GB1584497A

GB1584497A - Liner for pushchairs

Info

Publication number: GB1584497A
Application number: GB24750/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HALLIWELL R; Massey A Halls D J
Current assignee: HALLIWELL R; Massey A Halls D J
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-02-11

Description

(54) LINER FOR PUSHCHAIRS (71) We, ANTONY MASSEY of 4 Cope Bank East, Bolton, Lancashire, DENNIS JOHN HALLS of 7 Medway Drive, Horwich, Lancashire, and ROBERT HALLIWELL of 63 Willows Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention concerns liners for pushchairs, and has more particular reference to a liner or muff for application to a pushchair as a means of keeping warm a child therein.

A variety of liners or muffs have been proposed and have received commercial acceptance, but all have the common failing of not satisfactorily securing the child in position in the pushchair and/or the liner or muff.

The primary object of the invention is to proyide a liner or muff which overcomes the aforesaid problem.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is proposed a liner or muff for a pushchair comprising a tubular element having a closed lower end and an open upper end, the element being flexible and being dimensioned for use to contain a child when the element is positioned in a pushchair, characterised by the provision of eyelets or the like therein to allow passage to the interior thereof of the elements of a harness.

Another problem met with in connection with conventional liners is in the difficulty often experienced in placing a young child in the liner.

Thus. according to another aspect of the invention, the muff or liner is characterised by an openable closure whereby access to the interior thereof is facilitated, the closure extending from the upper edge of a front panel of the muff or liner.

A still further problem lies in the ready fastening in position of a flap or weatherguard provided as an extension tithe front panel of the structure to protect the occupant against inclement weather.

According to a further aspect of the invention it is proposed that the outer surface of the muff or liner be of a brushed textile material and that the flap be provided with attachment means cooperable with such surface, such attachment means preferably being provided on laterial extensions to the flap which fold around the sides of the body of the liner for attachment to the liner in the region of such sides.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with referece to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment thereof and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view, from one side, of á liner constructed in accordance with the invention; and Figs. 2 and 3 are a rear elevation and a side elevation, respectively, of the liner shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a pushchair muff or liner generally designated 11, comprises a tubular body having a closed lower end thereto, the body being fabricated from textile material and being shaped generally to accord to the shape of the seat, back-rest and footrest portions of a conventional pushchair (not shown).

In accordance with the primary aspect of the invention the liner 11 is provided with eyelets 12a, 12b, 1 2c therein to provide access to the interior thereof for the elements of a harness connectable to the pushchair or to connecting elements themselves connectable to the pushchair; at locations outwardly of such liner.One eyelet, 12a, 12b, is provided in each side panel of the liner, whilst the third eyelet is provided in the back panel thereof. The harness basically is of T-shape and comprises, for example, waist band elements 13a, 13b each extending inwardly of the seat space from a respective laterial stay or bar of the pushchair structure (not shown) and a crotch element 13c extending upwardly from the region of the seat platform to join the waist-band elements forwardly of the seat space.Each element passes through a respective eyelet, as is shown in dotted line in Fig. 1 of the drawing, to hold the child in position within the muff or liner and also in relation to the seat portion of the pushchair.

The tubular body is of double thickness and, in effect, comprises two body elements each formed by a main body panel, which defines the front and rear panels 1 lea 1 lib of the structure and two side panels 1 Ic arranged one at each side of the main body panel to extend between and join together corresponding edges of the front and rear panels, the two body elements being joined together about the periphery of the open end of the liner.

A sliding clasp fastener is provided at one edge of the front panel 1 la, such sliding clasp fastener 14 extending from the upper edge gila' of such front panel ila to a position approximately one quarter of the length of the front panel from the lower edge thereof, the two body elements being joined together along the line of the fastener and the latter providing an openable closure through both such elements.

The innermost body element comprises a quilted fabric having nylon fabric face layers and a filling of polyester fibre, whilst the outer element comprises a layer of brushed nylon fabric bonded to a layer of nylon fabric by a layer of foamed polyester, the brushed nylon fabric constituting the outer surface of the muff or liner.

At its upper edge the front panel is extended to provide a foldable flap 15 the ends of which may be attached to the side panels tic so that the flap 15 forms a continuation to the front panel or may be left unsecured so as to leave more free the opening at the upper end of the liner. A lateral extension 15a is provided at each end of the flap 15 and carries attachment means 16 for securing a respective end of the flap 15 to an adjacent side panel tic, the attachment means 16 comprising the male part of a hook-like attachment means sold under the Registered Trade Mark VELCRO and being readily cooperable with the brushed outer surface of the side panel to secure the flap thereto.

As is apparent from the drawings, the front panel t ta terminates well below the upper edge 1 lb' of the back panel 1 lb, the flap 15 being of a height equal to approximately one quarter-of the distance between the corresponding edges of the front and rear panels ila, lib.

A further attachment means 17 is provided on the outer face of the upper part of the rear panel 1 lib for securing such part in postion relative to a pushchair to which the muff or liner is applied, the attachment means again comprising the male part of a VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark) fastener and being intended to cooperate with a complementary female part applied in an appropriate position on the back-rest of the push-chair or with a brushed surface to such back-rest.

