Abstract:
A child restraint for a child seat is relatively easily engaged using a passive approach and resists disengagement until released. A cross bar can be moved along a slide mechanism in the restraint, where the cross bar or the slide mechanism may include a ratchet mechanism. The ratchet mechanism may operate to permit the cross bar to be moved with relative ease in a first direction, and resist movement of the cross bar in a second, different direction. The cross bar in a lowered position contributes to restraining the child in the child seat by limiting leg movement. A release mechanism is actuated to release the cross bar to permit relatively easy movement. A locking mechanism may be employed to lock the cross bar in place.

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0001]    (Not Applicable) 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Child restraints have been used for child seats in different forms and applications. Regarding a shopping cart, a child restraint may be provided for a child seat that is formed as part of the shopping cart. The child seat may have certain design criteria that the child seat may be adapted to. For example, a child seat in a shopping cart may be formed with a collapsible seat bottom and back, to permit the seat to be collapsed when not in use. The seat may also be collapsed to permit the shopping cart to nest with another shopping cart for storage or handling. 
         [0003]    It is generally desirable to provide a child restraint for a child seat to secure the child in the seat. Securing the child in a child seat with a restraint contributes to addressing issues such as safety, retention and reduced burden for a caregiver. With respect to shopping carts, safety is a primary issue, since the child seat of a shopping cart is elevated above a typically hard and unyielding floor. Unrestrained children can fall from such seats and risk serious injury or death. 
         [0004]    Seatbelts have been used as restraints where a child is placed in the shopping cart seat and the seatbelt is then clasped around the child. Seatbelts generally are clasped around the waist of the child to secure them using the back of the shopping cart seat for anchorage. Other shopping cart child seat restraints have been developed, including the devices illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,832,767 and 7,887,067. Some restraints have been used that are resistant to actuation by a child. 
         [0005]    In cases where the seatbelts described above are used in an environment where they are typically subjected to high impact and compression forces, damage to the seatbelt components can result. A typical application for the above-described seatbelts is as child safety restraints on shopping carts. When shopping carts are nested together with one another for storing or handling large numbers of carts easily, for example, portions of the seatbelts can be caught between the carts and can be subjected to high impact and compressive forces. Impact forces like these tend to cause damage to seatbelt components, such as by causing the buckle to crack or even shatter. Compressive forces can damage the seatbelt components, such as by causing the buckle to deform beyond a point of elastic resilience, resulting in an unworkable buckle. In addition, the forces applied to the buckle may disrupt certain features, such as child resistance. Sometimes, a caregiver may feel challenged to secure a child in the shopping cart seat if the seatbelt is damaged or if the buckle is inoperative. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    A child restraint for a child seat is relatively easily engaged and relatively difficult to release. The restraint may include a cross bar that can be moved to a number of different positions, where some of the positions contribute to restraining a child in a child seat, and some of the positions permit easy entry to and/or exit from the seat for the child. The restraint may include a retaining mechanism, such as a ratchet, detent or latch mechanism, that operates to retain the restraint in a particular position. The retaining mechanism may operate to permit the cross bar to be moved with relative ease in a first direction, and may operate to resist movement of the cross bar in a second, different direction. In operation, the cross bar can be brought into proximity with a seat portion of a child seat, for example near the thigh of a child sitting in the child seat, to contribute to restraining the child in the child seat. The cross bar can be moved to be distal from the seat portion of the child seat, for example away from the thigh of the child, to permit entry and/or exit of the child to/from the child seat. 
         [0007]    A release mechanism may implemented to release the retaining mechanism so that upon actuation of the release mechanism the cross bar can be moved with relative ease in different directions, for example to enlarge or reduce a child seat area that receives a leg of a child. The release mechanism may be child resistant, such as by being provided with an at least two-step actuation or by resisting actuation until a threshold level of force is applied, which level of force may be set to be difficult for a child to generate. The applied force may be in the form of a pinching force, which may be generated with two different forces that are directed in generally opposing directions. 
         [0008]    The restraint may be attached to a child seat, which may be located in a child transport device, for example. The child seat may include an upright structure that is located between the legs of the child to contribute to maintaining the child in the child seat. The restraint may be attached to the upright structure, or to a portion of the child seat, or to a device hosting the child seat, such as a stroller or shopping cart. The restraint is attached at a location to permit interaction with the legs of the child. The restraint may thus be located near a front of the child seat and/or positioned above a seat bottom of the child seat. For example, the restraint may be located near a front edge of the child seat to permit the restraint to interact with one or more legs of the child in the child seat. The restraint may be rigidly and/or removeably attached or fastened in a location that permits the restraint to be positioned in proximity to a leg of the child in the child seat. 
