Patent Publication Number: US-2021188136-A1

Title: Adjustable child seat

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present general inventive concept relates generally to a seat, and particularly, to an adjustable child seat. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A child seat is a necessary addition in a vehicle when a parent or guardian brings a young child in the vehicle during travel. A standard vehicle seat is usually too large for the young child to sit in, safely. In particular, a seatbelt could cause significant injury to the young child in the event of an accident, or the seatbelt may not even reach the young child at all. 
     As such, vehicle seats are a pertinent part of child safety in motor vehicles and are commonly used by the parent or guardian to ensure the security of their children. However, the child seat is not adjustable, and the parent or guardian often has difficulty securing their children and positioning the child seat correctly in the vehicle. Also, the child seats have no installed alarms, resulting in children who may be left in unattended vehicles. 
     Therefore, there is a need for an adjustable child seat that alerts the parent or guardian leaving the vehicle that their child is still in the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present general inventive concept provides an adjustable child seat. 
     Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept. 
     The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing an adjustable child seat, including a main seat body to receive a user thereupon, a pivoting dome disposed on at least a portion of a bottom surface of the main seat body, a seat base to removably connect to the pivoting dome, such that the main seat body pivots with respect to the seat base via the pivoting dome, and rotates in response to a rotation of the seat base, and an alarm unit disposed on at least a portion of the seat base, the alarm unit including a tether disposed on at least a portion of the alarm unit to connect to a parent, such that the alarm unit generates an alert in response to the parent exceeding a range of the tether. 
     The pivoting dome may include a protruding member disposed within at least a portion of the pivoting dome. 
     The seat base may include a pivot lock to receive the protruding member therein, such that the pivoting dome is prevented from pivoting. 
     The seat base may include a seat base body, and a dome-receiving recess concavely disposed on at least a portion of the seat base body to receive the pivoting dome therein, such that the pivoting dome pivots with respect to the dome-receiving recess. 
     The seat base body may include a top portion, and a bottom portion disposed on at least a portion of a bottom surface of the top portion, such that the top portion rotates clockwise in a first direction, and counterclockwise in a second direction with respect to the bottom portion. 
     The seat base body may further include a swivel lock disposed on at least a portion of the seat base body to prevent the top portion from rotating in a first position, and to allow the top portion to rotate in a second position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a front perspective view of an adjustable child seat, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a zoomed in front perspective view of a bottom of the adjustable child seat, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an isometric top view of a seat base, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. 
     Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description. 
     It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein. 
     LIST OF COMPONENTS 
     
         
         
           
             Adjustable Child Seat  100   
             Main Seat Body  110   
             Seat Cushion  111   
             Seatback  112   
             Headrest  113   
             First Head Pad  113   a    
             Second Head Pad  113   b    
             Cushion Guards  120   
             Seatbelt  130   
             Shoulder Portion  131   
             Pelvic Portion  132   
             Pivoting Dome  140   
             Protruding Member  141   
             Seat Base  150   
             Seat Base Body  151   
             Top Portion  151   a    
             Bottom Portion  151   b    
             Dome-Receiving Recess  152   
             Pivot Lock  153   
             Protrusion-Receiving Groove  153   a    
             Swivel Lock  154   
             Alarm Unit  160   
           
         
       
