Patents Assigned to Graco Children Products, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8967715
    Abstract: A child restraint system has a bottom portion configured to rest on a dedicated seat of a vehicle. The bottom portion has a front end, a rear end, and a pair of sides. An anchor latch system is carried by the bottom portion and has two latch belts partially housed within the bottom portion. Each latch belt has an anchor end protruding rearward from and external to the bottom portion. An adjuster is exposed on at least one side or the front end of the bottom portion. The adjuster can be manipulated to selectively retract or pay out the two latch belts simultaneously. The adjuster can have an adjustment belt protruding from one side of the bottom portion. The adjuster can have a knob positioned on the front end, one side, or both sides of the bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Jason A. Carpenter, Daniel J. Layden, John Bachner, Arthur Lee Gehr, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8961057
    Abstract: A fold joint for a stroller has a first latch part fixed to a first frame element and a second latch part fixed to a second frame element. The latch parts are pivotable relative to one another about a pivot axis between an in-use orientation and a folded orientation. A latch shuttle is movable between a latched position locking the latch parts in the in-use orientation and an unlatched position unlocking the latch parts. A latch pin is carried by the latch shuttle. A track on the first latch part has a fold portion and a latch portion. A slot on the second latch part aligns with the latch portion in the in-use orientation. The latch pin is captured within the track and slot. When the latch shuttle is moved to the unlatched position, the latch pin is moved along the latch portion to the fold portion of the track. When the latch parts are pivoted toward the folded orientation, the latch pin moves along the fold portion of the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Brady Matthew Schroeder
  • Patent number: 8944503
    Abstract: A harness retractor (62) for a harness system (60) of a child safety harness, which has a tensioning web (80) and buckle connectors (70) coupled to straps of the safety harness. The tensioning device has a rotatable retractor mechanism (90) connected to the tensioning web (80) and biased to wind up the tensioning web in a wind up rotation direction. The tensioning device has a locking device (110) biased to a first position preventing rotation of the retractor mechanism in the wind up direction. The tensioning device has a buckle housing (64) coupled to the retractor mechanism. The buckle connectors (70) are releasably connectable to the buckle housing (64). A release mechanism is connected between the locking device (110) and the buckle housing (64) and can switch the locking device from the first position to a second position permitting rotation of the retractor mechanism in the wind up direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Luther Gates, Fred Buckingham, Mark Main
  • Patent number: 8925127
    Abstract: A baby crib includes a frame structure, a support base located at a bottom of the frame, the support base including at least one opening, and a cushion pad disposed on the support base, the cushion pad including at least one strap disposed at a position corresponding to the opening. The strap has a first end secured with the cushion pad, and a second end that is formed as a free end adapted to pass through the opening and detachably fasten with the frame structure via a fastener. As the cushion pad is securely held with the support base of the baby crib, injuries caused by accidental lift of the cushion pad can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignees: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited, Graco Children's Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Fang Xiang Yan, Brandon Michael Burkholder, Annette Carol Stella, Matthew Luis Rivera
  • Patent number: 8919806
    Abstract: A foldable stroller has a frame assembly with a fold joint, a fold joint, a handle push arm, a front leg with an upper end connected to the fold joint, a rear leg extending down from and pivotally connected to the fold joint, and a drive link. The drive link has a rear end pivotally coupled to the rear leg below the fold joint and a front end pivotally coupled to a lower end of the push arm. The frame assembly is reconfigurable between an unfolded and a folded configuration. In the folded configuration, the fold joint moves upward along the handle push arm. The rear end of the drive link and the rear leg are moved toward and lie closely adjacent the front leg and handle push arm. The frame assembly may automatically move to the folded and/or unfolded configuration. The foldable stroller may also stand upright in the folded configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Pollack, Louis Doucette, Thomas M. Perrin, William Forbes, Alan W. Ball, Kelly Hon
  • Patent number: 8905428
    Abstract: A stroller fold joint has first and second joint parts. The first part has a hosel coupled to a hub body with a circumferential surface and a pivot axis. The second part has a connector coupled to two plates. The hub body is between the plates and the two joint parts pivot about the pivot axis between a folded and an unfolded orientation. A tunnel through the hub body is perpendicular to the pivot axis. A shuttle slides within the tunnel and has latch end and an actuator end. The latch end is adjacent the hub body's circumferential surface at one tunnel end and the actuator end extends into the hosel. The shuttle is not exposed and is covered when the fold joint is in the folded or unfolded orientations and when moving therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Brady Matthew Schroeder, Thomas M. Perrin
