AU2020203913A1

AU2020203913A1 - A Child Restraint for a Vehicle

Info

Publication number: AU2020203913A1
Application number: AU2020203913A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Horsfall; Richard Horsfall
Original assignee: Hbg Ip Holding Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Hbg Ip Holding Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2011-09-06
Filing date: 2020-06-12
Publication date: 2020-07-02
Also published as: AU2015200846B2; AU2015200846A1; AU2017200566A1

Abstract

There is disclosed a child safety seat 40 for a vehicle having a base portion 42 and a backrest portion 44. The base portion 42 has a frame member 46 with at least one void formed therein for receiving a body of substantially rigid lightweight material 5 47 configured to form a support surface to support a child seated within the child safety seat 40. The base portion 42 and/or the backrest portion 44 includes means to provide structural integrity. The overall weight of the child safety seat 40 is 2 kg or less. 10 4 4 4 ci e 4 4 4 -o

Description

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A Child Restraint for a Vehicle

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a child restraint for use in a vehicle, and in particular, to a booster seat for receiving and supporting a child travelling in a vehicle.

DIVISIONAL STATUS

This application is divided from application 2017200566, divided from 2015200846, which in turn is divided from 2012211518, which is divided from 2011221355. The contents of the specification of each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND ART

Child restraints have been developed to improve the safety of children travelling in vehicles. A variety of different types of child restraints have been developed for this purpose, with most child restraints consisting of a seat or chair which is supported on a rear seat of a vehicle, for receiving the child therein.

There exist a variety of types of child safety seats that are approved for use with children of a variety of ages and/or sizes. Type A seats typically refer to rear facing seats or capsules suitable for accommodating babies/infants up to around 6 months of age and/or 70 cm in length and up to 12 kg. Type B seats typically refer to forward facing seats used to accommodate toddlers and young children from approximately 6 months to 4 years, or from 8 - 18 kg. Type E seats typically refer to booster seats and booster cushions used to accommodate children between 4 - 8 years old, or approximately from 14 - 32 kg, and which are typically used in combination with the vehicle seat belt. Some seats may be a combination type A/B or B/E to accommodate a child as the child grows thereby avoiding the need to purchase, or otherwise source, a variety of different seats to accommodate a growing child.

Type E or booster seats are typically designed for a child who has outgrown a Type B child safety seat but is too small to safely use a vehicle seat belt as a sole means of restraint. The term "booster seat" is descriptive of the function that the seat performs, mainly to elevate or "boost" the child above the surface of the vehicle seat such that the seat belt of the vehicle can be extended across the child in a safe manner. Typically, when a child's eyes are below the level of the top of the rear seat of the vehicle when normally seated on the vehicle seat, a booster seat is recommended to enable a child to safely use the vehicle seat belt. More recently, in countries such as Australia, more specific road laws and legislation have been

I introduced to stipulate age ranges of children that require a booster seat when travelling in a vehicle.

As discussed above, Type E or booster seats typically take a variety of forms. Early designs of such booster seats include cushions or pedestals configured to be placed upon the surface of the vehicle seat for the child to sit upon to elevate the child to a desired height suitable for using the vehicle seat belt. The vehicle seat belt is then employed to restrain the child in position upon the seat, with the lap belt portion of the vehicle seat belt extending across the child's lap and the sash belt portion of the vehicle seat belt extending across the child's chest. Whilst such cushions or pedestals have proven effective in elevating the child above the 1o surface of the seat, they offer little protection to the child in terms of back support and side impact protection.

Booster seats having a shell and backrest have been developed to provide back support to the child and side impact protection. Such booster seats typically have side wings which extend laterally about the child for protection and the vehicle seat belt is fitted about the seat to restrain both the child and the seat in position on the vehicle seat. These seats have traditionally been made from a lightweight plastic material, such as polystyrene. However, such seats made substantially from polystyrene or similar material have a tendency to split or break-up under forces associated with a vehicle accident or the like, significantly compromising the safety of the child restrained therein. Typically, the region between the base of the seat and the backrest of the seat becomes split in such seats.

