Pivotable child seat for use in a vehicle

• US 7,073,859 B1
• Filed: 08/19/2004
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pamela S. Wilson
• Original Assignee: Pamela S. Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Pamela S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US10/921,399
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 297/256.1, 297/256.12, 297/256.13, 297/256.14, 297/256.16, 297/250.1, 297/344.23
• US Class Current: 297/256.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• 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 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2869 rotatable about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially

Abstract

The child safety seat includes a seat body that is attached to a base that is held in place by the vehicle seat belt. The base provides for movement of the seat body around at least one axis. A turntable allows the seat body to be rotated from a safe-riding position to face the car door to facilitate positioning the child in the seat or to make it easier to grasp and maneuver a separable child carrier with the child in it. Inadvertent rotation of the turntable is prevented by a locking mechanism that remains engaged until released by the parent or caregiver. In one embodiment, a second axis of movement allows the seat body to be reclined so that the child'"'"'s head is supported when he or she falls asleep. The reclining adjustment is a motorized motion which can be remotely controlled by the parent or caregiver sitting in the front of the vehicle via wires connected to a remote control.

Claims

1. A child safety seat for a vehicle, comprising:

a seat body having a seat section and a backrest;

a base having a seat belt securing means integrally formed in a rear portion thereof for securing the base to a vehicle seat, the base comprising a turntable for supporting the seat body, the turntable having a plurality of fixed angle positions corresponding to a safe-riding position and at least one load/unload position;

a locking mechanism for releasably locking the turntable at one of the plurality of fixed angle positions, wherein the turntable remains locked at one of the plurality of fixed angle positions until released; and

a recliner mechanism disposed between the seat body and the base, the recliner mechanism comprising;

a drive motor attached to the turntable;

a gear extending upwardly from the turntable, the gear driven by the drive motor;

a back plate separably attached to the seat back;

a rack disposed in the back plate, wherein the rack cooperates with the gear to control inclination of the back plate; and

a power cord for supplying power to the drive motor.

2. The child safety seat of claim 1, wherein the recliner mechanism further comprises:

a remote control for controlling the drive motor for adjusting inclination of the back plate from a location within the vehicle that is remote from the vehicle seat;

a cord connecting the remote control to the drive motor.

3. The child safety seat of claim 2, further comprising:

arcuate guide rails extending upward from the turntable; and

arcuate channels disposed in the back plate, wherein the guide rails and the channels cooperate to support the back plate on the turntable and to guide inclination of the back plate in an arcuate motion.

4. The child safety seat of claim 2, wherein the seat body comprises a releasable infant carrier having rocker rails extending from a lower portion of the seat back and a pivotable carrying handle extending above the seat body.

5. The child safety seat of claim 4, wherein the back plate is releasably attached to the seat back by a slide lock and seat clasp mounted on the back plate, wherein the seat clasp comprises spring-loaded locking tabs adapted for projection through notches formed in the rocker rails.

6. The child safety seat of claim 5, wherein the slide lock slides vertically within a recess formed in the back plate, and wherein moving the slide lock in an upward motion causes the locking tabs to be retracted from the notches in the rocker rails.

7. The child safety seat of claim 4, wherein the safe-riding position is rear-facing.

8. The child safety seat of claim 1, wherein the at least one load/unload position comprises a 90 degree rotation from the safe-riding position.

9. The child safety seat of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a spring-biased lever with a peg extending therefrom for insertion into one of a plurality of notches disposed on a lower side of the turntable, wherein the plurality of notches corresponds to the plurality of fixed angle positions.

10. A child safety seat for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a seat body having a seat section and a backrest;

a base having means for securing to a vehicle seat, the base comprising a turntable for supporting the seat body, the turntable having a plurality of fixed angle positions corresponding to a safe-riding position and at least one load/unload position;

a turntable locking mechanism for releasably locking the turntable at one of the plurality of fixed angle positions, wherein the turntable remains locked at one of the plurality of fixed angle positions until released;

a remotely-adjustable recliner mechanism disposed between the seat body and the base, wherein the recliner-mechanism comprises;

a back plate separably attached to the seat back;

a drive motor attached to the turntable;

a gear extending upwardly from the turntable, the gear driven by the drive motor;

a rack disposed in the back plate, wherein the rack cooperates with the gear to control inclination of the back plate;

a remote control for controlling the drive motor for adjusting inclination of the back plate;

a power cord for supplying power to the drive motor; and

a cord connecting the remote control to the drive motor.

11. The child safety seat of claim 10, wherein the seat body comprises a releasable infant carrier having rocker rails extending from on a lower portion of the seat back and a pivotable carrying handle extending above the seat body.

12. The child safety seat of claim 11, wherein the back plate is releasably attached to the seat back by a slide lock and seat clasp mounted on the back plate, wherein the seat clasp comprises spring-loaded locking tabs adapted for projection through notches formed in the rocker rails.

13. The child safety seat of claim 12, wherein the slide lock slides vertically within a recess formed in the back plate, and wherein moving the slide lock in an upward motion causes the locking tabs to be retracted from the notches in the rocker rails.

14. The child safety seat of claim 10, wherein the at least one load/unload position comprises a 90 degree rotation from the safe-riding position.

15. The child safety seat of claim 10, wherein the turntable locking mechanism comprises a spring-biased lever with a peg extending therefrom for insertion into one of a plurality of notches disposed on a lower side of the turntable, wherein the plurality of notches corresponds to the plurality of fixed angle positions.

16. The child safety seat of claim 10, further comprising:

arcuate guide rails extending upward from the turntable;

arcuate channels disposed in the back plate, wherein the guide rails and the channels cooperate to support the back plate on the turntable and to guide inclination of the back plate in an arcuate motion.

17. A child safety seat for securing to a vehicle seat, the safety seat comprising:

a seat body having a seat section and a backrest;

a base having a seat belt securing means integrally formed in a rear portion thereof for securing the base to a vehicle seat; and

a recliner mechanism disposed between the seat body and the base, the recliner mechanism comprising;

a drive motor attached to the base;

a gear extending upwardly from the base, the gear driven by the drive motor;

a back plate separably attached to the seat back;

a rack disposed in the back plate, wherein the rack cooperates with the gear to control inclination of the back plate;

a power cord for supplying power to the drive motor;

a remote control for controlling the drive motor for adjusting inclination of the back plate from a location that is remote from the vehicle seat; and

a cord connecting the remote control to the drive motor.

18. The child safety seat of claim 17 further comprising:

a turntable disposed within the base for supporting the seat body, the turntable having a plurality of fixed angle positions corresponding to a safe-riding position and at least one load/unload position; and

a locking mechanism for releasably locking the turntable at one of the plurality of fixed angle positions, wherein the turntable remains locked at one of the plurality of fixed angle positions until released.