AU2011200971A1

AU2011200971A1 - Harness buckle assembly improvements

Info

Publication number: AU2011200971A1
Application number: AU2011200971A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mike Lumley
Original assignee: Britax Childcare Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Britax Childcare Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2010-03-05
Filing date: 2011-03-04
Publication date: 2011-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-04
Also published as: NZ591573A; CN102188080A; AU2011200971B2; CN102188080B

Abstract

This invention relates to a buckle assembly for a harness comprising a receiver, a connector for a first strap, and a connector for a second strap, at least one of the connectors being adapted to effect releasable securement to the other connector so as to form a combined connector for engagement with the receiver. 5 An associated harness is also disclosed.

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: Britax Childcare Pty Ltd Actual Inventor: Mike Lumley Address for Service: C/- MADDERNS, GPO Box 2752, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Invention title: HARNESS BUCKLE ASSEMBLY IMPROVEMENTS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it as known to us.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a buckle assembly of the type employed in harnesses for retaining children in strollers, high chairs and the like. 5 PRIORITY This patent application claims priority from: Australian Provisional Patent Application 2010900941, titled "HARNESS BUCKLE ASSEMBLY IMPROVEMENTS", and filed on 5 March 2010. 10 The entire content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many harnesses have two straps that hang down from upper mounting points so as to form shoulder strap portions, and then pass through a connector for a buckle assembly and continue on to mounting 15 points at either side of the seat and lower down so as to form a waist band portion as well. In use, the two connectors engage a buckle receiver fixed to a crotch strap to secure the child in place. A problem with these harnesses is that when the buckle assembly is released, the two straps form loops between their respective mounting points (referred to as hang-ups) in which a child can become 20 entangled, and which may be large enough that a child may be hanged in one. It is an object of the present invention to provide a buckle assembly which substantially ameliorates the above identified problem, or which at the least, provides a useful alternative to known buckle assemblies. 25 Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 30 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, although this need not be the only or indeed the broadest form of this, the invention may be said to reside in a buckle assembly for a harness comprising a receiver, a connector for a first strap, and a connector for a second strap, at least one of the connectors being adapted to effect releasable securement to the other connector so as to form a combined connector for engagement with the receiver. 2 In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a buckle assembly for a harness comprising a receiver, a connector for a first strap, and a connector for a second strap, the connectors being adapted to cooperatively form a combined connector whose combined status is maintained by the combined 5 connector's engagement with the receiver, and substantially undone by release from engagement with the receiver. In one form, at least one of the connectors comprises a body portion, and both of the connectors comprise a receiver engaging portion, and the connectors are adapted to cooperatively engage to form a 10 combined connector with a combined receiver engaging portion for engagement with the receiver. In one form, each of the connectors has a body portion and a receiver engaging portion, and the connectors are adapted to cooperatively engage to form a combined connector with a combined body and a combined receiver engaging portion. 15 In one form, in an alternative, each of the connectors has a body portion and at least one connector comprises a receiver engaging portion, and the two connectors are adapted to cooperatively engage to form a combined connector with a combined body and a receiver engaging portion. 20 In one form, at least one of either of the body portion or the receiver engaging portion of a first connector is adapted to effect releasable securement to the corresponding portion of the other connector by way of comprising releasable securement means. In one form, both connectors comprise releasable securement means. 25 In one form, both the body portion and the receiver engaging portion of both connectors comprise releasable securement means. In one form, the releasable securement means comprise one or more of magnets, hook and loop fastener, 30 or cooperatively engaging physical features. In one form, the first strap is a harness shoulder strap, and the second strap is a harness waist strap. In one form, the harness comprises two shoulder straps, two waist straps and a harness crotch strap. 3 In one form, the receiver is connected to the harness crotch strap. In one form, the receiver is adapted to receive two combined connectors. 