Abstract:
A child safety seat assembly includes a detachable child seat and a base. The child seat has a seatback, and a foremost end opposite to the seat back. The base includes a shell body, an adjustable platform and a latch mechanism. The shell body has a first and a second end edge opposite to each other. The first end edge is at a height that is greater than that of the second end edge. The adjustable platform is operable to releasibly attach with the child seat. The adjustable platform and the child seat attached with each other are movable in unison between a first state where the foremost end is near the first end edge, and a second state where the foremost end is away from the first end edge and below the first end edge of the shell body.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application No. 13/182,091 filed on Jul. 13, 2011, which respectively claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/399,663 filed on Jul. 15, 2010; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/461,410 filed on Jan. 18, 2011; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/518,426 filed on May 5, 2011, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to child seat assemblies that include a child seat and a base. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, an automobile vehicle has seatbelts provided at the front and rear seats. The seatbelt generally includes shoulder and lap straps that may be fastened with an anchor point of the vehicle to restrain and protect the occupant in case of collision or sudden stop of the vehicle. However, the use of the vehicle seatbelt is not adapted for a young child who has a smaller body and may not be able to sustain the pressure applied by the seatbelt. Therefore, safety legislations require the use of a child safety seat for seating a young child in a vehicle. The seatbelt of the vehicle can be used to secure the child safety seat which has a harness more adapted to restrain the young child. 
     The child safety seat can include a child seat and a base connected underneath the child seat. To facilitate the use of the child seat, attachment structures may be provided to allow the child seat to attach with and removed from the base as desired. While the conventional attachment structure can effectively fasten the seat with the base, it may also be desirable to permit adjustment of the child seat relative to the base to suit the age and size of the child. For example, infant child safety seats currently on the market are designed to accommodate infants from birth to 12 months, and lack the adjustments needed to comfortably and conveniently secure a 24-month old child. One of the biggest problems with current rearward facing seats is the lack of leg room provided as the child grows. Many parents may contribute the lack of leg room as the main reason for changing their child to a forward facing seat. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a child safety seat assembly that can permit more adequate adjustment of the leg room, and address at least the foregoing issues. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present application describes a child safety seat assembly including a detachable child seat and a base. The child seat has a seatback, and a foremost end opposite to the seat back. The base includes a shell body, an adjustable platform and a latch mechanism. The shell body has a first and a second end edge opposite to each other, a bottom adapted to provide stable resting on a support surface, and an upper surface extending between the first and second end edges of the shell body, wherein the first end edge is at a height relative to the bottom that is greater than that of the second end edge. The adjustable platform is assembled with the shell body and is operable to releasibly attach with the child seat, wherein the adjustable platform and the child seat attached with each other are movable in unison along the upper surface between a first state where the foremost end of the child seat is at a first position near the first end edge of the shell body, and a second state where the foremost end of the child seat is at a second position away from the first end edge of the shell body and lying below the first position and the first end edge of the shell body. The latch mechanism is disposed between the upper surface of the shell body and the adjustable platform, wherein the latch mechanism is operable to lock the adjustable platform with the shell body in any of the first and second states. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a child safety seat assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the child seat shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the base shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  are enlarged views illustrating how a plurality of latches provided on the child seat respectively engage with catches provided on an adjustable platform of the base; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view illustrating the adjustable platform of the base; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view illustrating a latch mechanism provided in the base; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of portion A shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view illustrating the base installed with the child seat; 
