Abstract:
A child restraint seat is provided including a seat shell adapted to be coupled to a vehicle seat, a child restraint harness coupled to the seat shell, and a harness adjustment mechanism. A shoulder strap mounting mechanism permits the height of the shoulder strap mounts to be varied to adapt the seat to accommodate children of different sizes. The mounting mechanism is easily operable from the front of the seat without requiring operation of latching mechanism or the rethreading of straps.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to seats for use by children in motor vehicles and, particularly, to seats having child-restraining harnesses. More particularly, the present invention relates to children&#39;s vehicle seats with harness adjustment mechanisms. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the related art 
         [0004]    Child seats are widely used by operators of motor vehicles. Child seats generally include a plastic shell with a cushioned seat formed over the shell. A harness is generally provided on the seat to restrain the child and retain the child in the seat. Harness systems typically include a shoulder harness with straps designed to extend over the shoulders of the child, a lower belt, and a buckle. The belts and straps included with the harness system can typically be adjusted in length to accommodate children of different sizes. 
         [0005]    Additionally, some child seats allow adjustment of the height of the shoulder harness retainers to permit the seat to accommodate children of various heights and to allow the seat to be adjusted as a child grows. In some prior art child seats, adjustment of the height of the shoulder harness retainers requires rethreading the shoulder straps. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,543,847 and 6,189,970. In other prior art seats, operation of a mechanical locking or latching mechanism is necessary to adjust the height of the shoulder straps. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,626,493 and 6,779,843. Many conventional seats also require access to the rear portion of the child seat for adjustments. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,626,493 and 6,491,348. 
         [0006]    In sum, the prior art devices do not provide the important advantages of allowing easy adjustment of the position of the shoulder strap harness retainers without the need to rethread the straps, access the rear side of the seat, or operate a locking or latching mechanism. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a child restraint seat that includes: (a) a seat shell having a bottom seat portion and a back support portion, the back support portion having a front surface, a rear surface, and one or more slots, each slot extending through the back support portion from the front surface to the rear surface, (b) a harness connected to the seat shell including one or more shoulder straps; and (c) a shoulder strap mounting mechanism. The shoulder strap mounting mechanism may include (a) one or more harness mounts, each harness mount connecting to one shoulder strap adjacent to the front surface of the back support portion of the seat shell and extending through one slot, and (b) a height adjustment mechanism connected to the rear surface of the back support portion of the seat shell, the height adjustment mechanism including a trolley connected to the harness mounts and a support apparatus. 
         [0008]    More specifically, the support apparatus may include a cord, the cord being affixed to the back support portion and the trolley being slidingly connected to the cord. The cord is fixed to the back support portion above the highest point of travel of the trolley. Preferably in this embodiment, the cord may extend longitudinally to one end of the trolley, laterally adjacent to or within the trolley, and longitudinally to and is connected to the back support portion at a point below the lowest point of travel of the trolley. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment, the cord may pass through a portion of the trolley, or, alternately, the cord may be connected to the trolley bar externally. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment, the support apparatus additionally may include a second cord, the second cord being fixed to the back support portion in the same way, but at an opposite side of the back support portion, as the first. 
         [0011]    In a further embodiment, the cord passes through a portion of the trolley. In another further embodiment, the cord is connected to the trolley externally. 
         [0012]    It is also an aspect of the present invention to provide child restraint seat including: (a) a seat shell having a bottom seat portion and a back support portion, the back support portion having a front surface, a rear surface, and one or more slots, each slot extending through the back support portion from the front surface to the rear surface, and having an upper end away from the bottom seat portion and a lower end nearest the bottom seat portion; (b) a harness connected to the seat shell including one or more shoulder straps; and (c) a shoulder strap mounting mechanism. The shoulder strap mounting mechanism includes one or more shoulder strap mounts, each shoulder strap mount having a first end connecting to one shoulder strap adjacent to the front surface of the back support portion of the seat shell and a second end extending through one slot, a detent assembly positioned on the rear surface of the back support portion of the seat shell including detents, and a strap mount retainer for holding the strap mount in the detents. The detent assembly preferably comprise depressions and the retainer preferably comprises a cord. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, the detent assembly comprises a plurality of depressions on the rear surface of the back support portion adjacent to the one or more slots, each depression being adapted to couple with engagement portions on one or more of the shoulder strap mounts. 
