GB2326134A - Passenger restraint device - Google Patents

Abstract

A passenger restraint device comprises two limbs one of which 2 in use lies over the upper legs of a vehicle passenger (10 figure 3) and the other of which 1 is located in front of the abdomen and lower chest of the passenger, the device being held in place by a seat belt (12 figure 3). The device may also extend around either side of the passenger and may be made of semi-rigid material or of rigid plastics material covered on at least one side with foam padding 9. A groove or channel 6 formed by ribs 7 and 8 may be provided to locate a seat belt and an extension 5 may be provided on one side of the device such that the device as a whole has a total width similar to that of a vehicle seat (11 figure 3). The device may be used by children, the elderly or the infirm.

Description

Title. CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM This invention relates to child restraint systems and is particularly concerned with child restraint systems for use in vehicles.

The problem with conventional laptype safety belts currently used in motor vehicles is that a small child can slip through the belt and therefore suffer injury.

Child seats which can be fitted to the normal seats in a motor vehicle provide protection for very small children but there comes a time when a child is too big for a child seat or so called baby seat but is still too small for a conventional lap type seat belt to give adequate protection.

The present invention seeks to solve this problem.

According to the invention, there is provided a safety device which is adapted to be detachably fitted in a vehicle said device comprising a substantially L-shaped member which is adapted to be placed on a person sitting in a vehicle in such a manner that the vertical limb of the device is located in front of the abdominal and lower chest regions of the person and the horizontal limb is located over the upper leg regions of the person, the device being arranged to be held in place by a lystype seat belt.

Preferably, the device is substantially U-shaped in cross-section, the web of the U being located over the person, in use, and the limb of the U extending to each side of the person to hold the person firmly in position.

The device may be made of semi-rigid material but it is preferred to make the device from a rigid material which may be covered on one or both sides with a suitable padding such as foam material. The device is desirably moulded from a rigid plastics material.

The device according to the invention may further be provided, on the side which in use is intended to face away from a person, with a groove or channel which is adapted to receive a lap type seat belt. In this manner, the belt cannot slip with respect to the device and serves to hold the device firmly in position.

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a safety device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line II-II in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 fitted to a person sitting on a vehicle seat.

Referring to the drawings, the safety device according to the invention comprises a substantially rigid support frame which is substantially L-shaped and consists of a vertical limb 1 and a horizontal limb 2. At least the part of the device which is intended, in use, to fit over a person 10 is substantially U-shaped in crosssection, the web of the U being located over the person in use while the limbs 3 and 4 of the U extend down each side of the person to hold the person firmly in position.

The device may further be provided with an extension piece 5 which extends to one side of the device as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It will be appreciated that the device according to the invention is primarily intended for small children and in order to restrain them securely, the distance between the sides 3 and 4 of the device is somewhat less than the width of a conventional vehicle seat 11. The purpose of the extension 5 is to increase the total width of the device to that approximating the width of the vehicle seat in order that the device can be securely and safely located in position over the person 10 and the seat 11.

The device according to the invention is also provided with a channel 6 formed between ribs 7 and 8 extending from the side of the device which, in use, is designed to face away from a person. The width of the channel is such that a vehicle seat belt 12 can be located in the channel when the device is fitted. The ribs 7 and 8 prevent the belt from slipping up or down and serve to hold the belt in position. If desired, the ribs 7 and 8 could be replaced by a groove (not shown) having substantially the same width as the channel 6.

As previously stated, the device according to the invention is preferably made of a rigid plastics moulding. It is coated on both sides with foam padding material 9 which increases comfort for the wearer and absorbs impacts in the event of a vehicle fitted with the device being involved in an accident.

It will thus be seen that the device according to the invention provides a solution to the problem of protecting small children in the event of vehicle accidents and of preventing them from slipping through a conventional lap-type seat belt.

The invention is not restricted to the above-described embodiment but variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, the device need not be moulded from plastics material but other materials could be used if desired. Further, any suitable padding material may be used instead of foam.

Moreover, although the safety device according to the invention is primarily intended for use by children, it is not restricted to this use. It could be used for elderly or infirm passengers. In that event, the width of the device will need to be increased and the width of the extension 5 reduced or possibly dispensed with altogether. Thus, a range of safety devices according to the invention may be produced of differing widths and sizes.

Claims (10)

1. A safety device which is adapted to be detachably fitted in a vehicle, said device comprising a substantially L-shaped member which is adapted to be placed on a person sitting in a vehicle in such a manner that the vertical limb of the device is located in front of the abdominal and lower chest regions of the person and the horizontal limb is located over the upper leg regions of the person, the device being arranged to be held in place by a lap-type seat belt.

2. A safety device according to claim 1, wherein the device is substantially U-shaped in cross-section, the web of the U being adapted, in use, to be located over a person with the limbs of the U extending to each side of the person.

3. A safety device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the device is made of semi-rigid material.

4. A safety device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the device is made of rigid material and is covered on at least one side with padding.

5. A safety device according to claim 4, wherein the padding comprises a foam material.

6. A safety device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is moulded from a plastics material.

7. A safety device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is provided, on the side which in use is intended to face away from a person, with a groove or channel adapted to receive a safety belt.

8. A safety device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is provided with an extension member projecting from one side of the device.

9. A safety device according to claim 8, wherein the extension member has substantially the same configuration as the main device.

10. A safety device substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.