Abstract:
An application for a foldable child safety seat includes a foldable sheet for supporting the child and a set of straps for removably fastening the head area of the foldable sheet around a first anchoring object such as an airplane tray table. Another set of straps are provided for removably fastening the foot area of the foldable sheet around a second anchoring object such as a parent and a system is provided for restraining the child into the foldable sheet.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of child safety seats and more particularly to a baby seat/harness that is foldable and easily transported. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Child safety seats are important for many reasons. For one, they restrain the child. It is often important to restrain a child, especially a very young child. By restraining the child, a parent or guardian can perform other tasks, knowing the child will not be getting into something that can be broken or that can hurt the child. The parent can prepare dinner, drive a car or do household tasks while the baby is safely restrained in its seat. 
         [0003]    Most child safety seats currently in use have a rigid frame forming the seat and one or more straps that contain the child. Many child safety seats have eyelets, troughs or passages through them to accept an automobile seat belt, thereby helping to prevent the baby from mobilizing should a car accident occur. Often, such child seats are used to protect and restrain an infant when flying in an airplane. Unfortunately, the size and weight of such a child seat makes it quite difficult to carry the child seat, the infant and assorted necessities through an airport terminal. 
         [0004]    Present child safety seats function well for their intended purposes, but are often large and difficult to transport as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,293 to Nagasaka. A parent with two very young children would find it almost impossible to carry two of the child safety seats as described, the infants and other necessities through an airport. Even when visiting family and friend, it is very difficult to unbuckle and remove the car seats, then carry them in while also carrying the infant, etc. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,722 to Barth, et al., describes one such child restraint system, intended for aircraft use. Although the described child restraint functions for its intended purpose, its size and shape makes it difficult to carry through the airport. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,732 to Merensky describes another child seat for airplanes. This too is bulky and would prove difficult to carry through an airport. U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,662 to Franco-Vila, et al., describes another such seat, only this seat folds up to improve its portability. Again, the size and weight of such a device would make it difficult to carry through an airport. U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,212 to Muller, et al., describes an infant seat designed to attach to the back of the passenger seat in front of the parent. This to is large, bulky and would be difficult to carry. 
         [0006]    Child seats have been designed to attach to aircraft attach points such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,828 to Bennington. Unfortunately, the described device has the child seated on the floor making it difficult to care for and amuse the child. Such a seat has similar inherent carrying difficulties as described above. 
         [0007]    A protective device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,229 to Smith, but this device too, is bulky and would be difficult to carry along with the child and other items. 
         [0008]    What is needed is a child safety seat and restraint system that comfortably holds and restrains the infant while traveling, yet folds into a compact, light-weight carrying package for ease of travel. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    In one embodiment, a foldable child seat is disclosed including a foldable planar base with at least one head-end strap attached to its head area, adapted to removably fasten around a first anchoring object. At least one lower-end strap is attached to the foot area of the foldable planar base and removably fastens around a second anchoring object. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment, a foldable child seat is disclosed including a foldable sheet for supporting the child and a set of straps for removably fastening the head area of the foldable sheet around a first anchoring object. Another set of straps are provided for removably fastening the foot area of the foldable sheet around a second anchoring object and a system is provided for restraining the child to the foldable sheet. 
         [0011]    In another embodiment, a foldable child seat is disclosed including a foldable planar base with two head-end primary suspension straps attached to a top head area and head-end secondary suspension straps attached to a side head area, the straps are adapted to removably fasten around a first anchoring object. For removably fastening the foot area of the foldable planar base to a second object, two lower-end straps are attached to a side foot area of the foldable planar base. A child restraint system is included with two child restraint shoulder straps affixed to the foldable planar base at a head area and are removably attached to a crotch strap which is attached to a leg area of the foldable planar base. 
         [0012]    One objective of the present invention is to provide an infant seat for use in aircraft, attaching at one end to the seat in front of the parent and at the opposite end to the parent, thereby forming a hammock-like infant seat. 
         [0013]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide an infant seat for use in aircraft, attaching at one end to the seat in front of the parent and at the opposite end to the parent, thereby forming a hammock-like infant seat with restraint straps and clips to securely hold the infant. 
