child seat

Abstract

To provide a child seat which is excellent in safety and has good operability.SOLUTION: A child seat includes: a base member; a seat body; a rotation lock mechanism capable of switching between a rotation position fixed state and a rotation permission state; a reclining angle lock mechanism (6) capable of switching between an angle fixed state and an angle change permission state; a pair of rotation lock release operation parts (4) which are provided on both side parts of the seat body, and switch the rotation lock mechanism between the rotation position fixed state and the rotation permission state; and an interlock release prohibition mechanism (7) for prohibiting switching the other of the rotation lock mechanism and the reclining angle lock mechanism (6) by switching any one of the mechanisms.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 20

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a child seat.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, for a base member attached to a seat in an automobile, there is known a child seat provided with a rotational position fixing mechanism for rotatably supporting a seat body on which a child sits, and a reclining position fixing mechanism for making the inclination angle of the seat body with respect to the base member reclinable. As a technique disclosing such a technology, for example, Patent Document 1 (WO2015 / 025428) is known.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses that a first operation part for operating the inclination angle of the seat body with respect to the base member and a second operation part for operating the rotation of the seat body with respect to the base member are provided, and it is prohibited to operate the first operation part and the second operation part simultaneously by a switch member. Further, it is disclosed that the first operation part and the second operation part are arranged in alignment in front of the seat body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Since the child seat disclosed in Patent Document 1 prohibits simultaneous operation of reclining and rotation of the seat body with respect to the base member, no malfunction occurs and it is excellent in safety. However, since both the first operation part for reclining and the second operation part for rotation are provided in front of the seat body, the operability is poor, particularly when the rotation operation is performed and the operation part rotates.

[0006] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a child car seat that is highly safe and easy to operate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] For this purpose, a child seat according to one aspect of the present invention includes a base member that is attached to the seat of a car, a seat body that is rotatably and reclinably provided with respect to the base member and has a seat surface and a backrest, a rotation lock mechanism that can be switched between a rotation position fixed state that fixes the rotational position of the seat body with respect to the base member and a rotation-allowed state that allows rotation of the seat body with respect to the base member, a reclining angle lock mechanism that can be switched between an angle fixed state that fixes the reclining angle of the backrest with respect to the base member and an angle-change-allowed state that allows reclining movement of the backrest with respect to the base member, a first rotation lock release operation unit provided on one side of the seat body for switching the rotation lock mechanism from the rotation position fixed state to the rotation-allowed state, a second rotation lock release operation unit provided on the other side of the seat body for switching the rotation lock mechanism from the rotation position fixed state to the rotation-allowed state, and an interlock release prohibition mechanism that prohibits switching the other when either the rotation lock mechanism or the reclining angle lock mechanism is switched.

[0008] Preferably, the interlock release prevention mechanism maintains the reclining angle lock mechanism in a fixed angle state when the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation-permitting state, and allows the reclining angle lock mechanism to be switched to an angle-changeable state when the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation-position-fixed state, or maintains the rotation lock mechanism in a rotation-position-fixed state when the reclining angle lock mechanism is in an angle-changeable state, and allows the rotation lock mechanism to be switched to a rotation-permitting state when the reclining angle lock mechanism is in an angle-fixed state.

[0009] Preferably, the rotation lock mechanism includes a rotation lock displacement member that can be displaced between a rotation-fixed position state and a rotation-allowed state, the reclining angle lock mechanism includes a reclining angle lock displacement member that can be displaced between an angle-fixed state and an angle-change-allowed state, and the interlock release prevention mechanism includes a switching member located between the rotation lock displacement member and the reclining angle lock displacement member, the switching member maintaining the reclining angle lock displacement member in an angle-fixed state when the rotation lock displacement member is in a rotation-allowed state, and enabling the reclining angle lock displacement member to be switched to an angle-change-allowed state when the rotation lock displacement member is in a rotation-fixed position state, or maintaining the rotation lock displacement member in a rotation-fixed position state when the reclining angle lock displacement member is in an angle-fixed state, and enabling the rotation lock displacement member to be switched to a rotation-allowed state when the reclining angle lock displacement member is in an angle-fixed state.

[0010] Preferably, the switching member includes a contact portion that abuts against the rotation lock displacement member and a locking portion that abuts against the reclining angle lock displacement member, the switching member is movable between a resting position and an operating position displaced by contact with the rotation lock displacement member, the locking portion abuts against the reclining angle lock displacement member only when in the operating position to prevent the movement of the reclining angle lock displacement member, and abuts against the reclining angle lock displacement member only when in the resting position to prevent the movement of the rotation lock displacement member.

[0011] Preferably, the first and second rotation lock release operating parts are provided on both sides of the backrest.

[0012] Preferably, the rotation lock mechanism is switched from a rotation position fixed state to a rotation-allowed state by operating either the first or second rotation lock release operation unit.

[0013] Preferably, the rotation lock mechanism includes a lock hole provided in the base member and a lock member that is movably provided relative to the seat body, wherein the lock member engages with the lock hole when in one position to fix the rotation lock mechanism in a rotational position, and disengages from the lock hole when in the other position to allow rotation of the rotation lock mechanism.

[0014] Preferably, the first rotational lock release operation unit includes a first link member that is displaceable relative to the backrest and connected to a locking member in a manner that can be linked together, and a first connecting member that connects to the first link member, and the second rotational lock release operation unit includes a second link member that is displaceable relative to the backrest and connected to a locking member in a manner that can be linked together, and a second connecting member that connects to the second link member.

[0015] Preferably, each link member has its central region pivotally supported on the seat body, one end connected to a connecting member, and the other end having an opening for receiving a portion of a locking member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, safety is excellent and operability is good. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the child car seat according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows a child seat according to this embodiment, where (A) is a front view and (B) is a side view. [Figure 3] This figure shows a part of the child seat according to this embodiment, where (A) is a side view of the seat body, (B) is a side view of the base member, (C) is a plan view showing the rail portion of the base member, and (D) is a schematic cross-sectional view of line DD in Figure 3(C). [Figure 4] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the child seat according to this embodiment. [Figure 5]It is a longitudinal sectional view showing an enlarged part of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a longitudinal sectional view of the child seat according to the present embodiment, where (A) shows that the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation position fixed state, and (B) shows that the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation allowable state. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the structure arranged inside the backrest part taken out. [Figure 8] It is an exploded perspective view of a part of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a schematic plan view showing the rotation lock mechanism taken out, where (A) shows that the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation position fixed state, and (B) shows that the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation allowable state. [Figure 10] It is a front view showing a part of the rotation lock mechanism provided on the backrest part and the rotation lock release operation part. [Figure 11] It is a view showing the operation main body part of the rotation lock release operation part, where (A) is a front view and (B) is a sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. 11(A). [Figure 12] It is a view showing the operation main body part of the rotation lock release operation part, where (A) is a perspective view seen from the back and (B) is an exploded perspective view seen from the back. [Figure 13] It is a view showing the operation main body attachment part provided on the side part of the backrest part, where (A) is a side view, (B) is a rear view, and (C) is a perspective view seen from below. [Figure 14] It is a view showing the state where the rotation lock release operation part is attached to the side part of the backrest part. [Figure 15] It is a side view of the rotation lock release operation part attached to the side part of the backrest part seen from the inner side of the child accommodation part. [Figure 16] It is a schematic diagram showing the reclining of the seat body, where (A) is a view showing the chair state where the backrest part is upright, and (B) is a view showing the bed state where the backrest part is reclined. [Figure 17]This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the child seat according to this embodiment, where (A) shows the reclining angle lock mechanism in a fixed angle state, and (B) shows the reclining angle lock mechanism in a state where angle change is permitted. [Figure 18] This is a schematic front view of the child seat according to this embodiment, where (A) shows the reclining angle lock mechanism in a fixed angle state, and (B) shows the reclining angle lock mechanism in a state where angle change is permitted. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view showing the reclining angle lock release mechanism; (A) is a perspective view from the front, and (B) is a perspective view from the rear. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view showing the switching component (interlock release prevention mechanism), where (A) is a perspective view from the front and (B) is a perspective view from the rear. [Figure 21] This is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the switching component (interlock release prevention mechanism), where (A) indicates that the rotation lock mechanism is in a fixed rotation position state, and (B) indicates that the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation-permitted state. [Figure 22] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the switching component (interlock release prevention mechanism). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0019] (About child car seats) Referring to Figures 1 to 4, 16, and 18, the outline of the child seat 1 according to this embodiment will be described. In the description of the child seat 1, the front-to-back direction corresponds to the front-to-back direction of the child sitting in the child seat 1. The width direction corresponds to the left-to-right direction of the child sitting in the child seat 1. In addition, the inner side corresponds to the side facing the child sitting in the child seat 1. The outer side corresponds to the side opposite the child sitting in the child seat 1.

