Abstract:
A baby car carrier dimensioned to hold a small child safely in a motor vehicle. The base of the device sets atop a car seat and is secured by means of a seatbelt. A frame is rotatably affixed to the top of the base. The top of the frame is concave and slidably supports the convex bottom of a cradle assembly. The cradle assembly can recline relative to the frame by motorized means. A plurality of padded nesting inserts are provided on top of the cradle assembly allowing for growing children by successive removal of the nesting inserts. Variations further include cup holders, trays, a retractable shade, a headrest, an inflatable pillow, vibration, heat, and an arm to dangle a toy.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to infant transport devices, and more particularly, to a safety baby seat for transporting children in motor vehicles. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Several designs for baby carriers have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include a remote controlled mechanized reclining means, the ability to rotate the cradle relative to the base for easy insertion and removal of a baby, removable liners to accommodate a growing child and other features, all while retaining the highest level of safety and comfort for a small child during transport in a motor vehicle. 
         [0005]    Other patents describing baby carriers provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a safety device to protect a small child while traveling in a motor vehicle. 
         [0007]    It is another object of this invention to provide a comfortable protective device for vehicular transport of babies. 
         [0008]    It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle infant carrier that allows the guardian of the child to more easily secure and remove the infant. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide a device that accommodates growing children by easily resizing the dimensions of the seating area for smaller or larger children. 
         [0010]    It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness. 
         [0011]    Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  represents a perspective view of the device with several optional accessories. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a top side perspective view of an example of a base assembly. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a bottom side perspective view of a version of a cradle assembly. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a representation of a bottom side perspective view of a portion of an exemplary base assembly. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a cradle assembly. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of a cradle assembly removed from the base assembly. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a variation of a cup holder accessory. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of another variation of a cup holder accessory. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is a top side perspective view of an element of the base assembly. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view of a portion of the cradle assembly emphasizing accessory features. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to with numeral  10 , it can be observed that it basically includes a cradle assembly  12  and a base assembly  14 . Optional and required components of these two assemblies are comprised of a canopy  16 , an armrest  18 , a lever  20 , a tray  22 , an aperture  24 , an aperture  26 , a tether  27 , a shell  28 , a hasp  29 , a liner  30 , a ring bearing  31 , a frame  32 , a base  33 , a reel  34 , a belt  36 , a clip  38 , a hinge  40 , a slot  42 , a gear  44 , tracks  46 , a vibrator  48 , a switch  49 , rails  50 , sockets  52 , a socket  54 , a plug  55 , a motor  56 , a pump  57 , a battery  58 , a plug  59 , a post  60 , a pin  61 , a headrest  62 , a ring  63 , a harness assembly  64 , an aperture  65 , a belt  66 , a belt  68 , a belt  70 , a slot  71 , a buckle  72 , a slot  73 , a buckle  74 , a headrest  75 , a buckle  76 , a buckle  78 , a liner  80 , a liner  82 , a toy  84 , an arm  86 , a cup holder assembly  88 , an attachment point  90 , an attachment point  91 , a cup  92 , an attachment point  93 , a bracket  94 , a cup holder  95 , a hinge  96  and a pin  97 . Tab “T” and seatbelt “S” are provided for context and are elements of the vehicle into which the invention is installed. 
         [0024]    Looking at  FIG. 1  it can be seen that the cradle assembly  12  sits atop the base assembly  14  in a standard configuration. The base assembly  14  is comprised of, inter alia, a frame  32  and a base  33 . The base assembly  14  secures to the standard seat of a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car or truck, by means of seatbelt S inserted through apertures  24  on each side of the base  33 . The seatbelt S has a tab T on it end that engages securely into the corresponding standard vehicle seatbelt restraint system found in most passenger vehicles. 
         [0025]    A secondary attachment point between the vehicle and the invention is provided by belt  36  and clip  38  that attach to the vehicle supplied attachment point found in many modern vehicles. The reel  34  metes out the belt  36  as needed to permit normal reclining of the cradle assembly  12 . An inertia lock, similar to that included in common car seatbelts, is preferably included in the reel  34  to prevent extension of the belt  36  when experiencing violent movement such as might be experienced by the device during a vehicle crash. 
