CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM

• US 20160304004A1
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thorley Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Thorley Industries LLC
• Inventors: Walker, John, Sandbothe, Erica, Arora, Arjit, Seal, Jacob A., Chadha, Rochak, Thorne, Henry F., Joseph, Suraj, McFadden, Mara, Juchniewicz, Richard
• Application Number:
  US15/130,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20160304004A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/00 Other nursery furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/10 Rocking-chairs; Indoor Swings ; Baby bouncers
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 9/02 with rocking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/20 Vehicles specially adapted for children, e.g. toy vehicles
• 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 2/265 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2809 with additional tether connected to the top of the child seat and passing above the top of the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2851 provided with head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2884 with protection systems against abnormal g-forces
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2072 in children's seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 : for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/004 : in wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/10 : by folding down the body to the wheel carriage or by retracting projecting parts into the box-shaped body
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/414 : Structure of the control system, e.g. common controller or multiprocessor systems, interface to servo, programmable interface controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 : Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36168 : Touchscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 : characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 19/02 : characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 : Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 : Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 : using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A child restraint system is disclosed. The child restraint system can include a control circuit in communication with an accident sensor system. The child restraint system can also include an actuator. The control circuit is configured to control the actuator based on input from the accident sensor system. The actuator can actuate a safety feature of the child restraint system within a reaction time window of the accident sensor system. The actuator can include a pyrotechnic initiator. The actuator can be a leveling actuator or a tensioning actuator, for example. The actuator can be an inflatable airbag or a deployable piston, for example.

Claims

1. A child restraint system for use on a vehicle seat of a motor vehicle, the child restraint system comprising:

a child seat;

a control circuit in communication with an accident sensor system, wherein the control circuit comprises a programmable processor; and

an actuator in communication with the control circuit, wherein the actuator comprises an initiator, and wherein the control circuit is configured to actuate the actuator when the accident sensor system detects a potentially imminent accident involving the motor vehicle.

2. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the initiator comprises a pyrotechnic initiator in communication with the control circuit, and wherein the control circuit is configured to initiate the pyrotechnic initiator to actuate the actuator when the accident sensor system detects a potentially imminent accident involving the motor vehicle.

3. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a leveling actuator for adjusting a level of the seat.

4. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a tensioning actuator for adjusting a tension of at least one strap of the seat.

5. The child restraint system of claim 1, further comprising a sensor for detecting a condition of the child restraint system, wherein the sensor is in communication with the control circuit, and wherein the control circuit is configured to initiate the actuator when the condition has been detected by the sensor and the accident sensor system detects the potentially imminent accident.

6. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an inflatable airbag.

7. The child restraint system of claim 6, wherein the seat comprises a restraint harness, and wherein the restraint harness comprises the inflatable airbag.

8. The child restraint system of claim 6, wherein the inflatable airbag is deployable outward away from the seat.

9. The child restraint system of claim 8, wherein the inflatable airbag is housed in a pocket in the child restraint system, and wherein the inflatable airbag is deployable from the pocket into abutting engagement with an adjacent surface.

10. The child restraint system of claim 6, wherein the inflatable airbag is deployable inward toward a child positioned in the seat.

11. The child restraint system of claim 6, further comprising a strap, wherein the inflatable airbag is directed toward the strap.

12. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a movable piston.

13. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the child restraint system comprises the accident sensor system.

14. A child restraint system for use on a vehicle seat of a motor vehicle, the child restraint system comprising:

a seat dimensioned to receive a child;

a control circuit in communication with an accident sensor system, wherein the control circuit comprises a programmable processor; and

reaction means for implementing a safety measure based on input to the control circuit from the accident sensor system when the accident sensor system detects an anticipated accident involving the vehicle, and wherein the reaction means is in communication with the control circuit.

15. The child restraint system of claim 14, wherein the reaction means comprises pyrotechnic means for initiating an actuator in the child restraint system.

16. The child restraint system of claim 14, wherein the accident sensor system is configured to detect a condition of the anticipated accident, and wherein the reaction means comprises means for determining whether to implement the safety feature based on the condition of the anticipated accident.

17. The child restraint system of claim 14, further comprising a base, wherein the seat is releasably attachable to the base.

18. A system, comprising:

an accident sensor system for detecting an anticipated collision involving a motor vehicle; and

a child restraint system to be placed on a vehicle seat of the motor vehicle, wherein the child restraint system comprises;

a seat dimensioned to receive a child;

an actuator; and

a control circuit that comprises a programmable processor that is programmed to control the actuator based on input from the accident sensor system.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the actuator is configured to implement a safety feature in a reaction time window of the accident sensor system.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the actuator comprises an airbag.