Abstract:
The invention concerns a device for mounting a child seat in a car comprising a frame with two frame tubes having at their ends attachment devices for connecting the frame to car mounted brackets and a slide movable along the frame tubes. The slide has a support surface for supporting the child seat and two or more hooks of which at least one is movable for coupling the child seat on the slide. According to the invention the support surface can support a first circular flange of the child seat and the hooks have a circular shape and/or are placed in a circle for gripping the first circular flange.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority of European patent application No. 07104250 filed on Mar. 15, 2007, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention concerns a device for mounting a child seat ( 1 ) in a car comprising a frame ( 8 ) with two frame tubes having at their ends attachment devices ( 2 ) for connecting the frame to car mounted brackets ( 48 ) and a slide ( 5 ) movable along the frame tubes, the slide having a support surface ( 20 ) for supporting the child seat and two or more hooks ( 11 ) of which at least one is movable for coupling the child seat on the slide characterized in that the support surface ( 20 ) can support a first circular flange ( 22 ) of the child seat ( 1 ) and the hooks ( 11 ) have a circular shape and/or are placed in a circle for gripping the first circular flange. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Such a device is known from EP 1344679. 
         [0004]    The disadvantage of the known device is that the child seat cannot rotate when it is placed on the device so that the child must be placed on the child seat when this is in a position whereby the child is not facing the door of the car. This makes placing the child in the seat more complicated. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In order to overcome this disadvantage the device for mounting a child seat ( 1 ) in a car comprises a frame ( 8 ) with two frame tubes having at their ends attachment devices ( 2 ) for connecting the frame to car mounted brackets ( 48 ) and a slide ( 5 ) movable along the frame tubes, the slide having a support surface ( 20 ) for supporting the child seat and two or more hooks ( 11 ) of which at least one is movable for coupling the child seat on the slide characterized in that the support surface ( 20 ) can support a first circular flange ( 22 ) of the child seat ( 1 ) and the hooks ( 11 ) have a circular shape and/or are placed in a circle for gripping the first circular flange. In this way the child seat placed on the upper surface can rotate, thereby making it possible to turn the seat towards the side of the car for placing a child on the seat and after that rotating the child seat so that the child faces the front of the car. For taking the child out of the car the child seat can rotate back so that removing the child from the car is easy. 
         [0006]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the device includes an upper surface ( 20 ) parallel to the frame tubes ( 8 ) and preferably immediately above their upper surface. In this way the mass of the child is as near as possible to the brackets in the car, so that in case of a collision the rotation of the child seat relative to the brackets is more limited so that the displacement of the child is as small as possible. 
         [0007]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the device includes movable hooks ( 11 ) having a first position whereby the child seat ( 1 ) can be positioned on or removed from the support surface ( 20 ) and a second position whereby the hooks can hold the first circular flange ( 22 ) against the support surface, and a mechanism ( 9 ,  26 ,  32 ) for positioning the movable hooks in the first position and the second position. By moving the movable hooks for connecting the child seat to the device with a mechanism the operator actively connects the child seat to the device. 
         [0008]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the device includes hooks ( 11 ) that can grip the first circular flange with their outside circumference. In this way during use the child seat is rotatable around the movable hooks. The child seat prevents in this way that clothing or hands can touch the movable hooks and interfere with their functioning. 
         [0009]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the device includes three or more hooks ( 11 ). In this way the hooks can exert forces on the child seat in all directions, so that longitudinal forces and sideway forces on the child seat can be transferred towards the car, so that the child seat is held against forces that result from longitudinal or sideways directed collisions. 
         [0010]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the movable hooks ( 11 ) can move in three or more radial directions. In this way the child seat is centred more easily on the upper surface. 
         [0011]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the movable hooks ( 11 ) can slide along a linear guide ( 33 ) between the first position and the second position. In this way the hooks can be wider so that they grip a larger arc length of the flange and fewer hooks are required for proper gripping the child seat. This improves the ease of operation of the device. 
