NZ533871A - Modular shade and/or rain cover system for baby vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosed system has a canopy viewing panel defined between the legs of a U-shaped apron. Either a shade cover or a rain cover can be attached by zip attachment.

Description

c Patents Form No. 5 533871 If you have already filed one or more provisional specifications please quote number(s) and date (s) of the application (s) Number Date Title Must be the same as the title on the Application for Patent (Patents Form 1} (VV^aW , ^ c\*\c^Vr mm (joML ;Applicant State (in full) name, address, and nationality of applicant or applicants as in Application Jor Patent (Patents Form 1) ;ffwe -Q&bgxaVx jiSe cirA ;^>Vm2Cm\ kK AW ;Address \£> *5^ d-K/■vfoVcWjVfci^ cwA j&h. Soiree , bkArwsTcl^ Nationality ^<^W>rLalS>. hereby declare the invention, for which I (or we) pray that a patent may be granted to me (or us), and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: (continue application on page 2) c) The Applicants' earlier patent application 515605 discloses a similar device.

This invention relates to a modular shade and/or rain cover system for hooded baby prams, pushchairs, strollers and buggies to considerably reduce sunlight brightness, harmful UV rays, provide wind protection and water resistance to the occupant.

We want to eliminate parents needing to cover the fronts of their strollers with various materials eg: shawls, towels etc, often attached inadequately by pegs or clips. This is unsatisfactory due to the changing angle of the sun at different times of the year, and constantly changing direction of the stroller. In windy conditions the pegs or clips cannot secure the temporary cover adequately and the occupant is exposed to the elements.

Another cover is currently available made of green nylon mesh similar to that used for garden shelter, which gives minimal protection from both sun and wind.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sun and wind shade, which will go a considerable way towards avoiding the above disadvantages. The modular pram/stroller/buggy shade and/or rain cover system also allows the occupant to be protected by the rain as it has a rain cover, which fits exactly to the sun/wind shade portion and also has a top canopy piece protecting the pram/stroller/buggy canopy from the rain thus protecting the occupant of the baby vehicle. There is 2 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z.

AUG 2005 RECEIVED currently no modular shade and/or rain cover system for baby vehicles available. One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which; Fig. 1 shows the base mesh fabric shade-system cover according to the invention, in its closed position showing the top zips where they join the U-shaped apron also made of mesh fabric, along with a central and two lateral domes for attachment of modular rain hood and panels; plus the lower panels joined down the centre by a double-ended zip, incorporating another mesh section fitted to the inside top third of said panels, and clips to hold modular panels securely at the bottom; Fig. 2 shows the same mesh fabric shade-system cover, with the front zip partially closed providing shade at the top and both sides secured back allowing the invention to remain in place when full utilisation is not required; Fig. 3 shows the same shade-system cover with a modular panel in the process of being attached to the base mesh shade-system cover by the top zip; Fig. 4 shows the same shade-system cover with fabric modular panels attached by zips as described in Fig. 1, a full length panel over the mesh fabric being secured at the bottom by a clip and the other full length panel clipped back; Fig. 5 shows the same shade-system cover unzipped with both panels of one half secured back by clips allowing easy access to the occupant while still offering protection, taking the sun's direction into consideration; Fig. 6 shows the base mesh fabric shade-system cover with water resistant fabric modular panels for rain protection incorporating a clear plastic viewing insert 3 |'m tutUTUAL^PRUHERTy OFFICE? 2 5 AUG 2005 jB^.C pf.vpn running from the front centre around the sides and tapering up towards the upper outside edges, concealing a folded inverted mesh vent gusset along the bottom edges of the clear plastic viewing insert, allowing airflow, being held closed by domes when not in use; attached to the base mesh by top zips and joined together down the centre front by a double-ended zip as shown in Fig. 1, along with clips on elastic to hold back the rain panels and domes on the outside top panel edge for securing the full rain hood to and the water-resistant panels being secured to the chassis by a receptor and connector clip system as described in Fig. 1; Fig. 7 illustrates the full rain hood only, the back flap of which is made of water-resistant material only and the hood area plus deep overlapping edges made of a plastic lining overlaid with the water-resistant material; the deep overlapping edges each having corresponding back corner domes, concealing one side of two open-ended zips along the inside of the joining seam and meeting at the centre, where the corresponding centre front dome is, to fit over the underlying panel and zip area at the top edge of the modular rain panels, and the back flap with attachments, showing how it protects the top back portion of the stroller. Fig. 8 shows the same shade/rain cover as in Fig. 6 with the modular water-resistant full rain hood incorporating the rear flap, the whole unit overlapping and held in place by the three corresponding domes, therefore protecting the stroller/buggy and occupant from rain; Fig. 9 shows the same rain shade cover as in Fig. 8 wherein the modular rain panels and full rain hood are attached to each other by the two open-ended zips which are concealed along the inside of the joining seam of the full rain hood, and 4 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z 2 5 AUG 2005 RFCF'Vcn the other open-ended zipper halves which run along the top edge of the modular rain panels also being joined together down the centre front by a double-ended zip, therefore creating a one piece slip-on rain cover which can be either attached to the stroller/pram/buggy by the three corresponding domes at the centre and top back edges of the base mesh shade cover, or used independently of the base mesh shade cover as a rain cover only.

