Convertible canopy for car seats

Embodiments of the present invention illustrate a canopy apparatus for a child car seat providing a cover on an infant car seat and/or a sunshade over a child car seat comprising a cover body, two headrest covers connected at opposing ends of the cover body, an attachment mechanism and a tie. The attachment mechanism may be wrapped around a handle of an infant car seat while the cover body drapes down over the car seat providing a cover. The headrest covers may be placed on a first headrest and a second headrest at opposing sides in a vehicle, respectively, enabling the cover body to hang above the child car seat while the left and right side of the cover body drapes over the child car seat creating a shade. The tie may be tied to a grab handle to provide further security and headroom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to car seat accessories and, more particularly, a canopy for a child car seat.

Conventionally, a car seat cover for an infant car seat and a sunshade for a child car seat are two different types of art. Consequently, the scope of current infant car seat covers is limited to infant car seats. As a child outgrows an infant car seat, a need arises for alternatives to provide protection to the child from direct sunlight, especially the child's eyes.

Sunshades may be used as alternatives. Currently, there are two types of sunshades: window sunshades and canopy-style sunshades. Window sunshades are attached to a side window and/or a rear window. As window sunshades require to be attached to windows, window sunshades limit the use of the windows that the sunshades are installed on. Moreover, window sunshades do not fit perfectly on the windows as shapes and sizes of windows differ among different types and models of vehicles. Therefore, window sunshades leave gaps on the windows which allow sunlight to come through.

As a substitute of window sunshades, caregivers may use canopy-style sunshades, however, there exist some drawbacks to canopy-style sunshades: 1) canopy-style sunshades extend only partially over a car seat providing limited coverage; 2) canopy-style sunshades are not generally universal; and 3) headroom, the space between a child's head and the top of a canopy-style sunshade, is not adjustable potentially making it uncomfortable for a child, especially if the child is tall.

Due to the limitations of current car seat covers and sunshades mentioned above, a need exists for an alternative to current car seat covers and sunshades, which is the general object of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a canopy apparatus for a child car seat comprising a cover body of flexible material and two headrest covers connected at opposing ends of the cover body. The cover body may be dimensioned to drape over the left and right side of the child car seat, in width, and the draped sides may extend below the head of a child in the child car seat. The headrest covers may be configured to fit over a first headrest and a second headrest of a vehicle, respectively; wherein the first headrest and the second headrest are at opposing sides (front and rear) of the vehicle. Although two headrest covers are preferred, one of the headrest covers may be replaced by an alternative means for securing the cover body to the first headrest or the second headrest of the vehicle. The length from the end of the headrest cover to the end of the second headrest cover or to the end of the means for securing may extend approximately from the first headrest to the second headrest of the vehicle.

Either or both of the headrest covers may include a drawstring or a means for preventing the headrest cover from easily shifting or coming off from the headrest of the vehicle. Furthermore, the headrest cover may be connected to the cover body without any extension mechanism or with at least one extension mechanism such as an elastic band, a strap with an adjustable buckle and the like for adjusting the distance between the headrest cover and the cover body.

The cover body may further comprise a tie; wherein the length of the tie is sufficient to reach from the cover body to a grab handle above the child car seat so that the tie may be fastened to the grab handle providing further security and/or headroom; and an attachment mechanism; wherein the attachment mechanism may include at least one fastener so that the attachment mechanism may be fastened to a carrying handle of an infant car seat.

The cover body may further comprise a side fastener on each of the draped sides and a corresponding fastener preferably located near the center of the cover body so that either or both of the draped sides of the cover body may be lifted by coupling the side fastener with the corresponding fastener.

Additionally, the cover body may comprise a window to allow additional air flow and a window cover to cover the window.

The present invention may be used as a cover on an infant car seat and/or used as a sunshade over a child car seat including an infant car seat, a convertible car seat, an all-in-one car seat, a booster seat and the like. Not only does the present invention work with any type of car seats mentioned above but also the present invention may be used with any type of car seat orientation such as forward facing and rear facing. Therefore, a caregiver may use the present invention throughout different stages of car seats as the child grows.

