APPARATUS FOR ADAPTING A SEATBELT TO A CHILD

Abstract

An apparatus for adapting an adult three-point seatbelt of a vehicle for safe and secure usage by an occupant such as a child, the seatbelt being of the ubiquitous type that comprises a tensioned belt wound on a drum that extends from above shoulder height of an adult occupant of a seat, to an anchor point connected to chassis of vehicle, and a clasp attached to the chassis on an opposite side of an occupant of the seat from the anchor point, such that the belt may be drawn downwards and across an occupant to engage the clasp, thereby restraining the occupant with both a sash section and a lap section of the seatbelt.

The apparatus comprises a guide for the sash section of the seat belt that is fixed to a seat and sideways adjustable with respect to the occupant sitting on the seat, the sash guide for engaging the sash section above a shoulder of the occupant at a sideways position to ensure that said sash section runs over shoulder of the occupant in an optimal position for both comfort and safety. Different embodiments are directed to a guide attached to the seat of the vehicle itself, retrofittable to a head rest and attached to various child seats such as booster seats that themselves sit on the vehicle seat.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adapting to an occupant, an adult three-point seatbelt of a vehicle having a chassis, the adult three-point comprising a belt that extends from an upper point proximal to a shoulder of an adult occupant of a seat, to a lower anchor point connected to the chassis below the upper point, and a tongue on a slider attached to said strap, for dividing said strap into a sash section and a lap section, and a buckle attached to the chassis on an opposite side of the occupant of the seat from the lower anchor point, such that the belt may be drawn downwards and diagonally across an occupant to for the tongue to engage the buckle, thereby restraining the occupant with both a diagonal sash section and a lap section of the seatbelt, the apparatus comprising a guide for the sash section of the seat belt that is fixed to a seat and sideways adjustable with respect to the occupant sitting on said seat, said guide for engaging said sash session above a shoulder of said occupant at a sideways position to ensure that said sash section runs over a shoulder of the occupant in an optimal position for both comfort and safety.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said adult three-point is selected from the group of a tensioned belt wound on a drum and a 3 point static seat belt.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said seat is a built-in vehicle seat and said guide is coupled to back of said built-in vehicle seat.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said seat is a built-in car seat and said guide is coupled to a headrest of said built-in vehicle seat.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide is retrofittable to said vehicle seat.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said seat is a booster seat and said guide is adjustably coupled to said booster seat.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said seat is a booster seat and said guide is adjustably coupled to said booster seat.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said seat is a booster seat with a headrest and said guide is adjustably coupled to said head rest.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said seat is a collapsible child's seat that is positioned on integral vehicle seat under the occupant, and having a guide for engaging the sash strap of the vehicle that is sideways positionable with respect to shoulder of an occupant sitting on said apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 comprising a seat section, a headrest coupled to the seat section by an adjustable strut, wherein the guide for engaging the strut is sideways adjustably coupled to the head rest.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said strut is telescopic.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said strut folds with respect to the said section.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said strut folds with respect to the headrest.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the sash strap guide is automatically positioned appropriate to an occupant by positioning the head rest appropriately for said occupant.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, where the sash strap guide is forwards-backwards and or up-down as well as sideways adjustable.

16. A method of adjusting an three point seatbelt comprising a sash section and a lap section, to safely and comfortably engage an occupant sitting in a vehicle, comprising providing a sash strap guide that is sideways adjustable for engaging the sash section of the three point seatbelt at a point proximal to the shoulder of the occupant, that is sideways adjustable to optimally position the seatbelt for comfort and safety.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the guide is attached to a booster seat that engages the lap section over the occupant's legs.

18. The method of claim 16 comprising providing a collapsible seat comprising a seat section; a headrest; a widthwise adjustable lap strap engaging means for engaging the lap section of a three point seatbelt against the legs of the occupant; the sash strap guide being adjustably coupled to the headrest for adjustingly engaging the position of the sash strap to correct align the sash strap with the shoulder of the child for optimum comfort and safety.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sash strap guide is automatically positioned as collapsible seat is opened out and adjusted to the occupant.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the sash strap guide may be moved forwards and backwards and/or up and down in addition to sideways movement for optimum positioning with respect to the occupant.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0058] For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention; the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

[0060] In the accompanying drawings:

[0061] FIG. 1a is a schematic illustration of a prior art seatbelt arrangement designed for adults;

[0062] FIG. 1b is a schematic illustration of an adult occupant restrained by the prior art seatbelt arrangement of FIG. 1a, showing the sash section of the belt correctly positioned on the adult's neck;

[0063] FIG. 1c is a schematic illustration of a child occupant restrained by the prior art seatbelt arrangement designed for adults of FIGS. 1a and 1b, showing the sash section of the belt uncomfortably positioned against the child's neck;

[0064] FIG. 1d is a schematic illustration of the child occupant restrained by the prior art seatbelt arrangement designed for adults, where the child occupant has avoided the uncomfortable rubbing of the belt against her neck by positioning the sash section of the seat belt under her arm;

[0065] FIG. 2a shows a vehicle seat with a sash belt guide that can be configured to different positions both horizontally and vertically, thereby enabling the position of the sash belt to be configured with respect to the occupant;

[0066] FIG. 2b shows an older child sitting on a booster seat and restrained with an adult three-point seatbelt, but using the sash belt guide of FIG. 2, so that the sash belt is correctly positioned with respect to the shoulder of the child.

