Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     There are no related applications for this application. 
     FIELD 
     The field of the invention relates generally to devices utilized for anchoring a person, particularly a child, to a vehicle seat. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     A vehicle seat harness anchoring system is disclosed. The vehicle seat harness includes a left adjustable harness strap, a right adjustable harness strap and a chest buckle. The harness anchoring system includes an upper left anchor system strap attached to the cleat on the top of the left adjustable harness strap, an upper right anchor system strap attached to the cleat on the top of the right adjustable harness strap, an upper right adjustable anchoring strap attached to the upper left and upper right anchor system straps, an upper left anchoring strap attached to the upper left and upper right anchor system straps and attached to the anchoring plate at the opposite end of the strap, a lower left anchoring strap attached to the bottom of the left adjustable harness strap, a lower right anchoring strap attached to the bottom of the right adjustable harness strap, and a lower middle adjustable anchoring strap attached to a lower buckle where the opposite side of the lower buckle is attached to the bottom or the left and right adjustable harness straps. Each of the upper right adjustable anchoring strap, lower left and right anchoring straps, and the lower middle adjustable anchoring straps have a free end to anchor to an anchoring plate or a vehicle anchoring point and a fixed end connected to the vehicle seat harness. The upper left anchor strap is attached to the anchoring plate. 
     The left adjustable harness strap and the right adjustable harness strap of the vehicle seat harness are adjustable in length. The upper left anchoring strap, the upper right anchoring strap, the lower left anchoring strap and the lower right anchoring strap of the harness anchoring system are not adjustable in length in one preferred embodiment. However, any of the straps may be made adjustable or not adjustable as is suitable for a harness that attaches and anchors in the way that the system of the preferred embodiments attaches and anchors. 
     When using the harness, a user places the harness anchoring system on a vehicle seat. The attached anchoring straps of the harness anchoring system are either attached to an anchor plate connected to the upper left anchoring strap, or are attached to anchoring points on a vehicle so that the harness anchoring system is secured to a vehicle seat. In use, a user sits in the harness, and the harness is secured to the user. Once adjusted, the vehicle seat harness anchoring system may remain in the vehicle seat and may be reused with minimal further adjustments. The vehicle seat harness anchoring system may also be removed at any time and transferred to another seat in the same vehicle, or to a seat in another vehicle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an embodiment of a vehicle seat harness, according to an implementation; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the vehicle seat harness attached to one embodiment of a harness anchoring system, according to one implementation; 
         FIG. 3  is a detail view of the anchor plate which is attached to the upper left anchoring strap of the harness anchoring system, according to one implementation; 
         FIG. 4  is a detail view of the connection of the left adjustable harness strap and the right adjustable harness strap of the vehicle seat harness to the upper left anchoring strap, the upper right adjustable anchor strap, the lower left anchoring strap and lower right anchoring strap of the harness anchoring system from a front side of a vehicle seat before final anchoring of the anchoring system at a rear side of the vehicle seat or to vehicle anchoring points, according to an implementation; 
         FIG. 4A  is a detail view of the connection of the left adjustable harness strap and the right adjustable harness strap of the vehicle seat harness to the upper left anchoring strap, the upper right adjustable anchor strap, the lower left anchoring strap and lower right anchoring strap of the harness anchoring system from a rear side of a vehicle seat, according to another implementation; 
         FIG. 5  is a detail view of the connection of the left adjustable harness strap and the right adjustable harness strap of the vehicle seat harness to the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap of the harness anchoring system, according to an implementation; 
         FIG. 6  is a detail view of the buckles of the non-adjustable anchoring straps, according to an implementation; 
         FIG. 6A  is a detail view of the buckle of the adjustable anchoring straps, according to an implementation; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of the vehicle seat harness anchoring system installed as viewed from the front side of a vehicle front seat, according to an implementation; and 
         FIG. 8  is a rear view of the vehicle seat harness anchoring system installed as viewed from the rear side of a vehicle front seat, according to an implementation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of an embodiment of the vehicle seat harness  100 . The vehicle seat harness  100  includes a left adjustable harness strap  102 , a right adjustable harness strap  104 , a left shoulder pad  106 , a right shoulder pad  108 , an upper left adjustable harness strap cleat  110 , an upper right adjustable harness strap cleat  112 , a left side of a chest buckle  114 , a right side of a chest buckle  115 , a lower left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  and a lower right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122 . The left adjustable harness strap  102  is connected to the left side chest buckle  114  and the right adjustable harness strap  104  is connected to the right side chest buckle  115 . The left adjustable harness strap  102  is connected to the upper left adjustable harness strap cleat  110 , which is connected to the upper left anchoring system strap  201  ( FIG. 2 ). The right adjustable harness strap  104  is connected to the upper right adjustable harness strap cleat  112 , which is connected to the upper right anchoring system strap  202  ( FIG. 2 ). In an embodiment, the upper left adjustable harness strap cleat  110  and upper right adjustable harness strap cleat  112  are configured as “double D-rings”. However the invention is not limited to this particular type of cleat. 
