Juvenile vehicle seat cup holder
A juvenile vehicle seat is provided including a cup holder. The cup holder is movable between a retracted position adjacent the seat and an extended position spaced from the seat.
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This application is a reissue of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/377,653 filed Mar. 4, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,649, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/881,503 filed Jun. 14, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,862.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMEAY SUMMARYThe present application relates to a juvenile vehicle seat and particularly to a juvenile vehicle seat having a cup holder movable between a retracted position and an extended position.
Conventional juvenile vehicle seats are generally known and are in relatively widespread use. It is desirable to provide a juvenile vehicle seat including a cup holder movable between a retracted position and an extended position.
According to the present disclosure, a juvenile vehicle seat is provided including a seat bottom and a seat back and a cup holder movable relative to the seat bottom. The cup holder is movable between a retracted position adjacent the seat bottom and an extended position spaced from the seat bottom.
In an illustrative embodiment, the cup holder includes a cup retainer or article receiver coupled to a connector or connecting member. A first portion of the connector cooperates with a second portion of the seat bottom or a base for the seat bottom to inhibit movement of the cup holder from at least one of the retracted and extended positions.
In another illustrative embodiment, the juvenile vehicle seat base is configured to releasably couple to the seat bottom. The base provides a receptor or aperture to receive the connector. The base includes engagement edges that cooperate with the connector to inhibit movement of the cup holder from at least one of the retracted and extended positions.
In another illustrative embodiment, the connector provides surfaces to engage the engagement edges of the base. One or more flexible tabs provide the surfaces so that when a user applies sufficient force to move the cup holder toward the extended position or the retracted position the tabs flex to disengage the surfaces from the edges. The tabs and surfaces thereon are configured to cooperate with the base or seat bottom to inhibit movement of the cup holder until a deliberate and sufficient force is applied to move the cup holder.
In still another illustrative embodiment, while in the retracted position, the cup holder is spaced apart from the seat bottom by a first distance. In the extended position the cup holder is spaced apart from the seat bottom by a second distance. The second distance is greater than the first distance. The second distance is sufficient so that the cup holder, when in the extended position, can accommodate cups or other articles having dimensions that would not be accommodated by the cup holder in the retracted position.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the present application will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the subject matter of this application as presently perceived.
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
Juvenile vehicle seat assembly 10 includes a seat 12, 14, a base 16, and a cupholder 18 as shown in FIG. 1. Base 16 is arranged to support seat 12, 14 and formed to include a cupholder receptor 38 and first, second, and third engagement surfaces 48, 50, 54 as shown in
Cupholder 18 is mounted for movement relative to base 16 between a retracted position shown in FIG. 5 and an extended position shown in FIG. 7. Cupholder 18 includes a cup receiver 20 and a base connector 22 coupled to cup receiver 20 and arranged to extend into cupholder receptor 38 formed in base 16 as suggested in
As shown in
Base 16 includes a deck 36 formed to include first, second, and third engagement surfaces 48, 50, 54 and to define a ceiling of cupholder receptor 38 as shown in
First retainer 62 is coupled to retainer mount portion 26 as shown in FIG. 3. First retainer 62 is arranged to extend upwardly toward deck 36 to confront first and second engagement surfaces 48, 50 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the extended position and to confront third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the retracted position.
Deck 36 is formed to include a first opening 46 defined in part by first and second engagement surfaces 48, 50 and sized to receive therein a portion 70 , e.g. a detent, of first retainer 62 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the extended position. Deck 36 is also formed to include a second opening 52 defined in part by third engagement surface 54 and sized to receive therein the detent 70 of the first retainer 62 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the retracted position as shown in FIG. 5. Detent 70 has a curved surface arranged to confront first and second engagement surfaces 48, 50 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the extended position and to confront third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the retracted position.
