Child safety seat system

• US 8,154,395 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2010
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marc Taylor
• Original Assignee: Marc Taylor
• Inventors: Taylor, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US12/660,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 780 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/457, 340/522, 340/666, 340/667, 340/686.1, 340/425.5, 340/428, 340/426.28, 340/426.3, 200/85.A, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 180/271, 180/273, 180/290
• US Class Current: 340/457
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

A portable child safety seat system has three lightweight, easily transferable modular components. The system utilizes one or more pressure sensor switches configured to be placed under the cushion of a vehicle'"'"'s infant seat or cushions of multiple infant seats to detect the presence of a child in that seat. Electrical lines connect the pressure sensor switch to an interface unit which contains a back-up electrical power source, i.e. a rechargeable battery. The interface unit is in turn connected by electrical lines to a controller component which has a plug section for receiving electricity and a display section to indicate the presence of the child in the infant seat. When a child is in the infant seat and the vehicle'"'"'s engine is running, the pressure sensing switch is closed and electricity is directed to light the display section of the controller. When the engine is not running, electricity is directed from the back-up battery to light the display section. An optional voltage sensing circuit is provided for use with certain types of vehicles.

Claims

1. A portable, modular child seat safety system for warning of the presence of a child in an infant seat having an infant seat cushion, the infant seat being located in an electric battery powered motor vehicle with an engine, the system comprising:

pressure sensor switch means for detecting the presence of a child in an infant seat, said pressure sensor switch means being removeably positioned beneath the infant seat cushion of at least one infant seat;

electrical line means extending from the pressure sensor switch means for conducting electricity through an electrical circuit when the child is in the infant seat;

an interface unit comprising receptacle means for the removeable connection of the electric line means, the interface unit further comprising a secondary source of electricity for powering the circuit;

second electrical line means extending from the interface unit for conducting electricity when the child is in the infant seat;

controller means having a removeable plug section for receiving electricity from the battery of the motor vehicle and a display section to indicate the presence of the child in the infant seat, the second electrical line means extending from the interface unit to the controller means;

relay means for directing the source of electricity through the circuit, whereby when the child is positioned in the infant seat and the vehicle'"'"'s engine is running, the pressure sensing switch means closes the electrical circuit and the relay means directs electricity from the battery to the controller means to indicate the presence of the child in the infant seat, and when the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running the relay means optionally directs electricity from the secondary source of electricity to the controller means to indicate the presence of the child in the infant seat;

the pressure sensing switch means, the controller means, the interface unit, the relay, and the electrical lines each comprising individual modular components of the system which are not permanently installed within the motor vehicle, all said modular components being separable and removeable from the motor vehicle so that they are portably interchangeable for use between different motor vehicles.

2. The child safety seat system as in claim 1 wherein further comprises voltage sensing means for detecting electrical system voltage from the battery of the motor vehicle.

3. The child safety seat system as in claim 2 wherein the voltage sensing means comprises a voltage sensing circuit having a voltage sensing switch whereby when the engine is running, engine voltage causes the voltage sensing switch to close supplying electricity from the battery to power the system, and when the engine is not running and the engine voltage decreases, the voltage sensing switch opens directing the secondary source of electricity to supply power to the system.

4. The child safety seat system as in claim 3 further comprising a second relay means to direct the secondary source of electricity to supply power to the system when the voltage sensing switch opens.

5. The child safety seat system as in claim 2 wherein the voltage sensing means is located in the controller means.

6. The child safety seat system as in claim 1 wherein the pressure sensing switch means comprises a plurality of sensor switches, the receptacle means comprises a plurality of receptors for the connection of the sensor switches, and the electrical line means comprises a plurality of lines interconnecting the sensor switches and the receptors, one of the sensor switches being removeably positioned beneath the infant seat cushion of the infant seat, and the other switches being removeably positioned beneath the infant seat cushions of other infant seats located in the motor vehicle.

7. The child safety seat system as in claim 1 wherein the relay means is in the controller.

8. The child safety seat system as in claim 1 wherein the relay means is in the interface unit.

9. The child safety seat system as in claim 1 wherein the display comprises different LED'"'"'s indicating the presence of the child in the infant seat when the engine is running and when the engine is not running.

10. The child safety seat system as in claim 1 further comprising an audible alarm located in the controller to indicate the presence of the child in the infant seat when the engine is not running.

11. The child safety seat system as in claim 1 further comprising an audible alarm located in the interface unit to indicate the presence of the child in the infant seat when the engine is not running.