AU2013242797A1 - Child restraint for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A child safety seat for a vehicle comprising: a seat shell configured to receive a child therein; and a pair of attachment means located on opposing sides of the seat shell; wherein, each attachment means is configured for use with either a LATCH style anchorage system or a vehicle seat belt, to facilitate securement of the seat shell against a seat of a vehicle

Description

CHILD RESTRAINT FOR A VEHICLE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present invention claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent 5 Application No. 2012904395, filed 9 October 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a child restraint for a vehicle, and in particular, to a tether system for tethering at least part of a child restraint to a seat of 10 a vehicle. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of child restraints to accommodate infants and young children whilst travelling in a vehicle is a well established practice. Most countries have established various laws and regulations that dictate the manner in which infants and 15 children are to be transported in vehicles, and the types of restraints that are acceptable for such use. Most laws adopted for such purposes require the infant/child to be restrained in a dedicated and approved child safety seat that is anchored or otherwise secured to a rear seat of the vehicle. The child safety seat may include a dedicated harness that restrains the child in position within the seat, 20 or the child safety seat may utilise the vehicle seat belt or a separate harness to restrain the child therein, depending upon the size and/or age of the child. As such, there exist a variety of types of child safety seats that are approved for use with children of a variety of ages and/or sizes. These types can be broadly characterised as follows. Type A seats typically refer to rear facing seats or capsules 25 suitable for accommodating babies/infants up to around 6 months of age and/or 70 cm in length and up to 12 kg. Type B seats typically refer to forward facing seats used to accommodate toddlers and young children from approximately 6 months to 4 years, or from 8 - 18 kg. Type E seats typically refer to booster seats and booster cushions used to accommodate children between 4 - 8 years old, or approximately 30 from 14 - 32 kg, and which are typically used in combination with the vehicle seat belt. There also exist combination Type A/B, B/E and A/B/E seats that are designed to be varied to accommodate the child as the child grows. The manner in which child restraints are secured in position on a vehicle seat may vary between countries. In Australia, where rear seat lap and/or lap/sash seatbelts are a mandatory requirement for vehicles, the child restraint is typically secured in position by passing the lap or lap/sash seat belt through the body of the child restraint. In this regard, the vehicle seat belt functions to restrain the child restraint 5 against the vehicle seat. A top tether may also be employed to restrain the upper region of the child restraint in position against the vehicle seat, with the top tether extending to engage with a dedicated vehicle anchorage point provided behind the vehicle seat. Through the use of a top tether in combination with the vehicle seat belt, the child restraint may be secured against the vehicle seat, at both an upper and 10 a lower region thereof. In Europe, the USA, and other countries, a different type of system for securing a child restraint against a vehicle seat is employed. In such countries, vehicles may be fitted with an ISOFIX (Europe) or LATCH (Lower Universal Anchorage System) (USA) anchorage system to aid in securing the safety seat in position. Typically, in 15 such systems, a pair of rigid lower anchorage points are provided in the bight of the vehicle seat, which provides a region for securing the lower region of the child restraint thereto. In such a system the vehicle seat belt is not required, or employed, to secure or tether the child restraint to the vehicle seat. In Australia, the LATCH or ISOFIX type system is being introduced into new 20 vehicles such that parents will be able to use either the LATCH/ISOFIX system and the vehicle seat belt to restrain the child safety seat in position. Where such a dual means for restraint exists, challenges arise for child safety seat manufacturers to provide a child restraint that is able to be used with a vehicle seat belt and a LATCH system which is easy to use and offers the benefits of both systems. 25 Thus, there is a need to provide a child restraint that accommodates a variety of restraining devices in a simple and convenient manner to ensure that the safety of the child is maintained irrespective of the type of restraint or tether system being used. The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not 30 intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part. 35 STATEMENT OF INVENTION The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. Accordingly, in a first aspect of the invention there is provided a child safety seat 5 for a vehicle comprising: a seat shell configured to receive a child therein; and a pair of attachment means located on opposing sides of the seat shell; wherein, each attachment means is configured for use with either a LATCH style anchorage system or a vehicle seat belt, to facilitate securement of the 10 seat shell against a seat of a vehicle The pair of attachment means may be centrally located on the opposing sides of the seat to facilitate both forward and rearward facing use of seat shell. The attachment means may comprise a recess formed through the side of the seat shell to provide a path for the seat belt and/or a strap of the LATCH style anchorage system to pass 15 therebetween. The attachment means may each comprise a cover member received within the recess, the cover member may be configured to engage with the seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system to lock the seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system in position with respect to the attachment 20 means. In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provide an attachment means for facilitating securement of a child safety seat to a vehicle by way of a seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system, the attachment means comprising: a recess formed in a side of a shell of the child safety seat, the recess being 25 configured to receive the seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system therein; and a cover member mounted within the recess, the cover member being configured to lock the seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system in position with respect to the recess. 