U.S. patent application number 13/308283 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-18 for child restraint with movable headrest.
This patent application is currently assigned to COSCO MANAGEMENT, INC.. Invention is credited to Nathan W. Heisey, Jason H. Johnson.
Application Number | 20120261960 13/308283 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45917768 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120261960 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Heisey; Nathan W. ; et
al. |
October 18, 2012 |
CHILD RESTRAINT WITH MOVABLE HEADREST
Abstract
A child restraint includes a seat shell and a carrying handle
coupled to the seat shell. The seat shell includes a seat bottom
and a seat back extending upwardly from the seat bottom.
Inventors: |
Heisey; Nathan W.; (Seymour,
IN) ; Johnson; Jason H.; (Brownstown, IN) |
Assignee: |
COSCO MANAGEMENT, INC.
Wilmington
DE
|
Family ID: |
45917768 |
Appl. No.: |
13/308283 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/256.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/2812 20130101;
B60N 2/2851 20130101; B60N 2/2803 20130101; B60N 2/2863 20130101;
B62B 7/142 20130101; B62B 7/145 20130101; B60N 2/2845 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/256.1 |
International
Class: |
A47D 1/00 20060101
A47D001/00; A47D 15/00 20060101 A47D015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 15, 2011 |
CN |
201120125391.1 |
Claims
1. A child restraint comprising a seat shell made of a first
plastics material and adapted to support a child in a
child-receiving region formed in the seat shell, a headrest support
including a shell-rigidifying plate made of a rigid second plastics
material that is different from the first plastics material and
coupled to the seat shell to lie in a stationary position relative
to the seat shell so as to rigidify the seat shell and an anchor
receiver coupled to the shell-rigidifying plate, and a movable
headrest mounted for up-and-down movement on the shell-rigidifying
plate relative to the seat shell between highest and lowest
positions, the movable headrest including a head cradle arranged to
lie alongside a front face of the shell-rigidifying plate for
movement in the child-receiving region and a headrest-height
controller arranged to lie alongside an oppositely facing rear face
of the shell-rigidifying plate and coupled to the head cradle for
movement therewith during up-and-down movement of the movable
headrest relative to the seat shell, wherein the headrest-height
controller includes a movable first anchor supported for movement
between an extended position wherein the movable first anchor
engages the anchor receiver of the headrest support to block
movement of the movable headrest on the shell-rigidifying plate
relative to the seat shell an a retracted position wherein the
movable first anchor disengages the anchor receiver of the headrest
support to free the movable headrest for movement on the
shell-rigidifying plate relative to the seat shell.
2. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the shell-rigidifying
plate is formed to include first and second shoulder belt-travel
channels, the head cradle is formed to include a first shoulder
belt-receiver slot aligned to remain in communication with the
first shoulder belt-travel channel formed in the shell-rigidifying
plate during up-and-down movement of the movable headrest, and the
anchor receiver of the headrest support includes a first lock strip
coupled to the shell-rigidifying plate to extend along an edge of
the first shoulder belt-travel channel and formed to include
several tab-receiving notches sized to receive therein a tab
included in the movable first anchor upon movement of the movable
first anchor to the extended position to block movement of the
movable headrest relative to the seat shell.
3. The child restraint of claim 2, wherein the child restraint
further includes a child-restraint harness comprising a first
shoulder belt passing through the first shoulder belt-receiver slot
formed in the head cradle and the first shoulder belt-travel
channel formed in the shell-rigidifying plate and a second shoulder
belt passing through a second shoulder belt-receiver slot formed in
the head cradle and the second shoulder belt-travel channel formed
in the shell-rigidifying plate, and the tab-receiving notches
formed in the first lock strip open toward the first shoulder
belt.
4. The child restraint of claim 3, wherein the anchor receiver of
the headrest further includes a second lock strip coupled to the
shell-rigidifying plate to extend along an edge of the second
belt-travel channel and formed to include several tab-receiving
notches sized to receive therein a tab included in a movable second
anchor included in the anchor receiver of the headrest support upon
movement of the movable second anchor to an extended position and
the tab-receiving notches formed in the second lock strip open
toward the second shoulder belt.
