Device for restraining a person in a seat

Abstract

The invention relates to a restraint device (1) comprising straps (6) designed to strap a person to a seat (2) so as to limit the person's movements on the seat. The straps form a harness (4) comprising a middle strap (3a) designed to encircle the pelvis of said person and an upper strap (3b) forming two loops, each designed to encircle a shoulder of said person. The upper strap includes an upper anchor point (6b) on each loop arranged to be opposite a shoulder of said person, and said middle strap includes two middle anchor points (6a), each arranged to be opposite a hip of said person's pelvis. The restraint device includes removable fastening systems (8) designed to attach said upper anchor points and said middle anchor points to anchor points of said seat. Figure to be published: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Device for restraining a person in a seat. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of restraint and safety devices, in particular those designed to keep a person strapped to a seat in order to limit their movements. This device is particularly applicable to transport situations or immobilization in various types of seats. Previous technique

[0002] The safety of car journeys is a major issue, particularly when they involve people with autism spectrum disorder. Due to their condition, these individuals may exhibit unpredictable behaviors, such as sudden movements, self-harm, or attempts to interact with the driver. These behaviors pose a danger to their own safety as well as to that of other vehicle occupants.

[0003] To date, the solutions available for restricting their movements in cars, such as adapted seats or restraint straps as described in document WO2017137332A1, do not always adequately meet these specific needs. They can be uncomfortable, inappropriate for the sensory sensitivities of autistic individuals (certain textures, pressures, or materials being difficult to tolerate), not offer sufficient protection against intense behaviors, and be complicated to install. Thus, although restraint is necessary, these poorly designed devices risk exacerbating frustration or stress and thereby increasing the risk of meltdowns. Summary of the invention

[0004] The objective of the invention is therefore to solve the aforementioned problems.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a restraint device comprising straps designed to strap a person to a seat so as to limit the person's movements on the seat, characterized in that the straps form a harness comprising a middle strap designed to encircle the pelvis of said person and an upper strap forming two loops, each designed to encircle a shoulder of said person, the upper strap comprising an upper anchor point on each loop arranged to be opposite a shoulder of said person and said middle strap comprising two middle anchor points, each arranged to be opposite a hip of said person's pelvis, and in that it comprises removable fastening systems designed to secure said points upper anchor points and said median anchor points to anchor points of said seat.

[0006] The fundamental idea behind this invention is the creation of a unique, portable restraint device designed to facilitate its simple and reassuring application and removal from a seat. Its purpose is to soothe the person before, during, and after immobilization, offering them a sense of security. This device can therefore be worn throughout the day and used to secure the user during various movements, whether in a car, in a stroller, or even while seated at a table for a meal.

[0007] The invention also takes into account the user's sensory sensitivities by adjusting the positioning of the fastening elements so that they are not in direct contact with the user's back and the seat. This avoids any unpleasant pressure sensations, thus helping to soothe the user. By promoting a safer and more comfortable travel experience, this invention improves the user's well-being, regardless of the context.

[0008] The restraint device according to the invention may also have the following features:

[0009] - each removable fastening system includes a connecting strap extending between strap ends and quick and secure opening / closing devices each arranged at one strap end and designed to respectively fix / release a harness anchor point and a seat anchor point;

[0010] - the closing / opening devices arranged to respectively fix / release a the seat anchor points are of the Isofix type;

[0011] - a connecting strap has a Y shape, one end of which is designed to be fixed to an anchor point of the seat and two other ends are designed to be fixed to said upper anchor points, so that the upper anchor points share the same anchor point of the seat;

[0012] - the harness has an anterior face intended to be positioned against the thorax of the person and a posterior face intended to be positioned against the back of said person, and in that it includes a lower strap designed to connect in fastening, from below, the middle strap on the anterior face with the middle strap on the posterior face so as to restrain the pelvic part of said person against the seat;

[0013] - the two loops of the upper strap are joined to each other opposite front of the harness;

[0014] - the upper strap is joined to the middle strap on the front face of the harness;

[0015] - the loops of the upper strap are designed to grip the shoulders by passing under the armpits of said person;

[0016] - each connecting strap includes a visual indicator showing whether the device The closing / opening mechanism is fixed or released with the seat anchor point.

