It has been recognised that the safest way for young children to be carried in a vehicle is to face them in a direction opposite to the direction of vehicle travel (i. e. a rear-facing seat position). Child seat assemblies are known that are adaptable for mounting within the vehicle so as to accommodate a child in such a rear-facing seat position. Most assemblies are adaptable for mounting either in the front passenger seat of the vehicle or in a rear passenger seat.

Referring to Figure 1, a known vehicle child seat assembly is mounted in the front passenger seat 10 of a vehicle to provide a rear-facing seat position for a child. The child seat assembly includes a mounting frame 12 including a generally horizontal base plate 14 in attachment with a generally upright support 16 at a frame apex. The mounting frame 12 is attached to the front seat 10 through a mounting arrangement 18 (only part of which is shown), typically in the form of a so-called ISOFIX mounting arrangement. A cushioned child seat 20 is detachably mounted upon the frame 12 so as to be movable between the position shown, in which a seat position is provided for a seated child (not shown), wherein he/she faces towards the rear of the vehicle (i. e. away from the direction of vehicle travel) and a reverse position in which the seated child faces towards the front of the vehicle.

Mounting a child assembly in the front seat 10 of a vehicle in the aforementioned manner provides several disadvantages. For example, it is known that the deployment of a passenger airbag when a child is seated in the front passenger seat in a rear facing direction provides a high risk of fatal injury. The child seat assembly shown in Figure 1 is therefore incompatible with the use of an airbag on the passenger side of the vehicle. One solution to this problem is to provide the vehicle with a system for enabling the passenger airbag to be disabled by a vehicle user, as and when required. Alternatively, the passenger airbag facility may be disabled at the time of vehicle sale if the prospective owner intends to mount a rear facing child seat assembly in the front passenger seat 10. As a result, passenger safety is prejudiced in circumstances in which an adult intends to travel in the front passenger seat. Furthermore, whilst the owner of the vehicle may initially have a need to mount a child seat assembly in the front passenger seat 10 so that the passenger airbag is disabled at the time of vehicle sale, circumstances may change for future use of the vehicle, for example if the vehicle is sold subsequently to another user.

One means of avoiding the aforementioned problem is to situate the child seat assembly on one of the rear passenger seats of the vehicle, so that a front passenger airbag facility can still be provided safely. However, a child travelling in a rear-facing seat position in the rear of the vehicle is not in the field of view of the driver, which may be undesirable in some circumstances. It is also a problem that some vehicles have a limited space available in the rear of the vehicle (or no space at all) to accommodate a child seat.

It is a further problem of both the front seat mounted child seat assembly in Figure 1, and the rear seat mounted child seat assembly mentioned above, that there is a limit on the size of the child that can be seated in comfort. This problem arises due to the limited leg space available when the child seat assembly adopts the rear-facing seat position. It has been determined that a child should travel in a rear-facing seat position until the age of seven, when the child's vertebrae have developed sufficiently to support the child's head in the event that vehicle motion is suddenly halted (e. g. a crash situation). However, it has been found that children even as young as two or three years old have already grown to a size where accommodation in a rear-facing seat position is uncomfortable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat assembly for use in a vehicle which avoids or alleviates at least one of the aforementioned problems.

According to the present invention, there is provided a seat assembly for use in a vehicle, the seat assembly comprising: a seat having a forward-facing side and a rear-facing side, wherein the front- facing side defines a back rest surface for a passenger, a child seat assembly, and first mounting means for detachably mounting the child seat assembly upon the rear-facing side of the seat.

In one embodiment, the seat is a front seat of the vehicle.

Preferably, the child seat assembly includes a child seat, which provides for a seat occupant either a rear-facing child seat position or a front-facing child seat position. The child seat assembly may be mounted upon the rear-facing side of the front seat, so that either the rear-facing or front-facing child seat position is provided. As the child seat assembly is detachably mounted to the rear-facing side of the front seat, it may also be removed and mounted elsewhere in the vehicle, if required.

For the purpose of this specification, reference to a front-or forward-facing direction shall be taken to mean a direction facing towards-the front of the vehicle, and in which direction the vehicle usually travels, and reference to a rear- facing direction shall be taken to mean a reverse direction facing towards the rear of the vehicle and in an opposite direction to vehicle travel.

