Patent Description:
The child safety seat and base can be secured to a motor vehicle's seat for the carriage of a child in the vehicle. A means of controlling the rotation of the seat with respect to the base as well as a means of removing and locking the child safety seat to the base are disclosed.

Examples of child safety seats that can be rotated with respect to a base are known. With some examples where the base is secured to a motor vehicle's seat, the child safety seat can be rotated with respect to the base to move the seat between in-use positions in either a forward or rear facing position. This allows the seat to be at a side loading position, <NUM> degrees with respect to either in-use position, to allow easy seating or extraction of a child from a doorway of a motor vehicle.

It is useful to allow a child safety seat to be released from the base to, for example, attach the seat to a stroller. This can be achieved with a base that has a rotary element mounted for rotary movement in the base. The rotary element has latches on its upper surface to which the child safety seat affixes and the child safety seat has latching elements that engage with the rotary element latches. The latches securely hold the seat and are sufficiently strong to withstand loads applied during vehicle impact conditions. <CIT> discloses a child safety seat which can be rotated and comprising a latch mechanism.

A means of securing a separable child seat to the rotary element of the base in the correct position is desirable and any system that does not ensure the correct orientation may lead to unsafe outcomes.

It is against this background that the present invention has been developed.

According to the invention, there is provided a child safety seat and a base wherein the base is arranged to be secured with respect to a motor vehicle, comprising:.

The rotary element may be configured to latch with respect to the base so as to position the child safety seat in one or more in-use positions. These include a rear facing and a forward facing position. Manual means may be provided to release the latch between the base and the rotary element to allow rotation of the child safety seat with respect to the base.

The rotary element is arranged to rotate so that the child safety seat may be repositioned with respect to the base and vehicle seat to move the child safety seat to a position where it is easier or more convenient to position a child into the safety seat or to remove the child. This may include rotating the seat so that it is aligned with an open vehicle door.

Rotation of the rotary element will also position the child safety seat for removal from the base by operation of the latch. The latch may include a plurality of hooks mounted to the rotary element that move between a latching position and an unlatched position. The child safety seat may have latch engaging elements such as pins or similar elements over which the hooks may engage. The hooks may comprise a simple right-angled hook that works in conjunction with a vertical abutment or notch on the rotary element. Both act to prevent movement of the latch engaging elements once the hook is over it. The hook will prevent upward movement and horizontal movement towards the hook and the vertical abutment will prevent horizontal movement in the opposite direction.

In a second aspect of the invention, the child safety seat is rotated from an in-use position to a second predetermined position where operation of the latch will also allow actuation of the interlock means which will act to hold the rotary element at that predetermined position. Operation of the interlock means prevents the rotary element from moving away from the pre-determined position once the child safety seat is removed.

Further, the interlock means may prevent operation of the latch to release the lock means once the child safety seat is removed from the rotary base. In this way, the rotary base is prevented from moving from the position where the child safety seat is removed from the base and the rotary element cannot be moved from this position while the child safety seat is removed.

The interlock means is released once the child safety seat is positioned onto the rotary element with its latch engagement elements aligned with the latch. One or more of the latch elements may depress spring loaded actuating elements that then enables the rotary element to rotate with respect to the base once the child safety seat is in position to be re-latched to the rotary element.

Further, the latch may be designed to be disabled or non-operable when the child safety seat is in an in-use position. That is, the operation of the latch to release the child safety seat is not possible when it is in position for carriage of a child while the vehicle is moving. This prevents inadvertent release of the child safety seat when it is in one of its in-use positions.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a child safety seat and base assembly wherein a base is arranged to be secured with respect to a motor vehicle and a seat is arranged to be removably secured with respect to the base, the assembly including:.

In one form, the seat latch actuation assembly includes a handle slidably mounted with respect to the rotary element.

In one form, in use, the base blocks access to the handle when the seat is in any position other than one or two side-loading position(s), thereby preventing opening or closing the seat latch when the seat is in any position other than the one or two side-loading position(s).

In one form, the child safety seat and a base further includes a plurality of hooks and hook-engageable projections, the hooks movable from a latching position in which they hold the hook-engageable projections, to a released position in which they do not hold the projections.

In one form, the hooks are located on the rotary element and form part of the seat latch and the hook-engageable projections are located on the seat.

In one form, the interlock mechanism includes a locking projection and a locking recess, the locking projection engageable with the locking recess to prevent rotation of the rotary element with respect to the base when the seat latch is opened.