In order to increase the strength of booster seats, sturdier and heavier materials have been employed, such as dense injection-moulded plastics. However, increasing the weight of the booster seat has also created safety problems. Heavier booster seats experience greater momentum of force during an accident, which, when combined with the weight of the child seated therein, can result in greater forces being exerted by the child against the vehicle seat belt. Such increased forces can cause significant damage to the internal organs of the child and in some instances, may be fatal.

In countries such as Australia, regulations have been put in place to ensure that all booster seats over 2 Kg in weight are tethered in position on the vehicle seat. Whilst tethering has proven effective in improving the safety of the child and restraining movement of the booster seat on the surface of the vehicle seat, a tethered booster seat significantly reduces the useability and portable nature of the booster seat. Hence, in order to remove or reposition the seat it is necessary to disengage the tether from the vehicle anchorage point which can be an onerous task to perform, especially in limited space as is often the case with vehicles. Further, as tethered booster seats are traditionally rigid in shape and form, they are typically not readily able to be stored in a position that is out of the way, such as the trunk or boot of the vehicle when not in use.

There is a need to provide a Type E or booster seat arrangement that has sufficient lightweight properties so as not to require the use of a tether strap and which has sufficient structural stability to withstand forces associated with a vehicle accident.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge

in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or

well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but

one part.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided a child safety seat for a vehicle, the seat being of the type in which in use a child in the seat is secured by a vehicle seat belt extending over the lap of the child, the seat having:

a base portion; and

a backrest portion having:

- an inner surface for supporting the child;

- an outer surface;

- an upper region for supporting the head of the child;

- an intermediate region generally corresponding in use to the neck of the child; and

- a side region on either side of the backrest portion;

wherein the base portion has a frame member with at least one void formed therein for receiving a body of substantially rigid lightweight material configured to form a

support surface to support a child seated within the child safety seat;

and wherein the base portion and/or the backrest portion include means to provide structural integrity;

the overall weight of the child safety seat being 2 kg or less;

but excluding a child safety seat in which the frame member is embedded in the body of lightweight material.

In one embodiment, the body of substantially rigid lightweight material is received in a shell

of lightweight plastic material. The body of lightweight material may be contoured to form a

support surface of desired structural shape to support a child seated with the child safety

seat.

The body of lightweight material may be a body of polystyrene.

The base portion may have design features to provide additional structural integrity. This may include increased thickness in the shell at the bottom of the base portion

The seat may have a cover shaped to provide comfort to the child seated therein and for aesthetic purposes.

1o In one embodiment the backrest portion has an inner surface wherein the back of the child is received and also an outer surface which is configured to be received against the upright

portion of the vehicle seat.

On the backrest portion, a first pair of laterally projecting wings may be located adjacent a head region of the child and a second pair of laterally projecting wings may be located adjacent the torso of the child.

Preferably, the outer surface and/or the inner surface includes one or more support members. The configuration of the support members may allow for designing the backrest

portion with varying thickness of plastic although still achieving the required strength, rigidity and structural integrity to withstand the forces experienced in an accident situation.

In one embodiment, the base portion is pivotally mounted to the backrest portion.

The base portion may comprise a surface upon which a child is to be seated. The surface of the base portion may have a plurality of holes formed therein, extending through the base portion from a top surface to a bottom surface. The bottom surface of the base portion may have one or more strengthening fins formed thereon to provide enhanced structural integrity to the surface of the base portion.

The backrest portion may have the plurality of removed portions formed therein. The removed portions may comprise a plurality of holes formed through the backrest, along the height of the backrest portion. The holes may be arranged in an array extending over the surface of the backrest portion from an inner surface against which a child's back is received to an outer surface.

A

One or more reinforcing struts may be formed along the outer surface of the backrest portion to enhance the strength of the backrest portion. The one or more reinforcing struts may extend substantially parallel to a central axis of the backrest portion. In a preferred form, three reinforcing struts are provided on the outer surface of the backrest portion.

The base portion may be foldable with respect to the backrest portion such that the base portion is received within one or more lateral wings of the backrest portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the backrest portion and the base portion are made from polypropylene formed in an injection moulding process. The thickness of the backrest portion and the base portion may be within the range of approximately 1 - 5 mm, more preferably 1.5 - 3 mm, and still more preferably approximately 1.5mm.