5 In one form, the combined receiver engaging portion is a guide pin. In one form, each shoulder and waist strap connector comprises a further receiver engaging portion. In one form, the further receiver engaging portion is a resiliently deformable prong for cantilevered snap 10 fit in the receiver. In one form, one connector comprises a resiliently deformable prong disposed above its combined receiver engaging portion, and the other connector comprises a resiliently deformable prong disposed below its combined receiver engaging portion. 15 In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a buckle assembly for a harness comprising a receiver, a connector for a first strap, and a connector for a second strap, wherein the connectors cooperatively engage to form a combined receiver engaging portion for engagement with the receiver. 20 In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a harness comprising the buckle assembly of any one of the preceding claims. In yet a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a harness comprising a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap comprising a first buckle connector, a pair of waist straps, each waist strap 25 comprising a second buckle connector, and a crotch strap carrying a buckle receiver, wherein each of the first buckle connectors cooperatively engages with one each of the second buckle connectors to form a combined connector for engagement with the receiver. In yet a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a method of securing a buckle assembly as 30 described above, the method including the steps ofjoining the connector for the first strap to the connector for the second strap so that these form a combined connector, and then inserting the or each receiver engaging portion of the combined connector into the receiver. 4 In yet a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a method of releasing a buckle assembly of the above described, the method being the reverse of the method for securing the buckle assembly. In this respect, before explaining at least one exemplary embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be 5 understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawing. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of this disclosure it will now be described with respect to an exemplary embodiment which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein: 15 Figure 1 is a front view of a stroller (in dashed lines) fitted with an exemplary harness and buckle assembly; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the buckle assembly in Figure 1; 20 Figure 3 is an exploded view of the buckle assembly in Figure 2, showing the two pairs of shoulder and waist strap connectors cooperatively engaged to form two combined connectors; Figure 4 is a view of the buckle assembly illustrated in Figures 1 through 3, showing the two combined connectors inserted into the receiver; 25 Figure 5 is a detailed view of a shoulder strap connector from the buckle assembly illustrated in Figures I through 4; and Figure 6 is a detailed view of a waist strap connector from the buckle assembly illustrated in Figures 1 30 through 4. In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 5 DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In Figure 1, there is illustrated a buckle assembly 1 forming part of a harness 10 for securely but releasably restraining a child. The harness may form part of a stroller (as illustrated), a high chair, an infant bouncer, or a child restraint for a vehicle or the like, or it may be used with a walking tether for a 5 child, but need not be limited to these. The harness is 'a five point' harness comprising two shoulder straps 14 and 16, two shoulder strap buckle connectors 18 and 20, two waist straps 22 and 24, two waist strap buckle connectors 26 and 28, a crotch strap 30, and a buckle receiver 32 connected to the crotch strap 30. With reference to Figures 2 through 4, it can be seen that together, the shoulder strap buckle connectors 18 and 20, the waist strap 10 buckle connectors 26 and 28, and the buckle receiver 32 form the buckle assembly 1. One or more or all of the straps 14, 16, 22, 24 and 30 may incorporate length adjusters. Length adjusters may be incorporated into any part of any one of the shoulder strap buckle connectors 18 and 20, the waist strap buckle connectors 26 and 28, and/or the buckle receiver 32. The adjuster could be formed 15 with a component of the buckle receiver 32 and an additional part or parts that would cause the straps 14, 16, 22, 24 and 30 to be locked such that they could not slip. One end of each of the straps 14, 16, 22, 24 and 30 are anchored at anchor points (not shown) to the back or bottom of a frame 12 of the stroller illustrated. 20 The shoulder straps 14, 16 pass through portions of shoulder strap buckle connectors 18 and 20 which serve to connect these shoulder straps 14, 16 to the buckle receiver 32. The waist straps 22 and 24 pass through portions of waist strap buckle connectors 26 and 28 which also serve to connect these waist straps 22 and 24 to the buckle receiver 32. The crotch strap 30 passes through an opening 44 in the buckle receiver 32 and is secured against itself with stitches 46. Each of these straps 14, 16, 22, 24 and 25 30 is made of an appropriate material, e.g., a tight-woven nylon or polypropylene to provide strength and comfort. Each shoulder strap buckle connector 18, 20 is comprised of a body portion 50 and a pair of receiver engaging portions 54 and 56. The body portion 50 defines a slotted opening 52 at an upper end thereof through which the shoulder strap 14, 16 can be looped and the secured against itself with stitches. 