[0017] The invention also extends to a safety garment, comprising a garment covering the upper body in which a restraint device according to the invention is sewn. Brief presentation of the drawings

[0018] The present invention will be better understood and other advantages will become apparent upon reading the detailed description of an embodiment taken by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a safety garment incorporating a restraint device according to the invention seen on its anterior face;

[0020] [Fig.2] Fig.2 is a schematic representation of a safety garment incorporating a restraint device according to the invention seen on its posterior face;

[0021] [Fig. 3] [Fig. 3] is a schematic representation of a car rear seat with several removable fastening devices according to the invention and seat anchor points designed to be connected to the median harness anchor points;

[0022] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a schematic representation of a car rear seat with several removable fastening devices according to the invention and a seat anchor point designed to be connected to the upper harness anchor points, with a close-up of the strap length adjustment device according to the invention;

[0023] [Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of an example of devices fixation according to the invention. Description of a method of implementation

[0024] The invention relates to a restraint device 1, illustrated in part in Figures 1 and 2. The restraint device 1 according to the invention is specifically designed to ensure the safety of a person prone to violent or unpredictable reactions when positioned on a seat 2.

[0025] The restraint device 1 according to the invention is characterized by the presence of straps 3 forming an ergonomic harness 4, intended to be worn by the person concerned. This harness 4 is designed to be attached to the seat 2 so as to restrict the movements of its user while ensuring stable positioning on the seat 2.

[0026] It is important to note that the harness 4 can be worn independently of the seat 2. This feature facilitates its use by allowing it to be put on when dressing the person and removed only when undressing, thus considerably reducing the stress and irritability potentially felt by the latter.

[0027] In a preferred version of the invention, the restraint device 1 can be integrated into a safety garment 5 shown in Figures 1 and 2, for example by sewing, to combine comfort, aesthetics and discretion, while reassuring the user.

[0028] The harness is thus sewn into a garment covering at least the upper body, such as a polo shirt as shown in [Fig.1] and 2, or even the whole body with the integration of the harness into a full suit.

[0029] The harness 4 according to the invention more particularly comprises a median strap 3a, intended to encircle the pelvis B, thus limiting the movements of the lower part of the trunk, and an upper strap 3b forming two loops, each designed to encircle a shoulder E and limit the movements of the upper part of the trunk, delimiting the range of motion to the radius of action of the arms and legs.

[0030] The upper strap 3b has an upper anchor point 6b on each loop, positioned opposite the person's shoulders E, while the middle strap 3a is equipped with middle anchor points 6a, aligned with the hips of the pelvis B. The upper and middle anchor points 6b, 6a are designed to be fixed to corresponding anchor points 7 on the seat 2 by means of removable fixing systems 8 of the restraint device 1.

[0031] The anchor points (6a) and (6b) are for example sewn on the outside of the garment, the stitching then sandwiches the garment between the strap and the anchor points (6a) and (6b).

[0032] The seat anchor points are, for example, in the form of a metal device DM fixed to the rear of the seat from which a metal ring extends per anchor point.

[0033] The restraint device 1 according to the invention ensures that the upper and middle anchor points 6b,6a are positioned on accessible body areas, without interfering with the contact between the person's back and the seat back 2, thus facilitating the installation of the person on the seat 2 by an attendant.

[0034] The upper strap 3b can also be connected to the front FA of the harness 4, which is designed to be positioned against the person's chest, to further restrict movement of the upper trunk. Similarly, it can be attached to the front of the middle strap 3a for increased restraint of the lower trunk. The buckles of the upper strap 3b are designed to preferentially, but not necessarily, secure the person's armpits.

