Infant car seat

Abstract

An infant car seat 1000 has a body and a pivotal back rest portion 1300 for supporting an infants back or head, transformable between an upright seated configuration and a lowered recumbent configuration (fig 4). A flexible plastic central portion 1400 supporting a middle part of an infant transforms between a curved seated shape and a flat recumbent shape. The seat can be used both on a car seat or on a buggy / stroller / pram chassis. A footrest (1700, fig 7) can move independently of back rest portion 1300. The back rest portion 1300 is slidably connected to the central support 1400.

Description

The present invention relates to an infant car seat, and is concerned particularly with an infant car seat that may be deployed in at least two configurations, to support an infant in a seated or a recumbent position. Infant car seats that can be mounted for travel on a base or the seat of a vehicle and to a stroller or pram chassis are advantageous as they save the cost of having to purchase two separate items. They are also convenient as only one car seat needs be transported. However, whilst an infant would be supported in a seated configuration whilst travelling in the car, for obvious reasons of safety, it is often desirable to allow the infant to lie flat when in a stroller or pram. Embodiments of the present invention aim to provide an infant car seat in which at least some of the aforementioned problems are addressed. The present invention is defined in the attached independent claims, to which reference should now be made. Further, preferred features may be found in the sub-claims appended thereto . According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an infant car seat comprising a body and a back rest portion, for supporting at least one of a back and a head of an infant in use, wherein the infant car seat is transformable between a first configuration in which the infant may be supported in a substantially seated position, and a second configuration in which the infant may be supported in a substantially recumbent position, wherein the back rest portion is moveable between an upright position and a lowered position, and wherein the car seat further comprises a central portion, for supporting a middle part of an infant in use, and wherein the central portion is transformable between a first, seated shape and a second, recumbent shape. The central portion is preferably arranged to be transformed from the first shape to the second shape by a movement of the back rest portion. The back rest portion is preferably mounted for pivoting movement on the body. The central portion is preferably mounted on the body. The infant car seat may also comprise a foot rest portion for supporting at least one of a leg and a foot of the infant in use. Preferably, the foot rest portion is moveable between a retracted and an extended position. The back rest portion and the foot rest portion are preferably moveable independently of one another. The foot rest portion is preferably mounted for slidable movement on the body. The central portion may be connected to the back rest portion and / or to the foot rest portion. The central portion preferably comprises a central sheet or panel. More preferably, the central portion comprises a substantially flexible sheet or panel. The central portion is preferably connected to the back rest portion by a slidable engagement. The slidable engagement preferably comprises a slot and peg arrangement. The slot and peg arrangement may have a neutral position, in which the peg is located substantially part-way along the slot, and may have first limit position, in which the peg is located substantially at a first end of the slot and may have a second limit position in which the peg is located substantially at a second end of the slot. In a preferred arrangement, the neutral position corresponds in use to a first configuration of the infant car seat. The first limit position preferably corresponds in use to the backrest portion in the lowered position and / or the foot rest portion in the retracted position. The second limit position preferably corresponds in use to the foot rest portion in the extended position. In a preferred arrangement, the central portion is connected to the foot rest portion by a hinged connection. The back rest portion may be releasably lockable in the upright position and / or in the lowered position. The foot rest portion may be releasably lockable in the retracted position and / or in the extended position. The foot rest portion may be arranged to slide with respect to the body along a track. The track is preferably non-linear, such that sliding of the foot rest portion with respect to the body causes some rotation of the foot rest portion with respect to the body. The invention may include any combination of the features or limitations referred to herein, except such a combination of features as are mutually exclusive, or mutually inconsistent A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an infant car seat according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a seated configuration; Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the infant car seat of Figure 1 in a recumbent position; Figures 3 and 4 are part cutaway drawings of the infant car seat respectively in each of the seated and recumbent positions showing some of the internal structure; Figure 5 is a rear perspective view of the infant car seat in the seated position; Figure 6 is a rear perspective view of the infant car seat in the recumbent position, and; Figure 7 is a view from below of recumbent position. the infant car seat in the Turning to Figure 1, this shows, generally at 1000, a reconfigurable infant car seat according to an embodiment of the present invention. The infant car seat 1000 comprises a body shell 1100, and a carry handle 1200, both of plastics material. Mounted within the body shell 1200 are a moveable back rest portion 1300 and a moveable central portion 1400. There may also be an optional, moveable foot rest portion (1700, Figure 7) . A harness, for securely restraining an infant (not shown) meets at a releasable buckle 1500. Seatbelt guides 1600 are located on either side of a front part of the infant car seat for use in engaging the seatbelt of a vehicle (not shown) . However, more typically the infant car seat 1000 is removably