Child restraint for vehicle

• US 8,262,161 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cosco Management Incorporated (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fritz, Ward, Marsden, Andrew W, Bezaniuk, Walter, Langley, Joe, Hyman, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/840,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20110272985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 297/253, 297/256.16
• US Class Current: 297/253
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/265 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector

Abstract

A child restraint includes a base, a seat, and an anchor belt. The anchor belt holds the base in place on a passenger seat of a vehicle. The seat mounts on the base and supports a child or infant for travel in the vehicle above the base.

Claims

1. A child restraint is provided for use with both a vehicle passenger seat and anchor mounts provided near the vehicle passenger seat, the child restraint comprising

a juvenile holder including a juvenile seat shell and a shell-support base formed to include a first belt-support pad and a second belt-support pad arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the first belt-support pad to form a belt-receiving channel therebetween, the shell-support base being adapted for mounting on the vehicle passenger seat and arranged to support the juvenile seat shell in a stationary position thereon,

an anchor belt arranged to overlie the first and second belt-support pads and to communicate with the belt-receiving channel therebetween, the anchor belt including a strap having opposite end portions and a central portion interconnecting the opposite end portions and lying on the first and second belt-support pads to form a bridge spanning the belt-receiving channel and a connector coupled to each end portion and adapted to be coupled to one of the anchor mounts to establish a belt path of the anchor belt relative to the first and second belt-support pads when the central portion of the strap lies on the first and second belt-support pads and each connector mates with a companion one of the anchor mounts following initial installation of the anchor belt on the shell-support base and to cause the anchor belt to produce an initial tension measurement when exposed to a belt-tension gauge during an initial belt-tensioning test, and

a belt tensioner coupled to the shell-support base and configured to include a belt pusher arranged to lie above a section of the central portion of the strap spanning the belt-receiving channel and move in up-and-down relation to the shell-support base and a belt-path changer configured to apply a downward force to the belt pusher to move the belt pusher in a downward direction to engage the central portion of the anchor belt before the juvenile seat shell is coupled to the shell-support base and while the connectors included in the anchor belt remain coupled to the anchor mounts and the anchor belt remains in contact with the first and second belt-support pads to cause a change in the belt path of the anchor belt relative to the first and second belt-support pads to establish a first changed belt path to increase tension in the anchor belt to produce a predetermined tension measurement that is greater than the initial tension measurement when exposed to the belt-tension gauge during a subsequent second belt-tensioning test so that movement of the shell-support base and the juvenile seat shell coupled to the shell-support base relative to an underlying vehicle passenger seat is limited in accordance with a predetermined specification, and

wherein the belt-path changer includes

an actuator lever mounted on the shell-support base for pivotable movement about an actuator pivot axis and

two-stage belt-mover means for moving the belt pusher in the downward direction to engage and move the central portion of the anchor belt to establish the first changed belt path of the anchor belt and place the anchor belt in tension at about the predetermined tension measurement in response to pivotable movement of the actuator lever about the actuator pivot axis during a first actuation stage relative to the shell-support base and for storing energy during such pivotable movement of the actuator lever that is later released automatically in a subsequent second actuation stage after the juvenile seat shell has been coupled to the shell-support base in response to any unexpected detensioning of the anchor belt sufficient to change tension in the anchor belt to a magnitude that is less than the predetermined tension measurement to move the belt pusher further in the downward direction to move the central portion of the anchor belt to establish a second changed belt path of the anchor belt that is different from the first changed belt path to restore the anchor belt to a tensioned condition characterized by the predetermined tension measurement without any movement of the actuator lever relative to the shell-support base.

2. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the two-stage belt mover means includes a spring mount coupled to the actuator lever for pivotable movement about a mount pivot axis during pivoting movement of the actuator lever about the actuator pivot axis and a spring coupled to and interposed between the belt pusher and the spring mount and wherein the spring is configured to apply the downward force to the belt pusher during pivoting movement of the actuator lever from an inactive position to an active position and the spring is also configured to store energy during movement of the actuator lever from the inactive position to the active position in the first actuation stage which energy is later released automatically in the subsequent second actuation stage.

3. The child restraint of claim 2, wherein the belt pusher includes a push plate arranged to engage the central portion of the strap of the anchor belt and a push rod coupled to the push plate and to the spring and arranged to transfer the downward force from the spring to the push plate during each of the first and second actuation stages.

4. The child restraint of claim 2, wherein the spring mount includes a tubular sleeve formed to include an interior region and the spring is arranged to lie in the interior region of the tubular sleeve.

5. The child restraint of claim 4, wherein the spring mount further includes a flange coupled to the tubular sleeve and arranged to extend into the interior region and the spring includes an upper end coupled to the flange and a lower end coupled to the belt pusher and wherein the spring is compressed between the flange and the belt pusher to store energy during the first actuation stage in response to movement of the belt pusher toward the flange and the spring is decompressed to release energy automatically during the subsequent second actuation stage in response to movement of the belt pusher away from the flange.

