BACKGROUND
Technical Field
This disclosure relates to child seats, in particular to child seats for playground swings.
Background
The hazards associated with sun exposure are well documented. Still, outdoor play and childhood are synonymous. Youngsters, more than adults, risk the detrimental effects of the sun's ultraviolet (“UV”) rays. Children have more skin relative to their body mass. The outer layer of their skin is thinner and more sensitive than an adult's, making painful sunburns more damaging to a child. Many youngsters spend a significant amount of time out-doors. One activity children have enjoyed for centuries is swinging on a swing. Moreover, swings have been developed so that youngsters of all ages can enjoy playing on a swing. Parents often learn that the harmonic and constant motion of a swing is soothing for many infants, helping them to settle down or get ready for a nap or sleep. Conventionally, such swing seats provide some sort of forward restraint for the child's body, which restraint may be fixed or moveable.
Although a child swinging out of doors for an extended period of time may need protection from the sun, if the exposure is not lengthy, or the activity is in other environments, such as shaded areas or indoor gyms, such protection may not be necessary. It would be advantageous of a swing seat could both provide sun protection, and at the same time adaptable to allow the child to experience a full range of vision and the enjoyment of freely moving through the air.
DRAWINGS
Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure are described by way of example in the following drawings, which are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale:
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the child swing seat having a domed cover, the domed cover separable from the body of the seat, and a moveable child restraint.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the child swing seat having a domed cover, the domed cover separable from the body of the seat, and a fixed child restraint.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the child swing seat having a substantially flat cover, the flat cover separable from the body of the seat, and a moveable child restraint.
FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the child swing seat having a substantially flat cover, the flat cover separable from the body of the seat, and a fixed child restraint.
FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 7
FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of the child swing seat having a domed cover, the domed cover fixed with the body of the seat, and a moveable child restraint.
FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the child swing seat having a domed cover, the domed cover fixed with the body of the seat, and a fixed child restraint.
FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of the child swing seat having a substantially flat cover, the flat cover fixed with the body of the seat, and a moveable child restraint.
FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 13.
FIG. 15 shows an embodiment of the child swing seat having a substantially flat cover, the flat cover fixed with the body of the seat, and a fixed child restraint.
FIG. 16 is an exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A first embodiment of the subject child swing seat 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 shows the child swing seat 100 as it would be in practice suspended by ropes or wires 110. The swing seat 100 has a bottom support 120 for supporting the body of a child (i.e., the buttocks and thighs of the child), a back portion 130, and a cover 140. In this embodiment, the cover 140 has a rounded or domed shape. The seat 100 has a back support 150, which back support 150 supports the cover 140. In this and other embodiments, the preferred material for construction of the child swing seat 100 would be a molded plastic, but the child swing seat could be formed of other material as well. The ropes or wires 110 supporting the swing seat 100 preferably pass through guides 145 affixed to the cover 140 to maintain stability.
The embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a moveable child restraint bar 160, which restraint bar 160 moves on a hinge 170 to swing outward to allow a child to be placed on the bottom support 120 and then moved inwardly toward the child to lock into place and safely restrain the child. The child swing seat 100 preferably has adjustable restraining straps 180 configured to pass over a child's shoulders.
As shown in FIG. 2, the cover 140 in this embodiment is conveniently separable from the back portion 130 of the child swing seat 100. This allows free air flow about the child, which may be more enjoyable for the child, and acceptable particularly when sunlight is not present or bright. As shown in FIG. 2, the separable cover 140 engages the back portion 130 by means of one or more plug-and-socket mechanisms. Shown in FIG. 2 is a plug 190, having an oblong cross-section, protruding from the cover 140, which oblong plug 190 mates with a corresponding socket 200 formed in the body of the seat back portion 130. Further provided in FIG. 2 is a peg 210 protruding from the cover 140, which peg 210 engages a hole 220 in the back portion 130. The plug 190 and the peg 210 should be sized with the respective socket 200 or hole 220 so as to provide secure engagement between the cover 140 and the back portion 130, according to the material from which these parts are constructed, such as by an interference fit.
FIGS. 1 and 2 and other figures show an optional hole or groove 230 in the bottom support 120 to facilitate drainage of rainwater when the child swing seat 100 is left out of doors.
A second embodiment is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, where the child swing seat 100, as described above, has a domed cover 140, the domed cover 140 separable from the back portion 130 of the seat 100, but has a fixed child restraint 240, shown as preferably integral with the back portion 130 and the bottom support 120.
A third embodiment is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, where the child swing seat 260 has a substantially flat cover 270, the flat cover 270 separable from the back portion 130 of the seat 100, and a moveable child restraint 160, as previously described. In this embodiment and others with the flat cover 270, the ropes or wires 110 supporting the swing seat 260 pass through holes 275 in the flat cover.
A fourth embodiment is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, where the child swing seat 100 has a substantially flat cover 270, the flat cover 270 separable from the back portion 130 of the seat 100, and a fixed child restraint 240, as previously shown.
A fifth embodiment is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, where the child swing seat 100 has a domed cover 140, and the domed cover 140 is fixed to or formed integrally with the back portion 130 and not separable from it, and where the embodiment further includes a moveable child restraint 160, as previously described.
A sixth embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, where the child swing seat 100 has a domed cover 140, and the domed cover 140 is fixed to or formed integral with the back portion 130 and not separable from it, and where the embodiment further includes a fixed child restraint 240, as previously described.
A seventh embodiment is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, where child swing seat 260 has a substantially flat cover 270, the flat cover 270 fixed to or formed integral with the back portion 130 of the seat 260, and a moveable child restraint 160, as previously described.
An eighth embodiment is shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, where the child swing seat 260 has a substantially flat cover 270, the flat cover 270 fixed to or formed integral with the back portion 130 of the seat 260, and a fixed child restraint 240, as previously described.
None of the description in this application should be read as implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential element which must be included in the claim scope; the scope of patented subject matter is defined only by the allowed claims. Moreover, none of these claims are intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. Section 112(f) unless the exact words “means for” are used, followed by a gerund. The claims as filed are intended to be as comprehensive as possible, and no subject matter is intentionally relinquished, dedicated, or abandoned.
Patent Grant
10478736
