Patent Document

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/539,682 filed Jan. 28, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates generally to the field of seat covers. More specifically the present invention deals with seat covers for use with automobiles. Yet more specifically, the present invention concerns automobile seat covers equipped with pockets and/or pouches. Yet even more specifically, the present invention deals with novel automobile seat covers having pockets and pouches, where the seat cover resembles a hooded jacket with sleeves and the hood can be used as a pocket. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A myriad of covers for seats have been proposed throughout the years. The primary function of seat covers is to provide a protective layer between the seat and the user in order to reduce the wear experienced by the seat thereby prolonging the useful life of the seat. Seat covers can also serve to protect the seat from undesirable contact with substances, such as liquids, that can stain or otherwise damage the seat. Advances have been made in the way seat covers are attached to seats in order to enhance how well the covers stay secured to the seats as well as the ease of application and removal of the seat covers. Many of these advancements have come in relation to automotive seats covers. These advances in attachment means include the use of hook and loop fasteners such as VELCRO®, straps with buckles, straps with hooks or rings for attachment, to name a few. 
     Additional advancements include materials that improve the protective or liquid barrier capabilities of the seat cover as well as the overall appearance of the covers. Synthetic materials have been proposed in addition to natural materials, such as sheepskin and wool. Some of the advancements have come in the form of additional features with the covers and additional functions of the covers. For example, seat covers have been proposed that are readily retractable for easy storage. Others have introduced seat covers having attachable drink holders and storage bins. Additional functions suggested for seat covers include structural back support for the user, such as lumbar support. Some seat covers have been proposed having multiple uses, such as a beach towel, tote bag, as well as a chair cover. Examples of these inventions can be found in the following references: Levas, U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,556, Xiang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,787, Meritis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,922, Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,731, Middleton, U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,017, Learning, U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,735, Campbell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,528, Neilson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,227, and Jackson, U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,866. 
     However, none of the aforementioned inventions include a seat cover having features capable of altering the overall appearance of the seat. Further, these references fail to suggest a seat cover that is capable of giving the impression of a sentry type subject within the seat. Thus a need exists for a seat cover whose features give the seat a unique appearance as well as providing the look of a sentry within the seat. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention involves a seat cover for use with a seat having a seat back and seat bottom comprising a front panel, an attachment between the front panel and the seat back, and a hood portion securable to the front panel, wherein the hood portion can be positioned to the uppermost portion of the front panel thereby giving the seat cover the appearance of a hooded shirt. The invention can also comprise a rear panel connectable to the front panel, where the hood portion can be connected to the rear panel as well. The seat cover of the present invention can further comprise a base portion capable of covering a seat bottom. An attachment strap can be included with the present invention that is capable of connecting the front panel and the rear panel. The attachment strap can comprise at least one strap member securable to both the front panel and the rear panel. Alternatively, the attachment strap can comprise an elongated member. The elongated member can extend substantially along the length of the front panel and the rear panel, thereby giving the seat cover the appearance of a sleeved shirt. The seat cover can be used in conjunction with automotive seats, straight back chairs, easy chairs, and any other type of seat having a back and bottom. 
     The hood portion can be drawn back from the uppermost portion along the rear panel, thereby providing the capability of stowing objects within the hooded portion. The seat cover can further comprise a pocket attachable to the rear panel that is accessible on either of its sides. The pocket can have the appearance of a hand-warming pouch. Additionally the seat cover can include a logo. The combination of the hood portion and the sleeved shirt appearance can make it appear as though the seat contains a passenger when in fact it is empty. 
     An alternative embodiment of the present invention includes a seat cover for use with a seat having a seat back and seat bottom comprising, a front panel, a rear panel disposed substantially parallel to the front panel, and side panels substantially perpendicular to the front panel and the rear panel. Wherein the side panels extend along the length of the front panel and the rear panel and provide a connection member connecting the front panel to the rear panel. The combination of the front, rear, and side panels forms an enclosure suitable for receiving the seat back. Also included is a hood portion having a rim and a hollowed out section, where the hood portion is connectable to the uppermost portion of the front panel and rear panel along at least a portion of the rim. The seat cover of the alternative embodiment can further comprise a base portion capable of covering a seat bottom. Optionally, the panels can comprise elongated members that extend substantially along the length of the front panel and the rear panel, thereby giving the seat cover the appearance of a sleeved shirt. 