[0020] The basic structure of the child seat 1 according to this embodiment may be the same as that of a general child seat, and is used in automobiles, particularly placed on the seats of automobiles, as a device for safely transporting children such as infants and toddlers. The child seat 1 comprises a base member 2 and a seat body 3. Figure 3(A) shows a side view of the seat body 3, and Figure 3(B) shows a side view of the base member 2.

[0021] (Regarding the base components) The base member 2 is placed on the seat of a passenger car and supports the seat body 3 from below. In particular, as shown in Figure 1, the front end of the base member 2 is provided with a leg support that extends toward the floor of the passenger car, and the rear end of the base member 2 is provided with ISOFIX that connects to the anchor of the passenger car's seat. The seat body 3 is placed above the base member 2.

[0022] In particular, as shown in Figure 3(B), the base member 2 includes a pedestal portion 20 and an upright portion 26 that rises upward from the end of the pedestal portion 20. The pedestal portion 20 is placed on the seat portion of the automobile. A body receiving portion 21, which is an opening for receiving the seat body 3, is provided in the approximate center of the upper surface of the pedestal portion 20. The body receiving portion 21 is approximately circular in plan view and is formed by annular side walls 22, and a rail portion 23 is provided in the lower part thereof, projecting toward the center of the body receiving portion 21 of the base member 2. The rail portion 23 is a portion that rotatably contacts the seat body 3.

[0023] Figure 3(C) is a schematic plan view showing only the rail section 23. As shown in Figure 3(C), the rail section 23 has a donut shape in plan view, and lock holes 25 are provided at 90-degree intervals. Specifically, lock holes 25 are provided at the front, rear, right, and left. The lock holes 25 are typically recesses with an upward opening, but they may also be through holes. As shown in Figure 3(D), the lock holes 25 are, for example, roughly rectangular in cross-section, and the angle formed by the bottom 25a and the pair of side parts 25b connecting the bottom 25a and the rail section 23 is, for example, about 90 degrees. The lock pins 58 of the seat body 3, which will be described later, engage with the lock holes 25 from above.

[0024] Although not shown in the diagram, the upright portion 26 of the base member 2 is located on the side of the car's backrest. As shown in Figure 2(B), the height dimension H1 from the bottom surface of the base portion 20 (the surface on which the base member 2 contacts the car's seat) to the upper end of the upright portion 26 is preferably 310 mm or more. The upright portion 26 is provided with an engaging portion 27 that locks into the engaging portion 52 of the seat body 3 in order to prevent the seat body 3 from tipping forward when facing forward. The height dimension H2 of the engaging portion 27 is preferably 300 mm or more. The engaging portion 27 is typically a through hole, but may also be a recess that does not go through. Also, the engaging portion 27 is typically extending in the vertical direction, but may also extend in the horizontal direction, for example, and the direction of the opening is not limited. The engaging portion 52 will be described later.

[0025] (Regarding the seat itself) The seat body 3 is attached to the upper side of the base member 2 and is rotatably supported with respect to the base member 2, as well as being reclinable. The seat body 3 includes a child compartment 30 for accommodating a child, and a shell 36 for holding the child compartment 30 and maintaining the rigidity of the seat body 3.

[0026] A child sits in the child seating area 30. For this reason, the child seating area 30 is also called a child's seat and has a seat surface 31 that supports the child's buttocks and a backrest 32 that rises from behind the seat surface 31 and supports the child's back. A headrest 33 that supports the child's head may be provided above the backrest 32.

[0027] The headrest 33 includes a occipital head protection portion 33a located in the central area to protect the back of the child's head, and a pair of temporal head protection portions 33b located in the lateral area, projecting forward from both ends of the occipital head protection portion 33a to protect the sides of the child's head. Figure 1 shows the seat body 3 with a covering member, such as a soft fabric material or cushioning material, attached.

[0028] The backrest 32 is provided with a pair of shoulder belts 10 to restrain the child's shoulders. The seat 31 is provided with a waist belt 11 that extends across the seat body 3 in the left-right direction to restrain the child's waist, and a crotch belt 12 that extends between the child's thighs when seated in the seat body 3. The other ends of these belts 10, 11, and 12 are detachably connected near the child's abdomen by a buckle 13 provided at the end of the crotch belt 12.

[0029] The shell 36 is formed of a rigid material such as plastic and encloses the child dwelling 30 from the outside. Specifically, the shell 36 includes a vertical wall portion 37 located outside (rear) the back of the back of the child dwelling 32, first side wall portions 38 projecting forward from both ends of the vertical wall portion 37 and located outside the pair of temporal head protection portions 33b of the headrest 33, and second side wall portions 39 located below the first side wall portions 38 and at both ends of the seat portion 31. The rear and both sides of the child dwelling 30 are enclosed by the vertical wall portion 37, the pair of first side wall portions 38, and the pair of second side wall portions 39. In this embodiment, the "backrest portion" includes the back of the child dwelling 30, the headrest 33, the vertical wall portion 37, the first side wall portions 38, and the second side wall portions 39.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2(B), a reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 for switching the reclining angle lock mechanism 6, which will be described later, is provided above the vertical wall portion 37. Specifically, an opening is provided in the center and above the vertical wall portion 37 in the width direction, and the handle 61a of the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 protrudes from this opening. The reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is located above the upper end of the upright portion 26 of the base member 2. The reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 will be described later.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2(A), each of the pair of first side walls 38 is provided with a rotation lock release operation unit 4 for switching the rotation lock mechanism 5. The rotation lock mechanism 5 and the rotation lock release operation unit 4 will be described later.

[0032] As shown in Figure 18, a receiving hole 39a is provided inside the second side wall portion 39. A rod-shaped projection 67, which will be described later on the back portion 32 (backrest portion) of the seat body 3, engages with the receiving hole 39a from the left and right directions.

[0033] As described above, the seat body 3 is provided with a rotation lock mechanism 5 to allow the seat body 3 to rotate relative to the base member 2, and a reclining angle lock mechanism 6 to allow the reclining angle of the backrest 32 relative to the base member 2, but the details will be described later.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3(A), the bottom of the seat body 3 includes a constricted portion 81 and a lower portion 82 located below the constricted portion 81 and having a larger circumference than the constricted portion 81, in order to engage with the base member 2. The rail portion 23 described above, as shown in Figure 3(B), is located in the constricted portion 81. With this configuration, the seat body 3 is rotatably mounted relative to the base member 2, and it is possible to prevent the seat body 3 from coming off the base member 2.

