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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a padded liner to be placed between an
infant and a seat, primarily a safety seat in a vehicle in which an infant
is seated and restrained for normal transport. The invention more
particularly pertains to the shape and interconnection of parts of a
child's seat liner whereby comfort and support of the child is greatly
improved at any stage of development of the child when the child is
age-compatible with the use of the supporting seat.
In recent years it has come to be recognized that transporting a child in a
moving vehicle without restraint is extremely dangerous because of the
inherent forces of acceleration when the moving vehicle suddenly slows or
is abruptly stopped in a collision. Typical protective devices, such as
lap or shoulder belts used by adults are unacceptable methods of restraint
for infants in such circumstances because of the general lack of lateral
body support and because no provision is made for cushioning or absorbing
the energy of movement of the infant's head, which, particularly in the
early years, has the greatest mass of any body part and is particularly
susceptible to the forces of quick turns or rapid vehicle speed changes.
Moreover, when traveling long distances, the discomfort of a small child
is significantly increased when it is restrained on a car seat designed
for the support and comfort of an adult.
Various manufacturers have introduced safety seats or chairs for infants
and small children consistent with Federal safety standards. Although
differing in exact configuration, such seats generally include a one-piece
shell-like rigid molded seat secured to a frame formed from metal tubing
sections. The frame is adaptively shaped to conform to the surface of the
back and seat in an automobile whereby the typical adult lap belt may be
utilized to secure the frame in the installed position. The entire
assembly is usually adapted for selective reversal whereby a child seated
therein can be disposed to face forward or backward in the automobile. It
is the obvious intention that such assemblies be positioned to face
rearwardly when used for a small infant to provide full spinal and head
cushioning in the event of rapid slowing or abrupt stops of the
automobile. For an older child, the assembly can be used in the
forward-facing position, and a padded crossbar is normally provided which
can be selectively placed in a position forward of the child to cushion
the head if the child is thrown violently forward against the
body-restraining belts included in the assembly.
While the chair or seat portion of such assemblies are often thinly lined
or padded, the fact that the seat must be of appropriate size to receive,
for example, a child of two years of age, creates a problem for the
comfortable seating and support of a relatively young, small infant who
occupies only a fraction of the total available seating area. It is
customary for an attending adult to wedge small cushions or folded
blankets on either side of the child to provide additional body and head
support. A particularly difficult situation develops when an infant falls
asleep in the seat while traveling and its head falls to either side
without adequate cushioning or support while its body is held
substantially erect against the seat back due to the fastened belt
portions which hold the body in position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention comprehends the provision of a padded liner for a child's
chair or seat, in an aesthetically pleasing and inviting form which has
definite utility value and characteristics not found in liners normally
provided on safety car seats.
It is a primary objective of this invention to provide, for a child's
safety car seat, a liner which can be the sole liner in the seat or,
alternatively, can be used in combination with a liner already present.
A primary feature and objective of this invention is a liner of the type
described, which specifically provides increased infant comfort and a high
security factor, enabled by the shape and size of the liner, and the
nature, thickness, and specific disposition of padding within side
cushions constituting integral parts of the liner unit.
The structure of the liner of the present invention is specifically
designed to accommodate, secure, and adapt to the growth pattern of a
child from early infancy to its first few formative years, a concept which
will be more easily appreciated from the ensuing detailed description when
read in reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the presently preferred embodiment of
a child's safety seat liner in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment first shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the invention embodiment first shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention embodiment first shown in
FIG. 1, on a relatively smaller scale, and shown in the position of its
intended use in one form of a child's automobile safety seat; and
FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the embodiment first shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, which
illustrates a child's automobile safety seat liner 10 comprising a major
first cushion or backing portion 12 having an upper portion 14 and a lower
portion 16. A second cushion 18 is joined by sewing along its rear edge to
the lower edge of the first cushion 12. Joined to the side edges of the
first cushion 12 are side cushions 20 and 22 having upper respective
portions 24 and 26 and substantially wider respective lower portions 28
and 30.
