This invention relates to an infant car seat including a foldable handle that may be rotated between a carrying position (in which an infant in the car seat may be carried) and a storage position (in which access to a seating area in the car seat is facilitated).
Rear-facing infant car seats generally include a base that can be secured to a vehicle seat and an infant carrier detachably coupled to the base. The infant carrier has a carrying handle so that a parent can carry a sleeping child from car to home without disturbing the child. The infant carrier also can be snapped onto a stroller to make a travel system. Thus, the infant carrier can play an important part in daily parental care of a child, and ease of use of the infant carrier is critical to parents.
When a parent wants to place a child in the carrier, the carrying handle needs to be away from the child seating area (i.e., in the stored position) so the child can be secured safely in the carrier. Carriers with handles generally have a handle lock on each side of the carrier, both of which must be released to rotate the handle away from the child seating area. Oftentimes, the handle is left in the up (or carrying) position. When the parent goes to place the child in the carrier, the parent cannot simultaneously manipulate the handle and hold the child. Instead, the parent must set the child down, away from the carrier, then use both hands to unlock and rotate the handle away from the child seating area, and finally lift and place the child in the carrier. This sequence can be awkward, frustrating, and time-consuming for the parent.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for an infant carrier with an improved handle release and rotation mechanism.
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a carrier configured to be secured to a base of an infant seat. This carrier includes, among other possible things: a seat shell including an infant seating area and first and second handle mounts on opposite sides of the infant seating area; a handle rotatably coupled to the seat shell such that first and second ends of the handle are mounted to the first and second handle mounts, respectively; first and second locking mechanisms associated with the first and second ends of the handle, respectively, the first and second locking mechanisms being configured to lock the handle relative to the seat shell; and an actuator mounted to the handle, the actuator being configured to unlock the first and second locking mechanisms solely by moving the actuator from a locked position to an unlocked position relative to the handle.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an infant carrier that includes, among other possible things: a seat shell including an infant seating area, a first handle mount, and a second handle mount; a handle rotatably coupled to the first and second handle mounts; first and second locking mechanisms associated with the first and second handle mounts, respectively, the first and second locking mechanisms being configured to lock the handle relative to the seat shell; and an actuator assembly that is mounted to the handle, the actuator assembly being configured to engage and disengage the first and second locking mechanisms thereby enabling the handle to rotate with respect to the seat shell.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a carrier configured to be secured to a base of an infant seat. This carrier includes, among other possible things: a seat shell including an infant seating area and first and second handle mounts on opposite sides of the infant seating area; a handle rotatably coupled to the seat shell such that first and second ends of the handle are mounted to the first and second handle mounts, respectively; at least one locking mechanism associated with one of the first and second ends of the handle, the at least one locking mechanism being configured to lock the handle relative to the seat shell; and an actuator provided in the handle in a position intermediate the first and second ends of the handle, the actuator being configured to unlock the at least one locking mechanism solely by moving the actuator from a locked position to an unlocked position relative to the handle.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to an infant carrier that includes, among other possible things: a seat shell including an infant seating area, a first handle mount, and a second handle mount; a handle rotatably coupled to the first and second handle mounts; at least one locking mechanism associated with one of the first and second handle mounts, the at least one locking mechanism being configured to lock the handle relative to the seat shell; and an actuator mounted to the handle, the actuator being configured to unlock all of the locking mechanisms solely by moving the actuator from a locked position to an unlocked position relative to the handle.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. An effort has been made to use the same reference numbers throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
The carrier 100 includes a seat shell 120, a padded seating portion 105 serving as an infant seating area, an adjustable handle 110, a handle gripping portion 112, and a handle actuator 820. The handle gripping portion 112, which extends along a substantial portion of the horizontal portion of adjustable handle 110, allows a person carrying the carrier 100 to grip the handle 110 comfortably at any point along the handle gripping portion 112.
The handle 110 is connected to the seat shell 120 at two handle ends 118, each of which contains a locking mechanism 200 (shown in
The seat shell 120 and the adjustable handle 110 may be constructed of any appropriate rigid material. For example, the seat shell 120 and the adjustable handle 110 may be constructed of metal or a high-strength plastic such as an injection molded plastic.
The locking member 220 includes a recess portion 221, a conical portion 222, a cylindrical portion 224, alignment locking tabs 227, a plurality of teeth 229, which include at least one key tooth 228, and over-rotation prevention tabs 226. The locking member 220 may be constructed of any appropriate rigid material. For example, locking member 220 may be constructed of metal or a high-strength plastic such as an injection molded plastic.
The handle 110 includes the locking member receiving portion 210, which, in turn, includes over-rotation prevention tabs 212 and locking ridges 216. Small gaps 218 and large gaps 214 are formed between locking ridges 216. The large gaps 214 are configured to engage the at least one key tooth 228, or two teeth 229. In contrast, the small gaps 218 are configured to engage a single tooth 229 and will not receive the key tooth 228 due to their size. The over-rotation prevention tabs 212 are configured to engage the over-rotation prevention tabs 226 of the locking member 220 to limit the extent of rotation of the handle 110 with respect to locking member 220. The handle 110 and associated components of the locking mechanism 200 may be constructed of any appropriate rigid material. For example, the handle 110 and its locking member receiving portion 210, including tabs 212 and locking ridges 216, may be constructed of metal or a high-strength plastic such as an injection molded plastic.
