Warning system for a child's restraining seat for use in a passenger vehicle

• US 5,260,684 A
• Filed: 05/14/1991
• Issued: 11/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Northpoint Manufacturing & Marketing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Northpoint Manufacturing & Marketing Incorporated
• Inventors: Metzmaker, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Application Number:
  US07/699,931
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/666, 340/667, 340/665, 340/429, 340/438, 340/440, 340/457.1
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• 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 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3081 Seats convertible into parts of the seat cushion or the back-rest or disapppearing therein, e.g. for children
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4858 for sensing pressure on seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4875 on vehicle exterior
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4883 Interlock systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A child warning system for use in an integrated or portable child restraining seat that includes an occupancy indicator, an emergency signal and warning indicators. An electrical circuit provides a warning indication until deactuation switches are actuated to deactuate the warning indicators. A vibration sensor switch actuates an emergency signal that remains actuated until the electrical circuit is reset.

Claims

1. A warning system for a passenger restraining seat usable in a passenger vehicle, said system comprising:

an electrical circuit including a power supply which includes a battery mounted to said restraining seat, said battery being separate from another battery which operates the vehicle, a primary actuation switch mechanism, a first deactuation switch, and an alarm system including a vibration sensor switch and a reset switch;

said primary actuation switch mechanism for actuating said electrical circuit and said alarm system;

said alarm system including at least one alarm indicator actuated by said actuation switch;

said first deactuation switch interconnected with an openable and closable occupant restraining system for a passenger vehicle seat for deactuating said at least one alarm indicator when said restraining system is closed;

said vibration sensor switch being closable upon severe vibration to actuate said at least one alarm indicator, said electrical circuit being operative when said alarm indicator is actuated to bypass said first deactuation switch until said reset switch is actuated.

2. A warning system as defined in claim 1 further including:

said actuation switch being a pressure sensitive switch positioned to sense the presence of an occupant in a passenger vehicle seat.

3. A warning system as defined in claim 1 wherein said alarm system includes:

a warning indicator being actuated when said electrical circuit is actuated until said first deactuation switch is actuated; and

an emergency indicator being actuated when said vibration sensor switch is actuated at the time the electrical circuit is actuated.

4. A warning system as defined in claim 3 wherein said warning indicator and emergency indicator are two audio signals distinguishable from one another.

5. A warning system as defined in claim 3 further comprising said electrical circuit has a time delay mechanism which delays deactuation of said circuit after said actuation mechanisms are opened.

6. A warning system as defined in claim 1 further including:

an occupancy indicator positionable to be viewable from an exterior of said passenger vehicle and connected to and actuated by said electrical circuit.

7. A warning system as defined in claim 6 wherein said occupancy indicator is a light element cyclically flashed on and off with said light actuated less than 50% of the cycle time at a frequency high enough to render the appearance of the light being continuously on to the human eye.

8. A warning system as defined in claim 6 wherein said occupancy indicator is positioned at an upper portion of said restraining seat to be viewable from the exterior of said passenger vehicle.

9. A warning system as defined in claim 1 wherein:

said warning system is incorporated in a child restraining seat that is integrated into a passenger vehicle seat with said restraining seat being positionable into a folded stow-away position or into a usable position;

said actuating switch mechanism includes a first sensor switch actuated when said child restraining seat is in a usable position and a second sensor switch actuated when an occupant sits in said child restraining seat;

said electrical circuit is in an actuated mode when both sensor switches are actuated.

10. A warning system as defined in claim 9 wherein said alarm system includes:

a warning indicator actuated when said electrical circuit is actuated until said first deactuation switch is actuated; and

an emergency indicator actuated when said vibration sensor switch is actuated if the electrical circuit is actuated.

11. A warning system as defined in claim 10 wherein said warning indicator and emergency indicator are two audio signals distinguishable from one another.

12. A warning system as defined in claim 9 wherein said power supply is a battery mounted in said passenger vehicle seat.

13. A warning system as defined in claim 12 further including:

an occupancy indicator positionable to be viewable from an exterior of said passenger vehicle and connected to and actuated by said electrical circuit.

14. A warning system as defined in claim 13 wherein said occupancy indicator is a light element being flashed on and off with said light actuated less than 50% of the cycle time at a frequency high enough to render the appearance of the light being continuously on to the human eye.

15. A warning system as defined in claim 13 wherein said occupancy indicator is mounted on a pivoting head rest portion of said passenger vehicle seat;

said head rest pivotable between stow-away position where said occupancy indicator is concealed from sight and a usable position where said occupancy indicator is positioned at an upper section of said head rest portion.

