Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02397441 2002-08-12
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;
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
50
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
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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
44
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
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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.