In the form shown there is one modular shade-system cover of which the base mesh fabric see 11 fig. 1 and 1 fig. 2, shall be made of any suitable breathable fabric, preferably of a high UV protection rating, along with shade-system cover panels for sun/wind and rain protection.

The modular pram/stroller shade-system cover has been developed to fit both 3 and 4 wheel strollers. The modular attachments have been developed to allow the most versatility for the stroller ensuring that sunlight, wind and rain cannot penetrate to the occupant.

The top U-shaped apron of the modular shade-system cover is made of a mesh fabric which is attached to the stroller by a connector clip on elastic along the top back apron edge see 1 Fig. 1, and the corresponding receptor clip, on a length of elastic adjusted by a slide clip, is attached to the top rear edge of the base mesh shade cover see 2 Fig. 1. This clip system allows the shade to be initially attached to the stroller as it can fit around any stroller canopy and handles, whilst allowing adjustment to suit via the adjustable webbing strap with side release buckle see 3 fig. 1. The U-shaped apron see 4 fig. 1 has been designed to allow viewing access to the occupant of the stroller via any viewing panel in the canopy.

The outside edge of the U-shaped apron has two zipper halves, both zippers starting at the centre front exterior edge of the U-shaped apron see 5 fig. 1, above the main vertical full length zip see 6 fig. 1. The top two zipper halves on the exterior edge of the U-shaped apron are used for attachment of either matching shade-system cover fabric cover or modular rain cover. There is a dome on the top U-shaped apron in the middle where the three zips meet see 7 fig. 1.

The side base mesh panels of the modular shade-system cover are attached to the stroller via a clip on elastic, which can wrap around the stroller chassis and loop into a corresponding clip see 8 fig. 1 securing the shade to the stroller. There is a second mesh section fitted to the inside top third of said panels see 12 fig. 1 to give additional shading to the occupant. At the bottom of the shade-system cover stitched on the inside, is another clip on a short strap see 9 fig. 1, which is used to hold the side panels back with corresponding clips on rear top outside edge see 10 fig. 1, when accessing the occupant see fig. 2. Additional clips at the bottom outside edge are used to secure optional fabric modular panels in place see 11 fig. 1.

"MifcUECTUAL HHOPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z AUG 2005 —RECElVPn 6 There are fabric modular panels see 1 fig. 5, which attach to the base mesh shade-system cover see 2 fig. 5, by the remaining halves of the zips both along the top edge see 1 fig. 3, and centre front see 2 fig. 3. The top side strap and clip on the base mesh shade-system cover see 3 fig 3, allows the base shade cover to be clipped back see fig. 2. This top strap and clip is duplicated on the fabric modular panels see 4 fig. 3, allowing the top panel to operate in the same way as the base mesh shade-system cover see 3 fig. 5.

There are water-resistant fabric modular panels see 1, fig. 6 for rain protection, which are equipped and attached in the same way as the above paragraph with additional domes on the outside top panel edge for securing the full rain hood to see 2, fig. 6; incorporating a clear plastic viewing insert see 3, fig. 6 running from the front centre around the sides and tapering up towards the upper outside edges, concealing a folded inverted mesh vent gusset along the bottom edges of the clear plastic viewing insert see 4, fig. 6; the top edge of this gusset is attached to the clear plastic viewing insert and the bottom edge of the gusset is attached to the lower water-resistant fabric panel, when opened allowing airflow or being held closed by domes when not in use see 5, fig 6; at the side of the water-resistant fabric modular panel is a receptor and connector clip system see 6, fig. 6 enabling the modular rain cover to be secured to the stroller/buggy/pram chassis.

The full rain hood, of which the back flap is made of water-resistant material only see 1, fig. 7, and the hood area plus deep overlapping edges is all made of a 7 I INTELLECTUAL ^PROPERTY OFFICl AUG 2005 RECPl\/cn . plastic lining overlaid with the water-resistant material see 2, fig. 7; the deep overlapping edges each having corresponding back corner domes see 3 fig. 7, concealing one side of two open-ended zips along the inside of the joining seam and meeting at the centre see 4 fig. 7, where the corresponding centre front dome is see 5 fig. 7, to fit over the underlying panel and zip area at the top edge of the modular rain panels, and the back flap with attachments, showing how it protects the top back portion of the stroller. The full rain hood joins to and overlaps the top of the plastic modular panels when in place to protect the stroller carlopy and the shade-system cover zip area, therefore full protection for the occupant see fig. 8.

