Patent Publication Number: US-7712830-B2

Title: Child restraint with swiveling juvenile seat and seat-back lock

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/766,071, filed Jun. 20, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,478,877 B2 , and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/953,110, filed Jul. 31, 2007, which applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 

   BACKGROUND 
   The present disclosure relates to child restraints, and particularly to child restraints adapted to be anchored to a vehicle seat to transport a child in a vehicle. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a child restraint including a swiveling juvenile seat. 
   SUMMARY 
   According to the present disclosure, a child restraint includes a base and a juvenile seat mounted on the base for swiveling motion about an axis of rotation. The juvenile seat includes a seat bottom mounted on a swivel coupled to the base and a seat back arranged to extend upwardly from the seat bottom. 
   In illustrative embodiments, the child restraint also includes a seat-back lock that is carried on the seat back and configured to include a hook designed to mate with a stationary seat anchor coupled to the base whenever the juvenile seat is swiveled relative to the base to assume a forward-facing travel position. The seat-back lock and the stationary seat anchor cooperate to define a seat stop configured to provide means for retaining the juvenile seat in the forward-facing travel position to block rotation of the juvenile seat about the axis of rotation. 
   The stationary seat anchor is fixed on the base and located to “move” in a seat-anchor guide channel formed in the seat back of the juvenile seat during swiveling motion of the juvenile seat relative to the base. The seat-anchor guide channel is configured to providing means for guiding the stationary seat anchor to mate with the hook of the seat-back lock to “cure” any “misalignment” of the seat-back lock and stationary seat anchor that may exist. In illustrative embodiments, the seat back is formed to include two seat-anchor guide channels. 
   In illustrative embodiments, the seat back is formed to include, in series, a first seat-anchor guide channel, a central opening exposing the seat-back lock, and a second seat-anchor guide channel. The hook included in the seat-back lock is arranged to extend through the central opening and to mate with the stationary seat anchor upon arrival of the swiveling juvenile seat at the forward-facing travel position. The first seat-anchor guide channel receives and guides the stationary seat anchor on the base during clockwise swiveling motion of the juvenile seat relative to the base from the left-facing entry position to the forward-facing travel position. The second seat-anchor guide channel receives and guides the stationary seat anchor on the base during counterclockwise swiveling motion of the juvenile seat relative to the base from the right-facing entry position to the forward-facing travel position. 
   An illustrative seat-back lock in accordance with the present disclosure includes a pair of pivotable hook-retainer latches. Each hook-retainer latch is mounted on a pivot shaft segment coupled to the seat back for pivotable movement about an axis between a hook-retaining position and a hook-releasing position. In the hook-retaining position, a tip of a hook-retainer latch engages the hook to hold the book in its unlocked position. In the hook-releasing position, the tip of the hook-retainer latch has been moved to disengage the hook to free the hook to be moved by a hook-return spring to its locked position. The seat anchor is located and configured to provide means for moving the hook-retainer latches from the hook-retaining positions to the hook-releasing positions in response to swiveling motion of the juvenile seat about its axis of rotation and arrival of the juvenile seat at the forward-facing travel position. 
   In illustrative embodiments, a hook-release controller is coupled to each armrest included in the juvenile seat. The hook-release controller is configured to operate a companion linkage coupled to the hook so that a user can disengage the hook included in the seat-back lock from the stationary seat anchor whenever the operator desires to swivel the juvenile seat relative to the base from the forward-facing travel position to either a left-facing or right-facing entry position so that a child can be seated easily in the juvenile seat while the base of the child restraint is fixed in a stationary position on a vehicle seat. 
   Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective and diagrammatic view of an illustrative child restraint including a juvenile seat, a seat-back lock coupled to the juvenile seat, and a seat support including an “L-shaped” base and a swivel in accordance with the present disclosure and showing that the base of the child restraint is anchored to an underlying vehicle seat by a lap/shoulder belt system included in a vehicle and showing the juvenile seat after it has been rotated on the swivel about 90° in a “clockwise” direction (represented by a double arrow) about a vertical axis relative to an underlying swivel-mount pad included in the base to lie in a “left-facing” entry position relative to the vehicle seat and showing a stationary seat anchor including a U-shaped anchor rail coupled to a top portion of an anchor-support pad that is included in the base; 
       FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  showing the Juvenile seat after it has been rotated on the swivel about 90° in a “counterclockwise” direction (represented by a double arrow) about the vertical axis to assume a “forward-facing” travel position relative to the vehicle seat; 
       FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIGS. 1 and 2  showing the juvenile vehicle seat after it has been unlocked and rotated on the swivel about another 90° in the counterclockwise direction (represented by a double arrow) about the vertical axis to assume a “right-facing” entry position relative to the vehicle seat; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the child restraint showing a hook included in the seat-back lock extending through a central opening formed in the seat back and located between two seat-anchor guide channels also formed in the seat back and showing the juvenile seat as it is being rotated in a counterclockwise direction from the left-facing entry position of  FIG. 1  toward the forward-facing travel position of  FIG. 2  along with a U-shaped anchor rail included in the stationary seat anchor coupled to the base and configured to mate with the hook included in the seat-back lock as suggested in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 4-1  is a diagrammatic view of the child restraint of  FIG. 1  showing the juvenile seat oriented to lie in the left-facing entry position relative to the base of the seat support and the U-shaped anchor rail of the seat anchor coupled to an upright anchor-support pad included in the base and showing that the juvenile seat is mounted on a swivel for swiveling motion on an arc relative to the base; 
       FIG. 4-2  is a diagrammatic view of the child restraint of  FIG. 2  showing the juvenile seat oriented to lie in the forward-facing travel position and suggesting that the juvenile seat rotated about the swivel (1) in a counterclockwise direction along a first portion of the arc from the left-facing entry position of  FIG. 4-1  to reach the forward-facing travel position and (2) in a clockwise direction about a second portion of the arc from the right-facing entry position of  FIG. 4-3  to reach the forward-facing travel position; 
       FIG. 4-3  is a diagrammatic view of the child restraint of  FIG. 3  showing the juvenile seat oriented to lie in the right-facing entry position; 
       FIGS. 5-7  are partial rear elevation views of the juvenile seat of  FIGS. 1-4  showing (in a diagrammatic manner) “swiveling motion” of the juvenile seat relative to the U-shaped anchor rail included in the stationary seat anchor coupled to the L-shaped base to cause the seat-back lock located in a central opening formed in a center portion of the seat back of the juvenile seat to reach and mate with the stationary U-shaped anchor rail to block further swiveling motion of the juvenile seat relative to the base; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear elevation view of a portion of the top of the seat back included in the juvenile seat of  FIG. 4  showing an illustrative seat-back lock exposed in a central opening formed in the seat back of the juvenile seat and located between a “funnel-shaped” first seat-anchor guide channel formed in the right side of the rear portion of the seat back and a funnel-shaped second seat-anchor guide channel formed in a left side of the rear portion of the seat back and showing the U-shaped anchor rail of the seat anchor located outside of the funnel-shaped first seat-anchor guide channel; 
       FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 5  showing further “counterclockwise” movement of the seat back relative to the base to locate the U-shaped anchor rail of the stationary seat anchor at a “wide” outer mouth of the funnel-shaped first seat-anchor guide channel; 
       FIG. 6A  is a sectional view taken along line  6 A- 6 A of  FIG. 6  showing a “horizontal” lead-in of the U-shaped anchor rail of the stationary seat anchor into the wide outer mouth of the moving funnel-shaped first seat-anchor guide channel; 
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIGS. 5 and 6  showing the result of continued “counterclockwise” movement of the seat back relative to the base to cause the U-shaped anchor rail of the stationary seat anchor on the anchor-support pad of the base to mate with the seat-back lock on the seat back once an upstanding finger included in the hook of the seat-back lock extends into a finger-receiving opening formed in the U-shaped anchor rail to lock the juvenile seat in the forward-facing travel position shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged exploded perspective view of components included in an illustrative seat-back lock along with an illustration of a diagrammatic representation of a portion of the seat back of the juvenile seat showing that the seat-back lock (when assembled) extends through a central opening formed in the seat back and located between and in communication with left and right seat-anchor guide channels formed in the seat back and showing that (1) the seat-back lock includes a spring-loaded “wide” hook located between two relatively “narrow” spaced-apart spring-loaded hook-retainer latches and configured to include an upstanding finger sized to extend into a finger-receiving opening formed in the U-shaped anchor rail and that (2) downwardly projecting tips of the two hook-retainer latches are configured to engage companion flange plates included in the hook on opposite sides of the finger to retain the hook normally in an “unlocked” position as shown, for example, in  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  9 - 9  of  FIGS. 1 and 4  showing the stationary seat anchor coupled to the upright anchor-support pad included in the L-shaped base and showing the signal flag of a swivel-status indicator included in the child restraint in a hidden (e.g. not-visible) position in a cavity formed in the anchor-support pad of the base; 
