Abstract:
A chest protector ( 20 ) for use with a vehicle restraint system having a shoulder strap and a lap belt includes an outer shell ( 22 ) having an upper retention bracket ( 28 ) opening downwardly for retaining a shoulder strap. At least one locking member ( 32 ) is positioned adjacent an opening of said retention bracket. The locking member ( 32 ) is selectively movable from a first position substantially closing the opening in the first retention bracket ( 28 ) to a second position opening the opening in the first retention bracket.

Description:
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/018,274 filed May 24, 1996. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a chest protector for use with a shoulder belt and lap belt in a vehicle. 
     Current automobiles generally include seat belt systems which include a lap belt and a shoulder strap. The lap belt should be positioned snugly across the hips of the user, and the shoulder strap should extend generally over the shoulder and diagonally across the chest of the passenger. The shoulder strap and lap belt provide increased protection over a system including only a lap belt. Seat belts systems in some automobiles are designed for the body proportions of an adult over 90 lbs. As a result, shorter passengers, such as young children and small adults, are often endangered by the position of the shoulder strap. The shoulder strap of some vehicle safety restraint systems is dangerously positioned across their neck or face. As a result, the seat belt is uncomfortable and they may refuse to wear the seat belt, or may position the shoulder strap behind him or under an arm. More, importantly, in an auto accident, the impact of the shoulder strap on the neck or head can seriously injure the passenger due to the improper positioning of the shoulder strap across the neck or face. If the child has moved the shoulder strap behind him or under his arm, he will defeat the additional safety of a shoulder strap/lap belt combination. This problem has been somewhat alleviated by seat belt systems in many newer vehicles, which provide for the adjustment of the shoulder strap up or down. 
     One known child chest protector generally comprises a plate placed between the shoulder strap/lap belt combination and the child&#39;s chest and abdomen. The plate includes a first plurality of fingers opening downwardly generally along the path of the shoulder strap. A guide extending outwardly from the plate is positioned below the opening of the first plurality of fingers and is spaced away from the first plurality of fingers to facilitate insertion of the seatbelt shoulder strap. The chest protector further includes a second plurality of fingers generally disposed along the path of the lap belt. At least one of the second plurality of fingers are positioned above the lap belt path and open downwardly. At least one of the second plurality of fingers are positioned below the lap belt path and open upwardly. 
     In operation, the chest protector is worn by the child between the child and the shoulder strap and lap belt. The lap belt is inserted into and retained by the second plurality of opposed fingers. The shoulder strap is inserted into the opening of the first plurality of fingers. Depending upon whether the particular vehicle includes an adjustable shoulder strap, and depending upon the current setting of the adjustable shoulder strap, the first plurality of fingers may deflect the shoulder strap away from the neck and face of the child to the proper safe location across the chest. Further, the plate will increase the surface area of contact between the shoulder strap and lap belt, and the chest and abdomen of the child. 
     The current design of child chest protectors has several drawbacks. First, the shoulder strap is not securely retained by the first plurality of fingers. Due to the inevitable movement of the child during transportation, the shoulder strap slips out of the first plurality of fingers and may return to the dangerous position across the child&#39;s neck or face. Further, the second plurality of opposed fingers improperly positions the lap belt above the hips of the child to a dangerous position. Further, because the plate is flat, the known chest protector is uncomfortable and will tend to concentrate any impact forces in the center of the child&#39;s chest and abdomen, rather than distributing the forces more evenly across the entire plate. 
     In the known chest protector, the plate is manufactured from a relatively hard plastic. Again, this increases the discomfort and does not evenly distribute the force of an impact across the entire area of the plate. Further, the hard plastic does not provide ventilation to the child&#39;s body through the plate. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a chest protector for use with a shoulder belt and lap belt in a vehicle. The chest protector includes an upper retention bracket opening downwardly from an upper end of the chest protector. The chest protector further includes at least one locking tab positioned opposite the upper retention bracket. The upper retention bracket and at least one locking tab define a shoulder belt path. 
