Child car seat and belt locking apparatus used therefor

• US 6,672,664 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Combi Corporation (Matsuura Family)
• Original Assignee: Combi Corporation (Matsuura Family)
• Inventors: Washizuka, Mitsuru, Yanaka, Hidenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): D ADAMO, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/977,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 297/483, 297/256.16, 297/250.1, 24/68.CD, 246/35, 246/37, 241/91, 241/94, 24/71.SB, 24/711, 243/28, 241/34.R, 241/34.KA, 241/34.KB
• US Class Current: 297/256.16
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3944 Cam engaging or disengaging

Abstract

A child car seat (10) has a belt insertion opening (13) having inlets at opposite side surfaces thereof to receive a seat belt (16) inserted therethrough, and has an aperture (14) opening to the front surface thereof to provide access to the belt insertion opening (13). A belt locking apparatus (20) is disposed inside the belt insertion opening (13) to be handled through the aperture (14). The belt locking apparatus (20) includes a base (21) secured inside the belt insertion opening (13), and a lock arm (22) disposed for rotation relative to the base (21) to receive the seat belt (16) therein when the lock arm (22) is opened, and to clamp the seat belt (16) between the lock arm (22) and the base (21) when the lock arm (22) is closed.

Claims

1. A child car seat to be fixed on a passenger seat of a vehicle with a seat belt of the vehicle, comprising:

a support being set on the passenger seat of the vehicle;

a seat body supported on said support; and

a belt locking apparatus that clamps the seat belt of the vehicle to fix said support on the passenger seat of the vehicle, said belt locking apparatus including a base and a locking mechanism, the base including a base body on which a lap belt section of the seat belt is placed and an intermediate member on which a shoulder belt section of the seat belt is placed, the lap belt section being held in place by the base body and the intermediate member, the shoulder belt section being held in place by the locking mechanism and the intermediate member and the locking mechanism reclining on the shoulder belt section of the seat belt and clamping the seat belt when closed relative to said base.

2. A child car seat according to claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism includes a lock arm disposed for rotation relative to said base to tightly clamp the seat belt between said base and said lock arm when said lock arm is closed relative to said base, thereby preventing a movement of the seat belt in a lengthwise direction thereof.

3. A child car seat to be fixed on a passenger seat of a vehicle with a seat belt of the vehicle, comprising:

a support being set on the passenger seat of the vehicle;

a seat body supported on said support; and

a belt locking apparatus that clamps the seat belt of the vehicle to fix said support on the passenger seat of the vehicle, said belt locking apparatus including a base and a locking mechanism, the base including a base body on which a lap belt section of the seat belt is placed and an intermediate member on which a shoulder belt section of the seat belt is placed, the locking mechanism reclining on the shoulder belt section of the seat belt and clamping the seat belt when closed relative to said base,

wherein said lock locking mechanism includes a lock arm disposed for rotation relative to said base to tightly clamp the seat belt between said base and said lock arm when said lock arm is closed relative to said base, thereby preventing a movement of the seat belt in a lengthwise direction thereof, and

wherein said belt locking apparatus further includes a cam disposed on the intermediate member for rotation in one direction to prevent a releasing movement of the seat belt while permitting a fastening movement of the seat belt when said lock arm is closed relative to said base.

4. A child car seat according to claim 3, wherein said cam has a cam surface including depressions or projections which increase a frictional resistance to the seat belt.

5. A child car seat according to claim 3, wherein said belt locking apparatus further includes a ridge formed on the intermediate member to project near said cam within an area for receiving the seat belt when said lock arm is closed.

6. A belt locking apparatus used in a child car seat to be fixed on a passenger seat of a vehicle with a seat belt of the vehicle, comprising:

a base having a base body on which a lap belt section of the seat belt is placed and an intermediate member on which a shoulder belt section of the seat belt is placed; and

a locking mechanism reclining on the shoulder belt section of the seat belt and clamping the seat belt when closed relative to said base, the lap belt section being held in place by the base body and the intermediate member, and the shoulder belt section being held in place by the locking mechanism and the intermediate member.

7. A belt locking apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said locking mechanism includes a lock arm disposed for rotation relative to said base to clamp the seat belt between said base and said lock arm when said lock arm is closed relative to said base, thereby preventing a movement of the seat belt in a lengthwise direction thereof.

8. A belt locking apparatus used in a child car seat to be fixed on a passenger seat of a vehicle with a seat belt of the vehicle, comprising:

a base having a base body on which a lap belt section of the seat belt is placed and an intermediate member on which a shoulder belt section of the seat belt is placed;

a locking mechanism reclining on the shoulder belt section of the seat belt and clamping the seat belt when closed relative to said base, wherein said lock locking mechanism includes a lock arm disposed for rotation relative to said base to clamp the seat belt between said base and said lock arm when said lock arm is closed relative to said base. thereby preventing a movement of the seat belt in a lengthwise direction thereof; and

a cam disposed on the intermediate member for rotation in one direction to prevent a releasing movement of the seat belt while permitting a fastening movement of the seat belt when said lock arm is closed relative to said base.

9. A belt locking apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said cam has a cam surface including depressions or projections which increase a frictional resistance to the seat belt.

10. A belt locking apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a ridge formed on the intermediate member to project near said cam within an area for receiving the seat belt when said lock arm is closed.

11. A child car seat to be fixed on a passenger seat of a vehicle with a seat belt of the vehicle, comprising:

a support being set on the passenger seat of the vehicle;

a seat body supported on said support; and

a belt locking apparatus that clamps the seat belt of the vehicle to fix said support on the passenger seat of the vehicle, said belt locking apparatus including a base and a locking mechanism, the base including a base body on which a lap belt section of the seat belt is placed and an intermediate member on which a shoulder belt section of the seat belt is placed, the locking mechanism reclining on the shoulder belt section of the seat belt and clamping the seat belt when closed relative to said base,

wherein said lock locking mechanism includes a lock arm disposed for rotation relative to said base to tightly clamp the seat belt between said base and said lock arm when said lock arm is closed relative to said base, thereby preventing a movement of the seat belt in a lengthwise direction thereof, and

wherein the base body is fixed to the support, and the intermediate member and the lock arm are pivotably supported by a pin at one end of the base body.

12. A child car seat according to claim 11, wherein the base body supports a latch member pivotably supported at another end of the base body.

13. A child car seat according to claim 11, wherein the lock arm includes a claw which engages with an engagement hole of the latch member.

14. A belt locking apparatus used in a child car seat to be fixed on a passenger seat of a vehicle with a seat belt of the vehicle, comprising:

a base having a base body on which a lap belt section of the seat belt is placed and an intermediate member on which a shoulder belt section of the seat belt is placed; and

a locking mechanism reclining on the shoulder belt section of the seat belt and clamping the seat belt when closed relative to said base,

wherein said locking mechanism includes a lock arm disposed for rotation relative to said base to clamp the seat beat between said base and said lock arm when said lock arm is closed relative to said base, thereby preventing a movement of the seat belt in a lengthwise direction thereof, and

wherein the base body is fixed to the support, and the intermediate member and the lock arm are pivotably supported by a pin at one end of the base body.

15. The belt locking apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the base body supports a latch member pivotably supported at another end of the base body.

16. The belt locking apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the lock arm includes a claw which engages with an engagement hole of the latch member.

17. The belt locking apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the child car seat further comprises:

a support being set on the passenger seat of the vehicle, wherein the base body is fixed to the support.