Child restraint assembly for child vehicle seat

• US 20080001466A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• 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: Nolan, Patrick, Patrizi, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,992,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/485
• 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 buckle assembly of a child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat, the buckle assembly comprising:

at least one latch; and

a buckle adapted to releasably engage the latch, the buckle including a buckle actuator movable between a first locked position and a second unlocked position, 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.

2. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator moves in a direction towards the grip surface from the first position to the second position.

3. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the buckle defines an outer edge, and the grip surface is disposed inwardly with respect to the outer edge.

4. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the grip surface comprises a downward-facing surface of the buckle.

5. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the buckle defines an outer edge, and has a first thickness at the lower edge and a second thickness at a location spaced inwardly from the outer edge, wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

6. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the grip surface comprises a medial portion flanked by a pair of angled portions.

7. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the buckle further comprises a rear surface facing the child vehicle seat and a front surface facing away from the child vehicle seat, and the grip surface extends between the front and rear surfaces of the buckle.

8. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the buckle defines an outer edge, and the grip surface is disposed inwardly with respect to the outer edge.

9. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the buckle defines an outer edge, and has a first thickness at the lower edge and a second thickness at a location spaced inwardly from the outer edge, wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.

10. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein a belt is connected between the buckle and the vehicle seat, and the grip surface is disposed behind the belt.

11. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator moves toward the medial portion in a direction from the first position to the second position.

12. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the buckle defines a front surface and a recessed area in the front surface, and the buckle actuator is disposed in the recessed area.

13. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the recessed area includes an aperture through which the buckle actuator extends.

14. The buckle assembly as recited in 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.

15. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the buckle actuator further comprises a tactile pad having a softness greater than the remainder of the buckle actuator.

16. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the tactile pad is colored differently from the remainder of the buckle actuator.

17. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the buckle has rounded edges.

18. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the latch is configured to attach to a shoulder strap and a waist strap of the child restraint assembly.

19. The buckle assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the buckle has rounded edges.

20. A buckle assembly of a child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat, the buckle assembly connected to the vehicle seat via a belt, the buckle assembly comprising:

at least one latch; and

a buckle adapted to releasably engage the latch, the buckle including a buckle actuator movable between a first locked position and a second unlocked position, the buckle defining an outer edge and further including a grip surface recessed with respect to the outer edge, the grip surface being of a sufficient thickness to enable a user to brace a finger against the buckle grip surface when actuating the buckle actuator,

wherein the actuator moves toward the grip surface in a direction from the first position toward the second position.