Safety seat tether strap

• US 5,630,645 A
• Filed: 07/31/1995
• Issued: 05/20/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Britax Childcare Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Britax Child-Care Products Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Bowtell, William, Lumley, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US08/509,687
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 297/250.1, 297/216.1, 297/216.11, 297/254, 296/63, 296/64
• US Class Current: 297/250.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2809 with additional tether connected to the top of the child seat and passing above the top of the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing

Abstract

A safety seat 10, for use in a vehicle, where the safety seat 10 comprises a seat portion 19a, a backrest 19 having a head end remote from the seat portion 19a, a first and second mutually spaced anchorage locations 15 and 15a on the head end of the backrest 19, a connector 12 for engagement with a securement point on a vehicle, the connector 12 having a strap opening, a tether strap 11 extending in a loop from the first anchorage location 15, through the strap opening of the connector 12, to a second anchorage location 15a, and a length adjustor 13 or 13a for adjusting the length of the tether strap 11 loop. This provides a tether strap 11 suitable for use with the safety seat 10 in either a rear or forward facing position. Another significant advantage is having the adjuster 13 or 13a in line with the tether strap 11 to significantly reduce the effective length between the backrest 19 and the securement point on the vehicle.

Claims

1. A safety seat, for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a seat portion,

a backrest having a head end remote from said seat portion,

first and second mutually spaced anchorage locations on said head end of said backrest,

a connector for engagement with a securement point on said vehicle, said connector having a strap opening,

a tether strap with one end extending from said first anchorage location, extending in a loop through said strap opening, with the other end extending to said second anchorage location, and

adjustment means for adjusting the length of said tether strap loop.

2. A safety seat according to claim 1 wherein said safety seat further comprises side walls on each side of said backrest, said first anchorage location located in one of said side walls, and said second anchorage location located in the other said side wall.

3. A safety seat according to claim 2 wherein said first and second anchorage locations comprise

apertures in said side walls, and

said adjustment means comprises

an in-line length adjuster located between said connector and one of said anchorage locations with the first end of said tether strap looping through one side of said in-line adjuster

said safety seat further comprising

a first three bar slide located over the aperture of said first anchorage location on the outside surface of said side wall, and

a second three bar slide located over the aperture of said second anchorage location on the outside surface of said side wall,

said tether strap, from said in-line adjuster, passing through said first three bar slide and respective aperture, passing through said aperture of said second anchorage location and through said second three bar slide, looping through another side of said in-line adjuster, passing back through said second three bar slide and respective aperture, and looping around a center bar of said first three bar slide, with the second end of said tether strap, extending from the center bar of said first three bar slide, secured to a centre bar of said second three bar slide.

4. A safety seat according to claim 2 wherein said first anchorage location and adjustment means comprises a cam-type clamp located on the outside surface of said side wall and said second anchorage location comprises an aperture in said side wall through which the ends of said tether strap locate and a three bar slide secured to an end of said tether strap that bears against the inside surface of side wall.

5. A safety seat according to claim 2 wherein said first and second anchorage locations comprise

apertures in said side walls, and

said adjustment means is located on the outside surface of said backrest with the first end of said tether strap secured thereto,

said safety seat further comprising,

a first three bar slide located over the aperture of said first anchorage location on the outside surface of said side wall,

a second three bar slide located over the aperture of said second anchorage location on the outside surface of said side wall, and

a pair of spaced apertures in said backrest, one adjacent said first anchorage location and one adjacent said second anchorage location,

said tether strap, from said adjustment means, passing through said aperture in said backrest adjacent said first anchorage location, looping around a center bar of said first three bar slide, returning back through said aperture in said backrest adjacent said first anchorage location, passing through said strap opening in said connector, and passing through said aperture in said backrest adjacent said second anchorage location, with the second end of said tether strap secured to a center bar of said second three bar slide.

6. A safety seat according to claim 2 wherein said anchorage locations comprise:

apertures in said side walls through which the ends of said tether strap locate; and

anchor plates, secured to the ends of said tether strap, that bear against an inside surface of each side wall.

7. A safety seat according to claim 6, wherein said anchor plates comprise a three bar slide.

8. A safety seat according to claim 2 wherein said anchorage locations comprise an aperture in each of said side walls through which the ends of said tether strap locate.

9. A safety seat according to claim 8 wherein said tether strap extends through the aperture of said first anchorage location, between the inside surfaces of said side walls and through the aperture of said second anchorage location.

10. A safety seat according to claim 9 wherein said adjustment means comprises an in-line length adjuster located between said connector and one of said anchorage locations.

