Numerous different child safety seat configurations and constructions have heretofore been utilized in the United States in various automotive vehicle applications. The most frequently used child safety seat construction basically involves a forward-facing molded seat having an attached harness/belt restraint for properly retaining the child occupant in the seat and a separate seat-belt restraint for retaining the molded seat in its proper position upon a conventional seat of the automotive vehicle. In such known child safety seat installations it is common, in the case of severe collision of the incorporating automotive vehicle, for the child safety seat occupant to experience a high degree of collision impact shock and possible or even probable consequential occupant injury.
I have discovered that the shortcomings of the known child safety seat constructions may advantageously be avoided by incorporating as few as two additional construction features or elements into the prior art child safety seat configurations. Such additional features utilize the forward momentum of the child safety seat occupant to rotate that occupant into a more reclined seated position and also utilize a separate energy-absorbing construction element or system to extend the duration of collision impact loadings on the safety seat over a longer period of time.
Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent during consideration of the descriptions and drawings which follow.