Strap adjuster for juvenile vehicle seat

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to seats for use by children in vehicles, and particularly, to seats having a child-restraint harness. More particularly, the present invention relates to a juvenile vehicle seat having a child-restraint harness connection and adjustment mechanism.

Juvenile vehicle seats are configured to include child restraint systems. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,047 to Kain, U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,652 to Cone et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,382 to Cone, U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,322 to Cone et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,683 to Knoedler et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,302 to Knoedler et al.

According to the present invention, a child-restraint apparatus includes a seat formed to include strap-receiving slots, a restraint strap arranged to pass through some of the strap-receiving slots so that restraint portions thereof are adapted to embrace a child seated on the seat, a buckle unit coupled to the restraint portions of the restraint strap, and an adjustment strap coupled to the buckle unit and arranged to pass through another of the strap-receiving slots. The child-restraint apparatus also includes an adjuster coupled to the adjustment strap and first and second ends of the restraint strap and positioned to lie along a rearward-facing surface of the seat. The coupling of the adjustment strap and the adjuster can be changed to change the effective length of the adjustment strap between the adjuster and the buckle unit selectively to tighten or loosen the restraint portions of the restraint strap relative to a child seated on the seat so that the effective size of a child-restraint harness established along a child-seating surface of the seat can be changed to accommodate, yet snugly restrain, both larger and smaller children on the seat.

In preferred embodiments, the adjuster includes a pentagon-shaped plate formed to include slots receiving the adjustment strap therein and a C-shaped strap anchor coupled to a peak of the pentagon-shaped plate to form a first slot receiving the restraint portion that is arranged to embrace the left shoulder of a child seated on the seat and a second slot receiving the other restraint portion that is arranged to embrace the right shoulder of the seated child. The adjuster is a flat metal stamping formed to include openings into each of the first and second slots to permit each end of the restraint strap to be coupled to and uncoupled from the adjuster easily. When installed, the two portions of the restraint strap and the single portion of the adjustment strap coupled to the adjuster cooperate to define a Y-shaped strap unit along the rearward-facing surface of the seat.

Additional features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1

is a front perspective view of a child-restraint apparatus showing a front side of a seat having a seat back and seat bottom and a five-point harness unit, the five-point harness unit including a buckle unit interconnecting an adjustment strap at the bottom of the buckle unit and a restraint strap arranged to embrace the left and right shoulders and legs of a child (not shown) seated on the seat;

FIG. 2

is a perspective view of a rear side of the seat of

FIG. 1

showing a adjuster interconnecting, in a generally Y-shaped fashion, two segments of the restraint strap at the top of the Y and the adjustment strap at the base of the Y, the adjustment strap being slidably coupled to the adjuster to tighten or loosen the embrace of the restraint strap across the child (not shown), and further showing a strap blocker that limits movement of the adjustment strap through the seat bottom;

FIG. 3

is an enlarged plan view of the adjuster of

FIG. 2

showing an upper C-shaped strap anchor portion that couples to the restraint strap and a lower pentagonally-shaped strap adjuster portion that slidably couples to the adjustment strap, the strap anchor portion including J-shaped first and second anchors, each anchor cooperating with the strap adjuster portion to define first and second slanted slots, the strap adjuster portion being arranged to form upper, middle, and lower slots and ribs for adjusting the adjustment strap;

FIG. 4

is an enlarged side elevational view of the adjuster taken along line

4

—

4

of

FIG. 2

showing a first looped end of the restraint strap “anchored” to the first anchor, and further showing the adjustment strap having been fed through and around the slots and ribs of the strap adjuster portion;

FIG. 5

is a front perspective view of the adjuster of

FIG. 3

showing the looping path of first looped end and a second looped end of the restraint strap around the first and second anchor, respectively, and further showing the looping path of the adjustment strap of

FIG. 4

traversing through and around the slots and ribs of the strap adjuster portion;

FIG. 6

is an elevational view taken along line

6

—

6

of

FIG. 1

, with portions broken away, showing the left side of the seat and the restraint strap extending upwardly from the adjuster through the seat back to embrace the left shoulder and leg of a child (shown in phantom) buckled in the seat, and further showing the adjustment strap extending from the buckle unit through the seat bottom to the adjuster;

