{19)
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`0’
`
`Europiiisches Patentamt
`European Patent Office
`Ofiice européen des brevets
`
`HIIII‘I" “H
`
`(11)
`
`EP 1 077 152 A2
`
`(12)
`
`EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
`
`(43) Date otpublicaticn:
`21.02.2001 Bulletin 2001300
`
`(51) Int. CL7: BGON 2’28
`
`{21) Application number: 003065505
`
`{22) Date of tiling: 01.08.2000
`
`(84) Designated Contracting States:
`AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU
`MC NL PT SE
`
`Designated Extension States:
`AL LT LV MK RO SI
`
`{30) Priority: 17.09.1999 039919322
`
`(71) Applicant:
`BRITAX RDMER Kindersicherheit GmbH
`0-89024 Ulm (DE)
`
`{54)
`
`Child satety seat
`
`A child safety seat has a base {10) adapted to
`{57)
`rest on a vehicle seat and a seat assembly {12) pivotally
`mounted on the base member (10). Set guides (62) on
`the child seat define a strap path for a vehicle seat belt
`(58). A pair of strap-deflecting levers (54, 56) are pivot-
`ally mounted on the base member (10) and coupled to
`the seat assembly (1 2) so that angular movement of the
`seat assembly (12) towards a position of normal use
`causes angular movement of the strap-deflecting lever
`(54, 56) to deflect the seat belt (53) from said strap path,
`thereby tightening the seat belt strap (58).
`
`(72} Inventors:
`0 Stysch, Christian
`99973 Ulm (DE)
`. Schall, Herman
`89189 Neenstetten (DE)
`
`n
`
`(74) Representative:
`Hollinghurst, Antonyr
`Brita): International Services Limited
`Unit 5
`Kiln Acre
`Wickham Road
`
`Fareham Hampshire PO16 7.18 (GB)
`
`
`
`
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`EP1077152A2
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`Page 1 0f 10
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`F‘rhted by Xerom (UK) Business Services
`2.16.7[HFIS'1JSE
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`BRITAX EXHIBIT 2003
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`1
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`EP1 077152A2
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`2
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`Description
`
`This invention relates to a child safety seat
`[0001]
`for use in a vehicle. ofthe type comprising a base mem—
`ber adapted to rest on a vehicle seat, a seat assembly
`pivotally mounted on the base member, guide means on
`the child seat defining a strap path for a strap of a vehi-
`cle seat belt to secure the seat to a vehicle seat and
`
`strap deflecting means positioned so that angular move-
`ment of the seat assembly relative to the base member
`causes movement of
`the strap deflecting means
`between a first position clear of said strap path and a
`second position in which a strap following said strap
`path is deflected therefrom,
`thereby tightening said
`strap.
`A seat of this type is disclosed in EP—A—
`[0002]
`0822115. Angular movement of seat assembly requires
`a relatively high force due to the friction between the
`strap and the strap deflecting means. It is an object of
`the present invention to provide a child safety seat in
`which the force required to tighten the strap of a vehicle
`seat belt relative to the seat is reduced.
`
`According to the invention, in a child safety
`[0003]
`seat of the type described above, the strap deflecting
`means comprises a lever pivotally mounted on the base
`member for angular movement about a transverse pivot
`axis. and the seat assembly is coupled to the lever so
`that angular movement of the seat assembly towards a
`position of normal use causes angular movement ofthe
`lever to deflect the strap from said strap path.
`[0004]
`Preferably the seat assemny is coupled to
`the lever at a distance from the pivot axis greater than
`the distance of the strap path from the pivot axis.
`[0005]
`The seat assembly may include an interme—
`diate member which is mounted on the base and cou-
`
`pled to the lever, together with a seat body which is
`mounted on the intermediate member for movement
`
`between an upright position and a reclined position, as
`described in EP-A-0822115.
`
`An embodiment of the invention will now be
`[0006]
`described, by way of example, with reference to the
`accompanying drawings in which:
`
`Figure 1 is a side view of a first child safety seat in
`accordance with the invention with the strap deflect-
`ing means in its first position;
`Figure 2 is a perspective view of the seat shown in
`Figure 1;
`Figure 3 is a partially broken-away side view of the
`seat shown in Figure 1 , but with the strap deflecting
`means in its second position:
`Figure 4 is a partially broken—away perspective view
`of the seat as shown in Figure 3:
`Figure 5 is a side view, similar to Figure 3, but
`showing the seat body in a reclined position; and
`Figure 6 is a schematic side view of another seat in
`accordance with the invention.