Locking mechanism 200 also may include a biasing spring 230 to urge the conical portion 222 of the locking member 220 towards the locking member receiving portion 210 of the handle 110. The handle mount 240 can receive one end of the biasing spring 230. The other end of the spring 230 can be received in the recess 221 in the locking member 220. Thus, the biasing spring 230 biases the locking member 220 and its conical portion 222 toward the handle 110. More specifically, the biasing spring 230 biases the locking member 220 so that it is partially received in the locking member receiving portion 210 of the handle 110, whereas the remainder of the locking member 220 is received in the handle mount 240. As the biasing spring 230 biases the locking member 220 to engage both the locking member receiving portion 210 of the handle 110 and the handle mount 240, movement of the locking member receiving portion 210 (and, therefore, the handle 110) with respect to the handle mount 240 can be releasably inhibited.
With reference to
Adjustment of the handle 110 of the carrier 100 now will be described in detail with reference to actuator assembly embodiments shown in
As stated above, the locking mechanism 200 can include the locking member 220, the locking member receiving portion 210, the spring 230, and the handle mount 240. A cord engagement member 250 can interface with the locking member 220.
As shown in
By comparison, in an actuated state shown in
When the conical portion 222 is moved laterally to the position in
When the locking member 220 is completely housed in the handle mount 240, the locking member 220 is corresponding completely disengaged from the locking member receiving portion 210 of the handle 110. As a result, the handle 110 is able to rotate with respect to the locking member 220 and the handle mount 240. For example, the handle 110 may be rotated from the carrying position (shown in
When the handle 110 is rotated to a desired position at which the key teeth 228 are aligned with the large gaps 214 in the locking member receiving portion 210 of the handle 110, the locking member 220 may be returned to the resting state, as later described in detail. To return the locking member 220 to the resting state, the biasing spring 230 pushes the locking member 220 into the locking member receiving portion 210 of the handle 110, thereby once again locking the handle 110 with respect to the locking member 220 and the handle mount 240.
To move the conical portion 222 of the locking member 220 between the resting and actuated positions, the invention contemplates an actuator assembly, such as the embodiments shown in
An exemplary actuator assembly 800 is shown in
Actuator assembly 800 can include a cord 810 that terminates at cord engagement member 250 (shown in more detail in
As shown in
As the cord connector 830 moves toward the center of the handle 110, it pulls the cord 810 and, in turn, the cord engagement member 250 toward the center 160 of the handle 110. As a result, the cord engagement member 250 moves in the direction of arrow ω, shown in
To return the locking member 220 to the resting state shown in
Another actuator assembly 900 is shown in
The slide actuator 920, like the push-button actuator 820, is provided in the center 160 of the handle 110. The slide actuator 920 is fixedly connected to a front rack 922 that, in turn, is fixedly connected to a cord 810A that extends to a cord engagement member 250 (not shown in
The front rack 922 includes a plurality of recesses 923 that are sized to receive teeth 942 that extend around the pinion 940. Similar to the front rack 922, the rear rack 924 also includes a plurality of recess 925 that are sized to receive the teeth 942 of the pinion 940. Moreover, the rear rack 924 is similarly fixedly connected to the other cord 810B.
To actuate the slide actuator assembly 900, a tab 930 projecting from the slide actuator 920 can be pushed in the direction of the horizontal portion of the handle 110, i.e., in the direction of arrow β. When the tab 930 is pushed, the front rack 930 (and the cord 810A attached thereto) likewise is moved in the direction of arrow β. As the axis of rotation R of the pinion 940 is fixed, when the front rack 922 moves in the direction of arrow β, the recesses 923, which are engaged with the teeth 942 of the pinion 940, cause the pinion 940 to rotate about its axis of rotation R. In turn, the rotation of the pinion 940 drives the teeth 942 into the recess 925 of the rear rack 924, thereby causing the rear rack 924 (and the cord 810B attached thereto) to move in the direction of arrow η. As a result, both cords 810A, 810B are pulled toward the center 160 of the handle 110 in a manner similar to that previously described with respect to the push-button actuator assembly 800. Moreover, as a result of the movement of the cords 810A, 810B toward the center 160 of the handle, the actuator assembly 900 goes from a resting state shown in
To return to the resting state of
Other actuation assembly mechanisms are contemplated. For example, instead of a push-button assembly 800 or a slide assembly 900, a twisting or rotating mechanism could be used. The moving members 114 of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B of U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,284, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, are two examples of twisting or rotating members that could be used in a one-hand actuation assembly according to the present invention.
Although the actuators of the above-described actuator assemblies are located at the center of the handle, it will be understood that, in other embodiments, the actuator can be located elsewhere on the handle, doe example, at either end of the handle or at a location intermediate the ends of the handle.
It will be understood that the carrier 100 can be used in a variety of vehicles, including but not limited to cars, trucks, buses, and airplanes. Moreover, the adjustable handle is easily operable and may automatically return to a locked position upon rotation of the handle to a selected position. In addition, because the locking member can engage the adjustable handle over a large surface area, preferably over its entire circumference (i.e., 360 degrees), the adjustable handle assembly may be able to withstand greater forces without failure.
The embodiments set forth herein were for purposes of illustration. This description, however, should not be deemed to be a limitation on the scope of the invention. Various modifications, adaptations, and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art, without departing from the claimed inventive concept. The true scope and spirit of the invention are indicated by the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/525,849, filed Dec. 1, 2003, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/561,530, filed Apr. 13, 2004, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60525849 | Dec 2003 | US | |
60561530 | Apr 2004 | US |