         [0014]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide an infant seat that can be secured to a chair or chaise-lounge, thereby forming a hammock-like infant seat. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an infant seat that folds up into a compact, light-weight package. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of a safety seat of a first embodiment of the present invention contained within a carrying case. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a plan view of a safety seat of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a plan view of a safety seat of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view of a safety seat of all embodiments of the present invention in use in an airplane. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates a plan view of a safety seat of all embodiments of the present invention in use on a chaise lounge. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates a plan view of a safety seat of all embodiments of the present invention in use on a dinning room chair. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a plan view of a safety seat of a first embodiment of the present invention contained within a carrying case will be described. The entire child safety seat of the present invention (not visible in  FIG. 1 ) folds and is stored in a small carrying case  20 . In this exemplary carrying case, the lid is held shut with two snaps  22 . Any type of carrying case is equally anticipated including a soft-sided bag-like carrying case, backpack or the like. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a plan view of a safety seat of a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The child safety seat  30  is designed to hold a child during travel or when visiting. This withstanding, the child safety seat  30  works equally well for holding a child at home. The child safety seat  30  is preferably made from cloth for comfort, safety and ease of folding and storing. The child safety seat  30  includes a substantially planar base portion  32  and two side portions  34 . In some embodiments, pockets  35  are provided to store straps or hold small baby toys. A series of straps  36 / 39 / 42  are attached to the base portion for holding the child as known in the industry. The placement of such depends upon the age, size and weight of the child, also as known in the industry. In the preferred embodiment, two shoulder straps  36 / 39  are attached to the shoulder area of the child safety seat  30 , in some embodiments by stitching or adhesive. To accommodate size differences in children, some embodiments include adjusters  38  on the straps  36 / 39  to allow for shortening and lengthening. At a point near the child&#39;s mid-section, the straps  39  meet at a snap lock  41  (male snap lock shown in this example). A mating snap lock  40  attaches to a crotch strap  42  and the crotch strap  42  is attached to the planar base portion  32  at a point between the child&#39;s legs. Opening of the snap lock  40 / 41  allows the straps  36 / 39  to be lifted over the child&#39;s head, for easy removal of the child from the restraint. 
         [0025]    The child safety seat  30  is held suspended between two objects by a series of suspension straps  50 / 58 / 80 / 84 / 70  as is shown in subsequent figures. In this embodiment, the head-end primary suspension straps  50 / 58  attach to a first of the two objects and includes two top primary head-end suspension straps  50  and two bottom primary head-end suspension straps  58 . The bottom head-end primary suspension straps  58  are equipped with plastic loops  56 . To attach the primary head-end suspension straps  50 / 58  to an object such as an airliner tray table, the top primary head-end suspension straps  50  are passed through the plastic loops  56  and held in place by fastener  52 . In one embodiment, the fasteners  52  are snag-free hook and loop material such as Velcro®, a material that is known as single Velcro, a hook and loop material that incorporates both hooks and loops into a single material allowing it to stick to itself. In other embodiments (not shown), a series of buttons/button holes, snaps or other fasteners as known in the industry are used to adjustably fasten the top primary suspension straps  50  to themselves. In some embodiments, extra head-end suspension tie strings  60  are provided for securing the child safety seat to alternate objects (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). 
         [0026]    For added strength and safety, a secondary head-end suspension strap  80 / 84  is provided. A first of the secondary head-end suspension straps  80  has a plastic loop  81 . The second secondary head-end suspension strap  84  has an area of snag-free hook and loop material  86  such as Velcro®. To attach the secondary head-end suspension straps  80 / 84  to an object such as an airplane tray table, the secondary head-end suspension straps  80 / 84  are passed around the object (e.g., tray table) and held in place by passing the hook and loop material  86  through the plastic loop  81  and connecting the hook and loop material  86  back onto itself or onto a mating hook and loop material (not shown). 
         [0027]    For attaching to the other object of the two objects (e.g., a person&#39;s waist), a lower-end adjustable strap  70  is provided along with an adjustment device  72  such as a tensioner or a clip/tensioner. Any connection/tension adjusting device known in the industry is envisioned to be attached to the lower-end adjustable straps  70 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 2A , a plan view of a safety seat of a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The child safety seat  30  of this embodiment includes a substantially planar base portion  32  and two side portions  34 . In some embodiments, pockets  35  are provided to store straps or hold small baby toys. A series of straps  36 / 39 / 42  are attached to the base portion for holding the child as known in the industry. The placement of such depends upon the age, size and weight of the child, also as known in the industry. In the preferred embodiment, two shoulder straps  36 / 39  are attached to the shoulder area of the child safety seat  30 , in some embodiments by stitching or adhesive. To accommodate size differences in children, some embodiments include adjusters  38  on the straps  36 / 39  to allow for shortening and lengthening. At a point near the child&#39;s mid-section, the straps  39  meet at a snap lock  41  (male snap lock shown in this example). A mating snap lock  40  attaches to a crotch strap  42  and the crotch strap  42  is attached to the planar base portion  32  at a point between the child&#39;s legs. Opening of the snap lock  40 / 41  allows the straps  36 / 39  to be lifted over the child&#39;s head, for easy removal of the child from the restraint. 