`
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`Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a child safety
`[0007]
`seat comprises a base member 10 and a seat assembly
`12 which is coupled to the base member 10 by a pivot
`axle 14. The seat assembly 12 comprises an intermedi-
`ate member 16, through which the axle 14 extends, and
`a seat body 18.
`[0008]
`The base member 10 consists of a central
`horizontal portion 20 extending below the intermediate
`member 16 and two L-shaped side portions 22 and 24,
`extending upwardly from opposite sides of the central
`portion 20, with the intermediate member 16 located
`therebetween. The pivot axis 14 is journalled in for-
`wardly extending limbs 26 and 28 of the side portions 22
`and 24 which also has upwardly extending limbs 30 and
`32.
`
`The intermediate member 16 is similar to the
`[0009]
`base member in that it has a base portion 36 extending
`under the seat body 18 and L-shaped side portions 38
`and 40 extending upwardly between the sides of the
`seat body 18 and the L—shaped side portions 22 and 24
`of the base member 10. The seat body 18 is mounted
`on the intermediate member
`16
`in
`the manner
`
`described in EPA—0822115. which allows the orienta—
`tion of the seat body 18 to be changed relative to that of
`the intermediate member 16.
`
`the intermediate
`The base portion 36 of
`[0010]
`member contains an open—ended slot 42 extending lon—
`gitudinally under the seat body 18. A transverse rod 44
`is slidable along the slot 42 and has its ends connected
`to respective levers 46 and 48. The levers 46 and 48 are
`pivotally mounted on respective axially aligned stub
`axles 50 and 52 which extend inwardly from near the
`bottom of the upwardly extending limbs 30 and 32 of the
`base member 10. Each of the levers 46 and 48 has a
`
`respective side limb 54. 56. extending from the vicinity
`of the pivot pins 50, 52 at an angle to the main part of
`the corresponding lever 46, 48 so as to form a V—shaped
`open—ended slot for receiving the lap portion 58 of a
`vehicle seat belt which also has ashoulder portion strap
`60.
`
`In use, the child seat is positioned on a vehi-
`[0011]
`cle seat so that the central portion 20 of the base mem-
`ber 10 rests on the seat cushion and the upwardly
`extending limbs 30 and 32 abut against the backrest.
`The seat body 18 and the intermediate member 16 are
`pivoted about the pivot axle 14 to the position shown in
`Figure 1. The V—shaped slots between the side limbs 54
`and 56 and the main parts of the levers 46 and 48 are
`now level with the guide surfaces 62 and 64 on the base
`member 10.
`
`Next. the lap portion 58 of the seat belt for
`[0012]
`the vehicle seat is threaded over guide surfaces 62 and
`64 on the base member 10 and below the side limbs 54
`
`and 56 of the levers 46 and 48. The buckle (not shown)
`of the vehicle seat belt is then fastened and any slack in
`the lap portion 58 pulled through to the shoulder portion
`60. A locking device (not shown), which may be as
`described in ERA-0200411, prevents any of the belt
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`EP1077152A2
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`4
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`from being pulled back to the lap portion 58.
`[0013]
`The next step is to pivot the seat body 18
`and the intermediate member 16 reantvardly to the posi—
`tion shown in Figures 3 and 4. The rod 44 slides for—
`wardly along the slot 42. pivoting the levers 46 and 4B
`clockwise [as viewed in Figure 2) so that their side limbs
`54 and 56 press the lap portion 58 downwardly from the
`direct path between the two guide surfaces 62 and 64
`on the base member 10, thereby tightening the vehicle
`seat belt 58, 60.
`[0014]
`Figure 5 shows the seat body 18 in its
`reclined position on the intermediate member 16.
`[0015]
`Figure 6 shows another child seat which is
`similar to the seat shown in Figures 1 to 5 in that it has
`a base member 70 and a seat assembly 72 which is
`coupled to the base member 10 by a pivot axle 74.
`[0016]
`The base member 70 is similar to the base
`member 10 of Figures 1 to 5 in that it consists of a cen-
`tral horizontal portion 76 extending below the seat
`assembly 72 and two L—shaped side portions 78,
`extending upwardly from opposite sides of the central
`portion 20 and between which the pivot axle 74 is jour—
`nalled. Each side portion 76 also has an upwardly
`extending limb 78 similar to the limbs 30 and 32 of Fig-
`ures 1 to 5.