The invention provides the advantage that a child can be carried safely in a rear- facing seat position, even in vehicles provided with an airbag facility for a front seat passenger. In particular, the seat back of the front passenger seat acts to 'shield'the child from the airbag in the event that it is deployed. In addition, an increased space is made available for the child's legs as they can extend over the rear passenger seat, which is located behind the front passenger seat.

Conveniently, the front passenger seat of the vehicle is slideable between relatively forward and relatively rearward positions, as is commonly provided in vehicles. By sliding the front passenger seat to which the child seat assembly is mounted into a relatively forward position, a further increased space is made available to accommodate the legs of the rear-facing child occupying the child seat assembly.

In one embodiment, the child seat assembly includes a mounting frame, wherein the child seat is detachably mounted upon the mounting frame so as to enable convenient interchange between the rear-facing or the forward-facing seat positions.

In one embodiment, the first mounting means includes a front seat mount part provided on the front seat and a child seat mount part provided on the child seat assembly, wherein the front seat and child seat mount parts couple together in a detachable manner to mount the child seat assembly to the rear-facing side of the front seat.

The mounting frame of the child seat assembly may include a base having a first end at which the child seat mount part is provided, and a second end, remote from the first end, which is supportable by a vehicle mounted support.

For example, in one embodiment the base may be supported at its second end by a rear passenger seat of the vehicle. Alternatively, if the vehicle has only a front passenger seat, but no rear passenger seat, the base of the mounting frame may be supportable, in use, by another vehicle mounted support, for example a ledge provided on the vehicle interior.

In another embodiment the child seat assembly may be unsupported at its base.

For example, the need to support the base can be avoided by providing a connection means at an upper end of the child seat back, for connection with a tether or connecting line in connection with a front seat anchor.

If the vehicle includes a rear passenger seat, the rear passenger seat may include seat support means for supporting a seat member upon which a passenger sits and a seat back which defines a back rest surface for the seated passenger, in use. The seat assembly may further comprise second mounting means for removably or detachably mounting the seat back on the seat support means.

The rear passenger seat may also include third mounting means for removably or detachably mounting the seat member on the seat support means.

In one embodiment, the second mounting means may include at least one projection provided on the seat back and at least one opening provided on the seat support means, wherein the at least one opening is shaped to permit insertion of a corresponding projection into the opening when the seat back is at a first height relative to the seat support means but to prevent the projection being removed through the opening when the seat back is at a second height relative to the seat support means.

In one embodiment, the seat member defines a surface upon which the seat back rests when mounted upon the seat support means at the second height.

In one embodiment, the front seat mount part and the child seat mount part form an ISOFIX mounting arrangement for the child seat assembly. By using an ISOFIX mounting arrangement the seat assembly is compatible with universally standard child seat safety systems, which are provided on many existing vehicles.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle having a seat assembly in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

The vehicle may be manufactured and sold with the detachably mounted child seat assembly, or the latter may be manufactured and sold separately.

It will be appreciated that the preferred and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention may be employed alone or in appropriate combination within the second aspect of the invention also.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view from the side of a known child seat assembly mounted in a front passenger seat of a vehicle; and Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of the seat assembly of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 2, a front passenger seat 10 of a vehicle includes a seat member 22, often referred to as a squab, a seat back member 24 and a head rest 26. The seat member 22, the seat back 24 and the head rest 26 are usually cushioned. An intermediate portion 27 of the front passenger seat 10 connects the seat member 22 with the seat back 24 and is provided with an adjustment means 28, in the form of a rotary wheel, for altering the angle at which the seat back 24 is inclined to the vertical in a forward or rearward inclination. Such adjustment mechanisms 28 are well known and would be familiar to a person skilled in this field of art, and to vehicle users generally. When it is required to seat a passenger in the front seat 10 of the vehicle, the seat back 24 adopts a generally upright but slightly reclined position, with the angle of inclination of the seat back 24 selected to optimise passenger comfort.

The seat back 24 defines, on a forward-facing side 24a thereof, a back rest surface for the passenger occupying the front seat 10. A child seat assembly, referred to generally as 30, is mounted upon a rear-facing side 24b of the seat back 24. The child seat assembly 30 is of generally known construction, such as that shown in Figure 1, and includes a child seat part 20, for accommodating a child, having an integrally formed child seat back portion 32 and a child seating portion 34. A mounting frame 12 of the child seat assembly includes a generally horizontal base plate 14 and a generally upright support (as described previously, but not visible in Figure 2) which abuts against the rear-facing side 24b of the front seat 10.