16. A warning system as defined in claim 9 wherein said restraining system is movable from a retracted stored position to an extended usable position;

said actuator switch mechanism includes a booster seat switch mechanism that has a third sensor switch that is actuated when said restraining system is moved to said extended usable position;

a drop switch is mounted in parallel to said third sensor switch and is normally in a closed position but is operable upon sensing weight over a predetermined amount.

17. A warning system as defined in claim 16 further comprising:

said alarm system including a first warning indicator actuated when said electrical circuit is actuated until said first deactuation switch is actuated, and an emergency indicator actuated when said vibration sensor is actuated if the electrical circuit is actuated;

said booster seat switch mechanism being interconnected to a secondary actuation switch mechanism which actuates said electrical circuit and does not actuate said first warning indicator, said booster seat switch mechanism being responsive to the weight of a larger child over a predetermined amount.

18. In a child restraining seat integrated into a vehicle passenger seat having a passenger seat back cushion and passenger seat bottom cushion, a child seat cushion unfoldable from one of the passenger seat cushions from a stored position to a usable position, and a child restraining harness stored in proximity to the child seat cushion when folded in the stored position, the improvement comprising:

an electrical circuit including a power supply which includes a battery mounted to said restraining seat, said battery being separate from another battery which operates the vehicle, a primary actuation mechanism, a warning deactuation system, and an alarm system including a vibration sensor switch and a reset switch;

said primary actuation mechanism for actuating said electrical circuit including a first sensor switch actuated upon the unfolding of the child seat cushion out from the stored position to the usable position and a second sensor switch mounted in the child seat cushion and responsive to the weight of a child sitting on said child seat cushion, said electrical circuit being actuated when both sensor switches are actuated;

the alarm system includes a warning indicator that is actuated when said electrical circuit is actuated by said primary actuation mechanism;

the warning deactuation system includes a deactuation switch mounted in proximity to a buckle-receiving, locking slot for receiving said restraining harness, said deactuation switch disposed so as to be actuated when said restraining harness is properly fastened in said locking slot, said switch operative when actuated to deactuate said warning indicator;

the alarm system further includes an emergency indicator that is actuated by said vibration sensor and through said electrical circuit in response to a severe vibration so as to indicate an emergency condition, said electrical circuit operative, once it actuates said emergency indicator, to maintain actuation of said emergency indicator independent of the positions of the sensor switches or deactuation switch until said reset switch is actuated.

19. In a child restraining seat as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

said alarm system including an occupancy indicator mounted on said vehicle to be viewable from an exterior of a passenger vehicle actuated when a child occupies said child restraining seat to indicate to nearby motorists that a child is occupying said child restraining seat in said passenger vehicle.

20. In a child restraining seat as defined in claim 18 further comprising:

a third sensor switch that is actuated when said restraining harness is extended from said stored position;

a booster seat switch mechanism being mounted in parallel to said third sensor and being interconnected to a secondary actuation mechanism which actuates said electrical circuit and does not actuate said warning indicator, said booster seat switch mechanism being responsive to a weight of a child over a predetermined amount.

21. In a child restraining seat integrated into a vehicle passenger seat having a passenger seat back cushion and passenger seat bottom cushion, a child seat cushion unfoldable from one of the passenger seat cushions from a stored position to a usable position, and a child restraining harness stored in proximity to the child seat cushion when folded in the stored position, the improvement comprising:

an electrical circuit including a power supply which includes a battery mounted to said restraining seat, said battery being separate from another battery which operates the vehicle, a primary actuation mechanism, a warning deactuation mechanism, and an alarm system including a vibration sensor switch and a reset switch;

said primary actuation mechanism for actuating said electrical circuit including a first sensor switch actuated upon the unfolding of the child seat cushion out from the stored position to the usable position and a second sensor switch mounted in the child seat cushion and actuated by the presence of an occupant sitting on said child seat cushion, said electrical circuit being actuated when both sensor switches are actuated;

the alarm system includes a warning indicator that is actuated when said electrical circuit is actuated by said primary actuation mechanism;

the warning deactuation system includes a deactivation switch mounted such that it is actuated when said restraining harness is properly fastened for deactuating said warning indicator; and

the alarm system includes an emergency indicator that is actuated by said vibration sensor switch that is responsive upon severe vibration indicating an emergency condition, said electrical circuit once it actuates said emergency indicator maintains actuation of said emergency indicator independent of the positions of the sensor switches or deactuation switch until said reset switch is actuated.