30 In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provide a securement system for securing a child safety seat to a seat of a vehicle, comprising an attachment means mounted to opposing sides of the child safety seat, the attachment means being configured to receive either a LATCH style anchorage system or a vehicle seat belt to facilitate securement of the child safety seat to the seat of the vehicle, wherein the attachment means is located centrally of the child safety seat such that the child safety seat can be used in either a front facing or rearward facing position. In a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a child safety seat for a 5 vehicle comprising: a seat shell adapted to be positioned on a vehicle seat and configured to receive a child therein, the seat shell having a backrest portion and a seat portion; and a restraining means for restraining the seat shell in position against the 10 vehicle seat, the restraining means comprising a length of strap having an engagement member located at or adjacent each end thereof, each engagement member being configured to engage with an anchor point provided in a bight of the vehicle seat; wherein, an attachment means is provided in opposing sides of the seat shell 15 thereby defining a path between which the restraining means passes across the seat shell to facilitate engagement of each engagement member with its corresponding anchor point on each opposing side of the seat shell. In an embodiment of the fourth aspect, the strap of the restraining means may be adjustable in length. The engagement member may be a hook or latch member. 20 The attachment means may comprise a recess formed in the seat shell. A clip or retaining member may be mounted in the recess to engage with the strap of the restraining member to substantially secure the strap in position with respect to the attachment means so as to prevent sliding movement of the strap when the clip or retaining member is engaged therewith. 25 The attachment means may be centrally located in the opposing sides of the seat shell to facilitate use of the child safety seat in both a forward and a reverse orientation. The attachment means may further provide a path for receiving a vehicle seat belt to secure the seat shell against the vehicle seat. According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a restraining means for restraining a 30 child safety seat in position against a seat of a vehicle comprising: a flexible elongate member and at least two engagement members located along said elongate member. In an embodiment of the fifth aspect of the invention, the flexible elongate member is a strap member. The strap member may comprise one or more lengths of strap. Each engagement member may be movably located along the strap member so as to be located adjacent opposing ends of the strap member. According to a sixth aspect, the present invention provides system for restraining a 5 child safety seat against a vehicle seat comprising: a restraining means comprising at least one flexible elongate member having an engagement member provided thereon for engaging with an anchorage provided on the vehicle; an attachment means provided on the child safety seat for engaging with the 10 restraining means and providing a point about which the restraining means can be tightened with respect to the anchorage provided on the vehicle; wherein the attachment means is rotatably mounted with respect to the child safety seat to facilitate use of the child safety seat in either a forward or a rearwardly facing orientation. 15 In one embodiment, the attachment means may be provided on a base portion of the child safety seat. In another embodiment, the attachment means may be provided on a seat shell of the child safety seat. The attachment means may comprise a buckle member that facilitates engagement with the flexible elongate member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 20 The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a prior art arrangement showing a child safety seat being secured against a seat of a vehicle using a LATCH securing system; Fig. 1A is an enlarged view showing the manner in which the anchorage 25 system of Fig. 1 is configured; Fig. 2 shows a side view of a child safety seat according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 shown an enlarged view of an attachment means for use with the child safety seat of Fig. 2; 30 Fig. 4 is a top perspective view of a child safety seat using the attachment means of the present invention in a forward facing position; Fig. 5 is a rear perspective view of a child safety seat of the present invention in a rearward facing manner; Fig. 6 shows a side view of a child safety seat of the present invention being secured against a vehicle seat using a conventional vehicle seat belt; 5 Fig. 7 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of an attachment means of the present invention in a rearward facing mode; Fig. 8 shows a top view of the attachment means of Fig. 7 in a forward facing mode; Fig. 9 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of an attachment 10 means of the present invention in a rearward facing mode; and Fig. 10 shows a top view of the attachment means of Fig. 9 in a forward facing mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular 15 reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a prior art child safety seat 10 fitted to a vehicle seat 5 in a conventional manner by way of a LATCH system. The LATCH system 20 generally comprises a pair of anchors 15, located on either side of the child safety seat 10, in the form of a small bar, as shown. The anchors 15 are located in the bight of the vehicle seat 5 on each side of the child safety seat 10. Other arrangements of the anchors 15 are also envisaged. A pair of straps 12 are fixed to either side of the body of the child safety seat 10 by 25 bolts 13 or the like. Each strap 12 may comprise a single piece of webbing or similar material, or may comprise multiple pieces of webbing or similar material joined together. The strap 12 may also be a metal cable or the like, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. As such, each strap 12 is preferably adjustable in length and terminates in a hook 14 or similar fastening element. The 3o hook 14 engages with the anchor 15 of the LATCH system as shown in Fig. 1A, and the strap 12 is able to be tightened to secure the child safety seat in position as shown. In the embodiment as shown, a top tether 16 is also provided to engage with a dedicated upper vehicle anchorage point 9, as is well known in the art.

