Abstract: A buckle for a child safety seat harness having a base part and a latch part, the latch part having a releasable latching mechanism that includes a plurality of magnetic elements arranged to urge the base and latch parts into engagement during a connection operation and to urge the base and latch parts apart during a disconnection operation that also releases the latch.

Abstract: A portable booster seat for supporting a child on a chair having a retractable clamping arm that is extendable to an underside surface of a chair seat and selectively moveable to clamp the booster seat to the chair.

Abstract: A quick acting belt tensioning mechanism for securing a child safety seat into a vehicle having a tensioning member with a hook-like engagement structure rotatably mounted on the safety seat adjacent to a belt path for a vehicle seat belt. Engaging the seat belt in the engagement structure and rotating the tensioning member by movement of the lever tensions the seat belt by wrapping the seat belt around the tensioning member. The lever is slideably disposed on the tensioning member to close the opening of the hook-like structure and prevent disengagement of the seat belt therefrom and to inhibit rotation of the tensioning member to the tensioned position unless the lever is properly positioned. A latching mechanism is provided to restrain the tensioning member and lever in the tensioned and closed position. The seat shell and lever may include structures to further constrain seat belt tensioning unless the lever is properly positioned.

Abstract: A buckle for a child safety seat harness having a base part and a latch part, the latch part having a releasable latching mechanism that includes a plurality of magnetic elements arranged to urge the base and latch parts into engagement during a connection operation and to urge the base and latch parts apart during a disconnection operation that also releases the latch.

Abstract: A foldable stroller for transporting up to two child passengers in a tandem arrangement includes seating configurations that may be easily altered dependent upon the age/size of the passengers. The stroller frame includes an upper seat connector for selectively attaching an upper seat. A lower seat connector is positioned forward of and below the upper seat connector and includes a linkage that allows movement of an associated lower seat between opposing forward and rearward positions without altering the inclination of the lower seat. The forward connector position locates the associated lower seat sufficiently forward to provide clearance for the upper seat and its occupant. When the upper seat is removed, the linkage enables the associated seat to be shifted to the rearward position, shifting the center of gravity location rearward for improved stroller stability.

Abstract: A child safety seat for use in a vehicle, the safety seat having a base including a rotating mechanism and a seat shell for a child that is detachably connectable to the base. The base is anchorable in the vehicle using either conventional safety belts or LATCH anchoring provisions. The base is configured to allow a conventional three-point occupant restraint to secure the base to the vehicle and to prevent interaction between the seat shell and the restraint belt. The seat shell, when connected to the base, may be rotated about a generally upstanding axis into forward-facing, rearward-facing, or side-facing configurations. The base includes a moveable wedge that allows the base to optimally fit a variety of vehicle seat having different seat cushion inclinations. The seat shell also includes a height-adjustable backrest portion that allows the seat configuration to be optimized for the occupant, even as the occupant child grows.

Abstract: A child safety seat for use in a vehicle, the safety seat having a base including a rotating mechanism and a seat shell for a child that is detachably connectable to the base. The base is anchorable in the vehicle using either conventional safety belts or LATCH anchoring provisions. The base is configured to allow a conventional three-point occupant restraint to secure the base to the vehicle and to prevent interaction between the seat shell and the restraint belt. The seat shell, when connected to the base, may be rotated about a generally upstanding axis into forward-facing, rearward-facing, or side-facing configurations. The base includes a moveable wedge that allows the base to optimally fit a variety of vehicle seat having different seat cushion inclinations. The seat shell also includes a height-adjustable backrest portion that allows the seat configuration to be optimized for the occupant, even as the occupant child grows.

Abstract: An accessory mount for use with a child safety seat having a base including a rotating mechanism for detachably connecting a seat shell for a child. The base enables rotation of the seat shell into forward-facing, rearward-facing, or side-facing configurations. The base also includes an upstanding backrest portion and is anchorable in the vehicle. The backrest portion includes a reinforcement structure disposed in an upper end that is engageable to a portion of the seat shell when the seat is forward-facing to reinforce the seat shell anchorage. The accessory mount includes an attachment base adapted to matingly engage a portion of the upstanding backrest portion when the seat shell is rearward-facing to allow, for example, a mirror to be attached providing a view of the infant occupant to a vehicle driver.

Abstract: A rotatable clip-on seat for attachment adjacent an edge of a tabletop comprising a main frame supporting a seat for a child and grip arms extending distally from the seat for positioning atop the table. Moveable clamping arms connect to the main frame and are rotatable about a longitudinal axis between folded and unfolded orientations. When unfolded, the clamping arms extend downwardly from the main frame and forwardly, generally parallel to the grip arms on the underside of the tabletop opposite of the grip arms. User-adjustable clamps connected to the clamping arms include upwardly extendable members to engage the underside of the table to secure the seat frame to the tabletop. The clamps are pivotable about a clamp axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis to ease installation on the tabletop and to allow frame folding for storage which positions the clamping arms and clamps generally between the grip arms.

Abstract: A rotatable clip-on seat for attachment adjacent an edge of a tabletop comprising a main frame supporting a seat for a child and grip arms extending distally from the seat for positioning atop the table. Moveable clamping arms connect to the main frame and are rotatable about a longitudinal axis between folded and unfolded orientations. When unfolded, the clamping arms extend downwardly from the main frame and forwardly, generally parallel to the grip arms on the underside of the tabletop opposite of the grip arms. User-adjustable clamps connected to the clamping arms include upwardly extendable members to engage the underside of the table to secure the seat frame to the tabletop. The clamps are pivotable about a clamp axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis to ease installation on the tabletop and to allow frame folding for storage which positions the clamping arms and clamps generally between the grip arms.

