Child seat cushion for bicycles

Abstract

This product provides a bicycle child seat cushion that can be compactly folded and carried after the child has been removed from the child seat. [Solution] In a child seat cushion C for a bicycle, consisting of a seat portion 1, a back portion 2, and a hinge portion 3, the seat portion 1 and the back portion 2 are thickly filled with elastic foam material 8 between airtight surface layers 7, and the hinge portion 3 is provided with a weight-reducing section 3a where the surface layers 7 are overlapped and fixed together, and a thin-walled section 3b where elastic foam material 8 is thinly filled between the surface layers 7, so that the insides of the seat portion 1 and the back portion 2 are in communication through the inside of the thin-walled section 3b of the hinge portion 3. An air valve 4 is provided at the end of the back portion 2 or the seat portion 1 away from the hinge portion 3 to open or seal the inside between the communicating surface layers 7 to the outside space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cushion for a child seat that is attached to a child seat mounted on a bicycle, can be set only when a child is placed on the bicycle, and can be detached from the child seat and carried when the child is removed from the bicycle.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a child seat for a bicycle is used to move a child together on a bicycle. As this child seat, a front child seat attached to the handle at the front of the bicycle and a rear child seat attached to the carrier at the rear of the bicycle are known. <00000]1> Generally, a thin rubber sheet material is stretched on the seating surface of the child seat. If a child sits directly on such a seating surface, the child will be impacted when traveling on a rough road surface or passing through a step. Also, in a period when the summer sunlight is very strong, the child will directly touch the rubber seat material that has become hot. As a countermeasure, various cushions set on the child seat are commercially available.

[0004] For example, the applicant of the present application has proposed a cushion described in Patent Document 1. This cushion is composed of a seating portion placed on the seating surface of the child seat, a backrest portion in contact with the backrest surface, and a hinge portion that connects these with a slight interval so as to be freely bent and stretched. In the seating portion and the backrest portion, an elastic foam material such as urethane is thickly filled between the outer skins with the edges polymerized and fixed, and in the hinge portion, the outer skins are polymerized and fixed over the entire width.

[0005] Furthermore, the applicant has proposed a cushion described in Patent Document 2. This cushion features a mesh sheet made of mesh fabric stretched over the inside of a frame that is shaped like a U or U in plan view, with the seat and backrest respectively, allowing for ventilation of the seat and backrest, and is designed to be easily carried by folding it in half at the hinge after the child is taken out of the child seat to prevent theft. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-202720 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-29886 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The cushion described in Patent Document 1 has excellent cushioning properties, but when attempting to fold it in half at the hinge for transport, the elastic foam material on the parts of the seat and backrest facing the hinge interferes with each other, causing it to return to a flat state from its folded state, which is inconvenient for transport.

[0008] On the other hand, the cushion described in Patent Document 2 remains folded in half when detached from the child seat, but it is still bulky when stored in a bag, which means that not much other luggage can be stored inside the bag.

[0009] Furthermore, while these cushions have side recesses on both edges in the direction of connection between the seat and backrest to avoid interference with the child seat's lap belt, when set in a child seat equipped with a 5-point seat belt that includes a crotch belt, the crotch belt and the front edge of the seat may interfere, potentially compressing and deforming the seat. In addition, there is a concern that when removing a child from the child seat, the cushion may be dragged by the child and fall off the seat.

[0010] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a bicycle child seat cushion that can be set stably in a child seat while ensuring the comfort of the infant while seated, and that can be stored in a bag with other luggage in a compact manner after the infant has been removed from the child seat, in order to prevent theft and to be easily carried. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To solve the above problems, this invention provides a child seat cushion with the following configuration.

