Keeping kids safer in the car: Blocking the buckle
A babysitter was watching a pair of siblings who鈥攕urprise鈥攚ere acting up in the backseat of a car.
鈥淭hey would undo each other鈥檚 seat belts,鈥� the sitter told Collin Veele, a mechanical engineering major at Michigan Technological University. Veele conferred with Alex Cotton, a mechanical engineering and economics major.
鈥淲e took it from there,鈥� Cotton says.
Thus began the Buckle Blocker, which propelled Cotton to be named one of the 鈥淭op-Ten College Entrepreneurs of 2011鈥� by Entrepreneur Magazine.
With Veele, Cotton created the device, which keeps little hands from undoing seat belt buckles in vehicles.
Working independently and starting with 鈥渁 bunch of raw sketches,鈥� they progressed to a 3D model. 鈥淲e were able to start showing people what it looked liked and give them a tangible feel of the product,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e kept revising the design, and now finally have a functioning, injection-molded prototype.鈥�
The result is a lever that slips over the buckle, keeping little hands at bay. Their slogan is: 鈥淏ecause there is nothing more important than what鈥檚 riding in your backseat.鈥�
They have secured a provisional patent and a trademark on the name, and now the Buckle Blocker is ready for the market, he says. And he owes it all to another Tech connection.
鈥淲e won the elevator pitch competition two years ago,鈥� Cotton says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what really got us going. Bob Mark played a big role in getting us involved with the competition and excited about Buckle Blocker鈥檚 future possibilities.鈥�
Mark, a faculty member in the School of Business and Economics, died in May. He started the elevator pitch competition at Michigan Tech, now named in his memory, and he was a mentor to Cotton.
鈥淭here were many days, I would go into his office and talk with him about the Buckle Blocker, entrepreneurial dreams and life,鈥� Cotton says. 鈥淗e was an incredible mentor and friend.鈥�
Mark also advised the Entrepreneurs Club, of which Cotton is now president, and Cotton plans on shopping the Buckle Blocker at entrepreneurship conferences in Fort Worth, Texas, and elsewhere.
And his mentor would be proud of a Michigan Tech innovator who hopes to help ensure the safety of inquisitive cargo.
Provided by Michigan Technological University
