Child restraint assembly for child vehicle seat

• US 20050225157A1
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Patrizi, Timothy, Nolan, Patrick B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,252,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/464
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1391 Article held by clip with spring [e.g., leaf, coil] member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3401 Buckle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45524 including resiliently biased projection component or surface segment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45602 Receiving member includes either movable connection between interlocking components or variable configuration cavity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45618 and interlocking with independently associated or dissociated projection members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45623 and operator therefor

Abstract

A child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat includes a buckle assembly including a buckle and a pair of latches, a harness coupled to the buckle assembly, and a harness adjuster to adjust the harness. The buckle includes a buckle actuator slidable between a first position and a second position relative to a front surface of the buckle to unlock the buckle assembly. The harness adjuster includes a housing and a harness adjuster actuator movable between a first position and a second position relative to a front surface of the housing to unlock the harness adjuster. Movement of the buckle actuator from the first position to the second position is in the same direction as movement of the harness adjuster actuator from the first position to the second position. The buckle can include a grip surface of sufficient thickness to enable a user to brace a finger against the buckle grip surface when actuating the buckle actuator. Likewise, the housing can include a grip surface of sufficient thickness to enable a user to brace a finger against the housing grip surface when actuating the harness adjuster actuator. The child restraint assembly also can include a chest clip coupled to the harness. The chest clip can include a male member and a female member releasably coupled to the male member, the male member having a pair of opposing grip surfaces of sufficient thickness to enable a user to grip the male member when decoupling the male member and the female member.

Claims

1. A child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat, comprising:

a buckle assembly including a buckle and at least one latch, the buckle including a buckle actuator slidable between a first position and a second position relative to a front surface of the buckle to unlock the buckle assembly;

a harness coupled to the buckle assembly; and

a harness adjuster to adjust the harness, the harness adjuster including a housing and a harness adjuster actuator movable between a first position and a second position relative to a front surface of the housing to unlock the harness adjuster,

wherein movement of the buckle actuator from the first position to the second position is in the same direction as movement of the harness adjuster actuator from the first position to the second position.

2. A child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the buckle includes an contoured grip surface, and the buckle actuator is slidable from the first position to the second position toward the contoured grip surface.

3. A child restraint assembly according to claim 2, wherein the contoured grip surface is a lower surface of the buckle.

4. A child restraint assembly according to claim 2, wherein the contoured grip surface has a medial portion flanked by two angled portions against each of which a user may brace a finger.

5. A child restraint assembly according to claim 2, wherein the contoured grip surface provides a grip against which a user can brace a finger.

6. The child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the front surface of the buckle includes a recessed area, and the buckle actuator is located in the recessed area.

7. The child restraint assembly according to claim 6, wherein the recessed area includes an aperture through which the buckle actuator extends.

8. The child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the buckle actuator includes a directional icon to indicate the direction of movement of the buckle actuator from the first position to the second position.

9. The child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the buckle has rounded edges.

10. The child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the front surface of the housing includes a recessed area, and the harness adjuster actuator is mounted within the recessed area.

11. The child restraint assembly according to claim 10, wherein the recessed area includes an aperture through which the harness adjuster actuator extends.

12. The child restraint assembly according to claim 10, wherein the front surface of the buckle includes a recessed area, and the buckle actuator is located in the recessed area.

13. The child restraint assembly of claim 12, wherein the recessed area of the housing is deeper than the recessed area of the buckle.

14. The child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the harness adjuster actuator includes a directional icon to indicate the direction of movement of the harness adjuster actuator from the first position to the second position.

15. The child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing has rounded edges.

16. The child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a grip surface that provides a grip against which a user can brace a finger.

17. The child restraint assembly according to claim 16, wherein the grip surface is a lower surface of the housing.

18. The child restraint assembly according to claim 1, wherein the buckle actuator and the harness adjuster actuator are similarly shaped.

19. A child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat, comprising:

a buckle assembly including a buckle and at least one latch, the buckle including a buckle actuator movable between a first position and a second position to unlock the buckle assembly, the buckle including a grip surface of sufficient thickness to enable a user to brace a finger against the buckle grip surface when actuating the buckle actuator;

a harness coupled to the buckle assembly; and

a harness adjuster to adjust the harness, the harness adjuster including a housing and a harness adjuster actuator movable between a first position and a second position to unlock the harness adjuster, the housing including a grip surface of sufficient thickness to enable a user to brace a finger against the housing grip surface when actuating the harness adjuster actuator.