6. The child restraint of claim 5, wherein the belt pusher includes a push plate arranged to engage the central portion of the strap of the anchor belt and a push rod coupled to the push plate and to the lower end of the spring and wherein the push rod is arranged to extend into the interior region of the tubular sleeve to mate with the lower end of the spring through a downwardly facing rod-receiving aperture opening into the interior region formed in the tubular sleeve.

7. The child restraint of claim 6, wherein the belt tensioner further includes detent means coupled to the tubular sleeve at the rod-receiving aperture for selectively engaging the push rod temporarily to block movement of the belt pusher relative to the actuator lever after the actuator lever has reached the active position to retain the spring in an energy-storing compressed state between the belt pusher and the spring mount until any unexpected detensioning of the anchor belt occurs to cause tension in the anchor belt to be lower than the predetermined tension at which time the detent means disengages the belt pusher in response to exposure to the downward force generated by release of energy stored in the spring to allow the belt pusher to move further in the downward direction in response to exposure to the downward force applied by the spring to move the anchor belt relative to the shell-support base to extend along the second changed belt path to restore the anchor belt to the tensioned condition characterized by the predetermined tension measurement.

8. The child restraint of claim 4, wherein the belt tensioner further includes detent means coupled to the tubular sleeve for selectively engaging the belt pusher temporarily to block movement of the belt pusher relative to the actuator lever after the actuator lever has reached the active position to retain the spring in an energy-storing compressed state between the belt pusher and the spring mount until any unexpected detensioning of the anchor belt occurs to cause tension in the anchor belt to be lower than the predetermined tension at which time the detent means disengages the belt pusher in response to exposure to the downward force generated by release of energy stored in the spring to allow the belt pusher to move further in the downward direction in response to exposure to the downward force applied by the spring to move the anchor belt relative to the shell-support base to extend along the second changed belt path to restore the anchor belt to the tensioned condition characterized by the predetermined tension measurement.

9. The child restraint of claim 2, wherein the spring is an elastic member and is compressed between the spring mount and the belt pusher to store energy during the first actuation stage in response to movement of the belt pusher toward the spring mount and the spring is decompressed to release energy automatically in response to movement of the belt pusher away from the spring mount.

10. The child restraint of claim 9, wherein the spring includes an upper end coupled to the spring mount and a lower end coupled to the belt pusher.

11. The child restraint of claim 10, wherein the belt pusher includes a push plate arranged to engage the central portion of the strap of the anchor belt and a push rod coupled to the push plate and to the lower end of the spring.

12. The child restraint of claim 10, wherein the belt tensioner further includes detent means coupled to the spring mount for selectively engaging the belt pusher temporarily to block movement of the belt pusher relative to the actuator lever after the actuator lever has reached the active position to retain the spring in an energy-storing compressed state between the belt pusher and the spring mount until any unexpected detensioning of the anchor belt occurs to cause tension in the anchor belt to be lower than the predetermined tension at which time the detent means disengages the belt pusher in response to exposure to the downward force generated by release of energy stored in the spring to allow the belt pusher to move further in the downward direction in response to exposure to the downward force applied by the spring to move the anchor belt relative to the shell-support base to extend along the second changed belt path to restore the anchor belt to the tensioned condition characterized by the predetermined tension measurement.

13. The child restraint of claim 2, wherein the spring is an elongated coiled compression spring having an upper end located in close proximity to the actuator lever and lower end arranged to extend toward the central portion of the strap of the anchor belt and lie between the mount pivot axis and the belt pusher.

14. The child restraint of claim 2, wherein the belt tensioner further includes detent means for selectively engaging the belt pusher temporarily to block movement of the belt pusher relative to the actuator lever after the actuator lever has reached the active position to retain the spring in an energy-storing compressed state between the belt pusher and the spring mount until any unexpected detensioning of the anchor belt occurs to cause tension in the anchor belt to be lower than the predetermined tension at which time the detent means disengages the belt pusher in response to exposure to the downward force generated by release of energy stored in the spring to allow the belt pusher to move further in the downward direction in response to exposure to the downward force applied by the spring to move the anchor belt relative to the shell-support base to extend along the second changed belt path to restore the anchor belt to the tensioned condition characterized by the predetermined tension measurement.

15. The child restraint of claim 14, wherein the detent means includes a tension locking unit coupled to the spring mount to move therewith and a notch formed in the belt pusher, the tension locking unit is configured to assume an unlocked-state in response to movement of the actuator lever away from the active position to cause the notch included in the belt pusher to be freed to move up-and-down relative to the spring mount, and the tension locking unit is configured to assume a locked state in response to movement of the actuator lever to the active position to cause the tension locking unit to engage the notch of the belt pusher to block movement of the belt pusher in an upward direction relative to the spring mount.

