Booster seat assembly

A method comprising the steps of:

• (A) providing a bench seat assembly comprising:
• a bench seat base portion including an occupant contact surface that is suitable for contacting and supporting at least two associated adult sized occupants;
• and, a bench seat back portion including an occupant contact surface that is suitable for contacting and supporting the at least two associated adult sized occupants;
• (B) providing a seat belt assembly for each of the associated adult sized occupants and suitable for restraining each of the associated adult sized occupants to the bench seat assembly, each seat belt assembly comprising:
• a female receptacle that extends above the bench seat base portion;
• a seat belt;
• and, a male element that is attached to the seat belt and that is latchable to the female receptacle to restrain the associated adult sized occupant and that is unlatchable from the female receptacle to release the associated adult sized occupant;
• (C) providing a booster seat assembly comprising:
• a booster seat base portion that includes an occupant contact surface that is suitable for contacting and supporting at least two associated child sized occupants and that has a first opening;
• (D) placing the booster seat base portion onto the occupant contact surface of the bench seat base portion with the first opening receiving one of the female receptacles;
• (E) placing a first child sized occupant onto the occupant contact surface of the booster seat base portion and against the occupant contact surface of the bench seat back portion;
• and,
• (F) permitting the first child sized occupant to access a corresponding male element and female receptacle for self latching and self unlatching of the corresponding seat belt assembly.

A vehicle comprising:

• a frame;
• at least one ground engaging wheel mounted to the frame;
• a locomotion source mounted to the frame and used in providing locomotion for the vehicle;
• a body that is supported to the frame and that defines a passenger compartment;
• a vehicle bench seat assembly supported to the frame and positioned within the passenger compartment, the vehicle bench seat assembly comprising:
• a bench seat base portion including an occupant contact surface that is suitable for contacting and supporting at least three associated adult sized occupants;
• a bench seat back portion including an occupant contact surface that is suitable for contacting and supporting the at least three associated adult sized occupants;
• a seat belt assembly for each of the associated adult sized occupants and suitable for restraining each of the associated adult sized occupants to the vehicle bench seat assembly, each seat belt assembly comprising:
• a female receptacle that is supported to the frame and extends above the bench seat base portion;
• a seat belt supported to the frame;
• and, a male element that is attached to the seat belt and that is latchable to the female receptacle to restrain the associated adult sized occupant and that is unlatchable from the female receptacle to release the associated adult sized occupant;
• and,
• a booster seat assembly comprising:
• an attachment surface suitable to support the booster seat assembly to the frame;
• a booster seat base portion that is supported to the occupant contact surface of the bench seat base portion and that includes an occupant contact surface that is suitable for contacting and supporting at least three associated child sized occupants;
• at least four armrests, each having an armrest contact surface, that extend from the booster seat base portion and that define three child sized occupant seating areas;
• first and second openings formed in the booster seat base portion, the first opening receiving two of the female receptacles and the second opening receiving the third female receptacle;
• wherein the booster seat assembly is suitable to support each associated child sized occupant to the vehicle by contacting each associated child sized occupant to the booster seat base portion within one of the child sized occupant seating areas and by contacting each associated child sized occupant to the bench seat back portion;
• and,
• wherein the booster seat assembly is suitable to permit each associated child sized occupant to access a corresponding male element and female receptacle for self latching and self unlatching of the corresponding seat belt assembly.