Child Restraint System With User Interface

Abstract

A child seat, which is configured to be secured to a seat of a vehicle, includes: a seat base; a child receiving portion supported by the seat base; at least one of a belt tensioning system incorporated into the seat base for receiving a belt and providing tension to the belt based on a signal from a controller and a leveling system incorporated into the seat base for leveling the child receiving portion relative to the seat of the vehicle based on a signal from the controller; and a manual override mechanism operatively coupled to at least one of the belt tensioning system and the leveling system to disengage at least one of the belt tensioning system and the leveling system and allow a user to at least one of manually apply tension to the belt and manually level the child receiving portion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A child car seat comprising:
 a seat base secured to a seat of a vehicle;   a child receiving portion supported by the seat base;   at least one of a belt tensioning system incorporated into the seat base for receiving a belt that couples the seat base to the seat of the vehicle, and a leveling system incorporated into the seat base for leveling the child receiving portion relative to the seat of the vehicle;   a controller operatively coupled to at least one of the belt tensioning system and the leveling system and configured to activate at least one of the belt tensioning system and the leveling system such that the belt tensioning system tensions the belt to a predetermined tension and the leveling system levels the child receiving portion to a predetermined angle relative to the seat of the vehicle; and   at least one of a manual override mechanism operatively connected to the belt tensioning system to allow a user to manually tension the belt without actuating the belt tensioning system and a manual adjustment mechanism operatively connected to the leveling system to allow the user to level the child receiving portion without actuating the leveling system.   
     
     
         2 . The child car seat of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface device operatively connected to the controller to provide an indication to the user that the seat base is properly secured to the seat of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The child car seat of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface device is mounted on the seat base. 
     
     
         4 . The child car seat of  claim 2 , wherein the user interface device is remote from the child car seat and configured to receive data from the child car seat. 
     
     
         5 . The child car seat of  claim 4 , wherein the user interface device receives data from the child car seat wirelessly. 
     
     
         6 . The child car seat of  claim 4 , wherein the user interface device is at least one of a dedicated mobile electronic device, a multi-purpose electronic device, a smartphone, a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and an onboard wireless system on the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The child car seat of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one sensor associated with at least one of the seat base and the child receiving portion and configured to determine whether the child receiving portion is at a proper level, the belt securing the seat base to the seat of the vehicle is at a proper tension, a handle of the child receiving portion is at a correct position, the belt securing the seat base to the seat of the vehicle is not twisted, a harness securing a child within the child receiving portion is at a proper tension and a proper height, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The child car seat of  claim 7 , wherein the controller is operably coupled with the at least one sensor and configured to output to the user interface device at least one of installation instructions and the indication that the seat base is properly secured to the seat of the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The child car seat of  claim 1 , wherein the belt tensioning system comprises at least one drive system, a spindle connected to the belt and rotatable in a pay-in direction or in a payout direction, and a clutch configured to transfer torque generated by the at least one drive system to the spindle to drive the spindle in the pay-in direction. 
     
     
         10 . The child car seat of  claim 9 , wherein the clutch is configured to transition between an engaged position, in which the clutch is engaged to the spindle allowing the at least one drive system to drive the spindle in the pay-in direction, and a disengaged position, in which the clutch disengages from the spindle, thereby allowing the spindle to rotate free from the at least one drive system in either the pay-in direction or the payout direction. 
     
     
         11 . The child car seat of  claim 10 , wherein the belt tensioning system further comprises a clutch motor, the clutch motor being configured to transition the clutch between the engaged position and the disengaged position. 
     
     
         12 . The child car seat of  claim 9 , wherein the belt tensioning system further comprises a ratchet and pawl mechanism comprising a pawl configured to selectively engage the spindle to prevent rotation of the spindle in the payout direction. 
     
     
         13 . The child car seat of  claim 12 , wherein the manual override mechanism is selectively coupled to the pawl to allow the user to manually disengage the pawl from the spindle. 
     
     
         14 . The child car seat of  claim 1 , wherein the manual override mechanism comprises a manual release extending from the seat base and operatively connected to the belt tensioning system to allow the user to release the belt from the belt tensioning system and to adjust tension manually. 
     
     
         15 . The child car seat of  claim 14 , wherein the manual override mechanism further comprises an overdrive crank operatively connected to the belt tensioning system for adjusting tension of the belt manually. 
     
     
         16 . The child car seat of  claim 1 , wherein the leveling system comprises a telescoping foot extending from the seat base, and wherein an automated drive system of the leveling system is operatively coupled to the telescoping foot and is configured to retract or extend the telescoping foot to adjust a height of the seat base based on a signal from the controller. 
     
     
         17 . The child car seat of  claim 16 , wherein the manual override mechanism comprises a height adjust manual release operatively connected to the telescoping foot to allow a user to adjust the height of the seat base manually. 
     
     
         18 . The child car seat of  claim 16 , wherein the manual override mechanism comprises a manual release knob operatively connected to the leveling system to allow a user to disengage the automated drive system and a manual override knob operatively connected to the telescoping foot to allow a user to manually manipulate the height of the seat base after the automated drive system has been disengaged. 
     
     
         19 . The child car seat of  claim 1 , wherein the child receiving portion is an infant carrier removably connected to the seat base. 
     
     
         20 . A child car seat comprising:
 a seat base secured to a seat of a vehicle;   a child receiving portion supported by the seat base;   at least one of a belt tensioning system incorporated into the seat base for receiving a belt that couples the seat base to the seat of the vehicle and providing tension to the belt based on a signal from a controller, and a leveling system incorporated into the seat base for leveling the child receiving portion relative to the seat of the vehicle based on a signal from the controller; and   an override mechanism operatively coupled to at least one of the belt tensioning system and the leveling system to disengage at least one of the belt tensioning system and the leveling system and allows a user to at least one of manually apply tension to the belt and manually level the child receiving portion.