Stowable child seat for automotive vehicles

• US 8,430,443 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2012
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Foussianes, Dean Basil, Ewing, Kip Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kiran B
• Application Number:
  US13/661,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20130043700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 186 Days
• Field of Search: 296/68.1, 296/65.01, 296/65.09, 297/258.13, 297/488, 297/238, 297/485, 297/254, 297/250, 297/117
• US Class Current: 296/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/206 to a position in which it can be used as a support for objects, e.g. as a tray
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/268 detecting or alerting means responsive to the installation of the child seats in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2833 back-rest suspended
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2869 rotatable about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2893 coupled to the seat sub-frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/24 Cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A child seat mount assembly, a seat for mounting a child seat, and a passenger vehicle having a stowable child seat are provided. A seat back is connected to the body for closing an access opening to a storage compartment and seating an occupant in an upright position, and for opening the access opening in a collapsed position. A child seat mounting plate is connected to the seat back such that the mounting plate and child seat extend into the storage compartment in the upright position of the seat back, and such that the child seat is in a seating position in the collapsed position of the seat back. A method is provided for converting a vehicle seat for receiving and storing a child seat in the storage compartment, and for deploying a child seat in the collapsed position of the seat back.

Claims

1. A method for converting a vehicle seat back adjacent to a storage compartment for seating an occupant in an upright position of the seat back, for receiving and stowing a child seat in the storage compartment, and for seating a child in a collapsed position of the seat back comprising:

fastening a bracket to a frame of the seat back;

pivotally connecting a base plate to the bracket about a generally transverse axis at an upper region of the seat back;

pivotally connecting a balance link to a lower region of the base plate to pivot the base plate away from the seat back in the upright position and to pivot the base plate to retract upon the rear surface of the seat back in the collapsed position; and

rotatably connecting a mounting plate to the base plate about an axis that is generally perpendicular to the mounting plate, the mounting plate being adapted for receiving a child seat mounted thereto, for rotating the child seat to a plurality of positions relative to the seat back and for positioning a high point of the child seat radially inward relative to a pivot axis of the seat back before extending the seat back to an upright position, thereby minimizing a radial range of travel of the child seat.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising pivotally connecting a reaction plate to the mounting plate for a stowed position and an extended position for supporting the child seat in a longitudinal direction.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising pivoting the reaction plate to an extended position.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising installing a child seat to the mounting plate in contact with the reaction plate.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising welding nuts to the frame for fastening the bracket to the frame.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising forming holes in a rear material of the seat back.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising inserting screws into the brackets and the holes in the rear material of the seat back;

and

fastening the screws into the nuts.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the mounting plate with hoops.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

installing a child seat to the mounting plate; and

attaching child seat straps to the hoops.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising installing a child seat to the mounting plate.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

positioning the high point of the child seat radially inward;

pivoting the seat back to the upright position; and

stowing the child seat in the storage compartment.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising extending the mounting plate away from the seat back and into the storage compartment.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising pivoting the seat back to the collapsed position for access and use of the child seat.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising locking the seat back in the collapsed position.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising retracting the mounting plate for displacement along a rear surface of the seat back.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising pivotally connecting the balance link to a floor of the storage compartment.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

unlocking a locking mechanism of the mounting plate and the base plate; and

rotating the mounting plate.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising pivoting the base plate about an axis that is generally parallel with the mounting plate.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising pivoting the base plate about a horizontal axis.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising pivoting the mounting plate about an axis that is perpendicular to the base plate.