         [0009]    In an example implementation, the restraint can be fastened to a portion of a shopping cart that has a child seat, near the legs of the child. In particular, the restraint can be fastened to an upright structure on the shopping cart, which upright structure may be located between the legs of the child when the child is in the shopping cart child seat. The restraint may be moveably fastened to the child seat or the shopping cart, so that the restraint can move toward and away the legs of the child in the child seat. For example, the restraint may be in the form of a cross bar that is fastened to the upright structure of the shopping cart. The one or more positions may be proximate or distal from a region of the child seat that receives the leg of the child. The cross bar may, for example, pivot, translate or slide between positions, and may move along the upright structure or along another path, such as a curved path. The configuration permits the cross bar to be moved toward or away from a leg of a child in the child seat. 
         [0010]    The cross bar, upright structure, child seat or shopping cart may be provided with a retaining mechanism that permits the cross bar to be fixed in or freed from one or more positions. The retaining mechanism may be configured as a ratchet or one or more detents or a latch that resists movement of the cross bar away from the leg of the child even when a relatively large force is used to urge the cross bar in that direction. The retaining mechanism may be configured to permit movement of the cross bar toward the leg of the child with a relatively small urging force. A release for the retainer mechanism may be provided that, upon actuation, releases the ratchet and permits the cross bar to move toward or away from the leg of the child with a relatively small urging force. 
         [0011]    The restraint in the above example may be fastened or attached to a gate of the shopping cart. The restraint may be fastened or attached to a portion of the shopping cart that pivots when the shopping cart is nested into another shopping cart, or a portion of the shopping cart that pivots when another shopping cart is nested into the shopping cart. 
         [0012]    According to an example implementation, the child restraint is a safety device in the form of a transversal body that is upwardly and downwardly adjustable. The transversal body may be implemented as the above-mentioned cross bar or vice versa. The safety device may be used with a shopping cart that has leg openings in a child seat for receiving the legs of a child. The transversal body is positioned near a leg opening and lowered from an upper idle or stand-by position to a lower active securing position that is proximate with a leg of the child in the child seat. The transversal body restricts the leg opening for the leg of the child when moved to a lower active securing position. The transversal body is adjustable to be positioned in one of a number of lower active securing positions. The position in which the transversal body is placed to secure the leg of the child may be variable and releaseably fixed. The transversal body may be adjusted and fixed in a position to accommodate a thickness of the leg of the child, for example. The transversal body can thus be adjusted height-wise and be fixed at a set level. 
         [0013]    According to an example, the child restraint has a frame that supports the transversal body. The frame may be implemented as the above-mentioned slide mechanism or vice versa. The frame is elongated and may be relatively thin and in the shape of a three-dimensional rectangle or rectangular cuboid. The frame may be implemented as part of or integral with a child seat or a device in which a child seat is located, such as a stroller or a shopping cart. The transversal body is mounted on the frame to permit positioning of the transversal body in multiple operative locations. The multiple locations may permit entry and exit of a child in the child seat, or may restrain the child in the child seat. The locations may be along the elongated dimension of the frame. 
         [0014]    The transversal body may enclose the frame and/or be retained to the frame to permit a movable or adjustable relationship. For example, the transversal body may slide, pivot or translate with respect to the frame. In the case of a slide relationship, the frame may have a slot that cooperates with a projection on the transversal body to retain the transversal body on the frame while permitting the transversal body to slide on the frame. The frame may also be configured with components that permit attachment to a child seat. For example, a child seat in a wire frame shopping cart may have wires that extend between the legs of a child sitting in the child seat. The frame may have openings or recesses to receive the wires to permit the frame to be mounted to the child seat in the wire frame shopping cart. The frame may be configured to have any particularly desired mounting mechanism for a child seat, as long as the transversal body can move toward and move away from a leg of a child sitting in the child seat. 
         [0015]    According to an example, the transversal body and/or the frame may include the retaining mechanism, which may be in the form of projections or teeth that act as detents that contribute to positioning the transversal body with respect to the frame at certain locations. Any type of structure or mechanism may be used to retain the transversal body in a certain position with respect to the frame, including the projections, teeth and detents mentioned above, as well as frictional retainers and resilient items, such as springs, and in any combination, and without limitation. In some implementations, the transversal body can be moved to different positions along the frame and secured in place using the teeth. 