In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a child safety seat for a vehicle comprising:

a base portion; and

a backrest portion, wherein the base portion and/or the backrest portion is configured such that the overall weight of the child safety seat is less than 2 Kg without a significant reduction of the structural integrity of the child safety seat.

In one embodiment, the base portion and/or the backrest portion may comprise a frame member that defines the structure of the base portion or backrest portion. In another embodiment, the frame member may have at least one void formed therein, the at least one void may be located in a central region of the frame member.

At least one piece of lightweight material may be provided to extend over the at least one void to form a support surface to support a child seated within the child safety seat. The at least one piece of lightweight material may be in the form of a piece of flexible woven or non woven material that is secured to the frame member so as to be supported to extend over the at least one void. In a preferred form, the at least one piece of lightweight material may be a mesh material.

In another embodiment, the base portion and or the backrest portion may comprise a body of lightweight material encased in an external skin. The body of lightweight material may be a body of polystyrene formed to assume a shape of the base portion or backrest portion. The external skin may be a lightweight plastic material extending about the body of polystyrene. The lightweight plastic material may be injection moulded about the body of polystyrene to substantially encapsulate the body of polystyrene therein.

In another embodiment, the base portion and or the backrest portion may comprise a body having one or more regions of reduced thickness. The one or more regions of reduced thickness may be formed in one or more walls of the body. The one or more regions of reduced thickness may be supported by one or more support structures that provide structural support to the one or more regions of reduced thickness such that the one or more regions of reduced thickness can at least partially support a weight of a child thereon. The one or more support structures may comprise one or more vertical and/or horizontal support members configured to be in contact therewith.

In one embodiment, the base portion may be pivotally mounted to the backrest portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of 1o preferred embodiments, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a Type E child safety seat in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the Type E child safety seat of Figure 1 in a folded position;

Figure 3 is a front view of the Type E child safety seat of Figures 1 and 2 in the folded position;

Figure 4 is a top view of a Type E child safety seat in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 is an underside view of the Type E child safety seat of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a front perspective view of a Type E child safety seat of Figures 4 and 5;

Figure 7 is a rear perspective view of the Type E child safety seat of Figure 6;

Figures 8A- 8C are front, side and rear views of a Type E child safety seat in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 8D is a top view of the child safety seat of Figures 8A- 8C incorporating a base portion in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 8E and 8F are bottom and top views respectively of the child safety seat of Figures 8A - 8C incorporating a base portion in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 9A- 9E show front, side, rear, bottom and top views respectively of a Type E child safety seat in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

Figures 10A - 10C show front, side and rear views respectively of a Type E child safety seat in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

The present invention will be described below in relation to a Type-E child safety seat or booster seat for use in a vehicle in a forward facing manner. However, it will be appreciated 1o that the present invention could be equally applicable for use in a variety of different modes of child safety seats, including Type A/B, Type A/B/E etc, and still fall within the spirit of the present invention. Further, the present invention will be described below in relation to a vehicle undergoing an accident. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention can be used in a variety of vehicle situations, such as sudden breaking or acceleration of the vehicle where a child can be exposed to potentially harmful forces, without the need for the vehicle to be involved in an accident or collision.

Whilst the present invention has been described in relation to a seat shell, it will be appreciated that in use, a cover will generally be employed over the seat shell to provide comfort to the child seated therein, and for aesthetic purposes.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, a side view of a booster seat 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The booster seat 10 comprises a base portion 12 that is configured to be received on a surface of a vehicle seat (not shown). In use the base portion 12 defines a front edge 12a and a rear edge 12b. The rear edge 12b is arranged to be located adjacent the backrest of a vehicle seat, when the booster seat is positioned in a vehicle for use.

The base portion 12 has an upper surface 13 upon which the child is received. The upper surface 13 is contoured so as to provide a degree of comfort to a child seated thereon. Padding or cushioning material may be provided on the upper surface 13 to enhance the child's comfort. A lower or under surface 14 of the base portion 12 is configured to be positioned against the upper surface of the vehicle seat (not shown). As will be discussed in more detail below, the under surface 14 of the base portion 12 has substantially flat portions 15 that contact the upper surface of the vehicle seat to reduce the likelihood of damage occurring to the upper surface of the vehicle seat during use.