[0035] As shown in the figure, the bottom of the seat body 3 is provided with a locking pin 58 and a rotational position fixing member 59 that holds the locking pin 58 and is fixed to the seat body 3 via a rotating shaft 59a. The locking pin 58 engages with a locking hole 25 provided in the base member 2, as shown in Figure 3(B).

[0036] The seat body 3 is mounted so as to be rotatable about a vertical virtual straight line O (Figure 3(A)) passing through the center of the base member 2, and can be switched between forward-facing, rear-facing, and side-facing positions. The forward-facing position is when the back of the backrest 32 faces the upright section 26, meaning the child is sitting facing forward in the car. The forward-facing position is shown in Figure 1. The rear-facing position is when the front of the backrest 32 faces the upright section 26, meaning the child is sitting facing backward in the car. The rear-facing position is not shown in the illustration.

[0037] The seat body 3 is rotatable relative to the base member 2, but is normally fixed in place by a rotation lock mechanism 5, which will be described later, to prevent changes in its rotational position. To adjust the rotational position, the operator releases the locking state by the rotation lock mechanism 5 using the rotation lock release operation unit 4, and rotates the seat body 3 clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust it to the desired rotational position, after which the rotational position is locked again by the rotation lock mechanism 5. The rotation is locked by a lock hole 25 provided in the base member 2 (Figure 3(B)) and a lock pin 58 provided in the seat body 3 (Figure 3(A)).

[0038] The seat body 3 is provided with the base member 2 so that the angle of the backrest 32 can be changed, and it can be switched between a chair state with the backrest 32 upright (Figure 16(A)) and a bed state with the backrest 32 reclined (Figure 16(B)). However, the reclining angle is normally fixed so that it does not change by the reclining angle lock mechanism 6, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 18, when changing the reclining angle, the operator releases the lock state by the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 using the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61, moves the backrest of the seat body 3 upward or downward, adjusts to the desired reclining angle, and then locks the reclining angle again with the reclining angle lock mechanism 6. The reclining angle is locked by a receiving hole 39a provided in the second side wall 39 of the seat body 3 and a projection 67 provided on the backrest 32.

[0039] As described above, the seat body 3 of the child seat 1 in this embodiment is attached to the upper side of the base member 2 and is rotatably supported relative to the base member 2, as well as being reclinable. In other words, a "rotation lock mechanism 5" is provided to make the seat body 3 rotatable relative to the base member 2, and a "reclining angle lock mechanism 6" is provided to make the seat body 3 reclinable relative to the base member 2. Figure 4 illustrates that the rotation lock mechanism 5 and the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 overlap in the front-rear direction. The rotation lock mechanism 5 and the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 will be described in detail below.

[0040] (Regarding the rotation lock mechanism) The rotation lock mechanism 5 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 to 10. To focus on the operation of the rotation lock mechanism 5, the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is shown with a dashed line in Figure 6. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a part of the rotation lock mechanism 5, and Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view thereof. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the operation of the rotation lock mechanism 5. Figures 6(A) and 9(A) show the rotation position fixed state of the rotation lock mechanism 5, and Figures 6(B) and 9(B) show the rotation permitted state of the rotation lock mechanism 5. Note that the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 8 is the front of the child seat 1, and the direction opposite to the arrow is the rear of the child seat 1.

[0041] As shown in Figures 6 and 9, the rotation lock mechanism 5 can be switched between a rotation position fixed state (Figures 6(A) and 9(A)) in which the rotational position of the seat body 3 relative to the base member 2 is fixed, and a rotation permitted state (Figures 6(B) and 9(B)) in which the rotation of the seat body 3 relative to the base member 2 is permitted. This switching is performed by the rotation lock release operation unit 4. First, the configuration of the rotation lock mechanism 5 will be described in detail.

[0042] As shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), the rotation lock mechanism 5 generally includes a lock hole 25 provided in the base member 2 into which the aforementioned lock pin 58 engages, and a vertically movable member 50 provided in the seat body 3 so as to be vertically movable. The lock hole 25 is as described in the section on the base member 2.

[0043] The vertically moving member 50 moves upward when the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is operated. Specifically, when the vertically moving member 50 is in the lower position (one position), the lock pin 58 engages with the lock hole 25, fixing the rotation lock mechanism 5 in a rotational position (Figure 6(A)), and when it is in the upper position (the other position), the engagement between the lock pin 58 and the lock hole 25 is released, allowing the rotation lock mechanism 5 to rotate (Figure 6(B)). In this way, the vertically moving member 50 can be displaced between the rotational position fixed state and the rotation-allowed state, and is therefore also called a "rotation lock displacement member".

[0044] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the vertical movement member 50 includes a vertically extending rod-shaped portion 51 (Figure 7), a first connecting portion 54 (Figure 7) connected to the lower end of the rod-shaped portion 51, a second connecting portion 55 (Figure 7) that can rotate vertically with respect to the first connecting portion 54 with the shaft portion 56a as a pivot point, an engaging portion 52 (Figure 8), and an operation interlocking member 53 (Figure 8). As shown in Figure 6, the vertical movement member 50 is biased downward by a biasing member 83. The biasing member 83 is located below the vertical movement member 50 and is typically a compression spring. As a result, the rotation lock mechanism 5 is always biased to a fixed rotation position (Figure 6(A)).

[0045] As shown in Figure 7, the tip of the second connecting portion 55 of the vertically moving member 50 is provided with a pair of inwardly projecting inward projections 57. These inward projections 57 allow the rotation position fixing member 59, which is provided at the lower end of the seat body 3, to be lifted upward, as shown in Figure 6, and the lock pin 58 to be pulled out from the lock hole 25 of the base member 2.

[0046] As shown in Figure 8, the upper end of the rod-shaped portion 51 is connected to the operation interlocking member 53 together with the engaging portion 52 and is housed within the front cover 37a and the back cover 37c. Similarly, a pair of link members 48 and a switching member 7 are housed within the front cover 37a and the back cover 37c. The switching member 7 will be described later.

[0047] The front cover 37a is provided with a protrusion 37b on its back surface (back cover 37c side) that projects toward the back cover 37c side. The back cover 37c is provided with a pair of protrusions 37d that support a pair of link members 48, and an elongated hole 37e that extends vertically and is located between the pair of protrusions 37d. A pin-shaped operating interlocking member 53 passes through the elongated hole 37e.

[0048] This interlocking member 53 extends in the front-rear direction, its rear end is connected to the upper end of the engaging portion 52, and its front end passes through a pair of openings 48b of the link member 48, which will be described later. The engaging portion 52 is a downwardly projecting portion, and a pin 52a is attached to it to ensure strength. The engaging portion 52 is typically a pin extending in the vertical direction, but it may also be a hook with a bent end, or a member extending in the left-right direction.

[0049] As shown in Figure 6, the engaging portion 52 engages with the engaged portion 27 provided on the upright portion 26 of the base member 2 described above. The engaging portion 52 and the engaged portion 27 constitute the forward tilt prevention mechanism 8. By positioning the forward tilt prevention mechanism 8 at a relatively high position, it is possible to effectively prevent the seat body 3, which is facing forward, from tilting forward. Furthermore, since the engaged portion 27 is a through hole extending in the vertical direction, and the engaging portion 52 is a convex portion that can be displaced in the vertical direction, and the convex portion fits into the through hole, the four sides of the engaging portion 52 are surrounded by the engaged portion 27, so it can respond not only to front and rear collisions but also to side collisions of automobiles.

