U.S. patent application number 09/773817 was filed with the patent office on 2002-03-14 for child seat assembled with vehicle seat.
This patent application is currently assigned to Araco Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Ito, Yoshihide.
Application Number | 20020030394 09/773817 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18551220 |
Filed Date | 2002-03-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020030394 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ito, Yoshihide |
March 14, 2002 |
Child seat assembled with vehicle seat
Abstract
A child seat for use in an automotive vehicle, having a seat
cushion pivotally mounted at its rear end on the bottom of a
recessed portion in a back rest of a vehicle seat to be stored in
an upright condition in the recessed portion during non-use of the
child seat and pulled out from the recessed portion for use in a
horizontal condition, wherein the child seat is provided with
support means for supporting the seat cushion in the horizontal
condition when pulled out from the recessed portion of the vehicle
seat.
Inventors: |
Ito, Yoshihide; (Toyota-shi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REED SMITH HAZEL & THOMAS
Suite 1400
3110 Fairview Park Drive
McLean
VA
22042
US
|
Assignee: |
Araco Kabushiki Kaisha
|
Family ID: |
18551220 |
Appl. No.: |
09/773817 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/256 ;
297/238 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/3084
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/256 ;
297/238 |
International
Class: |
A47C 001/08; A47D
001/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 2, 2000 |
JP |
2000-25353 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A child seat for use in an automotive vehicle, having a seat
cushion pivotally mounted at its rear end on the bottom of a
recessed portion in a back rest of a vehicle seat to be stored in
an upright condition in the recessed portion during non-use of the
child seat and pulled out from the recessed portion for use in a
horizontal condition, wherein the child seat is provided with
support means for supporting the seat cushion in the horizontal
condition when pulled out from the recessed portion of the vehicle
seat.
2. A child seat for use in an automotive vehicle, having a seat
cushion pivotally mounted at its rear end on the bottom of a
recessed portion in a back rest of a vehicle seat to be stored in
an upright condition in the recessed portion during non-use of the
child seat and pulled out from the recessed portion for use in a
horizontal condition, wherein the child seat is provided with a
back rest movable in a fore-and-aft direction in the recessed
portion of the vehicle seat to be retained in a retracted position
and retained in a forward position where a front surface of the
back rest is placed to coincide with a front surface of the back
rest of the vehicle seat, and wherein the seat cushion of the child
seat is pivotally mounted to a lower end portion of the back rest
at its rear end to be rotated in a fore-and-aft direction.
3. A child seat for use in an automotive vehicle as claimed in
claim 2, wherein the child seat is provided with support means for
supporting the seat cushion in a horizontal condition when it has
been drawn out from the recessed portion of the vehicle seat.
4. A child seat for use in an automotive vehicle as claimed in
claim 1 or 3, wherein said support means is in the form of a set of
flexible belts or a set of foldable lnkages.
5. A child seat for use in an automotive vehicle as claimed in
claim 1 or 3, wherein said support means is composed of a flexible
belt and means for extending the flexible belt in accordance with
the weight of a person seated on the seat cushion in the occurrence
of a collision of the vehicle.
6. A child seat for use in an automotive vehicle as claimed in
claim 2 or 3, wherein the back rest is connected to the backside
wall of the recessed portion in the vehicle seat by means of a pair
of left and right connecting mechanisms, and wherein the connecting
mechanisms each are composed of a first bracket provided on the
back rest, a second bracket provided on the backside wall, a
linkage pivoted at its opposite ends to the first and second
brackets to be rotated with a fulcrum in connection to the second
bracket to move the back rest in a fore-and-aft directon through
the first bracket, a stopper provided on the first bracket to
restrict rotary movement of the linkage by engagement with the
linkage when the back rest is placed in a forward position, and a
spring engaged at its opposite ends with the linkage and the
backside wall of the recessed portion to bias the first bracket
upward through the linkage.
