REUSABLE COVERING FOR SEATS WITH STRAP ASSEMBLIES

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/878,507 filed on January 3, 2007 and entitled 'Waterproof, washable, easily removable, children's car seat cover device", the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Seats are encountered in virtually every modern day society. With the increase in vehicular travel throughout society and the attendant safety concerns, there is growing emphasis that the construction of certain types of seats adheres to regulatory requirements. This is particularly true for infant seats and child or toddier seats which enjoy widespread use in a variety of vehicle types, namely automobiles, strollers and the iike. Seats of this nature typically incorporate strap assemblies to securely fasten and retain an individual therein during travel. While many commonly think of car seats in this regard, these same concerns apply in other contexts such as amusement rides, seats for the handicapped or the invalid, and stationary seats such as high chairs.

Where car seats are concerned, be they in the form of infant seats, toddler seats or booster seats, the marketplace is competitive with numerous manufacturers and numerous seat constructions. Generally, a conventional car seat, for example, employs a base unit that is typically of plastic construction to which is attached a strap assembly and a manufacturer's padded seat cover through which the strap assembly is received. These seats are available in a variety of configurations, and consumers may choose such features as adjustability, different types of strap assemblies (e.g. a five-point harness system which utilizes a latch system for safety purposes), a variety of different specific or gender neutral patterns for the padded car seat cover, and accessory items such as cup holders, trays and the like.

As the car seat experiences a typica! use cycle, there is normal wear and tear which often affects the integrity of the covering. For example, children are prone to spilling drinks or having bodily fluid accidents, spilling food, and marking up materials. Such activity not only affects the aesthetic appearance of the seat cover, but it can also require the maintenance of the base unit itself as particulates find their way into various crevices. Over time, it becomes desirable to remove the manufacturer's car seat cover so that it and the base unit can be cleaned. This, however, can present a daunting task for certain car seat configurations which put simply do not have conducive designs for removing the manufacturer's car seat cover. Indeed, most car seat designs require a user to disassemble the entire strap assembly in order to remove the car seat cover and then reassemble the strap assembly once the cover is reapplied. This can be both time-consuming and frustrating and may affect the safety of the car sear as many users are unable to reinstall the seat correctly. While a few manufacturers have more pleasing designs, it remains that there is generally some disassemblage of the strap assembly in order to remove the manufacturer's covering. An additional problem associated with such designs is that, over time, it can be unavoidable to show the wear and tear on the manufacturer's car seat cover despite efforts to keep it clean. One typically endures this with one child. However, if another sibling is on the way, it is not uncommon for the existing car seat to simply be disposed of or donated in order to have a replacement

Accordingly, a need remains to provide a new and improved approach to providing a protective layer for seats in general which incorporate strap assemblies, and car seats in particular, which address the drawbacks discussed above. The present invention is particularly directed to meeting such needs.

SUMMARY

Provided is a covering adapted for use with a seat that utilizes a strap assembly to secure an individual therein. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the seat is a

child's, or toddler's, car seat which incorporates a five-point harness system, as well known in the art. In such an application, the covering provides a protective underlayment interposed between the child and the manufacturer's existing car seat cover to prevent ordinary wear and tear. The skilled artisan, however, should readily appreciate from the description to follow that the concepts of the present invention can be applied to a variety of known or hereafter developed seat constructions which incorporate strap assemblies. Known representative examples could include children's high seats commonly referred to as high chairs, booster seats, seats incorporated into shopping carts, different stages of car seats, seats on amusement rides and the like. Further, the principles described herein can also be applied to seats for adults, such as the handicapped or the invalid, which incorporate straps or other restraint devices.