First retainer 62 includes a flexible first tab 66 cantilevered to retainer mount portion 26 of base connector 22 to move up and down relative to deck 36 and detent 70 is appended to flecible first tab 66 to move up and down therewith. Detent 70 is sized to extend into first opening 46 to confront first and second engagement surfaces 48, 50 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the extended position and to extend into second opening 52 to confront third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the retracted position. Flexible first tab 66 provides means for moving detent 70 in an upward direction into second opening 52 to confront third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the retracted position as suggested in
Base connector 22 further includes a second retainer 64 arranged to confront third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the extended position to inhibit further movement of cupholder 18 relative to base 16 away from the retracted position so as to block movement of cupholder 18 to a withdrawn position outside of cupholder receptor 38 formed in base 16. Second retainer 64 is coupled to retainer mount portion 26 to cause first retainer 62 to lie between neck portion 27 and second retainer 64. Second retainer 64 is arranged to extend upwardly toward deck 36 to confront third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the extended position as shown in FIG. 7 and to lie in spaced-apart relation to third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the retracted position as shown in FIG. 5.
Second retainer 64 includes a flexible second tab 68 cantilevered to retainer mount portion 26 of the base connector 22 to move up and down relative to deck 36 and a catch 72 appended to flexible second tab 68 to move up and down therewith. Catch 72 is sized to extend into the second opening 52 to confront third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the extended position.
Catch 72 has a vertical stop surface 76 arranged to contact third engagement surface 54 to inhibit removal of cupholder 18 from cupholder receptor 38 formed in base 16. Catch 72 also includes a sloped surface 74 arranged to cam on second engagement surface 50 to bend flexible second tab 68 downwardly to move catch 72 relative to deck 36 and away from second engagement surface 50 during initial insertion of base connector 22 into cupholder receptor 38 and movement of cupholder 18 relative to base 16 toward the retracted position. Catch 72 is positioned to lied in second opening 52 in spaced-apart relation to third engagement surface 54 upon movement of cupholder 18 to the retracted position.
Base 16 further includes a platform 90 located under a portion of the cupholder 18 and a side wall 32 is located between deck 36 and platform 90. Side wall 32 is formed to include side opening 39 and cooperate with deck 36 to form cupholder receptor 38 under deck 36 to receive base connector 22 through the side opening 39 as suggested in FIG. 3. Cupholder 18 is arranged to move along a path above platform 90 during movement of cupholder 18 between the retracted and extended positions as shown in
Base 16 further includes left and right guide supports 120, 122 located in cupholder receptor 38 under deck 36 and arranged to support a portion of cupholder 18 for sliding movement relative to base 16 during movement of cupholder 18 between the retracted and extended positions. Platform 90 is arranged to lie outside of cupholder receptor 38 formed in base 16 to support another portion of cupholder 18 for sliding movement relative to base 16 during movement of cupholder 18 between the retracted and extended positions.
Referring now to
As shown in
As shown in
In the retracted position shown in
Referring to
As a user moves cup holder 18 to the extended position shown in
To insert cup holder 18 into base 16, a user inserts base connector 22 into cupholder receptor 38. As the user moves cup holder 18 toward the retracted position, catch 72 slides along an underside of base 16. Sloped surface 74 facilitates insertion of base connector 22 by the user by reducing resistance in sliding catch 72 past edge 50.
Base 16 includes left and right guide supports 120, 122. Each of guide supports 120, 122 includes a generally upwardly facing support surface 128. In operation, as shown in
As shown in
Although this application has described detail with reference to certain preferred or illustrative embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
Claims
1. A juvenile vehicle seat assembly comprising
- a seat,
- a base removably attached and arranged to support the seat,
- a cupholder mounted for movement relative to the base between a retracted position and an extended position,
- a first element on the base,
- a second element on the cupholder, and
- the first and second elements releasably locking the cupholder in a retracted position and yielding to allow the cupholder to travel and extended position wherein it is releasably held by the first and second elements.
