U.S. patent application number 13/518498 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-08 for booster seat.
This patent application is currently assigned to BOOSTAPAK LIMITED. Invention is credited to Derrick Barker.
Application Number | 20120280553 13/518498 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44991238 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120280553 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Barker; Derrick |
November 8, 2012 |
Booster Seat
Abstract
A booster seat includes a seating element which defines an outer
seating surface, and a substantially hollow inner region with an
opening through which access to the inner region is enabled. At
least one seat belt engagement element is mounted on the seating
element, rotatable between a deployed position in which the or each
element is adapted for releasable engagement with a seat belt, and
a stowed position in which the or each element is located above the
outer seating surface of the seating element, so as to provide an
uneven and unacceptable surface for sitting such that a user would
be encouraged to deploy the seat belt engagement elements.
Inventors: |
Barker; Derrick;
(Worcestershire, GB) |
Assignee: |
BOOSTAPAK LIMITED
Bristol
GB
|
Family ID: |
44991238 |
Appl. No.: |
13/518498 |
Filed: |
May 20, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
May 20, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2010/000501 |
371 Date: |
July 25, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/452.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/2803 20130101;
B60N 2002/2896 20130101; B60N 2/2866 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/452.1 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/02 20060101
A47C007/02 |
Claims
1. Seating apparatus comprising: a seating element defining an
outer seating surface, and defining a substantially hollow inner
region which is bounded on one side by an inner surface of the
seating element and on another side by an opening through which
access to the inner region is enabled; at least one seat belt
engagement element mounted on the seating element, and rotatable
between a deployed position in which the at least one seat belt
engagement element is adapted for releasable engagement with a seat
belt, and a stowed position in which the at least one seat belt
engagement element is located adjacent the outer seating surface of
the seating element, so as to provide an irregular outer
surface.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least on seat
belt engagement element is releasably lockable in the deployed
position.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer seating
surface is substantially continuous, and the irregular outer
surface is discontinuous.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer seating
surface is substantially smooth.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an outer
layer of flexible covering material, arranged to encapsulate the
seating element.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim further comprising an outer layer
of flexible covering material, arranged to encapsule to the seating
element, and a cover element located between the outer layer and
the seating element.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality
of strengthening ribs which extend from the inner surface of the
seating element into the hollow region.
8. Seating apparatus comprising: a seating element defining an
outer seating surface, and defining a substantially hollow inner
region, which is bounded on one side by an inner surface of the
seating element, and on another side by an opening through which
access to the inner region is enabled; at least one seat belt
engagement element mounted on the seating element, and rotatable
between a deployed position in which the at least one seat belt
engagement element is adapted for releasable engagement with a seat
belt, and a stowed position, wherein the at least one seat belt
engagement seat belt engagement element is releasably lockable in
the deployed position.
Description
[0001] The Invention describes improvements and developments made
to a child car booster seat known and described in patent document
WO2006030243.
[0002] The known design is a combination solution being on the one
hand a backpack and on the other hand a child booster seat.
[0003] The known design has seat belt guide elements which are
moveable between a stowed condition and a deployed condition.
[0004] Most critical to function as a child booster seat is
ensuring the seat belt guides are deployed.
[0005] A further development of the invention is that the seat belt
guides stow above the top surface resulting in an uneven and
unacceptable surface for sitting such that a user would be
encouraged to deploy the seat belt guides.
[0006] By way of an alternative, an additional component can be
inserted within the cover material which makes the seating surface
unacceptable.
[0007] A further development and improvement is that the seat belt
guides when used in the deployed condition are lockable and secured
so that they cannot move during dynamic use.
[0008] Dynamic performance is critical to the safety function of
the booster seat.
[0009] As a further improvement there is added to the container
body a cover element comprising a single or series of panels which
can be separately applied or encapsulated within the covering
material.
[0010] A further improvement requires that the body of the booster
is substantially open in order to provide accessible and usable
space when used as a backpack. However, the body is also a
structural element when used as a booster seat so needing to be of
limited wall thickness and high strength.
[0011] The improvement describes a body element which comprises
substantially a smooth, contoured outer surface suitable for
sitting on and a ribbed structural inner surface required to resist
the deflection effects of the compression forces in dynamic
conditions.
[0012] FIG. 1 Shows the seat belt guide element in the stowed
condition above the seating surface
[0013] FIG. 2 Shows the seat belt guide elements in a locked
condition
[0014] FIG. 3 Shows the outer surface of the seat element
[0015] FIG. 4 Shows the inner surface of the seat element
[0016] A further development of the invention is that the seat belt
guides stow above the top surface resulting in an uneven and
unacceptable surface for sitting such that a user would be
encouraged to deploy the seat belt guides.
[0017] By way of an alternative, an additional component can be
inserted within the cover material which makes the seating surface
unacceptable.
[0018] A further development and improvement is that the seat belt
guides when used in the deployed condition are lockable and secured
so that they cannot move during dynamic use.
[0019] Dynamic performance is critical to the safety function of
the booster seat.
[0020] As a further improvement there is added to the container
body a cover element comprising a single or series of panels which
can be separately applied or encapsulated within the covering
material.
[0021] A further improvement requires that the body of the booster
is substantially open in order to provide accessible and usable
space when used as a backpack. However, the body is also a
structural element when used as a booster seat so needing to be of
limited wall thickness and high strength.
[0022] The improvement describes a body element which comprises
substantially a smooth, contoured outer surface suitable for
sitting on and a ribbed structural inner surface required to resist
the deflection effects of the compression forces in dynamic
conditions.
[0023] The following statement sets out certain preferred features
and characteristics of the Invention.
[0024] The movable seat belt guide elements adopt a stowed position
above the main seat surface resulting in an irregular surface.
[0025] The covering material enveloping the structural element has
encapsulated with the covering material and element creating an
irregular surface and which is removable for use of the seating
surface.
[0026] The movable seat belt guide elements when in the deployed
position are lockable.
[0027] The structural seating element within the covering
incorporates a contours but essentially smooth surface on the
outside and upper side and essentially a ribbed and structures
surface on the inside and underside.
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