Compactible juvenile vehicle seat with forward-folding backrest and retractable armrests

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/894,620, filed Mar. 13, 2007, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to juvenile vehicle seats, and in particular, to vehicle seats having side arms. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a juvenile vehicle seat having a foldable backrest that moves relative to a seat bottom.

[0003] A compactible juvenile vehicle seat in accordance with the present disclosure includes a stationary seat base, a seat back including a foldable backrest, and movable first and second armrests. The juvenile vehicle seat includes a backrest lock operable by a caregiver to lock the foldable backrest in an unfolded upright use position.

[0004] In illustrative embodiments, the juvenile vehicle seat includes first and second backrest locks. The first backrest lock comprises the first armrest and a first backrest anchor. The second backrest lock comprises the second armrest and a second backrest anchor.

[0005] Forward movement of the foldable backrest toward a compact folded storage position is blocked by the first and second armrests upon movement of those armrests relative to the seat base to upright backrest-blocking positions. The first backrest anchor is provided to couple the first armrest to the foldable backrest after the first armrest has been moved to assume its backrest-blocking position to retain the foldable backrest in an upright use position. The second backrest anchor is provided to couple the second armrest to the foldable backrest after the second armrest has been moved to assume its backrest-blocking position to help retain the foldable backrest in the upright use position.

[0006] The first and second backrest anchors can be operated by a caregiver to decouple the backrest from the first and second armrests. Once decoupled, the caregiver can then move the first and second armrests relative to the seat bottom and away from the foldable backrest to backrest-releasing positions. Then the caregiver can move the foldable backrest relative to the seat bottom to assume a compact folded storage position.

[0007] In illustrative embodiments, the compactible juvenile vehicle seat also includes a headrest mounted for up-and-down movement on the foldable backrest and a headrest-height adjustor coupled to the headrest and the foldable backrest. The headrest-height adjustor includes a spring-loaded pivotable latch arm having a finger configured to mate with ratchet teeth provided on the foldable backrest to establish the height of the headrest relative to the foldable backrest.

[0008] Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

[0022] A first compactible juvenile vehicle seat 10 is suggested in FIGS. 1-4 while a second compactible juvenile vehicle seat 110 is suggested in FIGS. 5-10. In each embodiment, retractable armrests (21, 22 and 321, 322) are included and used to block forward folding movement of a foldable backrest (40 and 140) about a pivot axis 16 toward a compact folded storage position on a stationary seat base. Also, backrest anchors (31, 32 and 131, 132) are provided and used to retain the armrests in upright backrest-blocking positions as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 at the option of a caregiver. Folding movement of the backrest relative to a seat base is possible as shown in FIGS. 1A and 7 after the backrest anchors have been disabled and the armrests have been retracted.

[0023] A compactible juvenile vehicle seat 10 in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure includes a seat base 13, a seat back 14, and pivotable first and second armrests 21, 22 as suggested in FIG. 1. Seat back 14 includes a foldable backrest 40 coupled to seat base 13 at a pivot axis 16 using any suitable axle 15.

[0024] Foldable backrest 40 is retained normally in an upright use position as shown in FIG. 1 by a first backrest lock 11 including first armrest 21 and a first backrest anchor 31 and by a second backrest lock 12 including second armrest 22 and a second backrest anchor 32. Foldable backrest 40 can fold in forward direction 15 about a pivot axis 16 toward seat base 13 to assume a compact folded storage position (shown in FIG. 1A) on seat base 13 in response to (1) release of first and second backrest anchors 31, 32 to free first and second armrests 21, 22 for pivotable movement and (2) pivoting movement of first and second armrests 21, 22 away from one another (in the direction of double arrows 121, 122) to remove backrest-folding barriers established by first and second armrests 21, 22 in their upright orientations.

[0025] As suggested in FIGS. 1 and 4, seat base 13 is formed to include a seat bottom 18 adapted to seat a juvenile (not shown) thereon and located between two spaced-apart thigh-support rims 17, 19. Each rim 17, 19 is formed to include an arm-receiver channel 20 sized to receive a lower end 23 of a companion armrest 21 or 22 therein and to allow movement of such companion armrest relative to seat base 13 in direction 121 or 122 between an upright backrest-blocking position shown, for example, in FIG. 1 and retracted and lowered backrest-releasing positions away from seat bottom 18 as suggested in FIG. 1 and shown in FIG. 1A.

