CHILD SAFETY ASSEMBLY

Abstract

The present inventive concept relates to a child safety assembly. The child safety assembly comprises: a base portion, to be placed on a vehicle seat and for holding a child safety seat and a brace, to be pressed against a backrest of the vehicle seat. The brace being connected to the base portion, for preventing the base portion from tilting from the vehicle seat. The child safety assembly further comprises tensioning means, extending from the brace and secured to the base portion, and a biasing mechanism, coupled to the tensioning means. The biasing mechanism provides, to the tensioning means, a tension which draws the brace in a direction downwards to the base portion for providing a pressure of the brace against the backrest of the vehicle seat.

Claims

1. A child safety assembly, comprising: a base portion, to be placed on a vehicle seat and for holding a child safety seat, a brace, to be pressed against a backrest of the vehicle seat, said brace being connected to said base portion, for preventing said base portion from tilting from the vehicle seat, tensioning means, extending from said brace and secured to said base portion, and a biasing mechanism, coupled to said tensioning means, wherein said biasing mechanism provides, to said tensioning means, a tension which draws said brace in a direction downwards to said base portion for providing a pressure of said brace against the backrest of the vehicle seat.

2. A child safety assembly according to claim 1, wherein said biasing mechanism comprises a movable component, adapted for rolling up said tensioning means, such that the length of said tensioning means between said movable component and said base portion is shortened, or for unrolling said tensioning means, such that the length of said tensioning means between said movable component and said base portion is extended.

3. A child safety assembly according to claim 2, wherein said movable component is a wheel and wherein said wheel is spring loaded, such that said tensioning means is urged to be automatically rolled up around said wheel.

4. A child safety assembly according to claim 2, wherein said biasing mechanism automatically provides a tension to said tensioning means, and wherein said biasing mechanism further comprises a manual regulator, for additional tensioning of said tensioning means.

5. A child safety assembly according to claim 4, wherein said manual regulator is connected to said movable component, and wherein activation of said manual regulator causes said tensioning means to be further rolled up around said movable component, such that said brace is further drawn in a direction downwards to said base portion and the pressure of said brace against the backrest of the vehicle seat is increased.

6. A child safety assembly according to claim 4, wherein said manual regulator comprises a torque overload protector which, when a predefined torque is reached, decouples the manual regulator from additional tensioning of the tensioning means.

7. A child safety assembly according to claim 4, wherein said manual regulator comprises indicating means, said indicating means giving a response when said predefined torque is reached, such that the user knows when to stop activating said manual regulator, and for preventing overload of said tensioning means.

8. A child safety assembly according claim 7, wherein said indicating means comprises a sound for indication to the user when to stop activating said manual regulator.

9. A child safety assembly according to claim 1, wherein said base portion further comprises: a pair of ISOFIX latches, adapted to be connected to a pair of ISOFIX connections of the vehicle seat, and a supporting leg, to be supported against the floor of the vehicle.

10. A child safety assembly according to claim 1, wherein said brace is pivotally connected to said base portion at a first location spaced apart from a second location where said tensioning means is secured to said base portion, such that said brace can be tilted towards or away from said base portion.

11. A child safety assembly according to claim 2, wherein said biasing mechanism further comprises a lock, adapted to prevent said tensioning means from being unrolled of said movable component.

12. A child safety assembly according to claim 11, wherein said lock is adapted to be automatically locked and manually unlocked such that a release of said biasing mechanism is controllable by a user.

13. A child safety assembly according to claim 1, wherein said tensioning means comprises at least one strap.

14. A child safety assembly according to claim 1, wherein said tensioning means are at least partly encompassed within said brace.

15. A child safety assembly according to claim 1, wherein said brace is shaped as a tubular profile and wherein said tensioning means are at least partly encompassed within said tubular profile.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] The present inventive concept will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing example embodiments, wherein:

[0072] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a child safety assembly according to at least one example embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0073] FIG. 2 illustrates, in a partly exploded view, a brace, tensioning means, and the exterior of a biasing mechanism according to at least one example embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0074] FIG. 3 illustrates the interior of a biasing mechanism comprising a movable component and a manual regulator according to at least one example embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0075] FIG. 4 illustrates, in a partly exploded view, a brace, tensioning means, and a biasing mechanism according to at least one example embodiment of the inventive concept;

[0076] FIG. 4a is a detailed view of FIG. 4;

[0077] FIG. 5 illustrates the brace of FIG. 2 in a perspective view according to at least one example embodiment of the inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0078] In the following description, the present inventive concept is described with reference to a child safety arrangement comprising a base portion, a brace, tensioning means, and a biasing mechanism.

