Child safety seat for automobile

• US 5,494,331 A
• Filed: 06/20/1994
• Issued: 02/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aprica Kassai Kabushikikaisha
• Original Assignee: Aprica Kassai Kabushikikaisha
• Inventors: Kassai, Kenzou, Onishi, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US08/262,233
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 297/256.13, 297/317, 297/320, 297/321, 297/322, 297/325, 297/329, 297/344.1
• US Class Current: 297/256.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially

Abstract

A seat body forming a backrest and a seat section is made to move along an arcuate guide with respect to a base by a relative movement guiding mechanism which is formed by combination of an arcuate guide rail and a guide member moving along the guide rail. A seat section is rotatably mounted on the seat body and a coupling member is caused to engage a linear section of the guide rail, thereby maintaining the seat section at a substantially constant inclination regardless of any movement of the seat body. Thus, it is possible to maintain the seat section in a substantially horizontal state also when the angle of the backrest is adjusted, whereby the backrest can recline without interfering with a backrest of the car seat in an automobile. Thus, an uncomfortable position is avoided when a child sits in the safety seat the backrest of which is in an inclined state.

Claims

1. A child safety seat for an automobile, comprising:

a seat body (3) forming a backrest (2);

a seat section (5) and a journal (4) tiltably securing said seat section (5) to said backrest (2) of said seat body;

a base (6) movably holding said seat body, a relative movement guiding mechanism coupled to said seat body and to said base, said guiding mechanism comprising a guide rail (8) having a curved section (10) and a guide member (9) engaging said guide rail (8) for guided movement along said guide rail (8), said relative movement guiding mechanism further comprising a locking device (17, 18, 19,

     20) for selectively fixing said guide member (9) in any one of a plurality of positions along said guide rail (8); and

a coupling (30,

     31) movably securing said seat section (5) to said base (6) for maintaining said seat section (5) at a substantially constant inclination when an angular position of said backrest (2) is changed in response to a movement of said seat body (3) relative to said base (6).

2. The child safety seat for an automobile in accordance with claim 1, wherein said guide rail (8) is secured to said base, and said guide member (9) is secured to said seat body (6).

3. The child safety seat for an automobile in accordance with claim 2, wherein said guide rail (8) further comprises a linear section (11) extending from an end of said curved section (10), and wherein said coupling comprises a coupling member (30) having a first end mounted to said seat section (5) and a second end (31) movably engaging said linear section (11) of said guide rail (8).

4. The child safety seat for an automobile in accordance with claim 1, wherein said guide rail (8) has a section with projecting edges along both sides thereof, said guide member (9) having a section with lateral edges for movably engaging with said first mentioned edges of said guide rail (8).

5. The child safety seat for an automobile in accordance with claim 1, wherein said locking device for selectively fixing said guide member (9) comprises a plurality of engaging holes (15) in said guide rail (8) and spaced from one another along said guide rail (8), and a locking member (17, 18) having an engaging projection (17) movably held by said guide member (9) for selectively engaging any one of said engaging holes (15).

6. The child safety seat for an automobile in accordance with claim 5, further comprising a spring (20) for urging said locking member (18) to move in a direction for inserting said engaging projection (17) in any one of said engaging holes (15).

7. The child safety seat for an automobile in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a cam member (23) engageable with a part (21) of said locking member (18) and movable in a direction perpendicular to that of movement of said locking member (18) for driving said locking member (18) in a direction for disengaging said engaging projection (17) from any one of said engaging holes, and an operating member (26, 28) connected to said cam member (23) for driving said cam member (23) into a disengaging position.

8. The child safety seat for an automobile in accordance with claim 7, wherein said operating member (26, 28) is positioned under said seat portion.

9. The child safety seat for an automobile in accordance with claim 8, further comprising a wire (28) for coupling said operating member (26) and said cam member (23) with each other.