GB2429401A

GB2429401A - Child car seat with base and wheeled support

Info

Publication number: GB2429401A
Application number: GB0517426A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Emily Pettifer
Original assignee: ABS COMTECH Ltd
Current assignee: ABS COMTECH Ltd
Priority date: 2005-08-25
Filing date: 2005-08-25
Publication date: 2007-02-28
Anticipated expiration: 2025-08-25
Also published as: GB2429401B; GB0517426D0

Abstract

A child car seat (9) comprising a generally spherical or ovoid shell (10) with an opening (11) through which a child may be located within the shell. When located in the shell, the child is orientated parallel to a main axis of the shell, that axis running from opposite ends (14, 15) of the shell. An elongate carrying handle (12) is connected to the ends of the shell and runs generally in the plane of the main axis. Support feet (20) project from the underside of the shell, and these are used to stably support the shell on the ground and to mount the shell in mounting means (30) securely restrained within a vehicle when required. A wheeled frame (40) which may be a stroller or buggy may be attached connected to the base. The carrying handle (12) may be padded and may be detachable from the shell. The shell may be made of carbon fibre. In a second embodiment the seat may be fitted with indicator to detect if the child seat is correctly fitted to the vehicle seat. The indicator may provide an audible or visual signal.

Description

Child Car Seat The present invention relates to a child seat for a

vehicle, and to a child seat incorporating a device to monitor the correct attachment of that car seat to a vehicle seat.

There are generally available a wide range of seats for infants and children that are adapted to locate within vehicles such as (but not limited to) cars, coaches, busses etc. As used herein the term "child seat(s)" refers to all such infant or child restraining seats. These child seats generally are fixed onto a normal seat located within a vehicle and are anchored to the vehicle using the vehicle seat's safety belt or other fixing mechanisms such as the ISO-FIX system wherein catches on the child seat are releasably engaged with anchor points permanently attached to the vehicle frame or chassis. A child (which term as used herein incorporates babies, infants, toddlers and larger children) is then held into the child seat by a harness provided on the child seat or by the vehicles seat's safety belt in combination with the child seat.

The present invention is primarily, but not exclusively, directed toward smaller children, in particular those that are not yet walking, because these children are often carried in child seats that are removable from the vehicle and which may be carried by an adult with the child therein. These seats however have certain disadvantages relating to their safety and to their ability to be comfortably carried by a parent. With regard to safety, this type of car seat is not suited for attachment to the vehicle by means other than the vehicle's safety belts. Whilst this is quite easy, it does not provide the same degree of protection as is afforded by the ISO-FIX system that can be employ on other types of child seat. Also with regard to safety, whilst offering some protection in a collision, such car seats are not as safe as is generally perceived.

Such child seats for small children can be carried when out of the vehicle with the child therein. This is achieved by a handle that passes across the child perpendicularly and usually is pivotally moveable between two or more positions. The seat is usually carried with the handle at the uppermost or vertical position. Such carrying of the child seat is usually done to the side of an adult with the adult's arm hanging straight down. Even for strong adults this is uncomfortable because they will be unbalanced and the child seat tends to move inward toward the carrier's legs which are thereby obstructed.

It is an aim of the present invention to address these and other problems and to provide an improved child seat, and an improved child transportation system.

Therefore according to the present invention there is provided a car child seat comprising a generally spherical or ovoid shell with an opening through which a child may be located within the shell, the child lying when therein parallel to a main axis of the shell with that axis running from opposite ends of the shell, an elongate carrying handle connected to the ends of the shell and running parallel to the main axis, support feet projecting from the underside of the shell, by means of which the shell may be stably supported, and mounting means securely to restrain the seat within a vehicle when so required.

The mounting means preferably includes a base that is connected into a car, usually on a seat squab, and the support feet on the shell connect into appropriate formations on the base to selectively lock the shell to the base.

The base may be connected onto the vehicle seat by any suitable means, including ISO-FIX connection points and/or the vehicle's safety belt. The base would be provided with appropriate formations to permit such a connection method. For example ISO-FIX connection latches on the base could engage with anchor points on the vehicle. Such anchor points on the vehicle are usually located adjacent the junction of the horizontal and vertical elements of the seat.

