Security cover for a restraint buckle

Abstract

A cover for application for use with a seat belt passive restraint including a buckle assembly having a tongue attached to a first belt segment and a receiver attached to a second belt segment and operable to selectively engage with the tongue and including a release button for disengaging the tongue. The cover includes a body having separate upper and lower portions that define a cavity therebetween to receive and enclose the buckle assembly. The upper and lower portions each have a wall forming top and bottom sides of the body and sidewalls depending from the wall. The sidewalls of the upper portion being in opposed relationship to the sidewalls of the lower portion. Opposed first and second apertures are formed. A dividing wall depends in a direction inwardly into the cavity from the wall of the upper portion and separates the cavity into two compartments. A latching means operates to releasably connect the upper portion to the lower portion.

1 . A security cover for a seat belt passive restraint including a buckle assembly having a tongue attached to a first belt segment and a receiver attached to a second belt segment and operable to selectively engage with the tongue and including a release button for disengaging the tongue, the security cover comprising in combination:
 a body having an upper portion and a lower portion that define a cavity therebetween to receive and enclose the buckle assembly, said upper and lower portions each having a wall forming top and bottom sides of said body and sidewalls depending from said wall, said sidewalls of said upper portion being in opposed relationship to said sidewalls of said lower portion and forming opposed first and second apertures;   a dividing wall depending in a direction inwardly into said cavity from said wall of said upper portion, said dividing wall separating said cavity into two compartments, said dividing wall defining a third aperture connecting each of said two compartments together, whereby the receiver of the buckle assembly is positionable in one of said two compartments with the second belt segment extending outward from said body through said first aperture and the tongue of the buckle assembly is positionable in the second of said two compartments with a portion of the tongue extending through said third aperture to be engagable with the receiver and with the first belt segment extending outwardly from said body through said second aperture, and the release button being covered by said wall of said upper portion.   
   
   
       2 . The security cover of  claim 1 , wherein said wall of said lower portion forms a recessed portion positioned to receive an edge of said dividing wall. 
   
   
       3 . The security cover of  claim 1 , wherein said dividing wall is bifurcated and wherein said third aperture is defined as the space between the furcations. 
   
   
       4 . The security cover of  claim 1 , wherein said wall of said lower portion forms a recessed portion positioned to receive an edge of each furcation of said dividing wall. 
   
   
       5 . The security cover of  claim 1 , wherein said upper portion is separate from said lower portion. 
   
   
       6 . The security cover of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a latching means operative to releasably connect said upper portion to said lower portion.   
   
   
       7 . The security cover of  claim 6 , wherein said latching means includes:
 first and second latch members, each extending from opposed edges of said wall of said lower portion in a direction towards said sidewalls of said upper portion; and   opposed side of said sidewalls of said upper portion defining first and second catch members, each being positioned to be engagable with said first and second latch members respectively.   
   
   
       8 . The security cover of  claim 5 , wherein said sidewalls of said bottom portion are positioned to be received within the periphery of said sidewalls of said top portion. 
   
   
       9 . A security cover for a seat belt passive restraint including a buckle assembly having a tongue attached to a first belt segment and a receiver attached to a second belt segment and operable to selectively engage with the tongue and including a release button for disengaging the tongue, the security cover comprising in combination:
 a body having separate upper and lower portions that define a cavity therebetween to receive and enclose the buckle assembly, said upper and lower portions each having a wall forming top and bottom sides of said body and sidewalls depending from said wall, said sidewalls of said upper portion being in opposed relationship to said sidewalls of said lower portion and forming opposed first and second apertures;   a dividing wall depending in a direction inwardly into said cavity from said wall of said upper portion, said dividing wall separating said cavity into two compartments, said dividing wall defining a third aperture connecting each of said two compartments together; and   wherein said wall of said lower portion forms a recessed portion positioned to receive an edge of said dividing wall, whereby the receiver of the buckle assembly is positionable in one of said two compartments with the second belt segment extending outward from said body through said first aperture and the tongue of the buckle assembly is positionable in the second of said two compartments with a portion of the tongue extending through said third aperture to be engagable with the receiver and with the first belt segment extending outwardly from said body through said second aperture, and the release button being covered by said wall of said upper portion.   
   
   
       10 . The security cover of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a latching means operative to releasably connect said upper portion to said lower portion.   
   
   
       11 . The security cover of  claim 10 , wherein said latching means includes:
 first and second latch members, each extending from opposed edges of said wall of said lower portion in a direction towards said sidewalls of said upper portion; and   first and second catch members, each extending from opposed sides of said sidewalls of said upper portion and being positioned along a bottom edge to be engagable with said first and second latch members respectively.   
   
   
       12 . The security cover of  claim 9 , wherein said dividing wall is bifurcated and wherein said third aperture is defined as the space between the furcations. 
   
   
       13 . The security cover of  claim 9 , wherein said sidewalls of said bottom portion are positioned to be received within the periphery of said sidewalls of said top portion. 
   
   
       14 . A security cover for a seat belt passive restraint including a buckle assembly having a tongue attached to a first belt segment and a receiver attached to a second belt segment and operable to selectively engage with the tongue and including a release button for disengaging the tongue, the security cover comprising in combination:
 a body having separate upper and lower portions that define a cavity therebetween to receive and enclose the buckle assembly, said upper and lower portions each having a wall forming top and bottom sides of said body and sidewalls depending from said wall, said sidewalls of said upper portion being in opposed relationship to said sidewalls of said lower portion and forming opposed first and second apertures;   a dividing wall depending in a direction inwardly into said cavity from said wall of said upper portion, said dividing wall separating said cavity into two compartments, said dividing wall being bifurcated to include two spaced furcations;   a latching means operative to releasably connect said upper portion to said lower portion; and   wherein said wall of said lower portion forms a recessed portion positioned to receive the edges of each furcation of said dividing wall opposite said wall of said upper portion, whereby the receiver of the buckle assembly is positionable in one of said two compartments with the second belt segment extending outward from said body through said first aperture and the tongue of the buckle assembly is positionable in the second of said two compartments with a portion of the tongue extending through said dividing wall between said furcations to be engagable with the receiver and with the first belt segment extending outwardly from said body through said second aperture, and the release button being covered by said wall of said upper portion.   
   
   
       15 . The security cover of  claim 14 , wherein said latching means includes:
 first and second latch members, each extending from opposed edges of said wall of said lower portion in a direction towards said sidewalls of said upper portion; and   opposed side of said sidewalls of said upper portion defining first and second catch members, each being positioned to be engagable with said first and second latch members respectively.   
   
   
       16 . The security cover of  claim 15 , wherein said first and second catch members are generally loop-shaped and extend outwardly from its respective side wall of said sidewalls of said upper portion. 
   
   
       17 . The security cover of  claim 14 , wherein said sidewalls of said bottom portion are positioned to be received within the periphery of said sidewalls of said top portion.