[0067] FIG. 3 shows a sash belt guide that engages a head rest and which can be positioned on either side of a head rest at various sideways extensions from the headrest to engage sash belt in a comfortable position with regards to the occupant;

[0068] FIG. 4 shows a child occupant sitting on a prior art booster seat, itself positioned on the vehicle seat, showing that despite the booster seat raising the occupant so that the occupant's shoulders are at a similar height to the shoulders of a typical adult, since adults are typically much broader across the shoulder than children, the sash section of the seat belt lies uncomfortably too close to the child's neck;

[0069] FIG. 5 shows a child occupant sitting on a booster seat, itself positioned on the car seat, showing the booster seat raising the child occupant so that the occupant's shoulders are at a similar height to an adult's shoulders, where the head rest of the booster seat is provided with a sideways adjustable sash strap guide enabling positioning of the sash belt to lie comfortably and safely on the shoulder of the child.

[0070] FIG. 6 shows a collapsible child's seat that has a head rest with an adjustable sash guide attached thereto, the collapsible child's seat itself positioned on a car seat; and

[0071] FIG. 7 shows an occupant sitting on the collapsible child's seat of FIG. 6, showing how the adjustable sash guide adjusts the shoulder strap of the car seat to the child, so that it passes comfortably and safely across the shoulder of the occupant.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0072] FIG. 1a is a schematic illustration of a typical and ubiquitous prior art seatbelt arrangement designed for adults. With reference to FIG. 1a, the prior art seatbelt arrangement consists of a three point seat belt 10 consisting of a tensioned strap 20 that is typically wound on a tensioned drum 20. The seatbelt 10 is fixed to an anchor point 16, rigidly fixed to the chassis of the vehicle below the seat 22, and a slider 30 with tongue 34 on the three point seat belt 16 is engageable by a clasp 36 that is typically on a strap or arm that positions it, when the seatbelt 10 is worn a few centimeters above the seat 22. The three point seat belt 10 can be considered as being effectively divided into a sash section 12 and a lap section 14 by the slider 30. Such a three point seat belt 10 is designed for use by adult sized passengers.

[0073] FIG. 1b is a schematic illustration of an occupant 28 restrained by a prior art seatbelt arrangement 10 of FIG. 1a. With reference to FIG. 1b, since the seat belt 10 is designed for adults sized occupants, the sash section 12 of the seatbelt 10 sits properly on the shoulder 26 of an adult sized occupant 28 in a manner that is both comfortable and safety providing. Similarly, the lap strap section 14 sits over the lap of the occupant and curls around the occupant from the slider in clasp 36 to the anchor point 16, both of which are snug against the adult's hips. Consequently, the seatbelt 10 restrains the adult sized occupant in a comfortable and secure manner.

[0074] FIG. 1c is a schematic illustration of a child occupant 60 restrained by the prior art seatbelt arrangement 10, designed for adult use, that is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. With reference to FIG. 1c, since the seat belt 10 is designed for adults that are taller and broader than children, the sash section 12 of the seatbelt 10 does not sit properly on the shoulder 62 of the child occupant 60, but, somewhat uncomfortably and dangerously, the sash section of the belt rubs against the child's neck. Furthermore, it will be noted that the child has narrower hips than an adult and so the lap strap 14 is not held down around the child's hip, but the separation between anchor point 16 and slider and clasp 36 is large. In a sudden stopping, the child 50 may slide out under the lap strap 14.

[0075] With reference to FIG. 1d which is a further schematic illustration of a child occupant 60 restrained by the prior art seatbelt arrangement 10, designed for adult use, that is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, showing that sometimes a child occupant 60 positions the sash section 16 under the armpit 64, and thereby away from the neck. This arrangement is more comfortable for the child 60. Although more comfortable, the positioning of the seatbelt 10 under the armpit 64 as shown in FIG. 1d is not safe. Placing the sash section 12 under the arm is dangerous in that instead of tightening onto the clavicle and ribcage, in a collision, both sash 12 and lap 14 sections of the seatbelt 10 may tighten on the abdomen, of the child below the rib cage on soft tissues only.

[0076] FIG. 2a shows a car seat wherein the back of the seat is provided with a sash belt guide 210 that can be configured to different horizontal positions, thereby enabling the position of the sash belt to be configured with respect to the child. In contrast to the approach described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,846,020 to Zhaoxia Xu, the approach described here, provides a plurality of fixing positions at different sideways displacements, rather than vertical displacements. It will, however, be appreciated that different vertical displacements may also be provided.

[0077] The sash belt guide 210 may comprise an array of loops or a flat hook or clasp and an array of housings or anchor points for the flat hook or clasp. The sash belt guide 210 typically includes a row of positions going from left to right, enabling sideways adjustment of the sash strap 12, changing the angle that it crosses the occupant.

