Abstract:
One or more adjustable-length straps are used to secure a child safety seat to wheeled luggage, to facilitate transporting a child, the child&#39;s safety seat, and luggage, all at the same time. Depending on the features available on the child safety seat, different types of straps may be utilized in different ways.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/391,714, filed 11 Oct. 2010, whose contents are incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to transporting a child safety seat such as a child car seat, or a child booster seat. In particular, the invention relates to strapping systems to secure the child safety seat to wheeled luggage. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The use of child safety seats for the safe restraint of infants and children in vehicles is well known. For the safety and comfort of an infant or child, and also to comply with applicable laws requiring the use of child safety seats for children of specified ages, child safety seats now are commonly removed from the family vehicle and taken along on travels. For example, a child&#39;s child safety seat may be used for the child in a rental car on the family vacation. In addition, child safety seats commonly may be used in other modes of transportation, such as airplanes, buses, boats, or trains, to provide a safer and more comfortable seat for young children. 
         [0004]    Such use of child safety seats away from the family vehicle thus requires the transport of the child safety seats through airport terminals, bus stations, train stations, boat terminals, and the like. The typical infant or child safety seat is quite bulky, of an awkward shape, and may weigh between ten and twenty pounds. Thus the physical size, structure, and weight of the child safety seat make it difficult to carry and for most persons, require the use of both hands. This is particularly necessary if the child safety seat is carried for a substantial distance. 
         [0005]    Various devices have been developed to assist with the transport of child safety seats, including a wide variety of bags, totes, and cases. Typically these travel bags comprise a zippered sack, with a handle and/or shoulder strap. The child safety seat may be placed in the sack and then carried from the family vehicle to baggage check, or onto the airplane, bus, etc. 
         [0006]    Alternatively, some models of child safety seats are provided with wheels and a handle, essentially converting the child safety seat into a stroller so that it can be wheeled through an airport or other area. In addition, stroller-type attachments are made for child safety seats, again converting the child safety seat to a stroller-like apparatus that can be wheeled to its destination. 
         [0007]    A child young enough to require the use of a child safety seat may also be too young to walk any considerable distance through an airport terminal, train station, etc. This generally requires that the child also be carried, typically in a stroller, a backpack or front carrier, or simply in the guardian&#39;s arms. In addition, travel with young children generally entails transporting various other equipment, such as diaper bags. As a result, persons transporting young children while traveling must potentially negotiate a number of large, awkward items, in addition to the child. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Among other things, the present invention is directed to child safety seat strapping systems for retaining a child safety seat to luggage, methods of retaining a child safety seat to luggage using one or more straps which cooperate with one or more features of the child safety seat, and the straps themselves. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention will now be described with respect to the following figures in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a first view of one embodiment of a child safety seat strap in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows an enlarged view of opposite ends of the child safety seat strap of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows the ratchet buckle provided on one end of the child safety seat strap of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows the toothed tongue provided on a second end of the child safety seat strap of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  shows a side view of first strapping arrangement for retaining a child safety seat to luggage employing two child safety seat straps of the sort seen in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a back view of the first strapping arrangement of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  shows a second embodiment of a child safety seat strap in accordance with the present invention, which has a keyhole-shaped retaining ring on the strap. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  shows a second embodiment of a child safety seat strap in accordance with the present invention, which has a circular retaining ring on the strap. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  shows the back side of a car seat showing the lower latch straps and the top tether. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  shows a back view of a strapping system in which a single strap in accordance with  FIG. 7  is used to strap the car seat of  FIG. 9  to luggage. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  shows a side view of what is shown in  FIG. 10   
           [0021]      FIG. 12  show a third embodiment of a child safety seat strap having a pair of retaining rings at opposite ends of the strap and middle retaining ring along the strap itself. 
       
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               100 —Clamping Strap 
               100   a ,  100   b ,  100   c —Clamping strap 
               102 —First end of clamping strap 
               104 —Second end of clamping strap 
               106 —Adjustable length portion of clamping strap 
               108 —Ratchet Buckle 
               110 —Toothed Tongue 
               112 —Adjustment Buckle 
               114 —Buckle Rivet 
               116 —Buckle Harness 
               118 —Tongue Rivet 
               120 —Teeth of Tongue 
               122 —Keyhole-shaped Retaining Ring 
               124 —Circular Retaining Ring 
               130 —Child Safety Seat 
               132 —Passageway 
               134 —Top Tether 
               134   a —Hook Member of Top Tether 
               136 ,  138 —Latch Strap 
               136   a ,  138   a —Hook Members of Latch Strap 
               140 —Luggage 
               142 —Luggage Body 
               144 —Handle Assembly 
               146 —Telescoping Handle 
               148 —Back side of Luggage Body 
               150 —Clamping Strap 
               152   a ,  152   b —First &amp; Second Ends of Clamping Strap 
               154 —Adjustable-length portion of Clamping Strap 
               156 —Adjustment Buckle 
               158   a ,  158   b —First &amp; Second Retaining Rings 
               160 —Third Retaining Ring 
           
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0053]      FIGS. 1-4  show a first embodiment of a clamping strap  100  in accordance with the present invention. The clamping strap  100  comprises a first end  102  provided with a ratchet buckle  108  and a second end  104  provided with a toothed tongue  110  which is configured to cooperate with the ratchet buckle  108  for tightening the strap  100 . The clamping strap  100  also has an adjustable-length portion  106  between the first and second ends  102 ,  104 . The adjustable-length portion  106  is preferably formed from a strong fabric, though it may be formed from other materials as well. Proximate the first end  102 , a buckle harness  116  connects the adjustable-length portion  106  to the ratchet buckle via a first fastener  114 , such as a buckle rivet  114 . Proximate the second end  104 , a second fastener  118  connects the adjustable-length portion to the toothed tongue  110 . As best seen in  FIG. 4 , the toothed tongue  110  has a plurality of parallel teeth  120  which are configured to cooperate with the ratchet buckle in a known manner. 
