Barrier device for children

A struggling barrier for children includes a semirigid wall for blocking struggling movements which is attached to a flexible sheet for receiving sitting body weight of children. The method of sitting on the flexible sheet transfers body weight force to the attached wall thereby causing the flexible and movable device to become a semirigid and difficult to move barrier device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a seating aid for children, and particularly to a 
struggling barrier which blocks the struggling movements of children 
seated near one another. 
Family car travel is commonly known as a high stress activity because 
children instinctively struggle with one another when sitting in close 
proximity on a seat. They struggle over possessions, territory, touching, 
words, food and looks. This is more pronounced in early childhood when 
social skills of cooperation and sharing are still to be developed. 
Conflicts often develop and escalate to very high levels because parents 
are unable to carry out normal supervision and discipline of children 
seated in the backseat while they are in the front seat driving. 
Previously, parents have employed a variety of methods to reduce conflict 
between children. They have provided entertainment and diversion, stayed 
home, left the kids home, put one child in front seat and one in back, or 
used raised voices, threats and force. They have also separated children 
with a variety of objects such as pillows, boards and boxes. All of these 
methods have only a temporary effect on reducing conflict and each has 
major disadvantages and limitations. Providing entertainment requires 
constant effort. Staying home or changing seats is inconvienient. Raised 
voices and force cause bad feelings and ruined outings. Objects for 
separation are sometimes hard and unsecured and therefore can be removed 
and tossed around causing an unsafe environment. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A flexible barrier device is provided for emplacement adjacent to and under 
seated children. The barrier device includes a flexible sheet attached at 
right angles to the bottom surface of a semirigid upright wall. The 
flexible barrier device is made semirigid when children or other 
individuals sit on the attached sheet thereby temporarily securing the 
barrier device and impeding the easy movement of the device. 
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the upright wall is 
essentially rectangular in shape, having a sufficient size to impede or 
block the struggling movements of children and having sufficient size at 
its base to be self supporting in a vertical position. The flexible sheet 
is preferably rectangular with essentially flat anterior and posterior 
surfaces and has a sufficient length to receive at least one child seated 
on either side of the upright barrier wall. 
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an 
improved seating aid for children. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved 
seating aid for blocking the struggling movements of children. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved 
barrier device for emplacement on a seating surface whereby a child's 
struggling movements may be blocked by the device. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved seating 
aid for children against which children may struggle without easily moving 
the device. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved 
seating aid for children comprising an upright barrier wall which becomes 
semi-rigid when an individual is seated on either side of the upright 
barrier wall.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the various views of the drawings for a more detailed 
description of the components, materials, construction, function, 
operation and other features of the instant invention, FIG. 1 illustrates 
the struggling barrier 14 of the present invention, comprising an upright 
wall 18 attached to a flexibel sheet 27 as illustrated. Two children 44, 
46 are illustrated sitting on the sheet 27 attached to the wall 18, which 
is placed adjacent to and under children on a seating surface 12 such as a 
car seat on which children sit. 
Referring to FIG. 2, the struggling barrier 14 comprises an upright wall 18 
of semirigid material which suitably may be made of polyurethane foam or 
plastic. The wall 18 has substantially vertically front and rear sides 20, 
22, respectively, and substantially vertical sides 24, 26. The wall 18 is 
of sufficient size to block the struggling movements of children and has 
sufficient size at its base 19 to be self supporting in a vertical 
position. 
The flexible sheet 27 which suitably may be cloth, vinyl or foam is 
attached at right angles to the undersurface of the wall 18 at its base 19 
and is of a size suitable for receiving the body weight of sitting 
children therein, when the struggling barrier is placed on a seating 
surface 12. 
Although the wall 18 and sheet 27 are illustrated in FIG. 2 in the shape of 
rectangles, it is understood that the wall 18 may be any shape or material 
which suitably provides a barrier. The sheet 27 may be of any shape or 
material which is suitable for transferring the body weight force of 
sitting children to the attached wall 18. The wall 18 and sheet 27 thus 
form the body of a struggling barrier device 14 which will block the 
struggling movements of children. The heads, arms, legs children touch the 
anterior surface of the wall 18 rather than disturbing a seating partner. 
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, children 44, 46 are seated on the sheet 
27, to give weight force and rigidity to the attached wall 18 and thereby 
impede sliding and removal of the barrier device 14 with respect to the 
surface 12 when children struggle against the device. While two children 
44, 46 are shown, it is evident that a single child or multiple children 
may provide weight force to the device. 
The struggling barrier of the present invention can be used on a seat to 
block struggling movements and thereby help to maintain positive feelings 
between family members. Children enjoy the protection from sibling 
infringements on their personal space that the struggling barrier 
provides. Consequently they will remain in their own seating area and not 
creep, push or struggle in their partner's seating area. 
While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in the 
foregoing illustrative embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to 
those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement, 
proportions, the elements, material and components used in the practice of 
the invention, and otherwise, which are particularly adapted for specific 
environments and operating requirements without departing from those 
principles. The appended claims are, therefore, intended to cover and 
embrace any such modifications, within the limits only of the true spirit 
and scope of the invention.