         [0012]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the slide ( 5 ) has at the locations of the hooks ( 11 ) one or more second flange parts ( 21 ) so that in the second position the hooks grip both the first circular flange ( 22 ) and the second flange part. In this way there is when the movable hooks are in the second position a strong coupling between the child seat and the device. 
         [0013]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the movable hooks ( 11 ) having spring means ( 52 ) for moving it to the first position and holding means ( 26 ,  34 ,  39 ) for holding it in the second position. This ensures that the movable hooks are always in a determined position and that in the second position the hooks are positioned in a stable way without the risk that the movable hooks inadvertently loosen the child seat. 
         [0014]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a cam disc ( 26 ) rotatable around a first axis ( 27 ) and preferably placed in the centre (c) of the hooks ( 11 ) can move the movable hooks, the cam disc having cam surfaces, each of which presses against a side plane of the movable hook. In this way the moving of all the movable hooks towards the second position takes place in a single movement of the cam disc, which improves ease of use. 
         [0015]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the cam surfaces are shaped such that the spring means ( 52 ) prevent rotation of the cam disc ( 26 ) when the movable hooks ( 11 ) are in the second position. In this way the cam disc is locked in a simple way in the second position. 
         [0016]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the cam disc ( 26 ) is rotated by a handle ( 32 ) rotatable around a second axis and provided with means ( 29 ,  30 ) for coupling the rotation of the cam disc and the handle. In this way the handle can be located on the slide away from the movable hooks so that it can be used in all situations, also when the child seat is positioned on the device. 
         [0017]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the slide ( 5 ) has a mounting position whereby it is located away from the attachment devices ( 2 ) and is provided with blocking means ( 17 ) for preventing the slide to move from the mounting position towards the attachment devices. This ensures that the slide can only be moved when the device is mounted in the car and the child seat is on the slide. This improves the safe use of the device as in this way the child seat is always placed on the device with the slide in the mounting position and away from the back of the seat. This is safer as in that position of the slide the child seat can be positioned and gripped by the movable hooks in a proper way so preventing errors in fastening the child seat. 
         [0018]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the blocking means comprising pins ( 17 ) that can extend for each frame tube ( 8 ). This is a compact and simple way to block the movement of the slide. 
         [0019]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, each pin ( 17 ) is connected to a first sensor ( 49 ) determining whether the attachment device ( 2 ) is connected to the car mounted anchorage ( 48 ). In this way the movement of the slide is blocked when the attachment devices are not connected to the car mounted brackets. 
         [0020]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the frame tubes ( 8 ) are provided with notches ( 41 ) and the slide ( 5 ) with a catch ( 36 ) for preventing the slide to move in the direction away from the attachment devices ( 2 ). In this way the slide is easily movable to its position of use and can only be moved away when determined action is taken. 
         [0021]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the catch ( 36 ) is connected to a second sensor ( 15 ) for determining whether a child seat ( 1 ) is placed on the support surface ( 20 ) and/or the circular flange ( 22 ) is fully positioned on the support surface. In this way the movement of the slide is blocked when there is no child seat on the device. 
         [0022]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the frame tubes ( 8 ) each have a button ( 14 ) for disconnecting the attachment device ( 2 ) from the car mounted bracket ( 48 ), which button is covered and/or deactivated by the slide ( 5 ) when the slide is not in the mounting position. This makes sure that when the device is removed from the car the slide is in the mounting position and thereby in the proper position for future use. 
