Abstract:
A safety device used in combination with a child seat assembly is provided to solve the problems about complicated structure and risk for the children. The safety device includes a bracket, a first wing and a second wing pivotally connected to the head portion of the bracket, a flexible piece cooperating the first and second wings, a locking piece releasably engaged with the first and second wings. When one of the wings is pivotally rotated, both of the wings will be synchronously rotated to a vertical or horizontal state.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a safety device, and more particularly to a safety device used in combination with a child seat assembly. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a conventional safety mechanism  1  disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,786. A pivot (not shown) is installed within the bottom of the safety mechanism  1 . The safety mechanism  1  can be pivotally rotated outward and downward about the pivot. Hence, the child within a conventional seat assembly  2  can be easily taken out of the conventional seat assembly  2 . 
     However, the structure for the safety mechanism  1  to be mounted to the conventional seat assembly  2  is very complicated. Besides, when the safety mechanism  1  is pivotally rotated to a position under the conventional seat assembly  2 , there is no barrier to the child within the conventional seat assembly  2 . In this situation, the child may fall out of the conventional seat assembly  2  before the child is carried out of. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention relates to a safety device used in combination with a child seat assembly that is substantially intended to obviate one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages encountered in the prior art. 
     One object of the present invention is to provide a safety device used in combination with a child seat assembly, where the structure of the safety device for being mounted to the child seat assembly is simple. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device used in combination with a child seat assembly, where there is still a barrier to prevent the child from falling out of the seat assembly when the safety device is released. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a safety device used in combination with a child seat assembly, where two wings can be substantially rotated synchronously. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in portion will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure as particularly set forth in the written description and claims as well as illustrated in the appended drawings. 
     To achieve these and other advantages and according to the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a safety device used in combination with a child seat assembly comprises: a bracket; a first wing pivotally connected to the bracket; a second wing pivotally connected to the bracket; and a locking piece movably mounted to the bracket and releasably engaged with the first wing and the second wing; wherein the first wing and the second wing cannot be pivotally rotated relative to the bracket when the locking piece is engaged with the first wing and the second wing; the first wing and the second wing can be pivotally rotated relative to the bracket when the locking piece is released from the first wing and the second wing. 
     In a preferred aspect, the safety device further comprises a flexible piece; the flexible piece is connected to and cooperates with the first and second wings. 
     Moreover, the first wing includes a first flange; the second wing includes a second flange; the flexible piece is in an 8-shape and provided at outer edges of the first flange and the second flange. 
     It is another preferred feature that the safety device further comprises a first stud and a second stud secured to the flexible piece; the first stud and the second stud are respectively secured to the first and second wings. 
     Additionally, the locking piece includes a protrusion; the first wing includes a first notch; the second wing includes a second notch; the protrusion is releasably engaged with the first and second notches. 
     Furthermore, the locking piece includes a key; the bracket includes a groove; the key is slidably received in the groove. 
     It is preferred that the safety device further comprises a resilient rib formed at an end of the bracket. 
     It is preferred that the safety device further comprises a cap and an elastic piece mounted between the cap and the locking piece. 
     Another aspect of this invention directs to a child seat assembly comprising a seat portion and a safety device mounted to the seat portion. The safety device includes: a bracket mounted to the seat portion; a first wing pivotally connected to the bracket; a second wing pivotally connected to the bracket; and a locking piece movably mounted to the bracket, the locking piece being movable between a locking position and a releasing position relative to the bracket; wherein the first wing and the second wing cannot be pivotally rotated relative to the bracket and the first wing and the second wing are in a horizontal state when the locking piece is at the locking position relative to the bracket; the first wing and the second wing can be pivotally rotated relative to the bracket to a vertical state when the locking piece is at the releasing position relative to the bracket. 
     It is preferred that the safety device further includes an 8-shaped flexible piece; two halves of the flexible piece respectively surround the first and second wings so as to cooperate the first and second wings. 
     It is preferred that the locking piece includes a protrusion; the first wing includes a first notch; the second wing includes a second notch; the protrusion is engaged with the first and second notches when the locking piece is at the locking position relative to the bracket. 
     It is preferred that the locking piece includes a key; the bracket includes a groove; the key is slidably received in the groove to allow the locking piece slidable between the locking position and the releasing position. 
