Patent Application
20140191544
This invention relates to a portable stadium safety seat for children, and more particularly, a child's Stadium Seat with a removable cover for portable seat cushions. The present embodiment relates to portable, securable seat cushions for sports stadium seats and is particularly related to a removable cover for portable seat cushions with a mechanism to removably secure stadium-style seats in the down position. This device finds application particularly when used in unison with stadium-style seating where the seat automatically rises into an upright position when the occupant of the seat vacates it. Therefore, the present embodiment is directed to a stadium sports cushion cover that satisfies the need of a sports cushion that can retain a sport cushion on an automatically rising sport stadium-style seat or other similar seats, and retaining a seat bottom in the lowered position to ensure safety of a child sitting beyond the non-centralized pivot point. This device will be described with particular respect below.
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Most sports stadiums offer individual stadiums seats as well as bleacher and grass area seating. A standard stadium-style seat in newer, more modern stadiums is stationary seat back chairs with an automatically folding seat pivotally attached to the seat sides near the rear of the seat bottom. The seat therefore, automatically rises when not in use. This raising is done to provide extra space down an aisle way. The seat automatically rises when the spectator stands up, due to the pivot point of the seat set off-center allowing it to rise.
These seats are not particularly designed for use by children who are normally unable to adequately and comfortably adjust their light body weight backwards toward the seat backrest. When a child sits to the rear of the seat, the pivot point releases the seat and it folds up with the child still seated. This automatic movement ordinarily causes a physical risk and potential harm to children.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a comfortable securing apparatus that may be removably attached for automatically raising seats that does not suffer from the deficiencies stated above and can be used with most existing stadium-style seats.
Furthermore, these stadium seats are typically made of rigid materials, usually molded plastic or metal. Stadium-style seats are often outdoor seats and therefore generally do not include padding or cushions since they are generally exposed to the elements which makes an included cushion impractical. Therefore, it is desirable that this embodiment, of the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats, includes a cushion to also help ensure some added level of comfort over a hard surface while one is sitting on these types of chairs.
In addition, as already noted, these seats have a non-centralized pivot point. This pivot point rotates the seat into the upright position when the seat occupant rises from the seat. This upward and off-center pivot point for the seat bottom can create a safety hazard for lighter children who choose to sit in an adult fashion on these seats. When lighter weight children sit to the rear of the seat bottom with their back pressing against the upright backrest, the seat bottom tends to pivot upward due to the unbalanced weight distribution, moving to the upright position with the young child still in a seated position as if they stood up or otherwise vacated the seat. This upward pivoting in turn traps the child between the upright seat bottom and the upright backrest. This issue occurs because of a child's size in relation to the seat and to those older occupants who are bulkier or weightier (such as teenagers and adults) and who are able to apply enough downward force uniformly to keep the seat from pivoting up on them unexpectedly. Therefore, it is desirable that this embodiment includes a manner to alleviate this trapping due to the relatively smaller size and lighter weight of the child (compared with older occupants) and the pivot configuration and action of the seat.
In order for children to sit in the existing seats, a variety of uncomfortable options exist. One option is for the child to sit at the far front edge of the seat bottom in order to apply enough pressure to keep them balanced. Another option is for the parent to force the seat bottom into the lowered position by holding it down manually throughout the duration of the event; this can be difficult to do for the duration of the event and is uncomfortable.
Lombardo U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,840 discloses a seat cushion cover in combination with a sport seat cushion includes a rectangular pocket defined by a fabric upper panel and a lower panel. The upper and lower panels are generally parallel to one another and are joined by side panels and an end panel. A fabric flap extends from the upper panel. The flap is adapted to retain the cushion within the pocket and provide for securing the cushion on a stadium seat. The flap foldably extends over an opening of the pocket and along a portion of lower panel. The flap and the portion of the lower panel are separated by a space for receiving the stadium seat bottom. The flap is adjustably secured to the side panels with fasteners. A resilient band provides tension to retain the cover on the seat bottom when it is in its raised position.
Botts U.S. Pat. No. 7,774,880 discloses a seat cushion for an individual stadium seat includes a cushion portion and a pouch on one side of the cushion portion. The pouch receives an end of the seat to secure the cushion to the seat with the cushion portion on the seat. The seat cushion also includes an adjustable length strap that can also secure the cushion to a stadium bench seat or can maintain the cushion in a rolled-up condition for easy carrying or storage.
Gage U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,837 discloses a child's stadium seat comprising of a seat portion, an upright back rest portion and safety straps to secure the child. The stadium seat securely attaches to a bench, bleacher, chair or planar seat. It contains storage space in the bottom portion of the seat, a detachable utility tray and overhead shelter from various weather conditions. When in a closed mode, the side hinges allow the top back rest to lock in position, while a storage door is located at the bottom, allowing the underneath storage area to remain closed when not in use. The child's stadium seat is elevated for viewing and consists of a bottom surface that assists in the prevention of the seat sliding.
