Abstract: Disclosed herein are car seats and bases therefor. The base includes top tether and an energy-absorbing elongate finger. The tether includes webbing. The webbing is at least partially wrapped about the elongate finger. The elongate finger is configured to deform when a load applied thereto by the webbing exceeds a predetermined threshold so as to pay out the webbing from the base.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rotatable car seat comprised of a base and a shell. The base includes a receiving portion and a backing portion. The seat shell includes a seat back and a seat bottom having a lower portion. The seat bottom is convex and interfaces with the receiving portion of the base. The seat shell is rotatable with respect to the base. The seat shell is selectively positionable between a plurality of orientations. Additionally provided are a features that allow for the effective use of a rotatable car seat.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a car seat comprised of a base and a shell. The base includes a receiving portion and a backing portion. The seat shell includes a seat back and a seat bottom having a lower portion. The seat bottom interfaces with the receiving portion of the base. The seat shell is removably attached to the base and rotatable with respect to the base. The seat shell is selectively positionable between a plurality of orientations. A recline mechanism is configured to permit the seat shell to recline with respect to the base. The seat shell is selectively reclinable between a plurality of recline positions. The seat shell includes handles configured to independently unlock rotation of the seat shell with respect to the base. The lower portion of the seat shell includes an aperture configured to receive at least a portion of a projection of the base therethrough.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a car seat comprised of a base and a shell. The base includes a receiving portion and a backing portion. The seat shell includes a seat back and a seat bottom having a lower portion. The seat bottom interfaces with the receiving portion of the base. The seat shell is removably attached to the base and rotatable with respect to the base. The seat shell is selectively positionable between a plurality of orientations. A recline mechanism is configured to permit the seat shell to recline with respect to the base. The seat shell is selectively reclinable between a plurality of recline positions. The seat shell includes handles configured to independently unlock rotation of the seat shell with respect to the base. The lower portion of the seat shell includes an aperture configured to receive at least a portion of a projection of the base therethrough.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a car seat comprised of a base and a shell. The base includes a receiving portion and a backing portion. The seat shell includes a seat back and a seat bottom having a lower portion. The seat bottom interfaces with the receiving portion of the base. The seat shell is removably attached to the base and rotatable with respect to the base. The seat shell is selectively positionable between a plurality of orientations. A recline mechanism is configured to permit the seat shell to recline with respect to the base. The seat shell is selectively reclinable between a plurality of recline positions. The seat shell includes handles configured to independently unlock rotation of the seat shell with respect to the base. The lower portion of the seat shell includes an aperture configured to receive at least a portion of a projection of the base therethrough.

Abstract: A novel infant child restraint system that includes a base having a height adjustment to allow the base to assume one of a plurality of positions and inclinations when mounted to the vehicle seat. Additionally, in certain embodiments the base is formed to have a recessed knee-receiving area, into which the user can place their knee when tightening the vehicle's restraint system around the base. The base and car seat are removably attached in interlocking relation using a novel connection mechanism that is not susceptible to premature or improper release due to forces, regardless of the direction of such forces. This mechanism is independent of the car seat handle. Furthermore, this connection mechanism includes a simple manual disconnect or release system, to allow quick removal of the seat from the base.

Abstract: A novel infant child restraint system that includes a base having a height adjustment to allow the base to assume one of a plurality of positions and inclinations when mounted to the vehicle seat. Additionally, in certain embodiments the base is formed to have a recessed knee-receiving area, into which the user can place their knee when tightening the vehicle's restraint system around the base. The base and car seat are removably attached in interlocking relation using a novel connection mechanism that is not susceptible to premature or improper release due to forces, regardless of the direction of such forces. This mechanism is independent of the car seat handle. Furthermore, this connection mechanism includes a simple manual disconnect or release system, to allow quick removal of the seat from the base.

Abstract: An infant car seat having an outer shell, a protective layer, and a padded fabric cover covering the protective layer is disclosed. The protective layer is preferably made of a polymer, such as expanded polystyrene, and includes a plurality of crush ribs. The spacing of these crush ribs is varied in accordance with the size of the infant. The spacing of these crush ribs determines the stiffness of the layer. In other words, closer spaced ribs offer more resistance to compression, and are therefore stiffer. Ribs that are spaced further apart offer less resistance to compression, and are therefore softer. By varying the spacing of the ribs, the stiffness of the protective layer varies in accordance with the infant's size. Alternatively, or additionally, the width of the crush ribs can be varied to achieve a similar result.