A backrest portion 16 is pivotally mounted to the base portion 12 along the rear edge 12b thereof. Whilst not specifically shown, the manner in which the backrest portion 16 and the base portion 12 pivotally engage can be achieved by a variety of arrangements. In a simple form, opposing inner surfaces of the lower end of the backrest portion 16 may comprise a recess or hole into which is received a projection provided on opposing sides adjacent the rear edge 12b of the base portion 12. Other arrangements are also envisaged.

The backrest portion 16 comprises a substantially planar support portion 17 having an inner surface 17a and an outer surface 17b. The outer surface 17b is configured to be received against the upright portion of the vehicle seat when the booster seat 10 is positioned for use. The inner surface 17a is configured to receive the back of a child positioned in the booster seat.

1o Side wings 18, 19 extend laterally from the backrest portion 16 along opposing sides thereof. Side wings 18 are located adjacent the head and neck region of the child when positioned within the booster seat 10 so as to provide protection to the child's head and neck against side impact in the event of an accident. Cushioning or padding may also be provided on the side wings 18 to provide additional impact protection, where desired. Side wings 19 are located adjacent the child's torso and upper body so as to provide side impact protection to the child's upper body in the event of an accident. It will be appreciated that side wings 18 and 19 function to substantially enclose the child on either side when the child is seated in the seat 10. In order to provide additional protection to the child, a region or regions of the side wings 18 may be provided with an energy absorbing material, such as polystyrene. Such material will function to absorb any energy that may result through contact of the child's head with the side wings 18, this reducing the likelihood of serious injury to the child in the event of a head impact with the side wings during a vehicle accident.

The backrest portion 16 has a pair of armrests 20 formed at the lower region thereof, adjacent where the backrest portion 16 interacts with the base portion 12. The armrests 20 extend from the side wings 19 towards the front edge 12a of the base portion 12 and are positioned such that they are above the upper surface 13 of the base portion 12. During use, the armrests 20 act to retain the lap belt portion of the vehicle seat belt (not shown) in position as it passes across the upper thighs of the child seated therein. It will be appreciated that, in the absence of armrests 20, recesses or holding clips may be provided in the backrest portion to receive and locate the seat belt of the vehicle as it passes across the seat 10.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the arrangement of the seat 10 provides for a foldable seat wherein the base portion 12 can be pivotally folded against the backrest portion 16 such that the base portion 12 is received between the side wings 19. In such an arrangement the seat 10 can be folded into a compact arrangement for storage as required, with the seat 10 forming a substantially rectangular folded shape.

As is shown in Figures 1 - 3, the booster seat 10 provides a simple means for folding and

Q storing the seat 10 when not in use. An important aspect related to the compactness of the seat 10 and the ease of removal and storage is that the seat 10 does not require an upper tether strap for use. Typically, most commercially available child restraints are provided with an upper tether strap or similar anchorage means that requires the restraint to be tethered to a dedicated vehicle anchorage point. In countries such as Australia, if a child restraint is above 2 Kg in weight, it must be tethered or restrained to the vehicle by way of a tether strap or similar device. Generally, the fitting of a tether strap to a dedicated vehicle anchorage point requires a degree of dexterity, as not only does a connection need to be made to a remote point by way of a clip or the like, but the strap must be tightened to remove any slack 1o present in the strapping. In many vehicles where the dedicated vehicle anchorage point is remotely positioned or positioned in a difficult to access site, as is often the case in small vehicles, the correct fitting of a tether strap can be a process that requires considerable time and skill to perform correctly. Thus, many child restraints commonly in use in vehicles are generally fixed in position and are not readily removed.

Typically, to overcome this and to provide restraints that can readily be installed and removed in a vehicle, manufacturers have attempted to reduce the weight of the seat by using materials such as polystyrene and the like. Whilst such approaches have been successful in reducing the weight of the seat so as to avoid the need to require a tether strap, such materials are prone to splitting or becoming damaged under load, thus compromising the safety of children seated therein, and reducing the working life of the restraint.

The present invention addresses the problem of weight reduction of the booster seat in a novel and inventive manner, as discussed below in relation to Figures 4 - 7. This is achieved through maintaining strength and structural integrity of the seat 10 and employing strong and durable plastic materials, such as polypropylene, which has a proven application to child restraints and has been shown to withstand forces typical therewith.

