Child's seat for motor vehicles

Details Child's seat for motor vehicles Child's seat for motor vehicles

2000-02-18

2001-08-14

Cranmer, Laurie K. (Department: 3636)

Chairs and seats

Headrest

Adjustable rectilinearly vertically

C297S391000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06273509

ABSTRACT:

The invention concerns a child's seat for motor vehicles, having a seat portion, a backrest and a head support which has two side support portions and a central portion connecting the two side support portions and which is disposed adjustably in respect of height on the backrest, wherein on the outside the backrest has a guide device, along which the head support is guided adjustably in respect of height.
A child's seat is known from DE 295 10 642 U1, in which the backrest is provided with an opening intended for the insertion of a bar-like connecting member. The connecting member extends downwardly away from the central portion of the head support. The opening in the backrest means that it is mechanically weakened, which represents a disadvantage in this respect. In such a child's seat the seat portion, the backrest and the head support are usually covered with a decorative cover. The connecting member which extends downwardly away from the central portion of the head support is usually not covered by the above-mentioned cover so that, when the head support is raised up out of the backrest, the connecting member becomes visible, in such a way as to spoil the seat. In addition the strength of the mechanical connection between the backrest and the head support is reduced when the head support is moved out of the backrest because the depth of insertion of the bar-like connecting member which projects downwardly from the head support, in relation to the backrest, is correspondingly reduced when the head support is displaced out of the backrest.
A similar child's seat to that described above is also known for example from EP 0 326 265 A2. In that known child's seat the head support is connected adjustably in respect of height to the backrest for example by means of two connecting elements which are curved in the shape of a walking stick, similarly to the head support of a vehicle seat.
DE 42 04 232 C2 discloses a child's seat for motor vehicles, having a backrest with a head support which is adjustable in respect of height (see FIG. 17). This known child's seat also suffers from the disadvantage that, when a head support is set correspondingly high, a region which is without any cover remains between the head support and the backrest, and that is considered to spoil the effect. In addition, in this case also the mechanical strength of the connection between the head support and the backrest is reduced when the head support is correspondingly adjusted high, and that represents a further disadvantage.
A child's seat of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification is known from GB 2 296 655 A. The backrest of that known child's seat is divided into two portions, namely an upper portion and a lower portion. At each of its two mutually remote side edges the lower portion is provided with a respective guide channel. The upper backrest portion is formed at the top side with the head support from which two side support portions project forwardly. Mutually spaced lateral backrest side supports project downwardly from the upper backrest portion. The backrest side supports project into the guide channels so that the upper backrest portion with the head support integrally connected thereto is adjustable in respect of height in relation to the lower backrest portion. In that known child's seat the backrest side supports are connected together only at the top side—and not along the guide portion—, which has a corresponding effect on the guidance properties and the strength and stability involved.
The object of the present invention is to provide a child's seat of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, in which the cover covers the child's seat, irrespective of the respective heightwise setting of the head support, in which the mechanical strength is independent of the respective heightwise setting of the head support and in which the head support is adjustable as desired in respect of height, using simple means.
In the case of a child's seat of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, that object is attained in accordance with the invention in that the head support extends with its central portion over the rear of the backrest, and that the head support has two mutually spaced clamping members which, adapted to the guide device for the backrest, are disposed in the transitional region between the central portion and the respective side support portion at the front side of the head support.
In the child's seat according to the invention therefore the head support does not project beyond the backrest in the direction of its height so that the mechanical strength is determined by the backrest itself. As the head support extends over the backrest with its central portion at the rear, it is advantageously possible for the child's seat to be provided with a decorative cover which covers the backrest on the front side. The head support can also be provided with a cover which extends over the two side support portions of the head support and the backrest at the front side thereof. Irrespective of the respective setting in respect of height of the head support relative to the backrest, the child's seat according to the invention therefore avoids a cover-free region, as is inevitable in the case of the known child's seats of the above-indicated kind.
The guide device of the backrest can be simply formed by the two mutually remote side edges of the backrest, but it is also possible for the backrest at its front side to be provided along its two side edges with a respective guide groove or channel which, forming the guide device, extend in mutually parallel relationship and into which the clamping members of the head support engage in positively locking relationship. In this case the clamping members are adapted in shape to the guide device of the backrest in such a way that the head support is adjustable in respect of height on the backrest with the application of a small amount of force and in a play-free manner. The guide channels can be provided on the backrest directly and immediately, but it will be appreciated that it is also possible for the guide channels to be produced independently of the backrest and secured thereto.
The head support can be fixed to the backrest by means of an arresting device which is provided on the head support and which has a resilient retaining member. In that case, the arresting device can be provided for stepless or for stepwise adjustment in respect of height of the head support relative to the backrest. In the latter case involving stepwise adjustability in respect of height of the head support relative to the backrest, the backrest can be provided at its rear side with retaining openings which are spaced from each other in the heightwise direction and which are adapted in respect of shape to the resilient retaining member. The retaining openings and the resilient retaining member in that case may be of a ratchet-like configuration or may co-operate in ratchet-like manner, in such a way that it is indeed possible for the head support to be raised without actuating the arresting device, but it is not possible, without actuating the arresting device, for the head support to be displaced downwardly on the backrest.
It has proven to be desirable if the arresting device has a two-armed lever assembly which is pivotable about a central pivot axis between an arresting position and a release position, wherein provided at the end portion of the one lever arm of the lever assembly is the retaining member and provided at the end portion of the second lever arm is an actuating handle which is accessible and actuatable through a hole in the central portion of the head support from the rear, the pivot axis is formed by a transverse rib which is integrally connected to the lever assembly and which is supported in a transverse groove or channel provided at the front side of the central portion of the head support and spaced from the hole for

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