    
       FIG. 1  illustrates a front perspective view of an adjustable child seat  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a zoomed in front perspective view of a bottom of the adjustable child seat  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     The adjustable child seat  100  may be constructed from at least one of metal, plastic, wood, and rubber, etc., but is not limited thereto. 
     The adjustable child seat  100  may include a main seat body  110 , a plurality of cushion guards  120 , a seatbelt  130 , a pivoting dome  140 , a seat base  150 , and an alarm unit  160 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The main seat body  110  may include a seat cushion  111 , a seatback  112 , and a headrest  113 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The seat cushion  111  may be constructed of a soft cushion to receive a user, such as a child, an adult, an animal, and/or an object thereupon. More specifically, the seat cushion  111  may at least partially deform in response to the user being disposed thereupon. 
     The seatback  112  may be constructed of a soft cushion to receive the user thereupon. More specifically, the seatback  112  may at least partially deform in response to the user being disposed thereupon. 
     The headrest  113  may include a first head pad  113   a  and a second head pad  113   b , but is not limited thereto. 
     The headrest  113  may be constructed of a soft cushion to receive the user thereupon. More specifically, the headrest  113  may at least partially deform in response to the user being disposed thereupon. 
     The first head pad  113   a  may be disposed on at least a portion of a first side of the headrest  113 . The second head pad  113   b  may be disposed on at least a portion of a second side of the headrest  113 . Additionally, the first head pad  113   a  and the second head pad  113   b  may perpendicularly extend away from the headrest  113  in a direction. Moreover, the first head pad  113   a  and the second head pad  113   b  may prevent a head of the user from injury. More specifically, the first head pad  113   a  and the second head pad  113   b  may prevent the head of the user from sudden movement and/or moving in a first lateral direction or a second lateral direction that causes discomfort to the user, such as a jerking motion that would otherwise cause the head to strike a shoulder of the user. 
     The plurality of cushion guards  120  may be constructed of a hard cushion and/or a soft cushion based on a preference of a parent. The plurality of cushion guards  120  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main seat body  110 . More specifically, the plurality of cushion guards  120  may be disposed on at least a portion around each side of the main seat body  110  to prevent the user from injury in response to striking an external object. For example, the plurality of cushion guards  120  may protect the user from injury during an accident in a vehicle. 
     The seatbelt  130  may include a shoulder portion  131  and a pelvic portion  132 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The seatbelt  130  may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the main seat body  110 . The seatbelt  130  may prevent the user from injury in response to striking the external object. For example, the seatbelt  130  may protect the user from injury during an accident in the vehicle. 
     The shoulder portion  131  may be disposed around shoulders of the user. The pelvic portion  132  may be disposed around at least a portion of a pelvis of the user. In other words, the shoulder portion  131  and the pelvic portion  132  may be interconnected around a body of the user to protect the user therein. 
     The pivoting dome  140  may including a protruding member  141 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The pivoting dome  140  may be constructed of a smooth surface. The pivoting dome  140  may be disposed on at least a portion of a bottom surface of the main seat body  110 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an isometric top view of a seat base  150 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. 
     The seat base  150  may include a seat base body  151 , a dome-receiving recess  152 , a pivot lock  153 , and a swivel lock  154 , but is not limited thereto. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the seat base body  151  is illustrated to have a cylindrical shape. However, the seat base body  151  may be a rectangular prism, conical, rectangular, circular, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal, or any other shape known to one of ordinary skill in the art, but is not limited thereto. 
     The seat base body  151  may include a top portion  151   a  and a bottom portion  151   b , but is not limited thereto. 
     The top portion  151   a  may be disposed on at least a portion of a top surface of the bottom portion  151   b . In other words, the bottom portion  151   b  may be disposed on at least a portion of a bottom surface of the top portion  151   a . Furthermore, the top portion  151   a  may rotate in a first direction (i.e. clockwise) or a second direction (i.e. counterclockwise) to move the main seat body  110 . In other words, the main seat body  110  may move in response to a rotation of the top portion  151   a  with respect to the bottom portion  151   b . As such, the user may be oriented in multiple directions, other than facing a single direction, which is common among standard child seats. 
     The dome-receiving recess  152  may be concavely disposed on at least a portion of the seat base body  151 , such that the dome-receiving recess  152  may extend into at least a portion of the top portion  151   a  and at least a portion of the bottom portion  151   b . In other words, the dome-receiving recess  152  may be recessed with respect to a top edge of the top portion  151   a.    
     The dome-receiving recess  152  may have a predetermined size corresponding to a size of the pivoting dome  140 . Furthermore, the dome-receiving recess  152  may receive the pivoting dome  140  therein, such that the pivoting dome  140  may be removably connected to the dome-receiving recess  152 . The pivoting dome  140  may pivot in any feasible direction within the dome-receiving recess  152 . For example, the pivoting dome  140  may pivot, such that the main seat body  110  moves forward, backward, and/or towards a left side or a right side with respect to a current position of the user within the main seat body  110 . 
     The protruding member  141  may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the pivoting dome  140 . The protruding member  141  may be depressed a first time to extend out from within the pivoting dome  140 . In other words, the protruding member  141  may include a spring, such that the protruding member  141  extends in response to being depressed, such that the spring extracts the protruding member  141 . 