20. The child restraint assembly of claim 19, wherein the buckle grip surface is a lower surface of the buckle.

21. The child restraint assembly of claim 20, wherein the buckle grip surface is contoured and includes a medial portion flanked by two angled portions against each of which a user may brace a finger.

22. The child restraint assembly of claim 19, wherein the housing grip surface is a lower surface of the housing.

23. The child restraint assembly according to claim 19, wherein the buckle actuator and the harness adjuster actuator are similarly shaped.

24. The child restraint assembly according to claim 19, further comprising a chest clip coupled to the harness, the chest clip including a male member and a female member releasably coupled to the male member, the male member having a pair of opposing grip surfaces of sufficient thickness to enable a user to grip the male member when decoupling the male member and the female member.

25. A chest clip of a child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat, comprising:

a male member;

a female member adapted to engage the male member, the female member including a pair of finger grips formed thereon to enable a user to grip the female member to position the chest clip at a proper location relative to a child seated in the child vehicle seat.

26. A chest clip according to claim 25, wherein the finger grips are depressions formed in a front surface of the female member.

27. A chest clip according to claim 25, wherein the female member has a raised portion that is centrally located on the chest clip when the female member and the male member are engaged, and wherein one of the finger grips is located at an upper edge of the raised portion and the other of the finger grips is located at a lower edge of the raised portion.

28. A chest clip according to claim 27, wherein an instructional icon is disposed on the front surface of the raised portion.

29. A chest clip according to claim 25, wherein the finger grips are formed on opposing edges of the female member.

30. A chest clip according to claim 25, wherein the male member includes a front surface, and wherein a web site address is printed on the front surface of at least one of the male member and the female member.

31. A chest clip according to claim 30, wherein the web site is engraved on the front surface of the male member.

32. A buckle assembly of a child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat, comprising:

at least one latch; and

a buckle adapted to releasably engage the latch, the buckle including a buckle actuator movable between a first position and a second position to unlock the latch from the buckle, the buckle including a grip surface of sufficient thickness to enable a user to brace a finger against the buckle grip surface when actuating the buckle actuator.

33. The buckle assembly of claim 32, wherein the buckle grip surface is a lower surface of the buckle.

34. The buckle assembly of claim 33, wherein the buckle grip surface is contoured and includes a medial portion flanked by two angled portions against each of which a user may brace a finger.

35. The buckle assembly according to claim 32, wherein the buckle includes a front surface having a recessed area, and the buckle actuator is located in the recessed area.

36. The buckle assembly according to claim 35, wherein the recessed area includes an aperture through which the buckle actuator extends.

37. The buckle assembly according to claim 32, wherein the buckle actuator includes a directional icon to indicate the direction of movement of the buckle actuator from the first position to the second position.

38. The buckle assembly according to claim 32, wherein the buckle has rounded edges.

39. A harness adjuster of a child restraint assembly, comprising:

a housing; and

a harness adjuster actuator movable between a first position and a second position to enable adjustment of a harness of the child restraint assembly,

wherein the housing includes a grip surface of sufficient thickness to enable a user to brace a finger against the housing grip surface when actuating the harness adjuster actuator.

40. The harness adjuster according to claim 39, wherein the housing includes a front surface having a recessed area, and the harness adjuster actuator is mounted within the recessed area.

41. The harness adjuster according to claim 40, wherein the recessed area includes an aperture through which the harness adjuster actuator extends.

42. The harness adjuster according to claim 39, wherein the harness adjuster actuator includes a directional icon to indicate the direction of movement of the harness adjuster actuator from the first position to the second position.

43. The harness adjuster according to claim 39, wherein the housing has rounded edges.

44. The harness adjuster according to claim 39, wherein the grip surface is a lower surface of the housing.

45. A chest clip of a child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat, comprising:

a male member; and

a female member adapted to engage the male member;

wherein a pair of opposing finger grips are formed on at least one of the male member and the female member to enable a user to grip the at least one of the male member and the female member to position the chest clip at a proper location relative to a child seated in the child vehicle seat.

46. A chest clip according to claim 45, wherein the finger grips are depressions formed in a front surface of the female member.