Child seat with integrated belt system

Abstract

A child seat adapted for being re-moveably mountable to a vehicle seat is described. This child seat has a seat body having a contact surface for receiving at least the head, back, and rear of a child and an integrated belt system attached to the seat body. The integrated belt system comprises a central buckle being attached to a connection element extending between the child's legs when the child is belted with the belt system, a first belt arrangement with a first belt (50a) extending over the left shoulder of the child when the child is belted with the belt system, and a second belt arrangement comprising second belt (50b) extending over the right shoulder of the child when the child is belted with the belt system. Both belts are connectable to the central buckle, such that in the belted configuration, an Y geometry is given. In order to ease the buckling process for the care taking person, the first belt arrangement comprises a first retractor (54a) for winding the first belt and the second belt arrangement comprises a second retractor (54b) being independent from the first retractor (54a).

Description

[0001] Child seat with integrated belt system

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a child seat unit with a child seat having an integrated belt system according the preamble of claim 1 .

[0004] The use of a child seat unit is mandatory in many countries when a child is transported in a passenger vehicle. In this patent application the term “child” includes also the smallest children (babies). Such a child seat unit comprises a child seat which again comprises a seat body and an integrated belt system attached to this seat body. The seat body has a contact surface for receiving at least the head, back and the rear of the child. In case of a baby seat, the contact surface receives the complete body of the baby, including its legs. The seat body always comprises an inherently stable base part and a cushioning. In case of a baby seat, a carrying handle is often attached to the base part.

[0005] In contrast to the regular belt system of a vehicle seat, the integrated belt system of a child seat has mainly the purpose to hinder the child from actively leaving the seat; the restraining function in case of an accident is not or at least less relevant. Especially in case of a baby seat, the orientation of this baby seat is usually such that in case of a frontal crash, the baby is pressed towards the contact surface because of inertia forces, not towards the belt of the integrated belt system. For this reason, the belts of the integrated belt system are manually adjusted by the care taking person such that it is impossible for the child to move away from the child seat as long as it is belted.

[0006] The most common configuration of the integrated belt system is the so called Y- configuration comprising a central buckling device - most often a buckle - which is attached to a connection element - most often a short belt - which extends between the child’s legs when the child is belted with the integrated belt system. The integrated belt system further comprises a first belt and a second belt, each of those comprising a buckling device adapted for being buckled at the central buckling device. The buckling device carried by a belt is usually a tongue. Often, the tongue of the first belt and the tongue of the second belt have to be pre-connected to each other and can only jointly be buckled into the central buckle. In the use-state, the first belt extends over the left shoulder of the child and the second belt extends over the right shoulder of the child (“first” and “second” are here of course chosen arbitrarily). In most child seat units that are used today, the first belt and the second belt have a fixed or pre-adjusted length and the connection element connecting the central buckling device with the seat body can manually be tightened after the first belt and the second belt have been coupled to the central buckling device. The handling of such a child seat unit by the care taking person is often a little bit tricky since one hand is often needed to hold the child (especially if the child is still a baby) and only one hand is left for taking care of the buckling and tightening process.

[0007] From generic CN 214822745 U a child seat unit is known in which the integrated belt system comprises one retractor to which the first belt and the second belt are indirectly coupled via an additional belt section. This additional belt section is in sections wound onto the belt shaft of this joint retractor.

[0008] It turned out that the use of a retractor in the integrated belt system can make the buckling process easier, but that the child seat described in CN 214822745 U is still not optimal.

[0009] Starting from this prior art it is an object of the invention to improve a generic child seat unit in such a way that it is even more comfortable to use for the care taking person.

[0010] According to the invention, the first belt arrangement comprises a first retractor for winding the first belt and the second belt arrangement comprises a second retractor for winding the second belt. Those two retractors are independent from each other, such that each of the belts can be unwound from its retractor independently.

[0011] It turned out that this can make the buckling process much easier because it can be done completely with one hand while the other hand can be used to take control of the child. As has been mentioned above, the main purpose of the integrated belt system of a child seat unit is to hinder the child from actively moving / crawling out of the seat body. This means that the child should not be able to loosen one of the belts in such a way that it can “escape”. Since of course the belt system should additionally be convenient for the child, the force which is applied by the belt to the child because of the tension applied to the belt by the spring acting between the belt shaft and the frame of the retractor should not be too high. So, it is often preferred that a non-emergency locking arrangement is provided for each belt arrangement. This non-emergency locking arrangement has a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state the belt can be extracted from the retractor and wherein in the second state the belt is hindered from being extracted from the retractor. The second state should be activated as long as the child is belted and transported. For example, the retractors can be designed such that they only provide a retraction of the belt after the belt has been extracted beyond a pre-defined length (for example the whole length of the belt), until the belt is again completely retracted. Such retractors are available on the marked and described for example in DE 41 32 876 C2.