Referring firstly to Figures 4 and 5, a top view and an underside view of the booster seat 10 is shown. In the top view of Figure 4, the upper surface 13 of the base portion 12 is visible. The base portion 12 is made from injection moulded polypropylene and has a plurality of holes or recesses 22 formed therein. The holes 22 extend through the base portion as can be seen by the underside view of the base portion as shown in Figure 5. The holes 22 not only function to reduce weight of the base portion 12 but also increase air flow through the seat for improved comfort. It will be appreciated that the size and number of holes 22 formed in the base portion 12 may vary. In the embodiment as shown the holes 22 have a relatively small diameter and are arranged in symmetrical patterns across the surface of the base portion 12.

As shown in Figure 5, the under surface 14 of the base portion 12 is configured to provide a pair of substantially flat portions 15 that are configured to contact the surface of the vehicle seat, as discussed above. The flat portions 15 are in the form of elongate feet that extend along opposing sides of the underside 14 of the base portion, although other configurations are also envisaged. The surface of the base portion upon which the child is received and through which the holes are provided is substantially thin, approximately between 1.5 - 5 mm, preferably between approximately 1.5 -2 mm. To provide strength to the base portion 12 so as to withstand the weight of the child, a plurality of support fins or ribs 24 are arranged to extend diagonally between the flat portions 15. The fins or ribs 24 function to provide a degree of stiffness to the base portion to support the weight of the child without substantial deformation.

It will be appreciated that the configuration of the base portion 12 as discussed above and as 1o is shown in Figures 4 and 5 provides for a lightweight support for receiving a child and which also utilises materials that have been proven to withstand significant forces, as would be expected in a vehicle accident.

Turning to Figures 6 and 7, the backrest portion 16 of the seat 10 can be seen in detail. In Figure 6, the inner surface 17a of the backrest portion 16 is shown. The backrest portion 16 is preferably made from an injection moulded plastic material, such as polypropylene, with a thickness of around 1 - 5mm, preferably around 3mm. An array of holes 26 are formed therein, arranged over the planar support surface 17. The holes 26 extend through the backrest portion from the inner surface 17a to the outer surface 17b, as can be seen in Figure 7.

The provision of the network of holes 26 provides a dual purpose. Firstly, they function to facilitate air flow through the seat 10 to increase comfort to the child. Secondly, the holes 26 reduce the overall weight of the backrest portion by creating open spaces therein. Whilst the holes 26 are shown as substantially circular, it will be appreciated that the shape, diameter and number of holes 26 may vary in accordance with the specific requirements of the seat 10. Similarly, the arrangement of holes may be in a lattice or array or may be arranged in a variety of configurations. It will be appreciated that larger holes of a lesser quantity could be provided to decrease the weight of the seat 10; however, the presence of larger holes may also have a detrimental impact on the comfort of the child.

In order to provide a degree of strength to the backrest 16, a plurality of support struts 28 may be provided along the outer surface 17b of the backrest portion 16 as is shown in Figure 7. The support struts 28 extend in a parallel fashion substantially vertically down the backrest portion 16. In the embodiment as shown, there are three support struts 28 provided with the central support strut 28 extending along the central axis of the backrest 16, substantially the length of the backrest with the other two struts 28 equally spaced therefrom and having a shorter length. However, the number and arrangement of the struts 28 may vary. In this regard, the struts 28 may form a zig-zag or diagonal pattern along the outer surface 17b of the backrest portion 16, provided that the struts do travel some distance vertically along the

11A backrest portion 16. The struts 28 generally function to provide strength and rigidity to the backrest 16, particularly in the event of a rear end accident. It will be appreciated that these struts allow for an overall reduction in the wall thickness of the backrest whilst maintaining the strength required in the event of an accident or other emergency.

In order to provide added rigidity and stiffness to the wings 18 adjacent the child's head region, fins 29 are formed adjacent the front edge of the wings 18. By providing rigidity to the front edge of the wings 18, the wings 18 function to provide resistance to the incidence of the child's head rolling forward in side accidents where the fins may otherwise flex in the forward region.

1o An alternative aspect of a safety seat arrangement for reducing the weight of the seat is shown in Figures 8A-8F. In this embodiment, seat 30 is configured in much the same manner as seat 10 discussed above, and comprises a base portion 32 and a backrest portion 34.