In accordance with these objectives, the cover broadly comprises a flexible body construction which includes a plurality of separable pane! portions and a plurality of access regions formed through the body construction. The flexible body construction is sized and adapted to drape over and encapsulate a portion of the seat in an attached state. As such, the panel portions can then be separated from one another in a manner to facilitate access to the strap assembly. Suitable portions of the strap assembly, such as left and right shoulder straps and a crotch strap, can then be pulled through the access regions to allow the individual to be secured in the seat Where the seat is a child's car seat, the strap assembly may also include a harness strap, such as encountered with conventional five- point harness systems, to variably adjust the tension on the left and right shoulder straps.

In the exemplary embodiment, the covering comprises a multi-layered body construction formed by an outer fabric layer joined to an inner waterproof backing. The body construction includes a front cover having various separable panel portions and a skirt joined to the front cover. The access regions are created by vertical slits and horizontal slots that are incorporated into the construction of the front cover. More particularly, left and right vertical slits are provided to respectively accommodate the harness system's left and right shoulder straps and allow such straps to be adjusted, and spaced apart upper and lower

horizontal stots are provided to respectively accommodate the harness system's crotch strap and harness strap. The skirt is preferably flexible and elastic so that it ;s movable between a relaxed state and an expanded state to permit the covering to be draped over the car seat and allow the skirt to encapsulate and grip a portion of the car seat when attached

A method of reducing wear on a car seat is also provided wherein the car seat includes a base unit, a strap assembly mounted to the base unit, and a car seat cover through which the strap assembly is received According to the method, a washabie covering is provided which comprises a flexible body construction as discussed above. This flexible body construction is draped over a portion of the car seat whereby it overlays the seat cover that was provided by the manufacturer of the seat. The panel portions are then at least partially separated from one another so that the strap assembly can be retrieved and pulled through the access regions. The pane! portions are then reattached. A child is then periodically secured in the car seat during a use cycle. In other words, the car seat is used in its intended manner for a selected period of time. The covering is then removed from the car seat after the selected period of time so that it can be cleaned for reuse.

These and other objects of the present invention wii! be more readily appreciated from a description of the exemplary embodiments when understood together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a covering according to an exemplary embodiment attached to a conventional child seat that employs a five-pojnt harness system, and with the coveπng partially tom away to reveal portions of the manufacturer's car seat therabelow;

Figure 2 is a front plan view of the coveπng according to the exemplary embodiment and with the covering shown in a relaxed state;

Figure 3 is a rear plan view of the covering in the relaxed state;

Figure 4 is a front view illustrating the covering in a relaxed, but detached configuration, wherein the various panel pieces thereof are separated from one another

Figure 5 is a rear view of the covermg in the relaxed, but detached configuration; and

Ftgures 6(a)-6(f), respectively, are diagrammatic front plan views showing the various panel piece portions which comprise the covering.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINQS

The present invention relates to coverings for use with seats that empioy strap assemblies More particularly, the present invention provides a new and useful children's car seat covering which is both versatile in its use and universal in its adaptation to any of a variety of different manufacturer's car seats. Covering 10 is introduced in Figure 1 which shows it attached to a conventional car seat 12. Car seat 12 incorporates a base unit 13 provided with a manufacturer's seat cover 15 of a selected pattern, and a strap assembly, generally 14, which is shown in Figure 1 to be in the form of a five-point harness assembly as well known in the art Strap assembly 14, thus, includes left and right shoulder straps 16 and 18, respectively, a crotch strap 20. and a harness strap 22. Various terms are used herein for descnptive purposes, such as "left", right". "upper" and "lower", front and "rear", to name a few. The terms are employed for distinctive purposes, and not limiting purpose, so that the various features of invention can be appreciated from the reference of a child seated within a car seat. So, for example, with reference to Figure 1 , the term "left" and "right" shoulder straps are use because these would, respectively, restrain the left and right shoulders of a child passenger.

