Locking harness

• US 10,710,545 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2019
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Friedman IP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Friedman IP Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Friedman, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Application Number:
  US16/273,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20190168706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A44D 2200/12 made of two identical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/271 detecting or alerting means responsive to securing the child in the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/274 characterised by the communication means between the child seat and another entity, e.g. vehicle or portable device
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2803 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2816 with additional belt accessories, e.g. belt tension detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/12 Construction of belts or harnesses B60R21/18 takes precedence ; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/36 self-locking in an emergency B60R22/3405 , B60R22/343 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 24/38 Each mating member having similarly shaped, sized, and operated interlocking face
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4012 Clamping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45529 Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A retainer apparatus including a first retainer portion, a second retainer portion, and a sensor comprising a motion detector and an alarm. The retainer apparatus includes the first retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a first harness strap and a second retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a second harness strap. The first retainer portion is removably attached to the second retainer portion. The motion detector is configured to detect movement of the retainer apparatus and activate the alarm to alert a user in a vehicle if movement of the retainer apparatus is detected.

Claims

1. A retainer apparatus comprising:

a first retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a first adjustable harness strap of a car seat;

a second retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a second adjustable harness strap of the car seat, wherein said first retainer portion is removably attached to said second retainer portion;

a sensor comprising a motion detector and an alarm, wherein said motion detector is configured to detect movement of said retainer apparatus, and wherein said motion detector is configured to activate said alarm to alert a user in said vehicle if said movement of said retainer apparatus is detected; and

a braking mechanism configured to resist said movement of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism comprises a braking device comprising braking portions configured for locking together thereby contacting opposite surfaces of said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap for applying resistance to said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap to hold at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion in a first stationary position along at least one of said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises a locking portion configured to apply mechanical pressure and lock said braking portions of said braking device, and wherein said sensor and said braking mechanism are contained within at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion.

2. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said movement comprises at least one of:

moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap in a first vertical direction extending from lower attachment points of said first adjustable harness strap to said car seat and of said second adjustable harness strap to said car seat respectively or moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap in a second vertical direction extending from first upper attachment points of said first adjustable harness strap to said car seat and of said second adjustable harness strap to said car seat respectively.

3. The retainer apparatus of claim 2, wherein said movement further comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.

4. The retainer apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first vertical direction comprises an opposite direction from said second vertical direction.

5. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said movement comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.

6. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

memory within said retainer apparatus, wherein said memory is configured to store distance data associated with distances with respect to said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap.

7. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said retainer apparatus, said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap are comprised by a harness apparatus mechanically attached to said car seat, and wherein said harness apparatus is configured to restrain an occupant of said car seat and prevent said occupant from being ejected from said car seat.

8. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises a magnetic structure configured to apply said resistance.

9. A car seat apparatus comprising:

a first adjustable harness strap;

a second adjustable harness strap;

a retainer apparatus comprising a first retainer portion slidably attached to said first harness strap and a second retainer portion slidably attached to said second harness strap, wherein said first retainer portion is removably attached to said second retainer portion, wherein said retainer apparatus further comprises a sensor comprising a motion detector and an alarm, wherein said motion detector is configured to detect movement of said retainer apparatus, and wherein said motion detector is configured to activate said alarm to alert a user in said vehicle if said movement of said retainer apparatus is detected, wherein said retainer apparatus further comprises a braking mechanism configured to resist said movement of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism comprises a braking device comprising braking portions configured for locking together thereby contacting opposite surfaces of said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap for applying resistance to said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap to hold at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion in a first stationary position along at least one of said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises a locking portion configured to apply mechanical pressure and lock said braking portions of said braking device, and wherein said sensor and said braking mechanism are contained within at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion; and

a car seat structure comprising a harness apparatus mechanically attached to a car seat, wherein said retainer apparatus, said first adjustable harness strap, and said second adjustable harness strap are comprised by said harness apparatus, and wherein said harness apparatus is configured to restrain an occupant of said car seat apparatus and prevent said occupant from being ejected from said car seat apparatus.

10. The car seat apparatus of claim 9, wherein said movement comprises at least one of:

moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap in a first vertical direction extending from lower attachment points of said first adjustable harness strap to said car seat and of said second adjustable harness strap to said car seat respectively or moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap in a second vertical direction extending from first upper attachment points of said first adjustable harness strap to said car seat and of said second adjustable harness strap to said car seat respectively.

11. The car seat apparatus of claim 10, wherein said movement further comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.

12. The car seat apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first vertical direction comprises an opposite direction from said second vertical direction.

13. The car seat apparatus of claim 9, wherein said movement comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.

14. The car seat apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

memory within said retainer apparatus, wherein said memory is configured to store distance data associated with distances with respect to said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap.

15. The car seat apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

an additional retainer apparatus comprising a third retainer portion slidably attached to said first harness strap and a fourth retainer portion slidably attached to said second harness strap, wherein said third retainer portion is removably attached to said fourth retainer portion, wherein said additional retainer apparatus further comprises an additional sensor comprising an additional motion detector and an additional alarm, wherein said additional motion detector is configured to detect additional movement of said additional retainer apparatus, wherein said additional motion detector is configured to activate said additional alarm to alert said user in said vehicle if said additional movement of said additional retainer apparatus is detected, and wherein said additional sensor is contained within at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion.

16. The car seat apparatus of claim 15, wherein said additional movement of said additional retainer apparatus comprises said third retainer portion being disconnected from said fourth retainer portion.

17. A retainer apparatus comprising:

a first retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a first adjustable harness strap of a car seat;

a second retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a second adjustable harness strap of the car seat, wherein said first retainer portion is removably attached to said second retainer portion; and

a sensor comprising a motion detector and an alarm, wherein said motion detector is configured to detect movement of said retainer apparatus, wherein said motion detector is configured to activate said alarm to alert a user in said vehicle if said movement of said retainer apparatus is detected, and wherein said sensor is contained within at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion.

18. The retainer apparatus of claim 17, wherein said movement comprises at least one of:

moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap in a first vertical direction extending from lower attachment points of said first adjustable harness strap to said car seat and of said second adjustable harness strap to said car seat respectively or moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap in a second vertical direction extending from first upper attachment points of said first adjustable harness strap to said car seat and of said second adjustable harness strap to said car seat respectively.

19. The retainer apparatus of claim 18, wherein said movement further comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.

20. The retainer apparatus of claim 17, wherein said movement comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.