         [0016]    The frame may include an elongated rack, which may be formed as a projection or recess in or on the frame. The transversal body may include a structure that is complementary to the rack, and may be formed with a groove or slot, or as a protrusion, as the case may be, to cooperate with the rack. The frame may include one or more detent structures, such as projections, teeth and/or recesses that may be disposed on the rack, which function as stops or positioners for the transversal body on the frame. The detent structures are arranged and configured to cooperate with one or more complementary detent structures on the transversal body, which may be disposed on the structure that is complementary to the rack. The detent structure on the transversal body may include one or more projections, teeth and/or recesses, which may be complementary to the detent structures on the frame. The detent structures on the transversal body may engage or disengage with the detent structures on the frame. Upon engagement, the detent structure on the transversal body cooperates with the detent structure on the frame to retain the transversal body at a certain position on the frame. Upon disengagement, the detent structures on the transversal body and on the frame no longer cooperate, and the transversal body is free to move with respect to the frame. 
         [0017]    The detent structures on the transversal body and/or the frame may be biased towards engagement. For example, a resilient member such as a spring may be employed to bias the detent structures on the transversal body and/or on the frame to engage with each other. The engagement may be established and maintained for a given height position setting using a spring, such as a leaf or helical spring, for example. The resilient member may be disposed within the transversal body, and may have actuators that are accessible externally to the transversal body. The actuators may be in the form of one or more levers that act against the resilient member to release the detent structures from engagement, thereby permitting the transversal body to move toward or away from a child seat area that receives a child&#39;s leg. 
         [0018]    When the transversal body is moved to an operative position for restraining a child in the child seat, the thickness of the child&#39;s thighs may determine the position at which the transversal body is retained by the retaining mechanism. When the child is to be removed from the child seat, the actuator is actuated to release the retaining mechanism and the transversal body can be moved away from the child seat area that receives a child&#39;s leg. 
         [0019]    According to an example, the transversal body is configured to, in at least one mode, move toward a restraining or securing position as a default or idle operation. For example, detents or teeth on the frame and/or the transversal body may be shaped to permit the transversal body to move with respect to the frame to the securing position with very little applied urging force, such as gravitational force. In one example implementation, the configuration of the transversal body and/or the frame functions as a ratchet, where very little force may be used to move the transversal body toward a securing position, but movement of the transversal body away from a securing position is strongly resisted. Alternatively, or in addition, the transversal body may be urged toward a securing position by movement of a transport device to which the transversal body is mounted. For example, as the transport device is moved, vibrations or jolts experienced by the transport device are transferred to the child restraint, which in turn vibrate or jolt the transversal body, causing the transversal body to descend toward a securing position. 
         [0020]    When a child is positioned in the child seat, the transversal body in the above-described example may settle on the legs of the child without direct force applied by the child or caregiver. Accordingly, the child restraint can be configured to be passive, so that the device automatically moves to a securing position without directly applied force. A feature of the child restraint according to the above examples is that the caregiver may be prevented from placing the child in the child seat until the transversal body is moved from the securing position to the stand-by position. Once the child is placed in the child seat with the transversal body in the stand-by position, the caregiver or child may move the transversal body into a securing position proximate to the child&#39;s leg(s). The transversal body may also be left in the stand-by position with the child in the child seat, and the motion of the transport device may cause the transversal body to move to a securing position, such as by rotational or translational movement. Thus, the child restraint can be automatically or passively reset with each use, which, among other features, permits the usage of the child restraint to be customized to the child. 
         [0021]    According to an example implementation, some distal positions of the transversal body from the child seat may include a feature to retain the transversal body more strongly than other positions. Such an implementation permits the transversal body to be retained in the stand-by or idle position. The transversal body may be retained in the stand-by position until a certain threshold of force is encountered to cause the transversal body to move to a securing position. Once the transversal body is urged out of the stand-by position, inertia may be used to permit the transversal body to continue to move to a securing position with minimal resistance from the detents or teeth interaction. 