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the vehicle seat harness  100  attached to one embodiment of a harness anchoring system  130 . The upper portion of the vehicle seat harness  100  is attached to the harness anchoring system  130  by attaching an upper portion of the upper left anchoring strap  132  to the upper left anchoring system strap  201  which connects to the upper left adjustable harness strap cleat  110 , and the lower left anchoring strap  138  to the upper left adjustable harness strap cleat  110 . Similarly, the upper portion of the vehicle seat harness  100  is also attached to the harness anchoring system by attaching the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  to the upper right anchoring system strap  202  which attaches to the upper right adjustable harness strap cleat  112 , and the lower right anchoring strap  142  to the upper right adjustable harness strap cleat  112 . Preferably the upper right anchoring system strap  202  and the upper left anchoring system strap  201  attach to each other, preferably by sewing, and the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  and the upper left anchoring strap  132  attach to the connected anchoring system straps  201  and  202 . The anchoring system straps may, however, attach to the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  and the upper left anchoring strap  132  in any suitable manner. As illustrated on  FIG. 4A , the lower left anchoring strap  138  and the lower right anchoring strap  142  are connected by sewing stitches  109 . As illustrated on  FIG. 2 , the lower portion of the vehicle seat harness  100  is attached to the harness anchoring system  130  by sewing stitches  109  to stitch a lower portion of the left adjustable harness strap  102  to the lower left anchoring strap  138  as illustrated on  FIG. 2 . Similarly, the lower portion of the vehicle seat harness  100  is also attached to the harness anchoring system  130  by sewing stitches  109  to stitch a lower portion of the right adjustable harness strap  104  to the lower right anchoring strap  142  as also illustrated on  FIG. 2 . The harness anchoring system  130  in one embodiment has an upper left anchoring strap  132  and an upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134 . An anchor plate  136  is attached to the upper left anchoring strap  132 . The harness anchoring system  130  further includes a lower left anchoring strap  138 , a lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  and a lower right anchoring strap  142 . Each of the five anchoring straps ( 132 ,  134 ,  138 ,  140  and  142 ) has a free end and a fixed end. Attached to free end of the upper right anchoring strap  134  is anchor hook  148 . Attached to the free end of the lower left anchoring strap  138  is an anchor hook  152 . Attached to the free end of the lower middle adjustment anchoring strap  140  is an anchoring hook  154 . Attached to the free end of the lower right anchoring strap  142  is an anchoring hook  156 . In one embodiment, the anchoring devices  148 ,  152 ,  154  and  156  are configured as hooks (see  FIGS. 6 and 6A ). However, the anchoring devices  148 ,  152 ,  154  and  156  are not limited to hooks and may be any suitable buckle. The free end of anchoring devices  148 ,  152  and  156  may be attached to anchors  188  on a vehicle seat (see  FIG. 4A ) or on a vehicle floor (not shown) or are attachable to the anchor plate  136  attached to the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  when vehicle anchors are not available, or the use of the anchor plate is preferable. The free end of anchoring device  154  for the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  is always attached to the anchor plate  136  ( FIGS. 4A and 8 ). The fixed end of the five anchoring straps ( 132 ,  134 ,  138 ,  140  and  142 ) may attach to the vehicle seat harness by various methods. In an embodiment, the fixed end of the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  has a two strap buckle  158  ( FIGS. 5 and 7 ). The two strap buckle  158  is attached to the lower left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  of the left adjustable harness strap  102  and the lower right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  of the right adjustable harness strap  104  of the vehicle seat harness  100 . In one embodiment, the two strap buckle  158  is configured as a chest buckle. In this embodiment, the left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  and the right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  ( FIG. 5 ) are configured as latches received in the two strap buckle  158  configured as a chest buckle receiving two latches. However, the two strap buckle  158  is not limited to a pair of chest buckles and the left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  and the right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  are not limited to latches and either the two strap buckle  158  or the left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  and the right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  may be any suitable type of buckle. In an embodiment, the left adjustable strap buckle insert  120  and the right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  are movable relative to the left adjustable harness strap  102  and the right adjustable harness strap  104 , respectively. The