Description
BACKGOUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a child seat assembled with
a vehicle seat, and more particularly to a child seat provided with
a seat cushion stored within a recessed portion of the vehicle seat
and pulled out from the recessed portion for use in a horizontal
condition.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Prior Art
[0004] In general, a child seat of this kind for use in an
automotive vehicle is provided with a seat cushion the rear end of
which is pivotally mounted on the bottom of a recessed portion in a
vehicle seat. In the child seat, the backside wall of the recessed
portion is used as a back rest of the child seat, and for example,
a five-point type seat belt is provided between the seat cushion of
the child seat and the backside wall of the recessed portion in the
vehicle seat. The seat cushion is stored in an upright condition in
the recessed portion during non-use of the child seat and is pulled
out from the recessed portion for use in a horizontal condition
placed on a seat cushion of the vehicle seat.
[0005] As in use of the child seat, the seat cushion is placed on
the seat cushion of the vehicle seat, the seat cushion is
influenced by the cushion property of the vehicle seat.
Accordingly, the seat cushion of the child seat is deformed and
inclined in accordance with the weight of a child seated thereon,
causing the seated posture of the child unstable. This is a first
problem to be solve in this kind of child seats.
[0006] In use of the child seat, the buttocks of the child
restrained by the seatbelt is submerged in the occurrence of a
head-on collision. In the occurrence of such a submarine
phenomenon, the seat belt placed to restrain the waist of the child
is displaced to the belly of the child. This is a second problem to
be solved in this kind of child seats.
[0007] In use of the child seat, the seat belt is fastened in a
condition where the child has been seated on the seat cushion and
supported by the backside wall of the recessed portion in the seat
back of the vehicle seat. When a little child of small body is
entered in the recessed portion of the vehicle seat and seated on
the seat cushion of the child seat without any difficult, the seat
belt can be securely fastened to restrain the child body. However,
when the child seat is used by a child of large body, it is
difficult for the child to enter his back into the recessed portion
of the vehicle seat for seating on the seat cushion of the child
seat. In such an instance, the seat belt may not be securely
fastened to restrain the child body. This is a third problem to be
solved in this kind of child seats.
[0008] In Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication, there has
been proposed a child seat capable of solving the third problem.
The child seat is provided with a back rest which is pivotally
mounted on a rear end of the seat cushion at its lower end to be
tilted in a fore-and-aft direction and stored in the recessed
portion of the vehicle seat. When stored in the recessed portion of
the vehicle seat, the back rest of the child seat is locked in an
upright condition by means of a lock mechanism.
[0009] For primary use of the child seat, the seat cushion is
pulled out from the recessed portion of the vehicle seat and placed
on the seat cushion of the vehicle seat in a condition where the
back rest of the child seat is retained in the upright condition in
the recessed portion of the vehicle seat. For secondary use of the
child seat, the seat cushion is pulled out from the recessed
portion of the vehicle seat and placed on the seat cushion of the
vehicle seat, and the back rest of the child seat is pulled out
from the recessed portion and placed on the seat cushion of the
child seat. As in the primary use, the seat cushion of the child
seat is placed in a lower position in a condition where the back
rest of the child seat is placed in a shallow position in the
recessed portion of the vehicle seat, the child seat can be used by
a child of large body without any difficulty. As in the secondary
use, the seat cushion of tHe child seat is placed in a higher
position in a condition where the back rest of the child seat is
placed in a deep position in the recessed portion of the vehicle
seat, the child seat can be used by a little child of small body in
a stable condition. However, the first and second problems
discussed above may not be solved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to
provide a child seat capable of solving the first and second
problems discussed above, and a secondary object of the present
invention is to provide a child seat capable of solving the third
problem in the conventional child seat discussed above.
[0011] According to the present invention, the primary object is
accomplished by providing a child seat for use in an automotive
vehicle, having a seat cushion pivotally mounted at its rear end on
the bottom of a recessed portion in a back rest of a vehicle seat
to be stored in an upright condition in the recessed portion during
non-use of the child seat and pulled out from the recessed portion
for use in a horizontal condition, wherein the child seat is
provided with support means for supporting the seat cushion in the
horizontal condition when pulled out from the recessed portion of
the vehicle seat.