In one form, the locking projection extends from the rotary element and the locking recess is formed in the base.

In one form, the rotary element includes a depressible element engageable by a seat-depending surface,
whereby the depressible element is depressible by the seat-depending surface to release the interlock mechanism.

In one form, the depressible element includes an interlock pin, the interlock pin biased toward an upper position in which the interlock mechanism locks, thereby preventing rotation of the rotary element with respect to the base.

In one form, the interlock mechanism includes an interlock latch, the interlock latch actuated by the interlock pin.

In one form, the interlock latch is biased towards an upper position in which an end face of the interlock latch blocks movement of the handle, thereby preventing deactivation of the interlock mechanism until the interlock pin is depressed.

In one form, the interlock latch is pivotally mounted to the rotary element.

Examples illustrating the present invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, a child safety seat and base <NUM> comprises a child seat <NUM> secured to the base <NUM>. The base <NUM> is designed to locate on and secure to the seat portion of a motor vehicle seat and optionally has a rebound bar <NUM> that abuts against the backrest of the vehicle seat and, again optionally, a foot prop <NUM> (partially shown in <FIG>) to restrain rear and forward rotation respectively of the child seat <NUM> and base <NUM>. Isofix connectors (not drawn) connect and secure the base <NUM> with respect to the vehicle seat. In other arrangements, not shown, the child safety seat and base <NUM> may be arranged and constructed for belted installation using a motor vehicle's seat belts and a top tether or a foot prop for example. In further arrangements, not shown, the child safety seat and base <NUM> may be arranged and constructed for installation by means of a latch system commonly used in the United States.

As seen in <FIG>, the child seat <NUM> is in a rear facing in-use position. That is, the child will be facing the rear of the vehicle which is a position recommended for infants, babies and very young children.

With the base <NUM> remaining in a fixed position with respect to a vehicle seat, the child seat <NUM> is able to rotate through <NUM> degrees. As seen in <FIG>, the child seat <NUM> is secured to a rotary element <NUM> and together, the child seat <NUM> and rotary element <NUM> are able to rotate about a substantially vertical axis on the base <NUM>.

A seat latch acts with the rotary element <NUM> and the base <NUM> to hold the child seat <NUM> in one of two in-use positions, either rear facing as shown in <FIG> or forward facing. The seat latch may be manually operated, using a handle <NUM>, and once released, the child seat <NUM> can be rotated to the opposite in-use position or to pre-determined intermediate positions. The intermediate positions are preferably <NUM> degrees from the in-use positions in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction. This will have the advantage of positioning the child seat <NUM> towards the open door of a motor vehicle.

The rotary element <NUM> is provided with a seat latch which includes a seat latch body <NUM> as seen in <FIG>. The seat latch body <NUM> slides within the rotary element <NUM> as will be described in detail below. The seat latch body <NUM> is manually operated between a latched and unlatched position.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the rotary element <NUM> comprises a generally circular disc that locates into a complimentary shaped cavity <NUM> in the base <NUM>. The cavity <NUM> has a floor <NUM>. The rotary element <NUM> has a peripheral flange <NUM> that sits on a bearing surface <NUM> on the base <NUM>, as is shown in <FIG>, and the rotary element <NUM> is held captive in the cavity <NUM> by a retainer <NUM> that has threaded fasteners <NUM> that secure it to the base <NUM>.

The rotary element <NUM> has a cavity <NUM> within which the latch body <NUM> locates. Positioned around the cavity <NUM> is a U-shaped rim <NUM> located on the upper surface <NUM> of the rotary element <NUM>. The rim <NUM> has a number of notches <NUM> spaced around its periphery.

The seat latch body <NUM> has an upturned handle <NUM> at the end of a plate <NUM> that extends from the seat latch body <NUM>. Hooks <NUM> are located on the upper surface of both the plate <NUM> and the latch body <NUM>. Lugs <NUM> extend laterally from the seat latch body <NUM> at the lower edge of the seat latch body <NUM>. A locking projection in the form of a pin <NUM>, shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, extends from an end of the seat latch body <NUM>.

The seat latch body <NUM> is located within the cavity <NUM> by inserting the handle <NUM> through the cavity <NUM> from the underside of the rotary element <NUM>. Preferably, there is sufficient play within the cavity <NUM> or flexibility of some, or all, of the interlocking parts for the seat latch body <NUM> to be positioned to allow the pin <NUM> to locate into a locking recess in the form of an aperture <NUM>. Alternatively, there may be provided a removable cover that allows the pin <NUM> to locate into the aperture <NUM>.

