Blanket for placement upon an infant secured in a seat and method of use

Abstract

A blanket for placement upon an infant in a seat and method having sleeves and an open back construction as well as stabilization means is provided that it can be readily donned upon an infant buckled within a seat without the need to adjust safety straps. The travel blanket includes a base section constructed with a base periphery integrated with base stabilization means therein for securing the base section of the blanket onto an outer, exterior bottom portion of the seat. Lateral sections of the travel blanket further include lateral perimeters appointed for aiding in securing the lateral sections over the infant, without wrapping the torso of the infant. Construction of the travel blanket ensures a significant amount of coverage over the entire body of the infant that does not lend to shifting, zero wrapping of the infant's body/torso, and minimal jostling of the infant when applied.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a blanket for placement upon an infant buckled in a seat and method of using same; and more particularly, to a travel blanket having sleeves and an open back construction as well as stabilization means so that the blanket can be placed upon and worn by an infant buckled in a seat and secured to the exterior sides and bottom of the seat to prevent shifting while avoiding any need for adjusting the safety straps and disturbing the infant.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]Laws involving installation and use of child car seats are quite complex and rigorously enforced. Proper installation and fit compel that only one or two finger widths of leeway separate the car seat straps from the body of a child positioned therewithin. This rather “tight” fit is required to assure the safety of a child riding in a car seat. During winter months or cold, damp conditions, it is difficult to prope...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]In operation, the left and right sleeve members receive the arms of the infant and the collar member and the central section rest against the infant's neck, chest, front torso, legs and feet. The lateral sections and base section extend over the infant and the seat and, in a first aspect of the invention, become disposed over the exterior and sides of the seat. In a second, optional, aspect of the invention, the lateral sections and base section are adapted to be secured onto the exterior or outside of the seat. The latter construction facilitates avoiding any need for adjusting the safety straps and jostling, struggling with or otherwise disturbing the infant, while providing a warm, safe environment for the infant during travel.

[0016]A method of keeping an infant warm when traveling secured in a seat is provided. The method includes the steps of: (i) placing an infant in a seat, such as a car seat or stroller, and securing the child within the seat by way of safety straps; (ii) covering the infant with a travel blanket, the travel blanket comprising: a central section, lateral sections, a base section, and a collar member arranged to fo

Problems solved by technology

Laws involving installation and use of child car seats are quite complex and rigorously enforced.

During winter months or cold, damp conditions, it is difficult to properly place a child within a car seat, owing to the presence of winter clothing such as jump suits, jackets and the like.

Several blanket-sacs, buntings and bag-like articles have been provided for keeping infants warm when sleeping in a crib or cradle, but these blanket-sacs are not and can not readily function as travel blankets in car seats and strollers.

These garments, sac/bag-like articles are not capable of functioning in conjunction with a car seat or stroller and would interfere with proper safety strapping procedures.

As a result, attempting to utilize these sacs/bag-like articles during travel in a car seat (or stroller) would require the child to be inserted into the blanket, placed into the car seat, and the safety straps of the car seat adjusted for awkward and improper buckling as these bag-like articles do not adequately provide entry pointes for proper placement of the safety straps.

Again, these articles are arranged to be utilized in a crib or cradle and are not capable of functioning, or adequately constructed, in conjunction with a car seat or stroller as these articles would interfere with safety straps.

As a result, attempting to utilize these articles during travel in a car seat (or stroller) would require the child to be inserted into the garment, placed into the car seat, and the safety straps of the car seat adjusted for awkward and improper buckling as these articles do not adequately provide entry pointes for proper placement of the safety straps and are not travel blankets.

Therefore, any application of the sleeved-bib articles as a blanket would be thwarted as a bib does not cover an infant's legs and does not provide a large enough surface area on lateral edges to offer blanket coverage to an infant's torso.

Such car seat coverings must be applied to the seat before the infant is placed therein, and cannot be removed from the seat when the infant is lifted out.

Further, the infant can readily kick or pull on the blanket flap portion and expose himself/herself to the cold, or cause pooling of the flap near the infant's face thereby posing a suffocation risk to which the parent would not be aware

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