[0078] FIG. 2b shows a child occupant 60 on a booster seat 122 that is on the car seat 22, where the sash strap 12 is sideways configured using the sash belt guide 210 of FIG. 2a. Despite the child 60 being far less broad than an adult, due to the sash belt guide 210, the sash section of the seat belt properly lies across the shoulder 62 of the child occupant 60, providing security and comfort.

[0079] FIG. 3 shows a that is attached to the head rest that is integral to many vehicles, and which can be positioned on either side of a head rest at various sideways extensions from the headrest to engage the sash belt 12 in a comfortable position with regards to the child 60. An advantage of the system of FIG. 3 is that it does not effectively change the back 24 of the vehicle seat 22, and so the seat 22 remains comfortable and appropriate for adults as well as for children. As shown, the sash belt guide 310 is integral to the head rest, but it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, a sash belt guide 310 could be retrofitted to a head rest, perhaps configured to clamp onto the metal posts of the head rest that attach head rests to the back seat, and so some embodiments of this type may be retrofittable to the head rests of existing passenger seats.

[0080] With reference to prior art FIG. 4, there is shown a child 60 sitting on a prior art booster seat 350, itself positioned on a seat 22 of a vehicle. It will be noted, that despite the booster seat 350 raising the child so that the child's shoulders 69 are at a similar height to an adult's shoulders. However, since adults are much broader across the shoulder than children, the sash section of the seat belt 12 often lies too close to the child's neck 61.

[0081] Contrasting with prior art arrangement of FIG. 4, FIG. 5 shows a child occupant 60 sitting on a modified booster seat 350 that is itself positioned on the car seat 33, where the head rest 360 of the booster seat 350 is provided with a sideways adjustable sash strap guide 310 enabling positioning of the sash belt 12 to lie comfortably and safely on the shoulder 69 of the child occupant 60, thereby enabling the child occupant 60 to be both comfortably and safely secured.

[0082] As described at length in U.S. Pat. No. 9,376,088, traditional booster seats take up space, and when a vehicle provided with such booster seats are required to carry adults, the booster seats fill up the luggage compartment. Consequently, occasional transporters of children, such as grandparents, rarely carry booster seats, and cars fitted with booster seats that are not carrying children will not offer assistance to adults, such as neighbors since there is nowhere to put them. Furthermore, due to such booster seats being childish, older children and shorter adults will be loath to use them.

[0083] With reference to FIG. 6, a collapsible child's seat 400 that has a head rest 480 with an adjustable sash guide 410 attached thereto, wherein the collapsible child's seat 400 itself being positioned on a car seat 22. The collapsible child's seat 400 has a seat portion 430 that itself may fold, and a head support portion 480 that is connected to the seat portion 410 by a strut 420. The strut 420 may be telescopic and may be hinged at the seat 430 end and/or at the head support 480 end, enabling it to fold and be compacted. A back section 450 may be included, and in some embodiments, the strut slides into and out of the back section allowing compaction. In some embodiments, the collapsible child's seat 400 may have hinged right and left side head supports that restrain the head of the occupant. The back and sides of the head support may be upholstered for comfort. Attached to the head support 480 is an adjustable sash belt guide 410 that is sideways adjustable to engage the sash strap section 12 at different lateral displacements from the axis of the collapsible child's seat 400.

[0084] FIG. 7 shows a child sitting on the collapsible child's seat of FIG. 6, showing how the adjustable sash guide adjusts the sash strap section 12 of the vehicle seat to the occupant 60, so that it passes comfortably and safely across the shoulder 69 of the occupant 60.

[0085] Possibly by virtue of the support strut being telescopic, and possibly by virtue of the sash strap guide being positionable at different altitudes with respect to the seat back, in some embodiments, the position of the sash strap guide is not only horizontally adjustable but is also vertically adjustable.

[0086] Thus there is provided an apparatus for adapting for use by a shorter occupant such as a child, an adult three-point seatbelt of a vehicle of the type consisting of a tensioned belt wound on a drum that extends from above shoulder height of an adult occupant of a seat to an anchor point connected to chassis of vehicle, and a clasp attached to the chassis on opposite side of the occupant of the seat from the anchor point, such that the belt may be drawn downwards and across the occupant to engage the clasp, thereby restraining the occupant with both a sash section and a lap section of the seatbelt. The apparatus consists of a sash section guide for the sash section of the seat belt that is fixed to a seat and sideways adjustable with respect to the occupant sitting on the seat for engaging the sash section above a shoulder of the occupant at a sideways variable position to ensure that the sash section runs over occupant's shoulder in an optimal position for both comfort and safety. The sash section guide may be attached to the vehicle seat itself or to a seat for a child, such as a booster seat, that itself sits under the child, on the vehicle seat.

[0087] Thus persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub combinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

[0088] In the claims, the word comprise, and variations thereof such as comprises, comprising and the like indicate that the components listed are included, but not generally to the exclusion of other components.