[0012] As in the child seat, the support means is provided to
support the seat cushion pulled out from the recessed portion in
the back rest of the vehicle seat in the horizontal condition, the
seat cushion of the child seat is supported in place without any
contact with the seat cushion of the vehicle seat. Even if the seat
cushion of the child seat was received by the seat cushion of the
vehicle seat, the seat cushion of the child seat would be avoided
from an influence caused by the cushion property of the vehicle
seat. This is useful to eliminate vertical displacement of the seat
cushion of the child seat caused by the cushion property of the
vehicle seat and to avoid deformation and inclination of the seat
cushion of the child seat caused by a difference in weight of
children seated thereon. This is useful to retain a posture of the
children seated on the seat cushion of the child seat in a stable
condition. Even in the occurrence of a head-on collision, the seat
cushion does not occur any submarine phenomenon of the child's
buttocks so that the seat belt acts to securely restrain the waist
portion of the child without displacement toward the belly of the
child.
[0013] According to the present invention, the secondary object is
accomplished by providing a child seat for use in an automotive
vehicle, having a seat cushion pivotally mounted at its rear end on
the bottom of a recessed portion in a back rest of a vehicle seat
to be stored in an upright condition in the recessed portion during
non-use of the child seat and taken out from the recessed portion
for use in a horizontal condition, wherein the child seat is
provided with a back rest movable in a fore-and-aft direction in
the recessed portion of the vehicle seat to be retained in a
retracted position and retained in a forward position where a front
surface of the back rest is placed to coincide with a front surface
of the back rest of the vehicle seat, and wherein the seat cushion
of the child seat is pivotally mounted to a lower end portion of
the back rest at its rear end to be rotated in a fore-and-aft
direction.
[0014] As in the child seat, the back rest is retained in the
retracted position and retained in the forward position where the
front surface of the back rest is placed to coincide with the front
surface of the back rest of the vehicle seat, the depth of the
recessed portion in the back rest of the vehicle seat can be
adjusted in accordance with the body size of the child seated on
the seat cushion of the child seat Thus, in use of the child seat,
a child of small body can be entered into the recessed portion of
the vehicle seat without any difficulty and seated on the seat
cushion of the child seat so that the child is securely fastened by
the seat belt by adjustment of the depth of the recessed portion.
In use of the child seat for a child of large body, the child can
be seated on the seat cushion of the child seat without any
difficulty by adjustment of the depth of the recessed portion so
that the child is securely fastened by the seat belt.
[0015] In a practical embodiment of the present invention, it is
preferable that the back rest of the child seat is connected to a
backside wall of the recessed portion of the vehicle seat by means
of a pair of connecting mechanisms. In such a case, the connecting
mechanisms each are composed of a first bracket provided on the
back rest, a second bracket provided on the backside wall of the
recessed portion, a linkage pivoted at its opposite ends to the
first and second brackets to be rotated with a fulcrum in
connection to the second bracket to move the back rest in a
fore-and-aft direction through the first bracket, a stopper
provided on the first bracket to restrict rotary movement of the
linkage by engagement with the linkage when the back rest is placed
in a forward position, and a spring engaged at its opposite ends
with the linkage and the backside wall of the recessed portion to
bias the first bracket upward through the linkage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In the drawings:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a child
seat according to the present invention in a condition stored in a
vehicle seat;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the child seat in a
condition for use of a little child of small body;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the child seat in a
condition where only a back rest of the child seat has been placed
for use of a child of large body;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a stored
condition of the child seat;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the child seat in a
condition for use of a little child of small body;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the child seat in a
condition for use of a child of large body:
[0023] FIG. 7(a) is a sectional side view of a connecting mechanism
in the child seat in a condition for use of a little child of small
body;
[0024] FIG. 7(b) is a sectional side view of the connecting
mechanism in a condition where the child seat is used for a child
of large body;
[0025] FIG. 7(c) is a sectional side view of the connecting
mechanism in a condition where the child seat is used for the child
of large body;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of another embodiment of
a child seat according to the present invention in a condition for
use of a little child of small body: and
[0027] FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a further embodiment
of a child seat according to the present invention in a condition
for use of a little child of small body.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with
