Abstract:
An insert for positioning an infant in a car seat. The insert includes a head support section to support the baby&#39;s head on both sides. Connected to the head support section is a body support section with elongate side members connected by an elastic under-body support panel extending therebetween. This panel can be sewn to the side members or, even more preferably, can be attached by tubular sleeves that are slidably received on the side members of the body support section. In this way, the position of the panel can be adjusted along the length of the insert. Additionally, by rotating the side members, or the sleeves on the side members, the tension on the panel can be adjusted to increase or decease the tension, as desired, to create a swaddling effect under the infant. Alternately, the insert serves as an infant swing or carrier.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to infant support pillows and cushions for use in infant car seats. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Infant car seats are an essential, but expensive travel accessory for parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers. Because of their cost, they are typically sized for use from infancy though 2-3 years of age. However, this means that the seat usually is too spacious for premature or very young infants. A variety of car insert cushions and pillows have been developed to position and support small infants in car seats. However, there remains a need for a car seat insert with added versatility. 
     The car seat insert of the present invention answers this need by providing a car seat insert cushion that cushions and positions the entire length of the infant&#39;s body. The head support section comprises a unitary C-shaped cushion that supports both sides of the head. The body support section includes two elongate side members with an elastic support panel extending therebetween. The tension on the panel can be adjusted by rotating the side members. In a most preferred embodiment, the panel is attached to the side members by sleeves so that the position of the panel along the length of the insert can be adjusted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an infant secured in a conventional car seat, both shown in broken lines, using the car seat insert of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the car seat insert. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the car seat insert shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragmented side perspective view of the upper portion of the car seat insert illustrating the shoulder tabs that secure the insert to the car seat harness straps. 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the car seat insert of the present invention in which the under-body panel is removable and adjustable. 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged frontal perspective view of the under-body panel of the car seat insert shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 7  is sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 5  showing the under-body panel positioned at the rear of the arms. 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the under-body panel positioned near the front of the arms. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings in general and to  FIG. 1  in particular, shown therein is a car seat insert made in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention and designated generally by the reference numeral  10 . The car seat insert  10  is shown inside a conventional car seat  12 , shown in broken lines, with an infant  14 , also in broken lines, secured therein by a harness  16 . Typically, the harness  16  comprises two shoulder straps  20  and  22  that extend generally from the back of the car seat  12  downwardly over the shoulders and torso of the infant  14  and connecting by a clamp or buckle  24  to the lower body portion of the harness. The car seat  12  shown in the drawings is merely exemplary of many commercially available car seats. The car seat  12  may vary in style and configuration, but typically will include forwardly extending sides  28  and  30  for partially enclosing the infant  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the car seat insert  10  comprises a head support section  34  that is generally C-shaped, though the shape may vary. The head support section  34  should at least comprise side members  36  and  38  for supporting the sides of the infant&#39;s head in the car seat  12 . Each side member  36  and  38  has an end  40  and  42  configured to be adjacent to the shoulder of the infant  14  when the infant and the insert  10  are secured in the car seat  12  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     The insert  10  preferably also comprises a body support section  48  connected to the head support section  34 . The body support section comprises a pair of spaced apart, elongated side members  50  and  52 . Each of the side members  50  and  52  is sized to be received between one side of the infant  14  and the adjacent side of the car seat  12 . Specifically, the side member  50  is dimensioned to be received between the infant&#39;s right side and the side  28  of the seat  12 , and the side member  52  is dimensioned to be received between the infant&#39;s left side and the side  30  of the seat. 
     Each of the side members  50  and  52  has an upper and lower end, that is, the side member  50  has an upper end  56  and a lower end  58 , and the side member  52  has an upper end  60  and a lower end  62 . Preferably the upper ends  56  and  58  are attached to the ends  40  and  42 , respectively, of the head support section  34 . Most preferably, this connection takes the form of a seam or joint, although the connection can be a continuous transition from the head support section  34  to the side members  50  and  52 . In addition, the lower ends  58  and  60  may each include an outwardly projecting foot  68  and  70 , respectively. When rotated inwardly towards each other, as shown in  FIG. 1 , these form a complete bolster around the infant  14 . 
