WO1993014952A1

WO1993014952A1 - Child's safety seat

Info

Publication number: WO1993014952A1
Application number: PCT/GB1993/000160
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stefan Olszowski; Peter Charles Mazzotti
Original assignee: Stefan Olszowski; Peter Charles Mazzotti
Priority date: 1992-01-30
Filing date: 1993-01-25
Publication date: 1993-08-05
Also published as: GB2279559A; GB2279559B; GB9415383D0; GB9201981D0

Abstract

A safety seat particularly for aircraft use comprises a first, base member (2) and a second, backrest member (1) pivoted to the base member (2). In the closed position, the backrest (1) and base (2) enclose cushions (10) and can be opened out to form a support for the cushions (10). The seat is arranged to be mountable facing both backwards and forwards. A safety belt (22) may pass through a trough (19) which is mounted in one of two slots (17 and 18) moulded in the base (2).

Description

CHILD' S SAFETY SEAT

The present invention relates to a safety seat for a child, and in particular to a seat which can be strapped or fixed in place in a seat in a car, aircraft or other vehicle to safely accomodate a small child.

There is a particular need in aircraft for a compact safety seat for a small child. It is possible to use some bulky seats which are, in practice, designed more for car use, but these are difficult to store on the aircraft and are a hindrance if carried as hand baggage by passengers. The practice of strapping a small child to the parents seat belt is not comfortable and may not be safe.

Inflatable child' s safety seats are known for cars, such as described in US-4711490 and CA-1078724. Inflatable seats for adults in aircraft are also known, such as described in GB2191688A.

The present invention provides a child' s safety seat as set forth in Claim 1 or Claim 18. Preferred and/cr optional features of the invention are set forth in Claims 2 to 17.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET The support members can provide strength and rigidity for the seat and may be folded to form a compact structure, such as a box, which is light and easily carried or stored when not in use. This makes it particularly suitable for use on aircraft.

Cushions supported by the support members may be inflatable so that they occupy little space when deflated.

The cushions may also be enclosed by the support members when the support members are folded together.

The cushions may be in one piece or in two or more parts which are preferably connected together. The cushions may have one or a plurality of inflatable compartments.

Preferably, the first support member is tray-like and configured to spread the weight of the seat. The first support member is arranged to sit on the seat of the car or aircraft.

The seat may comprise a safety harness for a child.

The seat may also comprise a rigid seat part, on which the child sits. The seat part may be separate from the first and second support members and pivotally connected to one of these members.

It is desirable that children under two years of age should be carried in aircraft in a safety seat and facing backwards to the direction of motion.

The seat of the invention can preferably be stapped to a vehicle seat facing backwards to the direction of motion. Preferably, the seat can also be unstrapped and then strapped to the vehicle seat facing forwards to the direction of motion. That is, the seat is preferably adapted to be strapped to the vehicle seat facing both forwards and .backwards to the direction of motion.

Means for engaging a safety belt of a vehicle may be provided on the child' s safety seat, so that the safety seat may be strapped in place using the safety belt only. No other fixing means are then required and a rigid, safe mounting is obtained. This seat is particularly useful if the vehicle has a lap belt, for example, as an aircraft.

Preferably, seat belt engaging means are provided both at the front and the rear of the first support member. The vehicle safety belt may then be engaged with either of these belt engaging means so that the seat can be firmly held, whether it faces forwards or backwards-

The belt engaging means may comprise simple slots for the belt to pass through. A removable trough may "be provided for smoothly engaging the belt, to spread the load and to prevent the belt becoming frayed on the edges of the first support member. Alternatively, the belt engaging means may comprise sleeves rotatably mounted in the second support member.

The second support member may be pivotally mounted on the first support member in such a manner that the axle of the pivot may be lifted out of engagement with the first support member. As the axle has to be lifted to disengage the support members, the weight of a child sitting in the seat tends to force the axle into the engaged position. This counteracts any tendency of the parts of the seat to separate when in use.

Other preferred features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying claims.

The invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a side view of a child' s safety seat forming a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the embodiment of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the trough of the first embodiment;

Figure 4 is a schematic partial side view of the first embodiment of the invention strapped into the seat of an aircraft facing rear;

Figure 5 is a schematic partial side view of the first embodiment of the invention strapped into the seat of an aircraft and facing forwards;

Figure 6 is a schematic partial side view of the first embodiment being folded;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a child' s safety seat forming a second embodiment of the invention, when opened out;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 7, shown folded; Figure 9 is a cross-section along the line IX-IX of Figure 7;

