Apparel – Body garments – Bag type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-07
2001-08-14
Vanatta, Amy B. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Body garments
Bag type
C002S075000, C005S494000, C005S655000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272683
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to buntings or blankets for children. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bunting for use with seats such as the seats of strollers, carriages, bicycles, car seats, and other seats.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically infants and young children are placed in seats of strollers or carriages for walking by their parents or guardians. Children also often ride in car seats and other vehicular seats as well as being placed in various types of non-vehicular seats. In cold or in inclement weather, children are wrapped in blankets or buntings prior to their outing and are then placed on the seat. Seats typically have various designs of three point or five point harnesses or straps such as a waist strap, a shoulder strap and a crotch strap attached thereto and a strap connector. Typically only the waist strap is fastened around the blanket in an attempt to securely hold the child in place. A problem is that a child wrapped in a blanket cannot be properly restrained because there is no convenient provision in the blanket for the crotch strap of the seat for adequately positioning between the child's legs whereby the child is inadequately held in place by only the waist strap. If the child is not securely fastened to the seat, the child can tumble out of the seat and become injured. Another problem is that the blanket cannot provide adequate body coverage for the child and can dislodge and may become entangled in the wheels of a vehicle such as a stroller and become soiled or damaged.
A practical bunting, for which there is an unfulfilled need, wherein the bunting capable of being selectively retained in a seat with either a three point harness or a five point harness so that the bunting remains in the seat after the child is removed and a bunting which permits the bunting to be opened without unstrapping the child or without unduly exposing the child to the elements and cold drafts, is not available.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,458 to Lesesne, shows a bunting for a seat with a drawstring hood with flaps and a drawstring on the bottom edge. A single zipper completely separates the bunting to access the interior. A disadvantage of this patent is that drawstrings can be dangerous for use with children who can become entangled in them and can be choked to death. Also, the single zipper which completely separates the bunting to access the interior unduly allows the child to be exposed to the elements and to cold drafts and also prevents partial tending to the child's lower body such as the legs, for example. Furthermore, no provision for or recognition of the need for shoulder straps is addressed, thereby making the design unsafe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,061 to Kenner discloses a protective garment type of cover for carriages having arm openings and a music system similar, in some respects, to the previous mentioned design. A problem with Kenner's garment is that the provided arm openings expose a child's arms and hands to the elements. Also, Kenner's garment is designed to fit over handles of a carriage which makes it cumbersome to install as well as making it impractical for use on a seat with straps. Furthermore, the use of a music system adds to the cost of the design.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,766 to Benway discloses a stroller blanket, similar to the previous designs, which is attached to handles and to the frame of the stroller which is cumbersome to use, costly to manufacture and impractical for use independently without the stroller.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,738 to Menditto discloses a stroller blanket of a generally rectangular shape; U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,724 to Barnes discloses a multi-purpose baby wrap made from a full sized baby blanket; U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,095 to Schneider discloses a multi-function baby wrap and U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,885 to Lunt discloses a one-piece infant bunting with hook and loop fasteners.
None of the above prior art devices disclose a bunting for a seat with a draft shield and a bunting with a sealed bottom which does not completely separate and one which allows dual accessing of the child therein via a zipper means and a bunting which may be readily and selectively detachable from the seat and a bunting which is not necessarily associated with a seat and a bunting which is simple in design and is easy to use.
In view of the above mentioned problems and limitations associated with conventional bunting and blankets, it was recognized by the present inventors that there is an unfulfilled need for an improved bunting for attachment to a seat which is simple in design, practical, fun to use and is economically manufactured and which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved bunting which is conveniently usable with child seats having modern harnesses such as crotch straps, shoulder straps and waist straps which avoids the aforementioned problems of prior art devices.
It is an object of the instant invention to provide a bunting which may be manufactured from readily available materials by conventional manufacturing processes.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a bunting that is simple in design, simple to manufacture, low in cost and fun to use.
It is another object of this invention to provide a bunting which provides extensive freedom of movement to a child enveloped therein, from which the child may be readily removed.
It is a still a further object of this invention to provide a draft shield thereon the bunting.
It is a further object to provide means to readily open the bunting in order to tend to the child's needs or to remove the child therefrom.
It is a still a further object of this invention to provide a bunting which can be used independently of the seat to protect the child from the elements.
Further objects will become apparent from the following description and claims.
This invention results from the realization that there is a great need for an improved bunting. The resulting invention provides a user the capability of conveniently being able to have a child kept warm and safely positioned on a seat without the problem of the child falling out of the seat as well as the problem of separating the bunting and the risk of detaching it from the seat since the bunting may remain on the seat after the child is removed from the seat.
The above and the other objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention, which, according to a first aspect, provides a bunting which attaches to a seat such as, but not limited to, a stroller, and a bunting that protects a child from the elements. The bunting, fabricated from a material blank for wrapping about the child, has a front with a first edge and a second edge centrally disposed thereon; a back having disposed thereon a pair of first slots positioned near a top edge of the material blank for receiving a shoulder strap of the seat therethrough, a third slot positioned near a bottom edge of the material blank between the first pair of slots for receiving a crotch strap of the seat therethrough and a pair of second slots positioned between the first pair of slots and the third slot near a first side edge and a second side edge of the material blank for receiving a waist strap of the seat therethrough. A draft shield is attached to the first edge of the material blank and a hood is attached to the top edge of the material blank. Means for fastening the first edge and the second edge of the material blank for closing the material blank about the child are provided, such as a zipper. The zipper extends from the top edge to near the bottom edge of the material blank without extending beyond the bottom edge leaving the material blank intact and inseparable. The zipper has a pair of tabs which allows partial access to the child when tending is necessary without the need to completely unzip the full length of the zipper allowing the child to be tended without exposure to cold drafts when the child is i
Symms Tracy M.
Walbridge Steven S.
Birkner Joseph R.
Vanatta Amy B.
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