The present invention relates to a child harness. When an adult wishes to sit at a table, or indeed elsewhere, with a small child the child may either be sat on the lap of the adult or sat separately on its own chair.

If a child is seated on an adult's lap it must be supported with at least one hand of the adult so as to ensure that the child does not fall from the lap of the adult. This results in the adult being restricted in the activities they can undertake. Furthermore, if a child is sat on an adult it may dirty the adult's clothing, for example by dropping food, drooling or vomiting. Thus it may be preferable to sit a child on its own chair.

Such chairs previously provided include traditional high chairs, which are not always available and may only be used with children that can sit up unaided. Various types of chair adaptor have been proposed to retain a child on a standard chair.

The prior art solutions have various drawbacks. For example a high chair or chair adaptor might not always be available and are cumbersome to transport. Furthermore the provision of a separate chair for the child inevitably distances the child from the parent, which may be distressing for the child.

The present invention seeks to address these issues.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a child harness system comprising:

a harness configured to retain a child in a seated position on the lap of a seated adult, the harness comprising a first elongate belt section adapted to be releasably secured around at least part of an adult's torso and a second elongate belt section adapted to be releasably secured around at least part of a child's torso, the first and second belt sections together form two adjacent loops in a figure eight configuration when the harness is in use;

a sheet extending from a belt section such that the sheet covers at least part of an adult's lap when the harness is in use.

By providing a harness wherein first and second belt sections together form two adjacent loops that are in a figure eight formation a child can be safely retained in a seated position on the lap of a seated adult. Furthermore, the harness is easy and fast to deploy and readily transportable. With the harness a baby may be safely retained in a seated position on the lap of a seated adult with the adult having both hands free to perform activities. The provision of a sheet extending from a belt section of the harness protects the lap of the adult (i.e. the flat area between the waist and knees of a seated adult) from being soiled by the actions of the child.

In some embodiments the sheet is releasably attachable to a belt section of the harness.

By providing a releasably attachable sheet it may be removed for cleaning and replacement.

Preferably the sheet is releasably attachable to the harness adjacent an edge of the sheet. In some embodiments a sheet comprises a plurality of fastenings adjacent an edge of the sheet and the harness comprises complementary fastenings on a belt section of the harness.

In some embodiments a sheet comprises a linear fastening adjacent an edge of the sheet and the harness comprises a complementary linear fastening on a belt section of the harness.

In some embodiments both first and second belt sections of the harness comprise means to attach to the sheet. In some embodiments the sheet extends from the second elongate belt section. By the sheet extending from the second elongate belt section the child's legs are also covered, along with the adult's lap.

In some embodiments the first belt section comprises complementary connectors adapted to releasably secure the section in a loop around an adult's torso.

In some embodiments the second belt section comprises a connector adapted to releasably connect with a connector on the first belt section to releasably secure the second belt section in a loop around a child's torso.

In some embodiments the first belt section comprises hook and loop fastening adapted to releasably secure the belt section in a loop around an adult's torso. In some embodiments the second belt section comprises hook and loop fastening adapted to releasably secure the belt section in a loop around a child's torso.

Hook and loop fastening allows for rapidly attachable and adjustable belt sections.

Preferably the harness comprises a padded support adapted to sit between the adult and the child when the harness is in use. The provision of a padded support at the join of the loops forming the figure eight allows for the back of a child to be cushioned and supported when the harness is in use. In some embodiments there may be provided a plurality of interchangeable sheets.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood a specific embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a child harness made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a lap protector for use with the harness of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows the harness of Figure 1 in use;

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a child harness made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 shows the harness of Figure 4 being deployed;

Figure 6 shows the harness of Figure 4 in use.

It should be noted that in the present application the 'internal face' of a belt is the face that forms the inside of a loop contacting a person's body and the 'external face' is the face that forms the outside of a loop.

Referring to the drawings, a harness 1 made in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a first elongate belt 2 and second elongate belt 3. First belt 2 has two free ends 4, 5 each free end comprising a connector 6, 7. Connectors 6 and 7 are complementary and capable of releasably attaching to each other to thereby configure belt 2 into a loop.

Connector 6 comprises routine means to allow the effective length of belt 2 to be adjusted.

Second belt 3 extends from first belt 2 and has a single free end 8 at which is located connector 9. Second belt 3 is greater in width than first belt 2 in order to provide support to a child when harness 1 is in use. In other embodiments second belt 3 and first belt 2 may be of the same width.

Connector 9 comprises routine means to allow the effective length of belt 3 to be adjusted. Connector 9 is capable of releasably attaching to connector 7 of first belt 2 by means of a protrusion (not shown) on connector 9 mating with a recess 10 on connector 7.

First and second belts 2, 3 are in the present embodiment formed of a webbing material, but could of course be formed of any suitable material.

First and second belts 2, 3 form a figure eight configuration when harness 1 is in use. Harness 1 further comprises a substantially rectangular padded support 1 1 , which is adapted to support the back of a child when harness 1 is in use. Padded support 1 1 is therefore located in the area where the loops of the figure eight meet when the harness is in use, facing in to the loop formed by second belt 3 in which a child is retained.

Second belt 3 extends from first belt 1 adjacent a first end of padded support 1 1 . Adjacent its opposite and second end padded support 1 1 comprises a strip of hook and loop fastener 14. Second belt 3 comprises a corresponding area of hook and loop fastener on its internal face so as to allow second belt 3 to attach to padded support 1 1 .

