GB2383979A

GB2383979A - Strap-securing device for securing a safety harness

Info

Publication number: GB2383979A
Application number: GB0200485A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kate Brennan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-01-10
Filing date: 2002-01-10
Publication date: 2003-07-16
Also published as: GB0200485D0; GB0217048D0

Abstract

A strap-securing device for securing a childs safety harness comprising a central panel 11 and first 12 and second 15 foldable panels attached to respective edges 19, 18 of the central panel 11, the foldable panels 12, 15 being foldable from an open position in which the device can be placed between a child's chest and a pair of shoulder straps 1,2, forming part of a safety harness in which the child is restrained, and a closed position in which the foldable panels 12, 15 overlap one another and sandwich the shoulder straps 1,2 between the central panel 11, and the foldable panels 12,15, the foldable panels being removably secured to one another in the closed position.

Description

STRAP-SECURING DEVICE

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a strap-securing device for improving the effectiveness of child safety harnesses.

Child safety harnesses for high chairs and car seats generally comprise a respective shoulder straps passing over each of the child's shoulders, respective waist straps passing around each side of the child's waist and (optionally but normally) a bottom strap passing between the child's legs, the straps all terminating at a buckle in front of the child's belly. A particular problem can arise if the child is too small for the harness or is sufficiently dexterous to be able to pass an arm under one of the shoulder straps. In both cases, the child's body can lean forwards through the harness such that one or both of the shoulder straps are ineffective in restraining the child from forwards motion, for example in the case of a collision in a car. The problem is exacerbated because, in children, a higher proportion of the body weight is constituted by the head, thus moving the centre of gravity upwards and making a toppling motion more likely.

Summary ofae invention According one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a strapsecuring device comprising a central panel and first and second foldable panels attached to respective edges of the central panel, the foldable panels being foldable from an open position in which the device can be placed between a child's chest and a pair of shoulder straps forming part of a safety harness in which the child is restrained, and a closed position in which the foldable panels overlap one another and sandwich the shoulder straps between the central panel and the foldable panels, the foldable panels being removably secured to one another in the closed position.

It is highly preferred for the foldable panels to be attached to opposed edges of the central panel.

Preferably, the foldable panels are removably secured to one another in the closed position by means of respective areas of Velcro-type inter-engaging hooked and looped fabrics. The area of inter-engagement of the hooked and looped fabrics will be chosen to suit the intended use of the harness with which the device is to be used, such that the likely forward force of the child in, for example, a car collision does not result in the foldable panels being forced apart. Generally, for a typical child harness, an area of at least 30cm2, preferably at least 40,50 or 60cm2, of normal strength Velcro-type material should be used.

The foldable panels are joined to the central panel by hinges, so that they can be folded with respect to the central panel. The two hinges are preferably nonparallel to one another in order to accommodate divergence of the shoulder straps going from the buckle to the child's shoulders.

The central panel and/or at least one of the foldable panels advantageously comprises means to engage the shoulder straps such as to resist sliding of the device along the straps, thereby keeping the device snugly adjacent the shoulder straps and preventing the effectiveness of the device being reduced to downward slippage of the device. Suitably, the means to resist sliding comprises a high friction polymeric material of the type that is used to form non-slip soles on slipper socks.

Conveniently, the foldable panel that is remote from the child's body when the device is in the closed position is provided with a graspable tab to facilitate manual detachment of the foldable panels from one another.

The device can be sold in different shapes and sizes to suit different safety harnesses. However, relatively few variations are needed in order to suit a wide variety of harnesses, since the device can simply be positioned a little higher or lower with respect to the shoulder straps. In principle, a single device can be manufactured and sold, which will be usable with a high proportion of the harnesses currently on the market.

Alternatively, according to a second aspect of the invention, a complete child's safety harness is provided, comprising respective shoulder straps that pass over a child's shoulders and are secured to one another directly or indirectly at its waist, the shoulder straps being removably attached to one another in the region of the child's chest by means of the device described above.

In this version of the invention, since the device is made and sold together with the harness itself, they can be formed as a single unit. Hence, the means to prevent sliding of the device along the straps comprises a non-removable fixing (for example stitching) of at least one panel to a shoulder strap.