[0012] [Configuration 1] It is attached to the seat and backrest of the child seat, which is fixed to the bicycle, when in use, and can be detached from the child seat when not needed. A cushion for a bicycle child seat, comprising a seat portion that rests on the seat surface of the child seat, a back portion that contacts the backrest surface, and a hinge portion that flexibly connects the seat portion and the back portion, The seat portion and the back portion have airtight surfaces with their edges overlapped and fixed together, and a thick layer of elastic foam material is filled between them. The hinge portion is provided with a cutout section where the surfaces overlap and are fixed together, and a thin section where a thin layer of elastic foam material is filled between the surfaces. The interior of the space between the surface materials in the seat and backrest portions is in communication with the interior of the space between the surface materials in the thin portion of the hinge portion. A cushion for a bicycle child seat, characterized in that an air valve is provided at the end of the back portion or the seat portion away from the hinge portion, which opens or closes the interior between the communicating surfaces to the outside space. [Configuration 2] The cushion for a bicycle child seat according to configuration 1, characterized in that the weight-reducing portion of the hinge is located in the center in the width direction, and the thin-walled portions are located on both sides in the width direction, flanking the weight-reducing portion. [Configuration 3] The child seat cushion for a bicycle according to configuration 1, characterized in that a portion of the elastic foam material is not present around the mounting portion of the air valve. [Structure 4] The child seat cushion for a bicycle according to configuration 1, characterized in that the aforementioned air valve is equipped with a double-stopper type having a check valve. [Composition 5] A cushion for a bicycle child seat according to configuration 1, characterized in that side recesses are formed on both sides of the seat and back portions in the direction of connection to avoid interference with the child seat's waist belt, and a front recess is formed in the center of the front edge of the seat portion to avoid interference with the child seat's crotch belt. [Composition 6] A cushion for a bicycle child seat, characterized in that a connecting string for tying to the crotch belt of the child seat is attached to the overlapping and fixing portion of the surface material that forms the edge of the seat surface portion facing the front recess of the seat surface portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The child seat cushion for bicycles according to this invention can be filled with elastic foam material of sufficient thickness over almost the entire surface except for the areas where the air valves are located on the seat and backrest, thus providing excellent cushioning and heat insulation. This allows infants to sit without feeling hot even during periods of very strong sunlight, and protects them from unpleasant impacts when the bicycle is traveling on rough roads or passing over bumps.

[0014] After removing the child from the child seat, the child seat can be detached, the air valve opened, and the child seat rolled up. The air contained in the elastic foam material is then pushed out into the outside space through the air valve, even from the part away from the valve. When the air valve is closed, the child seat is held in a compact, round shape, so it can be stored in a bag with other luggage and carried around, thus preventing theft.

[0015] Also, in the hinge part, if thin-walled parts through which air passes are positioned on both sides in the width direction, when rolling it into a roll shape, air is smoothly and evenly pushed out from both sides in the width direction.

[0016] Further, if a portion where no elastic foam material exists is provided around the attachment part of the air plug, the air plug will be in a state of being immersed in the elastic foam material, and when an infant sits, the infant will not feel a foreign object sensation due to the presence of the air plug.

[0017] In addition, when using a double stopper type having a check valve as the air plug, when restoring from the rolled state, if the swelling of the elastic foam material is insufficient, the exhaled air can be blown in to further swell it.

[0018] Also, if side recesses on both side edges for avoiding interference with the waist belt of the child seat and a front recess for avoiding interference with the crotch belt are formed, when set on a child seat equipped with a 5-point seat belt, the seating surface is held so as not to move to an inappropriate position, and the child seat can be set in a stable state.