       FIGS. 10-12  are sectional views similar to  FIG. 9  showing, in sequence, three positions of the spring-loaded hook included in the seat-back lock coupled to the juvenile seat; 
       FIG. 10  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 9  and taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 6  showing the hook retained in an “unlocked” position away from the U-shaped anchor rail of the stationary seat anchor by a downwardly extending spring-loaded hook-retainer latch as the juvenile seat rotates in a “counterclockwise” direction and before the rotating juvenile seat arrives at the forward-facing travel position shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  7 ,  12 , and  13 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 10  just as the rotating juvenile seat arrives at the forward-facing travel position to cause the spring-loaded hook-retainer latches (one of which is shown here) to be pivoted in a clockwise direction in response to engagement of the moving hook-retainer latches with the U-shaped anchor rail of the stationary seat anchor so as to disengage the spring-loaded hook, allowing the hook to be pivoted by its spring in a counterclockwise direction toward the U-shaped anchor rail of the stationary seat anchor; 
       FIG. 12  is a sectional view similar to  FIGS. 10 and 11  and taken along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 2  showing the hook after it has been pivoted by its spring to assume a “locked” position passing an upstanding finger included in the hook through a finger-receiving opening defined by the U-shaped anchor rail and trapping a center bar included in the U-shaped anchor rail of the stationary seat anchor between the finger of the hook and the rear portion of the juvenile seat to block further swiveling motion of the juvenile seat relative to the base and showing that pivoting movement of the hook caused a top edge of the finger included in the hook to contact the underside of a horizontally extending lift tab included in the flag lifter of the swivel-status indicator and then raise the signal flag carried on the flag lifter upwardly in an internal channel formed in the base to a visible position above the base to notify observers of the child restraint that the seat-back lock has been mated with the stationary seat anchor so that further swiveling motion of the juvenile seat is blocked; 
       FIG. 13  is an enlarged rear elevation view of a portion of the child restraint shown in  FIG. 4  showing portions of the seat-back lock of  FIG. 8  visible in a central opening formed in the seat back of the juvenile seat in a location between the first (right) and second (left) anchor-guide channels also formed in the seat back, with a portion of the seat back broken away to show engagement of a tip of each of the laterally spaced-apart first and second hook-retainer latches with the hook included in the seat-back lock to “maintain” the hook in an unlocked position in the central opening; 
       FIG. 14   a  is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line  14   a - 14   a  of  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIG. 14   b  is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken along line  14   b - 14   b  of  FIG. 13 ; 
       FIG. 15  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 1  showing an actuator lever included in a hook-release controller associated with the seat-back lock and coupled to an armrest included in the juvenile seat; and 
       FIG. 16  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 15  showing pivoting motion of the actuator lever about a vertical pivot axis to activate a linkage interconnecting the actuator lever and the hook to cause the hook to move from the locked position shown, for example, in  FIG. 12  to the unlocked position shown, for example, in  FIGS. 10 and 13 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A child restraint  10  in accordance with the present disclosure includes a seat support  11  and a rotatable juvenile seat  14  mounted on seat support  11 . Seat support  11  includes a base  12  and a swivel system  16  comprising a swivel  46  and a swivel-direction controller  48 . Swivel system  16  is coupled to base  12  and juvenile seat  14  and configured to support juvenile seat  14  for swiveling motion about a vertical axis  18  between, for example, a “left-facing” entry position shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 1 , a “forward-facing” travel position shown in FIGS.  2  and  4 - 2 , and a “right-facing” entry position shown in FIGS.  3  and  4 - 3 . Swivel-direction controller  48  is coupled to base  12  as suggested in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
   Child restraint  10  also includes a seat stop  17  shown, for example, in  FIGS. 4-6  and  7 . Seat stop  17  is configured to provide means for selectively retaining juvenile seat  14  in the forward-facing travel position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7  to block rotation of juvenile seat  14  about axis of rotation  18  toward the left-facing entry position shown in  FIG. 1  and toward the right-facing entry position shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   Seat stop  17  of child restraint  10  includes a stationary seat anchor  20  coupled to base  12  as suggested in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 , and  9  and a seat-back lock  22  coupled to juvenile seat  14  as suggested in  FIGS. 6 and 10 . Stationary seat anchor  20  includes an exposed U-shaped anchor rail  73  as shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . Seat-back lock  22  is configured to mate with U-shaped anchor rail  73  of seat anchor  20  to block swiveling motion of juvenile seat  14  as suggested in  FIGS. 5-7  and  10 - 12 . 
   Juvenile seat  14  includes a seat bottom  38  coupled to swivel system  16  and a seat back  40  associated with seat bottom  38  as suggested in  FIGS. 1-4 . As shown, for example, in  FIGS. 6-8  and  13 , seat back  40  is formed to include first and second seat-anchor guide channels  111 ,  112  and a central opening  114 . Central opening  114  is arranged to lie between first and second seat-anchor guide channels  111 ,  112  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 8 . Central opening  114  interconnects first and second seat-anchor guide channels  111 ,  112  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 8 . 
   Seat-back lock  22  is arranged to extend through central opening  114  as suggested in  FIG. 8  to assume a mounted position shown in  FIGS. 4-8  and  13 . Seat-back lock  22  is arranged to mate with stationary seat anchor  20  upon arrival of juvenile seat  14  at the forward-facing travel position. 
