Child safety seat

• US 7,029,069 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Universal Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Universal Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Hendren, Ronald D., Bearl, Gardell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US10/890,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 297/254, 297/216.11, 297/250.1, 297/470, 297/256.1, 297/256.12, 297/256.16, 297/240, 297/242, 297/344.24, 297/475, 297/253, 248/346.04
• US Class Current: 297/256.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2869 rotatable about a vertical axis

Abstract

A child safety seat for use in combination with a vehicular seat includes a retractable harnessing apparatus for securing the child safety seat to the vehicular seat. The retractable harnessing apparatus has a safety strap retractably extending out from the strap housing, and is integrally mounted within the child safety seat. The retractable harnessing apparatus further includes a locking mechanism for responsively locking the safety strap in a fixed degree of extension from the housing upon incursion of a sudden force urging the safety strap out from the housing.

Claims

1. A rotatable child safety seat apparatus for use in combination with a vehicular seat, said rotatable child safety seat apparatus comprising:

(a) a seat rotation mechanism operably enabling selective rotation of a seat portion of said rotatable child safety seat apparatus with respect to a base portion of said rotatable child safety seat apparatus along a generally horizontal plane; and

(b) a retractable harnessing means for securing said rotatable child safety seat apparatus to said vehicular seat, said retractable harnessing means having a safety strap retractably extending out from a strap housing, and being integrally mounted within said seat portion and including an automatic locking means for responsively locking said safety strap in a fixed degree of extension from said housing upon incursion of a sudden force urging said safety strap out from said housing, said retractable harnessing means enabling the selective rotation of said seat portion while said harnessing means is engaged with said vehicular seat.

2. A rotatable child safety seat apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a first end of said safety strap is specifically configured for mating engagement with LATCH receptacles.

3. A rotatable child safety seat apparatus as in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said base portion includes an upper surface, a front end, a rear end, and opposing sides connecting said front and rear ends, said base portion further including an elongated aperture extending therethrough from said upper surface to a lower surface, with said aperture having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to said sides, and a lateral axis extending substantially parallel to said front and rear ends, with said longitudinal axis being longer than said lateral axis, said base portion further including a first guide means disposed on said upper surface thereof, and a releasable lock means; and

(b) an interface means that is removably and rotatably engageable with said base portion, said interface means having a mating means extending from a lower surface thereof, said mating means being configured for operable, slidable, and rotatable engagement with said aperture to thereby removably secure said interface means to said base portion, said interface means further including a second guide means on said lower surface thereof that is matingly engageable with said first guide means such that relative rotational motion between said interface means and said base portion while said first and second guide means are operably engaged with one another, causes said interface means to progressively displace towards said front end of said base portion, an upper surface of said interface means being specifically configured to operably and retainably receive said seat portion thereto.

4. A child safety seat apparatus for use in combination with a vehicular seat, said child safety seat apparatus comprising:

(a) a child safety seat having a retractable harnessing means for securing said child safety seat to said vehicular seat, said retractable harnessing means having a safety strap retractably extending out from a strap housing and being integrally mounted within said child safety seat, said child safety seat including an automatic locking means for responsibly locking said safety strap in a fixed degree of extension from said housing upon incursion of a sudden force urging said safety strap out from said housing; and

(b) a rotatable mounting apparatus that is specifically configured for removable mating engagement with said child safety seat, with the rotatable mounting apparatus including;

(i) a base means having an upper surface, a front end, a rear end, and opposing sides connecting said front and rear ends, said base means further including an elongated aperture extending therethrough from said upper surface to a lower surface, with said aperture having a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to said sides, and a lateral axis extending substantially parallel to said front and rear ends, with said longitudinal axis being longer than said lateral axis, said base means further including a first guide means disposed on said upper surface thereof, and a releasable lock means; and

(ii) an interface means that is removably and rotatably engageable with said base means, said interface means having a mating means extending from a lower surface thereof, said mating means being configured for operable, slidable, and rotatable engagement with said aperture to thereby removably secure said interface means to said base means, said interface means further including a second guide means on said lower surface thereof that is matingly engageable with said first guide means such that relative rotational motion between said interface means and said base means while said first and second guide means are operably engaged with one another, causes said interface means to progressively displace towards said front end of said base means, an upper surface of said interface means being specifically configured to operably and retainably receive said child safety seat thereto.