Attachment mechanism with interlocked belt retractor

• US 7,837,275 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evenflo Company Incorporated (Goodbaby International Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Evenflo Company Incorporated (Goodbaby International Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Dingman, Guy Robert, Forbes, William Cameron, Woellert, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, SANG K
• Application Number:
  US12/148,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20090065621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 297/474, 297/475, 297/476, 297/253, 410/100, 410/103
• US Class Current: 297/474
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/025 Adaptations for use with children seats or luggages
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/35 the locking means being automatically actuated

Abstract

A multi-mode belt retractor including an interlocked attachment mechanism. The belt retractor and attachment mechanism are physically integrated in a single unit. In one embodiment, the retractor is shifted between modes by the operation by the attachment mechanism such that securing the attachment mechanism to an anchor point shifts the belt retractor into a locked mode. Releasing the attachment mechanism from the anchor point shifts the belt retractor into a free-wheel mode. In one embodiment, only a single user-operable button is provided, thus minimizing the opportunity for improper operation. One embodiment of the attachment mechanism is symmetrical, making it operable by a user'"'"'s left or right hand.

Claims

1. A connection assembly for a child restraint seat comprising:

a connector for releasably coupling a connection device to a vehicle attachment point;

a retractor including a rotatable spool;

a frame separable from a child restraint seat, the frame including a handle at least partially housing the connector;

a length of webbing mounted to and extending from the child restraint seat, the length of webbing at least partially wound around the spool;

a push button actuator having a first position that concurrently allows rotation of the rotatable spool and disengagement of the connector from the vehicle attachment point, and a second position that inhibits rotation of the rotatable spool and inhibits disengagement of the connector from the vehicle attachment point;

wherein the connection assembly is operative to couple the child restraint seat to a vehicle using the vehicle attachment point provided within a passenger compartment of the vehicle;

wherein the connection device includes the connector, the retractor, and the frame;

wherein the connection device is separate from the child restraint seat and extends between the child restraint seat and the vehicle attachment point; and

wherein the connector and the retractor are mounted to the frame.

2. The connection assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector is rigidly coupled to the retractor.

3. The connection assembly of claim 1, wherein the retractor and the connector are encased within a shell separate from the child restraint seat and the length of webbing extends from the child restraint seat, through an opening in the shell, and to the retractor.

4. The connection assembly of claim 1, further comprising a ratchet mechanism, the ratchet mechanism being operatively coupled to the retractor.

5. The connection assembly of claim 4, wherein the ratchet mechanism includes at least one pawl selectively engageable with at least one ratchet wheel such that the ratchet mechanism permits extension of the length of webbing from the retractor only when the at least one pawl is disengaged from the at least one ratchet wheel, the at least one pawl disengaging from the at least one ratchet wheel when the length of webbing is fully retracted into the retractor and the at least one pawl engaging the at least one ratchet wheel after the length of webbing partially retracts into the retractor after being at least partially extended from the retractor.

6. The connection assembly of claim 5, further comprising a pawl paddle and a clutch plate having a cam, the pawl paddle being mounted adjacent to the spool such that the pawl paddle is moved to an open position by webbing accumulating on the spool when substantially all of the length of webbing is retracted onto the spool, the cam being operable to hold the pawl paddle in the open position while a portion of the length of webbing is withdrawn from the retractor and the cam disengaging from the pawl paddle and allowing the pawl paddle to shift to a locked position when the length of webbing is partially retracted onto the retractor;

wherein the pawl paddle is connected to the pawl and the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet wheel when the pawl paddle is in the open position and the pawl is engaged with the ratchet wheel when the pawl paddle is in the locked position.

7. The connection assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector is articulable relative to the retractor about a joint located between the connector and the retractor.

8. The connection assembly of claim 7, wherein a centerline of the connector is between 0 and 45 degrees offset from a centerline of the webbing when wound around the rotatable spool.

9. The connection device of claim 1, wherein the retractor further includes a first pin and a second pin, the first pin and the second pin being located such that the length of webbing extends from the spool, between the first pin and the second pin, and out of the retractor, wherein a distance between the first pin and the second pin is equal to a minimum spacing required to permit a single thickness of the webbing to slide freely between the first pin and the second pin.