Abstract: A convertible bassinet including a mobile support enabling selective movement about a supporting surface and a braking apparatus providing the ability to secure the mobile support in a laterally fixed position on the surface. The mobile support also includes a vertical adjustment mechanism enabling the height of the bassinet to be altered by a user. The bassinet further includes a top perimeter frame with a position actuator for varying the height of the top perimeter frame above a child supporting surface. When in an uppermost position the perimeter frame defines a bassinet. A changing table surface is defined when the perimeter frame is repositioned to a lowermost position. Resilient connectors between the position actuator and the perimeter frame members allow the top perimeter frame to move from the uppermost position to the lowermost position independent of movement of the position actuator.

Abstract: A child safety seat for use in a vehicle, the safety seat having a base including a rotating mechanism and a seat shell for a child that is detachably connectable to the base. The base is anchorable in the vehicle using either conventional safety belts or LATCH anchoring provisions. The base is configured to allow a conventional three-point occupant restraint to secure the base to the vehicle and to prevent interaction between the seat shell and the restraint belt. The seat shell, when connected to the base, may be rotated about a generally upstanding axis into forward-facing, rearward-facing, or side-facing configurations. The base includes a moveable wedge that allows the base to optimally fit a variety of vehicle seat having different seat cushion inclinations. The seat shell also includes a height-adjustable backrest portion that allows the seat configuration to be optimized for the occupant, even as the occupant child grows.

Abstract: A child booster seat for use in a vehicle having a pair of LATCH connectors selectively attachable to the vehicle, the connectors having a first web member operably connected thereto enabling the connectors to be drawn closer to the seat for securely connecting the seat to the vehicle and a second web member operably connected to the LATCH connectors for release the LATCH connector from the vehicle, the relative lengths of the first and second webs configured so that the second web will operate and release the LATCH connector from the vehicle before the first web is fully extended from the seat as the seat is being removed from the vehicle.

Abstract: A foldable frame that may be configured for use as an infant napper or an infant seat. The frame apparatus includes a first pair and a second pair of upstanding legs, each pair being connected to a respective, longitudinally spaced-apart folding joint device and extend generally downwardly therefrom. Distal ends of opposing legs may be connected by arched members to enable the frame apparatus to “rock” when positioned on a level surface. A supporting frame to which soft goods may be attached to support an infant is connected to the frame support members. The folding joint devices each may include a latching mechanism and may be individually repositioned. When both are configured to orient both frame extension members either upwardly or downwardly, the supporting frame is oriented generally level with respect to a surface upon which the foldable frame rests.

Abstract: A convertible bassinet including a mobile support enabling selective movement about a supporting surface and a braking apparatus providing the ability to secure the mobile support in a laterally fixed position on the surface. The mobile support also includes a vertical adjustment mechanism enabling the height of the bassinet to be altered by a user. The bassinet further includes a top perimeter frame with a position actuator for varying the height of the top perimeter frame above a child supporting surface. When in an uppermost position the perimeter frame defines a bassinet. A changing table surface is defined when the perimeter frame is repositioned to a lowermost position. Resilient connectors between the position actuator and the perimeter frame members allow the top perimeter frame to move from the uppermost position to the lowermost position independent of movement of the position actuator.

Abstract: A child booster seat for use in a vehicle having a pair of LATCH connectors selectively attachable to the vehicle, the connectors having a first web member operably connected thereto enabling the connectors to be drawn closer to the seat for securely connecting the seat to the vehicle and a second web member operably connected to the LATCH connectors for release the LATCH connector from the vehicle, the relative lengths of the first and second webs configured so that the second web will operate and release the LATCH connector from the vehicle before the first web is fully extended from the seat as the seat is being removed from the vehicle.

Abstract: A foldable seat frame for attachment to a table surface for supporting a young child. The frame comprises a pivotally a pair of members coupled in an X-shape. Contact members are provided on adjacent opposing ends of the frame members on a first side of the pivot connection configured for adjacent contact with top and bottom surfaces of the table. Lower contact members positioned adjacent to the bottom surface are movable between a first position generally parallel to the table surface and second position slightly over-center of a generally perpendicular alignment to the table surface. When the lower contact members are in the first position, the seat frame may be easily detached from a table having downardly extending a peripheral skirt structure without requiring large pivoting movement of the frame. When the lower contact members are in the second position, they extend upwardly toward the lower table surface to reduce the degree of frame pivoting movement necessary to clamp the frame to the table.

Abstract: A folding lock assembly for use in a frame for a portable child enclosure that includes a body housing first and second hinges for connecting a pair of equal-length side frame members. The respective hinges are limited in the degree of pivotal movement permitted each between a locked position in which the frame members are linearly aligned and a folded position in which the frame members are substantially parallel. The first hinge permits angular rotation less than 90 degrees while the second hinge permits angular rotation greater than 90 degrees. The differences in the range of hinge rotation offset the distal ends of the frame when the connected members are folded to eliminate a pinch point between frame end members. A latching mechanism is provided to maintain the hinges in a locked configuration wherein one hinge is locked by the position of the second hinge. Releasing the second hinge allows the first hinge to pivot as well.

Abstract: A reconfigurable accessory frame for use with an infant crib having a perimeter similarly sized to that of the top of the crib frame upon which it is used. The frame is foldable about an asymmetrically positioned transverse axis into one of the two positions. In the first position, the frame extends to substantially cover the open perimeter of the crib disposed underneath. Soft goods supported from the frame define a generally level surface that is convenient for changing an infant diaper along with a storage compartment disposed at one end. The level changing surface encompasses a majority of the area encompassed by the frame. In the second position, the frame is folded so that the end portion opposite of the storage compartment is moved into a positon adjacently above the remainder of the changing table surface.