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EP-3670253-B1 - CHILD SAFETY SEAT BRACKET FOR USE IN A VEHICLE

EP3670253B1EP 3670253 B1EP3670253 B1EP 3670253B1EP-3670253-B1

Inventors

  • ANDERSSON, Rebecca
  • CLARK, Austen
  • TÅGERUD, Jonatan

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20191203

Claims (4)

  1. A bracket assembly (10), comprising: a bracket structure (12) defining one or more cylindrical bores (14); and an elongate structure (20) having a body portion (28) and one or more end portions (22) corresponding to the one or more cylindrical bores of the bracket structure and disposed through the one or more cylindrical bores (14), each of the one or more end portions (22) is disposed substantially perpendicular to the body portion (28) each of the one or more end portions (22) comprising a first widened portion (24) disposed at a first end thereof adjacent to a first end of the associated cylindrical bore (14) and a second widened portion (26) disposed at a second end thereof adjacent to a second end of the associated cylindrical bore (14), wherein the first widened portion (24) disposed at the first end of the associated end portion (22) of the elongate structure (20) is formed by stamping the first end of the associated end portion (22) to form a deformed flattened feature at the first widened portion (24) having a thickness that is less than its original thickness prior to disposing the associated end portion (22) through the associated cylindrical bore (14), wherein the second widened portion (26) disposed at the second end of the associated end portion (22) of the elongate structure (20) is formed by pressing the second end of the associated end portion (22) to form a deformed cap feature at the second widened portion (26) subsequent to disposing the associated end portion (22) through the associated cylindrical bore (14).
  2. The bracket assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the bracket structure (12) defines a pair of cylindrical bores (14).
  3. The bracket assembly (10) of claim 2, wherein the elongate structure (20) comprises a loop structure (20) having the body portion (28) and a pair of end portions (22) corresponding to the pair of cylindrical bores (14).
  4. The bracket assembly (10) of claim 1, wherein the bracket structure (12) is manufactured from a first material and the elongate structure (20) is manufactured from a second material.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to the automotive field. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bracket assembly, such as a child safety seat bracket assembly or the like, for use in a vehicle. BACKGROUND ART Most modern vehicles include an "Isofix" system or the like that provides integrated anchors for securing a child safety seat within the passenger compartment of the associated vehicle. These systems typically include a plurality of bracket assemblies and attachment points that are accessible by a user between the seat bottoms and seat backs of the back seats of the vehicle, for the attachment of the lower buckles of the child safety seat, and near the top portions or in or adjacent to the backs of the seat backs, for the attachment of the top tether of the child safety seat (when used). Such integrated attachment points are far superior to securing the child safety seat within the passenger compartment of the vehicle using the conventional seat belts or the like, minimizing user installation error and greatly enhancing child safety. A conventional "Isofix" bracket 5 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Each of the bracket assemblies includes a loop or bar, often disposed in a receptacle housing or the like, that is accessible by the user between the seat bottoms and seat backs of the back seats of the vehicle and near the top portions or in or adjacent to the backs of the seat backs. Each of these loops or bars is coupled to a bracket structure that is ultimately coupled to a seat, interior structure, and/or body of the vehicle, such that the child safety seat is ultimately secured to the seat, interior structure, and/or body of the vehicle. Sometimes, often in retrofit applications, the loops or bars are integrally formed with the bracket structures, and all structures are manufactured from the same material. Alternatively, often in original equipment applications, the loops or bars are manufactured from steel wire or tubing and the bracket structures are manufactured from aluminum or the like. In such cases, the loops or bars must be arc welded to the bracket structures. This process is very manual and inefficient, sacrificing component consistency (and potentially safety) and increasing cost. US 2004/227384 and US 2004/261246 disclose a restraint anchorage for a child safety seat. WO 03/070510 discloses an automobile child safety restraint system, and US 6 108 894 discloses a striker for use in a door latch. EP 0 758 039 discloses a bracket assembly comprising a bracket structure defining one or more bores and an elongate structure having a body portion and one or more end portions corresponding to the one or more bores of the bracket structure and disposed through the one or more bores for holding it on said bracket structure, wherein each of the one or more end portions comprises a first widened portion and a second widened portion, wherein the first widened portion is formed by stamping the associated end portion to form a deformed flattened feature at the first widened portion having a thickness that is less than its original thickness, wherein the second widened portion is formed by pressing the associated end portion to form a deformed cap feature. Thus, what is still needed in the art is an improved bracket assembly that provides and promotes manufacturing simplicity, consistency, and efficiency. SUMMARY The bracket assembly provided herein may optionally include both lightweight aluminum and strong steel components that normally require arc welding for sufficient overall strength. Arc welding is problematic because it can be inaccurate, inconsistent, labor intensive, and time consuming. The bracket assembly may optionally include an aluminum body that is bolted to a vehicle and a steel loop that a child safety seat attaches to. Instead of arc welding these components together or using fasteners that could come loose as is normally done, legs of the steel loop pass through bores in the aluminum body. The legs of the steel loop are held in place by stamping them on one side of the bores and pressing them on the other side of the bores. This forms widened points that cannot pass through the bores. This provides the desired strength without arc welding. This method can be applied to the joining of other dissimilar material components as well. The bracket assembly provided herein includes an optional wire loop structure that has end portions that are stamped to locally widen the wire loop structure a predetermined distance from ends thereof. These end portions are then pressed through cylindrical bores of a bracket structure that is configured to be secured to a seat, interior structure, and/or body of the vehicle, for example. The ends of the wire loop structure are then deformed to form retention caps that prevent the end portions of the wire loop structure from backing out of the cylindrical bores of the bracket structure. A child safety seat, for example, is selec