Multi-function shopping cart insert

A multi-function insert adapted for use as a play mat and as a seat cover for a shopping cart which includes a handlebar and a seat having a seat bottom, a backrest, and a pair of leg openings. The insert comprises a panel which defines opposed front and back surfaces. Disposed within the panel are at least two flaps which are selectively movable between open and closed positions. Attached to the panel is a fastening mechanism which is configured to selectively maintain a portion of the panel in releasable engagement to the handlebar of the shopping cart when the insert is used as a seat cover. The panel is sized and configured such that when releasably engaged to the handlebar, extended along and over the seat bottom, and draped over the backrest, the flaps will be substantially aligned with respective ones of the leg openings of the shopping cart.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to infant products, and more particularly to a shopping cart seat insert for an infant or toddler which may be quickly and easily converted or reconfigured into a play mat.

As is well known to parents, conventional shopping carts or buggies are typically equipped with a seat for accommodating an infant or toddler. The seat is typically located adjacent the handlebar used to push the shopping cart and oriented such that the infant or toddler placed within the seat faces the adult pushing the shopping cart. The shopping cart is outfitted with a plastic flap which may be extended along the seat bottom to provide a firm, smooth surface for the buttocks of the infant within the seat, with the shopping cart further being configured to define a pair of openings adjacent such plastic flap to accommodate respective ones of the infant's or toddler's legs.

Though the seat of the shopping cart is provided with the above-described plastic flap, the majority of the seat is defined by the structural rods or members used to form the shopping cart. In this regard, that portion of the shopping cart defining the backrest of the seat typically consists of the steel bars alone, thus being extremely uncomfortable for the infant or toddler leaning against the back of the seat.

In recognition of the configuration of the seats within most shopping carts, there has been developed in the prior art various shopping cart seat covers which are adapted to be placed within the seat of a shopping cart to function as a cushioning liner which makes the seat substantially more comfortable for the infant or toddler placed therein. Though these shopping cart seat covers provide an increased comfort level for the infant, they possess little if any utility outside the specific use thereof within the shopping cart seat.

Another item known to most parents and popular with infants and toddlers is referred to as an activity mat or play mat. Typically, play mats are provided with various activity items which may be manipulated or handled by the infant when the play mat is stretched out over the floor and the infant placed thereon. Most of the activity items may be manipulated by the infant with the infant sitting down or lying on its stomach, with the play mat further being sized and cushioned so as to serve as a surface upon which the infant or toddler can nap.

In the interests of economy, the present invention provides a uniquely configured shopping cart seat cover or insert which may be interfaced to a shopping cart in a traditional manner, and is specifically adapted to be reconfigured into a play mat for an infant or toddler. The present invention provides the attributes of both a shopping cart seat cover and a play mat within a single product, thus providing a product which is more economical as compared to most currently known shopping cart seat covers and play mats which are capable of performing only a single function. These, and other advantages of the present invention, will be discussed in more detail below.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a multi-function insert which is adapted for use as either a seat cover for a shopping cart or as a play mat placeable upon a floor. The shopping cart with which the insert may be used includes a handlebar and a seat having a back rest, a seat bottom, and a pair of leg openings. The insert of the present invention comprises an elongate, rectangularly configured panel defining opposed front and back surfaces. Disposed within the panel are two flaps which are selectively moveable between open and closed positions. Each of the flaps is maintained in its closed position via the releasable engagement of a patch or strip of hook-and-loop fastener material attached thereto to a corresponding strip of hook-and-loop fastener material attached to the back surface of the panel. Attached to the back surface of the panel is a fastening mechanism which itself preferably comprises a spaced pair of strips of hook-and-loop fastener material which are adapted to selectively maintain a portion of the panel in releasable engagement to the handlebar of the shopping cart when the insert is employed as the seat cover. The panel is sized and configured such that when releasably engaged to the handlebar, extended over the seat bottom of the shopping cart seat, and draped over the back rest thereof, the flaps will be substantially aligned with respective ones of the shopping cart leg openings, thus allowing the legs of an infant or toddler to be extended therethrough when folded outwardly to the open positions.

