Two-stage protective car seat cover for child and infant safety chairs

• US 6,786,546 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince Lionheart Inc
• Original Assignee: Prince Lionheart Inc
• Inventors: McConnell, Thomas E., Henley, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, STEPHEN A
• Application Number:
  US10/136,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20030205921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 297/218.1, 297/218.2, 297/218.5, 297/182, 297/219.1, 297/219.12, 297/250.1, 297/256.14, 297/256.1, 297/188.08, 297/188.01, 297/188.12, 297/256.16, 297/256.17, 297/DIG.6, 565/5, 592/2
• US Class Current: 297/219.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/60 Removable protective coverings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method

Abstract

There is provided a seat cover for accommodating a child safety chair upon a seat. The seat cover comprises a lower protective member which is disposable upon a seating portion of the seat. This lower member can accommodate the child safety chair when positioned in a rearward-facing direction to prevent it from permanently compressing the seating portion. The seat cover further comprises an upper protective member that is disposable against a seat-back portion of the seat. This upper member is selectively attachable with and detachable from the lower member. By doing so, the upper member can further prevent the chair from permanently compressing the seat-back portion when it is repositioned in a forward-facing direction and placed in contact therewith.

Claims

1. A seat cover for accommodating a child safety chair upon a seat having seating and seat-back portions, the seat cover comprising:

a lower protective member disposable upon the seating portion of the seat, the lower member being configured to accommodate the child safety chair when positioned in a rearward-facing direction for preventing the chair from permanently compressing the seating portion; and

an upper protective member disposable against the seat-back portion of the seat, the upper member having an upper peripheral edge comprising a trimming substantially therearound, the upper member being selectively attachable with and detachable from the lower member so as to be configured to prevent the chair from permanently compressing the seat-back portion when the chair is repositioned in a forward-facing direction and placed in contact therewith.

2. The seat cover of claim 1 wherein the seat is a vehicular seat.

3. The seat cover of claim 1 wherein the lower and upper protect members are each fabricated from a material sized and configured to provide cushioning to the child safety chair.

4. The seat cover of claim 3 wherein the cushioning material is rubber.

5. The seat cover of claim 4 wherein the rubber is foam rubber.

6. The seat cover of claim 3 wherein the cushioning material is sponge.

7. The seat cover of claim 3 wherein the lower and upper protective members each comprise a protective cover which encapsulate the cushioning material.

8. The seat cover of claim 7 wherein the protective cover is fabricated from fabric.

9. The seat cover of claim 8 wherein the fabric is nylon.

10. The seat cover of claim 1 wherein the lower and upper protective members are each fabricated from a material sized and configured to frictionally grip the child safety chair.

11. The seat cover of claim 1 wherein the lower protective member defines a lower peripheral edge, the lower peripheral edge forming a ridge substantially therearound for containing spills therewithin.

12. The seat cover of claim 11 wherein the lower peripheral edge comprises an elongate strip extending substantially therearound for forming the ridge.

13. The seat cover of claim 12 wherein the elongate strip is an elongate rubber strip.

14. The seat cover of claim 1 wherein the lower protective member defines a lower forward edge, the lower forward edge comprising at least one pocket extending therefrom for containing items therein.

15. The seat cover of claim 14 wherein the at least one pocket is at least one mesh pocket.

16. The seat cover of claim 1 wherein the lower protective member has a lower rear edge forming a loop strip adjacent thereto, the upper protective member having an upper bottom edge forming a hook strip adjacent thereto, the loop and hook strips being releasibly attachable with each other.

17. The seat cover of claim 1 wherein the lower and upper protective members each comprise at least one folding line for facilitating folding thereof.

18. The seat cover of claim 1 wherein the trimming is fabricated from fabric.

19. The seat cover of claim 18 wherein the fabric is nylon.

20. A seat cover for accommodating a child safety chair upon seat having seating and seat-back portions, the seat cover comprising:

a lower protective member disposable upon the seating portion of the seat and defining a lower peripheral edge, the lower member being configured to accommodate the child safety chair when positioned in a rearward-facing direction for preventing the chair from permanently compressing the seating portion, the lower peripheral edge forming a ridge by extending an elongate rubber strip substantially therearound for containing spills therewithin; and

an upper protective member disposable against the seat-back portion of the seat, the upper member being selectively attachable with and detachable from the lower member so as to be configured to prevent the chair from permanently compressing the seat-back portion when the chair is repositioned in a forward-facing direction and placed in contact therewith.

