GB2451830A

GB2451830A - Wheeled car seat for infants

Info

Publication number: GB2451830A
Application number: GB0715766A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marc Trevor Warburton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-08-14
Filing date: 2007-08-14
Publication date: 2009-02-18
Also published as: GB0715766D0

Abstract

A child car seat 10 for infants includes a seat structure 12 securable to a vehicle seat, with wheels 20 turning about a wheel axle 22 directly mounted to the seat 10. The wheels may be located at one end of the seat 10, or in a recess. The apparatus may include an extendable U-shaped handle 16 mounted about pivots 18 on each side of the seat, used to tip the seat onto the wheels to roll along the ground 24, or for carrying the seat. The handle 16 may be detachable.

Description

Car Seat The present invention relates to a car seat and particularly to a safety car seat for infants.

Car safety seats for infants, for example, new born babies up to babies around 15kg in weight and around up to I S months old, are typically designed to be rearward facing seats, which are secured in a vehicle using a safety belt. Spring clips or tongues are provided on the car seat, which locate and retain the safety belt in position, around the car seat. A child is held securely in the seat by means of a harness. The seat usually includes a centrally disposed handle, connected to either side of the seat for carrying the seat and child, if desired, when the seat is not secured for transit.

It is known to use the same Seat as part as a pushchair, known as "travel system". In this arrangement, the car seat is fitted to a pushchair frame including three or four load bearing wheels and a handle for pushing the pushchair. A problem of this kind of device is that it is bulky to transport and can be difficult for a parent to assemble and collapse on their own, particularly with a child secured in the seat.

Other types of pushchairs and prams also have to be transported in a vehicle, as well as a car seat, and take up limited space. They also require that an infant be lifted out of the car seat and placed in the pushchair or pram. A problem with moving an infant in this way is that the infant may wake, if sleeping, which is usually undesirable.

It is also known to provide a car seat with a permanently fitted folding undercarriage system with wheels. However, these arrangements are typically heavy, are difficult to carry when not being wheeled, and are generally designed to be pushed with the infant facing away from the parent, which is undesirable for babies up to around 18 months, which need reassurance from an adult. These car seats also require complicated, and usually expensive constructions, and must be converted from a car seat to a pushchair by unfolding or assembling the undercarriage system.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved car seat for an infant, which substantially reduces or obviates the aforementioned problems.

According to the first aspect of the present invention there is provided a car seat for an infant comprising a substantially rigid seat structure for supporting an infant, means for receiving a safety belt for securing the car Seat in a vehicle and wheel means rotatably mounted about at least one axle, the at least one axle being mounted directly to the seat structure.

Advantageously, the wheel means enables the car seat to be rolled along the ground, thus negating the need for a pushchair frame or folding undercarriage. The wheel means may be permanently mounted to the seat structure, without the need for removal, disassembly, folding or stowage.

Preferably the wheel means is disposed substantially at one end of the seat structure.

The wheel means is preferably rotatably mounted about a single axis of rotation.

The wheel means may be rotatably mounted in one or more recesses in the seat structure. Alternatively, the wheel means may be disposed externally of the seat structure.

The wheel means may be a roller.

Preferably the wheel means comprises first and second wheeJs disposed on eithcr side of the seat structure.

Preferably the wheel means is disposed spaced from the ground, when the seat structure is resting on the ground.

This provides the advantage that when the car seat is resting on the ground, there is no risk of it rolling away. In other words, the resting position of the car seat is a fail-safe braked position.

Preferably a handle is mounted to the seat structure, which may be detachable.

Preferably the handle is releasably lockable in a first position, in which the handle is substantially disposed above the centre of gravity of the car seat.

Preferably the handle is releasably lockable in a second position, in which the handle extends in a direction substantially radially away from a pivotal axis of the wheel means.

Preferably the handle is releasably lockable in a third position, in which a distal end of the handle lies in a position behind a headrest of the seat structure. In this position the handle may also contact the ground.

The handle is preferably movable between the first position and the second position.

The handle is preferably movable between the first, second and third positions.

The handle may be mounted about pivots disposed on either side of the seat structure.

The handle may be extendable and preferably the handle is telescopic.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a car safety seat of the invention resting on the ground; and Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of the car safety seat of Figure 1, with the handle in an extended position and the wheels contacting the ground.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, a car seat is indicated generally at 10. The car seat 10 is a safety seat intended for infants, that is, for new born babies up to babies around 15kg in weight and around up to 18 months old. The car seat 10 includes a seat structure 12 made from plastics, although any other suitable material may be used. A soft padded lining 14 is disposed inside and around the peripheral upper edges of the seat structure 12, for supporting an infant in comfort. Typical features (not shown) that the car seat may includes are a 3-point harness for restraining an infant, removable washable covers, and an adjustable head rest. One or more spring clips or tongues are provided for receiving a safety belt of a vehicle for securing the car seat in a vehicle.

Referring also to Figure 2, a U-shaped handle 16 is pivotally mounted to each side of the seat structure 12 about pivots, one of which is indicated at 18. The handle 16 is movable between a first position for carrying the car seat 10, as shown in Figure 1, a second position for wheeling the car seat 10, as shown in Figure 2, and a third position for accessing the car seat 10 (not shown), in which a distal end of the handle 16 lies in a position behind a headrest of the car seat structure. The handle 16 is releasably lockable in the carrying, wheeling and access positions by any suitable means, for example, by a catch. In the carrying position, the handle 16 is disposed approximately above the centre of gravity of the car seat 10, so that the car seat 10 is balanced in hand, when picked up by the handle 16. The position of an infant resting in the car seat 10 is such that the car seat is still balanced, when carried by the handle 16.