The carrying handle may be curved, so that it extends over the opening in the shell, and has a profile that matches that of the generally spherical or ovoid shell. This ensures not only a visually pleasing appearance, but enhanced structural strength.

The carrying handle extends over the opening in the shell, and so dependant on the construction could obstruct the opening and hence the placing of a child therein or their removal therefrom. It is possible for the carrying handle to be selectively movable to a position whereat it does not obstruct the opening, without removing it from the shell. However it is preferred that it is selectively removable from the shell. This removable attachment can be achieved in a variety of ways known in the art, but it is preferred that the carrying handle has two ends, which two ends are provided with interlocking mechanisms that cooperate with appropriate mating formations on the shell. To increase comfort the handle may be padded in the region where a person would clasp to carry the shell. When connected to the shell the carrying handle is preferably substantially rigid and non-moveable.

The support feet are located on the lower side of the shell and are important in providing a mechanism for stable, secure and releasable attachment to the base. However in many situations they may also be important in supporting the shell on a surface such as a floor when the shell is to be put down outside a vehicle. Because child seats of this type are used to carry small children it is frequently necessary for the adult to put the child seat down with the child therein. As it is convenient in achieving both these objectives it is advantageous that there are three or more support feet in a non-linear arrangement.

It is preferred that the car seat has six support feet, arranged in two parallel rows of three. This permits the car seat to be stably supported at different angles on different combinations of these support feet. Different combinations of the support feet may be used to connect the shell to the base, or a wheeled frame, at different angles.

The support feet should be releasably interengageable with the base or a wheeled frame. This can be achieved in many suitable ways, known to those skilled in the art. These may conveniently include the provision of a catch surface on the support feet, which catch surface may locate behind cooperating latch mechanisms on the base or wheeled frame.

The seat, in appropriate embodiments, may serve the purpose of a pram, when removed from a car. A mobile support for the shell can be provided, for example in the form of a wheeled frame as hinted at above.

Such a wheeled frame, will either be adapted for direct attachment of the shell thereto, or may instead be adapted so that the base when removed from a vehicle may be connected to the wheeled frame and the shell may then be connected to the base in the same way as would occur in the vehicle.

Preferably the base is provided with a mechanism for attachment to a mobile support frame, e.g. the wheeled frame discussed above, so that it may be used as part of a push-chair arrangement with the shell connected thereto.

The shell is preferably predominantly formed from carbon fibre composite material. Such material offers a very high strength to weight ratio so that the shell may be made to withstand a significant impact such as may io occur in a car crash, without being so heavy as to prevent its normal use and carriage.

The correct engagement of the shell with the base is vital, both in the context of a push chair, and particularly when mounted in a vehicle. The present invention can even in simple embodiments provide a foolproof mechanism for attachment, where it is fairly clear, by for example movement of the shell, if the shell is correctly attached to the base. However, it is preferred that a connection indicator be further included, which indicator provides a clear signal when correct attachment has been achieved. This may take the form of a visual indicator that might change position or colour when engagement is achieved. Also it might include an audible signal that sounds to indicate attachment, or perhaps an audible alarm that sounds until connection is made. Such an audible alarm could be triggered to only start when a seat comes into proximity with the base.

According to the present invention there is also provided a child car set having an indicator that indicates correct attachment of that car seat to a vehicle.

Such a car seat may be directly attached to the car or may have a part that connects to the vehicle and the indicator monitors attachment of the seat to that part. The indicator may be visual, audible or otherwise, and may be mechanically, electrically or otherwise operated.

In order that it may be better understood the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to and as illustrated in the io accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the child holding shell of a car seat assembly according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the same embodiment of shell with the carrying handle attached; Figure 3 is a front view of the shell; Figure 4 is a rear view of the shell; Figure 5 is a side view of the shell connected to a base; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the upper side of the base; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the underside of the base; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a wheeled frame for carrying the base and shell; and Figure 9 is a side view of the shell and base mounted on the wheeled frame shown in Figure 8.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 4 there is shown a shell being a seat unit (generally indicated 9) according to the present invention comprising a hollow curved shell 10 that defines an interior 11, lined with comfort enhancing material, within which a child is seated and strapped in. Neither the child nor the straps are shown in these drawings, but the child would be paced with their head nearer an upper part of the interior and their feet nearer a lower part. A removable carrying handle 12 is attachable to the shell adjacent the peripheral edge 13 of the interior 11 between an opposed top connector 14 and a bottom connector 15. The carrying handle has male members 17 provided at its free ends and these releasably engage in co-operative female parts of the top and bottom connectors 14, 15. This releasable engagement, which is controlled by push buttons 18, allows a handle to be securely connected to the shell 10 when required but removed when appropriate such as for the mounting or removing a child from the seat.

