US-20260124969-A1 - FASTENING SYSTEM FOR CHILD SEATS

US20260124969A1US 20260124969 A1US20260124969 A1US 20260124969A1US-20260124969-A1

Abstract

A fastening system for fastening a child seat or a base for a child seat to a motor vehicle seat, comprises a hook for engaging around a bracket provided on the motor vehicle, such as an Isofix anchorage, in order to couple the fastening system to the motor vehicle seat. The hook is switchable between a first position, in which it does not couple the fastening system to the motor vehicle seat, and a second position, in which it couples the fastening system to the motor vehicle seat. An electrical detection device comprises a sensor suitable for detecting whether the hook is in the first or the second position, wherein the detection device is configured for indirect detection of the respective position or wherein the detection device, in particular the sensor, has a distance relative to the hook, both in its first and in its second position.

Inventors

Stoil Bozhikov
Harald Kohlmann

Assignees

CYBEX GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20230929
Priority Date: 20221007

Claims (14)

1 . A fastening system for fastening a child seat or a base for the child seat to a motor vehicle seat, comprising: a hook which is suitable for engaging around a bracket provided on a motor vehicle, in particular an Isofix anchorage, in order to couple the fastening system to the motor vehicle seat, wherein the hook is switchable between a first position, in which it does not couple the fastening system to the motor vehicle seat, and a second position, in which it couples the fastening system to the motor vehicle seat, and an electrical detection device, comprising in particular a sensor which is suitable for detecting whether the hook is in the first position or the second position, wherein the detection device is configured for indirect detection of the first position and the second position or wherein the detection device, in particular the sensor, has a distance relative to the hook, both in the first position and in the second position.
2 . The fastening system according to claim 1 wherein a transfer device, in particular movable, preferably rigid, relative to the hook, which is in contact with the hook in at least or exactly one position and, depending on a position of the hook, can assume at least two transfer device positions, in particular a first transfer device position, a second transfer device position or a third transfer device position, wherein the detection device is configured to detect the first transfer device position, the second transfer device position, or the third transfer device position, in particular directly.
3 . The fastening system according to claim 2 wherein a retaining latch which is switchable between a locking position, in which the retaining latch holds the hook in its second position, and a release position, in which the retaining latch does not hold the hook in its second position, wherein the retaining latch is a component of the transfer device.
4 . The fastening system according to claim 1 , wherein a minimum distance between the detection device or the sensor and the hook is at least 10 cm.
5 . The fastening system according to claim 3 , wherein the fastening system is telescopic in design, wherein a first section and a second section are provided, wherein the first section and the second section are displaceable relative to one another for adjusting a length of the fastening system, wherein an adjustment latch is provided in or on the second section, which adjustment latch can be configured with respect to the first section and the second section such that adjustment of the length of the fastening system is possible to a limited extent or not possible, wherein the first section is fastened or fastenable to the child seat or the base for the child seat, optionally detachably, or is integrally formed at least in sections with the child seat or the base for the child seat, or wherein the second section is provided for fastening, optionally detachably, to the motor vehicle seat or wherein a transfer element is provided as a component of the transfer device, which is arranged to be displaceable, in particular longitudinally displaceable, between at least a first non-drive position, a second non-drive position and a drive position in or on the second section, wherein the transfer element has a drive section which is suitable for selectively cooperating with an, in particular second, engaging section of the adjustment latch in order to transfer the latter from an extended position into a retracted position, or a latch blocking section suitable for selectively cooperating with a, in particular first, engaging section of the adjustment latch to prevent the latter from being transferred from an extended position to a retracted position, or which is operatively connected to the retaining latch, such that a movement of the transfer element switches the retaining latch between the release position or the locking position.
6 . The fastening system according to claim 1 , wherein a second section of the fastening system comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the hook is arranged at the distal end.
7 . The fastening system according to claim 5 , wherein transfer element has a detection section which is suitable for being detected by the detection device, in particular the/a sensor, for determining the position of the transfer device, in particular the transfer element, wherein the detection section and the detection device, in particular the/a sensor, are preferably adjacent to one another.
8 . The fastening system according to claim 7 wherein the detection device, in particular the sensor, is suitable for detecting the position of the transfer device, or the retaining latch or the transfer element, wherein the detection device comprises a switch which is switchable between a first and a second switch position, wherein a switchover of the transfer device from the second to a first transfer device position, wherein the switchover of the retaining latch from the release position to the locking position or the switchover of the transfer element from the second non-drive position to the first non-drive position is linked to the switchover of the switch from the second switch position to the first switch position, and/or or wherein the switchover of the transfer device from the first to the second transfer device position, preferably the switchover of the retaining latch from the locking position to the release position or the switchover of the transfer element from the first non-drive position to the second non-drive position, is linked to the switchover of the switch from the first switch position to the second switch position.
9 . The fastening system according to claim 7 , wherein a switch of the detection device comprises a button, in particular a push-button provided for pressing in or pressing down, wherein an extended position of the button is associated with a first switch position, and a pressed-down position of the button is associated with a second switch position, or comprises a lever which, in the first switch position, is arranged in an inclined position with respect to a longitudinal direction of the fastening system and is suitable for switching the switch from the first switch position to a second switch position from the detection section of the transfer device, in particular of the transfer element, in order to transfer the button from the extended position to the pressed-down position, wherein the lever is thus moved into a position extending in the longitudinal direction or transversely to the longitudinal direction, wherein the lever is movable back into the inclined position by a return spring, in particular a switch spring, in that the return spring, in particular the switch spring, transfers the button from the pressed-down position into the extended position.
10 . The fastening system according to claim 9 , wherein the detection section of the transfer device, in particular of transfer element, and the detection device, in particular the sensor, are arranged between the adjustment latch and a proximal end of the second section.
11 . The fastening system according to claim 9 , wherein the detection section of the transfer device, in particular the transfer element, has zones of different conductivity, wherein at least a first zone is made of metal and/or or a second zone is made of plastic.
12 . The fastening system according to claim 11 , wherein the detection device of the fastening system, in particular the sensor, is designed as a conductivity sensor or a resistance measuring device, in order to detect the zones of different conductivity of the detection section.
13 . A child seat or base for a child seat, comprising at least two fastening systems according to claim 1 , arranged next to one another, for fastening the child seat or the base for the child seat on a motor vehicle seat, compatible with an Isofix anchorage or an anchorage according to standard ISO 13216 or UN ECE R 145.
14 . A method for detecting a position of the hook of the fastening system according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device, comprises a sensor, detects whether the hook is in the first or the second position, wherein the detection device is configured for indirect detection of the respective position or wherein the detection device, in particular the sensor, has a distance relative to the hook, both in its first and in its second position.