Figure 10 is an underneath partial view of the embodiment of Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 13 is a perspective view showing how the fourth embodiment of the invention is folded together.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of a safety seat for a child according to the invention. The seat comprises first and second support members 1 and 2 which are pivotally joined by a pivot 3. Pivot 3 is retained by a catch 4, so that the first and second support members 1 and 2 may be disengaged. The first support member 1 provides a backrest, and is defined on each side by rods 5. The rods 5 are sturdily constructed and are joined by a further rod which forms the axle of the pivot 3. The backrest further comprises a backplate 6 and a headrest 7, which is slidably mounted on the rods 5. In detail, the rods 5 slide in circular bores 8 formed in the headrest 7 and may be fixed in the desired position by a catch 9. Cushions 10 may be provided to add comfort to the seat. Side bars 11 are provided to rigidly support the backrest. ^"The side bars 11 are pivoted on sliders 12 which in turn slide on the rods 5. The sliders 12 can be fixed by catches 13 when the backrest is in the appropriate position. The side bars 11 are joined by a rod 14 which is pivotally mounted at the front of the base 2.

A seat part 15 is pivotally mounted on the backplate 6, for supporting a cushion 10 to define the seat itself. A safety harness is provided, comprising a lap belt 16a, shoulder straps 16b and a strap 16c.

Slots 17 and 18 are provided in each side of the base 2 for retaining and removably holding a trough 19 which defines a smooth, firm support for the safety belt of an aircraft seat. Unlike a motor car, an aircraft seat belt is provided only at the bottom and does not extend diagonally across the chest. The trough 19 is shown in perspective in Figure 3. It has a channel 20 for engaging the seat belt and sides with notches 21 which allow it to be securely retained in the slots 18 and 19 in the base 2.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the safety seat of the invention can be mounted on an aircraft seat facing both forwards and backwards to the direction of motion. In each case, the safety seat is held by the seat belt 22 of the aircraft seat close to the fixing points of he seat belt 22. This provides a stable and firm support for the seat in either position.

In Figure 4, the seat is mounted facing backwards, with the seat belt 22 engaging trough 19. The trough 19 engages the slot 17 which is located at the front of the base 2.

In Figure 5, the same safety seat has been positioned facing forwards and is safely retained by seat belt 22 engaging trough 19, which is engaged with slots 18 which are located at the rear of the base 2.

Figure 6 shows the sequence of steps for folding the safety seat. The sequence is as follows:

A: the catch 4 is disengaged to allow the pivot 3 to be released,

B: the backrest is lifted clear and folded into a horizontal position,

C: the trough 19 is removed, D: the backrest is folded onto the base 2, and

E: the headrest 7 is slid along the rods 5.

Figs. 7 to 10 of the drawings show a second embodiment of the invention. A child' s safety seat 23 is shown, which is particularly suitable for children of about two years old or less, comprises first and second support members 24, 25 formed of plastics material.

The first support member forms a base of the seat and has a generally flat panel 26, two opposed sidewalls 27 and a rear wall 28 extending up from the base 26. The second support member forms a lid for the tray-like member 24 and has a generally flat wall 29 with two opposed sidewalls 30. A hinge connection 31 is provided between the lid 25 and tray 24 and is arranged to "click-stop" the lid 25 in the upright position, generally perpendicular to the tray 24, and to allow the lid 25 to pivot further backwards to a second and then to a third reclining position where it bears on the rear wall 28.

The lid 25 has slots 32 moulded in it for carrying a strap 33 at one of three positions, the position of the strap 33 being adjustable to suit the size of the user. The strap crosses in front of the user and buckles to the seat base 24 (vide hereinafter). It will be appreciated that various strap configurations may be used.

Referring to Figure 7, when the lid and tray are connected together and opened apart, the lid leaning back slightly from the rear wall 28, they form a generally seat-like shape.

Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the base 24 has a wedge shaped recess 34 moulded in its underside and a metal bracket 35 is pivotally mounted in the recess. The bracket is connected by bolts 36 to attachment buckles for the strap 33 (Figure 7). The bracket 35 is pivoted from a retracted position within the recess 34 (shown in dotted outline in Figure 9) to a projecting position (Figures 9 and 10). The bracket 35 has two channel portions 37 into which the safety belt 38 of an aircraft seat can be fitted to hold the safety seat in position, the safety seat facing to the rear of the aircraft seat.

An inflatable cushion 39 sits in the tray 24 and rests against the lid 25. The cushion 39 is contoured for safety and comfort. In use, the cushion is inflated and the assembled safety seat is placed on the aircraft seat facing the rear. The belt 38 of the aircraft seat is fed into the bracket 35 and pulled tight to hold the seat in place. Th-e belt 33 crosses over in front of the child, the ends being attached to the seat base.

After use, the cushion is deflated and the cushion and belt 33 are stored in the box formed when closing the lid 25 against the tray 24, a strap 40 holding the box closed (Figure 8).

