Automobile seat with built in child seat

In combination with a motor vehicle seat having a seating surface and a seat back, a child seat unit comprising:

• a first seat panel having a cushion side and an opposite side and opposite side edges and first hinge means for connecting said first seat panel with the seat back for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal hinge axis between a first position wherein the first seat panel has a generally vertical orientation with said cushion side facing forwardly on the seat back, and a second position wherein the first seat panel has a generally horizontal orientation with said cushion side facing downwardly;
• a second seat panel having a cushion side and an opposite side and second hinge means for connecting said second seat panel with said first seat panel for pivotal movement between a first position wherein the second seat panel is located above and in a common plane with said first panel with the cushion side of the second panel facing forwardly on the seat back, and a second position wherein the second seat panel overlies the first seat panel with said cushion surface of the second panel facing upwardly to provide a seat surface for a child facing forwardly in the child seat unit;
• said second hinge means permitting said second seat panel to assume a third position wherein the second panel inclines from back to front to provide a back surface for a child sitting on said first panel and facing rearwardly;
• releasable means for retaining said second seat panel in the third position;
• a padded insert removably applicable to said opposite side of the second seat panel in the third position thereof to provide padding for a child facing rearwardly in the child seat unit;
• and
• a pair of flexible sides connected with the seat back and with the opposite edges of said first seat panel, said flexible sides holding the first seat panel in its second position and being enclosed behind the first and second seat panels in their first position.

In a motor vehicle having a seating surface and a seat back, the improvement comprising:

• a back panel removably applicable to the seat back;
• first and second panels each having a cushion side, first hinge means for connecting said seat panels to the back panel and second hinge means for connecting said seat panels to one another, said first and second hinge means mounting said seat panels for pivotal movement between a first position wherein the seat panels substantially cover said back panel with said cushion sides facing forwardly to cushion the seat back, a second position wherein the second panel overlies the first panel with said cushion surface of the second panel facing upwardly and extending forwardly from the back panel to provide a seat surface for a child sitting on the second panel and facing forwardly, and a third position wherein the first panel has a substantially horizontal orientation and the second panel extends from the first panel at an incline to support the back of an infant sitting on the first panel and facing rearwardly;
• releasable means for retaining said seat panels in the third position;
• opposite sides extending between the first seat panel and the back panel;
• and
• said back panel being removable from the seat back to permit the back panel and the first and second seat panels to cooperate in the second position thereof to provide a portable child carrier.