2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second elements includes an opening with an engagement surface and the other of the first and second elements includes a catch with a first portion adapted to engage the engagement surface to prevent movement of the cup holder beyond at least one of the retracted and extended positions.
3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the catch further includes a second portion which is sloped to facilitate movement of the cup holder to the retracted position.
4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the catch is coupled to a cantilevered tab.
5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second elements includes a detent having a first portion adapted to confront an engagement surface on the other of the first and second elements upon movement of the cupholder to the extended position.
6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the detent has a second portion adapted to confront an engagement surface on the other of the first and second elements upon movement of the cupholder to the retracted position.
7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the detent is coupled to a cantilevered tab.
8. A juvenile vehicle seat assembly comprising
- a seat,
- a base removably attached and arranged to support the seat,
- a cupholder mounted for movement relative to the seat between a first position and a second position,
- first and second elements connected to the base and cupholder, respectively,
- wherein the first and second elements are adapted to releasably lock the cupholder in the first position and to yield allowing the cupholder to travel to the second position wherein it is releasably held by the first and second elements.
9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second elements includes a catch
- the other of the first and second elements includes an opening with engagement surfaces
- wherein at least one of the first and second elements includes a detent having a first portion adapted to confront an engagement surface on the other of the first and second elements upon movement of the cupholder to the first position and a second portion adapted to confront an engagement surface on the other of the first and second elements upon movement of the cupholder to the second position.
10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the other of the first and second elements includes a plurality of openings and engagement surfaces.
11. The assembly of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second elements includes a first detent portion adapted to confront an engagement surface on the other of the first and second elements upon movement of the cupholder to the first position and a second detent portion adapted to confront an engagement surface on the other of the first and second elements upon movement of the cupholder to the second position.
12. The juvenile vehicle seat of claim 11, wherein the cup holder includes a connecting member, the connecting member being movable relative to the base, and a cup receiver coupled to the connecting member to move therewith.
13. The juvenile vehicle seat of claim 12, wherein the cup holder is slidably mounted relative to the base.
14. A juvenile vehicle seat assembly comprising
- a seat,
- a base removably attached and arranged to support the seat,
- a cupholder adapted for movement between a retracted position and an extended position, and
- means for releasably locking the cupholder relative to the base in the retracted position and the extended position.
15. The assembly of claim 14 comprising
- a first element on the base,
- a second element on the cupholder, wherein the means for releasably locking the cupholder includes the first and second elements.
16. The juvenile vehicle seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the positions of the cupholder mounted for movement relative to the base between the retracted position and the extended position define the limits of movement of the cupholder and the cupholder is usable in both the retracted position and the extended position.
17. The juvenile vehicle seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the seat includes a back.
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- “Memorandum in Support of the Motion of Defendant GRACO Children's Products, Inc. for Summary Judgment of Non Infringement”, filed Jan. 5, 2004 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc. vs. Graco Children's Products, Inc.
- “Plantiff's Memorandum in Support of its (1) Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment of Infringemen and (2 )Response in Opposition to Graco's Motion for Summary Judgment of Noninfringementt”, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc., vs. Graco Children's Products, Inc., Case No. 1:03-CV-1273 LJM-WTL.
- Order on Cross Motions for Summary Judgment (Sep. 9, 2004), Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.v. Graco Children's Prods., Inc., Case No. 1:03-cv-1273-LJM-WTL.
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- Nonconfidential Joint Appendix, (Feb. 28, 2005), Dorel Juvenile Group, Inc.v. Graco Children's Prods., Inc., Case No. 1:03-cv-12730LJM-WTL.
Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 6, 2003
Date of Patent: Jan 22, 2008
Assignee: Cosco Management, Inc. (Wilmington, DE)
Inventor: James M. Kain (Troy, OH)
Primary Examiner: Milton Nelson, Jr.
Attorney: Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Application Number: 10/702,055
International Classification: A47C 1/08 (20060101);