CHILD CAR SEAT HAVING ACTIVE PROTECTION MEANS

• US 20150291065A1
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Renaudin, Francois, Garnier, Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 9,707,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/265 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• 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 2/42781 mechanical triggering

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns a child car seat comprising an active protection system and a system for triggering the active protection system when needed.

Claims

1. Child car seat, comprising active protection means and means for triggering said active protection means, in case of need,

characterised in that said triggering means deliver a command for triggering said active protection means according to a combination of at least two signals:

at least one first signal delivered by a piece of equipment of said seat, indicating a use of said seat in a vehicle, and

at least one second signal delivered by detection means, indicating the detection of an accident situation.

2. Car seat according to claim 1, characterised in that the or at least one of said first signals is delivered by one of the means belonging to the group comprising:

the sensors of the locking of said car seat to said vehicle;

the sensors of the locking of the straps for retaining a child in said car seat;

the sensors of the presence of a child in said car seat.

3. Car seat according to claim 1, characterised in that said detection means include electronic means, implementing at least one accelerometer.

4. Car seat according to claim 3, characterised in that said detection means take an adjustable triggering threshold into account.

5. Car seat according to claim 4, characterised in that said triggering threshold can be adjusted according to at least one of the parameters belonging to the group comprising:

the weight of the child;

the height of the child;

the deceleration of the vehicle;

the speed of the vehicle;

the direction of the impact.

6. Car seat according to claim 1, characterised in that said detection means comprise mechanical means, implementing at least one mobile inertia block subjected to a force of inertia.

7. Car seat according to claim 3, characterised in that said detection means include mechanical means and electronic means implementing at least one accelerometer, said mechanical means activating the electrical power supply of said electronic means, when a force of inertia greater than a first acceleration threshold, called the waking threshold, is detected, and said electronic means delivering said second signal, when they detect an acceleration force that is greater than a second threshold, greater than said first threshold and corresponding to an accident situation.

8. Car seat according to claim 1, characterised in that the or at least one of said second signals is delivered by said vehicle, according to the measurement signals delivered by sensors embedded in the latter.

9. Car seat according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one portion of said detection means are placed in, on or in the vicinity of a hooking clamp of said seat, intended to cooperate with an anchoring ring integral with said vehicle.

10. Car seat according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises means that indicate that said active protection means have been triggered and/or that prevent the use of said car seat if said active protection means have been triggered.

11. Car seat according to claim 1, characterised in that said active protection means comprise at least one airbag.

12. Car seat according to claim 11, characterised in that it comprises two airbags, housed on or in the shoulder straps of a harness or on or in sheaths mounted on said shoulder straps, and which can be made integral by connecting means.

13. Car seat according to claim 12, characterised in that said connecting means carry a locking sensor, delivering the or at least one of said first signals.

14. Car seat according to claim 1, characterised in that said active protection means include at least one of the means belonging to the group comprising:

means for blocking or increasing the tension of a “

top tether”

strap, or anti-tipping strap, intended to fasten an upper portion of said seat and an anchoring point in said vehicle;

means for blocking or increasing the tension of the harness straps of said car seat, intended to maintain a child in said seat;

means for blocking or increasing the tension of a connection strap between a base and a mobile armchair in rotation with respect to said base;

means for uprighting the seatback of said car seat;

means for deploying an anti-submarining device;

means for compressing the child seat on an armchair or a seat of the vehicle, on lower Isofix®

anchorings;

means for modifying the inclination of the seat by the intermediary of a support leg.