     A center convex portion opens downwardly and forms an upper lap retention portion. A lower lap retention bracket opens upwardly toward the upper lap retention portion to define a lap belt path. The chest protector includes a lower end which extends generally forwardly and which includes the lower lap retention bracket. As a result, the lap belt path is tilted from the vertical position, with the lower lap retention bracket being positioned forwardly of the upper lap retention portion. This properly positions the lap belt on the hips of the wearer. 
     The outer shell of the chest protector is preferably convex having a rear surface which is concave. The outer shell is preferably hard plastic and includes a foam lining on the rear surface. Ventilation openings in the foam lining generally align with vents in the outer shell. 
     In operation, the locking tabs are resiliently biased to a position which substantially closes the opening of the upper retention bracket. In order to insert the shoulder strap into the upper retention bracket, the locking tabs must be depressed during insertion. When the shoulder strap is inserted fully into the upper retention bracket, the locking tab is released, returning the locking tab to its original position, substantially closing the opening of the upper retention bracket and retaining the shoulder strap in the upper retention bracket. In order to remove the shoulder strap from the upper retention bracket, the locking tab must be again depressed rearwardly to permit removal of the shoulder strap. As a result, the shoulder strap will be retained in the retention bracket during use. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the chest protector of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the chest protector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line  7 — 7  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line  8 — 8  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 9 is a rear view of the chest protector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is a rear view of an optional foam lining for the chest protector of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the chest protector of FIG. 10; and 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of an alternate vent for the chest protector of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     An improved chest protector  20  according to the present invention is shown in FIG.  1 . The chest protector  20  generally comprises an outer shell  22  having a front surface  24 . An upper retention bracket  28  opens downwardly from the upper end  29  of the chest protector  20  and is positioned outwardly from the front surface  24  of the outer shell  22 . The upper retention bracket  28  includes an outwardly turned portion  30  to facilitate the insertion of a shoulder strap. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the upper retention bracket  28  can be used to retain either the left or right shoulder strap. The chest protector  20  further includes a pair of locking tabs  32  positioned opposite the upper retention bracket  28 . The locking tabs  32  are disposed on either side of an axial centerline. The upper retention bracket  28  and locking tabs  32  define a left shoulder belt path  34  and a right shoulder belt path  35 . 
     The outer shell  22  further includes a center convex portion  36  which forms an upper lap retention portion  38  which extends slightly from the front surface  24  of the outer shell  22 . The upper lap retention portion  38  opens downwardly toward a lower lap retention bracket  40  which extends slightly from the front surface  24  of the outer shell  22  and opens upwardly toward the upper lap retention portion  38 . The upper lap retention portion  38  and lower lap retention bracket  40  define a lap belt path  44 . The outer shell  22  preferably further includes a pair of vents  52  on either side of the center convex portion  36  and slightly overlapped by the lap belt path  44 . 
     As can be seen in FIG. 2, the front surface  24  of the outer shell  22  is preferably convex. The rear surface  56  of the outer shell  22  is preferably concave. The outer shell  22  is preferably a hard plastic, such as santoprene, a foam lining  58  is generally disposed on the rear surface  56  of the outer shell  22 . The outer shell  22  is preferably the same color as the vehicle interior, or a coordinated color. The contours of the outer shell  22  also preferably match or complement the contours of the vehicle interior. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 3, the upper retention bracket  28  is spaced slightly away from the front surface  24  of the outer shell  22 . The retention dimples  31  extend rearwardly from the upper retention bracket  28  in order to assist in retaining the shoulder strap under the upper retention bracket  28 . 
     As can be seen in FIG. 4, the locking tabs  32  disposed adjacent the upper retention bracket  28  extend outwardly from the front surface  24  of the outer shell  22 . However, during insertion and removal of the shoulder strap from the upper retention bracket  28 , the locking tabs  32  are depressed to allow insertion or removal of the shoulder strap. During operation, the locking tabs  32  prohibit the inadvertent removal of the shoulder strap from the upper retention bracket  28 . Further, the chest protector  20  is more suitable for use by the driver of the vehicle because the shoulder strap will not slide out of the upper retention bracket  28  due to the movement of the driver&#39;s arms while driving. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 5, the center convex portion  36  extends downwardly and outwardly from the front surface  24  of the outer shell  22  in order to form the upper lap retention portion  38 , as shown in FIG.  6 . 
