| Belt guide -> Monitor Keywords |
|
|
 
Belt guideBelt guide description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080023993, Belt guide. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention concerns a child safety seats. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Two belt guides integrated in each of the two lateral flank of the head rest of a child safety seat, are disclosed in EP 0 751 033. Each belt guide is configured as a fixing device providing a clamping force onto a portion of the seat belt, by placing the fixing device in a closed position. When the child safety seat needs adjustment to suit children of various heights, the head rest is moved upwards or downwards according to the height of the shoulder of the child, and the belt guide then secure the correct position of the seat belt accordingly. However, as the arrangement shown in EP 0 751 033 is not prepared for adjusting the belt guide according to the width of the shoulder of the child, the belt guides are kept in a fixed position in the width direction for all height positions. By this arrangement the requirements for positioning the seat belt correctly on the shoulder of the child is not obtained for all shoulder heights. [0003] To achieve an optimum effect of the seat belt onto the child during an emergency situation such as during a sudden retardation of the vehicle, the seat belt needs to be placed in a correct position onto the upper part of the child's body. By positioning the seat belt on to the child in such a way that the seat belt is placed crossing the middle of the shoulder as requested, the effect of reducing the forward movement of the child is optimized. As the arrangement of EP 0 751 033 is provided to allow for adjustment only in the height direction of the safety seat, the arrangement does not provide a solution adapted for producing the correct position of the seat belt in accordance with the varying width of the child's shoulder. The lack of this arrangement may cause the misplacement of the seat belt onto the neck of the child or onto the upper arm of the shoulder. These maladjusted positions of the seat belt may cause severe injuries to the child during sudden breaking of the vehicle. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION [0004] A need exists therefore for a child safety seat with a belt guide unit which is adaptable for positioning the seat belt correctly onto the shoulder. It is an object of the invention to provide a child safety seat wherein the belt guide unit is provided to assure a correct position of the seat belt on the shoulder of the child. The belt guide unit is arranged to be adjustable depending on the size of the child, wherein also the width of the shoulder of the child is taken into consideration. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In accordance with the invention, a belt guide unit is provided for the arrangement of at least a portion of a seat belt. The belt guide unit may be provided as a separate unit or may be connected to at least one section of the child safety seat or to at least an additional part arranged on or adjacent to the child safety seat. Alternatively, the belt guide unit may be integrated in or connected to at least one section of the child safety seat or to at least an additional part arranged on or adjacent to the child safety seat. The belt guide unit is provided to be adjustable in at least a first direction, preferably the width direction, to position the seat belt correctly on the shoulder of the child. The belt guide unit may be provided adjustable in various directions, to obtain the correct position of the seat belt, by varying the placement of the seat belt in the width direction of the safety seat to fit the width of the shoulder of the child. [0006] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the child safety seat will be arranged adjustable in the height direction of the child safety seat, to fit the seat belt in accordance with the varying height of the shoulder of the child. [0007] The adjustment of the belt guide unit may be carried out in various ways as long as the object of positioning the seat belt correctly on to the shoulder is achieved. The adjustment may be done manually, ie the belt guide unit may be adjusted by hand operating the belt guide unit directly, or the belt guide unit may be arranged with a structure dedicated for operating the belt guide unit, such as for instance a handle. Alternatively, the adjustment is caused by the movement of at least one section of the child safety seat or by at least an additional part arranged on or adjacent to the child safety seat. [0008] The number and arrangement of the belt guide unit may vary according to the various versions of child safety seat. In one embodiment the child safety seat is provided with one belt guide unit. The belt guide unit may be arranged with the necessary means to be moved between the right side and left side of the child safety seat. The moving of the belt guide unit may be carried out by manually demounting the belt guide unit from one side and mounting it at the other side. Or arrangements may be provided so that the belt guide unit easily may be shifted from one side to the other, without the need of demounting and mounting. [0009] In another embodiment the child safety seat may be provided by at least two belt guide units. Preferably, the number of belt guide units is two, but to meet particular needs, it might be necessary to arrange the child safety seat with more than two belt guide units. When using at least two belt guide units, the adjustment of one of the belt guide units may be arranged so that it causes the adjustment of at least one of the other belt guide units. By this arrangement the belt guide units need only to be adjusted to the particular child once, where after the child safety seat may be used both on the right and left side of the vehicle. [0010] In one embodiment the child safety seat may be provided so that the movement of at least one section causes the adjustment of at least one of the two belt guide units. Thus in this embodiment the movement of the section(s) is connected to the reposition of the belt guide. In a further embodiment the adjustment of the belt guide unit causes the adjustment of at least one of the other belt guide units. [0011] As mentioned earlier the belt guide unit is connected to at least one section of the child safety seat or to at least an additional part arranged on or adjacent to the child safety seat. The child safety seat may comprise one section, two sections, three sections, four sections etc. The section or sections where to the belt guide unit is connected may be constituted by for instance a head rest, a back rest, a sitting section, a connecting device such as a rod for connecting at least two of the sections or any other component making up the child safety seat. As the skilled person will understand, the number of sections or the functions of the sections where to the belt guide unit is connected are not completely appointed herein, as various section may be applicable for the task to be carried out. This same applies to the additional part arranged on or adjacent to