The present invention relates to a cover for a baby transport device.
The Purpose of this Invention Includes Some or all of the Following:
1. To block sunlight out of a stroller or an infant/baby car seat.
2. To insulate the child in the stroller or car seat from cold weather.
3. To protect child from wind and bugs.
4. To allow for airflow while child is sheltered under cover.
5. To allow for viewing of child while sheltered under cover.
6. To allow parent easy access to child while sheltered under cover. This can aid in passing objects through back and forth.
7. To allow for fast and easy installation on top of car seat or stroller
8. To allow for a secure fit on the car seat or stroller
9. To allow for fast and easy alternate use between car seat and stroller.
This product is designed as a cover that can be used interchangeably with a car seat and stroller. The cover is adaptable to fitting on top of various sized hoods of strollers by a mechanism that allows for the cover to expand or narrow.
The cover is essentially a cloth sheet that is placed or fitted on top of an opened stroller or car seat hood, and then hangs off said hood to close off or shelter the seating area of the stroller or car seat. To function properly, the stroller's hood must be opened, preferably as far forward as is allowed. Also, if it exists within the particular stroller, the tray or bar that is typically found in front portion of a conventional stroller or in front of the seat of a conventional stroller should not be removed. For purposes of a car seat, the hood must also be opened as far as it can extend and the handle bar placed in an upright position. The cover can be placed on a stroller or car seat set up in these positions.
For clarity of reference, the top of the cover 4 is divided horizontally into two sections. The “front top” 5 of the top of the cover 4 refers to any portion of the cover that lies on top of the stroller's 1 hood 2 and starts from the front to halfway down to the back of the stroller's hood. The “back top” 6 of the cover refers to any portion of the cover that lies on top of the back portion of the stroller's hood. This area runs from the back of the hood to halfway towards the front. For identification purposes, in
The top of the cover 4 drapes over the length of the stroller's 1 hood 2 and sits over the arch 7 of the hood. In order to accommodate different shaped hoods, the area starting from the front top 5 portion of the cover and running down to the back top 6 portion, includes fastening or closing elements, preferably comprising of counter mating components. Said element is designed to narrow the horizontal width of the cover's top 4. Said element can consist of one or more rows or strips of individual snaps, buttons or some other kind of cinching or closing device and one or more rows or strips of matching counter-mates. Said element can also consist of one or more strips of Velcro and its matching counterparts, or a zipper or zippers also running from the front top 5 to the back top 6. Said element can also consist of a row of strings, bands or any other material that can link or tie together.
The Placement and Engagement of the Row(s) of Snaps, Buttons, Velcro, String or any Other Attachment Device:
In
After being tested on various stroller hoods, the stroller cover can include a reference guide that advises the buyer where or how exactly to attach the aforementioned attachment devices for his/her particular stroller.
When these attachment devices engage, the top of the cover 4 takes on a different shape. To illustrate, suppose there was only one pair of attachment rows on the top of the cover 4. Such device is represented collectively by x's 8 and o's 9 in
By engaging these attachments, what occurs is that the top front 5 portion gets pulled in by the attachments. As will be discussed, later, this pull helps create a small pocket of space when the cover gets placed over a car seat, which allows for easier gripping of the car seat's handle. The direction this pull 10 takes is depicted in
When the snaps are engaged, what also happens is that the top back 6 portion of the cover loses somewhat its rectangular-like shape and takes on a more triangular look. Also, please note that this results in some portion of the hood 2 becoming exposed.
If a narrower fit of the top of the cover 4 on the stroller's hood 2 is desired, the more inlaid o 8 can attach to its inlaid x 9 that is its horizontal mate. This attachment configuration, which can be repeated all the way down the row, is depicted in
If an additional row of x's 17 and o's 18 are added horizontally, there can be even more configurations of attachments. Some of these configuration options are depicted by the dotted arrow lines in
For example, a stroller hood 2.1 that starts out wide in the front and narrows as it moves towards the back may require the user of the cover to forgo utilizing the first couple snaps in the rows, and then begin snapping in a manner that would create a more narrow width in the back top. Thus, in
Velcro strips can be utilized as the fastening element, preferably comprising of two mating Velcro strips 18, 19 placed on the top of the cover 3 running from the front top 5, to the back top 6. In order to narrow the top of the cover 4, the user of the cover 3 can simply connect the two adjoining strips at any point that is best suited to the user's individual's stroller's hood. For example, in
The attachment devices used can also be a string, belt, ribbon, band or any other device that can tie or link. The mating device can be a loop, tightening strap buckle, a hole cut into the fabric, a ring or any other device that can mate with the aforementioned attachment devices. For example, in
Where a linking device is used, the cover top has the option of leaving out material from a portion of the top preferably in the center. The gap in material can start at some point that serves the best utility at the top portion of the cover 5, while the width would preferably be nine inches.