         FIGS. 10 and 11  are schematic views illustrating a variant construction of the aforementioned latch and release mechanisms. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a child safety seat assembly  100 . The child safety seat assembly  100  includes a child seat  102  and a base  104 . The child seat  102  can include a seat shell  110  having a seat portion  112  and a seatback  114 . The seat shell  110 , including the seat portion  112  and the seatback  114 , can be formed in a single body by plastic molding. A handle  116  can be pivotally connected with two sides of the seat shell  110  to facilitate its carrying. In use, the child seat  102  can be either removed from the base  104 , or attached therewith as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the child seat  102 . A bottom of the child seat  102  can include two protruding rails  120 , and a central recessed region  122  delimited between the two rails  120 . The rails  120  can be formed at the underside of the seat portion  112 , and extend to the rear of the seatback  114 . A first transverse shaft  124  can be pivotally mounted between the rails  120  across the recessed region  122  at a first position adjacent to a front of the child seat  102 . Two latches  126  can be respectively provided at two opposite end portions of the first transverse shaft  124 , adjacent to the opposite inner sidewalls  120 A of the rails  120 . Each of the latches  126  can be formed as a sleeve  126 A that can be affixed around the transverse shaft  124  and is provided with a radial engagement extension  126 B oriented upward. A second transverse shaft  130  can be pivotally mounted between the rails  120  across the recessed region  122  at a second position behind the first transverse shaft  124 . The second transverse shaft  130  is parallel to the first transverse shaft  124 , and can have two opposite end portions mounted with latch elements  126  similar to those provided on the first transverse shaft  124 . While the latches  126  have been described as parts assembled on the transverse shafts  124  and  130 , alternate embodiments can also have the latches respectively formed integral with the first and second transverse shafts  124  and  130 . The latches  126  exposed downward in the recessed region  122  can thereby form four attachment points disposed in two symmetrical pairs adjacent to the inner sidewalls  120 A of the left and right side rails  120 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the base  104 . The base  104  can include a shell body  140 , and an adjustable platform  142  mounted with an upper side of the shell body  140 . The shell body  140  can have a first portion  140 A having an enlarged bottom to provide stable resting support, and a second portion  140 B extending upward at an angle from the first portion  140 A at an end of the shell body  140 . The second portion  140 B can include an adjustable extension  141 , which may be formed as a retractable plate. The adjustable extension  141  can be operable to retract inside a receiving region in the second portion  140 B, or deploy outward to upwardly extend the length of the second portion  140 B. When the child seat  102  is installed on the base  104 , this adjustable extension  141  may be deployed to be conveniently used as footrest for the child. 
     The adjustable platform  142  can include a support body  143  movably assembled at an upper side of the shell body  140 . The support body  143  can have two protruding guide rails  144  that extend parallel in an axial direction of the base  104  and are adapted to receive the placement of the child seat  102 . The guide rails  144  are symmetric in construction, including first grooves  146 , and second grooves  148  axially spaced apart from the first grooves  146 . The first and second grooves  146  and  148  can be formed as recesses from the upper surfaces of the guide rails  144 , and are sized to receive and hold the end portions of the transverse shafts  124  and  130  provided with the latches  126 . Moreover, each of the first and second grooves  146  and  148  can include catches  150  with which the latches  126  can engage to lock the child seat  102  with the adjustable platform  142 . In one embodiment, the catches  150  may be formed at a same side in each of the grooves  146  and  148 , for example on the left side surface as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are enlarged views illustrating how the latches  126  of the child seat  102  can respectively engage with the catches  150  in the first and second grooves  146  and  148  of the adjustable platform  142 . Each of the catches  150  can be formed on a holder plate  151  having a hook-shaped portion comprised of an upper angled surface  150 A and a lower surface  150 B. When the child seat  102  is disposed on the adjustable platform  142 , the upper angled surface  150 A can respectively push away the engagement extension  126 B so that each of the latches  126  can be received in the associated first and second grooves  146  and  148 . Once each latch  126  is held in the associated groove, forward and backward movements as well as lateral displacements of the child seat  102  relative to the base  104  can be blocked. A torsion spring  152  mounted with the latch  126  (shown with phantom lines) can then bias the latch  126  to rotate about the transverse axis defined by the transverse shaft  130  in a first direction R 1  to place the engagement extension  126 B in locking engagement against the lower surface  150 B of the catch  150 , whereby upward removal of the child seat  102  is also blocked. The child seat  102  can be thereby locked in position with the base  104 . To unlock the child seat  102 , a release button  153  (better shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) can be operated to drive rotation of the latches  126  in the direction R 2  to disengage the engagement extensions  126 B from the lower surface  150 B of the catches  150 . The child seat  102  then can be upwardly removed from the base  104 . 
