Tamper guard

Abstract

Provided is a tamper guard for a child safety seat. The tamper guard comprises an upper portion configured as a hollow prism or cylinder, and a lower portion connected to the upper portion. The lower portion is comprised of a quadrilateral top face having an opening of similar cross-section to the hollow prism or cylinder, and an integral retainer located below the quadrilateral top face. The lower portion is configured to receive a buckle of the child safety seat within a space defined by the quadrilateral top face and the retainer. The retainer is configured to retain the buckle with in the space. Additionally, the upper portion and the lower portion cooperate to form a continuous opening from a distal opening of the hollow prism or cylinder to the opening of the top face, the continuous opening configured to display and allow access to a quick release mechanism.

1 . A tamper guard for a child safety seat, said tamper guard comprising:
 a hollow tubular upper portion; and   a lower portion configured to operatively secure the upper portion to a buckle of the child safety seat, wherein the upper and lower portions cooperate to form a continuous opening from a distal opening of the tubular upper portion, the continuous opening configured to display and allow access to a quick release mechanism located at a front face of the buckle for an adult whilst impeding access to the quick release mechanism for a child seated in the child safety seat.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper guard of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion is configured as a hollow prism or cylinder. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper guard of either of  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the lower portion comprises an adhesive material. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the upper portion is integral to the lower portion. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the lower portion comprises a quadrilateral top face and an opening of substantially similar cross-section to the hollow prism or cylinder, a pair of opposing members of similar cross-section to the hollow prism or cylinder, and a retainer located below the quadrilateral top face. 
     
     
         6 . The tamper guard of  claim 5 , wherein the lower portion is configured to receive a buckle of the child safety seat within a space defined by the quadrilateral top face and the retainer, and the retainer is configured to retain the buckle within the space. 
     
     
         7 . The tamper guard of either of  claim 5  or  6 , wherein the upper portion is configured as a hollow prism having the same cross-sectional shape as the top face of the lower portion. 
     
     
         8 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the upper portion is of a height greater than 40 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the upper portion is of a height greater than 60 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the retainer is a pair of opposing members extending from edges of the top face and a pair of internal flanges located at distal ends of the pair of opposing members. 
     
     
         11 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein the retainer is a pair of opposing members extending from edges of the top face and connecting to edges of a bottom face having an opening to display a back face of the buckle. 
     
     
         12 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  11 , wherein the upper portion is manufactured from a resiliently flexible material. 
     
     
         13 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  12 , wherein the lower portion is manufactured from a resiliently flexible material. 
     
     
         14 . The tamper guard of either of  claim 12  or  13 , wherein the resiliently flexible material has an elastic modulus value that disallows a child requiring a safety seat to physically deform the material using their appendages, thereby limiting ingress of said appendages and access to the quick release mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 12  to  14 , wherein the resiliently flexible material is selected from a group consisting of rubber, foam, plastics and metal. 
     
     
         16 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  15 , wherein the upper portion is configured so that the continuous opening to the buckle is at an angle generally perpendicular to the quick release mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  16 , wherein the angle of the continuous opening is away from a child secured in the child safety seat to impede the child accessing the quick release mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  17 , wherein the distal opening of the tubular upper portion includes a cover configured to partially cover the continuous opening to impede the child accessing the quick release mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  18 , wherein the distal opening of the continuous opening is bevelled to facilitate access to an adult's finger to the quick release mechanism whilst impeding a child secured in the child safety seat from accessing the quick release mechanism. 
     
     
         20 . The tamper guard of  claim 18 , wherein the cover is manufactured from a transparent or translucent material to facilitate display of the quick release mechanism. 
     
     
         21 . The tamper guard of any of  claims 1  to  20 , wherein the upper and/or lower portion is manufactured from a transparent or translucent material to facilitate display of the quick release mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . A seat belt buckle for a child safety seat, said buckle comprising a tamper guard in accordance with any one of  claims 1  to  21 . 
     
     
         23 . The seat belt buckle of  claim 22 , wherein the tamper guard is integral to the buckle.