Foldable child car seat provided with a top tether strap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315537-B2
Application number	US-201615549267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2016
Priority date	Feb 9, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a child car seat this is tethered to an anchor point in a vehicle. The child car seat includes a seat bottom and a foldable seat back.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Child car seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back that can have a folded position, in which the seat bottom is brought back against the seat back, in order to form a compact unit, and an unfolded position, in which a child can be installed in the seat,
a top tether strap slidably secured to an upper end of the seat back and having an anchoring element intended to be attached to an anchoring point provided for this purpose in a vehicle, the top tether strap being slidably connected to the seat bottom, and a connecting rod pivotally supported on one of the seat back or the seat bottom, the connecting rod engaged by the top tether strap for movement of the connecting rod between a blocking position and a releasing position, wherein in the blocking position the connecting rod lockingly engages with the other of the seat back and the seat bottom and in the releasing position unblocks and allows the seat bottom to unfold relative to the seat back.

2. Child car seat according to claim 1 , further comprising control means comprising the connecting rod for controlling the correct installation of the top tether strap, taking into account a tension of said top tether strap.

3. Child car seat according to any of claim 2 , wherein the control means allows for the installation of a child in the child car seat only if the top tether strap is tightened with a level of tension greater than a predetermined threshold.

4. Child car seat according to claim 3 , further comprising a mechanism for tensioning the top tether strap linked to a mechanism for unfolding the seat bottom wherein the mechanism for unfolding also includes the connecting rod.

5. Child car seat according to claim 3 , further comprising means for blocking switching of the seat back from the folded position to the unfolded position if the top tether strap is not tightened with a level of tension greater than said predetermined threshold wherein the means for blocking also includes the connecting rod.

6. Child car seat according to claim 5 , wherein the connecting rod is mobile in rotation around a pivot shaft the connecting rod having a first end at least one of in or along which circulates the top tether strap and a second end at least one of forming or controlling an element for blocking in rotation the seat bottom relative to the seat back, in a way that maintains the seat back in its folded position when the top tether strap is not tightened with a level of tension greater than said predetermined threshold.

7. Child car seat according to claim 6 , wherein the second end of the connecting rod forms or carries an abutment that cooperates with a cam integral with the seat bottom.

8. Child car seat according to claim 6 , wherein the pivot shaft is mounted on a crosspiece of the seat back.

9. Child car seat according to claim 7 , characterised in that the pivot shaft is mounted on the seat bottom.

10. Method for installing a child car seat comprising a seat bottom, a seat back, in which the seat bottom is brought back against said seat back into a folded position, in order to form a compact unit, and an unfolded position, wherein a child can be installed in said seat, a top tether strap slidably secured to an upper end of the seat back and allowing for the attachment of an upper portion of the seat back of the child car seat with an anchoring point provided for this purpose in a vehicle, and a connecting rod pivotally supported on one of the seat back and the seat bottom, the method comprising the steps of
positioning the seat back of the child car seat against a seat back of a vehicle seat, the child car seat being in the folded position;
attaching a free end of the top tether strap to the anchoring point provided for this purpose in the vehicle;
pivoting the connecting rod from a blocking position to an unblocking position by controlling at least one of the tension or the deployed length of the top tether strap; and
switching towards the unfolded position of the child car seat if the control is positive.

11. Method for installing according to any of claim 10 , further comprising the prior steps of:
deploying two fastening clips from a storage position, in housings provided for this purpose in the seat back;
attaching the clips to rings provided for this purpose in the vehicle, the child car seat being in the folded position.

Assignees

• Dorel France Sa
• Dorel Juvenile Group Inc

Inventors

• Renaudin Francois
• Garnier Nicolas

Classifications

• B60N2/943

  Stepwise movement mechanisms, e.g. ratchets · CPC title

• B60N2/2872

  provided with side rests · CPC title

• B60N2/2851 Primary

  provided with head-rests · CPC title

• B60N2002/2896

  the child seat being foldable, e.g. to facilitate transport · CPC title

• B60N2002/971

  the locking system being an element distinct from articulation means, retaining the seat or seat part in its folded position, e.g. controlled by a wire · CPC title