Patent ID: 7887140

Claim:
A vehicle comprising an upholstered seat back having an outer surface and an integral child restraining assembly, wherein said seat back has an inverted U-shaped channel having opposite lower ends and a rigid frame member including first and second frame portions disposed, respectively, within the channel lower ends and extending horizontally across said channel, the restraining assembly further comprising; first and second U-shaped child restraining members, each U-shaped member having first and second end portions and a connecting portion between said first and second end portions; wherein one end portion of each U-shaped member includes a latching mechanism for selectively engaging, and disengaging from, one of the frame portions, wherein when engaging a frame portion said latching mechanism allows said first end portion only to pivot about said first or second frame portion; wherein the other end portion of each U-shaped member includes a frame attachment portion which engages the other frame portion to allow said frame attachment portion only to pivot horizontally about said first or second frame portion; wherein said first and second U-shape members may each independently be pivoted horizontally between a raised position, in which the first U-shaped member is nested within the second U-shaped member and both U-shaped members are disposed within said channel and have outer surfaces which are substantially flush with said seat back outer surface, and a lowered position partially encircling the child; and a coupling mechanism between each said attachment member and its associated connecting portion for allowing such connecting portion to rotate about a vertical axis when the U-shaped member is in its lowered position wherein, when a U-shaped member is in its lowered position and its latching mechanism has been disengaged, the connecting portion and latching mechanism may be rotated into an open position in which the restraining member swings away from the seated child to facilitate seating or unseating the child.