   A swivel-status indicator  24  included in child restraint  10  cooperates with seat-back lock  22  as suggested, for example, in  FIGS. 10-12  to raise a signal flag  26  included in swivel-status indicator  24  to a visible position above base  12  as shown in  FIG. 12  as soon as juvenile seat  14  arrives at the forward-facing travel position shown in  FIG. 2 . Such a “raised” signal flag  26  provides notice to an observer that seat-back lock  22  has mated with stationary seat anchor  20  upon arrival of juvenile seat  14  at the forward-facing travel position as shown in  FIG. 2  to block swiveling motion of juvenile seat  14  about vertical axis  18  relative to base  12 . 
   Base  12  is L-shaped in an illustrative embodiment as suggested in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . Base  12  includes a horizontally extending swivel-mount pad  28  arranged to underlie juvenile seat  14  and an upright anchor-support pad  30  arranged to extend upwardly from a rear edge of swivel-mount pad  28 . Seat anchor  20  and swivel-status indicator  24  are coupled to a top portion  50  of upright anchor-support pad  30  as suggested in  FIGS. 1-4 . Base  12  is adapted to be anchored to a vehicle seat  32  using any suitable means such as a lap-and-shoulder belt restraint harness  34  associated with vehicle seat  32 . 
   Juvenile seat  14  includes a seat bottom  38 , a seat back  40  extending upwardly from a rear portion of seat bottom  38 , and first and second armrests  41 ,  42  coupled to seat bottom  38  and seat back  40  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 1 . Juvenile seat  14  also includes a restraint harness  44  coupled to seat bottom  38  and seat back  40  or any other suitable juvenile restraint means. 
   Swivel system  16  includes a swivel  46  and a swivel-direction controller  48  as shown diagrammatically in  FIGS. 1-3 . Swivel  46  is coupled to swivel-mount pad  28  of base  12  and to seat bottom  38  of juvenile seat  14  and is a device joining two parts so that one or both can pivot freely (as on a bolt or pin). Swivel-direction controller  48  is configured to provide means cooperating with swivel  46  for allowing juvenile seat  14  to rotate about vertical axis  18  in only one direction (selected by a caregiver) at a time. Thus, a caregiver can operate swivel-direction controller  48  to allow juvenile seat  14  to rotate about vertical axis  18  from the forward-facing travel position shown in  FIG. 2  in either (1) a clockwise direction  51  to assume the left-facing entry position shown in  FIG. 1  or (2) a counterclockwise direction  52  to assume the right-facing entry position shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   Seat anchor  20  is coupled to top portion  50  of upright anchor-support pad  30  of base  12  to lie in a stationary position on base  12  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 4 and 9 . Top portion  50  is formed to include a top wall  54  and front and back walls  56 ,  57  depending from top wall  54  as shown in  FIG. 9 . Top wall  54  is formed to include a flag aperture  58  opening into an interior channel  59  formed between front and back walls  56 ,  57 . Front wall  56  is arranged to face toward seat back  40  of juvenile seat  14  when juvenile seat  14  lies in the forward-facing travel position as shown in  FIG. 12 . Front wall  56  is formed to include an open window  64  associated with stationary seat anchor  20  and swivel-status indicator  24  as shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  9 . 
   Seat anchor  20  includes an anchor bar  66  and a bar foundation  68  as shown in  FIG. 9 . Anchor bar  66  is arranged to project from interior channel  59  outwardly through open window  64  formed in front wall  56  so that anchor bar  66  can mate with seat-back lock  22  when juvenile seat  14  is moved to assume the forward-facing travel position as suggested in  FIGS. 7 and 12 . Bar foundation  68  is mounted in a stationary position, for example, in a region of interior channel  59  near open window  64  as suggested in  FIG. 9 . In an illustrative embodiment, bar foundation  68  is made of a rigid material such as steel. 
   As suggested in  FIG. 9 , anchor bar  66  has a first leg  71  coupled to bar foundation  68 , a second leg  72  arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to first leg  71  and coupled to bar foundation  68 , and a U-shaped anchor rail  73  arranged to interconnect “free” ends of first and second legs  71 ,  72  and lie generally outside of interior channel  58 . U-shaped anchor rail  73  includes a short first segment  74  coupled to first leg  71 , a short second segment  75  coupled to second leg  72 , and a relatively longer third segment  76  arranged to interconnect “free” ends of first and second segments  74 ,  75  as suggested in  FIGS. 6A and 9 . Seat-back lock  22  is configured to mate with third segment  76  of U-shaped anchor rail  73  of anchor bar  66  as suggested in  FIG. 12  to retain juvenile seat  14  in the forward-facing travel position relative to base  12 . 
