Self-pivoting child car seat to be fitted to a vehicle seat

• US 9,090,182 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. (Dorel Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rabeony, Haja
• Primary Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US14/113,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20140084650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A child car seat includes a base to be positioned on the seat section of a vehicle seat and a seat body pivotably mounted between a forward facing travel position, a rear facing travel position, and at least one right or left arranging position.

Claims

1. Child car seat, comprising

a base to be positioned on the seat section of a vehicle seat,

a seat body pivotably mounted on said base, about a substantially vertical axis, so as to be suitable for adopting:

at least two travel positions, one wherein the seat body is facing the front of the vehicle and the other wherein the seat body is facing the rear of the vehicle, and

at least one right arranging position, or one left arranging position, wherein the seat body is facing, respectively, the right and the left of the vehicle, and

selection means for selecting one of said travel positions, such that, from the at least one arranging position, said seat body can only be moved to the selected travel position.

2. Child car seat according to claim 1, further comprising for each arranging position, seat body pivoting limiting means for limiting the pivoting of the seat body over a first angular range including the travel position wherein the seat body is facing the front of the vehicle and at least one of said arranging positions, or over a second angular range including the travel position wherein the seat body is facing the rear of the vehicle and at least one of said arranging positions.

3. Child car seat according to claim 2, wherein said selection means comprises at least one selector allowing the user to select the angular zone to which the pivoting of the seat body is limited, said selector being connected to said seat body pivoting limiting means via return means, such that said selector can be set to a selection position corresponding to an angular zone when said seat body is not in said angular zone, the seat body pivoting limiting means limiting the position of the seat body to this angular zone once said seat body enters said angular zone.

4. Child car seat according to claim 2, wherein said seat body pivoting limiting means comprises a substantially horizontal plate wherein a track is marked and a pin is inserted into said track, the plate being rotated in relation to the pin, about the axis of rotation of the seat body, by pivoting the seat body in relation to the base, said pin being movable between at least two positions corresponding to the forward or rear facing travel positions, respectively, and the track being formed such that the pin can only slide in a first portion of the track, when it is in a first position, and only in a second position of the track when it is in a second position.

5. Child car seat according to claim 2, wherein said track is a groove comprising a plurality of interconnected portions, each interconnected portion forming an arc of a circle having a separate radius centred on the axis of rotation of the platen.

6. Child car seat according to claim 1, further comprising second seat body pivoting limiting means for limiting the pivoting of said seat body in relation to said base over an angular range at least equal to 360°

.

7. Child car seat according to claim 6, wherein said second seat body pivoting limiting means comprises a platen and a locking part for locking this platen, the platen being rotated in relation to the locking part, about the axis of rotation of the seat body, by pivoting the seat body in relation to the base, the locking part being movable between at least two positions:

an idle position wherein it does not impede the rotation of the platen,

at least one locking position wherein it locks the rotation of the platen in one direction,

the platen bearing a lug suitable for switching the locking part from the idle position thereof to the locking position when the pivoting of the platen brings the lug in contact with the locking part, so as to discontinue this pivoting.

8. Child car seat according to claim 7, wherein said locking part can adopt two separate locking positions according to the direction of rotation of the platen bringing the lug of the platen in contact with the locking part, the lug locking the pivoting of the platen, in each of said locking positions, in this direction of rotation.

9. Child car seat according to claim 8, wherein said locking part is a lever pivotably mounted on said base about a parallel axis in relation to the axis of rotation of the seat body, and suitable for engaging with the edge of said platen.

10. Child car seat according to claim 7, wherein said platen is connected to said seat body, and that said locking part is borne by the base.

11. Child car seat according to claim 1, further comprising means for locking the pivoting of the seat body in relation to the base in each of said travel positions and two pivoting unlocking controls, suitable for enabling the pivoting of the seat body from said travel position to, respectively, a right arranging position and a left arranging position, the car seat also comprising movable selection means for selecting one of said controls, suitable for moving between a first position wherein it is suitable for actuating a first of said controls and prevents the actuation of the second of said controls and a second position wherein it is suitable for actuating the second of said controls and prevents the actuation of the first of said control.

12. Child car seat according to claim 11, wherein the movable selection means comprises a selection plate suitable for moving between a first position wherein it comes into contact with and/or covers at least partially the second of said controls to prevent the actuation thereof and is at a distance from the first of said controls, and a second position wherein it comes into contact with and/or covers at least partially the first of said controls to prevent the actuation thereof and is at a distance from the second of said controls.

13. Child car seat according to claim 12, wherein said selection plate is suitable for moving by sliding between said first and second positions.

14. Child car seat according to claim 12, wherein said selection plate comprises a gripping zone allowing the user to move same between said first and second positions.

15. Child car seat according to, claim 11, further comprising control means for unlocking the pivoting of the position and said movable selection means are placed on the front of an element of the car seat pivotably connected to the seat body.

16. Child car seat according to claim 15, wherein of said controls is actuated by pressing on one face of said control means, said movable selection means preventing access to said face, in any of the positions, to prevent the actuation of said control means.

17. Child car seat according to claim 1, further comprising control means for unlocking the pivoting of the position act, when actuated, as handles for rotating the seat body by the user.

18. Child car seat according to claim 17, wherein said control means is actuated by pressing on one face of said control means, said movable selection means preventing access to said face, in any of the positions, to prevent the actuation of said control means.