GB2327383A - Seat restraint - Google Patents

Abstract

A seat restraint for a seat having a substantially upright back comprises a loop 1 formed from a web of elastic fabric which can be stretched to accommodate the seat back. Attached to the web is a pair of fabric flaps 4,5 which extend outwardly over the base of the seat. Their ends carry cooperating strips 7,8 of locking material. The web of elastic fabric has a width between 70 and 120 mm and is preferably formed from a woven elastomeric fibre. The fabric flaps may be formed from a single piece of fabric attached securely across its central portion to the web forming the loop, preferably by stitching. The fabric flaps have a width between 150 and 300 mm and preferably extend from 300 to 500 mm outwardly from the web. In the preferred embodiment the loop is attached to the fabric flaps in such a manner that it is enclosed within the flaps when they are locked together, preferably by cooperating strips having a width of at least 40 mm. The inside of the loop may carry a pad of light rigid foam.

Description

RESTRAINING DEVICE This invention relates to a restraining device for use with seats which reduces the tendency for a person sitting on the seat to slide or twist when the seat is subject to lateral acceleration or deceleration forces.

Restraining devices to improve the safety of people seated in air and land vehicles are known. Lap belts are a mandatory requirement for seated aircraft passengers and most motor vehicles require driver and passengers to be restrained by belts which cross both the lap and the chest.

In either case the purpose of the belt is to prevent the seated person from being ejected from the seat when subject to high acceleration forces. These can occur in the air during flight when the craft meets turbulence and at times of take-off or landing. During surface travel in a motor vehicle hard braking or a collision can cause similar forces.

Existing belt restraints are designed for average passengers with only the length being adjustable; the belts are designed to fit the seat rather than the passenger. In consequence those passengers below average size, asleep or unconscious are liable to slide laterally in the seat within the limits set by the restraining belt. Such movement causes discomfort and may be dangerous.

The present invention provides a restraining device which can be used alone or in conjunction with a seat belt to prevent lateral movement of a seated passenger during a journey whether in an aircraft, motor vehicle or push chair.

According to the present invention there is provided a seat restraint for a seat having a substantially upright back comprising a loop formed from a web of elastic fabric which can be stretched to accommodate the seat back and attached thereto a pair of fabric flaps extending outwardly over the base of the seat and having at their ends cooperating strips of locking material.

The web of elastic fabric is preferably 70 to 120 mm in width and formed from a woven elastomeric fibre. The size of the loop must be sufficient to accommodate the back of the seat on to which it is fitted when under stretched.

The combination of the tensional force and the frictional force between the inside of the fabric loop and the seat back effectively reduces any vertical movement of the loop up and down the seat back. Woven fabric of this nature is commonly available formed from spandex fibres.

The fabric flaps are preferably formed from a single piece of fabric attached securely across its central portion to the web forming the loop. The attachment may be may by stitching or by mechanical means such as ring rivets. The fabric flaps extending from the web loop are at least double the width of the web forming the loop and preferably in the range 150 to 300 mm. The flaps extend outwardly from so as to encompass the girth of a person sitting in the associated seat with sufficient overlap to enable a secure bond to be obtained when the outer ends bearing locking material are pressed together. In general each flap may extend from 300 to 500 mm outwardly, the choice depending on whether an adult or child is to be restrained in the seat.

The loop is preferably attached so that it is enclosed within the fabric flaps when they are closed. With such an arrangement the fabric forming the flaps passes behind the back of the seat and is held in position in a vertical plane by means of the loop which is stretched to accommodate the seat back. In use the flaps are wrapped across the upper body of a seated person so that the body is held against the back of the seat by the action of the flaps.

The cooperating strips of locking material on the ends of the flaps join them in a manner that ensures that the enclosed body volume is held firmly. The preferred locking material is that called generically nyloc and sold under the registered trade mark Velcro. The strips are preferably at least 40 mm wide to ensure a good bond between the flaps.

