Harness retainer with limited-travel button

• US 6,662,413 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cosco Management Incorporated (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cosco Management Incorporated (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Glover, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, ANDRE L
• Application Number:
  US10/137,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20030204940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 246/15, 246/33, 246/29, 246/42, 246/36, 246/52, 246/56, 246/64, 243/26, 244/55, 246/14, 246/16, 246/25, 241/93, 246/62
• US Class Current: 24/615
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2511 acting perpendicularly to the main plane of the buckle, e.g. placed on the front face of the buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45524 including resiliently biased projection component or surface segment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45529 Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45581 having inserted end formed by oppositely biased surface segments
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45639 including pivotally connected element on receiving member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45723 having slidably connected, nonself-biasing interlocking component

Abstract

A two-piece harness retainer is adapted to hold a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation. A tether is provided to limit pivoting movement of a pivotable latch arm included in one of the pieces included in the harness retainer.

Claims

1. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base and a blade coupled to the base, the base being formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap, the blade including a latch carrier coupled to the base and formed to include a latch-receiving space, a pivotable latch arm having a root end cantilevered to the latch carrier to position the latch arm for pivotable movement in the latch-receiving space relative to the latch carrier and having a free end located in spaced-apart relation to the root end, a latch button coupled to the pivotable latch arm to pivot therewith, and a tether having a first end coupled to the free end of the pivotable latch arm and an opposite second end coupled to another portion of the latch unit to limit pivotable movement of the pivotable latch arm relative to the latch carrier, and

a latch retainer including a spaced-apart pair of side walls and a front face located between the side walls, the latch receiver being formed to include a second strap receiver having at least one opening in the front face and adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver located between the side walls and a button receiver having an opening in the front face and lying in communication with the blade receiver, wherein the latch carrier, latch, and tether lie in the blade receiver formed in the latch retainer and the latch button extends into the button receiver opening formed in the front face of the latch retainer to fasten the latch unit to the latch retainer.

2. The harness retainer of claim 1, wherein the front face is formed to include spaced-apart first and second openings into the second strap receiver and the opening into the button receiver is located between the first and second openings.

3. The harness retainer of claim 2, wherein the tether extends in a first direction once the latch unit is fastened to the latch retainer and each of the first and second openings also extend along the front face in the first direction.

4. The harness retainer of claim 1, wherein the tether is arranged to extend along a line in a first direction from the first end to the opposite second end and the pivotable latch arm is arranged to extend along the line in the first direction from the free end to the root end.

5. The harness retainer of claim 1, wherein the tether has a width and the pivotable latch arm has a width that is greater than the width of the tether.

6. The harness retainer of claim 1, wherein the tether is defined by an extensible ribbon having a corrugated serpentine portion therein.

7. The harness retainer of claim 6, wherein the tether has a width and the pivotable latch arm has a width that is greater than the width of the tether.

8. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base and a blade coupled to the base, the base being formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap, the blade including a latch carrier coupled to the base and formed to include a latch-receiving space, a pivotable latch arm having a root end cantilevered to the latch carrier to position the latch arm for pivotable movement in the latch-receiving space relative to the latch carrier and having a free end located in spaced-apart relation to the root end, a latch button coupled to the pivotable latch arm to pivot therewith, and a tether having a first end coupled to the free end of the pivotable latch arm and an opposite second end coupled to another portion of the latch unit to limit pivotable movement of the pivotable latch arm relative to the latch carrier, and

a latch retainer formed to include a second strap receiver adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver and a button receiver in communication with the blade receiver, wherein the latch carrier, latch, and tether lie in the blade receiver formed in the latch retainer and the latch button extends into the button receiver formed in the latch retainer to fasten the latch unit to the latch retainer, wherein the latch carrier includes a U-shaped frame having a first leg lying along a first side of the pivotable latch arm, a second leg lying along a second side of the pivotable latch arm, and a cross member interconnecting the first and second legs and supporting the root end of the pivotable latch arm, the latch carrier further includes a first frame support coupled at one end thereof to the first leg and at an opposite end thereof to the base and a second frame support coupled at one end thereof to the second leg and at an opposite end thereof to the base, the first and second frame supports are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to define a tether channel therebetween, and the tether is positioned to lie in the tether channel.

9. The harness retainer of claim 8, wherein the second end of the tether is coupled to the base of the latch unit.

10. The harness retainer of claim 8, wherein the tether is an elongated corrugated ribbon.

11. The harness retainer of claim 8, wherein the tether is an extensible ribbon, the extensible ribbon has a first side edge positioned to lie in confronting and spaced-apart relation to the first frame support, and the extensible ribbon has a second side edge positioned to lie in confronting and spaced-apart relation to the second frame support.

12. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap and a blade coupled to the base and formed to include an aperture therein, and

a latch retainer formed to include a second strap receiver adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver and a button receiver in communication with the blade receiver, the blade includes a latch carrier, latch means coupled to the latch carrier for moving a button into the button receiver following insertion of the blade into the blade receiver to retain the latch unit in a fixed position relative to the latch retainer, and means for tethering the latch means to limit movement of the latch means relative to the latch carrier, the latch means and the tether means being located in the aperture formed in the blade.

13. The harness retainer of claim 12, wherein the means for tethering the latch means is coupled to the base.

14. The harness retainer of claim 12, wherein the blade is formed to include a tether channel located in a portion of the aperture between the base and the latch means and the means for tethering the latch means is located in the tether channel.

