Portable child restraining seat

• US 8,967,717 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Miller Sims
• Original Assignee: Robert Miller Sims
• Inventors: Sims, Robert Miller
• Primary Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US13/649,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20130147247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 297/250.1, 297/256.15, 297/486, 297/487, 297/488
• US Class Current: 297/256.15
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 1/002 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 1/004 in height
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 1/0085 removable
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 15/006 in chairs
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2887 Fixation to a transversal anchorage bar, e.g. isofix

Abstract

A portable child-restraining safety seat assembly and method of use includes providing a sub-seat with a body defining a secured seating area sized to securely hold a child or smaller-than-average adult human and a fixed-shape rotatable restraining member mechanically coupled to the body and having an open position where the seating area is unobstructed and a closed position where the seating area is obstructed by the restraining member. The seat further includes a first anchor member and a second anchor member each having a first end mechanically coupled to the body and a second end selectively attachable to corresponding anchoring points of functional primary seat.

Claims

1. A portable child-restraining safety seat assembly comprising:

a sub-seat having;

a body defining a secured seating area sized to accommodate a child or smaller-than-average adult human, the body having a back support member and a seat member, each with an inner surface portion at least partially defining the secured seating area; and

a generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member mechanically coupled to the body, having a fixed pivot point, having a first upper body restraining member, having a second upper body restraining member, and being rotatable toward and away from the seating area, the U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member rotatable about the fixed pivot point to a lower locked position with;

the first and second upper body restraining members of the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member in an overlapping configuration with the inner surface portion of the back support member; and

a distal end of the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member uncoupled to the seat member; and

a first anchor member and a second anchor member each having a first end mechanically coupled to the body and a second end selectively attachable to at least one anchoring point of a functional primary seat sized to fit an average adult-sized human.

2. The seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the secured seating area comprises:

the back support member with an upper end and a lower end opposite the upper end;

a head support member coupled to the back support member at its upper end; and

the seat member extending away from the lower end of the back support member.

3. The seat assembly according to claim 2, wherein the head support member comprises:

a left head support portion and a right head support portion extending in a direction away from the back support member.

4. The seat assembly according to claim 2, wherein the head support member comprises:

a left head support portion and a right head support portion coupled to the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member.

5. The seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the first anchor member and the second anchor member include portions of seatbelt cloth material.

6. The seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the body is adapted to receive a portion of an existing seat belt of a vehicle.

7. The seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the roller-coaster-type restraining member is of a fixed substantially non-pliable material.

8. The seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the roller-coaster-type restraining member is of a flexible resilient material formed in the general U-shape.

9. The seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member includes at least two locked positions along a translation path defined by the roller coaster-type restraining member when rotated toward and away from the seating area.

10. The seat assembly according to claim 9, wherein:

the at least two locked positions include an upper locked position where the seating area is unobstructed by the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member and a lower locked position where the seating area is obstructed by the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member.

11. The seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein:

the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member is selectively couplable and decouplable to the sub-seat.

12. The seat assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a roller coaster-type restraining member emergency release switch that selectively uncouples the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member from the sub-seat.

13. The seat assembly according to claim 12, wherein:

the emergency release switch is located outside the secured seating area.

14. A portable child-restraining safety seat assembly comprising:

a sub-seat having;

a body defining a secured seating area sized to securely hold a child or smaller-than-average adult human, the body having a back support member and a seat member with an inner surface portion at least partially defining the secured seating area;

a fixed-shape rotatable restraining member mechanically coupled to the body, having a first upper body restraining member, having a second upper body restraining member, having an open position where the seating area is unobstructed, and having a closed position, the closed position with;

the seating area is obstructed by the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member; and

the first and second upper body restraining members of the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member in an overlapping configuration with the inner surface portion of the back support member; and

a release switch disposed outside of the secured seating area, the release switch operably configured to place the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member in the open position; and

a first anchor member and a second anchor member each having a first end mechanically coupled to the body and a second end selectively attachable to corresponding anchoring points of a functional primary seat sized to fit an average adult-sized human.

15. The seat assembly according to claim 14, wherein the secured seating is defined by:

the back support member;

a pair of opposing side walls coupled to the back support member; and

the seat member.

16. The seat assembly according to claim 14, wherein:

the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member is of a substantially non-pliable material having a general U shape.

17. The seat assembly according to claim 14, wherein:

the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member is selectively couplable and decouplable to the sub-seat.

18. The seat assembly according to claim 14, further comprising:

a restraining member emergency release switch that selectively uncouples the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member from the sub-seat.

19. A method of securely transporting a child, the method comprising:

providing a portable child-restraining safety seat assembly that includes;

a sub-seat having;

a body defining a secured seating area sized to securely hold a child or smaller-than-average adult human, the body having a back support member and a seat member; and

a fixed-shape rotatable restraining member mechanically coupled to the body and having an open position where the seating area is unobstructed and a closed position where the seating area is obstructed by the restraining member, the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member having a first upper body restraining member and a second upper body restraining member, wherein the first and second upper body restraining members overlap a seating surface of the back support member in the closed position; and

a first anchor member and a second anchor member each having a first end mechanically coupled to the body and a second end selectively attachable to corresponding anchoring points of a functional primary seat sized to fit an average adult-sized human;

coupling the first anchor member to a first anchor point of a primary seat;

coupling the second anchor member to a second anchor point of the primary seat;

manipulating the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member to the open position;

placing a child within the secured seating area; and

manipulating the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member to the closed position to retain an upper body of the child with the first and second upper body restraining members and where a distal end of the generally U-shaped roller-coaster-type restraining member is uncoupled to the seat member.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

selectively locking the fixed-shape rotatable restraining member into the closed position.