Recline mechanism for a child seat

• US 7,246,855 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Billman, Craig M., Langmaid, Michael N., Brunick, Daniel J., Weber, Craig S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US10/999,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 297/256.13, 297/253.14, 297/256.14
• US Class Current: 297/256.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/286 forward facing B60N2/2866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially

Abstract

A reclinable child seat assembly includes a base, a seat movably and detachably coupled to the base, and a recline mechanism to enable the seat to be positioned in different recline positions relative to the base. The recline mechanism includes a recline positioner mounted to the seat, the recline positioner having slots corresponding to the different recline positions, a recline lock movably mounted to the base to releasably engage a desired one of the slots of the recline positioner to position the seat in the corresponding one of the recline positions, and a recline adjustment handle movably mounted to the seat to disengage the recline lock from the desired slot to allow repositioning of the seat relative to the base.

Claims

1. A reclinable child seat assembly, comprising:

a base;

a seat movably and detachably coupled to the base;

the seat having a seat bottom with an underside, and

a recline mechanism to enable the seat to be positioned in different recline positions relative to the base, the recline mechanism including,

a recline positioner mounted to the underside of the seat bottom, the recline positioner having slots corresponding to the different recline positions,

a recline lock movably mounted to the base to releasably engage a desired one of the slots of the recline positioner to position the seat in the corresponding one of the recline positions, and

a recline adjustment handle movably mounted to the seat to disengage the recline lock from the desired slot to allow repositioning of the seat relative to the base.

2. The reclinable child seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base includes an upper surface in juxtaposition with the recline positioner, the upper surface having a slot therethrough through which the recline lock can travel between a disengaged position and an engaged position relative to the recline positioner.

3. The reclinable child seat assembly according to claim 2, wherein the recline lock is biased into engagement with the desired slot of the recline positioner.

4. The reclinable child seat assembly according to claim 3, wherein the recline mechanism further includes at least one spring engaged with the recline lock to bias the recline lock into engagement with the desired slot.

5. The reclinable child seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the recline mechanism includes a recline actuator positioned between the underside of the seat bottom and the recline positioner, and the recline actuator is movable relative to the seat bottom into engagement with the recline positioner upon actuation by the recline adjustment handle to cause the recline lock to move from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

6. The reclinable child seat assembly according to claim 5, wherein the recline actuator is biased away from the recline positioner and toward the underside of the seat bottom.

7. The reclinable child seat assembly according to claim 6, wherein the recline mechanism further includes at least one spring positioned between the recline positioner and the recline actuator to bias the recline away from the recline positioner.

8. The reclinable child seat assembly according to claim 5, wherein the recline actuator is movable relative to the recline positioner in a direction normal to the slots of the recline positioner.

9. The reclinable child seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein the recline positioner comprises three slots corresponding to three recline positions, respectively.

10. A reclinable child seat assembly, comprising:

a base;

a seat movable and detachably coupled to the base, wherein the seat includes a seat back and the base includes a back portion, and wherein the seat back is pivotally and detachably coupled to the back portion, and

a recline mechanism to enable the seat to be positioned in different recline positions relative to the base, the recline mechanism including,

a recline positioner mounted to the seat, the recline positioner having slots corresponding to the different recline positions,

a recline lock movably mounted to the base to releasably engage a desired one of the slots of the recline positioner to position the seat in the corresponding one of the recline positions, and

a recline adjustment handle movably mounted to the seat to disengage the recline lock from the desired slot to allow repositioning of the seat relative to the base.

11. The reclinable child seat according to claim 10, wherein the back portion includes a cross bar, and the seat back includes a latch mechanism to detachably couple to the cross bar.

12. The reclinable child seat according to claim 11, wherein the latch mechanism includes a first latch member fixed to the seat back and a second latch member movably coupled to the seat back to move upon contact with the cross bar of the back portion, and wherein the first and second latch members are configured to latch around the cross bar.

13. The reclinable child seat according to claim 12, wherein the first latch member comprises a hook, and the second latch member comprises a pivotal jaw to pivot between an open position and a closed position relative to the hook.

14. The reclinable child seat according to claim 11, wherein the seat back includes a release mechanism to release the latch mechanism from the cross bar.

15. The reclinable child seat according to claim 14, wherein the latch mechanism includes a first latch member fixed to the seat back and a second latch member movably coupled to the seat back to move upon contact with the cross bar of the back portion, and wherein the first and second latch members are configured to latch around the cross bar.

16. The reclinable child seat according to claim 15, wherein the release mechanism includes a latch actuator movably coupled to the seat back, and wherein the second latch member is coupled to the latch actuator such that movement of the latch actuator causes movement of the second latch member from a closed position to an open position relative to the first latch member.