     Referring again to  FIG. 3 , the adjustable platform  142  can be movably mounted with the shell body  140  for back and forth movements along a lengthwise axis of the base  104 . This allows to desirably adjust the child seat  102  back and forth to suit the child&#39;s needs. For this purpose, the shell body  140  can include two elongated arms  160  that extend lengthwise symmetrically at the left and right sides of the second portion  140 B. Left and right sides of the adjustable platform  142  can be provided with two sockets  152  that include guide slots  154  through which the arms  160  are respectively mounted. The sockets  152  can be movable along the arms  160  as the adjustable platform  142  is adjusted back and forth relative to the shell body  140 . In addition, each of the sockets  152  can be provided with a release button  156  that is connected with a latch mechanism operable to securely hold the adjustable platform  142  at multiple positions. One or both of the two release buttons  156  can be operated to unlock the latch mechanism and permit movements of the adjustable platform  142  relative to the shell body  140 . One embodiment of the latch mechanism is described hereafter with reference to  FIGS. 6 through 8 . 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view illustrating a construction of the support body  143 ,  FIG. 7  is a schematic view illustrating a latch mechanism  161  provided between the shell body  140  and the adjustable platform  142  (for clarity, the support body  143  of the adjustable platform  142  is omitted in  FIG. 7 ), and  FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of portion A in  FIG. 7  to illustrate a release mechanism  180  operable to unlock the latch mechanism  161 . Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the support body  143  can be movably mounted on a guide surface  140 C of the shell body  140 . The support body  143  can be integrally formed by plastic molding having an upper side provided with the guide rails  144 , and left and right sides provided with coupling shells  162 . Each of the coupling shells  162  can have an inner side provided with one or more snap finger  164 . When the adjustable platform  142  is assembled with the shell body  140 , the support body  143  can be placed between the arms  160  of the shell body  140 , and the sockets  152  can be respectively affixed with the coupling shells  162  from the outer side of the arms  160  by engagement of the snap finger  164  with associated openings  152 A on the sockets  152 . 
     As better shown in  FIG. 7 , the holder plates  151  can be respectively affixed with the support body  143  at an inner side of the guide rails  144  to provide the catches  150  in the recessed grooves  146  and  148 . Some of these holder plates  151  can be used to connect certain parts of the latch mechanism  160  as described hereafter. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the latch mechanism  161  can include one or more elongated racks  168  (two racks are shown), one or more latching elements  170  adapted to engage with the racks  168 , one or more bar linkage  172  respectively coupled with the latching elements  170 , and one or more spring  174 . The racks  168  can be affixed on the guide surface  140 C of the shell body  140  at two parallel positions below the support body  143 . Each of the racks  168  can have an elongated shape, and include a plurality of locking positions distributed lengthwise and adapted to engage with one associated latching element  170 . In one embodiment, the locking positions can be formed by grooves  176  formed oriented upward in the rack  168 . However, other structures may be possible. For example, the locking positions may also be formed as protrusions adapted to receive the engagement of the latching element  170 . 
     The latching elements  170  can be pivotally assembled with the support body  143  of the adjustable platform  142 , and are operable to engage with any of the grooves  176  to lock the adjustable platform  142  in position. In this embodiment, the latching elements  170  can be pivotally connected with the support body  143  via the bar linkages  172 , respectively. In one embodiment, each bar linkage  172  can have a generally L-shape including a side segment  172 A, and a transverse segment  172 B that can extend generally parallel to the width direction of the base  104 . Each latching element  170  can be affixed with the transverse segment  172 B of one bar linkage  172  at a position proximate to one associated rack  168 . The transverse segment  172 B can be pivotally connected with one holder plate  151  that is affixed adjacent to the recessed groove  146 . Each bar linkage  172  can be thereby operable independently to rotate about a transverse axis relative to the support body  143  so as to drive locking and unlocking rotations of the associated latching element  170 . It is worth noting that alternate embodiments may also have the transverse segments  172 B of the two bar linkages  172  joined with each other so as to form a unitary bar linkage. With this construction, the two latching elements  170  can be driven in a concurrent manner via the unitary bar linkage for locking and unlocking operations. 
     The spring  174  can be a torsion spring mounted around the transverse segment  172 B of each bar linkage  172  and having a first end anchored with the support body  143 , and a second end anchored with the transverse segment  172 B or the latching element  170 . The biasing action of the spring  174  can urge the latching element  170  to engage with a corresponding groove  176 . To disengage the latching elements  170  from the grooves  176 , the two release buttons  156  can be respectively operated to drive reverse rotation of the linkages  172  via two release mechanisms  180  (better shown in  FIG. 8 ) interacting with the latching elements  170 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the release mechanism  180  can include the release button  156 , a lever  182 , and a spring  184 . This same release mechanism  180  can be respectively assembled between the socket  152  and the coupling shell  162  of the support body  143  (better shown in  FIG. 6 ) at the left and right sides of the adjustable platform  142 . The release button  156  is assembled with the socket  152  for upward and downward movements. The release button  156  can have a shape that partially wraps around the associated arm  160 , including an actuator portion  156 A positioned above the arm  160 , and an extension  156 B lying at an inner side of the arm  160  adjacent to one side segment  172 A of the bar linkage  172 . The extension  156 B can have a protruding lip  156 C to which the spring  184  is connected along the direction of displacement of the release button  156 , and a side shoulder portion  156 D. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the lever  182  can be pivotally connected with a pin  186  protruding from an inner side of the coupling shell  162 . The lever  182  can have a have a first end  182 A located below the shoulder portion  156 D, and a second end  182 B that can come into contact against one side segment  172 A of the bar linkage  172  at a side opposite to the first end  182 A. The lever  182  can be thereby driven by either of the release button  156  and the bar linkage  172  in rotation about a pivot axis Y defined by the pin  186 . 
     The spring  184  can be restrainedly positioned in a guide slot  188  formed in the coupling shell  162 . The spring  184  can have a first end anchored against a bottom surface of the coupling shell  162 , and a second end anchored with the lip  156 C of the release button  156 . The spring  184  can be operable to bias the release button  156  upward. 
     With the above construction, the release mechanisms  180  can be movable with the support body  143  when the platform  142  is adjusted in position. Each of the release mechanisms  180  can be independently operated to unlock the associated latching element  170 . In case the two latching elements  170  are coupled with each other via a unitary bar linkage, only one release mechanism  180  can be actuated to unlock the latch mechanism  160 . 
     Exemplary operation of the adjustable platform  142  is described hereafter with reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  7  and  8 . The springs  174  can respectively bias the latching elements  170  to rotate in a first direction r 1  so that end portions of the latching elements  170  can engage with a corresponding pair of the grooves  176  on the racks  168 . The adjustable platform  142  can be thereby locked in place with the shell body  140 . 
     To modify the position of the adjustable platform  142 , the two release buttons  156  can be simultaneously pressed downward. As the release buttons  156  move downward, the springs  184  are compressed, and the shoulder portions  156 D of the release buttons  156  can respectively press against the first ends  182 A to drive rotation of the levers  182  about their respective pivot axes Y. Each rotating lever  182  in turn causes the associated bar linkage  172  to rotate in a second direction r 2  owing to the contact between the second end  182 B of the lever  182  and the side segment  172 A of the bar linkage  172 , which in turn can cause each latching element  170  to rotate in the same direction r 2  and disengage from the associated rack  168 . Being unlocked, the adjustable platform  142  then can be moved forward or rearward along the guide surface  140 C of the shell body  140 . It is worth noting that in case the two latching elements  170  are coupled with each other (e.g., by joining the two bar linkage  172  to form a unitary linkage), only one of the two release buttons  156  can be pressed downward to drive concurrent disengagement of the two latching elements  170  and unlocking of the adjustable platform  142 . 
     In one embodiment, the guide surface  140 C on which the support body  143  rests can extend substantially along the lengthwise axis of the shell body  140 . Accordingly, the adjustable platform  142  can be moved along the guide surface  140 C to effectively increase or reduce a distance between the adjustable platform  142  and the second portion  140 B. The guide surface  140 C can also have a curved profile to form an arc-shaped slope that rises gently and continuously from the first portion  140 A in a direction toward the second portion  140 B. The profile of the elongated arms  160  can also be curved to generally match with the slope of the guide surface  140 C. Accordingly, the general inclination of the adjustable platform  142  can be changed as it slides along the guide surface  140 C. 