         [0023]    The invention also includes a child seat for use with the device. The child seat includes a circular flange ( 22 ) that can rest on the support surface ( 20 ) and that can be gripped by the hooks ( 11 ) has the advantage that it can rotate when placed on the device. The child seat including the circular flange ( 22 ) has on its inner diameter a cylindrical surface that can rotate around the hooks ( 11 ) that prevents that the user can interfere with the movable hooks. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0024]    The invention will now be elucidated with the help of a description of one or more embodiments using a drawing. In the drawing 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a child seat placed on a back seat of a car with the child seat facing sideways, 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the child seat of  FIG. 1  with the child seat facing forward, 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a base for placing the child seat of  FIG. 1  on the back seat of the car and coupling the child seat to the car, 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of the base of  FIG. 3 , 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  shows a longitudinal section of the base of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  shows a schematic top view of the base which shows movable hooks for coupling the child seat on the base in the position that the child seat can be placed over the movable hooks and parts for moving these hooks, 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  shows a schematic top view of the base similar to the view in  FIG. 6  whereby the movable hooks are in the position that the child seat is coupled to the base, 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of parts that prevent forward movement of a slide of the base in their blocking position, 
           [0033]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of the parts that prevent forward movement of a slide of the base in their unblocked position, 
           [0034]      FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of parts for reinforcing the base, 
           [0035]      FIG. 11  shows a side view of an attachment device ready for connecting the base to the car mounted anchorage, and 
           [0036]      FIG. 12  shows the side view of  FIG. 11  whereby the attachment device is connected to the car mounted anchorage. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0037]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  show a child seat  1  mounted in a car on a seat  4 , which seat  4  has a seat back  3 . For mounting the child seat  1  in the car the child seat  1  is coupled to a slide  5  that is connected with a frame  8  and that can slide along the frame  8 . The frame  8 , which is U-shaped, is connected with attachment devices  2  to car mounted anchorages  48  (see  FIGS. 11 and 12 ) accessible through a slit between the seat  4  and the seat back  3  and which are connected to the car. The front side of the frame  8  is held with a leg  6  at an adjustable distance from the floor of the car. For ease of use the leg  6  is connected with a hinge  7  to the frame  8  so that it can be folded against the frame  8 . The slide  5  narrowly encompasses the frame  8  and has a height that is more or less similar to the height of the frame  8 . 
         [0038]    The slide  5  and the frame  8  together form a base  53  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) that couples the child seat  1  to the car in such a way that a child in the child seat  1  is safely held in case of collision of the car. In case of collision the child seat  1  will be held against forward movement and for this the attachment devices  2  will exert a heavy load on the car and the frame  8  will be held against rotation around the car mounted anchorages  48  by the leg  6 . This leg  6  can be as stiff as possible, in other embodiments the leg  6  can deform whereby energy is absorbed. For energy absorption the leg  6  can be made from parts that can slide in each other during deformation of special parts, which are for instance made of deformable metal (not shown). 
         [0039]    For ease of use the child seat  1  is rotatable on the slide  5 , so that the child can be placed in the child seat  1  when the child seat  1  is rotated towards the door of the car as shown in  FIG. 1 . After fastening the child in the child seat  1  within the known way with a five point harness or straps (not shown), the child seat  1  is rotated so that the child faces forward and after that the child seat  1  is locked in this position. For unlocking the child seat  1  so that it can be rotated towards the door a push button  54  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) on a control handle  9  is pushed, where after the child seat  1  can be rotated. The control handle  9  can be moved sideways for freeing the child seat  1  from the slide  5 , so that it can be taken off. 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  show the base  53  in the position as it is mounted in the car. The legs of the U-shaped frame  8  end in attachment devices  2 , which are connectable to the car. As long as the attachment devices  2  are not connected to the car mounted anchorages  48  slide blocking pins  17  prevent sliding the slide  5  backwards in the direction of the attachment devices  2  and the seat back  3  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). In the top surface of the slide  5  there are seat detection knobs  15  which detect whether a child seat  1  is placed on the slide  5 . Also as long as these seat detection knobs  15  are not activated the backwards sliding of the slide  5  is prevented, for instance by blocking catches  36 , see  FIGS. 8 and 9 . In a different embodiment, the slide blocking pins  17  do not work directly on the slide  5 , but extend sideways from the frame  8  and also block the catches  36 . 
