Kart kozy

Abstract

An apparatus for providing a safe and comfortable place for an infant or small child to lie down in a shopping cart includes a cushioned mat and one or more of an optional integrated blanket, an optional integrated pillow, and an optional integrated strap adapted to secure the apparatus once it has been rolled up. The strap may double as a handle and may allow a user to insert their hand and part of their arm through the strap, thus freeing the user's hands for other items. The cushioned mat may be oversized so that when placed in the bottom of the interior of a major compartment of a shopping cart, a portion of the cushioned mat may fold in a manner so as to form bumpers along the sides of the interior of the major compartment of the shopping cart.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention is related in general to the field of baby and infant comfort and protection devices. In particular, this invention is a comfortable cushion adapted to be placed in a shopping cart to facilitate the placement of an infant or small child.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]Parents and other persons responsible for the care of infants or small children often take their children to grocery stores and other shopping centers. Because small children, including infants, are easily injured, these parents and caregivers are reluctant to place their children in a metal wire-frame shopping cart as the sides and bottoms of the cart would be uncomfortable or potentially harmful to the child. Accordingly, most parents that shop with a small child simply hold the child in their arms while they shop, which is very uncomfortable and tiring, or leave the child in a portable carrier placed into the shopping cart. One...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]And in yet another embodiment of the invention, a strap is attached to the cushioned mat, thereby become integrated with the cushioned mat, whereby the strap both secures the cushioned mat when it is rolled up but also provides a convenient handle through whish a parent or caregiver may insert their arm, thus allowing them to hold or carry the cushioned mat while leaving their hands free to carry other items.

Problems solved by technology

Because small children, including infants, are easily injured, these parents and caregivers are reluctant to place their children in a metal wire-frame shopping cart as the sides and bottoms of the cart would be uncomfortable or potentially harmful to the child.

Accordingly, most parents that shop with a small child simply hold the child in their arms while they shop, which is very uncomfortable and tiring, or leave the child in a portable carrier placed into the shopping cart.

One problem with leaving the child in a portable carrier is that the child is usually positioned in a sitting position rather than a more comfortable lying-down position.

However, these solutions still suffer from an inability of the infant or child to lie down.

Additionally, unless the seat cushion includes significant support, an infant will most likely fall over if placed in a sitting position in a shopping cart seat cushion.

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