• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    A cover is provided for an infant car seat which includes an outer shell formed of cloth material arranged to span the open top side of the infant car seat.An opening is provided in the outer shell for alignment with a face of an infant which includes a visor secured to an inner peripheral edge of the opening. The visor is arranged to span at least partway across the opening, raised upwardly from a plane of the opening. An inner shell of different cloth material having a similar configuration may also be provided for accommodating differing weather conditions from which the infant is to be protected. The visor being raised upwardly from a plane of the opening, shields an infant from sun or cold, while ensuring that the area directly above the face of the infant remains unobstructed so as not to suffocate the infant.
    公开号:CA2397441A1
    申请号:C2397441
    申请日:2002-08-12
    公开日:2003-03-19
    发明作者:Michelle Haney
    申请人:Michelle Haney；
    IPC主号:A47D15-00
    专利说明:
    INFANT CAR SEAT COVER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cover for an infant car seat for shielding an infant in the car seat. BACKGROUND It is known that infants and young children often require protection from excessive exposure to sunlight and from insects, as well as protection from the cold.When an infant is supported in a car seat or other similar portable seat, protecting the infant generally involves covering the infant with a blanket. Blankets however can potentially suffocate the infant as there is nothing to support the blanket away from the face of the infant. Canadian patent 2,262,877 provides an example of a cover for an infant car seat in which a shell includes an elastic bottom for securement about the seat so that the shell spans an open top end of the seat. An opening is provided in the shell for exposing a face of the infant in the seat. A cover flap having a vented opening therein is arranged to enclose the opening in the outer shell. Nothing is provided to support the cover away from the face of the infant and thus if the vent is not carefully aligned with the breathing area of the infant, the infant may still suffocate despite the provision of a vent. SUMMARY According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a cover for an infant car seat having an open top side for receiving an infant therein, the cover comprising:an outer shell formed of cloth material having an outer peripheral edge arranged to be secured about the infant car seat with the outer shell spanning the open top side of the infant car seat; _2_ an opening in the outer shell for alignment with a face of an infant in the infant car seat;a visor secured to an inner peripheral edge of the opening, the visor being arranged to span at least partway across the opening raised upwardly from a plane of the opening. The visor being raised upwardly from a plane of the opening is suitably arranged for shielding an infant from sun or cold, while ensuring that the area directly above the face of the infant remains unobstructed so as not to suffocate the infant. There may be provided a flap coupled to a free edge the visor, the flap being foldable relative to the visor between a stored position against the visor and a closed position spanning outwardly from the visor across the opening in the outer shell. The flap in the closed position is preferably arranged to substantially enclose the opening in the outer shell while remaining raised upwardly from the plane of the opening. Preferably the flap and the visor are substantially identical in shape for overlapping one another in the stored position.The visor is preferably stiffer than the outer shell. Forming the visor to be stiffer than the cloth material of the outer shell ensures that the visor is self supporting in a raised position above the plane of the opening in the outer shell. The visor may include a core of flexible material being arranged to retain a new shape when deformed into the new shape. In order to be raised upwardly from the plane of the opening, the visor preferably has a partial dome shape which is substantially identical to a portion of a surface of a sphere. The visor in this arrangement spans from the inner peripheral edge of the opening to a free edge of the visor which is curved outwardly from a plane of the opening. When the opening is nearer to a head end of the outer shell, the visor is preferably secured to a portion of the inner peripheral edge of the opening adjacent the head end. There may be provided an inner shell formed of cloth material having an outer peripheral edge arranged to be secured about the infant car seat with the inner shell spanning the open top side of the infant car seat. The inner shell preferably also includes an opening for alignment with a face of an infant in the infant car seat. The outer shell in this instance is arranged to be secured over top of the inner shell on the infant car seat. The inner shell preferably also includes a visor secured to an inner peripheral edge of the opening in the inner shell. The visor of the inner shell would also be arranged to span at least partway across the opening in the inner shell raised upwardly from a plane of the opening in the inner shell. Selective fasteners may be coupled between the visor of the inner shell and the visor of the outer shell for alignment of the opening of the inner shell with the visor of the outer shell.Providing selective fasteners which are selectively separable permits separation of the inner and outer shells. The inner shell may include at least one vented portion formed of mesh material therein. The inner shell is thus ideally suited for warmer temperatures when shielding from the sun is desired. The cloth material of the inner shell preferably has less weight than the cloth material of the outer shell so as to be further suitable for use in warmer temperatures with the outer shell removed from the inner shell. The outer shell can then be re-attached when protection from the cold is desired. There may be provided a seam in the outer shell extending from the opening towards the outer periphery of the outer shell, the seam being held together by suitable fastening means permitting the seam to be selectively separated for access to the open top side of the infant car seat when the outer shell is secured thereon. The suitable fastening means may include a zipper, buttons or hook and loop fasteners. In some arrangements of the cover, pockets may be provided in the outer shell for convenience. An elastic preferably surrounds the outer peripheral edge of the outer shell for securement about the infant car seat. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention: Figure 1 is an isometric view of the infant car seat cover with the inner and outer shells shown separated from the infant car seat with the flaps shown in respective stored positions. Figure 2 is an isometric view of the cover according to Figure 1 shown secured to an infant car seat with the flap of the outer shell in the closed position. Figure 3 is a top plan view of the outer shell with the flap in the stored position. Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the outer shell with the flap in the closed position. Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the outer shell with the flap in the stored position. Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the outer shell with the flap in the closed position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated an infant car seat cover generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The cover 10 is particularly suited for use on an infant car seat or other similar portable infant seats arranged to support an infant generally up to 20 pounds as in commercially available infant type car seats. The seat has a base 14 for supporting an infant 16 therein accessible through an open top side 18 of the seat. The cover 10 is particularly suited for shielding the infant 16 from the sun, insects or cold weather. The cover generally includes an inner shell 20 and an outer shell 22 which are selectably separable from one another. The inner shell 20 is made of a soft light weight cotton type fabric that is arranged to protect the infant from ultraviolet rays. The fabric is a commercially available type which is arranged to block up to 98% of ultraviolet rays while being light weight and breathable. Other fabrics blocking varying degrees of ultraviolet rays may also be used while still being effective. The outer shell 22 is a non-pilling fleece which provides warmth without significant weight. The outer shell includes an antibacterial coating applied thereto which resists bacterial formation on the fleece. The outer shell 22 is slightly larger for being mounted overtop of the inner shell. As the inner and outer shells 20 and 22 are substantially similar in structure, the common elements will now be described herein. Both shells are formed of a pliable cloth material which is gathered with elastic 26 around an outer peripheral edge 28 thereof. With the outer peripheral edge 28 being bound by the elastic 26, the outer peripheral edge 28 is tucked under the shell to define a bottom opening 30 arranged to receive the base 14 of the car seat 12 therein. The elastic 26 around the outer peripheral edge 28 of the shell is arranged to be secured about the base of the car seat 12 in a manner so that the shell spans the open top side 18 of the seat. Each shell includes a face opening 32 which is laterally centred, but nearer to a head end 34 than an opposite foot end of the cover so that the face opening 32 is substantially aligned with a face 36 of the infant at the open top side 18 of the seat. The face opening 32 is bound by an inner peripheral edge 38 which surrounds the opening. A zipper 40 is mounted within the shell along a seam which extends from the inner peripheral edge 38 of the face opening towards a foot end 42 of the cover adjacent the outer peripheral edge 28 thereof. The zipper 40 extends in the longitudinal direction of the shells and the seat 12 and permits selective separation of the seam within which it is mounted for access to the open topside of the seat when the shells of the cover are mounted thereon. Each shell includes a visor 44 which is supported to span only partway over the face opening 32 from an inner edge 46 of the visor which is coupled along a portion of the inner peripheral edge 38 of the face opening adjacent the head end 34 of the cover. The visor 44 spans from the inner edge 46 to a free outer edge which is curved outwardly from a plane of the opening. The visor 44 is formed of cloth material similar to that of the shell within which it is mounted but includes a stiff yet flexible core so that the visor 44 is stiffer than the cloth of the shell to provide shape to the visor while permitting the visor to be self supporting. The core is formable with a memory to holds its shape when deformed so as to shape the visor about the face opening 32 as desired. The visor 44 is an arcuate member which is generally in the shape of approximately 1 quarter of a sphere's surface so that the visor 44 forms a partial dome surface over the face opening 32 with a center of the visor 44 being raised upwardly and outwardly from a plane of the face opening. The visor 44 includes a flap 48 which is coupled to the free outer edge 50 of the visor. The flap 48 is foldable between an open, stored position and a closed position in which the flap 48 spans the remainder of the face opening 32 from - ' -the visor 44 so that the face opening 32 is substantially enclosed by the visor 44 and the flap 48 coupled thereto. In the closed position the flap 48 and the visor together form a semi-spherical dome in which the flap 48 is similarly raised at a center over a plane of the face opening. In a stored position, the flap 48 is folded back along the free outer edge 50 of the visor to lie directly against the visor with part of the face opening being exposed. The flap and visor are substantially identical in shape for overlapping one another in the stored position. In the stored position, the visor 44 still shields the face of the infant from the sun and cold wind while providing maximum ventilation. Mating hook and loop fasteners 45 are located on an inner surface of the flap of the outer shell and on the outer surface of the flap 48 of the inner shell in the closed position of both for securing the visors 44 aligned together when both shells are being used in either the closed or stored positions of the flaps. Each shell 20 and 22 includes a pair of pockets 52 attached to the foot end 42 of the cover. The pockets are mounted on opposing sides of the seam of the zipper 40 with each pocket comprising a sheet of cloth material which is attached to the shell on two sides adjacent the outer peripheral edge 28 thereof and attached along a third side to the seam of the zipper 40 with the fourth remaining side closest to the head end being open so as to define the pocket 52 therein. The inner shell differs from the outer shell in that there is provided a pair of vented portions 54 therein. Each vented portion 54 generally comprises a screen material which is formed integrally with the cloth of the inner shell 20. The screen is a conventional synthetic fibre material having a sufficiently fine mesh to prevent access therethrough by common insects. The