21. The seat cover of claim 20 wherein the seat is a vehicular seat.

22. The seat cover of claim 20 wherein the lower and upper protective members are each fabricated from a material sized and configured to provide cushioning to the child safety chair.

23. The seat cover of claim 22 wherein the cushioning material is rubber.

24. The seat cover of claim 23 wherein the rubber is foam rubber.

25. The seat cover of claim 22 wherein the cushioning material is sponge.

26. The seat cover of claim 22 wherein the lower and upper protective members each comprise a protective cover which encapsulates the cushioning material.

27. The seat cover of claims 26 wherein the protective cover is fabricated from fabric.

28. The seat cover of claim 27 wherein the fabric is nylon.

29. The seat cover of claim 20 wherein the lower and upper protective members each comprise at least one folding line for facilitating folding thereof.

30. A seat cover for accommodating a child safety chair upon a seat having seating and seat-back portions, the seat cover comprising:

a lower protective member disposable upon the seating portion of the seat and defining a lower forward edge, the lower member being configured to accommodate the child safety chair when positioned in a rearward-facing direction for preventing the chair from permanently compressing the seating portion, the lower forward edge comprising at least one mesh pocket extending therefrom for containing items therein; and

an upper protective member disposable against the seat-back portion of the seat, the upper member being selectively attachable with and detachable from the lower member so as to be configured to prevent the chair from permanently compressing the seat-back portion when the chair is repositioned in a forward-facing direction and placed in contact therewith.

31. The seat cover of claim 30 wherein the seat is a vehicular seat.

32. The seat cover of claim 30 wherein the lower and upper protective members are each fabricated from a material sized and configured to provide cushioning to the child safety chair.

33. The seat cover of claim 32 wherein the cushioning material is rubber.

34. The seat cover of claim 33 wherein the rubber is foam rubber.

35. The seat cover of claim 32 wherein the cushioning material is sponge.

36. The seat cover of claim 32 wherein the lower and upper protective members each comprise a protective cover which encapsulates the cushioning material.

37. The seat cover of claim 36 wherein the protective cover is fabricated from fabric.

38. The seat cover of claim 37 wherein the fabric is nylon.

39. The seat cover of claim 30 wherein the lower and upper protective members each comprise at least one folding line for facilitating folding thereof.

40. A seat cover for accommodating a child safety chair upon a seat having seating and seat-back portions, the seat cover comprising:

a lower protective member disposable upon the seating portion of the seat and having a lower rear edge forming a loop strip adjacent thereto, the lower member being configured to accommodate the child safety chair when positioned in a rearward-facing direction for preventing the chair from permanently compressing the seating portion; and

an upper protective member disposable against the seat-back portion of the seat and having an upper bottom edge forming a hook strip adjacent thereto, the hook strip of the upper member being releasibly attachable with and detachable from the loop strip of the lower member so as to be configured to prevent the chair from permanently compressing the seat-back portion when the chair is repositioned in a forward-facing direction and placed in contact therewith.

41. The seat cover of claim 40 wherein the seat is a vehicular seat.

42. The seat cover of claim 40 wherein the lower and upper protective members are each fabricated from a material sized and configured to provide cushioning to the child safety chair.

43. The seat cover of claim 42 wherein the cushioning material is rubber.

44. The seat cover of claim 43 wherein the rubber is foam rubber.

45. The seat cover of claim 42 wherein the cushioning material is sponge.

46. The seat cover of claim 42 wherein the lower and upper protective members each comprise a protective cover which encapsulates the cushioning material.

47. The seat cover of claim 46 wherein the protective cover is fabricated from fabric.

48. The seat cover of claim 47 wherein the fabric is nylon.

49. The seat cover of claim 40 wherein the lower and upper protective members each comprise at least one folding line for facilitating folding thereof.