Car seat

• US 8,083,290 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited
• Inventors: Gillett, Michael Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abraham, Tania
• Application Number:
  US12/490,399
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 297/256.13, 297/256.11, 297/256.1, 297/328, 297/216.11
• US Class Current: 297/256.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2851 provided with head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2866 booster cushions, e.g. to lift a child to allow proper use of the conventional safety belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2872 provided with side rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2884 with protection systems against abnormal g-forces

Abstract

A car seat includes a seat assembly, a base assembly disposed under and coupled pivotally to the seat assembly, a positioning mechanism including first and second positioning units, and an elongated resilient component. The first positioning unit is mounted on the base assembly and includes a plurality of first engaging members. The second positioning unit is coupled pivotally to the seat assembly, and includes a second engaging member engaging releasably a selected one of the first engaging members so as to lock releasably the base assembly at a desired angular position relative to the seat assembly. The resilient component has two ends coupled pivotally and respectively to the base assembly and the second positioning unit, and exerts a downward pulling force to the base assembly when the second engaging member is disengaged from the selected first engaging member.

Claims

1. A car seat comprising a seat assembly, a base assembly disposed under and coupled pivotally to said seat assembly, and a positioning mechanism including:

a first positioning unit that is mounted on said base assembly and that is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced-apart first engaging members;

a second positioning unit that is coupled pivotally to said seat assembly, and that is provided with a second engaging member engaging releasably a selected one of said first engaging members so as to lock releasably said base assembly at a desired angular position relative to said seat assembly; and

an elongated resilient component that has a first end coupled pivotally to said base assembly, and a second end opposite to said first end and coupled pivotally to said second positioning unit, and that is disposed for exerting a downward pulling force to said base assembly when said second engaging member is disengaged from the selected one of said first engaging members.

2. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first end of said resilient component is at a height position higher than that of said second end thereof when an angle of said seat assembly relative to said base assembly is zero degree.

3. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first end of said resilient component is at a height position higher than that of said second end thereof when said second engaging member engages one of said first engaging members.

4. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second positioning unit is pivotable relative to said seat assembly so as to disengage said second engaging member from the selected one of said first engaging members.

5. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilient component is a tension spring.

6. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base assembly has a rear end portion coupled pivotally to a middle portion of said seat assembly.

7. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a backrest unit supported cooperatively by said seat assembly and said base assembly.

8. The car seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein said base assembly has a rear end portion coupled pivotally to a middle portion of said seat assembly.

9. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first positioning unit is configured as a supporting frame, and said first engaging members are configured as a plurality of recesses formed in said supporting frame;

and said second positioning unit is configured as a block, and said second engaging member is configured as a rail engaging the selected one of said recesses.

10. The car seat as claimed in claim 9, wherein said second positioning unit is pivotable relative to said first positioning unit.

11. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first positioning unit is configured as a pair of spaced-apart supporting frames, and each of said first engaging members is configured as a pair of recesses formed respectively in said supporting frames;

and said second positioning unit is configured as a block, and said second engaging member is configured as a pair of rails engaging respectively a selected pair of said recesses.

12. The car seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second positioning unit is pivotable relative to said first positioning unit, and said rails are formed respectively at opposite lateral sides of said second positioning unit.

13. The car seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second positioning unit is configured as a block, said block being formed integrally with a handle that projects from a front end of said block and outwardly of said seat assembly.

14. A car seat comprising a seat assembly, a base assembly disposed under and coupled pivotally to said seat assembly, and a positioning mechanism including:

a first positioning unit that is mounted on said base assembly and that is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced-apart first engaging members;

a second positioning unit that is coupled pivotally to said seat assembly, and that is provided with a second engaging member engaging releasably a selected one of said first engaging members so as to lock releasably said base assembly at a desired angular position relative to said seat assembly;

an elongated resilient component that has a first end coupled pivotally to said base assembly, and a second end opposite to said first end and coupled pivotally to said second positioning unit, and that is disposed for exerting a downward pulling force to said base assembly when said second engaging member is disengaged from the selected one of said first engaging members, said base assembly including a connecting seat having a plurality of coupling positions, said first end of said resilient component being coupled pivotally to a selected one of said coupling positions.