With the above in mind, and with continued reference to Figure 1, harness assembly 14 is depicted in a buckled state so that, were a toddler placed in the car seat, he/she would be securely restrained therein. Buckle fasteners, generally 24, are provided in conjunction with the vaπous straps to securely fasten the child for travel. More particularly, left and right harness clips 26 and 28 releasably engage one another to form a first buckle assembly

24(1). A second buckle assembly 24(2) is provided by left and right harness buckle tongues 30 and 32, respectively, and harness buckle 34. Tongues 30 and 32 respectively receive the left and right shoulder straps and releasably engage harness buckle 34 by virtue of a button latch 36. Selective adjustment is then provided by the lower harness strap 32 which can be used to either increase or decrease tension on the harness assembly. Harness assembly 14 is representative of a vaπety of different types of strap assemblies for use with toddlers' car seats and, therefore, should not be construed as in any way limiting the concepts of the present invention.

With an appreciation of the foregoing construction for the car seat, various aspects of the covering according to the exemplary embodiment may now be better appreciated. Refer to Figures 2 and 3 which show the covering 10 in a relaxed state and removed from the car seat. Covering 10 is a multi-layered body construction 38 formed by outer layer 40 joined to an inner backing 42. Outer layer 40 is preferably a soft-faced fabric and can be in a variety of colors and patterns. This fabric layer 40 is intended to be that on which the child sits, while the backing 42 directly overlays the manufacturer's car seat cover 15 as shown in Figure 1. Outer fabric layer 40 and backing 42 may be sewn or laminated together using currently available laminating technology. Advantageously, then, covering 10 fits over the manufacturer's existing car seat cover to provide a protective layer. Thus, if the child spills a drink or has a bodily fluid accident, the liquid will not seep to the original car seat cover due to the waterproof backing. Moreover, because of its unique construction, as described more thoroughly below, the covering is easily attached and removable from the car seat so that it can be cleaned and reused as desired, thereby avoiding the normal wear and tear which would be attendant without such a covering.

With continued reference to Figures 2 and 3, multi-layered body construction 38 includes a front cover 44 which incorporates a plurality of separable panel portions (or pieces) and a plurality of access regions formed therethrough. A flexible skirt 46 is joined in surrounding relation to front cover 44, preferably by a welt 48. As will be appreciated, in the

preferred embodiment, skirt 46 is formed by inward extensions of the various panel pieces which comprise the front cover 44. Skirt 46 incorporates an internal elastic band (not shown) to form a gather 50 so that the skirt has the characteristic of elasticity. Skirt 46 is, thus, adapted to move between a relaxed state and an expanded state to permit the covering to be draped over the car seat, as shown in Figure 1 , and encapsulate a portion of the car seat so that the covering can be retained in the attached state. Panel portions which form the front cover are preferably joined by suitable stitching or the like, as shown and depicted by the various seams. However, some of the panels can be at least partially separated from one another to facilitate access to the strap assembly and insertion of the strap assembly through the front cover's access regions.

To accomplish the foregoing, the front cover, as mentioned above, includes a plurality of access regions, namely, a pair of transversely spaced apart let and right vertical slits 52 and 54, respectively, and a pair of longitudinally spaced apart upper and lower honzontai slots 56 and 58, respectively. The vertical slits are perhaps best appreciated with reference to Figures 2 and 3, while the horizontal slots are perhaps best seen with reference to Figures 1 , 2 and 4. It may be appreciated with reference to various ones of the figures that left slit 52 accommodates the car seat's left shoulder strap 16 and the right verticai slit 54 accommodates the right shoulder strap 18 Upper honzontai slot 56 ts sized and adapted to allow the crotch strap 20 and its associated buckle 34 to be received therethrough, while lower horizontal slot 58 is sized and adapted to accommodate harness adjustment strap 22

The varioυs panel portions which are joined together to form covering 10 will now be described with reference to Figures 6(a)-6(f) in conjunction with certain ones of the foregoing figures. Front cover 44 can be considered to comprise a central body panel 60 (Figure 6(a)), a head panel 62 (Figure 6(b)), a left shoulder panel 64 (Figure 6(c)), a nght shoulder pane! 66 (Figure 6(d)). a left hip panel 68 (Figure 6(e)), and a right hip panel 70 (Figure 6(f)). The remaining panel members which make up the covering are each shown in Figure 1 as panels 90, 91 & 92, respectively. The panels only form part of the skirt and not the front

cover. While these panels are curved when in the attached state shown in Figure 1 , the artisan will realize that they would each assume a generally rectangular and flattened configuration prior to assemblage, i.e., sewing.