The liner 10 is a substantially self-supporting or free-standing unit
preferably designed as a fanciful figure, here simulating a bear wherein
the first cushion upper end or portion 14 is the bear's head and the lower
portion 16 of the cushion 12 is the torso or body of the bear. The side
cushions 20 and 22 are designed to visually suggest the bear's forward and
rear legs, although for descriptive purposes, portions 24 and 26 are
hereinafter referred to as arms as opposed to leg portions 28 and 30.
Although comfortably padded, the cushion 10 and 18, which serve as the back
and feet of the liner, respectively, are substantially flat as compared to
the spaced-apart oppositely-disposed side cushions 20 and 22. Each of the
side cushions 20 and 22 is heavily padded at the lower ends thereof to
provide a substantially wide cushioned area which serves as a supportive
base for the somewhat thinner but firmly padded upper cushion ends 24 and
26.
The liner 10 is intended for use in an infant's safety automobile seat of
the type comprising a molded shell or rigid seat structure such as seat 32
shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 also illustrates a metallic tubular structure 34
to which the seat 32 would normally be secured. The seat 32 and support
structure 34 are representative of typical safety car seats available for
transporting a small child in an automobile. Such assemblies are designed
to be secured in position in an automobile by firm attachment on the
automobile's seat with the lap safety belt normally provided for adult
use. The lap belt is threaded through the tubular structure and fastened
beneath the seat 32 to hold the assembly in position.
The structure 34 includes a well-padded cross member 38 which is pivotally
mounted to be swung between the position shown in FIG. 4 and a retracted
position (not shown) which enables an infant to be placed in a seated
position against the liner 10. An auxiliary belt 44, fastened at its lower
end beneath the cushion 18 to a crossbar of the structure 34, is utilized
to lock the cross member 38 in the position shown in FIG. 4.
A child placed in the car seat 32, with the liner 10 in the position shown,
will obviously face forwardly whereby its legs extend forwardly on either
side of the belt 44. A comparatively small infant will occupy only the
lower portion of the liner 10, its legs will rest substantially fully on
the surface of the cushion 18, and its shoulders may be below the level of
the cross member 38. For such use, the heavily padded lower portions 28
and 30 of the side cushions 20 and 22 are intended to center the child's
hips and cushion it against side shifting. The upper portions 24 and 26 of
the side cushions 20 and 22 then serve as resilient bumpers or cushions to
support the lolling head of a sleeping infant as hereafter further
described. A larger child, as for example a child more than one year old
but less than two, will normally have sufficient torso height whereby its
shoulders will be generally on the level of the upper cushion portions 24
and 26 whereby these portions may be utilized as arm rests.
The liner 10 is structured to resiliently conform to the seated body of an
infant or child placed thereon, with the portions 28 and 30 giving
additional cushioning and resilient support to the lower body and upper
legs of the child. Both the cushion 18 and the cushion 12 are
appropriately slotted to enable extension therethrough of the webbing or
belt portions which normally are provided and secured to the seat 32 and
intended to wrap downwardly over the shoulders and upwardly between the
legs of the infant. Additional slots (not shown) can be provided in
vertical-spaced relation in the first backing cushion 12 to enable the
belt portions to be drawn through the liner at the most appropriate height
consistent with the child's size. For illustrative purposes, the liner 10
is shown as having slots 36 and 40 for the purpose heretofore described.
A specific feature of the liner 10, in accordance with the present
invention, is the provision of the side cushions 20 and 22 in the
particular configuration and dimensions shown. Because of the relatively
heavy padding provided in the lower end portions 28 and 30, placement of
the child's body therebetween has the effect of compressing the side
cushions between the child's body and the sides of the seat 32 (see FIG.