The lugs <NUM> locate in cavities <NUM> on the underside surface of the rotary element <NUM> as is shown in <FIG>. The cavities <NUM> allow back and forth movement of the lugs <NUM> as the seat latch body <NUM> is moved between its latched and unlatched positions of <FIG> respectively. The combination of the pin <NUM> and the lugs <NUM> slidably retain the latch body <NUM> in the cavity <NUM> of the rotary element <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the under surface of the seat <NUM> has a box <NUM> having a generally rectangular peripheral wall which is sized to locate over the rim <NUM>. Hook-engageable projections in the form of pins <NUM> are located on the inner wall of the box <NUM> and align with the notches <NUM> of the rim <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, with the pins <NUM> located in the notches <NUM> the seat is held to the rotary element <NUM> with the hooks <NUM> positioned over the pins <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the child seat <NUM> rotated <NUM> degrees from the position shown in <FIG>. A manual latch (not shown) is actuated to allow the child seat <NUM> to move from its in-use position. The retainer <NUM> has a flange <NUM> that extends around the retainer <NUM>. The flange <NUM> has two openings <NUM> positioned <NUM> degrees from the in-use positions. The flange <NUM> prevents access to the handle <NUM> in all but the <NUM> degree positions. However, the openings <NUM> allow access to the handle <NUM> when the child seat <NUM> is rotated to this pre-determined position.

As seen in <FIG>, the end of the pin <NUM> abuts against the wall of the cavity <NUM> below the bearing surface <NUM>, aside from when it aligns with an aperture <NUM> that is provided at two diametrically opposite loading positions. This prevents unlatching movement of the latching body <NUM>. As the seat <NUM> and rotary element are rotated, the latch body moves with them both. When they are rotated <NUM> degrees to the pre-determined position, the pin <NUM> aligns with an aperture <NUM> in the wall of the cavity <NUM> as is shown in <FIG>. In this position, the handle <NUM> is accessible and can now be pushed inwardly. The pin <NUM>, sliding within through-hole <NUM>', can enter the aperture <NUM> and the latch body is moved so that the hooks <NUM> are clear of the pins <NUM>. In this position, the seat <NUM> is unlatched and can be removed from the base <NUM>.

Engagement of the pin <NUM> in the aperture <NUM> will allow the latch body <NUM> to move into a position that is open and the seat <NUM> can be removed. However, base <NUM> can be arranged to prevent the latch body <NUM> moving back to a closed position and to prevent the rotary element rotating while the seat <NUM> is removed.

An interlock is provided which comprises spring loaded actuating pins <NUM> and spring loaded interlock latches in the form of latch bars <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, the latch bars <NUM> are mounted in slots <NUM> in the floor <NUM> of the cavity <NUM>. The latch bars <NUM> have pivot pins <NUM> that engage apertures in the slots <NUM>. This allows upward pivoting movement of the latch bars <NUM> within the slots <NUM>. The latch bars <NUM> are biased upwardly by springs <NUM> that are held in place below the latch bars <NUM> by a base plate <NUM>. The springs <NUM> may have pivot pins that also engage pivot holes in the slots <NUM> and have hooks at their ends that engage retaining holes in both the latch bar <NUM> and the base <NUM>.

In this manner, the latch bars <NUM> are held in the floor <NUM> of the cavity <NUM> with the base of the rotary element <NUM> moving over them as it rotates.

The actuating pins <NUM> are mounted in the rotary element and move with it as it is rotated. As seen in <FIG>, with the seat <NUM> removed the actuating pins <NUM> are urged upwardly by springs <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, the actuating pins <NUM> with springs <NUM> are mounted in a bore <NUM>. The actuating pins have collars <NUM> against which the springs <NUM> act to push the actuating pin <NUM> upwardly into the position shown in <FIG>.

When the rotary element <NUM> is aligned in its <NUM> degree position, the latch body <NUM> can be moved to the unlatch position where the seat <NUM> can be removed. This is the position shown in <FIG>. In this position, slots <NUM> in the base of the rotary element <NUM> (see <FIG>) align with the latch bars <NUM>. The upward biasing of the springs <NUM> results in the latch bars <NUM> pivoting upwardly so that their ends locate into the slots <NUM> shown on <FIG>.

