Shoulder belt clip for child safety seats and child carriers

Abstract

A shoulder belt clip for restraining a child in a child safety seats or carrier. In a preferred embodiment, the shoulder belt clip is comprised of a plate made of flexible material and with two horizontal slots arranged in parallel on one side and a U-shaped opening on the other. The two straight slots maintain attachment to, but allow the clip to slide vertically on, the webbing that runs over the left shoulder of the child. The U-shaped opening forms a tab that admits entry of the webbing that runs over the right shoulder of the child and holds it until release is desired by the parent. A narrowing of the U-shaped opening causes compression of the webbing between the tab and the opening and thereby prevents slippage of the clip vertically on the webbing that runs over the left shoulder of the child. A lock comprised of a spring-loaded slider is fixed between and parallel to the two straight slots blocks the out-of-plane motion of the tab in the direction that would release the webbing, and also by its positioning prevents sliding the webbing laterally out the open end of the U-shaped opening. When release is desired by the parent, the lock slider is pushed back against the force of the spring and the flexible tab is pushed out-of-plane with respect to the body of the clip. This allows quick release of the webbing that runs over the right shoulder of the child.