Low profile web adjuster

• US 5,160,186 A
• Filed: 12/28/1990
• Issued: 11/03/1992
• 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:
  US07/635,715
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 297/476, 297/479, 297/484, 297/478, 297/480, 24/170, 24/191, 24/188, 280/801-808
• US Class Current: 297/479
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2549 Fastening of other buckle elements to the main buckle buckles with several tongues released by the same mechanism A44B11/2507 - A44B11/2542
• 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. A 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 pulling 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. Under normal loading, the cam member contacts and holds the web against the base wall of the adjuster and under high loading also holds the web against an upraised rib on the base wall.

Claims

1. A low profile web adjuster comprising:

a frame including a base wall with a rib formed on said base and projecting outwardly therefrom, said frame further including a pair of upstanding walls extending from said base wall with said rib extending between said upstanding wall;

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

a cam member having a pivot axis and 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 and said rib to hold a web therebetween, said rib positioned between said base wall and said pivot axis;

spring means engaged with said cam member normally forcing said friction surface to a web engageable position under normal loading to hold a web between said cam member and said base wall 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, said spring means further operable to allow said cam member under abnormal high loading to further pivot moving said friction surface adjacent said rib to hold said web between said cam member and said rib;

control means associated with said cam member to move said cam member and said friction surface from said web allowing said web to be be moved relative to said frame.

2. A low profile web adjuster comprising:

a frame including a base wall with an upwardly extending rib formed thereon and a pair of upstanding walls extending therefrom, said base wall having a first surface and with said rib having a second surface located apart from said first surface;

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 and said rib to hold a web therebetween, said first surface located further from said pivot axis than said second surface is from said pivot axis;

spring means engaged with said cam member normally forcing said friction surface to a web engageable position under normal loading to hold a web between said cam member and said first surface of said base wall 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, said spring means further operable to allow said cam member under abnormal high loading to further pivot moving said friction surface adjacent said rib to hold said web between said cam member and said second surface of said rib;

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

,

said control means includes at least one arm pivotally engaged with said cam member at a location spaced apart from said pivot axis to pivot said cam member as said control means moves.

3. The adjuster of claim 2 wherein:

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.

4. The adjuster of claim 3 wherein:

said control means includes a pair of arms and a main body with said arms thereon, said main body 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 engageable position.

5. A child restraining device for mounting in a vehicle comprising:

a child support upon which the child may be supported;

a harness movably mounted to said child support and including a restraining portion positionable against the child with first lock means thereon, said harness including a web affixed thereto being located beneath said support with said web extending forwardly through said support;

second lock means mounted to said support and engageable with said first lock means to secure said harness to said support; and

a web adjuster mounted to said support, said adjuster including cam means to frictionally receive said web, said cam means operable to hold said web once said web is pulled manually through said adjuster to tighten said harness and also operable to release said web to loosen said harness upon manual operation of said adjuster, said adjuster including a frame with a base and a rib formed thereon and including a pair of upstanding walls secured thereto with said cam means including a pivot axis, said cam means having a cam member pivotally mounted to said walls, said cam member normally located in a web engageable position holding said web against said base but movable to a release position allowing said web to move relative to said frame, said cam means further operable to allow said cam member to move to an increased gripping position whereat said cam member holds said web against said rib, said adjuster further including control means associated with said cam member operable to move said friction surface from said web engageable position to said release position; and

wherein;

said cam member 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;

said cam member is pullable 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.

6. A device for adjusting a web to restrain a child comprising:

a child support upon which a child may be supported;

a frame mounted to said child support including a wall with an upraised portion and a pair of upstanding walls secured thereto;

a web movably mounted to said child support and including a restraining portion positionable against the child, said web extendable along said wall;

mounting means on said upstanding walls and being spaced from said wall;

a cam member having a pivot axis and being pivotally mounted by said mounting means to said frame and including a web engaging rough surface;

spring means engaged with said cam member normally urging said cam member to pivot moving said rough surface against said web holding said web against said wall but being yieldable allowing said cam member to be pivoted moving said rough surface away from said wall to allow said web to be moved, said cam member pivoting further holding said web against said upraised portion under abnormal high loading on said web; and

,

control means associated with said cam member to move said cam member and said rough surface from said web allowing said web to be moved relative to said wall.

7. The adjuster of claim 6 wherein:

said cam member normally holding said web against said frame through a first angle of contact while under said abnormal high loading holding said web against said frame through a second angle of contact greater than said first angle increasing the holding thereof.

8. The adjuster of claim 6 and further comprising:

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 moves.

9. The adjuster of claim 8 wherein:

said rough surface when engaged with said web 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.

10. The adjuster of claim 9 wherein:

said control means is pullable in the direction of said tightening direction to move said cam member and allow said web to be moved in said release direction.