for safety. The lap belt will cross the child's upper thighs and eliminate risk of the belt moving into the child's lower abdomen while seated in normal driving conditions.

Claims

1. A magnetic seat belt extender and a booster seat, comprising: An elongate anchor extension of limited flexibility, have a first end a second end opposite said first end; A male seatbelt latch tongue immovably fixed to and extending from said first end of said anchor extension; and A female seatbelt latch receptacle immovably affixed to and extending from said second end of said anchor extension; A magnet immovably affixed to the female seat belt latch receptacle.

2. A seat belt extender according to claim 1, wherein said anchor extension comprises a flat strap having a cover selected from materials consisting of rubber and plastic and/or metal.

3. The seat belt extender according to claim 2 wherein said strap is formed of polyester or nylon webbing material.

4. The seat belt extender according to claim 1 wherein said anchor extension comprises a cable having a cover selected from the materials consisting of rubber and plastic and/or metal.

5. The seat belt extender according to claim 4 wherein said cable is formed of strands selected from the group consisting of steel and synthetic fibre material.

6. The seat belt extender according to claim 1 wherein said anchor extension is between 1 inches and 8 inches in length.

7. The seat belt extender according to claim 1 wherein the magnetic piece is comprised of magnetic or ferrous material will be affixed to the female seat belt latch receptacle.

8. The seat belt extender according to claim 1 wherein the magnetic piece comprised of magnetic or ferrous material will be between 0.5 inches to 2 inches in diameter.

9. The seat belt extender according to claim 1 wherein the female seat belt latch receptacle will be attached to the magnetic piece using a bolt comprising of metal and between 0.25 inches and 2 inches in length.

10. A magnetic booster seat comprising; A standard booster seat with or without a back; A magnetic or ferrous material on either side of the booster seat for connection to the magnetic or ferrous material on the female latch receptacle as mentioned in claim 7;

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1depicts the front view of a child in a booster seat with the magnetic seat belt booster belt and booster seat.

[0016] FIG. 2depicts the side view of a child in a booster seat with the magnetic seat belt booster belt and booster seat.

[0017] FIG. 3depicts the magnetic seat belt booster belt and the booster unattached. The picture shows the where the magnetic pieces would be placed for the booster seat and the seat belt booster belt.

[0018] FIG. 4depicts the magnetic seat belt booster belt and booster seat becoming de-attached in a collision scenario with a child in the booster seat.

[0019] FIG. 5depicts how the seat belt booster belt (female piece) is connected to the belt strap and the magnetic piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] The present invention covers integral, semi-integral and non-integral means for adding a seat belt extender connector to a booster seat. Accordingly this invention may apply to child booster seats manufactured and sold with the seatbelt extenders described herein, or the seatbelt extenders may be manufactured separately (semi-integral) from the booster seat but be included as a component of the booster seat. Additionally, seatbelt extenders may be manufactured, packaged and sold separately from the booster seat (non-integral). This option will allow consumers to add the booster belt to previously purchased booster seats, thus preventing the need to purchase a new booster seat.

[0021] Devices and methods discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use this invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting scope. The device and details have been described with a certain degree of particularity. It is to be noted that many modifications may be made in the details of the construction and the arrangement of the devices and components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. An improved product may be constructed of any suitable material or through methods such as plastic mouldings. The present invention shows circular shapes, however, other shapes are contemplated including circular, triangular, square and rectangle shapes.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a child sitting in a booster seat (100) while using the vehicle's seat belt. The booster belt (122) is attached to side of the booster seat (100) using magnets (112). The position of the booster belt (122) makes it easily accessible for the child or for an adult assisting the child with their seatbelt. The placement of the booster belt (100) also helps to position the vehicle's should belt (114) across the chest of the child and the lap belt (116) across the upper thighs of the child. The male connector (118) of the vehicle's seat belt is clipped into the booster belt female connector (106) and the booster belt male connector (102) is connected to the vehicle female connector (120).

FIG. 2 shows the booster belt connected to the booster seat (100). The booster belt female connector (106) is positioned on the side of the booster seat (100). This position of the booster belt female connector (106) makes it easily accessible to the child sitting in the booster seat, thereby enabling them to buckle themselves in. It is also an ideal position for a child needing third party assistance to buckle the seatbelt. The booster belt female connector (106) is easily accessible to an adult and alleviates the strain required to buckle a child into a booster seat that does not have a booster belt.
FIG. 2A shows how the booster belt female connector (106) attaches to the booster seat using a metallic connector (110).
FIG. 3 shows the parts of the booster belt (122). The booster belt (122) is comprised of a male connector (102) that connects the booster belt to the vehicle's female connector. The booster belt strap (104) connects the booster belt male connector (102) to the booster belt female connector (106). The booster belt female connector (106) has a ferrous metal piece (110) attached to it. This ferrous metal piece (110) will connect to the booster seat magnet (112) which is located on the booster seat (100).
FIG. 4 further illustrates the different aspects of the booster belt (122). The booster belt strap (104) has a metal swivel (108) on one end, which allows the strap to rotate 360 degrees on the booster belt female connector (106). This allows the booster belt to work on either side of the booster seat, thus allowing the booster seat to be placed on either side of the vehicle.
FIG. 5 shows the booster belt female connector (106). The booster belt strap (104) has a metal swivel (108) on one end, which allows the booster belt strap (104) to rotate 360 degrees on the booster belt female connector (106). The booster belt metal swivel (108) has a hole through the center, allowing the booster belt metal piece (110) to pass through it and connect to the booster belt female connector (106).