         [0014]    In another embodiment, the detent assembly comprises a plurality of protuberances on the rear surface of the back support portion adjacent to one or more slots, each protuberance being adapted to couple with the engagement portion on one or more of the shoulder strap mounts. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the cord is an elastic cord. In another embodiment, the cord is substantially inelastic. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment, the shoulder strap mount is slidingly connected to the cord. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, the detent assembly comprises a plurality of depressions on the rear surface of the back support portion adjacent to the slots, each depression is adapted to couple with an engagement portion of the shoulder strap mount; the cord is an elastic cord; and the shoulder strap mount is slidingly connected to the cord. 
         [0018]    These and other aspects and objects, along with advantages and features of the invention disclosed herein, will be made more apparent from the description, drawings, and claims that follow. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The foregoing and other aspects, objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, as well as the invention itself, will be more fully understood from the following description of preferred embodiments, when read together with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a child restraint vehicle seat in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of an embodiment of a trolley mechanism for use in connection with the restraint of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3A  is a rear elevation view of an alternate embodiment of a trolley mechanism for use in connection with the child restraint of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3B  is a rear perspective view of the trolley mechanism of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a detail perspective view of an embodiment of a shoulder strap mount and detent assembly for use in connection with the child restraint vehicle seat of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of an alternate embodiment of the child restraint of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the shoulder strap mount of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the shoulder strap mount of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a child restraint seat  10  includes a seat shell  12  with a bottom seat portion  14  adapted to support a child&#39;s bottom and upper legs and a back support portion  16  positioned to lie at an angle to bottom seat portion  14 . The back support portion has a front surface  18 , a rear surface  20 , and two slots  22 . Harness  30  is provided to restrain a child&#39;s movement relative to the seat shell  10  and may include two shoulder straps  32 , a lower belt assembly  34 , and a buckle unit  36 . 
         [0029]    Although seat shell  12  may be a one-piece molded body, it is within the scope of the present invention to use a multiple-piece body. In preferred embodiments, seat shell  12  may include one or more cushions or padding layers (not shown) that cover bottom seat portion  14  and back support portion  16  to enhance the comfort of the child (not shown) sitting in the seat  10 . 
         [0030]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , slots  22  may be aligned in spaced-apart diverging relation (lowest end to highest end). Preferably, a first distance  24  separates the lowest end of slots  22  and a longer second distance  26  separates the highest end of slots  22 . The slots  22  may be arranged in a V-shaped pattern to provide for variable lateral spacing of the shoulder straps  32  as described below. 
         [0031]    In an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 2 , shoulder strap mounting mechanism  100  includes strap mounts  102  to which the shoulder straps  32  are coupled and a height adjustment mechanism  104  which supports the strap mounts  102  and allows their positions within the slots  22  to be adjusted. The height of the strap mounts  102  determines the nominal height of the shoulder straps  32  above bottom seat portion  14 . In general, a taller child requires the strap mounts  102  to be higher than required for a shorter child. 
         [0032]    The height adjustment mechanism  104  includes a trolley  106  and a cord assembly  108 . Each strap mount  102  extends through the slots  22  in the back support portion  16  of the seat shell  12  and is slidably connected to the trolley  106 . The connection between the strap mounts  102  and the trolley  106  is such that the strap mounts  102  can slide laterally along the trolley within the range of motion allowed by the slots  22 . This slidable connection between the strap mounts  102  and the trolley  106  allows the distance between the slots  22  to be narrower near the bottom seat portion  14  of the seat shell  12 . As the trolley  106  is moved away from the bottom seat portion  14  to accommodate a taller child, the lateral distance between the strap mounts  102  increases, thereby accommodating the taller child&#39;s wider shoulders. 
