Guard for healthcare safety strap buckles

Abstract

A security guard is provided for healthcare safety strap buckles used in medical transport, and medical examinations. The guard is a hollow rectangular enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, a partially-opened end, and a fully open end to fit over a variety of healthcare safety strap buckles. The guard surrounds the push button buckle preventing unsupervised or accidental release of the safety strap. The partially open end can accommodate the healthcare safety strap and shoulder straps used in medical transport and observation. A slot is included in the top and the bottom of the cover that a key or similar device can be used to depress the push button and release the buckle. In a second embodiment a slot is formed in the closed end and is dimensioned to receive only the safety buckle tongue of the healthcare safety strap, and is designed to be used in the absence of shoulder straps.

1 . A buckle guard for use with healthcare safety straps comprising a hollow rectangular box-like enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, a partially-opened end, and a filly open end to fit over a variety of said healthcare safety strap buckles, the receiver of said buckle fits through the filly open end and the buckle tongue may be inserted through the partially open end for fastening wherein said rectangular box covers said healthcare safety strap buckle and its releasing mechanism preventing unsupervised or accidental depress of release of said healthcare safety strap buckle. 
   
   
       2 . A buckle guard for use with healthcare safety straps as in  claim 1  has a slot located in said top wall halfway between said side walls and allows access to the release button of said buckle, wherein to release said safety buckle by inserting a key or pointed object into the slot and push against the release button, any object with the slotted size which is readily available at the time can be used, such as a screwdriver or open end of scissors. 
   
   
       3 . A buckle guard for use with healthcare safety straps as in  claim 1  to  2  has a slot located in said bottom wall halfway between said side walls and allows access to the release button of said buckle, wherein said safety buckle can be released if inadvertently placed on said safety strap in the wrong orientation. 
   
   
       4 . A buckle guard for use with healthcare safety straps as in  claim 1  wherein the edges and corners of said side walls, said top walls, said bottom walls, said open end, and said partially open end are blunted in a manner such as that afforded by rounding exterior surfaces to prevent a patient from harm, either accidentally or from self-inflicted behavior. 
   
   
       5 . A buckle guard for use with healthcare safety straps as in  claim 1  wherein material is removed from said open end of said side wall to facilitate the insertion of the receiver end of the said buckle into said rectangular box-like enclosure. 
   
   
       6 . A buckle guard for use with healthcare safety straps with said partially open end thereby enabling the securing of a pair of shoulder straps in addition to the said healthcare safety straps. 
   
   
       7 . A buckle guard for use with healthcare safety straps comprising a hollow rectangular box-like enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall, two side walls, an end wall, and a filly open end to fit over a variety of said healthcare safety strap buckles, a slot is formed through the thickness of said end wall and extends perpendicular to said side walls, the receiver of said buckle fits through the fully open end and the buckle tongue may be inserted through said formed slot of the end wall wherein said rectangular box covers said healthcare safety strap buckle and its releasing mechanism preventing unsupervised or accidental depress of release of said healthcare safety strap buckle.