         [0022]    According to an example implementation, the release for the retaining mechanism may include one or move levers. The lever may pivot about a pivot point on the transversal body, with a first end of the lever accessible to a user to permit actuation of the lever, and a second end of the lever configured to engage or disengage with detent structures on the frame. A bias may be applied to the lever to urge the lever to engage with the detent structures. The bias may be provided by a resilient member such as a spring, which may be implemented as a leaf spring or helical spring. Actuation of the lever by the user may be against to the bias to pivot the lever and disengage the second end from the detent structures, thereby permitting the transversal body to move with respect to the frame. Thus, the user may actuate the release mechanism by urging the first end of the lever to pivot the lever on the transversal body to disengage the second end of the lever from the detent structure on the frame to permit the transversal body to move with respect to the frame. The urging force provided by the user in conjunction with the lever configuration overcomes the bias to permit the lever to pivot. When the user no longer actuates the release mechanism, or when the urging force is removed from the first end of the lever, the bias causes the lever to pivot back to a position where the second end of the lever engages with the detent structure, thereby fixing the transversal body in position with respect to the frame. 
         [0023]    According to another example implementation, a locking mechanism is provided to lock the transversal body in place with respect to the frame. The locking mechanism may include a peg and a cooperating recess that engage to fix the position of the transversal body with respect to the frame. The peg may be located on the transversal body and/or the frame, and may be actuated to engage with a cooperating recess on the frame and/or the transversal body to fix the position of the transversal body with respect to the frame. Alternatively, or in addition, the recess may be actuated to engage with a cooperating peg on either of the transversal body or the frame. A number of recesses and/or pegs may be provided on the transversal body and/or frame to form a set of stops, which are configured to be actuated to lock or unlock the position of the transversal body with respect to the frame. The stops may be arranged along a length of the transversal body and/or frame, so that the transversal body can be moved with respect to the frame and a peg can engage a recess at different positions along the frame. 
         [0024]    According to an example, the locking mechanism, including the peg and/or recess, may be implemented with a detent function or latching function, or any configuration that permits the position of the transversal body to be releaseably fixed with respect to the frame. When the locking mechanism is configured as a peg that can be actuated to engage one or more of a number of recesses, the user can position the transversal arm with respect to the frame and actuate the peg to fix the relative position of the transversal arm and the frame. 
         [0025]    According to an example, the locking mechanism may cooperate with the retaining mechanism to lock the transversal body in position with respect to the frame. The locking mechanism can be implemented as the peg and recess and can be configured to cooperate with the retaining mechanism. The retaining mechanism may resist movement of the transversal body away from an area of the child seat that receives a leg of the child. The locking mechanism may be configured to resist movement of the transversal body toward the area of the child seat that receives the leg of the child. Together, the locking mechanism and the retaining mechanism fix the transversal body in position with respect to the frame by the locking mechanism preventing the transversal body from moving toward the leg area of the child seat and by the retaining mechanism preventing the transversal body from moving away from the leg area. 
         [0026]    According to an example, actuation of the release for the retaining mechanism may also cause the locking mechanism to be unlocked. The lever in the release may include a projection that actuates the locking mechanism to unlock the locking mechanism, such as by separating the peg and the recess so that they no longer engage or cooperate to fix the position of the transversal arm with respect to the frame. Alternatively, or in addition, the release may be actuated to permit the transversal body to move relative to the frame, and such movement may separate the peg and the recess so that they no longer cooperate. In this or other examples, the peg and recess may be shaped so that they cooperate to prevent movement of the transversal body toward the leg area of the child seat, and cause the locking mechanism to unlock when the transversal body is moved away from the leg area of the child seat. The shape and configuration of the peg and recess may include a ramp or inclined surface where the peg and recess engage. Movement of the transversal body away from the leg area may cause the peg and/or the recess to slide along the inclined surface to cause the peg and/or the recess to separate from each other so that they no longer cooperate. The locking mechanism may be configured to stay in a given state until actuated to be locked or unlocked. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]    The disclosure is described in greater detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0028]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of an example implementation; 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of a transversal body according to an example implementation; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of a portion of a retaining mechanism according to an example implementation; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of a slide including components of according to an example implementation; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view of an example implementation; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional elevation view of the example implementation of  FIG. 5  taken along section A-A. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0034]    The disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 7,887,067, issued Feb. 15, 2011, entitled “CHILD SAFETY DEVICE FOR CHILD SEAT,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,767, issued Dec. 21, 2004, entitled “DEVICE FOR CHILD SEAT IN A SHOPPER TROLLEY” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/174,433, filed Jun. 11, 2015, entitled “CHILD RESTRAINT FOR CHILD SEAT” are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a restraint  100  for a child seat is illustrated. Restraint  100  includes a slide  110  and a transversal body  120  that can move along slide  110 . Transversal body  120  includes crossbars  122  that are shaped and arranged to restrain the leg of a child sitting in a child seat (not shown) in an active or engaged position. Transversal body  120  includes a housing  124  and that surrounds a portion of slide  110 . Housing  124  includes openings  126  that permit access to levers  128 . Levers  128  are part of a retaining mechanism  102  used to retain transversal body  120  in a certain position on slide  110 . In operation, levers  128  can be actuated to release retaining mechanism  102  to permit transversal body  120  to be moved along slide  110 . 
