DEVICE FOR FASTENING OF A CHILD CAR SEAT

Abstract: Device for fastening of a child car seat (1) in a passenger car. The child car seat (1) is by this positioned backwards on the front passenger chair (5) of the car with the back support (2) resting against the instrument panel (3) of the car and is operatively connected to the fastening device by means of attachment means positioned on the sides of the seat (1). Characteristic for the invention is that the device consists of a planar framework (6) designed to be placed on the seat (4) of the chair and equipped with, in part, four standards (7-10) projecting in pairs from the framework (6). A front pair (7, 8) of these is equipped on their outer free ends with fastening means (11) appropriate for the aforementioned attachment means for attaching of the child car seat (1) to the framework (6). A rear pair (9, 10) is meant to rest against the back support (12) of the chair (5). In addition there is at least one symmetrically positioned standard (13, 14) which extends out from the plane of the framework (6) mainly perpendicular to the rear standard pair (9, 10). These standards (13, 14) are meant to be pushed in between the seat (4) and the back support (12) of the chair (5) or to encircle the same, and are equipped with locking means (15) arranged to fasten the framework (6) relative to the passenger chair (5).

Description: Device for fastening of a child car seat The present invention relates to a device for fastening of a child car seat in a passenger car, in which the child car seat is placed backwards on the front passenger chair of the car with the back support resting against the instrument panel of the car and is operatively connected with the fastening device by means of attachment means arranged on the sides of the seat which device consists of a planar framework designed to be placed on the seat of the chair and equipped with, in part, four standards protruding in pairs from the framework of which a front pair is equipped in their outer free ends with couplings appropriate for the aforementioned attachments for fastening of the child car seat to the framework, and of which a rear pair are meant to rest against the back support of the chair, and, in part, with at least one symmetrically positioned standard, which extends out from the plane of the framework mainly perpendicular to the rear standard pair and intended to be pushed in between the seat and the back support of the chair or to encircle the same, and also equipped with locking means arranged to fasten the framework to the passenger chair. With similar fastening apparatus of known type, special fittings are required to be mounted on the floor of the car by means of which the fastening device is fixed in the car. This is considered by many car owners to be troublesome and it can be imagined that many children ride less safely just on account of that the car owners refrain from mounting a child car seat. One object of the present invention is thus to bring about a fastening device of the type mentioned in the introduction by means of which the child car seat can be fastened without the use of special fittings. In addition, the Swedish Konsumentverket has so far advised against letting very small children ride in a child car seat because the sitting position in conventionally fastened child car seats is too upright. For children who can sit by themselves without support, a half lying position is suitable, but such a position would be very unsuitable with collisions because the child can then be easily thrown out of the child car seat. Another object of the invention is thus to bring about a fastening device for a child car seat such that it can normally be adjusted so that the child half lies in the seat, at which the back support of the child car seat rests against the instrument panel of the car, but can manually be adjusted, or with a collision automatically take such a position that the child obtains a sitting position. This is made possible according to the invention by the fact that the attachment means of the child car seat arranged on the sides, are plug-formed, that the aforementioned coupling means or the attachment means of the child car seat are shaped so that the child car seat is rotatable about the plugs, that the front standard pair equipped with couplings is rotatable about an axle, which is parallel with an imaginery line through the aforementioned coupling means, and that an adjustment device is positioned between the framework and the rotatable standard pair by means of which the angle between the aforementioed standard pair and the framework is adjustable, which adjustment device is a step-wise so operating friction mechanism that the standard pair rotates first when it is acted on by a force which equals a predetermined turning moment on the axle. The invention shall be further explained in the following with reference to accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows in a side view a child car seat fastened with a device according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows in a planar view a design of the fastening device and Fig. 3 an alternative design of a fastening device which allows the child car seat to be fixed into different reclining positions as is shown in the figures 4 and 5. Of these, Fig. 4 shows the child car seat in a reclining position in which a very small child suitably travels, namely half lying. Fig. 5 shows the child car seat in a reclining position in which an older child travels or which the child car seat automatically reverts to from the reclining position shown in Fig 4 in connection with a collision or the like. In the drawings 1 indicates generally a child car seat of conventional type, designed to rest against the edge of the instrument panel 3 of the car with its back support 2 and to be placed backwards over the seat 4 of the front passenger chair 5 of the car. The fastening device by means of which according to the invention the child car seat 1 is fastened to the chair 5 consist of a planar framework 6, designed to be placed on the seat 4. The framework 6 is equipped with four standards 7, 8, 9, 10 protruding in pairs from the framework. The framework 6 and the standards 7-10 are preferably made of sectional pipe so that a light but quite rigid construction is obtained. The front standard pair 7, 8 is equipped on their outer free ends with fastening means 11 for fastening of the child car seat 1 to the framework 6. The fastening means 11 are shaped so that they fit together with the conventional, usually plugshaped attachment devices of the child car seat 1, which are hidden in the drawing and are, in addition, equipped with a spring-loaded opening mechanism so that the child car seat can quickly and easily be mounted on or be unfastened from the framework 6. The rear standard pair 9, 10 are meant to rest against the back support 12 of the chair 5 and consequently form an angle with the plane of the framework 6 which corresponds to the most usual encountered angle of inclination between the seat 4 and back support 12. Alternatively, the angle between standard pair 9, 10 and the plane of the framework can be adjustable in order to be able to adapt to the aforementioned angle of inclination. The framework 6 is equipped with two additional standards 13, 14 in order to press the rear standard pair 9, 10 against the back support 12 and by this accomplish a good fastening of the child car seat 1, positioned symmetrically in the plane of the framework 6, mainly perpendicular to the rear standard pair 9, 10. The standards 13, 14, wich can be replaced by a single symmetrically positioned standard with somewhat poorer fastening as result, are meant to be pushed into the space between the seat 4 of the chair 5 and its back support 12 dnd are equipped with locking means 15 to prevent the standards 13, 14 from sliding out of the aforementioned space. The standards 13, 14 can alternatively be shaped so that they encircle the back support 12 and by this accomplish a good fastening of the child car seat 1. The standards 13, 14 are preferably telescopically adjustable in the framework 6 and can be locked in pre-determined positions by means of a stop screw 16 or the like, this in order to make possible an adjustment of the thickness of the back support 12, which can be different for different car models. The child car seat 1 can be quickly and easily mounted in a reclining position which is comfortable and safe for children who are not old enough that they can sit by themselves without support with the help of the fastening device shown in the figures 1 and 2. As mentioned in the beginning, a conventional child car seat is unsuitable for children in this age group. The alternative design shown in the figures 3-5 of a fastening device according to the invention permits, as stated, such a reclining position that the child normally half lies in the seat 1. The front standard pair 7, 8 is joined together by a common axle 17, which is parallel with an imaginary line 18 between the fastening means 11. An adjustment device 19 works between the axle 17 and the framework 6 by means of which the angle between the standard pair 7, 8 and the framework 6 is adjustable. The adjustment device 19 is preferably equipped with a step-wise friction device of such operation that the aforementioned angle Is changed first when the standard pair 7, 8 is acted on by a force which corresponds to a pre-determined turning moment on the axle 17. Such a friction device consists of a cylinder 20 connected with the axle 17 designed to press on a flexibly mounted wave-formed curve 21. The friction device 19 works in the following manner: With the standards 7, 8 in the position shown in Fig. 4 these are imagined to be acted on by a forward directed force, which tends to force the standards to rotate counter-clockwise. When this force is so large that it overcomes the moment which is determined by the cylinder 20 and the flexibly mounted, wave-formed curve,. the standards rotate in steps counter-clockwise until they have the position shown in Fig. 5. Every step-wise rotation occurs nearly instantaneously, i.e. when the predetermined moment value is surpassed, the rotation movement occurs very rapidly. For the fastening of the child car seat the above briefly described rotation movement of the standards 7, 8 means the following: In Fig. 4 the child car seat 1 has a reclining position which is suitable for small children - the seat has approximately the same inclination as a so-called baby sitter and the child can half lie comfortably in the seat. However, with a collision the child could be easily thrown out of the seat if it were fastened in that reclining position, but the weight of the seat and the child or more properly expressed, inertia, give rise with the collision to just such a force, which according to the above, forces the standards 7, 8 to rotate counter-clockwise. With this the seat 1, because it at the same time has support against the edge of the instrument panel 3 with the back support 2, will rotate to a more upright position, see Fig. 5, which coincides with the recommended travel position for children who can sit by them selves without support. You can obviously manually adjust the incli nation of the child car seat to a suitable value with help of the friction device as the child grows. The child car seat 1 becomes, consequently, with a fastening device according to the invention useable over a longer part of the child growing up time than what is the case with a conventionally fastened child car seat.