         [0041]    The child seat  1  is placed around three coupling hooks  11  that are slidable in the plane of the base  53  to and from a rotation axis c of the child seat  1  with the coupling handle  9 . In the  FIGS. 3 and 4  the coupling hooks  11  are shown in the situation whereby the coupling hooks  11  grip the child seat  1  and the coupling hooks  11  are at their largest diameter. On the inside of the couplings hooks  11  there are openings  18  in which the couplings hooks  11  move towards a smaller diameter when moved by the coupling handle  9  to a position whereby the child seat  1  can be placed on the base  53 . For guiding the child seat  1  to the position whereby the child seat  1  encloses the coupling hooks  11  there are guide notches  10  between the coupling hooks  11 . The slide  5  has a safety hook  13  which grips a seat ridge  19  (see  FIG. 5 ) of the child seat  1  when the child seat  1  is facing forward also to prevent tilting of the child seat  1  in a collision. 
         [0042]    After the child seat  1  is placed on the slide  5  and the child is placed in the child seat  1 , it can be rotated so that the child faces forward. A seat rotation lock  16  locks the rotation of the child seat  1  in that position. The child seat  1  can be rotated after the push button  54  in the coupling handle  9  has been pushed; this pushing moves the seat rotation lock  16  sideways so that the child seat  1  is free to rotate around the rotation axis c. In stead of the separate push button  54  the coupling handle  9  can be designed such that pushing the coupling handle  9  in radial direction or upwards or downwards has the same effect as activating the push button  54 . 
         [0043]    After the child seat  1  is placed on the slide  5 , which is connected to the car mounted anchorage  48  and the seat detection knobs  15  are activated the slide  5  can be moved towards the seat back  3  so that the distance between the child seat  1  and the parts of the car in front of the child seat  1  are as large as possible. The slide  5  has openings  40  in the side of the slide  5 . These openings  40  move backwards when the slide  5  moves backwards. When the slide  5  is in the forward position attachment device unlock buttons  14  can be reached through the openings  40 . After the slide  5  is moved backwards it is not possible anymore to reach the attachment device unlock buttons  14 , so that accidentally unlocking the attachment devices  2  is not possible. Unlocking the attachment devices  2  is only possible after the slide  5  has been moved forward which is only possible after on both sides of the slide  5  a rattle forward release button  12  has been pushed. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 5-10  show the various parts in the slide  5 . The legs of the U-shaped frame  8  are connected by a reinforcement bar  23  which can slide in longitudinal direction along the legs of frame  8 . The ends of the reinforcement bar  23  have brackets  37  that enclose the legs of frame  8 . The slide  5  has a bottom housing  25  and an upper housing  20  which are coupled with screws  28 . The reinforcement bar  23  is positioned in the bottom housing  25  between ridges  44  and ridges  42 . A reinforcement plate  21  is welded to the top of the reinforcement bar  23 . The reinforcement plate  21  positions the safety hook  13  and has an inside circumference  45  that supports the coupling hooks  11  on back seat  3  side of the slide  5 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 5  shows a longitudinal section of the slide  5  with the frame  8 , whereby the child seat  1  is placed with a seat flange  22  around the coupling hooks  11  and the guide notches  10  and is supported by the top side of the upper housing  20 . 
         [0046]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show the mechanism for moving the coupling hooks  11 . The coupling hooks  11  have at their sides a linear guide  33  which linear guides  33  cooperate with notches in the bottom housing  25  (not shown) to guide the coupling hook  11  relative to the bottom housing  25  in radial direction to and from the rotation axis c. A cam disc  26  is rotatable around a cam disc bearing  27 . The cam disc  26  has notches  34  that can rest in a slot  39  and the cam disc  26  has cams that slide along a side of a coupling hook  11  and by rotating the cam disc  26  the coupling hooks  11  are pushed outwards against the pressure of a spring  52 . When pushed outwards the cam disc  26  rests with a flat surface against a flat surface of the coupling hook  11  so that by the shape of the cam disc  26  inadvertent rotation of the cam disc  26  is prevented. In  FIG. 5  the spring  52  is located between a coupling hook  11  and the upper housing  20 . The spring  52  can also be located between the coupling hook  11  and the bottom housing  25  or between two coupling hooks  11 . 
