A RETRACTABLE CANOPY FOR ATTACHEMENT TO AN INFANT SEAT

Abstract: A retractable canopy (1) designed to be detachably mounted to an infant automobile seat (20) or the like. The canopy (1) is comprised of two support members (2) and (3) having a horizontal side and two contiguous vertical sides extending downwardly. The vertical sides (2a, 3a) and (2b, 3b) of the support members (2) and (3) are pivotally connected at points (4a, 4b) respectively by a nut and bolt combination that also secures the non-clamping end of a clamp (10). The clamp (10) is used to attach the retractable canopy (1) to the frame structure of the infant seat (20). The top sections of the frame members (2) and (3) are used to support a flexible canopy cover (5). The canopy (1) can be fully extended to provide the seated infant with maximum protection from the elements or it can be fully retracted when shielding is not necessary. A rainshield (26) is also provided that can be temporarily and easily attached to the canopy cover (5).

Description: A RETRACTABLE CANOPY FOR ATTACHMENT TO AN INFANT SEAT TECHNICAL FIELD • The invention pertains to the field of retrac¬ table canopies. Specifically, the invention is a type of retractable canopy that is particularly adaptable for use on automobile infant seats, bicycle infant seats and infant hand carriers. BACKGROUND ART State-of-the-art automobile and bicycle infant seats as well as infant hand carriers have developed into units that are confortable and that have suf¬ ficient structural integrity for safety. However, a major problem exists in current units in that the seated infant is not easily shielded from the elements and particularly from the potentially harmful effects of direct sunlight. A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that directly read on the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents were determined to be related: PATENT NO. INVENTOR ISSUED 4,093,305 Staroste 6 Jun 1978 4,027,915 Anderson 7 Jun 1977 3,973,117 Perego • 25 Mar 1975 The Staroste patent discloses a sun protection consisting of three frame type supporting beams which are covered with fabric. The sun protection is mounted on a deck chair or the like and can be adjusted at various angles to provide maximum protection from the O PI sun. The Anderson patent discloses a one piece sun shield assembly. The assembly is designed for detach¬ able attachment to an infant's seat. The Perego patent discloses a foldable baby carriage. The carriage includes a fabric forming a closed top or parasol which overhangs the seat portion to provide a shade or cover¬ ing. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The invention consists of a retractable canopy that is easily attached to infant seats such as automo¬ bile infant seats, bicycle infant seats, and infant hand carriers. The canopy is comprised of two canopy support members where each member is comprised of a horizontal side and two contiguous vertical sides extending in a downwardly direction. The support members are construc¬ ted of metal or plastic and are enclosed by a canopy cover constructed of flexible material such as cloth or plastic. The common vertical sides cf each canopy sup¬ port member are pivotally joined by a retained pin such as a bolt and nut combination that also secures a clamp. The clamp is used to attach the canopy to the frame structure of the infant seat. When protection from the elements is necessary the canopy is easily extended to a fully open position; conversely, when no protection is needed the canopy may be retracted. Additionally, the invention includes a rainshield and a mosquito net that may be easily and temporarily attached to the front and sides of the canopy cover by means of hook and loop attachment strips such as those manufactured by VELCRO of Manchester, New Hampshire, United States of America. In addition to providing an efficient and practical method to protect an infant from the elements and solving a long felt need in currently designed infant seats, it is also an objective of the invention to provide an invention that: can be easily manipulated by the user; can be easily attached to any type of in- fant seat; 4 can be easily and inexpensively manufac- tured; and • is reliably constructed, long wearing, and relatively free of maintenance problems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The details of the invention are described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is perspective view of the retractable canopy attached to an infant car seat. FIGURE 2 is a plan view of snap-on type of canopy cover-to-σanopy frame member attaching device. FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an alternate domed-head split-stem canopy cover-to-canopy frame member attaching device. * . FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a vertical snap-on clamp attached to the canopy support members for attaching to an infant seat having a tubular frame structure. FIGURE 4A is a perspective view of a horizontal snap-on clamp attached to the canopy support members for attaching to an infant seat having a tubular frame structure. FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of an alternate bolt-on clamp attached to the canopy support member for attaching to an infant seat having a flat frame structure. FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the retrac- table canopy attached to an infant hand carrier. FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a general layout of a canopy cover. FIGURE 8 is a perspective view showing a rain- shield attached to the canopy cover. FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a general layout of a rainshield. FIGURE 10 is a plan view of a general layout of a canopy side boot. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The best mode for carrying out the invention of the retractable canopy 1 is described in term of its adaptability to an infant automobile seat 20 and an infant hand carrier 30. The infant automobile seat and infant hand carrier are illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 6 respectfully. The retractable canopy 1 is comprised of six major elements: a first support member 2; a second support member 3; a clamping device 10 or 12; a canopy cover 5; a rainshield 26; and a side boot 27. The first member 2 and second member 3 are identical elements having flat or curved upper hori¬ zontal sides and two contiguous vertical sides 2a, 3a and 2b, 3b extending downwardly. Each vertical side has a corresponding hole located at point 4a and 4b as shown in FIGURE 1. Thus, vertical member sets 2a and 3a, and 2b and 3b are pivotally connected at point 4a and 4b respectively by a retained pin such as a conventional bolt and nut combination which also pivotally secures the non-clamping end of the clamps 10, 10a or 12. The freπe ' end of the clamp is used to attach the canopy 1 to the frame structure of the infant seat 30 or 30. Clamps 10 and 10a are snap-on clamps for attaching to an infant seat having a tubular frame structure 