[0035] Each removable fastening system 8 may also include a connecting strap 9, visible in [Fig. 3], 4 and 5, extending between strap ends 9a and 9b and quick and secure opening / closing devices 10, such as carabiners, clips or snap fasteners, Isofix connectors, each arranged at one end of strap 9a, 9b so that each connecting strap 9 is designed to connect the harness anchor points 6 to the seat anchor points 7 2.

[0036] In one embodiment, the connecting strap 9 can be Y-shaped, with one end of the strap 9a attached to an anchor point on the seat, and the other two ends 9b to the upper anchor points 6b, thus allowing for shared anchoring. The Y-shaped strap 9 can therefore consist of a main strap extended by two secondary straps that can be attached to / detached from the main strap as shown in [Fig. 5] with the dotted lines.

[0037] The closing / opening devices 10 of the connecting straps 9 may be provided with a visual indicator confirming the correct attachment of the fastening device, for example a screw carabiner with an uncovered correct closure marking, an Isofix attachment with a visual marking changing from red to green, or any other type of visual indicator.

[0038] Furthermore, each connecting strap 9 can incorporate a length adjustment device 11 in order to apply adequate tension to the restrained person.

[0039] To adapt to different body shapes, the harness may be available in different sizes without strap length adjustment, in order to guarantee maximum safety for the restrained person and to avoid any risk of sensory disturbance.

[0040] The restraint device 1 according to the invention may also include a lower strap 3c, connecting the two points of the middle strap 3a, of which a PLI connection point is disposed on the anterior face and another PL2 connection point is disposed on the posterior face FP, the posterior face FP being intended to be positioned against the back of said person, so as to secure the pelvic region against the seat 2 and to limit the movements of the lower pelvis.

[0041] The connection of the connection points can be made using a hook and loop fastener 14 of the Velcro type or by snap button.

Claims

Demands

1. Restraint device (1) comprising straps (6) designed to strap a person to a seat (2) so that the person's movements on the seat are limited, characterized in that the straps form a harness (4) comprising a middle strap (3a) designed to encircle the pelvis of said person and an upper strap (3b) forming two loops each designed to encircle a shoulder of said person, the upper strap comprising an upper anchor point (6b) on each loop arranged to come opposite a shoulder of said person and said middle strap comprising two middle anchor points (6a) each arranged to come opposite a hip of the pelvis of said person, and in that it comprises removable fastening systems (8) designed to attach said upper anchor points and said middle anchor points to anchor points of said seat.

2. Restraint device according to claim 1, characterized in that each removable fastening system comprises a connecting strap (9) extending between strap ends (9a, 9b) and quick and secure closing / opening devices (10) each arranged at a strap end and designed to respectively secure / release a harness anchor point and a seat anchor point.

3. Restraint device according to claim 2, characterized in that the closing / opening devices arranged to respectively fix / release an anchor point of the seat are of the Isofix type.

4. Restraint device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a connecting strap has a Y shape, one end of which is designed to be fixed to an anchor point of the seat and two other ends are designed to be fixed to said upper anchor points, so that the upper anchor points share the same anchor point of the seat.

5. A restraint device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said harness has an anterior face (FA) intended to be positioned against the person's thorax and a posterior face (FP) intended to be positioned against the person's back, and in that it comprises a lower strap (3c) designed to connect, by means of a fastening, from below, the median strap on the anterior face with the median strap on the posterior face so as to restrain the pelvic part of said person against the seat.

6. Restraint device according to claim 5, characterized in that the two loops of the upper strap are joined to each other on the front face of the harness.

7. Restraint device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the upper strap is joined to the middle strap on the front face of the harness.

8. Restraint device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the loops of the upper strap are designed to encircle the shoulders by passing under the armpits of said person.

9. Restraint device according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that each connecting strap includes a visual indicator (12) showing whether the closing / opening device is fixed or released with the seat anchor point.

10. Safety garment (5), comprising a garment covering the upper body in which is sewn a restraint device according to any one of the preceding claims.