[0026] Seat base 13 further includes first and second backrest mounts 24, 25 located near a rear edge of seat bottom 18 and arranged so that first backrest mount 24 is associated with and located near first thigh-support rim 17 and second backrest mount 25 is associated with and located near second thigh-support rim 19 as suggested in FIG. 4. First and second backrest mounts 24, 25 are configured to mate with companion portions (e.g., pivot blocks 54, 55) of foldable backrest 40 along pivot axis 16 as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 4 to facilitate folding movement of backrest 40 relative to seat base 13.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 4, first armrest 21 includes an arm support pad 26, a pad base 27 arranged to extend downwardly away from pad 26, and an arm pivot rod 30. Arm support pad 26, pad base 27, and arm pivot rod 30 cooperate to define a movable frame that is configured to pivot about a pivot axis established by arm pivot rod 30 during movement of first armrest 21 between the upright backrest-blocking position and the retracted backrest-releasing position.

[0028] Pad base 27 includes a distal upper end 28 coupled to an underside of pad 26 and a proximal lower end 23 sized to fit into and move in arm-receiver channel 20 formed in seat base 13 as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 4. Lower end 23 is formed to include a rod-receiving channel 29 sized to receive an arm pivot rod 30 therein. Arm pivot rod 30 is also configured to extend into rod-receiver apertures 33 formed in seat base 13 and opening into arm-receiver channel 20 to mate with seat base 13 and first armrest 21 to establish a first pivot axis 221 about which first armrest 21 may pivot as it moves relative to seat base 13 in direction 121 from an upright backrest-blocking position shown in FIG. 1 to a retracted and lowered backrest-releasing position away from seat bottom 18 as shown in FIG. 1A. Second armrest 22 is similar in shape, components, and function to first armrest 21 and is mounted to pivot about second pivot axis 222.

[0029] As suggested in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, arm support pad 26 of each armrest 21, 22 is formed to include a rearwardly facing, concave, curved backrest-blocker wall 34. Each armrest 21, 22 also includes an anchor mount 37 coupled to a rear portion of each arm support pad 26 is also formed to include an interior channel 35 having a floor 36 and receiving portions of first backrest anchor 31 therein as shown best, in the case of first armrest 21, in FIG. 2.

[0030] As shown best in FIG. 4, seat back 14 includes foldable backrest 40, a movable backrest frame 42, a headrest 44, and a headrest-height adjustor 46. Foldable backrest 40 includes a back plate 47, a frame guide comprising first upper and lower frame-receiving collars 48, 49 coupled to one side of back plate 47 and second upper and lower frame-receiving collars 51, 52 coupled to an opposite side of back plate 47, and a headrest support 50 cantilevered to and arranged to extend upwardly from a top side of back plate 47 as suggested in FIG. 4.

[0031] Back plate 47 of foldable backrest 40 includes a back support wall 53, a first pivot block 54 coupled to a first lower corner of back support wall 54, and a second pivot block 55 coupled to a second lower corner of back support wall 53. A pivot rod 56 is provided as suggested in FIG. 4 and sized to extend along pivot axis 16 through rod-receiver apertures formed in first and second backrest mounts 24, 25 included in seat base 13 and first and second pivot blocks 54, 55 included in backrest 40 to support backrest 40 for pivotable movement relative to seat base 13 about pivot axis 16 whenever first and second armrests 21, 22 are unlocked and moved away from one another and from seat bottom 20 in directions 121, 122 toward their retracted and lowered positions.

