Child car seat

Abstract

This child car seat is installed in a vehicle into and from which a person can board and alight, and which is equipped with a vehicle-side seat on which the person sits, the child car seat comprising a seating portion on which a child sits, and a seat-side belt for fixing the body of the seated child to the seating portion, wherein: the seating portion comprises a backrest portion which comes into contact with the back of the seated child, a headrest which is provided on an upper portion of the backrest portion and which comes into contact with the head of the seated child, and a height adjusting portion; the seat-side belt includes a seat-side shoulder belt that comes into contact with the shoulder of the seated child; the backrest portion includes a seat-side shoulder belt supporting portion configured to move the seat-side shoulder belt in the height direction and support the same in a prescribed position; the height adjusting portion includes a first adjusting portion for adjusting the height of the seat-side shoulder belt supporting portion, and a second adjusting portion having a second operating portion for adjusting the height of the headrest with respect to the backrest portion; the headrest is configured to move in the height direction as the height of the seat-side shoulder belt supporting portion is adjusted by the first adjusting portion; and the second operating portion can be operated when the height of the seat-side shoulder belt supporting portion is at least equal to a reference height, and cannot be operated when the height of the seat-side shoulder belt supporting portion is less than the reference height.

Description

child seat

[0001] The present invention relates to a child car seat.

[0002] A child car seat described in Patent Document 1 is known as a conventional child car seat. The child car seat includes a seat body, a headrest, a seat belt attached to the seat body for securing a child to the seat body, and a belt pad. The headrest is movable up and down relative to the seat body, and the belt pad is attachable to the seat belt. The belt pad is configured to move up and down in conjunction with the headrest.

[0003] In a child car seat configured as described above, the position of the belt pad can be adjusted to suit the child's body shape by raising the headrest.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-116363

[0005] In the child car seat described in Patent Document 1, when the headrest is raised, the belt pad rises in conjunction with the headrest, and the seat belt to which the belt pad is attached is pulled upward. This causes the seat belt to be pulled out too much, making it impossible to properly secure the child to the seat body, and therefore, the child seated in the child car seat cannot be properly protected.

[0006] In addition, not only in cases where a belt pad that moves in conjunction with the headrest is equipped, but also in child seats with adjustable headrest heights, there is a risk that a child seated in the child seat may not be properly protected if the headrest height is inappropriate.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a child car seat that can adequately protect a child seated in the child car seat.

[0008] The child car seat of the present invention is a child car seat that is installed in a vehicle that allows a person to get in and out of the vehicle and has a vehicle-side seat on which the person sits, and that includes a seating portion on which a child sits and a seat-side belt that secures the body of the seated child to the seating portion, the seating portion including a backrest that contacts the back of the seated child, a headrest that is provided on the upper part of the backrest and contacts the head of the seated child, and a height adjustment portion, the seat-side belt including a seat-side shoulder belt that contacts the shoulders of the seated child, and the backrest that adjusts the height of the seat-side shoulder belt to a desired position. The seat has a seat side shoulder belt support portion configured to be supported at a fixed position, and the height adjustment portion has a first adjustment portion for adjusting the height of the seat side shoulder belt support portion and a second adjustment portion having a second operating portion for adjusting the height of the headrest relative to the backrest portion, the headrest is configured to move in the height direction as the height of the seat side shoulder belt support portion is adjusted by the first adjustment portion, and the second operating portion is operable when the height of the seat side shoulder belt support portion is equal to or greater than a reference height and is inoperable when the height of the seat side shoulder belt support portion is less than the reference height.

[0009] Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a child car seat in one embodiment of the present invention, with the backrest at a lower height and the headrest at a standard position. Fig. 7 is a rear view of the child car seat. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the backrest of the child car seat is at a standard height and the headrest at a standard position. Fig. 9 is a rear view of the child car seat. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the backrest of the child car seat is at a standard height and the headrest is in an upper position. Fig. 11 is a rear view of the child car seat. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII shown in Fig. 6.

[0010] A child car seat 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8. For convenience of explanation, the front-rear direction, the up-down direction, and the left-right direction will be described based on the directions shown in Figure 1.

[0011] First, we will explain the vehicle in which the child car seat 1 is installed. A vehicle is a moving body that can transport a person and allows a person to get in and out of the vehicle, such as an automobile. The vehicle includes a vehicle seat for a person to sit in and a vehicle seat belt 9 for securing the person seated in the vehicle seat. The vehicle seats include a vehicle seat for a driver who drives the vehicle and a vehicle seat for a person not driving the vehicle. The vehicle seat belt 9 includes a vehicle shoulder belt 91 that contacts the shoulders of the person seated in the vehicle seat and a vehicle hip belt 92 that contacts the seat bones of the person seated in the vehicle seat (see FIG. 5 ). The vehicle seat belt 9 in this embodiment is a three-point seat belt, consisting of a single belt-shaped member folded back at a tongue 93 located midway to form the vehicle shoulder belt 91 and the vehicle hip belt 92.