Abstract: A novel infant child restraint system that includes a base having a height adjustment to allow the base to assume one of a plurality of positions and inclinations when mounted to the vehicle seat. Additionally, in certain embodiments the base is formed to have a recessed knee-receiving area, into which the user can place their knee when tightening the vehicle's restraint system around the base. The base and car seat are removably attached in interlocking relation using a novel connection mechanism that is not susceptible to premature or improper release due to forces, regardless of the direction of such forces. This mechanism is independent of the car seat handle. Furthermore, this connection mechanism includes a simple manual disconnect or release system, to allow quick removal of the seat from the base.

Abstract: A load-limited seat base for a child safety seat, including an attachment element carried by the seat base for attaching the seat base to a seating element, and a transversely-extending load absorbing assembly positioned in the base and cooperating with the seating element to permit the seating element to be selectively positioned in a recline position and an upright position relative to the base. The load absorbing assembly includes an elongate deforming member and a positioning block having at least a first recline position and a second upright position corresponding to the recline position and the upright position within which the deforming member is positioned. The deforming member is selectively positionable in the positioning block to position the seating element in the selected recline or upright position.

Abstract: An infant safety seat with an adjustable accommodating space includes a multi-layer cushioning insert which is detachably insertable into an infant safety seat for accommodating an infant in different stages of growth with different sizes. The multi-layer cushioning insert comprises a first cushioning part and a second cushioning part both may detachably to overlap each other and connect into the accommodating space to provide the necessary support for keeping an infant in proper postural position. The first cushioning part includes a U-shaped head cushion part, U-shaped body cushion part and U-shaped leg cushion part for restricting the side moving of the infant. Further, for accommodating a smaller infant, the second cushioning part can be detachably overlapped onto the first cushioning part for further reducing the side moving space and upright moving space of the baby in the infant safety seat.

Abstract: An energy absorbing tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell.

Abstract: A load-limited seat base for a child safety seat, including an attachment element carried by the seat base for attaching the seat base to a seating element, and a transversely-extending load absorbing assembly positioned in the base and cooperating with the seating element to permit the seating element to be selectively positioned in a recline position and an upright position relative to the base. The load absorbing assembly includes an elongate deforming member and a positioning block having at least a first recline position and a second upright position corresponding to the recline position and the upright position within which the deforming member is positioned. The deforming member is selectively positionable in the positioning block to position the seating element in the selected recline or upright position.

Abstract: A child safety seat assembly, including a base for being positioned on a vehicle seat bottom. An anti-rebound bar is carried by the base and extends outwardly and upwardly from a foot end of the base for engaging a seat back of the vehicle seat to which the seat is attached for retarding inertia-induced rotation of the base and the attached carrier by transmitting rotational force applied to the seat during a sudden change in velocity into the seat back of the vehicle seat onto which the seat is attached.

Abstract: An energy absorbing tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell.

Abstract: A child safety seat assembly, including a base for being positioned on a vehicle seat bottom. An anti-rebound bar is carried by the base and extends outwardly and upwardly from a foot end of the base for engaging a seat back of the vehicle seat to which the seat is attached for retarding inertia-induced rotation of the base and the attached carrier by transmitting rotational force applied to the seat during a sudden change in velocity into the seat back of the vehicle seat onto which the seat is attached.

Abstract: A child safety seat assembly, including a base for being positioned on a vehicle seat bottom. The base includes an Isofix-type latch for attachment of the base to an Isofix bar of the vehicle seat, and a separate seat belt lock-off for allowing the base to be secured to the vehicle seat by means of the vehicle seat belt. A child carrier is provided for being releasably attached to the base. The carrier includes a handle for allowing the carrier to be lifted and carried. The handle includes a latching assembly for releasably locking the carrier to the base and detaching the carrier from the base with a single hand.

Abstract: An energy absorbing tether assembly for use with a child safety seat of the type having a pair of spaced apart slots in a shell.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing underrun protection system for a vehicle. The energy-absorbing underrun protection system is comprised of a deformable construction adapted for deforming along a longitudinal axis to absorb crash energy. This deformable construction has a torque arm member extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom for receiving an impact load offset from the longitudinal axis and bending the deformable construction toward the impact load.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle front structure includes upper and lower siderails and a structural link extending from the upper and lower siderails, with the structural link having a pivotable connection to the upper siderail and a rigid connection to the lower siderail, such that energy absorption provided by the structure may be tailored by varying the character of the joint between the structural link and the upper siderail.