[0012] In other embodiments, the reactors are set to their second state by a separate actuator which can be controlled for example by the central buckling device or by means of a separate switch. Such an actuator could work purely mechanical or electromechanical. In yet other embodiments a separate clamping device independent from the retractor is provided for each belt. Although all of those embodiments are possible, providing a retractor as is for example described in the above mentioned in DE 41 32 876 C2, can be especially preferred, since no additional parts are needed.

[0013] A further advantage of the child seat according to the invention is that the lengths of the belts do not have to be manually adjusted when the headrest (adjustable part) has been adjusted to the child’s size.

[0014] Although not strictly mandatory, it can further be preferred that each belt arrangement comprises an emergency locking arrangement having a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state the belt can be extracted from its retractor and wherein in the second state the belt shaft is locked against its frame, as is of course known from standard seat belt systems for vehicle seats. Such an emergency locking system comprises a belt sensitive sensor and / or an acceleration sensitive sensor. Providing such an emergency locking arrangement enhances the overall safety level, since it can serve as a backup locking arrangement.

[0015] In case that an acceleration sensor (which is usually also a tilt-sensor) is present, it is further preferred that the retractors are mounted in relation to a stand-on plane of the vehicle seat such that the retractor sensors are in the initial unlocked position when the child seat is fixed to the vehicle seat.

[0016] Of course, the retractors must be attached to the seat body in a way that they do not disturb the overall handling of the child seat. For this reason it can be preferred to designee the seat body such that it comprises two stand-on sections and to locate the retractors in a bottom region of the seat body between those stand-on sections, especially in such a way that they do not extend beyond those stand-on sections, such that the child seat can be placed onto a supporting surface (for example the seating of a vehicle seat) like a standard child seat.

[0017] Since it is the main task to make the overall use of a child seat easy for the care taking person, it is further preferred that the child seat unit comprises an ISOfix system. In one embodiment, this ISOfix system acts directly between the child seat and the vehicle seat, in another embodiment, the child seat unit additionally comprises a base element which is adapted for being mounted to a vehicle seat, especially by means of an ISOfix system. In this case, coupling means for coupling the child seat to the base element must be provided.

[0018] The invention will now be described by means of a preferred embodiment in view of the figures. The figures show:

[0019] Figure 1 a perspective view to a complete child seat,

[0020] Figure 2 the base part of the seat body of the child seat shown in Figure 1 ,

[0021] Figure 3 the base part shown in Figure 2 in a view from the front, Figure 4 the base part shown in Figures 2 and 3 in a rear view and parts of the integrated belt system,

[0022] Figure 5 a very schematic view from the side onto a child seat as just described, with a child, especially a baby, being belted in the child seat,

[0023] Figure 6 a schematic representation of the central buckle and the tongues of the belts,

[0024] Figure 7 a view from direction R in Figure 6 onto the central buckle,

[0025] Figure 8 a schematic representation of a child seat being attached to a vehicle seat by means of an ISOfix connection,

[0026] Figure 9 a schematic representation of a child seat unit being comprised of a child seat and a base element being connected to a vehicle seat by means of an ISOfix connection.

[0027] All elements of the inventive child seat of the described embodiment are now described in view of Figures 1 to 4, wherein Figure 1 shows the complete child seat (which forms the complete child seat unit if no base element is provided). The child seat comprises a seat body 12 and an integrated belt system attached to this seat body 12. Figure 1 shows the complete child seat, wherein Figures 2 and 3 only show a part of the seat body, namely its base part and wherein Figure 4 shows this base part and parts of the integrated belt system. In the following, reference is made to all of those figures.

[0028] The seat body 12 of the child seat 10 comprises, as mentioned, a base part 14 and a cushioning 30; the upper surface of this cushioning defines the contact surface for the child. As can best be seen from Figure 1 , the integrated belt system comprises a central buckle 40, which is connected to the seat body, namely its base part 14, by means of a connection element in form of a connection belt 44. This connection belt 44 can have a defined length. Although not shown in detail in Figure 1 , this connection belt 44 can be surrounded by a soft cover in order to enhance the comfort for the child. Since the connection belt 44 (or other connection elements) can have a pre-set length it would be possible to provide a relatively stiff core such that the central buckle 40 can be brought into a raised position which could ease the insert of a tongue with only one hand. This possibility is not shown in Figure 1 .