the child safety seat. The additional part may be any sort of element or arrangement providing a basis for the belt guide unit, or used for adjusting the belt guide unit cooperating with other sections or other additional parts to adjust the belt guide unit. [0012] In accordance with one embodiment the adjustment of the belt guide unit may be brought about or caused by the relative movement between at least two sections of the child safety seat. Alternatively, the adjustment might be conducted by the relative movement between at least one section of the child safety seat and/or at least an additional part arranged on or adjacent to the child safety seat. As the skilled person will realize the afore description of the sections or additional part of choice also applies for these embodiments. The relative movement may be produced by any kind of movement such as angular or rectilinear. [0013] In one embodiment the relative movement between at least two sections of the child safety seat may be provided by at least a first section and a second section of the child safety seat, which are arranged movable relative to each other. Preferably the first section is constituted by a head section and the second section is constituted by a back section. The belt guide unit has first attachment means providing a connection to the first section of the child safety seat, and further second attachment means providing a connection to the second section of the child safety seat. The child safety seat comprises at least a first and a second section, but may also comprise a third, fourth, fifth etc section. At least the first and second section are arranged to be moved relative to each other. Alternatively, the relative movement may in accordance with the invention occur between a first, second, third, fourth sections etc. The relative movement may be conducted by moving one of the sections relative to the other, or by moving plural of the sections relative to the other(s), or by moving all sections relative to each other. The relative movement between at least the first and second section, or for instance between first, second, third etc, causes adjustment preferably displacement of the belt guide unit. As the skilled person will understand the relative movement between sections (first, second, third etc) of the child safety seat may be provided in various ways. Preferably, the first section comprises the head rest of the child safety seat. The head rest may be arranged to be moved relative to the second section, constituted by the back rest of the child safety seat. In one embodiment the second section may be constituted by both the back rest and the sitting section of child safety seat. In another embodiment the second section may be constituted by the back rest and a third section may be constituted by the sitting section. In yet another embodiment the first, second, third sections may be constituted by other parts of the child safety seat than the head rest, back rest, sitting section. As the skilled person will realize the inventive concept is to provide a solution wherein the relative movement produced by moving at least a first and a second section, is connected to the adjustment of the belt guide unit, and this solution is not necessarily restricted to dedicated parts of the of child safety seat, as various parts may appear as fit for carrying out the relative movement. [0014] In an alternate embodiment of the invention the belt guide unit brings about the relative movement between the first and second section, or first, second, third etc section. [0015] The relative movements between at least the first and second section may occur in various ways. The relative movement between the first and second section may be a rectilinear or an angular movement. Preferably, the relative movement is produced by the head rest (first section) being arranged to move for instance in the height direction of the child safety seat, for instance by a rectilinear movement, while the back section (second section) and/or sitting section (third section) is at rest. [0016] Alternatively, all sections may be arranged movable or the back rest and/or sitting section may be arranged movable. [0017] In the following the invention will be explained using an embodiment, wherein the first section (preferably the head rest) and second section (preferably the back section) are movably arranged relative to each other. As the skilled person will understand, the following explanation is to be understood applicable also to the embodiments wherein the relative movement occurs between more than two sections or in the case where the two sections are provided by other parts of the child safety seat, than the head rest and the back section. [0018] The displacement of the belt guide unit may be arranged in different ways, for instance by moving the belt guide unit angularly, rectilinearly etc. The belt guide unit may comprise a holding portion and an attachment portion. The attachment portion may be provided with the first and second attachment means. The holding portion may be arranged for receiving a portion of the seat belt. Preferably, the belt guide unit is arranged so that the holding portion is shifted in the width direction of the child safety seat, thereby providing the opportunity of positioning the seat belt correctly onto the shoulder of the child. The seat belt may be applied to the belt guide unit by using different kind of arrangements. In a preferred embodiment the holding portion is arranged for receiving a portion of the seat belt, and the belt holding portion may arranged as an opening, an open or closable hook or any other suitable structure or arrangement. [0019] In a first embodiment of the invention, the displacement of the belt guide unit is carried out as an angular movement. In a second embodiment of the invention the displacement of the belt guide unit is carried out as a rectilinear movement. As the skilled person will understand, the displacement of the belt guide unit may within the scope of the invention, be carried out by other arrangements than angular or rectilinear movements. [0020] To carry out the angular displacement of the belt guide unit in accordance with the first embodiment, the first attachment means may provide a pivotal connection between the belt guide unit and the first section of the child safety seat. Further, the second attachment means may provide a pivotal connection between the belt guide unit and the second section of the child safety seat. Continue reading about Belt guide... Full patent description for Belt guide Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Belt guide patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Belt guide or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Press-back style reclining chair with actuating unit for moving backrest between positions Next Patent Application: Infant seat for motorcars Industry Class: Chairs and seats ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Belt guide patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.14067 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , 174 |
 * Protect your Inventions * US Patent Office filing 
PATENT INFO |
|