[0079] FIG. 1 illustrates a child safety assembly 1. The child safety assembly 1 comprises a base portion 10, placed on a vehicle seat 70. The base portion 10 holds, in a rear facing position, a child safety seat 50 which may be releasably connected to the base portion 10. The base portion 10 may be connected to the vehicle seat 70 by a pair of ISOFIX latches 80. The child safety assembly 1 further comprises a supporting leg 90 which is connected to the base portion 10 and which acts as a support for the base portion 10. The supporting leg 90 being pressed against the floor of the vehicle.

[0080] The child safety assembly 1 further comprises a brace 20 to be pressed against the backrest 72 of the vehicle seat. Similar to the supporting leg 90, the brace 20 acts as a support for the base portion 10 and the brace 20 prevents the base portion 10 from tilting from the vehicle seat 70 in case of an accident. The brace 20 has the shape of an angular profile with a first length portion 26 extending, substantially parallel, along the base portion 10. An end of the first length portion 26 is, in FIG. 1, pivotally connected to the base portion 10 at a first location 22. The brace 20 is thus able to pivotally rotate relative the base portion 10 at the first location 22. When the child safety assembly 1 is to be inserted into the vehicle tilted, the brace 20 may be tilted against the base portion 10 for easier installation.

[0081] It should be understood that the brace according to the inventive concept does not need to have a U-shaped profile. Other shapes are possible, such as an arm, a bar or a T-shaped plate connected to the base portion.

[0082] The brace, in FIG. 1, further has a second length portion 28 connected to the first length portion 26. The second length portion is U-shaped and extends along the backrest 72 of the vehicle seat. Within the second length portion 28, tensioning means 30 are arranged. The tensioning means 30 are coupled to both the brace 20 and the base portion 10 and have a tension that forces the brace 20 in a downward direction. Consequently, the brace 20 is pressed against the backrest 72 of the vehicle seat. The higher the tension of the tensioning means 30, the higher will the pressure be between the brace 20 and the backrest 72 of the vehicle seat.

[0083] FIG. 1 also illustrates a biasing mechanism 40 connected to the brace 20 and the tensioning means 30.

[0084] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a brace 20 and tensioning means 30, in the shape of a strap, connected to a biasing mechanism 40. The biasing mechanism 40 comprises a movable component 42 which the tensioning means 30 are connected to and which the tensioning means 30 are arranged to be rolled around. The movable component 42 is located at the interior of the biasing mechanism 40. A spring 44, connected to the movable component 42, provides the tensioning means 30 to be automatically rolled up around the movable component 42.

[0085] The biasing mechanism 40 further comprises a manual regulator 60. The manual regulator 60 is arranged to manually adjust the tension of the tensioning means 30 and is located on the top of the brace 20. By activation of the manual regulator 60, the tension of the tensioning means is increasing.

[0086] Activation of the manual regulator comprises rotation of a knob 62 located on the outside of the biasing mechanism 40. The manual regulator 60 further comprises a first gear wheel 64 which is in connection with a second gear wheel 66 connected to the movable component 42. When the user activates the manual regulator, the first gear wheel 64 having a smaller diameter than the second gear wheel, provides a gear change to the second gear wheel. Hereby, the user can use reduced force in order to tension the brace 20 against the backrest 72 of the vehicle seat. Activation of the manual regulator 60 thus makes the tensioning means 30 to be further rolled up around the movable component 42. When the user rolls up the tensioning means 30, the length of the tensioning means between the base portion 10 and the biasing mechanism 40 decreases and consequently the tensioning of the tensioning means 30 increases.

[0087] FIGS. 4 and 4a illustrates, in a partly exploded view, a brace 20 and tensioning means 30 connected to a biasing mechanism 40. The biasing mechanism 40 comprises a movable component 42 which the tensioning means 30 are connected to and arranged for the tensioning means 30 to be rolled up around. The biasing mechanism 40 further comprises a lock 47 which prevents the tensioning means 30 from unrolling the movable component 42. The lock 47 is manually adjustable by a hand lever 48 located on the outside of the biasing mechanism 40. By regulating the hand lever 48 the lock 47 is released whereupon the tensioning means 30 is adapted to be unrolled of the movable component 42. The lock 47 is adapted to secure that the tension of the tensioning means 30 is kept at a constant level as long as the child security assembly 1 is in use. By releasing the lock 47 the user may tilt the brace 20 against the base portion 10.

[0088] FIG. 5 illustrates a brace 20 with tensioning means 30 encompassed within the brace 20. FIG. 5 further illustrates a biasing mechanism 40 coupled to the brace 20. In FIG. 5 a first portion 32 of the tensioning means 30 are arranged outside the brace 20. The end portion of the first portion 32 is arranged to be secured to a base portion 10. The tensioning means 30 secured to the base portion 10 forces the brace 20 in a downward direction.