RESTRAINING APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARILY SECURING ARTICLES TO A SEAT

Abstract: An apparatus for temporarily securing articles to a seat cushion of a passenger seat in a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus consists of a plurality of elastic elongate straps (4) fastened at a first end, by a mounting structure, to the seat or the adjacent structure. In use the straps (4) are extended and secured to overlie the seat cushion and are resiliently biased to entrap articles against the seat cushion. The mounting structure acts to retract the straps (4) to an unobtrusive storage condition when not in use.

Description: RESTRAINING APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARILY SECURING ARTICLES TO A SEAT The present invention is concerned with an apparatus for securing articles to a seat, particularly in a vehicle, to prevent the motion of the vehicle from displacing the article from the seat. The apparatus is particularly intended for use in securing articles to the rear or passenger seat in a car. It is commonplace to store articles on the seat cushion of a rear or passenger seat of a car particularly for easy access during the journey. However, rapid manoeuvring, particularly braking or sharp cornering, can often displace the articles from the seat making access to them inconvenient. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of temporarily securing the articles to a seat while allowing convenient access to the articles and ready adaption of the seat for conventional use by a passenger. According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for securing articles temporarily to a seat comprising: a web having a structure at a first end to mount the web unobtrusively on or adjacent a vehicle seat, whereby the web can be extended from an unobtrusive stored condition to overlie the seat cushion of the seat, said web having a fastening at a second end capable of releasably fastening the web in the extended condition and the apparatus being adapted to urge the web into engagement with the seat cushion. It will readily be appreciated that when the web is in the extended condition articles such as maps or refreshments can conveniently be secured between the seat cushion and the web. When it is desired to use the seat for passenger transport the web is conveniently rolled up and stored unobtrusively in or adjacent the mounting structure. Preferably the length of the web is adjustable to accommodate articles of various dimensions. This can be achieved by the use of buckles or the like but is preferably achieved by a web of elastic material which also enables very convenient access to the articles. The web will preferably be of a width similar to the width of a passenger seat, for example, eighty to ninety percent of the width of the seat cushion. In this case the web can advantageously consist of several elongate spaced strips each secured at the second end to a common handle. The fastening may be provided any conventional means known for the purpose, for example, co-operating hook and eye structures, including the textile structure known as VELCRO (registered trade mark), and snap engaging poppers. The principle requirement for the fastening will be understood to be that it is reasonably secure in use, easy to unfasten unobtrusive when not in use, and easy to fit, especially in the case of retro fitted devices. It may be possible to achieve a sufficiently secure fastening by the simple expedient of forcing a bulbous member (e.g., the handle) between the back and seat cushions of the seat so that it is squeezed between the seat cushion. In a preferred form of the apparatus the nounting structure comprises a roll onto which the web is wound in the stored condition. The roll is preferably biased by spring means towards the stored condition. The apparatus can readily be mounted into the base or seat cushion of a seat during manufacture, or into the surrounding support for the seat. Alternatively the apparatus can be designed to be mounted on, rather than in, the seat so that it can be fitted to an existing seat. An embodiment of a restraining apparatus for temporarily securing articles to a seat, constructed in accordance with the present invention, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which. Figure 1 is a sectional view in elevation of a front car passenger seat; Figure 2 shows a support structure for the apparatus; Figure 3 shows a sectional view through the support structure shown in figure 2 installed in a base of the seat; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a seat with •the web extended to overlay the base of the seat; and Figure 5 is a plan view showing a fastening means secured to an end of the web. The apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises a support structure in the form of an enclosure 1 with a carrier in the form of an elongate roll 2 rotatably supported by axle means 3 within the enclosure. A web is provided by four elongate strips of material 4 each having a first end secured by means of staples to the periphery of the roll 2. The other, second end of each strip is secured by means of staples to an elongate substantially rigid bar 5 which extends substantially perpendicular to the length of the strips 4. Enclosure 1 comprises a rectangular base panel part 6 and upstanding opposing side walls 7 which support a cover panel 8. The axle means 3 engage the walls 7 of the housing to rotatably mount the roll 2 and a resilient biasing means (not shown) of conventional type, engages between the roll and housing to rotationally bias the roll in the clockwise direction indicated by arrow A so that the strips 4 tend to be rolled up on to the roll in which condition they are conveniently stored thereon. The enclosure 1 is provided with a front panel 9 in which is formed an aperture 10 through which the second ends of the strips extend to engage the bar 5. The ends of the strips are prevented from being withdrawn into the housing by engagement of the bar 5 with the front panel 9. In use the apparatus is installed by mounting the enclosure 1 in a cavity formed in a foam cushion which provides a seat cushion or base 11 of the seat. The cavity extends along a front edge of the base 11 so that the aperture 10 and bar 5 are readily accessible from the front of the seat. The enclosure 1 is retained in place by means of a plurality of tooth-like projections 12 which engage with the material of the cushion to prevent withdrawal of the enclosure. When it is desired to use the apparatus to temporarily secure articles to the upper surface of the base 11 of the seat the bar 5 is pulled to withdraw the strips 4 from the enclosure so that the web is extended to overlay the base 11 of the seat as shown in figure 4. The front panel 9 is configured to prevent the web from fraying the seat as it is extended. The bar 5 is brought up to the junction of the base and the back of the seat 13 where a releasable fastening is provided by a hook 14 on the bar 5 for engagement with a loop 14a secured in the junction of the back 13 and base 11 of the seat. An article such as a can 15 shown in figure 4 can be conveniently secured in place by lifting one or more of the strips 4 and locating the can 15 underneath it so that the resilient bias applied to the web draws the strip 4 into engagement with the article. The strips 4 are made of an elastic material which allows individual ones of the strips 4 to stretch and accommodate the shape of a variety of articles and makes securing and freeing the articles particularly convenient. When it is desired to use the seat for the carriage of passengers the fastening is released and the web will then be drawn back into the enclosure by the rotational bias of the roll 2. It should be appreciated that although the apparatus described above is effectively integrally incorporated into a seat which requires special adaptation by the virtue of the cavity, it will be possible to provide apparatus to be fitted to a conventional seat. Such apparatus may be secured by means of conventional fastenings in an unobtrusive location, for example, the leading edge of the base of the seat often overhangs an underlying support structure. In this circumstance the apparatus can conveniently be secured to the support structure beneath the overhanging seat base thereby avoiding the need to modify the base of the seat.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for securing articles temporarily to a seat comprising: a web (4) having a structure at a first end to mount the web (4) unobtrusively on or adjacent to a vehicle seat whereby the web (4) can be extended from an unobtrusive stored condition to overlie the seat cushion (11) of the seat, said web (4) having a fastening at a second end capable of releasably fastening the web in the extended condition and the apparatus being adapted to urge the web into engagement with the seat cushion. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the length of the web extended is adjustable. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the web (4) is elastic. 4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the structure normally tends to retract the web to the stored condition. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the structure comprises a roll (2) on to which the web (4) is wound in the stored condition and spring means to urge the roll (2) to store the web (4). 6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the web comprises a plurality of elongate strips.

Inventors: LOWE NICK, LOWE, NICK
Applicants: LOWE NICK, LOWE, NICK
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B60R7
IPC codes: B60R7