     Further, the hood portion of the seat cover can be positioned to the top of the seat cover, thereby giving the seat cover the appearance of a hooded shirt. Alternatively, the hood portion can be positioned along the rear panel, thereby providing a pouch within the hood portion capable of stowing objects within. A pocket can be included with the alternative invention attachable to the rear panel. The pocket can be accessible on either of its sides, the pocket thereby having the appearance of a hand-warming pouch. A logo can be included with the invention. The present invention therefore provides as one of its many advantages of giving a seat a unique appearance of a hooded sweatshirt that includes pockets and pouches. The present invention can also give a seat the impression that a sentry is disposed within the seat thereby deterring theft or possible assaults, especially when used in combination with an automobile seat. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  depicts a frontal perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  portrays a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings herein,  FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of a seat cover  12  covering a seat  10 . While the seat  10  of  FIG. 1  is an automobile seat, the seat cover  12  of the present invention is not limited to automotive seat covers, but can be used in combination with any type of seat having a back and bottom, such as straight back chairs, recliners, easy chairs, to name a few. For the purposes of disclosure herein, the front of the seat  10  describes the side of the seat where the individual using the seat would normally be situated. Similarly the base or bottom of the seat  10  generally describes the area on which the individual would typically be sitting and the rear of the seat  10  describes the area on the upright section of the seat on the opposite side of the front. The seat back generally refers to the upright portion of the seat  10  against which the person sitting in the chair would position his or her back and head. 
     The seat cover  12  includes a front panel  14  attachable to a rear panel  16 . The front panel  14  is substantially planar and formed to be positioned on the upright portion of a seat along the front portion of the seat  10 . The rear panel  16  is also substantially planar and is formed for positioning on the rear of the upright portion of the seat. The rear panel  16  is attachable to the front panel  14 , preferably along the outer periphery of the front panel  14  and the rear panel  16 . 
     Optionally, a logo  32  can be included on the front panel  14 , where the logo  32  can display a fanciful logo, sports team logo, a brand logo, or any other type of graphic design desired by the user. The material of the seat cover  12  can include any currently used materials, such as cotton, wool, leather, synthetic materials, and the like, or any later developed suitable materials. Additionally, the material of the seat cover  12  can be similar to or the same as the material used in the manufacture of typical sweat shirts. 
     Also included with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  is a hood portion  18  having an opening  19  on one of its ends that opens up into a hollowed out portion  20 . A rim  21  is disposed on the side of the hood portion  18  opposite the opening  19 . The hood portion  18  is attachable along the rim  21  to the upper portion  15  of the seat cover  12  on both the front panel  14  and the rear panel  16 . Preferably the hood portion  18  is attached to the front panel  14  in a “V” like pattern such that the apex of the V is at the lower most portion of the rim  21 , i.e. the V being pointed downwards. The apex of the V should be at or close to the vertical line  38  that vertically bisects the front panel  14 . The opening  19  of the hood portion  18  can be positioned forward (in a direction opposite to the position of the rear panel  16 ) to partially encompass the uppermost section  17  of the seat cover  12 . One of the many advantages of the present invention is that combining the V pattern of the rim  21  as above described along with the forward positioning of the hood portion  18  gives the seat cover  12  the overall appearance of a hooded sweatshirt. A seat  10  having the appearance of a hooded sweatshirt can provide an impression of a person sitting in the seat  10  when in fact the seat  10  is empty. In addition to the unique look this provides, the appearance of one or more persons in a seat can make an area more secure by giving the appearance of a sentry within the seat  10 . In one non-limiting example, the seat cover  12  of the present invention could deter potential car thieves if it appeared one or more persons were in an otherwise empty automobile as well as possibly preventing assaults of a single person within the automobile by giving the appearance of one or more passengers. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , the seat cover  12  of the present invention can further include a base portion  34  combinable with the bottom of a seat  10 . The base portion  34  is substantially planar and extends in a generally perpendicular direction from the lowermost portion of the front panel  14  along the periphery of the base of the seat  10 . The base portion  34  can be attachable to the remaining components of the seat cover  12 , or simply to the seat bottom itself. Securable along the outer perimeter of the base portion  34  is a base portion side panel  36  that extends downward from the base portion  34  to cover the side sections of the seat base. The manner of securing the base portion  34  to the seat base or the remaining portions of the seat cover  12  can include straps (not shown), hook and loop fasteners, snaps, straps and buckles, rings and hooks, or any other suitable securing methods or devices. 
