GB2490960A - A telescopically extendable shade for a child's stroller - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the present invention there is provided a stowable shade for an infant seat 1, such as a stroller, buggy, pushchair etc, characterised in that the shade comprises extendable material 4 held on at least one arm 2 with telescopic sections. The arm may extend in an upward arc from two fixed points 3 located in use at a median point of the seat. The material may have elastic properties and be at least partly transparent. The arm may be retracted so as to form a smaller arc and thus enclose the child more, or it may be extended (figure 3) so as to form a larger arc and thus provide greater visibility for the child. The material is intended to provide protection from rain and/or sun and ultraviolet rays.

Description

A STOWABLE SHADE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a stowable shade, more particularly a stowable shade for an infant seat.

Background

Perambulators, prams, buggies, strollers, pushseats, baby carriages are all used interchangeably and are a frequent sight in many cultures and at many times of the day, transporting infant's around.

They are generally formed with three or four wheels, a seat, handle, safety strapping and may have some form of canopy. Typically these canopies relate to providing some shade from the sun but increasingly random weather patterns mean that rain may occur without warning in most countries.

More importantly these sudden bursts of rain are just as suddenly accompanied by sudden bursts of sun.

The typical buggy therefore is ill-equipped in its standard form to deal with such occurrences. Accordingly many buggies, and the like mentioned above, will require a separately provided raincover that is attached to the buggy when rain is threatening or occurring.

However given that these covers are frequently separately provided their fixing to the buggy can be fiddly or troublesome. Additionally the infant in the buggy frequently becomes distracted or fixated upon the new addition and tries frequently to dislodge it.

Most importantly however the typical rain cover for a buggy provides little to no flexibility in its use being typically a separately provided heavy duty plastic sheet that may tether in places to the buggy, but is either on the buggy or off it.

Prior Art

Accordingly patent applications have been filed in the past in an effort to deal with this problem, including the following: United States patent application US 20 100 283 293 (BIRMINGHAM) discloses an assembly comprising: a stroller hood covering a section of a stroller; and a removable shade having a curtain configured to cover an opening formed by the stroller hood, the removable shade coupled to a surface of the stroller hood United States patent application US 2009 101 189 (TATHAM) discloses a stroller canopy for a baby carrier and/or a stroller that is more versatile, useful, functional, strong and multipurpose than any other baby carrier/stroller canopy made fore to now. This baby carrier/stroller canopy allows for many variations, adjustments, has a hidden rain cover, has a hidden mesh cover, all of which provide full protection from: sun/ultra violet rays/bright light, bugs, wind, and rain. When the canopy, which is made of made of canvas in stylish styles and colors, is at its' most upright position it is compact yet still provides sun blockage. When the canopy is fully open it covers the stroller from the top all the way to the bottom. In using the stroller canopy one would not need any other covers or attachments for their baby carrier/stroller canopy in varying situations.

Granted German patent DE 102 004 018 638 (MONGIOVI) discloses a simple sun and rain protection for a child in a perambulator has a number of hoops secured to the sides of the carriage and supporting a flexible cover. The hoops and cover are normally folded against the conventional cover and moved into the optimum position for sun shade of rain protection.

United States patent application US 2005 168 006 (DARLAND) discloses a stroller sun screen with an elliptical screen portion, a spring steel band frame, a sewn binding that traps the band frame so that it surrounds the screen portion and encloses the band portion, a pair of hook and loop fastening strips, the binding sewn onto the screen portion, and the hook and loop fastening strips each sewn to the left and right side of the binding. A preferred embodiment includes the hook and loop fastening strips attach to the left and right frame members of a standard baby stroller thereby fastening the sun screen to the normally open portion of the baby stroller thereby enclosing most of the area between the left and right frame members and the leading edge of the canopy of the stroller, thereby creating shade for the occupant of the stroller even when the sun is at a low angle.

United States patent application US 1 289 965 discloses a canopy for baby carriages or the like, the combination with a carriage having a pivot member extending laterally from each of the sides thereof, said canopy comprising a plurality of telescopic sections having bowed tops and substantially V-shaped sides, each of the sides, at the apex thereof having an opening receiving the pivot members of the Carriage, means for securing said sections on said pivots, each of said sections having a covering of reticulated material, compressible means between the sections providing a tight joint therebetween, tabs on the -outer edges of certain of the sections, a protective cover for one of the sections designed to be connected with the pivots, elastic means for holding such cover in frictional contact with said section, a facing surrounding the carriage body, an elastic means on the edges of the casing to hold the same against the canopy when the sections thereof are in spread condition.

Chinese utility models: CN 201 235 850 (DAN) defines a sunshade for a stroller, which comprises an elastic supporting strip capable of bending freely and a main shade cloth, wherein the elastic supporting strip is fixed on an outline of the main shade cloth and the main shade cloth is in an opening state, the edges of the main shade cloth corresponding to two ends of the elastic supporting strip are respectively connected with a left fastening belt and a right fastening belt. The stroller can shade sun light and rain water in a larger range compared with a common stroller roof board; moreover, the sunshade can be fixed at different positions of the stroller by the left fastening belt and the right fastening belt to realize the all-around shading protection for babies.

