Low profile web adjuster

• US 5,031,962 A
• Filed: 03/27/1990
• Issued: 07/16/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Lee, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US07/499,946
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 297/476, 297/479, 297/484, 24/170, 24/191, 24/188
• US Class Current: 297/484
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2557 with strap length adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/30 Coupling devices other than buckles, including length-adjusting fittings or anti-slip devices adaptations of manual three-point seat belt systems for use by small passengers using other means than belt anti-slip devices B60R22/024; buckles A44B11/00; releasable fastenings in general F16B

Abstract

A low profile web adjuster for securing a web. An infant seat includes a harness, one end of which extends through a web adjuster mounted to the seat. A pivot cam on the adjuster is operable to lockingly engage one end of the harness. In the preferred embodiment, the cam is moved by pushing a control member having a pair of arms pivotally mounted to the cam member at a location to force the cam member apart from the web. In an alternate embodiment, a fabric strap attached to a pull control in turn has a pair of arms pivotally mounted to the cam at a location to force the cam apart from the web when the strap is pulled.

Claims

1. A low profile web adjuster comprising:

a frame including a base wall and a pair of upstanding walls extending therefrom;

a mounting device mounted to and extending between said upstanding walls, said mounting device being spaced apart from said base wall;

a cam member having a pivot axis and being pivotally mounted by said mounting device to said upstanding walls on said pivot axis, said cam member including a web engageable friction surface movable toward said base wall to hold a web therebetween;

spring means engaged with said cam member normally forcing said friction surface to a web engageable position but yieldable to allow said cam member to pivot moving said friction surface away from said web engageable position to a release position allowing said web to move relative to said frame and said cam member;

control means slidably mounted to said frame and engaged with said cam member operable to move said friction surface from said web engageable position to said release position; and

,

guide means on said upstanding walls slidably receiving said control means being operable to guide said control means between limits of travel of said control means as said control means moves said friction surface from said web engageable position to said release position; and

wherein;

said control means includes a pair of spaced apart arms pivotally engaged with said cam member at a location spaced apart from said pivot axis to pivot said cam member as said control means slides in said guide means;

said friction surface when in said web engageable position allows said web to move in a tightening direction but limits movement of said web in a release direction which is in a direction opposite to said tightening direction;

said control means is movable in the direction of said tightening direction to move said cam member to said release position and allow said web to be moved in said release direction;

said control means includes a main body with said arms thereon, said main body includes a pair of ears slidably mounted to said guide means which includes a pair of slots formed in said upstanding walls receiving said ears, said main body further includes a fabric strap secured thereto allowing said control means to be pulled moving said cam member to said release position with said spring means operable to return said cam member to said web engageble position.

2. The adjuster of claim 1 and further comprising:

a housing enclosing said cam member and having a hole through which said strap extends, and wherein;

said slots extend parallel to said base wall guiding said control means along a straight line while said arms pivot said cam member.

3. A low profile web adjuster comprising:

a frame including a base wall and a pair of upstanding walls extending therefrom;

a mounting device mounted to and extending between said upstanding walls, said mounting device being spaced apart from said base wall;

a cam member having a pivot axis and being pivotally mounted by said mounting device to said upstanding walls on said pivot axis, said cam member including a web engageable friction surface movable toward said base wall to hold a web therebetween;

spring means engaged with said cam member normally forcing said friction surface to a web engageable position but yieldable to allow said cam member to pivot moving said friction surface away from said web engageable position to a release position allowing said web to move relative to said frame and said cam member;

control means slidably mounted to said frame and engaged with said cam member operable to move said friction surface from said web engageable position to said release position; and

,

guide means on said upstanding walls slidably receiving said control means being operable to gudie said control means between limits of travel of said control means as said control means moves said friction surface from said web engageable position to said release position; and

wherein;

said control means includes a pair of spaced apart arms pivotally engaged with said cam member at a location spaced apart from said pivot axis to pivot said cam member as said control means slides in said guide means;

said friction surface when in said web engageable position allows said web to move in a tightening direciton but limits movement of said web in a release direction which is in a direction opposite of said tightening direction;

said control means is movable in the direction of said release direction to move said cam member to said release position and allow said web to be moved in said release direction;

said control means includes a main body with said arms thereon, said main body includes a pair of ears slidably mounted to said guide means which includes a pair of slots formed in said upstanding walls receiving said ears, said main body further includes a push surface formed thereon allowing said control means to be pushed moving said cam member to said release position with said spring means operable to return said cam member to said web engageable position.

4. A low profile web adjuster comprising:

a frame including a base wall and a pair of upstanding walls extending therefrom;

a mounting device mounted to and extending between said upstanding walls, said mounting device being spaced apart from said base wall;

a cam member having a pivot axis and being pivotally mounted by said mounting device to said upstanding walls on said pivot axis, said cam member including a web engageable friction surface movable toward said base wall to hold a web therebetween;

spring means engaged with said cam member normally forcing said friction surface to a web engageable position but yieldable to allow said cam member to pivot moving said friction surface away from said web engageable position to a release position allowing said web to move relative to said frame and said cam member;

control means engaged with said cam member operable to move said friction surface from said web engageable position to said release position; and

,

guide means on said frame receiving said control means being operable to guide said control means between limits of travel of said control means as said control means moves said friction surface from said web engageable position to said release position; and

wherein;

said control means includes a main body pivotally engaged with said cam member at a location spaced apart from said pivot axis to pivot said cam member as said control means is guided by said guide means;

said friction surface when in said web engageable position allows said web to move in a tightening direction but limits movement of said web in a release direction which is in a direction opposite of said tightening direction;

said main body includes a cooperating guide movably mounted to said guide means which together include an interacting slot and projection with said slot extending in the direction of said web allowing said control means to move said cam member to said release position with said spring mean operable to return said cam member to said web engageable position.