Adjustable car seat base

• US 6,318,799 B1
• Filed: 02/17/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Greger, Jeff G., Longenecker, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US09/251,834
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.18, 297/344.12, 297/339, 297/256.13, 297/250.1, 297/256.1, 297/256.11, 297/256.16, 248/188.4
• US Class Current: 297/256.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1835 pivoting about an axis located in the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1853 Linear actuator, e.g. screw mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially

Abstract

An adjustable car seat base (10) includes a frame (20) that is positioned on a vehicle seat (12) to receive an infant carrier. An adjustment end (28) slidable receives a foot (18) which is raised and lowered by an adjustment assembly (80). The adjustment assembly (80) includes a knob (82) that rotates an externally threaded universal joint (90). The foot (18) is provided with an inward thread (78) engaged by the external threads. Movement of the foot (18) adjusts the position of the car seat base (10) with respect to the vehicle seat surface (12).

Claims

1. An adjustable base for carrying a car seat and adapted to rest on an automobile seat having an automobile seat back, comprising:

a frame having an adjustment end adapted to be positioned adjacent to the automobile seat back;

a foot coupled to said adjustment end, said foot having a thread; and

an adjuster having a knob disposed proximal to said adjustment end and a threaded sleeve connected to the knob, said threaded sleeve engaging said thread, said knob being angled relative to the threaded sleeve to allow access thereto, rotating said knob moving said foot relative to the frame.

2. An adjustable base for carrying a car seat and adapted to rest on an automobile seat having an automobile seat back, comprising:

a frame having an adjustment end adapted to be positioned adjacent to the automobile seat back;

a foot coupled to said adjustment end; and

an adjuster that adjusts said foot with respect to said adjustment end to change an angle of said frame with respect to the automobile seat, said adjuster being disposed proximal to said adjustment end and having a manual actuator that is angularly oriented with respect to said adjustment end to allow unobstructed access thereto,

wherein said frame further includes a vehicle belt path proximal said adjustment end, a knob surface proximal said vehicle belt path, and an inverted foot trough disposed proximally underneath said knob surface for receiving said foot.

3. An adjustable base for carrying a car seat and adapted to rest on an automobile seat having an automobile seat back, comprising:

a frame having an adjustment end adapted to be positioned adjacent to the automobile seat back;

a foot coupled to said adjustment end; and

an adjuster that adjusts said foot with respect to said adjustment end to change an angle of said frame with respect to the automobile seat, said adjuster being disposed proximal to said adjustment end and having a manual actuator that is angularly oriented with respect to said adjustment end to allow unobstructed access thereto,

wherein said foot includes a threading and the adjuster has an elongated member with a complementary threading.

4. An adjustable base according to claim 3, wherein said manual actuator is a knob disposed proximal to said adjustment end, wherein rotating said adjustment knob raises or lowers said foot with respect to said adjustment end.

5. An adjustable base for carrying a car seat and adapted to rest on an automobile seat, comprising a frame having an adjustment end;

a foot coupled to said adjustment end; and

means for adjusting said foot with respect to said adjustment end to change the level of said frame with respect to the automobile seat, wherein said adjusting means includes an adjustment knob disposed proximal to said adjustment end, said foot coupled to said adjustment knob, wherein rotation of said adjustment knob raises or lowers said foot with respect to said adjustment end, and wherein said adjustment means further includes a universal joint connected to said adjustment knob, said universal joint having a plurality of external threads;

said foot having a support core with a bore therethrough, said bore having an internal thread that meshes with said plurality of external threads, wherein rotation of said adjustment knob causes like rotation of said external threads to force said foot in an up or down direction.

6. An adjustable base according to claim 5, wherein said universal joint includes a shaft at one end and a ball with a hole therethrough at an opposite end, a sleeve secured to said shaft, said sleeve having said plurality of external threads that engage said bore internal threads, and said adjustment knob having a collar with a hole therethrough alignable with said ball hole for receiving a connecting pin to transfer rotation of said knob to said shaft.

7. An adjustable base according to claim 5, wherein said frame further includes a vehicle belt path proximal to said adjustment end;

a knob surface proximal said vehicle belt path; and

an inverted foot trough disposed proximally underneath said knob surface for slidably receiving said foot.

8. A car seat base which is secured to an automobile seat and which detachably receives an infant carrier, comprising a frame having a rim surface that rests upon the automobile seat, said frame having an adjustment end that extends above said rim, said adjustment end having a knob surface and forming an inverted trough on an underside of said frame;

a foot slidably received in said inverted trough, said foot having a threaded area;

an adjustment assembly carried by said knob surface and having threads that mesh with said threaded area, wherein actuation of said adjustment assembly engages said threads with said threaded area and causes slidable movement of said foot in said inverted trough which in turn changes the position of said frame with respect to the automobile seat.

9. A car seat base according to claim 8, wherein said adjustment end includes a back surface which is placed adjacent the automobile seat, said knob surface angularly extending therefrom to allow access to said adjustment assembly.

10. A car seat base according to claim 9, wherein said knob surface extends from said back surface at an angle other than a right angle.

11. A car seat base according to claim 8, wherein said adjustment assembly includes a rotatable knob having a downwardly extending collar;

a universal joint having a ball at one end that is received and secured in said collar and a shaft at an opposite end; and

an externally threaded sleeve secured to said shaft, wherein rotation of said knob forces rotation of said externally threaded sleeve.

12. A car seat base according to claim 11, wherein said foot includes a support core with an internal thread that meshes with said externally threaded sleeve, wherein rotation of said knob in one direction raises said frame and rotation of said knob in an opposite direction lowers said frame.

13. A car seat base according to claim 12, wherein said frame includes an underside having at least one downwardly extending tower, said foot having a guide channel for slidably receiving said tower.

14. An adjustable base for carrying a car seat and adapted to rest on an automobile seat, comprising a frame having an adjustment end;

a foot coupled to said adjustment end; and

means for adjusting said foot with respect to said adjustment end to change the level of said frame with respect to the automobile seat, wherein said frame has an underside with downwardly extending towers at said adjustment end; and

said foot has guide channels for slidably receiving said towers.

15. An adjustable base for carrying a car seat and adapted to rest on an automobile seat having an automobile seat back, comprising:

a frame having an adjustment end adapted to be positioned adjacent to the automobile seat back;

a foot coupled to the adjustment end, the foot having a thread; and

an adjuster having a knob disposed proximal to the adjustment end and a threaded sleeve connected to the knob, the threaded sleeve engaging the thread, the knob being positioned to allow unobstructed access thereto, rotating the knob moving the foot relative to the frame.

16. An adjustable base according to claim 15, wherein the adjuster includes a universal joint at an upper end of the threaded sleeve, the knob being connected to the universal joint to allow the knob to be angled relative to the threaded sleeve.

17. An adjustable base according to claim 16, wherein the universal joint comprises a ball with a through hole, a collar with a through hole alignable with the ball through hole, the collar being formed on the knob, and a connecting pin inserted into the ball and collar through holes to permit rotation transfer from the angled knob to the threaded sleeve.

18. An adjustable base according to claim 17, wherein the threaded sleeve is hollow and the universal joint includes a shaft inserted into the sleeve and secured thereto.