Referring to Fig. 1, it can be readily appreciated that the arrangement as shown relies upon the integrity of the bolt 13 to attach the strap 12 to the wall of the shell 22 of the child safety seat 10. As the shell 11 of the child safety seat 10 is typically made from a plastic material, the material may fracture under the loads experienced 5 in an accident situation thereby significantly compromising the safety of the child seated therein, as well as other occupants of the vehicle in the general vicinity of the child safety seat. Further to this, the child safety seat 10 of Fig. 1 also shows a conventional path 18 for accommodating a seat belt of the vehicle, when the child safety seat 10 is to be 10 used without the LATCH system. As is shown, the path 18 for use in a forward facing mode is essentially provided in a lower rear region of the child safety seat 10, remote from the straps 12. Hence, as the seat belt path 18 is in a separate position to the location of the straps 12 of the LATCH system, there is an increased likelihood of confusion by the consumer when installing the seat, depending upon the system 15 to be employed. If used in a rearward facing mode, another seat belt path located at the front of the child safety seat (not shown) would have to be used, providing additional confusion to the consumer in determining the correct path to use when securing the child safety seat 10 in a desired position. Referring to Figure 2, a child safety seat 20 in accordance with an embodiment of 20 the present invention is shown. The child safety seat 20 comprises a seat shell 22 which into which a child is to be received, and a base 24 which supports the seat shell 22 thereon. The child safety seat 20 is configured to be used in either a forward or rearward facing manner, depending upon the safety requirements of the child located therein. 25 A dedicated attachment means 30 is provided on opposing sides of the seat shell 22 to provide a common point for accommodating the straps 12 of the LATCH system as well as a path for the vehicle seat belt to be received when the child safety seat 20 is to be used in a vehicle without a LATCH system fitted. The attachment means 30 is located in a central location on the the seat shell 22. This enables the child safety 30 seat 20 to be used in either a forward or rearward manner without the straps 12 of the LATCH system being restricted by the seat shell 22, as is represented by the dashed lines. Referring to Figure 3, an embodiment of the attachment means 30 is shown in detail. The attachment means 30 generally comprises a semi-circular recess 31 35 formed through the side walls of the seat shell 22 on opposing sides thereof. The recesses 31 provide a path for the strap 12 or the vehicle seat belt 40 (shown in dashed lines) to pass therethrough and across the seat shell 22 where it can be secured in position. In the embodiment as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, an arrangement of a LATCH-type system for use with the child safety seat 20 is shown. In these embodiments, rather 5 than the LATCH system having two separate straps 12 as is shown in the prior art system of Fig. 1, the strap 12 of the LATCH system is formed as a single unit which may be a single length of strap having a hook 14 located adjacent either end thereof. An adjustment means may be provided in either or both ends of the strap 12 for tightening purposes, as is shown more clearly in Fig. 4. 10 The attachment means 30 may comprise a cover or clip member 32 that is pivotally mounted within the recess 31 to at least partially close about or over the strap 12 (and/or the seat belt 40) of the LATCH system, as shown. The cover or clip members 32 of the attachment means are then closed to lock, or securely retain the strap 12 of the LATCH system in position. Such locking of the cover member 32 15 may be provided by a lug 33 that engages within a corresponding recess formed in the cover or clip member 32 to retain the cover member 32 in a locked position about the strap 12. In this locked position, the cover member 32 applies a holding force against the strap 12 of the LATCH system to reduce the likelihood of the strap undergoing lateral movement within the recesses 31. 