21 while clamp 12 is a bolt-on type clamp for attaching to an infant seat having a flat frame struc¬ tural 31. The snap-on clamps 10 or 10a may be of the vertical or horizontal types respectively. The details, of clamps 10, 10a and 12 are shown in FIGURES 4, 4A and 5 respectively while the attachment of the canopy 1 to the infant seat 20 or 30 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 6 respectfully. The pivot allows the two support members 2 and 3 to be moved from a fully extended position to a fully retracted position or any in between position. The support members 2 and 3 are shown in their fully extended positions in FIGURES 1 and 6. The canopy cover 5 is of a one-piece con¬ struction and is typically designed as shown in the perspective layout of FIGURE 7. The design allows the cover 5 to fit over and be supported by the horizontal sections of support members 2 and 3. The cover 5 is attached to the members 2 or 3 by a combination of mechanical fasteners and string- ties 7. The string-ties are attached through pairs of eyelets 5a located along each side of the upper portion of support member 2 and 3. The mechanical fasteners include conventional male-female snap-on fasteners 6, as shown in FIGURE 2; or domed-**head split stem fasteners 8 as shown in FIGURE 3. Either type of fastener allows the canopy cover 5 to be easily removed when or if an occasional maintenance action is required. The canopy cover 5 is made of flexible material such as cloth or plastic so that it can be easily moved from a fully extended position to a fully retracted position. In addition to providing shielding from the top the canopy cover 5 is also designed with front flap 5b, side flaps 5c and back flap 5d, as best shown in FIGURE 1, to provide the seated infant with front and side shielding. Additionally, on the backside of the canopy cover front flap 5b, outside of side flap 5c, and outside of side boot 27 there is afixed, by conventional means, a VELCRO strip 25 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 6. To this VELCRO strip there may be easily and temporarily attached a rainshield 26 or a mosquito net that is also equipped with a corresponding VELCRO strip as shown in FIGURE 8. The mosquito net is particularly O PI useful and protective when the infant is being trans¬ ported in the infant hand carrier 30. A general layout of a typical rainshield 26 is shown in FIGURE 9. To further protect the seated infant from the potentially abrasive frame structure a flexible side boot 27, made of the same material as the canopy cover 5, is inserted into the pivot point of canopy support members 2a/3a and 2b/3b as shown in FIGURE 1. A general layout of the side boot 27 indicating the sewing lines 28 and folding lines 29 is shown in FIGURE 10. Although the invention has been described in complete detail and pictorally shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details since many changes and modifications may be made to the re¬ tractable canopy without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence the invention is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A retractable canopy for attachment to an infant seat comprising: (a) a first canopy support member; (b) a second canopy support member; (c) means for pivotally connecting the common sides of said first and second canopy support members; (d) means for attaching said retractable canopy to said infant seat; (e) a canopy cover attached to upper portions of said first and second -canopy support members; and (f) means for attaching said canopy cover to upper portions of said first and second canopy sup- port members. 2. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 1 wherein said first and second canopy support members have an upper horizontal side and two contigu¬ ous vertical sides extending downwardly from each side of the horizontal side and having a hole located at lower end of each vertical side. 3. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 2 wherein the means for pivotally connecting the common vertical sides of said first and second canopy __, support members is by a retaining pin inserted through the corresponding, holes located at a pivot junction formed by said first and second canopy support members. 4. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 2 wherein the means for pivotally connecting the common vertical sides of said first and second canopy support members is by a bolt and nut combination in- serted through the corresponding holes located at a OMPI pivot junction formed by said first and second canopy support members. 5. The retractable canopy as specified in claims 3 or 4 further comprising a clamping device where the non-clamping end of said clamping device is secured by said retaining pin or bolt and nut combina- tion inserted through each of the pivot junctions of said first and second canopy support members. 6. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 5 wherein the means for attaching said retrac¬ table canopy to said infant seat is by said clamping device that attaches to frame structure of said infant seat. 7. The ' retractable canopy as specified in claim 1 wherein said canopy cover is made of a flexi¬ ble material. 8. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 1 wherein said canopy cover having a plurality of eyelets located in pairs along each side of upper portion of said first and second support members. 9. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 1 or 7 wherein the means for attaching said canopy cover to said first and second support members is by string-ties inserted through the eyelets in said canopy cover and around said first and second support members. 10. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 1 wherein the means for attaching said canopy cover to said first and second support members is by sets of male-female snap-on fasteners respectively attached to said canopy cover and said first and second canopy support members. 11. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 1 wherein said canopy cover has side and front flaps that extend over said first and second canopy support members. 12. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 1 further comprising a rainshield having means to temporarily attach said rainshield to said canopy cover. 13. The retractable canopy as specified in claim 1 further comprising a mosquito net having means to temporarily attach said mosquito net to said canopy* cover . 14. The retractable canopy as specified in claims 12 or 13 wherein the means to temporarily attach said rainshield or mosquito net to said canopy cover is by a set of corresponding VELCRO strips afixed to said canopy cover and to said rainshield or mosquito net respectively. 15. The retractable canopy as specified in claim T further comprising a side boot that is inserted into and covers the pivot point area of said canopy support members.

Inventors: MUCSI MICHAEL
Applicants: MUCSI MICHAEL
Application year: 1981
Main classification: A47C7
IPC codes: A47C7, A47D15