U.S. patent application number 11/034709 was filed with the patent office on 2005-08-11 for car seat pillow.
Invention is credited to Morphew, Joseph W., Morphew, Lara.
Application Number | 20050173961 11/034709 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34829697 |
Filed Date | 2005-08-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050173961 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Morphew, Joseph W. ; et
al. |
August 11, 2005 |
Car seat pillow
Abstract
The car seat pillow is in the form of an elongated, generally
cylindrically shaped pillow casing filled with pillow stuffing.
Each end face of the pillow is provided with an attaching element
to adjustably attach the pillow to the support frame of a car seat.
In one preferred form of the invention, each attaching element
include a female coupling member for cooperative engagement with a
corresponding male coupling member on one of the ends of an
elongated tether that is securable to the back of the support frame
of a contemporary forward facing car seat or booster seat.
Inventors: |
Morphew, Joseph W.;
(Texarkana, TX) ; Morphew, Lara; (Texarkana,
TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Richard C. Litman
LITMAN LAW OFFICES, LTD.
P.O. Box 15035
Arlington
VA
22215
US
|
Family ID: |
34829697 |
Appl. No.: |
11/034709 |
Filed: |
January 14, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60541951 |
Feb 6, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/397 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/2851 20130101;
B60N 2/7005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/397 |
International
Class: |
A47C 001/10 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A car seat pillow, comprising: an elongated, generally
cylindrically shaped pillow casing filled with pillow stuffing,
each end face of the pillow casing is provided with means to tether
the pillow to the frame of a car seat.
2. The car seat pillow according to claim 1, wherein said means to
adjustably tether said pillow to said car seat frame includes a
female coupling member attached to each end face of said pillow and
an elongated strap securable to the back of the support frame of a
contemporary car seat, each end of said strap includes a
complementary male coupling member for cooperative engagement with
one of said female coupling members.
3. The car seat pillow according to claim 2, wherein said tether is
in the form of a flexible strap and each end of said strap is
adjustably attached to a male coupling member.
4. The car seat pillow according to claim 3, further including at
least one threaded fastener for securing said strap to the back of
a car seat frame.
5. The car seat pillow according to claim 3, wherein each male
coupling member includes a clip portion for adjustably receiving
one end of said strap.
6. The car seat pillow according to claim 5, wherein said coupling
members are formed of plastic and said strap is one of canvas, and
nylon.
7. A car seat pillow, comprising: an elongated, generally
cylindrically shaped pillow casing filled with pillow stuffing,
each end face of said pillow is provided with means to attach the
pillow to the frame of a car seat in position to comfortably cradle
and support the chin and cheeks while controlling the amount of
movement of the nodding head of a properly harnessed sleeping child
in the car seat during maneuvering of the vehicle.
8. The car seat pillow according to claim 7, wherein said means to
attach the pillow to the frame includes: a ring attached to each
end face of said pillow; an elongated elastic cord with a hook on
each end, and means for securing said cord to the back of a car
seat frame.
9. The car seat pillow according to claim 8, wherein said means for
securing said cord to the back of a car seat frame includes a
U-shaped cable clamp with a threaded fastener.
10. The car seat pillow according to claim 9, wherein said pillow
casing is machine washable.
11. The car seat pillow of claim 7, wherein said means to attach
the pillow to the frame includes: a ring attached to each end face
of said pillow; a first swivel hook for removable attachment to the
shoulder belt guides on a car seat frame; at least one removable
link connecting said first swivel hook to a first one of said
rings; a second swivel hook for removable attachment to the
shoulder belt guides on a car seat frame; and at least one
removable link connecting said second swivel hook to a second one
of said rings.
12. The car seat pillow according to claim 7, wherein said means to
attach said pillow to the car seat frame includes: a first flexible
strap attached at one end to a first one of said end faces of said
pillow and a second flexible strap attached at one end to a second
one of said end faces of said pillow; and means for forming a loop
at a free end of each strap that is attachable to the shoulder
strap guides of a car seat.