FIG. 7

is an elevational view taken along line

7

—

7

of

FIG. 6

showing the restraint strap extending across and pushing down on a child's thighs (shown in phantom) to secure the child in the seat;

FIG. 8

is an enlarged perspective view of the strap blocker of

FIG. 2

showing the strap blocker being formed to include a pair of longitudinally extending, elongated slots and including a longitudinally extending rib positioned therebetween, and further showing the looping path of the adjustment strap passing through and around the slots and rib of the strap blocker; and

FIG. 9

is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the adjustment strap of

FIG. 6

showing how the adjustment strap couples to the strap blocker and the buckle unit as it extends through an aperture of the seat bottom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A child-restraint apparatus

10

includes a seat

12

sized to seat a child (not shown) and a child-restraint harness or five-point harness unit

14

configured to secure the child in seat

12

as shown in FIG.

1

. In particular, harness unit

14

includes an adjuster

16

, a restraint strap

18

configured to embrace snugly the shoulders and thighs of the seated child, and an adjustment strap

20

, as shown in

FIGS. 1-3

.

Restraint strap

18

and adjustment strap

20

are coupled to adjuster

16

on a rearward-facing surface or rear side

22

of seat

12

in a generally Y-shaped manner, as shown in

FIG. 2

, such that adjuster

16

, restraint strap

18

, and adjustment strap

20

cooperate to define a Y-shaped unit

23

. Restraint strap

18

is arranged to form the top of the Y and adjustment strap

20

is arranged to form the base of the Y. Restraint strap

18

is detachably coupled to adjuster

16

for easily attaching and detaching restraint strap

18

to and from adjuster

16

to permit switching restraint strap

18

between a “large-child” configuration, as shown in

FIG. 1

, for receiving and restraining a larger child and a “small-child” configuration (not shown) for receiving and restraining a smaller child. Adjustment strap

20

is slidably coupled to adjuster

16

so that a caregiver (not shown) can adjust adjustment strap

20

and thereby tighten or loosen the embrace of the child by restraint strap

18

as the caregiver desires.

Seat

12

includes a seat bottom

24

adapted to support the child's bottom and thighs and a seat back

26

adapted to support the child's back and positioned to lie at an angle to seat bottom

24

, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 6

. Seat bottom

24

and seat back

26

cooperate to define first and second side walls

28

,

30

that limit lateral movement of the child in seat

12

. Seat bottom

24

and seat back

26

further cooperate to define a child-seating surface or front side

32

of seat

12

for receiving the child and rear side

22

of seat

12

. A seat cover

33

may be provided to cover front side

32

of seat bottom

24

and seat back

26

.

Seat bottom

24

is formed to include a first seat bottom strap-receiving slot or aperture

34

, a second seat bottom strap-receiving slot or aperture

36

arranged to lie in spaced-apart oppositional relation to first seat bottom aperture

34

, and a third seat bottom strap-receiving slot or aperture

38

arranged to lie between first and second seat bottom apertures

34

,

36

, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. First and second seat bottom apertures

34

,

36

are arranged to lie adjacent to first and second side walls

28

,

30

, respectively.

Seat back

26

is formed to include a first upper seat back strap-receiving slot or aperture

40

, a second upper seat back strap-receiving slot or aperture

42

, a first lower seat back strap-receiving slot or aperture

44

, and a second lower seat back strap-receiving slot or aperture

46

, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. Upper seat back apertures

40

,

42

are positioned to lie spaced apart from each other along a common horizontal axis. Similarly, lower seat back apertures

44

,

46

are positioned to lie spaced apart from each other along another common horizontal axis. Lower seat back apertures

44

,

46

are positioned to lie lower than upper seat back apertures

40

,

42

.

Seat

12

may be molded out of plastics material. Although seat

12

is a one-piece molded body in the illustrated embodiment, it is within the scope of the present disclosure to use a multiple-piece body.

Adjuster

16

is a flat metal stamping configured as a plate and includes a C-shaped strap anchor portion

48

and a pentagonally-shaped strap adjuster portion

50

, as best shown in FIG.

3

. Portions

48

,

50

of adjuster

16

cooperate to define a flat rearward-facing surface

52

and a flat forward-facing surface

53

, as shown in FIG.

4

.