20 Referring to Figure 4, the path of the strap 12 of the LATCH System across the seat shell is shown with the child safety seat 20 in a forward facing position. It will be appreciate that the dashed line represents that the strap 12 which travels under the seat covering and any internal harness so as to be substantially hidden from view when in use. Similarly, Fig. 5 shows the child safety seat 20 in use in a rearward 25 facing manner to depict the manner in which the strap 12 is able to be employed in substantially the same way. In the event that the child safety seat 20 is not being used in a vehicle equipped with a LATCH type system, the attachment means 30 is able to accommodate the vehicle seat belt system 40 in a similar manner, as is shown in Fig. 6. In this regard, the 30 vehicle seat belt is able to be passed through the recess 31 provided in the attachment means 30 so as to pass over and through the seat shell 22 to be secured to a clip member provided on the other side of the seat 20, in a conventional manner. Once the vehicle seat belt 40 is engaged about the seat 20 and tightened accordingly, the cover member 32 of the attachment means 30 may be able to be 35 locked in position about the vehicle seat belt 40, as discussed above. In situations where the vehicle seat belt 20 is being used to restrain the child safety seat 20 in position, it may be possible to store the LATCH type components in a device such as a pocket or the like, located on the child safety seat 20. This may be in the form of a pocket formed in the cover 50 of the child safety seat, as is shown in Fig. 6. An alternative embodiment for securing a child restraint to a vehicle seat employing 5 a LATCH-type system is depicted in the embodiment as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. In this embodiment, the tether system is adapted to securely tether or retain the base 24 of the child restraint into position. The base 24 being able to removably receive the seat shell 22 thereon. As such, only the base 24 of the child restraint is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 for clarity, with the upper surface of the base 24 having attachment 10 means 60 projecting therefrom for receiving and retaining the seat shell 22 in position thereon for use. It will be appreciated that the attachment means 60 may take a variety of forms and is the subject of numerous pending and granted applications and will not be discussed in any further detail in the present application. Figure 7 depicts the child safety seat in a rearward facing mode, with the front 61 of 15 the base 24 being adjacent the upwardly extending portion of the vehicle seat 5. As is shown, the vehicle seat 5 comprises anchors 15 formed in the bight thereof for securing the base 24 in position, as previously discussed. A restraining means 62 for securing the base 24 in position comprises a strap member 12 having a hook member 14 located at an end thereof for engaging with 20 the anchors 15, as described in relation to the previous embodiment. Whilst in a preferred form the strap member 12 may be one or more lengths of webbing, the strap member could also be in the form of a cable made of a wire, plastic or similar material. The strap members 12 are positioned on either side of the base 24 so as to extend 25 laterally therealong. The upper surface of the base 24 is configured to define a path along which the strap members 12 extend. In the embodiment as shown, the upper surface of the base 24 has a slot 63 formed therein which extends into a channel 64 formed thereunder which is shaped to receive and locate the strap members 12 as shown. The distal ends of the channels 64 are open so as to enable the end of the 30 strap member 12 and the hook member 14 to project therefrom so as to engage with the anchor 15 as shown. An attachment means 65 is located centrally along each channel 64 to provide a point of attachment of the strap member 12 with the base 24. The attachment means 65 comprises a body 66 rotatably mounted within a recess formed in the surface of 35 the base 24 so as to be free to rotate about a central axis thereof, as depicted by the arrows. A buckle member 67 is provided within the body 66 to enable the free end of the strap member 12 to pass therethrough