Tiltable auxiliary chair having locking means and pivotal seat belt engagement plate for forward and rearward facing

• US 5,052,750 A
• Filed: 03/26/1990
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Combi Corporation (Matsuura Family)
• Original Assignee: Combi Corporation (Matsuura Family)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takashi, Takahashi, Takehiko, Kaneko, Tomihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer, Laurie K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gardner, James M.
• Application Number:
  US07/498,519
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 297/250, 297/253, 297/254, 297/257, 297/310, 297/464, 297/468, 297/485, 297/325-328, 297/313, 297/244, 297/130, 248/371, 248/372.1, 248/393, 248/394, 248/395, 248/396, 248/397, 248/398
• US Class Current: 297/256.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2839 having a front guard or barrier
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing

Abstract

An auxiliary chair for use in restraining young children in vehicles. The chair is capable of either frontward or backward orientation and in each case the portion thereof that engages the seat belt of the vehicle remains in the same relative position. The engagement portion is on an engagement arm that is movable between a frontward and a rearward position, and in each position locks both the chair body and the chair base thereto for security. The chair is tiltable to several orientations and is locked into several tilt positions via a shaft through the body that rides in a slot within locking plates in the base. The locking plate locks the position due to springs forcing the plates upward. The lock is easily released by handles on the sides of the base.

Claims

1. An auxiliary chair for installation on a seat of a vehicle via a seat belt associated with said vehicle, said auxiliary chair comprising:

a base having sides thereof with each side having a pair of first sliding openings;

a body having a seat portion and a back portion and being tiltably mounted on said base for selectably reclining and upward orientation with respect to said base;

said body having the form of a seat;

a pair of engagement plates attached to the respective sides of said base;

each said engagement plate having second sliding openings and a seat belt engagement portion comprising a third sliding opening for engagement with said vehicle seat belt and said third sliding opening;

said body including two support shafts projecting out the opposite sides thereof for sliding engagement in respective first sliding openings in each of the sides of said base, and the first of said shafts further being in sliding engagement with said second sliding openings of said engagement plates.

2. An auxiliary chair for installation on a seat of a vehicle via a seat belt associated with said vehicle, said auxiliary chair comprising:

a base having sides thereof with each side having a pair of first sliding openings;

a body having a seat portion and a back portion and being tiltably mounted on said base for selectably reclining and upward orientation with respect to said base;

said body having the form of a seat;

a pair of engagement plates attached to the respective sides of said base;

each said engagement plate having second sliding openings and a seat belt engagement portion for engagement with said vehicle seat belt and a third sliding opening;

said body including two support shafts projecting out the opposite sides thereof for sliding engagement in respective first sliding openings in each of the sides of said base, and the first of said shafts further being in sliding engagement with said second sliding openings of said engagement plates.

wherein said body further includes a third shaft projecting outwardly from the sides thereof like said first shaft and positioned symmetrically with respect to said first shaft;

said engagement plates further being attached to said base sides in such a manner as to be movable from a first position whereby said third sliding openings therein slidably receive the projected ends of said first shaft to a second position whereby said third sliding openings therein slidable receive the projected ends of said third shaft, thereby allowing said seat to be oriented either frontward or rearward in said vehicle, with said seat belt engagement portions of said engagement plates serving in both orientations as the means for engaging said seat belts.

3. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 2, further comprising lock means on said engagement plates and said sides of said base for locking said engagement plates in either of said first and second positions.

4. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claims 2 or 3, wherein said engagement plates further comprise means for locking to said engagement plate the said shaft slidably projecting into the third sliding opening therein.

5. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 3, wherein said lock means comprises a lock opening on an extended portion of each said engagement plate and a pair of locking pins symmetrically positioned on each of said sides of said base;

on each side of said base one of said locking pins being received in the said opening of the engagement plate attached to that side for locking said engagement plate in said first position, and the other of said locking pins being received in the said opening of the engagement plate attached to that side for locking said engagement plate in said second position.

6. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 2, wherein a first one of said first sliding openings in each side of said base communicates with the third sliding opening in said engagement plate attached to the side of said base when said engagement plate is in said first position.

7. An auxiliary chair as claimed in any of claims 2, 3, 5, or 6, wherein said engagement plates are pivotally attached to said side plates to pivot in a plane substantially parallel to the seat portion.

8. An auxiliary chair for installation on a seat of a vehicle via a seat belt associated with said vehicle, said auxiliary chair comprising:

a base having sides thereof with each side having a pair of first sliding openings;

a body having a seat portion and a back portion and being tiltably mounted on said base for selectably reclining and upward orientation with respect to said base;

said body having the form of a seat;

a pair of engagement plates attached to the respective sides of said base;

each said engagement plate having second sliding openings and a seat belt engagement portion for engagement with said vehicle seat belt and a third sliding opening;

said body including two support shafts projecting out the opposite sides thereof for sliding engagement in respective first sliding openings in each of the sides of said base, and the first of said shafts further being in sliding engagement with said second sliding openings of said engagement plates,

wherein a first one of said first sliding openings in each of said base communicates with the third sliding opening in said engagement plate attached to the side of said base.