five anchoring straps ( 132 ,  134 ,  138 ,  140  and  142 ) ( FIG. 8 ) each have a free end and a fixed end. In an embodiment, the fixed end of anchoring straps  132 ,  134 ,  138  and  142  are attached to the vehicle seat harness  100  by sewing a stitch  109  ( FIG. 4A ), to another anchoring strap  132 ,  134 ,  138  and  142 , or by attachment to the upper left adjustable harness strap cleat  110  or to the upper right adjustable harness strap cleat  112  as discussed below in the description of  FIG. 4A . The middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  is not sewn to the other four  132 ,  134 ,  138  and  142  anchoring straps in order to facilitate adjusting the length of the middle adjustable anchoring strap  140 . In one preferred embodiment, only the upper right adjustable anchor strap  134  and not the upper left anchor strap  132  are required to properly mount the harness in a vehicle. The harness is designed to attach to a standard vehicle seat and provide a safe harness for a child. The harness is able to attach to a standard vehicle seat using the three lower anchor straps  138 ,  140 ,  142  and at least the upper right adjustable anchor strap  134 , preferably by feeding the three lower anchor straps under the seat back  184  ( FIG. 8 ) of the vehicle seat and hooking them into anchoring plate  136 , and by hanging the upper right adjustable anchor strap  134  over the top of the seat back  204  of the vehicle seat and hooking it into anchoring plate  136 . In another preferred embodiment, at least one of the three lower anchor straps  138 ,  140 ,  142  can hook into at least one vehicle anchor point  206  ( FIG. 7 ). 
       FIG. 3  is a detail view of the anchor plate  136  which is always attached to the upper left anchoring strap  132  ( FIG. 2 ) of the harness anchoring system  130 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , anchor plate  136  has an upper receiving orifice  162  for receiving the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  ( FIG. 2 ) adjustable anchor hook  148  ( FIG. 2 ).  FIG. 8  illustrates anchor plate  136  also having a lower left receiving orifice  164  for receiving the lower left anchoring strap  138  anchor hook  152  ( FIG. 2 ). The anchor plate  136  additionally has a lower middle receiving orifice  166  for receiving the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  anchoring hook  154 . The anchor plate  136  further has a lower right receiving orifice  168  for receiving the lower right anchoring strap  142  anchoring hook  156  ( FIG. 4A ). Also, the anchor plate has a retaining bar and orifice  172  ( FIG. 3 ) to allow anchor plate  136  to be permanently mounted on the free end of upper left anchoring strap  132  by passing a lower end of upper left anchor strap  132  through the retaining bar and orifice  172  and then stitching the upper left anchor strap so that it is secured to the retaining bar and orifice  172 . 
       FIG. 4  is a detail view of the connection of the left adjustable harness strap  102  and the right adjustable harness strap  104  of the vehicle seat harness  100  to the upper left anchoring strap  132 , the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134 , the lower left anchoring strap  138  and lower right anchoring strap  142  of the harness anchoring system  130  from a front side of a vehicle seat  182  ( FIG. 7 ) before final anchoring of the anchoring system at a rear side of the vehicle seat  182  or to vehicle anchoring points  188  ( FIG. 4A ). The upper left  110  and upper right  112  buckles allow the left adjustable harness strap  102  and the right adjustable harness strap  104  to be adjustable in length. The upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  is made adjustable in length at another location, as detailed in  FIGS. 6A and 8 .  FIG. 4A  is a detail view of the connection of the left adjustable harness strap  102  and the right adjustable harness strap  104  of the vehicle seat harness  100  to the upper right adjustable anchor strap  134 , the lower left anchoring strap  138 , the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  and lower right anchoring strap  142  of the harness anchoring system  130  from a rear side of a vehicle seat  182 . In an embodiment, one or both of an upper end of the upper left anchoring strap  132  and an upper end of the lower left anchoring strap  138  is fastened to an upper end of the upper left adjustable harness strap  102  by attachment to the upper left adjustable harness strap cleat  110 . In this embodiment, one or both of an upper end of the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  and an upper end of the lower right anchoring strap  142  is fastened to of the upper left adjustable harness strap  102  by attachment to the upper right adjustable harness strap cleat  112 . As noted above, and as illustrated in  FIG. 4A , an upper portion of the lower left anchoring strap  138  and an upper portion of the lower right anchoring strap  142  are connected by sewing stitches  109 . In an embodiment upper portions of one or more of anchoring straps  132 ,  134 ,  138  and  142  may also be attached to each other by sewing stitches  109 . As noted above, the middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  is not stitched to any other anchoring straps  132 ,  134 ,  138  and  142  and is always attached to anchor plate  136 . 
