Child's car seat including means for tightening a safety belt strap

• US 20050156452A1
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ampafrance SA
• Original Assignee: Ampafrance SA
• Inventors: Biaud, Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/885,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20050156452A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/250.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle

Abstract

This invention relates to a child'"'"'s car seat designed to be fixed to a vehicle seat using at least one safety belt strap and comprising means of increasing the tension in the said strap, wherein it comprises at least one moving part with at least one support surface for the said strap and means of actuation acting on the said moving part so as to move the part between a released position and a tensioning position, in which the path of the said strap is lengthened and therefore its tension is increased, the relative positions of the said actuation means and the said moving part being such that the said actuation means are subjected to a force exerted by the said moving part that tends to oppose the said actuation means from returning to the said released position.

Claims

1. Child'"'"'s car seat designed to be fixed to a vehicle seat using at least one safety belt strap and comprising:

at least one moving part with at least one support and/or guide;

surface for the said strap; and

means of actuation acting on the said moving part or on each of the said moving parts so as to move the part between a released position and a tensioning position, in which the path of the said strap is lengthened and therefore its tension is increased,

the relative positions of the said actuation means and the said moving part being such that the actuation means also form means of locking the said tensioning position, making use of a force exerted by the said strap on the said moving part to oppose the said actuation means from returning in the said released position.

26. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 1, wherein the said actuation means include an element mounted free to pivot on the said seat.

27. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 1, wherein the said moving part is mounted free to pivot and has a sliding surface on which the said actuation means are free to displace.

28. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 27, wherein the rotation axis of the said moving part is installed approximately at the mid-height of the said seat back.

29. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 27, wherein the said moving part is an element of the said actuation means forming a cam and eccentric mechanism.

30. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 1, wherein the said actuation means include remote control means.

31. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 30, wherein the said control means include a pivoting lever.

32. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 31, wherein the pivoting lever is connected to the said actuation means through a linkage.

33. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 30, wherein the said control means include a gripping element for reducing the force applied to the said moving part.

34. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 33, wherein the said gripping element is at least partly concealed in the said seat and/or a base of the seat in the tensioning position.

35. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 1, wherein the said support surface is bordered by two edges so as to form a passage for the said strap.

36. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 1, and further comprising two similar moving parts fitted on each side of the said seat.

37. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 1, wherein the said moving part is fitted on a carriage free to slide inside the said seat.

38. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 37, wherein the said carriage slides approximately horizontally with respect to a bottom of the said seat, and has at least one extension that is approximately vertical and on which the said support surface(s) is/are located.

39. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 38, wherein the said support surface(s) is/are preferably inclined from the said extension by about 45°

.

40. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 38, wherein the said sliding carriage is provided with two similar and simultaneously actuated support surfaces.

41. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 38, wherein the said carriage is actuated using a handle, through at least one connecting rod.

42. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 41, wherein the said handle extends in front of the said seat.

43. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 1, wherein the said moving part defines a path for the said strap over at least one portion of the width of the said seat.

44. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 43, wherein the said path advantageously defines a baffle moving towards a back of the said seat.

45. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 1, and further comprising means of moving the said strap away from a back of the said seat.

46. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 45, wherein the said seat pivots between:

a transport position facing the road; and

at least one child installation position, offset from the said transport position by about 90°

.

47. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 45, wherein the said means for moving the said strap away are formed and/or installed on an approximately vertical part of a base of the said seat.

48. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 47, wherein the said approximately vertical part of the base defines a window between two uprights, and the said means for moving the said strap apart include an approximately vertical extension for reception and/or guidance of the said strap.

49. Child'"'"'s car seat according to claim 45, wherein the said means of moving the said strap apart include complementary moving strap tightening means.

2-25. -25. (canceled)