Child Seat with Object Holder

Abstract

A child seat is provided for placement on the seat of a vehicle. The child seat includes a base and an object holder that is retractably connected to the base so that it moves in and out of a recess formed in the base between a retracted position and an extended position. When in the retracted position, the object holder is configured to be engaged so as to articulate the object holder from the fully retracted position toward the extended position.

1 . A child seat configured for placement on a seat of a vehicle for seating a child within the vehicle, the child seat comprising: 
 an object holder including a vertically elongated cavity for receiving and holding an object;    a base having a side wall, the side wall defining a perimeter of a recess formed in the wall, such that the object holder is attached to the base and extends into the recess, the perimeter being sized so that the recess receives a portion of the object holder, the object holder movable in and out of the recess between a fully retracted storage position and an extended in use position, respectively;    wherein, when the object holder is in the fully retracted storage position, the object holder is configured to be engaged so as to articulate the object holder from the fully retracted position toward the extended position; and    a belt path configured to receive and locate relative to the child a lapbelt of a restraint system of the vehicle.    
   
   
       2 . The child seat as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall of the base is a substantially vertical outer side wall.  
   
   
       3 . The child seat as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the recess perimeter is sized to receive a portion of the cavity of the object holder  
   
   
       4 . The child seat as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the object holder is pivotally attached to the base.  
   
   
       5 . The child seat as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the object holder is slidably attached to the base.  
   
   
       6 . The child seat as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the base further comprises a seating surface and the object holder includes an extension slidably connected to the base and positioned under the seating surface.  
   
   
       7 . The child seat as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the extension includes a slot, and the base includes a post positioned in the slot to limit a sliding motion of the object holder.  
   
   
       8 . The child seat as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the object holder presents a gripping surface when the object holder is in the fully retracted position.  
   
   
       9 . The child seat as recited in  claim 1 , wherein when each object holder is in the fully retracted position, a portion of the cavity is in vertical alignment with the recess perimeter.  
   
   
       10 . The child seat as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the aligned portion of the cavity is surrounded by the recess perimeter  
   
   
       11 . The child seat as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a second object holder attached to the base.  
   
   
       12 . A child seat for seating a child within a vehicle, comprising: 
 a base having first and second opposing side walls, the side walls each defining a perimeter of a recess formed in each wall;    first and second object holders each including a vertically elongated cavity for receiving and holding an object, the first and second recess perimeters being sized such that the corresponding recesses are sized to receive a portion of the first and second object holders, respectively, and each object holder is movable in and out of the corresponding recess between q retracted storage position an extended in use position, respectively;    wherein in the fully retracted storage position, each object holder is configured to be engaged so as to articulate the object holder from the filly retracted position toward the extended position; and    a belt path configured to receive and locate relative to the child a lapbelt of a restraint system of the vehicle such that the child seat is configured for placement on a seat of the vehicle.    
   
   
       13 . The child seat as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the side walls are substantially vertical outer side walls,  
   
   
       14 . The child seat as recited in  claim 12 , wherein each object holder presents a gripping surface when the object holder is in the retracted position.  
   
   
       15 . The child seat as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the recesses receive a portion of the cavity of the object holders.  
   
   
       16 . The child seat as recited in  claim 12 , wherein when each object holder is in the fully retracted position, a portion of the cavity is in vertical alignment with the recess perimeter.  
   
   
       17 . The child seat as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the aligned portion of the cavity is surrounded by the recess perimeter  
   
   
       18 . The child seat as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the object holder is pivotally attached to the base.  
   
   
       19 . The child seat as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the object holder is slidably attached to the base.