Abstract:
A side impact protection device for a child car seat comprised of an energy absorbing element and an energy dispersing element.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to car seats. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to safety car seats having an impact protection device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In the United States, child car seats are required by law for certain ages/sizes of children and recommended There are many types of car seats available for purchase. Infant seats recommended for children under age 1 are typically rear-facing. Many include a base that is belted or tethered into the car and a seat that can latch into the base. The seat often includes a handle so that the seat may be carried when it is unlatched from the base (i.e., from the car). A popular car seat option for infants as well as children is a “convertible” car seat that may be oriented in a rear-facing position and the “converted” to a front-facing position. Some convertible car seats may even convert into a booster seat for children weighing up to 100 pounds. Typically the convertible car seats are strapped into the car using the car seat-belt, or are anchored to the car frame directly using a LATCH (Lower anchors and Tethers for children) system. Some car seats offer a harness for strapping the child into the seat. The usual harness is a five-point safety harness. The car seats tend to be formed from injection molded plastic, typically at least 5 mm thick, and the seats (with base in the case of the infant seats) typically weight 7 kgs or more. 
         [0003]    Recently it has been found desirable to provide impact protection incorporated in car seats that absorb energy from a crash, accident, or other incidents that are directed from the side of the car seat. So far, there have been limited situations of manufacturers offering car seats having such protections, particularly through use of an additional energy-absorbing element incorporated in the side structure of the child safety seat. 
         [0004]    Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 7,234,711 discloses a side protective head restraint pad, pad assembly and safety seat. The restraint pad includes an air bladder with a pump for selectively inflating the air bladder and a release valve for selectively deflating the air bladder, an energy-absorbing component and a comfort component. A flexible enclosure is provided within which the air bladder, energy-absorbing component and comfort component are positioned in overlaid configuration to define a unit. The head restraint pad is adapted for being placed in a seat in lateral alignment with one side of the head of an occupant and inflated or deflated as appropriate to restrain the head against injurious lateral movement caused by a side impact relative to the seat. 
         [0005]    In a different implementation of side impact protection for a child car seat, U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,185 discloses a head rest for a car seat used to transport a child in an automobile which is positionally adjustable vertically along the seat back on which the head rest is mounted. A latching mechanism is actuated by a button at the top of the head rest and includes a releasable latch engagable with the channels slidably supporting the support rails of the head rest. A retainer clip is mounted at the top of the channels to prevent the head rest from being separated from the seat back once assembled thereon. The head rest includes a pair of laterally spaced wings that are pivotally connected to the rear support portion of the headrest to be positionally adjustable relative to the child&#39;s head through an angular displacement of approximately 45 degrees. The pivot mechanism is operable to lock the wings in the selected positions. 
         [0006]    Some additional general examples of implementations of the concept include the side impact devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,690,237 entitled “Child car seat and headrest with side impact energy absorption” and U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,734 entitled “Juvenile seating with resilient side impact protection” as well devices that can be found in products marketed by such manufacturers as Maxi Cosi, Graco, and Britax. 
         [0007]    However, none of these examples provides a child car seat having a relatively simple, non-static side impact protection device that is cheap to implement and provides the desired amount of energy absorption capabilities. Accordingly, it is desired to provide a child car seat having a relatively simple, non-static side impact protection device that is cheap to implement and provides the desired amount of energy absorption capabilities to the car seat. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    In accordance with the foregoing, the present disclosure comprises a car seat for an infant or child. The car seat may include a harness or may be a “booster” type car seat for which there is no harness or the harness is not used. In accordance with some aspects of the disclosure, the car seat may comprise a plastic shell or frame that is adapted to be strapped or anchored to the car frame. In other aspects, the disclosure may comprise a base that is adapted to be strapped to the car and the seat is adapted to be attached to the base. In yet other embodiments, such as booster embodiments, the car seat may not be strapped to the car. 
         [0009]    In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, the car seat may comprise a headrest portion or section of the car seat. The headrest may be integrally formed in the car seat or may be adjustable and comprise an independently movable section of the car seat. In accordance with the disclosure, the headrest section may have “wing” portions that extend outwardly from the back portion of the car seat to provide protection for the head of a child seated in the car seat. In particular, such wings may be particularly adapted to protect the head of a child from a side impact crash or collision. 
         [0010]    In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, an energy absorption system may be provided comprised of at least two separate energy absorbing materials layered together and including an energy dispersing arrangement. In accordance with aspects of this disclosure, the energy absorbing materials may comprise open cell foams, closed cell foams, EPS, etc. and the like. Also in accordance with this aspect of the disclosure, the energy dispersing arrangement may comprise an array of spikes formed of a relatively stiff material (such as plastic) and/or may comprise pylons or cones designed to include a “crush zone” to aid in both dispersion and absorption of potential impact energy. In yet other embodiments of the disclosure, the energy dispersing arrangement may be molded into the energy absorbing materials. 
         [0011]    In accordance with other aspects of the disclosure, a housing may be provided for housing/containing an energy absorbing foam/material. The housing may be made of a relatively stiff material, such as plastic and may include a flange thereon. Accordingly, the housing may be retained by a cap or bezel such that the housing may move inwardly but outward movement of the housing is prevented by the flange around the housing being caught by the bezel or cap. 
