Motorized remote controlled reclining child safety car seat

• US 20030160486A1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David N. Dukes
• Original Assignee: David N. Dukes
• Inventors: Dukes, David N.
• Granted Patent: US 6,739,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/256.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially

Abstract

A motor and reversible drive move a child safety seat between a sitting and reclining position on a base secured by a vehicle safety belt. A drive shaft and gear system, double action winch and cord system, hydraulic drive, screw drive, or other drive system positioned within an enclosed base move the safety seat reversibly. A remote control operable by the driver of the vehicle controls the seat motor. An interconnecting system between the safety seat and the base maintains the safety seat in proximity with the vehicle seat back. The electric motor may be battery powered or plugged into the cigarette lighter of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A motorized reclining child safety seat for a vehicle, which child safety seat maintains close proximity with the vehicle seat back in all positions, the child safety seat comprising:

a safety seat capable of reclining and capable of supporting a child therein;

a base capable of supporting the safety seat and allowing relative motion therebetween;

a motorized drive means within an enclosed housing, the motorized drive means interconnecting the safety seat and the base and capable of moving the safety seat through a range of positions from an upright sitting position to a reclined sleeping position;

a means for interconnecting the child safety seat and the base so the child safety seat is capable of maintaining close proximity with a seat back in all positions of reclining and inclining;

a locking means for securing the seat in a desired stationary position;

a remote control means for the motor.

2. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 1 wherein the safety seat and the base are formed as a mating pair of molded hollow shells and the motorized drive means is housed within the hollow shells.

3. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 2 wherein the motorized drive means comprises at least one motor and at least one reversible drive means connected to the motor.

4. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 3 wherein the reversible drive means comprises at least one sprocket and sprocket drive means housed in one of the hollow shells, the at least one sprocket having a series of spaced teeth around its perimeter, and the other one of the mating pair of hollow shells is provided with at least one groove having a series of ridges and openings receiving and mating with the teeth of the at least one sprocket so that rotation of the at least one sprocket causes movement of the safety seat relative to the base.

5. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 4 wherein the at least one sprocket is rigid when the at least one motor is off and the at least one sprocket comprises the locking means for securing the safety seat in a desired stationary position when the motor is not in operation.

6. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 4 wherein the sprocket drive means comprises a drive shaft and gear system linking the at least one motor with the at least one sprocket.

7. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 4 wherein the sprocket drive means comprises a drive belt and pulley system linking the at least one motor with the at least one sprocket.

8. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 3 wherein the reversible drive means comprises at least one double-action winch connected by a winch drive shaft to the at least one motor and a high friction cord means having two ends, the cord means capable of being wound at least once around the winch and having one end of the cord means attached to a pin on the safety seat spaced apart from the winch in one direction and the other end of the cord means attached to a pin on the safety seat spaced apart from the winch in an opposite direction, so that having the at least one motor turn the at least one winch in one direction pulls one of the pins toward the winch, moving the safety seat in one direction, and having the at least one motor turn the at least one winch in the opposite direction pulls the other one of the pins toward the winch moving the safety seat in an opposite direction.

9. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 8 wherein the locking means for securing the seat in a desired stationary position comprises a solenoid in the base positioned opposite a series of holes in the safety seat, the solenoid being capable of receding during operation of the motor to permit movement of the safety seat and being capable of protruding into one of the series of holes in the safety seat to lock the safety seat in place when the motor is not in operation.

10. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 3 wherein the reversible drive means comprises a motor housed within the base and connected to one of the shells by a pivot means and the motor drives a driving arm connected to the other of the shells by a pivot means to pivot the safety seat reversibly between a reclined position and an upright sitting position.

11. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 10 wherein the driving arm comprises a telescoping hydraulic drive arm.

12. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 10 wherein the driving arm comprises a reversible screw drive and movable arm threaded to the screw drive.

13. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 1 wherein the means for interconnecting the child safety seat and the base comprises a mating arched track and arched ridge configured to rotate the safety seat so that the back of the seat maintains close proximity with the vehicle seat back in all positions of the safety seat.

14. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 1 wherein the safety seat further comprises a series of transverse elongated elements each elongated element independently pivotable relative to an adjacent elongated element, and the means for interconnecting the child safety seat and the base comprises the elongated elements of the safety seat riding in an arched groove on each side of the base so that the safety seat is capable of moving forward as it reclines to maintain the safety seat in proximity with the vehicle seat back in all positions of the safety seat.

15. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 1 wherein the means for interconnecting the child safety seat and the base comprises a seat pivot point on each side of the safety seat and a higher base pivot point on each side of the base with a pendulum arm hanging by a pivot means from the base pivot point and pivotally connected to the safety seat pivot point, so that the safety seat moves forward as it pivots to the reclining position, maintaining close proximity with the vehicle seat back.

16. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 1 wherein the means for interconnecting the child safety seat and the base comprises a seat pivot point on each side of the seat and a mating base pivot point on each side of the base wherein the base maintains contact with the vehicle seat back and the safety seat is configured so that the back of the seat maintains close proximity with an arched rear wall of the base for all positions.

17. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 1 wherein the means for interconnecting the child safety seat and the base comprises a seat pivot point on each side of the seat and a mating base pivot point on each side of the base wherein a spring-loaded arm and roller from the back of the seat maintains contact with the vehicle seat back.

18. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 3 wherein the remote control means for the at least one motor is a remote control wired to the at least one motor.

19. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 18 wherein the remote control means is a wireless remote control which transmits wireless signals to control the at least one motor.

20. The motorized reclining child safety seat of claim 2 further comprising a low friction contact means between the safety seat and base shells.