[0050] As shown in Figure 9, the operation of the rotation lock mechanism 5 and the operation of the anti-tipping mechanism 8 can be linked by the provision of the operation linkage member 53. Specifically, the operation of moving the vertical movement member 50 of the rotation lock mechanism 5 upward to pull out the lock pin 58 from the lock hole 25 can be linked with the operation of disengaging the engaging part 52 of the anti-tipping mechanism from the engaged part 27.

[0051] As shown in Figure 8, the link member 48 is pivotally supported in its central region by the back cover 37c, one end of which is connected to the connecting member 47, and the other end of which receives a part of the vertically moving member 50. Specifically, the link member 48 includes a link body portion 48a which is roughly rhombic in plan view, an opening 48b provided below the link body portion 48a, a hole portion 48c provided in the center, and a support portion 48d provided above.

[0052] The link body portion 48a is flat overall. The opening 48b is through which the interlocking member 53, described later, passes in the front-rear direction. The protrusion 37d of the back cover 37c passes through the hole 48c, fixing the link member 48 to the back cover 37c. As a result, the central region of the link member 48 is pivotally supported on the back cover 37c. The support portion 48d is provided at one end of the link member 48, specifically at the upper end. The support portion 48d is a hole through which the rivet 48e passes, and is provided to support one end of the connecting member 47 (Figure 9). The connecting member 47 is typically a wire, and the other end is connected to the moving member 43 (Figure 12(A)) of the rotation lock release operation unit 4.

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, these link members 48 are arranged symmetrically and stacked vertically. Specifically, the openings 48b of the link members 48 are stacked vertically, and the operation interlocking member 53 passes through the openings 48b. As a result, as shown in Figure 9, when the moving member 43 of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is moved, the connecting member 47 is pulled, the link member 48 rotates with the hole 48c as a pivot point, pushing up the operation interlocking member 53 that passes through the opening 48b of the link member 48, the vertical moving member 50 moves upward, the lock pin 58 is pulled out of the lock hole 25 and rotation is permitted, and the engaging part 52 of the forward tilt prevention mechanism 8 moves upward and the engagement with the engaged part 27 is released.

[0054] (Regarding the rotation lock release operation mechanism) The rotation lock release operation unit 4 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 9 to 12. Referring particularly to Figure 10, the rotation lock release operation unit 4 includes an operation body 40, a link member 48 that is connected to the vertical movement member 50 in a manner that allows it to move in conjunction with the vertical movement member 50, and a connecting member 47 that connects the link member 48 and the vertical movement member 50 in a manner that allows them to move in conjunction with each other. Note that the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 11 is the front of the child seat 1, and the opposite direction of the arrow is the rear of the child seat 1.

[0055] As shown in Figure 2(A), the rotational lock release operation units 4 are generally provided in pairs facing each other on the left and right sides. For example, the rotational lock release operation unit 4 located on the right side of the paper is the first rotational lock release operation unit, which is fixed to one side of the backrest, specifically to the first side wall 38 on the right side of the shell 36, and protrudes outward from that first side wall 38. The rotational lock release operation unit 4 located on the left side of the paper is the second rotational lock release operation unit, which is fixed to the other side of the backrest, specifically to the first side wall 38 on the left side of the shell 36, and protrudes outward from that first side wall 38. In other words, the pair of rotational lock release operation units 4 protrude outward from both sides from the outside of their respective first side wall 38s.

[0056] Since the first and second rotational lock release operating units have similar configurations, the first rotational lock release operating unit, which is fixed to the right-side first side wall 38, will be described as representative, and the description of the second rotational lock release operating unit will be omitted. In the following description, both the first and second rotational lock release operating units will be referred to as "rotational lock release operating unit 4" and described using the same reference numerals. Although a pair of rotational lock release operating units 4 are provided, the rotational lock mechanism 5 can be operated by operating either one of them. This operation will be described later.

[0057] As shown in Figure 2(A), the rotational lock release operation part 4 preferably protrudes from the first side wall portion 38 of the seat body 3 by, for example, 100 mm or more. The degree to which the rotational lock release operation part 4 protrudes in the left-right direction is preferably about the same as the degree to which the second side wall portion 39 protrudes, or it is preferably that it protrudes more than the second side wall portion 39. The rotational lock release operation part 4 is preferably provided above the backrest portion, and as shown in Figure 2(B), the height dimension H3 from the bottom surface of the base portion 20 (the surface on which the base member 2 contacts the car seat) to the upper end of the rotational lock release operation part 4 is preferably, for example, 300 mm or more. The rotational lock release operation part 4 is preferably smaller than the upper end height of the upright portion 26 of the base member 2 and is preferably about the same as the height position of the engaged portion 27. Furthermore, the rotational lock release operation part 4 is preferably provided at a location on the side of the head of a child sitting in the seat, and specifically, it is preferably provided within the vertical width dimension of the side head protection portion 33b of the headrest 33.

[0058] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the operating body 40 includes a housing 41 and a movable member 43 that is movably provided within the housing. In particular, as shown in Figure 11(B), the operating body 40 includes a front region 40a located at the front and a rear region 40b located at the rear. The movable member 43 is provided on the rear region 40b side.

[0059] The housing 41 is formed of, for example, a rigid plastic. As shown in Figure 11(A), the housing 41 has a roughly frustum-ellipse shape overall and is hollow. Returning to Figures 11(A) and 11(B), the housing 41 includes a top surface 41a and a side surface 41b that converges toward the top surface 41a. The top surface 41a is a flat surface, and a recess 41c is provided on the rear region 40b side. The recess 41c opens laterally, as shown in particular in Figure 1. The area of ​​the side surface 41b gradually increases from the front region 40a toward the rear region 40b. As a result, the housing 41 conforms to the curved shape of the first side wall portion 38 (Figure 2) of the seat body 3. In the rear region 40b of the housing 41, a connecting portion 42 is provided, which is continuous with the rear portion of the side surface 41b and connects to the first side wall portion 38.

[0060] A movable member 43 is provided in the recess 41c of the housing 41, which is movable in the front-rear direction (left-right direction on the plane of the paper). In this embodiment, the movable member 43 is a sliding member that is movable in the front-rear direction, but it may be in other shapes such as a lever or a button. As shown in Figure 11(B), the movable member 43 is housed in the recess 41c so as not to protrude laterally from the housing 41. In other words, the position of the leading edge of the movable member 43 is set back from the position of the leading edge of the housing 41. Specifically, the height of the leading edge of the movable member 43 is set lower than the height of the leading edge of the housing 41. As a result, the movable member 43 is housed in the recess 41a so as not to protrude outward from the housing 41.

[0061] As shown in Figure 12(B), the movable member 43 has a handle portion 44 operated by the operator and a mounting portion 45 for attaching and fixing the other end of the connecting member 47. As shown in Figure 12(A), the handle portion 44 and the mounting portion 45 are connected, for example by screws, and housed inside the housing 41 in an integral state, and slide in the front-rear direction within the recess 41c. Since the other end of the connecting member 47 is connected to the mounting portion 45 of the movable member 43, the connecting member 47 is pulled when the movable member 43 is slid forward. Furthermore, it is preferable that the back surface of the housing 41 is covered by the lid portion 46 after the movable member 43 is housed inside the housing 41. This allows a part of the rotation lock release operation portion 4 attached to the first side wall portion 38 to be housed inside the housing 41.

