BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to child restraint seats. Such seats are most widely known in use with automobiles. However, the present invention is also applicable to vehicles generally, such as busses, planes, trains and boats for example, and to theater seating and the like.
In typical use in automobiles for example, a child restraint seat is a bulky, rigid apparatus into which a child is strapped and which is fastened in a seating position in a car. Because the devices are bulky and are bothersome to remove and replace, child restraint seats are typically left in place in the car for the child's use. Only when circumstances necessitate the use of the seating position by an adult, is the child seat generally removed from the car. Child restraint seats are thus seen as somewhat of a necessary nuisance, typically reserved for use in cars and seldom, if ever, used in other types of vehicles or with other types of seating. While social acceptance and legislative requirements for the use of child restraint seats in cars is commonplace, there is also social and legislative interest in requiring their use in other vehicles, including busses, planes and trains.
While the desirability of an adult seat which is convertible to a child restrain seat is apparent, attempts to supply this need have had their own limitations and problems. The patent to Dorto (U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,229) for example, discloses a device which inherently limits its utility by creating an overhead obstruction to the child who uses the seat, requiring the child to be of sufficiently small size to sit within a recessed area in the back of an adult seat. The same problem is found in the patents to Irvin (U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,568) and to Hassel, Sr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,216) for example. Other devices, such as the one shown in the patent to Casale (U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,443), are impractical because they require excess volumes of space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention addresses these problems with a practical seating unit for accommodating an adult in a seated position and having a child restraint seat convertible from a position stored within the back of the adult seat to a position for holding and restraining a child. The child seat of the present invention includes two portions of the adult seat back which pivot forward to form a child seat cushion and a restraint bar and which pivot closed to form a smooth back support for an adult seating position. The restraint bar portion generally resembles an inverted U in the closed position with the bight portion positioned to form the top edge of the adult seat back. Thus, a height restricting portion of the back does not remain when the child seat is deployed. The child seat cushion portion folds into a closed position to nest inside the closed restraint bar portion and forms the mid and lower back support for the adult seating position.
In one aspect of the invention, the child restraint bar and seat cushion are mounted to a framework such that the seat cushion can be slid forward, inclining the child seat back and providing a reclined seating position for the child.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention in the closed position;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention in the opened position;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the structural framework of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the structural framework of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a section view along plane V--V of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 6 is a section view along plane VI--VI of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTReferring to the drawings in greater detail, theseating unit 10 of the present invention has arestraint bar 20 and achild seat cushion 30 which are mounted with aframe 40 for folding into a closed position to become a part of an adult seat back 11.
Restraint bar 20 is a generally U-shaped member which is built-up with safety padding and upholstery as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Awedge portion 21 onbar 20 is built-up with an extra thickness of padding to provide added safety to a child by presenting a larger surface area and a deeper padding in the area where a child's face might contact the bar in a sudden stop or accident.Bar 20 haslegs 23 and is pivotally fastened to frame 40 at pivots 25 (FIG. 3), near the ends oflegs 23.Bar 20 canpivot between an opened horizontal position (FIG. 2) and a closed vertical position (FIG. 1). In the opened position,bar 20 surrounds a child usingseating unit 10, restraining the child. The restraining properties ofbar 20 are preferably supplemented by a typical child restraint harness. In the closed position,bar 20 is folded intoback 11 with anedge surface 27 flush with atop surface 13 ofback 11, and aface surface 29 ofbar 20 flush with aface surface 15 ofback 11.Child seat cushion 30 also pivots between an opened horizontal position (FIG. 2) and a closed vertical position (FIG. 1). Cushion 30 is pivotally attached at each side and near itslower edge 31 to frame 40 atpivots 35. Aframing plate 33, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is built into each side ofcushion 30 nearedge 31.Plates 33pivot wih cushion 30 and provide a foundation for pivotally connecting the cushion to frame 40.
Frame 40 has twovertical side braces 41 which are pivotally connected, near theirupper end 43, toback 11 via vertically sliding tracks 50 (FIG. 5) such that thelower ends 45 ofbraces 41 can pivot away fromback 11 andupper ends 43 ofbraces 41 can slide down the tracks.Tracks 50 are elongated channels having a "C" cross-section for retaining a slide, preferably awheel 51, which in turn is pivotally connected toupper end 43 ofside brace 41 by astub axle 53.Lower ends 45 ofbraces 41 are pivotally connected atpivots 35 to one end oftelescoping rods 60. As shown in FIG. 6, an inner "C"-sectionedchannel 61 is slidably retained within an outer "C"-sectionedchannel 63 to provide a telescoping action. With achannel 61 pivotally connected at an end to aplate 33, an opposing end ofchannel 63 is pivotally anchored inback 11. A child seat backfoundation 37 extends betweenbraces 41 and is located in the recess 38 (FIG. 3) behind therestraint bar 20 andcushion 30.Foundation 37 is preferably made from a sheet of 16 gauge steel which is bent to form a two inch deep basket behindbraces 41 and which is welded along each side tobraces 41.
In operation,unit 10 is opened by pivotingcushion 30 forward aboutedge 31 untilcushion 30 is in a horizontal position, laying onadult seat 17.Restraint bar 20 is likewise opened by pivoting forward aboutpivots 25 untilbar 20 is cantilevered forward in a horizontal position. An upholsteredrecessed area 19 is revealed inback 11 whenbar 20 andcushion 30 are opened and forms the back for the child seat. Cushion 30 is pulled forward and rods 60 telescope to adjust the incline of the child seat back. A child is placed betweenlegs 23 ofbar 20 to sit uponcushion 30. The child is preferably strapped intoseat 10 with a typical child restraint harness.
While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims which follow.