30 Extending from about a midpoint of the body portion 50 is a first receiver engaging portion 54, and extending from an upper end of the body is a second receiver engaging portion 56. 6 Each waist strap buckle connector 26, 28 is comprised of a body portion 60 and a pair of receiver engaging portions 64 and 66. The body portion 60 defines a slotted opening 62 to the side thereof through which the waist strap 24 can be looped and the secured against itself with stitches. Extending from about a midpoint of the body portion 60 is a first receiver engaging portion 64, and extending from 5 a lower end of the body 60 is second receiver engaging portion 66. Formed into one side of the body portion 50 and receiver engaging portion 54 of the shoulder strap buckle connectors 18, 20 are features 58 adapted to cooperatively engage complimentary features 68 formed into one side of body portion 60 and receiver engaging portion 64 of the waist strap connectors 26, 28. 10 In this embodiment, features 58 are one or more recesses, and features 68 are one or more projections of such a size and shape as to fit in recesses features 58 with a press fit. It will be apparent however that this arrangement can be reversed, or that both shoulder 18, 20 and waist strap 26, 28 connectors can be equipped with both recesses and projections. 15 The shoulder strap buckle connectors 18, 20 also incorporate a relief groove 59 in which part of the receiver engaging portion 66 of the waist strap connectors 26, 28 can nest. Similarly, the waist strap buckle connectors 26, 28 incorporate a relief groove 69 in which part of the second receiver engaging portion 56 of the shoulder strap connectors 18, 20 can nest. 20 In use then, a shoulder strap buckle connector 18, 20 from one side of the harness 10 is combined with a waist strap buckle connector 26, 28 from a same side of the harness 10 via their complimentary features 58, 68. In doing so, they form a combined buckle connector 100 having a combined body 102 (this being a combination of bodies 50 and 60) and a combined receiver engaging portion 104 (this being a 25 combination of receiver engaging portions 64 and 64) in the form of a guide pin. This combined buckle connector 100 joins the shoulder straps 14, 16 and waist straps 22, 24 on respective sides of the harness 10, as seen in Figure 3. 30 From the combined body 102 of the combined buckle connector 100 there extends the receiver engaging portions, these being the combined receiver engaging portion 104 (guide pin) and the receiver engaging portions 56 and 66 to either side of (above and below respectively) this. 7 Each of receiver engaging portions 56 and 66 comprises an arm 56a, 66a projecting from the body 102 of the combined buckle connector 100, where each arm 56a, 66a is resiliently deformable in a direction towards the combined receiver engaging portion 104. The ends of the arms 56a, 66a are provided with widened portions 56b, 66b that defines a latching surface 66c. 5 The buckle receiver 32 defines a substantially hollow body having sideways directed apertures 200 in opposing ends thereof. When the receiver engaging portions 56, 66, 104 of a combined buckle connector 100 are inserted in one of these apertures 200 of the receiver 32 the arms 56a, 66a (which are in effect, 'cantilever snap fits') are initially urged toward one another. Once the arms 56a, 66a extend into the 10 body to the extent illustrated in Figure 4 they are permitted by the geometry of the body to spring outwardly and resume their natural position. In this position, the latching surface 56c, 66c on each arm 56a, 66a together with a co-operating latching surface 32a on the body of the receiver 32 lock the arms 56a, 66a in a position in the body form which they cannot be withdrawn unless and until the arms 56a, 66a are simultaneously depressed toward the combined connector portion 104. 15 It will be apparent however that the connection of the connectors to the receiver could be secured by other methods requiring a component of the connector or housing to be flexed to release the tongues. When the combined buckle connectors 100 are released from the receiver 32 the shoulder strap buckle 20 connector 18, 20 and waist strap buckle connector 26, 28 that combine to form these will fall apart under the effect of the slightest coercion to do so. In this way, when a combined buckle connector 100 is free of the buckle receiver 32, the shoulder and waist strap on one side of the harness 10 cannot form a loop of strap in which a child can become dangerously entangled. If a child should be even slightly entangled, the combined buckle connector 100 will immediately fall apart, allowing the shoulder and waist straps 25 to separate, thereby freeing the child. Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words "comprise" and "include" and variations such as "comprising" and "including" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or 30 group of integers. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. 8 It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated 5 that various modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all such modifications in its scope. 9