[0062] As shown in Figure 9, the movable member 43 is provided to be displaceable between a first position and a second position. The first position is when the movable member 43 is positioned to the right (behind the child seat 1), and this position fixes the rotation lock mechanism 5 in a rotational position (Figure 9(A)). The second position is when the movable member 43 is positioned to the left (in front of the child seat 1), and this position corresponds to the rotation-allowed state (Figure 9(B)). In other words, by moving the movable member 43 from the first position to the second position, it is possible to pull out the lock pin 58 of the rotation lock mechanism 5 from the lock hole 25.

[0063] Although the movable member 43 itself is not biased, the vertical moving member 50 of the rotation lock mechanism 5, which is indirectly connected by the connecting member 47 and the link member 48, is biased downward by the biasing member 83 (Figure 6). As a result, the movable member 43 is always biased to the first position, which is the fixed rotation position. Alternatively, a biasing member may be installed between the housing 41 and the movable member 43, so that the movable member 43 itself is biased to the first position.

[0064] (Regarding installation method) Referring to Figures 11, 13, and 14, a method for attaching the operating body 40 of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 to the seat body 3 will be described. As described above, the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is fixed to the first side wall 38, which is the side of the backrest of the seat body 3. In the following description, a method for attaching the operating body 40 of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 to the left side of the first side wall 38 when the child seat 1 is viewed from the front will be described.

[0065] Figure 13 shows the control unit mounting section 38a located on the left side when the child seat 1 is viewed from the front. (A) is a left side view, (B) is a rear view seen from the rear and outside, and (C) is a perspective view seen from the rear and outside looking upwards. The arrows shown in Figure 13(A) and (C) point to the front of the child seat 1, and the opposite direction points to the rear of the child seat 1. Prior to explaining the above-mentioned mounting method, the control unit mounting section 38a, which is the location to which the control unit 40 provided on the first side wall section 38 is attached, will be described.

[0066] As shown in Figure 13, the operating body portion 40 of the rotational lock release operating unit 4 is attached to the first side wall portion 38, and an operating body mounting portion 38a is formed at the location where the operating body portion 40 is attached. The operating body mounting portion 38a has a shape that corresponds to the outer shape of the housing 41 of the rotational lock release operating unit 4, and as shown in Figure 13(A), it is provided with a portion that is roughly elliptical in side view, combining a through hole and a recess.

[0067] Specifically, the operating body mounting portion 38a has a through-hole portion 38b that occupies the rear (left half of the paper) and a bottomed portion 38c that occupies the front (right half of the paper). As shown in Figures 13(B) and 13(C), the bottomed portion 38c is a stepped portion whose upper part is recessed inward (towards the child accommodation portion 30) compared to the first side wall portion 38. The rear region 40b (Figure 10(B)) of the operating body portion 40 is located in the through-hole portion 38b, and the back surface of the front region 40a (Figure 10(B)) of the operating body portion 40 is located on the bottomed portion 38c.

[0068] Referring to Figure 14, the procedure for attaching the operating body 40 of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 to the first side wall 38 of the seat body 3 will be described.

[0069] First, as shown in Figure 14(A), hold the operating body 40 in your hand and bring it facing the operating body mounting portion 38a of the first side wall 38. Next, as shown in Figure 14(B), push the thin front region 40a of the operating body 40 from the child dwelling portion 30 towards the through hole 38b of the operating body mounting portion 38a. As shown in Figure 14(C), bring the back surface of the front region 40a of the operating body 40 into contact with the bottom portion 38c of the operating body mounting portion 38a, and bring the front surface of the rear region 40b of the operating body 40 into contact with the opening edge of the through hole 38b of the first side wall 38. As shown in Figure 14(D), in this state, connect the connecting portion 42 to the first side wall 38 using screws or the like.

[0070] As shown in Figure 15, when the operating body 40 is attached to the first side wall 38, when viewed from inside the child storage compartment 30, the bottom portion 38c of the first side wall 38 and the lid portion 46 of the operating body 40, which is provided in the rear region 40b, are exposed.

[0071] Thus, the attachment of the operating body 40 to the first side wall 38 is easy because the housing 41 and the movable member 43 of the operating body 40 are integrated, and half of the operating body 40 is held by the bottomed portion 38c of the operating body mounting portion 38a before being connected. Furthermore, since the operating body 40 is easy to remove from the first side wall 38, maintenance can be easily performed.

[0072] (Regarding the operation of the rotation lock release mechanism and the rotation lock mechanism) Referring to Figures 6 and 9, a method for operating the rotation lock mechanism 5 using the rotation lock release operation unit 4 will be described.

[0073] Figures 6(A) and 9(A) show the state when the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is not being operated. When the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is not being operated, the lock pin 58 of the rotation lock mechanism 5 is engaged with the lock hole 25, so the rotation lock mechanism 5 is in a rotation position fixed state, fixing the rotation position of the seat body 3 relative to the base member 2.

[0074] Figures 6(B) and 9(B) show the state when the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is operated. When the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is operated, the lock pin 58 of the rotation lock mechanism 5 is pulled out from the lock hole 25, so the rotation lock mechanism 5 is in a rotation-permitting state that allows the seat body 3 to rotate relative to the base member 2.

[0075] The operator moves the movable member 43 of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 from right to left on the page. Note that the operation unit 4 shown in Figures 6 and 9 is a schematic representation of one located on the right side of the backrest of the child seat 1, so in reality, the operation unit is moved from rear to front.

[0076] Since the other end of the connecting member 47 is connected to the movable member 43, moving the movable member 43 pulls the connecting member 47. One end of the connecting member 47 is connected to a support portion 48d provided at the upper end of the link member 48. Therefore, when the connecting member 47 is pulled, the link member 48 rotates clockwise around the hole portion 48c as a pivot point. Since the operation interlocking member 53 passes through the opening 48b of the link member 48, the rotation of the link member 48 causes the operation interlocking member 53 to come into contact with the edge of the opening 48b and be pushed upward.

[0077] As shown in Figure 9, the motion interlocking member 53 penetrates the rod-shaped portion 51 and the engaging portion 52, causing the rod-shaped portion 51 and the engaging portion 52 to move upward. As the rod-shaped portion 51 moves upward, the shaft portion 56a moves upward along the slide hole 56b, causing the inward projection 57 provided on the second connecting portion 55 to be pulled upward. As a result, the rotation position fixing member 59 fixed to the seat body 3 is lifted upward by the inward projection 57 of the second connecting portion 55 via the rotation shaft 59a, and the lock pin 58 is pulled out from the lock hole 25 of the base member 2.

[0078] In this way, by displacing the movable member 43 of the rotation lock release operation unit 4, the lock pin 58 can be pulled out of the lock hole 25, and the rotation lock mechanism 5 can be switched from a rotation position fixed state (Figures 6(A), 9(A)) to a rotation-allowed state (Figures 6(B), 9(B)). Furthermore, in conjunction with this movement, the engaging portion 52 of the forward tilt prevention mechanism 8 is pulled out from the engaged portion 27.

[0079] In this embodiment, a pair of rotation lock release operation units 4 are provided on both sides of the backrest. The above description shows how to operate the rotation lock release operation unit 4 located on the right side of the child seat 1, but the method for operating the rotation lock release operation unit 4 located on the left side is the same. In this embodiment, the rotation lock release operation units 4 are connected to the vertical movement member 50 via the opening 48b of the link member 48, so the operation of one rotation lock release operation unit 4 is not directly transmitted to the other rotation lock release operation unit 4. As a result, the rotation lock mechanism 5 can be operated by operating either one of the rotation lock release operation units 4. In other words, it is not necessary to operate both of the pair of rotation lock release operation units 4 to operate the rotation lock mechanism 5. However, it is possible to operate the rotation lock mechanism 5 by operating both of the pair of rotation lock release operation units 4 simultaneously.