Given the generally curved outer surface of the ovoid shell 10 it is not intrinsically stable placed upon a flat surface. Often such a shell would, however, need to be put down on a flat surface when a child is located therein. Further the shell must be connectable to the vehicle. Support legs 20 are provided on the lower and rear surfaces of the shell 10. As is best seen in Figure 4 these support legs are arranged in two rows of three, with the legs in pairs. Clearly alternative arrangements of support legs are possible and fall within the scope of the invention. As can be seen in Figure 2, when not mounted in a vehicle the shell 10 may be stood upon a surface using two adjacent pairs of support legs 20 - which obviously provide four legs in total.

Figure 5 shows a side view of the seat 9 connected to a base unit generally indicated 30. The base unit is located on a seat squab 29 and is connected to the vehicle using ISO-FIX couplings 28 (only part of which are shown). Figure 6 shows a generally perspective view of the base unit 30 from an upper side, and Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the base unit from the underside. As can be seen from these two Figures, the upper surface 31 of the base unit is generally concave to accommodate the curved profile of the shell 10. Arranged in two rows of three and extending through the upper surface 31 are circular apertures 32. The support legs 20 on the shell 10 engage into these circular apertures 32 and are releasably held therein by a latch mechanism (not visible). The latch mechanism can be selectively released when the shell is to be removed from the base unit by pushing io release button 33. The angle at which the shell may be connected to the base unit 30 can be varied by connecting different combinations of support legs 20 to different apertures 32. For example, if all six support legs are engaged in all six circular apertures 32 a first position can be achieved. By moving the each pair of support legs in either direction by one or more interval alternative angles can be achieved while still having secure fixing to the base 30. The ISO-FIX couplings 28 are omitted for convenience from Figures 6 and 7 On either side of the base unit 30 there is one of a pair of pivotable arms 35. When the base unit is connected to a car seat these pivotable arms are rotated about their connection point 36 to lie generally adjacent the sides of the base unit 30 so they are out of the way. As is discussed in more detail below, the arms may be pivoted to a use position when the base unit 30 forms part of a pram assembly. On the underside of the base unit, as best shown in Figure 7, there are four holes 37. These holes are again for use when the base forms part of a pram assembly.

In normal use, as a child's car seat, the base unit is connected to a vehicle and the underside 38 of the base unit rests upon the vehicle's seat squab 29 and is securely connected to the vehicle by the ISO-FIX couplings 28. The connection alternatively or additionally may be achieved by inter- engagement with the vehicle's safety restraining belt, in which case appropriate formations on the base unit would need to be provided for engagement with the webbing strap of that belt. However, it is preferred, due to the high strength and secure mechanism attachment, that the base unit is connected to a vehicle using the so-called ISO-FIX system. In this system, catch arms (such as those partially shown in Figure 5 numbered 28) would be provided on a rearward facing side of the base unit. These catch arms would engage with anchor points (not shown) on the vehicle chassis. When suitably fixed into the vehicle, the base unit 30 may remain there for as long as is required, possibly permanently. However, as discussed below, it may be removed for the formation of a pram assembly.

A child seated within the shell 10 may be carried by an adult using the carrying handle 12 connected to the shell 10. The shell may be located over the base unit 30 and an appropriate selection of support legs 20 may be inserted into the circular apertures 32 to engage with the latch mechanism(s).

As mentioned above, appropriate selection of which support legs to insert into which circular apertures can be used to control the angle and orientation of the shell with respect to the base. When so connected, the shell is rigidly held on the base and the child strapped within the interior 11 is suitable restrained and has increased protection from impact. The carrying handle 12 may be removed from the shell by releasing the top and bottom connectors 14 and 15, - 10- or the handle may remain in place to provide increased protection in the event of an accident.

When a vehicle reaches its destination the release button 33 may be pressed and the shell lifted from the base unit 30 by the carrying handle 12.