Referring now to Figures 2. 3 and 6(a), it may be seen that an upper body portion 59 of central body panef 60 includes the ieft and right vertical slits 52 and 54, respectively, while a lower body portion 61 is formed to include the upper and lower horizontal slots 56 and 58, respectively. Each of these upper and lower horizontal slots may be reinforced by an associated backing, such as backing 57 associated with upper slot 56 shown in Figure 3.

Cooperative fasteners are provided for the covering to facilitate access to the relevant portions of the strap assembly when the covering is in the attached state shown in Figure 1. In the preferred embodiment, these fasteners are provided by cooperative hook and loop fasteners (Veicro), although the ordinary skilled artisan can appreciate that other types of fasteners such as zippers, snaps, or even elastic couid be employed without departing from the inventive concepts herein. To this end, central body panel 60 includes an elongate strip of loop material 72 along the underneath of its entire right margin 71 and horizontal strips of outer hook material 74{1) and 74(2) along a majority of its upper edge margin 73, Vertical strip 72 is operative to releasably engage a corresponding band 76 of hook material which extends along a majority of the lower left edge margin 75 of left shoulder panel 64 (Figure 6(c)). The central body panels lower body portion 61 is also provided with loop material sewn along its edges, as shown in phantom in Figure 6(a). A lower right strip 78 extends aiong the tower right edge margin 79 on the panel, while a lower portion of strip 72 provides the left side. These strips of loop material 72 and 78 are operative to releasably engage the left and right hip panels 68 and 70, respectively. More particularly, left hip panel is generally trapezoidal in configuration and includes an upwardly directed band of hook material 80 along an edge margin 81 thereof and a transversely extending band 82 of hook materia! along its iower horizontal edge margin 83 (Figure 6(e)). As for right hip panel 70, it incorporates a single transversely extending band 84 of hook

material along its associated horizontal edge margin 85. As such, the tower portion of the central body panel's Eoop material 72 is operative to releasably engage both bands 80 and 82 of hook material associated with left hip panel 68, white band 78 of loop material on the central body pane! 60 is operative to releasably engage cooperative strip 84 associated with the right hip panel 70.

The foregoing construction allows the central body panel 60 to be selectively detached from both the left shoulder panel 64 and the left and right hip panels 68 and 70. respectively, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. This versatility allows the panels to be at least partially separated from one another once the covering is draped over a car seat in the attached state (Figure 1) to permit access to the various portions of the harness assembly so that they can be received through the covering. Thereafter, the central body panel 60 can be reattached to left shoulder panel 64 and left and right hip panels 68 and 70, respectively, so that the covering assumes the configuration shown in Figure 1. After a period of use, then, the process can be reversed so that the covering 10 is easily removed from the car seat and cleaned.

With the above in mind, the ordinarily skilled artisan should also realize that the present invention contemplates a method of reducing wear on a child's car seat, such as one incorporating a base unit and a strap assembly discussed herein above. According to this method, a washable covering is provided which comprises a flexible body construction that includes a plurality of separable panel portions and a plurality of access regions formed therethrough. The flexible body construction is draped over a portion of the car seat whereby it overlays the car seat's padded seat cover. Selected ones of the panel portions are at least partially separated from one another and the car seat's strap assembly is retrieved and pulled through the access regions. The pane) portions are then reattached. Periodically, one or more children are secured in the car seat during a car seat use cycle. The covering may then be removed after a selected period of time so that it can be washed and reused.

Accordingly, the present invention has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be appreciated, though, that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so that modifications or changes may be made to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained herein.