Turning to harness 1 in use and Figure 2, an adult 12 wishing to retain a child 13 in a seated position on the adult's lap may loop first belt 2 around the torso (i.e. waist and/or midriff) of adult 12 and secure harness 1 to adult 1 2 by attaching connector 6 to connector 7.

Connectors 6 and 7 meet at the side of adult 12 for ease of attachment and the comfort of both adult 1 2 and child 13. In other embodiments connectors 6 and 7 might meet elsewhere such as the back of the adult. Effective length of first belt 2 may be adjusted to suit adult 12 by operating the length adjustment means incorporated into connector 6. Adult 12 may then loop second belt 3 around child 13 that is sat on the lap of adult 12 and attach the hook and loop fastener (not shown) on the side of second belt 3 to hook and loop fastener 14 on padded support 1 1 .

For additional security connector 9 at free end 8 of second belt 3 may be attached to connector 7 at free end 5 of first belt 2. In other embodiments a further connector (not shown) might be provided on belt 2 to attach to connector 9.

Effective length of second belt 3 may be adjusted to suit child 13 by operating the length adjustment means incorporated into connector 7.

Belt 2 defines a loop around the torso of adult 12. Furthermore, along with belt 3, part of belt 2 around padded support 1 1 defines a loop around the torso of child 1 3. Thus a figure eight formation is created by these two loops.

Padded support 1 1 sits at the interface of these two loops so as to support the back of child 13.

The external face of second belt 3 of harness 1 comprises a plurality of press- studs 15 adapted to releasably connect to corresponding press-studs 17 on a lap protector 16.

Lap protector 16 is in the form of a sheet that is adapted to cover the lap of an adult and the legs of a child 13 retained by harness 1 when harness 1 is in use.

Lap protector 16 may be formed of any suitable material but is preferably water-resistant and stain-resistant. It will be apparent that in other embodiments lap protector 16 may be formed integrally with harness 1 , but it is preferred that any lap protector is releasably attachable to a harness as this allows for lap protectors to be removed when undesired and substituted either for cleaning or fashion purposes.

It will be apparent that any appropriate attachment means could be used to attach lap protector 16 to harness 1 , such as clips, hook and loop fastening or buttons. Lap protector 16 could be attached to different areas of harness 15, for example it could be attached to the internal face of second belt 3 or to a face of a first belt 2.

However, it is preferred that lap protector 16 is attachable to external face of second belt 3 for ease of attachment and also such that both the lap of the adult and the legs of a child are covered by it.

Evidently it is preferable that lap protector 16 covers the majority (at least 50%) of an adults lap or the whole of an adult's lap. Depending upon the size of the adult's lap this may be achieved by a lap protector in some embodiments extending at least 30cm from second belt 3, in other embodiments extending at least 40cm from second belt 3 and in other embodiments extending at least 50cm from second belt 3.

In different embodiments the width of a lap protector 16 may vary, but it is envisaged that in general such protectors are likely to be in the region of 30cm to 50cm wide.

Thus, it is expected that in most embodiments lap protectors will be provided as sheets with a length in the range of 30cm to 50cm and with a width in the range of 30cm to 50cm.

Once harness 1 is in place adult 12 is able to use both hands to perform tasks such as eating without the danger of child 13 falling from the lap of adult 12, and without danger of child 13 soiling the lap of adult 12. We turn now to Figures 4 to 6 and a second embodiment of a harness made in accordance with the present invention wherein a harness 1 8 comprises a first elongate belt 19 adapted to encircle the torso of an adult, and a second elongate belt 20 adapted to encircle the torso of a child.

When harness 18 is not in use, but is instead laid flat as shown in Figure 7, first elongate belt 19 is substantially parallel to second elongate belt 20 and spaced therefrom by connecting strip 21 , which is attached substantially orthogonally to both first and second belts 19, 20.

First belt 1 9 comprises areas of hook fastening 22a, 22b on its external face and areas of loop fastening on its internal face (not shown).

Second belt 2 comprises areas of loop fastening 23a, 23b on its internal face.

Thus, in use an adult encircles their torso with first belt 19, attaching loop fastening on its internal face to an area of hook fastening 22a or 22b on its external face. The belt may be tightened to fit. A child 29 is then sat on the lap of adult 1 2 and connecting strip 21 is passed between the legs of child 29.

Areas of hook fastening 23a, 23b in the internal face of second belt 20 are then attached to areas of loop fastening 22a 22b on the external face of first belt 19 thereby creating a figure eight formation of two adjacent loops.

The exterior face of second belt 20 comprises a plurality of press-studs (not shown) so as to allow adult 12 to attach protective sheet 1 6 to harness 18 It will be apparent that many variations of the configuration of the belts are possible whilst providing a figure eight shape when the harness is in use and allowing for a protective sheet to extend from thee harness so as to cover at least part of an adult's lap. For example a harness could be provided in two halves wherein a belt entirely encircles a child and that belt is attachable to a belt that encircles an adult

Another possibility could comprise a child-encircling belt being attachable to an adult by means of cords that extend from the external face of the belt and can be wrapped around an adult's waist and tied together.

In another embodiment it may be possible to fashion an operative harness from a single length of material with two free ends and fastenings positioned at space-apart points thereon. Such a harness might form a figure eight arrangement by being looped around both parent and child, the free ends connecting together to form a figure eight arrangement.

External face of second belt of a harness might further comprise a plurality of elasticised toy fastenings to which a child's toys may be attached such that they do not fall to the floor. Tin some embodiments toy fastenings may be releasably attached to the second belt by means of press-studs, and in other embodiments toy fastenings could be permanently attached to second belt.

Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.