Child seat

• US 7,029,068 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan GK (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hiramatsu, Koji, Yoshida, Junichi, Yoshida, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US10/681,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 297/250.1, 297/254, 297/256.16, 297/463.1, 297/476, 297/474, 297/475, 297/468, 297/479, 297/256.17, 24/68.BT, 24/68.SB, 24/71.SB, 24/711, 24/68.CD, 74/108.5, 74/63, 744/22, 744/25, 745/07
• US Class Current: 297/250.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle

Abstract

A child seat for a vehicle which can be firmly secured to a vehicle seat even with a shoulder belt of a three-point seat belt and which can wind up the seat belt to securely apply a predetermined tension to the seat belt. The child seat includes a child seat and a shaft attached to the child seat. The shaft is rotatable about an axis of the shaft. Additionally, a first end of the shaft is disposed at a higher elevation than a second end of the shaft. The shaft further includes at least one slit configured to accept a seat belt.

Claims

1. A child seat for a vehicle, comprising:

a child seat; and

a shaft attached to the child seat;

wherein a first end of the shaft is disposed at a higher elevation than a second end of the shaft;

wherein the shaft is rotatable about an axis of the shaft,

wherein the shaft includes at least one slit configured to accept a seat belt, and

wherein the at least one slit includes a lap belt slit configured to accept a lap belt and a shoulder belt slit configured to accept a shoulder belt.

2. The child seat according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder belt slit is disposed above the lap belt slit.

3. The child seat according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder belt slit is disposed adjacent to the lap belt slit.

4. The child seat according claim 1, wherein the shoulder belt slit and the lap belt slit have a common belt inlet.

5. A child seat for a vehicle, comprising:

a child seat; and

a shaft attached to the child seat;

wherein a first end of the shaft is disposed at a higher elevation than a second end of the shaft;

wherein the shaft is rotatable about an axis of the shaft,

wherein the shaft includes at least one slit configured to accent a seat belt, and

wherein the shaft extends in a vertical direction.

6. The child seat according to claim 5, wherein the shaft is configured so that a seat belt inserted into the at least one slit winds around the shaft when the shaft is rotated.

7. A child seat for a vehicle, comprising:

a child seat; and

a drive train attached to the child seat;

wherein the drive train includes a rotatable shaft and a torque limiting device;

wherein the shaft includes at least one slit configured to accept a seat belt; and

wherein the torque limiting device is configured to prevent torque exerted on the shaft from exceeding a predetermined value.

8. The child seat according to claim 7, wherein the shaft is configured so that a seat belt inserted into the at least one slit winds around the shaft when the shaft is rotated.

9. The child seat according to claim 7, wherein the torque limiting device comprises a torque clutch.

10. The child seat according to claim 7, wherein the torque limiting device comprises a torque sensor.

11. A child seat according to claim 7, wherein the drive train further comprises a knob configured to enable a user to rotate the shaft.

12. A child seat according to claim 11, wherein the torque limiting device prevents a torque exerted on the knob from being transmitted to the shaft when the torque exerted on the knob exceeds a predetermined value.

13. An attachment mechanism for securing a child seat to a vehicle using a seat belt, comprising:

a rotatable shaft configured to be installed on a child seat;

wherein the shaft includes at least one slit configured to accept the seat belt,

wherein the shalt is configured so that a first end of the shaft is disposed at a higher elevation than a second end of the shaft when the shaft is installed on the child seal, and

wherein the at least one slit includes a lap belt slit configured to accept a lap belt and a shoulder belt slit configured to accept a shoulder belt.

14. The attachment mechanism for securing a child seat to a vehicle using a seat belt according to claim 13, wherein the shoulder belt slit is disposed adjacent to the lap belt slit.

15. The attachment mechanism for securing a child seat to a vehicle using a seat belt according to claim 13, wherein the shoulder belt slit and the lap belt slit have a common belt inlet.

16. An attachment mechanism for securing a child seat to a vehicle using a seat belt, comprising:

a rotatable shaft configured to be installed on a child seat; and

a torque limiting device,

wherein the torque limiting device is configured to prevent torque exerted on the shaft from exceeding a predetermined value, and

wherein the shaft includes at least one slit configured to accept the seat belt,

wherein the shaft is configured so that a first end of the shaft is disposed at a higher elevation than a second end of the shaft when the shaft is installed on the child seat.

17. The attachment mechanism for securing a child seat to a vehicle using a seat belt according to claim 16, wherein the torque limiting device comprises a torque clutch.

18. The attachment mechanism for securing a child seat to a vehicle using a seat belt according to claim 16, wherein the torque limiting device comprises a torque sensor.

19. The attachment mechanism for securing a child seat to a vehicle using a seat belt according to claim 16, further comprising a knob configured to enable a user to rotate the shaft.

20. The attachment mechanism for securing a child seat to a vehicle using a seat belt according to claim 19, wherein the torque limiting device is configured to prevent a torque exerted on the knob from being transmitted to the shaft when the torque exerted on the knob exceeds a predetermined value.