         [0033]    The trolley  106  is supported by a cord assembly  108  which maintains the trolley  106  in a substantially horizontal position adjacent, but not affixed, to the rear surface  20  of the back support portion  16  of the seat shell  12 . The cord assembly  108  includes a first cord  110  and a second cord  112 . Cords  110 / 112  are attached to rear surface  20  of the seat shell  12  in a generally H-shaped fashion. Cord  110  forms the upper left, horizontal, and lower right segments and cord  112  forms the upper right, horizontal, and lower left segments. Cords  110 / 112  are affixed to the rear surface of the back support portion  16  at the four endpoints  114  of the vertical segments of the H-shape arrangement. Trolley  106  is slidably connected to the horizontal segments of cords  110 / 112 . Because the total length of each cord  110 / 112  remains constant, trolley  106  is maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation as it is moved throughout its range of motion permitted by the slots  22 . Thus, strap mounts  102  are held at substantially equivalent heights above the bottom seat portion  14  as they are moved throughout the range of motion. 
         [0034]    The embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  incorporates a trolley  106  with an internal cavity extending throughout its length through which the cords  110 / 112  are placed. An alternative embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 3A-3B  in which the cords  110 / 112  are slidably connected to the trolley  106  by cord guides  116 / 117 / 118 . The operation of the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3A-3B  is otherwise identical to the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 . In each of the embodiments shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIGS. 3A-3B , the friction between the cords  110 / 112  and either the trolley bar  106  or the cord guides  116 / 117 / 118  is sufficient to hold the trolley bar  106  in place until the caregiver desires to adjust the position of the shoulder straps  32 . 
         [0035]    The embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3A-3B  may include a trolley carriage  105 . The trolley carriage  105  provides a housing for several components including the trolley  106  and cord guides  116 / 117 / 118  as well as providing a greater surface area for the trolley carriage  105  to contact and frictionally engage the child restraint seat  10 . Cord guides  116  are provided to change the direction of the cords  110 / 112  from generally vertical to generally horizontal within the trolley carriage  105 . Cord guides  117  maintain proper alignment of cords  110 / 112  with the cord guides  116 . Cord guide  118  is provided proximate to the center of the trolley carriage  105  to ensure separation between cord  110  and cord  112 . Trolley  106  may be comprised of two segments held on the trolley carriage  105  by trolley retainer  107  to facilitate easier assembly. 
         [0036]    In an embodiment, channels  23  surround slots  22  on the rear surface  20 . Channels  23  are thicker at their upper and lower ends, corresponding to the curvature of the rear surface  20 , such that their edges are substantially coplanar. Thus the trolley carriage  105  is movable up and down in a generally linear range of motion. The trolley carriage  105  is movable within frame  119  on the rear surface  20 . Frame  119  may be integrally molded into the rear surface  20  or may be an attached piece. Cord endpoints  114  may be mounted on frame  119 . It is within the scope of the invention to include either or both of the channels  23  and the frames  119  in an embodiment of the invention as depicted in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIGS. 3A-3B , a single length of cord may be used to comprise both cords  110 / 112 . This may be accomplished by running the continuous length of cord between either the upper endpoints  114  or, as shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIGS. 3A-3B , the lower endpoints  114 . It is also within the scope of the invention to attach the free ends of cords  110 / 112  using a single boss secured by a fastener such as a screw. 
         [0038]    A caregiver can raise and lower strap mounts  102  to change the height and lateral spacing of the shoulder straps  32  to fit the child who is to be restrained in the seat  10 . To do so, the caregiver simply grasps the strap mounts  102  and exerts an upward or downward force sufficient to overcome the frictional forces holding the trolley  106  in place. When the desired position is reached, the caregiver releases the strap mounts  102 . 