5. The child restraint of claim 4, wherein the shell-rigidifying
plate includes top and bottom panels arranged to lie in
spaced-apart relation to one another, a first side panel arranged
to interconnect the top and bottom panels and coupled to the first
lock strip, a second side panel arranged to interconnect the top
and bottom panels and coupled to the second lock strip, and a
middle panel arranged to interconnect the top and bottom panels and
to cooperate with the first side panel to define the first shoulder
belt-travel channel therebetween and to cooperate with the second
side panel to define the second shoulder belt-travel channel
therebetween.
6. The child restraint of claim 4, wherein the first and second
lock strips of the anchor receiver of the headrest support are
arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to cause the tab-receiving
notches of the second lock strip to open toward the tab-receiving
notches of the first lock strip.
7. The child restraint of claim 4, wherein the first and second
shoulder belt-travel channels are arranged to lie between the first
and second lock strips.
8. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the seat shell includes
a seat bottom and a seat back extending upwardly from the seat
bottom and the shell-rigidifying plate is coupled to the seat
back.
9. The child restraint of claim 8, wherein the seat back is formed
to include fastener mounts and the shell-rigidifying plate includes
fastener means for engaging the fastener mounts formed in the seat
back to hold the shell-rigidifying plate in a stationary position
on the seat back between the head cradle and the cradle-motion
blocker.
10. The child restraint of claim 9, further comprising a
child-restraint harness including first and second shoulder belts
and wherein the seat back is formed to include a belt-receiving
opening and a border around the belt-receiving opening and the
border is formed to include the fastener mounts and each of the
first and second belts is arranged to extend through the
belt-receiving opening formed in the seat back.
11. The child restraint of claim 8, wherein the seat back is formed
to include a first shoulder belt-travel channel that is aligned to
communicate with a first shoulder belt-travel channel formed in the
shell-rigidifying plate and a second shoulder belt-travel channel
that is aligned to communicate with a second shoulder belt-travel
channel formed in the shell-rigidifying plate and the seat back
includes a middle strip located between the first and second
shoulder belt-travel channels of the seat back and arranged to
confront a middle panel included in the shell-rigidifying plate and
located between the first and second shoulder belt-travel channels
of the shell-rigidifying plate.
12. The child restraint of claim 11, wherein the head cradle is
formed to include a first shoulder belt-receiver slot aligned to
remain in communication with the first shoulder belt-travel
channels formed in the seat back and the shell-rigidifying plate
during up-and-down movement of the movable headrest, and the anchor
receiver of the headrest support includes a first lock strip
coupled to the shell-rigidifying plate to extend along an edge of
the first shoulder belt-travel channel of the shell-rigidifying
plate and formed to include several tab-receiving notches sized to
receive therein a tab included in the movable first anchor upon
movement of the movable first anchor to the extended position to
block movement of the movable headrest relative to the seat
shell.
13. The child restraint of claim 12, wherein the child restraint
further includes a child-restraint harness comprising a first
shoulder belt passing through the first shoulder belt-receiver slot
formed in the head cradle and the first shoulder belt-travel
channels formed in the seat back and the shell-rigidifying plate
and a second shoulder belt passing through a second shoulder
belt-receiver slot formed in the head cradle and the second
shoulder belt-travel channels formed in the seat back and the
shell-rigidifying plate, and the tab-receiving notches formed in
the first lock strip open toward the first shoulder belt.
14. The child restraint of claim 13, wherein the anchor receiver of
the headrest further includes a second lock strip coupled to the
shell-rigidifying plate to extend along an edge of the second
belt-travel channel of the shell-rigidifying plate and formed to
include several tab-receiving notches sized to receive therein a
tab included in a movable second anchor included in the anchor
receiver of the headrest support upon movement of the movable
second anchor to an extended position and the tab-receiving notches
formed in the second lock strip open toward the second shoulder
belt.