16. The child restraint of claim 15, wherein the tension locking unit includes a lock plate coupled to the spring mount to move back and forth relative to the spring mount, a tooth coupled to the lock plate to move back and forth relative to the lock plate, and a tooth spring positioned to lie between and to interconnect the tooth and the lock plate to cause a bias force provided by the tooth spring to urge the tooth to engage the notch included in the belt pusher when the tension locking unit is in the locked state.

17. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the shell-support base is formed to include a foundation adapted to set on the passenger seat in a vehicle and to mate with the juvenile seat shell to support the juvenile seat shell on the shell-support base and a back extending upwardly from the foundation and the back is formed to include a channel extending upwardly away from the foundation, the actuator lever is mounted for movement on the back of the shell-support base from the inactive position to the active position, the two-stage belt-mover means is coupled to the actuator lever at an upper contact site and to the belt pusher at a lower contact site and is arranged to lie between the foundation and the upper contact site and configured to include a spring arranged to extend between the upper and lower contact sites to apply the downward force to the belt pusher in response to movement of the actuator lever relative to the shell-support base from the inactive position to the active position during the first actuation stage and the actuator lever is sized and arranged to lie in the channel formed in the back of the shell-support base in response to movement of the actuator lever to the active position to compress the spring during the first actuation stage.

18. The child restraint of claim 17, wherein the belt pusher includes a push plate arranged to engage the central portion of the strap of the anchor belt and a push rod coupled to the push plate and to the spring at the lower contact site and arranged to transfer the downward force from the spring to the push plate in response to pivoting movement of the actuator lever from the inactive position to the active position during the first actuation stage and without any pivoting movement of the actuator lever during the second actuation stage.

19. The child restraint of claim 17, wherein the belt pusher includes a push plate arranged to engage the central portion of the strap of the anchor belt and a push rod coupled to the push plate and to the spring and arranged to transfer the downward force from the spring to the push plate in response to pivoting movement of the actuator lever from the inactive position to the active position during the first actuation stage, a first of the side walls included in the shell-support base is formed to include a pin-receiving slot, and the belt pusher further includes an outwardly extending pin arranged to extend into the pin-receiving slot formed in the first of the side walls and move up and down therein to guide movement of the belt pusher relative to the shell-support base during pivoting movement of the actuator lever between the inactive and active positions.

20. A child restraint comprising

a juvenile holder including a shell-support base adapted to set on a passenger seat in a vehicle in close proximity to first and second anchor mounts included in the vehicle and a juvenile seat shell adapted to he coupled to the shell-support base,

an anchor belt including a first connector adapted to be coupled to the first anchor mount, a second connector adapted to be coupled to the second anchor mount, and a strap arranged to extend between the first and second anchor mounts and lie on the shell-support base along an initial belt path when the first connector is coupled to the first anchor mount and the second connector is coupled to the second anchor mount to establish a just-installed position of the anchor belt on the shell-support base,

a belt tensioner coupled to the shell-support base and configured to include belt-path changer means for using an elastic compressible energy-storage spring to change the belt path of the anchor belt before the juvenile seat shell is coupled to the shell-support base and while the anchor belt is coupled to the first and second anchor mounts from the initial belt path to a first changed belt path to take slack out of the anchor belt so as to increase tension in the anchor belt from an initial installation tension associated with the just-installed position of the anchor belt to a relatively greater predetermined tension so that movement of the shell-support base and the juvenile seat shell coupled to the shell-support base relative to an underlying passenger seat in a vehicle is limited in accordance with a predetermined specification, wherein the elastic compressible energy-storage spring is compressed to store energy during change of the anchor belt from the initial belt path to the first changed belt path, and

wherein the belt-path changer means further includes an actuator mounted on the shell-support base for movement relative to the shell-support base and a belt pusher arranged to lie in confronting relation to the strap of the anchor belt and the elastic compressible energy-storage spring is configured to provide means for moving the belt pusher relative to the shell-support base to move a central portion of the anchor belt relative to the shell-support base to establish the first changed belt path of the anchor belt and place the anchor belt in tension at about the predetermined tension in response to movement of the actuator relative to the shell-support base during a first actuation stage and for storing energy during such movement of the actuator that is later released in a subsequent second actuation stage after the juvenile seat shell has been coupled to the shell-support base in response to any unexpected detensioning of the anchor belt sufficient to change tension in the anchor belt to a magnitude that is less than the predetermined tension to move the belt pusher relative to the shell-support base to move the central portion of the anchor belt relative to the shell-support base to establish a second changed belt path of the anchor belt that is different from the first changed belt path to restore the anchor belt to a tensioned condition characterized by the predetermined tension without any movement of the actuator lever relative to the shell-support base.

21. The child restraint of claim 20, wherein the actuator is a lever mounted on the shell-support base for pivotable movement about an actuator pivot axis between an inactive position associated with the initial belt path of the anchor belt to an active position associated with the first changed position of the anchor belt to compress the elastic compressible energy-storage spring.

22. The child restraint of claim 20, wherein the elastic compressible energy-storage spring is a coiled compression spring.