Each of the prior art embodiments shown are somewhat useful for ensuring the cushion remains securely fastened to the seat when it automatically rises when the seat is vacated. However, they do not address the issue of safety. Thus there is a need for an improved seat cushion for use with stadium-style seats that pivot up when the seat is vacated or that tend to rise when weight or pressure is shifted off the pivoting axis of the seat and toward the rear of the pivoting seat base. Such weight or pressure shifts can be dangerous to smaller children. The improved seat cushion should not only not fall off, but secure the seat in a manner that counters the pivoting action of the seat when weight is shifted off the axis, yet should not be so inflexible as to not allow the seat to be easily raised upon a need, such as a person walking down the seating row. The flexible securing mechanism that counters the off-set pivot point of the seat will allow the seat to partially rise when the seat is vacated thereby allowing added space to the row for those moving along the row. Additionally, the seat cushion should be easy to transport and lightweight.
The present invention is directed to a sports cushion cover that satisfies the need to provide a sports cushion which can retain a sport cushion on an automatically rising sport stadium seat as well as limit the automatic pivoting of these types of stadium seats. An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a removable and securable seat cushion cover to be used in combination with a sport seat and its cushion.
The removable, portable and securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats comprises two flexible fabric pockets, one upper pocket for receiving a sport seat cushion and the other lower pocket for receiving the stadium seat bottom. The lower fabric pocket has an opening, an upper panel and a lower panel. The upper and lower panels are joined by side panels and an end panel. The upper and lower panels are also separated into “two” pockets by a common internal center panel.
The upper pocket has an upper panel or cover which includes a resilient fabric flap extending outward from the upper panel at an open end. The flap is adapted to removably and securely retain the cushion within the upper pocket and to provide for securing the entire device, the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats, onto an automatically rising stadium seat bottom. The flap foldably extends over the opening of the upper pocket and along a portion of lower panel of the lower pocket. The flap and the portion of the lower panel of the lower pocket are separated by an opening of the lower pocket which receives the bottom of the stadium seat. Opposing hook and loop fasteners or the like are removably and securely attached to the underside of the flap extending from the upper panel and the outside bottom of the lower panel of the lower pocket. The hook and loop fasteners (or the like) adjustably secure the flap to the lower panel. One skilled in the art fully realizes and appreciates both the flap and the hook and loop fasteners are examples of a means for removably securing the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats. As such they are examples and not limitations of the device 15. It is understood, however, that the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats 15 is not limited to only the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. Other examples of safety cushion and seat devices are still understood by one skilled in the art of seat cushions and the like to be within the scope and spirit shown here.
This embodiment is represented by upper and lower fabric panels created by folding one piece of fabric on itself to form a front edge panel. The upper and lower panels having side edges and a common edge, the upper and lower panels folded adjacent to one another at the common edge and joined at the side edges by a resilient, flexible material (that allows for comfort and versatility when attached to a stadium-style seat), to define a pocket, the pocket having an opening for receiving a cushion. The pocket also includes an opening through which a securing mechanism can be placed in such a way as to run the length of the panels inside and outside of the panels.
The present invention provides the foregoing and other features hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and accompanying drawings set forth certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. It is to be appreciated that different embodiments of the invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components. These described embodiments being indicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.
There are various benefits, advantages and objects for the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats. This device:
The present embodiment of the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats 15 will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats 15 that is preferred. The drawings together with the summary description given above and a detailed description given below serve to explain the principles of the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats 15. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present embodiment will become apparent to those to which the present embodiment relates upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred device of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, herein.
Figures include a top perspective view of a sports stadium seat cushion cover in accordance with features that embody the present embodiment; a side perspective view of the sports stadium cover cushion and securing mechanisms as used in tandem with an automatically rising stadium seat; and a perspective view of a sports stadium seat cushion cover in accordance with features of another embodiment of the present embodiment.
The following list of reference numbers denote the described object and configuration in the above described drawings.
The present development is a securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats. This invention relates to a portable stadium safety seat for children, and more particularly, a child's Stadium Seat with a removable cover for portable seat cushions. The present embodiment relates to portable, securable seat cushion for sports stadium seats and is particularly related to a removable cover device for portable seat cushions with a mechanism to removably secure stadium-style seats in the down position. This device finds application particularly when used in unison with stadium-style seating where the seat automatically rises into an upright position when the occupant of the seat vacates it.
The objects and advantages for the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats are that the device:
The preferred embodiment of a securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats is comprised of: a removable, portable and securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats comprises two flexible fabric pockets, one upper pocket for receiving a sport seat cushion and the other lower pocket for receiving the stadium seat bottom wherein the lower fabric pocket has an opening, an upper panel and a lower panel and wherein the upper and lower panels are joined by side panels and an end panel and the upper and lower panels are separated into two pockets by an internal center panel. The device further comprised with the upper pocket has an upper panel or cover which includes a resilient fabric flap extending outward from the upper panel at an open end. The flap is adapted to removably and securely retain the cushion within the pocket and provide for securing the cushion on an automatically rising stadium seat bottom. Also, the flap foldably extends over the opening of the pocket and along a portion of lower panel. The flap and the portion of the lower panel are separated by a space which receives the bottom of the stadium seat. Opposing hook and loop fasteners or the like are removably and securely attached to the underside of the flap extending from the upper panel and the outside bottom of the lower panel. The hook and loop fasteners (or the like) adjustably secure the flap to the lower panel. One skilled in the art fully realizes and appreciates both the flap and the hook and loop fasteners are examples of a means for removably securing the securable safety seat cushion for stadium seats.