11. A safety seat according to claim 8 wherein a first end of said tether strap is secured to a first three bar slide which bears against the inside surface of said side wall and the other end of said tether strap is looped through a second three bar slide so that the end of the tether strap passes back out of said aperture in said side wall and is secured to said adjustment means.

12. A safety seat according to claim 11 wherein said adjustment means comprises a cam-type clamp.

13. A safety seat according to claim 12 wherein said adjustment means is located on said side wall that is adjacent said other end of said tether strap.

14. A safety seat according to claim 11 wherein said adjustment means is located on the outside surface of said backrest.

15. A safety seat according to claim 11 further comprising

a second strap, the ends of which are connected to said first and second three bar slides respectively so that said second strap extends between said first and second three bar slides.

16. A safety seat according to claim 15 wherein said adjustment means comprises a cam-type clamp.

17. A safety seat according to claim 8 wherein a first end of said tether strap is secured to a first three bar slide which bears against the inside surface of said side wall, and the other end of said tether strap passes through an aperture in said backrest and is secured to said adjustment means which is located on the outside surface of said backrest.

18. A safety seat according to claim 17 wherein said adjustment means comprises a cam-type clamp.

19. A safety seat according to claim 8, wherein said adjustment means comprises an in-line length adjuster located between said connector and one of said anchorage locations.

20. A safety seat according to claim 19, wherein said means for securing said tether strap comprise anchor plates secured to each end of said tether strap that bear against an inside surface of each side wall.

21. A safety seat, for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a seat portion,

a backrest having a head end remote from said seat portion,

a side wall on each side of said backrest,

first and second mutually space anchorage locations on said side walls, each anchorage location comprising an aperture in said side walls,

a connector for engagement with a securement point on said vehicle, said connector having a strap opening,

a tether strap with a first end passing through said first anchorage location aperture, extending in a loop through said strap opening, with the other end of said tether strap passing through said second anchorage location aperture,

means for securing said tether strap to said backrest and said side walls, and

adjustment means for adjusting the length of a said tether strap loop.

22. A safety seat in combination with a vehicle, the vehicle having:

a vehicle seat having a seat back portion, and

an anchorage point behind said seat back portion,

the safety seat comprising;

a seat portion,

a backrest having a head end remote from said seat portion,

first and second mutually spaced anchorage locations on said head end of said backrest,

a connector for engagement with a securement point on said vehicle, said connector having a strap opening,

a tether strap with one end extending from said first anchorage location, extending in a loop through said strap opening, with the other end extending to said second anchorage location, and

adjustment means for adjusting the length of said tether strap loop.

23. A safety seat, for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a seat portion,

a backrest having a head end remote from said seat portion,

a side wall on each side of said backrest,

first and second mutually spaced anchorage locations on said side walls, each anchorage location comprising an aperture in each said side wall,

a connector for engagement with a securement point on said vehicle, said connector having a strap opening,

a tether strap having a first and a second end with one end of said tether strap extending from said first anchorage location, through said connector strap opening, to said second anchorage location,

an in-line length adjuster located between said connector and one of said anchorage locations with the first end of said tether strap looping through one side of said in-line adjuster,

a first three bar slide located over the aperture of said first anchorage location on the outside surface of said side wall, and

a second three bar slide located over the aperture of said second anchorage location on the outside surface of said side wall,

said tether strap, from said in-line adjuster, passing through the strap opening in said connector and through said first three bar slide and respective aperture, passing through said aperture of said second anchorage location and through said second three bar slide, looping through another side of said in-line adjuster, passing back through said second three bar slide and respective aperture, and looping around a center bar of said first three bar slide, with the second end of said tether strap, extending from the center bar of said first three bar slide, secured to a center bar of said second three bar slide.

24. A safety seat in combination with a vehicle, the vehicle having:

a vehicle seat having a seat back portion, and

an anchorage point behind said seat back portion,

the safety seat comprising;

a seat portion,

a backrest having a head end remote from said seat portion,

a side wall on each side of said backrest,

first and second mutually spaced anchorage locations on said side walls, each anchorage location comprising an aperture in said side walls,

a connector for engagement with a securement point on said vehicle, said connector having a strap opening,

a tether strap with a first end passing through said first anchorage location aperture, extending in a loop through said strap opening, with the other end of said tether strap passing through said second anchorage location aperture,

means for securing said tether strap with respect to said backrest and side walls, and

adjustment means for adjusting the length of a said tether strap loop.