         [0036]    Slide  110  includes a rack  112  that is elongated along a longitudinal axis of slide  110 . Rack  112  includes detent structures  114  that are in the form of teeth spaced along rack  112 . Detent structures  114  interact with retaining mechanism  102  located in housing  124  to contribute to retaining transversal body  120  in a given position along slide  110 . 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , transversal body  120  is illustrated separately from slide  110  ( FIG. 1 ). A portion of housing  124  is shown from a rear perspective, including openings  126  and levers  128 . Housing  124  includes a channel  130  that is configured to receive and cooperate with rack  112  ( FIG. 1 ). Levers  128  include protrusions  132  that can protrude into channel  130 . Protrusions  132  interact with detent structures  114  when track  112  is received in channel  130 . Levers  128  can pivot about pivot points  134 . Levers  128  can be accessed and actuated via openings  126 . Actuation of levers  128  can be achieved with an individual inserting base, and finger into respective openings  126  and applying a pinching force to both levers  128  simultaneously. As levers  128  are actuated, they pivot about pivot points  134 , causing protrusions  132  to move out of channel  130 . As protrusions  132  move out of channel  130 , they disengage from detent structures  114  on rack  112  situated in channel  130 . Once protrusions  130  disengage from detent structures  114 , transversal body  120  is free to move along slide  110 . 
         [0038]    Referring also to  FIG. 3 , resilient members  136  are mechanically coupled to levers  128 , such as by being integral or being mechanically attached. Resilient members  136  each include an elongated portion  138  that operates like a leaf spring. Portions  138  each abut a wall  140  inside housing  124 , and resiliently resist movement of levers  128 . Accordingly, levers  128  are biased to the position illustrated in  FIG. 3  by resilient members  136 . Actuation of levers  128  to pivot about pivot points  134  causes resilient members  136  to resiliently deform and compresses as portions  138  abut and slide along walls  140 . In the absence of an actuating force, levers  128  are biased into the position shown in  FIG. 3  by resilient members  136 . Levers  128  are stopped from further movement by stops  144  abutting curved portions  142  of resilient members  136 . Portions  138  of resilient members  136  engage walls  140  to maintain a bias when levers  128  are stopped from further rotation by stops  144 . With this configuration, levers  128  offer immediate resistance to actuation, since resilient members  136  are loaded with an urging force that is maintained by portions  142  abutting stops  144  while portions  138  are under load against walls  140 . As levers  128  are actuated, portions  138  slide against walls  140  and portions  142  move away from stops  144  to retract protrusions  132  from channel  130 . 
         [0039]    Although levers  128  are illustrated as being subject to a bias in a non-actuated position, they may be configured to be free to rotate without a bias when unactuated. For example, portion  138  need not contact or abut wall  144  for one or both of levers  128  in a non-actuated or idle position, so that levers  128  have some mechanical play in their operation. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , slide  110  is illustrated with levers  128  interacting with rack  112 . Levers  128  are illustrated by themselves, without showing their mounting in housing  124  for the sake of clarity. When levers  128  are in a non-actuated state, protrusions  132  cooperate with detent structures  114  and recesses  116  on rack  112 . Protrusions  132  abut detent structures  114  to resist movement of transversal body  120 , to which levers  128  are mounted via housing  124 . The configuration of levers  128  strongly resists movement of transversal body  120  in an upward direction along slide  110 , and weakly resists movement of transversal body  120  in a downward direction along slide  110 . 
         [0041]    When transversal body  120  is urged in an upward direction while levers  128  remain unactuated, the shape and location of detent structures  114  and recesses  116  contribute to urging protrusions  132  into recesses  116 , thereby increasing the resistance to movement in an upward direction. When transversal body  120  is urged in a downward direction while levers  128  remain unactuated, detent structures  114  slide along projections  132 , resulting in an urging force against the bias of resilient members  136 . The urging force tends to move projections  132  out of recesses  116  as levers  128  pivot in in a direction to move projections  132  out of channel  130 . As levers  128  pivot, projection  132  is freed from being blocked or stopped by detent structures  114  and/or recesses  116  to permit transversal body  120  to move downward with respect to slide  110 . 