`
`A pair of levers 80 are mounted on a trans—
`[0017]
`verse shaft 82 which is journaled in the rear ends of the
`side portions 78. The shaft 82 carries a gear wheel 84
`which engages with a toothed rack 35 on the bottom
`edge of a slider 85. The slider 85 has a second toothed
`rack 88 on its upper edge which is engaged by a second
`gear wheel 90 on the shaft 74. With this arrangement,
`counter-clockwise movement of the seat assembly 72
`about the shaft 74 cause clockwise movement of the
`
`levers 80 about the shaft 82. A spring-loaded strut 94
`holds the seat assembly 72 in its raised position as illus-
`trated.
`
`The base member 70 is held in place by the
`[0018]
`lap portion 58 of a vehicle seat belt (shown in chain-dot-
`ted lines) which extends over guide surfaces 62 on the
`upper edges of the L-shaped side portions 78. When
`seat assembly 72 is pressed downwards against the
`action of the strut 94, the levers 80 move clockwise from
`the position illustrated, displacing the lap portion 58
`down between the side portions 78 and thereby tighten-
`ing the vehicle seat belt. The seat assembly 72 is held
`in its downwardly displaced position by engagement of
`a catch (not shown} on the upper ends of the L-shaped
`side portions 78 with a hook formation 98 on the back of
`the seat assembly 72.
`[0019]
`The seat assembly 78 may include an inter—
`mediate member and a seat body which is mounted on
`the intermediate member for movement between an
`
`70
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`35
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`40
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`45
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`50
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`upright position and a reclined position, as described
`with reference to Figures 1 to 5.
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`Claims
`
`1 . A child safety seat for use in a vehicle, comprising a
`base member {10, 70) adapted to rest on a vehicle
`seat, a seat assembly {12. 72) pivotally mounted on
`the base member [10. 70) for angular movement
`about a seat pivot axle (14. 74), guide means (62,
`64) on the child seat defining a strap path for a strap
`(58) of a vehicle seat belt to secure the seat to a
`vehicle seat and strap deflecting means {54, 56, 80)
`positioned so that angular movement of the seat
`assembly (12. 72) relative to the base member (10,
`70) causes movement of the strap deflecting means
`{54, 56, 80) between a first position clear of said
`strap path and a second position in which a strap
`{58) following said strap path is deflected therefrom,
`thereby tightening said strap {58), characterised in
`that the strap deflecting means comprises a strap-
`deflecting lever {54, 56, 80) pivotally mounted on
`the base member [10, 70) for angular movement
`about a lever pivot axle (50, 52. 82), and a drive
`assembly (44, 86) coupling the strap—deflecting
`lever {54, 56, 30) to the seat assembly (12, 72) so
`that angular movement of the seat assembly (12,
`72) towards a position of normal use causes angu-
`lar movement of the strap—deflecting lever (54, 56,
`80) to deflect the strap (58) from said strap path.
`
`2. A child safety seat according to claim 1 . wherein the
`drive assembly comprises a second lever (46, 48)
`fast with the strap-deflecting lever (54, 56) and a
`cam (42) on the seat assembly (12) engaging with
`a cam follower (44) on the second lever [46, 48).
`
`3. A child safety seat according to claim 2, wherein the
`cam follower (44) is located on coupled to the sec-
`ond lever (46, 48} at a distance from the lever pivot
`axle (50, 52, 82) greater than the distance of the
`strap path from the lever pivot axle (50, 52. 82).
`
`4. A child safety seat according to claim 3. wherein the
`cam comprises a slot (42) in a base portion (36} of
`the seat assembly {12).
`
`5. A child safety seat according to claim 1 , wherein the
`drive assembly comprises a coupler {86) connect—
`ing the seat pivot axle (74} to the lever pivot axle
`(82) so that angular movement of the seat pivot axle
`(74) in afirst direction causes angular movement of
`the lever pivot axle {82) in a second direction oppo—
`site to said first direction.
`
`6. A child safety seat according to claim 6. wherein the
`drive assembly comprises a toothed rack (86)
`engaging with a first pinion (84) on the on the lever
`pivot axle {82) and with a second pinion (90} on the
`seat pivot axle {74).
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`5
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`EP1 077152A2
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`7. A child safety seat according to any preceding
`claim. wherein the seat assembly includes an inter-
`mediate member (16) which is mounted on the
`base member (10. 70} and coupled by the drive
`assembly (44. 86) to the strap-deflecting [ever (54,
`56, 80), together with a seat body 0’2) which is
`mounted on the intermediate member (15)
`tor
`movement between an upright position and a
`reclined position.
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`EP1 077152 A2
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`EP1 077152 A2
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