         [0029]    The child safety seat  30  is held suspended between two objects by a series of suspension straps  50 / 58 / 80 / 84 / 70  as is shown in subsequent figures. In this embodiment, the head-end primary suspension straps  50 / 58  include two top head-end primary suspension straps  50  and two bottom head-end primary suspension straps  58 . The top head-end primary suspension straps  50  have an area of hook and loop material  62  such as Velcro®. The bottom head-end primary suspension straps  58  have an area of mating hook and loop material  64  such as Velcro®. To attach the primary head-end suspension straps  50 / 58  to an object such as an airplane tray table, the top head-end primary suspension straps  50  are passed around the object and held in place by connecting the hook and loop material  62  with the mating hook and loop material  64 . In some embodiments, the hook and loop material  62 / 64  is a material known as snag-free or single Velcro, a hook and loop material that incorporates both hooks and loops into the same material allowing it to stick to itself. 
         [0030]    In some embodiments, extra head-end suspension tie strings  60  are provided for securing the child safety seat to alternate objects (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). 
         [0031]    For added strength and safety, a secondary head-end suspension strap  80 / 84  is provided. A first of the secondary head-end suspension straps  80  has an area of hook and loop material  82  such as Velcro®. The second head-end secondary suspension strap  84  has an area of mating hook and loop material  86  such as Velcro®. To attach the secondary head-end suspension straps  80 / 84  to an object such as an airplane tray table, the secondary head-end suspension straps  80 / 84  are passed around the object (e.g., tray table) and held in place by connecting the hook and loop material  82  with the mating hook and loop material  86 . In alternate embodiments, the connection is made by any known connecting device in the industry including belt buckles/holes, slip rings, buttons/holes and the like. 
         [0032]    For attaching to the other object of the two objects (e.g., a person&#39;s waist), a lower-end adjustable strap  70  is provided along with an adjustment device  72  such as a tensioner or a clip/tensioner. Any connection/tension adjusting device known in the industry is envisioned to be attached to the lower-end adjustable straps  70 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a plan view of a safety seat of all embodiments of the present invention in use in an airplane will be described. The primary head-end suspension straps  50 / 58  wrap vertically around the tray table  14  of the forward row airliner seat  16  while the secondary head-end suspension straps  80 / 84  wrap horizontally around the tray table  14  of the forward row airliner seat  16 . The tray table  14  is then locked in its closed position, thereby suspending the head-end of the child safety seat  30  from the tray table  14 . The parent  10  sitting in the following row seat  18  runs the waist strap  70  around their back and adjusts to the desired tightness with the tension adjuster  72 . The child  12  is placed on the child safety seat  30  and strapped in with straps  36 / 39 / 42  that snap with snap  40 / 41  and the straps  36 / 39 / 42  are adjusted with strap adjusters  38 . 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a plan view of a safety seat of all embodiments of the present invention in use on a chaise lounge will be described. In this use of the present invention, the child safety seat  30  is suspended from a chaise lounge chair  100 . In this use, the primary head-end suspension straps are not used, but the secondary head-end suspension straps  80 / 84  are passed tightly around the head portion of the chaise lounge chair  100  and attached using the hook and loop material  82 / 86 . In some embodiments, the extra head-end suspension tie strings  60  are tied to the head separation bar (not visible) of the chaise lounge chair  100  for added strength. The lower-end adjustable waist strap  70  is wrapped tightly around the chaise lounge chair&#39;s  100  arms  102  and tightened with the adjuster  72  to support the lower portion of the child safety seat  30 . 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a plan view of a safety seat of all embodiments of the present invention in use on a dinning room chair  114  will be described. In this use, the primary head-end suspension straps are not used, but the secondary head-end suspension straps  80 / 84  are passed tightly around the back  112  of the dinning room chair  114  and attached using the hook and loop material  82 / 86 . The extra head-end suspension tie strings  60  are tied around the top portion of the back  112  of the chair  114  for added strength. The lower-end adjustable waist strap  70  is wrapped tightly around the chair&#39;s  114  seat to support the lower portion of the child safety seat  30 . 
         [0036]    Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
         [0037]    It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.