   Seat-back lock  22  is shown, for example, in FIGS.  8  and  10 - 12 . Seat-back lock  22  includes a hook  80  mounted for pivotable movement about a horizontal axis  179  on a hook pivot shaft  79  coupled to seat back  40  to move therewith, a first hook-retainer latch  81  mounted for pivotable movement about another horizontal axis  183  on a first retainer pivot shaft segment  83  coupled to seat back  40  to move therewith, and a second hook-retainer latch  82  mounted for pivotable movement about horizontal axis  183  on a second retainer pivot shaft segment  83 ′ independent of pivotable first hook-retainer latch  82 . In an illustrative embodiment, retainer pivot shaft segments  83  and  83 ′ are included in a single retainer pivot shaft. Seat-back lock  22  also includes a hook-return spring  84  coupled to hook  80  and seat back  40 , a first latch-return spring  86  coupled to first hook-retainer latch  81  and seat back  14 , and a second latch-return spring  88  coupled to second hook-retainer latch  82  and seat back  40  as suggested in  FIGS. 5 and 10 . In the illustrated embodiment, each of springs  84 ,  86 , and  88  is a torsion spring. 
   Hook  80  includes an axle mount  89  coupled to pivot shaft  79 , an upstanding finger  90  cantilevered to axle mount  89 , a first flange plate  91  coupled to one side of axle mount  89 , and a second flange plate  92  coupled to another side of axle mount  89  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 8 . Finger  90  is arranged to lie between first and second flange plates  91 ,  92  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 8 . 
   Hook  80  is mounted for movement on pivot shaft  79  relative to seat back  40  between an “unlocked” position shown, for example, in  FIGS. 10 and 13  and a “locked” position shown, for example, in  FIG. 12 . In the unlocked position, hook  80  is disengaged from U-shaped anchor rail  73  of anchor bar  66  of stationary seat anchor  20  as suggested in  FIG. 10  to allow swiveling motion of juvenile seat  14  about vertical axis  18  relative to base  12 . In the locked position, hook  80  cooperates with seat back  40  of juvenile seat  14  to mate with the relatively longer third segment  76  of U-shaped anchor rail  73  of anchor bar  66  of stationary seat anchor  20  as suggested in  FIG. 10  when juvenile seat  14  is moved to assume the forward-facing travel position as shown, for example, in  FIG. 12 . In the illustrated embodiment, in the locked position, upstanding finger  90  of hook  80  extends upwardly into a finger-receiving opening  90 ′ defined by U-shaped anchor rail  73  and provided between U-shaped anchor rail  73  and front wall  56  of upper portion  50  of anchor-support pad  30  of L-shaped base  12  as suggested in  FIGS. 7 and 12 . 
   As also shown in  FIG. 8 , first hook-retainer latch  81  includes an axle mount  77  coupled to pivot shaft  83  and configured to terminate at a downwardly extending tip  181  and a pivot actuator  175  coupled to axle mount  77 . Pivot actuator  175  of first hook-retainer latch  81  includes a first segment  175 - 1  coupled (e.g., cantilevered) to axle mount  77  and a second segment  175 - 2  coupled (e.g., cantilevered) to first segment  175 - 1  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 8 and 14   b.    
   Pivot actuator  175  is “roof-shaped” in an illustrative embodiment and includes a left-side cam surface  85  provided on second segment  175 - 2  of pivot actuator  175 , a right-side cam surface  87  provided on first segment  175 - 1  of pivot actuator  175 , and a ridge  102  provided on second segment  175 - 2  of pivot actuator  175  and arranged to interconnect left-side and right-side cam surfaces  85  and  87 . Left-side and right-side cam surfaces  85 ,  87  are joined by a raised and flattened ridge  102 . When viewed from above in  FIG. 8 , left-side cam surface  85  has a “negative” slope, right-side cam surface  87  has a “positive” slope, and flattened ridge  102  has no slope. Similarly, second hook-retainer latch  82  includes an axle mount  77 ′ coupled to pivot shaft  83 ′ and configured to terminate at downwardly extending tip  182  and a pivot actuator  175 ′ coupled to axle mount  77 ′. Pivot actuator  175 ′ includes left-side and right-side cam surfaces  85 ′ and  87 ′ and raised ridge  102 ′. When viewed from above (as in  FIG. 8 ), left-side cam surface  85 ′ has a negative slope, right-side cam surface  87 ′ has a positive slope, and flattened ridge  102 ′ has no slope. 
   Pivot actuator  175 ′ of second hook-retainer latch  82  includes a first segment  175 ′- 1  coupled (e.g., cantilevered) to axle mount  77 ′ and a second segment  175 ′- 2  coupled (e.g., cantilevered) to second segment  175 ′- 2  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 8 and 14   b . First segment  175 ′- 1  includes left-side cam surface  85 ′ and ridge  102 ′. Second segment  175 ′- 2  includes right-side cam surface  87 ′. First segment  175 ′- 1  is similar to (but a mirror image of) first segment  175 - 1  while second segment  175 ′- 2  is similar to (but a mirror image of) second segment  175 - 2  as suggested in  FIG. 14   b.    