15. The child restraint of claim 14, wherein the shell-rigidifying
plate includes top and bottom panels arranged to lie in
spaced-apart relation to one another, a first side panel arranged
to interconnect the top and bottom panels and coupled to the first
lock strip, a second side panel arranged to interconnect the top
and bottom panels and coupled to the second lock strip, and a
middle panel arranged to interconnect the top and bottom panels and
to cooperate with the first side panel to define the first shoulder
belt-travel channel of the shell-rigidifying plate therebetween and
to cooperate with the second side panel to define the second
shoulder belt-travel channel of the shell-rigidifying plate
therebetween.
16. The child restraint of claim 14, wherein the first and second
lock strips of the anchor receiver of the headrest support are
arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to cause the tab-receiving
notches of the second lock strip to open toward the tab-receiving
notches of the first lock strip.
17. The child restraint of claim 14, wherein the first and second
shoulder belt-travel channels of the shell-rigidifying plate are
arranged to lie between the first and second lock strips.
18. The child restraint of claim 1, wherein the seat shell includes
a seat bottom and a seat back extending upwardly from the seat
bottom and the shell-rigidifying plate is coupled to the seat back
and the headrest-height controller includes a slidable cradle
retainer coupled to the head cradle to move therewith during
up-and-down movement of the movable headrest and arranged to slide
on the shell-rigidifying plate without contacting the seat back
during up-and-down movement of the movable headrest on the
shell-rigidifying plate.
19. The child restraint of claim 17, wherein a first load-transfer
flange included in the slidable cradle retainer is arranged to
engage and slide on a companion first load-receiver rail included
in the shell-rigidifying plate during up-and-down movement of the
movable headrest relative to the seat back.
20. The child restraint of claim 18, wherein a second load-transfer
flange included in the slidable cradle retainer is arranged to
engage and slide on a companion second load-receiver rail included
in the shell-rigidifying plate during up-and-down movement of the
movable headrest relative to the seat back.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure relates to child restraints, and in
particular, to juvenile seats for use on passenger seats in
vehicles. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to
rigidifying structures included in juvenile seats.
SUMMARY
[0002] According to the present disclosure, a child restraint
includes a juvenile seat and a child-restraint harness coupled to
the juvenile seat. The juvenile seat includes a seat bottom and a
seat back extending upwardly from the seat bottom.
[0003] In illustrative embodiments, the seat shell is configured to
provide an infant carrier. The child restraint further includes a
carrying handle mounted on the seat shell for pivotable movement
about a horizontal pivot axis. The seat bottom and seat back
cooperate to form the seat shell in an illustrative embodiment.
[0004] In illustrative embodiments, the child restraint further
includes a headrest mounted for up-and-down movement relative to
the seat back between a highest position and a lowest position to
accommodate children of different ages and sizes in the seat shell.
The movable headrest is also coupled to the child-restraint harness
so that shoulder belts included in the child-restraint harness move
up and down relative to the seat bottom as the movable headrest
moves up and down on the seat back.
[0005] The child restraint also includes a headrest support coupled
to the seat shell in an illustrative embodiment. The headrest
support includes a shell-rigidifying plate that is coupled to the
seat back to rigidify the seat shell and formed to include two
side-by-side shoulder belt travel channels. The headrest support
also includes an anchor receiver coupled to the shell-rigidifying
plate. The anchor receiver is formed to mate with a movable anchor
included in the movable headrest to lock the movable headrest in
one of several predetermined positions on the shell-rigidifying
plate to establish the height of the movable headrest relative to
the seat bottom.
[0006] The shell-rigidifying plate is made of a sturdy material and
coupled to the seat back to rigidify the seat shell. The movable
headrest is arranged to be moved up and down by a caregiver on the
shell-rigidifying plate of the head support to change the height of
the movable headrest. A first load-transfer flange included in the
movable headrest is arranged to engage and slide on a companion
first load-receiver rail included in the shell-rigidifying plate
during up-and-down movement of the movable headrest relative to the
seat back. In illustrative embodiments, a second load-transfer
flange included in the movable headrest is arranged to engage and
slide on a companion second load-receiver rail included in the
shell-rigidifying plate during up-and-down movement of the movable
headrest relative to the seat back.
