CHILD'S CAR SEAT

Abstract: The invention relates to a child's car seat, which can be redisposed to function as a backwardly or forwardly facing car seat, a forwardly facing belt seat or a belt cushion. The inventive child's car seat includes at least two slabs (1, 4), which form in a collapsed state a raised cushion, and of which a first one (1) forms a sitting cushion and a second (4) forms a back support in a swung out position.

Description: The present invention relates to a child's car seat, which can easily be adapted to different usages and to different ages of the user. Such a child's car seat which comprises the features of the preamble of claim 1 is described in GB-A-2167949. For properly protecting children during a journey, families travelling with children in a car must use a plurality of different protective products for the children, depending on their ages. A number of protective devices for children travelling in a car are known in the patent literature and in practice. These devices can be divided substantially into the following four categories: 1. Backwardly facing seats. These are placed facing backwards so that the back of the child is facing the travelling direction, thus ensuring that, should there be a collision, the back of the seat will protect the child's heat, back and pelvic region. These seats are generally used from the birth of the child and until it is about three years old. 2. Forwardly facing seats with their own harnesses. These put the child in the travelling direction, and arrest it if a collision occurs, using the harness fitted to the seat. These seats are generally used from when the child is about 9 months until it is about 6 years old. 3. Forwardly facing belt seats. These seats also place the child in the travelling direction, and are arranged to suit the car belt to the child's body by lifting it up and/or by guiding the belt down away from the child's throat to its chest. This type of seat is also provided with a back. 4. Safety belt cushions. These cushions also put the child in the travelling direction. The cushion adapts the car belt to the child's body by lifting up the child. This cushion has no back. The object of the present invention is to achieve an improved child's car seat, which can be easily changed in shape and function. It will thus be possible to use the seat for children of all ages, who need special protection during car travel, i.e. children from the time when they are born and up to when their hip joints have been developed, when they are about ten years old. The object of the invention has been achieved by its having been given the distinguishing features disclosed in the accompanying claims. The invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of an embodiment, not to be taken as restricting it, and with reference to the drawing, where Fig 1 illustrates an inventive child's car seat, used as a belt cushion on a car seat, Fig 2 illustrates the inventive child's car seat used as a forwardly facing belt seat fastened to a car seat, Fig 3 illustrates the inventive seat used as a forwardly facing car seat with its own harness, and Fig 4 illustrates the inventive seat used as a backwardly facing seat. In Fig 1 the inventive child's seat is illustrated fastened to a car seat 11, and used in this case as a belt cushion. The child's seat includes a lower slab 1, fastened to the car seat 11 with fastening straps 5. The child's seat also includes a second slab 4, providing a raised sitting surface for a child. The second slab 4 is hingedly joined to the first slab 1, and is provided on the portion of it near to the car seat 12 with guide means 9 for the lap portion of the car seat belt 13. In this usage case, the inventive child's car seat functions as an ordinary belt cushion, in the above-described category 4. In Fig 2 the inventive child's seat is used as a forwardly facing belt seat, as already mentioned. Similar to the previous case, the first, lower slab 1 of this seat is fastened by straps 5 to the car seat 11. However, in this case the second slab 4 is folded up against the back 12 of the car seat to form a back for the child's seat. It will be seen from the Fig that the second slab 4 is provided with side portions serving as side supports for the child sitting on the seat. As before, the car belt guide means 9 guide the lap portion of the car seat belt 13, while an upper guide means 10, attached to the free edge portion of the side portion of the second slab 4 serves as guide for the diagonal portion of the car belt 13. A third slab 3 of the child's car seat serves as sitting cushion for the child, and gives it a raised sitting position to suit the car belt 13. This case of usage accordingly corresponds to a child's car seat in the above-described category 3. In Fig 3 the inventive child's seat is illustrated facing forwards and with its own safety belt in accordance with the seats in the above-mentioned category 2. This seat is not depicted as being fastened to a car seat, but it is intended to fastened in a way corresponding to that in Figs 1 and 2, i.e. the lower slab 1 is fastened by straps 5 to a car seat. The second slab 4 is also swung out in this case, but does not form the actual back here, the function of the back support being accomplished by the third slab 3, which is here swung out from the first slab 1 to form a back support. The third slab is also provided on its inside with its own safety belt 6 for restraining a child in the child's car seat. In this case of usage, the child is thus not restrained by the ordinary car safety belt. As with the second slab 4, the third slab 3 is suitably hingedly attached to the first slab 1. In this case the child sits on a cushion 2 attached to the first slab 1. The third slab 3, here the back support, is provided with support links 7, the lower ends of which can move in grooves 8 in members attached to the cushion 2. There is thus formed not only support for the back support, but also side support for the child sitting on the child's seat. The members with their grooves 8 also function as guides and retainers for the third slab 3 when it has been swung towards the slab 1. In Fig 4 the inventive child's seat is used as a backwardly facing seat in the above-mentioned category 1. The seat is formed here in exactly the same way as in Fig 3, but with the third slab 3, i.e. the back support, facing away from the second slab 4, this can be achieved in different ways, e.g. by the cushion 2 and slab 3 being rotatably mounted on the first slab 1, so that they can be turned in the opposite direction to that in Fig 3. By swinging down the third slab 3 from the position illustrated in Fig 4, and then turning the cushion 2 and third slab 3 180° in relation to the first slab 1, and subsequently swinging down the second slab 4, the inventive child's car seat can be transformed from the backwardly facing seat illustrated in Fig 4 to the belt cushion of Fig 1. By implementing the child's seat in accordance with the invention there has thus been provided an easily collapsible seat, which can be redisposed such as to function in all four of the categories mentioned hereinbefore. In this way there can be obtained a portable device, for example, which can be easily stowed away, or can be transported as travelling luggage and be easily set up for the appropriate age and use. In another variation of the invention, which has not been illustrated in the drawing figures, the child's car seat can form an integrated part of the ordinary back support in a car,in either the front or back seats, such as to be openable to meet the desired usage functions. In such a case the second slab 4 constitutes the fixed part in the ordinary back support of the car seat. Alternatively, the child's seat can be formed as an integral part of the sitting portion of a car seat, the first slab 1 then constituting the fixed part in the sitting portion of the car seat, such that the other parts of the child's seat can be swung up from it. In a further variation it is conceivable to exclude the second slab 4, in which case the usage according to Fig 2 will be eliminated. The child's car seat can then be used as a belt cushion, a forwardly facing child's seat or a backwardly facing child's seat.