The cushion 39 may be removably attached to the support members 24, 25 by Velcro (trade mark) touch and hold fasteners or the like. As indicated, the head rest cushion may be mounted on slides 41. Also, one or more pre-formed cushions may be provided. A small gas cylinder, such as a CO_? soda syphon type cylinder, may be connected to the cushion 39 to inflate the cushion. The cushion 39 may have more than one independently inflatable compartment, and may be in separate or separable parts to allow adjustment to suit the user, as for example the head rest part 42.

Typically the seat is designed to fit between and be independent of the arm rests of a tourist class seat. The height of the closed seat with the lid 25 folded on to the tray 24 is preferably about 10cm.

Some or all of the cushions need not be inflatable, the cushions being dimensioned to provide comfort for the user whilst fitting within the box formed when the seat is closed.

Figure 11 shows a third embodiment of the invention. A U-shaped tubular frame 44 carries two plates 43 which pivot outwards on hinges 45 to the position shown in the drawing, to form supports which bear on the aircraft seat. The aircraft seat belt 46 is fed through apertures 47 in the plates 43.

The backrest 48 has a flat back panel 49 and side panels 50, 51. The side panels 50, 51 are pivoted at 52 on ends 53 of the frame 44. A strap 54 limits the backward movement of the back panel 49, being looped around the back of the panel 49 and connected to the frame 44. The back panel 49 has two slots 55 at its lower edge which fit over the side panels 43 when the panels are pivoted outwards and the backrest 48 is raised, as shown, thus locking the side panels 43 in the outwards position.

An inflatable cushion 56 is carried on the frame 44 and has an air-bulb 57 for inflating it. The cushion fits under the legs of the child. Padded cushions 58 line the backrest 48 which carries a slidable piece 59 which slides upwards to provide greater height to the backrest. A safety harness 60 is fitted on the back panel 49.

When the seat is not in use, cushion 56 is deflated and backrest 48 folded down on the frame 44. The side panels 43 pivot inwards to enclose the cushions against the tray-like backrest 48.

Figure 12 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention. The seat comprises a backrest 61, a seat part 62 pivotally mounted with respect to the backrest 61 and side walls 63. The side walls 63 are pivotally mounted on a U-shaped tubular frame 64 which is pivotally mounted with respect to the backrest 61 and seat part 62 at 65. When opened out, the side walls 63 are fixed with respect to the backrest 61 by fixing means 66. The upper portion of the backrest 67 slides with respect to the backrest to form a headrest.

Also shown in Figure 12 are cushions 68, safety straps 69 and a tray structure 70 in which the seat is mounted when in use, to spread the weight of the seat. The side walls comprise apertures 71 through which an aircraft seat belt 72 may pass. The apertures 71 may comprise rotatable sleeves with rectangular slits which can be set to any angle in the aperture, depending upon the different design of seat or seat belt 72. In use, seat belt 72 supports the seat part 62, as it is retained tautly across the side walls.

Figure 13 shows how the fourth embodiment of the invention is folded away. First, the upper portion 67 of the backrest is slid into the backrest 61. The seat part 62 is folded downwards and the backrest 61 is unlatched from the side walls 63 and also folded downwards. Finally the side walls 63 are pivoted away from each other and are folded round to lie underneath the backrest 61. The seat in its collapsed position lies flat and can be stored with tray 70 in a very small space.

Various modifications may be made to the described embodiment and it is desired to include all such modifications as fall within the scope of the invention described herein.

Claims

CLAI MS

1. A safety seat for a child, comprising first and second support members which are coupled together and at least one cushion, wherein the support members can be opened apart to provide support for the cushions.

2. A seat as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first support member forms a base and the second support member forms a backrest for the seat.

3. A seat as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, comprising means for fixing the seat to a seat of a vehicle, the fixing means being such that the seat may be fixed facing optionally forwards or backwards in relation to the direction of motion.

4. A seat as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the first support member comprises means for engaging a seat belt of a vehicle.

5. A seat as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the belt engaging means are for engaging a lap belt.

6. A seat as claimed in Claim 3, 4 or 5, comprising first belt engaging means at the front of the first support member and second belt engaging means at the rear of the first support member, wherein a safety belt may be engaged optionally with the first belt engaging means or the second belt engaging means.

7. A seat as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the first and second support members are pivotally coupled together.

8. A seat as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the first and second support members are coupled together via a seperable pivot.

9. A seat as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein the second member is pivotally mounted on the first member at a position displaced from the end of the first member.

10. A seat as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the first and second members close together to form a boxlike structure.

11. A seat as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, adapted for aircraft use.

12. A seat as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the first support member has sidewalls.

13. A seat as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the first support member comprises side walls which are pivotably mounted with respect to the second support member and are arranged to fold towards the second support member when the seat is closed.

14. A seat as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, having a bracket which is pivotable outwardsto a position for fixing the seat on a vehicle seat.

15. A child's safety seat substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 or Figures 7 to 10, Figure 11 to Figures 12 and 13.