The present invention relates to coupling devices and more specifically to a coupling apparatus for mounting a portable passenger restraint system or seat to a vehicle.
Various systems are used to mount add-on or portable passenger restraint systems to vehicles. For example, it is known to use a web belt attached to a child seat in combination with a connector to mount the child seat to a vehicle. Embodiments of such a combination, which may further include a web adjuster, are disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/206,603 filed by Dingmans et al. on Jul. 26,2002 and now U.S. Pat. No. 6,962,394, and Ser. No. 10/245,983 filed by Foyer et al. on Sep. 17, 2002 and now U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,889 the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A coupling apparatus and method for mounting an add-on passenger restraint system to a vehicle is provided. The vehicle without limitation may be a car, a bus, a watercraft, an aircraft, a van, a truck or any other type of vehicle. The add-on restraint system without limitation may be a portable infant or child seat, a portable booster seat, an animal carrier, or any other type of passenger restraint system. The illustrative coupling apparatus may mount a portable child seat in a forward, rearward or sideward orientation relative to the front end of the vehicle. The add-on restraint system may have its own restraint system, such as for example a seat belt system on a portable child seat, or walls to confine the passenger in the case of, for example, an animal kennel as disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/411/836, the disclosure of which is now incorporated herein by reference. The add-on restraint system may also use the vehicle's restraint system, such as for example a car's seat belt system, to restrain the passenger. For example, the vehicle's seat belt system could assist the coupling apparatus described herein to mount the add-on passenger restraint system to the vehicle, and/or to directly restrain the passenger. The coupling apparatus illustratively comprises a retractor, a coupling member, and an extension member comprising opposing ends. One end of the extension member is attached to the coupling member and the other end is attached to the retractor. Illustratively, the retractor tends to withdraw therein the extension member. The retractor may be an automatic locking retractor that locks its spool against paying out or unwinding the extension member. The automatic locking retractor illustratively comprises a release member to unlock the spool and allow the extension member to be pulled out of the retractor. The coupling member illustratively may be an articulating connector, a snap hook connector, or any other suitable connector, such as for example a tongue configured to mate with or engage the vehicle's seat belt buckle, and/or a buckle configured to engage the vehicle's seat belt tongue. The coupling apparatus may conform with governmental standards, such as for example, FMVSS 213 and/or 225. The coupling apparatus may be configured to mount the add-on passenger restraint system to lower anchorages and/or upper anchorages in any combination. The coupling apparatus may be configured to engage lower anchorages using upper tether redirection system(s).
Features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.