The shell, and the child therein, may then be carried by an adult in a convenient and comfortable way. The axial arrangement of the handle from top to bottom of the shell, which is equivalent to head to foot of the child, provides a more natural carrying style and reduces the width of the car seat compared to prior art designs where the handles pass transversely. This io reduces the discomfort of the shell brushing against or impeding a carriers legs.

Figure 8 shows a three-dimensional view of a three-wheeled support frame generally indicated 40. The support frame 40 has three rotatably mounted wheels 41 that are carried on a folding framework. This may comprise structural members usually formed from tubular metal bars. The structural members of the support frame 40 include four upwardly projecting elements 43 at the top thereof. These upwardly projecting elements 43 are adapted to engage in the holes 37 formed on the underside of the base unit so that the base unit 30 may be mounted thereon. The base unit 30, when removed from a vehicle, can be connected onto the support frame 40 by engaging the upwardly projecting elements 43 into the holes 37. If necessary, releasable connection means (not shown) to hold these parts together may also be provided. The shell 10 may then be connected to the base unit 30 by a mechanism equivalent to that which occurs when mounting the seat to the base unit in a car. The pivoting arms 35 may then be rotated about their -11 - connection points 36 so that they are in a position to act as rearward facing handles. The outer end of the pivotable arms 35 are each provided with female couplings 45. These female couplings 45 are adapted to interconnect with the male members 17 at the end of the carrying handle 12. In this way, by removing the carrying handle 12 from the shell when mounted in a pram configuration such as shown in Figure 9, the carrying handle can be connected between the outer ends of the pivoting arms 35 to form a handle by which the entire pram assembly (generally indicated 50) may be pushed.

As discussed earlier, it may be advantageous to provide a mechanism by which the correct attachment of the shell to the base can be monitored and incorrect connection indicated to the adult. Such a mechanism, whilst not shown in the drawings, could include electronic or mechanical means that operate a visual or audible signal dependent upon the engagement of the legs into the apertures 32 and with the latch mechanism. - 12-

Claims

1. A child car seat comprising a generally spherical or ovoid shell with an opening through which a child may be located within the shell, the child orientated when therein parallel to a main axis of the shell, that axis running from opposite ends of the shell, an elongate carrying handle connected to the ends of the shell and running generally in the plane of the main axis, support feet projecting from the underside of the shell, by means of which the shell may be stably supported, and mounting means securely to restrain the seat io within a vehicle when so required.

2. A child car seat as claimed in claim I wherein the mounting means includes a base that is connected into a car, and the support feet connect into appropriate formations on the base to lock the shell to the base.

3. A child car seat as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein a wheeled frame is further provided and the shell may be connected thereto.

4. A child car seat as claimed in claim 3, wherein the shell is connected to the wheeled frame directly, of through the mounting means, using the support feet.

5. A child car seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the carrying handle is curved, extends over the opening in the shell, and has a profile that matches that of the generally spherical or ovoid shell.

6. A child car seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein there are four or more support feet.

7. A child car seat as claimed in claim 6 wherein there are six support feet and the car seat may be stably supported at different angles on different combinations of these support feet.

8. A child car seat as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein different combinations of support feet may be used to connect the shell to the base or wheeled frame at different angles.

9. A child car seat as claimed in any of claims 2 to 8, the preceding claims wherein one or more support foot has a catch surface that locates behind a latch mechanism on the base or wheeled frame.

10. A child car seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the shell is predominantly formed from carbon fibre composite material.

11. A child car seat as claimed in any of claims 2 to 10, wherein the base is provided with a mechanism for attachment to a mobile support frame so that it may be used as part of a push-chair arrangement with the shell connected thereto.

12. A child car seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the carrying handle is removably attached to the shell.

13. A child car seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein the carrying handle has two ends, which ends are provided with interlocking mechanisms that cooperate with appropriate formations on the shell, for releasable connection of the handle thereto.

14. A child car seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the handle is padded to improve comfort and ease manual carriage of the car seat.

15. A child car seat as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein there is a provided an indicator to provide notification of the shell's correct connection to the vehicle seat.

16. A child car seat as claimed in claim I and substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

17. A child vehicle seat including a system to monitor correct attachment of that car seat to a vehicle, and an indicator that provides notification to an adult concerning that status of that attachment.

18. A child vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein the indicator io provides a visual or audible signal.