[0012] The child car seat 1 is installed in a vehicle seat, particularly a vehicle seat for a person who is not driving the vehicle. The child car seat 1 of this embodiment includes a base (not shown) fixed to the vehicle seat and a seat body 11 installed on the base. The base is fixed to, for example, an ISOFIX-compatible fixture (latch) installed in the vehicle, and is immovable relative to the vehicle seat.

[0013] 1 and 2, the seat body 11 includes a seating section 2 on which a seated person (child) sits, a seat-side belt 3 for securing the seated person to the seating section 2, and a fixing section 4 that engages with and disengages from the base. In this embodiment, the fixing section 4 is a portion that protrudes downward from the seat body 11, and the seat body 11 is detachable from the base by engaging and disengaging the fixing section 4 with the base, and is also rotatable while attached to the base. On the other hand, the seat body 11 is fixed to the base so that it cannot move relative to the base when a seated person is seated and the vehicle is moving (when the child seat 1 is in use).

[0014] The seating section 2 includes a seat cushion 21 that forms a seating surface facing the buttocks of the seated person, a backrest 5 that contacts the back of the seated person, a headrest 6 that contacts the head of the seated person, and a height adjustment section 7. The seating section 2 also includes a mat (cushion) that covers the front surface. When the child car seat 1 is in use, the seat cushion 21 is fixed immovably to the base, and is therefore fixed immovably to the vehicle seat.

[0015] The backrest 5 is disposed so as to extend upward relative to the seat cushion 21. Specifically, the backrest 5 includes a backrest base 51, a fixed back 52, and a movable back 53. The fixed back 52 and the movable back 53 are located in front of the backrest base 51.

[0016] The backrest base 51 includes an outer frame 511 that forms the rear end of the seat cushion 21, and a base body 512 that is located in front of the outer frame 511. The backrest base 51 extends vertically along the back of the seated occupant and is immovably connected to the fixed part 4. In other words, the backrest base 51 is immovable relative to the vehicle seat when the child car seat 1 is in use. The outer frame 511 is configured to cover substantially the entire rear surface of the base body 512.

[0017] 2, the base body 512 is generally plate-shaped and supports the weight of a seated occupant from behind, with both left and right ends configured as side walls 513 extending forward. The base body 512 also has a first engaged portion 514 that engages with an engaging rod 714 of the first adjustment portion 71, which will be described later. The first engaged portion 514 has a plurality of grooves 515 formed in a vertical line so as to recess from the rear to the front, and the engaging rod 714 can engage with each groove 515.

[0018] 1, the fixed back portion 52 is a plate-like body immovably fixed to the front surface of the base body 512. The fixed back portion 52 forms the front surface of the lower end portion of the backrest 5 and faces mainly the waist area of ​​the seated occupant. The fixed back portion 52 also has a plurality of air vents that penetrate in the front-to-rear direction to improve breathability in the back area of ​​the seated occupant.

[0019] As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5, the movable back 53 is a plate-like member arranged to slide along the front surface of the base body 512 and move up and down. Specifically, the movable back 53 is movable relative to the base body 512 from a lower height P1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 to a reference height P2 shown in Figures 3 to 6. The movable back 53 includes a movable lower portion 54 (see Figures 3 and 5) constituting the lower end portion of the movable back 53, a seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55, and a headrest mounting portion 56 constituting the upper end portion of the movable back 53. In addition, the movable back 53 is formed with a plurality of air vents penetrating in the front-to-rear direction to improve breathability in the back portion of the seated occupant.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1 , at the lower height P1, the movable back portion 53 is entirely located in front of the base main body 512, and its rear surface is entirely covered by the base main body 512, making it concealed. Note that "concealed" means that it is covered by another member to the extent that it cannot be touched by a person, but does not mean that it is completely hidden so that it cannot be seen. The movable lower portion 54 is entirely located behind the fixed back portion 52, and its front surface is covered by the fixed back portion 52. The headrest mounting portion 56 is located above the fixed back portion 52 at the lower height P1. At the lower height P1, at least a portion of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 (specifically, the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55) is located above the fixed back portion 52, and its front surface is exposed from the fixed back portion 52.

[0021] 3 to 6, as the movable back 53 moves upward, it projects above the upper end of the base main body 512. Specifically, at the reference height P2, the entire headrest mounting portion 56 is positioned above the upper end of the base main body 512, and the entire rear surface of the headrest mounting portion 56 is exposed rearward. In this embodiment, the rear surface of the movable back 53 at the reference height P2 below the headrest mounting portion 56 is entirely covered by the base main body 512 and is therefore hidden, even at the reference height P2.

