Chairs and seats – Combined – With electrical feature
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-18
2004-07-20
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Combined
With electrical feature
C297S184130, C297S184170
Reexamination Certificate
active
06764133
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an audio system, and, more specifically, to an audio system for a retractable canopy such as used with child strollers and rockers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One major challenge with children is to keep them comfortable and happy for an extended period of time. To this end, audio systems have been developed that can play music or other sounds that have a soothing effect on a child. Some of these audio systems use an audio source (such as a portable CD player, mini disc player, tape cassette player, MP3 player, or radio), speakers, and electrical leads.
One disadvantage of prior art audio systems is the use of electrical leads and speakers that are built into a child-carrying device, such as a child safety seat in a car. More particularly, child car seats typically have rigid plastic vertical side panels that face inward toward each other and confine the child's lateral movement to the seating area therebetween. The speakers are usually disposed toward the upper end of these side panels in the interior thereof with side panel apertures provided for emitting sound therefrom. Leads can extend internally across the backrest to connect the speakers and then down at least one of the side panels to connect to the audio source disposed in a recessed compartment molded into the plastic base of the seat. Only a jack at the end of the speaker line resides in the base compartment. Obviously, if the leads or speakers become defective, repair or replacement of the leads or speakers is difficult. The child device must be physically altered in order to remove the defective leads or speakers and to repair them or to replace them with new ones. Where the speakers and leads are incorporated between fabric layers of an apron adapted to fit over a child car seat, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,352 to Leal et al., there is the problem of how one is to clean or wash the apron without being able to remove these electrical components. As these aprons are typically in need of fairly regular cleanings, such as in a washing machine, it is clear that such a built-in audio system is not very practical.
Strollers lack rigid side panels akin to those in car seats. Instead, stroller frames support flexible fabric material when attached to the frame rods so that the child's weight generally conforms the fabric about their body, including at least partially on their sides and on opposite sides of the child's head. Probably because of the potential engagement of the fabric with the child's head, hard plastic speakers have not been built into the fabric thereat as has been done with child car seats, and the aprons therefor.
An extendible canopy is often provided for covering above the seating area. The canopy has support hoops or ribs that are pivotal for collapsing the fabric material therebetween when the canopy is retracted. The fabric is stretched and taut between the ribs when the canopy is in its full extended position. The canopy fabric is a single layer of material. Accordingly, with this construction and dynamic operational requirements, audio systems specifically adapted for use with strollers and canopies therefor have not been provided.
Accordingly, there is a need for an audio system that is adapted for use with a child stroller. It would also be desirable to provide an audio system that has conveniently replaceable components. More specifically, there is a need for an audio system that is well adapted for use with a canopy of a stroller or the like that can be extended and retracted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an audio system is provided that can be used with a child stroller or rocker, preferably with the canopy covering the seating thereof. It should be noted that the audio system of the present invention can be used with other child devices that employ a canopy that can be extended or retracted as by pivoting. In this regard, the preferred audio system is self-contained with the canopy in that the canopy preferably removably mounts to the child device and the audio system is carried by the canopy in pockets sewn or otherwise attached thereto and in which can be received speakers and an audio source, as will be described in more detail herein. Thus, in the preferred form, it is the canopy that carries the audio system allowing the separate fabric seat to be removed from, for instance, the stroller frame for washing, maintenance and the like. Further, the audio system allows for components of the system, e.g., speakers and speaker wires, to be easily removed or replaced without requiring alteration of the canopy itself.
The audio system herein may be used to accomplish several purposes. The audio system may be used to play soothing music to help settle an infant or help the infant get to sleep. In addition, the audio system may be used to play music to stimulate the musical talent of young children or to play educational CDs or tapes to enhance learning. The audio system may also be used to play CDs and tapes of stories or music to entertain the child.
As mentioned, in the preferred form, the audio system is associated with the canopy of the child stroller or rocker. The audio system generally includes an audio source, such as a portable CD player, mini disc player, tape cassette player, MP3 player, or radio; speakers; and an electrical lead for connecting the audio source and speakers. The speakers are contained in pockets located along the opposing outer sides of the canopy, and the speakers may be easily inserted in and removed from these pockets.
More specifically, the speaker sizing and pocket placement have been carefully coordinated and selected so that interference with normal operation of the canopy is substantially avoided while also providing optimum sound quality for being heard by a child in the seating area of the stroller, for example. Canopies are known that use arcuate support members or hoops sewn into the fabric at their front and rear ends, as well as one intermediate the canopy ends between which the single layer fabric material of the canopy is stretched as the canopy is extended over the seating area. The support members converge toward each other at their lower ends on opposite lower sides of the canopy. Their upper and arcuate portions are pivotally shifted closely adjacent to or against each other with the canopy retracted and are spaced from each other when it is extended. It is in the area between the support member upper portions that there is the greatest amount of fabric material for the pockets; however, this is generally too far up on the canopy to effectively convey sound from the speakers for the desired stereophonic effect to be heard therefrom in the seating area therebelow.
To this end, the audio system herein makes use of the area between the support members generally along their vertical runs below the top region of the canopy despite the lack of the canopy fabric surface area thereat by keeping the speaker assemblies including the housing therefor to a very compact size while not sacrificing too much, if at all, in the way of their sound quality. This allows the pockets to be smaller and to be attached to the canopy fabric between the converging vertical portions of the support members at an optimum location for providing the stereophonic effect, e.g., generally aligned with the vertical position of a typical child's head when a child is supported in the stroller's seating area. In addition, the small size speakers minimize the chance that the speakers will become clamped between the canopy support members as it is being retracted, and thus preventing full retraction of the canopy. Instead, with the small size pockets and speakers therein, the speakers and pockets will more likely tend to find their way into the portions of the folds of canopy fabric material as it collapses between the support members that are interior of the canopy and spaced from the portions of the support members that come into position closely adjac
Combi International Corporation
Cuomo Peter M.
Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery
Harris Stephanie
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