       FIG. 5  is a detail view of the connection of the left adjustable harness strap  102  and the right adjustable harness strap  104  of the vehicle seat harness  100  to the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  ( FIG. 2 ) of the harness anchoring system  130 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the lower left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  is configured as a latch and the lower right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  is also configured as a latch. The lower latches  120  and  122  are received into the two strap buckle  158  configured as a chest buckle with a release button  159 . Although the lower left  120  and lower right  122  strap buckles are illustrated as latches in this embodiment, the lower left  120  and lower right  122  strap buckles are not limited to latches and the two strap buckle  158  is not limited to a chest buckle.  FIG. 5  also illustrates right adjustable harness strap  104  sewn by stitching  109  to lower right anchoring strap  142 . 
       FIG. 6  is a detail view of the buckles  152  and  156  of the non-adjustable lower left  138  and lower right  142  anchoring straps of the harness anchoring system  130 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the buckles  152  and  156  are configured as hooks  155  with a leaf spring  157  in order to retain hooks  155  to be retained in receiving orifices  164  and  168  of anchor plate  136 .  FIG. 6A  depicts a detail view of adjustable anchor hook  148  and  154  of the adjustable upper right  134  and lower middle  140  adjustable anchoring straps. As illustrated in  FIG. 6A , the adjustable buckles  148  and  154  are also configured as hooks  155  which are received in the receiving orifices  162  and  166  of the anchor plate  136  ( FIG. 8 ). The only difference between the buckles  152  and  156  for the non-adjustable straps  138  and  142  in  FIG. 6  and the buckles  148  and  154  for the adjustable straps  134  and  140  in  FIG. 6A , is that the buckles  148  and  154  in  FIG. 6A  also include an adjuster  178 , similar to those used on backpack straps in order to allow the length of the adjustable straps  134  and  140  in  FIG. 6A  to be adjusted. Although the buckles  152  and  156  in  FIG. 6  and the buckles  148  and  154  in  FIG. 6A  are illustrated as hooks  155  in this embodiment, the buckles  152  and  156  in  FIG. 6  and the buckles  148  and  154  in  FIG. 6A  are not limited to hooks  155 . 
       FIG. 7  is a front view of the vehicle seat harness  100  and harness anchoring system  130  installed as viewed from the front side of a vehicle front seat  182 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , lower left anchoring strap  138  and lower right anchoring strap  142  have been fed through a gap between the lower portion of the seat back  184  and an upper portion of the seat base  186  to a rear side of the vehicle front seat  182  ( FIGS. 7 and 8 ).  FIG. 7  also illustrates the left side of chest buckle  114  and the right side of chest buckle  115  unbuckled, allowing for a person to fit into the vehicle seat harness  100 .  FIG. 7  further illustrates left adjustable harness strap  102  and right adjustable harness strap  104  of vehicle seat harness  100  disconnected from lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  to further facilitate allowing a person to fit into vehicle seat harness  100 . As also illustrated in  FIG. 7 , lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  is additionally fed through the gap between seat back  184  and the seat base  186 . Feeding the anchoring straps  138 ,  140  and  142  through the gap at the bottom of the seat back  184  facilitates keeping anchoring straps  138 ,  140  and  142  and vehicle seat harness  100  flush and snug to vehicle seat  182 . The vehicle seat harness  100  and anchoring system  130  is illustrated in  FIG. 7  as being installed in a “bucket” type front seat  182 . However, the vehicle seat harness  100  and anchoring system  130  may be installed on any vehicle seat. In the case of a back seat of an automobile sedan, access to the trunk area of the automobile and slots available or cutout in the rear deck may be required for installation of the vehicle seat harness  100  and anchoring system  130  in the back seat of an automobile sedan. 
