Car seat safety mirror

• US 6,485,154 B1
• Filed: 02/15/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nolan Brown Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Patricia Nolan-Brown
• Inventors: Nolan-Brown, Patricia
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/500,930
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 359/881, 359/857
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/008 allowing the driver to see passengers, e.g. for busses combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08

Abstract

A mirror attached to a child car safety seat. The mirror is attached to the car seat by means of a flexible stem connected to a base module attached to the car seat. The stem may be bent to any desired position. The base module may be manipulated to also alternate the position of the mirror. The mirror and stem may be removed from the base module. A fabric cover with elastic edging is positioned over the back of the mirror and flexible stem. The fabric cover may have a stuffed figure attached thereto.

Claims

1. A mirror device directly attached to a child car safety seat located in a rear seat of a vehicle whereby a vehicle driver or front seat passenger may observe a child in said car safety seat and facing the back rest of said rear seat by means of an image reflected from the mirror device, comprising:

a mirror with a perimeter edge and having a reflecting surface on one of its sides and an obverse side;

a base module attached to said car safety seat, comprising;

an attachment element attached to said child car safety seat; and

a connection element, said connection element being removably attached to a stem base end portion, and being removably joined to said attachment element;

an elongated, flexible stem interconnecting said mirror to said base module, said stem having two end portions, a mirror end portion and said stem base end portion, said stem being adapted to hold its shape after being bent; and

a fabric cover fitted over the mirror obverse side and just covering the perimeter edge of the mirror reflecting surface;

wherein said base module connection element has a frustum shape with a small diameter top, a parallel large diameter bottom, and a side wall interconnecting said top and bottom, said stem base end portion being fixedly joined to said side wall, said connection element bottom having a rounded aperture formed therein with a radial flange element about the aperture near the connection element bottom;

wherein said attachment element is comprised of a generally disk-like element with a flat, planar attachment side and a receiving side, said attachment side having connection means applied thereto, said receiving side having a rounded element formed centrally thereon, said rounded element having the shape of an approximate two-thirds sphere;

wherein said connection element aperture is adapted to matingly join the attachment element receiving side rounded element.

2. A mirror device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said attachment element attachment side connection means is comprised of an adhesive coating.

3. A mirror device as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a removable, protective paper covering over said adhesive coating.

4. A mirror device as recited in claim 3, wherein:

said mirror obverse side has a plurality of parallel half-rings attached thereto;

wherein said stem mirror end portion is adapted to being inserted through openings formed by said half-rings.

5. A mirror device as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a stuffed figure attached to said fabric cover.

6. A mirror device as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said base module attachment element is comprised of a generally oblong element with a flat, planar attachment side and a receiving side with a housing mounted thereon, said attachment side having connection means applied thereto, said housing having a front, rear, two identical sides, a top, and a bottom, said housing bottom being the oblong element receiving side, said housing front, rear, top and bottom defining a hollow interior, said housing being divided into a front portion and a rear portion, said housing front being an opening in the said front portion, said housing rear being a solid wall in the rear portion, said front portion of the housing top having a semi-circular recess formed therein opening onto the housing front, said rear portion having a generally rectangular shape with a width less than the diameter of the front portion semicircular recess, said rear portion of the housing sides being open, two parallel ridges being formed on the housing bottom and an interior of the housing top, said front portion having an open rear.

7. A mirror device as recited in claim 6, wherein:

said base module connection element is comprised of a hollow cylinder having a bottom, a side wall extending from said hollow cylinder bottom and terminating in a serrated top, said cylinder side wall at the cylinder bottom having two elongated, arrow-like, parallel elements radially extending from opposite portions of the side wall, said side wall having an elongated spacer element extending radially from the cylinder side wall and cylinder bottom between the arrow-like elements, said cylinder having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the attachment element housing semicircular recess;

wherein said connection element is adapted to removably mate with the attachment element by means of the arrow-like elements and spacer element sliding into the attachment element receiving side housing front portion whereby the arrows protrude through the housing front portion open rear and housing rear portion open sides, said connection element spacer element sliding between the attachment element housing parallel ridges, said connection element arrow-like elements having outside edges and notches formed thereon wherein the notches engage the sides of the attachment element receiving side housing front portion when the connection element is fully inserted into the attachment element housing;

wherein said connection element cylinder has a spring mechanism fixedly contained therein and a generally elongated module attached to the spring mechanism and seated on the top of the cylinder, said elongated module having a generally rectangular front portion terminating in a generally cylindrically-shaped rear portion, said cylindrically-shaped rear portion having a serrated bottom, said module rear portion being adapted to being pulled away from the cylinder top along the cylinder'"'"'s central axis and radially twisted to a desired position, where upon release of the elongated module rear portion the spring mechanism draws the module rear portion bottom into engagement with the cylinder top.

8. A mirror device as recited in claim 7, wherein:

said elongated module front portion has a front face with a recess formed therein, said recess having two holes formed therein;

said stem base end portion having two prongs adapted to engage said module recess holes, thereby connecting the stem and mirror to the base module.

9. A mirror device as recited in claim 8, wherein:

said attachment element attachment side connection means is comprised of an adhesive coating.

10. A mirror device as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a removable, protective paper covering over said adhesive coating.

11. A mirror device as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said mirror obverse side has a radial groove with a protruding post;

said stem mirror end portion being positioned in said radial groove;

said stem mirror end portion having a loop of wire protruding therefrom, said loop adapted to being attached to said protruding post.

12. A mirror device as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a stuffed figure attached to said fabric cover.