         [0026]    To remove the device from the vehicle the process is reversed. The tab B is disengaged from the vehicle restrain system and the seatbelt S is disentwined from the base  33  and the invention may be removed. However, for safe operation of the device, it must be secured to the vehicle by the seatbelt S and belt  36 . 
         [0027]    The frame  32  interfaces with the base  33  at ring bearing  31  (shown clearly in  FIG. 9 ). The ring bearing  31  allows the cradle assembly  12  and frame  32  to rotate relative to the base  33 . This is a useful feature when placing a child into or removing a child from the invention. Generally, when in use the cradle assembly  12  is oriented so that the child faces forward, toward the front of the vehicle. In order to more easily put the child into, or remove from, the vehicle the cradle assembly  12  may be rotated approximately ninety degrees to be facing the door opening in the side of the vehicle. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  shows a canopy  16  feature that may optionally be present. The canopy  16  can provide shade to the child. The canopy  16  can be folded back against the rear of the cradle assembly  12  when not in use. Optional armrests  18  are present and are generally used for larger children. The armrests  18  may be removed if not needed. Armrests  18  may also be folded away by rotating them about hinge  40 . As the cradle assembly  12  is at varying degrees of recline, the angle of the armrests  18  may also be adjusted for comfortable use. 
         [0029]    An optional, retractable tray  22  is provided in the side of the cradle assembly  12 . Preferably the tray  22  is spring loaded so that to extend the tray  22  the user pushes on the retracted tray  22  and it springs out protruding from the side of the cradle assembly  12 . 
         [0030]    Attachment point  90 , attachment point  91  and attachment point  93  are optionally provided to affix accessories to the side of the cradle assembly  12 . Accessories may include a removable arm  86  that suspends a toy  84  or other artifact above the cradle assembly to amuse the child. 
         [0031]    Other accessories available may include a cup holder assembly  88  as shown in  FIG. 7  where the pin  97  inserts into any of the attachment points  90 ,  91  or  93 . The pin  97  supports a bracket  94  which in turn supports a cup  92 . The hinge  96  between the cup  92  and bracket  94  provides a degree of motion to reduce spillage from the cup  92 . The singular pin  97  also allows gravity to orient the cup  92  upright when the cradle assembly  12  is reclined at various positions. 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  shows yet another alternate accessory for insertion into any of the attachment points  90 ,  91  or  93 . The ring cup holder is comprised of a ring  63  and a pin  61 . A standard sized cup may be inserted into and held by the ring  63 . The weight of the contents of the cup will then be held upright by gravity by the natural rotation of the pin  61  when the cradle assembly  12  is at varying degrees of recline. 
         [0033]    Looking now at  FIG. 2  where the top side of the base assembly  14  is shown and at  FIG. 3  there the bottom side of the cradle assembly  12  is shown, it can be observed how these two assemblies relate to each other. An important feature of the invention is the ability of the cradle assembly  12  to recline relative to the base assembly  14 . 
         [0034]    Rails  50  are provided on the bottom side of the cradle assembly  12  that slideably engage into the corresponding pair of tracks  46  on the base assembly  14 . Generally, the tracks  46  are parallel to each other and the rails  50  are parallel to each other. The tracks  46  are spaced apart an equal distance on center to the center of the rails  50 . The rails  50  follow the curved contour of the shell  28 . The upper surface of the base assembly  14  is formed into a curve complimentary to the bottom of the shell  28 . The rails  50  operatively slide relative to the tracks  46  to provide for and define the range of motion that the cradle assembly  12  is permitted to recline relative to the base assembly  14 . 
         [0035]    In a preferred design the tracks  46  and rails  50  each have a corresponding dovetail profile. The shape of the tracks  46  and rails  50  aids to further prevent disengagement of the rails  50  from the tracks  46 . This safety feature helps to avoid potentially catastrophic separation during a vehicle collision. 