In Figures 8A - 8C, the backrest portion 34 of the seat 30 is shown in detail. The backrest portion 34 comprises a frame portion 35 that provides structural integrity to the overall shape of the backrest portion 34. The frame portion 35 may be formed from a plastic material and moulded to form the overall structural shape of the backrest portion 34, including the side wings 33 that extend from the lateral sides of the backrest portion along a head region and side region of a child seated therein.

The frame portion 35 has a central region 36 in the form of a void or open space. The central region 36 is thus formed so as to receive a lightweight material 37, such as an open mesh or netting type material, against which a child's back is received when seated therein. The light weight material 37 may be natural or synthetic material and may be in a woven or non-woven form so as to have a degree of flexibility to enable the material 37 to be tightly drawn across the central region 36 to provide a continuous support surface for supporting the back and head region of the child when seated in the seat 30. In order to fit the material 37 to the frame portion 35, the region of the frame portion 35 adjacent the central region 36 may be provided with a rim portion or lip portion 36a to which the periphery of the material 37 is secured during manufacture. Other means for securing the material 37 to the frame portion 35 are also envisaged.

Due to the nature of the material 37 extending substantially across the central region of the backrest portion 34, it will be appreciated that the weight of the backrest portion 34 may be substantially reduced. Further, with the use of a mesh or netting material airflow through the seat is increased to increase comfort of the child seated therein, and there is a degree of flexibility in the material to also aid in support and comfort of the child's back when seated.

Referring to Figures 8E and 8F, an embodiment of the base portion 32 of the seat 30 is shown. In this embodiment, the base portion 32 is similarly configured to the backrest portion 34 in

1 1 that the base portion 32 comprises a frame portion 38 having a central void or opening 39 formed therein. The central void 39 is formed across the seat portion of the base portion 32 and is configured to receive a lightweight material 37 which extends across the void 38. As discussed above, the lightweight material 37 may be a natural or synthetic material and may be in a woven or non-woven form so as to have a degree of flexibility to enable the material 37 to be tightly drawn across the void 39 to provide a continuous support surface for supporting the posterior of the child thereon, when the child is seated in the seat 30. In order to fit the material 37 to the frame portion 38 of the base portion 32, the region of the frame portion 38 adjacent the void 39 may be provided with a rim portion or lip portion (not shown) 1o to which the periphery of the material 37 is secured during manufacture. Other means for securing the material 37 to the frame portion 38 are also envisaged.

As will be appreciated, the base portion 32 may be formed to have a significantly lighter weight than base portions of conventional child safety seats due to the provision of the light weight material 37 and the reduced need of plastic material in the base portion 32. In order to provide additional support to the posterior of the child, support straps and the like may also extend across the void 39 of the base portion 32, as required.

In Figure 8D, an alternative arrangement of a base portion 32 is shown for use with the seat 30. In this embodiment, the base portion 32 is formed from a moulded plastic in a conventional manner, without the need for a void 39 and material 37. It will be appreciated that in any of the above embodiments of the base portion 32, the base portion may be pivotally mounted to the backrest portion 34 to facilitate folding of the seat 30, or both the backrest portion 34 and base portion 32 may be formed integral and fixedly positioned with respect to each other.

Yet another embodiment of a safety seat arrangement for reducing the weight of the seat is shown in Figures 9A - 9E. In this embodiment, seat 40 is configured in much the same manner as seats 10 and 30 discussed above, and comprises a base portion 42 and a backrest portion 44.

In figures 9A - 9C, the backrest portion 44 of the seat 40 is shown in detail. As is shown in Figure 9A, the backrest portion 44 generally comprises a body 45 formed from a lightweight material, such as polystyrene. The polystyrene body 45 is preferably moulded to form the desired structural shape of the backrest portion 44 so as to provide structural integrity to the overall shape of the backrest portion 44. The body 45 includes side wings 43 that extend from the lateral sides of the backrest portion along a head region and side region of a child seated therein.

A shell 46 is formed over the body 45 in the manner as shown in Figure 9A. The shell 46 is in the form of a lightweight moulded plastic material that may be injection moulded to fit to the

1) body 45 to substantially encapsulate the body 45 therein. The shell 46 provides improved strength to the inner polystyrene body 45 such that the likelihood of the body 45 fracturing upon impact is substantially reduced, due to the retaining force present thereon by the shell 46.

