US20080309129A1

US20080309129A1 - Child carrier seat sun shield

Info

Publication number: US20080309129A1
Application number: US11/763,998
Authority: US
Inventors: Rachel Blakeman; Karen Joan Clark-Dickson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Dynamic Brands LLC
Priority date: 2007-06-15
Filing date: 2007-06-15
Publication date: 2008-12-18

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to sun protection for children and provide a novel and non-obvious child carrier seat sun shield for protection against the sun. In an embodiment of the invention, a sun shield cover can be provided. The sun shield cover can include a visor frame supporting a visor that forms a leading edge at one end of the sun shield cover, and a flexible docking collar opposite the leading edge at another end of the sun shield cover. Additionally, the visor frame can be adjusted to form a desired shape or direction for additional sun protection. It is the only cover of its kind to universally fit all child carriers, fully adjustable to any angle, and offer maximum front and side coverage.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sun protection for children, particularly to a child carrier seat sun shield for protection against the sun.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although many of the sun's worst effects do not appear until later in life, recent medical research has shown that it is imperative to protect children from over-exposure to UltraViolet (UV) radiation. It is well known that over-exposure to UV radiation can cause skin cancer. Thus, in the early years of childhood, a child's delicate eyes, skin, and body need adequate protection from the harmful effects of the sun's heat, glare, and cancer causing UV rays.
Conventional child car seats do not provide adequate UV protection for children. Those that have built-in hoods or canopies do not adequately protect children from sun exposure despite marketing claims to the contrary. Also conventional sun covers, while still mostly effective at blocking the sun, can stifle air circulation producing an uncomfortable environment for the child. Additionally, most cloth and mesh products used do not provide UltraViolet Protection Factor (UPF) 50+ protection and are not made of breathable fabric.
While many child carriers provide some cover which can be pulled to partially protect the child from the sun, the constant changes of direction of a moving car will often prevent the cover from being sufficient for this purpose. Also, most sun cover products are strictly designed to extend an existing child car seat's canopy. There are only a few sun cover products that attempt to support hoodless/non-canopy car seats however they have several drawbacks. First, they only fit a limited number of car seats despite marketing claims of being universal. Second, they are not adjustable to provide protection at different angles. Finally, they do not provide maximum side coverage.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to sun protection for children and provide a novel and non-obvious child carrier seat sun shield for protection against the sun. In an embodiment of the invention, a sun shield cover can be provided. The sun shield cover can include a visor frame supporting a visor that forms a leading edge at one end of the sun shield cover, and a flexible docking collar opposite the leading edge at another end of the sun shield cover. Additionally, the visor frame can be adjusted to form a desired shape or direction for additional sun protection. It is the only cover of its kind to universally fit all child carriers, fully adjustable to any angle, and offer maximum front and side coverage. The sun shield cover can be made from UPF 50+ breathable fabric and can be configured to fit a child carrier seat, including child car seat, bicycle seat and beach chair.
In one embodiment of the invention, the sun shield cover can include mesh sides attached to the sun shield cover at opposite ends of the sun shield cover. The mesh sides can provide visibility and cross-ventilation. In one embodiment of the invention, the sun shield cover can include adjustable flaps that can cover each mesh side attached to the sun shield cover for added sun protection.
In another embodiment of the invention, the docking collar can include an inner peripheral collar and an outer peripheral collar encircling the inner peripheral collar with fabric joined in between the inner and outer peripheral collars so that the docking collar is configured to fit over a top edge of a child carrier seat or hoodless/non-canopy child car seat.
In yet another embodiment, the sun shield cover can include fasteners joined to the docking collar or mesh sides. One skilled in the art would clearly recognize that the fasteners can include, but not limited to, elastic, ties, clips or hook and loop fasteners
In another embodiment of the invention, the visor frame further can include a flexible rod arranged perpendicularly to opposite ends of the visor frame that can add additional support to a child carrier seat or fit hoodless/non-canopy child car seats.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the leading edge can have an upturned leading edge to provide frontal ventilation and visibility for the child. In even yet another embodiment, the leading edge can have a downturned leading edge to provide maximum coverage from the sun and other environmental factors such as dust, wind or insects.
Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspects of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a flat view of a sun shield cover.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a sun shield cover attached to a hoodless/non-canopy child car seat exposing mesh sides coupled to the sun shield cover at opposite ends.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a sun shield cover attached to a hoodless/non-canopy child car seat having adjustable flaps covering each mesh side at opposite ends.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a child carrier seat sun shield for protection against the sun. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a sun shield cover with a docking collar can be provided to fit a hoodless/non-canopy child car seat. In illustration, FIG. 1 is a flat view of a sun shield cover. The sun shield cover 100 can include a visor frame 110 supporting a visor 120 that forms a leading edge 110A at one end of the sun shield cover. The sun shield cover 100 can include a docking collar 130 opposite the leading edge 110A at another end of the sun shield cover 100. The docking collar can include an inner peripheral collar 130A and an outer peripheral collar 130B encircling the inner peripheral collar 130A. Fabric can be coupled in between the inner and outer peripheral collars 130A, 130B. The docking collar 130 can be configured to fit over the top edge of a child car seat. The sun shield cover 100 can also include a visor support 135 arranged perpendicularly to opposite ends of the visor frame 110. The visor frame 110, the visor support 135 and the docking collar 130 can be made of a flexible rod material. The leading edge can be arranged to have a upturned or downturned leading edge.
Notably, the sun shield cover 100 can also include one or more mesh sides 140 coupled to the sun shield cover 100 at opposite ends of the sun shield cover 100. The sun shield cover 100 can also include one or more adjustable flaps 150 that can cover each corresponding mesh side 140 extended from opposite ends of the sun shield cover 100. Finally, the sun shield cover 100 can include one or more fasteners 160. Although the fasteners 160 are shown to be tie/string fasteners in the figures, they are not limited to this type of fastener. Rather, it will be appreciated by those in the art that other types of fasteners 160 can suffice to secure the sun shield cover 100 to a child carrier seat, including elastic bands, clips, ties, hook and loop fasteners to name only a few.
In yet further illustration, FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a sun shield cover 100 attached to a hoodless/non-canopy child car seat exposing mesh sides 140 coupled to the sun shield cover 100 at opposite ends.
In even yet further illustration, FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a sun shield cover 100 attached to a hoodless/non-canopy child car seat having adjustable flaps 150 covering each mesh side 140 at opposite ends.
From a review of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the sun shield cover 100 easily attaches to a hoodless/non-canopy child car seat by placing the docking collar 130 over the edge of the top of a hoodless/non-canopy child car seat. Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