[0022] 1, 3, and 5, the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is provided below the headrest attachment portion 56 and supports the upper end portion of the seat-side shoulder belt 31. Specifically, the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is formed with a seat-side shoulder belt insertion hole 55a that penetrates in the front-rear direction so that the seat-side shoulder belt 31 (described later) can be inserted therethrough, and the peripheral portion of the seat-side shoulder belt insertion hole 55a can support the inserted seat-side shoulder belt 31. In this embodiment, a pair of seat-side shoulder belt support portions 55 are provided spaced apart on the left and right, and each is configured to support the seat-side shoulder belt 31.

[0023] 3 to 6, the headrest mounting portion 56 is a plate-shaped portion that extends above the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 and can engage with the headrest 6 so that the headrest 6 can slide up and down. Specifically, the headrest mounting portion 56 has an engaging protrusion 561 that can engage with a second adjustment portion 72 (described later) (see FIG. 4). The engaging protrusions 561 are protrusions that protrude rearward from the headrest mounting portion 56 and are provided as a pair spaced apart in the left-right direction.

[0024] 3 and 4, the headrest 6 includes a headrest main body 61 against which the head of a seated occupant rests, and a vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion 62. The headrest 6 is attached to the headrest attachment portion 56 and is located at the upper end portion of the backrest portion 5 (movable back portion 53). When attached to the headrest attachment portion 56, the headrest 6 can move up and down in conjunction with the up and down movement of the movable back portion 53.

[0025] The headrest main body 61 is a portion that abuts against the head of a seated occupant from behind and supports the head of the seated occupant. The headrest main body 61 is a plate-like member that is curved convexly toward the rear and includes a front portion 611, the front surface of which abuts the head of the seated occupant, and a plate-like rear portion 612. The front portion 611 has a recessed portion 613 that is recessed forward in the approximate center of the rear surface in the left-right direction. The rear portion 612 is a plate-like body that is connected to the rear surface of the front portion 611. The rear portion 612 also has a finger hole 61b that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction. A pair of finger holes 61b are formed at the lower end of the rear portion 612, spaced apart in the left-to-right direction. The headrest main body 61 has an attachment hole 61a that penetrates in the up-down direction, formed by the recessed portion 613 of the front portion 611 and the front surface of the rear portion 612 (see FIGS. 7 and 8 ). The headrest mounting portion 56 can be inserted into the mounting hole 61a, and the headrest main body 61 moves along the mounting hole 61a relative to the headrest mounting portion 56, thereby allowing the headrest main body 61 to move up and down with respect to the backrest 5 (movable back portion 53). Specifically, the headrest main body 61 can move from a reference position PA shown in Figures 1 to 4 to an upper position PB that is higher than the reference position PA, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The headrest main body 61 of this embodiment is configured so that, at the reference position PA, its upper end is located at approximately the same height as the upper end of the backrest 5.

[0026] The vehicle shoulder belt support portion 62 is connected to the headrest main body 61 and is capable of supporting the vehicle shoulder belt 91. Specifically, the vehicle shoulder belt support portion 62 is an annular portion that forms a vehicle shoulder belt 91 insertion portion that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction and supports the vehicle shoulder belt 91 inserted at the peripheral portion of the vehicle shoulder belt insertion hole 62a. The vehicle shoulder belt support portion 62 has a portion of the peripheral portion of the vehicle shoulder belt insertion hole 62a that is open, allowing the vehicle shoulder belt 91 to be inserted through the open portion. The vehicle shoulder belt support portions 62 are disposed below the headrest main body 61 and, in this embodiment, are provided on both the right and left ends of the headrest main body 61. Furthermore, the vehicle shoulder belt support portions 62 in this embodiment are connected to the rear portion 612.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle shoulder belt support portion 62 is configured to restrict insertion of the vehicle shoulder belt 91 when the backrest 5 is lower than the reference height P2, but to allow insertion of the vehicle shoulder belt 91 when the backrest 5 is higher than the reference height P2. Specifically, when the backrest 5 is lower than the reference height P2, the rear of the vehicle shoulder belt support portion 62 is covered by the backrest base 51, preventing the vehicle shoulder belt 91 from being inserted forward through the vehicle shoulder belt insertion slot 62a. Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, when the backrest 5 is higher than the reference height P2, the rear is exposed from the backrest base 51, allowing the vehicle shoulder belt 91 to be inserted forward through the vehicle shoulder belt insertion slot 62a. In other words, when the backrest portion 5 is lower than the reference height P2, the insertion of the vehicle side shoulder belt 91 is hindered by the backrest portion 5 of the vehicle side shoulder belt support portion 62, but when the backrest portion 5 is higher than the reference height P2, the insertion of the vehicle side shoulder belt 91 is no longer hindered by the backrest portion 5.

