Engageable With Both Shoulders Of Occupant Patents (Class 297/484)
  • Patent number: 5203613
    Abstract: Problems encountered in adapting child restraint devices of the kind used to retain a child in the seat of a shopping cart, "stroller", dining chair, or like device, for use in different circumstances and with children of different sizes, are overcome by a restraining device which comprises a pair of straps, each having a releasable fastener at each end portion. The cooperating parts of the fastener are spaced apart lengthways so that when they are fastened the end portion will form a loop. In use, the straps are placed over a child's shoulders and crossed over each other both front and rear. The ends of the straps are attached to a belt secured around the child by looping the end portions around the belt and fastening the releasable fasteners. The restraining device conveniently restrains the child in the seat, the shoulder straps preventing it from wriggling upwards out of the waist belt. Because the straps are releasably attached to the belt, they can be used independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Inventor: Susan P. Ward
  • Patent number: 5161522
    Abstract: A swing which allows neuromuscular handicapped persons to assume a normal sitting position and to receive good vestibular therapy. The swing has a chair formed by a rigid shell equipped with cushions. The chair is suspended on four ropes which attach to the top edge of the chair back and to the front edges of its sides. The ropes attach at their top ends to a swivel hook mounted on the ceiling or another overhead support. Adjustable head support pads on the back of the chair keep the neck of the occupant from bending unduly and hold the head in place. An adjustable leg support pad on the seat is straddled by the legs of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Inventor: Dennis L. Clevenger
  • Patent number: 5160186
    Abstract: A low profile web adjuster for securing a web. A seat includes a harness, one end of which extends through a web adjuster mounted to the seat. A pivot cam on the adjuster is operable to lockingly engage one end of the harness. In the preferred embodiment, the cam is moved by pulling a control member having a pair of arms pivotally mounted to the cam member at a location to force the cam member apart from the web. Under normal loading, the cam member contacts and holds the web against the base wall of the adjuster and under high loading also holds the web against an upraised rib on the base wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Indiana Mills and Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: David J. Lee
  • Patent number: 5156436
    Abstract: A vehicle safety restraint for pregnant women is provided which includes first and second restraint members which are interconnected to one another by a common element. The common element is removably mounted on a seat of the vehicle. The first restraint members, when in an operative mode, encompass the upper torso region of the woman. The second restraint members, when in an operative mode, encompass in the groin area thigh regions of the woman. When in the operative mode, the first and second restraint members are spaced from the gravid uterus region of the woman thereby avoiding trauma in the latter region if the vehicle should suddenly stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Inventor: Ethel Grene
  • Patent number: 5154487
    Abstract: A portable, customizable support apparatus for a patient's torso is provided for maintaining the patient in a substantially upright sitting position. The apparatus includes a left side member, a right side member and a back member and assemblies for securing the apparatus to the patient and to a seating unit. The support apparatus also includes a device for interconnecting the left and right side members at the front of the torso such that the left and right side members and back member substantially surround the patient's torso. The assembled apparatus can be used with most conventional chairs and seats, including geriatric chairs and wheelchairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Inventor: Patricia G. Warburton
  • Patent number: 5135285
    Abstract: A twin shoulder belt adjustment mechanism for a child restraint system, including a plurality of vertically spaced apart and slightly vertically offset restraint slots for holding the belts in use. Respective adjustment slits extend laterally from the restraint slots, with a downwardly extending connector slit interconnecting and extending beyond the outer ends of the lateral adjustment slits, such that the twin belts may be moved therethrough to a higher or lower pair of restraint slots to accommodate a different size child.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew E. Dukatz, Fred C. Kresky, George S. Popa, Mariano T. Cadiz
  • Patent number: 5131683
    Abstract: A torso restraining assembly restrains the torso of a passenger in a vehicle seat. The torso restraining assembly is for use with a lap strap. The torso restraining assembly has a strap restraining device for attaching the torso assembly to the vehicle rearwardly of the vehicle seat. A Y-section of the assembly has a pair of straps extending from the strap restraining device, over the seat back. The straps converge. A loop stem extends from the convergence of the straps. The loop stem retains one section of the lap strap. When a passenger is seated in the vehicle seat, the passenger pulls the Y-section over his or her head and down in front of the passenger. When said passenger joins together the buckle and catch of the lap strap, the torso restraining assembly restrains the torso of the passenger against the back of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Inventor: Ellis D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5125718
    Abstract: A child safety harness has a pair of lap straps and a pair of shoulder straps interconnected by an impact pad which comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. Coupling means connects the upper portion to the lower portion in a plurality of alternative mutually overlapping positions so as to vary the distance between the upper edge of the upper portion and the lower edge of the lower portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignees: Britax Romer Kindersicherheit GmbH, Britax-Excelsior Limited
    Inventors: Waldemar Czernakowski, Hermann Wetter, Richard E. C. Marton
  • Patent number: 5123673
    Abstract: A seat belt system is disclosed for use with a vehicle seat which includes a three point belt system forming a lap belt and a shoulder belt and further includes a second shoulder belt to form a four point system. The belt system includes a presenter mechanism to move the clasp for the three point portion of the system into an easy to reach position to encourage seat belt usage. The system includes two buckles on opposite sides of the seat with a release mechanism provided to automatically release one buckle upon the manual release of the other buckle regardless of which buckle is first manually released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Hoover Universal, Inc.