[0007] In illustrative embodiments, the movable headrest includes a
head cradle located on a front side of the seat back above the seat
bottom to receive the head of a child seated in the juvenile seat.
The movable headrest also includes a headrest-height controller
located on an opposite back side of the seat back.
[0008] The headrest-height controller is formed to include a
slidable cradle retainer mounted for up-and-down sliding movement
on the shell-rigidifying plate and a cradle-motion blocker mounted
on the slidable cradle retainer to move therewith. The slidable
cradle retainer is coupled to the head cradle to move with the
movable headrest during up-and-down movement of the movable
headrest on the shell-rigidifying plate and to tether the head
cradle to the shell-rigidifying plate during up-and-down movement
of the head cradle. The cradle-motion blocker includes a movable
anchor that is arranged normally to engage the anchor receiver to
lock the movable headrest to the headrest support in one of several
available positions to establish a stationary height of the movable
headrest relative to the seat bottom. A caregiver can move the
movable anchor to disengage the anchor receiver included in the
headrest support to free the movable headrest for up-and-down
movement relative to the headrest support and the seat back.
[0009] The slidable cradle retainer is formed to include the first
and second load-transfer flanges and is coupled to the first and
second shoulder belts. The slidable cradle retainer is configured
to provide means for transferring loads (applied by the first and
second shoulder belts to the slidable cradle retainer in response
to movement of the seated child relative to the juvenile seat to
tension the first and second shoulder belts during exposure of a
vehicle carrying the juvenile seat to an external impact) to the
shell-rigidifying plate via two load-transfer paths established by
mating engagement of the first and second load-transfer flanges on
the slidable cradle retainer and the companion first and second
load-receiver rails included in the shell-rigidifying plate that is
mounted on the seat back of the seat shell.
[0010] Additional features of the present disclosure will become
apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of
illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out
the disclosure as presently perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The detailed description particularly refers to the
accompanying figures in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a child restraint in
accordance with the present disclosure for use on a passenger seat
in a vehicle, with portions of a fabric covering broken away,
showing a seat shell and a head cradle of a movable headrest also
included in the child restraint and mounted for up-and-down
movement relative to a seat back of the seat shell and suggesting
that a headrest-height controller also included in the movable
headrest (1) is coupled to the head cradle to move therewith
relative to a shell-rigidifying plate that is coupled to a seat
back of the seat shell and (2) can be operated by a caregiver to
allow the movable headrest to be moved between a highest position
shown, for example, in FIG. 3 and a lowest position shown, for
example, in FIG. 4;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the child restraint of
FIG. 1 (after a carrying handle also included in the child
restraint has been pivoted to an upwardly extending position)
showing a headrest-height controller located under the head cradle
and below the seat back so that it can be accessed and operated by
a caregiver to free the movable headrest so that it can be moved up
or down relative to the seat back to a new position;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the child restraint of
FIG. 1 showing the head cradle of the movable headrest in a highest
position relative to the seat shell;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, with portions of the
seat shell broken away, showing the head cradle of the movable
headrest in a lowest position relative to the seat shell;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the child restraint of FIGS. 1-4
showing a top portion of the head cradle that is visible above an
upper edge of the seat back of the seat shell;
[0017] FIG. 6A is an exploded perspective assembly view showing
many of the components included in the child restraint of FIG. 1
and showing (from right to left) a head cradle included in the
movable headrest and formed to include two angled belt-receiver
slots, a headrest support including a shell-rigidifying plate
formed to include two side-by-side shoulder belt-travel channels
and an anchor receiver including a pair of lock strips arranged to
