Protecting device for carrying children

The enveloping rigid shell (A), made in one piece, comprises a hood (2) protecting the head of the child, a bottom (1) forming a back or cradle, a seat (3), a gutter (4) for the legs, a movable foot rest in the gutter. To be appropriate for use as a baby carrier, straps for the horizontal transport are provided and for use as a push chair these straps allow in cooperation with a groove (37) the attachment onto a foldable carriage, with three attachment means onto the frame (B): two buckles (15) with ratchet mechanism of a same type of security belt on either side of the shell, a notch (20) into which a small tongue (33) from the base of the frame penetrates. The frame (B) of which the periphery is complementary to that of the shell (A) comprises anchoring means (34,36) onto a back of the seat of the vehicle and fixing means (18,33) for the rapid unhooking from the shell (A). It further comprises a protecting shield of flexible material arranged so as to receive the child in case of a shock.

The invention relates to means for carrying children notably inside motor 
vehicles, more particularly a protection device comprising a wrapping 
back-rest provided with a head-rest overlying a seat surrounded by 
upholstered sides, a foot-rest, the assembly being adapted to be secured 
by suitable means between the front and rear seats of a vehicle, against 
the back thereof. 
In this field, various prior art structures are known. 
The U.S. Pat. No. 1,380,678 to PRICE discloses a child armchair comprising 
a back-rest, arm-rests and a foot-rest mounted through hooking means to 
the back-rest of the front bench-seat and comprising leg means bearing on 
the floor of the vehicle. 
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,890,740 to LARSON relates to a child's seat comprising 
a foot-rest, means for hooking same to the backseat and vertically 
adjustable leg means. 
The U.S. Pat. No. 1,629,834 to MILLER discloses a child's seat detachable 
secured to the back-rest. 
The French Patent Application 76 27055 discloses a child's armchair for 
automobile, which comprises more particularly a back-rest provided with a 
head-rest, a device for maintaining the child against the back-rest, 
arm-rests, a foot-rest mounted for vertical adjustment on a rigid frame 
structure provided with leg means bearing on the floor of the automobile, 
said frame structure being held in position between the front and rear 
seats of the automobile by means for anchoring same to the back-rest of 
the front bench, characterized in that the distance between the back-rests 
of the armchair and the front bench is determined by the adjustable length 
of the armchair arm-rests. 
The inconveniences common to these constructions lie in the fact that the 
child's safety, in the event of a shock from the rear is not sufficient, 
on the one hand, and in that separating the seat from the means for 
anchoring same in the vehicle constitutes a tedious operation, on the 
other hand. 
The scope of the invention is to provide a protection device for the 
occupant which is both efficient with respect to shocks, irrespective of 
their direction, and self-contained so that it can be quickly removed from 
the vehicle without having to remove the child from its protection casing 
in which he can be transported also outside the vehicle. 
For this purpose, the device according to the invention is characterized by 
the fact that it consists of at least two separate elements provided with 
means for quickly uncoupling them from each other, one of said elements 
consisting of a rigid shell enveloping the child from head to feet, which 
comprises an open face of which the major portion of the periphery lies in 
a single plane substantially parallel to the solid bottom of the shell, 
said shell being a unitary structure comprising several sections, a hood, 
a bottom, a seat, a cradle for the legs in which a suspended foot-rest is 
slidably mounted, the other element being a rigid frame provided with 
means for securing same to the back-rest of the vehicle seat, means for 
quickly fastening the shell to the frame, means for holding the latter in 
a predetermined position in relation to said frame. 
The main advantageous features characterizing this device lie in the fact 
that the rigid shell protects the child from all shocks, both within the 
vehicle or when it is used as a cradle for transporting the child, and in 
the fact that fitting the shell in position in a car, as well as removing 
it therefrom, constitute easy and fast operations, without requiring the 
removal of the child from the shell in which he can ball asleep or at 
least feel comfortable and wriggle without any risk.