The panel of the insert of the present invention is preferably rectangularly configured, defining opposed pairs of longitudinal and lateral peripheral edge segments. One of the lateral edge segments is wrapped about the handlebar when the insert is employed as the seat cover, with the remaining lateral peripheral edge segment being draped over the backrest of the shopping cart. An elongate seat belt is cooperatively engaged to the panel, and is sized to be extensible about at least a portion of the backrest when the insert is used as the seat cover. The panel itself is preferably fabricated from at least two layers of fabric material having a layer of padding or cushioning material therebetween. The fabric layers each preferably include decorative indicia.

In the insert of the present invention, activity items may be attached to the front surface of the panel at locations whereat at least some of the activity items may be easily grasped or manipulated by an infant or toddler when the insert is used as the seat cover. A sheet of material may also be attached to the front surface of the panel in a manner defining at least one pocket having an upwardly directed or presented open end when the panel is draped over the backrest of the shopping cart. Further, a pillow may be releasably attached to the front surface of the panel to provide support to an infant or toddler when the insert is used as either the seat cover for the shopping cart or as the play mat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only, and not for purposes of limiting the same,FIGS. 1-5illustrate a shopping cart seat cover or insert10of the present invention which, as will be described in more detail below, may be selectably reconfigured into a play mat. The insert10comprises a panel12which has a generally rectangular configuration defining an opposed pair of longitudinal peripheral edge segments14, and an opposed pair of lateral peripheral edge segments16. A portion of each of the longitudinal peripheral edge segments14adjacent one of the lateral peripheral edge segments16is laterally offset inwardly relative to the remainder thereof, thus resulting in the lateral peripheral edge segment16adjacent such laterally offset portions being of a shorter length than the remaining lateral peripheral edge segment16. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the longitudinal peripheral edge segments14need not necessarily include the laterally offset portions, with the lateral peripheral edge segments16being of substantially equal length. The panel12further defines a front surface18and an opposed back surface20. The panel12is preferably fabricated from two layers of fabric material, having a cushioning material therebetween so as to impart to the panel12a requisite level of plushness and softness. The fabric layers used to fabricate the panel12each preferably include decorative indicia.

Attached to the front surface18of the panel12adjacent the lateral peripheral edge segment16of shorter length are activity items22which may be handled or manipulated by an infant or toddler in a manner which will be described in more detail below. As shown inFIG. 3, these activity items22comprise play rings, though those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that structures other than for rings may be included as the activity items22. Also attached to the front surface18of the panel12adjacent the lateral peripheral edge segment16of greater length is a rectangularly configured sheet24of fabric material. As seen inFIG. 3, the sheet24is attached to the panel12via stitching in a manner wherein at least one, and preferably three, pockets26are defined between the sheet24and the front surface18of the panel12. The entrances to the pockets26are defined by the longitudinal edge of the sheet24disposed furthest from the lateral peripheral edge segment16of the panel12of greater length. It is contemplated that the portion of the sheet24defining the center one of the three pockets26will have a mirror28attached to the outer surface thereof. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that an activity item other than for the mirror28may be attached to the central pocket26, and that a mirror or any activity item may be attached to any one or any combination of the pockets26.

Also attached to the front surface18of the panel12in close proximity to the sheet24are multiple patches30of hook-and-loop fastener material. The patches30are used to facilitate the releasable attachment of an arcuately contoured pillow32to the front surface18of the panel12. The use of the pillow32will also be described in more detail below.

Formed within the panel12, between the patches30and the activity items22, is a spaced pair of openable and closable flaps34. The flaps34each have a generally square configuration, and are attached to the remainder of the panel12along one of the four peripheral edge segments thereof. The movement or folding of the flaps34to their open positions facilitates the formation of a spaced pair of generally square openings within the panel12. Each of the flaps34may be maintained in a closed position through the engagement of a patch or strip35of hook-and-loop fastener material thereon to a corresponding patch or strip37of hook-and-loop fastener material disposed on the back surface20of the panel12. As will be recognized, the separation of such corresponding patches or strips35,37of hook-and-loop fastener material from each other allows the flaps34to be opened, thus facilitating the formation of the openings within the panel12. Disposed within the panel12between the flaps34and the patches30is a spaced pair of slots50. The slots50are used to accommodate an elongate strap or belt52in a manner which will be described in more detail below.