         [0012]    Other aspects of the invention may be apparent to those of ordinary skill with review of the attached drawings, appended claims and additional description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The above-mentioned and other features of the disclosure may be clarified by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a car seat incorporating a side impact energy absorbing structure in accordance with the disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the side impact energy absorbing structure shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation, cutaway view of the energy absorbing structure of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the energy absorbing structure of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of a portion of an energy absorbing structure in accordance with  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a side perspective view of a portion of an energy absorbing structure in accordance with  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of a car seat incorporating an alternate embodiment of a side impact energy absorbing structure in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the energy absorbing structure shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  a side elevation, cutaway view of the energy absorbing structure of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, an embodiment is disclosed in various levels of specificity in  FIGS. 1-6 . In particular, the present disclosure as seen generally in  FIGS. 1-4  may generally comprise an energy absorbing structure  100 . The energy absorbing structure  100  may be incorporated into an aspect of a car seat  10  (see, e.g.  FIG. 1 ), such as a wing portion  102  of a headrest  104 . As best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the energy absorbing structure  100  may be comprised of at least one energy absorbing element  110  comprised of some type of foam (open cell or closed cell), EPS, etc. Alternatively, the energy absorbing element  110  may comprise multiple layers of different energy absorbing materials. 
         [0024]    In accordance with this embodiment a separate energy dispersing element  109  may be provided in addition to the energy absorbing element  110 . The energy dispersing element  109  may be designed to both absorb and disperse kinetic energy. In accordance therewith, as best seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the energy dispersing element may be comprised of crush elements  128  and a crush plate  130 . The crush elements  128  may be of any desired shape include conical, pyramidal, box-shaped, etc. In order to facilitate energy dispersing through the “crushing” of the crush elements  128 , the crush elements  128  may have cut-outs  132  or voids. The crush elements  128  may be positioned on or formed in a crush element plate  134 . In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, the crush plate  130  and crush element plate  134  may be attached by spacers  136  that are hingedly attached at one end to the crush plate  130  and on the other end to the crush element plate  134 . The spacers  136  may generally correlate in height to the height of the crush elements  128 . It should be noted that while the drawings depict crush elements of generally identical structure and height, the invention disclosed is not limited to such embodiment and encompasses embodiments having crush elements of many different structures, heights, shapes, etc. 
         [0025]    The energy absorbing material  110  and energy dispersing element  109  may be located in a housing  114  comprising a body  116  and a flange  118 . The housing  114  may be mounted for sliding movement within a recess  120 . Depending on the structure and/or application in which the energy absorbing structure  100  is used, the recess  120  may be integrally formed in the structure, such as the wing portion  102  of the headrest  104  or may be formed as a separate unit. A cap  122  may be mounted over the recess  120  thereby trapping the flange  118  of the housing  114  and preventing outward movement thereof while allowing sliding inward movement. The housing  114  is preferably formed of a relatively inflexible material, such as plastic, in order that an impact on the outer surface of the housing  114  disperses forces generally uniformly to the energy absorbing materials  110  and energy dispersing element  109  located therein. 
         [0026]    As best shown in  FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 , an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. Specifically, in this embodiment, the energy absorbing structure  200  may be incorporated in an infant car seat  208  and may be comprised of at least two energy absorbing elements  210 ,  213  comprised of some type of foam (open cell or closed cell), EPS, etc. Alternatively, the energy absorbing element  210 ,  213  may comprise multiple layers of different energy absorbing materials. 
         [0027]    In accordance with this embodiment a separate energy dispersing element  209  may be provided in between the energy absorbing elements  210 ,  213 . The energy dispersing element  209  may be designed to both absorb and disperse kinetic energy. In accordance therewith, the energy dispersing element  209  may be comprised of a plate section  230  and a protrusion  232  shaped to be received in a portion of the energy absorbing element  213 . It should be noted that while the drawings depict the energy dispersing element  209  as having a protrusion that is received by the energy absorbing element  213 , the invention disclosed is not limited to such embodiment and encompasses embodiments wherein the protrusion extends into energy absorbing element  210  and may be of various different configurations, structures, shapes, etc. 
         [0028]    The energy absorbing elements  210 ,  213  and energy dispersing element  209  may be located in a housing  214  comprising a body  216  and a flange  218 . The housing  214  may be mounted for sliding movement within a recess  220 . Depending on the structure and/or application in which the energy absorbing structure  200  is used, the recess  220  may be integrally formed in an upper portion  204  of the car seat  20  or may be formed as a separate unit. A cap  222  may be mounted over the recess  220  thereby trapping the flange  218  of the housing  214  and preventing outward movement thereof while allowing sliding inward movement. The housing  214  is preferably formed of a relatively inflexible material, such as plastic, in order that an impact on the outer surface of the housing  214  disperses forces generally uniformly to the energy absorbing materials  210 ,  213  located therein. 
         [0029]    As best shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , the energy absorbing structure  100 ,  200  may be incorporated into a car seat  10 ,  20 . The energy absorbing structure  100 ,  200  may be incorporated anywhere therein. Non-limiting examples include in or on the side portion  212  of the seat  210  and/or in or on the wing portion  104  of the headrest  102 . Alternatively, energy absorbing structure  100 ,  200  of the present disclosure may be modular and removable from the car seat  10 ,  20 . 
         [0030]    There have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments of a car seat. While particular embodiments have been described, it is not intended that the claims be limited thereto, as it is intended that the claims be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Thus, while particular materials for use in connection with the disclosed energy absorbing structure have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that other materials may be used as well provided they supply sufficient energy absorbing and/or energy dissipating characteristics. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.