Adjustable child support structure
AssigneeMattel, Inc.
InventorJohn F. Rhein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable child support structure having a seat back including side sections that fold inward to provide lateral support for an infant or remain flat to provide a wider seat back for a toddler. The structure also includes an adjuster having a user control portion and a side wing actuator portion for remotely adjusting the seat back through a range of motion between the first, wide position and the second, narrow position.
Claims27
A seat back adjustable by an operator to accommodate an occupant, comprising:
- a seat liner having:
- a center back section, and
- a side wing section, said side wing section being coupled to said center back section for pivotal movement through a range of motion between a first, wide position in which said side wing section is disposed at a first angle with respect to said center back section, and a second, narrow position in which said side wing section is rotated toward said center back section and disposed at a second angle with respect to said center back section;
- a wing actuator disposed behind said seat liner, said wing actuator having a longitudinal axis and including a lever section and a wing support section, said wing actuator being disposed with respect to said seat liner with said longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to and behind said center back section and said wing support section being disposed behind said side wing section, said wing actuator being mounted for pivotal movement about said longitudinal axis through a range of motion between a first, retracted position in which said wing support section engages said side wing section in said first, wide position, and a second, extended position in which said wing support section engages said side wing section in said second, narrow position;
- and
- an adjuster having:
- a user control portion, and
- a wing actuator engaging portion coupled to said user control portion and said wing actuator, said wing actuator engaging portion configured to move said wing actuator through said range of motion between said first, retracted position and said second, extended position.
An adjustable seat back, comprising:
- a seat pad having:
- a center back section, and
- a side wing section, each of said center back section and said side wing section having a front face to support the occupant and an opposite, rear face, said side wing section being coupled to said center back section for pivotal movement through a range of motion between a first, wide position in which said front face of said side wing section is disposed at a first angle with respect to said center back section, and a second, narrow position in which said front face of said side wing section is rotated toward said front face of said center back section and disposed at a second angle with respect to said center back section;
- a wing actuator assembly disposed behind said seat pad and having:
- a substantially planar base panel having an aperture formed therethrough, and
- a wing actuator disposed on said base panel and having a longitudinal axis, said wing actuator including a lever section and a wing support section, and being disposed on said base panel with said longitudinal axis being substantially parallel to said base panel, said wing support section being between said base panel and said side wing section, and said lever section extending through said aperture, said wing actuator being disposed on said base panel for pivotal movement about said longitudinal axis through a range of motion between a first, retracted position in which said wing support section engages said rear face of said side wing section in said first, wide position, and a second, extended position in which said wing support section engages said rear face of said side wing section in said second, narrow position;
- and
- an adjuster having:
- a user control portion, and
- a wing actuator engaging portion coupled to said user control portion and said wing actuator, said wing actuator engaging portion configured to move said wing actuator through said range of motion between said first, retracted position and said second, extended position.
A control assembly for adjusting a seat back wing actuator, the wing actuator having a longitudinal axis and including a lever section and a seat back wing support section mounted for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis through a range of motion between a first, retracted position and a second, extended position, said control assembly comprising:
- a user control portion;
- a wing actuator engaging portion having a first end couplable to said user control portion and a second end coupled to the wing actuator, said wing actuator engaging portion configured to move the wing actuator through the range of motion between the first, retracted position and the second, extended position.
A method of adjusting a seat back having a center section and a side wing section coupled for pivotal movement relative to the center section, the method comprising the steps of:
- disposing behind the wing section a wire actuator having a wing section engaging portion and a lever portion;
- actuating a user actuation portion coupled to the lever portion;
- pivoting the lever portion through a range of motion to move the wing section engaging portion through the range of motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.