    Inventor: Omar D. Tame
  • Patent number: 5119767
    Abstract: A child safety device employing lightweight adjustable straps and hook and loop type fasteners to facilitate placement and removal of a child from the device. A child is placed within the harness and then left, right, and bottom straps are fastened with one motion producing a convenient and compact child restraint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Inventor: Hector J. G. Jimenez
  • Patent number: 5108152
    Abstract: A one piece cushioning device for a child's car seat has a main body defining a head rest and a pair of extending arms that define a pair of shoulder belt covers. Each arm is sized and shaped to fit around a shoulder belt of the car seat, closures being provided to secure the arms around the shoulder belts. The main body is positioned between a child's head and the back of the car seat and serves as a cushion to protect against irritation to the child's head and the arms protect against irritation to the child's neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Inventors: Robert J. Reilly, Lisa G. Reilly
  • Patent number: 5082325
    Abstract: A harness adjustment and fastening mechanism for a child's car seat and method for securing a child's car seat harness. A harness made of a single belt threaded through a buckle detachably fixed to a point on the front, seat portion, of a plastic unitary seat structure. The belt is free to travel through the buckle. The two free ends of the belt pass over the child's shoulders and are threaded through the unitary seat structure to a rear portion of said structure. The belt ends each contain several loops through which a wire rod can be passed. Size of the harness can be altered by varying the loops through which the rod is threaded. The ends of the threaded rod are fitted into grooves located on the back of the unitary seat structure. A snap tab molded into the housing prevents motion of the rod out of the grooves thereby securely fastening the harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Assignee: Century Products Company
    Inventor: Mark Sedlack
  • Patent number: 5074588
    Abstract: A child safety restraint for a vehicle seat having a safety belt includes a stress plate having at least one safety belt slot for receiving the safety belt to secure the restraint to the seat, at least one harness slot and a harness for releasably securing a wearer's back to the stress plate, the harness including a pair of shoulder straps and a crotch strap secured at one end to the shoulder straps, the shoulder straps being configured to each pass through a respective harness slot in the plate so that the harness is slidably engaged on the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Inventor: Fred Huspen
  • Patent number: 5056869
    Abstract: A restraining harness to hold a child in a highchair is disclosed consisting of an elongated panel having strategically placed VELCRO hook and loop type fasteners thereupon such that the panel will encompass completely a range of highchair backs ranging in heights from 17 inches to 8 inches, the panel always arranged and attaching to itself such as to firmly engage the highchair back and present the same end emerging at the top of the highchair back. Further, only the loop-type VELCRO hook and loop type fasteners are presented to the backside of a child. A plurality of straps operably attached to the panel pass parallel over the child's shoulders to a holding strap, and then converge to a single strap passing through the child's legs and under-the-seat to rejoin the panel. A chest encircling strap is operably attached to the panel and the shoulder straps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: George A. Morrison
    Inventor: George A. Morrison
  • Patent number: 5039169
    Abstract: An adjustable lock infant seat. An infant seat positionable atop an automobile seat, includes a seat belt buckle mounted to the bottom or seat portion of the infant seat. The buckle is lockingly engageable with a tongue slidably mounted to a belt having opposite ends extending through a lower pair of slots or an upper pair of slots extending through the back support of the infant seat. One belt end is fastened to a buckle located on the rearward surface of the back support whereas the opposite belt end extends through a releasably lockable adjuster mounted to the back support. By extending the belt either through the upper or lower slots and by operation of the adjuster, the belt may be sized to fit the infant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry D. Bougher, Allan R. Lortz
  • Patent number: 5025534
    Abstract: The chest strap of a three-point safety belt of a vehicle is positioned, particularly for small passengers, by a substantially triangular plate with two elongated slots which lie at an acute angle with respect to each other. One slot has an upwardly directed open end for receiving the chest strap. By moving the device along the abdomen strap, the position of the chest strap across the wearer's chest can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Scafix AB
    Inventor: Nils E. Meijer
  • Patent number: 4998307
