CHILD SAFETY SEAT FOR ATTACHING TO A MOTOR VEHICLE SEAT

Abstract

The invention relates to a child safety seat for attaching to a motor vehicle seat, comprising a seat region, a back portion, an impact shield, the impact shield comprising an integrated airbag and/or an airbag being provided in the seat region, an acceleration-sensing device for sensing an acceleration of the child safety seat, and a control device, which is configured in such a way that the airbag is deployed on the basis of an acceleration sensed by the acceleration-sensing device.

Claims

1. A child safety seat for attaching to a motor vehicle seat, comprising: a seat region, a back portion, an acceleration sensor configured for sensing an acceleration of the seat, and at least one of: an impact shield and a shield positioning apparatus configured for positioning the impact shield, wherein the acceleration sensor is configured to activate the shield positioning apparatus to position the seat in response to a predetermined acceleration, and a belt system and a belt tensioner, wherein the acceleration sensor is configured to activate the belt tensioner to tighten the belt system in response to a predetermined acceleration, and a seat anchor system and an anchor positioning apparatus, wherein the acceleration sensor is configured to activate an anchor positioning apparatus to position the seat anchor system in response to a predetermined acceleration.

2. The child safety seat of claim 1 further including an airbag integrated in the impact shield or in the seat region.

3. The child safety seat of claim 2 wherein the airbag is configured for deployment based on the predetermined acceleration.

4. The child safety seat of claim 2 wherein the airbag is integrated in the seat region and further including a control device coupled to the acceleration sensor and coupled to the airbag and wherein the airbag is deployed based on acceleration sensed by the acceleration sensor.

5. The child safety seat of claim 1 wherein the impact shield includes an integrated distance increasing device coupled to a control device, and wherein the impact shield includes a first section and a second section and wherein the impact shield is fastened to the seat in a region of the first section, and wherein upon sensing the predetermined acceleration, the distance increasing device is displaced in a direction away from the first section and wherein the distance increasing device includes an airbag.

6. The child safety seat according to claim 4, wherein the control device is configured to deploy the airbag on an acceleration threshold value of at least 2

7. The child safety seat according to claim 2, wherein in the event of activation, the airbag is forced downwards and to the rear.

8. The child safety seat according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration sensor is affixed at a location in or on an anchoring device, wherein the anchoring device is coupled to the seat region or coupled to the back portion.

9. The child safety seat according to claim 4, wherein the control device and the acceleration sensor are connected by cables or connected wirelessly.

10. The child safety seat according to claim 4, wherein the impact shield is retained by a vehicle belt system or by a retaining device coupled by a tether and wherein the retaining device is connected to the control device by a cable.

11. The child safety seat according to claim 1, further comprising a force limiter coupled to a restraining belt, wherein a threshold value of the force limiter is greater than a threshold value of a positioning device of the belt tensioner.

12. The child safety seat according to claim 1, further comprising a side impact protection structure.

13. The child safety seat according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration sensor is integrated in the child safety seat.

14. A method for operating a child safety seat attached to a motor vehicle seat, the method comprising: arranging a seat region of the child safety seat and a back portion of the child safety seat relative to the motor vehicle seat; configuring an acceleration sensor to sense acceleration of the safety seat; sensing acceleration using the acceleration sensor and upon detecting a predetermined acceleration, activating the child safety seat, wherein activating the child safety seat includes at least one of: using a shield positioning apparatus configured to position an impact shield coupled to the child safety seat, using a belt tensioner apparatus configured to tighten a belt system of the child safety seat, and using an anchor positioning apparatus configured to position a seat anchor system of the child safety seat.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the child safety seat includes a distance increasing device coupled to the impact shield, and further including, upon detecting the predetermined acceleration, activating the distance increasing device.