The resultant backrest portion 44 formed from the polystyrene body 45 encapsulated in the shell 46 is both lightweight and has sufficient structural integrity to protect a child seated therein in the event of an accident.

As is shown in Figures 9D and 9E, an embodiment of the base portion 42 of the seat 40 is shown. In this embodiment, the base portion 42 is similarly configured to the backrest 1o portion 44 in that the base portion 42 comprises a body 47 formed from a lightweight material, such as polystyrene. The polystyrene body 47 is preferably moulded to form the desired structural shape of the base portion 42 so as to provide structural integrity to the overall shape of the base portion 42.

A shell 48 is formed to fit the body 47 in the manner as shown in Figure 9E. The shell 48 is in the form of a lightweight plastic material that is moulded to fit the body 47 to substantially encapsulate the body 47 therein. The shell 48 provides improved strength to the inner polystyrene body 47 such that the likelihood of the body 47 fracturing upon impact is substantially reduced, due to the retaining force present thereon by the shell 48.

As both the backrest portion 44 and the base portion 42 of the seat 40 are substantially formed from polystyrene with a thin skin of plastic formed thereabout, the resulting seat has considerably lighter weight than existing safety seats. As polystyrene has high strength and impact resistance, the seat has increased structural integrity and is less likely to fracture during an impact, due to the forces applied on the polystyrene by the outer skin.

In order to provide additional structural integrity to the seat arrangement of Figures 9A - 9E, the outer shell 48 may have regions of increased thickness formed therein, and/or may have strengthening fins or struts provided along an inner surface thereof which are received within the moulded polystyrene inner body.

Yet another embodiment of a safety seat arrangement for reducing the weight of the seat is shown in Figures 10A - 10C. In this embodiment, seat 50 is configured in much the same manner as seats 10, 30 and 40, as discussed above, and comprises a base portion 52 and a backrest portion 54.

In Figures 10A - 10C, the backrest portion 54 of the seat 50 is shown in detail. As is shown in Figure 10A, the backrest portion 54 generally comprises a back support surface 51 and a pair of side wings 53. The support surface and side wings 53 are preferably made from an injection moulded plastic material, such as polypropylene, and has a thickness of between 1

5mm, preferably around 3mm. Perforations or holes may be formed in the thin walls of the substantially upright wall 51 and walls of the wings 53 to further reduce the weight of the backrest portion 54. It will be appreciated that the entire surface of the backrest portion 54 may have a reduced thickness or only dedicated regions may have reduced thickness, depending upon the weight requirements of the seat 50.

As is shown in Figure 10A, in order to enhance the structural integrity of the thin back support surface 51, vertical support members 55 are provided to extend substantially along the height of the support surface 51. The support members may be regions of the plastic material having increased thickness than the remainder of the surface 51 and extend along an inner 1o surface of the support surface 51 as shown.

As is shown in Figures 10B and 10C, a rear support structure 56 is provided at the rear of the backrest portion 54 to provide further structural support to the backrest portion 54. The rear support structure 56 may comprise a pair of vertical support members 57 that extend in a spaced apart manner from the base portion 52 along the rear of the backrest portion 54 as shown. The vertical support members 57 may be attached to horizontally extending supports 58 that are attached to a rear of the backrest portion at spaced intervals along the height thereof, to provide structural support to the thin walled support surface 51. It will be appreciated that the amount and number of vertical support members 57 and horizontal support members 58 may vary depending upon the thickness of the wall structure of the backrest portion 54. It will also be appreciated that horizontal struts 59 may also be formed in the wings 53, as is shown in Figure 10C, to provide structural support to the wings 53.

Whilst not shown, it will be appreciated that a similar support structure to that shown and described above may also be applied to the base portion 52 of the seat 50 to enable the walls of the base portion to be reduced, thus reducing the overall weight of the seat 50.

In each of the above embodiments, the wings of the backrest portion of the seats, 10, 30, 40 and 50 may all employ internal fin elements and/or polystyrene inserts to enhance the structural strength of the wings during use, and in particular, during impact situations.