[0028] As shown in Figure 4, the height adjustment unit 7 includes a first adjustment unit 71 that adjusts the height of the backrest 5 relative to the seat cushion 21, and a second adjustment unit 72 that adjusts the height of the headrest 6 relative to the backrest 5.

[0029] 2, 7, and 8, the first adjustment unit 71 is configured to be able to adjust the height of the movable back portion 53 relative to the backrest base portion 51, and the height of the backrest portion 5 relative to the seat portion can be adjusted by changing the height of the movable back portion 53. Specifically, the first adjustment unit 71 includes a first engagement portion 711 that engages with the backrest base portion 51, a first operation portion 712 for operating the first engagement portion 711, and a first connection portion 713 that connects the first operation portion 712 and the first adjustment unit 71.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 2 , the first engaging portion 711 can be engaged with and disengaged from the first engaged portion 514 of the backrest base 51. When engaged, vertical movement is restricted, and when disengaged, vertical movement is permitted. The first engaging portion 711 is configured to move vertically together with the movable back 53. The first engaging portion 711 includes an engaging rod 714 that engages with a groove 515 of the first engaged portion 514. The engaging rod 714 fits into the groove 515 to engage with the first engaged portion 514, and when the engaging rod 714 is removed from the groove 515, the engagement with the first engaged portion 514 is released. The engaging rod 714 is biased in a direction (forward) toward the groove 515, and fits into one of the grooves 515 except when the first operating portion 712 is operated.

[0031] As shown in Figures 2, 7, and 8, the first operating unit 712 is a lever located at the upper end of the movable back 53 (the upper end of the backrest 5). Specifically, the first operating unit 712 is a plate-like body whose front end is pivotally supported and which can be operated to rotate its rear end so as to lift it up around the front end. The rear end of the first operating unit 712 is configured as a first finger hook 715 on which a finger can be hooked, and a space into which a finger can be inserted is formed below the first finger hook 715. In addition, the first operating unit 712 is positioned so as to be visible from the front when the headrest 6 is in the reference position PA.

[0032] 7 and 8 , the first connecting portion 713 is a wire that connects the first operating portion 712 and the engaging rod 714. When the rear end portion of the first operating portion 712 is lifted, the first connecting portion 713 transmits the pulling force to the engaging rod 714, and pulls the engaging rod 714 in the direction of coming out of the groove portion 515.

[0033] In the first adjustment unit 71, the height of the movable back 53 is adjusted by operating the first operating unit 712 to disengage the first engagement portion 711 from the backrest base 51 and moving the movable back 53 up or down. After the adjustment, the first engagement portion 711 is re-engaged with the backrest base 51 to fix the height of the movable back 53 at the adjusted position, thereby adjusting the height of the backrest 5. In this embodiment, the height of the engagement rod 714 is changed by changing the groove 515 with which the engagement rod 714 engages. This changes the height of the movable back 53, thereby changing the height of the backrest 5. In other words, the first adjustment unit 71 of this embodiment can change the height of the backrest 5 in multiple stages corresponding to the number of grooves 515. In this embodiment, the backrest 5 is configured to be at the reference position PA when the first engagement portion 711 (engagement rod 714) engages with the upper end (the uppermost groove 515) of the first engaged portion 514.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 4, the second adjustment unit 72 is configured to adjust the height of the headrest 6 relative to the backrest 5, and the height of the headrest 6 relative to the seat can be adjusted by changing the height of the headrest 6 relative to the movable back 53. Specifically, the second adjustment unit 72 includes a second engagement unit 723 that engages with the headrest mounting portion 56 of the movable back 53, a second operation unit 722 for operating the second engagement unit 723, and a second connection unit 721 that connects the second operation unit 722 and the second engagement unit 723. In the second adjustment unit 72 of this embodiment, the second engagement unit 723, the second operation unit 722, and the second engagement unit 723 are integrally configured. Furthermore, the second adjustment unit 72 is positioned so as to be unable to move up and down relative to the headrest main body 61.

[0035] The second engagement portion 723 is engageable with and disengageable from the engagement protrusion 561 of the headrest mounting portion 56, and is configured such that movement in the up and down direction is restricted when engaged, and is movable in the up and down direction when disengaged. Specifically, the second engagement portion 723 is a protrusion configured to protrude forward from the second connecting portion 721, and is configured to engage with the engagement protrusion 561 at a position where it overlaps with the engagement protrusion 561 in the horizontal direction, and to disengage from the engagement protrusion 561 at a position where it does not overlap with the engagement protrusion 561 in the horizontal direction. The second engagement portion 723 in this embodiment is configured to move along the surface direction of the rear surface of the headrest main body 61 (specifically, in the left and right direction) to engage with and disengage from the engagement protrusion 561.