9. An auxiliary chair for installation to the seat of a vehicle, said chair comprising:

a base having sides thereof an a body tiltably mounted on said base;

a pair of lock plates mounted on the insides of the respective sides of said base;

said body having a shaft projecting sideways therefrom and engageable with said lock plates for locking said body in selected positions of tilt of said body;

said lock plates being mounted so as to be movable up and down so as to release or lock said body in a tilt position;

each said lock plate having a horizontal opening for receiving a pins therein;

a U-shaped transmission crank having pins on opposite ends thereof extending into said horizontal openings in said lock plates;

said crank being fixed with respect to said base so that up/down movement of one of said lock plates is transmitted by said crank to the other of said lock plates.

10. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 9 further comprising bias means for biasing said lock plates in one of said up and down positions and handle means on the outside of each side of said base for moving said lock plates in the direction opposite said biased direction.

11. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 9, wherein each said lock plate has an elongated horizontal slot with lock position openings extending vertically therefrom at selected positions along said elongated horizontal openings;

said shaft having ends which slidably slide in said elongated slot when said lock plates are in the first of said up and down positions and which lock in said lock openings when said lock plates are in the opposite of said first position.

12. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 11, further comprising bias means for biasing said lock plates in one of said up and down positions and handle means on the outside of each side of said base for moving said lock plates in the direction opposite said biased, direction.

13. An auxiliary chair as claimed in any of claims 10 or 12, wherein said bias means are springs.

14. An auxiliary chair for installation on the seat of a vehicle via a seat belt associated with said seat, said auxiliary chair comprising:

a base having sides thereof, with each side having a pair of sliding openings;

a body having a seat portion and a back portion and being tiltably mounted on said base for selectably reclining and upward orientation with respect to said base;

said body having the form of a seat;

a pair of engagement plates attached to the respective sides of said base;

each said engagement plate having a seat belt engagement portion for engagement with said vehicle seat belt and a slide opening;

said body including two support shafts projecting out the opposite sides thereof for sliding engagement in the respective sliding openings in each of the sides of said base, and the first of said shafts further being in sliding engagement with said slide openings of said engagement plates;

a pair of lock plates mounted on the insides of the respective sides of said base;

said second shaft being engageable with said lock plates for locking said body in selected positions of tilt of said body;

said lock plates being mounted so as to be movable up and down so as to release or lock said body in a tilt position;

each said lock plate having a horizontal opening for receiving a pin therein;

a U-shaped transmission crank having pins on opposite ends thereof extending into said horizontal openings in said lock plates;

said crank being fixed with respect to said base so that up or down movement of one of said lock plates is transmitted by said crank to the other of said lock plates.

15. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 14, wherein said body further includes a third shaft projecting outwardly from the sides thereof like said first shaft and positioned symmetrically with respect to said first shaft;

said engagement plates further being attached to said base sides in such a manner as to be movable from a first position whereby said slide openings therein slidably receive the projected ends of said first shaft to a second position whereby said slide openings therein slidably receive the projected ends of said third shaft, thereby allowing said seat to be oriented either frontward or rearward in said vehicle, with said seat belt engagement portions of said engagement plates serving in both orientations as the means for engaging said seat belts.

16. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 15, further comprising lock means on said engagement plates and said sides of said base for locking said engagement plates in either of said first and second positions.

17. An auxiliary chair as claimed in any of claims 15 or 16, wherein said engagement plates further comprise means for locking to said engagement plate the said shaft slidably projecting into the slidable opening therein.

18. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 16, wherein said lock means comprises a lock opening on an extended portion of each said engagement plate and a pair of locking pins symmetrically positioned on each of said slides of said base;

on each side of said base one of said locking pins being received in the said opening of the engagement plate attached to that side for locking said engagement plate in said first position, and the other of said locking pins being received on the said opening of the engagement plate attached to that side for locking said engagement plate in said second position.

19. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first said sliding opening in each side of said base communicates with the slide opening in said engagement plate attached to the side of said base when said engagement plate is in said first position.

20. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first said sliding opening in each side of said base communicates with the slide opening in said engagement plate attached to the side of said base.

21. An auxiliary chair as claimed in any of claims 16, 20, or 19, wherein said engagement plates are pivotally attached to said side plates to pivot in a plate substantially parallel to the seat portion.

22. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 21, wherein each said lock plate has an elongated horizontal slot with lock position openings extending vertically therefrom at selected positions along said elongated horizontal openings;

said shaft having ends which slidably slide in said elongated slot when said lock plates are in the first of said up and down positions and which lock in said lock openings when said lock plates are in the opposite of said first position.

23. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 22 further comprising bias means for biasing said lock plates in one of said up and down positions and handle means on the outside of each side of said base for moving said lock plates in the direction opposite said biased direction.

24. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 14 further comprising bias means for biasing said lock plates in one of said up and down positions and handle means on the outside of each side of said base for moving said lock plates in the direction opposite said biased direction.

25. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 24 or, wherein said bias means are spring.

26. An auxiliary chair as claimed in claim 14, wherein each said lock plate has an elongated horizontal slot with lock position openings extending vertically therefrom at selected positions along said elongated horizontal openings;

said shaft having ends which slidably slide in said elongated slot when said lock plates are in the first of said up and down positions and which lock in said lock openings when said lock plates are in the opposite of said first position.

27. An auxiliary chair for installation on the seat of a vehicle via a seat belt associated with said seat, said auxiliary chair comprising:

a base having sides thereof, with each side having a pair of sliding openings;

a body having a seat portion and a back portion and being tiltably mounted on said base for selectably reclining and upward orientation with respect to said base;

said body having the form of a seat;

a pair of engagement plates attached to the respective sides of said base;

each said engagement plate having a seat belt engagement portion for engagement with said vehicle seat belt and a slide opening;

said body including two support shafts projecting out the opposite sides thereof for sliding engagement in the respective sliding openings in each of the sides of said base, and the first of said shafts further being in sliding engagement with said slide openings of said engagement plates;

a pair of lock plates mounted on the insides of the respective sides of said base;

said second shaft being engageable with said lock plates for locking said body in selected positions of tilt of said body;

said lock plates being mounted so as to be movable up and down so as to release or lock said body in a tilt position;

each said lock plate having a horizontal opening for receiving a pin therein;

a U-shaped transmission crank having pins on opposite ends thereof extending into said horizontal openings in said lock plates;

said crank being fixed with respect to said base so that up or down movement of one of said lock plates is transmitted by said crank to the other of said lock plates;

wherein said body further includes a third shaft projection outwardly from the sides thereof like said first shaft and positioned symmetrically with respect to said first shaft; and

engagement plates further being attached to said base sides in such a manner as to be movable from a first position whereby said slide openings therein slidably receive the projected ends of said first shaft to a second position whereby said slide openings therein slidably receive the projected ends of said third shaft, thereby allowing said seat to be oriented either frontward or rearward in said vehicle, with said seat belt engagement portions of said engagement plates serving in both orientations as the means for engaging said seat belts;

wherein said engagement plates further comprise means for locking to said engagement plate the said shaft slidably projecting into the slidable opening therein; and

wherein said engagement plates are pivotally attached to said side plates to pivot in a plane substantially parallel to the seat portion.

28. An auxiliary chair for installation on the seat of a vehicle via a seat belt associated with said seat, said auxiliary chair comprising:

a base having sides thereof, with each side having a pair of sliding openings;

a body having a seat portion and a back portion and being tiltably mounted on said base for selectably reclining and upward orientation with respect to said base;

said body having the form of a seat;

a pair of engagement plates attached to the respective sides of said base;

each said engagement plate having a seat belt engagement portion for engagement with said vehicle seat belt and a slide opening;

said body including two support shafts projecting out the opposite sides thereof for sliding engagement in the respective sliding openings in each of the sides of said base, and the first of said shafts further being in sliding engagement with said slide openings of said engagement plates;

a pair of lock plates mounted on the insides of the respective sides of said base;

said second shaft being engageable with said lock plates for locking said body in selected positions of tilt of said body;

said lock plates being mounted so as to be movable up and down so as to release or lock said body in a tilt position;

each said lock plate having a horizontal opening for receiving a pin therein;

a U-shaped transmission crank having pins on opposite ends thereof extending into said horizontal openings in said lock plates;

said crank being fixed with respect to said base so that up or down movement of one of said lock plates is transmitted by said crank to the other of said lock plates;

wherein said body further includes a third shaft projection outwardly from the sides thereof like said first shaft and positioned symmetrically with respect to said first shaft;

said engagement plates further being attached to said base sides in such a manner as to be movable from a first position whereby said slide openings therein slidably receive the projected ends of said first shaft to a second position whereby said slide openings therein slidably receive the projected ends of said third shaft, thereby allowing said seat to be oriented either frontward or rearward in said vehicle, with said seat belt engagement portions of said engagement plates serving in both orientations as the means for engaging said seat belts;

lock means on said engagement plates and said sides of said base for locking said engagement plates in either of said first and second positions;

wherein said engagement plates further comprise means for locking to said engagement plate the said shaft slidably projecting into the slidable opening therein; and

wherein said engagement plates are pivotally attached to said side plates to pivot in a plane substantially parallel to the seat portion.