[0080] In this embodiment, the child seat 1 has rotation lock release operation units 4 provided on one side and the other side of the backrest, respectively. Furthermore, because they are located at a high position on the backrest, the operator can access the rotation lock release operation units 4 while standing without bending over. In addition, when operating the rotation lock mechanism 5, the seat body 3 must be rotated after operating the rotation lock release operation unit 4. However, because the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is located at the top, centrifugal force can be utilized, and it is easier for the operator to apply force. Therefore, the child seat 1 of this embodiment can improve the operability of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 for operating the rotation lock mechanism 5.

[0081] In this embodiment, the housing 41 of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is fixed to protrude from both sides of the backrest, so it can absorb impacts from the side and mitigate the impact on the child seat 1 caused by a side collision. Thus, the rotation lock release operation unit 4 not only serves as the operation unit for the rotation lock mechanism 5, but also incorporates the function of a side impact mitigation mechanism.

[0082] The movable member 43 of the rotational lock release operation unit 4 is housed within the recess 41a of the housing 41 and is designed not to protrude laterally from the housing 41. Therefore, even if a side collision occurs, the car door will only hit the housing 41 and not the movable member 43, making malfunction of the rotational lock release operation unit 4 unlikely.

[0083] (Regarding the reclining angle locking mechanism) The reclining angle lock mechanism 6 will be explained with reference to Figures 16 to 19. In order to focus on the operation of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6, the rotation lock mechanism 5 is shown with a dashed line in Figure 17. Figure 18 is a diagram showing the operation of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6. Figure 19 is a perspective view of the operating part of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6, where (A) is a perspective view from the front and (B) is a perspective view from the rear. Figures 17(A) and 18(A) show the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 in the reclining position fixed state, and Figures 17(B) and 18(B) show the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 in the reclining allowable state.

[0084] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 can be switched between an angle-fixed state (Figures 17(A), 18(A)) in which the reclining angle of the seat body 3 relative to the base member 2 is fixed, and an angle-allowed state (Figures 17(B), 18(B)) in which the reclining of the seat body 3 relative to the base member 2 is permitted. This switching is performed by the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61. First, the configuration of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 will be described in detail.

[0085] As shown in Figures 18(A) and 18(B), the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 generally includes a receiving hole 39a provided on the backrest 32 of the seat body 3, into which the aforementioned projection 67 engages, and a sliding member 60 provided on the seat body 3 so as to be vertically movable. As shown in Figure 16, multiple receiving holes 39a are provided, and when the projection 67 engages with a receiving hole 39a located lower down, it becomes a chair (Figure 16(A)), and when the projection 67 engages with a receiving hole 39a located upper up, it becomes a bed (Figure 16(B)). In this embodiment, two receiving holes 39a are provided, but three or more may be provided to allow fine adjustment of the angle of the backrest. The seat surface 31 and the backrest 32 are provided so as to be reclinable via a reclining shaft 14. Thus, the sliding member 60 can be displaced between an angle-fixed state and an angle-displacement-allowed state, and is therefore also called a "reclining angle lock displacement member".

[0086] The sliding member 60 moves upward when the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is operated. Specifically, when the sliding member 60 is in the lower position, it engages with the receiving hole 39a to fix the angle of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 (Figure 18(A)), and when it is in the upper position, it releases its engagement with the receiving hole 39a to allow the angle of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 (Figure 18(B)).

[0087] As shown in Figure 18, the sliding member 60 includes a reclining angle lock release operation part 61, a rod-shaped transmission part 64 connected to the lower end of the operation part 61 and extending vertically, and a connecting part 65 connected to the lower end of the transmission part 64.

[0088] A perspective view of the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is shown in Figure 19. Figure 19(A) shows the front side of the operation unit 61, and Figure 19(B) shows the back side of the operation unit 61. The operation unit 61 has a handle 61a on its back side, and the handle 61a faces backward (Figure 17).

[0089] The reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 has a through hole 62 that extends vertically through its center. The aforementioned operation interlocking member 53 (Figure 8) passes through this through hole 62. Therefore, the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 and the rotation lock mechanism 5 operate independently. As shown in Figure 5, the operation unit 61 is located between the back cover 37c and the engagement part 52. Also, as shown in Figure 19(B), the back surface of the operation unit 61 is provided with a locking part 63 that engages with the switching member 7 (Figure 6), which will be described later. The locking part 63 is also a protrusion that projects toward the rear of the backrest 32.

[0090] As shown in Figure 18, the transmission section 64 extends vertically along the back side of the rod-shaped section 51 of the rotation lock mechanism 5. The connecting section 65 is provided with a pair of guide holes 66 that extend in an inverted V-shape when viewed from the front. The pair of guide holes 66 are arranged so that the distance between them in the left-right direction increases as they move upward. A projection 67 that moves along each of the guide holes 66 and extends in the left-right direction passes through the pair of guide holes 66.

[0091] As shown in Figure 17, the transmission unit 64 is biased downward by a biasing member 84. The biasing member 84 is located above the transmission unit 64 and is typically a tension spring. As a result, the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is always biased to a fixed angle state (Figure 18(A)).

[0092] (Regarding the operation of the reclining angle lock mechanism via the reclining angle lock release control) Referring to Figure 18, a method for operating the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 using the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 will be described.

[0093] Figure 18(A) shows the state when the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is not being operated. When the operation unit 61 is not being operated, the projection 67 of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is engaged with the receiving hole 39a, so the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is in a reclining angle fixed state, fixing the reclining angle of the seat body 3 relative to the base member 2.

[0094] Figure 18(B) shows the state when the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is operated. When the operation unit 61 is operated, the projection 67 of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is pulled out from the receiving hole 39a, so the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is in a reclining-allowed state that allows the reclining angle of the seat body 3 relative to the base member 2.

[0095] Specifically, as shown in Figure 18(A), the operator hooks their hand onto the handle 61a of the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 and moves it upward. As shown in Figure 18(B), the transmission unit 64 and connection unit 65 connected to the operation unit 61 move upward. As a result, the projection 67 that penetrates the guide hole 66 of the connection unit 65 moves along the slope of the guide hole 66, and the projection 67 is pulled out of the receiving hole 39a. In this state, while holding the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 in their hand, the reclining angle can be changed by pushing the backrest 32 downward or upward.

[0096] In this embodiment, the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is located above the backrest 32. As described above, in order to change the reclining angle, it is necessary to operate the operation unit 61 and then further push the backrest 32 downwards or upwards. Since the operation unit 61 is located above the backrest 32, the downward pushing or upward pushing operations can also be performed with the operation unit 61, so the operator does not need to change their grip on the operating part, resulting in improved operability.

[0097] Furthermore, the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is located above the backrest 32, and the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is located on both sides of the backrest, so the operation points are in different locations, making accidental operation less likely.

[0098] In this embodiment, the child seat 1 integrates the rotation lock mechanism 5 and the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 into the backrest, eliminating the need for complex wiring. This simplifies the structure of the rotation lock mechanism 5 and the reclining angle lock mechanism 6, making maintenance easier.

[0099] (Regarding the mechanism to prevent disengagement) Referring to Figures 5, 8, 20, and 21, a mechanism to prevent the interlocking operation between the rotation lock mechanism 5 and the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 will be described.