When the present invention is used as a sunshade in a vehicle, the headrest covers fit over the first headrest and the second headrest, respectively, hanging over the child car seat and the cover body creating a shade over the car seat. Therefore, the present invention does not require to be installed directly on the child car seat, and thus, the present invention provides a wide range of application, compatibility and versatility.

Further, the method of utilizing the headrests of the vehicle not only provides ample headroom to the child but also keeps the present invention from easily being pulled down by the child. Moreover, the caregiver can easily adjust the height of the present invention by moving either or both of the headrests of the vehicle upward or downward.

The method may also be especially useful when the caregiver desires to open or close the windows of the vehicle.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The description illustrates the general principles of the invention and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. Therefore, various features of the embodiments disclosed herein do not limit the claims of this application or the scope of the claims.

In this description, any directional terms such as upper, lower, top, bottom, left, right, over, under and the like refer to the invention as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only. Furthermore, similar components and/or features may have the same reference figures and the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same reference figures.

Referring toFIGS.1through6, the present invention may comprise a cover body8made of a strong and flexible material such as natural fibers, synthetic fibers and the like, a headrest cover3connected to one end of the cover body8, and a second headrest cover3connected to the opposing end of the cover body8. The cover body8may be dimensioned to drape over the left and right side of a child car seat10, in width, and draped sides of the cover body8may extend below the head of a child in the child car seat10. The headrest covers3may be configured to fit over a first headrest11and a second headrest12of a vehicle, respectively; wherein the first headrest11and the second headrest12are at opposing sides (front and rear) of the vehicle. Although it is preferred to have the second headrest cover3, a strap, an elastic band, or the like may be used as an alternative to the second headrest cover3to secure the opposing end of the cover body8to the first headrest11or the second headrest12of the vehicle. The length from the end of the headrest cover3to the end of the second headrest cover3or the alternative means for securing the opposing end of the cover body8may extend approximately from the first headrest11to the second headrest12of the vehicle.

Either or both of the headrest covers3may include a drawstring7to fasten and therefore to prevent the headrest cover3from easily shifting or coming off from the first headrest11and/or the second headrest12of the vehicle. Although a drawstring is preferred, a different method such as attaching a non-slip fabric backing, anti-skid silicones and the like in the inner side of the headrest cover3may be used to achieve the goal of preventing the headrest cover3from slipping.

Either or both of the headrest covers3may be connected to the cover body8directly as depicted in the preferred embodiments, or the headrest cover3may be connected to the cover body8using an extension mechanism such as an elastic band, a strap with an adjustable buckle and the like. The extension mechanism may be used to allow the length between the headrest cover3and the cover body8to be adjustable so that the present invention may adapt to different distances between the first headrest11and the second headrest12of the vehicle. For example, an elastic band or a strap with an adjustable buckle may be used to connect the headrest cover3and the cover body8; wherein the opposing ends of the elastic band or the strap are connected to the headrest cover3and the cover body8, respectively. Then, the headrest cover3may be extended from the cover body8adapting to different distances.

The cover body8may further comprise a tie1made of a strong and flexible material such as natural fibers, synthetic fibers and the like. The tie1may extend from approximately in the middle of the cover body8, wherein the length of the tie1is sufficient to reach from the cover body8to a grab handle15above the child car seat10so that the tie1may be fastened to the grab handle15.

The cover body8may further comprise an attachment mechanism2such as a strap made of a strong and flexible material such as natural fibers, synthetic fibers and the like, and the attachment mechanism2may include at least one fastener5such as buttons, snap buttons, hook and loop fasteners and the like so that the attachment mechanism2may be fastened to a carrying handle14of an infant car seat13.

In the preferred embodiments, two attachment mechanisms2and two ties1are illustrated; wherein the ties1may be spaced apart from each other and located in between the two attachment mechanisms2. It is preferred to have two attachment mechanisms2and two ties2. However, the cover body8may comprise any number of attachment mechanisms2and/or ties1, or the attachment mechanism2or the tie1may be omitted. If the attachment mechanism2is omitted, the tie1may be used to fasten the present invention to the infant car seat13.

