LOCKING HARNESS APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20110193396A1
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Friedman IP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Mark J. Friedman
• Inventors: Friedman, Mark J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,333,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/484
• 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 harness apparatus including a first adjustable harness strap, a second adjustable harness strap, and a retainer apparatus. The retainer apparatus includes a first retainer portion slidably attached to the first harness strap, a second retainer portion slidably attached to the second harness strap, and a braking mechanism configured to prevent the first retainer portion and the second retainer portion from moving along the first harness strap and the second harness strap. The first retainer portion is removably attached to the second retainer portion. The braking mechanism includes a braking device configured to apply resistance to the first harness strap and/or the second harness strap and to hold the retainer apparatus in a stationary position along the first harness strap and the second harness strap.

Claims

1. A harness apparatus comprising:

a first adjustable harness strap;

a second adjustable harness strap; and

a first retainer apparatus comprising a first retainer portion slidably attached to said first harness strap, a second retainer portion slidably attached to said second harness strap, and a braking mechanism configured to prevent said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion from moving along said first harness strap and said second harness strap, wherein said first retainer portion is removably attached to said second retainer portion, and wherein said braking mechanism comprises a braking device configured to apply resistance to said first harness strap and/or said second harness strap and to hold said first retainer apparatus in a first stationary position along said first harness strap and said second harness strap.

2. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said braking mechanism comprises:

a spring assembly configured to apply pressure to said braking device to apply resistance to said first harness strap and/or said second harness strap; and

a compression mechanism configured to compress said spring assembly and lock said spring assembly in a compressed position.

3. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said braking device comprises a first braking device section mechanically attached to said first retainer portion, and wherein said first braking device section is configured to apply resistance to a first edge portion of said first adjustable harness strap.

4. The harness apparatus of claim 3, wherein said braking device comprises a second braking device section mechanically attached to said first retainer portion, and wherein said second braking device section is configured to apply resistance to a second edge portion of said first adjustable harness strap.

5. The harness apparatus of claim 3, wherein said braking device comprises a second braking device section mechanically attached to said second retainer portion, and wherein said second braking device section is configured to apply resistance to a first edge portion of said second adjustable harness strap.

6. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said braking device comprises a first braking device section mechanically attached to said first retainer portion and a second braking device section mechanically attached to said second retainer portion, wherein said first adjustable harness strap comprises a first strap and a first track apparatus mechanically attached to a center portion of said first strap, wherein said second adjustable harness strap comprises a second strap and a second track apparatus mechanically attached to a center portion of said second strap, wherein said first braking device section is configured to apply resistance to said first track apparatus, and wherein said second braking device section is configured to apply resistance to said second track apparatus.

7. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said braking device comprises a first braking device section mechanically attached to said first retainer portion and a second braking device section mechanically attached to said second retainer portion, wherein said first adjustable harness strap comprises a first strap and a first track apparatus mechanically attached to a first edge portion of said first strap and a second track apparatus mechanically attached to a second edge portion of said first strap, wherein said second adjustable harness strap comprises a second strap and a third track apparatus mechanically attached to a first edge portion of said second strap and a fourth track apparatus mechanically attached to a second edge portion of said second strap, wherein said first braking device section is configured to apply resistance to said first track apparatus and said second track apparatus, and wherein said second braking device section is configured to apply resistance to said third track apparatus and said fourth track apparatus.

8. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said braking device comprises a first braking device section mechanically attached to said first retainer portion, wherein said first braking device section comprises a first friction mechanism configured to apply resistance to said first adjustable harness strap, and wherein said second braking device section comprises a second friction mechanism configured to apply resistance to said second adjustable harness strap.

9. The harness apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first friction mechanism comprises mechanical teeth for applying said resistance to said first adjustable harness strap, and wherein said wherein said second friction mechanism comprises mechanical teeth for applying said resistance to said second adjustable harness strap.

10. The harness apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first friction mechanism comprises a friction material to enable applying said resistance to said first adjustable harness strap, and wherein said second friction mechanism comprises said friction material to enable applying said resistance to said second adjustable harness strap.

11. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first adjustable harness strap comprises a first magnetic strip comprising a first magnetic material mechanically attached to a first strap, wherein said second adjustable harness strap comprises a second magnetic strip comprising a second magnetic material mechanically attached to a second strap, wherein said braking device comprises a first magnetic mechanism mechanically attached to said first retainer portion and a second magnetic mechanism mechanically attached to said second retainer portion, wherein said first magnetic mechanism is configured to apply a first magnetic field to magnetize said first magnetic material in said first magnetic strip to enable said holding said first retainer apparatus in said stationary position along said first harness strap, and wherein said second magnetic mechanism is configured to apply a second magnetic field to magnetize said second magnetic material in said second magnetic strip to enable said holding said second retainer apparatus in said stationary position along said second harness strap.

12. The harness apparatus of claim 11, wherein said first magnetic mechanism comprises a first electromagnet, and wherein said second magnetic mechanism comprises a second electromagnet.

13. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises an electro/mechanical device configured to apply mechanical pressure to said braking device.

14. The harness apparatus of claim 13, wherein said electromechanical device comprises

a device selected from the group consisting of a solenoid and an electrical motor.

15. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first retainer apparatus further comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock said first retainer portion to said second retainer portion.

16. The harness apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second retainer apparatus slidably attached to said first harness strap and said second harness strap, wherein said second retainer apparatus comprises a third retainer portion slidably attached to said first harness strap, a fourth retainer portion slidably attached to said second harness strap, and an additional braking mechanism for configured to prevent said third retainer portion and said fourth retainer portion from moving along said first harness strap and said second harness strap, wherein said third retainer portion is removably attached to said fourth retainer portion, and wherein said additional braking mechanism comprises an additional braking device configured to apply resistance to said first harness strap and said second harness strap configured to hold said second retainer apparatus in a second stationary position along said first harness strap and said second harness strap.

17. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first retainer apparatus further comprises an electrical motor and a signal receiving device, wherein said electrical motor is configured to slidably move said first retainer apparatus along said first harness strap and said second harness strap, wherein said signal receiving device is configured to receive a control signal from a control device, and wherein said control signal is configured to command said electrical motor to slidably move said first retainer apparatus along said first harness strap and said second harness strap.

18. The harness apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first retainer apparatus further comprises a sensor and an alarm, wherein said sensor is configured to detect movement of said first retainer apparatus, and wherein said alarm is configured to alert a user if said movement of said first retainer apparatus is detected.

19. The harness apparatus of claim 1, wherein said harness apparatus is mechanically attached to a car seat, and wherein said harness apparatus is configured to restrain a user and prevent said user from being ejected from said car seat.

20. A method for using a harness apparatus, comprising:

providing said harness apparatus comprising a first adjustable harness strap, a second adjustable harness strap, and a first retainer apparatus comprising a first retainer portion slidably attached to said first harness strap, a second retainer portion slidably attached to said second harness strap, and a braking mechanism, wherein said first retainer portion is removably attached to said second retainer portion, and wherein said braking mechanism comprises a braking device;

slidably moving said first retainer apparatus along said first harness strap and said second harness strap;

stopping said slidably moving said first retainer apparatus at a specified location along said first harness strap and said second harness strap;

enabling said braking mechanism; and

applying, by said braking device in response to said enabling, resistance to said first harness strap and said second harness strap for holding said first retainer apparatus in a stationary position at said specified location along said first harness strap and said second harness strap.