Claims: Child's car seat comprising a first slab (1) and a second slab (4), the first slab (1) comprising a sitting cushion (2) and the second slab (4) comprising a back support when in a first unfolded position forming a belt seat, characterized in that it comprises a third slab (3) sandwiched between the first and second slabs (1, 4) when in a folded or collapsed position, thereby forming a belt cushion, the third slab (3) comprising a raised sitting cushion together with the first slab (1) when in said first unfolded position, and in that the third slab (3) can be swung out from the first slab (1) to form a back support in a second unfolded position, in which the first slab (1) comprises the sitting cushion, the third slab being provided with a safety belt (6) for a child to be used in said second unfolded position. Seat as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the third slab (3) can be swung out towards the second slab (4), forming a forwardly facing seat. Seat as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the third slab (3) can be swung out into a position opposite to the second slab (4), forming a backwardly facing seat. Seat as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the third slab (3) and a cushion (2) forming a seating surface are rotatably mounted on the first slab (1). Seat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the back support (3) is kept upright by side supporting links (7) moving in grooves (8) in members at the sides of the slab (1) forming the sitting cushion. Seat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slabs (1,3,4) are hingedly connected to each other and that one slab (1) forms a base structure for the seat. Seat as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the base structure (1) is formed for fastening, with tha aid of means (5), to a car seat sitting portion (11). Seat as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the base structure is hinged and can be swung out while fastened to the back support of a car seat, such that when it is swung inwards it forms a part of the car seat back support. Seat as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the base structure is fastened as an integrated part of the car seat sitting portion, and that the other slabs can be swung out to form the child's car seat. Seat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slabs (1,4) include guide means (9,10) for a car safety belt (13).

Inventors: SKOELD BJOERN-AKE, TINGVALL CLAES, SKOELD, BJOERN-AKE, TINGVALL, CLAES, Sköld, Björn-Ake
Applicants: FOLKSAM OEMSESIDIG SAKFOERSAEK, FOLKSAM OEMSESIDIG SAKFOERSAEKRING
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B60N2
IPC codes: B60N2