RESTRAINING ELEMENT

Abstract

The invention relates to a restraining element (1) for restraining a child (25), comprising a vehicle belt system which comprises a diagonal belt portion (7) and a horizontal belt portion (17), in particular for use with a child seat (21). The restraining element (1) extends approximately transversally above the upper leg of a child. (25) sitting on a seat surface (29). The restraining element is characterized in that the restraining element has a first belt guide (5) for the diagonal belt portion (7), and the horizontal belt portion (17) interacts with a second belt guide (15) such that the horizontal belt section (17) extends away directly over the upper leg of the child (25).

Claims

1. A restraining element for holding a child with a belt system of a vehicle comprising a diagonal belt section and a horizontal belt section, configured for use with a child seat, wherein the restraining element extends approximately transversally above the thighs of a child sitting on a seating surface, wherein the restraining element comprises a first belt guide for the diagonal belt section, and the horizontal belt section interacts with a second belt guide, such that the horizontal belt section extends directly over the thighs of the child.

2. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the second belt guide is arranged on the restraining element or on a seat.

3. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the first or the second belt guide is formed as a slot-shaped opening.

4. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the first belt guide is arranged on a front side of the restraining element.

5. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the second belt guide comprises two guide sections respectively arranged on both sides of the restraining element, between which the horizontal belt section can be freely guided.

6. A restraining element according to claim 5, wherein the second belt guide or its guide sections are arranged at a distance from the first belt guide on a bottom side of the restraining element.

7. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the first belt guide and the second belt guide produce a guidance of the diagonal belt section and the horizontal belt section which is oriented substantially perpendicularly with respect to each other.

8. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the second belt guide, in the state of use of the restraining element, is oriented substantially parallel to the thighs of the child.

9. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the second belt guide is open at a front side of the restraining element.

10. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the first belt guide, in the state of use of the restraining element, is oriented substantially parallel to the chest of the child.

11. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the first belt guide has a substantially curved progression between the two side surfaces of the restraining element.

12. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the restraining element is adjustably mounted relative to the seating surface and at an angle increasing from the rear to the front.

13. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the restraining element is continuously adjustable or alternatively in steps.

14. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the restraining element comprises a cushion facing the chest of a child, which cushion defines a chest support region.

15. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the restraining element comprises a hollow body with an approximately U-shaped cross-section, which in the mounted position is open in a forward direction and defines the first belt guide.

16. A restraining element according to claim 1, wherein the bottom side of the restraining element encloses an acute angle with a back support surface.

17. A restraining element according to claim 16, wherein the acute angle, in the mounted state of the restraining element, approximately corresponds to the inclination of the seating surface associated with the restraining element.

Description

[0017] The invention will be explained below in closer detail by reference to the drawings, wherein;

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a side view of the restraining element according to the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a restraining element according to the present invention which interacts with a child seat, and

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of the restraining element according to an advantageous further development of the invention with an associated seating surface,

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a restraining element 1 according to the invention. The restraining element 1 preferably comprises a hollow or foam body with a substantially U-shaped cross-section, which at its front side 3, i.e. the side facing away from the child, is open and accommodates a first belt guide 5 for accommodating a diagonal belt section 7, i.e. the chest belt, of a three-point belt system and guides it therein.

[0022] As is shown in FIG. 1, the first belt guide 5 is formed in the manner of a slot, so that the diagonal belt section 7 can be inserted easily into the first belt guide 5 on the one hand and it is prevented from being twisted therein to the highest possible extent on the other hand.

[0023] The illustration further shows that a backside 9 of the restraining element 1, i.e. the side of the restraining element 1 facing the child, and especially also an upper side 11, which forms an armrest surface for the child, are formed in a padded manner.

[0024] In the region of a bottom side 13 which faces the thighs of a child in the state of use of the restraining element 1, the restraining element 1 comprises a second belt guide 15. The second belt guide 15 is used for accommodating a horizontal belt section 17, i.e. a lap belt, of a three-point belt system. The second belt guide 15 need not necessarily be arranged directly on the restraining element 1. It can rather be considered to arrange the second belt guide 15 on a child seat or the like associated with the restraining element 1.

[0025] The second belt guide 15 is also formed in the present embodiment in a substantially slot-shaped manner, so that the horizontal belt section 17 can be inserted easily into the slot-shaped second belt guide, but should not be twisted therein.

[0026] In the present case, the second belt guide 15 comprises two guide sections which are situated opposite each other and arranged at a distance from each other, of which FIG. 1 only shows one guide section 19. The guide section 19 is formed integrally with the remaining restraining element 1 and extends along the bottom side 13 of the restraining element 1 in the region of a side surface 20 of the restraining element 1. The second belt guide 15 or the guide section 19 is open toward the front side 3 of the restraining element 1, so that a user of the restraining element 1 can easily insert the horizontal belt section 17.