[0032] Movable backrest frame 42 includes a first side leg 61, a second side leg 62, and a U-shaped style bar 60 as shown best in FIG. 4. Style bar 60 includes a first riser segment 63 having a lower end coupled to an upper end of first side leg 61 and a second riser segment 64 having a lower end coupled to an upper end of second side leg 62. Style bar 60 also includes a lateral segment 65 arranged to extend between and interconnect upper ends of first and second riser segments 63, 64 as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 4. Movable backrest frame 42 is coupled to foldable backrest 40 in the illustrated embodiment by passing first side leg 61 downwardly through passageways formed in first upper and lower frame-receiving collars 48, 49 and second side leg 62 downwardly through passageways formed in second upper and lower frame-receiving collars 51, 52 as suggested in FIG. 4. Movable backrest frame 42 thus is mounted for up-and-down sliding movement on foldable backrest 40 and for folding movement with backrest 40 about pivot axis 16 relative to seat base 13.

[0033] An illustrative embodiment of first backrest anchor 31 included in first backrest lock 11 is provided in FIGS. 2 and 2A. Second backrest anchor 32 included in second backrest lock 12 has a similar construction in an illustrative embodiment as suggested in FIG. 4.

[0034] First backrest anchor 31 includes a pivot post 66 coupled to arm support pad 26 of first armrest 21 and a latch 67 mounted for pivotable movement on pivot post 66 as suggested in FIG. 2 between a locked position (shown in solid) mating with, for example, a latch retainer 72 coupled to foldable backrest 40 and an unlocked position (shown in phantom) separating from latch retainer 72 coupled to foldable backrest 40. First backrest anchor 31 also includes a latch-biasing spring 68 coupled to first armrest 21 and latch 67 and constrained normally and yieldably to urge latch 67 to pivot on pivot post 66 to assume the locked position as shown in FIG. 2. In the illustrated embodiment, pivot post 66 is rooted on floor 36 of interior channel 35 formed in arm support pad 26. In an illustrative embodiment, juvenile vehicle seat 10 includes a first latch unit 101 comprising pivot post 66, pivotable latch 67, and latch-biasing spring 68 as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 4. Latch retainer 72 and first latch unit 101 cooperate to form first backrest anchor 31 in an illustrative embodiment as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 4.

[0035] As shown, for example, in FIG. 2A, pivotable latch 67 of first latch unit 101 is a monolithic element comprising, in series, an inner segment 671 providing a catch 68, a middle segment 672 providing a lever mount 69, an outer segment 673 providing a spring mount 70, and an actuator-arm segment 674 providing a free end of latch 67 configured to be gripped or touched easily by a user to facilitate pivoting of latch 67 about pivot post 66 to move pivotable latch 67 between its locked and unlocked positions. In one embodiment, inner, middle, and outer segments 671, 672, 673 cooperate to define a lever. As suggested in FIG. 2, one end of spring 68 engages an interior side wall 71 of arm support pad 26 bounding interior channel 35 and an opposite end of spring 68 receives a free end of spring mount 70 in a passageway formed in spring 68 and contacts a side edge of outer segment 673 of latch 67.

[0036] First backrest anchor 31 also includes a latch retainer 72 coupled to foldable backrest 40 and, illustratively, to first lower frame-receiver collar 49 of foldable backrest 40 as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 4. In an illustrative embodiment, latch retainer 72 cooperates with first lower frame-receiver collar 49 to form a latch receiver 73 sized to receive catch 68 of latch 67 therein upon movement of latch 67 to its locked position.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 2, first lower frame-receiver collar 49 comprises a semi-cylindrical forward flange 491 and a semi-cylindrical rearward flange 492. Latch retainer 72 is appended to a free end of rearward flange 492. Latch retainer 72 is arranged to extend away from forward flange 491 to define latch receiver 73 between latch retainer 72 and a curved exterior surface of rearward flange 492 as suggested in FIG. 2. As suggested in FIG. 4, second backrest anchor 32 also includes a similar latch retainer 72 that is coupled to second lower frame-receiver collar 52 and arranged to form a latch receiver (not shown) similar to latch receiver 73.