Strap adjuster portion

50

includes in series a first edge

66

, a second edge

68

, a third edge

70

, a fourth edge

72

, and a fifth edge

73

that cooperate to define the pentagonal shape of strap adjuster portion

50

having five peaks or vertices

74

, as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 5

. First edge

66

is arranged to lie at about a 90° angle to second edge

68

. Fifth edge

73

is arranged to lie at about a 90° angle to fourth edge

72

. Second and fourth edges

68

,

72

are arranged to lie in spaced-apart, non-parallel relation to each other.

Strap adjuster portion

50

further includes an upper rib

88

, a middle rib

90

, and a lower rib

92

and is formed to include an upper strap slot

94

, a middle strap slot

96

, and a lower strap slot

98

, as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 5

. Ribs

88

,

90

,

92

and slots

94

,

96

,

98

are positioned to lie in horizontal, staggered, parallel relation to each other. Slots

94

,

96

, and

98

are positioned to lie between second and fourth edges

68

,

72

of strap adjuster portion

50

.

Strap anchor portion

48

is generally C-shaped and includes a J-shaped first anchor

54

, a J-shaped second anchor

55

, and a middle portion

56

that interconnects first and second anchors

54

,

55

and couples strap anchor portion

48

to a vertex

74

defined by the junction of first and fifth edges

66

,

74

of strap adjuster portion

50

and positioned to lie at a top portion

75

of strap adjuster portion

50

. First anchor

54

extends horizontally away and slants slightly downwardly from middle portion

56

terminating at a distal end

62

. First anchor

54

includes an elongated anchor leg portion

57

extending away from middle portion

56

and a U-shaped anchor hook portion

58

that curves downwardly from anchor leg portion

57

to distal end

62

and toward strap adjuster portion

50

. Similarly, second anchor

55

extends horizontally away, but in the opposite direction relative to first anchor

54

, and slants slightly downwardly from middle portion

56

terminating at a distal end

64

. Second anchor

55

includes an elongated anchor leg portion

59

extending away from middle portion

56

and a U-shaped anchor hook portion

60

that curves downwardly from anchor leg portion

59

to distal end

64

and toward strap adjuster portion

50

.

First edge

66

of strap adjuster portion

50

and first anchor

54

cooperate to define a first slanted slot

76

, as shown in

FIGS. 3 and 5

. Similarly, fifth edge

74

of strap adjuster portion

50

and second anchor

55

cooperate to define a second slanted slot

78

.

Distal end

62

of first anchor

54

is positioned to lie spaced apart from second edge

68

of strap adjuster portion

50

so that distal end

62

and second edge

68

cooperate to define a first opening

80

, which extends transverse to and opens into first slanted slot

76

. Similarly, distal end

64

of second anchor

55

is positioned spaced apart from fourth edge

72

of strap adjuster portion

50

so that distal end

64

and fourth edge

72

cooperate to define a second opening

82

, which extends transverse to and opens into second slanted slot

78

.

Restraint strap

18

is removably coupled to adjuster

16

in either the “large-child” configuration, as shown in

FIGS. 1

,

2

, and

6

, or the “small-child” configuration (not shown). In the “large-child” configuration, restraint strap

18

passes through upper seat back apertures

40

,

42

, whereas, in the “small-child” configuration, restraint strap

18

passes through lower seat back apertures

44

,

46

. In both configurations, restraint strap

18

also passes through first and second seat bottom apertures

34

,

36

.

Restraint strap is arranged to form a first end or loop

112

, a second end or loop

114

, and a strap portion

115

extending therebetween, as shown in FIG.

2

. First loop

112

is detachably coupled to first anchor

54

so that first anchor

54

holds first loop

112

firmly when the child is restrained in seat

12

and a caregiver can detach first loop

112

easily from first anchor

54

for adjustment. Similarly, second loop

114

is detachably coupled to second anchor

55

so that second anchor

55

holds second loop

114

firmly when the child is restrained in seat

12

and a caregiver can detach second loop

114

easily from second anchor

55

for adjustment. Specifically, first loop

112

extends around anchor leg portion

57

of first anchor

54

as first loop

112

couples to first slanted slot

76

. Anchor hook portion

58

of first anchor

54

prevents first loop

112

from inadvertently slipping off anchor leg portion

57

of first anchor

54

. Similarly, second loop

114

extends around anchor leg portion

59

of second anchor

55

as second loop

114

couples to second slanted slot

78

. Anchor hook portion

60

of second anchor

55

prevents second loop

114

from inadvertently slipping off anchor leg portion

59

of second anchor

55

.