The device will usually be made from a washable synthetic material such as woven nylon. All three panels (central and foldable panels) can be made from a single sheet of such material or from two similarly-sized sheets that are attached to each other, for example by stitching around the perimeter, with padding sandwiched between the two sheets. The padding can be omitted or reduced in thickness along the lines of the hinges. The Velcros pue material and the high friction polymeric material are stitched or glued to the panels as appropriate. The graspable tab can be stitched to the said remote foldable panel between the nylon sheets at the edge thereof that is opposite the hinge, or it can be stitched or glued to the outer face thereof.

Examples of the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a first device in accordance with the invention, the device being in the closed position and engaging the shoulder straps of a safety harness; Figure 2 shows a plan of the Fig. 1 device in the open position ; and Figure 3 shows a plan of a second device in accordance with the invention.

Example 1 Referring to Figure 1, a child's safety harness (only part of which is shown) comprises two shoulder straps 1,2, two waist straps 3,4 and a bottom strap 5, all terminating in a releasable buckle 6. The strap-securing device 10 is shown in the closed position, in which it secures together the shoulder straps 1,2. The outer face 11 of a foldable panel 12 that is remote from the child's body (not shown) can be seen, together with a graspable tab 13 that can be grasped by the user in order to change the device from the closed to the open position.

The device is shown in more detail in Figure 2, where it is illustrated in the open position. It is made up of the right-hand foldable panel 12 that is visible in Fig. 1, a central panel 14 and a left-hand foldable panel 15. Right-hand foldable panel 12 carries, stitched to the face thereof that will be facing the child when the device is in use, a rectangle 16 of Velcro-type hooked pile fabric. Similarly, the face of the left-hand foldable panel 15 that will be facing outwards when the device is in use has stitched to it a rectangle of corresponding Velcro'-type looped pile fabric.

The three panels are made from two sheets of woven nylon fabric of the same size and shape as each other, with synthetic fibre padding between them except in the regions defining the two hinges 18,19, where the padding is omitted in order to allow greater flexibility.

Parallel to, and spaced slightly inwards from, each lateral edge of each of the central and left-hand panels 14,15 are four rectangular areas 20 of the sort of high friction polymeric material that is used to provide non-slip soles on sock slippers.

In use, the child is positioned in the car seat or high chair and the safety harness is buckled up. The strap-securing device of the invention is placed between the child and the shoulder straps of the safety harness in the orientation shown in Figure 2, such that the two shoulder straps of the harness lie along substantially the whole length of the respective high friction areas 20 on the central panel 14.

The left-hand foldable panel is then folded over such that the two high friction areas 20 on it contact the shoulder straps. Finally, the right-hand panel 12 is folded over the left-hand panel 15 and the two areas of Velcro-type material are pressed into mutual engagement.

When the child is to be removed from the harness, the tab 13 is grasped firmly and the right-band panel is pulled away from the left-hand panel, allowing the shoulder straps of the harness to be moved away from each other as usual.

For a typical safety harness, the central panel of the device can have an upper edge of around 13cm, side edges of around 10cm and a bottom edge of around 8cm. The rectangular areas of Velcro-type material 16,17 can usefully cover substantially the whole of the respective faces of the foldable panels but can be made smaller to save cost and bulk, provided that they create a sufficiently strong adhesion between the two foldable panels as to ensure that the forward force of the child, for example in a car collision, cannot force the two panels apart.

Of course, the device can alternatively be arranged so that the right-hand panel 12 is folded across first, and then the left-hand panel 15 is folded across. The areas of Velcro-type material 16,17 will therefore be provided on the other side of each of the foldable panels and the areas of high friction material will be provided on the right-hand panel 12 instead of the left-hand panel 15.

Likewise, the tab 13 will be provided on the left-hand panel 15.

Example 2 In a less favoured embodiment 30 illustrated in Figure 3, the two foldable panels 31,32 are arranged such that one foldable panel is above and the other is below the central panel 33. Areas ofVelcro-type material 33,34 and areas of high friction material 35 are used as in the first embodiment, and a tab 36 is provided on the free edge of the upper panel 31.

Cut outs have to provided in the foldable and/or central panels in order to accommodate the shoulder straps 1,2 of the harness. This is undesirable, as it introduces regions of weakness but the overall device may nevertheless be satisfactory if suitably strong materials are used.

In use, the device is placed between the child and the harness as before. The lower foldable panel 32 is folded up to trap the shoulder straps between the areas of high friction material and then the upper foldable panel 31 is folded down so that the two areas ofVelcro-type material 33,34 can be pressed into engagement with each other. The tab 36 is pulled in order to disengage the two foldable panels from each other.