extend along outboard edges of the belt-travel channels and include
five tab-receiving notches each, a seat shell having a seat bottom
and a seat back formed to include two side-by-side shoulder
belt-travel channels, a pivotable carrying handle coupled to the
seat shell, a headrest-height controller including (from bottom to
top) a slidable cradle retainer adapted to mate with the head
cradle to form the movable headrest and to move with the head
cradle relative to the shell-rigidifying plate and a cradle-motion
blocker including first and second movable anchors configured to
(1) move on the slidable cradle retainer away from one another to
engage notches formed in the first and second lock strips coupled
to the shell-rigidifying plate to anchor the movable headrest in a
selected stationary position on the shell-rigidifying plate as
suggested in FIG. 10 and to (2) move on the slidable cradle
retainer toward one another to disengage the notches formed in the
first and second lock strips and thus free the movable headrest to
be moved by a caregiver up and down on the shell-rigidifying plate
to a new position as suggested in FIG. 11 and a coiled
anchor-biasing spring for each of the first and second movable
anchors;
[0018] FIG. 6B is another exploded perspective assembly view of the
components shown in FIG. 6A taken from another point of view;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the movable headrest
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and made using components shown in FIG. 6A
in a position separated from the shell-rigidifying plate that is
coupled to the seat back of the seat shell as suggested in FIG. 6A
showing that a headrest-height controller including a slidable
cradle retainer and a cradle-motion blocker is coupled to a rear
face of a head cradle to establish an illustrative movable headrest
in accordance with the present disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 8 is an exploded assembly view showing the
shell-rigidifying plate of the headrest support in a position
separated from the seat shell and suggesting that the slidable
cradle retainer and a cradle-motion blocker comprising the movable
anchors and anchor-biasing springs can be mounted on a rear face of
the head cradle to locate the shell-rigidifying plate therebetween
and to form the movable headrest shown in FIG. 7;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the child restraint of
FIG. 1 showing that the headrest-height controller included in the
movable headrest is accessible by a caregiver after the movable
headrest has been mounted on the shell-rigidifying plate coupled to
the seat shell;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2
showing each of the movable anchors included in the cradle-motion
blocker biased in opposite outward directions by the anchor-biasing
springs to cause a tab included in each movable anchor to extend
into a companion tab-receiving notch formed in one of the lock
strips included in the headrest-height positioner coupled to the
shell-rigidifying plate to establish a stationary position of the
movable headrest;
[0023] FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing inward movement
of the movable anchors toward one another in response to
application of squeezing forces by a caregiver to withdraw the tabs
included in the movable anchors from the companion tab-receiving
notches formed in the lock strips coupled to the shell-rigidifying
plate to establish an unlocked and movable position of the movable
headrest; and
[0024] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a child restraint system
showing an infant carrier that is adapted to mate either with a
base adapted to set on a passenger seat in a vehicle or with a
stroller frame.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] A child restraint 10 includes a seat shell 12, a headrest
support 16 including a shell-rigidifying plate 18 coupled to seat
shell 12 and an anchor receiver 19 coupled to shell-rigidifying
plate 18, and a movable headrest 20 including a head cradle 21 and
a headrest-height controller 22 as suggested in FIGS. 1, 6A, and
6B. Headrest 20 is movable at the option of a caregiver between a
highest position shown, for example, in FIG. 3 and a lowest
position shown, for example, in FIG. 4 to change the height of the
movable headrest to accommodate children of different ages and
sizes by manual operation of a squeeze-actuated cradle-motion
blocker 40 included in headrest-height controller 22.
[0026] Headrest-height controller 22 includes a slidable cradle
retainer 30 that is mounted to slide up and down on
shell-rigidifying plate 18 as suggested diagrammatically in FIG. 1
(see double arrow 300) and illustratively in FIG. 8.