mounted on a seat base unit (not shown) , which base unit engages a connection, such as an ISOFIX connection on the vehicle seat. The infant car seat is intended for dual use, both on a car seat and also on a chassis (neither shown) , such as of a buggy or stroller / pram. In Figure 1, the infant car seat 1000 is shown in an upright configuration, so as to support a seated infant, either in be described, substantially infant in a example when the car seat is mounted on the chassis. the car or on the infant car the chassis. However, as will seat may be transformed into a flat configuration, so as to support recumbent posture conducive to sleeping the for Figure 2 shows the infant car seat 1000 in a fully recumbent configuration. As in the intermediate configuration shown in Figure 2, the back rest portion 1300 in its lowered position, and the central support 1400 is substantially flat. Figures 3 and 4 show schematically the transformation of the infant car seat 1000 from its upright (seated) configuration (Figure 3) to a substantially flat (recumbent) configuration (Figure 4) . In Figure 3, the back rest portion 1300 is shown in its upright position, the central support 1400 substantially concave in shape. The central support is flexible and is comprised of a plastics material. In this example the central support is shown curved, though the shape of the central support could instead (or in addition) be partially folded around a crease or midpoint, and may be substantially continuously curved, in another embodiment (not shown). In order to transform the car seat 1000 from the seated configuration, the back rest portion 1300 is lowered in the direction of Arrow Al. This is possible because the back rest portion 1300 is pivotally mounted on the shell body 1100. As will be described later, the back rest portion is released from the upright position by operation of a release catch. The back rest portion 1300 is slidably connected to the central support, by a peg and slot arrangement (not shown) . In this example, there are two slots are on the central support and two corresponding pegs, located within the back rest portion, which pegs are retained in the slots. The slots could alternatively be in the back rest portion and the pegs in the central support. There could be a single slot and peg, or alternatively more than two of each. As the back rest portion 1300 is lowered, a proximal part of the central support slides along the back rest portion in the direction of Arrow A2. At substantially the same time, the central support 1400 is lifted in the direction of Arrow A3. Figure 4 shows the back rest portion 1300 in its lowered position and the central support 1400 substantially flat. To create a fully flat bed, the foot rest portion 1700 should be extended. The result is the substantially flat configuration shown in Figure 4. To reverse the process and return the car seat to the seated configuration shown in Figures 3 (and 1 the back rest portion is lifted, causing the central support to resume its concave shape. The steps need not take place in this order; to return to the seated configuration the back rest portion could first be lifted and then the foot rest portion be retracted. 5 Figures 5 and 6 show the car seat 1000 from the rear. A release catch 1310 in the rear of the back rest portion 1300 is used to unlock it from the upright position (Figure 5), so that it can be lowered (Figure 6). 10 Figure 7 shows the car seat 1000 from below. The foot rest portion 1700 has a slot 1710 which may be handled by a user (not shown) to pull the foot rest portion to its extended position. The foot rest portion is shown in Figure 7 in a partially extended configuration, and may be extended 15 further. Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance, it should be understood that the 20 applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features referred to herein, and / or shown in the drawings, whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. An infant car seat comprising a body and a back rest portion, for supporting at least one of a back and a head of an infant in use, , wherein the infant car seat is transformable between a first configuration in which the infant may be supported in a substantially seated position, and a second configuration in which the infant may be supported in a substantially recumbent position, wherein the back rest portion is moveable between an upright position and a lowered position, and wherein the car seat further comprises a central portion, for supporting a middle part of an infant in use, and wherein the central portion is transformable between a first, seated shape and a second, recumbent shape.

2. An infant car seat according to Claim 1, wherein the central portion is arranged to be transformed from the first shape to the second shape by a movement of the back rest portion.

3. An infant car seat according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the back rest portion is mounted for pivoting movement on the body.

4. An infant car seat according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the central portion is mounted on the body.

5. An infant car seat according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a foot rest portion forsupporting at least one of a leg and a foot of theinfant in use.

6. An infant car seat according to Claim 5, wherein the foot rest portion is moveable between a retracted and an extended position.

7. An infant car seat according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the back rest portion and the foot rest portion are moveable independently of one another.

8. An infant car seat according to any of Claims 5-7, wherein the foot rest portion is mounted for slidable movement on the body.

9. An infant car seat according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the central portion is connected to the back rest portion.

10. An infant car seat according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the central portion comprises a central sheet or panel.

11. An infant car seat according to Claim 10, wherein the central panel comprises a substantially flexible sheet or panel.

12. An infant car seat according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the central portion is connected to the back rest portion by a slidable engagement.

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