Restraint strap

18

conveniently can be thought of as being partitioned into five segments arranged in series and extending “end-to-end” from first loop

112

of restraint strap

18

to second loop

114

of restraint strap

18

, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. Referring to the large child configuration, a first segment

116

includes first loop

112

and slants upwardly along rear side

22

of seat

12

from anchor leg portion

57

of first anchor

54

to first upper seat back aperture

40

. A first restraint portion or second segment

118

extends downwardly along front side

32

of seat

12

from first upper seat back aperture

40

to first seat bottom aperture

34

. A third segment

120

extends along rear side

22

of seat

12

under seat bottom

24

from first seat bottom aperture

34

to second seat bottom aperture

36

. A second restraint portion or fourth segment

122

extends upwardly along front side

32

of seat

12

from second seat bottom aperture

36

to second upper seat back aperture

42

. A fifth segment

124

includes second loop

114

and slants downwardly along rear side

22

of seat

12

from second upper seat back aperture

42

to anchor leg portion

59

of second anchor

55

.

First and fifth segments

116

,

124

cooperate to form the top of Y-shaped unit

23

as each of first and fifth segments

116

,

124

extends from respective seat back aperture

40

,

42

,

44

,

46

to respective anchor

54

,

55

. First and second anchors

54

,

55

and first and second slanted slots

84

,

85

of adjuster

16

angle slightly downwardly to accommodate the top of the Y shape formed by first and fifth segments

116

,

124

, as shown in FIG.

3

. Similarly, the pentagonal shape of strap adjuster portion

50

accommodate the top of the Y shape as first and fifth edges

66

,

74

of strap adjuster portion

50

cooperate with strap anchor portion

48

to define first and second slanted slots

76

,

78

.

Although the partitions of restraint strap

18

have been described with reference to the “large-child” configuration, it is within the scope of this disclosure that such partitions could be used to describe restraint strap

18

positioned in the “small-child” configuration. The only difference is that restraint strap

18

extends through first and second lower seat back apertures

44

,

46

in the “small-child” configuration.

A caregiver can switch restraint strap

18

easily between the “large-child” configuration and the “small-child” configuration. To switch from the “large-child” configuration to the “small-child” configuration, first loop

112

of restraint strap

18

is detached from first anchor

54

by removing from first slanted slot

76

through first opening

80

. First loop

112

is slid off anchor leg portion

57

of first anchor

54

, around anchor hook portion

58

of first anchor

54

, and through first opening

80

so that first loop

112

is free from adjuster

16

. Similarly, second loop

114

of restraint strap

18

is detached from second anchor

55

by removing from second slanted slot

78

through second opening

82

. Second loop

114

is slid off anchor leg portion

59

of second anchor

55

, around anchor hook portion

59

of second anchor

55

, and through second opening

82

so that second loop

112

is free from adjuster

16

.

First and second loops

112

,

114

are then pulled through first and second upper seat back apertures

40

,

42

, respectively, to front side

32

of seat

12

. First and second loops

112

,

114

are fed through first and second lower seat back apertures

44

,

46

, respectively, to rear side

22

of seat

12

. Finally, first and second loops

112

,

114

are reattached to first and second anchors

54

,

55

, respectively, following the reverse of the procedure described above for detaching loops

112

,

114

from anchors

54

,

55

to complete the switch to the “small-child” configuration. To switch restraint strap

18

back to the “large-child” configuration, this overall procedure is followed in reverse. While switching restraint strap

18

between the “large-child” and “small-child” configurations, restraint strap

18

remains coupled to first and second seat bottom apertures

34

,

36

.

Harness unit

14

further includes a rectangular strap retainer

126

, a buckle unit

128

, and a rectangular strap blocker

130

, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. Strap retainer

126

is adapted to lie across the chest of the child and to slidably couple to second and fourth segments

118

,

122

of restraint strap

18

to interconnect second and fourth segments

118

,

122

of restraint strap

18

and aid in restraining the child in seat

12

, as shown in FIG.

1

.

