Energy absorbing tether for child safety seat

Abstract

An energy absorbing tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell.

1 . A tether assembly for use with a child safety seat in a vehicle, the seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell, the tether assembly comprising: 
 (a) a length of webbing for routing through the spaced apart slots in the shell;    (b) a first slide for disposition along the length of webbing to retain webbing in one of the spaced apart slots;    (c) a second slide for disposition along the length of webbing to retain webbing in the other of the spaced apart slots;    (d) an adjuster connected to the length of webbing; and    (e) a hook for securing the seat in the vehicle.    
     
     
         2 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second slides are three bar slides.  
     
     
         3 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the length of webbing is flexible.  
     
     
         4 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the webbing is routed through the slides to permit slippage.  
     
     
         5 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein a portion of the length of webbing is folded over and stitched together to form a handle.  
     
     
         6 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein movement of the slides is limited by the shell.  
     
     
         7 . An assembly according to  claim 1  further including stitching for frangibly connecting the length of webbing to itself on the back side of the shell.  
     
     
         8 . An assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the slides are larger than the slots.  
     
     
         9 . A tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell, the assembly comprising: 
 (a) a first length of webbing for routing through an adjuster;    (b) a second length of webbing fixed to the adjuster;    (c) a first slide for disposition along the first length of webbing to retain webbing of the first length in one of the spaced apart slots; and    (d) a second slide for disposition along the second length of webbing to retain webbing of the second length in the other of the spaced apart slots.    
     
     
         10 . An assembly according to  claim 9  further comprising a hook having an opening for receiving one of the lengths of webbing.  
     
     
         11 . An assembly according to  claim 10  wherein the seat is for use in a vehicle and the hook is for securing the seat to the vehicle.  
     
     
         12 . An assembly according to  claim 9  wherein the first and second slides are three bar slides.  
     
     
         13 . An assembly according to  claim 9  wherein the lengths of webbing are routed through the slides to permit slippage.  
     
     
         14 . An assembly according to  claim 13  wherein the slides are larger than the slots.  
     
     
         15 . An assembly according to  claim 1  further including stitching for frangibly coupling portions of the length of webbing together on a back side of the shell.  
     
     
         16 . A tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell, the assembly comprising: 
 (a) a first length of webbing for routing through an adjuster;    (b) a second length of webbing fixed at one end to the adjuster;    (c) a first slide for disposition along the first length of webbing on a front side of the shell to retain webbing of the first length in one of the spaced apart slots;    (d) a second slide for disposition along the second length of webbing on a front side of the shell to retain webbing of the second length in the other of the spaced apart slots;    (e) stitching for permanently coupling portions of the first length together to retain the first slide on the front side of the shell; and    (f) stitching for permanently coupling portions of the second length together to retain the second slide on the front side of the shell.    
     
     
         17 . A tether assembly according to  claim 16  further comprising a hook having an opening for receiving the second length of webbing.  
     
     
         18 . A tether assembly according to  claim 17  further comprising stitching for frangibly coupling portions of the first length of webbing together and portions of the second length of webbing together on one side of the shell to provide slack loops.  
     
     
         19 . A tether assembly according to  claim 18  wherein the slack loops are provided on the front side of the shell.  
     
     
         20 . A tether assembly according to  claim 18  wherein the slack loops are provided on the back side of the shell.