With the latch bars <NUM> in the slots <NUM>, the rotary element <NUM> is fixed in position and cannot rotate away from the position from where the seat <NUM> was removed. Also, the ends <NUM>' of latch bar <NUM> block movement of the lugs <NUM> and so in this position, the latch body <NUM> cannot be moved away from the unlatched position as is illustrated in <FIG>.

This prevents the rotary element <NUM> from moving out of position once the seat is removed.

Upon replacing the seat <NUM> onto the base, the box <NUM> has interlock pins <NUM>, visible in <FIG>, that, as the pins <NUM> locate into the notches <NUM>, press against the top of the actuating pins <NUM> and press them downwardly. This is against the biasing of springs <NUM>. The lower ends of the actuating pins <NUM> press the respective latch bars <NUM> down so that, as seen in <FIG>, the top surface of the latch bars <NUM> are level with the base of the rotary element <NUM>. This also results in the end of the latch bar <NUM> being clear of the slots <NUM>.

In this position, the latch body <NUM> can be moved to the latched position with the hooks <NUM> again locating over the pins <NUM>. With the latch bars <NUM> in their lower position, the lugs <NUM> are now able to move over the latch bars <NUM> as seen in <FIG>.

With the latch bars <NUM> below the base of the rotary element <NUM> and the seat <NUM> again latched to the base <NUM>, the rotary element <NUM> and seat <NUM> are free to rotate away from a <NUM> degree position into an in-use position where it is latched in place.

While in the example illustrated in <FIG> interlock pins <NUM> are described separately from hook-engageable pins <NUM>, in some example the same extended pin will serve the function of both interlock pins <NUM> and hook-engageable pins <NUM>.

Turning now to <FIG>, an alternative child safety seat and base combination is shown. In the exploded view of <FIG>, the seat <NUM> and its box <NUM> are the same, or largely the same as those shown in <FIG>. However the rotary element <NUM> and the seat latch are different. With this example, two pairs of hooks <NUM> face each other as is shown more clearly in <FIG>. This provides a reduced vulnerability against acceleration or deceleration as compared to an arrangement of hooks <NUM> that all face in the same direction as shown in <FIG>. The arrangement shown in <FIG> therefore may provide better resistance to unwanted release in the event of a frontal or rearward impact in a motor vehicle accident.

<FIG> and <FIG> show a child safety seat <NUM> and base <NUM> assembly wherein a base <NUM> is arranged to be secured with respect to a motor vehicle and a seat is arranged to be removably secured with respect to the base. The assembly includes a rotary element <NUM>, rotatably mounted to the base (most clearly shown in <FIG>). The child seat <NUM> is securable to the rotary element <NUM> and together, the child seat <NUM> and rotary element <NUM> are able to rotate about a substantially vertical axis on the base <NUM>. A pivot bearing support <NUM> on the base <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. A corresponding attachment feature (not shown) is provided on the underside of the rotary element <NUM> thereby providing the substantially vertical axis.

A seat latch is provided on the rotary element that engages the child safety seat to releasably hold the child safety seat with respect to the base and rotary element. The seat latch includes a plurality of hooks <NUM> and hook-engageable projections <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. In the example illustrated in <FIG>, it can be seen that the hook-engageable projections are in the form of hook engageable pins <NUM>.

The hooks <NUM> are movable from a latching position in which they hold the hook-engageable projections, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, to a released position in which they do not hold the projections, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

<FIG> on the one hand, and <FIG> on the other hand, show alternative arrangements. With the arrangement of <FIG>, a pull-release mechanism within the rotary element is provided. In contrast, with the arrangement of <FIG>, a push-release mechanism within the rotary element is provided.

Referring to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, it can be seen that the base <NUM> blocks access to the handle <NUM> when the seat <NUM> is in any position other than one or two side-loading position, thereby preventing opening or closing the seat latch when the seat is in any position other than side-loading position(s). For example, when in the driving position illustrated in <FIG>, it is impossible for a user to access and actuate the handle <NUM>. This prevents inadvertent or unsafe release of the hooks <NUM> from their securing positions shown in <FIG> for instance.

The assembly further includes a seat latch actuation assembly for opening or closing the seat latch wherein opening the seat latch releases the child safety seat. The seat latch actuation assembly includes a handle <NUM> slidably mounted with respect to the rotary element.

