Infant car seat base with safety belt lock-off arm

• US 9,365,135 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Carpenter, Jason Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Rodney B
• Application Number:
  US14/586,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20150183341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 297/256.16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2803 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2845 having handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

An infant car seat base has a body, a belt path on the body configured to accept a base anchoring strap there along, and a lock-off arm coupled to the body. The lock-off arm is movable between a blocking position and a lock-off position. The lock-off arm, when in the lock-off position, permits a child seat to be attached to the body. The lock-off arm, when in the blocking position, blocks, inhibits, or prevents attachment of the child seat to the body. A base anchoring strap is captured between the lock-off arm and the body of the base when the base is mounted and secured to a vehicle seat.

Claims

1. An infant car seat base comprising:

a body; and

a belt path on the body configured to accept a base anchoring strap there along;

a lock-off arm coupled to the body, the lock-off arm movable between a blocking position and a lock-off position and comprising;

a first member comprising a first end and a distal second end and pivotally connected to the body;

a second member comprising a third end and a distal fourth end and pivotally connected to the body; and

a lock-off portion comprising a first side coupled to the first member between the first end and second end and a second side coupled to the second member between the third end and the fourth end and extending between the first member and the second member, wherein at least a portion of the lock-off portion is configured to closely overlie the belt path to capture a base anchoring strap therebetween when the lock-off arm is in the lock-off position,

wherein the lock-off arm, when in the lock-off position, permits a child seat to be attached to the body, and

wherein the lock-off arm, when in the blocking position, blocks, inhibits, or prevents attachment of the child seat to the body.

2. The infant car seat base of claim 1, wherein the lock-off arm is pivotable relative to the body between the blocking position and the lock-off position.

3. The infant car seat base of claim 1, wherein the lock-off arm is connected to the body and pivotably raised above the body in the blocking position and pivotably lowered closely adjacent to or against the body in the lock-off position.

4. The infant car seat base of claim 1, wherein the lock-off portion of the lock-off arm closely follows a contour of at least part of the belt path when in the lock-off position.

5. The infant car seat base of claim 1, further comprising:

a latch mechanism on the infant car seat base configured to releasably secure the lock-off arm in the lock-off position closely adjacent to or against the body.

6. The infant car seat base of claim 5, wherein the lock-off arm further comprises a third member having a fifth end coupled adjacent the second end of the first member and a distal sixth end coupled adjacent the fourth end of the second member, wherein the latch mechanism has a first part on the third member of the lock-off arm that engages a second part on the body when latched and that disengages the second part when released.

7. The infant car seat base of claim 1, wherein the lock-off arm and/or the belt path are configured to capture the base anchoring strap between the body and the lock-off portion and to impart one or more non-linear shapes, curves, bends, or kinks to the base anchoring strap.

8. An infant car seat comprising:

a base comprising;

a body;

a belt path on the body and

a lock-off arm coupled to the body, the lock-off arm movable between a blocking position and a lock-off position relative to the body, the lock-off arm comprising

a first member comprising a first end and a distal second end and pivotally connected to the body;

a second member comprising a third end and a distal fourth end and pivotally connected to the body; and

a lock-off portion comprising a first side coupled to the first member between the first end and second end and a second side coupled to the second member between the third end and the fourth end and extending between the first member and the second member, wherein at least a portion of the lock-off portion is configured to closely overlie the belt path to capture a base anchoring strap therebetween when the lock-off arm is in the lock-off position; and

a child seat attachable to the base,

wherein the lock-off arm, when in the lock-off position, permits the child seat to be attached to the body, and

wherein the lock-off arm, when in the blocking position, blocks, inhibits, or prevents attachment of the child seat to the body.

9. The infant car seat base of claim 8, wherein the first end of the first member is pivotally connected to the body and the third end of the second member is pivotally connected to the body and a bar extending between the second end of the first member and the fourth end of the second member.

10. The infant car seat base of claim 9, wherein part of the bar of the lock-off arm is pivotably raised above the body in the blocking position and pivotably lowered closely adjacent to or against the body in the lock-off position.

11. The infant car seat base of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the lock-off portion is configured to contact at least part of the base anchoring strap when in the lock-off position.

12. The infant car seat base of claim 8, further comprising a latch mechanism on the base configured to releasably secure the lock-off arm in the lock-off position closely adjacent to or against the body.

13. The infant car seat base of claim 8, further comprising the base anchoring strap positionable to extend along the belt path on the body when the base is mounted to a vehicle seat.

14. The infant car seat base of claim 13, wherein the lock-off arm and the belt path are configured to capture the base anchoring strap between the body and the lock-off portion and to impart one or more non-linear shapes, curves, bends, or kinks to the base anchoring strap with the lock-off arm in the lock-off position.

15. The infant car seat base of claim 13, wherein the base anchoring strap is a lap belt portion of a safety harness of a vehicle seat.

16. The infant car seat base of claim 13, wherein the base anchoring strap is an anchor belt configured to be clipped or anchored to child seat anchors of a vehicle seat.

17. A method of installing an infant car seat on a vehicle seat, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a base of the infant car seat on a vehicle seat the base comprising;

a body;

a belt path on the body; and

a lock-off arm coupled to the body, the lock-off arm comprising

a first member comprising a first end and a distal second end and pivotally connected to the body;

a second member comprising a third end and a distal fourth end and pivotally connected to the body; and

a lock-off portion comprising a first side coupled to the first member between the first end and second end and a second side coupled to the second member between the third end and the fourth end and extending between the first member and the second member;

arranging a base anchoring strap along the belt path on the body of the base;

moving the lock-off arm from a blocking position, which prevents, inhibits or blocks attachment of an infant seat to the base, to a lock-off position relative to the body, the base anchoring strap being captured between the belt path on the body and at least a portion of the lock-off portion; and

attaching a child seat of the infant car seat to the base.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of engaging a latch mechanism to secure a free end of the lock-off arm to the base in the lock-off position.