US 5,292,175 A · Inflatable child vehicle seat

Abstract

A child seat device, for use in a vehicle having a seatbelt for securing the child seat device to the vehicle seat, has an inflatable child seat which includes an inflatable bottom panel, an inflatable back panel upstanding from the rear of the bottom panel, and a pair of opposed, laterally spaced inflatable sidewall panels. Each of the sidewall panels has a back portion projecting forwardly from a respective side of the back panel and a bottom portion projecting upwardly from a respective side of the bottom panel. An inflatable brace, disposed in each of the sidewall panels intermediate the back and bottom sidewall portions, limits pivotal movement of the back and bottom sidewall portions towards each other. Each of the braces defines a single interior air chamber having at most limited gaseous communication with the bottom, back and sidewall panels. A releasable harness maintains the torso of a child intermediate the sidewall panels.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A child seat device for use in a vehicle having a seatbelt for securing the child seat device to the vehicle seat, comprising:

(A) an inflatable child seat including
(i) an inflatable bottom panel;
(ii) an inflatable back panel upstanding from the rear of said bottom panel;
(iii) a pair of opposed, laterally spaced inflatable sidewall panels, each of said sidewall panels having a back portion projecting forwardly from a respective side of said back panel and a bottom portion projecting upwardly from a respective side of said bottom panel;
and
(iv) an inflatable bracing means, disposed in each of said sidewall panels intermediate said back and bottom sidewall portions and spaced from both said bottom panel and said back panel, for limiting pivotal movement of said back and bottom sidewall portions towards each other;
and
(b) releasable harness means for maintaining the torso of a child intermediate said sidewall panels.

5 more elements

A child seat device for use in a vehicle having a seatbelt for securing the child seat device to the vehicle seat, comprising:

(A) an inflatable child seat including
(i) an inflatable bottom panel defining an aperture therethrough;
(ii) an inflatable back panel upstanding from the rear of said bottom panel and defining an aperture therethrough;
and
(iii) a pair of opposed, laterally spaced inflatable sidewall panels, each of said sidewall panels having a back portion projecting forwardly from a respective side of said back panel and a bottom portion projecting upwardly from a respective side of said bottom panel;
and
(B) a continuous harness system including
(i) first releasable strap means for maintaining the upper torso of a child in said inflatable child seat intermediate said back sidewall portions;
and
(ii) second releasable strap means extending through both said back panel aperture and said bottom panel aperture and passing intermediate the legs of the child for maintaining the lower torso of the child intermediate said bottom sidewall portions;
said first and second strap means being secured together at at least one point.

8 more elements

A child seat device for use in a vehicle having a seatbelt for securing the child seat device to the vehicle seat, comprising:

(A) an inflatable child seat including
(i) an inflatable bottom panel defining an aperture therethrough;
(ii) an inflatable back panel upstanding from the rear of said bottom panel and defining an aperture therethrough;
(iii) a pair of opposed, laterally spaced inflatable sidewall panels, each of said sidewall panels having a back portion projecting forwardly from a respective side of said back panel and a bottom portion projecting upwardly from a respective side of said bottom panel, each of said sidewall panels defines a passageway for passage therethrough of a vehicle seatbelt;
and
(iv) a plurality of passageways for passage therethrough of strap means;
and
(B) a continuous harness system including
(i) first strap means extending in a horizontal plane around said back panel intermediate said back and back sidewall panels, thereby to encircle the upper torso of a child in said inflatable child seat;
(ii) first fixture means for releasably fastening two portions of said first strap means together across the chest of the child;
(iii) second strap means;
and
(iv) second fixture means for releasably fastening two portions of said second strap means together between the legs of a child;
said second strap means extending at least in a vertical plane from said second fixture means downwardly through said bottom panel aperture, rearwardly and around the intersection of said bottom and back panels, upwardly and then forwardly through said at least one back panel aperture, and into said second fixture means, thereby to maintain the lower torso of the child in said inflatable child seat;
a portion of said second strap means extending vertically around said bottom panel and intermediate said bottom and bottom sidewall panels and through said second fixture means, thereby to assist in maintaining the lower torso of the child intermediate said sidewall panels;
said first and second strap means being fixedly secured together at at least one point in front of the chest of a child in said inflatable child seat, and passing through said strap means passageways to maintain said strap means in a desired orientation;
each of said first and second strap means including means for varying the effective length thereof independently of the other cf said strap means.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Inflatable child vehicle seat

Life of this patent

Inflatable child vehicle seat

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21