AU715321B2

AU715321B2 - Harness and booster seat

Info

Publication number: AU715321B2
Application number: AU10101/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: William J Bowtell
Original assignee: IGC Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: IGC Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1996-01-10
Filing date: 1997-01-10
Publication date: 2000-01-20
Anticipated expiration: 2017-01-10
Also published as: AU1010197A

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: HARNESS AND BOOSTER SEAT Applicant: IGC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1

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HARNESS AND BOOSTER SEAT The present invention relates to a vehicle safety harness and to a child's booster seat adapted for use therewith.

In describing the invention and the prior art, reference will be made to various straps and belts. It will be appreciated that in some circumstances, several associated straps or belts may be formed from a single integral length of strap or belt which is notionally divided into, for example, a lap belt and a sash belt. The junction between the associated straps or belts may be formed by a movable feature, such as a buckle. Description of straps or belts as separate features does not preclude the straps or belts actually being formed from one or more integral lengths of strap or belt.

Various types of safety harnesses are known for restraining passengers in the event of a vehicle collision. The simplest of these is a lap belt, which runs around a passenger's lap and hips and is secured to the vehicle frame at either end. A two-part buckle is usually provided part way along the belt, usually near a hip of the user, to facilitate the putting on and taking off of the belt. The buckle divides the belt into a left portion and a right portion.

A second type of harness is a lap-sash belt. This harness has a lap-belt as 20 previously described, with the addition of a diagonal sash-belt passing over the o* passenger's shoulder to their opposite hip. This type of belt usually has three anchor points, one at each end of the lap belt and one at the shoulder end of the sash belt. The hip end of the sash belt may be secured to a first part of the buckle on the lap belt, but more usually is continuous with a portion of the lap belt, the first part of the buckle being freely movable along the length of the continuous lap-sash belt. The first part of the buckle defines the junction of the lap belt and the sash belt when in use.

Neither the lap belt or lap-sash belt type of harness is suitable if the passenger is of small stature, for example, an infant or young child. This is because the anchor point for the sash belt is usually too high for the belt to be properly positioned. In addition, the centre of gravity of an infant or young child is lower than that of an adult, with the result that in a collision, a child would slide KB C\WINWORDKAREN\PN7489.DOC out of lap or lap-sash harness by passing beneath the lap belt, a phenomenon known as "submarining".

To restrain a child or infant, a number of methods are used. For an infant or very young child, a "safety seat" or "capsule" is used. A safety seat comprises a substantially rigid shell in the form of a seat in which the child is placed. The safety seat is anchored to the vehicle seat by passing a lap belt or lap-sash belt through apertures in the lower portion of the safety seat, and anchoring the upper portion of the seat to an anchor point on the vehicle frame, usually located immediately behind the vehicle seat. The child or infant is held in the safety seat by a harness which is anchored to the rigid shell of the safety seat. Such a harness, known as a "six-point harness" typically comprises a three part buckle S which in use is situated centrally on the abdomen of the child. The three part buckle comprises a lower portion, a left upper portion and a right upper portion, •go* the left and right upper portions being removably fastened to the lower portion.

oooo• The lower portion of the buckle is connected to a left and a right crotch i' straps. The crotch straps pass between the legs of the child to prevent submarining. The left upper portion of the buckle is connected to a left shoulder strap and a left hip strap, whilst the right upper portion of the buckle is connected .o.o.i to a right shoulder strap and a right hip strap. When the three buckle parts are fastened together for use, six straps lead away from the buckle and are anchored °to the safety seat.

For a larger child, a "booster seat" is used. A booster seat is typically a light weight form, often composed of polystyrene covered with a layer of foam cushioning and fabric. Booster seats are not anchored to the vehicle seat in any way. A child sitting on a booster seat is raised up by the thickness of the booster seat. Both the child and the booster seat are held against the vehicle seat by a harness acting principally on the child. The weight of the child and the action of the harness also act to keep the booster seat in place. The harness may be a lap-sash type since the booster seat will raise the child to allow better placement of the sash against the torso of the child. However, sash placement may still not KB C:WINWORD\XAREN\PN7489 DOC CD/99053017.7 4 be adequate to afford proper restraint, and a young child may easily remove a sash portion of the harness from its torso.

To counter this, booster seat harnesses are used. A booster seat harness is adapted to work in conjunction with a lap or a lap-sash belt. For a lap-sash belt, the sash portion of the belt is usually fastened to the lap portion of the belt to form a bight in which the first part of the buckle is situated. An anchor strap is attached to the anchor point behind the vehicle seat, and leads over the back of the booster seat to a point behind and slightly above the child's head. From this point, left and right shoulder straps are attached to the anchor strap, each passing over the child's shoulders and being connected to the lap belt or the bight of the lap-sash belt. Typically, each shoulder strap is equipped with at least one loop adjacent its free end, through which the lap belt or bight of the lap-sash belt is passed. By providing a number of adjacent loops, crude adjustment of the position of the lap or lap-sash belt possible. Whilst this type of harness is less prone to partial removal by a child, it does not prevent submarining in the event of an accident. A further problem is that as the anchor strap passes over and presses against the tope of the booster seat, considerable pressure may be exerted on the polystyrene foam, causing it to fracture over time. Reinforcing in the form of inelastic adhesive tape is often added to the form to attempt to counter this.

