Legroom cavity in vehicle backrest

Abstract

A vehicle seat feature to provide additional legroom for feet or legs of a rear-facing child in a safety carseat installed in a vehicle seat, by utilizing a bounded cavity or the like in the vehicle seat backrest, which is accessible from the front side of the backrest by feet or legs of a rear-facing child. Such a cavity may in some embodiments be deployable and made available by removing or repositioning a barrier object or the like, which when restored may in effect constitute part of an otherwise normally functional backrest.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle seat assembly for increasing legroom available to a rear-facing passenger, comprising:
 a vehicle seat backrest; and   cavity means in said backrest for increasing legroom for a rear-facing passenger, whereby said legroom remains of limited depth;   wherein said cavity means occupies a small surface area relative to the size of the backrest, and is configured for said legroom.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle seat backrest is an automobile seat backrest. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said backrest does not comprise an integrated child carseat. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said legroom does not extend to reach behind said backrest. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising closing means for rendering said legroom inaccessible on demand. 
     
     
         6 . A vehicle seat assembly for increasing legroom available to a rear-facing passenger, comprising:
 a vehicle seat backrest;   cavity means in said backrest for increasing legroom for a rear-facing passenger, whereby said legroom remains of limited depth, said cavity means being configured for said legroom; and   closing means for rendering said legroom inaccessible on demand;   wherein said closing means is attached to, or repositioned within, said backrest when said cavity means is open.   
     
     
         7 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said vehicle seat backrest is an automobile seat backrest. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said backrest does not comprise an integrated child carseat. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said legroom does not extend to reach behind said backrest. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle seat assembly of  claim 1  or  6 , wherein said cavity means provides a protective periphery around said legroom.