This invention concerns support apparatus and particularly but not exclusively support apparatus for a child""s car seat; and a method of mounting a child""s car seat in a vehicle.
Conventionally babies and young children are carried in vehicles and particularly cars on a child""s car seat. Such seats generally rest on the vehicle seat and are strapped thereto or held in place by the vehicle""s seat belt. For young babies such seats are often rear facing, whilst seats for older children are generally forward facing. With such car seats, and particularly the seats for babies, it is intended for the seats to rest at a particular inclination, and this is often with the base of the car seat horizontally aligned. The inclination of vehicle""s seats varies from vehicle to vehicle, and sometimes between front and rear seats. Accordingly, in many instances children are carried at an incorrect inclination such that the child seat does not provide the desired comfort, support or security for the child.
The term xe2x80x9cchild""s car seatxe2x80x9d when used in this specification is to be understood as covering seats as outlined above for use in cars and/or other vehicles.
According to the present invention there is provided support apparatus, the apparatus comprising first and second members each providing a respective support surface, the first and second members being pivotally interconnected such that the relative inclination between said members can be varied, the apparatus being locatable on a vehicle seat to support a child""s car seat thereon.
The first and second members are preferably interconnected along respective first edges thereof. The first and second members may be substantially planar.
The apparatus may comprise a support arrangement engageable between the first and second members to maintain a required relative inclination.
The support assembly may be arranged to permit one of a number of relative inclinations to be selectively maintained. The support arrangement may extend between respective opposite second edges of the first and second members.
The support arrangement may comprise a first part extending from the first member and a second part extending from the second member, the first and second parts being pivotally interconnected, and desirably movable between a substantially collinear alignment providing maximum relative inclination, and a substantially parallel alignment with the first and second members substantially parallel to each other, whereby to permit storage.
The first and second parts may be substantially planar and may be narrower than the first and second members.
A bracing arrangement preferably extends between the support arrangement and a one of the first and second members, to retain a required relative inclination. The bracing arrangement may extend from the interconnection between said first and second parts, and the bracing arrangement may be pivotally mounted to said interconnection.
The bracing arrangement may comprise one or more elongate members, and where a plurality of elongate members are provided they may be interconnected and may be provided in a parallel alignment. A plurality of formations may be provided on said one of the first or second members, with which formations the bracing arrangement is selectively engageable.
The first and second members may be formed of plastics material mouldings, and the formations may be integrally formed with said one of the first or second members.
The first and second members preferably have a width in the order of the width of the underside of a child""s car seat.
The invention also provides a child""s car seat incorporating a support apparatus according to any of the preceding 10 paragraphs on the underside of the car seat.
The apparatus may be integrally formed with a part of the car seat.
The invention also provides a method of mounting a child""s car seat in a vehicle, the method comprising locating a support apparatus according to any of said preceding ten paragraphs on a vehicle seat, adjusting the relative inclination between the first and second members to a required amount, locating the car seat on the support apparatus and mounting the car seat to the car.