Child car seat with adjustable armrest

Abstract

A child car seat with an adjustable armrest includes a backrest, a seat base mounted with the backrest, two armrests mounted with the seat base, two intermediate pieces engaged with the seat base respectively at two sides thereof, two controlling pieces slidably engaged respectively with the two intermediate pieces, and two elastic pieces 26 respectively mounted between the controlling piece and intermediate piece. Each controlling piece has a guiding portion and a wing extending laterally from the guiding portion. Each armrest has a longitudinal passage and a plurality of lateral slots. When the wing is received within one of the slots, the armrest is secured at a predetermined height. When the controlling piece is pressed to the extent that the wing does not received within the slots, the armrest can be slid up and down under guidance of the guiding portion and passage.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a child car seat with an armrest, and more particularly to a child car seat with an adjustable armrest.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional child car seat 1 with an adjustable armrest disclosed in U.S. patent laid open No. 2004/0070244 A1 comprises a conventional seat base 11 and two conventional armrests 13 mounted with the seat base 11 respectively at two (lateral) sides of the seat base 11. The conventional seat base 111 has two cavities 111 respectively at two end of the seat base 11 and two sets of eyelets 112 formed in different heights on the wall surface which defines each of the cavities 111. Each conventional armrest 13 has an elastic flag 131 and two bulges 132 perpendicularly extending away from the elastic flag 131. Each conventional armrest 13 can be adjusted in height relative to conventional seat base 11 by making the bulges 132 be received in different sets of eyelets 112.

However, the elastic flag 131 described above is typically made of plastic and integrally molded together with the conventional armrest 13. Therefore, elastic fatigue may occur in the elastic flag 131 due to frequent adjustment of the armrest in height and aging effect. The elastic fatigue will result in the bulges 132 being unable to be engaged with the seat base 11 in the eyelets 112 so that the function of adjusting the armrest 13 in different heights might be lost. Furthermore, in order to facilitate operation of adjustment, the bulges 132 are typically formed arc. But, the arc bulges 132 have negative effect of being unable to be firmly accommodated in the eyelets 112 especially when the bulges 132 are worn out due to frequent adjustment operation. This drawback may incur danger for a user when the armrest is suddenly lowered down while she/he puts her/his arm on the armrest 13. Besides, it is inconvenient for a user to press the bulges 132 with two fingers or with bigger force due to the conventional way of adjustment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention relates to a child car seat with an adjustable armrest that is substantially intended to obviate one or more of the problems due to the limitations and disadvantages encountered in the prior art.

One object of the present invention is to provide a child car seat with an adjustable armrest where elastic fatigue is unlikely to occur in the elastic piece thereof so that the function of adjusting the armrest in different heights can be long maintained.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a child car seat with an adjustable armrest whose element for adjustment is unlikely to be worn out so that the armrest can be firmly secured at desired height.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a child car seat with an adjustable armrest where the operation of adjustment is easy and effortless.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in portion will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure as particularly set forth in the written description and claims as well as illustrated in the appended drawings.

To achieve these and other advantages and according to the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a seat with an adjustable armrest, the seat comprising: a seat base having a mounting port; the armrest partially received within the mounting port, and having a longitudinal passage and a plurality of lateral slots situated on a side of the passage; and a controlling piece which is slidably engaged with the seat base and has an actuating portion, a guiding portion extending away from the actuating portion and slidably received within the passage, and a wing laterally extending from the guiding portion; wherein when the wing is received within one of the slots, the armrest is blocked from being moved and is held at a predetermined height relative to the seat base, and when the wing is not received within the slots, the armrest can be moved relative to the seat base.

In a preferred aspect, the seat further comprises an elastic piece which is mounted between the controlling piece and the seat base so as to bias the controlling piece.

Moreover, the controlling piece further has a bump connected with the guiding portion, and a total thickness of the bump and the wing being bigger than width of one of the slots.

It is another preferred feature that the controlling piece further has a bump connected with the wing, and a total thickness of the bump and the wing being bigger than width of one of the slots.

Additionally, the seat further comprises a backrest mounted with the seat base.

Furthermore, the seat further comprises an intermediate piece which is engaged with the seat base, and the controlling piece is slidably engaged with the intermediate piece.

It is preferred that the intermediate piece has a chamber and a channel which is opened into the chamber, the actuating portion of the controlling piece is received within the chamber, and the guiding portion is received within the channel and the passage.

It is preferred that the seat further comprises an elastic piece which is mounted between the controlling piece and the intermediate piece so as to bias the controlling piece.

It is preferred that the controlling piece further has a bump connected with the guiding portion, and a total thickness of the bump and the wing being bigger than width of one of the slots. It is preferred that the controlling piece further has a bump connected with the wing, and a total thickness of the bump and the wing being bigger than width of one of the slots.