CN 2 202 080 (KANGQUAN) defines a collapsible shade for baby pushseat. The front and the rear support rods extend out from the same movable connecting point, and the front support rod is connected with the rear support rod by a retractable fold.

Installing connection realizes the purposes of telescoping and folding.

In contrast the present invention provides a flexible and multiuse canopy, cover or shade wherewith the user can protect their infant from a variety of conditions easily, effectively and with minimal interference.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a stowable shade for an infant seat, characterised in that the shade comprises extendable material held on at least one arm with telescopic sections.

In preferred embodiments the arm describes an arcuate U shape which is fixed or tethered to a buggy, stroller, infant carriage or seat.

There may be a second arm member wherein said member and the arm are hinged together a two points, and wherein the member forms at least a part of the tether.

Preferably the telescopic sections are provided where the arm attaches to said seat.

According to a second aspect of the invention the material is elastic, flexible or stretchable in more than one direction. It is also at least partly transparent or translucent. It may comprise mesh as this allows easy elasticity but in any event is envisaged to provide protection from rain and/or sun and ultraviolet rays.

In this way the telescopic sections in use alter the movement of the arm and in consequence the disposition and/or character of the material.

For example in the preferred embodiments the arm may be telescopically retracted and accordingly the arm will describe a smaller arc of movement when the arm is hingedly moved, wherein the material will be disposed at a more acute angle and horizontally at less distance.

This allows a user to alter the angle of the sunshade which allows further control over the infant's conditions.

The advantages of this are numerous. For example where the material is a mesh its properties or transparency will alter depending on stretched it is, or how large an area it is covering.

Whilst the infant is awake the sections may be extended and the shade may describe a larger arc, such for that the infant is protected from sun or rain but is able to see out of the seat.

However when the infant is asleep the arc may be reduced in order that less visibility is possible, the infant feels more secure in a darker, smaller seat.

Furthermore where an infant is awake and, as frequently, is unhappy with the shade restricting his or her environment and/or visibility the arc may be extended in order that the infant cannot kick against the shade and dislodge or damage it.

In addition the material's flexibility allows its protection and the possibility of the telescopic arms taking strain.

Further embodiments may have different styles and fabrics of material, including plastic or breathable waterproof fabric such as GORETEX (Trade Mark).

Whilst it is envisaged that the shade will be incorporated on or in a wheeled or mobile infant seat such as a pram, further embodiments may be produced that may be removably attached to infant car seats, cots or other infant seats.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Brief Descrjption of Figures Figure 1 shows an overhead isometric view of the preferred embodiment installed in a pram with the material partly extended; Figure 2 shows an overhead isometric view of the preferred embodiment installed in a pram with the material fully extended; And Figure 3 shows an overhead isometric view of the preferred embodiment installed in a pram with the material fully retracted.

Detailed Description of Fjgures

The pictured and preferred embodiment of the shade 1 provides a canopy and sun shield which is integrated into prams and strollers. It provides a light, secure screen that protects infants, babies and toddlers from direct sunlight, wind and smog.

The shade I in the pictured embodiment is integrated into a standard canopy 100.

Further embodiments are retrofit or standardised sizing where they may be attached to prams as required. It is envisaged that most shades will be permanently incorporated into prams given the flexibility and retractable nature of the shade.

In the pictured embodiment the shade I provides an additional flexible element of shading additional to the heavyweight canopy or cover 100 that has more in common with typical covers.

Further embodiments of the shade I may be configured to provide the only shading on a baby seat.

In use the shade arm 2 pivots on the same axis about two fixing points 3, and is adjustable by provision of telescopic sections 20. The user, parent or carer has the choice of creating a steeper angle which will affect the material 4 and how it is disposed.

A clasp or strap 5 is provided to fix the arm in position when the material 10 is not extended. Typically the arm 2 is covered in material 4 and the clasp 5 is provided in the same material 4.

The shade is envisaged to be available in a variety of fabrics, colours and patterns.

The shade stays in place when retracted as pictured in Figure 3 by the clasp or strap that attaches onto the main canopy 100. When needed, the user simply opens the strap 5 and pulls the shade 1 all the way down. If a steeper angle is needed, the user simply presses a quick release button (typically included at the fixing points 3) and pushes the shade arm 2 and material 4 down.

Typically and ideally therefore a latch release button releases the telescopic sections to adjust the angle of the shade.

In further embodiments the shade may extend telescopically rather than in an arc.

Claims (5)

1. Claims 1. A stowable shade for an infant seat, characterised in that the shade comprises extendable material held on at least one arm with telescopic sections.
2. 2. A shade according to claim I wherein the arm extends in an upwards arc from two fixed points typically located in use on a seat at a median point.
3. 3. A shade according to claims I or 2 wherein the material has elastic properties and is at least partly transparent.
4. 4. A shade for an adult seat according to any of the preceding claims.
5. 5. A seat incorporating a shade according to a preceding claim.B