CARRIER STRAP ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN ASSOCIATION WITH AN INFANT SAFETY SEAT

Abstract

A carrier strap assembly, including: (a) a strap member; (b) a shoulder pad; (c) a length adjustment member; (d) an elastic storage loop; and (e) wherein the carrier strap member enables a user to carry his/her infant in a safety seat in a simple and ergonomic manner.

Claims

1. A carrier strap assembly, comprising: a strap member, wherein the strap member comprises a primary loop and a secondary loop, and wherein the secondary loop is stitched closed and unopenable; a shoulder pad; a length adjustment member; an elastic storage loop; and wherein the carrier strap assembly enables a user to carry his/her infant in a safety seat in a simple and ergonomic manner.

2. (canceled)

3. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the primary loop of the strap member is adjustable.

4. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the secondary loop of the strap member is non-adjustable.

5. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the secondary loop of the strap member emanates contiguously from the primary loop of the strap member.

6. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the primary loop and the secondary loop of the strap member are separated from each other via a double layered stitching section.

7. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the shoulder pad is associated with the primary adjustable loop.

8. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the length adjustment member comprises a slide buckle.

9. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 8, wherein the slide buckle is associated with the primary adjustable loop.

10. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elastic storage loop is positioned external to the primary adjustable loop.

11. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elastic storage loop is secured to a first end of the strap member.

12. The carrier strap assembly according to claim 1, wherein the strap member is fabricated from natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cotton, wool, rayon, nylon, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyester, saran, spandex, vinalon, nomex, kevlar, twaron, lyocell, zylon, and/or vectran.

13. A carrier strap assembly, consisting of: a strap member, wherein the strap member is fabricated from polypropylene and includes a primary loop and a secondary loop, wherein the primary loop of the strap member is adjustable, and the secondary loop of the strap member is stitched closed, unopenable, and non-adjustable, and wherein the secondary loop of the strap member emanates contiguously from the primary loop of the strap member; a shoulder pad, wherein the shoulder pad is associated with the primary adjustable loop; a length adjustment member, wherein the length adjustment member includes a slide buckle, and wherein the slide buckle is associated with the primary adjustable loop; an elastic storage loop, wherein the elastic storage loop is positioned external to the primary adjustable loop and wherein the elastic storage loop is secured to a first end of the strap member; and wherein the carrier strap assembly enables a user to carry his/her infant in a safety seat in a simple and ergonomic manner.

14. A carrier strap assembly in combination with an infant safety seat, comprising: the carrier strap assembly comprising: a strap member having a primary loop and a secondary loop, wherein the secondary loop is stitched closed and unopenable; a shoulder pad; a length adjustment member; and an elastic storage loop; and the infant safety seat comprising: a body, wherein the body is adapted to contain an infant; a handle; and wherein the carrier strap assembly is releasably secured to the handle of the infant safety seat via a slip knot formed using the primary and secondary loops of the strap member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Certain embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by the accompanying figures. It will be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale and that details not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may be omitted.

[0030] It will be further understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

[0031] The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0032] FIG. 1 of the drawings is a side view of a first embodiment of a carrier strap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 2 of the drawings is a top view of the carrier strap assembly of FIG. 1 ;

[0034] FIG. 3 of the drawings is a bottom view of the carrier strap assembly of FIG. 1 ;

[0035] FIG. 4 of the drawings is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the carrier strap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention, showing a user wearing the carrier strap assembly attached to an infant safety seat;

[0036] FIG. 5 of the drawings is a side view of a first embodiment of the carrier strap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention, showing a user wearing the carrier strap assembly attached to an infant safety seat; and

[0037] FIG. 6 of the drawings is a side view of a first embodiment of a carrier strap assembly manufactured in accordance with the present invention, shown in a storage configuration using the elastic storage loop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms and applications, there are shown in the drawings and described herein in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.

[0039] It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings by like reference characters. In addition, it will be understood that the drawings are merely schematic representations of one or more embodiments of the invention, and some of the components may have been distorted from their actual scale for purposes of pictorial clarity.

[0040] Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGS. 1-3 in particular, a first embodiment of carrier strap or harness assembly 10 is shown as generally comprising strap member 12, shoulder pad 14, length adjustment member 16 (e.g., slide buckle), elastic storage loop 18.