         [0054]      FIGS. 5 &amp; 6  show side and rear views of one embodiment of a clamping system between a child safety seat  132  and an item of luggage  140  which employs two clamping straps of the sort seen in  FIGS. 1-4 . 
         [0055]    The child safety seat  130  includes a horizontally-extending passageway  132  formed on a back side thereof. The horizontally-extending passageway  132  is of the sort configured to pass a portion of a seat belt therethrough for securing a child safety seat in a vehicle. It is understood that the term ‘passageway’, as used herein, encompasses not only a fully enclosed hollow channel formed on the back side of the child safety seat, but also other shaped formations configured to receive or otherwise accommodate a belt, strap or other securing mechanism. 
         [0056]    The wheeled luggage  140  includes a luggage body  142  and a handle assembly  144  which, as best seen in  FIG. 6 , is a telescoping handle assembly. It is understood that the wheeled luggage  140  is of a size suitable for carrying onto a commercial aircraft. It is further understood that the luggage can take on a number of shapes and functional attributes, and thus can constitute a suitcase, a backpack or one of many other kinds of luggage that may be provided with wheels to facilitate transport over a flat surface. 
         [0057]    As seen in  FIGS. 5 &amp; 6 , the child safety seat  130  is strapped the wheeled luggage  140  by means of first and second adjustable-length clamping straps  100   a ,  100   b , which are in accordance with clamping strap  100  described above. The first clamping strap  100   a  abuts the luggage body  142  with the adjustable-length portion  106  of the first strap  100   a  passing through the horizontally extending passageway  132  and the ratchet buckle  108  and toothed tongue  110  engaging one another proximate the back side  148  of the luggage body  142  to tighten the first strap  100   a  so as to clamp the wheeled luggage  140  against the back side of the child safety seat  130 . 
         [0058]    The second clamping strap  110   b  abuts the telescoping handle  146  of the handle assembly  144  at location that is vertically spaced apart from where the first strap  100   a  abuts luggage body  142 , with the adjustable-length portion of the second strap extending at a downward angle from the handle assembly  144  and passing through the horizontally extending passageway  132  formed on the back side of the child safety seat. It is understood that the ratchet buckle  108  and the toothed tongue  110  engage one another to tighten the second strap  100   b  so as to further clamp the wheeled luggage  140  against the back side of the child safety seat  130 . 
         [0059]    Thus, a method of securing a child safety seat  130  to wheeled luggage  140  having a luggage body  142  and a handle assembly  144  connected to the luggage body  142  begins with providing the first and second clamping straps  100   a ,  100   b  and positioning the wheeled luggage  140  in close proximity to a back side of the child safety seat  130 . Thereafter, the method continues with passing through the passageway  132  a portion of the first clamping strap  100   a  and then mating the toothed tongue  110  to the ratchet buckle  108  with the luggage  140  being encircled by the first clamping strap  100   a . A portion of the second clamping strap  100   b  is similarly passed through the passageway  132  and the toothed tongue  110  is mated to the ratchet buckle  108  with the luggage  140  being encircled by the second clamping strap  100   b . The first clamping strap  100   a  is tightened so as to clamp the wheeled luggage  140  against the back side of the child safety seat  130 , as is the second clamping strap  100 , the former abutting the luggage body  142  and the latter abutting the handle assembly  144 . 
         [0060]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show another embodiment of a clamping strap  100   c . Clamping strap  100   c  is similar to clamping strap  100  but differs in that a retaining ring is positioned along the, adjustable length portion of clamping strap  106 , between the two ends. As discussed below, the function of the retaining ring is to attach to a hook or other fixture belonging to a top tether of a child safety seat. The retaining ring can take on one of a number of shapes. For instance, in  FIG. 7 , the retaining ring takes the form of a keyhole  122 , while in  FIG. 8 , the retaining ring takes on the shape of a circle. In other variations, the retaining ring may take on an oval shape or may even be an S-hook. Preferably, the retaining ring is sized so that it cannot be removed over either end of the clamping strap to ensure that it does not get lost. 