         [0042]    As transversal body  120  moves downward along slide  110 , the bias provided by resilient members  136  urges projections  132  into a next recess  116 . Accordingly, transversal body  120  can move downward along slide  110  by overcoming the relatively small resistance provided by detent structures  114  urging levers  128  to pivot against the bias provided by resilient members  136 . In contrast, movement of transversal body  120  in an upward direction is strongly resisted by the engagement of protrusions  132  with recesses  116  and detent structures  114 . This engagement is reinforced as transversal body  120  is urged upward, since such an urging force tends to drive protrusions  132  more strongly into recesses  116 , causing upward movement to be blocked by detent structures  114 . 
         [0043]    When levers  128  are non-actuated, transversal body  120  is more easily urged in a downward direction than in an upward direction, as discussed above. Levers  128  maybe actuated by application of a force to levers  128  to cause them to pivot against the bias provided by resilient members  136 . As levers  128  pivot upon being actuated, projections  132  are withdrawn from recesses  116 , and clear detent structures  114 . Accordingly, actuation of levers  128  causes projections  132  to be released from mechanical interference with recesses  116  or detent structures  114 . In such a released state, transversal body  120  is free to move along slide  110  without interference or any significant resistance. 
         [0044]    In operation, restraint  100  is mounted to a child seat with openings  126  facing inwardly or outwardly, i.e., toward or away from the child seat. Mounting elements  150  may be formed as hooks or clamps that may be used to mount restraint  100  to the child seat or to the device hosting the child seat. In addition, or alternatively, slide  110  may include internal openings or slots  152  that may be used to mount restraint  100  to a child seat or to the device hosting the child seat. Transversal body  120  is set to an upward or idle position near a top extent of slide  110  by actuating levers  128  to release protrusions  132  from detent structures  114  and recesses  116  to permit transversal body  120  to freely move along slide  110 . With transversal body  120  in an upward or idle position, a child may be placed in the child seat without being obstructed by transversal body  120 . 
         [0045]    With the child in the child seat, transversal body  120  may be moved downward by applying a downward urging force to transversal body  120 , without the need to actuate levers  128 . The urging force applied to move transversal body  120  downward is relatively small. As transversal body  120  moves closer to a child&#39;s leg, the child is restrained in the child seat. Transversal body  120  resists upward movement, owing to the interaction of protrusions  132  on levers  128  with recesses  116  and detent structures  114 . Accordingly, restraint  100  can be engaged with a child&#39;s leg relatively easily, but strongly resists disengagement in the absence of actuation of levers  128 . 
         [0046]    Disengagement of restraint  100  from a child&#39;s leg can be achieved by actuating levers  128  to permit transversal body  120  to move along slide  110  without obstruction. When levers  128  are actuated, protrusions  132  disengage from detent structures  114  and recesses  116 , and transversal body  120  can be raised to a top or idle position on slide  110 . With transversal body  120  in a top or idle position, the child can be easily placed in or removed from the child seat without interference from restraint  100 . 
         [0047]    Restraint  100  may be placed on a child seat for a shopping cart without interfering with the nesting capability of the shopping cart. For example, restraint  100  may be mounted to a structure in the child seat located between the child&#39;s legs. Such a mounting location for restraint  100  does not interfere with collapse of the child seat or pivoting of the gate during shopping cart nesting operations. In addition, the location of restraint  100  on a child&#39;s seat for a shopping cart may permit transversal body  120  to be reset when shopping carts are nested. For example, a first shopping cart nested into a second shopping cart may contact and urge transversal body  120  into a lower position on slide  110 . When in such a lower or reset position, a child may be prevented by restraint  100  from being place in the child seat. This feature prompts the user to release and raise transversal body  120  to an upward or idle position to permit the child to be placed in the child seat without interference. According to this feature, restraint  100  is made available and ready with each use to restrain the child, thus providing passive restraint functionality. 
