U.S. patent application number 09/985572 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-08 for child seat belt assembly.
Invention is credited to Girardin, Jean-Marc.
Application Number | 20030085608 09/985572 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25531597 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030085608 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Girardin, Jean-Marc |
May 8, 2003 |
CHILD SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A vehicle safety restraint system, for use by a child, that can
be installed and removed from any vehicle seat. The single end of a
first Y-shaped belt is passed over the back of the seat and the
double end, which hangs over the front of the seat, is provided
with a pair of closed loops. A lap belt passes through the loops
and the free ends thereof are releasably secured to respective ones
of the double end of a second Y-shaped belt, placed on the seat.
The single end of the second belt passes between the seat and the
seat back and is releasably secured to the single end of the first
Y-shaped belt. Optionally, a crotch strap is also releasably
secured to the second Y-shaped belt, passed upwardly between the
legs of the child and the other end releasably secured to the first
Y-shaped belt adjacent the closed loops.
Inventors: |
Girardin, Jean-Marc; (North
Miami Beach, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DOWELL & DOWELL PC
SUITE 309
1215 JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY
ARLINGTON
VA
22202
|
Family ID: |
25531597 |
Appl. No.: |
09/985572 |
Filed: |
November 5, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/484 ;
297/467 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 22/105
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/484 ;
297/467 |
International
Class: |
B60R 022/10 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A child safety restraint system for use in a vehicle provided
with a seat having a back portion and a seat portion, comprising: a
first Y-shaped elongated flexible belt member having a single first
end and a bifurcated second end; said first end being provided with
a first portion of a releasable snap fastening, and each part of
said second end terminating in a closed loop; said first end of
said first Y-shaped belt being adapted to pass over said back
portion of said seat and depend downwardly therefrom; a second
Y-shaped flexible belt member having a single first end and a
bifurcated second end; said first end being adapted to pass between
said back portion and said seat portion of said seat and provided
with a complementary second portion of said snap fastening adapted
to releasably engage with said first portion on said first Y-shaped
belt; said bifurcated end terminating in a pair of first portions
of a releasable snap fastening; and a flexible elongated lap belt
member adapted to pass through said closed loops in said first
Y-shaped belt and provided with complementary second portions of a
releasable snap fastening at each end thereof adapted to releasably
engage with respective ones of said pair of first portions of snap
fastenings on said second Y-shaped belt member.
2. A child safety restraint system as claimed in claim 1, including
an elongated flexible crotch strap member having, at one end
thereof a second portion of a snap fastening adapted to releasably
engage a further first portion of a snap fastening on said second
Y-shaped flexible belt; and having at least one first portion of a
snap fastening at a second end thereof each adapted to releasably
engage with a second respective portion of a snap fastening secured
to said first Y-shaped belt member adjacent said loops at the
second end thereof.
3. A child safety restraint system as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said crotch strap member is a Y-shaped member having said first
portions of said snap fastenings at a bifurcated end thereof and
each adapted to releasably engage a respective one of a pair of
second portions of snap fastenings secured to said first Y-shaped
belt member adjacent said loops at the second end thereof.
4. A child safety restraint system as claimed in claim 2 including
a pair of shoulder straps securely fastened at each end thereof to
said first Y-shaped belt member in substantially planar parallel
relationship thereto.
5. A child safety restraint system as claimed in claim 2, including
a planar vest member securely fastened to said first Y-shaped belt
member adjacent said loops therein.
6. A child safety restraint system as claimed in claim 5 wherein
said vest member is provided with decorative indicia.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle safety restraint system
and more particularly to a child seat belt system for use in an
automobile.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] Young children are generally restrained in an automobile, by
government decree, in specially designed forwardly or rearwardly
facing seats that are, in turn, secured to the regular vehicle seat
using manufacturer installed seat belts. Children who have outgrown
the conventional forward facing booster seat are, however, often
too small to use the regular, adult sized, seat belt system safely
and there is, therefore a need for a specially designed seat belt
system for such intermediately sized children to use while sitting
on the regular vehicle seat.
OBJECT OF INVENTION
[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
vehicle seat belt assembly for use by children that can be readily
installed on, and removed from, a vehicle seat and that is
independent of the conventional, manufacturer installed seat belt
system.
