Collapsible infant seat

Claim 1

A collapsible child's seat formed as part of a vehicle bench seat, said vehicle bench seat including a bench portion and an upright back, said collapsible child's seat comprising: a seat portion formed as a separate contoured padded slab connected at the lower end thereof to said upright back of said bench seat to be pivotable between a closed position, in which said seat portion forms a lower and a middle portion of said upright back of said bench seat and is flush with the remainder of said upright back, and an open position overlying said bench portion; said lower and middle portions of said upright back of said bench seat being formed with a recess therein to receive said child's seat portion when in the closed position, said recess having a width and depth substantially corresponding to the width and depth, respectively, of said child's seat portion, a back portion and sidewalls of said child's seat being fixed and being defined by respective side surfaces and a back surface of said recess; said back portion and said sidewalls of said child's seat being formed by the contour of said recess of said upright back when said child's seat portion overlays said bench portion; a U-shaped, pivotable, padded restraint means; bracket means disposed on either side of, and approximately at the midpoint in height of, said recess and pivotally connected to the frame of said vehicle to support said U-shaped, pivotable, padded restraint means which forms an upper part of, and is flush with, said upright back when said restraint means is not engaged, and which extends outwardly at an angle of approximately 90 degrees from said upright back when engaged; said U-shaped pivotable padded restraint means being vertically disposed over said child's seat, when engaged, to enclose an area above said child's seat to restrain movement of a child; fastening means for securing said child's seat portion in said open position overlaying said bench; and harness means, extending between said seat portion and said back portion formed in said recess, for strapping in an occupant of said collapsible child's seat.