Seat belt position adjusting arrangement for a vehicle seat

• US 20020167213A1
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Warner, Robert J. Jr., Eastman, Alan W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,669,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/483
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2803 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/207 Horizontally or transversally adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/20 adjustable in position, e.g. in height
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A seat belt position adjusting arrangement for a seat having a backrest has a mounting bracket adapted to fixedly secured to an upper portion of the backrest, and a belt receiving member which is adapted to threadedly receive a shoulder belt of a vehicle seat belt. The belt receiving member is operatively connected to the mounting bracket, selectively slidable along the mounting bracket and locatable in a selected position on the mounting bracket.

Claims

1. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement for a seat having a backrest, comprising:

a mounting bracket adapted to be fixedly secured to an upper portion of the backrest; and

a belt receiving member adapted to threadedly receive a shoulder belt, the belt receiving member being operatively connected to the mounting bracket, selectively slidable along the mounting bracket, and locatable in a selected position on the mounting bracket.

2. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the belt receiving member is formed with first and second elongate belt slots through which the shoulder belt can be passed, the first belt slot being narrower than the second belt slot, each of the first and second belt slots having an opening via which the shoulder belt can be introduced into the belt slots.

3. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket has a guide slot, and the belt receiving member has a shaft which passes through the guide slot, the shaft being adapted to be rotatable through a predetermined angle with respect to the guide slot and slidable along the guide slot.

4. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a locating mechanism for locating and holding the shaft in the guide slot in a selected one of a predetermined plurality of spaced positions.

5. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein the locating mechanism comprises a series of spaced detents which project into the guide slot.

6. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket has a guide slot and at least one pair of opposed detents projecting into the guide slot, and the belt receiving member has a shaft that passes through the guide slot and that can be locked into place on either side of the pair of detents.

7. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement as set forth in claim 6, wherein the shaft is adapted to be rotatable through a predetermined angle with respect to the guide slot.

8. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a locating mechanism for locating and holding the shaft in the guide slot in one of a first position and a second position spaced from the first position.

9. A seat belt position adjusting arrangement as set forth in claim 8, wherein the locating mechanism comprises a pair of opposed detents projecting into the guide slot.

10. A method of adjusting the position of a seat belt across a seat, comprising:

passing the seat belt through slots formed in a belt receiving member;

moving the belt receiving member along a mounting bracket fixed to a frame member of a backrest of the seat; and

setting the belt receiving member in a selected one of a plurality of detent positions wherein a belt angle and a belt height meets individual securing requirements.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein setting the belt receiving member comprises rotating the belt receiving member to a predetermined angle with respect to the mounting bracket.

12. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein moving the belt receiving member comprises sliding the belt receiving member along an elongate slot of the mounting bracket.

14. A child'"'"'s seat as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a locating mechanism for locating and holding the belt receiving member in a selected position on the mounting bracket.

15. A child'"'"'s seat as set forth in claim 14 wherein the locating mechanism comprises at least one pair of opposed detents formed on the mounting bracket to engage a portion of the belt receiving member and resist movement of the belt receiving member therepast until a predetermined amount of force is applied in a direction in which the belt receiving member slides along the mounting bracket.

16. A child'"'"'s seat as set forth in claim 15, wherein the at least one pair of opposed detents comprises a plurality of pairs of opposed detents, and the pairs of opposed detents sequentially resist movement of the belt receiving member therepast until a predetermined amount of force is applied in a direction in which the belt receiving member slides along the mounting bracket.

13. A child'"'"'s seat for use in a vehicle having at least one shoulder seat belt, comprising:

a seat portion and a backrest;

a seat belt position adjusting arrangement provided on an upper portion of the backrest, the seat belt position adjusting arrangement comprising;

a mounting bracket fixedly secured to the backrest; and

a belt receiving member which is adapted to threadedly receive the shoulder seat belt, the belt receiving member being operatively connected to the mounting bracket so as be selectively slidable therealong.