13. The seat belt pillow according to claim 12, wherein said means
for forming a loop at a free end of each strap is hook and loop
fastener elements secured to each strap.
14. The seat belt pillow according to claim 12, wherein said means
for forming a loop at a free end of each strap is male and female
snap elements secured to each strap.
15. The car seat pillow according to claim 12, wherein said pillow
casing is machine washable.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 60/541,951, filed Feb. 6, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to car seat accessories and
more particularly to a child car seat pillow.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,245 issued Nov. 12, 1991 to Stephens
teaches an inflatable pillow construction for mounting and
positioning adjacent a side rotating wall of an associated child
car seat that includes an elongate tubular cushioned member
mounting a pillow member at its upper terminal end. Straps with
clips may be provided on the inflatable construction to secure the
pillow to the car seat.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,611 issued Jun. 13, 1989 teaches a car
seat pillow constructed of foam having a pair of side cushions
engageable with opposite sides of a child's head. A neck cushion
extends between the side cushions and tether straps are provided on
the side cushions for attaching the cushions to the shoulder straps
of a child safety harness.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,832 B1 issued Jul. 31, 2001 to Ezell
shows an infant cranial support system adapted to cushion and
support the head of an infant carried in an infant restraining car
seat. A first toroidal cushion receives the posterior region of the
infant's skull and is provide with a relieved region next to the
neck of the infant. A second toroidal cushion is preferably
provided to encircle the neck of the infant to cushion against
lateral and forward motion of the head. The cushions may be
releasably attached to each other and at least one strap fastener
is provide for attaching the system to the restraining straps of
the car seat.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,901 B2 issued Feb. 25, 2003 teaches a
child's sleep collar having a pair of collar supports forming a
left and a right collar support. Each of the supports has a body,
an attachment end, and a coupling end. The attachment end includes
an attachment strap and is designed to attach to a left or right
belt-positioning clip of a child safety seat. The attachment ends
releasably engage each other to prevent strangulation of the child
during an accidental impact.
[0009] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either
singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention
as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The car seat pillow of the present invention is provided in
the form of an elongated, generally cylindrically shaped pillow
casing filled with pillow stuffing. Each end face of the pillow is
provided with means to adjustably tether the pillow to a car seat.
The pillow is suspended by the tethering means between the
shoulders of a child car seat in a position to comfortably cradle
and support the chin and cheeks and control the amount of movement
of the nodding head of a properly harnessed sleeping child during
maneuvering of the vehicle.
[0011] It is an object to provide improved elements and
arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is
inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its
intended purposes, which will become readily apparent upon further
review of the following specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a car seat
pillow according to the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the car
seat pillow according to the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one end of a second
embodiment of the car seat pillow according to the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a back view of a typical child safety seat.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one end of a third
embodiment of the car seat pillow according to the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a variation of the first
embodiment of the car seat pillow according to the present
invention.
[0018] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] The present invention is a car seat pillow for a forward
facing car seat or booster seat 20 as generally indicated in FIG.
1. The pillow is provided in the form of an elongated, generally
cylindrically shaped pillow casing 30 filled with suitable pillow
stuffing material including loose foam materials or one-piece
molded foam. The casing may be formed of any suitable machine
washable material. Preferably, the pillow is between 12-36 inches
in length and between two to five inches in diameter. Each end face
31, 32 of the pillow casing is provided with means to tether the
pillow to the back 23 of the support frame or the shoulder strap
guides 21 provided on the support frame of car seat 20.
[0020] In a first preferred form of the invention, (see FIGS. 1 and
2) the means to tether the pillow to the car seat frame includes a
first pillow strap 33 and a second pillow strap 34. One end of
strap 33 is secured to end face 31 and the distal end of strap 33
has a female coupling member 35 secured thereto. One end of strap
34 is secured to end face 32 and the distal end of strap 34 has a
female coupling member 36 secured thereto. An elongated flexible
tether strap 40 is provided that is securable to the back 23 of the
support frame of a contemporary car seat. A first end 41 of the
flexible tether strap 40 is provided with a complementary male
coupling member 45. A clip 43 is formed on the coupling member 45
for adjustably securing first end 41 thereto. A second end 42 of
the flexible tether strap 40 is provided with a complementary male
coupling member 46. A clip 44 is formed on the coupling member 45
for adjustably securing the second end 42 of strap 40 thereto.