It is preferred that the seat further comprises a backrest mounted with the seat base.

It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide a further non-limiting explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a portion of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view which illustrates a part of a conventional child car seat with an adjustable armrest;

FIG. 2 is an assembled side view illustrating a child car seat with an adjustable armrest according to the present invention which shows that the armrest is adjusted to a higher position;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a child car seat with an adjustable armrest according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view illustrating that a controlling piece is mounted with the armrest according to the present invention and that a snick of the controlling piece is aligned with a passage of the armrest so that the armrest can be adjusted up and down;

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional assembled view illustrating a child car seat with an adjustable armrest according to the present invention which shows that wings of the controlling piece is received in a slot of the armrest so that the armrest is held at desired height; and

FIG. 6 is an assembled side view illustrating a child car seat with an adjustable armrest according to the present invention which shows that the armrest is adjusted to a lower position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a child car seat 2 with an adjustable armrest 23 according to the present invention comprises a backrest 21, a seat base 22 coupled or pivotally connected with the backrest 21, two armrests 23 (shown only one) respectively mounted with the seat base 22 at two sides thereof, two elliptic intermediate piece 24 (shown only one), two button-typed controlling piece 25 (shown only one), and two elastic piece 26 (shown only one).

The seat base 22 on each of two opposite sides thereof has an mounting port 223 formed on the top surface of the seat base 22, an elliptic opening 221 formed on the wall which defines the mounting port 223, four notches 222 respectively formed at two opposite ends of long axes and short axes of the elliptic opening 221.

The intermediate piece 24 includes an elliptic flange 241, a stepped wall 242 perpendicularly extending from the flange 241 and formed with a step at each end of the long axis of the elliptic flange 241, two chasm 247 respectively formed at two ends of the wall 242, a bottom 243 perpendicularly extending from the wall 242, a chamber 244 defined by both the wall 242 and bottom 243, a cross-shaped channel 245 (shown in FIG. 5) formed substantially at the center of the bottom 243, and four second elastic latches 246 respectively extending away from two ends of long and short axes of the flange 241.

The controlling piece 25 includes an elliptic actuating portion 251, a guiding portion 252 extending away from the center of actuating portion 251, four wings 253 respectively extending away from the central line of two sides of the guiding portion 252 and parallel to a long axis of the elliptic actuating portion 251, two snicks 254 respectively situated between two wings 53 at each side of the guiding portion 252, two bumps 255 respectively extending away from two sides of the free end of guiding portion 252 and being connected with the wings 253, two first elastic latches 256 respectively extending away from two ends of the long axis of the actuating portion 251 and parallel to the guiding portion 252.

The armrest 23 has a longitudinal passage 231 formed at lower half section thereof and a plurality of tranverse slots 232, for example four in this embodiment, formed on two sides of the passage 231 in different heights.

Assembling

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the guiding portion 252 and the wings 253 of the controlling piece 25 are first inserted into the elastic piece 26. Then, the free end of the guiding portion 252 is passed through the channel 245 situated on the bottom 243 of the intermediate piece 24 to the extent that the first latches 256 are engaged with the intermediate piece 24 at the chasm 247. In this state, the elastic piece 26, actuating portion 251 of controlling piece 25, and partial guiding portion 252 of the controlling piece 25 are all accommodated in the chamber 244 of the intermediate piece 24. In addition, the elastic piece 16 is situated between the actuating portion 251 and the bottom 243.

Next, the subassembly described above is mounted into the opening 221 of the seat base 22. In the meanwhile, the second latches 246 of the intermediate piece 24 are passed through the notches 222 of the seat base 22 to allow the second latches 246 being engaged inside the wall of the seat base 22 and the flange 241 of the intermediate piece 24 is abutted with the seat base 22. However, the notches 222 is formed only to facilitate the second latches 246 being mounted into the opening 221 so that the notches 222 can be omitted in another embodiment because the second latches 246 are elastic. In this another embodiment, when the subassembly described above is mounted into the opening 221, the second latches 246 will be elastically deformed firstly at the time that they are biased by the wall of the seat base 22 and then snap back after being passed through the wall of the seat base 22 so as to be engaged inside the wall of the seat base 22.

Subsequently, the actuating portion 251 of the controlling piece 25 is pressed by one hand and simultaneously the lower half section of the armrest 23 is inserted into the mounting port 223 of the seat base 22 by another hand to make the part of the guiding portion 252 corresponding to the snick 254 be received in the passage 231 of the armrest 23, as shown in FIG. 4. When the armrest 23 is further slid downwards to the extent that the wings 253 of the controlling piece 25 are aligned with one of the slots 232 in the armrest 23, such as the lower slot 232 in FIG. 3, and if the controlling piece 25 is no longer pressed by a user, then the controlling piece 25 will be recovered by restoration force resulted from the elastic piece 26. This motion of controlling piece 25 will make the wings 253 be received in or engaged with the slot 232, as shown in FIG. 5, and thus block the armrest 23 from being adjusted in height, as shown in FIG. 2.