S: 20 The present invention seeks to overcome or alleviate one or more of the problems associated with the prior art.

~Accordingly, the present invention provides a harness adapted to restrain a S"child or infant relative to a vehicle seat, with or without a booster seat, the harness including: 25 a buckle portion; a left shoulder strap; a right shoulder strap; a left hip strap extending between the buckle portion and a left securing means; a right hip strap extending between the buckle portion and a right CD/99053017.7 4a securing means; a left crotch strap extending between the buckle portion and the left securing means; a right crotch strap extending between the buckle portion and the left securing means; and wherein the left and right securing means are adapted to be engaged by a vehicle lap belt or a loop made from the lap and sash portions of a vehicle lapsash belt to hold the harness, and to cooperate with the harness to hold any child or infant in the harness, relative to the vehicle seat.

S

S*

S

SS

o Preferably, the left and right shoulder straps are each connected between the buckle portion and an anchor strap. The anchor strap passes from a junction between the left and right shoulder straps to an anchor point on the vehicle frame to which the anchor strap is connected. In alternative embodiments, the respective upper ends of the left and right shoulder straps may be connected directly to the anchor point on the vehicle frame, and/or the respective lower ends of the left and right shoulder straps may be connected to the respective left and right hip strap.

In use, the buckle portion is situated on the abdomen of a passenger in a vehicle, the left and right shoulder straps preferably passing from the buckle to a point behind and preferably slightly above the head of the passenger, where they are connected with the anchor strap. The left and right hip straps pass from the buckle portion to either side of the passenger, encircling the passenger's hips to connect with the respective left and right securing means. The left and right crotch straps pass from the buckle portion, between the passenger's legs and connect with the respective left and right securing means. The left and right 20 securing means are connected to a vehicle lap belt or lap-sash belt which is fastened in the usual way, but situated behind the passenger.

Preferably, one or more of the anchor strap, the left and right shoulder straps, the left and right hip straps and the left and right crotch straps are provided with adjustment means, wlhereby the length of the strap may be 25 adjusted.

Preferably, the securing means comprise a closed loop through which the lap belt or lap-sash belt is passed before being fastened. The loop may be g formed in either a crotch strap or a hip strap, or may be formed by part of both the crotch and the hip strap In a particularly preferred embodiment, the buckle portion comprises a Sthree-part buckle having a lower buckle portion to which the crotch straps are attached, a left buckle portion to which the left shoulder and hip straps are KB C.\WINWORD\KAIEhPPN46 DOC attached and a right buckle portion to which the right shoulder and hip straps are attached. The left and right buckle portions may be removably fastened to the lower buckle portion to fasten the harness in place about the passenger.

The invention also provides a booster seat adapted for use with the harness hereinbefore described. The booster seat according to the invention includes a form having a seat portion and a back portion, the form preferably being composed of a resilient flexible material, the form being adapted for use with a harness as hereinbefore described, by the provision of an aperture in the back portion of the form through which the anchor strap may pass and an aperture in the seat portion through which the left and right crotch strap may pass, the left and right hip straps passing to either side of the form to connect with the left and right securing means.

The resilience of expanded polyurethane means that fracturing of the form is less likely, so that reinforcing tape is generally not required.

The provision of an aperture in the back of the form through which the anchor strap may pass reduces the load upon the back portion of the form, thereby reducing the likelihood of wear and breakage. In addition, the aperture allows the junction of the left and right shoulder straps to be correctly positioned behind the head of the passenger.

The invention will now be discussed with regard to the drawings in which: S-Figure 1 depicts a schematic view of a harness in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 depicts a perspective view of a booster seat in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 depicts the harness and booster seat of the invention in use on a passenger.

KB C:\WINWORD\KAREN\PN74R9.DOC In figure 1, a buckle 1 having a lower portion 2 a left upper portion 3 and a right upper portion 4. Lower portion 2 is connected to crotch straps 51, 5r which is connected to securing means 71, 7r in the form of loops. Hip straps 61, 6r are also connected to securing means 71, 7r. The loops which form securing means 71, 7r may be formed using the ends of crotch straps 51, 5r, or from the end of hip straps 61, 6r or may be formed from a combination of strap 5r with strap 6r and strap 51 with strap 61. Securing means 71, 7r are adapted to allow a lap or lap-sash belt 8 to pass therethrough, thereby securing the ends of straps 51, 5r, 61 and 6r relative to the vehicle.

