Infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat

• US 6,039,455 A
• Filed: 05/12/1999
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karen Sorenson
• Original Assignee: Karen Sorenson
• Inventors: Sorenson, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/309,635
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 359/838, 359/857, 359/872, 359/876, 359/881, 359/862, 359/865, 362/488, 362/494, 362/135, 362/136, 362/140, 362/142, 362/143, 362/144, 248/476, 248/479, 248/485, 248/487
• US Class Current: 362/142
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/008 allowing the driver to see passengers, e.g. for busses combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator

Abstract

An infant observation mirror 10 is attachable to a rear-facing infant car seat 200. A fastening assembly 20 includes a C-clamp which attaches to the upper edge of the back of the car seat. Alternative versions of the fastening assembly include a modified alligator clamp and a resilient spring clamp. A first end of a curved arm assembly 50 extends from the fastening assembly over the car seat. A preferred curved arm assembly provides a resilient skeleton the shape of which may be adjusted and a soft protective covering. A mirror assembly 60 is supported by the second end of the curved arm assembly, and typically provides a light-weight mylar plastic mirror. An adjustment assembly 70 allows rotation of the mirror about a horizontal and a vertical axis. A lighting assembly 90 provides soft lighting to illuminate the child during night driving. An auxiliary rearview mirror assembly 300 attaches to the support carrying the car'"'"'s rearview mirror, thereby allowing the driver to view the mirror assembly 60 without moving the car'"'"'s rearview mirror.

Claims

1. An infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat, the infant observation mirror comprising:

(A) fastening assembly means for attachment to an upper edge of the back of the infant car seat;

(B) a curved arm assembly supported at a first end by the fastening assembly means, comprising;

(a) a resilient skeleton; and

(b) a soft covering carried by the resilient skeleton;

(C) mirror assembly means, carried by a second end of the curved arm assembly, for reflecting the face of a baby carried in a rear-facing infant car seat;

(D) adjustment assembly means, carried by the mirror assembly means, for allowing rotation about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, thereby allowing accurate positioning of the mirror assembly means; and

(E) lighting assembly means, supported within the adjustment assembly means, for producing a soft light.

2. An infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat, the infant observation mirror comprising:

(A) fastening assembly means for attachment to an upper edge of the back of the infant car seat;

(B) a curved arm assembly supported at a first end by the fastening assembly means;

(C) mirror assembly means, carried by a second end of the curved arm assembly, for reflecting the face of a baby carried in a rear-facing infant car seat;

(D) adjustment assembly means, carried by the mirror assembly means, for allowing rotation about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, thereby allowing accurate positioning of the mirror assembly means, the adjustment assembly means comprising;

(a) a hollow cylindrical body having a threaded lower portion;

(b) a vertical pivot nut, carried by the threaded lower portion, the vertical pivot nut defining opposed threaded holes;

(c) a locking nut, carried by the threaded lower portion adjacent to the vertical pivot nut; and

(d) horizontal pivot assembly means, carried by the opposed threaded holes defined in the vertical pivot nut, for rotating the mirror assembly means about a generally horizontal axis, comprising opposed horizontal bolts carried by the opposed threaded holes defined in the vertical pivot nut and

(E) lighting assembly means, supported within the adjustment assembly means, for producing a soft light.

3. An infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat, the infant observation mirror comprising:

(A) fastening assembly means for attachment to an upper edge of the back of the infant car seat having arm support pivot means, carried by the fastening assembly means, for adjusting the angle of a curved arm assembly with respect to the fastening assembly means;

(B) said curved arm assembly supported at a first end by the fastening assembly means, comprising;

(a) a resilient skeleton; and

(b) a soft covering carried by the resilient skeleton

(C) mirror assembly means, carried by a second end of the curved arm assembly, for reflecting the face of a baby carried in a rear-facing infant car seat;

(D) adjustment assembly means, carried by the mirror assembly means, for allowing rotation about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, thereby allowing accurate positioning of the mirror assembly means;

(E) lighting assembly means, supported within the adjustment assembly means, for producing a soft light; and

(F) auxiliary mirror assembly means, carried in the line of sight of the mirror assembly means, for allowing observation of the mirror assembly means.

4. The infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat of claim 3, in which the fastening assembly means comprises a C-clamp.

5. The infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat of claim 3, in which the fastening assembly means comprises an alligator clamp.

6. The infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat of claim 3, in which the fastening assembly means comprises a resilient spring clamp.

7. The infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat of claim 6, in which the mirror assembly means comprises:

(a) a light weight base;

(b) a soft protective frame carried by a perimeter portion of the base; and

(c) a film mirror covering a generally planar surface of the light weight base.

8. The infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat of claim 7, in which the adjustment assembly means comprises:

(a) a hollow cylindrical body having a threaded lower portion;

(b) a vertical pivot nut, carried by the threaded lower portion, the vertical pivot nut defining opposed threaded holes;

(c) a locking nut, carried by the threaded lower portion adjacent to the vertical pivot nut; and

(d) horizontal pivot assembly means, carried by the opposed threaded holes defined in the vertical pivot nut, for rotating the mirror assembly means about a generally horizontal axis, comprising opposed horizontal bolts carried by the opposed threaded holes defined in the vertical pivot nut.

9. An infant observation mirror attachable to an infant car seat, the infant observation mirror comprising:

(A) fastening assembly means for attachment to an upper edge of the back of the infant car seat, the fastening assembly means comprising a C-clamp;

(B) a curved arm assembly supported at a first end by the fastening assembly means, the curved arm assembly comprising;

(a) a resilient skeleton; and

(b) a soft covering carried by the resilient skeleton;

(C) arm support pivot means, carried by the fastening assembly means, for adjusting the angle of the curved arm assembly with respect to the fastening assembly means;

(D) mirror assembly means, carried by a second end of the curved arm assembly, for reflecting the face of a baby carried in a rear-facing infant car seat, the mirror assembly means comprising;

(a) a light weight base;

(b) a soft protective frame carried by a perimeter portion of the base; and

(c) mirrored plastic film covering a generally planar surface of the light weight base;

(E) adjustment assembly means, carried by the mirror assembly means, for allowing rotation about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, thereby allowing accurate positioning of the mirror assembly means, the adjustment assembly means comprising;

(a) a hollow cylindrical body having a threaded lower portion;

(b) a vertical pivot nut, carried by the threaded lower portion, the vertical pivot nut defining opposed threaded holes;

(c) a locking nut, carried by the threaded lower portion adjacent to the vertical pivot nut; and

(d) horizontal pivot assembly means, carried by the opposed threaded holes defined in the vertical pivot nut, for rotating the mirror assembly means about a generally horizontal axis, comprising opposed horizontal bolts carried by the opposed threaded holes defined in the vertical pivot nut; and

(F) lighting assembly means, supported within the adjustment assembly means, for producing a soft light; and

(G) auxiliary mirror assembly means, carried in the line of sight of the mirror assembly means, for allowing observation of the mirror assembly means, the auxiliary mirror assembly means comprising;

(a) a fastener;

(b) a support arm having a first end attached to the fastener; and

(c) a mirror, carried by a second end of the support arm.