The cover can also include a means of attaching itself to the handle bar(s) of a stroller. There are two means suggested here. The first is created by elongating the length of the back top 6 of the cover (hereinafter referred to as the “elongated top” 33). The width of this extension would be the length from the two outermost rows of attachment devices. For example, if the length between two mating attachment devices is nine inches, then the width of the elongated top would be about nine inches as well. This portion of the material would extend a couple inches out beyond the end of a typical stroller's hood so that it hangs off the handle bar of the stroller. In
When the attachment units of the top of the cover are engaged, the elongated top narrows to create a tail end piece that will be available for wrapping around the handle bar. It may be thinner or wider depending on where the attachment devices are engaged.
In
The second means of attaching the cover to the handle bars of a stroller is depicted in
Either the two straps 34 or the elongated top 33 can preferably be long enough to simply tie around the handle bar(s)(2.1, 2.2) of a stroller, or they can include some form of attachment mechanism that allows the user to attach the straps 34 or the elongated top 33 to itself after it/they are wrapped around the stroller's handle bars (2.1., 2.2).
Please note that in all the examples illustrating the various types of handle bar attachments for the cover, either the elongated top 33 or the two straps 34, the forms of attachments on the top of the cover 4 depicted have been buttons or snaps; however, the use of stroller handle attachments 33, 34 is not limited to covers using buttons or snaps on the top of the cover 4. These types of attachments were utilized in the illustrations simply to help clarify how the stroller handle attachments 33, 34 would appear with various widths created for the cover's top 4. The same widths can be created with different forms of attachments such as Velcro or strings, and the resulting widths of the handle bar attachments 33, 34 would appear similarly.
The length described here is the length of the top of the cover when laid flat open on the stroller's hood. It would be measured from the center of the very top front 7, to the back top 6. This length does not include the length of the straps 34 or the length of the elongated top portion 33, whichever is implemented. The length of the top of the cover 4 should preferably be 21 inches.
Please note that this length is measured only from the center of the very top front 7 of the cover. Since the very top front 7 mimics the shape of the stroller's arch, and the whole top portion 4, drapes over the arched shaped stroller's hood, this length from front to back cannot be uniform throughout. The length is also varied at the sides of the top 4 where the material would drape over the sides of a conventional stroller hood. In
The length of the two straps, or the elongated top, whichever mechanism is utilized, should be any length best suited for the purpose of wrapping or attaching itself to the handle bar(s) of a stroller.
Length of Front and Side of Cover from Top to Bottom
The length of the cover from the front portion that hangs off the hood to front bottom will preferably be 34 inches. With regards to the material that would hang off the stroller's hood at the sides, this length will be shortened somewhat in comparison to the front since the material will be at some degree of a slope. The slope would mimic the slope that is found on a typical stroller's side parallel back bar (the one that attaches to the handle bars).
The length of both the sides and front portions of the material that would hang off the stroller's hood can have the option of being shortened to some extent through attachment devices such as buttons, snaps, linking string or ribbon devices, zipper or any other attachment devices suited for this purpose. The attachment device shown is depicted by an o 37.1, located the cornered edge 37. It will mate with the x 37.2 above it at the sloped edge. The distance between them is preferably eight inches. These devices will be located on both sides of the cover.
Also note, the cover on either side of the stroller will be the identical in size, length and width on both sides. Thus, if folded in half, both halves will be the same. The slope mimics the slope that is found on a typical stroller's side parallel back bar (the one that attaches to the handle bars).
At the fringe, frame or outer parameter part of the cover, there should be a boarder that is more substantial or heavier than the rest of the material preferably as a result of some form of rope, twine or any material that serves this purpose sewn into it. The purpose of adding weight to the fringe is to allow for the cover 3 to sit more fitted on top of the car seat or stroller. This would occur because the weight of the fringe will create a pull on the cover causing the material to be more evenly distributed. A weighted fringe also helps avoid the material from flying off the carriage or car seat in case of wind.
This weighted framing will surround the cover all around in the front bottom portion and then go up the sides to the top.
As an option, attached to the weighted fringe at the sides, can exist “extra material”40, so named because it's potential for being placed just outside the weighted fringe 38 that frames the cover; however, it can also be placed within the weighted fringe 38. This extra material can be in any shape. Preferably it will be in the shape of a right triangle. The purpose of this extra material will be to wrap around the sloped back bar of the stroller 1. When it is wrapped around the bar, the cover will be more wind resistant. It's purpose could also be to give the user the option of adding more coverage to the side of the strollers
There can also be an additional smaller piece of extra material 41 that is just beneath the larger piece of extra material 40 just described. It also has the option of being outside or inside the weighted frame 38 of the cover. This piece will likely be a smaller triangular piece that is meant to wrap around the bars that ultimately attach to the stroller's back wheels.
