GB2269742A

GB2269742A - Child`s head support

Info

Publication number: GB2269742A
Application number: GB9317174A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jane Page
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-08-18
Filing date: 1993-08-18
Publication date: 1994-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 2013-08-18
Also published as: GB2269742B; GB9317174D0; GB9217493D0

Abstract

To overcome the antipathy some children have to car travel, a head rest 20 for a baby seat 10 comprises a backing element in the form of a human or animal shape (eg a clown) having a head 21 and a body 22, the head having projecting support means 25 formed as projecting head parts (hair, ears, horns, or the like). The body may have limbs 23, 24 extending from it which may be bent around the child. Either or both pairs of limbs may have fastening means (eg VELCRO TM pads) to hold them around the child. The head rest may be constructed as a container or bag 26 closable at 27 by a zipper or by other fastening means such as VELCRO TM pads. <IMAGE>

Description

Chil d's Head Sa Suort The present invention relates to head supports for use with baby seats, particularly though not exclusively car baby seats.

A car baby seat generally comprises a shell of rigid plastics material moulded into a rough L-shape with its sides curved round to form a partial enclosure. The shell has straps to hold the baby in it, and is usually provided with a layer of padding material over most of its inner surface. The shell also has fittings by means of which it can itself be strapped firmly in position in a car; depending on circumstances, the seat may be fitted facing either forwards or backwards.

Such a baby seat is necessarily made to take babies of a substantial range of weights and ages. (Typical ranges are from birth to 4 years, or from 6 months to 6 years.) The seat gives a reasonably good fit for children at the top end of the range, and is therefore significantly over-sized for children at the lower end of the range. Further, some children under some conditions will be alert and sit up by themselves, while others will under some conditions be sleepy and will tend to slump.

Baby seats normally hold the child in a sitting position which is fairly close to upright. A child which slumps, particularly if it is small for the seat, may be made uncomfortable, mainly because the seat will not provide adequate support for the head, which will tend to sag to the side. This is particularly likely with very young children. it has therefore become known to provide head rests for such baby seats.

In one known baby seat, the head rest is incorporated as part of the seat, and is slidable to allow it to be adjusted to match the size of the child. This head rest comprises a pair of support elements, one each side of the child's head, projecting forward from the rear of the seat moulding.

Most baby seats, however, do not incorporate a built-in head rest. A variety of head rests have therefore become available, for use with such baby seats. Such head rests generally consist of a backing element carrying support means which project forward from it. The backing element is placed against the rear of the seat moulding so that the child leans back against it, and may extend down to the base area of the seat moulding. This results in the support means (which typically extend in an arc around the sides and top of the child's head) projecting forward around and supporting the child's head.

The support means normally contain resilient foamed plastics material, and the backing element is thin and relatively rigid. The whole head rest is normally covered in relatively impervious cloth or similar material, which is normally either uniformly coloured or patterned with a printed pattern.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved head rest for a baby seat.

According to its main aspect, the invention provides a headrest for a baby seat comprising a backing element carrying support means which project from it, wherein the backing element is constructed as a human or animal shape having a head and a body and the support means are formed as projecting head parts (hair, ears, horns, or the like). A preferred form consists of a clown, with the support means being formed as a pair of elements wihc imitate the two bunches of bushy'hair at the sides of the head.

Some children may either have an innate antipathy to car travel or acquire such an antipathy, and may exhibit various degrees of reluctance to being put into a car seat. The present headrest has an appreciable psychological effect in combatting such antipathy, since it acts as a welcoming parent substitute. The child can of course be told that the figure will cuddle it and hold it on its lap.

but there will often be a significant subconscious psychological effect even in the absence of any overt talking to the child (which may indeed be too young to fully understand such verbal explanation).

Preferably, the support means consist of two elements, one on each side of the head of the backing element.

The body preferably has limbs extending from it which may be bent around the child. Either or both pairs of limbs may be provided with fastening means (eg VELCRO" pads) to hold them around the child.

According to another feature of the invention, there is provided a headrest for a baby seat comprising a backing element carrying support elements which project from it, wherein the backing element is constructed as a container or bag. The bag may be closable by a zipper or by other fastening means such as VELCRO'" pads. The bag may be used to contain an additional cushion, or to contain articles associated with the child such as clothing (eg to hold non-bulky clothes to be worn by the child, such as pyjamas, a coat or jacket) or spare nappies and the like.

Two headrests embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a seat with the first headrest; and Fig. 2 shows the second headrest.

Referring to Fig. 1, a baby seat 10 consists of a moulding of plastics material. The seat has an upper vertical portion 1 1 which passes smoothly into a lower forwardly projecting portion 12, and has its edges generally turned inwards all round. In use, the seat is attached to the car by means of straps (not shown), and the child sits on the lower portion 12 with its back against the upper portion 11.

A headrest 20 in the form of a clown is placed in the seat 10. The clown consists of a head 21, a body 22, and arms and legs 23 and 24.

The head 21 and body 22 are constructed as a unit which is sufficiently stiff and self-supporting to hold the head in position, but should be soft enough to avoid discomfort to its occupant. (The body is shown stretched out flat.) The body is preferably also soft enough to allow it to be bent into shape to fit a variety of seats of different brands and slightly different shapes. The head and body may of course include padding, though they should be thin enough to avoid displacing the child significantly from the intended position in the seat 10.

The arms and legs 23 and 24 may be made of the same thickness as the body, but may be relatively easily flexible. The various components of the head and body are patterned and coloured to represent a clown.

The arms may have fastening means provided at their ends so that they can be fastened together around the child. The hands may incorporate squeakers, and/or may have small toys attached to them.

The head 21 has a pair of support elements 25 attached to and projecting forward from its sides. These support elements are patterned and coloured (eg orange) to represent the conventional bushy hair which clowns traditionally have at the sides of their heads. They may conveniently be generally cylindrical (with the axis of the cylinder vertical as seen in the drawing).

The headrest may also have a pocket 26 formed in its body 22, with an access slot 27 in the rear side of the body which may be provided with a zipper or other convenient fastening means. The pocket may be used by the parent to contain eg a nappy changing kit, or by the child to contain eg pyjamas or some other articles associated with the journey. Obviously, the pocket would not be used to contain large, hard, or lumpy articles while the headrest is in use in the seat 10. Alternatively or additionally. the headrest may be made to open out, eg from the back, to form a changing mat on which the child can be placed for changing its nappy.

Fig. 2 shows an alternative shape for the headrest, in which the body is enlarged to a substantially circular shape and the limbs have become reduced to hands and feet alone, with no arms and legs intervening between the hands and feet and the body.

Claims

1 A headrest for a baby seat, comprising a backing element carrying support means which project from it, wherein the backing element is constructed as a human or animal shape having a head and a body and the support means are formed as projecting head parts (hair, ears, horns, or the like).

2 A headrest according to claim 1 in the form of a clown, with the support means being formed as a pair of elements wihc imitate the two bunches of bushy hair at the sides of the head.

3 A headrest according to either previous claim wherein the support means consist of two elements, one on each side of the head of the backing element.

4 A headrest according to any prvious claim wherein the body has limbs extending from it which may be bent around the child.

5 A headrest according to claim 4 wherein at least one pair of limbs is provided with fastening means to hold them around the child.

6 A headrest according to any previous claim wherein the backing element is constructed as a container or bag.

7 A headrest for a baby seat comprising a backing element carrying support elements which project from it, wherein the backing element is constructed as a container or bag.

8 A headrest for a baby seat substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

9 Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features specifically disclosed herein within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).