         [0036]    A tether  27  is provided as a supplemental safety feature to ensure that the cradle assembly  12  does not separate from the base assembly  14 . The tether  27  spans from one side of the base assembly to the other through an aperture  26  on the cradle assembly  12  into a hasp  29 . The aperture  26  is elongated to permit the tether  27  to remain engaged effectively into the hasp throughout the range of recline of the cradle assembly  12 . If the user of the device wishes to separate the base assembly  14  from the cradle assembly  12  the tether  27  may be released at the hasp  29 . 
         [0037]    In a preferred version of the invention, a motor  56  is provided to effectuate the reclining motion of the cradle assembly  12 . The motor  56  is coupled to a gear  44  that protrudes through a slot  42  on the upper surface of the base assembly  14 . The gear  44  has teeth that correspond to a series of sockets  52  on the bottom side of the cradle assembly  12 . When the gear  44  is rotated in a first direction it increases the degree of recline of the cradle assembly  12 . When the gear  44  is rotated by the motor  56  in a second direction the cradle assembly  12  is rotated to a more upright position. A switch  49  is optionally provided on the side of the cradle assembly  12  to selectively activate the motor  56  and gear  44 , and thereby the cradle assembly  12 , to the desired degree of recline. 
         [0038]    As a supplement or alternative to the switch  49 , a remote control may also be provided to adjust the degree of recline of the cradle assembly  12 . This may be particularly useful, for example, when a caregiver desires to recline the cradle assembly while unable to reach the switch  49  from another location in the vehicle. 
         [0039]    A manual release lever  20  is preferably also provided to allow the cradle assembly  12  to be moved reclined or erected relative to the base assembly  14  in the absence of electrical power to the motor  56 . Generally, when the lever  20  is actuated the gear  44  is disengaged from the sockets  52  so that the rails  50  may slide in the tracks  46 . When the lever  20  is released the gear  44  may again re-engage the sockets  52  to secure the cradle assembly  12 . The lever  20  may also be used to fully separate the cradle assembly  12  from the base assembly  14  by disengaging the gear  44  beyond the length of the sockets  52 . 
         [0040]    The motor  56  is powered by a battery  58 . The battery  58  can be recharged by connecting it to an external power source by means of plug  55  into a household power supply or by plug  59  into a vehicular direct current power source, such as standard twelve volt automotive electrical power points found in most vehicles. 
         [0041]    As an alternative to the motor  56  and gear  44  combination to power the recline of the cradle assembly  12 , the motor  56  may be combined with a rack and pinion gear, worm drive gear or other mechanized linkage known in the art. In another alternative, the motor  56  may be entirely absent and the cradle assembly  12  is manually reclined by activating the lever  20  to allow the cradle assembly  12  to disengage the gear  44  so that any degree of recline can be set. 
         [0042]    Looking now at  FIG. 4 , read with  FIG. 9 , where the base  33  and frame  32 , the two main sub-assemblies of the base assembly  14 , are shown individually. In a preferred version, the frame  32  has a post  60  approximately in the middle of the bottom side. The base  33  has a ring bearing  31  with a socket  54  in the center. In normal use the post  60  is inserted into the socket  54  and the ring bearing  31  is sandwiched between the base  33  and frame  32 . 
         [0043]    The ring bearing  31  allows the base  33  to rotate relative to the frame  32  about the axis defined by the post  60 . This feature is provided to allow the easier entry to and exit from the cradle assembly  12 . In typical use, a caregiver, while holding the child in one arm, would open the car door with the other arm and rotate the cradle assembly  12  so that the seat area of the cradle assembly  12  faces the open door and the child may easily be placed securely into the cradle assembly  12 . The cradle assembly  12  is then rotated so that the child faces forward when the vehicle is in motion. The reverse procedure is performed when the child is removed from the cradle assembly  12 . 
         [0044]    When the invention is installed on a typical car seat a seatbelt S is fed through aperture  24  through the base  33  out through the opposite aperture  24 . Aperture  65  is provided to allow access to the seatbelt S when feeding it through the apertures  24 . 