10. A connection device for mounting a child restraint seat to a vehicle comprising:

a connection device including a housing separate from the child restraint seat, the housing at least partially containing a retractor including a rotatable spool, the housing also including a handle that at least partially contains a first connector for releasably coupling the connection device to a first attachment point within a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the housing at least partially containing a repositionable button concurrently engaging the retractor and the first connector, wherein actuation of the button concurrently allows rotation of the rotatable spool and allows the first connector to disengage from the first attachment point, wherein a longitudinal axis extending through the handle is obliquely oriented with respect to a longitudinal axis extending through a portion of the housing containing the retractor, and wherein the longitudinal axes lie within the same plane.

11. The connection assembly of claim 10, wherein the retractor is operable in a plurality of modes of operation, the modes of operation including a free-wheel mode and a lock mode, wherein in the free-wheel mode the retractor permits the portion of the length of webbing to be readily extended from the spool and in the lock mode the retractor prevents webbing from being extended from the spool.

12. The connection assembly of claim 11 further comprising an interlock, the interlock being operative to change the mode of operation of the retractor from the free-wheel mode to the lock mode when the first connector is coupled to the first attachment point.

13. The connection assembly of claim 10, wherein the length of webbing has a first surface, a second surface, a first edge, and a second edge, and wherein the first connector is generally symmetric about a line extending from the first edge of the length of webbing to the second edge of the length of webbing.

14. The connection assembly of claim 10, wherein the retractor further includes a first pin and a second pin, the first pin and the second pin being located such that the length of webbing extends from the spool, between the first pin and the second pin, and out of the retractor, wherein a distance between the first pin and the second pin is equal to a minimum spacing required to permit a single thickness of the webbing to slide freely between the first pin and the second pin.

15. The connection assembly of claim 10, wherein the first connector is articulable relative to the retractor about a joint located between the first connector and the retractor.

16. The connection assembly of claim 10, wherein a the longitudinal axis of the connector is between 0 and 45 degrees offset from a the longitudinal axis of the length of webbing.

17. The connection device of claim 10 further comprising a second connector;

wherein the length of webbing has a first end and a second end;

the spool is adapted to receive a portion of the length of webbing including the first end; and

the second connector is adapted to releasably couple the second end of the length of webbing to a second attachment point.

18. The connection device of claim 17, wherein the attachment point and the second attachment point are located within the vehicle proximate to both a seat portion and a seatback portion of a seat.

19. The connection device of claim 18, wherein the length of webbing between the retractor and the second connector passes through a portion of a child restraint.

20. The connection device of claim 10, wherein the retractor further includes a first pin and a second pin, the first pin and the second pin being located such that the length of webbing extends from the spool, between the first pin and the second pin, and out of the retractor, wherein a distance between the first pin and the second pin is equal to a minimum spacing required to permit a single thickness of the webbing to slide freely between the first pin and the second pin.

21. A stand-alone connection device apart from a child restraint seat comprising:

a housing including a retractor portion containing a retractor, the retractor including a spool receiving a length of webbing, the retractor portion having a centerline oriented in a direction along which the webbing is withdrawn from the retractor; and

a connector contained within a handle of the housing for releasably coupling the connection device to a vehicle attachment site, the handle having a longitudinal centerline; and

a release mechanism operatively coupled to the retractor and the connector, the release mechanism including an actuator repositionable to concurrently allow rotation of the rotatable spool and disengagement of the connector from the vehicle attachment site;

wherein the longitudinal centerline of the handle is between 0 and 45 degrees offset from the centerline of the retractor portion.

22. The connection device of claim 21, wherein the longitudinal centerline of the handle is between 20 and 30 degrees offset from the centerline of the retractor portion.

23. A stand-alone device to mount a child safety seat to a vehicle comprising:

a housing including a head extending from an elongated handle, the head at least partially containing a retractor including a rotatable spool for releasably coupling the device to a child safety seat by way of a belt that is mounted to the child safety seat, and the handle at least partially containing a connector for releasably coupling the device to a vehicle attachment site; and

,

a release mechanism operatively coupled to the retractor and the connector the release mechanism including an actuator repositionable to concurrently allow rotation of the rotatable spool and disengagement of the connector from the vehicle attachment site.