1. A sun shield comprising:

a sun shield cover configured to be attached to a child car seat, the sun shield cover comprising a visor frame supporting a visor that forms a leading edge at one end of the sun shield cover, and a flexible docking collar opposite the leading edge at another end of the sun shield cover.

2. The sun shield of claim 1, further comprising one or more mesh sides coupled to the sun shield cover at opposite ends of the sun shield cover.

3. The sun shield of claim 1, further comprising one or more adjustable flaps, the adjustable flaps extended from opposite ends of the sun shield cover.

4. The sun shield of claim 3, further comprising mesh sides, wherein each mesh side is covered by a corresponding adjustable flap extending from opposite ends of the sun shield cover.

5. The sun shield of claim 1, wherein the leading edge comprises an upturned leading edge.

6. The sun shield cover of claim 1, wherein the leading edge comprises a downturned leading edge.

7. The sun shield of claim 1 wherein the docking collar comprises:

an inner peripheral collar;

an outer peripheral collar encircling the inner peripheral collar; and

a fabric coupled in between the inner and outer peripheral collars, wherein the docking collar is configured to fit over a top edge of a child car seat.

8. The sun shield of claim 7, wherein the inner peripheral collar comprises an elastic band.

9. The sun shield of claim 7, wherein the outer peripheral collar comprises a flexible rod.

10. The sun shield of claim 9, wherein the flexible rod comprises a non-metallic rod.

11. The sun shield of claim 1, wherein the visor frame further comprises a visor support arranged perpendicularly to opposite ends of the visor frame.

12. The sun shield of claim 11, wherein the visor support comprises a flexible rod.

13. The sun shield of claim 12, wherein the flexible rod comprises a non-metallic rod.

14. The sun shield of claim 1, wherein the visor frame comprises a flexible rod.

15. The sun shield of claim 14, wherein the flexible rod comprises a non-metallic rod.

16. The sun shield of claim 1, further comprising fasteners coupled to the docking collar.

17. The sun shield of claim 2, further comprising fasteners coupled to each mesh side.

18. The sun shield of claim 1, further comprising breathable fabric with UPF 50+ protection.