[0041] In accordance with the present invention, carrier strap assembly 10 enables a user to carry his/her infant in a safety seat in a simple and ergonomic manner.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the strap member comprises primary closed loop 20 and a secondary closed loop 22. Primary loop 20 of strap member 12 is adjustable (using length adjustment member 16) and secondary loop 22 of strap member 12 is non-adjustable. As is best shown in FIG. 1, secondary loop 22 of the strap member preferably emanates contiguously from primary loop 20 of the strap member. As is best shown in FIGS. 1-3, primary loop 20 and secondary loop 22 of strap member 12 are separated from each other via double layered stitching section 24.

[0043] Strap member 12 is preferably fabricated from natural fibers, synthetic fibers, cotton, wool, rayon, nylon, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyester, saran, spandex, vinalon, nomex, kevlar, twaron, lyocell, zylon, and/or vectran.

[0044] Shoulder pad 14 is associated with primary adjustable loop 20. It will be understood that shoulder pad 14 may be woven, stitched, glued, or secured to loop 20 using any one of a number of conventional techniques.

[0045] Carrier strap assembly 10 also includes length adjustment member 16. In one embodiment, the length adjustment member comprises a buckle, such as a slide buckle. In this embodiment, the slide buckle is preferably associated with primary adjustable loop 20.

[0046] In accordance with the present invention, carrier strap assembly 10 further optionally includes elastic storage loop 18 which is positioned external to primary adjustable loop 20. In this embodiment, elastic storage loop 18 is preferably secured to first end 26 of strap member 12. Strap member 12 also includes second end 28, inner surface 30, and outer surface 32. Strap member 12 is preferably fabricated from a single piece of material that is approximately five to ten feet long and formed via stitching where appropriate.

[0047] Referring now to FIGS. 4-5, the present invention is further directed to a carrier strap assembly in combination with an infant safety seat, comprising: carrier strap assembly 10 comprising: a strap member having a primary loop and a secondary loop; a shoulder pad; a length adjustment member; and an optional elastic storage loop; and infant safety seat 34 comprising: body 36, wherein the body is adapted to contain an infant; and handle 38. Carrier strap assembly 10 is releasably secured to handle 38 of the infant safety seat via a knot (e.g., slip-type) formed using the primary and secondary loops of the strap member. In particular, the secondary loop is positioned under the handle and the primary loop is inserted through the secondary loop until the strap assembly is taught against the handle of the safety seat.

[0048] As is shown in FIG. 6, elastic storage loop 18 can be used to keep carrier strap assembly 10 organized during storage and/or non-use.

[0049] The carrier strap assembly of the present invention allows a user to distribute the weight of the infant and safety seat over a broad area, thus relieving strain to the musculoskeletal system of the user.

[0050] The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0051] While certain embodiments have been illustrated and described, it should be understood that changes and modifications can be made therein in accordance with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the technology in its broader aspects as defined in the following claims.

[0052] The embodiments, illustratively described herein may suitably be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations, not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” etcetera shall be read expansively and without limitation. Additionally, the terms and expressions employed herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claimed technology. Additionally, the phrase “consisting essentially of” will be understood to include those elements specifically recited and those additional elements that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed technology. The phrase “consisting of” excludes any element not specified.

[0053] The present disclosure is not to be limited in terms of the particular embodiments described in this application. Many modifications and variations can be made without departing from its spirit and scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Functionally equivalent methods and compositions within the scope of the disclosure, in addition to those enumerated herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing descriptions. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. The present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particular methods, reagents, compounds compositions or biological systems, which can of course vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting.

[0054] In addition, where features or aspects of the disclosure are described in terms of Markush groups, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group.

[0055] As will be understood by one skilled in the art, for any and all purposes, particularly in terms of providing a written description, all ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subranges and combinations of subranges thereof. Any listed range can be easily recognized as sufficiently describing and enabling the same range being broken down into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, tenths, etcetera. As a non-limiting example, each range discussed herein can be readily broken down into a lower third, middle third and upper third, etcetera. As will also be understood by one skilled in the art all language such as “up to,” “at least,” “greater than,” “less than,” and the like, include the number recited and refer to ranges which can be subsequently broken down into subranges as discussed above. Finally, as will be understood by one skilled in the art, a range includes each individual member.

[0056] All publications, patent applications, issued patents, and other documents referred to in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication, patent application, issued patent, or other document was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference in its entirety. Definitions that are contained in text incorporated by reference are excluded to the extent that they contradict definitions in this disclosure.

[0057] Other embodiments are set forth in the following claims.