Strap retainer

126

includes a cantilever post (not shown) to which fourth segment

122

is coupled when the child is restrained in seat

12

. Fourth segment

122

is coupled easily to and removed from strap retainer

126

by sliding fourth segment

122

on and off of the cantilever post. Strap retainer

126

further includes a fixed post to which second segment

118

is coupled. Second segment

118

is coupled to strap retainer

126

by feeding first loop

112

of restraint strap

18

through strap retainer

126

across the fixed post. Second segment

118

is removed from strap retainer

126

by pulling first loop

112

back through strap retainer

126

across the fixed post.

When the child is secured in seat

12

, fourth segment

122

is coupled to strap retainer

126

by sliding fourth segment

122

onto the cantilever post while second segment

118

is coupled to the fixed post so that both second and fourth segments

118

,

122

are coupled to strap retainer

126

. In this configuration, a caregiver can slide strap retainer

126

back and forth along second and fourth segments

118

,

122

of restraint strap

18

to the desired position. When the child is removed from seat

12

, fourth segment

122

is slid off the cantilever post thereby separating fourth segment

122

from strap retainer

126

which remains coupled to second segment

118

.

Buckle unit

128

couples restraint strap

18

to adjustment strap

20

on front side

32

of seat

12

and includes a first latch plate

132

, a second latch plate

134

, and a latch member

136

, as shown in

FIGS. 1 and 7

. First latch plate

132

is formed to include an aperture

138

and second latch plate

134

is formed to include an aperture

140

. First latch plate

132

slidably couples to second segment of restraint strap

18

such that second segment

118

passes through aperture

138

of first latch plate

132

. Similarly, second latch plate

134

slidably couples to fourth segment

122

of restraint strap

18

such that fourth segment

122

passes through aperture

140

of second latch plate

134

. Latch plates

132

,

134

buckle to latch member

136

. Latch member

136

includes a release button

142

that a caregiver can depress to unbuckle latch plates

132

,

134

from latch member

136

. Latch member

136

further includes an aperture

144

through which adjustment strap

20

passes to couple adjustment strap

20

to latch member

136

.

Strap blocker

130

is coupled to adjustment strap

20

to limit movement of adjustment strap

20

through third seat bottom aperture

38

. Strap blocker

130

includes a rearward-facing surface

146

and a forward-facing surface

148

that abuts rear side

22

of seat bottom

24

adjacent to third seat bottom aperture

38

when restraint strap

18

and adjustment strap

20

are taut as when the child is secured in seat

12

, as shown in

FIGS. 8 and 9

. Forward-facing surface

148

of strap blocker

130

may become spaced apart from seat bottom

24

when restraint strap

18

and adjustment strap

20

become slack as may occur when the child is removed from seat

12

. Strap blocker

130

further includes a longitudinal rib

150

and is formed to include first and second slots

152

,

154

that are positioned to lie longitudinally along either side of rib

150

and in parallel relation to each other.

Adjustment strap

20

includes a first end

156

and a second end

158

. Similar to the partitioning of restraint strap

18

, adjustment strap

20

conveniently can be thought of as being partitioned into seven segments arranged “end-to-end” in series, as shown in

FIGS. 2

,

4

,

6

, and

9

. A first segment

160

extends freely along rear side

22

of seat

12

from first end

156

of adjustment strap

20

to strap adjuster portion

50

of adjuster

16

. A second segment

162

slidably couples to strap adjuster portion

50

of adjuster

16

as it extends from first segment

160

through and around slots

94

,

96

,

98

and ribs

88

,

90

,

92

of strap adjuster portion

50

to a third segment

164

as explained below.

Third segment

164

extends along rear side

22

of seat

12

from second segment

162

to first slot

152

of strap blocker

130

. Third segment

164

of adjustment strap

20

is arranged to form the base of Y-shaped unit

23

. Third segment

164

of adjustment strap

20

crosses over third segment

120

of restraint strap

18

in a generally perpendicular fashion along rear side

22

of seat

12

such that third segment

120

of restraint strap

18

is positioned to lie between seat bottom

24

and third segment

164

of adjustment strap

20

. As a result, when third segment

164

of adjustment strap

20

is tightened, third segment

164

of adjustment strap

20

presses a middle portion

165

of third segment

120

of restraint strap

18

toward seat bottom