Patent ID: 12194900

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG.1is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a child safety seat100. The child safety seat100can include a seat shell102. The seat shell102can have a seat portion104, a backrest portion106and two sidewalls110. The seat shell102, including the seat portion104, the backrest portion106and the two sidewalls110, may be formed by plastic materials.

The two sidewalls110can protrude forward from the backrest portion106, and can respectively extend along a left and a right side of the backrest portion106. The two sidewalls110can sideways delimit an inner space of the seat shell102adapted to receive a child, and can provide sideways protection for the child's body. The backrest portion106can be assembled with an adjustable headrest108that is disposed between the two sidewalls110. The headrest108can move along the backrest portion106between the two sidewalls110for adjustment in accordance with the height of a child placed in the seat shell102.

According to an embodiment, the headrest108can have a central support portion112, and two side support portions114respectively protruding forward at a left and a right side of the central support portion112. The two side support portions114of the headrest108can provide sideways protection for the child's head.

The child safety seat100can further include two side protection parts116that are respectively disposed adjacent to the two sidewalls110at an inner side thereof. At each of the left and right side, the side protection part116can extend along the inner side of the corresponding sidewall110from a location adjacent to the seat portion104toward a top of the backrest portion106, a portion of the side protection part116being located between the sidewall110and the side support portion114of the headrest108. According to an example of construction, the side protection parts116can exemplarily include, without limitation, plastic materials.

In conjunction withFIG.1,FIGS.2and3are two perspective views respectively illustrating two opposite sides of the side protection part116. Referring toFIGS.2and3, the side protection part116is exemplarily a panel, and has two major surfaces116A and116B, and two edge portions116C and116D. The two major surfaces116A and116B are respectively located on two opposite sides of the side protection part116. The edge portion116C can be respectively connected with the two major surfaces116A and116B along a side of the side protection part116, and the edge portion116D can be respectively connected with the two major surfaces116A and116B along another side of the side protection part116. Moreover, the edge portion116C may have a rib118protruding from the major surface116B. When the side protection part116is installed in the seat shell102, the major surface116A faces the inner space of the seat shell102and the corresponding side support portion114of the headrest108, the major surface116B faces and is adjacent to the corresponding sidewall110, the edge portion116C faces a front of the seat shell102, the edge portion116D lies adjacent to the backrest portion106, and the rib118lies adjacent to a front edge of the corresponding sidewall110.

The side protection part116can have one or more cushioning structure that is configured to provide elastic resilience and is deformable to cushion the impact of sideways collisions. Referring toFIGS.2and3, the major surface116A of the side protection part116is generally planar, and the major surface116B of the side protection part116can have one or more cushioning structure, e.g., a plurality of cushioning structures120and122. According to an example of construction, the cushioning structures120and122can be formed integrally with the side protection part116, a material thickness of the cushioning structures120and122being smaller than a material thickness of the side protection part116in regions thereof other than the cushioning structures120and122. The cushioning structures120and122can thereby provide elastic resilience, and are deformable to cushion the impact of sideways collisions. According to an example of construction, the cushioning structures120and122may include one or more sunken region, which can have a bottom material thickness that is smaller than the material thickness of the side protection part116in regions thereof other than the cushioning structures120and122. When the side protection part116is subjected to a sideways collision, the side protection part116can deform and dissipate a portion of the collision energy, thereby providing effective cushioning against sideways collision impacts.

The position of the cushioning structure120can generally correspond to the headrest108, which can provide cushioning for the headrest108during sideways collision. More specifically, the side support portion114of the headrest108may substantially overlap with a surface area of the cushioning structure120, and the side support portion114and the cushioning structure120can remain overlapping each other within a range of vertical adjustment of the headrest108. According to an example of construction, the cushioning structure120can have a surface area that is at least equal to a surface area of the side support portion114, preferably slightly greater than the surface area of the side support portion114.

The cushioning structure120can include one or multiple sunken region. A sunken region refers to a recess that is formed on the major surface116B so that the cushioning structure120is distinctly visible on the major surface116B. In the example illustrated inFIG.3, the cushioning structure120is formed as a single sunken region on the major surface116B of the side protection part116, which can have a surface area substantially overlapping with the side support portion114of the headrest108. According to another example of construction, the cushioning structure120can include multiple sunken regions formed on the major surface116B that occupy an area substantially overlapping with the side support portion114of the headrest108.

According to yet another embodiment, the cushioning structure120may be formed as a hollow portion of the side protection part116having one or more inner cavities between the two major surfaces116A and116B. In this case, the cushioning structure120may not be visible on any of the major surfaces116A and116B. In an example where the cushioning structure120is a hollow portion having a single inner cavity, the single inner cavity can have a surface area substantially overlapping with the side support portion114of the headrest108. In another example where the cushioning structure120is a hollow portion having a plurality of inner cavities, the inner cavities can occupy an area inside the side protection part116that substantially overlaps with the side support portion114of the headrest108.

The cushioning structure122can be located below the cushioning structure120, i.e., corresponding to a portion of the backrest portion106below the headrest108. The cushioning structure122can be formed as one or more sunken region (i.e., formed on the major surface116B) or a hollow portion (i.e., having one or more inner cavity formed between the two major surfaces116A and116B). According to an example of construction, the cushioning structure122can include a plurality of elongate sunken regions parallel to one another, as shown inFIG.3.

According to an example of construction shown inFIG.3, the cushioning structure120is formed as a single sunken region, and the cushioning structure122located below the cushioning structure120includes a plurality of elongate sunken regions parallel to one another, the cushioning structure122having a surface area greater than the surface area of the cushioning structure120. By configuring the cushioning structures120and122with different structural features and/or different sizes, the elasticity of the side protection part116can differ in the regions of the cushioning structures120and122.

Advantages of the child safety seat described herein include the ability to provide effective cushioning against sideways collision. More specifically, the child safety seat includes side protection parts having cushioning structures that provide better elastic resilience and are adapted to at least partially dissipate the impact energy generated by sideways collisions. As a result, the child safety seat can offer better protection.

Realization of the child safety seat has been described in the context of particular embodiments. These embodiments are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventions as defined in the claims that follow.