     Alternatively, the protruding member  141  may be depressed a second time to retract within the pivoting dome  140 , such that the protruding member  141  remains inside the pivoting dome  140 . For example, the protruding member  141  may click within the pivoting dome  140  in response to being depressed the second time by connecting to a lever within the pivoting dome  140 . 
     The pivot lock  153  may include a protrusion-receiving groove  153   a , but is not limited thereto. 
     The pivot lock  153  may be disposed on and/or within at least a portion of the dome-receiving recess  152 . The pivot lock  153  may be depressed a first time to extend out from within the dome-receiving recess  152 . In other words, the pivot lock  153  may include another spring, such that the pivot lock  153  extends in response to being depressed, such that the another spring extracts the pivot lock  153 . 
     Alternatively, the pivot lock  153  may be depressed a second time to retract within the dome-receiving recess  152 , such that the pivot lock  153  remains inside the dome-receiving recess  152 . For example, the pivot lock  153  may click within the dome-receiving recess  152  in response to being depressed the second time by connecting to another lever within the dome-receiving recess  152 . 
     Furthermore, the protrusion-receiving groove  153   a  may receive the protruding member  141  therein. In other words, the protruding member  141  may be inserted within the protrusion-receiving groove  153   a  to prevent the pivoting dome  140  from moving (i.e. pivoting). As such, the pivoting dome  140  may be locked. Alternatively, the pivoting dome  140  may be unlocked by moving the pivoting dome  140 , such that the protruding member  141  moves away from the protrusion-receiving groove  153   a.    
     The swivel lock  154  may be disposed on at least a portion of the seat base body  151 . The swivel lock  154  may be rotated in first direction (i.e. clockwise) or a second direction (i.e. counterclockwise) from a first position (i.e. unlocked) to a second position (i.e. locked), such that the top portion  151   a  may be prevented from rotating with respect to the bottom portion  151   b . Alternatively, the swivel lock  154  may be rotated in the second direction or the first direction from the second position to the first position, such that the top portion  151   a  may be allowed to rotate with respect to the bottom portion  151   b.    
     The alarm unit  160  may include a tether  161 , but is not limited thereto. 
     The alarm unit  160  may also include a speaker, a display unit, and a power source (e.g., a battery, a solar cell, etc.). 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the alarm unit  160  is illustrated to be disposed on the seat base  150 . However, the alarm unit  160  may be disposed on at least a portion of the main seat body  110  and/or on the seat base  150 . 
     The tether  161  may be a wired connection, such as a wire and/or a cord connected to a clothing of the parent. Alternatively, the tether  161  may be a wireless connection to connect to a mobile device of the parent. The wired and/or wireless connection may communicate via at least one of Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, infrared (IR) wireless communication, satellite communication, broadcast radio communication, Microwave radio communication, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee, near field communication (NFC), and radio frequency (RF) communication, USB, Firewire, and Ethernet. 
     The tether  161  may break in response to the parent moving beyond a range of the tether  161 . Moreover, the alarm unit  160  may emit a sound via the speaker and/or display a warning and/or flash a light on the display unit in response to the tether  161  being broken. As such, the alarm unit  160  may an alert in response to the parent exceeding a range of the tether  161 . As such, the parent is notified that the user is still within the main seat body  110 . As such, the tether  161  may be connected to the parent when the user is in the main seat body  110 , such that the alarm unit  160  may not be activated if the tether  161  is not used. 
     Therefore, the adjustable child seat  100  may facilitate insertion within the vehicle because of the ability to pivot and rotate, such that the parent does not strain a back muscle while inserting the adjustable child seat  100  within the vehicle. Also, the adjustable child seat  100  may prevent the parent from forgetting the user is in the vehicle due to the alarm unit  160 . 
     The present general inventive concept may include an adjustable child seat  100 , including a main seat body  110  to receive a user thereupon, a pivoting dome  140  disposed on at least a portion of a bottom surface of the main seat body  110 , a seat base  150  to removably connect to the pivoting dome  140 , such that the main seat body  110  pivots with respect to the seat base  150  via the pivoting dome  140 , and rotates in response to a rotation of the seat base  150 , and an alarm unit  160  disposed on at least a portion of the seat base  150 , the alarm unit  160  including a tether  161  disposed on at least a portion of the alarm unit  160  to connect to a parent, such that the alarm unit  160  generates an alert in response to the parent exceeding a range of the tether  161 . 
     The pivoting dome  140  may include a protruding member  141  disposed within at least a portion of the pivoting dome  140 . 
     The seat base  150  may include a pivot lock  153  to receive the protruding member  141  therein, such that the pivoting dome  140  is prevented from pivoting. 
     The seat base  150  may include a seat base body  151 , and a dome-receiving recess  152  concavely disposed on at least a portion of the seat base body  151  to receive the pivoting dome  140  therein, such that the pivoting dome  140  pivots with respect to the dome-receiving recess  152 . 
     The seat base body  151  may include a top portion  151   a , and a bottom portion  151   b  disposed on at least a portion of a bottom surface of the top portion  151   a , such that the top portion  151   a  rotates clockwise in a first direction, and counterclockwise in a second direction with respect to the bottom portion  151   b.    
     The seat base body  151  may further include a swivel lock  154  disposed on at least a portion of the seat base body  151  to prevent the top portion  151   a  from rotating in a first position, and to allow the top portion  151   a  to rotate in a second position. 
     Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.