The child safety seat of the present invention represents a significant improvement over existing booster seats. The seat is structurally designed to provide enhanced strength and resistance to deformation such that it is able to withstand significant forces, as may be expected in a vehicle accident. The seat achieves this by remaining light weight and foldable so as to be simply installed/uninstalled in a vehicle as desired. Such a seat provides enhanced usability as the seat can be readily transferred between vehicles without the need to fit and secure a tether strap.

It will be appreciated that the booster seat of the present invention provides a system whereby the seat is designed to withstand the forces present in the event of an accident and

1A provide enhanced protection to the child. The booster seat is sufficiently light to avoid the need to tether the seat to the vehicle and is configured to fold for storage. This provides a user of the seat with improved mobility to transport and use the seat in a variety of vehicle options.

Throughout the specification and claims the word "comprise" and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word "comprise" and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the 1o contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the child safety seat uppermost.

1 <

Claims

The Claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A child safety seat for a vehicle, the seat being an untethered booster seat of the

type in which in use a child in the seat is secured by a vehicle seat belt extending

over the lap of the child, the seat having:

a base portion having a support surface to substantially support a child seated

within the child safety seat;

a backrest portion having:

- an inner surface having a region configured to receive the back of the child

and having an upper region for supporting the head of the child;

- an outer surface configured to be received against an upright portion of the

vehicle seat; and

- an intermediate region of the backrest portion between the upper region and

the region configured to receive the back of the child, generally corresponding in use to a location for the neck of the child; and

a cover for the base portion;

wherein the base portion has a frame member with at least one void formed

therein for receiving a substantially rigid lightweight material configured to form

the support surface;

and wherein the base portion and/or the backrest portion include means to

provide structural integrity;

and wherein the support surface consists substantially of the lightweight material;

the overall weight of the child safety seat being 2 kg or less;

but excluding a child safety seat in which the frame member is embedded within the lightweight material.

2. The seat claimed in claim 1, wherein the lightweight material is contoured to form

a desired structural shape of the support surface.

3. The seat claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the lightweight material is received in a shell of lightweight plastic material.

4. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lightweight material is polystyrene.

5. The seat as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the base portion has means to provide structural integrity by providing stiffness to the base portion to support weight of the child without substantial deformation of the base portion.

6. The seat as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the shell includes a bottom surface to support the lightweight material.

7. The seat as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the backrest portion has means to provide structural integrity to the intermediate region.

8. The seat as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the backrest portion has means to provide structural integrity in the form of a plurality of support members forming a diagonal pattern along the backrest.

9. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the backrest portion has means to provide structural integrity in the form of a plurality of support members

located on the inner surface or outer surface of the backrest portion.

10. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein means to provide structural

integrity in the form of a plurality of support members are present in the intermediate region.

11. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein means to provide structural integrity in the form of a plurality of support members includes a central support member extending longitudinally along at least a part of a central axis of the backrest.

12. The seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the support members include a pair of longitudinally extending support members, each such support member being

equally spaced on either side of the central support member and having a length different from that of the central support member.

13. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the backrest portion has

regions of reduced thickness supported by one or more support structures.

14. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein there are two headrest

wings, one each disposed on opposite sides of the backrest portion and extending longitudinally adjacent the upper region of the backrest portion.

15. The seat claimed in claim 14, wherein each headrest wing includes means to provide structural integrity and/or energy absorption means.

16. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein there are two side wings, one each disposed on opposite sides of the backrest portion and extending

longitudinally along either side of the backrest portion.

17. The seat claimed in claim 16, wherein each side wing includes means to provide structural integrity and/or energy absorption means.

18. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the backrest portion is pivotally connected with respect to the base portion.

19. The seat claimed in claim 18, which includes the two side wings claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the base portion is receivable within the side wings to form a

substantially rectangular shape when folded.

20. The seat as claimed in claim 18 or 19, wherein when folded the backrest portion is substantially parallel to the base portion.

21. The seat claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the backrest portion is

formed from a plastic material with a thickness of about 1.5 to 5 mm.

22. The seat claimed in claim 21, wherein the plastic material is polypropylene.

23. The seat claimed in claim 22, wherein the polypropylene is about 3 mm thick.

24. The seat of any one of claims 1 to 23, which includes padding material on the base portion and/or the backrest portion.