     Once the platform  142  is adjusted to a desired position, the springs  174  can bias the latching elements  170  to rotate in the first direction r 1  to engage with a corresponding pair of the grooves  176  on the racks  168 . In the meantime, the springs  184  can push the release buttons  156  upward to recover their initial state. 
     In conjunction with  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 9  is a side view illustrating the base  104  installed with the child seat  102 . When the child seat  102  is installed oriented toward the second portion  140 B (i.e., the front of the child seat  102  is oriented toward the second portion  140 B), a leg room LR for placement of the child&#39;s legs can be defined between the front edge of the seat portion  112  and the second portion  140 B of the shell body  140  visible in front of the seat portion  112 . This assembly of the child seat  102  with the base  104  can be installed on a vehicle seat S in a rearward facing configuration, i.e., the second portion  140 B is placed adjacent to the seatback B of the vehicle seat S and the front of the child seat  102  is facing rearward. To adjust the leg room LR in accordance with the size of the child&#39;s legs, the child seat  102  can be axially moved along a path substantially parallel to the guide surface  140 C of the base  104  via the adjustable platform  142  for modifying the distance between the seat portion  112  and a region of the second portion  140 B in front of the seat portion  112 . For example, the adjustable platform  142  and the child seat  102  can be moved toward the second portion  140 B to reduce the leg room LR (as shown with phantom lines), and away from the second portion  140 B to increase the leg room LR. Owing to the configuration of the guide surface  140 C, the adjustable platform  142  and the entire child seat  102  can be effectively displaced along the support surface of the vehicle seat S on which the base  104  rests, which allows to substantially increase the leg room LR if needed. Owing to the curved shape of the guide surface  140 C, the general inclination of the child seat  102  can also be modified when the leg room LR is adjusted: the rearward inclination of the child seat  102  can increase as the child seat  102  is adjusted toward the second portion  140 B of the shell body  140 , and reduced when the child seat  102  is displaced away from the second portion  140 B. Dual-zone recline indicators  187  can also be provided on both sides of the child seat  102  to indicate developmentally-appropriate ranges of use. The use of the child seat assembly can be therefore facilitated. 
     It will be understood that many variations or modifications to the aforementioned constructions can be possible.  FIGS. 10 and 11  are schematic views illustrating a variant construction of the aforementioned latch and release mechanisms. For clarity, the representation of the support body  143  is omitted and the arm is shown with dotted lines in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . Moreover, the socket  152  is omitted in  FIG. 11 . In this embodiment, each of the arms  160  of the shell body  140  can have an inner cavity. Each rack  168  can be respectively affixed in the inner cavity of one arm  160  via a bracket  189  with the grooves  176  oriented downward. In this embodiment, the side segment  172 A of each bar linkage  172  (which is pivotally connected with the support body  143  like described previously) can include an outer lateral extension that forms a latching element  172 C adapted to engage with any of the grooves  176  from the underside of the rack  168 . The latching element  172 C can be guided in movement through a slot  192  of a guide plate  190  affixed with the support body  143  at a location adjacent to the release button  156 . In this embodiment, no lever  182  (as shown in  FIG. 8 ) is provided. When the release button  156  is pressed downward, a side edge  156 E of the release button  156  can directly contact with the side segment  172 A and drive rotation of the bar linkage  172  to disengage the latching element  172 C from the rack  168 . When the pressure on the release button  156  is removed, the spring  174  can bias the bar linkage  172  to rotate in a reverse direction to engage the latching element  172 C with the rack  168  for locking the adjustable platform  142  in position. A spring  194  may also be connected with the release button  156  to bias it upward when the latching element  172 C engages with the rack  168 . 
     At least one advantage of the structures described herein is the ability to provide a base that allows to conveniently adjust the recline angle of the child seat and the leg room at the same time without changing the attachment to the vehicle. This can be achieved by providing a base that can have an adjustable platform adapted to hold the child seat, and operable to modify the axial position of the child seat relative to the base to adjust the leg room in accordance with the size of the child&#39;s legs. The adjustable platform can be operated with a simple push-button mechanism conveniently provided on both sides of the base. 
     Realizations in accordance with the present invention therefore have been described only in the context of particular embodiments. These embodiments are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. Accordingly, plural instances may be provided for components described herein as a single instance. Structures and functionality presented as discrete components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims that follow.