         [0045]    The bottom side of the frame  32  is shown in  FIG. 4  to include an optional vibrator  48  feature. The vibrator  48  provides a gentle, rhythmic and relaxing sensation for the occupant of the cradle assembly  12 . The vibrator is selectively switchable on and off as desired. The vibrator  48  feature is powered by the battery  58 . Typically, the vibration generated by the vibrator  48  is created by a small electric motor with an asymmetrical load on the motor causing it to shake and vibrate. The vibrations are transmitted through the frame  32  into the cradle assembly  12  where they can be experienced by the occupant. 
         [0046]    An optional air pump  57  is also shown on the bottom side of the frame  32  in  FIG. 4 . The air pump  57  is powered by the battery  58 . The air pump  57  is controlled by a switch, optionally on the remote control. The air pump  57  is used to pump air into and allow air to bleed from the interior of the headrests  62 , shown in  FIG. 5 . The more air pumped into the headrests  62  the larger they inflate to better support the head and neck of the baby seated in the cradle assembly  12 . This is a particularly useful feature for younger children or infants who are unable to adequately support their own head upright, especially while enduring the bouncing and jostling experienced while the vehicle is in motion. 
         [0047]    Now looking at  FIG. 5  where a top side plan view of the cradle assembly  12  is shown and  FIG. 6  where a perspective view of an alternate cradle assembly  12  is shown. The cradle assembly  12  is generally formed from a rigid outer shell  28  that provides the structure of the cradle assembly  12 . Inside of the shell  28  is a padded liner  82 . Inside liner  82  is nested another liner  80 . The liner  80  and liner  82  are generally made of a soft and plush material. For example, liners  80  and  82  may be made of a hypoallergenic closed cell polyurethane foam contoured to a predetermined shape and covered in a durable, removable and washable fabric cover. Other materials and constructions may be possible but should generally be soft and cushioning as well as durable and washable to be used over and over again under the use of a child and child related soil, wear and tear. 
         [0048]    The liners  80  and  82  are nestable to allow for varying child size and for growing children. For smaller children both liner  80  and  82  are nested together and contained with the shell  28 . This configuration provides maximum protection inside the shell  28 . As the child grows larger shell  80  may be separated from the cradle assembly  12  leaving the shell  28  and liner  82  into which the child is secured. Using the cradle assembly  12  without liner  82  is not intended as this would leave the cradle assembly  12  without sufficient padding for the child. Although the drawings admit to two nestable layers it should be appreciated that several more layers of nestable padded layers may be used. 
         [0049]    An additional benefit of having the liners  80  and  82  removable is to facilitate easier cleaning of the liners  80  and  82  as well as the interior of the shell  28 . This will increase the longevity of the invention as well as improve its sanitary condition. 
         [0050]    Headrest  75  is optional and preferably removable when not needed. Generally the headrest  75  is not needed when the child occupying the cradle assembly  12  is too small to reach it. The headrest  75  may be adjustable to conform the natural head position of the child using the device. It is most likely that the headrest  75  will be used with a larger child and with liner  80  removed. 
         [0051]    An example of a primary restraint is the harness assembly  64  shown most clearly in  FIG. 5  and includes, inter alia, belt  66 , belt  68 , belt  70 , slot  71 , buckle  72 , slot  73 , buckle  74 , buckle  76  and buckle  78 . Generally, belt  70 , belt  66  and belt  68  combine to form a three-point harness centering on buckle  72 . To secure a child in the harness assembly  64 , buckle  72  releases belt  70  and the child is placed into the cradle assembly  12 . Belts  66  and  68  are placed over the child&#39;s shoulders so that the child&#39;s head is between belts  66  and  68 . The belt  70  is then placed between the child&#39;s legs and secured to the buckle  72 . 
         [0052]    The harness assembly  64  is preferably adjustable in several aspects. For maximum security the buckle  72  should be positioned over the child&#39;s middle torso. Buckle  78  can slide along belt  70  when tension is removed from the belt  70  to properly position the buckle  72 . 