4), forcing the padding to displace upwardly and give added rigidity to
the portions 24 and 26. The portions 24 and 26 will, in turn, serve as
side support for the tilted head of a small sleeping infant or, in a case
of a larger child, as firm support on which the child's arms can be
rested.
The relatively wide expanse of the side cushions 20 and 22 at their lower
end and their lower, upwardly-narrowing configuration has the additional
effect, when the liner is in use by a larger child, of causing the arm
portions 24 and 26 to "tuck" or wrap around the child's body, thus
providing additional warmth, comfort, and security.
Obviously, the appearance design of the liner 10 can be modified or changed
to represent any fanciful figure which is attractive and inviting. The
preferred embodiment of the liner 10 shown in the drawings is a
representation of the familiar "teddy bear". Because of the "tucking"
feature heretofore described which is inherent in the liner structure, it
is presently intended, for marketing purposes, that the liner be provided
the trade name of "Teddy Tucker" or, simply "Tucker".
The liner 10 disclosed herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings
may be selectively used as a seat pad in any child's seat or chair. As
with the car seat structure illustrated in FIG. 4, the "tucking" and body
supporting characteristics heretofore described are also obtained when the
liner is used for placing a child in the typical high chair having a
forwardly-positioned eating tray extending across placed-apart side arms,
or in a small infant swing adapted for chain suspension and having a
safety crossbar.
A further feature of the liner 10 which should not be ignored is its
inherent insulative qualities. It not only prevents contact between the
child's body and a vinyl shell-type car seat or the metal seat surface of
a stroller, but the substantial fill in its cushions serves to reduce
rapid body heat loss, thus increasing the warmth and security of the
child.
The method of constructing the liner 10 comprises certain basic steps. The
backing cushion 12, the second or seat cushion 18, and the side cushions
20 and 22, which are mirror images of each other, are separately
constructed by sewing of appropriate cloth panels. Each cushion is stuffed
with the desired amount of cushioning fill prior to closing the final edge
seam and then the separate cushions are joined to form the configuration
shown in FIG. 1. More specifically, interfacing and batting are sewn to
the back cushions, particularly along the back longitudinal edge,
whereupon the side cushions are thereby joined to the side edges of the
back cushion 12. The second or bottom cushion is thereafter sewn into
position, three of its edges being joined to the bottom of the first
cushion 12 and the respective side cushions 20 and 22.
The thickness and density of the cushioning fill within each of the
cushions forming the liner 10 is strategically placed to obtain the
desired final form of the unit. While a uniform, comparatively thin layer
of cushioning fill is provided in the back cushion 14 and the bottom
cushion 18, the respective side cushions 20 and 22 are purposely shaped to
accept a substantially greater thickness and density, both as compared to
the back and bottom cushions and within successive vertical levels in the
side cushions. The lower or leg portions 28 and 30 of the cushions 20 and
22 are densely filled to have a thickness greater than any other part of
the liner 10, and each of these portions is thicker in cross section
relative to the vertically successive intermediate areas of the side
cushions. The upper ends or arms 24 and 26 of the side cushions 20 and 22
are preferably equal to or thinner in cross-thickness to the respective
subjacent intermediate portions and considerably thinner than the leg
portions 28 and 30.
The eyes, mouth, and nose, as well as the "paw pads" which contribute to
the visual representation established on the exterior of the liner may be
applied by embroidery or applique or any suitable means to create a
colorful, attractive and inviting image as shown in or significantly
different from the illustrated preferred embodiment. Obviously,
contrasting materials and panel colors can be selectively employed to
further enhance the appearance.
In view of the foregoing description of one form of the present invention
and a method for its construction, it should be appreciated that the
disclosed concept is adaptable to extensive variation or modification. The
specific structure of the padded liner and the method of its construction
herein described is not intended to limit, in any way, the scope of the
invention. It is contemplated that the invention herein may be variously
adapted by those skilled in the art, in light of the above teachings,
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in
the appended claims.
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