[0021] Tether strap 40 may be formed of one of canvas, nylon or any
other suitable material. Self-tapping threaded fasteners 49
adjustably attach the strap 40 to the back 23 of the car seat
support frame. The coupling members 35, 45, 36, 46 may be of any
type of coupling, buckling or snap-fastener arrangement that is
quickly releasable using a single hand. The pillow is suspended by
tether strap 40 across the shoulders of child car seat 20 in a
position over harness straps 24 and 25 to comfortably cradle and
support the head of a sleeping child. See FIG. 1. When the pillow
of the present invention is positioned as recited above, it
controls the amount of movement of the nodding head of a properly
harnessed sleeping child during maneuvering of the vehicle or
during a collision or impact.
[0022] Turning now to FIGS. 3, another one of many tethering
arrangements that are suitable for use in the present invention is
shown wherein the means to tether the pillow to the back 23 of the
car seat support frame includes a pair of eyelets 50 in each end
face 31, 32. A ring 51, preferably a D-ring, is attached to each
end face 31, 32 of pillow casing 30 through eyelets 50. A swivel
hook 52 is connected by at least one removable link to each ring 51
attached to end faces 31, 32 of the pillow casing 30. The swivel
hooks 52 are sized and constructed for removable attachment to the
shoulder belt guides 21 on a car seat frame.
[0023] A variation of the FIG. 2 embodiment is shown in FIG. 6. An
elastic cord 70 may be used to replace the flexible strap 40 of
FIG. 2. A hook 53 is provided for attachment to each end of cord
70. Cord 70 may be formed of any suitable elastic material such as
BUNGEE CORD.TM. Each end of cord 70 is passed through the eye 54 of
a swivel hook 53 doubled back and provided with a cord lock 80,
cable clamp or other suitable device to form a loop 71 holding
swivel hook 53. A means for securing the cord 70 to the back of a
car seat frame is preferably provided in the form of a U-shaped
cable clamp 60 attachable to the back 23 of the car seat frame with
a self-tapping threaded fastener 49. However, any suitable cord or
cable fastening arrangement may be substituted for the U-shaped
clamp 60 and self-tapping threaded fastener. The hooks 53 are
provided for cooperation with the D-rings rings 51 on the pillow
casing 30 (as shown in FIG. 3) to tether the pillow in position
upon the car seat 20. The D-rings 51 may also be attached to the
end faces 31, 32 of the pillow casing 30 with straps in the manner
of the coupling members 35 and 36 shown in FIG. 2 for cooperation
with the hooks 53 at the ends of cord 70.
[0024] Another form of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. The means
to attach said pillow to the car seat frame is provided in the form
of a flexible or elastic straps attached to each end face 31, 32. A
first flexible strap 34 is attached at one end to the end face 31
of pillow casing 30 and a second flexible strap 34 is attached at
one end to the end face 32 of casing 30. The strap may be tied by
hand to the shoulder strap guides 21, but preferably the strap
includes means for forming a loop at the free end of each strap 34
that is attachable to the shoulder strap guides 21 of car seat 20.
The loops are attachable to the shoulder strap guides but may
attached to the hooks of cord 70 secured to the back 23 of car
seat. Preferably the means for forming a loop at the free end of
each strap 34 is hook 37 and loop 38 fastener patches secured to
each strap. Alternatively, the means for forming a loop at a free
end of each strap 34 may be provided in the form of male and female
snap elements (not shown) or any other suitable fastening
arrangement.
[0025] In all forms of the present invention the pillow is
positioned to restrain movement of the head of the child
immediately after the child's body engages the harness during an
evasive braking maneuver or rear-end collision or impact. All forms
of the invention may be used in similar fashion on umbrella
strollers or the head rests of conventional adult car seats.
[0026] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and
all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
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