Movable inserts for concealing child safety seat anchors in a vehicle

• US 9,493,099 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ruthinowski, Richard Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US14/640,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20160257229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 297/253, 297/481
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2887 Fixation to a transversal anchorage bar, e.g. isofix
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/70 Upholstery springs ; Upholstery
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/7005 detachable

Abstract

A method and apparatus for concealing the CRS anchor of a vehicle when not in use and exposing the anchor when CRS attachment is required. The inventive concept disclosed herein provides the use of concealing seat trim that can be removed, slid, or rotated to reveal the CRS anchor. The disclosed system provides accessibility and finger and hand clearance to the anchor. The anchor concealing trim piece of the disclosed inventive concept may be small and individual, one for each affected anchor, or may be a single insert that spans the distance between multiple anchors. The size of the anchor concealing trim piece can vary based on anchor location and styling as well as on how much additional accessibility is desired. The anchor concealing trim pieces may be held in their concealing position in a pocket formed in the seat by hook-and-loop fasteners or CRS web strap and clips fastened to a wire frame.

Claims

1. A system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a seat;

a seat anchor;

a concealing trim piece pocket having a back wall formed in said seat; and

a concealing trim piece having a front wall, said piece being rotatable attached to said seat, said piece being movable between an anchor concealing position in which said front wall faces away from said back wall and an anchor revealing position in which said front wall faces said back wall.

2. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 1 wherein said concealing trim piece is a removable piece, the system further including hook-and-loop fasteners for attaching said removable piece to said seat.

3. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 1 further including a rod fixed to said seat and wherein said trim piece includes a channel for releasable attachment to said rod.

4. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 3 wherein said channel includes a C-clip.

5. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 1 further including a consumer-manipulated tab attached to said concealing trim piece.

6. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 1 further including a rod fixed to said seat and wherein said concealing trim piece is rotatably attached to said rod, said concealing trim piece being rotatable between an anchor concealing position and an anchor revealing position.

7. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 6 wherein said seat further includes a positive stop structure that limits rotation of said concealing trim piece.

8. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 1 wherein said concealing trim piece comprises a slidably movable concealing trim piece and said rotatably movable concealing trim piece.

9. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 8 wherein said seat includes a seat back and a seat base and wherein concealing trim piece pocket is formed in said seat back, said slidably movable concealing trim piece being slidably positioned in said concealing trim piece pocket.

10. A system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle, the system comprising:

a seat;

a seat anchor;

a concealing trim piece pocket having a back wall formed in said seat; and

a concealing trim piece having a front wall, said piece being rotatably movable between a position in which said front wall faces away from said back wall and a position in which said front wall faces said back wall.

11. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 10 wherein said concealing trim piece is removably attached to said seat.

12. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 11 further including hook-and-loop fasteners for attaching said concealing trim piece to said seat.

13. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 10 further including a rod fixed to said seat and wherein said concealing trim piece includes a channel for releasable attachment to said rod.

14. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 13 wherein said channel includes a C-clip.

15. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 13 further including a consumer-manipulated tab attached to said concealing trim piece.

16. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 10 further including a rod fixed to said seat and wherein said concealing trim piece is rotatably attached to said rod, said concealing trim piece being rotatable between an anchor concealing position and an anchor revealing position.

17. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 16 wherein said seat further includes a positive stop structure that limits rotation of said concealing trim piece.

18. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 10 wherein said concealing trim piece comprises a slidably movable concealing trim piece and said rotatably movable concealing trim piece.

19. The system for selectively concealing a child safety seat anchor in a vehicle of claim 18 wherein said seat includes a seat back and a seat base and wherein concealing trim piece pocket is formed in said seat back, said slidably movable concealing trim piece being slidably positioned in said concealing trim piece pocket.

20. A seat for a vehicle comprising:

a seat back

a seat base;

a safety seat attachment anchor;

a concealing trim piece pocket having a back wall formed in said seat; and

a concealing trim piece having a front wall, said piece being rotatably movable between an anchor concealing position in which said front wall faces away from said back wall and an anchor revealing position in which said front wall faces said back wall.