Low profile snap hook actuator for child seat latch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10709208-B2
Application number	US-201816129140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2018
Priority date	Sep 13, 2017
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A snap hook assembly includes a base assembly that has a hook at one end. A lever assembly including an actuation mechanism and an arm assembly fits through an opening defined through the base assembly. The arm assembly is positioned on one side of the base assembly and the actuation mechanism of the lever assembly is positioned on the opposite side of the base assembly. The actuation mechanism is fit within a housing so that the lever assembly may pivot with respect to the base assembly. A clasp is attached to the base assembly so that an end of the clasp is biased to contact the hook of the base assembly. When the lever assembly pivots, the arm assembly contacts and rotates the clasp to create a gap between the clasp and the hook.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A snap hook assembly, comprising:
a base having a hook;
a gate having a fixed end secured to the base and a free end extending from the fixed end towards the hook, wherein the gate is resiliently biased to a closed position where the free end of the gate closes against the hook;
a gate actuator having an actuator portion and an arm contacting the gate, wherein the arm is configured to move the gate from the closed position to an open position where the free end of the gate disengages from the hook; a housing secured to the base on a side that is opposite the hook, wherein the housing defines one or more pivot pin openings;
wherein the gate actuator includes
one or more pivot pins pivotally secured in the one or more pivot pin openings of the housing, and
an arm contacting the gate to move the free end from the closed position to the open position;

wherein the actuator portion is located on the same side of the base as the housing;
wherein the base defines a base lever opening; and
wherein the arm extends through the base lever opening to engage the gate proximal to the hook.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a single fastener securing the housing, the base, and the gate together.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing defines a housing lever opening;
the arm extends through the housing lever opening;
the housing has one or more tabs that extend through the base lever opening; and
the arm has one or more stop flanges configured to engage the tabs to limit movement of the arm.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the arm has a gate facing flange and a support rib arranged in a T-shaped configuration; and
the support rib tapers towards the hook.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the lever opening has a pentagonal shape to receive the support rib.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gate actuator extends through the base lever opening in a U-shaped curve from the pivot pins to the arm.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pivot pins have beveled ends.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base is wider than the arm.

9. A vehicle restraint system, comprising:
a vehicle seat including a back section, a chair section, and a vehicle anchor located in a crevice between the back section and the chair section; and
a snap hook assembly including
a base having a web opening at one end and a hook at the opposite end, wherein the web opening is configured to receive webbing of a restraint system, wherein the hook is secured to the vehicle anchor,
a cantilevered spring having a fixed end secured to the base and a free end located opposite the fixed end, wherein the free end of the cantilevered spring is resiliently biased to a closed position against the hook to retain the vehicle anchor in the hook, and
a lever pivotally coupled to the base, wherein the lever has an arm contacting the cantilevered spring proximal to the hook, wherein the arm is configured to move the free end of the cantilevered spring from the closed position to an open position where the vehicle anchor is able to be received into the hook, wherein the arm has an actuation portion positioned on a side of the base opposite the hook to allow a user to move the free end of the cantilevered spring from the closed position to the open position.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the hook has a foot portion with a foot surface located inside the hook; and
the cantilevered spring is a flat spring resiliently biased to contact the foot surface.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the cantilevered spring extends at an acute angle from the base to the foot portion of the hook;
the arm has an end that engages the cantilevered spring between the free end and the fixed end;
the arm is shorter than the hook and recessed from the hook to form a gap between the end of the arm and the foot portion of the hook; and
the cantilevered spring is exposed in the gap between the end of the arm and the foot portion of the hook to allow sliding engagement of the anchor to move the cantilevered spring to the open position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the lever has a support rib against which the anchor slides to facilitate the lever acting as a class 3 lever when opening the cantilevered spring during the sliding engagement of the anchor.

13. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a housing pivotally coupling the lever to the base; and
wherein the actuation portion is positioned relative to the housing and the arm to act as a class 1 lever type when the actuation portion is manually depressed.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the cantilevered spring biases the actuation portion to an undepressed position.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the arm is positioned to brace the cantilevered spring when in the closed position to reduce the risk of the free end of the cantilevered spring from being pried from the hook.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein:
the housing has one or more tabs; and
the arm has one or more stop flanges configured to engage the tabs to limit movement of the arm.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the base defines a base lever opening; and
the arm extends through the base lever opening.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the cantilevered spring has a clasp tab bent into the base lever opening.

19. The system of claim 9 , wherein the lever has a curved portion that connects the actuation portion to the arm, wherein the curved portion spaces the lever out of contact from the cantilevered spring, wherein only a distal end of the arm that is opposite the curved portion contacts the cantilevered spring.

20. The system of claim 9 , wherein the lever has a curved portion that connects the actuation portion to the arm, wherein the curved portion curves so that the arm is nearly parallel to the actuation portion.

21. The system of claim 9 , wherein the lever has a curved portion that connects the actuation portion to the arm, wherein the arm has a cam surface against which the vehicle anchor presses to move the cantilevered spring to an open position.

22. A snap hook assembly, comprising:
a base having a hook;
a gate having a fixed end secured to the base and a free end extending from the fixed end towards the hook, wherein the gate is resiliently biased to a closed position where the free end of the gate closes against the hook;
a gate actuator having an actuator portion and an arm contacting the gate, wherein the arm is configured to move the gate from the closed position to an open position where the free end of the gate disengages from the hook;
a housing secured to the base, wherein the housing defines one or more pivot pin openings;
wherein the gate actuator includes
an actuator portion to manually actuate the gate actuator,
one or more pivot pins pivotally secured in the one or more pivot pin openings of the housing, and
an arm contacting the gate to move the free end from the closed position to the open position; and
a single fastener securing the housing, the base, and the gate together.

23. The assembly of claim 22 , wherein:
the housing is secured to the base on a side that is opposite the hook;
the actuator portion is located on the same side of the base as the housing;
the base defines a base lever opening; and
the arm extends through the base lever opening to engage the gate proximal to the hook.

Assignees

• Indiana Mills & Mfg

Inventors

• Geist Christopher

Classifications

• B60N2/2806

  for securing the child seat to the vehicle · CPC title

• F16B45/024

  and having means biasing the closing member about the pivot · CPC title

• F16B45/036

  with an elastically bending closing member · CPC title

• F16B45/00 Primary

  Hooks; Eyes (if the attaching parts or means are concerned, groups F16B13/00, F16B15/00, F16B19/00, F16B25/00, F16B35/00, F16B47/00 take precedence; for hanging pictures or the like A47G1/16; towing hooks for ships B63B21/58; for hoisting or hauling purposes B66C; hooks or eyes with integral parts designed to facilitate quick attachment to cables or ropes at any point F16G11/14) · CPC title

• B21D39/00

  Application of procedures in order to connect objects or parts, e.g. coating with sheet metal otherwise than by plating ({joining mitred profiles B21D53/745; } riveting B21J; uniting components by forging or pressing to form integral members B21K25/00; welding B23K; press-fitting, force-fitting, or shrinking in general B23P11/00, B21D19/00; by adhesives F16B11/00 {; Connections as such F16L, F16B}); Tube expanders · CPC title