reference to the drawings. Illustated in FIGS. 1 to 6 is an
embodiment of a child seat in accordance with the present
invention. In FIGS. 1 and 4, there is illustrated the child seat in
a non-use condition where it is stored in a recessed portion a in a
back rest A of a vehicle seat. In FIGS. 2 and 5, there is
illustrated the child seat in a condition for use of a little child
of small body. In FIG. 6, there is illustrated the child seat in a
condition for use of a child of large body. During non-use of the
child seat 10, the back rest A is stored in the recessed portion a
in the back rest of the vehicle seat and is pulled out from the
recessed portion a for use in necessity. The child seat is provided
with a seat cushion 11, a back rest 12, a pair of left and right
support belts 13 and a set of seat belts 14.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the back rest 12 of the child seat
10 is stored in an upright position in the recessed portion of the
vehicle seat and is connected to a backside upright wall plate 15
of the recessed portion a at four positions of its upper and
opposite sides by means of a pair of connecting mechanisms 20. The
seat cushion 11 of the child seat is pivotally mounted to the back
rest 12 at its rear end portion to be tilted in a fore-and-aft
direction and is connected to the back rest 12 by means of a pair
of support belts 13. The back rest 12 is provided with a grip 16
fixed to a central portion of its front surface and is connected to
an upper end of the backside uptight wall plate 15 at its upper end
by means of a flexible cover 12a. The flexible cover 12a can be
folded at its central portion and extended from its folded
condition.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle seat A in a
condition where the back rest 12 of child seat 10 has been placed
for use of a child of large body, FIG. 4 is a sectional side view
of the child seat 10 stored in the recessed portion of vehicle seat
A as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the child
seat 10 in a condition shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is a sectional
side view of the child seat 10 in a condition where that back rest
12 is placed for use of a child of large body.
[0031] As shown in FIG. 7(a), the connecting mechanisms 20 each
includes a first bracket 21 secured to the rear surface of back
rest 12, a second bracket 22 mounted to the backside upright wall
plate 15, a linkage 23 pivoted to the brackets 21 and 22 at its
opposite end portions, and a tension spring 24 engaged at its
opposite ends with a front end of linkage 23 and a bracket fixed to
the backside upright wall plate 15. The first bracket 21 is formed
at its rear end with a stopper lug 2la projected toward a side face
of second bracket 22. The first bracket 21 is extended rearward
from the rear surface of back rest 12 through a vertical slit hole
15a formed in the backside upright wall plate 15. The second
bracket 22 is extended forward from the front surface of backside
upright wall plate 15 through a vertical slit hole 12b formed in
the back rest 12. The linkage 23 is pivoted to a rear end portion
of first bracket 21 at its rear end and to a front end portion of
second bracket 22 at a position slightly displaced reward from its
front end. The tension spring 24 is engaged with a front end of
linkage 23 at its upper end and engaged with the backside upright
wall plate 15 at a position located lower than the second bracket
22.
[0032] When the back rest 12 is pulled in a upward slantwise
direction in a condition where the connecting mechanisms 20 each
are placed as shown in FIG. 7(a), the linkage 23 is lifted by the
first bracket 21 and rotated in a counterclockwise direction with a
fulcrum in connection to the second bracket 22 to move the back
rest 12 forward in a predetermined distance as shown in FIGS. 7(b)
to 7(c). In such an instance, the stopper lug 21a of first bracket
21 is brought into engagement with the upper end surface of linkage
23 as shown in FIG. 7(c) to restrict the rotary movement of linkage
23 in the counterclockwise direction.
[0033] When the backrest 12 is pulled upward in a condition shown
in FIG. 7(c), the linkage 23 is lifted by the first bracket 21 and
rotated in a clockwise direction with the fulcrum in connection to
the second bracket 22 to move the back rest 12 rearward in the
predetermined distance as shown in FIGS. 7(b) to 7(a). When the
connecting mechanisms 20 are placed in a condition shown in FIG.
7(a), the back rest 12 is placed for use of a little child of small
body as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, When the connecting mechanisms 20
are placed in a condition shown in FIG. 7(c), the back rest 12 is
placed for use of a child of large body as shown in FIG. 6.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the child seat 10 is stored in
the recessed portion a of the vehicle seat A in its non-use. When
it is desired to use the child seat for a child of small body, the
child seat 10 is pulled out from the recessed portion a of the back
rest A of the vehicle seat and placed on the seat cushion B of the
vehicle seat in a horizontal condition as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
5 or 6. In this instance, the seat cushion 11 of the child seat 10
is supported from the back rest 12 by means of the support belts 13
and placed in slight contact with the seat cushion B of the vehicle
seat without being supported thereon. In the child seat 10, the
position of back rest 12 can be adjusted in a fore-and-aft
direction in the recessed portion a of the vehicle seat A for use
of a litte child of small body or for use of a child of large
body.
