Method of protecting a seat from a child safety seat positioned thereon

• US 8,458,873 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• 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): Hong, John C
• Application Number:
  US13/279,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20120038189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 29/911, 29/912, 29/91, 297/182, 297/219.1, 297/188.01, 297/224, 297/229, 297/219.12, 297/256.16, 297/256.1, 297/253, 297/183.5, 297/188.2
• US Class Current: 29/91.1
• 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 method of protecting an automobile seat from a child safety seat positioned thereon, said method comprising:

positioning a lower protective member of a seat cover on an automobile seat between a seat bottom portion of an automobile seat and a child safety seat;

wherein the child safety seat can be positioned either in a forward-facing orientation or a rear-facing orientation;

the lower protective member being adapted to remain disposed on the seat bottom portion of the automobile seat when the child safety seat is the forward facing or the rear facing orientation;

wherein the lower protective member comprises one or more at least partially compressible materials that provide at least some cushioning when the child safety seat is positioned thereon;

wherein the at least some cushioning is accomplished, at least in part, by at least a partial compression of the lower protective member when the child safety seat is positioned thereon;

positioning an upper protective member of the seat cover along the automobile seat between a seat back portion of the automobile seat and a rear portion of the child safety seat when said child safety seat is in the forward facing orientation;

wherein the upper protective member is configured to substantially prevent contact between the rear portion of the child safety seat and the seat back portion of the automobile seat; and

wherein the upper protective member is configured to be disposed adjacent to the lower protective member and to be selectively removable when the child safety seat is a rear facing orientation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper protective member comprises an upper end that generally extends to a height along a seat back section so as to reduce the likelihood of contact between the seat back portion and a child safety positioned in a forward-facing orientation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises a rigid or semi-rigid material.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower protective member comprises a tactile material configured to provide frictional resistance between the lower protective member and an adjacent surface of a child safety seat.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises at least one folding line configured to permit the lower protective member or the upper protective member to generally conform to an adjacent surface of an automobile seat which the protective member is positioned.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises a protective covering material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the protective covering material comprises nylon fabric.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower protective member comprises a peripheral edge for spill containment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower protective member comprises a pocket configured to hold at least one item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the lower protective member is configured to selectively attach to and detach from the upper protective member.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises a foamed polymer.

12. A method of protecting an automobile seat from a child safety seat positioned thereon, said method comprising:

providing a seat cover comprising a lower protective member and an upper protective member;

wherein the lower protective member adapted for placement on an automobile seat between a seat bottom of the automobile seat and a bottom portion of either a forward-facing child safety seat or a rear-facing child safety seat;

wherein the upper protective member adapted for placement on the automobile seat between a seat back of the automobile seat and the rear portion of a forward-facing child safety seat;

wherein the upper protective member is configured to substantially prevent contact between the rear portion of the forward-facing child safety seat and the seat back of the automobile seat;

wherein the upper protective member is configured to be generally adjacent to the lower protective member and to be removable when a rear-facing child safety seat is positioned on the protective seat cover;

wherein each of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises one or more materials that provide at least some cushioning when a forward-facing or a rear-facing child safety seat is positioned thereagainst;

wherein the at least some cushioning is accomplished, at least in part, by at least a partial compression of the lower protective member and the upper protective member when a forward-facing or a rear-facing child safety seat is positioned against said lower protective member or the upper protective member; and

wherein the lower protective member is configured to at least partially distribute forces from the child safety seat upon the seat bottom of the automobile seat.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the upper protective member is selectively attachable to and detachable from the lower protective member.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises a polymer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the lower protective member comprises a ridge that extends at least partially along an outer periphery, said ridge being configured to at least partially contain liquids.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises a protective covering material.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the protective covering material comprises nylon fabric.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the lower protective member comprises a tactile surface configured to provide frictional resistance between the lower protective member and an adjacent surface of a forward-facing or a rear-facing child safety seat.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises a rigid or semi-rigid material.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the lower protective member and the upper protective member comprises a foamed polymer.