[0036] The second operating unit 722 constitutes one end (right end) of the second adjustment unit 72 in the left-right direction and is configured to allow the entire second adjustment unit 72 to slide left-right as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4 . Specifically, the second operating unit 722 is a plate-shaped body with a protruding portion that protrudes forward and is arranged so as to be exposed rearward through the finger hole 61b of the headrest main body 61. With this type of second operating unit 722, a person can hook their finger on the protruding portion and move the second operating unit 722 along the rear end. With this type of second operating unit 722, a person can hook their finger on the protruding portion and slide it along the rear portion 612 (slide to the left), and the second operating unit 722 is arranged so that the protruding portion protrudes rearward through the finger hole 61b.

[0037] The second connecting portion 721 is a portion that extends horizontally (specifically, to the left) from the second operating portion 722. The second connecting portion 721 is configured to move in the left-right direction together with the second operating portion 722, and is also configured to be able to move the second engaging portion 723 in the left-right direction in conjunction with the movement of the second connecting portion 721.

[0038] The second adjustment part 72 is biased as a whole in a direction in which the second engagement part 723 engages with the engagement protrusion 561. Specifically, a spring is provided that biases the second operation part 722 to the right, and the spring biases the entire second adjustment part 72 in a direction in which it engages with the engagement protrusion 561. The second adjustment part 72 is configured so that a person can disengage the second engagement part 723 from the engagement protrusion 561 by sliding the second operation part 722 against the bias.

[0039] With this second adjustment unit 72, the height of the headrest 6 relative to the headrest mounting portion 56 can be adjusted by operating (sliding) the second operating unit 722 to disengage the second engagement portion 723 from the engagement protrusion 561 and then moving the headrest 6 up or down. After the adjustment, the height of the headrest 6 can be fixed at the adjusted position by operating (sliding) the second operating unit 722 in the opposite direction to re-engage the second engagement portion 723 with the engagement protrusion 561. In this embodiment, the height of the headrest 6 can be changed by switching between a state in which the second engagement portion 723 is positioned below the engagement protrusion 561 and a state in which the second engagement portion 723 is positioned above the engagement protrusion 561. The state in which the second engagement portion 723 is positioned below the engagement protrusion 561 is the reference position PA of the headrest 6, and the headrest 6 can be moved to an upper position PB above the reference position PA.

[0040] 1 and 3 , the seat side belt 3 is a belt built into the seat body 11, and includes a seat side shoulder belt 31 that contacts the shoulders of the seated occupant, a seat side waist belt 32 that contacts the seat bones of the seated occupant, a crotch belt 33 that is placed in the crotch area of ​​the seated occupant, a seat side tongue 34, and a seat side buckle 35. The seat side belt 3 of this embodiment is built into the seat body 11, and the seat side shoulder belt 31, the seat side waist belt 32, and the crotch belt 33 are fixed to the seat body 11. The seat side belt 3 of this embodiment is a five-point seat belt that includes a pair of seat side shoulder belts 31 and seat side waist belt 32, and one crotch belt 33, and the seat side buckle 35 is fixed to the crotch belt 33.

[0041] In the seat-side belt 3 of this embodiment, a seat-side tongue 34 is provided at a midpoint of the belt, and the belt is folded back to form the seat-side shoulder belt 31 and the seat-side lumbar belt 32. Specifically, one end of the belt is positioned inside the seat main body 11, and the other end is positioned outside the seat main body 11, with the midpoint being inserted into a seat-side shoulder belt insertion hole 55a and supported by a seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 (not shown). In this embodiment, the midpoint of the belt is supported by an engagement rod 714 and is configured to be able to move up and down together with the engagement rod 714. The portion from the portion supported by the engagement rod 714 to the seat-side tongue 34 is the seat-side shoulder belt 31.

[0042] The following describes how to use the child car seat 1 configured as above. In the child car seat 1, the positions of the backrest 5 and headrest 6 can be adjusted to higher positions in stages as the seated child grows.

[0043] 1 and 2, when the child is small, the backrest 5 is used at a lower height P1, which is lower than the reference height P2. At this time, the headrest 6 is positioned at the reference height P2 relative to the headrest mounting portion 56. When the backrest 5 is at the lower height P1, the child is secured to the seat 2 by the seat belt 3.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 7 , at the lower height P1, the first operating unit 712 is exposed at the top, allowing the user to operate the first operating unit 712 by placing a finger on the first finger hook 715. Specifically, the first operating unit 712 is located above the mounting hole 61a of the headrest 6 and is positioned so that it can be operated without being obstructed by the headrest 6 (a user can place a finger on the first finger hook 715). In other words, when the backrest 5 is at the lower height P1, the first adjustment unit 71 can adjust the height of the backrest 5 by moving the movable back 53 up and down. Furthermore, even when the height of the backrest 5 is adjusted by the first adjustment unit 71, the movable back 53 and the first adjustment unit 71 move up and down together, so that the first operating unit 712 remains exposed at the top, allowing the user to operate the first operating unit 712.

