Infant carrier-receiving component with indicator

• US 20040094923A1
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evenflo Company Incorporated (Goodbaby International Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Evenflo Company Incorporated (Goodbaby International Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Fair, Paul, Eros, Peter, Schumacher, Donald, Dranschak, David
• Granted Patent: US 6,863,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/47.38
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2845 having handles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2848 being convertible or adaptable to a preambulator, e.g. a baby-carriage or a push-chair
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/28 Auxiliary dismountable seats ; Additional platforms for children in standing-up position

Abstract

An infant carrier-receiving component including a frame shaped to receive an infant carrier thereon, and an indicator located on said frame, wherein the indicator indicates when the infant carrier is located in a predetermined position on the frame.

Claims

1. An infant carrier-receiving component comprising:

a frame shaped to receive an infant carrier thereon; and

an indicator located on said frame, wherein said indicator indicates when said infant carrier is located in a predetermined position on said frame.

2. The component of claim 1 wherein said indicator is movable between at least two states, and wherein said indicator is shaped to be located in a first state when said infant carrier is located in said predetermined position, and wherein said indicator is shaped to be located in a second state when said infant carrier is not located in said predetermined position.

3. The component of claim 1 wherein said indicator includes a notification portion that is either in a generally visible or a generally not visible state when said infant carrier is located in said predetermined position, and wherein said notification is in the other of said generally visible or generally not visible state when said infant carrier is not located in said predetermined position.

4. The component of claim 1 wherein said indicator includes a notification portion that is generally visible when said infant carrier is located in said predetermined position or is not located in said predetermined position, and wherein said notification portion is generally not visible when said infant carrier is in the other of said predetermined or not predetermined position.

5. The component of claim 4 wherein said indicator includes a movable portion that is located in a first position when said infant carrier is located in said predetermined position and that is located in a second position when said infant carrier is not located in said predetermined position.

6. The component of claim 5 wherein the movement of said movable portion causes said notification portion to be generally visible or generally not visible.

7. The component of claim 6 wherein one of said component or said infant carrier includes a magnetic component and the other of said component or infant carrier includes a component that is located to interact with said magnetic component when said infant carrier is located in said predetermined position to cause said movable portion to move to said first position.

8. The component of claim 6 wherein said notification portion is located on said movable portion.

9. The component of claim 8 wherein said movable portion is a pivotable arm, and wherein said notification portion is located at a distal end thereof.

10. The component of claim 5 wherein said movable component is biased into one of said first or second positions.

11. The component of claim 4 wherein said frame includes a transparent portion, and wherein when said notification portion is visible said notification portion may be visible through said transparent portion.

12. The component of claim 4 wherein said notification portion includes a visual property that is different from the surrounding portions of said frame.

13. The component of claim 1 wherein said indicator includes a first notification portion that is generally visible when said infant carrier is located in said predetermined position, and wherein said first notification portion is generally not visible when said infant carrier is not in predetermined position, and wherein said indicator includes a second notification portion that is generally visible when said infant carrier is not located in said predetermined position, and wherein said second notification portion is generally not visible when said infant carrier is in said predetermined position.

14. The component of claim 1 wherein said predetermined position is a position wherein said infant carrier is coupled to said frame.

15. The component of claim 1 wherein said frame is coupled to a stroller body which includes set of wheels and a handlebar shaped and located to be gripped by an operator such that said stroller can be rolled in the desired direction.

16. The component of claim 15 wherein said frame includes a retaining bar shaped to be located in front of an occupant of said stroller, and wherein at least part of said indicator is located on said retaining bar.

17. The component of claim 1 wherein said frame is coupled to a car seat base body that is shaped to be coupled to an automotive vehicle seat, and wherein said car seat base body includes a belt path shaped and located to receive an automotive vehicle seat belt therein to couple said car seat base body to said automotive vehicle seat.

18. The component of claim 17 wherein said car seat base body includes a recess shaped to receive said infant carrier therein and a locking mechanism shaped to releasably couple said infant carrier to said car seat base body.

19. The component of claim 1 wherein said component is shaped to releasably receive said infant carrier thereon, and wherein at least one of said component or said infant carrier includes a locking mechanism for releasably coupling said infant carrier to said component.

20. The component of claim 1 further comprising a switch located at least partially on at least one of said frame or said infant carrier for detecting when said infant carrier is located in said predetermined position on said frame, and wherein said switch is electrically coupled to said latch indicator.

21. The component of claim 20 wherein said switch includes a contact located on said frame and a contact located on said infant carrier, said contacts being arranged to contact one another when said infant carrier is located in said predetermined position on said frame.

22. An infant carrier system comprising:

an infant carrier shaped to securely receive an infant therein;

a frame shaped to removably receive said infant carrier thereon; and

an indicator located on one of said frame or said infant carrier, wherein said indicator indicates when said infant carrier is located in a predetermined position on said frame.

23. A stroller comprising:

a stroller body including a frame shaped to removably receive an infant carrier thereon, a set of wheels and a handlebar shaped and located to be gripped by an operator such that said stroller can be rolled in the desired direction; and

an indicator located on said stroller body, wherein said indicator indicates when said infant carrier is located in a predetermined position on said frame.

24. A car seat base comprising:

a base body shaped to removably receive an infant carrier thereon and to be coupled to an automotive vehicle seat, said car seat base body including a belt path shaped and located to receive an automotive vehicle seat belt therein to couple said car seat base body to said automotive vehicle seat; and

an indicator located on said base body, wherein said indicator indicates when said infant carrier is located in a predetermined position on said base body.

25. An infant carrier comprising:

a shell shaped to receive an infant or baby thereon, said shell being shaped to be removably coupled to a frame; and

a indicator located on said shell, wherein said indicator indicates when said infant carrier is located in a predetermined position on said frame.