16. The method of claim 14 further including arranging the acceleration sensor on the child safety seat.

Description

[0054] In the following text, the invention will be described using exemplary embodiments thereof, which will be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

[0055] FIG. 1. shows a schematic side view (with partial cutaway) of a child safety seat according to the invention according to a first embodiment in a first state;

[0056] FIG. 2 shows the child safety seat of FIG. 1 in a second state;

[0057] FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view (with partial cutaway) of a child safety seat according to the invention according to a second embodiment in a first state;

[0058] FIG. 4 shows the child safety seat of FIG. 3 in a second state;

[0059] FIG. 5 shows a schematic side view (with partial cutaway) of a third embodiment of the child safety seat in a first state;

[0060] FIG. 6 shows the child safety seat of FIG. 5 in a second state;

[0061] FIG. 7 shows a schematic side view (with partial cutaway) of a fourth embodiment of the child safety seat according to the invention in a first state;

[0062] FIG. 8 shows the child safety seat of FIG. 7 in a second state;

[0063] FIG. 9 shows a schematic side view (with partial cutaway) of a fifth embodiment of the child safety seat according to the invention in a first (non-activated) state;

[0064] FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of a belt tensioner according to a first embodiment;

[0065] FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a belt tensioner according to a second embodiment;

[0066] FIG. 12 is a schematic representation of a third embodiment or a belt tensioner; and

[0067] FIG. 13 shows a fourth embodiment of a belt tensioner according to the invention.

[0068] In the following description, the same reference numbers are used for identical parts and parts with equivalent function.

[0069] FIG. 1 shows a child safety seat with a backrest 10 and a seat region 11. The child safety seat further comprises a base 12 and a support leg 13 as optional elements.

[0070] An airbag 15 is provided in an impact shield 14 (in an upper section or adjoining an upper surface). In FIG. 1 the airbag 15 is in the non-activated state. An acceleration sensor 17 (not shown in detail) is arranged in a seat anchorage 16. The acceleration sensor 17 is connected to a control device 19 (not shown in detail) via cable 18, which control device triggers the airbag 15 (when a predetermined acceleration threshold value is exceeded).

[0071] The activated state is shown in FIG. 2. As may be discerned in that figure, the airbag is activated upwards and to the rear, so that (in the event of a frontal collision) the child's head and chest will be protected. Cables 18 are not shown in FIG. 2 for the sake of simplicity.

[0072] The embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4 is basically the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. In this case, the airbag 15a is fitted on the bottom side, not the top side. The bottom-fitted airbag 15a is fitted in a lower section of the impact shield 14 and in particular borders a lower surface of the impact shield 14. When deployed (see FIG. 4), the airbag inflates towards the child's legs and pelvis/hips. This ensures in particular that the child is retained securely in place not only by friction or a squeezing action between the seat region and the impact shield, but also by a backward pressing action of the airbag (towards the child's pelvis), and “submarining” (slipping out under the impact shield) is effectively prevented.

[0073] The embodiment according to FIGS. 5 and 6 is also (substantially) the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, with the following differences. In this case, no airbag is fitted in the impact shield 14 (although an airbag similar to the one in FIG. 1 and/or 3 may be provided). However, an airbag 15b is provided in the seat region 11 (and in the non-activated state at least, only inside a front half of the seat region 11). The airbag 15b adjoins an upper surface of the seat regions 11 an (in a front area). When deployed (see FIG. 6), the airbag presses or acts obliquely towards the rear. This has the effect of both preventing the child from sliding under the impact shield (or reducing the risk of this happening). Because of the rearward action, here too the child is restrained by corresponding counterpressure of the airbag, and not only by the squeezing action but also by a correspondingly acting counterpressure towards the rear. The control device (not shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 5) for deploying the airbag may be arranged for example in the seat region 11 beside the airbag and (similarly to FIGS. 1 to 4) it may be connected to the acceleration sensor 17 by corresponding cables. In all cases, a wireless connection may also be created instead of a cable connection in all embodiments.

[0074] The embodiment according to FIGS. 7 and 8 is substantially the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, with the following differences. In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, no airbag 15, 15a is provided in either the top or the bottom side (although they may be provided individually or in combination), instead an airbag 15c is arranged between a first Section 20 and a second Section 21. The first Section 20 is an upper section, the second section 21 is a lower section. The two sections 20, 21 may be opened out towards each other. If the airbag is activated (see FIG. 8) first section 20 and second section 21 are forced apart. As is also shown in FIG. 8, the side profile of the impact shield 14 is U-shaped (at least when it is deployed). The (deployed) airbag is arranged inside the leg of the U. Moreover, a belt guide 22 for a tether 23 may also be routed inside the U.

