Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a footrest for a child safety arrangement in a vehicle, said footrest comprising a frame that is equipped with anchoring means to anchor the footrest relative to a permanent seat of the vehicle, and that a footstep is supported by the frame. Prior Art

From US 6,860,557 a footrest for a child safety seat is previously known. According to one disclosed embodiment the anchoring means comprises a plate shaped element that is hingedly connected to the frame of the footrest. Thus, it is possible to set the plate shaped element in an angled position in order to improve the anchoring ability of the anchoring means. However, even if this is done the anchoring ability is not sufficient to fulfill the pending security regulations. Objects and Features of the Invention

A primary object of the present invention is to present an anchoring device according to the preamble above, said anchoring device providing a very reliable anchoring ability relative to the permanent seats of the vehicle that the footrest is mounted in.

A further object of the present invention is that the anchoring device according to the present invention is

functioning properly in almost every vehicle model in the market .

Still a further object of the present invention is that the anchoring means should be simple to mount in a permanent seat of a vehicle.

At least the primary object of the invention is realized by an anchoring means that has been given the characterizing features of the independent claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. Brief Description of the Drawings

Below a preferred embodiment of the anchorage means according to the present invention is described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 shows a perspective, exploded view from above of a footrest according to the present invention and a car booster cushion;

Figure 2 shows a perspective, exploded view from beneath of footrest according to the present invention and a car booster cushion;

Figure 3 shows an enlarged side view of the expander, said expander being in a folded position;

Figure 4 shows an enlarged side view of the expander, said expander being in a intermediate position;

Figure 5 shows an enlarged side view of the expander, said expander being in an expanded position; and

Figure 6 shows schematically the mounting of the expander of the footrest in a vehicle. Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment of the

Invention

In Figs. 1 and 2 the footrest according to the present invention is shown in combination with a car booster cushion C. As is evident from Figs. 1 and 2 the footrest according to the present invention comprises a frame 1 that carries a footstep 2 and an expander 3. The frame 1 comprises a

generally U-shaped portion 5 and two elongated, parallel elements 7 that are connected to the parallel legs 9 of the U- shaped portion 5. The expander 3 is rigidly connected to the ends of the elongated elements 7 that are remote from the U- shaped portion 5.

The footstep 2 extends between the legs 9 of the U- shaped portion 5. The legs 9 are provided with a number of holes 10 in order to adjust the position of the footstep 2. Screws 11 extend through the holes 10 and are in engagement with threaded holes in the footstep 2.

Each elongated element 7 comprises two sub-elements 12, 13 that are displaceable relative each other in the

longitudinal direction of the elongated element 7. This means that the length of each elongated element 7 is adjustable.

Thus, the length of the elongated elements 7 may be adjusted to the depth of the seat that the footrest according to the present invention is mounted upon.

By studying Fig. 2 it is realized that the frame 1 and the car booster cushion C may be connected to each other in a proper way, i.e. the elongated elements 7 are received in recesses D in the bottom portion of the car booster cushion C.

Of course the connection between the frame 1 and the car booster cushion must be designed in such a way that the forces that are generated in connection with a collision are taken care of in a proper way.

The expander 3 comprises an elongated base element 15 that extends between the ends of the elongated elements 7. The base element 15 is secured to the ends of the elongated elements 7, e.g. by a screw connection 8.

The expander 3 further comprises two plate shaped elements 16 and 17 that are pivotally attached to the base element 15, i.e. the plate shaped elements 16, 17 may swing to a limited degree relative to the longitudinal axis of the base element 15.

The expander 3 further comprises a mechanism for bringing the plate shaped elements 16, 17 to pivot/swing relative the base element 15. In Figs. 3-5 this mechanism is schematically illustrated. The swing mechanism comprises an adjustment screw 18 that extends through the base element 15, said adjustment screw 18 being rotatable relative to the base element 15. A knob 19 is mounted on one end of the adjustment screw 18 in order to manually rotate the adjustment screw 18. The mechanism further comprises a sleeve nut 20 that is mounted on the adjustment screw 18. Two arms 21 and 22 are pivotally attached to the sleeve nut 20 via diametrically located pins 23 on the sleeve nut 20. The first arm 21 extends between the sleeve nut 20 and the first plate shaped element 16. The second arm 22 extends between the sleeve nut 20 and the second plate shaped element 17. The ends of the arms 21, 22, remote from the sleeve nut 20, are hingedly connected to a respective plate shaped element 16, 17 via a journal bearing 24. This means that the arms 21, 22 can pivot both relative the pins 23 and relative the plate shaped elements 16, 17.

In Fig. 3 the expander is disclosed in a folded

position, i.e. the plate shaped elements 16, 17 are close to each other. By rotating the adjustment screw 18 in a certain direction the sleeve nut 20 will be displaced along the adjustment screw 18, i.e. to the left in Fig. 3. When the adjustment screw has been rotated a number of revolutions the position according to Fig. 4 will be achieved. When the sleeve nut 20 is displaced to the left the arms 21, 22 will force the plate shaped elements 16, 17 to pivot relative the base element 15, i.e. the free ends of the plate shaped elements 16, 17 are being distanced from each other. In Fig. 4 the expander is in an intermediate expanding state.

Further rotation of the adjustment screw 18 and hence further displacement of the sleeve nut 20 to the left in Fig. 5 will result in the expanding state that is disclosed in Fig. 5. Now, the free ends of the plate shaped elements 16, 17 are further distanced from each other and the expander has assumed a proper expanding state. In the expanded state the plate shaped elements 16, 17 diverge from each other in a direction perpendicular to the base element 15 and away from the frame 1.

In Fig. 6 it is schematically disclosed how the expander 3 of the footrest is mounted between a seat and a back rest in a vehicle. When the expander 3 is inserted in the space between the seat and the backrest the expander 3 is in folded state, see Fig. 3. Then the expander 3 is brought to expand, as explained above, and the expander 3 assumes an expanded state, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Now the footrest is properly anchored.

Feasible Modifications of the Invention

The embodiment described above relates to the

combination of a footrest according to the present invention and a car booster cushion. However, within the scope of the present invention it is feasible to combine the footrest according to the present invention with other components.

Thus, in exemplifying and non-restrictive purpose it is proposed that the footrest according to the present invention may be combined with a child safety seat or with a plate that a car booster cushion or a child safety seat may be mounted upon .