GB2485432A

GB2485432A - Cover

Info

Publication number: GB2485432A
Application number: GB1114583.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alison North
Original assignee: SLIP A DESIGNS Ltd
Current assignee: SLIP A DESIGNS Ltd
Priority date: 2010-11-15
Filing date: 2011-08-23
Publication date: 2012-05-16
Also published as: GB201019257D0; GB2485410A; GB201114583D0

Abstract

The cover comprising a sheet 2, e.g of waterproof and/or low friction material, which is arranged to be developed into a substantially planar state for receiving an item thereupon and which has a greater footprint in its substantially planar state than the item, e.g. a pushchair or bicycle, and attachment means arranged for raising the peripheral edge of the sheet up around the base of the item and securing the sheet to the item, wherein the attachment means comprises a draw cord 3 extending around the peripheral edge of the sheet, which has a greater length than the length of the peripheral edge of the sheet and features a pair of exposed loops 6 located on opposed edges of the sheet. The cover is arranged such that with the peripheral edge of the sheet raised up around the base of the item by pulling the loops, a user may grasp together the loops and an upper portion of the item, e.g the pushchair handles or bicycle seat or handlebar, to retain the cover in place and allow the covered item to be slid along the floor.

Description

The present application relates to a cover. More particularly it relates to a cover arranged to cover the underside of an item.

Prams and pushchairs (also referred to as buggies) are extremely widely used for the movement of babies and young children. These are provided with wheels which facilitate movement along the ground. A problem arises when the wheels are wet and/or dirty and the pushchair is taken inside. The wheels are prone to transfer moisture and/or dirt to the floor. It should be noted that the term pushchair is used broadly herein to cover all of these articles.

The same problem is encountered with bicycles, scooters, trolleys and shoes.

Prior art pushchair wheel covers are known, which cover individual wheels. Such individual wheel covers, however, are fiddly to apply and must be applied outside. This often results in the user getting wet and/or the wheel covers getting wet or dirty before the pushchair is brought inside.

The present invention arose in a bid to provide a solution to this problem.

According to the present invention, in a first aspect, there is provided a cover comprising a sheet, which is arranged to be developed into a substantially planar state for receiving an item thereupon, and attachment means for raising the peripheral edge of the sheet up around the item and securing the sheet to the item.

Preferably, there is provided a cover comprising a sheet, which is arranged to be developed into a substantially planar state for receiving an item thereupon and which has a greater footprint in its substantially planar state than the item, and attachment means arranged for raising the peripheral edge of the sheet up around the base of the item and securing the sheet to the item, wherein the attachment means comprises a draw cord extending around the peripheral edge of the sheet, which has a greater length than the length of the peripheral edge of the sheet and features a pair of exposed loops located on opposed edges of the sheet, the cover being arranged such that with the peripheral edge of the sheet raised up around the base of the item by pulling the loops, a user may grasp the loops and an upper portion of the item together to retain the cover in place and allow the covered item to be slid along the floor.

By base, it is meant the lower half of the item from the ground up. By upper portion it is meant a portion lying in the upper half of the item.

The cover is preferably arranged such that the peripheral edge of the sheet abuts a side of the item that it covers when it is raised up. Most preferably, the cover is arranged such that the peripheral edge abuts the item to be covered at its base.

According to the present invention, in a further aspect, there is provided a cover, as recited above, in combination with a pushchair, which has a seat and a frame, the frame supporting the seat and comprising a plurality of wheels at its base and one or more handles at its top, the sheet being arranged to cover all of the wheels of the pushchair, without covering the seat, when its peripheral edge is raised, and the draw cord being arranged such that the loops extend to at least the level of the handle(s) such that they may be grasped with the handle(s) by a user to retain the cover in place as the pushchair is slid along the floor.

The peripheral edge of the sheet preferably abuts the pushchair at a level below the seat. This means that a child may remain in the pushchair when entering a house or otherwise. This is particularly useful when the child is sleeping.