Wheels 20, one of which is shown, are mounted about axles or pivots 22 on either side of the seat structure 12. In one arrangement, the wheels 20 are mounted about a single axle, which passes through the base of the seat structure 12. The axle or axles are mounted directly to the seat structure, either in bearings or apertures. In one arrangement, the axle or axles are integrally formed with the seat structure, or are rigidly fastened thereto, and the wheels rotate about the axle ends. The wheels 20 are disposed to one end of the seat structure 12, to the right hand side as viewed, at the same end of the seat structure as the headrest.

The axis of the wheels 20 is positioned such that when the car seat is resting on flat ground, indicated at 24, the wheels are raised up from the ground 24, as shown in Figure 1. In other words, the seat structure 12 extends beyond the extent of the wheels 20. This means that if the car seat 10 is placed on an incline, then the wheels do not bear any weight of the seat and the seat cannot undesirably roll away on the wheels 20.

When the handle 16 is in the wheeling position, the handle lies at an angle of approximately 35° to the plane of the base of the seat. The handle 16 is extendable, for example with telescoping side members, which extend beyond the end of the seat structure 12, to the left hand side as viewed in Figure 2. The handle 16 in its extended configuration is between 600mm and 800mm long, and in its shortened configuration is between 300 and 400mm long. Means is provided for locking the handle in both the extended and shortened configurations. The locking means may be a locking collar which tightens onto a collet, or any other suitable means.

In use, an infant can be placed in the car seat 10 and secured using a conventional harness. The infant is positioned with its head at the end of the seat structure, to which the wheels are mounted. The seat can then be carried with the handle 16 in the position shown in Figure 1. When the car seat is secured in a vehicle, the handle remains in the first position or carrying position as shown in Figure 1, but is not extended, and the seat is secured in conventional manner using a safety belt. If desired, the handle may be moved towards one of the other positions for ease of access for lifting the infant in and out of the car seat. For travel, the handle is re-locked in the carrying position.

When the car seat 10 is removed from the vehicle and rested on the ground, the handle 16 can be extended and used to tip the car seat onto its wheels 22. The car seat can then be wheeled along the ground, either by pushing or pulling, as desired.

This obviates the need for a separate wheeled frame, such as in a "travel system" as previously described, or a folding undercarriage system. It also obviates the need to transport a separate pushchair or pram. Furthermore, a sleeping infant need not be disturbed. When the infant is being wheeled in the car seat 10, the infant is facing the handle and the person pulling or pushing the car seat. This means that the person can keep a watchful eye on the infant and the infant can see the person for reassurance.

After wheeling, the car seat 10 can be rested on the ground, and the wheels are again lifted away from the ground, thus providing a fail safe braking system. The handle 16 can be returned to its shortened length and moved to the carrying position, as desired.

The handle 16 can also be moved to and releasably locked in the third or access position, if desired, in which a distal end of the handle lies in a position behind a headrest of the seat structure, that is, overlying the wheels 22. In this position, the handle 16 may rest on the ground, adding to the stability of the car seat 10 for placement and removal of an infant.

In alternative embodiments of the invention, the wheels may be replaced by rollers.

There may be one or more wheels or rollers. The wheels or rollers can be pivotally mounted in recesses in the seat structure 12, or mounted to the outside thereof. In one arrangement, the wheels/rollers arc removable. In all cmbodiments, the wheel or wheels are mounted about a single axis of rotation. The handle 16 can also be removable, and can be attached to any suitable position on the seat structure 12. In one arrangement, the handle 16 can be attached in one of several different positions for carrying, wheeling and stowage. In another arrangement, there may be more than one handle, for example, two handles, one or both of which is removable.

Claims

I. A car seat for an infant comprising a substantially rigid seat structure for supporting an infant, means for receiving a safety belt for securing the car seat in a vehicle and wheel means rotatably mounted about at least one axle, the at least one axle being mounted directly to the seat structure.
2. A car seat as claimed in claim 1, in which the wheel means is rotatably mounted about a single axis of rotation.
3. A car seat as claimed in claim I or claim 2, in which the wheel means is disposed substantially at one end of the seat structure.
4. A car seat as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the wheel means is rotatably mounted in one or more recesses in the seat structure.
5. A car seat as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the wheel means is a roller.
6. A car seat as claimed in any one of claims I to 4, in which the wheel means comprises first and second wheels disposed on either side of the seat structure.
7. A car seat as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the wheel means is disposed spaced from the ground, when the seat structure is resting on the ground.
8. A car seat as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a handle is mounted to the seat structure.
9. A car seat as claimed in claim 8, in which the handle is detachable.
10. A car seat as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, in which the handle is releasably lockable in a first position, in which the handle is substantially disposed above the centre of gravity of the car seat.
11. A car seat as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, in which the handle is releasably lockable in a second position, in which the handle extends in a direction substantially radially away from a pivotal axis of the wheel means.
12. A car seat as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, in which the handle is releasably lockable in a third position, in which a distal end of the handle lies in a position behind a headrest of the seat structure.
13. A car seat as claimed in claim 11; when dependent on claim 10, in which the handle is movable between the first position and the second position.
14. A car seat as claimed in claim 12, when dependent on claims 11 and 10, in which the handle is movable between the first, second and third positions.
15. A car seat as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14, in which the handle is mounted about pivots disposed on either side of the seat structure.
16. A car seat as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 15, in which the handle is extendable.
17. A car seat as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 16, in which the handle is telescopic.
18. A car seat substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.