[0029] The integrated belt system further comprises a first belt 50a and a second belt 50b, which can both be provided with a belt cover 51 a, 51 b. In the buckled state as shown in Figure 1 , a Y-geometry is defined in such a way that the first belt 51 a would extend over a left shoulder of the child and the second belt 51 b would extend over the right shoulder (the child is not shown). The first ends of the belts 51 a, 51 b each carry a buckling device in form of a tongue 52a, 52b. As will be seen later in view of Figure 4, each belt 51 a, 51 b extends to a retractor. The cushioning 30 is provided with a slit for each belt 50a, 50b, as is known in the prior art.

[0030] As can best be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the base part 14 comprises a main part 15 having a bottom section 16 and a back section 17 and an adjustable part 20 which can be slit along the back section 17 of the main part 15. An arresting arrangement is provided for defining the position of the adjustable part 20 at the main part 15, but this arresting arrangement is not shown in the figures. Suitable arresting arrangements are known in the prior art.

[0031] The adjustable part 20 comprises two slit-shaped holes 22a, 22b and the back section 17 of the main part 15 comprises two elongated slits 18a, 18b. The slit-shaped hole 22a is located in front of the elongated slit 18a and the slit-shaped hole 22b is located in front of the elongated slit 18b irrespective of the position of the adjustable part 20, such that each belt 50a, 50b can pass through the base part 14 being comprised of the main part 15 and the adjustable part 20. This can for best be seen in Figure 4 which additionally show the retractors 54a, 54b to which the belts 50a, 50b extend.

[0032] In the embodiment described, the retractors 54a, 54b are of a type as described in the above mentioned DE 41 32 876 C2 or similar. So, the belting process is as follows: The respective belt is extracted to a pre-defined length (for example completely). Then, the tongue of the belt is buckled to the central buckle. Finally, the care taking person lets the belt being retracted by the retractor. The belt cannot be extracted again until the tongue is released from the buckle and the belt is completely retracted by the retractor. This means that after a child has been buckled, this child cannot extract (loosen) one of the belts 50a, 50b and thus cannot “escape”. This means that each belt arrangement comprises a non-emergency locking arrangement. Both retractors may additionally comprise an emergency locking arrangement as is known in the prior art in the field of vehicle seat belt systems.

[0033] As can further be seen from Figure 2 and from the schematic Figure 5, the retractors 54a, 54b are located on a bottom region of the main part 15 between two stand-on sections 19a, 19b at the lateral sides of the main part 15. The retractors do not extend beyond a stand-on plane P defined by those stand-on sections 19a, 19b such that the child seat 10 can be placed on a surface like standard child seat. Each retractor of course comprises a frame (reference number 56b in Figure 5) and a belt shaft (reference number 58b in Figure 5) which is blocked to the frame in the in the locked state of the retractor.

[0034] Figure 6 shows the central buckle 40 which is connected to the base part 14 of the seat body 12 via the connection belt 44, the first tongue 52a from which the first belt 50a extends and the second tongue 52b from which the second belt 50b extends.

[0035] Figure 7 shows a view from direction R onto the central buckle 40 of Figure 6. One can see that a separate slot 41 a, 41 b is provided for each tongue 52a, 52b such that the tongues can be connected to the central buckle 40 subsequently, which can further ease the buckling process. But, as an alternative, it would also be possible to provide a joined slot for the two tongues such that the tongues need to be pre-connected and then jointly be inserted into the joint slot, as is known in the prior art. In any case, a joint release button 42 can be provided.

[0036] Figure 8 shows the child seat 10 (which is in this embodiment the whole child seat unit) being placed on a vehicle seat S and fixed to it via an ISOfix connection 70. In the just described embodiment, the child seat is a baby seat that is mounted in the typical baby seat style, namely with the head of the baby being orientated towards the front of the vehicle. Figure 9 shows an alternative in the schematic representation of Figure 8; here the child seat unit 5 further comprises a base element 7 being connected to the vehicle seat S, especially via an ISOfix connection 70. The child seat 10 is firmly, but releaseably connected to this base element, such that the base element 14 can permanently be installed in the vehicle and the child seat 10 can be mounted and demounted from the base element 7. For this purpose, for example snap connections can be provided.