[0045] 2 , at the lower height P1, the second operating unit 722 is covered by the backrest base 51 and is inoperable. Specifically, the second operating unit 722 is positioned overlapping the front side of the base main body 512 and the outer frame 511 and is not accessible to people. Therefore, when the backrest 5 is at the lower height P1, the height of the headrest 6 relative to the backrest 5 cannot be adjusted with the second adjustment unit 72. In addition, the second operating unit 722 is hidden by the base main body 512 and the outer frame 511 and is generally not visible.

[0046] As the seated child grows, the first adjustment unit 71 adjusts the backrest 5 to a higher position in stages. Specifically, the height of the backrest 5 is adjusted so that the seat-side shoulder belt support 55 corresponds to (is approximately the same height as) the position of the seated child's shoulder. This adjustment prevents the distance between the seat-side shoulder belt support 55 and the seated child's shoulder from increasing. Furthermore, because the headrest 6 can move up and down together with the backrest 5, adjusting the backrest 5 to match the position of the shoulder also positions the headrest 6 in a position corresponding to the seated child's head. Here, because the height of the headrest 6 cannot be adjusted at the lower height P1, even though the position of the seat-side shoulder belt support 55 should be adjusted as the seated child grows, only the height of the headrest 6 is adjusted, thereby preventing the distance between the seat-side shoulder belt support 55 and the seated child's shoulder from increasing. If the distance between the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 and the shoulders of the seated person becomes too long, the child may not be properly secured to the seat body 11, and the seated person may not be properly protected.

[0047] 3 and 4, when the backrest 5 is moved to the reference height P2 (specifically, the upper limit of the height adjustable by the first adjustment unit 71), the headrest 6 is positioned entirely above the backrest base 51. At the reference height P2, the rear side of the vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion 62 is exposed from the backrest 5, allowing the vehicle-side shoulder belt 91 to be inserted therethrough. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the backrest 5 and the headrest 6 are raised to the reference height P2, the second operating portion 722 is exposed rearward from the backrest base 51, making it possible to operate the backrest base 51.

[0048] 5 and 6 , if the child seated further grows after the backrest 5 has been adjusted to the reference height P2, the position of the headrest main body 61 relative to the backrest 5 is adjusted from the reference position PA to an upper position PB so as to match the position of the occupant's head. Specifically, a user places a finger in the finger hole 61b of the headrest 6 and pinches and slides the second operating unit 722, thereby disengaging the backrest 5 (engaging protrusion 561) from the second operating unit 722 and moving the headrest 6 upward. Because the second operating unit 722 is configured to slide along the rear portion 612, it can be easily operated even from behind the headrest 6.

[0049] Furthermore, if the child seated on the seat 2 grows further after the backrest 5 has been adjusted to the reference height P2, the vehicle-side shoulder belt 91 is inserted through the vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion 62, and the seated person is secured to the seat 2 by the vehicle-side shoulder belt 91. The seat-side shoulder belt 31 is stored, for example, behind a rug placed on the seat 2. Because the headrest body 61 and the vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion 62 move together, adjusting the position of the headrest body 61 to correspond to the occupant's head position ensures that the vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion 62 is positioned appropriately to correspond to the occupant's shoulders. This prevents the distance between the vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion 62 and the occupant's shoulders from becoming too long. If the distance between the vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion 62 and the occupant's shoulders becomes too long, the child may not be properly secured to the seat body 11, potentially resulting in inadequate protection for the occupant.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, when the headrest 6 is located in the upper position PB, the first operating unit 712 is covered by the headrest 6 and becomes inoperable. Specifically, the first operating unit 712 is located below the upper end of the mounting hole 61a and is surrounded by the front portion 611 and the rear portion 612 of the headrest 6. This makes it impossible to place a finger on the first finger hook 715, resulting in inoperability. Furthermore, when the headrest 6 is located in the upper position PB, the first operating unit 712 is not visible from the front or rear. Note that when the headrest 6 is lowered from the upper position PB to the reference position PA, the first operating unit 712 is again exposed and becomes operable, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7.

[0051] The embodiments are summarized below.

[0052] The child car seat 1 of this embodiment is a child car seat 1 that is installed in a vehicle that allows a person to get in and out of the vehicle and has a vehicle-side seat on which the person sits, and includes a seating portion 2 on which a child sits, and a seat-side belt 3 that secures the body of the seated child to the seating portion 2, the seating portion 2 includes a backrest portion 5 that abuts against the back of the seated child, a headrest 6 that is provided on the upper part of the backrest portion 5 and abuts against the head of the seated child, and a height adjustment portion 7, the seat-side belt 3 includes a seat-side shoulder belt 31 that abuts against the shoulders of the seated child, and the backrest portion 5 moves the seat-side shoulder belt 31 in the height direction to support it at a predetermined position. The height adjustment unit 7 includes a seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 configured to support the headrest 6 relative to the backrest portion 5, and the height adjustment unit 7 includes a first adjustment portion 71 for adjusting the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 and a second adjustment portion 72 having a second operation portion 722 for adjusting the height of the headrest 6 relative to the backrest portion 5, and the headrest 6 is configured to move in the height direction as the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is adjusted by the first adjustment portion 71, and the second operation portion 722 is operable when the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is equal to or greater than a reference height P2, and is inoperable when the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is less than the reference height P2.