According to the present invention, in a yet further aspect, there is provided a cover, as recited above, in combination with a bicycle, wherein the sheet is arranged to cover the wheels of the bicycle, without covering the seat or handlebars of the bicycle when its peripheral edge is raised, and the draw cord being arranged such that the loops extend to at least the level of the seat and/or handlebars such that they may be grasped with the seat and/or handlebars by a user to retain the cover in place as the bicycle is slid along the floor.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, in plan view, a cover according to a first embodiment developed into a substantially planar state; Figure 2 shows, in plan view, a cover according to a second embodiment developed into a substantially planar state; Figure 3 shows, in plan view, a cover according to a third embodiment developed into a substantially planar state; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a cover developed into a substantially planar state with a pushchair thereupon; and Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the cover of Figure 4 raised up around the base of the pushchair in a state in which it may be slid along the ground.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a cover 1 for an item (including but not limited to a pushchair or pram). The cover comprises a rectangular sheet 2 that is provided with a draw cord 3 that extends about its peripheral edge 4.

The sheet preferably comprises a low friction waterproof fabric. It may be formed from a single layer or from multiple layers. It may be formed from an inherently waterproof material or may be coated to render it waterproof. The waterproof coating may be provided on an inner face of the sheet (the face not contacting the floor) so as to maintain the low friction characteristics of the outer face (the face contacting the floor). Suitable materials for the sheet include, but are not limited to, nylon or polyester or a polyurethane covered nylon.

By low friction, it is meant that the fabric of the cover is suitable to allow for sliding of a covered item along a hard or carpeted floor.

The cover is arranged such that it may be developed into a substantially planar state, as shown. That is, it may be developed into a flat state, wherein it may remain in this flat/planar state without the application of an external force. With the cover in this state it may be laid out on the floor and the item to be covered may be placed upon the sheet.

The draw cord allows the peripheral edge of the sheet to be raised up from the floor and around the item placed on the sheet. The draw cord has a greater length than the length of the peripheral edge of the sheet. In one arrangement the draw cord is 620cm long and the peripheral edge of the sheet is 612cm. The draw cord is exposed at the front and rear edges of the sheet (or left and right side edges depending on orientation and the intended use of the cover). The exposed portions of the draw cord comprise loops 6. The peripheral edge of the sheet is raised from the floor by pulling these loops in opposed directions. Pulling the loops causes gathers to form in the sheet as the length of draw cord extending around the peripheral edge of the sheet is reduced. The draw cord is most preferably inelastic but could, in some arrangements, be elastic.

In the present embodiment, the sheet is provided with a plurality of eyelets 5, provided around the periphery of the sheet, wherein the draw cord passes through these eyelets as shown. In alternative arrangements, there may only be front and rear eyelets, allowing for the emergence of the draw cord, with the remaining eyelets replaced with a closed channel within which the draw cord runs, the channel being formed by folding over (hemming) of the peripheral edge of the sheet and stitching or adhering. In further arrangements there may be no eyelets at all with the front and rear breaks in the channel provided to allow for the emergence of the draw cord. It should be noted that any of these arrangements may be used with any of the described embodiments.

In the present embodiment, the sheet is at least 120cm long and features a 5cm wide peripheral hem 8, in which the eyelets are provided. The hem is formed by folding the peripheral edge of the sheet inwardly and stitching with a 2cm seam stitch (partially shown at 9). Alternative arrangements will be readily appreciated. In one such alternative the sheet is 1350 by 1450 mm.

The sheet arranged for use with pushchairs is preferably at least lm in length. One size may be fitted for all pushchairs. Alternatively, there may be different sized covers for different pushchairs.

The loops of the draw cord are preferably provided with toggles 7. These are conventional spring loaded toggles. The toggles act to grip the loops, maintaining the edges of the sheet in their raised position, wherein the raised edges may grip the item being covered.

The cover is preferably provided with a bag in which it may be stored.

Considering the specific example of a pushchair, the sheet is arranged to have a greater footprint in its developed state, in plan view, than the pushchair in its unfolded, i.e. use state (see Figure 4). The pushchair may take any conventional form and will be provided with a frame 11 having a plurality of wheels 12 and one or more handles 13, and a seat 14, which is supported by the frame. When entering a house, or similar, the cover is taken out, developed into its planar (flat) state and placed on the floor. The pushchair may then be brought into the house and placed on the developed sheet in its unfolded (use) state. This is the arrangement shown in Figure 4. During this operation the child may remain in the pushchair or not, as desired. Next, the loops, which are preferably arranged, in use, at the front and rear ends of the pushchair on the sheet, are pulled outwardly in opposed directions by the user. This, as described above, raises the peripheral edge of the sheet up from the ground and in towards the pushchair. Generally, the raised edge will lie slightly above the vertical top of the wheels or will abut an upper portion of the wheels.