         [0053]    For comfort and safety belts  66  and  68  should be secured to the cradle assembly  12  near to the child&#39;s shoulders. Optionally present are slot  71  and slot  73  that bisect the upper edges of the liners  80  and  82  so that the top ends of the belts  66  and  68 , respectively, may be adjusted to be closer or further away from the buckle  72 . Buckles  74  and  76  can be slipped along the length of belts  66  and  68  to shorted or lengthen the belts  66  and  68 . This combination improves the safety of the device by more closely conforming the belts  66  and  68  to the shape of the occupant. A button on buckle  72  provides a means to release the buckle  72  from the belt  70  allowing the child to be removed from the cradle assembly  12 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 10  is a partial perspective view of a side of the cradle assembly  12  demonstrating attachment points  90 ,  91  and  93  and cup holder  95 . Cup holder  95  is optionally present and is spring loaded to lock into the side of the shell  28 . The cup holder  95  is opened by pressing on the edge of the cup holder  95  which releases the tension on the spring and ejects the cup holder  95  open. The retractable cup holder  95  may also take the form of a small tray instead of a cup holder but could still open and close under spring pressure. 
         [0055]    Optionally present is a gentle heat feature integrated into the liner  82  or other aspect of the interior of the shell  28 . The heat may be resistance type heat powered by the battery  58  or other power source. The heat may be controllable by a switch or on a remote control. A timer may be included to automatically shut off the heat cycle at a preselected interval. A thermostat is preferably included to maintain a desired temperature without endangering the child. Generally, the heat feature may take the form of a fabric layer with integrated resistance wires similar to that used in a common electric blanket. 
         [0056]    A preferred variation of the invention is fairly characterized as a baby car carrier for use transporting a baby in a motor vehicle comprising a cradle assembly and a base assembly. The motor vehicle is supplied having a standard seat and a seatbelt restraint system. The base assembly is further comprised of a base and a frame. The base, frame and cradle each has a top side and a bottom side. The base is securable to said vehicle seat against said bottom side by means of said seatbelt. The bottom side of said frame is rotatably affixed to the top side of said base by means of a bearing disposed between said frame and said base so that the cradle assembly may be rotated to face the side or front of the vehicle for loading and unloading. The top side of said frame forms a concave curve and said bottom side of said cradle assembly forming a complimentary convex curve such that they nest together. The top side of the frame has a plurality of parallel tracks and said bottom side of said cradle assembly having an equal plurality of parallel rails. Optionally the tracks and rails may be formed of interlocking dovetails to prevent unwanted separation and yet allow the reclining movement. Said rails dimensioned and positioned to be slidably disposed into said tracks resulting in the cradle assembly having a predetermined range of recline relative to said frame. The frame has a mechanized means to affect said range of recline and an optional manual means to release the cradle from the base to recline the cradle. The cradle assembly has on said top side a plurality of nested and removable layers of padding that when sequentially removed over time allow for a growing child to comfortably fit inside the cradle. Preferably, to improve comfort and support, inflatable pillows are provided on the top side of said cradle assembly on either side of the head area to support the child&#39;s head side to side. The cradle assembly has an adjustable harness on said top side over said layers of padding to secure the child in the cradle assembly. 
         [0057]    The baby car carrier as disclosed above may further include another belt is to prevent separation of said cradle assembly from said frame yet still permit said cradle assembly to move throughout said range of recline. A cup holder is optionally provided integrated into said cradle assembly. 
         [0058]    An arm may also be provided affixed to said cradle assembly providing a means to dangle a toy above said cradle assembly. Optionally, a plurality of attachment points are provided on the sides of the cradle assembly that support any of a cup holder, a tray, a ring or other accessory. An important option includes a remote control to adjust said cradle assembly through said range of recline. To improve comfort, a retractable canopy may be provided to cover an occupant of the cradle assembly. For use in colder climes a means to electrically heat the top side of the cradle assembly and a thermostat to control the temperature. A means to gently introduce vibrations into the cradle assembly is also optionally provided to rest the child. 
         [0059]    The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.