     It is preferred that the first wing, the second wing and the bracket construct a T shape when the first wing and the second wing are at the horizontal state; the first wing, the second wing and the bracket are in parallel when the first wing and the second wing are at the vertical state. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide a further non-limiting explanation of the invention as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and constitute a portion of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view illustrating a conventional seat assembly and safety mechanism; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view illustrating a child seat assembly and a safety device thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  an assembled perspective view illustrating a safety device according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  an exploded perspective view illustrating a safety device according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view illustrating a safety device without a locking piece and a flexible piece according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken from a line VI-VI in the  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view illustrating a flexible piece before being twisted according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view illustrating a first wing according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  a rear view illustrating a safety device with a locking piece and a flexible piece but without a cap according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view taken in the longitudinal direction of the bracket of the safety device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and illustrating a state that the locking piece is not pushed; 
         FIG. 11  is a sectional view similar to the  FIG. 10  and illustrates a state that the locking piece is pressed; and 
         FIG. 12  is a rear view similar to the  FIG. 9  but illustrates the locking piece is pressed and the wings are pivotally rotated. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , the child seat assembly  5  according to an embodiment of this invention includes a seat portion  7 , a backrest  8  connected to the rear end of the seat portion  7 , and a safety device  6  mounted to the front end of the seat portion  7 . The safety device  6  includes a bracket  61  for example in a rod shape, a first wing  62 , a second wing  63 , a locking piece  64 , a flexible piece  65  for example made of a ring of steel wire ( FIG. 7 ), a first stud  66 , a second stud  67 , an elastic piece  68  such as a spring, and a cap  69 . The first stud  66  and the second stud  67  are, for example, welded and secured to the flexible piece  65  at two ends of one diameter of the ring. Alternatively, the first stud  66  and the second stud  67  may be integrally formed on the flexible piece  65 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 , the bracket  61 , from bottom to top, includes resilient ribs  611 , a strut portion  613 , a first hole  614  formed in the strut portion  613 , a second hole  615 , a groove  616 , a head portion  617 , a first bore  618  formed in the head portion  617 , and a second bore  619  formed in the head portion  617 . The second hole  615  and the first hole  614  are coaxial or concentric. The diameter of the second hole  615  is larger than that of the first hole  614 . The groove  616  is formed in the strut portion  613  and communicated with the first hole  614  as well as the second hole  615 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the first wing  62  includes an arc-shaped first ear portion  621  situated at one end of the first wing  62 , a first aperture  622  formed at the center of the first ear portion  621 , a ring-shaped first flange  623  protruding from the surface of the first ear portion  621 , a first orifice  624  formed at the outer edge of the first flange  623  and partly hollowing out the first flange  623 , and a first notch  625  formed at the periphery of the first ear portion  621 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  8 , the second wing  63  is similar to the first wing  62 . In other words, the second wing  63  includes an arc-shaped second ear portion  631  situated at one end of the second wing  63 , a second aperture  632  formed at the center of the second ear portion  631 , a ring-shaped second flange  633  protruding from the surface of the second ear portion  631 , a second orifice  634  formed at the outer edge of the second flange  633  and partly hollowing out the second flange  633 , and a second notch  635  formed at the periphery of the second ear portion  631 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the locking piece  64  includes a first shaft portion  641 , a second shaft portion  642  being coaxial or concentric with the first shaft portion  641 , a key  643  extending downward from the first shaft portion  641 , and a protrusion  644  extending upward from the second shaft portion  642 . The diameter of the second shaft portion  642  is larger than that of the first shaft portion  641 . 
     Installation 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6  and  9 , a first pin (not shown), such as a bolt or rivet, is first used to pass through the first bore  618  in the bracket  61  and the first aperture  622  in the first wing  62 . Next, a second pin (not shown), such as a bolt or rivet, is used to pass through the second bore  619  in the bracket  61  and the second aperture  632  in the second wing  63 . 
     The first shaft portion  641  of the locking piece  64  is inserted into the second hole  615  of the bracket  61  until the free end of the first shaft portion  641  is extended outside the first hole  614  and the key  643  is received in the groove  616 . The free end of the first shaft portion  641  is protruded out the surface of the strut portion  613  and the protrusion  644  of the locking piece  64  is engaged with the first notch  625  of the first wing  62  and the second notch  635  of the second wing  63 . In this situation, the first wing  62  and the second wing  63  are substantially collinear. The first wing  62 , the second wing  63  and the bracket  61  substantially construct a T-shape. 
     The ring-shaped flexible piece  65  ( FIG. 7 ) is then twisted into an 8-shape ( FIG. 4 ). Sequentially, the first stud  66  and the second stud  67  secured on the flexible piece  65  are respectively inserted into the first orifice  624  of the first wing  62  and the second orifice  634  of the second wing  63 . Simultaneously, the upper half and lower half of the 8-shaped flexible piece  65  are respectively put around the first flange  623  of the first wing  62  and the second flange  633  of the second wing  63 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  9  and  10 , the elastic piece  68  is then put into the second hole  615  of the bracket  61  to urge against the second shaft portion  642  of the locking piece  64 . Next, the cap  69  is used to cover the elastic piece  68 , the first ear portion  621  of the first wing  62  and the second ear portion  631  of the second wing  63 . Finally, the first and second pins are secured to the cap  69 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  9  and  10 , the resilient ribs  611  of the safety device  6  may be inserted through the seat portion  5  until it was extended and engaged with the under surface of the seat portion  5 . Therefore, the safety device  6  assembled according to the steps mentioned above can be further fixedly mounted to the seat portion  5  of the child seat assembly  5 . 
     Operation 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  5 ,  9  and  10 , when a child is sitting in the child seat assembly  5 , the safety device is in the T-shape. In this situation, the protrusion  644  of the locking piece  64  is received within the first notch  625  of the first wing  62  and the second notch  635  of the second wing  63 . The first wing  62  and the second wing  63  cannot be pivotally rotated relative to each other. The first wing  62  and the second wing  63  cannot be pivotally rotated relative to the bracket  61 , neither. The first wing  62  and the second wing  63  are substantially collinear and in a horizontal state. The first wing  62 , the second wing  63  and the bracket  61  construct a T shape. The legs of the child respectively pass through the spaces between the first and second wings  62 ,  63  and the seat portion  7 . Hence, the safety device  6  can prevent the child in the child seat assembly  5  from falling out of the child seat assembly  5 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , when it is desired to carry the child out of the child seat assembly  5 , the first shaft portion  641  of the locking piece  64  is pressed so that the protrusion  644  is removed from the first notch  625  and the second notch  635 . In this situation, the first wing  62  and the second wing  63  can be pivotally rotated relative to the bracket  61 . Besides, since the first and second studs  66 ,  67  are respectively received in the first and second orifices  624 ,  634  and the thus the flexible piece  65  is attached to the first and second wings  62 ,  63  and cannot be moved relative to the first and second wings  62 ,  63 . Hence, when one of the first and second wings  62 ,  63  is pivotally rotated, the other of the first and second wings  62 ,  63  will be rotated simultaneously by the flexible piece  65 . Alternatively, the user may pivotally rotate both of the first and second wings  62 ,  63  simultaneously. When the first and second wings  62 ,  63  are pivotally rotated to a vertical state, that is, the longitudinal directions of the first and second wings  62 ,  63  are the same as the longitudinal directions of the bracket  61 , the first wing  62  and the second wing  63  are substantially parallel, and the child can be carried out of the child seat assembly  5  upward or forward. 
     When the locking piece  64  is pressed to bring the protrusion  644  to remove from the first notch  625  and the second notch  635  and the first wing  62  or the second wing  63  is pivotally rotated a little bit, the protrusion  644  will abut against the surfaces of the first and second ear portions  621 ,  631 . Therefore, even if the user does not press the locking piece  64  any more, the protrusion  644  cannot be engaged with the first and second notches  625 ,  635  again via the restoring force of the elastic piece  68 . Besides, because the key  643  of the locking piece  64  is still received in the groove  616  of the bracket  61 , the locking piece  64  cannot be rotated. 
     When the first or second wing  62 ,  63  is pivotally rotated downward from the vertical state, the first and second wings  62 ,  63  will be synchronously and pivotally rotated downward due to the cooperation of the flexible piece  65 . When the first and second wings  62 ,  63  are pivotally rotated to the horizontal state, the locking piece  64  is biased by the elastic piece  68  so that the protrusion  644  is engaged with the first and second notches  625 ,  635  once more. The first and second wings  62 ,  63  are positioned at the horizontal state as shown in the  FIG. 9 . 
     This invention has been disclosed in terms of specific embodiments. It will be apparent that many modifications can be made to the disclosed structures without departing from the invention. Therefore, it is the intent of the appended claims to cover all such variations and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.