    Abstract: An infant restraint device is provided for securing and supporting an infant inside a motor vehicle. The device includes a shell assembly having upper and lower shell portions pivotally coupled together. The upper shell portion can be positioned in either a first generally planar orientation or in a second angular orientation with respect to the lower shell portion. A locking mechanism is provided for securing the upper and lower shell portions together in either the first or second orientations. In the first generally planar orientation, the device provides a car bed for the infant. In the second angular orientation, the device provides a standard rear-facing infant seat. A collapsible lower support surface provides a seat for the infant when the device is in the angular orientation. The lower support surface bends along a flexible portion when the upper shell portion of the device moves to the planar orientation to provide a generally planar support surface for the infant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Cosco, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard E. Cone
  • Patent number: 4981306
    Abstract: An improved bicycle harness for harnessing a rider to a bicycle includes a connector or collar portion, positioned at the riders rear buttocks and crouch area, for releasible slideable coupling engagement to the seat's forwardly extending tongue. The collar slides onto the collars or ensleeves at least a portion of the bicycles seat's tongue, permitting upwardly vertically and/or rearwardly directed forces on the collar, exerted by the rider through other portions of the harness, to, respectively, pull upwardly against the seat tongue and/or push against the main body of the seat as a backstop. In one embodiment the other portion of the harness includes straps that extend from the collar and extend around the riders shoulders, allowing the rider to pedal in either a sitting or standing position while remaining effectively tethered by the bicycle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Inventor: Leparis D. Young
  • Patent number: 4979779
    Abstract: An apparatus for restraining a portion of the body of an occupant of a wheeled transport vehicle having a seat. The apparatus includes a cloth restraint member and a device for fastening the cloth restraint member around the occupant's body portion. Preferably, the fastening device is centrally located on the front of the cloth restraint member for easy entry and exit of the occupant's body from the cloth restraint member and the wheeled transport vehicle. The apparatus further includes a flexible belt which is interconnected with the seat of the wheeled transport vehicle at each of the belt's ends and which is also interconnected with the cloth restraint member between the belt's ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Inventor: Ronald H. Williams
  • Patent number: 4973083
    Abstract: A seatbelt construction that includes parallel, vertically aligned strap members that tightly overlie the back part of a seat. The vertical strap members are spaced about shoulder width apart and are interconnected by a third strap member. In a first embodiment, the third strap is horizontally disposed at any preselected height along the extent of the parallel strap members. In a second embodiment, the opposite ends of the third strap are pivotally connected to the parallel straps so that the third strap can be angled from the horizontal when interconnecting the parallel straps. Both embodiments safely secure the passenger without relying on lap belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1990
    Inventors: Lawrence O. Richards, Sue Richards
  • Patent number: 4946180
    Abstract: A child support apparatus for use as a safety car seat, stroller, highchair and crib. The apparatus has telescoping legs with retractable wheels and pivotable handles which may be extended to function as a stroller or retracted and pivoted to become a safety car seat. The apparatus has a restraining tray assembly adapted to receive a safety harness to provide an auxiliary safety feature that may be utilized if the harness is not fastened or accidentally comes loose from its normal male-female mating machanism. The trays associated with the restraining tray assembly are adjustable and rotatable to provide access to the unit's seat or as an extension for the apparatus' side arms when the unit is used as a crib. The retractable wheels are adapted with telescoping legs which may be extended to allow the unit to function as a highchair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Inventor: Luke Baer
  • Patent number: 4927211
    Abstract: A child restraint device including a chest pad, a back pad, shoulder pads and a chest strap which can be connected between the chest pad and the back pad, a crotch strap which can be connected between the chest pad and the back pad, and a loop adapted to receive a seat belt stitched to the crotch strap near the back pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1990
    Inventor: Robert J. Bolcerek
  • Patent number: 4919488
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat having a safety belt system, the belts of which are connected with the seat frame in the area of the upper end section of the back rest at two upper connecting points lying spaced from each other in the lateral direction of the seat, and in the area of the rear end of its seat portion, the lower end of its back rest or its support slide rails at two lower connection points provided on the respective sides of the seat, the two lap belts are guided along the respective pivot arms (12,12') which are connected with the seat frame in the area of one or the other of the lower connecting points (5) so as to pivot about respective axes extending in the lateral direction of the seat. The two pivot arms (12,12') are formed to resist bending in the pivot direction but to bend elastically laterally thereto. The one pivot arm (12) is connected with the other pivot arm (12') by a transmission that forces an opposite pivot direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Keiper Recaro GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Elmar Deegener, Harald Wolsiefer, Heinz P. Cremer