         [0061]      FIG. 9  shows the back side of a child safety seat  130   a  of the sort having a passageway for a seat belt (not seen) and a top tether  134  terminating in a connection point, such as a top tether hook  134   a . As is known to those skilled in the art, the length of the top tether is adjustable. The child safety seat  130   a  also includes first and second latch straps  136 ,  138  provided on either side of a lower portion, and each of these is provided with a respective connection point, such as a latch strap hook  136   a ,  138   a . The length of one or both of the latch straps  136 ,  138  may also be adjustable. In some embodiments, a child safety seat may only have the horizontal passageway and the top tether, while in other embodiments the child safety seat may only have the top tether and the two latch straps. 
         [0062]    As seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the clamping strap  100   c  may be used to secure a child safety seat  130   a  to the wheeled luggage  140 . The back side of the child safety seat  130   a  abuts the luggage body  142  with the top tether  134  extending over a top portion of the luggage body  142  and down along its back side  148 . The clamping strap  100   c  passes through the horizontal passageway  132  and encircles the luggage body  142 . On the back side of the luggage body  142 , the ratchet buckle  108  engages the toothed tongue  110  to tighten the strap  100   c . Meanwhile, the retaining ring (seen in  FIG. 10  as having a keyhole-shape  122 ) connects to the top tether  134  at the top tether hook  134   a.    
         [0063]    Generally speaking, the clamping strap  100   c  must have a length sufficient to pass through the passageway  132  formed on the back side of the child safety seat  130   a  and encircle the luggage body  142  of wheeled luggage  140  of a size suitable for carrying onto a commercial aircraft, so that the ratchet buckle  108  can engage the toothed tongue  110  when the strap  100   c  clamps the child safety seat  130   a  to the wheeled luggage  140 . 
         [0064]    A method of securing the child safety seat  130   a  to the luggage body  142  of wheel luggage  140  can thus be described as follows, once the clamping strap  100   c  is provided. The wheeled luggage  140  is positioned proximate to a back side of the child safety seat  130   a , which has a passageway  132 . A portion of the clamping strap  100   a  is passed through the passageway  132  and the entire clamping strap is brought to encircle the luggage  140 . The toothed tongue  110  is mated to the ratchet buckle  108  and the retaining ring  122  is engaged to the top tether  134  which extends over a top portion of the luggage body 142  and down along a back side thereof. Then, the clamping strap  100   c  is tightened so as to clamp the wheeled luggage  140  against the back side of the child safety seat  130   a.    
         [0065]      FIG. 12  shows another embodiment of a clamping strap  150 . Clamping strap  150  has first and second ends  152   a ,  152   b  and an adjustable-length portion  154  having an adjustment buckle  156 . The first and second ends  152   a ,  152   b  are provided with first and second retaining rings  158   a ,  158   b , respectively. The first and second retaining rings  158   a ,  158   b  can be “D-shaped”, with the leg of the “D” passing through a loop formed on a terminal portion on each of the first and second ends  152   a ,  152   b . A third retaining ring  160 , which may be of the sort described above with respect to clamping strap  100   a , is provided along the adjustable-length portion  154 . Preferably, the third retaining ring  160  is configured and dimensioned such that it cannot be removed over either the first and second retaining ring  158   a ,  158   b , to prevent it from being lost. 
         [0066]    The clamping strap  150 , with its first, second and third retaining rings  158   a ,  158   b ,  160 , respectively, is configured and dimensioned to form a three-point connection with the connection points  136   a ,  138   a ,  134   a , respectively, belonging to the two latch straps  136 ,  138  and the top tether  134 , respectively. Thus, the clamping strap  150  has a length sufficient for the first and second retaining rings  158   a ,  158   b  to engage the hook members  136   a ,  138   a  belonging to corresponding first and second latch straps  134 ,  136  of a child safety seat  130   a , and the third retaining ring  160  to simultaneously engage a top tether  134  of the same child safety seat  130   a , when the strap&#39;s first, second and third retaining rings  158   a ,  158   b ,  160  form a three-point connection to clamp the child safety seat  130   a  to a luggage body of wheeled luggage. It is understood that the clamping strap  150  needs to be able to clamp the child seat to wheeled luggage of a size suitable for carrying onto a commercial aircraft, again with the top tether extending over a top portion of the luggage body and down along a back side thereof, as previously described with respect to clamping strap  100   a.    
         [0067]    A method of securing the child safety seat  130   a  to the luggage body  142  of wheel luggage  140  can thus be described as follows. The clamping strap  150  is provided. The wheeled luggage  140  is positioned proximate to a back side of the child safety seat  130   a . The first and second retaining rings  158   a ,  158   b  are engaged to hook members  136   a ,  138   a  of respective first and second lower latch straps  136 ,  138  and the third retaining ring  160  is engaged to a hook member  134   a  of a top tether  134  of the child safety seat, which top tether extends over a top portion of the luggage body  142  and down along a back side  148  thereof. Finally, the clamping strap is tightened by adjusting the top tether and/or the two latch straps, as appropriate, to thereby cause the first second and third retaining rings  158   a ,  158   b ,  160  to form a three-point connection to clamp the child safety seat  130   a  to the luggage body  142 . 
         [0068]    Although the present invention has been described to a certain degree of particularity, it should be understood that various alterations and modifications could be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.