Of course, the device can alternatively be arranged so that the upper panel 31 is folded down first, and then the lower panel 32 is folded up. The areas of Velcro-type material 33,34 will therefore be provided on the other side of each of the foldable panels and the areas of high friction material will be provided on the upper panel 31 instead of the lower panel 32. Likewise, the tab 36 will be provided on the lower panel 32.

Another reason that this second embodiment is less favoured is that there is much less resistance to sideways movement of the shoulder straps, since it is essentially only the friction of the high friction material that is holding them in

place instead of the wrapping around of the panels as in the first embodiment.

Example 3 In a third embodiment (not illustrated), the device is sold and manufactured as an integral part of a safety harness. The areas of high friction can therefore be omitted and, instead, a panel (preferably the central panel) is attached to a shoulder strap, for example by stitching along the area that would otherwise have been occupied by the high friction material. The device is otherwise as illustrated in Figures 2 or 3.

Claims

Claims

1. A strap-securing device comprising a central panel and first and second foldable panels attached to respective edges of the central panel, the foldable panels being foldable from an open position in which the device can be placed between a child's chest and a pair of shoulder straps forming part of a safety harness in which the child is restrained, and a closed position in which the foldable panels overlap one another and sandwich the shoulder straps between the central panel and one of the foldable panels, the foldable panels being removably secured to one another in the closed position.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the foldable panels are attached to respective opposed edges of the central panel.

3. A device according to claim I or 2 wherein the foldable panels are removably secured to one another in the closed position by means of respective areas of Velcro'-type inter-engaging hooked and looped fabrics.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the area of inter-engagement of the hooked and looped fabrics is at least 30cm2, preferably at least 40,50 or 60cm2.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the central panel and/or at least one of the foldable panels comprises means to engage the shoulder straps such as to resist sliding of the device along the straps. dz A device according to Claim 5 wherein the means to resist sliding comprises a high friction polymeric material 7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the foldable panels are joined to the central panel by hinges, the two hinges being non-parallel to one another in order to accommodate divergence of the shoulder straps in the direction of the child's waist to its head.

8. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the foldable panel that is remote from the child's body when the device is in the closed position is provided with a graspable tab to facilitate manual detachment of the foldable panels from one another.

9. A child's safety harness comprising respective shoulder straps that pass over a child's shoulders and are secured to one another directly or indirectly at its waist, the shoulder straps being removably attached to one another in the region of the child's chest by means of a device according to any one of the preceding claims.

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10. A harness according to Claim 9 when dependent on claim 5 wherein the means to prevent sliding of the device along the straps comprises stitching of at least one panel to a shoulder strap.

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1. A device for the maintenance of the maximum separation distance for the shoulder straps of a child's harness. The device comprises a central panel and 1 and 2* panels attached to respective edges of the central panel, the first and second panels being foldable from an open position in which the device can be placed between a child's chest and a pair of shoulder straps and a closed position in which the foldable panels overlap one another and sandwich the shoulder straps, in the same fold, between the central panel and the foldable panels, the foldable panels being removably secured to one another in the closed position 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the foldable panels are removably secured to one another in the closed position by means of respective areas of Velcros-type inter-engaging hooked and looped fabrics.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the area of inter-engagement of the Velcro-type hooked and looped fabrics is at least 30cm2, preferably at least 40cm2, 50cm2, or 60cm2.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the central panel and/or at least one of the foldable panels comprises means to engage the shoulder straps such as to resist sliding of the device along the straps.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the means to resist sliding comprises a high friction polymeric material.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the foldable panels are joined to the central panel by hinges, the two hinges being non-parallel to one another in order to accommodate divergence of the shoulder straps in the direction of the child's waist to its head 7. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the foldable panel that is remote from the child's body when the device is in the closed position is provided with a graspable tab to facilitate manual detachment of the foldable panels from one another.

8. A child's safety harness comprising respective shoulder straps that pass over a child's shoulders and are secured to one another directly or indirectly at its waist, the shoulder straps being removably attached to one another in the region of the child's chest by means of a device according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A harness according to Claim 9 when dependent on claim 5 wherein the means to prevent sliding of the device along the straps comprises stitching of at least one panel to a shoulder strap.