Child restraining seat for vehicle

Claim 2

A child safety seat, comprising: a seat frame having a seat portion and a backrest portion; pivot means projecting from the seat frame for pivotally securing the seat frame in a cut-out in the backrest of a vehicle seat for movement between an upright deployed position and a rearwardly retracted position, the backrest portion being adapted to be flush with the vehicle seat backrest in the upright, deployed position and to project to the rear of the vehicle seat in the rearwardly retracted position, the seat portion being adapted to be flush with the vehicle seat backrest in the rearwardly retracted position; the seat portion having a forward end, an upright column projecting upwardly from the forward end of the seat portion, the column having a housing at an upper end with an opening facing towards the backrest portion of the seat, a lid normally covering said opening, an inflatable air bag mounted in said housing facing said opening for extending out of said opening to restrain an occupant of the seat when inflated, and an air bag actuator device for inflating said air bag; electrical connector means extending from said air bag actuator device through said seat frame for connection to the trigger circuit of a vehicle air bag system, so that the child seat air bag is deployed whenever the vehicle driver side air bag is deployed; and tubing extending from the air bag actuator device through the column and seat frame out of the seat frame for carrying said electrical connector means.

Claim 3

The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air bag is shaped and dimensioned so that it will not cover the face of a child in the safety seat when inflated.

Claim 4

The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the column is releasably mounted on the seat frame for movement between a vertical extended position spaced forwardly from the seat portion of the seat and a vertical retracted position engaged with the seat portion, the column and seat portion having an interengageable latching mechanism for releasably locking the column in the retracted position.

Claim 5

The assembly claimed in claim 1, including a removable infant seat insert for selectively securing to the seat frame to carry small infants.

Claim 6

The assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat portion has an upper surface, a seat cushion on said upper surface, a lower surface, and a cushion on said lower surface which is flush with the vehicle seat backrest cushion when the seat is in the retracted position.

Claim 7

A child safety seat comprising: a seat frame having a seat portion and a backrest portion; pivot means projecting from the seat frame for pivotally securing the seat frame in a cut-out in the backrest of a vehicle seat for movement between an upright deployed position and a rearwardly retracted position, the backrest portion being adapted to be flush with the vehicle seat backrest in the upright, deployed position and to project to the rear of the vehicle seat in the rearwardly retracted position, the seat portion being adapted to be flush with the vehicle seat backrest in the rearwardly retracted position; the seat portion having a forward end, an upright column projecting upwardly from the forward end of the seat portion, the column having a housing at an upper end with an opening facing towards the backrest portion of the seat, a lid normally covering said opening, an inflatable air bag mounted in said housing facing said opening for extending out of said opening to restrain an occupant of the seat when inflated, and an air bag actuator device for inflating said air bag; electrical connector means extending from said air bag actuator device through said seat frame for connection to the trigger circuit of a vehicle air bag system, so that the child seat air bag is deployed whenever the vehicle driver side air bag is deployed; and said backrest portion having an upper end, a cover flap pivotally mounted on the upper end of the backrest portion for pivoting between an open position inclined upwardly from the upper end of the backrest portion and a closed position covering the upper end of the seat, the flap being adapted to be flush with the upper end of a vehicle seat backrest in the closed position, and securing means for releasably securing the cover flap to a vehicle rear window in the open position.

Claim 8

A child safety seat comprising: a seat frame having a seat portion and a backrest portion; pivot means projecting from the seat frame for pivotally securing the seat frame in a cut-out in the backrest of a vehicle seat for movement between an upright deployed position and a rearwardly retracted position, the backrest portion being adapted to be flush with the vehicle seat backrest in the upright, deployed position and to project to the rear of the vehicle seat in the rearwardly retracted position, the seat portion being adapted to be flush with the vehicle seat backrest in the rearwardly retracted position; the seat portion having a forward end, an upright column projecting upwardly from the forward end of the seat portion, the column having a housing at an upper end with an opening facing towards the backrest portion of the seat, a lid normally covering said opening, an inflatable air bag mounted in said housing facing said opening for extending out of said opening to restrain an occupant of the seat when inflated, and an air bag actuator device for inflating said air bag; electrical connector means extending from said air bag actuator device through said seat frame for connection to the trigger circuit of a vehicle air bag system, so that the child seat air bag is deployed whenever the vehicle driver side air bag is deployed; and said backrest portion having an upper end, a cover flap pivotally mounted on the upper end of the backrest portion for pivoting between an open position inclined upwardly from the upper end of the backrest portion and a closed position covering the upper end of the seat, the flap being adapted to be flush with the upper end of a vehicle seat backrest in the closed position, and securing means for releasably securing the cover flap to a vehicle rear window in the open position.

Claim 9

The seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cover flap has an inner face having a plurality of pockets for carrying child accessories.

Claim 10

The assembly as claimed in claim 1, including a removable drawer slidably in the seat portion of the seat frame for carrying accessories.

Claim 11

The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the column has an built-in TV set facing an occupant of the safety seat.