The invention is not restricted to the exact features of the embodiment hereindislcosed, since alternatives will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art. Thus, for example, whilst it is preferred that the liner be of two-ply construction, the invention is not limited to liners of such form. Furthermore, the inclusion of a flap and the fastening means hereinproposed, though desirable, -is not essential.

Again, the provision of a sliding clasp fastener at one edge of the front panel and of the size envisaged is convenient, though not essential. -It may be preferred, in some instances, to omit the fastener, to reposition the same, or to provide one at each side of the panel.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A liner or muff for a pushchair comprising a tubular element having a closed lower end and an open upper end, the element being flexible and being dimensioned for use in containing a child when the element is positioned in a pushchair, characterised by eyelets or the like therein to allow passage to the interior thereof of elements of a harness.

2. A liner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the eylets or the like are dimensioned to allow of the withdrawal there-through of the said elements on removal of the liner from the pushchair.

3. A liner as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein an eyelet or the like is provided in a position appropriate to receive a crotch element of said harness.

4. A liner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an openable closure is provided whereby access to the interior thereof is facilitated, the closure extending from the upper edge of a front panel of the muff or liner.

5. A liner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims having a flap at a free edge of a front panel of said liner, the outer surface of the liner being of a brushed or like textile material and wherein the flap is provided with attachment means cooperable with such surface.

6. A liner as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flap has lateral extensions thereto on which the attachment means is provided.

7. A liner as claimed in claim 6, wherein the flap extends around the sides of the liner

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the seat space from a respective laterial stay or bar of the pushchair structure (not shown) and a crotch element 13c extending upwardly from the region of the seat platform to join the waist-band elements forwardly of the seat space. Each element passes through a respective eyelet, as is shown in dotted line in Fig. 1 of the drawing, to hold the child in position within the muff or liner and also in relation to the seat portion of the pushchair. The tubular body is of double thickness and, in effect, comprises two body elements each formed by a main body panel, which defines the front and rear panels 1 lea 1 lib of the structure and two side panels 1 Ic arranged one at each side of the main body panel to extend between and join together corresponding edges of the front and rear panels, the two body elements being joined together about the periphery of the open end of the liner. A sliding clasp fastener is provided at one edge of the front panel 1 la, such sliding clasp fastener 14 extending from the upper edge gila' of such front panel ila to a position approximately one quarter of the length of the front panel from the lower edge thereof, the two body elements being joined together along the line of the fastener and the latter providing an openable closure through both such elements. The innermost body element comprises a quilted fabric having nylon fabric face layers and a filling of polyester fibre, whilst the outer element comprises a layer of brushed nylon fabric bonded to a layer of nylon fabric by a layer of foamed polyester, the brushed nylon fabric constituting the outer surface of the muff or liner. At its upper edge the front panel is extended to provide a foldable flap 15 the ends of which may be attached to the side panels tic so that the flap 15 forms a continuation to the front panel or may be left unsecured so as to leave more free the opening at the upper end of the liner. A lateral extension 15a is provided at each end of the flap 15 and carries attachment means 16 for securing a respective end of the flap 15 to an adjacent side panel tic, the attachment means 16 comprising the male part of a hook-like attachment means sold under the Registered Trade Mark VELCRO and being readily cooperable with the brushed outer surface of the side panel to secure the flap thereto. As is apparent from the drawings, the front panel t ta terminates well below the upper edge 1 lb' of the back panel 1 lb, the flap 15 being of a height equal to approximately one quarter-of the distance between the corresponding edges of the front and rear panels ila, lib. A further attachment means 17 is provided on the outer face of the upper part of the rear panel 1 lib for securing such part in postion relative to a pushchair to which the muff or liner is applied, the attachment means again comprising the male part of a VELCRO (Registered Trade Mark) fastener and being intended to cooperate with a complementary female part applied in an appropriate position on the back-rest of the push-chair or with a brushed surface to such back-rest. The invention is not restricted to the exact features of the embodiment hereindislcosed, since alternatives will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art. Thus, for example, whilst it is preferred that the liner be of two-ply construction, the invention is not limited to liners of such form. Furthermore, the inclusion of a flap and the fastening means hereinproposed, though desirable, -is not essential. Again, the provision of a sliding clasp fastener at one edge of the front panel and of the size envisaged is convenient, though not essential. -It may be preferred, in some instances, to omit the fastener, to reposition the same, or to provide one at each side of the panel. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A liner or muff for a pushchair comprising a tubular element having a closed lower end and an open upper end, the element being flexible and being dimensioned for use in containing a child when the element is positioned in a pushchair, characterised by eyelets or the like therein to allow passage to the interior thereof of elements of a harness.

in the erected condition of the flap, and the attachment means engage such sides to maintain the flap in its erected condition.

8. A liner as claimed in any one of ths preceding claims, wherein an attachment means is provided at the outer surface of a back panel of said liner, such attachment means being adapted for cooperation with a cooperating means provided on the back-rest portion of the pushchair to which the liner is to be applied.

9. A liner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said attachment means is provided adjacent to an upper edge of the back panel.

10. A liner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tubular element comprises two individual elements, of which each is of like sack form and which are joined together about the periphery of. the free edges thereof.

11. A liner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the various figures of the accompanying drawings.