[0019] In addition, if a connecting string to the crotch belt is attached to the portion facing the front recess of the seating surface and the connecting string is tied to the crotch belt when set on the child seat, when lowering the infant from the child seat, the phenomenon that the cushion is dragged by the infant and falls off the child seat can be prevented.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] Perspective view showing the state where the cushion according to an embodiment of this invention is set on a child seat of a bicycle as seen from the upper left front [Figure 2] Left side view of the state shown in FIG. 1 [Figure 3] Perspective view of the cushion as above [Figure 4] Plan view of the cushion as above [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 4 [Figure 6]Figure 4, section VI-VI [Figure 7] A longitudinal cross-sectional side view showing the seat and back of the cushion shown above bent along the hinge. [Figure 8] A partial plan view showing the same cushion's connecting straps tied to the crotch strap of a bicycle child seat. [Figure 9] A perspective view showing the process of rolling up the cushion shown above into a roll shape. [Figure 10] A perspective view showing the cushion shown above stored in its storage bag. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] Figures 1 and 2 show the cushion C according to this invention set in a rear child seat S attached to the rear of a bicycle. This child seat S is equipped with a five-point seat belt that attaches a pair of left and right shoulder belts 11 and a waist belt 12 to a buckle 14 at the end of a crotch belt 13 extending from below.

[0022] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the cushion C has a seat portion 1 and a back portion 2 connected via a hinge portion 3, and an air valve 4 is provided at one corner of the back portion 2 away from the hinge portion 3. The seat portion 1 and the back portion 2 are flexible and extendable between a state where they are unfolded on the same plane, as shown in Figure 5, and a state where they form an angle of approximately 90°, as shown in Figure 7.

[0023] Side recesses 5 are formed on both sides of the seat portion 1 and back portion 2 in the direction of connection, so that they can be constricted at the hinge portion 3, and a front recess 6 is formed in the center of the front edge of the seat portion 1.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, the seat portion 1 and the back portion 2 are thickly filled with elastic foam material 8 between airtight surface layers 7 whose edges are overlapped and fixed. Although not shown in the figure, a core material made of cardboard or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) sheet material is also installed inside the elastic foam material 8 to provide a certain degree of rigidity.

[0025] The hinge portion 3 is provided with a weight-reducing section 3a where the surface layers 7 are overlapped and fixed together, as shown in Figure 5, and a thin-walled section 3b where elastic foam material 8 is filled between the surface layers 7 to a thinner degree than the seat portion 1 and the back portion 2, as shown in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 4, the weight-reducing section 3a is located in the center in the width direction, and the thin-walled section 3b is located on both sides in the width direction, flanking the weight-reducing section 3a.

[0026] Furthermore, the interior spaces between the upholstery 7 in the seat portion 1 and the back portion 2 are in communication via the interior spaces between the upholstery 7 in the thin portion 3b of the hinge portion 3.

[0027] The outer skin 7 is made of a composite material of PVC and nylon fabric. Two layers of the outer skin 7 are layered on top of each other, extending across the seat portion 1, back portion 2, and hinge portion 3. With the PVC layer facing inward, the outer skins 7 are bonded together by high-frequency welding at the periphery of the seat portion 1 and back portion 2 and the cutout portion 3a of the hinge portion 3.

[0028] The elastic foam material 8 used is a combination of low-rebound urethane foam and PE (polyethylene) foam.

[0029] A double-stopper type air valve with a check valve is used as the air valve 4. Furthermore, an annular section without elastic foam material 8 is provided around the mounting part of the air valve 4 on the back portion 2. The air valve 4 may also be provided on the seat portion 1.

[0030] Furthermore, a connecting strap 9 for attaching to the crotch belt 13 of the child seat S is attached to a hole drilled in the overlapping and fixing portion of the surface material 7 that forms the edge of the front recess 6 of the seat surface 1.

[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, when moving a child on a bicycle equipped with a child seat S, the cushion C described above is set on the child seat S by bending the seat portion 1 and the back portion 2 around the hinge portion 3, placing the seat portion 1 on the seat surface of the child seat S, and bringing the back portion 2 into contact with the backrest surface of the child seat S.

[0032] Cushion C does not have a specific front or back side, so either side can be in contact with the infant. It is recommended to color-code the outer layer 7 according to which side faces the infant.

[0033] In this set, cushion C has side recesses 5 on both edges to avoid interference with the lap belt 12 of the child seat S, and a front recess 6 to avoid interference with the crotch belt 13. As a result, cushion C is held in place so that the seat portion 1 does not move to an appropriate position, and can be set in a stable state on the child seat S.