On the underside of either of these extra materials 40, 41 will be a patch of Velcro or some other attaching device. Another patch of Velcro or attaching device meant to attach to the devise on the extra materials 40, 41 will be located on the underside of the cover 3 itself. Since the Velcro or other fastening devise is on the inside and not visible to the user when the cover is placed on the stroller, there can also be some guide on the visible outside portion of the cover to guide the user on where attachment can be made. In other words, the outside visible portion of this extra material can indicate where the Velcro patches or other fastening device lies underneath by marking them in some manner such as outlining the boarder of the Velcro. When using Velcro, the Velcro patches should be large enough to accommodate different strollers. There can also be an option for the user to remove this “extra material” out of sight by Velcroing or fastening it back inside the cloth.
Both these extra materials 40,41 can be found framed within or outside of the weighted fringe boarder. Both these extra materials 40, 41 are completely optional and need not be included with the cover at all.
Opening—
The front portion of the cover is the portion that one would see hanging off the hood of a stroller and covering the front opening of a conventional stroller. It is somewhere in this front portion location that there would be an opening 36. The opening 36 can be in any shape, length or width that is most suitable for the product and its purpose, which is to allow for ventilation, coverage and adaptability for both strollers and car seats. Preferably it would be ten inches long. Its purpose is also to allow the child's caregiver to be able to pass his/her hand through and have contact with the child. There can also be a flap attached to either close or expose the opening, the purpose of which is to allow for more or less insulation and/or coverage as desired.
To serve this purpose, this opening 36 may have a top and bottom portion. One portion can be covered by a UVA or non UVA mesh screen (i.e. a screen that can block out UVA and AVB rays). The other portion can be left uncovered. Both portions can then be covered completely by the aforementioned flap. This configuration of the opening 36 is simply a suggestion. Alternative configurations such as placing a mesh screen on the whole opening, or not placing any mesh screen at all, are also viable options.
In order to provide warmth, the material for the product can be made of some substantial material such as wool, fleece, canvas or any other type of insulating cloth; the purpose being to insulate the child inside the stroller or car seat and/or to add more stiffness and shape to the cover as opposed to its being more flimsy.
Alternatively, the product can also be made of material that is thinner or less substantial such as, but not limited to, a thin cotton cloth or angora material. Using material of this nature is useful in warmer weather in order to keep the baby inside the car seat or stroller cool.
As mentioned earlier, this product can alternate as a cover for both a car seat and stroller. When placed on top of a car seat 42, it is expected that the attachment devices such as the button snaps 8, 9 on top of the cover will remain engaged to accommodate the stroller being used. In other words, the engagement of the attachments on top of the cover most likely need not change to accommodate the car seat.
Once fitted onto the car seat, the user will find that the back triangular shaped back top 6 that was created on the top of the cover when the attachment devices were engaged, now lies on top of the open hood 43 of the car seat 42. Also, the small triangular pocket 10 that was created at the front top 5 area when the attachment devices were engaged, now lies on top of or just behind of the car seat's handle 44. The placement of this pocket 10 will allow the user room to grab and hold onto the car seat's handle bar 44 if he/she wants to grab it in order to pick up the car seat 42.
Once the cover is on top of the car seat, the user will notice that the material flows over onto the floor at the bottom. In order to avoid the cover 3 from dragging onto the floor while used as a car seat cover, the user can tighten the cover 3 around the car seat by utilizing fastening or securing devices the location of which would be, once fitted on the car seat, preferably at the lower end corner 37 of the cover 3 to another portion of the cover 3 that is preferably about nineteen inches above it along the sloped side. Fastening devices would be placed in both these locations. These attachments are represented in
The other drag from the cover 3 while fitted on the car seat may come from the extra material 40, 41 that hangs off the lower side portion of the cover, if such extra material 40, 41 exists. This portion, however, can easily be attached up to the material of the cover by Velcro or other fastening devise. Most likely the fastening device will be the same one that was strategically placed for this extra material to wrap around the back bar.
What may also be helpful when the cover is placed on top of a car seat is avoiding the elongated top 33 or the two extensions 34 that are meant to wrap around the stroller's handle bars from dragging onto the floor. In order to do this, the end of the elongated top 33 or the extensions 34 may include some kind of method for attaching it onto some part of the cover and placing it out of the way of the floor. In