  • Patent number: 4912818
    Abstract: Belt adjusting apparatus for use on an infant or toddler seat is disclosed which comprises an interlocking assembly of geometrically-configured metal plates, each having at least one slot therein, with a belt passing through the slots in a specific path so that the belt is freely moved in one direction when in a locked position so as to tighten said belt, but cannot be moved in the other direction without manually adjusting the relative position of the metal plates. A spring return may be used to maintain the position of the plates in a locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Spalding & Evenflow Companies, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul K. Meeker
  • Patent number: 4886315
    Abstract: A child's car seat has a restraining harness extending over the child's shoulder and fastenable to the car seat in front of the child. A manually operable reel assembly allows the harness to be selectively loosened or tightened by winding or unwinding the free end of the harness to or from an axle positioned beneath the car seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: Kolcraft Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward M. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4880277
    Abstract: An infant auxiliary seat for a vehicle is disclosed which comprises an auxiliary seat body constituted by a combination of a seat floor and a seat back; a pair of infant-arresting belts previously set up between the seat back and the seat floor so as to be capable of retracting and projecting; and a belt-stop mechanism attached to a central portion of the front surface of the seat floor so as to be capable of being erected and prostrated. The pair of infant-arresting belts are provided to be freely fastened to the belt-stop mechanism at the respective longitudinally middle portions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Combi Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Takahashi, Hideo Saito, Takashi Watanabe, Tomihiro Kaneko
  • Patent number: 4871210
    Abstract: A child holder includes a halter which incorporates crotch, abdomen and shoulder straps and is readily adjusted to fit seat backs of different sizes and to accommodate children of different sizes, and an integral, separate or separable booster seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Inventors: Cynthia R. Alexander, Dianne J. Pollard
  • Patent number: 4867464
    Abstract: A safety device that restrains very small children to a shopping cart seat and that serves as a harness when the child is not seated in the seat. A middle strap member overlies the child's stomach and wraps around part of the back of a shopping cart seat. The opposite ends of the middle strap member are releasably fastened together behind the child's back. A pair of shoulder strap members are secured at a first end to the middle strap member and overlie the child's shoulders. A second end of each shoulder strap member is fixedly secured to a flat material that is looped to carry a pair of large "D" ring members to which is releasably secured a bottom strap member that extends from the middle strap member, under the shopping cart seat, to the "D" ring members to unite the shoulder strap members to the bottom strap member. A tether member is secured to the device to harness the child when the child is not in the shopping cart seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Inventor: Kenna M. Cook
  • Patent number: 4858997
    Abstract: An automobile car seat for a child is provided with a tray which is pivoted slightly above and behind the shoulders of the child who is to sit in the seat. Shoulder and lap straps are secured to the pivoted tray structure so that as the tray is swung down into position, the shoulder and lap straps automatically come into position to hold the child in place. The tray is provided with a large padded center post which locks into position into the chair set as the tray is swung forward into position. As the child gets older and bigger, the position of the shoulder straps may be raised and locked into their new position. The seat and back may be tilted as a unit by raising the front of the seat, so that the child can lean back and sleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Inventor: Steven A. Shubin
  • Patent number: 4854608
    Abstract: A safety belt for racing cars and rally sports cars which includes two shoulder belts and a lap belt which can be coupled to the shoulder belt by means of a buckle. The belts are at least indirectly fastened to the car frame. In the two shoulder belts of the safety belt, the kinetic energy resulting from an impact is converted to a different extent and the conversion of the kinetic energy takes place in the shoulder belts within time periods which are shifted relative to each other. As a result, the two shoulder belts are elongated asymmetrically and permit a rotation of the torso of the driver and a subsequent forward displacement of one shoulder relative to the other shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: Carl F. Schroth GmbH
    Inventor: Jacques Barral
  • Patent number: 4848793
    Abstract: A child's safety vest is disclosed for use in automobiles and other vehicles having lap-belt passenger restraining systems. A stress plate, which attaches to the lap belt, forms a vertical sub-frame to support and secure a waist band and shoulder bands which encircle the child wearer. The stress plate is preferably formed of sheet metal material and a padded front, and the waist and shoulder bands are adjustable to accommodate children of varying sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: T & H, Inc.
    Inventor: Fred J. Huspen
  • Patent number: 4832404
    Abstract: A seat for a flight attendant in an aircraft is constructed to be secured to a supporting inner cabin wall. The seat unit includes a seat section tiltably supported in a mounting. The backrest unit includes a backrest cushion with a head cushion. A safety belt system, cooperates with both units, which are preassembled ready for installation. Thus, the conventional frame of the seat is avoided, whereby weight, costs, and space advantages are achieved. It is especially advantageous to provide a double seating arrangement with the seats facing in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH
    Inventors: Faruk Baymak, Helmut Stueben
  • Patent number: 4790601
    Abstract: A child's seat for a motor vehicle comprises a back portion and a harness including two shoulder straps each of which projects through a respective opening in the back portion. Each opening is formed by the interaction of an elongate slot formed in the back portion and extending over the range of desired positions for the opening, with a horizontal slot in a carriage mounted on the rear side of the back portion for vertical sliding movement relative thereto. Manually operable control means is arranged to vary the position of the carriage relative to the back portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1988
    Assignees: Britax-Excelsior Limited, Romer-Britax Autogurte GmbH
    Inventors: David W. Burleigh, Waldemar Czernakowski, Hermann Wetter
  • Patent number: 4770468
    Abstract: An automobile car seat for a child is provided with a tray which is pivoted slightly above and behind the shoulders of the child who is to sit in the seat. Shoulder and lap straps are secured to the pivoted tray structure so that as the tray is swung down into position, the shoulder and lap straps automatically come into position to hold the child in place. The tray is provided with a large padded center post which locks into position into the chair seat as the tray is swung forward into position. As the child gets older and bigger, the position of the shoulder straps may be raised and locked into their new position. The seat and back may be tilted as a unit by raising the front of the seat, so that the child can lean back and sleep.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Inventor: Steven A. Shubin
  • Patent number: 4762369
    Abstract: In a safety harness, a strap length adjustment device (10) has an adjustment member (20) selectively movable generally longitudinally of the strap (9), the strap preferably extending around the member so that twice the length of strap is protracted or retracted per unit movement of the member. The adjustment member (20) may be held in a selected position against a spring (29) tending to retract the strap by spring-biassed caliper jaws (30) released by a push button (37). The device (10) may be embodied as an abdominal pad in a child's harness for use or incorporated in a push chair or a vehicle safety seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1988
    Assignee: ASE (UK) Limited
    Inventor: Frederick C. Nicod
  • Patent number: 4711487
    Abstract: A chair secured between parallel carrier arms which extend from the front and back of the chair enables the carrying of a handicapped person by two other people including on staircases or under other conditions where conventional conveyances for the handicapped such as wheel chairs, gurneys, stretchers or the like are unsuitable. The chair is extendable and contractable relative to the carrier arms between an expanded operating configuration and a flat compact storage configuration which makes it practical to stock and prominently display the apparatus in locations such as high rise buildings where it may be needed during emergency evacuations or for other purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1987
    Assignee: Norman D. Koerner
    Inventor: Royce L. Brooks
  • Patent number: 4709966
    Abstract: A comfortable, safe child restraint seat in which a child is safely secured within the device while providing limited movement of the child within a predetermined area to permit the child to stand up, sit down, or even lie down in the backseat of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, without compromising the safety of the child. The device includes a plurality of interconnected straps, some of which are adapted to be secured to the seat of the vehicle and some of which are adapted to be positioned around the child to be restrained. The device includes a coupling ring between the respective straps to permit limited movement of the child while the child is effectively restrained by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Inventors: James G. Parkinson, Thomas P. Kirsten
  • Patent number: 4702523
    Abstract: This invention relates to a safety or restraining harness and more particularly to a sack type garment designed to restrain a child in a high chair, stroller or jumper chair.The garment consists of a single elongated strip of flexible material with elastic pieces joining the front and back on each side forming a pouch with partially open sides to slip over the back of a chair. The front of pouch extends downwardly and is brought up between the child's legs forming a crotch, then extends upwardly forming the bib section of the sack where two releasably attached straps pass over the child's shoulders to their anchoring points in the front of the pouch. A crotch strap then extends forwardly between the child's legs, loops around the chair seat, and upwardly to a quick release device at the lower extremity of the back pouch section securing the pouch to the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Inventors: Jennifer R. Schrader, Harry Geisen
  • Patent number: 4682390
    Abstract: A restraint harness attachable to a vehicle lap belt and having a waist strap, shoulder straps and a crotch strap with a looped segment through which the shoulder straps and lap belt passes. A buckle for the harness receives the fittings on each end of the above straps. The buckle includes a latch plate with detents thereon with the plate being both tiltable for individual strap release or depressible for simultaneous release of all straps. The latch plate is centrally supported by a spring. An insert is adjustable to permit the user to determine the degree of pressure required to actuate a latch plate control member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1987
    Inventor: Stanley G. Parrish
  • Patent number: 4652053
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is disclosed, which comprises a base, a seating section supported on the base, a back support section disposed adjacent to the seating section and supported by the base at two vertically spaced apart positions such that it is rotatable in the forward and rearward directions relative to the seating section, and a head support section disposed above and mounted on the back support section. The seat has a pair of shoulder belts each having an upper end attached to the top of the back support section such that it is turned toward each side thereof and movable along the back support surface thereof and a lower end movably attached to each side of the back support section. Shoulder belt attaching units for the upper and lower ends of the shoulder belts permit adjustment of the positions of attachment of the belts in the horizontal and vertical directions. Buffer means permit the upper end of each shoulder belt to be withdrawn when the belt is pulled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Inventor: Tatuya Mikami
  • Patent number: 4606552
    Abstract: Lock for safety belts, comprising a lock housing and a lock tongue which can be inserted into the lock housing. The lock tongue is displaceably mounted on a support element and is spring-biased to a withdrawn position, the lock tongue being normally displaceable to a projected position against the spring bias, a latch member engaging the lock tongue in the withdrawn position thereof to prevent displacement of the lock tongue to the projected position. A fitting for a strap can be passed onto the lock tongue in the withdrawn position thereof, said fitting engaging the latch member to release the lock tongue for displacement to the projected position against the spring bias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1986
    Assignee: Broderna Holmbergs Fabriks AB
    Inventor: Lars Hultqvist
  • Patent number: 4570974
    Abstract: This invention is directed at a safety vest for use by personel in the compartment of a moving vehicle such as an ambulance. The vest is attached by a strap to a reel and a track in the roof of the vehicle. The user can work freely in a standing position; however, on sudden movement or stop the vest and the reel and strap will prevent the user from being thrown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1986
    Inventor: Arthur Dove
  • Patent number: 4540218
    Abstract: A child chair adapted to be secured by conventional vehicle seat belt systems. The chair is provided with a safety belt system including a belt which is attached to the chair and a combined tongue and anchor plate to form a lap belt portion and a pair of shoulder belt portions. The safety belt system also includes a tongue latch which is connected to the chair by means of a crotch belt and releasably connects to the tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1985
    Assignee: Allied Corporation
    Inventor: Rudy V. Thomas
  • Patent number: 4488691
    Abstract: A harness system is disclosed for releasably restraining the torso of a cman in a seat aboard an aircraft. The harness system includes an upper torso restraint adapted to engage the seat at points on either side thereof and wherein a pair of chest straps connected to either side of a backpad are slidingly routed through respective roller fittings in a criss-cross fashion across the crewman to permit upper torso rotation. A separate lower torso restraint is coupled to the upper torso restraint and adapted to engage the seat at the same points of engagement as the upper torso restraint. A single-action release mechanism, actuated manually or automatically by water immersion, disengages both the upper and lower restraints from the seat thereby divesting the crewman of the harness system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Daniel L. Lorch