  • Patent number: 8899678
    Abstract: A child seat assembly has a base to rest on a vehicle seat, a seat shell, and a recline mechanism that selectively permits adjustment of the seat shell between first and second recline positions and includes a recline positioner, pin, biasing element, and handle. The recline positioner has first and second portions defining the first and second recline positions, respectively. The pin is movable between a released position and an engaged position in which the pin is configured to engage the first or second portion to retain the seat shell in the corresponding first or second recline position. The biasing element is coupled to the pin and configured to bias the pin to the engaged position. The handle is operable to move the pin from the engaged position to the released position in which the seat shell is movable between the first and second recline positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: William Doolan, Daniel Brunick
  • Patent number: 8893325
    Abstract: A child containment system includes a child containment structure that has a bottom and a perimeter wall surrounding the bottom; a bassinet that has an infant support surface and a surrounding wall around the support surface, the bassinet mounted to the child containment structure with the bottom panel elevated above the support surface; and an infant support unit that has a frame, a bed supported by the frame, and a connector structure positioned adjacent each opposed end of the infant support unit. In a first operational mode the infant support unit is removably mounted to the child containment structure with the bed overlying the support surface with each connector structure coupled to a corresponding portion of the perimeter wall. The frame is configured to support the bed above a rest surface in a second operational mode in which the infant support unit is detached from the child containment structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc.
    Inventors: John (Jason) C. Arnold, IV, Brandon Burkholder, Annette Stella, Matthew Rivera
  • Patent number: 8876617
    Abstract: A child swing has a frame with a base, a support extending up from the base, a hub carried by the support above the base, and a seat assembly having a swing arm with a seat carried at a lower end. The seat assembly moves in a swinging direction. The seat assembly is configured to be selectively removable from and connectable to the hub. The orientation of the seat assembly relative to the swinging direction is also selectively adjustable between a forward facing orientation and a side facing orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Robbins, Brandon Seth Cross
  • Patent number: 8806673
    Abstract: A child containment system has a child containment structure with a bottom and a perimeter wall surrounding the bottom. A connector part is on each of two opposed outward facing surfaces of the perimeter wall. The system has a bassinet with a bottom panel and surrounding wall around the bottom panel. The bassinet is removably mounted to the perimeter wall with the bottom panel elevated above the bottom. The system has an infant sleeping apparatus with a fabric panel, a top surface, a pair of opposed sides, and a pair of opposed ends. The infant sleeping apparatus has a connector part positioned near each of the pair of the opposed ends. The infant sleeping apparatus is removably mounted to the containment structure with the fabric panel overlying the bassinet bottom panel with each connector part of the sleeping apparatus coupled to one of the connector parts of the containment structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Burkholder, Matt Rivera, Annette Stella
  • Patent number: 8801096
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat back and a seat harness with a pair of shoulder straps. Each shoulder strap has a strap portion positioned forward of and extending along a front facing side of the seat back. A headrest is coupled to the seat near an upper end of the seat back. The vertical position of the headrest is selectively adjustable relative to the seat back between a raised position and a lowered position. A strap router is provided on the seat back and maintained at a fixed elevation relative to the seat back as the vertical position of the headrest is adjusted and directs the shoulder straps from a back side of the seat back toward the front facing side. The shoulder straps are directed under a bottom of the headrest. By selectively adjusting the vertical position of the headrest, the bottom of the headrest adjusts the vertical position of the shoulder straps on the front facing side of the seat back by increasing or decreasing the useable length of the strap portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Brunick, Ira Rubien
  • Patent number: 8764048
    Abstract: A stroller seat has a seat back, a seat bottom, a seat hub assembly joining the seat back to the seat bottom, and an actuator carried on the seat. The actuator can be actuated to permit adjusting the recline angle of the seat back and seat bottom as a unit and can be actuated to permit folding the seat back relative to the seat bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Ahnert, Roy L. Dean, Michael A. Dotsey