Description

The invention relates to a fastening system for fastening a child seat and/or a base for a child seat to a motor vehicle seat. A child seat is understood by a person skilled in the art to be a child restraint system for transporting a child in a vehicle, preferably a motor vehicle. It should be noted that in the context of the present invention, the term “child seat” is to be understood as a generic term for (classic) child seats, infant carriers, booster seats, booster cushions, etc. For example, the child seat of the present invention may be a (classic) child seat (for larger children, e.g. Group I/II and/or III child seat) which has a backrest which is structurally separated from a seat area and whose inclination can be varied relative to the seat area if necessary. The structural boundary can be formed, for example, by a kink or similar. In general, however (unless otherwise stated in the specific context) child seat is always to be understood as an abbreviated form of writing for “child seat, for example infant carrier, booster seat and/or booster cushion” or, in the context of the present invention, features provided for a (classic) child seat are in principle also applicable, for example, to an infant carrier, a booster seat and/or a booster cushion and vice versa (unless otherwise stated). The same applies to the term “child”, which is also to be understood as a generic term for children, babies and infants. So-called “infant carriers” often (only) comprise a one-piece shell for holding the baby or child and may include a separate belt system, possibly a headrest and possibly other components. Instead of a (structurally delimited) backrest, such “infant carriers” have a back section that adjoins a “seat area” in which the child's buttocks can be accommodated. The term “base for a child seat” is understood by a person skilled in the art to mean, in particular, a base to which a child seat can be detachably or non-detachably fastened. Child seats, infant carriers, booster seats etc. that can be fastened to a vehicle seat have been known for some time. Such child seats, infant carriers, booster seats etc. serve as seating for children, babies and infants and offer them increased protection, especially in the event of an accident and/or emergency braking. Such child seats can be secured using the car's belt system or by means of an Isofix anchorage. This type of fastening secures the child seat to the car seat in the event of an accident, so that it is held in place on the car seat and not thrown forward, particularly in the event of a rear-end collision (impact) and/or emergency braking. Since such child seats often have to be changed and/or installed and removed between different vehicles, especially motor vehicles, it is particularly important that the detachable anchorage of a child seat enables user-friendly handling. Furthermore, however, easier handling should not be at the expense of the child's safety in road traffic or in the event of an accident. The fastening of the child seat to the vehicle seat must therefore be as stable as possible. At the same time, however, it is also desirable if the fastening allows a certain degree of adjustability so that it can be optimally adapted to different car seats. An adjustable fastening system, in particular a telescopic system, for fastening a child restraint system, in particular a child seat, to a motor vehicle seat is known, for example, from EP 3 600 954B1. However, although the fastening system dis-closed there consists of a large number of different individual parts (as a result of which the design is considered to be in need of improvement in terms of manufacturing costs and susceptibility to faults in use), it lacks a means of detecting the fastening of the child restraint system. EP 1 871 637 A1 discloses a fastening system for fastening a child restraint system, in particular a child seat, to a motor vehicle seat. The fastening system comprises a first connector for connection to the motor vehicle seat and a second connector for connection to an anchorage of a child seat, wherein the second connector comprises a detector for detecting a secure connection to the motor vehicle seat. However, the reliability of the detection of EP 1 871 637 A1 is considered to be in need of improvement. Another disadvantage of this fastening system is that it is not very user-friendly to adjust the length of the system using pins. It is therefore the object of the present invention to propose a fastening system for fastening a child seat and/or a base for a child seat to a motor vehicle seat, which fulfills the requirements described above with regard to stability, user-friendliness, safety and universal applicability in the most cost-effective and least error-prone manner possible. This object is solved in particular by the features of claim 1. In particular, the object is solved by a fastening system for fastening a child seat and/or a base for a child seat to a