and engage with the buckle member 67 such that the strap member 12 can be tightened about the attachment means 65 as required. Upon securing the hook members 14 of the strap members 12 to the anchors 15 on either side of the base 24, the strap member may be simply tightened 5 about the buckle member 67 of the attachment means 65 by pulling on the free end of the strap member 12. This will cause the base member 24 to be tightly secured in position against the vehicle seat 5. The body 66 may be locked in position to prevent rotation thereof during use. In the depiction of the arrangement of Fig. 7 shown in the rearward facing mode, it 10 will be appreciated that as the strap members 12 are located on the upper surface of the base, or in a channel formed just below the upper surface of the base 24, once the strap members 12 are tightened the seat is restricted from lifting off the surface of the vehicle seat 5 during an accident situation, as may be commonly referred to as "rebound". 15 In order to convert the rearward facing arrangement of Fig. 7 into a forward facing mode as shown in Fig. 8, the retaining means 62 can be simply modified. In this regard, the base 24 is positioned such that the front 61 of the base 24 is distal the upwardly extending portion of the vehicle seat 5. When in this position, the body 66 of the adjustment means 65 is released such that it is rotatable about its central axis 20 through a 1800 arc as shown in Fig. 8. The strap member 12 is then able to be removed from the channel 64 through the slots 63 and repositioned in the remaining portion of the channel 64 such that it extends in an opposite direction along the lateral sides of the base 24. The strap members 12 are then able to be tightened about the buckle member 67 in 25 the manner as previously described. Once tightened, the body 66 of the attachment means 65 is then able to be locked in position for use. It will be appreciated that the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8 provides for a simple and convenient means for securing the base 24 of a child safety seat in position against a vehicle seat 5 in either a forward or rearward facing manner. As 30 the retaining means 62 are provided on the base 24 of the seat, the seat shell can be adjusted in position by reclining or rotating the seat shell with respect to the base 24, without requiring any loosening or adjustment of the retaining means 62. Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, a variation of the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is depicted. In this embodiment, the attachment means 65 is provided along a vertical 35 side of the base 24, rather than on an upper surface thereof. The body 66 of the attachment means 65 is also rotatably mounted within the attachment means 65 to provide for either rearward facing (Fig. 9) and forward facing (Fig. 10) modes of use. Whilst the above embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in relation to the strap 12 of the LATCH system being a continuous piece 5 of strap threaded through the attachment means 30 for use, it will be appreciated that the strap 12 may be separate lengths of strap securely attached at the attachment means 30 at either sides of the seat shell 22. In this regard, the recesses 31 of the attachment means 30 are provided for receiving the vehicle seatbelt only. It will be appreciated that the arrangement of the present invention provides a child 1o safety restraint that can be readily adapted for use with either a LATCH system or a conventional seatbelt system to restrain the child restraint against the vehicle seat. By providing the attachment means in a central location, the child safety seat is able to be used in either a forward or rearward facing manner, without hindering or impacting the effectiveness of the anchorage system being used. 15 Throughout the specification and claims the word "comprise" and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word "comprise" and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, 20 steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will 25 usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the child safety seat uppermost. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 30