There are shown in
As part of an alternate embodiment, fabric pieces may be sewn into the inside of the inside front panel 31 to create places for the securing mechanism(s) 35a, b to thread through into order to add stability to the front portion of the mechanism when connected to the front of the stadium seat 44.
The current shown embodiment illustrates only one possible embodiment for the standard stadium-style seat. Additional embodiments exist that may serve as advantageous to similar styled seating, including bleacher-style seating. While particular features of the embodiment may have been described with respect to only one of the above illustrations/figures, those features may be combined in any way with one or more other features of the other figures, as alternate embodiments may exist that may be desirous and advantageous for any given application.
Other possible embodiments include, but are not limited to:
While a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one of the illustrated embodiments, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given particular application.
As it relates to the above description of the embodiment, those who are skilled in the art will realize improvements, changes and modifications. Such improvements, changes and modifications within the skill of the art are intended to be covered by the appended claims.
The securable safety seat cushion device 15 for stadium seats has been described in the above embodiments. The manner of how the device operates is described below. One notes well that the description above and the operation described here must be taken together to fully illustrate the concept of the device 15. The preferred embodiment of the securable safety seat cushion device 15 for stadium seats comprising: a. an upper pocket for receiving a sport seat cushion, the upper pocket comprised further of a top panel with an extended flap, a lower center panel contiguous and common to a lower pocket, a side panel and end panel whereby the panels form an upper pocket with an opening for receiving and enveloping a resilient sport seat cushion; b. the sport seat cushion; c. the lower pocket for receiving a stadium seat bottom, the pocket comprised further of a bottom panel with means for attaching the lower pocket and the device to a stadium seat, the center panel contiguous and common to the upper pocket, a side panel and end panel whereby the panels form the lower pocket with an opening for receiving and enveloping the stadium seat bottom; d. a means on the top flap for removably connecting the flap to the bottom panel of the lower pocket; and e. the means for attaching the lower pocket and the device to the stadium seat wherein the securable safety seat cushion device can be removably secured to the stadium seat to safely protect and comfortably seat a lighter occupant.
Referring to
Continuing in reference to
With this description it is to be understood that the Special Securing safety seat cushion for Stadium-style seats 15 is not to be limited to only the disclosed embodiment of product. The features of the Special Securing safety seat cushion for Stadium-style seats 15 are intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the description.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
Unless they are defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which these inventions belong. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present inventions, the preferred methods and materials are now described above in the foregoing paragraphs.
Other of the embodiments of the invention are possible. Although the description above contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. It should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
The terms recited in the claims should be given their ordinary and customary meaning as determined by reference to relevant entries (e.g., definition of “plane” as a carpenter's tool would not be relevant to the use of the term “plane” when used to refer to an airplane, etc.) in dictionaries (e.g., widely used general reference dictionaries and/or relevant technical dictionaries), commonly understood meanings by those in the art, etc., with the understanding that the broadest meaning imparted by any one or combination of these sources should be given to the claim terms (e.g., two or more relevant dictionary entries should be combined to provide the broadest meaning of the combination of entries, etc.) subject only to the following exceptions: (a) if a term is used herein in a manner more expansive than its ordinary and customary meaning, the term should be given its ordinary and customary meaning plus the additional expansive meaning, or (b) if a term has been explicitly defined to have a different meaning by reciting the term followed by the phrase “as used herein shall mean” or similar language (e.g., “herein this term means,” “as defined herein,” “for the purposes of this disclosure [the term] shall mean,” etc.). References to specific examples, use of “i.e.,” use of the word “invention,” etc., are not meant to invoke exception (b) or otherwise restrict the scope of the recited claim terms. Other than situations where exception (b) applies, nothing contained herein should be considered a disclaimer or disavowal of claim scope. Accordingly, the subject matter recited in the claims is not coextensive with and should not be interpreted to be coextensive with any particular embodiment, feature, or combination of features shown herein. This is true even if only a single embodiment of the particular feature or combination of features is illustrated and described herein. Thus, the appended claims should be read to be given their broadest interpretation in view of the prior art and the ordinary meaning of the claim terms.
Unless they are otherwise indicated, all numbers or expressions, such as those expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, etc. used in the specification (other than the claims) are understood as modified in all instances by the term “approximately.” At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims, each numerical parameter recited in the specification or claims which is modified by the term “approximately” should at least be construed in light of the number of recited significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/748,977 filed Jan. 4, 2013 by Edwin R. Comber and entitled “Securing Safety Seat Cushion for Stadium Seats”.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61748977 | Jan 2013 | US |