The full rain hood and modular rain panels can be attached to each other by the two open-ended zips which are concealed along the inside of the joining seam see 4 fig. 7 of the full rain hood, and the other open-ended zipper halves which run along the top edge of the modular rain panels see 7 fig. 6, and secured to each other by the rear side domes see 2, fig. 6 and 3 fig. 7, also being joined together down the centre front by a double-ended zip see 8 fig. 6, therefore creating a one piece slip-on rain cover see fig. 9, allowing it to be either used in conjunction with the base mesh shade cover see fig. 1, or independently as a rain cover only. When used in conjunction with the base mesh shade cover, the slip-on rain cover is attached to the base mesh shade cover by the centre front dome see 7 fig. 1. The slip-on rain cover is held in place on the pram/buggy/stroller by the following means (whether it is used in conjunction with, or independently of the base mesh shade cover) by two rear clip connectors and receptors on elastic enclosing the 8 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z.

AUG 2005 received upper handle see 1 fig. 8, and is duplicated by similar connecting systems see 2, 3 and 4 fig. 8 with connecting systems 3 and 4 fig. 8 being linked together around the chassis.

This whole modular shade system design can be expanded to fit twin buggies/strollers.

In operation, the modular shade-system cover can be used whien the occupant is sleeping, with the fabric panels attached see fig. 3, the options at this point rtiean that the fabric panels can be zipped back singularly if needing insect protection or viewing access by occupant see fig 4, or together if parent needs to attend to occupant see fig 5. The option of the modular rain panels and hood give total versatility to the entire unit, protecting the occupant from all elements. The modular shade-system cover can also be used with all modular panels removed, in it's basic form, see fig. 1, for extra protection from sunlight to the occupant.

Claims (5)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS INILULUUdUWERTY OFFICE 2 5 AUG 2005 I —BJCElVPn I 'TilAL A/.Z 22 ^2005

1. A modular shade and/or rain cover system for a stroller/pram/buggy, consisting of a fabric base shade cover made up of panels including a canopy viewing panel defined between the legs of a U-shaped apron, incorporating shorter panels fitted to the inside top third of said base shade panels, with the fabric panels attached by way of a zipper system (or any other fastening devices), where each side of the top of the U-shaped apron has a zipper half (or any other fastening device), both zipper halves (or any other fastening devices) starting at the centre front exterior edge of the U-shaped apron and running to the top back corner of said U-shaped apron, for attachment of either a matching shade-system cover fabric cover where viewing access to the occupant through the stroller canopy viewing panel is still possible, with corresponding zipper halves and zip runners (or any other fastening devices) to facilitate the attachment of the aforementioned cover, or a rain cover complete with full rain hood, attached as the above fabric cover, the choice of zipped-on (or any other fastening method) modular pieces giving extra sun, wind or rain protection.

2. A modular shade and/or rain cover system as claimed in claim 1, further < including rain cover modular panels made from water resistant fabric or plastic for rain protection, which attach to the said base fabric shade cover via top zips (or any other fastening devices) and are joinable together down the centre front by a double-ended zip (or any other fastening device), along with clips on elastic to hold back the rain panels and domes on the outside top panel edge 10 2 2 NOV 2005 / -fi^£ejve0 / for securing the full rain hood to and the water-resistant panels being secured to the chassis of a stroller/pram/buggy by a receptor and connector clip system (or any other fastening devices), each water resistant fabric modular panel incorporates a clear plastic viewing insert running from the front centre around the side and tapering up towards the upper outside edge, concealing a folded inverted mesh vent gusset along the bottom edge of the clear plastic viewing insert, allowing airflow (being held closed by domes when not in use), the system providing a complete water resistant and ventilated enclosure.

3. A modular shade and/or rain cover system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the shade-system cover has modular panels made from a fabric, plastic or combination thereof, attached as in the previous claims, which join together by means of a front vertical zip or any other fastening device, independent of the base mesh shade cover and the base mesh shade vertical zip or any other fastening device.

4. A modular shade and/or rain cover system as claimed in claim 1, wherein it is secured to the stroller by elastic with clips (or any other fastening device), and adjustable fit made possible by webbing straps and a side release buckle joining the top back inner edges of the U-shaped apron along with front full length zippered (or otherwise fastened) openings for versatility, allowing viewing access via the viewing panel in the stroller/pram/buggy canopy. 11 ¥

5. A modular shade and/or rain cover system substantially as described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z 2 5 AUG 2005 RECEIVED 12