vented portions 54 are located on opposing sides of the inner shell 20 spaced laterally outward from opposing sides of the zipper 40. The vented portions 54 are centrally located in the _ 8 _ longitudinal direction of the cover spanning approximately one third of the overall length of the inner shell 20. The vented portions 54 span inwardly from an outer peripheral edge 28 of the inner shell to an inner seam 56 which is spaced from the zipper 40 and the face opening 32. The inner shell 20 may be used alone in warmer temperatures when protection from the sun is desirable. Depending upon the direction of the sun, the visor 44 may be sufficient for shielding a face of the infant even with the flap 48 in the stored position. For maximum protection from the sun and for protecting against insects, the flap 48 can be closed so that the face opening 32 is substantially enclosed. Adequate ventilation is provided by the vented portions 54 and the domed enclosure over the face opening formed by the visor 44 and the flap 48 which are raised upwardly from a plane of the opening. If protection from the cold is desired the outer shell 22 is secured overtop of the inner shell 20 with the visors 44 thereof being nested one inside the other when the face openings 32 of the shells are aligned over the face of the infant in the seat. Closing the flap 48 of the outer shell fully encloses the outer shell which has no vents therein for maximum protection against the cold. While one embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention. The invention is to be considered limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
    权利要求:
    Claims (20)
    [1] 1. A cover for an infant car seat having an open top side for receiving an infant therein, the cover comprising:an outer shell formed of cloth material having an outer peripheral edge arranged to be secured about the infant car seat with the outer shell spanning the open top side of the infant car seat;an opening in the outer shell for alignment with a face of an infant in the infant car seat;a visor secured to an inner peripheral edge of the opening, the visor being arranged to span at least partway across the opening raised upwardly from a plane of the opening.
    [2] 2. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein there is provided a flap coupled to a free edge the visor, the flap being foldable relative to the visor between a stored position against the visor and a closed position spanning outwardly from the visor across the opening in the outer shell.
    [3] 3. The cover according to Claim 2 wherein the flap in the closed position is arranged to substantially enclose the opening in the outer shell.
    [4] 4. The cover according to Claim 2 wherein the flap in the closed position is arranged to be raised upwardly from the plane of the opening.
    [5] 5. The cover according to Claim 2 wherein the flap and the visor are substantially identical in shape for overlapping one another in the stored position.
    [6] 6. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein the visor is stiffer than the cloth material of the outer shell.
    [7] 7. The cover according to Claim 6 wherein the visor includes a core of flexible material being arranged to retain a new shape when deformed into the new shape.
    [8] 8. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein the visor has a partial dome shape.
    [9] 9. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein the visor has a shape which is substantially identical to a portion of a surface of a sphere.
    [10] 10. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein the visor spans from the inner peripheral edge of the opening to a free edge of the visor which is curved outwardly from a plane of the opening.
    [11] 11. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein the opening is nearer to a head end of the outer shell and wherein the visor is secured to a portion of the inner peripheral edge of the opening adjacent the head end.
    [12] 12. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein there is provided an inner shell formed of cloth material having an outer peripheral edge arranged to be secured about the infant car seat with the inner shell spanning the open top side of the infant car seat and an opening in the inner shell for alignment with a face of an infant in the infant car seat, the outer shell being arranged to be secured over top of the inner shell on the infant car seat.
    [13] 13. The cover according to Claim 12 wherein the inner shell includes a visor secured to an inner peripheral edge of the opening in the inner shell, the visor of the inner shell being arranged to span at least partway across the opening in the inner shell raised upwardly from a plane of the opening in the inner shell.
    [14] 14. The cover according to Claim 13 wherein selective fasteners are coupled between the visor of the inner shell and the visor of the outer shell for alignment of the opening of the inner shell with the visor of the outer shell, the selective fasteners being selectively separable for separation of the inner and outer shells.
    [15] 15. The cover according to Claim 12 wherein the inner shell includes at least one vented portion formed of mesh material therein.
    [16] 16. The cover according to Claim 12 wherein the cloth material of the inner shell has less weight than the cloth material of the outer shell.
    [17] 17. The cover according to Claim 12 wherein the inner shell is selectively separable from the outer shell.
    [18] 18. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein there is provided a seam in the outer shell extending from the opening towards the outer periphery of the outer shell, the seam being held together by suitable fastening means permitting the seam to be selectively separated for access to the open top side of the infant car seat when the outer shell is secured thereon.
    [19] 19. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein there is provided at least one pocket formed in the outer shell.
    [20] 20. The cover according to Claim 1 wherein there is provided an elastic surrounding the outer peripheral edge for securement about the infant car seat.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    WO2004100726A1|2003-05-14|2004-11-25|Donna Compton|Sun cover for an infant|
    WO2014127445A1|2013-02-25|2014-08-28|Bourgoin Nathalie|Infant seat cover|
    法律状态:
    2005-08-12| FZDE| Dead|
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    US32310701P| true| 2001-09-19|2001-09-19||
    US60/323,107||2001-09-19||US10/367,803| US20040026965A1|2002-08-12|2003-02-19|Infant car seat cover|
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