Claims: Claims Device for fastening of a child car seat (1) in a passenger car, by which the child car seat (1) with the back support (2) resting against the instrument panel (3) of the car is operatively connected to the fastening device by means of attachment means arranged on the sides of the seat (1), which device consists of a planar framework (6) designed to be placed on the seat (4) of the chair and equipped, in part, with four standards (7-10) protruding in pairs from the framework (6) of which a front pair (7, 8) is equipped in their outer free ends with fastening means (11) appropriate for the aforementioned attachment means for fastening of the child car seat (1) to the framework (6) and of which a rear pair (9, 10) is meant to rest against the back support (12) of the chair (5), and, in part, with at least one symmetrically positioned standard (13, 14) which extends out from the plane of the framework (6), mainly perpendicular to the rear standard pair (9, 10), and designed to be pushed in between the seat (4) and the back support¯(12) of the chair (5) or to encircle the same, and also equipped with locking means (15) arranged to fasten the framework (6) relative to the passenger chair (5), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in, that the attachment means of the child car seat positioned on the sides are plug-formed, that the aforementioned fastening means (11) for the attachment means of the child car seat are shaped so that the child car seat (1) is rotatable about the plugs, that the front standard pair (7, 8) equipped with the fastening means are rotatably mounted about an axle (17), which is parallel to an imaginary line (18) through the said fastening means (11) and that between the framework (6) and the rotatably mounted standard pair (7, 8) is positioned an adjustment device (19) by means of which the angle between the aforementioned standard pair (7, 8) and the framework (6) is adjustable, which adjustment device (19) is a step-wise friction device which functions so that the standard pair (7, 8) rotates first when it is acted on by a force which corresponds to a pre-determined turning moment on the axle (17).

Inventors: KARLSSON INGEMAR, KARLSSON, INGEMAR
Applicants: PABIC IND AB, PABIC INDUSTRI AB
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B60N1
IPC codes: B60N2