The child seat assembly 30 is adaptable to provide two possible seat positions for a child occupant. In Figure 2, the child seat assembly 30 is shown to provide a rear-facing seat position in which the child is seated to face towards the rear of the vehicle (i. e. in a direction opposite to the direction of vehicle travel). An alternative front-facing seat position can be provided by detaching the child seat 20 from the mounting frame 12, turning the seat 20 through 180 degrees and re- mounting the seat 20 on the mounting frame 12.

In order to mount the child seat assembly 30 on the rear-facing side 24b of the front seat 10, the seat back 24 is inclined slightly forward and the upright support of the mounting frame 12 abuts against the rear-facing side 24b. A first, front end (relative to the vehicle) of the frame base plate 14 is attached to the front passenger seat 10 by means of first mounting means, as described in further detail below. A rear passenger seat 50 is arranged to the rear of the front seat 10 and a second, rear end of the frame base plate 14 is supported on a seat cushion 38 of the rear passenger seat 50. The frame base plate 14 may rest on the rear seat cushion 38 or may alternatively be fixed to the rear seat cushion 38, if preferred.

If no rear seat is provided in the vehicle, a ledge or another supporting feature of the vehicle interior may be used as the resting surface for the frame base plate 14 at its rear end.

In the illustrated, exemplary embodiment, the mounting arrangement for detachably mounting the child seat assembly 30 to the rear-facing side of the front passenger seat 10 takes the form of an ISOFIX mounting arrangement, which would be well known to a person skilled in this art. The ISOFIX child seat system is an automotive industry standard proposed by the United Nation Economic Commissions for Europe. An ISOFIX compliant mounting arrangement typically includes a bracket (not shown), which is securely fixed either to the sub-frame of the front passenger seat 10 or directly to the vehicle floor (also not shown). First and second laterally spaced anchors are coupled to the bracket and extend to first and second front seat mount parts. The front seat mount parts take the form of seat-height anchors 36, one of which is shown in Figure 2. The seat-height anchors are provided in a region of the front passenger seat 10 between the seat cushion 22 and the seat back 24 (i. e. on the intermediate portion 27).

Attachment means (not shown) on the base plate 14 of the mounting frame 12 are secured to the seat-height anchors 36 in a detachable manner. The attachment means may include first and second laterally spaced claws mounted on the base plate 14 at the apex with the frame's upright support. Each claw is biased closed by means of a spring force and is co-operable with a respective one of the seat- height anchors 36 provided on the front seat 10 to provide a detachable coupling between the child seat assembly 30 and the front seat 10 at its rear-facing side 24b.

It is known to provide anchors 36 on the front and/or rear seats of a vehicle such that the anchors 36 project in a generally forward direction to engage with the attachment means of a child seat assembly mounted on the seat cushion. Such an arrangement is shown in Figure 1, with the anchor identified by item 18. In the present invention, and as shown in Figure 2, because the child seat assembly 30 is mountable upon the rear-facing side 24b of the front passenger seat 10, the seat- height anchors 36 of the front seat 10 are arranged to project in a generally rearward direction from the seat 10. This can be achieved simply and with little or no additional cost to the front passenger seat assembly.

In one embodiment, it is envisaged that both forward-and rearward-facing anchors are provided on the passenger seat, enabling the attachment of one or more child seats in multiple configurations. One possible configuration comprises the attachment of a first child seat (e. g. a forward-facing child seat) to the front of the passenger seat in conventional manner and a second, rear-facing child seat to the rear of the passenger seat at the same time.

The rearward facing anchors 36 can be retro-fitted to existing vehicles by providing additional anchors to those already present. It may also be possible to adapt existing forward-facing anchors.

The manner in which the ISOFIX claws on the child seat assembly 30 co-operate with the ISOFIX anchors 36 on the front passenger seat 10 would be familiar to a person skilled in the art and so will not be described in great detail. Briefly, when the child seat assembly 30 is to be mounted to the rear-facing side 24b of the seat back 24, the claws are aligned with their respective anchors 36 on the front passenger seat 10. The child seat assembly 30 is then pushed against the seat back 24, causing the claws to be urged open against their biasing force until the anchors 36 locate within the claw mouth and each claw closes around its anchor.