  • Publication number: 20140117729
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat bottom, a seat back coupled to the seat bottom at a seat bight region, and a seating surface defined by the seat bottom and seat back to support a child occupant. A structural element is coupled to the seat bottom, the seat back, or both. A bumper has a substantially rigid component or portion and is mounted to the structural element and protrudes from a side of the child safety seat. The bumper is positioned to redirect energy from a side impact with the child safety seat away from the seat back, the seat bottom, or both and to the structural element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: GRACO CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Brian Allen, Drew Kitchens, Daniel Brunick, William Conway
  • Patent number: 8690237
    Abstract: A child car seat has a substantially rigid seat shell with a seating surface side and configured with a seat bottom section, a seat back section, and two side wings laterally spaced apart and protruding forward relative to an upper region of the seat back section. A support layer of substantially rigid foam material is positioned over at least the seating surface side of the side wings. A body of compressible resilient foam material is adjacent the support layer on at least the side wings. The body has an outer surface that is substantially sealed. One or more air passages are in fluid communication between an interior within the outer surface of the body and the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Allen
  • Publication number: 20140062152
    Abstract: A child seat assembly has a base to rest on a vehicle seat, a seat shell, and a recline mechanism that selectively permits adjustment of the seat shell between first and second recline positions and includes a recline positioner, pin, biasing element, and handle. The recline positioner has first and second portions defining the first and second recline positions, respectively. The pin is movable between a released position and an engaged position in which the pin is configured to engage the first or second portion to retain the seat shell in the corresponding first or second recline position. The biasing element is coupled to the pin and configured to bias the pin to the engaged position. The handle is operable to move the pin from the engaged position to the released position in which the seat shell is movable between the first and second recline positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: William Doolan, Daniel Brunick
  • Patent number: 8632127
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat back (16) with an upper end (28), a lower end, a back side, and a front side (26). A harness (50) has a pair of shoulder straps (58) each having a portion positioned forward of and extending along the front side. A headrest (32) is coupled to the seat back near the upper end and has a bottom (40). The vertical position of the headrest is selectively adjustable along the seat back between a raised and a lowered position. A strap router (112) on the seat back directs the shoulder straps from the back side toward the front side. The shoulder straps are directed under the bottom (40) of the headrest. By selectively adjusting the headrest vertical position, the bottom (40) of the headrest adjusts the vertical position of the shoulder straps on the front side of the seat back by increasing or decreasing the useable length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Brunick, Ira Rubien
  • Patent number: 8622478
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat back with an upper end, a back side, and a front facing side. A harness system has a pair of safety straps each with a back portion on the back side and a shoulder strap portion on the front facing side. A router is on the back side and has a fixed upper guide, a fixed lower guide spaced below the upper guide, and a slider vertically movable therebetween. The back portions are routed from the respective shoulder strap portions through the slider, up to the upper guide, down to the lower guide, and back up to the slider. The slider is vertically adjustable between a raised position and a lowered position and determines the height of the shoulder strap portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Scott R. Spence
  • Publication number: 20130328368
    Abstract: A child car seat has a substantially rigid seat shell with a seating surface side and configured with a seat bottom section, a seat back section, and two side wings laterally spaced apart and protruding forward relative to an upper region of the seat back section. A support layer of substantially rigid foam material is positioned over at least the seating surface side of the side wings. A body of compressible resilient foam material is adjacent the support layer on at least the side wings. The body has an outer surface that is substantially sealed. One or more air passages are in fluid communication between an interior within the outer surface of the body and the atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Brian Allen
  • Patent number: D698592
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Rivera, Annette Stella, Brandon Seth Cross, Lauren Westin
  • Patent number: D700466
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Rivera, Annette Stella, Brandon Seth Cross, Lauren Westin