Adjustment

When the actuating portion 251 of the controlling piece 25 is pressed by one hand to the extent that the part of the guiding portion 252 corresponding to the snick 254 is again aligned with the passage 231 of the armrest 23, as shown in FIG. 4, the armrest 23 can be slid up and down or adjusted in height, such as downwards, by another hand. When the actuating portion 251 of the controlling piece 25 is no longer pressed, and if the wings 253 are not received within one of slots 232 yet, then the armrest 23 still can be slid up and down along the passage 231 by guidance of the guiding portion 252. Till one of the slots 232 in the armrest 23 is aligned with the wings 253 of the controlling piece 25, because the controlling piece 25 is biased outwards by restoration force of the elastic piece 26, the wings 253 are again received within the slot 232 and thus the armrest 23 is kept at a predetermined height relative to the seat base 22, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Besides, because the total thickness of the bump 255 and the wing 253 is larger than the total width of the slot 232, the controlling piece 25 will not entirely be separated from the armrest 23 through the slot 232 when the controlling piece 25 is biased outwards by the elastic piece 26. In an alternative embodiment, the bump 255 laterally extends from the guiding portion 252 but does not contact with the wing 253, or extends upwards/downwards from the wing 253 but does not contact with the guiding portion 252. In conclusion, it is necessary for the bump 255 to be abutted against the shell of the armrest 23 so as to prevent the controlling piece 25 from being entirely separated from the armrest 23.

In above description about the preferred embodiment, the child car seat 2 with an adjustable armrest 23 simultaneously comprises the controlling piece 25 and intermediate piece 24 which is separately made with the seat base 22. However, in another preferred embodiment, the related structures of the intermediate piece 24 can be integrally molded into the seat base 22, that is, the independent intermediate piece 24 is omitted and thus the controlling piece 25 and the elastic piece 26 are mounted with the seat base 22. In addition, the backrest 21 may be mounted with the seat base 22 only when it is necessary.

It is noted that only two of wings 253 which are situated at free end of the guiding portion 252 are used for being received within the slot 232 of the armrest 23 so as to secure the armrest 23 at predetermined height. As far as the other two wings 253 near the actuating portion 251 are just used to reinforce the guiding portion 252 in order to prevent the guiding portion 252 from being broken. In an alternative embodiment, the controlling piece 25 may only have one or two of wings 253 which are situated at free end of the guiding portion 252 and without the other two wings 253 near the actuating portion 251.

This invention has been disclosed in terms of specific embodiments. It will be apparent that many modifications can be made to the disclosed structures without departing from the invention. Therefore, it is the intent of the appended claims to cover all such variations and modifications as come within the breadth and scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A seat with an adjustable armrest, the seat comprising:

a seat base having a mounting port;

the armrest partially received within the mounting port, and having a longitudinal passage and a plurality of lateral slots situated on a side of the passage; and

a controlling piece which is slidably engaged with the seat base and has an actuating portion, a guiding portion extending away from the actuating portion and slidably received within the passage, and a wing laterally extending from the guiding portion;

wherein when the wing is received within one of the slots, the armrest is blocked from being moved and is held at a predetermined height relative to the seat base, and when the wing is not received within the slots, the armrest can be moved relative to the seat base.

2. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat further comprises an elastic piece which is mounted between the controlling piece and the seat base so as to bias the controlling piece.

3. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controlling piece further has a bump connected with the guiding portion, and a total thickness of the bump and the wing being bigger than width of one of the slots.

4. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controlling piece further has a bump connected with the wing, and a total thickness of the bump and the wing being bigger than width of one of the slots.

5. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat further comprises a backrest mounted with the seat base.

6. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat further comprises an intermediate piece which is engaged with the seat base, and the controlling piece is slidably engaged with the intermediate piece.

7. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 6, wherein the intermediate piece has a chamber and a channel which is opened into the chamber, the actuating portion of the controlling piece is received within the chamber, and the guiding portion is received within the channel and the passage.

8. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 7, wherein the seat further comprises an elastic piece which is mounted between the controlling piece and the intermediate piece so as to bias the controlling piece.

9. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controlling piece further has a bump connected with the guiding portion, and a total thickness of the bump and the wing being bigger than width of one of the slots.

10. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controlling piece further has a bump connected with the wing, and a total thickness of the bump and the wing being bigger than width of one of the slots.

11. The seat with an adjustable armrest as claimed in claim 6, wherein the seat further comprises a backrest mounted with the seat base.