     As shown in FIG. 7, the foam lining  58  on the rear surface  56  of the outer shell  22  includes ventilation openings  60  in the foam lining  58  which are generally aligned with the vents  52  in the outer shell  22 . As can be seen in FIG. 7, the locking tabs  32 , in their normal undepressed position will substantially close the opening of the upper retention bracket  28 , thereby preventing the shoulder strap from inadvertently sliding out from under the upper retention bracket  28 . The locking tabs  32  must be depressed rearwardly in order to insert or remove the shoulder strap from the upper retention bracket  28 . The chest protector  20  includes a lower end  62  which extends generally forwardly. As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 8, this positions the lower lap retention bracket  40  forwardly slightly. As a result, the lap belt path  44  is tilted, with the lower lap retention bracket  40  being forward of the upper lap retention portion  38 . This properly positions the lap belt on the hips of the child. 
     FIG. 9 shows the rear view of the chest protector  20 . The foam lining  58  is secured to the rear surface  56  of the outer shell  22 . The foam lining  58  includes a plurality of openings or “shutoff zones” which are lined with certain portions on the outer shell  22 . A first shutoff zone  64  generally corresponds to the upper retention bracket  28  and locking tabs  32  of the outer shell  22 . The ventilation openings  60  are aligned with the vents  52  on the outer shell  22 . A center shutoff zone  66  generally aligns with the upper lap retention portion  38  on the outer shell  22 . A lower shutoff zone  68  is generally aligned with the lower lap retention bracket  40  on the outer shell  22 . The shutoff zones  60 ,  64 ,  66 ,  68 , together with the openings formed by the upper retention bracket  28 , locking tabs  32 , upper lap retention portion  38 , vents  52  and lower lap retention bracket  40  provide ventilation to the child&#39;s chest and abdomen, thereby increasing comfort. 
     As can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, the foam lining  58  can include a sculpted pattern, such as a plurality of convex buttons  72  to provide increased ventilation and comfort. FIG. 10 also shows an optional relief  74  in the foam lining  58  to permit the depression of the locking tabs  32 . The foam lining  58  could include small ventilation openings  75  aligned with vents  52 , as an alternative to the larger ventilation openings  60 , shown in FIG.  7 . 
     As can be seen in FIG. 12, the outer shell  22  could alternatively include the vents  76  having the optional vent patterns shown in place of the vents  52 . 
     The chest protector  20  of the present invention is more comfortable than the previous chest protectors, will distribute force from an impact more evenly across the entire chest protector  20  and will shift a greater amount of force to the child&#39;s hips, rather than the abdomen. The curved outer shell  22  and foam lining  58  will increase the comfort and ventilation and distribute any force from the seatbelts more evenly across the entire chest protector  20 . Further, the combination of a relatively rigid outer shell  22  with the softer foam lining  58  will also increase comfort and more evenly distribute the force in an impact. The slight tilt of the lap belt path  44  and the forward location of the lower lap retention bracket  40  relative to the upper lap retention portion  38  properly positions the lap belt on the child&#39;s hips, rather than the abdomen. 
     In operation, the shoulder belt is inserted into the upper retention bracket  28  by first depressing one of the locking tabs  32 . Upon insertion of the shoulder strap under the upper retention bracket  28 , the locking tab is released, thereby prevent the shoulder strap from unintentionally sliding out from under the upper retention bracket  28 . 
     If the vehicle does not include an adjustable shoulder strap, the upper retention bracket  28  will also reposition the shoulder strap away from the wearer&#39;s neck to a proper position across the wearer&#39;s chest. 
     It should be apparent that the present invention should not be limited to use with children, but would also be beneficial to smaller adults. 
     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent a preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.