Referring now to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, an interlock mechanism, actuated upon opening the seat latch, is shown. The interlock mechanism prevents rotation of the rotary element <NUM> with respect to the base <NUM>. The interlock mechanism includes a locking projection, in the form of a pin <NUM> and a locking recess, in the form of an aperture <NUM>. The pin <NUM> is engageable with the aperture <NUM> to prevent rotation of the rotary element <NUM> with respect to the base <NUM> when the seat latch is opened.

The pin <NUM> extends from the rotary element <NUM> when the hooks <NUM> are open as can be seen in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>.

The aperture <NUM> is formed in the base <NUM> as is shown in <FIG>.

The rotary element <NUM> includes a depressable element in the form of an actuating pin <NUM> as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. Multiple actuating pins <NUM> may be provided as is more clearly shown in the first example as is illustrated in <FIG> for instance. The pins <NUM> are engageable by a seat-depending surface in the form of an interlock pin <NUM>, or pins <NUM>, as are shown in <FIG>. In the example illustrated, the depressible pins <NUM> are depressible by the pins <NUM> on the seat to release the interlock mechanism.

As with the first example described above, the depressible interlock pin or pins <NUM> are biased toward an upper position in which the interlock mechanism locks, thereby preventing rotation of the rotary element <NUM> with respect to the base <NUM>. Furthermore the interlock mechanism includes an interlock latch <NUM>, the interlock latch is actuated by the interlock pin <NUM> as is illustrated in <FIG>. The interlock latch <NUM> is biased towards an upper position in which an end face <NUM>' of the interlock latch <NUM> blocks movement of the handle <NUM>, thereby preventing deactivation of the interlock mechanism until the interlock pin <NUM> is depressed. As can be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, the interlock latch is pivotally mounted to the rotary element <NUM>.

Various internal mechanisms can be provided within or on the rotary element <NUM> to provide the functionality of the seat latch actuation and interlock mechanisms. These mechanisms may be separate or integrated as is shown by the non-limiting examples of <FIG> and in the alternatives of <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, it can be seen that a handle linkage <NUM>, that is either operatively connected to the handle <NUM> or forms part of the handle <NUM>, is pivotally connected to a pair hook linkages <NUM> at pivot points <NUM> and <NUM>. This arrangement is the pull-release mechanism within the rotary element <NUM> shown in <FIG> respectively.

Referring to <FIG>, a similar arrangement to that of <FIG> is shown. However the arrangement is the push-release mechanism within the rotary element <NUM> shown in <FIG> respectively.

The operating of the actuating pins <NUM> and the latch bars <NUM> are shown sequentially in <FIG>. Starting at <FIG>, placement of the seat <NUM> onto the base <NUM> (seat <NUM> not shown for clarity), results in the pins <NUM> depressing the actuating pins <NUM> which in turn push the latch bars <NUM> into their lower position (<FIG>) from their upper position shown in <FIG>. With the lugs <NUM> now no longer blocked by faces <NUM>' on the ends of the latch bars <NUM>, the latch body <NUM> moves to its latched position seen in <FIG>. The seat <NUM> is latched and the rotary element <NUM> is free to rotate.

<FIG> show the seat <NUM> being removed from the right hand side of the base <NUM>. The latch bars <NUM> are on the left side of the base <NUM> to allow the apertures <NUM> to align in this position. A further set of latch bars <NUM> would need to be provided on the right side of the base <NUM> in order to allow removal of the seat <NUM> from the left side of the base <NUM>. These have not been drawn, but it will be apparent to a skilled addressee as to the required location of these additional latch bars <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A child safety seat and base assembly (<NUM>) wherein a base (<NUM>) is arranged to be secured with respect to a motor vehicle and a seat (<NUM>) is arranged to be removably secured with respect to the base (<NUM>), the assembly (<NUM>) including:
a rotary element (<NUM>) rotatably mounted to the base (<NUM>);
a seat latch (<NUM>) on the rotary element (<NUM>) that engages the child safety seat (<NUM>) to releasably hold the child safety seat (<NUM>) with respect to the base (<NUM>) and rotary element (<NUM>);
a seat latch actuation assembly for opening or closing the seat latch (<NUM>) wherein opening the seat latch (<NUM>) releases the child safety seat (<NUM>); and characterized in that
an interlock mechanism actuated upon opening the seat latch (<NUM>) that prevents rotation of the rotary element (<NUM>) with respect to the base (<NUM>).