       FIG. 8  is a rear view of vehicle seat harness  100  and harness anchoring system  130  installed as viewed from the rear side of vehicle front seat  182 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , upper left anchoring strap  132  with attached anchoring plate  136  and upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  descend downward from the top of the seat back  204 . The adjustable anchor hook  148  for the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  has been inserted into the anchor plate  136  upper receiving orifice  162 . As also illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the lower left anchoring strap  138 , the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  and the lower right anchoring strap  142  have been fed under seat back  184  to the rear of the vehicle front seat  182 . The anchor hook  152  for the lower left anchoring strap  138  has been inserted into the anchor plate  136  lower left receiving orifice  164 . The anchoring hook  154  for lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  has been inserted into anchor plate  136  lower middle receiving orifice  166 . The anchoring hook  156  for lower right anchoring strap  142  has been inserted into anchor plate  136  lower right receiving orifice  168 .  FIG. 8  further illustrates a user (not shown) adjusting the length of upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  to facilitate secure anchoring of harness anchoring system  130  to vehicle front seat  182 . The length of lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  may also be adjusted to facilitate secure anchoring of harness anchoring system  130  to vehicle front seat  182 . If anchoring locations are available proximal the front seat  182  in  FIG. 8 , some, or all of anchoring straps  134 ,  138  and  142  may be anchored to the vehicle anchoring locations instead of anchor plate  136  attached to upper left anchoring strap  132 . 
     In use of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-8 , a user (not shown) locates vehicle seat harness  100  and harness anchoring system  130  at a desired seat in a vehicle. The user then feeds upper left anchoring strap  132  and upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  over the top of seat back  204  to the rear of the seat. The user next feeds lower left anchoring strap  138 , lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  and lower right anchoring strap  142  in a gap between the seat back  184  and the vehicle seat base  186  to the rear of the seat. The user then connects buckles  148 ,  152 ,  154  and  156  for anchoring straps  134 ,  138 ,  140  and  142 , respectively, to receiving orifices  162 ,  164 ,  166  and  168 , respectively, on the anchor plate  136 . As noted above, the user may anchor some ( FIG. 4A ), or all of the buckles  148 ,  152  and  156  for anchoring straps  134 ,  138  and  142 , respectively, to appropriate anchor points proximal the vehicle seat. As noted above, anchoring hook  154  for lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  is always connected to anchoring plate  136 . After the anchoring straps  134 ,  138 ,  140  and  142  have been anchored to the vehicle, or the anchor plate  136 , the length of the upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  and/or the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  is adjusted so that harness anchoring system  130  is securely anchored to any vehicle seat. Once harness anchoring system  130  is securely anchored to the vehicle seat, left side chest buckle  114  is unbuckled from right side chest buckle  115  and lower left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  and lower right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  are disconnected from two strap buckle  158  located on the lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140 . The user, who is generally a child, then sits on vehicle seat harness  100 . Once the user (not shown) is seated in place, lower left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  and lower right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  are then reconnected to two strap buckle  158  on lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  and left side chest buckle  114  is then chest buckled to right side chest buckle  115 . The left adjustable harness strap  102  and right adjustable harness strap  104  are then tightened as necessary so that the person is secured within vehicle seat harness  100 . After the person is secured in vehicle seat harness  100 , some adjusting of upper right adjustable anchoring strap  134  or lower middle adjustable anchoring strap  140  may be necessary for the person&#39;s comfort and safety. For the user to be released from vehicle seat harness  100 , left side chest buckle  114  is unbuckled from right side chest buckle  115  and lower left adjustable harness strap buckle insert  120  and lower right adjustable harness strap buckle insert  122  are disconnected from two strap buckle  158 , allowing the user to be free of restraint from vehicle seat harness  100 . Once installed, vehicle seat harness  100  and harness anchoring system  130  may remain installed as long as desired, or may be removed at any time and relocated to another seat, or another vehicle. After the first use and adjustment, subsequent uses of vehicle seat harness  100  and harness anchoring system  130  should require only minimal time and effort. 
     As a person skilled in the prior art will recognize after examination of the previous detailed description and the figures and claims, modifications and changes may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Technology Category: 7