[0075] FIG. 9 shows a further embodiment which corresponds to a combination of the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 3. Accordingly, in this embodiment both an upper side airbag 15 and a lower side airbag 15a are provided. Regarding the effects of airbags 15, 15a reference is made to the description of FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0076] FIG. 10 is a perspective schematic view of a belt tensioner according to the invention. The belt tensioner 24 cooperates with a control device 25 (which may be provided additionally with regard to the aforementioned control device 19 or may be at least partly embodied thereby) and an acceleration sensing device and acceleration sensor 26 (which may be provided additionally with regard to the aforementioned acceleration sensing device and the aforementioned acceleration sensor or may be at least partly embodied thereby) in such a way that when a predetermined acceleration limit value is exceeded the controller 25 actuates the belt tensioner 24 so that it exerts a tensile force on lap belts 27.

[0077] The control device 25 and/or the acceleration sensing device and acceleration sensor 26 may be integrated in the belt tensioner or provided separately. The lap belts may be lower sections of combined lap-shoulder belts or they may be structurally separated (e.g., by an optionally rigid coupling element, which may include a tongue) from the shoulder belts.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 10 particularly the child's legs and pelvis may be held down (in the event of an accident, for example).

[0079] The embodiment of FIG. 11 is substantially the same as the embodiment according to FIG. 10, although in this case no (direct) tensile force is applied to the lap belts 27, but instead a tensile force is applied to an adjustable strap 28, so that shoulder straps 29 (mainly) are tightened (further) indirectly. The adjustable strap 28 is preferably an extension of the (particularly described earlier) shoulder straps 29 and is optionally connected therewith via a coupling element (e.g., having at least three or exactly three slots).

[0080] The embodiment according to Fig. FIG. 12 is a combination of the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11, to the extent that a corresponding tensile force is exerted (directly) both on the adjustable strap 28 and on the lap belts 27.

[0081] To enable the tensile force to be applied, the corresponding belts or heft sections pass (in the embodiments according to FIGS. 10 to 13) through a (here preferably triangular) eyelet 29 which is connected or connectible to the belt tensioner 24.

[0082] FIG. 13 shows a solution in which a (direct) tensile force is also (as in FIG. 11) applied to adjustable strap 28 (and thus indirectly mainly to the shoulder straps 29), with the effect that the corresponding belts are tightened. A tensile force is also exerted on a seat anchorage 16, which has the effect of holding the child safety seat dose against the backrest of a motor vehicle seats (or pressing it closer to the backrest) (if the predetermined acceleration threshold value is exceeded).

[0083] Alternatively, it is possible for the tensioner to only act on the seat anchorage 16; or on the seat anchorage 16 and the adjustable strap and the lap belts 27; or on the seat anchorage 16 and the lap belts 27. If a certain acceleration is detected, the respective elements are pulled (or pushed) (relative to the other components of the child safety seat or a main body of the child safety seat), in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGS. 10 to 13.

[0084] The respective control device may be an electronic control device.

[0085] At this point it should be noted that all of the parts described in the preceding text, in particular the details represented in the drawings, are claimed as essential to the invention both individually and in any combination. Variations thereof will be familiar to those skilled in the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0086] 10 Backrest [0087] 11 Seat region [0088] 12 Base [0089] 13 Support leg [0090] 14 Impact shield [0091] 15 Airbag [0092] 15a Airbag [0093] 15b Airbag [0094] 15c Airbag [0095] 16 Seat anchorage [0096] 17 Acceleration sensor [0097] 18 Cable [0098] 19 Control device [0099] 20 First section [0100] 21 Second section [0101] 22 Belt guide [0102] 23 Tether [0103] 24 Belt tensioner [0104] 25 Control device [0105] 26 Acceleration sensor [0106] 27 Lap belt [0107] 28 Adjustable strap [0108] 29 Shoulder strap [0109] 30 Eyelet