[0053] With this configuration, the second operating unit 722 can be operated only when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is at or above the reference height P2. Therefore, when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is below the reference height P2, the first adjustment unit 71 adjusts the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55, and the headrest 6 moves together with the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55. Therefore, when the child is small and the backrest 5 is below the reference height P2, the seat-side shoulder belt 31 and the headrest 6 move together. When the child is large and the backrest 5 is at or above the reference height P2, the second adjustment unit 72 can adjust the height of the headrest 6 relative to the backrest 5 to suit the child's physique. This allows the child seated in the child car seat 1 to be appropriately protected.

[0054] The vehicle also includes the vehicle seat and a vehicle seat belt 9 including a vehicle shoulder belt 91 that contacts the shoulder of a person seated in the vehicle seat, and the child seat 1 includes a vehicle shoulder belt support portion 62 that is configured to move the vehicle shoulder belt 91 in the height direction and support it at a predetermined position, and the vehicle shoulder belt support portion 62 supports the vehicle shoulder belt 91 so that the seated child can be fixed to the seating portion 2 by the vehicle shoulder belt 91 when the height of the seat shoulder belt support portion 55 is equal to or greater than the reference height P2.

[0055] With this configuration, when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is below the reference height P2, the seat occupant is secured to the seating portion 2 by the seat-side shoulder belt 31, and when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is equal to or higher than the reference height P2, the vehicle-side shoulder belt 91 secures the seat occupant to the seating portion 2. Therefore, a child seated in the child car seat 1 can be appropriately protected.

[0056] In addition, the second operating portion 722 is configured to be covered by other members and become inoperable when the seat side shoulder belt support portion 55 is below the reference height P2, and is configured to be exposed from the other members and become operable when the seat side shoulder belt support portion 55 is equal to or greater than the reference height P2.

[0057] According to this configuration, when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is below the reference height P2, the second operating portion 722 is covered by another member and becomes inoperable, making it impossible for the user to operate the second operating portion 722. Therefore, when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is below the reference height P2, it is possible to prevent the user from operating the second operating portion 722 to change the height of the headrest 6 relative to the backrest 5.

[0058] In addition, the first adjustment unit 71 is equipped with a first operating unit 712 for adjusting the height of the seat side shoulder belt support portion 55, and the second adjustment unit 72 is configured to be able to adjust the height of the headrest 6 to a position higher in the vertical direction than a reference position PA, which is a predetermined position relative to the backrest portion 5, and the first operating unit 712 is configured to be operable when the headrest 6 is located at the reference position PA and to be inoperable when the headrest 6 is located at a position higher than the reference position PA.

[0059] With this configuration, the second operating unit 722 becomes operable when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is at or above the reference height P2, and the first operating unit 712 becomes inoperable when the headrest 6 is at a position higher than the reference position PA. Therefore, when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is at or above the reference height P2 and the headrest 6 is at a position higher than the reference position PA, the first operating unit 712 becomes inoperable, and when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 is at or above the reference height P2 and the headrest 6 is at the reference position PA, the first operating unit 712 becomes operable. Therefore, since it is possible to prevent the seat-side shoulder belt support portion 55 from being moved to a position lower than the reference height P2 when the headrest 6 is at a high position, it is possible to appropriately protect a child seated in the child car seat 1.

[0060] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention using an example, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0061] For example, the first operating portion 712 has been described as being arranged at the upper end of the backrest portion 5, but is not limited to this configuration and may be arranged at any position.

[0062] In addition, although the first operating unit 712 has been described as being covered by the headrest 6 at the upper position PB and becoming inoperable, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and it may be configured to be covered by a member other than the headrest 6, or to have its operation locked as the headrest 6 moves.

[0063] Furthermore, although the second operating unit 722 has been described as being provided behind the headrest 6, the present invention is not limited to this configuration and may be provided on the side of the headrest 6 or at a position other than the headrest 6. Even in this configuration, it is sufficient that the second operating unit 722 is inoperable when the backrest 5 is at the lower height P1.

[0064] In addition, although the second operating part 722 has been described as being covered by another member and inoperable when the backrest part 5 is at the lower height P1, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and it may also be configured such that, for example, the operation is locked by a locking member, making the second operating part 722 inoperable.