   Seat back  40  of juvenile seat  14  is formed to include guide means  110  for guiding U-shaped anchor rail  73  of stationary seat anchor  20  to engage seat-back lock  22  mounted in seat back  40  during rotating movement of juvenile seat  14  about vertical axis  18  relative to base  12  from either the left- or right-facing entry positions of  FIGS. 1 and 3 , respectively, to the forward-facing travel position of  FIG. 2 . In an illustrative embodiment, guide means  110  includes a first seat-anchor guide channel  111  formed in the right side of the rear portion of seat back  40  to communicate with a central opening  114  formed in seat back  40  to expose seat-back lock  22  as shown in  FIGS. 4-8  and  13 . Guide means  110  also includes a second seat-anchor guide channel  112  formed in the left side of the rear portion of seat back  40  also to communicate with central opening  114  as shown in  FIGS. 4-8  and  13 . 
   As suggested in  FIGS. 5-8  and  13 , seat-back lock  22  is exposed in the central opening  114  that is formed in seat back  40  and arranged to lie between seat-anchor guide channels  111  and  112 . In an illustrative embodiment, first seat-anchor guide channel  111  is funnel-shaped and defined by first upper and lower guide walls  111   a  and  111   b  converging in a direction  111   d  extending toward central opening  114  and a first rear wall  111   c  interconnecting guide walls  111   a  and  111   b  as suggested in  FIGS. 8 and 13 . First seat anchor guide channel  111  provides means for guiding U-shaped anchor rail  73  of stationary seat anchor  20  to mate with finger  90  of hook  80  as juvenile seat  14  rotates in counterclockwise direction  52  relative to base  12  as suggested in  FIGS. 5-7  and  10 - 12 . Similarly, second seat-anchor guide channel  112  is funnel-shaped and defined by second upper and lower guide walls  112   a  and  112   b  converging in a direction  112   d  extending toward central opening  114  and a second rear wall  112   c  interconnecting guide walls  112   a  and  112   b  as suggested in  FIGS. 8 and 13 . Second seat-anchor guide channel  112  provides means for guiding U-shaped anchor rail  73  of stationary seat anchor  20  to mate with finger  90  of hook  80  as juvenile seat  14  rotates in clockwise direction  51  relative to base  12 . 
   As suggested in  FIGS. 8 and 13 , first and second lower guide walls  111   b ,  112   b  cooperate to define a somewhat V-shaped lower surface  115 . This lower surface  185  is formed to include a first opening  189  that is part of central opening  114 . Lower surface  185  includes an interior edge  187  defining a border of first opening  189 . Interior edge  187  includes, in series, first segment  131 , second segment  132 , third segment  133 , fourth segment  134 , fifth segment  135 , sixth segment  136 , and seventh segment  137 . First and seventh segments  131 ,  137  are aligned in spaced-apart parallel relation to one another. Third and fifth segments  133 ,  135  are aligned in spaced-apart parallel relation to one another. 
   As suggested in  FIGS. 8 and 13 , first and second rear walls  11   c ,  112   c  cooperate to define a somewhat “bowtie-shaped” rear surface  121 . This rear surface is formed to include a second opening  129  that is also part of central opening  114 . Rear surface  121  includes a pair of spaced-apart parallel edges  141 ,  142  defining a partial border of second opening  129  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   As suggested in  FIGS. 8 and 13 , first and second upper guide walls  111   a ,  112   a  cooperate to define a somewhat V-shaped upper surface  143 . This upper surface  143  is formed to include a third opening  145  that is also part of central opening  114 . Upper surface  143  includes a pair of spaced-apart parallel edges  151 ,  152  defining a partial border of third opening  145  as suggested in FIG. S. 
   As suggested in  FIGS. 8 and 13 , a top surface  156  of seat back  40  merges with upper surface  143 . Top surface  156  is formed to include a fourth opening  158  that is also part of central opening  114 . This top surface  156  includes an interior edge  160  defining a border of fourth opening  158 . Interior edge  160  includes, in series, first segment  161 , second segment  162 , third segment  163 , fourth segment  164 , and fifth segment  165 . First and fifth segments  161 ,  165  are aligned in spaced-apart parallel relation to one another. 
   Finger  90  of hook  80  of seat-back lock  22  is arranged to extend upwardly through first opening  119  formed in lower surface  115  of seat back  40  as shown in  FIGS. 4-6  when hook  80  is located in the unlocked position shown, for example, in  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , finger  90  of hook  80  is arranged to extend upwardly into fourth opening  158  formed in top surface  156  of seat back  40  when hook  80  is located in the locked position shown, for example, in  FIG. 12 . 