[0038] Once foldable backrest 40 is pivoted about pivot axis 16 to assume an upright use position relative to seat base 13, first armrest 21 can be pivoted about pivot axis 121 toward seat bottom 18 to assume an upright backrest-blocking position. In this upright backrest-blocking position, first armrest 21 is arranged to lie alongside or in confronting relation to foldable backrest 40 to cause concave, curved backrest-blocker wall 34 of arm support pad 26 to lie in closely confronting relation to a curved exterior surface of semi-cylindrical forward flange 491 of first lower frame-receiver collar 49 of foldable backrest 40 as shown, for example, in FIG. 2. Latch 67 is manipulated to mate catch 68 with its companion latch retainer 72 and, for example, to place catch 68 in latch receiver 73, to cause first lower frame-receiver collar 49 and a portion of first side leg 61 of movable backrest frame 42 located in the passageway formed in collar 49 to be trapped or otherwise retained in a space provided in first armrest 21 between backrest-blocker wall 34 and catch 68 of spring-biased latch 67. Foldable backrest 40 of seat back 14 is thus locked in an upright use position on seat base 13. (Second armrest 22 and second backrest anchor 32 cooperate to assist in retaining foldable backrest 40 in a locked upright use position in a similar manner.)

[0039] To release (or unlock) upright foldable backrest 40 of seat back 14 so that it can be folded in direction 15 to move from the upright use position shown in FIG. 1 toward seat bottom 18 to assume a compact folded storage position on seat bottom 18 shown in FIG. 1A, a user grips or touches actuator-arm segment 674 and pivots latch 67 of first backrest anchor 31 in counterclockwise direction 76 about pivot post 66 as suggested in phantom in FIG. 2 to disengage catch 68 of latch 67 from latch retainer 72. Now, first armrest 21 is no longer linked or tethered to foldable backrest 40 and the user may pivot first armrest 21 from its upright backrest-blocking position in direction 121 as suggested in FIG. 1 toward a retracted and lowered backrest-releasing position relative to seat bottom 18 of seat base 13 as shown in FIG. 1A. Pivotable latch 67 of second backrest anchor 32 is operated in a similar manner to untether second armrest 22 from foldable backrest 40 so that second armrest 22 can be moved to a retracted and lowered backrest-releasing position relative to seat bottom 18 of seat base 13 as shown, for example, in FIG. 1A.

[0040] Headrest 44 includes first and second side wings 81, 92 and a head pad 80 arranged to interconnect side wings 81, 82 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 4. Headrest-height adjustor 46 is coupled to a rearwardly facing surface 84 of head pad 80 as suggested in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0041] Headrest-height adjustor 46 includes a retainer 85, a retainer-biasing spring 86, and a retainer cover 87 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 and 4. Retainer 85 includes a latch arm 88 formed to include pivot pins 89 at one end and a finger 90 at an opposite end. Retainer 85 also includes a hand grip 191 cantilevered to the end of latch arm 88 carrying pivot pins 89. Retainer 85 is mounted on retainer cover 87 using pivot pins 89 and is arranged to pivot toward and away from head pad 80 of headrest 44 when retainer cover 87 is mounted on rearwardly facing surface 84 of head pad 80 as suggested in FIG. 3.

[0042] To adjust the height or elevation of headrest 44 relative to foldable backrest 40, a user pivots retainer 85 about a pivot axis established by pivot pins 89 to compress spring 86 and disengage finger 90 on latch arm 88 from ratchet teeth 92 provided on a support plate 91 included in headrest support 50. Support plate 91 is arranged to extend upwardly from back plate 47 included in foldable backrest 40 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 and 4. Once finger 90 is disengaged from ratchet teeth 92 after movement of retainer 85 to a retracted position shown in phantom in FIG. 3, then a user may raise or lower headrest 44 relative to foldable backrest 40 as suggested by double arrows 94/95 shown in FIG. 1.

[0043] A juvenile vehicle seat 110 in accordance with a second embodiment of the present disclosure includes a seat base 113, seat back 114, and pivotable first and second armrests 321, 322 as suggested in FIGS. 5 and 7. Seat back 114 includes a foldable backrest 140 coupled to seat base 113 at a pivot axis 16 using any suitable axle 115.

[0044] Foldable seat back 114 is retained normally in an upright use position shown, for example, in FIG. 5, by a first backrest lock 111 including first armrest 321 and a first backrest anchor 131 and by a second backrest lock 112 including second armrest 322 and a second backrest anchor 132. Foldable backrest 140 can fold in forward direction 15 about a pivot axis 16 toward seat base 113 to assume a compact folded storage position shown, for example, in FIG. 7 in response to (1) release of first and second backrest anchors 131, 132 to free first and second armrests 321, 322 for pivotable movement and (2) pivoting movement of first and second armrest 321, 322 away from one another to remove backrest-folding barriers established by first and second armrests 321, 322 in their upright backrest-blocking orientations.

