Abstract: An energy absorbing tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell.

Abstract: An energy absorbing tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell.

Abstract: A seat for providing an improved level of protection to a child by reducing the amount of force restraining straps exert upon the child during a collision. The seat includes a seat frame and a cover positioned over the seat frame to provide comfort to a seat occupant. The seat frame includes a seat back with a slot for receiving a strap for restraining a seat occupant and an energy absorbing member. The energy absorbing member reduces the amount of force applied by the strap to the seat occupant during a sudden deceleration of the seat.

Abstract: A seat for providing an improved level of protection to a child by reducing the amount of force restraining straps exert upon the child during a collision. The seat includes a seat frame and a cover positioned over the seat frame to provide comfort to a seat occupant. The seat frame includes a seat back with a slot for receiving a strap for restraining a seat occupant and an energy absorbing member. The energy absorbing member reduces the amount of force applied by the strap to the seat occupant during a sudden deceleration of the seat and comprises an elongated weakness area extending from a bottom edge of the slot. The energy absorbing member is adapted for progressive separation from the seat back during a sudden deceleration, whereby the strap is allowed to move forward, at a controlled rate, a predetermined distance during the sudden deceleration of the seat.

Abstract: A child seat for a vehicle seat with a protruding vehicle head rest includes a seat bottom for being supported on the vehicle seat, and a seat back carried by the seat bottom for providing back support to an occupant of the child seat. A recess is disposed in an upper end of the seat back and is positioned and adapted to receive the vehicle head rest and allow the vehicle head rest to protrude therethrough. Optionally, a supplemental head rest may be provided which is releasably securable in the recess.

Abstract: A seat for providing an improved level of protection to a child by reducing the amount of force restraining straps exert upon the child during a collision. The seat includes a seat frame and a cover positioned over the seat frame to provide comfort to a seat occupant. The seat frame includes a seat back with a slot for receiving a strap for restraining a seat occupant and an energy absorbing member. The energy absorbing member reduces the amount of force applied by the strap to the seat occupant during a sudden deceleration of the seat and comprises an elongated weakness area extending from a bottom edge of the slot. The energy absorbing member is adapted for progressive separation from the seat back during a sudden deceleration, whereby the strap is allowed to move forward, at a controlled rate, a predetermined distance during the sudden deceleration of the seat.

Abstract: An energy absorbing tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell.

Abstract: A child safety device for a vehicle including a seat and a harness, a sensor for providing an indication of a vehicle crash, and a take up assembly linked to sensor and the webbing to take up the webbing in response to the indication from the sensor.

Abstract: A child safety device for a vehicle including a seat including a shell, a harness including at least one strap for retaining an occupant in the seat, and a sensor between a device on the strap and the seat shell indicating a tension status of the harness.

Abstract: A juvenile transport product, such as an infant carrier, having a protective microshell cover adhered to a foam body to protect the foam against damage from wear and impacts. The protective cover shell may be transparent, and the method includes the step of applying a material to an inside surface of the protective cover shell before adhering the protective cover shell to the foam body. The material may be selected from the group consisting of paints, pigments, dyes, decalcomanias, labels and placards.

Abstract: A support skeleton for a juvenile transport product, such as an infant carrier. The skeleton rigidly supports the juvenile transport product in a predetermined configuration, and a foam body is molded to the skeleton and supported thereby. The foam body has a shape generally corresponding to the shape of the juvenile transport product. A protective cover, or microshell, is adhered to the foam body to protect the foam against damage from wear and impacts. The skeleton may be molded in a single piece or in several pieces for later assembly.

Abstract: A side-protective head restraint pad, pad assembly and safety seat. The restraint pad includes an air bladder with a pump for selectively inflating the air bladder and a release valve for selectively deflating the air bladder, an energy-absorbing component and a comfort component. A flexible enclosure is provided within which the air bladder, energy-absorbing component and comfort component are positioned in overlaid configuration to define a unit. The head restraint pad is adapted for being placed in a seat in lateral alignment with one side of the head of an occupant and inflatable or deflatable as appropriate to restrain the head against injurious lateral movement caused by a side impact relative to the seat.

Abstract: A child seat for a vehicle seat with a protruding vehicle head rest includes a seat bottom for being supported on the vehicle seat, and a seat back carried by the seat bottom for providing back support to an occupant of the child seat. A recess is disposed in an upper end of the seat back and is positioned and adapted to receive the vehicle head rest and allow the vehicle head rest to protrude therethrough. Optionally, a supplemental head rest may be provided which is releasably securable in the recess.

Abstract: A seat for providing an improved level of protection to a child by reducing the amount of force restraining straps exert upon the child during a collision. The seat includes a seat frame and a cover positioned over the seat frame to provide comfort to a seat occupant. The seat frame includes a seat back with a slot for receiving a strap for restraining a seat occupant and an energy absorbing member. The energy absorbing member reduces the amount of force applied by the strap to the seat occupant during a sudden deceleration of the seat.

Abstract: A juvenile transport product, such as an infant carrier, having a load-bearing support skeleton for rigidly supporting the juvenile transport product in a predetermined configuration, and a foam body molded to the skeleton and supported thereby. The foam body has a shape generally corresponding to the shape of the juvenile transport product. A protective cover, or microshell, is adhered to the foam body to protect the foam against damage from wear and impacts.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a belt guide apparatus (14) for an enhanced seatbelt restraint system (10) for a vehicle. The belt guide apparatus (14) includes a pivotal fastener (56) for attaching the belt guide apparatus (14) to a vehicle structure (20). The pivotal fastener (56) includes an interface portion (42) extending therefrom for supporting a belt (12) extending through the belt guide apparatus (14). Also, the pivotal fastener (56) is utilized for moving the belt guide apparatus (14) in three or more directions for maintaining the belt (12) substantially flat against the interface portion (42). Moreover, the interface portion (42) has a biasing mechanism (64) disposed adjacent thereto for pressing the belt (12) substantially flat against the interface portion (42).

Abstract: A side-protective head restraint pad, pad assembly and safety seat. The restraint pad includes an air bladder with a pump for selectively inflating the air bladder and a release valve for selectively deflating the air bladder, an energy-absorbing component and a comfort component. A flexible enclosure is provided within which the air bladder, energy-absorbing component and comfort component are positioned in overlaid configuration to define a unit. The head restraint pad is adapted for being placed in a seat in lateral alignment with one side of the head of an occupant and inflatable or deflatable as appropriate to restrain the head against injurious lateral movement caused by a side impact relative to the seat.

Abstract: An airbag is formed of two or more panels with one or more panel being impervious and the second being pervious to gases. A layer is attached to the gas permeable panel and has a dimension selected to insure that the airbag has a preselected maximum peak pressure during deployment.