Headrest-height controller 22 also includes a cradle-motion blocker
40 that is coupled to slidable cradle retainer 30 to move therewith
and is configured to include a first movable anchor 41 as suggested
diagrammatically in FIG. 1 and illustratively in FIGS. 6A, 10, and
11. First movable anchor 41 is normally spring-biased to engage
anchor receiver 19 in headrest support 16 as suggested
diagrammatically in FIG. 1 (see double arrow 410) and
illustratively in FIG. 10 to lock movable headrest 18 in a selected
stationary position on shell-rigidifying plate 18 of headrest
support 16 to establish the height of movable headrest 18 relative
to seat bottom 13 of seat shell 12. A caregiver can operate
cradle-motion blocker 40 to disengage first movable anchor 41 as
suggested diagrammatically in FIG. 1 (see double arrow 410) and
illustratively in FIG. 11 from anchor receiver 19 in headrest
support 16 to unlock and free movable headrest 20 for up-and-down
movement relative to seat back 14.
[0027] Seat shell 12 includes a seat bottom 13 and a seat back 14
extending upwardly from seat bottom 13 as suggested in FIGS. 1 and
6B. Seat bottom and back 13, 14 cooperate to form a child-receiving
region 15 as suggested in FIG. 1. Seat back 14 is formed to include
first and second shoulder belt-travel channels 141, 142 as
suggested in FIGS. 6A and 6B. Seat shell 12 is made of a first
plastics material such as polypropylene in an illustrative
embodiment.
[0028] Movable headrest 20 is mounted for up-and-down movement
relative to seat back 14 of seat shell 12 as suggested in FIGS. 3
and 4 in FIG. 9. Movable headrest 20 includes a head cradle 21 and
a headrest-height controller 22 coupled to head cradle 21 as
suggested in FIG. 8 for up-and-down movement with head cradle 21
relative to shell-rigidifying plate 18 coupled to seat back 14. In
illustrative embodiments, headrest-height controller 22 includes a
slidable cradle retainer 30 configured to slide on
shell-rigidifying plate 18 during up-and-down movement of movable
headrest 20 relative to seat back 14 of seat shell 12 and a
cradle-motion blocker 40 including spring-biased first and second
movable anchors 41, 42. First and second movable anchors 41, 42 are
normally urged by springs 41S, 42S to move away from one another to
engage anchor receiver 19 and lock movable headrest 18 in a
stationary position on seat back 14. First and second movable
anchors 41, 42 can be moved toward one another by a caregiver to
compress springs 41S, 42S to cause movable anchors 41, 42 to
disengage anchor receiver 19 included in headrest support 16 and
free movable headrest 18 to be moved up and down on seat back 14 of
seat shell 12 to change the height of movable headrest 18.
[0029] Headrest support 16 includes a stationary shell-rigidifying
plate 18 and an anchor receiver 18 comprising first and second lock
strips 191 and 192 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 8.
Shell-rigidifying plate 18 is made of a rigid material.
Shell-rigidifying plate 18 is coupled to seat back 14 to rigidify
seat shell 12. Each lock strip 191, 192 is coupled to
shell-rigidifying plate 18 as suggested in FIG. 8. Each lock strip
191, 192 is formed to include a series of tab-receiving notches 19N
sized and located to receive therein a tab included in one of
movable anchors 41, 42 to lock movable headrest 20 in a selected
stationary position on headrest support 16 so that a desired height
of movable headrest 20 relative to seat bottom 13 is established by
the caregiver. To unlock movable headrest 20 so that it can be
moved up or down relative to seat bottom 13 to assume a new
position and change the headrest height, a caregiver applies a
squeezing force to move the spring-biased first and second movable
anchors 41, 42 toward one another to retract the anchor tabs from
the tab-receiving notches 19N formed in lock strips 191, 192 and
then raises or lowers movable headrest 20 relative to seat bottom
13 of seat shell 12 to assume the desired height.
[0030] Shell-rigidifying plate 18 of headrest support 16 is formed
to include two side-by-side shoulder belt-travel channels 181, 182
as shown, for example, in FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 8. When
shell-rigidifying plate 18 is coupled to seat back 14, first
shoulder belt-travel channel 181 formed in shell-rigidifying plate
18 is aligned to communicate with first shoulder belt-travel
channel 141 formed in seat back 14 and second shoulder belt-travel
channel 182 formed in shell-rigidifying plate 18 is aligned to
communicate with second shoulder belt-travel channel 142 formed in
seat back 14 as suggested in FIG. 6A.
