Locking harness

• US 9,669,797 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Friedman IP Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Friedman IP Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Friedman, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Application Number:
  US14/984,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20160107607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A44D 2200/12 made of two identical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2803 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/12 Construction of belts or harnesses B60R21/18 takes precedence ; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/36 self-locking in an emergency B60R22/3405 , B60R22/343 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 24/38 Each mating member having similarly shaped, sized, and operated interlocking face
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4012 Clamping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45529 Requiring manual force applied against bias to interlock or disengage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A retainer apparatus including a first retainer portion, a second retainer portion, a transceiver, and a sensor comprising a motion detector. The retainer apparatus includes the first retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a first harness strap and a second retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a second harness strap. The first retainer portion is removably attached to the second retainer portion. The motion detector is configured to detect movement of the retainer apparatus and transmit a warning signal, via the transceiver, to a controller within a vehicle comprising the retainer apparatus to alert a user in the vehicle if the movement is detected.

Claims

1. A retainer apparatus comprising:

a first retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a first adjustable harness strap of a car seat;

a second retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a second adjustable harness strap of the car seat, wherein said first retainer portion is removably attached to said second retainer portion;

a transceiver;

a sensor comprising a motion detector, wherein said motion detector is configured to detect movement of said retainer apparatus, and wherein said motion detector is configured to transmit a warning signal, via said transceiver, to a controller within a vehicle comprising said retainer apparatus to alert a user in said vehicle if said movement of said retainer apparatus is detected; and

a braking mechanism configured to resist movement of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism comprises a braking device configured to apply resistance to said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap to hold at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion in a first stationary position along at least one of said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises an electro/mechanical device configured to apply mechanical pressure to said braking device, and wherein said transceiver, said sensor, and said braking mechanism are contained within at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion.

2. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said movement comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.

3. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said movement comprises said moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap.

4. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said user is a driver of said vehicle.

5. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said retainer apparatus, said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap are comprised by a harness apparatus mechanically attached to said car seat, and wherein said harness apparatus is configured to restrain an occupant of said car seat and prevent said occupant from being ejected from said car seat.

6. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transceiver comprises a wireless transceiver.

7. The retainer apparatus of claim 1, wherein said braking mechanism is configured to resist movement of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap respectively, wherein said braking mechanism comprises said braking device configured to apply resistance to said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap respectively to hold said retainer apparatus in multiple stationary positions along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap.

8. The retainer apparatus of claim 7, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises a magnetic structure configured to apply said resistance.

9. A retainer apparatus comprising:

a first retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a first adjustable harness strap of a car seat;

a second retainer portion configured to be slidably attached to a second adjustable harness strap of said car seat, wherein said first retainer portion is removably attached to said second retainer portion;

a sensor comprising a motion detector and an alarm, wherein said motion detector is configured to detect movement of said retainer apparatus, and wherein said alarm is configured to alert a user if said movement of said first retainer apparatus is detected; and

a braking mechanism configured to resist movement of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism comprises a braking device configured to apply resistance to said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap to hold at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion in a first stationary position along at least one of said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises an electro/mechanical device configured to apply mechanical pressure to said braking device, and wherein said sensor and said braking mechanism are contained within at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion.

10. The retainer apparatus of claim 9, wherein said alarm is located within said sensor, and wherein said motion detector is configured to activate said alarm.

11. The retainer apparatus of claim 9, wherein said movement comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.

12. The retainer apparatus of claim 9, wherein said movement comprises said moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap.

13. The retainer apparatus of claim 9, wherein said retainer apparatus, said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap are comprised by a harness apparatus mechanically attached to said car seat, and wherein said harness apparatus is configured to restrain an occupant of said car seat and prevent said occupant from being ejected from said car seat.

14. The retainer apparatus of claim 9, wherein said braking mechanism is configured to resist movement of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap respectively, wherein said braking mechanism comprises said braking device configured to apply resistance to said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap to hold said retainer apparatus in multiple stationary positions along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap.

15. The retainer apparatus of claim 14, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises a magnetic structure configured to apply said resistance.

16. A car seat apparatus comprising:

a first adjustable harness strap;

a second adjustable harness strap;

a retainer apparatus comprising a first retainer portion slidably attached to said first harness strap and a second retainer portion slidably attached to said second harness strap, wherein said first retainer portion is removably attached to said second retainer portion, wherein said retainer apparatus further comprises a transceiver and a sensor comprising a motion detector, wherein said motion detector is configured to detect movement of said retainer apparatus, wherein said motion detector is configured to transmit a warning signal, via said transceiver, to a controller within a vehicle comprising said car seat apparatus to alert a user in said vehicle if said movement of said retainer apparatus is detected, wherein said retainer apparatus further comprises a braking mechanism configured to resist movement of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism comprises a braking device configured to apply resistance to said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap to hold at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion in a first stationary position along at least one of said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap, wherein said braking mechanism further comprises an electro/mechanical device configured to apply mechanical pressure to said braking device, and wherein said transceiver, said sensor, and said braking mechanism are contained within at least one of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion; and

a car seat structure comprising a harness apparatus mechanically attached to said car seat structure, wherein said retainer apparatus, said first adjustable harness strap, and said second adjustable harness strap are comprised by said harness apparatus, and wherein said harness apparatus is configured to restrain an occupant of said car seat apparatus and prevent said occupant from being ejected from said car seat apparatus.

17. The car seat apparatus of claim 16, wherein said movement comprises said first retainer portion being disconnected from said second retainer portion.

18. The car seat apparatus of claim 16, wherein said movement comprises said moving along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap.

19. The car seat apparatus of claim 16, wherein said transceiver comprises a wireless transceiver.

20. The car seat apparatus of claim 16, wherein said braking mechanism is configured to resist movement of said first retainer portion and said second retainer portion along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap respectively, wherein said braking mechanism comprises said braking device configured to apply resistance to said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap respectively to hold said retainer apparatus in multiple stationary positions along said first adjustable harness strap and said second adjustable harness strap.