[0045] As suggested in FIGS. 5 and 7, seat base 113 is formed to include a seat bottom 118 adapted to seat a juvenile (not shown) thereon and located between two spaced-apart thigh-support rims 117, 119. Each rim 117, 119 is formed to include an arm-receiver channel 120 sized to receive a lower end 123 of a companion armrest 321 or 322 therein and to allow movement of such companion armrest relative to seat base 113 between an upright backrest-blocking position shown in FIG. 5 and retracted and lowered backrest-releasing positions away from seat bottom 118 shown in FIG. 7.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, first armrest 321 includes an arm support pad 126 and a pad base 127 arranged to extend downwardly from pad 126 toward arm-receiver channel 120. Pad base 127 includes a distal upper end 128 coupled to an underside of pad 126 and a proximal lower end 123 sized to fit into and move in arm-receiver channel 120 formed in seat base 113 as suggested in FIGS. 5 and 7. An arm pivot rod (not shown) is coupled to lower end 123 of first armrest 121 to support first armrest 121 for pivoting movement relative to seat base 113 about pivot axis 421 as suggested in FIGS. 5 and 7. Likewise, another arm pivot rod (not shown) is coupled to lower end 123 of second armrest 122 to support second armrest 122 for pivoting movement relative to seat base 113 about pivot axis 422 as suggested in FIGS. 5 and 7. Second armrest 221 is similar in shape, components, and function to first armrest 121.

[0047] Seat back 114 includes foldable backrest 140, side wings 141, 142, and a headrest 144 as suggested in FIG. 5. In an illustrative embodiment, first backrest anchor 131 comprises first external portion 146R of a latch retainer 146 (shaped to resemble an elongated narrow-diameter rod in the illustrated embodiment), a first latch 167, and a first latch mover 170 as suggested in FIGS. 5-7. Latch retainer 146 is coupled to foldable backrest 140 to move therewith as suggested in FIG. 7-10. First latch 167 is formed to include a slot 168 sized to receive a portion of latch retainer 146 therein when first latch 167 is moved to mate with first external portion 146R of latch retainer 146 as suggested in FIG. 6. Similarly, second backrest anchor 132 comprises a second external portion 146L of latch retainer 146, second latch 267m and a second latch mover 270 as suggested in FIGS. 5 and 7. Second latch 267 is formed to include a slot 268 sized to receive second external portion 146L of latch retainer 146 therein when second latch 267 is moved to mate with latch retainer 146. First latch mover 170 is any suitable means for moving first latch 167 relative to first armrest 321 to engage and disengage latch retainer 146 by, for example, pivoting first latch 167 in up-and-down directions 159. In the illustrated embodiment, first latch mover 170 includes an exposed button 171, which button 171 may be pushed by a user to actuate latch mover 170 to cause first latch 167 to move relative to first armrest 321 to disengage latch retainer 146. A similar actuator button 271 is provided for second latch mover 270.

[0048] Foldable backrest 140 is locked in an upright use position as suggested in FIG. 5 whenever first and second armrests 321, 322 are pivoted or otherwise moved to assume their upright backrest-blocking positions and first and second latches 167, 267 are moved to engage latch retainer 146 mounted on foldable backrest 140 as suggested in FIG. 6. To release or unlock foldable backrest 140 so that it can be folded in direction 15 toward seat bottom 18 to assume a compact folded storage position as suggested in FIGS. 8-10, a user operates first and second latch movers 170, 270 to disengage first and second latches 167, 267 from latch retainer 146. Next, first and second armrests 321, 322 are moved away from one another to assume the retracted and lowered backrest-releasing positions shown in FIGS. 7, 9, and 10. Finally, now freed, foldable backrest 140 is pivoted about pivot axis 16 in direction 15 as suggested in FIG. 9 to assume the folded compact storage position shown in FIG. 10.