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Vehicle seat assemblyVehicle seat assembly description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070170758, Vehicle seat assembly. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The invention relates to a seat assembly for use in a vehicle, and in particular to a seat assembly which is adaptable for use by a child. The invention finds particular benefit when employed in vehicles fitted with an airbag on the passenger side of the vehicle. [0002] For babies and very young children, typically up to the age of 18 months, it is recommended for a child seat to be arranged in a rear-facing direction to the direction of travel. Furthermore, it is often desirable for the child seat to be located on the passenger seat of the vehicle, next to the driver, so that the driver has the child in view at all times. [0003] Due to increasing vehicle safety standards it is becoming more common to provide an airbag device on both the passenger side of the vehicle and on the driver's side. It is recognised, however, that it is not safe to provide an airbag on the passenger side of the vehicle if a rear-facing child seat is to be mounted in the passenger seat. [0004] Car dealers have developed one solution to address this incompatibility, and that is to disable permanently the passenger airbag at the time of vehicle sale if there is a likelihood that the buyer will wish to mount a child seat in the passenger seat. This solution is undesirable, however, as due to the permanent disabling of the passenger airbag it does not then facilitate use of a passenger airbag in the event that no child seat is mounted in the passenger seat and an adult passenger is carried, for example. Furthermore, over the life of a vehicle it is likely that the requirements of the owner, or owners, may change, and there may be times when there is no longer a requirement to carry child passengers. The reverse problem also occurs if a vehicle does not have the passenger airbag disabled at the time of manufacture, but there later becomes a requirement to use a child seat in the passenger seat. [0005] Another proposed solution is to provide the vehicle with a switch for allowing the user to disable or enable the airbag depending on whether a rear-facing child seat is to be used in the passenger seat. This solution is also undesirable, however, due to the risk of inadvertent disabling of the passenger airbag. [0006] One other problem facing vehicle manufacturers is the adaptability of vehicles for different situations. For example, although a vehicle user may wish to seat a child in the front passenger seat on some occasions, there may often be circumstances when an adult passenger must be seated instead. [0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat assembly, suitable for accommodating a child, which seeks to address at least one of the aforementioned problems. [0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle seat assembly comprising a passenger seat having a passenger seat member and a passenger seat back, and a child seat assembly having a child seating part, a child back rest part and having first and second alternative child seat configurations, wherein the passenger seat member is movable between a first position in which the child seat assembly is substantially hidden from view and a second position in which the child seat assembly is exposed to enable a child to be seated therein when the first child seat configuration is provided. [0009] In one advantageous embodiment, the child seat assembly is removably mounted upon the passenger seat so that it can be removed completely from the vehicle, if desired. In this way, a seated child can be removed from the vehicle and carried conveniently simply by removing the child seat assembly from the passenger seat, but without having to remove the child from his or her seat. [0010] In one embodiment, the child seating part is coupled to the child back rest part, for example through a hinge arrangement, to allow interchange between the first and second child seat configurations through unfolding and folding of these parts relative to one another (when unfolded the first child seat configuration is provided and when folded the second child seat configuration is provided). When the child seating part and the child seat back part are folded together, a compact and portable unit is provided for ease of carrying. When the child seating part and the child seat back part are unfolded, a seat configuration is provided for a child whether the child seat assembly is mounted within, or removed from, the passenger seat. [0011] In an alternative embodiment, the seating and back rest parts of the child seat assembly may be integrally formed from a suitably flexible material to allow unfolding and folding between the first and second child seat configurations. [0012] The passenger seat may include a seat base defining an internal volume within which the child seat assembly is accommodated, wherein the seat base is provided with a seat base mount and the child seat assembly is provided with at least one child seat mount for co-operation with said seat base mount to enable mounting of the child seat assembly thereon. When folded, the child seat assembly can be hidden from view within the internal volume of the seat base by lowering the passenger seat member to rest upon the seat base. [0013] In one embodiment, the child seat assembly includes first and second child seat ISOFIX mounts for co-operation with an ISOFIX-compatible support provided on the seat base (for example a rear-side bar). ISOFIX-type mounts are well known and provide a universal automotive industry standard for mounting child seats within vehicles. [0014] Additionally, the child seat back part may be provided with a releasable mounting means to permit the child back rest part to be mounted upon the passenger seat (e.g. the seat base thereof) in a removable fashion. [0015] If it is a requirement for larger children to be carried in child seat assembly, the passenger seat back may be provided with a movable section to define an opening for accommodating a seated child's legs and/or feet. The section of the seat back may be removable completely from the passenger seat back or may take the form of a flap section. [0016] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the vehicle seat assembly includes indication means for providing an indication of whether the passenger seat member is in the first or second position. For example, the indication means may include an electrical switch arrangement. [0017] The switch arrangement may be a push-type or on-off switch arrangement, wherein one switch part is mounted on a fixed part of the passenger seat and the other switch part is mounted on the movable passenger seat member. [0018] Alternatively, the switch arrangement may take the form of a tilt-type switch arrangement. [0019] In a further alternative embodiment, the switch arrangement takes the form of a latch arrangement including a first latch member which is mounted on the passenger seat member and co-operable with a second latch member, preferably mounted on a fixed part of the seat assembly. Thus, when the seat assembly adopts the first seat position to seat an adult passenger, the first latch member engages or otherwise co-operates with the second latch member, and when the first seat member is pivoted or otherwise opened such that it is inclined at an angle to the horizontal, the latch members are caused to disengage from one another. The latch means may take the form of electrical latch means, so that when the passenger seat member is moved out of a generally horizontal position, an electrical connection is broken, said electrical connection being re-established when the first seat member is lowered into the generally horizontal position causing said first and second latch members to engage. [0020] It may be preferable for a latch arrangement to be used, as opposed to an `on-off` switch, to ensure the switch arrangement remains latched securely when the first seat position is provided. It is a particular advantage that, when used in a vehicle provided with a passenger airbag, the indication means can be used to provide a disable signal to a vehicle airbag controller to automatically disable the passenger airbag function if a seat position is provided for seating a child. The provision of the latch means if particularly advantageous in that it prevents inadvertent disabling of the passenger airbag if an adult passenger is seated. [0021] Preferably, the passenger seat forms a front passenger seat of the vehicle, namely that seat mounted adjacent to a vehicle driver's seat. [0022] The child seat assembly preferably includes means for supporting a child's head to prevent unwanted lateral and/or angular movement thereof in the event of a side-vehicle impact. For example, said supporting means may take the form of a carry-handle. The handle may be of generally horse-shoe shape to envelope the child back rest part when in a handle-stowed position, and may be movable into a carrying position to enable convenient carrying of the child seat assembly when removed from the seat assembly. [0023] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a child seat assembly forming part of a vehicle seat assembly of the first aspect of the invention, wherein the child seat assembly is provided with a handle of the aforementioned type by which the child seat assembly may be carried. [0024] Preferably, the handle is movable between a stowed position, which is adopted in circumstances in which the seat position is provided for a child passenger, and a carrying position which is adopted in circumstances in which the child seat assembly is removed from the seat assembly altogether to be carried. Optionally, the handle may be coupled with a membrane which is movable with the handle so as to provide at least a partial cover for a child seated within the child seat assembly. For example, if the membrane is waterproof then a child being carried within the child seat assembly will be protected from rain. Continue reading about Vehicle seat assembly... Full patent description for Vehicle seat assembly Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Vehicle seat assembly patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Vehicle seat assembly or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Car seat Next Patent Application: Chair stabilizing device Industry Class: Chairs and seats ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Vehicle seat assembly patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.56546 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf 174 |
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