[0037] List of reference numbers

[0038] 5 child seat unit

[0039] 7 base element

[0040] 10 child seat

[0041] 12 seat body 14 base part

[0042] 15 main part 16 bottom section

[0043] 17 back section 18a, b slit in back section 19a, b stand-on section

[0044] 20 adjustable part 22a, b slit-shaped hole 25 carrying handle

[0045] 30 cushioning

[0046] 40 central buckle 41 a, b slot

[0047] 42 joint release button 44 connection element (connection belt) 50a, b belt 51 a, b belt cover 52a, b buckling device (tongue) 54a, b retractor 56 a, b frame 58 a, b belt shaft 60 base element

[0048] 70 ISOfix connection

[0049] S vehicle seat P stand-on plane

Claims

Claims1 . A child seat unit (5) adapted for being re-moveably mountable to a vehicle seat (S), said child seat unit (5) comprising a child seat (10) which comprises: a seat body (12) having a contact surface for receiving at least the head, back, and rear of a child, an integrated belt system attached to the seat body (12), said integrated belt system comprising: a central buckling device (40) being attached to a connection element (44) extending between the child’s legs when the child is belted with the belt system, a first belt arrangement comprising a first belt (50a) extending over the left shoulder of the child when the child is belted with the belt system, said first belt (50a) extending from a first end carrying a first buckling device (52a) connectable to the central buckling device (40), a second belt arrangement comprising second belt (50b) extending over the right shoulder of the child when the child is belted with the belt system, said second belt (50b) extending from a first end carrying a second buckling device (52b) connectable to the central buckling device, characterized in that the first belt arrangement comprises a first retractor (54a) for winding the first belt and the second belt arrangement comprises a second retractor (54b) being independent from the first retractor (54a), wherein each retractor (54a, 54b) comprises a frame (57a, 57b), a belt shaft (58a, 58b) and a spring acting between the frame (57a, 57b) and the belt shaft (58a, 58b).

2. The child seat unit of claim 1 , characterized in that each belt arrangement comprises a non-emergency locking arrangement having a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state, the belt (50a, 50b) can be extracted fromits retractor (54a, 54b) and wherein in the second state, the belt (50a, 50b) is hindered from being extracted from its retractor (54a, 54b).

3. The child seat unit of claim 2, characterized in that the non-emergency locking arrangement blocks the belt shaft (58b) to the frame (57b) when the nonemergency locking arrangement is in its second state.

4. The child seat unit of claim 3, characterized in that the non-emergency locking arrangement transits from its first state to its second state when the belt (50a, 50b) is extracted from the retractor (54a, 54b) beyond a pre-defined length.

5. The child seat unit of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each belt arrangement comprises an emergency locking arrangement having a first state and a second state, wherein in the first state, the belt (50a, 50b) can be extracted from its retractor (54a, 54b) and wherein in the second state, the belt shaft (58a, 58b) is blocked against the frame (57b) such that the belt (50a, 50b) is hindered from being extracted from its retractor (54a, 54b), wherein the emergency locking arrangement comprises a belt-sensitive sensor and / or an acceleration sensitive sensor.

6. The child seat of claim 5, characterized in that the retractors (54a, 54b) are mounted in relation to the seat body (12) in such a way that the sensors are in the initial unlocked position when the child seat (10) is fixed to the vehicle seat (S).

7. The child seat unit of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seat body (12) comprises at least two stand-on sections (19a, 19b) and in that the retractors (54a, 54b) are located at a bottom-region of the seat body (12) between the stand-on sections (19a, 19b).

8. The child seat of claim 7, characterized in that the retractors (54a, 54b) do not extend beyond a stand-on plane (P) defined by the stand-on sections (19a,9. The child seat of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first buckling device (52a) and the second buckling device (52b) can be buckled to the central buckling device (40) independently from each other.

10. The child seat unit of any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is exclusively comprises of the child seat (10) which is adapted for direct mounting to a vehicle seat (S), preferably via an ISOfix-system.1 1 . The child seat unit of any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it further comprises a base element (7) adapted for mounting to a vehicle seat (S), wherein coupling means for coupling the child seat (10) to the base element (7) are provided.

12. The child seat of claim 1 1 , characterized in that the base element is adapted to be coupled to a vehicle seat via an ISOfix-system.

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