[0031] Shell-rigidifying plate 18 is coupled to seat back 14 to
rigidify seat back 14 and seat shell 12 as suggested in FIGS. 6A
and 6B. Seat back 14 is formed to include one upper fastener mount
100 and two lower fastener mounts 101, 102 as shown in FIG. 6A.
First lower fastener mount 101 is located below first shoulder
belt-travel channel 141 and second lower fastener mount 102 is
located below second shoulder belt-travel channel 142 as shown in
FIGS. 6A and 6B. Upper fastener mount 100 is formed in an upper end
of a middle strip 143 included in seat back 14 and located between
first and second shoulder belt-travel channels 141, 142 as
suggested in FIG. 6B.
[0032] Shell-rigidifying plate 18 includes a sheet 184 and fastener
means 180, 181, 182 coupled to sheet 184 for engaging fastener
mounts 100, 101, 102 formed in seat back 14 to hold
shell-rigidifying plate 18 in a stationary position on seat back 14
between head cradle 21 and cradle-motion blocker 40 as suggested in
FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 9. In an illustrative embodiment, three separate
snap-actuated fasteners 180, 181, 182 cooperate to define the
fastener means coupled to sheet 184.
[0033] Shell-rigidifying plate 18 also includes first and second
load-receiver rails 161, 162 coupled to sheet 184 as suggested in
FIG. 8 and arranged to engage slidable cradle retainer 30 to
support slidable cradle retainer 30 for sliding movement on
shell-rigidifying plate 18 away from sheet 184. First and second
load-receiver rails 161, 162 are arranged to lie in spaced-apart
relation to one another to support slidable cradle retainer 30 for
movement above and away from sheet 184.
[0034] Sheet 184 of shell-rigidifying panel 18 includes top and
bottom panels 184T, 184B arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation
to one another as suggested in FIGS. 6A and 8. Sheet 184 also
includes a first side panel 1841 arranged to interconnect top and
bottom panels 184T, 184B and coupled to first lock strip 191 of
anchor receiver 19. Sheet 184 further includes a second side panel
1842 arranged to interconnect top and bottom panels 184T, 184B and
coupled to second lock strip 192. A middle panel 184M is included
in sheet 184 and arranged to interconnect top and bottom channels
184T, 184B. Middle panel 184M cooperates with first side panel 1841
to define a first shoulder belt-travel channel 241 therebetween.
Middle panel 184M also cooperates with second side panel 1842 to
define a second shoulder belt-travel channel 242 therebetween. When
shell-rigidifying plate 18 is coupled to seat back 14, middle panel
184M mates with middle strip 143 while first shoulder belt-travel
channels 141, 241 are aligned in communication with one another and
second shoulder belt-travel channels 142, 242 are aligned in
communication with one another as suggested in FIGS. 6A and 6B.
[0035] Anchor receiver 19 of headrest support 16 includes first and
second lock strips 191, 192 as suggested in FIG. 8. First and
second lock strips 191, 192 are arranged to lie in spaced-apart
parallel relation to one another as shown, for example, in FIG.
8.
[0036] First lock strip 191 is coupled to first side panel 1841 of
sheet 184 of shell-rigidifying plate 18 to extend along an edge of
first shoulder belt-travel channel 241. First lock strip 191 is
formed to include several tab-receiving notches 19N sized to
receive therein a tab 41T included in movable first anchor 41 of
cradle-motion blocker 40 upon movement of movable first anchor 41
from a retracted position shown in FIG. 11 to an extended position
shown in FIG. 10 to block movement of movable headrest 20 relative
to seat shell 12.
