US 7,681,292 B2Granted

Method of reducing and uniformly distributing compressive forces on an automobile seat

AssigneePrince Lionheart, Inc.

InventorsThomas E. McConnell, Michael E. Henley

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Abstract

There is provided a seat cover for accommodating a child safety chair upon a seat. The seat cover comprises a lower protective member which is disposable upon a seating portion of the seat. This lower member can accommodate the child safety chair when positioned in a rearward-facing direction to prevent it from permanently compressing the seating portion. The seat cover further comprises an upper protective member that is disposable against a seat-back portion of the seat. This upper member is selectively attachable with and detachable from the lower member. By doing so, the upper member can further prevent the chair from permanently compressing the seat-back portion when it is repositioned in a forward-facing direction and placed in contact therewith.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of reducing and uniformly distributing compressive forces on an automobile seat resulting from the presence of a child safety seat situated thereon, the method comprising:

positioning a lower protective member on a seat bottom section of an automobile seat, the lower protective member comprising a lower cushioned portion and being configured to generally conform to the shape of an adjacent surface of an automobile seat;
and
wherein the lower protective member is configured to be positioned on an automobile seat when a child safety seat has a rear-facing or a forward-facing orientation;
positioning an upper protective member on a seat back section of an automobile seat, the upper protective member comprising an upper cushioned portion and being configured to generally conform to the shape of an adjacent surface of an automobile seat;
wherein the upper protective member is separable from and non-integral with the lower protective member and is configured to be positioned on an automobile seat when a child safety seat has a forward-facing orientation;
wherein the upper protective member remains generally vertically against a seat back section of an automobile seat when no child safety seat is situated thereon;
wherein the upper protective member is configured to be selectively positioned adjacent to the lower protective member;
and
selectively removing the upper protective member, leaving only the lower protective member on a seat bottom section when a rear-facing child safety seat is positioned on the lower protective member.

6 more elements

A method of reducing compressive forces on an automobile seat resulting from the presence of a child safety seat positioned thereon, the method comprising:

providing a lower protective member of a seat cover upon a seat bottom section of an automobile seat, the lower protective member comprising a lower cushioned portion and being configured to be situated between a child safety seat and a seat bottom section of an automobile seat when a child safety seat is placed on the lower protective member in a rear-facing orientation;
positioning the lower protective member on a seat bottom section of an automobile seat;
placing a child safety seat at least partially against the lower protective member of the seat cover in a rear-facing orientation;
compressively securing a child safety seat onto the lower protective member;
distributing the compressive forces substantially uniformly upon a seat bottom section of an automobile seat;
providing an upper protective member of the seat cover upon an seat back section of an automobile seat, the upper protective member comprising an upper cushioned portion and being configured to be situated between a child safety seat and a seat back section of an automobile seat when a child safety seat is placed on the upper protective member in a forward-facing orientation;
positioning the upper protective member on a seat back section of an automobile seat;
and
placing a child safety seat at least partially against the upper protective member of the seat cover in a forward-facing orientation.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/748,452Filed 14 May 2007 · division
Priority: 1 May 2002
Published: US 2007/0210627 A113 Sep 2007
Granted: 23 Mar 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B60N 2/28
For children: seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
B60N 2/60
Seat coverings: removable protective coverings
Y10T 29/481
Upholstered article making: method
B60N
Seats specially adapted for vehicles

Family

Application10/136,507Parent of this continuation · filed 1 May 2002
Application10/818,759Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Apr 2004
US 6,786,546 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Sep 2004
Application11/291,431Parent of this division · filed 1 Dec 2005
US 2007/0210627 A1Pre-grant publication · published 13 Sep 2007
US 7,422,278 B2Parent of this division
Application11/291,431Parent of this continuation
US 2003/0205921 A1Published application
US 2004/0189067 A1Published application
US 2006/0082196 A1Published application
US 7,681,292 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.