     As previously noted, the front panel  14  is securable to the rear panel  16  along their outer periphery. With reference to the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the front panel  14  and rear panel  16  are directly affixed along their respective upper most portions ( 43  and  44 ) and along a portion of their sides ( 29  and  30 ). In the embodiments of  FIGS. 1 and 2  at least one side panel  24  is included that connects the front panel  14  to the rear panel  14  along the remaining portion of one of their sides ( 29  and  30 ). An additional side panel  24  can be included thereby connecting the front panel  14  to the rear panel  16  on their respective opposite sides ( 29  and  30 ). The side panel  24  of this embodiment of the invention is mostly planar and has an elongated shape, where the length of the side panel  24  extends substantially along the respective lengths of the front panel  14  and the rear panel  16 . 
     The width of the side panel  24  should be approximately the same as the width of the seat back that the seat cover  12  is being used with. Preferably the color of the side panel  24  should be different from the color of the front panel  14  and the rear panel  16  so that the side panel  24  is readily noticeable and distinguishable from both the front and rear panels ( 14  and  16 ). Being distinguishable from the front panel  14  and rear panel  16  can give the side panel  24  the appearance of a sleeve-like member thereby further enhancing the look of the seat cover  12  to simulate that of a sweatshirt. 
     It is preferred that the bottom most ends of the front and rear panels ( 14  and  16 ) be releasably connectable to one another as opposed to permanently affixed together. However, the bottom most ends of these panels ( 14  and  16 ) can be releasably connectable with devices such as straps (not shown), hook and loop fasteners, snaps, straps and buckles, rings and hooks, and the like. Optionally, as seen in  FIG. 3 , the entire outer perimeter of the front panel  14  and rear panel  16  can be connectable with one or more straps  22  disposed along their respective peripheries. These straps  22  can be sewn in, or can include hooks and loops, snaps, buckles, rings, or hooks. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown where the hood portion  18  is drawn down from the uppermost section  17  of the seat cover  14  and situated along the outer surface of the rear panel  16 . Being disposed in this manner creates a pouch like member within the hollowed out portion  20  of the hood portion  18  that is capable of receiving items for stowage within. Also provided on the rear panel  16  in this embodiment of the invention is a pocket  26  also capable of storing items within. Along its outer perimeter, the pocket  26  can be secured to the rear panel  16 . The pocket  26  can be secured to the rear panel  16  by sewing, snaps, rivets, or other suitable attachment devices. However, the pocket  26  is not secured to the rear panel  16  along its entire perimeter, but instead openings  28  are provided on both ends of the pocket  26  allowing access to the inside of the pocket  26  that allows for the storing and retrieval of objects within. One of the many advantages of the present invention involves the unique appearance of the pocket  26  combined with the capability of storing objects for a short or long duration with the ability of easy retrieval. The appearance of the pocket  26  combined with the hood portion  18 , the side panel  24 , and the sweatshirt like material of the seat cover  12  further provides a sweatshirt like appearance of the seat cover  12 . Furthermore, the advantages introduced by the pocket  26  of the present invention are readily apparent especially when the seat cover  12  is combined with an automobile seat during long journeys. That is, items can be stored in the pocket  26  prior to or during a journey and kept there for easy retrieval at a later desired time. 
     The present invention described herein, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been given for purposes of disclosure, numerous changes exist in the details of procedures for accomplishing the desired results. For example, a drawstring  40  can be included with the hood portion  18  via eyelets  41  formed onto the hood portion  18 . The drawstring  40  can further add to the look and appearance of a hooded sweatshirt as well as provide the capability of adjusting the size of the opening  19  of the hood portion  18 . These and other similar modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and are intended to be encompassed within the spirit of the present invention disclosed herein and the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 7