GB2297479A

GB2297479A - Rotatable safety seat

Info

Publication number: GB2297479A
Application number: GB9500860A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Deborah Robinson
Original assignee: DEBORAH ROBINSON
Priority date: 1995-01-17
Filing date: 1995-01-17
Publication date: 1996-08-07
Also published as: GB9500860D0

Abstract

A safety seat for securing an individual who is substantially smaller and lighter than an adult i.e. a child, comprises: an outer chassis 14 adapted to be secured to a vehicle seat by a safety belt normally providing for the securing of an adult to the vehicle seat on a travelling alignment relative to an axis of the vehicle; an inner chassis 15 adapted to receive a seat 11 or other receptacle for the individual including means for securing an occupant of the seat to the inner chassis; coupling means 16 between the outer and inner chassis to enable the outer chassis to be rotated between a first, loading alignment of the inner chassis relative to the outer one; and a second, working, alignment of the inner chassis relative to the outer one whereby the coupling 16 serves to provide for positive connection between lower parts of inner chassis and the outer chassis by way of pins 20 and recesses 23; the loading alignment serving to direct the inner chassis towards an access point for the vehicle; the working alignment serving to direct the inner chassis towards the travelling alignment of the vehicle seat; and a locking device whereby the inner chassis can be secured relative to the outer chassis at least when the inner chassis is in its working alignment.

Description

SAFETY SEAT This invention relates to a safety seat. It is particularly concerned with a safety seat for use in a vehicle for a young child who has to be located and secured in the vehicle by an adult or older child.

Many countries impose a legal obligation for private vehicles to be equipped with a safety feature, such as a seat belt, for an adult. However it appears impracticable for such a safety feature to necessarily be readily adapted for use by a small child. In addition even if a safety belt for an adult can be adapted for use to retain a child it is not necessarily easy for a helper either to place the child in the vehicle and secure the safety device or for the helper to release the safety device and remove the child from the vehicle. Typically a light or infirm adult cannot readily lift, align, locate and secure a heavy child some way into a vehicle beneath a low roof nor to recover the child from the vehicle location.

According to the present invention there is provided a safety seat for securing an individual who is substantially smaller and lighter than an adult comprising: 1 an outer chassis adapted to be secured to a vehicle seat by a safety belt normally providing for the securing of an adult to the vehicle seat on a travelling alignment relative to an axis of the vehicle; 2 an inner chassis adapted to receive a seat or other receptacle for the individual including means for securing an occupant of the seat to the inner chassis; 3 coupling means between the outer and inner chassis to enable the outer chassis to be rotated between a first, loading alignment of the inner chassis relative to the outer one; and a second, working, alignment of the inner chassis relative to the outer one; the loading alignment serving to direct the inner chassis towards an access point for the vehicle; the working alignment serving to direct the inner chassis towards the travelling alignment of the vehicle seat; and 4 a locking device whereby the inner chassis can be secured relative to the outer chassis at least when the inner chassis is in its working alignment.

By providing a seat having two distinct alignments, one loading and one working, for the inner chassis and the ready rotation of the inner chassis between these alignments it becomes feasible to provide firstly for positioning of the inner chassis to provide for the ready loading and securing of a child into the seat without an excessive degree of leaning into the vehicle and secondly for the ready positioning of the secured child into the working position of the seat prior to movement of the vehicle.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings of a child safety seat of which: Figure 1 is a vertical section; Figure 2 is a section on section II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section on section III-III of Figure 1; Figure 4A is a section on section IV-IV of Figure 1 with components in a first relative position; Figure 4B is a similar view to that of Figure 4A but with components in a second relative position; and Figures 5A, 5B show a vehicle incorporating the safety seat with, respectively, first and second alignments of seat components.

The drawings variously show a seat 11 secured to a vehicle seat 12 by way of a lap and diagonal safety belt 13 provided for an occupant of the seat 11 of adult stature.

The seat 11 is made up of an outer chassis 14 (which is secured to the seat 12 by the belt 13) and an inner chassis 15 which is rotatably mounted on the outer chassis 14 by way of a turntable coupling 16.