FIG. 1 affords the view of the two elements constituting the device 
according to the invention: 
The rigid shell A envelopping the child from head to feet, open on the side 
opposite the shell bottom 1, so as to constitute a receptacle for the 
child who can see in front and about him without any hindrance. 
The rigid frame B provided with means for fixing it to the back rest of a 
vehicle seat, for receiving said shell and holding same in a predetermined 
position in relation to the frame. 
The shell A, a unitary member like boat hulls, made of glass fabric 
impregnated with polymerized resin, is reinforced at the level of the 
child's head by carbon fibres. 
Several sections can be distinguished in this unitary shell: 
a hood 2 protecting the child's head, 
a back-rest forming bottom 1, 
a seat 3 on which the child is seated, 
a cradle 4 for the legs, 
a foot-rest 5 movable in the cradle. 
The shell sides 6 comprise a notch 7 defining the lower edge of the hood 2 
so that the child can see on both sides and does not feel as if he were 
enclosed in a case. 
FIGS. 2 and 3 show constructional details of the shell A duly provided with 
accessories which are an integral part of the device disclosed herein. 
The edges 8 of the shell lie in a common plane substantially parallel to 
the bottom 1, except for the edges 9 of notch 7. A protection bead 10 
lines said edges and assist in imparting a relative rigidity thereto, 
notably along the curved sections 11,12 of notch 7. These sections 11, 12 
are also reinforced with carbon fibres in order to increase the general 
strength of the hood which might be impaired by the notches 7 directed 
only to improve the child's comfort. 
These notches 7 are by no means essential and, due to the inconvenience 
they constitute with respect to the hood in relation to the shell assembly 
in case of shock from the rear, may be avoided. In other forms of 
embodiment, not shown, the notches are: 
either dispensed with so that the peripheral edges of the shell lie 
completely in a single common plane; 
or partially closed by one or more possibly detachable bars, 
or closed by a transparent plate also detachable to facilitate the ingress 
of the child into the shell. 
The shell A comprises several means affording different uses: 
hanging points 13,14 for a strap 15 whereby the shell A can be suspended to 
act as a transportable cradle or attached to a folding cart mounted on 
wheels to convert same into a perambulator, the fixing of the shell to the 
cart being completed by a groove 37 adapted to receive the cart wheel 
support; 
a pair of buckles 16 engageable by the hasps of safety belts of which a 
pair identical with the hasps 18 of the safety belts fitted on the car are 
secured to the frame B, so that by cooperating with a slit 20 provided in 
the bottom of cradle 4 and having its edge reinforced by a portion 21 of 
increased thickness they afford an easy positioning thereof to the rear 
face of a vehicle seat to which the frame B would have been fitted 
beforehand, and more particularly a likewise easy quick removal of the 
device from the vehicle, without having to disturb the child who in many 
cases will be asleep. 
The advantage resulting from this fixing system is extremely important from 
a safety point of view, notably in case of crash when the risk of fire is 
particularly high: the shell will protect the child against shocks, flames 
and, more particularly, when removing the child from the vehicle, it is 
recommended to leave the child in this protection receptacle. 
This transportable comfort also permits of leaving in position the frame B 
and even of fitting several frames in several cars to be used with the 
same shell A which is transferred from one frame to another as required. 
A pair of loop-shaped straps or handles 19 secured to the shell at the 
level of buckles 16 are provided for fixing the shell A flat to the rear 
seat when the child is too young to sit down, by causing the safety belt 
to pass through at least one strap 19. In this specific case, a protection 
net is attached to the edges of the shell so as to wrap up these edges and 
prevent the child from being ejected from the shell in case the car 
overturned. The materials used for making the shell and those utilized for 
coating or lining same both externally and internally are 
self-extinguishable. 
The foam material utilized for the many upholstered portions of the shell 
is also used for constituting the protection shield 17 disposed between 
the shell A and the frame B, against the rear face of the back-rest of a 
car seat. 
This foam material has a density of the order of 40 kg/cu.m., and is 
referred to as being of "firm quality", and is self-extinguishable in case 
of accidental ignition. 
The seat 3 is covered with a cushion forming an integral part of the inner 
upholstering of the shell, which is a one-piece element, detachable or 
sewn, molded or injected integrally with said foam. 
A foot-rest 22, suspended on either side by means of elastic straps 23 
attached to the sides of cradle 4, is adapted to slide in and pass through 
the latter at right angles to its axis XX. The elastic straps 23 are also 
provided for damping out shocks to the child's knees against the sides of 
cradle 4. 
The foot-rest 22 cut from sheet metal or molded from plastic material is 
duly covered with a soft upholstering material, including its outer 
periphery the cutting edge of which is thus deadened. It is provided with 
a pair of lugs 25 of a length sufficient to extend through a pair of 
longitudinal slots 24 cut in the sides of cradle 4 and acting as 
slideways. A rivet fixed to each lug prevents the latter from escaping 
from its slot 24 and the foot-rest from jamming diagonally in the cradle. 
Each lug lying in a plane perpendicular to that of said foot-rest, its 
fastening edge is provided with a protection bead 26 to prevent the 
child's feet from being hurt. The foot-rest 22 collapses in a way under 
the lightest shock and the child then stands up against the foam shield 17 
in front of him, thus preventing any luxation or bone fracture, notably a 
hip bone fracture of which the joints are notoriously fragile. 
To retain the child in the shell A, two means are employed: 
a safety belt 27, having a limited yet real elasticity when the child is 
disposed within the shell, by an elastic strap 28 constituting a loop on 
each side so that the child has the impression that he has a certain 
liberty of movement, strictly limited in case of shock; 
the aforesaid protection net. 
The frame B illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, constitutes a rectangle 
consisting of an angle member having one wing 29 disposed against the 
back-rest of a vehicle seat, the other wing 30 carrying the hasps 18 for 
fixing the shell A into the receiving buckles 16 attached to the shell. 
A flat iron 31 reinforces the fastening points and holds the hasps 18 at a 
proper relative spacing, these hasps being provided with a protection cap 
to prevent them from constituting a danger for the rear passenger when the 
shell A is not fitted in the frame B. 
The major sides of the frame are provided with angle members 32 disposed at 
spaced intervals on the wing 29 so that the edges 8 of the shell be firmly 
held and cannot escape from the frame in case of lateral shocks. The frame 
portion positioned in the lower portion of the back-rest of a vehicle seat 
comprises, at equal distances from the two major sides, a tongue 33 
engageable into the shell slot 20 for accurately positioning the shell A 
in relation to the frame B, so that the hasps 18 can snap without 
difficulty into the buckles 16. The frame B is secured to the back-rest of 
a vehicle seat by means of at least one strap passed around this back-rest 
and also, when permitted by the specific structure of this back-rest, by 
means of a pair of rods 34 having one bent edge adapted to pass behind a 
back-rest reinforcement: the other, screw-threaded end passing through one 
of the holes 35 formed in wing 29 of the major sides of said frame, so as 
to be tightened by means of a hollow screw 36 to prevent the end of said 
rod 34 from protruding induly and thus constitute an unevenness likely to 
hurt the child. 
When the device is anchored to the front seat of a car and this seat is not 
occupied, the position of the back-rest of this seat is reinforced by 
fitting the safety belt associated therewith so that the back-rest will be 
retained in case of shock, without causing the weight of the child in the 
shell A secured to the frame B to push the back-rest forwards in the car.