[0035] Accordingly, in a condition where the seat cushion 11 of the
child seat 10 has been drawn out from the recessed portion a of the
vehicle seat, the back rest 12 of the child seat is located in the
recessed portion a as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 for use of a little
child of small body. In a condition where the back rest 12 of the
child seat has been drawn out forward as shown in FIG. 3, the front
surface of back rest 12 is placed to coincide with the front
surface of the seat back A of the vehicle seat for use of a child
of large body as shown in FIG. 6.
[0036] In use of the child seat for a little child of small body,
the child is entered into the recessed portion a of the vehicle
seat and seated on the seat cushion 11 of the child seat 10 so that
the back portion of the child is supported by the backside upright
wall plate 15. Thus, the seat belt 11 can be fastened to securely
restrain the child in a stable condition. In use of the child seat
for a child of large body, the child is seated on the seat cushion
11 of the child seat 10 and supped by the back rest 12 of the child
seat 10 drawn out from the recessed portion a of the vehicle seat
and placed to coincide the front surface of the back rest A of the
vehicle seat. Thus, the seat belt 11 can be fastened to securely
restrain the child in a stable condition.
[0037] In such a manner as described above, the child seat can be
used for a little child of small body and for a child of large body
to securely support the children of different body size.
Particularly in the child seat, the seat cushion 11 drawn out from
the recessed portion a of the vehicle seat is supported in a
horizontal condition by means of the pair of support belts 13 to
avoid an influence caused by the seat cushion B of the vehicle
seat.
[0038] As in the child seat, the seat cushion 11 is supported in
place without any influence caused by the cushion property of the
vehicle seat, a difference in weight of the children does not cause
any change in a deformed amount of the seat cushion 11 and in an
inclined angle of the seat cushion 11. This is useful to retain a
posture of the children seated on the seat cushion 11 of the child
seat in a more stable condition. Even in the occurrence of a
head-on collision, the seat cushion 11 does not occur any submarine
phenomenon of the child's buttocks so that the seat belt 14 acts to
securely restrain the waist portion of the child.
[0039] Illustrated in FIG. 8 is a pair of link mechanisms 17
substituted for the support belts 13. The link mechanisms 17 each
are composed of first and second linkages 17a and 17b connected to
each other. The first linkage 17a is connected to a side portion of
the seat cushion 11 at its one end, while the second linkage 17b is
connected to a side portion of the back rest 12 at its one end. The
linkages 17a and 17b can be folded at their connected portion to be
stored in the recessed portion a of the vehicle seat. When the
linkages 17a and 17b are extended in a straight position, the seat
cushion 11 of the child seat is drawn out from the recessed portion
a of the vehicle seat.
[0040] Illustrated in FIG. 9 is another support means 18
substituted for the support belts 13. The support means 18 is
composed of a pair of support belts 18a, a pneumatic cylinder
having a piston 18b connected to one ends of the support belts 18a,
a weight sensor 18c mounted on the seat cushion 11 and a computer
18d connected to the weight sensor 18c. The pneumatic cylinder is
formed to store plural gunpowder which is exploded when the support
belts 18a are applied with an excessive tension force in the
occurrence of a head-on collision. When the gunpowder in the
pneumatic cylinder is exploded in the occurrence of the head-on
collision, the support belts 18a are pulled by the piston 18b in
the pneumatic cylinder in a predetermined amount to incline the
seat cushion 11 upward.
[0041] In the support means 18, the computer 18d is programmed to
explode an amount of gunpowder in the pneumatic cylinder in
accordance with the weight of the seated child detected by the
weight sensor 18c. Thus, when the support belts 18a are applied
with an excessive tension force in the occurrence of a head-on
collision, the gunpowder is exploded under control of the computer
so that the support belts 18a are pulled by the piston 18b in
accordance with the weight of the seated child.
* * * * *