         [0048]    In addition to being actively lowered by a user to restrain a child in the child seat, transversal body  120  may also be activated or reset by the movement of a hosting device to which it is mounted. For example, transversal body  120  may move downwardly without levers  128  being actuated as a result of motion and/or oscillation of the hosting device. In the case of a shopping cart, transversal body  120  may move downwardly upon overcoming the relatively low level of resistance provided by resilient members  136  urging protrusions  132  into recesses  116 . This low level of resistance may be overcome by the shopping cart being put into motion and subjected to relatively mild impacts or oscillations communicated through the shopping cart wheels being driven over slightly bumpy surfaces as may be encountered with concrete floors or asphalt parking lots or roadways. Accordingly, restraint  100  may be used by a caregiver for a child being placed in the child seat by actuating levers  128 , raising transversal body  120  to a sufficient level to permit entry of the child in the child seat and then placing the child in the child seat. With the child in the child seat, and the shopping cart in motion, transversal body  120  can overcome the resistance to downward motion discussed above, and moved downward to a position that restrains one or more legs of the child in the child seat. 
         [0049]    The relatively low level of resistance to downward motion of transversal body  120  permits transversal body  120  to be reset to a lower position with ordinary use. For example, when restraint  100  is used on a shopping cart, the nesting and handling of shopping carts as a group can provide sufficient energy to overcome the resistance to downward motion for transversal body  120 , so that transversal body  120  can move downward to a lower position with respect to the child seat in a shopping cart. In this way, restraint  100  is reset for another use by a caregiver for a child to be placed in the child seat. With transversal body  120  moved to a lower position with respect to the child seat, entry of a child into the child seat is obstructed by transversal body  120 . Accordingly, a caregiver for a child may be induced to raise transversal body  120  to a higher position by actuating levers  128  before placing a child in the child seat. Once the child is placed in the child seat, transversal body  120  can be lowered as discussed above. 
         [0050]    Although restraint  100  is described and illustrated as having two crossbars  122 , two levers  128  and two sets of detent structures  114  and recesses  116 , fewer or more of these components may be used. For example, restraint  100  may be configured to use a single crossbar  122  to restraint a single leg of a child in a child seat. In addition, or alternatively, crossbars  122  may pivot or otherwise translate with respect to housing  124  to function as a child seat restraint and/or obtain additional restraint or customized fit for a child. Housing  124  can be provided with a rotary ratchet mechanism, for example, which may permit a crossbar  122  to pivot downward with a relatively small amount of urging force without the actuation of a release mechanism, but strongly resist pivoting upward unless the rotary ratchet mechanism is released. 
         [0051]    According to an example implementation, some distal positions of transversal body  120  from the child seat may include a feature to retain transversal body  120  more strongly than other positions. Such an implementation permits transversal body  120  to be retained in a stand-by or idle position near a top of its range of motion. Transversal body  120  may be retained in the stand-by position until a certain threshold of force is encountered to cause transversal body  120  to move toward the leg area of the child seat or a securing position. Once transversal body  120  is urged out of the stand-by position, inertia may be used to permit the transversal body to continue to move to a securing position with minimal resistance from detent structures  114 . According to this feature, one or more top-most detent structures  114  may be enlarged, and/or one or more top-most recesses  116  may be deepened, such that the threshold force for overcoming the bias of resilient members  136  is greater than with other, lower detent structures  114  or recesses  116 . This feature permits transversal body  120  to be placed in the stand-by position near a top of its range of motion, and maintained there more readily than in other, lower positions with respect to downward motion. As such, transversal body  120  is more likely to stay in the stand-by position while a child is being placed in the child seat. This configuration contributes to keeping transversal body  120  from dropping and interfering with or obstructing the placement of the child in the child seat. Once the child is placed in the child seat, transversal body  120  can be urged downward to easily overcome the greater threshold for movement near the top of its range that is imposed by the enlarged instances of the one or more top-most detent structures  114  or the deepened instances of the one or more top-most recesses  116 . Once transversal body  120  passes the point where projections  132  interact with enlarged detent structures  114  and/or deepened recesses  116 , resistance to downward motion of transversal body  120  decreases, so that transversal body  120  can be urged downward with a relatively small applied force, such as gravity or forces applied by motion of the child seat to which restraint  100  is coupled. 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an example embodiment of a restraint  200  is illustrated with a locking feature. Restraint  200  may be implemented with restraint  100 , and all relevant designators are maintained the same as with restraint  100 . A locking mechanism  210  is provided in a housing  224  to lock transversal body  120  in place with respect to a frame  220 . 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , locking mechanism  210  may include a peg  212  and a cooperating recess  216  that engage to fix the position of transversal body  120  with respect to frame  220 . In other example implementations, peg  212  may be located in housing  224  and/or frame  220 , and may be actuated to engage with a cooperating recess  216  on frame  220  and/or housing  224  to fix the position of transversal body  120  with respect to frame  220 . Alternatively, or in addition, recess  216  may be actuated to engage with a cooperating peg  210  on either of housing  224  or frame  220 . A number of recesses  216  and/or pegs  212  may be provided on transversal body  120 , housing  224  and/or frame  220  to form a set of stops, which are configured to be actuated to lock or unlock the position of transversal body  120  with respect to frame  220 . The stops may be arranged along a length of transversal body  120  and/or frame  220 , so that transversal body  120  can be moved with respect to frame  220  and peg  212  can engage recess  216  at different positions along frame  220 . 