         [0039]    In another embodiment of the present invention, shoulder strap  32  is connected to a shoulder strap mount  202 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , shoulder strap mount  202  extends through slot  22  and releasably couples with a shoulder strap mount detent assembly  200 . Each detent assembly  200  may be located on the rear surface  20  of the back support portion  16  of the seat shell  12  adjacent to slot  22 . Alternately, the detent assembly  200  may be formed as part of a separate member which is affixed to the rear surface  20  of the back support portion  16  adjacent to slot  22 . 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , a plurality of detent assemblies  200  are associated with each slot  22 . Each shoulder strap mount  202  is facilitated to be held in a detent assembly  200  by a retainer, such retainer can comprise an elastic cord  212 . Each shoulder strap mount  202  is slidably attached to its associated elastic cord  212  at the hole formed by the generally toroidal protuberance  204  as shown in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , cords  212  are affixed to the rear surface  20  of the back support portion  16  of the seat shell  12  both above and below slots  22  at points  214 . Sufficient tension is present in the cords  212  to maintain the shoulder strap mounts  202  coupled with the detent assembly  200  until the caregiver desires to adjust the position of the shoulder strap mounts  202  as described below. 
         [0042]    In one exemplary embodiment, each shoulder strap mount  202  is generally H-shaped, as shown in  FIG. 6 . The shoulder strap  32  passes through one side of the H which defines a slot  208 . The opposite vertical portion of the H is adapted to releasably couple with a shoulder strap mount height locator  200 . This portion of the shoulder strap mount also includes a protuberance  204  of a generally toroidal shape through which cord  212  is run. The horizontal portion  206  of the H is adapted to slide easily within slot  22  in the seat shell  12 . 
         [0043]    To adjust the height of shoulder strap mount  202 , the caregiver grasps the strap attachment portion of the mount  202  and pushes it generally horizontally towards the rear of the seat shell  12 , overcoming the elastic tension on the cord  212 , thus disengaging the shoulder strap mount  202  from the detent assembly  200 . The caregiver then slides the shoulder strap mount  202  generally vertically within the slot  22  to the desired detent assembly  200  while maintaining the horizontal force. With the shoulder strap mount  202  adjacent to the desired detent assembly  200 , the caregiver removes the rearward force on the shoulder strap mount  202  and the tension in the cord  212  causes the shoulder strap mount  202  to releasably couple with the detent assembly  200 . The process is repeated for the other shoulder strap  32  and mount  202 . Normally the shoulder strap mounts  202  are placed in corresponding detent assembly  200  such that they are at substantially the same height above the bottom seat portion  14 . 
         [0044]    An alternate embodiment of the shoulder strap mount  202  is shown in  FIG. 7 . In this embodiment, the portion of the shoulder strap mount  202  that couples with the detent assembly  200  includes curved ends. The associated detent assembly  200  is adapted to releasably engage the curved ends. It is within the scope of the present invention to utilize other alternative shapes of shoulder strap mounts and detent assembly. 
         [0045]    It is within the scope of the present invention to substitute for elastic cords  212  substantially non-elastic cords coupled with one or more tensioning devices which, permit strap mounts  202  to be moved from one detent assembly  200  to another detent assembly  200  in the manner described above. Additionally, it is within the scope of the present invention that a strap, cable, webbing, rope, or other elongate flexible member can be substituted for the elastic cords  212 . 
         [0046]    It is also within the scope of the present invention to utilize shoulder strap mounts  202  that include one or more recessed portions which are adapted to releasably couple with corresponding protuberances which comprise the detent assemblies  200  on the rear surface  20  of the back support portion  16  of the seat shell  12 . 
         [0047]    Following from the above description and invention summaries it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the systems and processes herein described constitute exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that the invention is not limited to these precise systems and processes and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiments set forth herein are to be incorporated into the meanings of the claims unless such limitations or elements are explicitly listed in the claims. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claim, as the invention is defined by the claims and because inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.