[0027] FIG. 1 further illustrates that the orientation of the slot-shaped first and second belt guides 5 and 15 is such that the surfaces of the horizontal and diagonal belt sections 7, 17 are disposed substantially perpendicularly on each other. This provides an optimally adjusted guidance of the belt relative to the seating position of the child.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows a perspective schematic illustration of the restraining element 1 in the state of use. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the restraining element 1 interacts with a child seat 21 which is positioned on a car seat 23 of a vehicle, especially a motor vehicle. The restraining element 1 further interacts with a conventional three-point belt system of a vehicle, which comprises the diagonal belt section 7 (chest belt section) and the horizontal belt section 17 (lap belt section).

[0029] The restraining element 1 can be placed on the child seat 21 and can be fastened thereto by means of the belt system. The child seat 21 can also be fastened to the car seat 23 by means of the belt system. It can also be provided alternatively that the restraining element 1 is adjustably fastened to the child seat 21. In particular, the restraining element 1 or the child seat 21 can comprise respective connecting elements such as latching elements, which allow adjustability of the restraining element 1, especially in the horizontal and/or in the vertical direction. The restraining element 1 can thus be adjusted in this manner to children of different size.

[0030] FIG. 2 further illustrates that for fastening the restraining element 1 the diagonal belt section 7 is guided through the first belt guide 5, while the horizontal belt section 17 is guided through the second belt guide 15. Since the second belt guide 15 for accommodating the horizontal belt section 17 is situated in the region of the bottom side 13 of the restraining element 1 and thus close to the seating surface, the horizontal belt section 17 can be positioned in such a way that it is in direct contact with the child 25 in the state of use of the restraining element 1 and rests especially on its thighs.

[0031] The two belt guides 5, 15 are arranged at a suitable vertical distance from each other, In particular, the first belt guide 5 is advantageously arranged close to the upper side 11 of the restraining element 1, whereas the second belt guide is associated with the bottom side 13 of the restraining element 1.

[0032] Since the second belt guide 15 comprises two mutually separated guide sections 19 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, which guide sections are each arranged opposite each other on both sides 20, 20 of the restraining element 1, the horizontal belt section 17 extends substantially freely between the two guide sections 19 in the state of use, so that the horizontal belt section 17 can rest on the thighs of the child 25.

[0033] FIG. 3 further shows an advantageous further development of the invention, which contributes to increased safety for the child. In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom side 13 of the restraining element 1 encloses in its state of use an acute angle with a back support surface 27 associated with the restraining element 1 or a chest surface 32 of the child. The angle a can especially be between 60 and 85, especially between 70 and 85. The back support surface 27 can especially concern the backrest of a vehicle seat or the backrest of a child seat.

[0034] The illustration further shows that the angle a approximately corresponds to the inclination of a seating surface 29 associated with the restraining element 1 in the mounted state of the restraining element 1. The seating surface 29 thus preferably also encloses an acute angle a with the associated back support surface 27. The seating surface 29 and the bottom side 13 of the restraining element 1 are oriented in this embodiment in a substantially parallel manner with respect to each other in the state of use of the restraining element 1 and the thighs 33 of the child are arranged in between.

[0035] Furthermore, a chest support surface 31 on the bottom side 9 of the restraining element 1 of the child can enclose an obtuse angle b>90 with the bottom side 13 of the restraining element 1, so that the chest support surface 31 is formed in an inclined manner towards the chest surface 32 of the child 25 in the state of use of the restraining element 1. Depending on the size of the child, the wedge-shaped seat 35 can further be formed in a shorter or longer way and can thus be adjusted to the length of the thighs 33 of the child. The angles a and b, i.e. the inclination of the seating surface 29 and the restraining element 1, can also vary depending on the size of the child.

[0036] Unlike conventional child securing devices for vehicles in which the seating unit 35 and the impact shield 1 are oriented parallel to the floor 37, the seating unit 35 and the impact shield 1 or the seating surface 29 and the bottom side 13 are inclined in accordance with the invention in the direction of the child. This constricts the slippage channel between the seating unit 35 and the impact shield 1 because the popliteal spaces of the child are situated at a higher altitude than the opposite end of the thighs 33 and the portion of the restraining element 1 facing the body is situated at the lower altitude than the portion facing away from the body of the child. As a result, the child can only be pulled with an increased input of force from the seat in the case of a vehicle rollover, as indicated by the arrows 39 and 41.

[0037] It is advantageously ensured by the present invention that in the case of an accident and a resulting application of force on the torso of the child 25, the horizontal belt section 17 is tensioned and thus a direct fixing of the child on the child seat 21 or the car seat 23 is produced. The restraining element 1 according to the present invention thus ensures a considerably lower risk of injury to a child in the case of an accident.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0038] 1 Restraining element [0039] 3 Front side [0040] 5 First belt guide [0041] 7 Diagonal belt section [0042] 9 Rear side [0043] 11 Upper side [0044] 13 Bottom side [0045] 15 Second belt guide [0046] 17 Horizontal belt section [0047] 19 Guide section [0048] 20 Side surface [0049] 21 Child seat [0050] 23 Car seat [0051] 25 Child [0052] 27 Back support surface [0053] 29 Seating surface [0054] 31 Chest support surface [0055] 32 Chest surface [0056] 33 Thigh [0057] 35 Seating (unit) [0058] 37 Floor [0059] 39 Arrow [0060] 41 Arrow [0061] a Acute angle [0062] b Obtuse angle