     The head support section  34  and the body support section  48  may be formed of compressible, resilient material so that the insert  10  provides good cushioning and returns to its original shape or resting position after being deformed. The insert  10  may be formed in any suitable manner. In the preferred technique, the insert  10  is formed by first sewing a fabric enclosure (not shown) in the desired configuration. The enclosure material may be any suitable fabric, including but not limited to waterproof nylon, flannel, or elastic fabrics, such as spandex or cotton-spandex blends. However, presently a polyester/cotton blend is preferred. The enclosure may be filled with a compressible, resilient material. A preferred filler is polyester fiberfill. Other suitable fillers include down feathers, memory foam, and polystyrene pellets. In some instances, an inflatable inner liner may be preferred. 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 1-3  and now also to  FIG. 4 , the insert  10  preferably includes a pair of loops, such as the tabs  76  and  78 , attached to the insert. Each of the tabs  76  and  78  is positioned and sized to slidably receive one of the two shoulder straps  20  and  22  of the harness  16  in the car seat  12 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this way, the bolster formed by the insert  10  is held snugly around the infant  14 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIG. 4 , one of the tabs  78  will be described in more detail. The tab  78  has one end  82  attached to the insert, preferably to the end  42  of the head support section  34 , and a second end  84  that is removably attachable to the insert, again preferably to the end of the head support section. Mating hook-and-loop fasteners are provided on the tab  78 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 4 , hook-and-loop fastener  88  is provided on the end  84  of the tab  78 , and fastener  90  is attached to the end  42  of the head support section  34 , the fastener  90  positioned to mate with the fastener  88 . It will be understood that the tab  76  has similar fasteners. While hook-and-loop type fasteners are ideal for the preferred embodiment shown herein, other types of connectors may be substituted. For example, the attachment means could be drawstrings, buttons, ties, snaps, hooks, buckles, or the like. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 2-4 , the insert  10  preferably further comprises an under-body panel  92  extending between the side members  50  and  52 . In the preferred embodiments, the panel  92  is an elastic fabric, such as spandex, however other fabrics may be substituted. The panel  92  preferably has an upper edge  94  that, with the head support section  34 , forms an opening  96  behind the head of the infant when the infant and the insert  10  are secured in the car seat. The shoulder straps  20  and  22  of the harness  26  may be accessed through this opening  96 . 
     The under-body panel  92  has a first side edge  98  and a second side edge  100  ( FIG. 3 ), the side edge  98  being attached along the length of the side member  50 , and the second side edge  100  being attached along the length of the side member  52 . In this way, when the side members  50  and  52  are rotated inwardly, the panel  92  will be stretched apart, and when the side members are rotated outwardly, the panel will be relaxed. In other words, the tension on the panel  92  can be increased or decreased by rotation of the side members  50  and  52  of the body support section  48 . This creates a swaddling effect, especially for the smaller infants. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a second embodiment of the car seat insert of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment the insert, designated generally by the reference numeral  10 A, comprises a similarly formed head support section  34  with tabs  76  and  78 , and a body support section  48 A comprising side members  50 A and  52 A with feet  68 A and  70 A. An under-body panel  92 A also is included. However, in this embodiment, the side edges  98 A and  100 A are attached along the length of each one of a pair of tubular sleeves  106  and  108  that are slidably receivable on the side members  50 A and  52 A of the body support section  48 . The sleeves  106  and  108 , like the panel  92 A, are made of fabric, and most preferably of the same elastic fabric as the panel. 
     Now it will be apparent that the sleeves  106  and  108  easily can be slipped on and off the side members  50 A and  52 A of the body support section  48 . In this way, the position of the under-body panel  92 A can be moved upwardly and downwardly on the body support section  48 . 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the adjustable tension feature of the panel  92 A is illustrated.  FIG. 7  shows the panel  92 A in a relaxed position, in which the panel will lie flat against the back of the car seat  12 . By rotating the sleeves  106  and  108  in the direction of the arrows  110  and  112 , the tension on the panel  92 A can be increased, while maintaining the panel  92 A in a rearward position. As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the sleeves  106  and  108  are rotated in the direction of the arrows  114  and  116 , the tension on the panel  92 A can be increased while at the same time lifting the panel to a more forward position. This allows the tension on the under-body panel  92 A to be adjusted independent of the position of the side members  50 A and  52 A. Thus, the feet  68 A and  70 A can rotated inwardly to support the infant&#39;s feet and legs, as shown in  FIG. 1 , while the under-body panel  92 A is lifted, as in  FIG. 8 . 
     Now it will be appreciated that the car insert of the present invention provides an ideal way to position a small infant snugly in a standard sized car seat. The shoulder loops keep the insert close to the infant&#39;s body, and the under-body panel hugs the infant&#39;s back and bottom in a bucket-like manner, which can be adjusted for the size of the infant. It will also be apparent that the car insert can be used in other ways apart from a car seat. For example, the because of its “bucket” seat, the insert may be used as a swing or an infant carrier. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are exemplary. Many details are often found in the art and, therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. It is not claimed that all of the details, parts, elements, or steps described and shown were invented herein. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present inventions have been described in the drawings and accompanying text, the description is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad meaning of the terms of the attached claims. The description and drawings of the specific embodiments herein do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but rather provide an example of how to use and make the invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims.