CHILD RESTRAINT DEVICE WITH ENERGY ABSORBING REGIONS

Abstract

Energy absorbing webbing is provided for use in child safety seat and child restraint devices. A harness system includes energy-absorbing regions into the construction of the harness to allow some release or extension of the harness during use. The energy-absorbing regions of the harness are formed using energy-absorbing webbing in a given region or regions to permit the webbing to extend or elongate so that strong forces are not fully and directly imparted to the child. The energy-absorbing region may be installed at various positions within the child safety seat and harness system and may be incorporated into the child safety harness as original equipment or as a retrofit feature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a rear view of a prior art child safety seat depicting a typical harness configuration installed therein;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a prior art child safety seat depicting a typical harness configuration installed therein;

FIG. 3 is a prior art illustration of a child safety seat affixed to a vehicle seat using a LATCH type arrangement;

FIG. 4 is a prior art illustration of the rear of a vehicle seat depicting a top tether attached to an attachment point provided on the rear thereof;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a child safety seat depicting a harness that includes an elongatable webbing structure therein in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the harness in FIG. 5 with the elongatable webbing structure in a relaxed, unloaded state;

FIG. 7 is a detail view of the harness in FIG. 5 with the elongatable webbing structure in an extended, loaded state;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 a is a rear view of a child safety seat depicting a harness that includes two elongatable webbing structures therein in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 b is a rear view of a child safety seat depicting a harness that includes a retrofit elongatable webbing structure therein in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 a is a front view of a child safety seat depicting a harness that includes two elongatable webbing structures therein in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 b is a front view of a child safety seat depicting a harness that includes two elongatable webbing structures therein in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 c is a front view of a child safety seat depicting a harness that includes an elongatable webbing structure therein in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a child safety seat installed into a vehicle seat depicting a LATCH and tether system that includes elongatable webbing structures therein in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a rear view of a vehicle seat depicting a tether attachment point that includes an elongatable webbing structure therein in accordance with an eighth embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a rear view of a child safety seat depicting a harness that includes a stretchable material as an elongatable webbing structure.

Claims

1. A webbing member for use in a child restraint device, comprising: a length of webbing material having a first end and a second end; andat least one energy absorbing region between said first and second ends, said at least one energy absorbing region including:a central core having a relaxed length and an extended length, said central core being adapted to elongate from said relaxed length to said extended length under a force applied to said energy absorbing region and to absorb said force;a sheath having a first end and a second end received about said central core, said sheath having a length that is longer than said relaxed length of said central core, said sheath gathered about said central core and affixed to said first and second ends of said energy absorbing region, said sheath limiting the extended length of said central core.

2. The webbing member of claim 1, said central core being formed using a material selected from the group consisting of: rubber, elongatable textiles and springs

3. The webbing member of claim 1, said central core being formed from partially oriented yarn fibers.

4. The webbing member of claim 1, wherein said webbing member is part of the LATCH system for attaching said child safety seat to a vehicle seat.

5. The webbing member of claim 1, wherein said webbing member is part of the tether system for attaching an upper back portion of a child safety seat to a back portion of a vehicle seat.

6. The webbing member of claim 1, wherein said webbing member is part of a restraint harness system configured to restrain a child in said child safety seat.

7. The webbing member of claim 1, wherein said webbing member is selectively attachable to the harness system of the child safety seat.

8. The webbing member of claim 1, wherein said webbing member is selectively attachable to the tether system of the child safety seat.

9. The webbing member of claim 1, wherein said webbing member is selectively attachable to the LATCH system of the child safety seat.

10. The webbing member of claim 6, said restraint harness further comprising: two harness straps having terminal ends extending through openings in a back of said child safety seat;a splitter plate having a first end configured for engaging and retaining said terminal ends of said two harness straps and a second end opposite said first end; anda lower harness strap having a first end engaged with said second end of said splitter plate and a second end that is adjustable affixed to said child safety seat,said webbing member being formed in said lower harness strap between said first and second ends.

11. The webbing member of claim 6, said restraint harness further comprising: two harness straps having terminal ends extending through openings in a back of said child safety seat;a splitter plate having a first end configured for engaging and retaining said terminal ends of said two harness straps and a second end opposite said first end; anda lower harness strap having a first end engaged with said second end of said splitter plate and a second end that is adjustable affixed to said child safety seat,said webbing member being formed in at least one of two harness straps between said terminal ends and said back of said child safety seat.

12. The webbing member of claim 11, said webbing member being formed in each of said two harness straps between said terminal ends and said back of said child safety seat

13. The webbing member of claim 6, said restraint harness further comprising: two harness straps having terminal ends extending through openings in a back of said child safety seat;said webbing member, including a first splitter plate on a first end thereof and a loop on a second end thereof, said energy absorbing region disposed between said second splitter plate and said loop, said first splitter plate configured for engaging and retaining said terminal ends of said two harness straps;a second splitter plate having a first end configured for engaging and retaining said loop on said webbing member and a second end opposite said first end; anda lower harness strap having a first end engaged with said second end of said splitter plate and a second end that is adjustable affixed to said child safety seat.

14. The webbing member of claim 6, said restraint harness further comprising: two shoulder harness straps having first ends extending through openings in an upper back portion of said child safety seat and second ends that are affixed to left and right lower sides of said child safety seat;first and second buckle plates each slidably received on one of said shoulder harness straps between said first and second ends; anda lap belt extending upwardly from a lower surface of said child safety seat and terminating in a buckle configured to receive and retain said first and second buckle plates;said webbing member being formed in at least one of two shoulder harness straps between said first ends and said buckle plates.

15. The webbing member of claim 14, said webbing member being formed in each of said two shoulder harness straps between said first ends and said buckle plates.

16. The webbing member of claim 6, said restraint harness further comprising: two shoulder harness straps having first ends extending through openings in an upper back portion of said child safety seat and second ends that are affixed to left and right lower sides of said child safety seat;first and second buckle plates each slidably received on one of said shoulder harness straps between said first and second ends; anda lap belt extending upwardly from a lower surface of said child safety seat and terminating in a buckle configured to receive and retain said first and second buckle plates;said webbing member being formed in at least one of two shoulder harness straps between said buckle plates and said second ends.

17. The webbing member of claim 16, said webbing member being formed in each of said two shoulder harness straps between said buckle plates and said second ends.

18. The webbing member of claim 6, said restraint harness further comprising: two shoulder harness straps having first ends extending through openings in an upper back portion of said child safety seat and second ends that are affixed to left and right lower sides of said child safety seat;first and second buckle plates each slidably received on one of said shoulder harness straps between said first and second ends; anda lap belt extending upwardly from a lower surface of said child safety seat and terminating in a buckle configured to receive and retain said first and second buckle plates;said webbing member being formed in said lap belt between said lower surface of said child safety seat and said buckle.

19. A webbing member for use in a child restraint device, comprising: a length of webbing material having a first end and a second end, said first end having a splitter plate thereon, said second end having a loop thereon;an energy absorbing region disposed between said splitter plate and said loop, said energy absorbing region including:a central core having a relaxed length and an extended length, said central core being adapted to elongate from said relaxed length to said extended length under a force applied to said energy absorbing region and to absorb said force;a sheath having a first end and a second end received about said central core, said sheath having a length that is longer than said relaxed length of said central core, said sheath gathered about said central core and affixed to said first and second ends of said energy absorbing region, said sheath limiting the extended length of said central core.

20. The webbing member of claim 19, said central core being formed using a material selected from the group consisting of: rubber, elongatable textiles and springs

21. The webbing member of claim 19, said central core being formed from partially oriented yarn fibers.

22. The webbing member of claim 21, said webbing member received in a restraint harness for a child safety seat, said harness further comprising: two harness straps having terminal ends extending through openings in a back of said child safety seat, said splitter plate on said first end of said webbing member engaging and retaining said terminal ends of said two harness straps;a second splitter plate having a first end configured for engaging and retaining said loop on said webbing member and a second end opposite said first end; anda lower harness strap having a first end engaged with said second end of said splitter plate and a second end that is adjustable affixed to said child safety seat.

23. A webbing member for use in a child restraint device, comprising: a length of webbing material having a first end and a second end; anda length of energy absorbing material disposed between said first end and said second end,

24. A harness system used in a child restraint device, comprising: at least one region within said harness system containing an energy absorbing material wherein a measured length of said energy absorbing material will elongate more than the same length of another webbing material within said harness system when subjected to an equal force below 2000 lbs.

25. A tether system used in a child restraint device, comprising: at least one region within said tether system containing an energy absorbing material wherein a measured length of said energy absorbing material will elongate more than the same length of another webbing material within said tether system when subjected to an equal force below 2000 lbs.

26. A LATCH system used in a child restraint device, comprising: at least one region within said LATCH system containing an energy absorbing material wherein a measured length of said energy absorbing material will elongate more than the same length of another webbing material within said LATCH system when subjected to an equal force below 2000 lbs.

27. A component selectively attachable to the harness system of a child restraint device, comprising: an energy absorbing material wherein a measured length of said energy absorbing material will elongate more than the same length of another webbing material within that system when subjected to an equal force below 2000 lbs.

28. A component selectively attachable to the tether system of a child restraint device, comprising: an energy absorbing material wherein a measured length of said energy absorbing material will elongate more than the same length of another webbing material within that system when subjected to an equal force below 2000 lbs.

29. A component selectively attachable to the LATCH system of a child restraint device, comprising: an energy absorbing material wherein a measured length of said energy absorbing material will elongate more than the same length of another webbing material within that system when subjected to an equal force below 2000 lbs.

30. A webbing member for use in a child restraint device, comprising: a length of webbing material having a first end and a second end; andsaid webbing material containing at least one region between the first end and second end having the ability to elongate more than 5% under a force of less than 2000 lbs.

31. A webbing member for use in a child restraint device, comprising: a first length of webbing material having a first end and a second end; anda second length of webbing material affixed to one of said first and second ends of said first webbing material, said second webbing material having the ability to elongate more than 5% under a force of less than 2000 lbs.

32. A harness system for a child restraint device, comprising: at least one energy absorbing region of any length disposed within said harness system and constructed using partially oriented yarn (POY);said at least one energy absorbing region having a relaxed length and an extended length, and being adapted to elongate from said relaxed length to said extended length under a force applied to said energy absorbing region; andsaid at least one energy absorbing region having an initial length and an extended length when said energy absorbing region is subjected to a force of less than 2,000 lbs, wherein the difference between the initial and extended lengths is more than 0.5″.

33. A tether system for a child restraint device, comprising: at least one energy absorbing region of any length disposed within said tether system and constructed using partially oriented yarn (POY);said at least one energy absorbing region having a relaxed length and an extended length, and being adapted to elongate from said relaxed length to said extended length under a force applied to said energy absorbing region;said at least one energy absorbing region having an initial length and an extended length when said energy absorbing region is subjected to a force of less than 2,000 lbs, wherein the difference between the initial and extended lengths is more than 0.5″.

34. A LATCH system for a child restraint device, comprising: at least one energy absorbing region of any length disposed within said LATCH system and constructed using partially oriented yarn (POY);said at least one energy absorbing region having a relaxed length and an extended length, and being adapted to elongate from said relaxed length to said extended length under a force applied to said energy absorbing region;said at least one energy absorbing region having an initial length and an extended length when said energy absorbing region is subjected to a force of less than 2,000 lbs, wherein the difference between the initial and extended lengths is more than 0.5″.