[0065] Furthermore, when the headrest 6 is moved upward from the reference height P2, the case where the seated occupant's body is secured by the vehicle seat belt 9 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the child's body can also be secured by the seat belt 3. Even in such a case, by making the position of the headrest 6 adjustable relative to the backrest 5 when the reference height P2 is exceeded, the position of the headrest 6 can be adjusted to fit the body shape of a child who has grown to a certain extent, thereby providing appropriate protection for the seated child.

[0066] In addition, although the example described above uses a configuration in which the seat side shoulder belt support portion 55 is provided on the movable back portion 53 and moves in the vertical direction together with the movable back portion 53, the configuration is not limited to this, and it is also possible to use a configuration in which only the seat side shoulder belt 31 moves in the vertical direction.

[0067] Furthermore, although the configuration in which the seat side shoulder belt 31 is inserted into the seat side shoulder belt support portion 55 has been described as an example, the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the seat side shoulder belt support portion 55 can also be configured to fix and support the end of the seat side shoulder belt 31.

[0068] Furthermore, although the configuration in which the seat side shoulder belt support portion 55 is provided on the movable back portion 53 has been described as an example, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and for example, the seat side shoulder belt support portion 55 can also be provided on a cushion serving as a backrest portion 5 arranged in front of the movable back portion 53.

[0069] 1...child seat, 11...seat body, 2...seating portion, 21...seat seat portion, 3...seat side belt, 31...seat side shoulder belt, 32...seat side waist belt, 33...crotch belt, 34...seat side tongue, 35...seat side buckle, 4...fixing portion, 5...backrest portion, 51...backrest base, 511...outer frame portion, 512...base body, 513...side wall portion, 514...first engaged portion, 515...groove portion, 52...fixed back portion, 53...movable back portion, 54...movable lower portion, 55...seat side shoulder belt support portion, 55a...seat side shoulder belt insertion hole, 56...headrest mounting portion, 561...engaging protrusion, 6...headrest, 61 ...headrest main body, 61a...mounting hole, 611...front portion, 612...rear portion, 613...recessed portion, 61b...finger hole, 62...vehicle side shoulder belt support portion, 62a...vehicle side shoulder belt insertion hole, 7...adjustment portion, 71...first adjustment portion, 711...first engagement portion, 712...first operation portion, 713...first connecting portion, 714...engagement rod, 715...first finger hook portion, 72...second adjustment portion, 721...second connecting portion, 722...second operation portion, 723...second engagement portion, 9...vehicle side seat belt, 91...vehicle side shoulder belt, 92...vehicle side waist belt, 93...tongue, PA...reference position, PB...upper position, P1...lower height, P2...reference height

Claims

1. A child seat installed in a vehicle having a vehicle-side seat on which a person can get on and off and sit, the child seat comprising: a seating portion on which a child sits; and a seat-side belt for fixing the body of the seated child to the seating portion, wherein the seating portion includes a backrest portion that abuts against the back of the seated child, a headrest provided above the backrest portion and abutting against the head of the seated child, and a height adjustment portion; the seat-side belt includes a seat-side shoulder belt that abuts against the shoulders of the seated child; the backrest portion includes a seat-side shoulder belt support portion configured to move the seat-side shoulder belt in the height direction and support it at a predetermined position; the height adjustment portion includes a first adjustment portion for adjusting the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion, and a second adjustment portion having a second operation portion for adjusting the height of the headrest relative to the backrest portion; the headrest is configured to move in the height direction in accordance with the height adjustment of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion by the first adjustment portion; and the second operation portion is operable when the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion is equal to or higher than a reference height and inoperable when the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion is less than the reference height.

2. The vehicle includes a vehicle-side seat and a vehicle-side seat belt including a vehicle-side shoulder belt that abuts against the shoulders of a person sitting on the vehicle-side seat, and the child seat includes a vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion configured to move the vehicle-side shoulder belt in the height direction and support it at a predetermined position, and the vehicle-side shoulder belt support portion supports the vehicle-side shoulder belt so that the seated child can be fixed to the seating portion by the vehicle-side shoulder belt when the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support portion is equal to or higher than the reference height. The child seat according to claim 1.

3. The second operation portion is configured to be covered by another member and inoperable when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion is less than the reference height, and exposed from the other member and operable when the seat-side shoulder belt support portion is equal to or higher than the reference height. The child seat according to claim 1.

4. The first adjustment part includes a first operation part for adjusting the height of the seat-side shoulder belt support part. The second adjustment part is configured to be able to adjust the height of the headrest to a position higher in the height direction than a reference position which is a predetermined position with respect to the backrest part. The first operation part is configured to be operable when the headrest is located at the reference position and inoperable when the headrest is located at a position higher than the reference position. The child seat according to claim 1.

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