It is important that the material used to fabricate the flaps is woven or otherwise formed so that it is porous allowing the transmission of air and moisture from the enwrapped seated body. The central portion where the flap is joined to the loop may contain a resilient or rigid pad to provide back support. Alternatively and preferably such a pad may be attached to the inside of the loop so that it rests against the back of the seat. Such a pad may comprise a light rigid foam or similar material including a series of voids or tubes to permit the vertical passage- of air and ventilate the space between the seated person and the back of the seat. The pad may be contoured to suit individual requirements.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodiment of a restraining device according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the single figure depicts a perspective view of the device.

A restraining device consists of a loop 1 formed from a web of elastic fabric. The loop 1 is attached by means of stitched sections 2 and 3 to a pair of fabric flaps 4 and 5. The flaps 4 and 5 are formed from a single piece of material whose central portion 6 is attached to the loop 1.

The ends of the flaps 4 and 5 carry cooperating strips of 'Velcro' nylock fabric 7 and 8. The strip 7 is attached to the inner surface of the flap 5 while the strip 8 is attached to the outer surface of the flap 4. When the flaps 4 and 5 are wrapped around the lower abdomen of a seated person, not shown, the two strips 7 and 8, when pressed together, form a firm lock and join the ends of the flaps 4 and 5 so that they firmly hold the enwrapped sitter and reduce lateral movement when seated. Although the restraining device will provide excellent restriction of movement during normal road journeys in a motor vehicle the locking system may not maintain its hold under the exceptionally high forces created during an accident. For this reason it is wise, and frequently legally essential, to wear a standard safety harness or seat belt. There is no interaction between the twO devices so that both can be worn simultaneously without any deleterious effect.

The restraining device according to the invention is particularly suited for use with seats in motor vehicles such as cars, buses and coaches where it may be used in combination with a seat safety harness. However the use can be extended to ordinary seats used by the elderly, infirm or disabled so as to protect them from falling. In certain situations, such as following abdominal surgery, the mandatory requirement for wearing a safety harness by passengers in motor vehicles is waived. The restraining device according to the invention may be used to provide a limited degree of safety without the discomfort caused by the straps of a safety harness.

In the preferred described embodiment the loop of elastomeric material which fits onto the seat back and holds the material forming the flaps in position is attached within the material. In an alternative embodiment the loop may be fitted externally to the the material forming the flaps. However in such an embodiment the attachment between the flaps and the loop must be strong enough to hold the enwrapped sitter to the back of the seat when the associated vehicle decelerates. Extreme decelerations will be accommodated by also wearing a safety harness which is usually mandatory.

Claims (14)

1. A seat restraint for a seat having a substantially upright back comprising a loop formed from a web of elastic fabric which can be stretched to accommodate the seat back and attached thereto a pair of fabric flaps extending outwardly over the base of the seat and having at their ends cooperating strips of locking material.

2. The seat restraint as claimed in claim 1 in which the web of elastic fabric has a width between 70 and 120 mm.

3. The seat restraint as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the web is formed from a woven elastomeric fibre.

4. The seat restraint as claimed in claim 3 in which the elastomeric fibre is a spandex fibre.

5. The seat restraint as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the fabric flaps are formed from a single piece of fabric attached securely across its central portion to the web forming the loop.

6. The seat restraint as claimed in claim 5 in which the fabric flaps are attached to the web forming the loop by stitching.

7. The seat restraint as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the fabric flaps have a width between 150 and 300 mm.

8. The seat restraint as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the fabric flaps extend from 300 to 500 mm outwardly from the web.

9. The seat restraint as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the loop is attached to the fabric flaps in such a manner that it is enclosed within the flaps when they are locked together.

10. The seat restraint as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the cooperating strips of locking material are nyloc strips.

11. The seat restraint as claimed in claim 10 in which the strips have a width of at least 40 mm.

12. The seat restraint as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the inside of the loop carries a pad of light rigid foam.

13. Seat restraints as claimed in claim 1 and as herein described.

14. Seat restraints as and as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.