BRIEF STATEMENT OF INVENTION
[0004] By one aspect of this invention there is provided a child
safety restraint system for use in a vehicle provided with a seat
having a back portion and a seat portion, comprising:
[0005] a first Y-shaped elongated flexible belt member having a
single first end and a bifurcated second end; said first end being
provided with a first portion of a releasable snap fastening, and
each part of said second end terminating in a closed loop; said
first end of said first Y-shaped belt being adapted to pass over
said back portion of said seat and depend downwardly therefrom;
[0006] a second Y-shaped flexible belt member having a single first
end and a bifurcated second end; said first end being adapted to
pass between said back portion and said seat portion of said seat
and provided with a complementary second portion of said snap
fastening adapted to releasably engage with said first portion on
said first Y-shaped belt; said bifurcated end terminating in a pair
of first portions of a releasable snap fastening; and
[0007] a flexible elongated lap belt member adapted to pass through
said closed loops in said first Y-shaped belt and provided with
complementary second portions of a releasable snap fastening at
each end thereof adapted to releasably engage with respective ones
of said pair of first portions of snap fastenings on said second
Y-shaped belt member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the present
invention showing an occupant;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1,
unoccupied;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a front view of a second embodiment of a first
part of a seat belt assembly of the present invention, attachable
to a vehicle seat;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a front view of a seat Y-belt assembly for
attachment to the belt of FIG. 3;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a front view of a crotch strap assembly for
attachment intermediate the belts of FIGS. 3 and 4;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of the seat
belt assembly of FIG. 3;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the
assembly shown in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 8 is a front view of the bib portion of the embodiment
of FIG. 7; and
[0016] FIG. 9 is a rear view of the bib portion of the embodiment
of FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] In FIG. 1 there is shown a child 1 sitting on a vehicle seat
2 and secured thereto by a seat belt assembly 3. A Y-shaped,
elongated, flexible shoulder belt 4, generally fabricated from
nylon webbing or leather, passes over the back of seat 2 and
terminates in one end of a releasable snap fastening 29 (FIG. 3),
generally but not essentially a male fitting, which depends
downwardly at the back of the seat back. The bifurcated end (5, 6)
of the strap 4 terminates in loops 7, 8, which depend downwardly in
front of the seat back 21, respectively. A lap belt 9 passes
through loops 7, 8 and terminates in releasable snap fastenings 10,
11 slidably mounted adjacent each respective end thereof.
Generally, but not essentially, fittings 10, 11 are male fittings.
Length adjusting rings 12, 13 are also provided at the ends of belt
9. As seen in FIG. 2, a Y-shaped flexible webbing belt 14 is placed
on seat 2, and is provided with arms 15, 16 which terminate in
complementary snap fittings 17, 18 adapted to receive fittings 10,
11 respectively. As seen in FIG. 2, fittings 17, 18 are female
fittings. Belt 14 is also provided with an elongated arm 19, which
passes between the seat squab 20 and seat back 21, and terminates
in a complementary snap fastening, generally female, 28 (FIG. 4)
adapted to receive snap fitting 29 (FIG. 3) at the rear end of
shoulder belt 4. Optionally, Y-shaped belt 14 is also provided with
a snap fitting 22, generally a male fitting, adapted to be received
by a female snap fitting 23 at one end of a padded flexible webbing
crotch strap 24. Padded strap 24 passes upwardly between the legs
of the child and is provided with an adjustable snap fitting 25,
generally female, at the other end thereof, adapted to receive a
complementary, generally male, fitting 26 securely mounted on a
flexible cross strap 27 which in turn is securely fastened to belt
4 adjacent loops 5, 6 thereof, as seen in FIG. 1.
[0018] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is essentially
similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 and similar parts have
been assigned the same reference numerals. There are, however,
significant differences in that the optional padded flexible belt
24 is Y-shaped and the arms 28, 29 thereof are provided with padded
areas 30, 31 so as to protect the legs of the child 1 against
chafing. The arms 28, 29 terminate in releasable snap fastenings,
generally male, adapted to be received by complementary, generally
female, fastenings 34, 35 that are securely mounted on arms 5, 6 of
shoulder belt 4. In an optional variation, shoulder belt 4 may be
provided with padded areas on each of arms 5, 6 and with a mesh
vest 36 adjacent loops 7, 8 so as to provide additional support for
the child and to reduce the chances of side slipping out of the
shoulder straps. FIG. 6 shows another embodiment, similar to FIG.
3, but which provides a pair of shoulder straps 37, 38 secured to
arms 5, 6 both adjacent loops 7, 8 and remote therefrom through
which the child slips its arms so as to reduce the possibility of
side slipping out of the shoulder belt 4. FIGS. 7, 8 and 9
illustrate a modified version of the mesh vest 36 in which the vest
is extended so as to substantially cover the chest of the child 1,
as seen in FIG. 7. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, there is provided a
single, generally female, snap fitting 39 to receive a male snap
fitting 25 at the end of padded strap 24, as in the embodiment of
FIG. 1. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, a pair of female snap fittings
40, 41 are provided to receive male fittings 32, 33 as seen in FIG.
5. Optionally, the vest 36 may be provided with a coloured design
so as to provide a visually pleasing effect to the child
wearer.
[0019] As will be appreciated by those in the art, where reference
has been made to male and female snap fittings, this is a matter of
design choice and in all cases the male and female fittings may be
reversed provided only that the mating ends are always
complementary to each other. Similarly, while reference has been
made to woven, flexible nylon webbing belts or to leather belts,
any conventional seat belt material may be employed.
* * * * *