[0100] The interlock release prevention mechanism prevents switching either the rotation lock mechanism 5 or the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 when either one is switched. Specifically, the interlock release prevention mechanism maintains the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 in a fixed angle state when the rotation lock mechanism 5 is in a rotation-allowed state, and allows the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 to be switched to an angle-change-allowed state when the rotation lock mechanism 5 is in a rotation-position-fixed state, or maintains the rotation lock mechanism 5 in a rotation-position-fixed state when the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is in an angle-change-allowed state, and allows the rotation lock mechanism 5 to be switched to a rotation-allowed state when the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is in an angle-fixed state. In this way, the interlock release prevention mechanism prevents simultaneous operation of the rotation lock mechanism 5 and the reclining angle lock mechanism 6. The interlock release prevention mechanism in this embodiment is the switching member 7 shown in Figures 8 and 20.

[0101] Figure 20(A) shows the front side of the switching member 7 (the front side of the child seat 1), and Figure 20(B) shows the back side of the switching member 7 (the rear side of the child seat 1). As shown in Figure 20, the switching member 7 includes a switching body 70, a contact portion 71 that contacts the operation interlocking member 53 (Figures 8 and 21) which acts as a rotation lock displacement member, a locking portion 73 that contacts the locked portion 63 (Figure 19(A)) of the reclining angle lock release operation portion 61, and a rotating portion 72 that rotates relative to the backrest.

[0102] The switching body 70 is an elongated member overall, tapering towards the tip. The contact portion 71 is a recessed portion that is recessed inward and located midway along the vertical direction of the switching body 70. The locking portion 73 is a protrusion that extends backward from the back surface of the switching body 70. As shown in Figure 5, the switching member 7 faces the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 in the front-to-back direction. The locked portion 63 of the operation unit 61 is a protrusion that extends forward. Therefore, depending on the position of the switching member 7, the locking portion 73 may come into contact with the locked portion 63 of the operation unit 61. As shown in Figure 8, the rotating portion 72 is rotatably fixed to a protrusion 37b formed on the back surface of the front cover 37a.

[0103] As shown in Figure 8, the switching member 7 is fixed to the backrest so as to be rotatable, specifically to a protrusion 37b provided on the back surface of the front cover 37a. As shown in Figure 5, the switching member 7 is located to the left of the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 on the plane of the paper (in front of the child seat 1) and is in contact with the operation unit 61 in the front-to-back direction. The switching member 7 is also located behind the link member 48.

[0104] The switching member 7 is movable between a resting position (Figure 21(A)) and an operating position (Figure 21(B)) displaced by contact with the operation interlocking member 53. The movement from the operating position to the resting position may be performed by its own weight, or it may be biased to the resting position by a biasing member such as a spring, but in this embodiment the switching member 7 moves by its own weight. The locking portion 73 is locked to the locked portion 63 only when it is in the operating position, preventing the reclining angle lock release operation portion 61 from moving upward.

[0105] (Regarding the operation of the mechanism that prevents the interlocking from being disabled) The operation of the interlock release prevention mechanism will be explained with reference to Figures 21 and 22. Figure 21(A) shows that the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation position fixed state and the reclining angle lock mechanism is in an angle fixed state, and (B) shows that the rotation lock mechanism is in a rotation-allowed state. Figure 22 shows that the reclining angle lock mechanism is in a state where angle change is allowed. As can also be seen from Figure 5, the link member 48 is provided between the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 and the link member 48 in the front-rear direction, but for ease of understanding, the link member 48 is shown with a dashed line.

[0106] First, with reference to Figure 21, we will explain the case where the operating part 4 of the rotation lock mechanism 5 is operated. Figure 21(A) shows the state in which neither the rotation lock mechanism 5 nor the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is operated. In this state, the switching member 7 is in the rest position, and the contact portion 71 of the switching member 7 is located above the operation interlocking member 53.

[0107] Figure 21(B) shows the state when the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is operated. When the movable member 43 of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is moved, the connecting member 47 is pulled and the link member 48 rotates clockwise around the hole 48c. Since the operation interlocking member 53 passes through the opening 48b of the link member 48, it is pushed upward by the side wall of the opening 48b. As a result the rotation lock mechanism 5 functions, and as shown in Figure 6(B), the lock pin 58 is pulled out of the lock hole 25 and becomes rotatable.

[0108] At this time, the switching member 7 rotates clockwise around the rotating part 72 as the operation interlocking member 53 moves upward, and comes to an upright position as shown in Figure 21(B). This state of the switching member 7 is the operating position. In particular, as shown in the circled area indicated by the dashed line in Figure 21(B), the locking part 73 of the switching member 7 becomes locked to the locked part 63 of the reclining angle lock release operation part 61, making it impossible to pull the reclining angle lock release operation part 61 upward. In other words, when the rotation lock mechanism 5 is operated, the reclining angle lock release operation part 61 cannot be operated.

[0109] On the other hand, returning to Figure 21(A), when the rotation lock release operation unit 4 is not operated, the switching member 7 rotates counterclockwise around the rotating part 72, and the locking part 73 of the switching member 7 and the locked part 63 of the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 are separated and not locked. Therefore, the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 can be pulled upward. In other words, when the rotation lock mechanism 5 is not operated, it is possible to operate the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61.

[0110] In this embodiment, the switching member 7 operates by its own weight, so once it is displaced to the operating position shown in Figure 21(B), it may not automatically displace to the resting position shown in Figure 21(A). Even in such cases, since the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is provided with a locking portion 63, if the reclining angle lock release operation unit 61 is pulled upward while the operation unit 4 of the rotation lock mechanism 5 is not being operated, the downward inclined portion of the locking portion 73 of the switching member 7 will be pushed up along the curved portion (inclined portion) of the locking portion 63.

[0111] As a result, the switching member 7 rotates counterclockwise around the pivot part 72 and, in conjunction with the upward movement of the reclining angle lock release operation part 61, displaces from the operating position (Figure 21(B)) to the resting position (Figure 21(A)). Thus, although the switching member 7 is supported by its own weight, it is provided to be able to automatically displace between the operating position and the resting position by the reclining angle lock release operation part 61 and the operation interlocking member 53 provided around it.

[0112] Next, with reference to Figure 22, the case of operating the operating part 61 of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 will be explained. When the operating part 61 of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is pulled upward, its locking part 63 also moves upward. As shown in the area circled by the dashed line in Figure 22, even if the locking part 73 of the switching member 7 tries to rotate clockwise, the side wall of the locking part 63 of the reclining angle lock release operating part 61 is located to its side, so the switching member 7 cannot rotate clockwise. As a result, the operation interlocking member 53 comes into contact with the contact part 71 of the switching member 7 and is unable to move upward. In other words, when the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is operated, the operating part 4 of the rotation lock mechanism 5 cannot be operated.

[0113] On the other hand, returning to Figure 21(A), when the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is not operated, the locked portion 63 of the reclining angle release operation unit 61 is located downwards, so the locking portion 73 of the switching member 7 and the side wall of the locked portion 63 of the reclining angle release operation unit 61 do not come into contact. Therefore, the switching member 7 can rotate clockwise, and the reclining angle release operation unit 61 can be pulled upwards. In other words, when the reclining angle release operation unit 61 is not operated, it becomes possible to operate the operation unit 4 of the rotation lock mechanism 5.

[0114] In the explanation using Figure 21, the operation of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 located on the right side was described, but the operation of the rotation lock release operation unit 4 located on the left side can be performed in the same manner. Furthermore, since both of the pair of link members 48 can displace the operation interlocking member 53, it is possible to move between the operating position and the resting position by operating either of the pair of rotation lock release operation units 4.