         [0047]    The cam disc  26  is rotated by rotating a handle  32  with the coupling handle  9  around a handle bearing  31 . The handle  32  has a gear segment  30  with gear teeth  29  that engage with gear teeth on the cam disc  26 . The radius of the gear teeth  30  on the handle  32  is larger than the radius of the gear teeth on the cam disc  26  so that the angle over which the handle  32  must be moved is smaller than the angle over which the cam disc  26  must rotate, which makes positioning and use of the coupling handle  9  easier. The handle  32  can additionally be locked in the position whereby the child seat  1  is fixed to the slide  5  with lock  38 . 
         [0048]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show how the forward movement of the slide  5  is locked and made possible. On the frame  8  near the reinforcement bar  23  a notched plate  35  is mounted, which notched plate  35  has notches  41  in which a lock  38  is pressed by a spring  43 . The notches  41  are so that the lock  38  only allows movement of the slide  5  in the direction of the attachment devices  2 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . By pushing the release buttons  12  downwards, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the lock  39  is pushed from the notches  41  and the slide  5  can move forward. 
         [0049]    In the shown embodiment, three coupling hooks  11  can slide in radial direction. In other embodiments there can be two, four, or more coupling hooks of which one hook can be fixed. Also in stead of sliding the movable coupling hooks can pivot around a pin in order to grip around the seat flange  22 . 
         [0050]      FIGS. 11 and 12  show the coupling of the frame  8  to the car mounted anchorage  48 .  FIG. 11  shows the situation where the attachment device  2  is ready to be connected to the car mounted anchorage  48 . In the attachment device  2  a toggle  49  is visible. Within the frame  8  a support  50  is coupled to the attachment device  2  by an actuator  47 . The actuator  47  is connected to the slide blocking pin  17 , which is pushed upwards through an opening in the frame by a spring  51 . The actuator  47  is further coupled to a signal rod  46 , which can be actuated by the attachment device unlock button  14 . This attachment device unlock button  14  can be approached through an opening in the frame  8  and the opening  40  in the side of the slide  5 . The actuator  47  further actuates via the signal rod  46  a signal (not shown) near the front of the frame  8 , which signal indicates whether the car mounted anchorage  48  is connected to the attachment device  2 . 
         [0051]    When the attachment device  2  is moved around the car mounted anchorage  48  the toggle  49  rotates and locks the car mounted anchorage  48  in the attachment device  2 , see  FIG. 12 . The rotating toggle  49  thereby moves the actuator  47  backwards in the direction of the attachment device  2  and the slide blocking pin  17  moves downwards so that it does not extend out of the frame  8 . The signal rod  46  moves backwards as well, so that at the front of the base  53  becomes visible indicating that the attachment device  2  is connected to the car mounted anchorage  48 . The toggle  49  is released to rotate and release the car mounted anchorage  48  by pressing the attachment device unlock button  14 . 
         [0052]    In the disclosed embodiment there are three coupling hooks  11  that are moved by cam disc  26 , slide in radial direction and so couple the child seat  1  to the base  53 . It will be clear that for coupling the child seat  1  to the base  53  a different number of hooks can be used, and that instead that the hooks slide inward and outward it is also possible to use hooks that tilt inwards/outwards. In the disclosed embodiment the mechanism for moving the hooks is more or less complete between the legs of the frame  8  and under the top level of the slide  5 . A design whereby the mechanism for moving the hooks is inside the circumference of the movable hooks and extends there above the top level of the slide  5  to within and partly above the seat flange  22  is also possible.