   Pivot actuator  175  of first hook-retainer latch  81  and pivot actuator  175 ′ of second hook-retainer latch  82  extend through second opening  129  formed in rear wall  121  as shown in  FIG. 14   a  when hook  80  is located in the unlocked position shown, for example, in  FIG. 10 . Pivot actuators  175 ,  175 ′ also extend into first and third openings  189 ,  145  when hook  80  is located in the unlocked position shown in  FIG. 10 . When finger  90  of hook  80  mates with U-shaped anchor rail  73  of seat anchor  20  to establish the locked position of hook  80  shown in  FIG. 10 , then third segment  76  of U-shaped anchor rail  76  urges pivot actuators  175 ,  175 ′ away from anchor-support pad  30  of base  12  and out of first, second, and third openings  189 ,  129 ,  145  formed in seat back  40  as suggested in  FIG. 7 . At the same time, finger  90  extends upwardly into fourth opening  160  as also suggested in  FIG. 7 . In an illustrative embodiment, the shape of an exterior edge of finger  90  matches the shape of interior edge  160  in top surface  156  of seat back  40  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 7 . 
   An illustrative process for mating seat-back lock  22  to stationary seat anchor  20  is shown in a sequence illustrated in  FIGS. 5-7  and  10 - 12 . Seat-back lock  22  cooperates with stationary seat anchor  20  to define seat stop  17  as suggested in  FIGS. 4-8 . 
   Seat-back lock  22  mates with stationary seat anchor  20  normally whenever juvenile seat  14  is rotated about vertical axis  18  either (1) along a first portion “S 1 ” of the arc “S” from the left-facing entry position shown in FIGS.  1  and  4 - 1  in counterclockwise direction  52  to arrive at the forward-facing travel position shown in FIGS.  2  and  4 - 2  or (2) along a second portion “S 2 ” of the arc “S” from the right-facing entry position shown in FIGS.  3  and  4 - 3  in clockwise direction  51  to arrive at the forward-facing travel position shown in FIGS.  2  and  4 - 2 . If, owing to an unexpected event, such mating does not take place in response to rotation of juvenile seat  14 , seat-back lock  22  will mate with stationary seat anchor  20  in response to movement of seat back  40  in a generally rearward direction  100  (see  FIGS. 10 and 11 ) toward upper portion  50  of anchor support  30  of L-shaped base  12  owing to elasticity of juvenile seat  14  and/or to external force loads applied in direction  100  to juvenile seat  14 . 
   Hook  80  is shown in an “unlocked” position in  FIGS. 6 and 10 . First latch-return spring  86  provides means for yieldably urging first hook-retainer latch  81  to rotate in a counterclockwise direction  60  to cause a tip  181  of first hook-retainer latch  81  to engage first flange plate  91  of hook  80  to urge hook  80  to rotate in a clockwise direction  61  (against a torsional biasing force applied by hook-return spring  84 ) to assume the unlocked position shown in  FIGS. 10 and 13 . Similarly, second latch-return spring  88  provides means for yieldably urging second hook-retainer latch  82  to rotate in counterclockwise direction  60  (see  FIG. 8 ) to cause a tip  182  of second hook-retainer latch  92  to engage second flange plate  92  of hook  80  to urge hook  80  to rotate in a clockwise direction  61  (against the torsional biasing force applied by hook-return spring  84 ). Hook  80  will stay in the unlocked position as long as one or both of spring-loaded first and second hook-retainer latches  81 ,  82  engage the first and second flange plates  91  to hold hook  80  in the unlocked position as suggested in  FIGS. 10 and 13 . 
   U-shaped anchor rail  73  of anchor bar  66  is arranged to engage both of spring-loaded first and second hook-retainer latches  81 ,  82  (one after the other) as juvenile seat  14  rotates about vertical axis (either in clockwise direction  51  or counterclockwise direction  52  and arrives at the forward-facing travel position. When juvenile seat  14  rotates in clockwise direction  51 , U-shaped anchor rail  73  will engage, in sequence, left-side cam surface  85 ′ on second hook-retainer latch  82  and then left-side cam surface  85  on first hook-retainer latch  81 . When juvenile seat  14  rotates in counterclockwise direction  52 , U-shaped anchor rail  73  will engage, in sequence, right-side cam surface  87  on first hook-retainer latch  81  and then right-side cam surface  87 ′ on second hook-retainer latch  82 . 
   Engagement of U-shaped anchor rail  73  and hook-retainer latches  81 ,  82  causes both hook-retainer latches  81 ,  82  to (1) rotate in counterclockwise direction  62  against the torsional biasing force applied by companion latch-return springs  86 ,  88  and (2) disengage flange plates  91 ,  92  of hook  80  as suggested in  FIG. 11 . This “plate-disengagement” action releases hook  80  to allow hook-return spring  84  to urge hook  80  to rotate in counterclockwise direction  63  to assume the locked position shown in  FIG. 12 . In the locked position, upstanding finger  90  of hook  80  passes through finger-receiving opening  90 ′ as suggested in  FIG. 7  and mates with the relatively longer segment  76  of U-shaped anchor rail  73  of anchor bar  66  as suggested in  FIG. 12  to establish mating engagement of seat-back lock  22  and seat anchor  20  to block further swiveling motion of juvenile seat  14  about vertical axis  18  relative to L-shaped base  12 . 
