Car seat and connection system

• US 10,150,389 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pidyon Controls Inc
• Original Assignee: Pidyon Controls Inc
• Inventors: Cohen, Yochanan, Van Scoyoc, Velissa, Becene, Ahmet T., Kravchenko, Ekaterina, Byar, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Michener, Joshua J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walraed-Sullivan, Kyle J.
• Application Number:
  US15/152,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20160332542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2809 with additional tether connected to the top of the child seat and passing above the top of the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2827 part of the base being supported by the seat sub-frame B60N2/2893 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2878 the back-rest being inclinable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2884 with protection systems against abnormal g-forces
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2887 Fixation to a transversal anchorage bar, e.g. isofix
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2205/30 Seat or seat parts characterised by comprising plural parts or pieces

Abstract

Embodiments of a car seat include an outer protective shell, an inner seat, a suspension system connecting and permitting relative movement between the inner seat and the outer protective shell. The suspension system may include a plurality of deformable metal straps. Also, embodiments of a car seat system include a frame constructed to couple to a vehicle seat. The frame has a vertical portion that extends upwardly substantially along a vehicle seatback. The vertical portion extends at least half of the height of vehicle seatback. Also, the system includes a car seat constructed to couple to the frame.

Claims

1. A child car seat for an occupant, comprising:

a) an inner seat;

b) an outer protective shell having a front wall, a back wall, and opposing side walls defining a space and extending around and protecting said inner seat, said outer protective shell configured to be connected to a vehicle; and

c) a suspension system comprised of metal straps that couple and permit relative movement between said inner seat and said outer protective shell, said suspension system suspending said inner seat substantially within said space, wherein at least one metal strap is connected between said inner seat and said front wall of said outer protective shell, at least one metal strap is connected between said inner seat and said back wall of said outer protective shell, and at least one metal strap is connected between said inner seat and said opposing side walls of said outer protective shell.

2. The child car seat according to claim 1, wherein:

said metal straps are formed as bands.

3. The child car seat according to claim 2, wherein:

a first length of each band extends to an outer surface of said inner seat and a second length of each band extends to an inner surface of said outer protective shell.

4. The child car seat according to claim 1, wherein:

said metal straps are formed of aluminum.

5. The child car seat according to claim 1, wherein:

said outer protective shell is configured for coupling to a car seat mounting frame.

6. The child car seat according to claim 1, wherein:

said suspension system is elastically and plastically deformable.

7. The child car seat according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one metal strap that is connected between said inner seat and said front wall of said outer protective shell extends from said inner seat to said front wall of said outer protective shell, said at least one metal strap that is connected between said inner seat and said back wall of said outer protective shell extends from said inner seat to said back wall of said outer protective shell, and said at least one metal strap that is connected between said inner seat and said opposing side walls of said outer protective shell extends from said inner seat to said opposing side walls of said outer protective shell.

8. A child car seat system comprising:

a frame constructed to couple to a vehicle seat, said frame having

a vertical portion that extends vertically upward substantially along a vehicle seatback, wherein said vertical portion extends at least half of the height of the vehicle seatback, and

a horizontal portion extending from a lower end of said vertical portion at an angle with respect to said vertical portion, wherein said horizontal portion is constructed to extend along a vehicle seat when said frame is coupled to a vehicle; and

a child car seat constructed to couple to said horizontal portion of said frame, wherein the frame is constructed to couple to one or more child car seats, and wherein;

said child car seat includes;

a) an inner seat,

b) an outer protective shell having a front wall, a back wall, and opposing side walls defining a space and extending around and protecting said inner seat, said outer protective shell configured to be connected to the vehicle, and

c) a suspension system comprised of metal straps that couple and permit relative movement between said inner seat and said outer protective shell, said suspension system suspending said inner seat substantially within said space, wherein at least one metal strap is connected between said inner seat and said front wall of said outer protective shell, at least one metal strap is connected between said inner seat and said back wall of said outer protective shell, and at least one metal strap is connected between said inner seat and said opposing side walls of said outer protective shell.

9. The child car seat system according to claim 8, wherein:

said vertical portion extends substantially along the entire height of said vehicle seatback.

10. The child car seat system according to claim 8, wherein:

said angle is approximately 97 degrees.

11. The child car seat system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a latch extending from said horizontal portion of said frame, said latch constructed to couple to said child car seat, said latch being coupled to a plurality of handles configured for actuation to selectively open said latch.

12. The child car seat system according to claim 11, wherein:

said plurality of handles are configured for sequential actuation to selectively open said latch.

13. The child car seat system according to claim 11, wherein:

said plurality of handles are configured to move in a direction substantially transverse to a direction of said latch to selectively open said latch.

14. The child car seat system according to claim 8, further comprising:

an angle adjustment member coupled to one of said vertical portion or said horizontal portion of said frame, said angle adjustment member constructed to adjust an angle between said frame and the vehicle seat.

15. The child car seat system according to claim 14, wherein:

said adjustment member is pivotally coupled to one of said horizontal portion or said vertical portion and is constructed to rotate relative to said horizontal portion or said vertical portion to adjust the angle between said frame and the vehicle seat.

16. The child car seat system according to claim 15, wherein:

said adjustment member is configured to rotate eccentrically about a respective member of said horizontal portion or said vertical portion to which the adjustment member is pivotally coupled.

17. The child car seat system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a tether connector and tether strap extending from said angle adjuster.

18. The child car seat system according to claim 17, wherein:

the angle adjuster is configured to at least partially store the tether strap in a coiled configuration.

19. The child car seat system according to claim 18, wherein:

the angle adjuster includes a locking or unlocking belt retractor connected to the tether strap.

20. The child car seat system according to claim 8, wherein:

said horizontal and vertical portions are pivotally coupled, wherein the frame is configurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration.

21. The child car seat system according to claim 8, further comprising:

lap belt lockoffs coupled to said frame, said lap belt lockoffs configured from an unlocked position to a locked position, wherein the horizontal portion of the frame defines a lap belt pathway for routing a lap belt of a vehicle seatbelt across the horizontal portion, and wherein when the lap belt is received in said lap belt pathway, said lap belt lockoffs are locked and contact the lap belt.

22. The child car seat system according to claim 8, further comprising:

at least one tether extending from said vertical portion for coupling to a vehicle anchor; and

a plurality of mini-connectors extending from said horizontal portion for coupling to corresponding LATCH anchors on the vehicle.

23. The child car seat system according to claim 22, wherein:

one or more of the mini-connectors are selectively laterally displaceable.

24. The child car seat system according to claim 22, wherein:

the tether includes an adjustable length rigid portion extending from the vertical portion and a flexible portion extending from the rigid portion to a tether connector.