Claims

1. A buckle assembly for a harness comprising a receiver, a connector for a first strap, and a connector for a second strap, the connectors being adapted to cooperatively form a combined connector 5 whose combined status is maintained by the combined connector's engagement with the receiver, and substantially undone by release from engagement with the receiver.

2. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the connectors comprises a body portion, and both of the connectors comprise a receiver engaging portion, and the two connectors are 10 adapted to cooperatively engage to form a combined connector with a combined receiver engaging portion for engagement with the receiver.

3. The buckle assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the connectors has a body portion and a receiver engaging portion, and the two connectors are adapted to cooperatively engage to form a 15 combined connector with a combined body and a combined receiver engaging portion.

4. The buckle assembly of claim 3, wherein at least one of either of the body portion or the receiver engaging portion of a first connector is adapted to effect releasable securement to the corresponding portion of the other connector by way of comprising releasable securement means. 20

5. The buckle assembly of claim 2, wherein both the body portion and the receiver engaging portion of both connectors comprise releasable securement means.

6. The buckle assembly of either of claims 4 or 5, wherein the releasable securement means 25 comprise one or more of magnets, hook and loop fastener, or cooperatively engaging physical features.

7. The buckle assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first strap is a harness shoulder strap, and the second strap is a harness waist strap. 30

8. The buckle assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the harness comprises two shoulder straps, two waist straps and a harness crotch strap.

9. The buckle of claim 8, wherein the receiver is connected to the harness crotch strap. 10

10. The buckle assembly as in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive two combined connectors.

11. The buckle assembly as in any one of claims 2 through 10, wherein the combined receiver 5 engaging portion is a guide pin.

12. The buckle assembly of claim 11, wherein each shoulder and waist strap connector comprises a further receiver engaging portion. 10

13. The buckle assembly of claim 12, wherein the further receiver engaging portion is a resiliently deformable prong for cantilevered snap fit in the receiver.

14. The buckle assembly of claim 13, wherein one connector comprises a resiliently deformable prong disposed above its guide pin portion, and the other connector comprises a resiliently deformable 15 prong disposed below its guide pin portion.

15. A buckle assembly for a harness comprising a receiver, a connector for a first strap, and a connector for a second strap, wherein the connectors cooperatively engage to form a combined receiver engaging portion for engagement with the receiver. 20

16. A harness comprising the buckle assembly of any one of the preceding claims.

17. A harness comprising a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap comprising a first buckle connector, a pair of waist straps, each waist strap comprising a second buckle connector, and a crotch 25 strap carrying a buckle receiver, wherein each of the first buckle connectors cooperatively engages with one each of the second buckle connectors to form a combined receiver engaging portion for engagement with the receiver.

18. A method of securing a buckle assembly as in any one of claims I through 15, the method 30 including the steps of joining the connector for the first strap to the connector for the second strap so that these form a combined connector, and then inserting a receiver engaging portion of the combined connector into the receiver. I1

19. A method of releasing a buckle assembly as in any one of claims I through 15, the method being the reverse of the method for securing the buckle assembly.

20. A buckle assembly as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the 5 accompanying representations. 12