15. The harness retainer of claim 12, wherein the means for tethering the latch means is an elongated corrugated ribbon.

16. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base and a blade coupled to the base, the base being formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap, the blade including a latch carrier coupled to the base and formed to include a latch-receiving space, a pivotable latch arm having a root end cantilevered to the latch carrier to position the latch arm for pivotable movement in the latch-receiving space relative to the latch carrier and having a free end located in spaced-apart relation to the root end, a latch button coupled to the pivotable latch arm to pivot therewith, and a tether having a first end coupled to the free end of the pivotable latch arm and an opposite second end coupled to another portion of the latch unit to limit pivotable movement of the pivotable latch arm relative to the latch carrier, and

a latch retainer formed to include a second strap receiver adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver and a button receiver in communication with the blade receiver, wherein the latch carrier, latch, and tether lie in the blade receiver formed in the latch retainer and the latch button extends into the button receiver formed in the latch retainer to fasten the latch unit to the latch retainer, wherein the pivotable latch arm is arranged to pivot about a laterally extending pivot axis during movement of the latch button into and out of the button receiver formed in the latch retainer and the tether is an extensible ribbon having a first straight portion coupled to a distal tip of the free end of the pivotable latch arm, a second straight portion coupled to the base, and a serpentine portion arranged to interconnect the first and second straight portions and to extend in a direction perpendicular to the laterally extending pivot axis.

17. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base and a blade coupled to the base, the base being formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap, the blade including a latch carrier coupled to the base and formed to include a latch-receiving space, a pivotable latch arm having a root end cantilevered to the latch carrier to position the latch arm for pivotable movement in the latch-receiving space relative to the latch carrier and having a free end located in spaced-apart relation to the root end, a latch button coupled to the pivotable latch arm to pivot therewith, and a tether having a first end coupled to the free end of the pivotable latch arm and an opposite second end coupled to another portion of the latch unit to limit pivotable movement of the pivotable latch arm relative to the latch carrier, and

a latch retainer formed to include a second strap receiver adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver and a button receiver in communication with the blade receiver, wherein the latch carrier, latch, and tether lie in the blade receiver formed in the latch retainer and the latch button extends into the button receiver formed in the latch retainer to fasten the latch unit to the latch retainer, wherein the tether is defined by an extensible ribbon having a serpentine portion therein.

18. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base and a blade coupled to the base, the base being formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap, the blade including a latch carrier coupled to the base and formed to include a latch-receiving space, a pivotable latch arm having a root end cantilevered to the latch carrier to position the latch arm for pivotable movement in the latch-receiving space relative to the latch carrier and having a free end located in spaced-apart relation to the root end, a latch button coupled to the pivotable latch arm to pivot therewith, and a tether having a first end coupled to the free end of the pivotable latch arm and an opposite second end coupled to another portion of the latch unit to limit pivotable movement of the pivotable latch arm relative to the latch carrier, and

a latch retainer formed to include a second strap receiver adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver and a button receiver in communication with the blade receiver, wherein the latch carrier, latch, and tether lie in the blade receiver formed in the latch retainer and the latch button extends into the button receiver formed in the latch retainer to fasten the latch unit to the latch retainer, wherein the pivotable latch arm and the tether cooperate to define a T-shaped member.

19. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base and a blade coupled to the base, the base being formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap, the blade including a latch carrier coupled to the base and formed to include a latch-receiving space, a pivotable latch arm having a root end cantilevered to the latch carrier to position the latch arm for pivotable movement in the latch-receiving space relative to the latch carrier and having a free end located in spaced-apart relation to the root end, a latch button coupled to the pivotable latch arm to pivot therewith, and a tether having a first end coupled to the free end of the pivotable latch arm and an opposite second end coupled to another portion of the latch unit to limit pivotable movement of the pivotable latch arm relative to the latch carrier, and

a latch retainer formed to include a second strap receiver adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver and a button receiver in communication with the blade receiver, wherein the latch carrier, latch, and tether lie in the blade receiver formed in the latch retainer and the latch button extends into the button receiver formed in the latch retainer to fasten the latch unit to the latch retainer, wherein the tether is arranged to lie in a space defined by two opposing side walls included in the base.

20. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap and a blade coupled to the base, and

a latch retainer formed to include a second strap receiver adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver and a button receiver in communication with the blade receiver, the blade includes a latch carrier, latch means coupled to the latch carrier for moving a button into the button receiver following insertion of the blade into the blade receiver to retain the latch unit in a fixed position relative to the latch retainer, and means for tethering the latch means to limit movement of the latch means relative to the latch carrier, wherein the means for tethering the latch means is defined by an extensible ribbon having a serpentine portion therein.

21. A two-piece harness retainer for holding a pair of harness straps in side-by-side relation, the harness retainer comprising

a latch unit including a base and a blade coupled to the base, the base being formed to include a first strap receiver adapted to receive a first harness strap, the blade including a latch carrier coupled to the base and formed to include a latch-receiving space, the latch carrier including a cross member extending in a first direction, a pivotable latch arm having a root end cantilevered to the cross member of the latch carrier to position the latch arm for pivotable movement in the latch-receiving space relative to the latch carrier about a pivot axis extending in the first direction and having a free end located in spaced-apart relation to the root end, a latch button coupled to the pivotable latch arm to pivot therewith, and a tether extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and having a first end coupled to the free end of the pivotable latch arm and an opposite second end coupled to another portion of the latch unit to limit pivotable movement of the pivotable latch arm relative to the latch carrier, the pivotable latch arm being positioned to lie in the latch-receiving space between the cross member and the tether, and

a latch retainer formed to include a second strap receiver adapted to receive a second harness strap, the latch retainer being formed to include a blade receiver and a button receiver in communication with the blade receiver, wherein the latch carrier, latch, and tether lie in the blade receiver formed in the latch retainer and the latch button extends into the button receiver formed in the latch retainer to fasten the latch unit to the latch retainer.