  • Patent number: 4487201
    Abstract: An orthopedic back support for an automobile includes a flexible suspension band designed to wrap around persons of varying size. The suspension band is supported in adjacent relationship to a substantially vertical backrest of the automobile seat by straps which overlap the top of that automobile seat backrest. The suspension belt partially supports the weight of the upper torso of an occupant in the automobile, removing the supported weight from the lower back portion of the spine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Inventors: Ernest Ciambarella, Jeffrey L. Quirk
  • Patent number: 4436341
    Abstract: An infant safety car seat having back, side, seat and bottom portions is also provided with a detachable front cross piece having a crotch piece dependent therefrom. A restraint harness is provided with shoulder straps connected to spring restraining devices in the back portion, a front piece and a crotch strap hooked over a pin which protrudes forwardly of said seat portion into an aperture in said crotch piece. The crotch strap is also detachably connected to the crotch piece so that when the cross piece is detached from the side portions and separated therefrom the crotch strap will automatically be unhooked from the pin prior to separating from the crotch piece. An adjustable lap belt is carried completely by the front cross piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1984
    Inventor: Maurice Converse
  • Patent number: 4431234
    Abstract: To comfortably and safely restrain the individual occupants of a vehicle, a pair of arm reeceiving, shoulder engaging restraint loops are anchored permanently or removably to opposite sides of each vehicle seat at a proper height to be engaged conveniently by occupants of various sizes. The occupant can slip his or her arms into and out of the restraint loops upon entering and exiting the vehicle with no inconvenience, no disturbing of the clothing and without operating buckles, straps or other fasteners. Coacting restraint hand grips may be provided on each seat in some cases for added safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1984
    Inventor: Charles W. Lacey
  • Patent number: 4411473
    Abstract: A harness restraint for a person seated in a seat (1) having a seat position (2) and a back rest portion (3). The restraint is a pair of shoulder straps (6) each being anchored at its respective upper ends (7) and each extend downwards in parallel relationship to the junction of the seat portion (2) and back rest portion (3) then in a horizontal direction to the sides of the seat to form a lap sash in the relaxed state. A crotch strap (9) anchored at one end to fixture (10) has its free end passed between the legs of the person seated and looped around the shoulder straps then back to be releasably secured by buckle (11) to fixture (10). Inertia reel devices may be provided at the anchoring ends of the belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1983
    Inventor: John P. Ettridge
  • Patent number: 4402548
    Abstract: A safety seat for a vehicle of the type comprising a shell 10 forming a seat portion 12 a back portion 14 and two side portions 16 and 18, which are covered by a fabric seat cover 50, is made adjustable in width by providing a plurality of filler strips 54, 56 which fit between the cover 50 and the side portions 16 and 18 of the shell so as to adjust the interior width of the seat. Lateral head restraint pads 58 and 60 may also be provided. The seat is particularly suitable for use by a growing physically handicapped child who requires lateral support when seated in a motor vehicle at an age when his contemporaries are capable of sitting in a vehicle without such support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: Britax-Excelsior Limited
    Inventor: Stuart V. Mason
  • Patent number: RE34051
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat having a safety belt system, the belts of which are connected with the seat frame in the area of the upper end section of the back rest at two upper connecting points lying spaced from each other in the lateral direction of the seat, and in the area of the rear end of its seat portion, the lower end of its back rest or its support slide rails at two lower connection points provided on the respective sides of the seat, the two lap belts are guided along the respective pivot arms (12,12') which are connected with the seat frame in the area of one or the other of the lower connecting points (5) so as to pivot about respective axes extending to the lateral direction of the seat. The two pivot arms (12,12') are formed to resist bending in the pivot direction but to bend elastically laterally thereto. The one pivot arm (12) is connected with the other pivot arm (12') by a transmission that forces an opposite pivot direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Keiper Recaro GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Elmar Deegener, Harald Wolsiefer, Heinz P. Cremer