[0115] In this embodiment, the child seat 1 is equipped with a switching member 7 as a mechanism to prevent operation release. Therefore, when the rotation lock mechanism 5 is operated, that is, when the seat body 3 is rotatable relative to the base member 2, the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 cannot be operated. As a result, accidental operation of the rotation lock mechanism 5 and the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 can be prevented, resulting in superior safety and ease of operation.

[0116] (modified version) In the above embodiment, the pair of rotation lock release operation units 4 were described as being provided on both sides of the backrest, but they may be provided on both sides of the seat body 3, for example, on the second side wall 39 provided on the side of the seat surface 31, or on both ends of the base portion provided on the seat body 3 below the seat surface 31 and above the base member 2.

[0117] In this embodiment, the interlock release prevention mechanism has been described as a switching member 7 located between the vertically moving member 50 of the rotation lock mechanism 5 and the sliding member 60 of the reclining angle lock mechanism 6. However, it does not have to be provided between the vertically moving member 50 and the sliding member 60. For example, the interlock release prevention mechanism does not have to be installed anywhere, nor does it have to be shaped, as long as it prevents switching either the rotation lock mechanism 5 or the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 when either one is switched.

[0118] Furthermore, the interlock release prevention mechanism may be such that, when the rotation lock mechanism 5 is switchable, the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 cannot be switched, or when the reclining angle lock mechanism 6 is switchable, the rotation lock mechanism 5 cannot be switched.

[0119] Although the rotation lock displacement member in this embodiment has been described as a vertically movable member 50, it is a locking member that is movable relative to the seat body 3 and can be displaced between a rotation position fixed state and a rotation-allowed state. Therefore, its direction of operation and the members constituting the vertically movable member 50 are not limited. For example, the rotation lock displacement member may be movable in the lateral direction, and may include not only the vertically movable member 50 but also a rotation position fixing member 59.

[0120] Furthermore, although the reclining angle lock displacement member in this embodiment has been described as a sliding member 60 in the vertical direction, it is not limited to its direction of operation or the members constituting the sliding member 60, as it is a member that can be displaced between an angle-fixed state and an angle-changeable state. For example, the reclining angle lock displacement member may be movable in the horizontal direction, may be formed from a single member, or may be formed from multiple members.

[0121] Furthermore, although the backrest 32 in this embodiment was provided to recline by tilting relative to the seat surface 31, the tilt angle relative to the seat surface 31 may be fixed. In this case, the seat body 3 may be provided to recline by tilting relative to the base member 2.

[0122] Although embodiments of this invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, this invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Various modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiments within the same scope as this invention, or within the equivalent scope. [Explanation of symbols]

[0123] 1 Child seat, 2 Base member, 3 Seat body, 4 Rotation lock release operation part, 5 Rotation lock mechanism, 6 Reclining angle lock mechanism, 7 Switching member (mechanism to prevent interlocking release), 8 Anti-forward tilting mechanism, 20 Base part, 25 Lock hole, 26 Upright part, 27 Engaged part, 31 Seat part, 32 Back part, 41 Housing, 41c Recess, 43 Moving member, 44 Handle part, 47 Connecting member, 48 Link member, 48b Opening, 50 Up and down moving member (rotation lock displacement member), 52 Engaged part, 53 Operation interlocking member, 58 Lock pin, 59 Rotation position fixing member, 60 Slide member (reclining angle lock displacement member), 61 Reclining angle lock release operation part, 61a Handle, 62 Through hole, 63 Locked part, 71 Contact part, 72 Rotating part, 73 Locking part.

Claims

1. A base member that is mounted on the seat of a car, A seat body having a seat surface and a backrest is provided on the base member so as to be rotatable and reclinable, A rotation locking mechanism that can switch between a rotation position fixed state that fixes the rotational position of the seat body relative to the base member and a rotation-allowed state that allows rotation of the seat body relative to the base member, A reclining angle locking mechanism that can switch between an angle-fixed state that fixes the reclining angle of the backrest relative to the base member and an angle-change-allowed state that allows the reclining movement of the backrest relative to the base member, A first rotation lock release operation unit is provided on one side of the seat body and switches the rotation lock mechanism from the rotation position fixed state to the rotation permitted state, A second rotation lock release operation unit is provided on the other side of the seat body and switches the rotation lock mechanism from the rotation position fixed state to the rotation permitted state, A child car seat comprising a mechanism that prevents the switching of either the rotation lock mechanism or the reclining angle lock mechanism when either one is switched.

2. The aforementioned interlock release prevention mechanism is When the rotation lock mechanism is in the rotation-permitting state, the reclining angle lock mechanism is maintained in the angle-fixed state, and when the rotation lock mechanism is in the rotation position-fixed state, the reclining angle lock mechanism can be switched to the angle-change-permitting state, or The child seat according to claim 1, wherein when the reclining angle locking mechanism is in the angle change-allowing state, the rotation locking mechanism is maintained in the rotation position fixed state, and when the reclining angle locking mechanism is in the angle fixed state, the rotation locking mechanism can be switched to the rotation-allowing state.

3. The rotation lock mechanism includes a rotation lock displacement member that can be displaced between the rotation position fixed state and the rotation permitted state, The reclining angle locking mechanism includes a reclining angle locking displacement member that can be displaced between the angle fixed state and the angle change permitted state. The aforementioned interlock release prevention mechanism includes a switching member located between the rotation lock displacement member and the reclining angle lock displacement member. The switching member is When the rotation lock displacement member is in the rotation-permitting state, the reclining angle lock displacement member is maintained in the angle-fixed state, and when the rotation lock displacement member is in the rotation-position-fixed state, the reclining angle lock displacement member can be switched to the angle-change-permitting state, or The child seat according to claim 2, wherein when the reclining angle lock displacement member is in the angle change-permitting state, the rotation lock displacement member is maintained in the rotation position fixed state, and when the reclining angle lock displacement member is in the angle fixed state, the rotation lock displacement member can be switched to the rotation-permitting state.

4. The switching member includes a contact portion that contacts the rotation lock displacement member and a locking portion that contacts the reclining angle lock displacement member. The switching member is movable between a resting position and an operating position displaced by contact with the rotation lock displacement member. The child seat according to claim 3, wherein the locking portion abuts the reclining angle lock displacement member only when it is in the operating position to prevent the movement of the reclining angle lock displacement member, and abuts the reclining angle lock displacement member only when it is in the resting position to prevent the movement of the rotation lock displacement member.

5. The child seat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second rotation lock release operation units are provided on both sides of the backrest.

6. The child seat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotation lock mechanism is switched from the rotation position fixed state to the rotation permitted state by operating either of the first or second rotation lock release operation units.

7. The rotation locking mechanism includes a locking hole provided in the base member and a locking member that is movably provided relative to the seat body. The child seat according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking member engages with the locking hole when in one position to fix the rotation locking mechanism in the rotation position, and disengages from the locking hole when in the other position to allow the rotation locking mechanism to rotate.

8. The first rotation lock release operation unit includes a first link member that is displaceable relative to the backrest and connected to the locking member in a manner that can be linked, and a first connecting member that connects to the first link member. The child seat according to claim 7, wherein the second rotation lock release operation unit includes a second link member that is displaceable with respect to the backrest and is connected in conjunction with the lock member, and a second connecting member that connects to the second link member.

9. The child seat according to claim 8, wherein each link member has its central region pivotally supported on the seat body, one end of which is connected to each connecting member, and the other end of which has an opening for receiving a part of the locking member.

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