Hip strap 61 is attached to left upper portion 3, whilst hip strap 6r is attached to right portion 4. Shoulder strap 91, 9r are also attached to respective upper portions 3 and 4. Preferably, hip strap 61 and shoulder strap 91, and hip strap 6r and shoulder strap 9r are continuous. The junction of the hip and •coo shoulder straps on the respective left and right sides is defined by the point of f which the straps are connected with left and right upper portions 3 and 4. These points may be altered if upper portions 3 and 4 are freely movable along the combined lengths of the shoulder straps and the hip straps.

Shoulder straps 91, 9r are connected to anchor strap 10, which in turn is connected to anchor means 11 which is adapted for attachment to a vehicle frame.

Optional adjustment means 12 are provided on shoulder straps 91, 9r and •anchor strap 10 so that the length of the straps may be altered. It should be noted that in altering the length of shoulder straps 91, 9r the length of hip straps 61 and 6r may also be effectively altered. Adjustment means may also be provided for crotch strap 51, 5r, although they are not shown in figure 1.

A booster seat adapted for use with the harness shown in figure 1 is depicted in figure 2. The booster seat has a backrest 13 and a seat 14, the seat 14 being sufficiently thick to substantially raise a person seated therein above the surface upon which the booster seat rests.

KB C \WINWORD\KAREN\PN749') DOC 8 Aperture 15 passes through seat 14 and is adapted to allow crotch straps 51, 5r to pass therethrough in use. Similarly, aperture 16 is provided in backrest 13 so as to allow anchor strap 10 to pass therethrough.

The booster seat is equipped with side supports 18 to restrict lateral movement of a person sitting therein. Openings 17 are provided in the side supports 18 to allow hip straps 61, 6r to pass around the sides of the seat.

The straps, buckles and other fittings used in the harness according to the present invention may be any of the suitable equipment known for similar purposes in the prior art.

It is to be understood that various other modifications and/or alterations may be made without departing from spirit of the invention as outlined herein.

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Claims

1. A harness adapted to restrain a child or infant relative to a vehicle seat, with or without a booster seat, the harness including: a buckle portion; a left shoulder strap; a right shoulder strap; a left hip strap extending between the buckle portion and a left securing means; a right hip strap extending between the buckle portion and a right securing means; a left crotch strap extending between the buckle portion and the left securing means; a right crotch strap extending between the buckle portion and the left securing means; and wherein the left and right securing means are adapted to be engaged by a C.. vehicle lap belt or a loop made from the lap and sash portions of a vehicle lap- sash belt to hold the harness, and to cooperate with the harness to hold any child C or infant in the harness, relative to the vehicle seat.

2. A harness according to claim 1, wherein the left and the right shoulder straps are each connected at a first end to an anchor point on a vehicle frame. eog.

3. A hamrness according to claim 1 wherein the left and the right shoulder straps are each connected at a first end to an anchor strap, said anchor strap passing from a junction between the left and the right shoulder straps to an anchor Sopoint on a vehicle frame.

4. A harness according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the left and the right shoulder straps are each connected at a second end to a portion of the L respective left and right hip straps.

CD/99053017.7 9a A harness according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the left and the right shoulder straps are each connected a second end to the buckle portion.

6. A harness according to any one of claims 1, 3 or 5, wherein the left and the right shoulder straps are each connected at a first end to an anchor strap passing from a junction between the left and the right shoulder straps to an p C 9 p C 0* C C C C C C C anchor point on a vehicle frame and are each connected at a second end to the buckle portion

7. A harness according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the junction of the left and the right shoulder straps is situated behind and above the head of a person wearing the harness.

8. A harness according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the securing means comprises a closed loop through which the lap belt or a lap-sash belt is passed before the belt is fastened. SQO

9. A harness according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 or 8 wherein the buckle portion comprises a three-part buckle, having a lower buckle portion to o• which the crotch straps are attached, a left buckle portion to which the left 555550 shoulder and left hip strap are attached and a right buckle portion to which the right shoulder and right hip straps are attached.

A harness according to claim 5 or claim 9 wherein the respective left shoulder and hip straps and right shoulder and hip straps are integral with each other, the boundary between respective hip and shoulder straps being 0.66 determined by the position of the buckle portion.

11. A harness according to any one of the preceeding claims wherein one or more of the anchor, shoulder, hip or crotch straps includes adjustment means to allow the length of a strap to be adjusted.

12. A booster seat adapted for use with a harness according to any one of claims 1 to 11, said booster seat including a form having a seat portion and a back portion, the back portion having an aperture therein through which an anchor strap or respective left and right shoulder straps may pass; the seat portion having an aperture therein through which respective left and right crotch straps may pass. KB C\WINWORD-KAREPN7489.DOC 11

13. A booster seat according to claim 12 wherein the form is composed of expanded polyurethane.

14. and 3. A harness substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 S S @5@S S S S *R.SS. 0 0550 S *5 5 5555,0 S S S S A booster seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3. e!$S R4e: v REG DATED: 2 January 1996 CJ2 &721(2 PHILLIPS ORMO49NDE Q F:ITZPATRI'CK Pree- Ae115 Attorneys for: IGC (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD ,OAcept4 KB C \W1NWORD'XAREMPN74').DOC