FORWARD AND REARWARD FACING CHILD SEAT WITH BELT TENSIONING MECHANISM FOR IMPROVED INSTALLATION
First Claim
1. A child seat configured to be secured to a vehicle seat in both a rear-facing and a forward-facing orientation with a belt attachable to the vehicle seat, the child seat comprising:
- a seat base comprising a seat portion, a backrest portion, a first belt path, and a second belt path; and
a tensioning mechanism attached to the seat base to be movable between a first position and a second position, the tensioning mechanism having an end attached to the backrest portion at an axis such that the tensioning mechanism rotates between the first position and the second position pivotally about the axis, and wherein the tensioning mechanism has a first lateral edge surface and a second lateral edge surface, the first and second lateral edge surfaces extending along respective sides of the tensioning mechanism from and transverse to the axis, wherein in the first position, the tensioning mechanism is substantially adjacent to the seat base, and wherein in the second position, the tensioning mechanism is at least partly displaced from the seat base in order to enable at least one of the first belt path or the second belt path to receive the belt,wherein the first belt path is configured to allow a user to position the belt to be displaced by the first and second lateral edge surfaces to secure the child seat to the vehicle seat when the child seat is in the rear-facing orientation, wherein the second belt path is configured to allow the user to position the belt to be displaced by the first and second lateral edge surfaces to secure the child seat to the vehicle seat when the child seat is in the forward-facing orientation, andwherein in at least one of the forward or rear-facing orientations, the first and second lateral edge surfaces of the tensioning mechanism displace the belt to apply tension to the belt.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A child seat including a tensioning mechanism for applying tension to a seat belt to more fully secure the child seat to a vehicle seat is provided herein. The child seat, which may be front- and/or rear-facing, includes a seat base defining a seat portion and a backrest portion. The seat base can receive an untensioned belt to secure the child seat to a vehicle seat in an untensioned configuration. A tensioning mechanism attached to the backrest portion and is rotatable between a first position substantially adjacent to the backrest portion and a second position disposed therefrom. In the second position, the tensioning mechanism can receive a portion of the belt. In the first position, the tensioning mechanism applies tension to the portion of the received belt to secure the child seat to the vehicle seat in a tensioned configuration. Methods of manufacturing child seats are also provided herein.
8 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A child seat configured to be secured to a vehicle seat in both a rear-facing and a forward-facing orientation with a belt attachable to the vehicle seat, the child seat comprising:
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a seat base comprising a seat portion, a backrest portion, a first belt path, and a second belt path; and a tensioning mechanism attached to the seat base to be movable between a first position and a second position, the tensioning mechanism having an end attached to the backrest portion at an axis such that the tensioning mechanism rotates between the first position and the second position pivotally about the axis, and wherein the tensioning mechanism has a first lateral edge surface and a second lateral edge surface, the first and second lateral edge surfaces extending along respective sides of the tensioning mechanism from and transverse to the axis, wherein in the first position, the tensioning mechanism is substantially adjacent to the seat base, and wherein in the second position, the tensioning mechanism is at least partly displaced from the seat base in order to enable at least one of the first belt path or the second belt path to receive the belt, wherein the first belt path is configured to allow a user to position the belt to be displaced by the first and second lateral edge surfaces to secure the child seat to the vehicle seat when the child seat is in the rear-facing orientation, wherein the second belt path is configured to allow the user to position the belt to be displaced by the first and second lateral edge surfaces to secure the child seat to the vehicle seat when the child seat is in the forward-facing orientation, and wherein in at least one of the forward or rear-facing orientations, the first and second lateral edge surfaces of the tensioning mechanism displace the belt to apply tension to the belt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A child seat configured to be secured to a vehicle seat in a rear-facing orientation in which an occupant of the child seat faces toward a backrest of the vehicle seat and a forward-facing orientation in which an occupant of the child seat faces away from the vehicle backrest, where the vehicle seat has a vehicle belt having a lap portion and a shoulder portion, the child seat comprising:
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a seat base comprising a seat portion and a backrest portion; and a tensioning mechanism attached to the seat base to be movable between a first position and a second position, the tensioning mechanism having an end attached to the backrest portion at an axis such that the tensioning mechanism is rotatable between the first position and the second position pivotally about the axis, and wherein the tensioning mechanism has a first rigid edge surface and a second rigid edge surface, the first and second rigid edge surfaces extending along respective sides of the tensioning mechanism from and transverse to the axis, wherein in the first position, the first and second rigid edge surfaces are substantially adjacent to the seat base, and wherein in the second position, the first and second rigid edge surfaces are at least partly displaced from the seat base so that the lap section of the vehicle belt and the shoulder section of the vehicle belt are receivable by the backrest portion from a gap between the first and second rigid edge surfaces and the backrest portion so that application of tension to the vehicle belt retains the child seat in the forward-facing orientation with respect to the vehicle seat, and wherein movement of the first and second rigid edge surfaces from the second position to the first position causes the first and second rigid edge surfaces to displace a portion of the shoulder section and a portion of the lap section of the vehicle belt with respect to a surface of the backrest portion to thereby increase the tension in the vehicle belt that retains the child seat in the forward-facing orientation. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A child seat configured to be secured to a vehicle seat in both a rear-facing and a forward-facing orientation with a vehicle belt, the child seat comprising:
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a seat base comprising a seat portion, a backrest portion, and opposing side portions; and a tensioning mechanism attached to the seat base to be movable between a first position and a second position and that is configured to be locked in the first position, the tensioning mechanism having an end attached to the backrest portion such that the tensioning mechanism is configured to rotate between the first position and the second position about an axis, and wherein the tensioning mechanism has a first lateral edge surface and a second lateral edge surface, the first and second lateral edge surfaces extending along respective sides of the tensioning mechanism from and transverse to the axis, wherein in the first position, the first and second lateral edge surfaces are substantially vertical to the seat base, and wherein in the second position, the first and second lateral edge surfaces are at least partly displaced from the seat base in order to receive the vehicle belt, and wherein movement of the first and second lateral edge surfaces from the second position to the first position causes the first and second lateral edge surfaces to displace the vehicle belt to secure the child seat to the vehicle seat in a tensioned configuration; and wherein locking the tensioning mechanism in the first position is caused by engagement between two locking members and two lock receiving portions, the two locking members automatically translating to a position to cause the two locking members to be locked with the two lock receiving portions between the opposing sides portions of the seat base when the first and second lateral edge surfaces are rotated from the second position to the first position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A child seat configured to be secured to a vehicle seat in both a rear-facing and a forward-facing orientation with a vehicle belt, the child seat comprising:
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a seat base comprising a seat portion, a backrest portion, and opposing side portions that protrude forwardly from the seat portion and upwardly from the backrest portion; a tensioning mechanism attached to the seat base to be movable between a first position and a second position and comprising an engaging surface, the tensioning mechanism having an end attached to the backrest portion such that the tensioning mechanism is configured to rotate downwardly to the first position from the second position about an axis, and wherein the tensioning mechanism has a first lateral edge surface and a second lateral edge surface, the first and second lateral edge surfaces extending along respective sides of the tensioning mechanism from and transverse to the axis, wherein in the first position, the first and second lateral edge surfaces are substantially vertical to seat base, wherein in the second position, the first and second lateral edge surfaces are at least partly displaced from the seat base in order to receive the vehicle belt, and wherein movement of the first and second lateral edge surfaces from the second position to the first position causes the engaging surface, which is disposed between the first and second lateral edge surfaces, to press a first portion of the vehicle belt against the opposing side portions and deflect a second portion of the vehicle belt to be closer to the seat portion or backrest portion than the first portion of the vehicle belt in order to apply tension to the vehicle belt to secure the child seat to the vehicle seat in a tensioned configuration. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification