Child car seat foundation

• US 6,000,753 A
• Filed: 12/05/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cosco Management Incorporated (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cosco Incorporated (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cone, Richard E. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US08/985,516
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 297/250.1, 297/256.16, 297/464, 297/256.1, 297/256.11, 297/256.14, 297/253
• US Class Current: 297/256.16
• 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 2/2821 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

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat having a seat belt. The apparatus includes a seat foundation that is adapted to lie upon the vehicle seat. The seat foundation includes a base with an upper surface that is adapted to receive the child car seat thereon, side walls that extend away from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch, which is positioned to lie in the upper surface in a location between the side walls. In addition, the seat foundation includes an auxiliary belt coupled to the base. The auxiliary belt is adapted to cooperate with the base to couple the child car seat upon the seat foundation.

Claims

1. An apparatus suitable for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat having a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie upon the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a base having an upper surface adapted to receive the child car seat thereon, spaced apart side walls extending away from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch positioned to lie in the upper surface in a location between the side walls, and

an auxiliary belt coupled to the base, the auxiliary belt being adapted to cooperate with the base to couple the child car seat upon the seat foundation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base includes a back portion extending above the upper surface and lying between the side walls and the auxiliary belt is coupled to the back portion.

3. An apparatus suitable for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat having a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie upon the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a base having an upper surface adapted to receive the child car seat thereon, spaced apart side walls extending away from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch positioned to lie between the side walls, and

an auxiliary belt coupled to the base, the auxiliary belt being adapted to cooperate with the base to couple the child car seat upon the seat foundation, the base including a back portion located above the upper surface and between the side walls the back portion including auxiliary slots extending therethrough and the auxiliary belt extending through the auxiliary slots.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary belt includes opposite ends positioned to lie adjacent the upper surface of the base.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the base includes a lower surface and the seat-belt mounting catch is a mounting slot that extends between the upper surface and the lower surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the seat-belt mounting slot includes first and second short channels extending generally parallel to the spaced apart side walls and a long channel interconnecting the first and second short channels.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the short channels extend from the long channel toward the back portion of the base to define a tab portion that is adapted to engage the seat belt selectively.

8. An apparatus suitable for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat having a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie upon the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a base having an upper surface adapted to receive the child car seat thereon, spaced apart side walls extending away from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch positioned to lie between the side walls, and

an auxiliary belt coupled to the base, the auxiliary belt being adapted to cooperate with the base to couple the child car seat upon the seat foundation, the base including a back portion from the upper surface between the side walls, the base including a lower surface, the seat-belt mounting catch being a mounting slot that extends between the upper surface and the lower surface and includes first and second short channels extending generally parallel to the spaced apart side walls and a long channel interconnecting the first and second short channels.

9. An apparatus suitable for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat having a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie upon the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a base having an upper surface adapted to receive the child car seat thereon, spaced apart side walls extending away from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch positioned to lie between the side walls, and

an auxiliary belt coupled to the base, the auxiliary belt being adapted to cooperate with the base to couple the child car seat upon the seat foundation, wherein the base includes a lower surface and the seat-belt mounting catch is a mounting slot that is formed in the base and arranged to lie between the side walls and extend between the upper surface and the lower surface.

10. An apparatus suitable for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat having a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie upon the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a base having an upper surface adapted to receive the child car seat thereon, spaced apart side walls extending away from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch positioned to lie between the side walls, and

an auxiliary belt coupled to the base the auxiliary belt being adapted to cooperate with the base to couple the child car seat upon the seat foundation, the base including a lower surface and the seat-belt mounting catch being a mounting slot that extends between the upper surface and the lower surface, the mounting slot including first and second channels extending generally parallel to the spaced apart side walls and a third channel interconnecting the first and second channels.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the base includes a front edge and an opposite back edge and the first and second channels extend from the third channel toward the back edge of the base to define a tab portion that is adapted to engage the seat belt selectively.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary belt is coupled to the base adjacent to the back edge.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the base includes spaced-apart auxiliary slots and the auxiliary belt extends through the auxiliary slots.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary belt includes opposite ends and a middle portion therebetween and the middle portion extends through the auxiliary slots and positions the opposite ends adjacent the upper surface of the base.

15. A car seat assembly suitable for mounting on a vehicle seat having a seat bottom, a seat back extending from the seat bottom, and seat belt, the assembly comprising a seat foundation adapted to lie upon the seat bottom of the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a base having an upper surface, spaced apart side walls extending outwardly from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch positioned to lie between the side walls, the seat-belt mounting catch being formed to engage the seat belt selectively to couple the seat foundation upon the vehicle seat, a car seat including a seat base sized for placement upon the upper surface between the side walls of the base, a child-receiving seat supported by the seat base, a back portion extending from the child-receiving seat, and an aperture formed in the back portion, and an auxiliary belt coupled to the base, the auxiliary belt extending through the aperture formed in the back portion and cooperating with the base to couple the car seat upon the seat foundation selectively in a mounted position.

16. The car seat assembly of claim 15, wherein the car seat includes an upper lip formed to include a notch therein and the auxiliary belt extends through the aperture in the back portion and through the notches to position the car seat in a rear-facing mounted position.

17. The car seat assembly of claim 15, wherein the back portion is formed to include a set of spaced apart auxiliary slots therethrough and the auxiliary belt extends through the auxiliary slots.

18. The car seat assembly of claim 17, wherein the auxiliary belt includes opposite ends and a middle portion therebetween and one end of the auxiliary belt includes a buckle-locking mechanism and the opposite end is movable through the buckle-locking mechanism to selectively adjust the length of the middle portion selectively.

19. The car seat assembly of claim 17, wherein the back portion is formed to include a window therethrough and the auxiliary slots are positioned to lie on opposite sides of the window.

20. The car seat assembly of claim 17, wherein the back portion is formed to includes sets of auxiliary slots therethrough.

21. The car seat assembly of claim 15, wherein the base includes a back portion extending from the upper surface between the side walls and the auxiliary belt is coupled to the back portion.

22. The car seat assembly of claim 21, wherein the base includes a lower surface and the seat-belt mounting catch is a slot that extends between the upper surface and the lower surface.

23. The car seat assembly of claim 21, wherein the back portion of the car seat engages the back portion of the base when the car seat is in the mounted position.

24. The car seat assembly of claim 15, wherein the base includes a lower surface and the seat-belt mounting catch is a slot that extends between the upper surface and the lower surface.

25. The car seat assembly of claim 24, wherein the base includes spaced-apart auxiliary slots, the auxiliary belt includes opposite ends and a middle portion that extends therebetween, and the middle portion extends through the spaced-apart auxiliary slots and positions the opposite ends adjacent the upper surface of the base when in the mounted position.

26. The car seat assembly of claim 24, wherein the mounting slot includes first and second channels extending generally parallel to the side walls and a third channel interconnecting the first and second channels.

27. The car seat assembly of claim 26, wherein the base includes a front edge and an opposite back edge and the first and second channels extend from the third channel toward the back edge of the base to define a tab that is adapted to engage the seat belt selectively.

28. A method for enhancing the stability of a child car seat having a seat base, a seat portion, and a seat back formed to include an aperture therein upon a vehicle car seat having a seat bottom, a seat back, and a seat belt having a lap portion and a shoulder portion, the method comprising the steps of

providing a seat foundation including a base having an upper surface, a lower surface, a back edge, a front edge, spaced apart side walls extending away from the upper surface between the back and front edges, and a slot extending through the base, the slot having short channels positioned to lie adjacent the side walls and a long channel extending between the short channels,

providing an auxiliary belt that is coupled to the base selectively,

positioning the base upon the seat bottom,

extending the lap portion of the seat belt across the sidelwalls and upper surface of the base,

pressing the lap portion into the long channel of the slot and toward the back edge of the base until the seat belt extends through the short channels and a portion of the seat belt is positioned to lie adjacent the lower surface of the base,

positioning the seat base of the car seat upon the upper surface of the seat foundation,

extending the auxiliary belt from the base through the aperture formed in the seat back of the car seat, and

tightening the auxiliary belt until the seat base of the car seat is coupled to the upper surface of the seat foundation in a mounted position.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the base of the seat foundation includes a back portion extending from the upper surface between the side walls and the back portion includes sets of spaced apart auxiliary slots therethrough, and further comprising the steps of selecting a set of auxiliary slots and extending the auxiliary belt through the selected set of auxiliary slots.

30. A car seat assembly suitable for mounting on a vehicle seat having a seat bottom, a seat back extending from the seat bottom, and seat belt, the assembly comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie upon the seat bottom of the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a foundation base having an upper surface, a lower surface, spaced apart side walls extending outwardly from the upper surface, and a seat-belt mounting catch positioned to lie between the side walls, the seat-belt mounting catch being a slot formed in the foundation base and arranged to extend between the upper and lower surfaces to engage the seat belt selectively to couple the seat foundation upon the vehicle seat,

a car seat including a seat base sized for placement upon the upper surface between the side walls of the base, a child-receiving seat supported by the seat base, and a back portion extending from the child-receiving seat and having a retaining portion, and

a connector coupled to the foundation base, the connector engaging the retaining portion of the back portion and cooperating with the foundation base to couple the car seat upon the seat foundation selectively in a mounted position.

31. The car seat assembly of claim 30, wherein the foundation base includes a back portion extending from the upper surface between the side walls and the connector is coupled to the back portion.

32. The car seat assembly of claim 31, wherein the back portion of the car seat engages the back portion of the foundation base when the car seat is in the mounted position.

33. The car seat assembly of claim 30, wherein the mounting slot includes first and second channels extending generally parallel to the side walls and a third channel interconnecting the first and second channels.

34. The car seat assembly of claim 30, wherein the foundation base includes a front edge and a back edge extending between the side walls and the connector is position ed to lie adjacent the back edge.

35. The car seat assembly of claim 34, wherein the mounting slot includes first and second channels extending generally parallel to the side walls and a third channel interconnecting the first and second channels and the first and second channels extend from the third channel toward the back edge of the foundation base to define a tab that is adapted to engage the seat belt selectively.

36. Apparatus for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat provided with a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie on the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a bottom wall adapted to receive the child car seat thereon and formed to include a seat-belt mounting catch adapted to be coupled to the seat belt, and

an auxiliary connector coupled to the seat foundation and adapted to retain the child car seat above the bottom wall of the seat foundation, and the seat-belt mounting catch includes a belt-engaging tab and a belt-receiving slot adjacent to the belt-engaging tab.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the belt-receiving slot is C-shaped.

38. The apparatus of claim 36,wherein the seat foundation further includes a pair of side walls appended to the bottom wall and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to position the seat-belt mounting catch therebetween and the belt-receiving slot includes first and second short channels lying in substantially parallel relation to the side walls and a long channel interconnecting the first and second short channels.

39. Apparatus for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat provided with a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie on the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including side walls and a bottom wall adapted to receive the child car seat thereon and formed to include a seat-belt mounting catch including a belt-engaging tab spaced-apart from the side walls and adapted to be coupled to the seat belt, and

an auxiliary connector coupled to the seat foundation and adapted to retain the child car seat above the bottom wall of the seat foundation.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein a base of the seat foundation includes slots and the auxiliary connector passes through the slots formed in the base.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the seat foundation further includes a back wall arranged to lie at about a right angle to the bottom wall and the auxiliary connector is coupled to the back wall.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the seat foundation further includes a pair of-side walls appended to the bottom wall and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation and the back wall is coupled to the pair of side walls.

43. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the auxiliary connector is coupled to the bottom wall.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the bottom wall is formed to include slots and the auxiliary connector passes through the slots formed in the bottom wall.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the bottom wall includes a front edge and a rear edge, a portion of the bottom wall adjacent to the rear edge is formed to include a spaced-apart pair of slots, the auxiliary connector passes through the spaced-apart pair of slots, and the seat-belt mounting catch includes a belt-receiving slot formed in another portion of the bottom wall located midway between the front and rear edge.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the belt-receiving slot is C-shaped.

47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the seat-belt mounting catch further includes a belt-engaging tab and the belt-receiving slot is arranged to lie around the belt-engaging tab.

48. Apparatus for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat provided with a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie on the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a bottom wall adapted to receive the child car seat thereon and formed to include a

seat-belt mounting catch adapted to be coupled to the seat belt, and

an auxiliary connector coupled to the seat foundation and adapted to retain the child car seat above the bottom wall of the seat foundation and the auxiliary connector is coupled to the bottom wall, the bottom wall is formed to include slots and the auxiliary connector passes through the slots formed in the bottom wall, and the seat-belt mounting catch includes a belt-receiving slot formed in the bottom wall.

49. Apparatus for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat provided with a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie on the vehicle seat the seat foundation including a bottom wall adapted to receive the child car seat thereon and formed to include a seat-belt mounting catch adapted to be coupled to the seat belt, and

an auxiliary connector coupled to the seat foundation and adapted to retain the child car seat above the bottom wall of the seat foundation, and a back wall is formed to include slots and the auxiliary connector passes through the slots formed in the back wall.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the seat-belt catch includes a belt-receiving slot formed in the bottom wall.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the seat-belt mounting catch further includes a belt-engaging tab and the belt-receiving slot is arranged to lie around the belt-engaging tab.

52. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the belt-receiving slot is C-shaped.

53. Apparatus for supporting a child car seat on a vehicle seat provided with a seat belt, the apparatus comprising

a seat foundation adapted to lie on the vehicle seat, the seat foundation including a bottom wall adapted to receive the child car seat thereon and formed to include a seat-belt mounting catch adapted to be coupled to the seat belt,

an auxiliary connector coupled to the seat foundation and adapted to retain the child car seat above the bottom wall of the seat foundation, and

a stabilizer bar coupled to the seat foundation and adapted to engage a floor of a vehicle containing the vehicle seat to limit movement of the seat foundation relative to the vehicle seat.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the stabilizer bar includes a first support arm coupled to one portion of the seat foundation, a second support arm coupled to another portion of the seat foundation, and a horizontal floor brace interconnecting the first and second support arms.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the seat foundation further includes a pair of side walls appended to the bottom wall, a first of the side walls includes said one portion of the seat foundation, and a second of the side walls includes said another portion of the seat foundation.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein each of the first and second support arms is L-shaped.