Attached to the back surface20of the panel12along the lateral peripheral edge segment16of shorter length is at least one strip36of hook-and-loop fastener material. At least one additional strip38of hook-and-loop fastener material is attached to the back surface20of the panel12between the strip36and the flaps34. The use of the strips36,38will also be described below.

As indicated above, the insert10may be used as a seat cover or liner for a shopping cart seat. As seen inFIGS. 1 and 2, a typical shopping cart40includes a handlebar42which is grasped by the user and used to push the shopping cart40. The structural members used to form the back wall44of the shopping cart40which extends below the handlebar42are assembled to define a pair of leg openings. The shopping cart40is also provided with a collapsible wall48which, when actuated toward the front of the shopping cart40(i.e., away from the handlebar42) defines the seat bottom and backrest of the seat of the shopping cart40. The leg openings defined by the back wall44are disposed adjacent to and above the seat bottom defined by the deployment of the collapsible wall48.

The insert10is used as a seat cover by placing the panel12within the seat of the shopping cart40such that the back surface20of the panel12directly engages the shopping cart40. The lateral peripheral edge segment16of greater length is draped over the top edge of the deployed collapsible wall48, with the panel12being sized such that the draping causes the open ends of the pockets26to be upwardly directed or presented, thus allowing for the placement of objects such as pacifiers, baby bottles, or keys thereinto for temporary storage during use of the shopping cart40. The lateral peripheral edge segment16of the panel12of shorter length is itself wrapped about the handlebar42, with the strips36,38being releasably attached to each other so as to secure the panel12to the handlebar42.

In addition to the panel12being secured to the handlebar42in the above-described manner, the belt52is advanced through one of the slots50, about one or more of the structural members of the collapsible wall48defining the backrest of the infant/toddler seat, and back through the remaining slot50. When the panel12is draped over the top edge of the collapsible wall48and secured to the handlebar42, the sizing of the panel12causes the flaps34to be generally aligned with respective ones of the leg openings defined within the back wall44of the shopping cart40. Thus, with the panel12being positioned within the infant/toddler seat of the shopping cart40in the above-described manner, the flaps34may be opened outwardly, thus causing the resultant openings formed within the panel12to be in substantial alignment with respective ones of the leg openings. The infant or toddler may then be positioned upon the insert10within the infant/toddler seat, with the legs of the toddler being extended through respective ones of the leg openings via the openings defined by the outward folding of the flaps34.

The extension of the panel12along the seat bottom and backrest of the infant/toddler seat provides a substantially increased comfort level for the infant or toddler therein. Further support may be provided to the back of the infant or toddler by releasably attaching the pillow32to the patches30. Advantageously, the activity items22extend along the handlebar42of the shopping cart40which is partially wrapped by the panel12, and thus are presented for play or manipulation by the infant or toddler within the shopping cart seat. It is contemplated that once the infant or toddler is placed upon the insert10within the shopping cart seat, the belt52will be extended about and secured to the waist of the infant or toddler. Thus, the belt52will be extended about the infant's waist in addition to being extended about a portion of the collapsible wall48defining the backrest, therefore preventing the infant from rocking or leaning forward excessively away from the backrest.

When the insert10is removed from within the shopping cart seat, the belt52may be removed from within the slots50, with the flaps34being returned to their closed positions. The back surface20of the panel12may then be placed against the floor, with the front surface18thus being exposed. The infant or toddler may then be placed upon the exposed front surface18of the panel12, with the same being used as a play mat, and the mirror28and activity items22being presented for manipulation and play by the infant or toddler. When the insert10is used as a play mat, the pillow32may also be releasably attached to the patches30to be used as a prop-up pillow for “tummy time” when the infant or toddler lays on the panel12. As indicated above, the pillow32may be used to provide back support/increased comfort to the infant or toddler when the insert10is used as a shopping cart seat cover. When the panel12is folded up and not used as either a shopping cart seat cover or play mat, the belt52may be used as a handle for carrying the same.

Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention may also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the particular combination of parts described and illustrated herein is intended to represent only certain embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternative devices within the spirit and scope of the invention.