Child restraint system for use in watercraft
AssigneeSea Seat, Inc.
InventorGrayson L. Alexy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A child restraint system for securing a child aboard a watercraft, the child restraint system including a base to be secured to a fixture of the watercraft, a seat assembly adapted to be releasably coupled to the base in a manner to support the child in a seated position, a restraint for securing the child to the seat, a release mechanism that cooperates with the base and the bottom portion of the seat assembly when the seat assembly is coupled to the base, and a floatation device to float the child on a surface of water such that the head of the child is maintained above the surface of the water. The release mechanism automatically releases the child from the watercraft when a portion of the seat assembly is immersed in the water.
Claims34
A child seat to be coupled to a fixture of a watercraft for securing a child to the watercraft, the seat comprising:
- a bottom portion and a rear portion shaped to support a child in a seated position;
- a restraint for securing the child to the seat;
- a release mechanism for automatically releasing the child from the fixture when a portion of the seat is immersed in water;
- and
- a floatation device to float the child at least partially above the water when the child is released from the fixture such that the head of the child is maintained above the water.
A child restraint system for securing a child aboard a watercraft, the restraint system comprising:
- a seat assembly including a restraint to secure the child to the seat assembly, wherein the seat assembly is adapted to be releasably coupled to a fixture of the watercraft;
- an immersion sensor for detecting the immersion of a portion of the seat assembly in water and transmitting a signal upon detecting the immersion;
- and
- an inflatable floatation device operatively connected to the seat assembly such that the floatation device is automatically inflated to float the seat assembly at least partially above the water in response to the transmission of the signal;
- a ballast device for maintaining the seat assembly in a generally upright orientation when the seat assembly is floating in the water such that the head of the child is maintained above the water.
A child restraint system for securing a child aboard a watercraft, the child restraint system comprising:
- a base adapted to be secured to a fixture of the watercraft;
- a seat assembly adapted to be releasably coupled to the base in a manner to support the child in a seated position;
- a restraint for securing the child to the seat assembly;
- a release mechanism that cooperates with the base and the seat assembly when the seat assembly is coupled to the base;
- and
- a floatation device for floating the child in water such that the head of the child is maintained above a surface of the water,
- wherein the release mechanism automatically releases the child from the watercraft when a portion of the seat assembly is immersed in the water.
A method of securing a child aboard a watercraft, the method comprising:
- securing a base to a fixture of the watercraft;
- releasably coupling a seat assembly provided with a floatation device to the base such that the seat assembly is automatically released when a portion of the seat assembly is immersed in water;
- and
- securing a child to the seat assembly with a restraint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.