[0037] Second lock strip 192 is coupled to second side panel 1842
of sheet 184 of shell-rigidifying plate 18 to extend along one edge
of second shoulder belt-travel channel 242. Second lock strip 192
is formed to include several tab-receiving notches 19N sized to
receive a tab 42T included in movable second anchor 42 of
cradle-motion blocker 40 upon movement of movable second anchor 42
from a retracted position shown in FIG. 11 to an extended position
shown in FIG. 10.
[0038] As suggested in FIG. 8, first and second lock strips 191,
192 are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to cause the
tab-receiving notches 19N of second lock strip 192 to open toward
the tab-receiving notches 19N of the first lock strip 191. First
and second shoulder belt-travel channels 241, 242 of
shell-rigidifying plate 18 are arranged to lie between first and
second lock strips 191, 192.
[0039] Head cradle 21 is formed to include a first shoulder
belt-receiver slot 211 that is aligned to remain in communication
with first shoulder belt-travel channel 241 formed in
shell-rigidifying plate 18 and with first shoulder belt-travel
channel 141 formed in seat back 14 during up-and-down movement of
movable headrest 20. Head cradle 21 is also formed to include a
second shoulder belt-receiver slot 212 that is aligned to remain in
communication with second shoulder belt-travel channel 242 formed
in shell-rigidifying plate 18 and with second shoulder belt-travel
channel 142 formed in seat back 14 during up-and-down movement of
movable headrest 20.
[0040] Child restraint 10 also includes a child-restraint harness
15 comprising first and second s shoulder belts 151, 152 as
suggested in FIG. 1. First shoulder belt 151 passes through first
shoulder belt-receiver slot 211 formed in head cradle 21 and the
first shoulder belt-travel channels 141, 241 formed in seat back 14
and shell-rigidifying plate 18. Second shoulder belt 152 passes
through second shoulder belt-receiver slot 212 formed in head
cradle 21 and the second shoulder belt-travel channels 142, 242
formed in seat back 14 and shell-rigidifying plate 18.
[0041] Movable headrest 20 is arranged to be moved up and down by a
caregiver on shell-rigidifying plate 18 of head support 16 to
change the height of movable headrest 20. A first load-transfer
flange 301 included in slidable cradle retainer 30 of movable
headrest 20 is arranged to engage and slide on a rigid companion
first load-receiver rail 161 included in shell-rigidifying plate 18
of head support 16 during up-and-down movement of movable headrest
20 relative to seat back 14 as suggested in FIGS. 8, 10, and 11. A
second load-transfer flange 302 included in slidable cradle
retainer 30 of movable headrest 20 is arranged to engage and slide
on a rigid companion second load-receiver rail 162 included in
shell-rigidifying plate 18 of head support 16 during up-and-down
movement of movable headrest 20 relative to seat back 14.
Shell-rigidifying plate 18 and its rigid load-receiver rails are
made of a rigid plastics material such as fiberglass-filled nylon
in an illustrative embodiment.
[0042] In illustrative embodiments, loads applied to movable
headrest 28 during exposure of a vehicle carrying child restraint
to an external impact are transferred to shell-rigidifying plate 18
that is coupled to seat shell 12 owing to mating engagement of
movable headrest 20 and shell-rigidifying plate 18 in accordance
with the present disclosure. Movable headrest 20 is configured to
provide means for (1) engaging child-restraint harness 15 to
receive a load applied to shoulder belts 151, 152 in
child-restraint harness 15 by a seated child seated and restrained
on seat bottom 13 of seat shell 12 during movement of the seated
child relative to seat shell 12 in response to a sudden stop of a
moving vehicle carrying seat shell 12 and (2) transferring the load
from movable headrest 20 to shell-rigidifying plate 18 coupled to
seat shell 12. In illustrative embodiments, that load is
transferred via a first load-transfer path established by mating
engagement of first load-transfer flange 301 included in movable
headrest 20 and the rigid companion first load-receiver rail 161
included in shell-rigidifying plate 18 coupled to seat back 14 and
via a second load-transfer path established by mating engagement of
second load-transfer flange 302 included in movable headrest 20 and
the rigid companion second load-receiver rail 162 included in
shell-rigidifying plate 18.
* * * * *