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US 6,962,394 B2Granted
Restraint coupling
AssigneeIndiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsJames T. Anthony, Michael A. Wiseman, Guy R. Dingman, Steven T. Berenyi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coupling to attach a device such as an infant seat to an anchor member. One version of the coupling is characterized by a frame having a mouth with a seat configured to receive the anchor member and a lever movably mounted on the frame to hold the anchor member inside the mouth. The lever has a downwardly projecting finger that blocks the mouth of the notch in the closed position and allows access to the notch when moved to the open position. The coupling may include a stop member to resist movement from the closed to the open position. The coupling also may include a web adjuster or other connecting device operatively disposed between the coupling and the device.
Claims47
A coupling for attachment to an anchor member, the coupling comprising:
- a frame having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of said frame including a mouth having a seat configured to receive the anchor member;
- a lever movably mounted to said frame, said lever having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end including a finger and said proximal end including an engagement portion;
- said distal end of said lever extending beyond the seat of the notch in said frame;
- wherein said lever has a normally closed position prior to attachment to the anchor member wherein said finger substantially covers the mouth and an open position wherein said finger is substantially removed from the mouth;
- a stop member provided on said frame configured to normally engage said engagement portion to resist the movement of said lever from said normally closed position to said open position;
- and
- a biasing member acting between said frame and said lever;
- said biasing member normally urging said stop member and said engagement portion into engagement.
5 more elements
A coupling for attachment to an anchor member, the coupling comprising:
- a spring;
- a monolithic frame having a substantially U-shaped transverse cross section including a bottom surface and a pair of side surfaces projecting upwardly away from said bottom surface, each side surface including a mounting aperture, an elongated translating aperture, and a notch having a mouth and a seat configured to receive the anchor member, one side further including a coupling aperture and an anchor aperture configured to receive a connector;
- a lever having a proximal end and a distal end, said lever including a elongated mounting aperture, said proximal end having an engagement portion, a camming portion, and a mounting portion to mount one end of said spring;
- and said distal end having a finger;
- a monolithic manipulation assembly having a substantially inverted U-shaped transverse cross-section including a manipulation portion having a mounting tab configured to mount the other end of said spring, said manipulation assembly further including a top surface and a pair of side surfaces projecting downwardly away from said top surface;
- the downwardly projecting side surfaces each including an elongated translating aperture configured to receive a mounting member therein, and a stop aperture to receive a stop member therethrough;
- and
- a monolithic housing including a proximal end having an opening, and a distal end having a notch with a mouth and a seat configured to receive the anchor member, said housing further including a coupling aperture;
- wherein said lever is movably received between said downwardly projecting side surfaces and movably mounted between said upwardly projecting side surfaces by said mounting member passing through said mounting apertures;
- said manipulation assembly movably mounted to said frame by said stop member passing through said translation apertures and said stop aperture.
7 more elements
A coupling for attachment to an anchor member, the coupling comprising:
- a frame having a distal end defining a mouth configured to receive the anchor member;
- a lever movably mounted to said frame and having an open position to allow the anchor member to be received within the mouth and a normally closed position prior to attachment to the anchor member to retain the anchor member within the mouth;
- a stop member provided on said frame;
- and
- a biasing member urging the stop member and the lever into engagement such that said stop member resists movement of said lever from said normally closed position to said open position.
2 more elements
A coupling for attachment to an anchor member, the coupling comprising:
- a flame having a distal end defining a mouth configured to receive the anchor member and a proximal end defining an anchor aperture configured to attach the coupling to a child seat;
- a lever movably mounted to said frame and having an open position to allow the anchor member to be received within the mouth and a normally closed position prior to attachment to the anchor member which retains the anchor member therein;
- a spring acting between said frame and said lever to urge said lever into the closed position;
- and
- a manipulation member in communication with the lever to move the lever between the open position and the normally closed position;
- wherein the lever may be moved to the open position by forcing the anchor member into and through said lever when said lever is in said closed position.
3 more elements
A coupling for attachment to an anchor member, the coupling comprising:
- a frame having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of said frame including a mouth having a seat configured to receive the anchor member;
- a lever movably mounted to said frame, said lever having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end including a finger and said proximal end including an engagement portion;
- said distal end of said lever extending beyond the seat of the notch in said frame;
- wherein said lever has a closed position wherein said finger substantially covers the mouth and an open position wherein said finger is substantially removed from the mouth;
- a stop member provided on said frame configured to engage said engagement portion to resist the movement of said lever from said closed position to said open position;
- and
- a biasing member acting between said frame and said lever;
- said biasing member urging said stop member and said engagement portion into engagement;
- wherein said lever moves rectilinearly relative to said frame.
6 more elements
A coupling for attachment to an anchor member, the coupling comprising:
- a frame having a distal end defining a mouth configured to receive the anchor member, the frame including an anchor aperture which receives a connector comprising a length of web;
- a lever movably mounted to said frame and having an open position to allow the anchor member to be received within the mouth and a closed position to retain the anchor member within the mouth;
- a stop member provided on said frame;
- and
- a biasing member urging the stop member and the lever into engagement such that said stop member resists movement of said lever from said closed position to said open position.
2 more elements
A coupling for attachment to an anchor member, the coupling comprising:
- a frame having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of said frame including a mouth having a seat configured to receive the anchor member, the frame further including an anchor aperture to receive a connector comprising a length of web;
- a lever movably mounted to said frame, said lever having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end including a finger and said proximal end including an engagement portion;
- said distal end of said lever extending beyond the seat of the notch in said frame;
- wherein said lever has a norm ally closed position wherein said finger substantially covers the mouth and an open position wherein said finger is substantially removed from the mouth;
- a stop member provided on said frame configured to normally engage said engagement portion to resist the movement of said lever from said normally closed position to said open position;
- and
- a biasing member acting between said frame and said lever;
- said biasing member normally urging said stop member and said engagement portion into engagement.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.