The coupling 16 is made up of: a block 17 secured by rivets 18 to inner chassis 15 and a flange 19 incorporating eight pins 20 spaced uniformly around pitch circle 21; a housing 22 secured to the outer chassis 14 incorporating eight recesses 23 complementing in spacing and diameter the pins 20; and a spring 24 serving to urge the pins 20 of block 17 into engagement with recesses 23 of housing 22.

The block 17 is located in bore 22A in housing 22 so providing for horizontal loads to be transferred from the inner chassis 15 to the outer chassis 14.

A safety belt S provides for the retention of a child on the inner chassis 15.

Figure 4A shows the relative positions of the parts of the coupling 16 when the seat is freely rotatable about vertical axis V. By this means the inner chassis 15 can be rotated relative to the outer chassis 14 to provide for the most convenient alignment of the inner chassis, such as by directing the inner chassis towards an access door of the vehicle, to enable a child to be loaded and secured to the chassis 14. Once the child is secured in place the inner chassis is rotated about axis V until aligned with the outer chassis 14 as shown in Figure 1. The inner chassis is then released and spring 24 serves to drive the block 17, and so inner chassis 15, upwardly causing pins 20 to engage with recesses 23.

The coupling 16 serves to provide for positive connection between lower parts of inner chassis 15 and the outer chassis 14 by way of pins 20 and recesses 23 so limiting and tendency of the inner chassis to rotate about axis V relative to the outer chassis.

Apart from attachment between inner and outer chassis provided by way of coupling 16 further positive coupling is provided between upper part 25 of inner chassis 15 and flange 26 of outer chassis 14 (at least when the inner chassis 15 and outer chassis 14 are aligned for use when the vehicle is in motion). This widespread coupling serves to ensure that any loads arising from the body of a child retained in inner chassis 15 by way of belt S are fed into the outer chassis 14 over a widespread area so enhancing the integrity of the seat in the event of vehicle impact.

Figure 2 shows the relative alignment of inner chassis 15 and outer chassis 14 when the seat is in use in a vehicle. The seat 11 is aligned so that axis F is directed to the normally forward direction of travel of the vehicle in which the seat is incorporated.

Figures 5A, 5B show the seat 11 in its two usual positions.

Figure 5A shows vehicle 30 having the seat 11 mounted on vehicle seat 12 by way of safety belt 13. The inner chassis 15 is shown turned outwardly in direction X to provide for the ready insertion of a child into a seat mounted on the inner chassis 15 as described earlier. In view of the ready access to the seat 11 when it is turned outwardly the seat of this embodiment is particularly applicable when the child has to be entered into or removed from the vehicle by a person of permanent or temporary physical incapacity who cannot readily sustain the weight of a child at arms length or by a person in an invalid chair.

Figure 5B shows the alignment of the seat 11 once the child has been placed and secured in the seat 11 and the inner chassis 15 has been rotated through about 90" so that the seat 12 is as shown in Figure 2 with the axis F directed to the normal forward direction of movement of the vehicle 30.

The exemplary embodiment shows one version of the car seat according to the present invention. However other versions according to the present invention are readily fabricated.

Claims

A safety seat for securing an individual who is substantially smaller and lighter than an adult comprising: 1 an outer chassis adapted to be secured to a vehicle seat by a safety belt normally providing for the securing of an adult to the vehicle seat on a travelling alignment relative to an axis of the vehicle; 2 an inner chassis adapted to receive a seat or other receptacle for the individual including means for securing an occupant of the seat to the inner chassis; 3 coupling means between the outer and inner chassis to enable the outer chassis to be rotated between a first, loading alignment of the inner chassis relative to the outer one; and a second, working, alignment of the inner chassis relative to the outer one; the loading alignment serving to direct the inner chassis towards an access point for the vehicle; the working alignment serving to direct the inner chassis towards the travelling alignment of the vehicle seat; and 4 a locking device whereby the inner chassis can be secured relative to the outer chassis at least when the inner chassis is in its working alignment.

A safety seat as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the coupling means provides for rotation of the outer chassis between the first and second alignment about a substantially vertical axis at least when the seat is installed.

A safety seat as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.