   Swivel-status indicator  24  includes a signal unit  102  comprising a signal flag  26  and a flag lifter  110  coupled to signal flag  26 , at least one lifter-return springs  121 , and a flag-viewing shell  114  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 9-12 . Signal unit  102  is mounted for movement relative to base  12  between a first position representing an “unlocked” (swiveling) condition of juvenile seat  14  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 9  and a second position representing a “locked” (non-swivel) condition of juvenile seat  14  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 12 . 
   Flag lifter  110  includes a vertically extending flag support  116  and a horizontally extending lift tab  118  coupled to a lower end of flag support  116  as shown best in  FIG. 9 . Flag support  16  is mounted for up-and-down movement in internal channel  59  of top portion  50  of anchor-support pad  30  of base  12 . Lift tab  118  is coupled to flag-support  116  for up-and-down movement in open window  64  of front wall  56  of top portion  50  in response to up-and-down movement of flag support  116  in internal channel  59 . In an illustrative embodiment, one signal flag  26  is carried on a front face of flag support  116  and another signal flag  26  is carried on a back face of flag support  116 . 
   Flag-viewing shell  114  is made of a transparent material and includes a frame  120  mounted in a stationary position in internal channel  59  of top portion  50  and a dome  119  coupled to frame  120  and arranged to extend through flag aperture  58  formed in top wall  54  of top portion  50 . Dome  119  of flag-viewing shell  114  rises above top portion  50  of base  12  as shown, for example, in  FIG. 9 . 
   Lifter-return spring  121  acts between, for example, a portion of shell  114  and a portion of flag lifter  110  as suggested diagrammatically in  FIG. 9 . Lifter-return spring  121  is a coiled compression spring in an illustrative embodiment. Normally, lifter-return spring  121  provides means for yieldably urging flag lifter  110  downwardly to assume a lowered position in internal channel  59  as shown in  FIG. 9 . In this lowered position, signal flags  26  are located in a “not-visible” position inside base  12 . 
   Finger  90  of hook  80  moves to engage the underside of lift tab  118  of flag lifter  110  and move flag lifter  110  upwardly to a raised position in internal channel  59  as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10  whenever juvenile seat  14  is rotated about vertical axis  18  to assume the forward-facing travel position. Upward movement of flag lifter  110  raises signal flags  127  to a “visible” position above base  12  and inside dome  119  of flag-viewing shell  114  as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 14 . 
   A hook mover system  150  is provided as suggested in  FIGS. 10-12  for affirmatively withdrawing finger  90  of hook  80  from finger-receiving opening  90 ′ in U-shaped anchor rail  73  (at the option of a caregiver) and returning hook  80  to the unlocked position shown in  FIG. 10 . In an illustrative embodiment, hook mover system  150  includes a hook-release controller  153  coupled to each armrest  41 ,  42  and a separate linkage  154  coupling each hook-release controller  153  to hook  80  as suggested diagrammatically in  FIG. 14  and in  FIGS. 10-12 . 
   An illustrative hook-release controller  153  is coupled to first armrest  41  and is shown, for example, in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . Hook-release controller  153  includes an actuator lever  256  mounted for pivotable movement on a pivot post  258  coupled to a housing  260  mounted in an aperture  262  formed in armrest  41 . Hook-release controller  153  also includes a return spring  264  coupled to housing  260  and actuator lever  256 . Return spring  264  is configured to provide means for yieldably moving actuator lever  256  from an extended position shown away from housing  260  in  FIG. 16  to a retracted position in housing  260  shown in  FIG. 15  whenever a caregiver  266  releases actuator lever  256 . 
   An illustrative linkage  254  includes a tube  268  coupled to housing  260  and a control wire  270  extending through a passageway formed in tube  268  as suggested in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . Control wire  270  is coupled at one end to actuator lever  256  as suggested in  FIGS. 15 and 16  and at an opposite end to axle mount  89  of hook  80  as shown in  FIGS. 10-12 . Pivoting movement of actuator lever  256  about pivot post  258  in direction  272  as suggested in  FIG. 16  pulls on control wire  270  to cause hook  80  to pivot from the locked position shown in  FIG. 12  to the unlocked position shown in  FIG. 10 . Spring-loaded hook-retainer latches  81 ,  82  engage plate flanges  91 ,  92  on hook  80  to retain hook  80  in that unlocked position until hook-retainer latches  81 ,  82  later engage U-shaped anchor rail  73  of stationary seat anchor  20  during swiveling motion of juvenile seat  14  toward the forward-facing travel position shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  7 , and  12 .