The cover body8may have a side fastener16such as buttons, snap buttons, hook and loop fasteners and the like on each of the draped sides and a corresponding fastener (not shown) such as buttons, snap buttons, hook and loop fasteners and the like to be coupled with the side fastener16; wherein the corresponding fastener may preferably be located near the center of the cover body8so that either or both of the draped sides of the cover body8may be lifted by coupling the side fastener16with the corresponding fastener providing visibility to the child in the child car seat10. The corresponding fastener may be omitted, as depicted in the preferred embodiments. If the corresponding fastener is omitted, the side fastener16may be coupled with the fastener5included in the attachment mechanism2to lift either or both of the draped sides of the cover body8.

The headrest covers3and the cover body8may include a plurality of fasteners5such as buttons, snap buttons, hook and loop fasteners and the like. The fasteners5are attached on the top of each of the headrest covers3and on the cover body8adjacent to each of the headrest covers3. The fasteners5on the headrest covers3may be coupled with the fasteners5adjacent to each of the headrest covers3so that the headrest covers3may be folded and fastened to the cover body8.

The cover body8may further comprise a window6and a window cover4positioned in front of a child in the infant car seat13. The window6may allow the child in the infant car seat13to see outside of the cover body9and a caregiver to see the child in the infant car seat13. The window6may include a screen made of a mesh material such as nylon, polyester and the like to allow air to flow in and out. The window cover4may be opened or closed using fasteners5such as buttons, snap buttons, hook and loop fasteners and the like located under the window6and on the window cover4, respectively.

FIG.1illustrates an embodiment of the present invention used as the cover9on the infant car seat13. The method may include the following. The attachment mechanisms2may be wrapped around the carrying handle14of the infant car seat13and fastened using the fasteners5included in the attachment mechanisms2. The cover body8may drape down the infant car seat13and provide the tent-like cover9.

Two headrest covers3connected at opposing ends of the cover body8may be left loose as shown inFIG.1, or the headrest covers3may be folded and fastened to the cover body8by coupling the fasteners5on the headrest covers3with the fasteners5located on the cover body8adjacent to each of the headrest covers3. The headrest covers3may provide extra weight to each opposing end of the cover body8when the present invention is used as the cover9on the infant car seat13, and thus, the cover body8may not easily be blown off by wind or dislocated from the infant car seat13.

FIG.1. depicts the window cover4folded half way up revealing the window6in the cover body8, however, the window6may be covered with the window cover4using the fasteners5located under the window6and on the window cover4, respectively. The ties1may be tied together for organization and an aesthetically pleasing look or left unorganized.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention used as the sunshade9over the child car seat10are illustrated inFIG.2andFIG.3. The method of using the present invention as the sunshade9may include the following. Two headrest covers3connected at opposing ends of the cover body8may be fitted over the first headrest11and the second headrest12, respectively. Then, the present invention may hang over the child car seat10and the cover body8may surround all three sides, the top, left and right, of the upper part of the child car seat10providing a shade to the child's upper body in the car seat10. The caregiver may adjust the height of the present invention by moving one or both of the headrests of the vehicle upwards or downwards.

The ties1may be tied to the grab handle15of the vehicle above the child car seat10to further secure the present invention to the vehicle and/or to pull up approximately the middle part of the cover body8to provide more headroom and visibility as desired by the caregiver.FIG.2depicts the window cover4covering the window6by coupling the fastener5on the window cover4to the fastener5on the cover body8below the window6, however, the window cover4may be folded open to allow additional airflow.

The draped sides of the cover body8may be lifted at a folded condition by coupling the side fasteners16located on each of the draped sides of the cover body8with the fasteners5included in the attachment mechanisms2.

It should be understood that the above-mentioned description and features relate to exemplary embodiments of the present invention and that various substitutions, modifications, additions, variations or rearrangements may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

Further, given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art may discover other applications and/or develop other means to provide a combination of a car seat cover and a sunshade. Those other applications and means are considered within the scope and intent of the present invention disclosed herein and within the scope of this patent.

As used herein, the terms “comprise,” “comprising,” “include,” “including,” “have,” “having,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, an apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such apparatus.