Patent ID: 7201452

Claim:
An infant seat restraint device for restraining against movement and anchoring an infant seat in place to a vehicle seat by transferring infant seat restraint strap tensile forces to a vehicle seat assembly seat back, the infant seat restraint device comprising: a central elongated member having a length sized to install behind and against the vehicle seat assembly seat back, the central member sized to extend vertically from an area near the top of the vehicle seat assembly seat back to an area near the bottom of the vehicle seat assembly seat back, the central member having an upper end and a lower end, the central member configured for transferring tensile forces from the infant seat to the vehicle seat assembly seat back; an upper restraint attachment receiving member securely attached to the upper end of the central member, the upper restraint receiving member sized and configured to restrainably couple with an infant seat top tether strap restraint latch device, the restraint receiving member transferring tensile forces between the infant seat top tether strap and the central elongated member; a first flexible elongated prong member and a second flexible elongated prong member, the first and second prong members each having a first and a second end, the prong member first ends securely fixed to and tensionably coupled to the lower end of the central elongated member, the prong members angularly spaced apart and extending to the prong members second end, the prong members having a length selected to extend from the central member then under the vehicle seat assembly seat back to vehicle seat passenger area; a first lower restraint receiving member securely attached to and tensionably coupled to the second end of the first prong member; and a second lower restraint receiving member securely attached to and tensionably coupled to the second end of the second prong member, the first and second lower restraint receiving members each sized and configured to restrainably couple with an infant seat lower restraint strap latch device, the restraint receiving members transferring tensile forces from the infant seat lower restraint straps through the prong members to the central elongated member, wherein tension forces of the upper infant seat tether substantially cancel tension forces of the lower infant seat straps in the central elongated member, and wherein forward and lateral movement of the infant seat relative to the vehicle seat assembly is constrained by transfer of infant seat restraint strap tensile forces to the vehicle seat assembly seat back.