Claims (21)

1. A child safety seat for a vehicle comprising: a seat shell configured to receive a child therein; and a pair of attachment means located on opposing sides of the seat shell; wherein, each attachment means is configured for use with either a LATCH style anchorage system or a vehicle seat belt, to facilitate securement of the seat shell against a seat of a vehicle

2. A child safety seat according to claim 1, wherein the pair of attachment means are centrally located on the opposing sides of the seat to facilitate both forward and rearward facing use of seat shell.

3. A child safety seat according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprise a recess formed through the side of the seat shell to provide a path for the seat belt and/or a strap of the LATCH style anchorage system to pass therebetween.

4. A child safety seat according to claim 3, wherein the attachment means comprise a cover member received within the recess, the cover member being configured to engage with the seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system to lock the seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system in position with respect to the attachment means.

5. An attachment means for facilitating securement of a child safety seat to a vehicle by way of a seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system, the attachment means comprising: a recess formed in a side of a shell or seat structure of the child safety seat, the recess being configured to receive the seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system therein; and a cover member mounted within the recess, the cover member being configured to lock the seat belt and/or the strap of the LATCH style anchorage system in position with respect to the recess.

6. A securement system for securing a child safety seat to a seat of a vehicle, comprising an attachment means mounted to opposing sides of the child safety seat, the attachment means being configured to receive either a LATCH style anchorage system or a vehicle seat belt to facilitate securement of the child safety seat to the seat of the vehicle, wherein the attachment means is located centrally of the child safety seat such that the child safety seat can be used in 12 either a front facing or rearward facing position.

7. A child safety seat for a vehicle comprising: a seat shell adapted to be positioned on a vehicle seat and configured to receive a child therein, the seat shell having a backrest portion and a seat portion; and a restraining means for restraining the seat shell in position against the vehicle seat, the restraining means comprising a length of strap having an engagement member located at or adjacent each end thereof, each engagement member being configured to engage with an anchor point provided in a bight of the vehicle seat; wherein, an attachment means is provided in opposing sides of the seat shell thereby defining a path between which the restraining means passes across the seat shell to facilitate engagement of each engagement member with its corresponding anchor point on each opposing side of the seat shell.

8. A child safety seat according to claim 7, wherein the strap of the restraining means is adjustable in length.

9. A child safety seat according to claim 8, wherein the engagement member is a hook or latch member.

10. A child safety seat according to claim 7, wherein the attachment means comprises a recess formed in the seat shell.

11. A child safety seat according to claim 10, wherein a clip or retaining member is mounted in the recess to engage with the strap of the restraining member to substantially secure the strap in position with respect to the attachment means so as to prevent sliding movement of the strap when the clip or retaining member is engaged therewith.

12. A child safety seat according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the attachment means is centrally located in the opposing sides of the seat shell to facilitate use of the child safety seat in both a forward and a reverse orientation.

13. A child safety seat according to claim 7, wherein the attachment means further provides a path for receiving a vehicle seat belt to secure the seat shell against the vehicle seat.

14. A restraining means for restraining a child safety seat in position against a seat of a vehicle comprising: a flexible elongate member and at least two engagement members located along said elongate member.

15. A restraining means according to claim 14, wherein the flexible elongate 13 member is a strap member.

16. A restraining means according to claim 15, wherein the strap member comprises one or more lengths of strap.

17. A restraining means according to claim 15 or 16, wherein each engagement member is movably located along the strap member so as to be located adjacent opposing ends of the strap member.

18. A system for restraining a child safety seat against a vehicle seat comprising: a restraining means comprising at least one flexible elongate member having an engagement member provided thereon for engaging with an anchorage provided on the vehicle; an attachment means provided on the child safety seat for engaging with the restraining means and providing a point about which the restraining means can be tightened with respect to the anchorage provided on the vehicle; wherein the attachment means is rotatably mounted with respect to the child safety seat to facilitate use of the child safety seat in either a forward or a rearwardly facing orientation.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the attachment means is provided on a base portion of the child safety seat.

20. A system according to claim 18, wherein the attachment means is provided on a seat shell of the child safety seat.

21. A system according to either claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the attachment means comprises a buckle member which engages with the flexible elongate member. 14