What is important is that the underside of the wheels is covered. Also, the cover is preferably sized so that the seat of the pushchair is not covered when the pushchair is covered by the cover, rather the peripheral edge of the sheet preferably abuts the pushchair at a level below the level of the seat. Where toggles are provided, these assist in holding the sheet in its raised state. Figure 5 shows the pushchair in its covered state with the peripheral edge of the sheet raised up. As may be seen, the draw cord is of sufficient length that its loops may be grasped together with the handles of the pushchair to retain the cover in place and allow the covered pushchair to be slid along the floor. The cover may be tailored to pushchairs so that the loops may be hooked over the handle(s) of the pushchair, as shown.

The sheet may be configured such that in attached form, the peripheral edge contacts an upper portion of the wheels and is attached thereto by virtue of the draw cord.

Alternatively, the peripheral edge may contact a portion of the body of the pushchair above the wheels.

Since the sheet is waterproof and covers all of the wheels, dirt or moisture collected on the wheels is retained by the cover and is prevented from soiling the house.

Once the cover is attached to the pushchair, by virtue of its attachment to the pushchair and its low friction, the pushchair can safely be slid along the floor of the house on the cover without wetting or soiling the floor. The pushchair may be used as a sledge.

This allows for easy repositioning of the pushchair.

When it is time to leave the house, the draw cord can be loosened to allow the removal of the pushchair from the cover, whilst still preventing the transfer of moisture and/or dirt to the floor. The pushchair may be moved outside and then the cover may be taken outside to be shaken out and returned to its bag for storage.

Figures 2 and 3 show alternative cover arrangements. Figure 2 shows a cover for a bicycle and Figure 3 shows a further alternative cover. These covers are substantially identical to the cover of Figure 1 except for their size and shape. The cover of Figure 2 is substantially oval and the cover of Figure 3 is circular. A cover suited for use as a bicycle cover may also be provided that is rectangular. Rectangular covers may be available in various sizes ranging from 600 to 1500mm by 1100 to 1800mm. A preferred bicycle cover comprises a sheet that is 700 by 1700mm.

Alternative shapes, sizes and configurations of covers, within the scope of the claims that follow, will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims 1. A cover comprising a sheet, which is arranged to be developed into a substantially planar state for receiving an item thereupon and which has a greater footprint in its substantially planar state than the item, and attachment means arranged for raising the peripheral edge of the sheet up around the base of the item and securing the sheet to the item, wherein the attachment means comprises a draw cord extending around the peripheral edge of the sheet, which has a greater length than the length of the peripheral edge of the sheet and features a pair of exposed loops located on opposed edges of the sheet, the cover being arranged such that with the peripheral edge of the sheet raised up around the base of the item by pulling the loops, a user may grasp the loops and an upper portion of the item together to retain the cover in place and allow the covered item to be slid along the floor.
2. A cover as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cover is arranged such that the peripheral edge of the sheet abuts a side of the item that it covers when it is raised up.
3. A cover as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover is arranged such that the peripheral edge abuts the item to be covered at its base.
4. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheet comprises a waterproof material.
S. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheet comprises a low friction material.
6. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheet comprises polyurethane covered nylon.
7. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the opposed loops are each provided with a toggle.
8. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the sheet is rectangular.
9. A cover as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the sheet is 600 to 1500mm by 1100 to 1800mm.
10. A cover as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, wherein the sheet is 1350 by 1450mm.
11. A cover as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, wherein the sheet is 700 by 1700mm.
12. A cover as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the sheet is circular or oval.
13. A cover as claimed in any preceding claim in combination with a pushchair, which has a seat and a frame, the frame supporting the seat and comprising a plurality of wheels at its base and one or more handles at its top, the sheet being arranged to cover all of the wheels of the pushchair, without covering the seat, when its peripheral edge is raised, and the draw cord being arranged so that the loops extend to at least the level of the handle(s) such that they may be grasped with the handle(s) by a user to retain the cover in place as the pushchair is slid along the floor.
14. A cover as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 12 in combination with a bicycle, wherein the sheet is arranged to cover the wheels of the bicycle, without covering the seat or handlebars of the bicycle when its peripheral edge is raised, and the draw cords being arranged so that the loops extend to at least the level of the seat and/or handlebars such that they may be grasped with the seat and/or handlebars by a user to retain the cover in place as the bicycle is slid along the floor.
15. A cover substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.