         [0054]    Locking mechanism  210 , including peg  212  and/or recess  216 , may be implemented with a detent function or latching function, or any configuration that permits the position of transversal body  120  to be releaseably fixed with respect to frame  220 . When locking mechanism  210  is configured as peg  212  that can be actuated to engage one or more of a number of recesses  216 , the user can position transversal body  120  with respect to frame  220  and actuate peg  212  to fix the relative position of transversal body  120  and frame  220 . 
         [0055]    Locking mechanism  210  may cooperate with a retaining mechanism  202  to lock transversal body  120  in position with respect to frame  220 . Locking mechanism  210  can be implemented as peg  212  and recess  216  and can be configured to cooperate with retaining mechanism  202 . Retaining mechanism  202  may resist movement of transversal body  120  away from an area of the child seat that receives a leg of the child. Locking mechanism  210  may be configured to resist movement of transversal body  120  toward the area of the child seat that receives the leg of the child. Together, locking mechanism  210  and retaining mechanism  202  fix transversal body  120  in position with respect to frame  220  by locking mechanism  210  preventing transversal body  120  from moving toward the leg area of the child seat and by retaining mechanism  202  preventing transversal body  120  from moving away from the leg area. 
         [0056]    Actuation of levers  228  can release retaining mechanism  202  and may also cause locking mechanism  210  to be unlocked. Levers  228  in housing  224  may include a projection (not shown) that actuates locking mechanism  210  to unlock locking mechanism  210 , such as by separating peg  212  and recess  216  so that they no longer engage or cooperate to fix the position of transversal body  120  with respect to frame  220 . Alternatively, or in addition, levers  228  may be actuated to permit housing  224  and transversal body  120  to move relative to frame  220 , and such movement may separate peg  212  and recess  216  so that they no longer cooperate. In this or other examples, peg  212  and recess  216  are shaped so that they cooperate to prevent movement of transversal body  120  toward the leg area of the child seat, and cause locking mechanism  210  to unlock when transversal body  120  is moved away from the leg area of the child seat. The shape and configuration of peg  212  and recess  216  include an inclined surface  230 ,  232 , respectively, where peg  212  and recess  216  engage. Movement of transversal body  120  away from the leg area may cause peg  212  and/or recess  216  to slide along inclined surface  230 ,  232  to cause peg  212  and/or recess  232  to separate from each other so that they no longer cooperate. 
         [0057]    Locking mechanism  210  may be configured to stay in a given state until actuated to be locked or unlocked. For example, peg  212  may be configured to frictionally engage surrounding walls  234  to resist movement in the absence of an urging force. In such a configuration, when peg  212  is placed in an unlocked position that does not engage or cooperate with recess  216 , the frictional relationship with walls  234  contribute to maintaining peg  212  in such an unlocked position and state. When peg  212  is actuated to lock the position of housing  224  and transversal body  120  in relation to frame  220 , the frictional relationship with walls  234  tends to maintain peg  212  in such a locked position. 
         [0058]    The methods, systems, and devices discussed above are examples. Various configurations may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, in alternative configurations, the methods may be performed in an order different from that described, and that various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to certain configurations may be combined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of the configurations may be combined in a similar manner. Also, technology evolves and, thus, many of the elements are examples and do not limit the scope of the disclosure or claims. 
         [0059]    Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of example configurations (including implementations). However, configurations may be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known processes, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail to avoid obscuring the configurations. This description provides example configurations only, and does not limit the scope, applicability, or configurations of the claims. Rather, the preceding description of the configurations provides a description for implementing described techniques. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. 
         [0060]    Also, configurations may be described as a process that is depicted as a flow diagram or block diagram. Although each may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be rearranged. A process may have additional stages or functions not included in the figure. 
         [0061]    Having described several example configurations, various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. For example, the above elements may be components of a larger system, wherein other structures or processes may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention. Also, a number of operations may be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are considered. Accordingly, the above description does not bound the scope of the claims.