A hand-operated lever mechanism may be provided on the child seat assembly 30 to release the claws when it is required to detach the child seat assembly 30 from the seat-height anchors 36. The lever mechanism may also be operated to aid the anchors 36 being received within claws during mounting of the child seat assembly 30. It is one benefit of the assembly of the present invention that the passenger airbag of the vehicle need not be disabled when the child seat assembly 30 is used, as the seat back 24 of the front passenger seat 10 shields the child occupying the child seat 20 from the airbag in the event that it is deployed. Furthermore, by comparing Figures 1 and 2, it can be seen that in the present invention an increased leg space is available for the occupant of the child seat 20 as the surface of the rear seat cushion 38 can be used as a leg rest. Moreover, when larger children are to be seated in the child seat 20, the position of the front passenger seat 10 may be adjusted by sliding it in a forward direction, in a conventional manner, so as to provide a further increased space for the child's legs.

It will be appreciated that it may not be possible to slide the front passenger seat 10 into its most forward position in the vehicle as the distance (X) between the ISOFIX anchor 36 on the front seat 10 and the seat cushion 38 of the rear seat 50 must be sized so that the base plate 14 of the mounting frame 12 is supported sufficiently by the seat cushion 38.

Sliding the front passenger seat 10 forwards also results in the occupant of the child seat 20 being more easily visible to the driver, in comparison with known arrangements where the child seat assembly is mounted on the rear passenger seat 50.

For known child seats it is common to provide a'top tether'on the child seat assembly to prevent unwanted angular movement of the child seat 20 in the event of a crash situation. When a rear-facing child seat position is provided by a conventional child seat assembly the use of a top tether is a necessity. The requirement for a top tether is avoided by the present invention as the seat back 32 of the child seat 20 is fully supported by its engagement with the seat back 24 of the front passenger seat 10.

Although not illustrated in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to use with the front seat of the vehicle. Indeed, it is envisaged that an alternative advantageous embodiment provides the ISOFIX anchors 36 on the rear of a rear seat or bench of the vehicle. For example, in some vehicles, such as estate or wagon-type vehicles or SUVs, one or more child seats can be positioned in the space, such as the luggage compartment, behind a rear row or bench of seats, located on the back thereof in the manner described above. By allowing the child seat to locate on the back of a rear seat or bench of the vehicle, additional passenger space can be alleviated within the vehicle.

Although the use only of ISOFIX mounting anchors is described above, it will be appreciated that similar or alternative industry standard child seat mounting or fixing systems could be employed, for example the US equivalent system known as LATCH, in dependence on national requirements or legislation.

It will be appreciated that, advantageously, the bracket to which the mounting anchors 36 are connected are securely fixed within the vehicle, either via the front passenger seat or directly to the vehicle floor. Furthermore, the anchors 36 themselves are disposed at a lower region of the front passenger seat 10, in the described embodiment being located between the seat base or cushion 22 and the seat back 24.

Securing the child seat low down in the vehicle in this manner provides the advantage that no excessive force is transmitted through the passenger seat back 24 or recliner assembly by the child seat during a crash and that any moment or torque generated by the child seat is reduced. Furthermore as the distance between the anchors and the vehicle floor increases, the time delay between peak vehicle deceleration, e. g. in a crash, and peak deceleration as measured at the anchors also increase, thereby increasing the peak load applied to the child and hence increasing risk of serious injury. Positioning of the anchors 36 closer to the floor of the vehicle therefore reduces the risk of serious injury to the child seat occupant.

In a modification to the described invention (not shown), it is envisaged that the anchors 36 may be extendible so as to be selectively positioned further aft of the front seat. For example, each anchor 36 may be elongate and hinged to the bracket for movement between a non-use position in which the anchor is oriented generally vertically and substantially flush with the rear surface of the front passenger seat, and a use position in which the anchor extends in a generally rearward direction for connection to the child seat in the manner described above.

This provides the advantage that the point at which the child seat connects to the anchor is further away from the back 24 of the front passenger seat, not only improving safety but removing or reducing the need to tilt the passenger seat back forward in order to mount the child seat, thereby more easily enabling the front passenger seat to be used by an adult passenger.

It will be appreciated that the anchors are arranged to withstand lateral or longitudinal forces generated during a crash but may not be designed to support the vertical loading imposed by the child seat even in normal conditions. To support the leading edge of the child seat, therefore, a block or other type of support may be provided at the rear of the passenger seat cushion 22 on which the child seat can sit during normal use. As described above, the trailing edge of the child seat may be supported by the rear passenger seat or bench.

The present invention provides a simple but highly effective solution to the problem of installation of a rear facing child seat in a vehicle having a permanently fitted passenger airbag.