[0034] When a child is placed on cushion C, which is set in child seat S, cushion C is filled with elastic foam material 8 of sufficient thickness over almost its entire surface, except for the areas where the air valves 4 on the seat surface 1 and backrest 2 are located. This provides excellent cushioning and heat insulation, so the child can sit without feeling hot even during periods of very strong sunlight, and is protected from unpleasant impacts when the bicycle is traveling on rough roads or going over bumps.

[0035] Furthermore, since there is a section around the mounting part of the air valve 4 where the elastic foam material 8 is absent, the air valve 4 becomes immersed in the elastic foam material 8, and when a child sits down, they do not feel any foreign object sensation due to the presence of the air valve 4.

[0036] On the other hand, upon arriving at the destination and removing the infant from the child seat S, when the cushion C is detached from the child seat S, the cushion C returns to its original state, as shown in Figure 3, with the seat portion 1 and the back portion 2 unfolded on the same plane, due to the rebound of the hinge portion 3.

[0037] Furthermore, when setting cushion C in the child seat S, as shown in Figure 8, tying the connecting strap 9 to the crotch belt 13 of the child seat S prevents the cushion C from being dragged by the child and falling off the child seat S when the child is taken out of the child seat S.

[0038] Then, as shown in Figure 9, when the air valve 4 on the back portion 2 is opened and the cushion C is rolled up, as shown in Figure 4, the thin-walled portion 3b through which air passes is located on both sides in the width direction of the hinge portion 3, so that the air contained in the elastic foam material 8 is smoothly and evenly pushed out into the outside space through the air valve 4, even from the portion away from the air valve 4.

[0039] Afterward, when the air valve 4 is closed, the cushion C is held in a compact, round shape. In this state, as shown in Figure 10, it can be stored in a separately prepared storage bag 10 as needed and carried in a bag with other luggage. This prevents theft of the cushion C even when the bicycle is left unattended.

[0040] Furthermore, when putting the child on the bicycle again, opening the air valve 4 of cushion C, which has been taken out of the bag, allows air to flow into the backrest 2, hinge 3, and seat 1 through the air valve 4, causing the elastic foam material 8 to inflate and cushion C to return to the state shown in Figure 3.

[0041] In this embodiment, since a double-stopper type air valve with a check valve is used as the air valve 4, if the elastic foam material 8 does not expand sufficiently when restoring the cushion C from a rolled-up state, it is possible to further expand it by blowing exhaled air through the air valve 4.

[0042] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] C Cushion S Child Seat 1 Seat part 2 Back part 3. Hinge section 3a Weight reduction section 3b Thin wall part 4. Air valve 5 Side recess 6 Front recess 7 Epidermis 8. Elastic foam material 9 Connecting cord 10 storage bags 11 Shoulder straps 12 Waist belt 13 Crotch belt 14 Buckles

Claims

1. It is attached to the seat and backrest of the child seat, which is fixed to the bicycle, when in use, and can be detached from the child seat when not needed. A cushion for a bicycle child seat, comprising a seat portion that rests on the seat surface of the child seat, a back portion that contacts the backrest surface, and a hinge portion that flexibly connects the seat portion and the back portion, The seat portion and the back portion have airtight surfaces with their edges overlapped and fixed together, and a thick layer of elastic foam material is filled between them. The hinge portion is provided with a cutout section where the surfaces overlap and are fixed together, and a thin section where a thin layer of elastic foam material is filled between the surfaces. The interior of the space between the surface materials in the seat and backrest portions is in communication with the interior of the space between the surface materials in the thin portion of the hinge portion. A cushion for a bicycle child seat, characterized in that an air valve is provided at the end of the back portion or the seat portion away from the hinge portion, which opens or closes the interior between the communicating surfaces to the outside space.

2. The cushion for a child seat of a bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that the weight-reducing portion of the hinge is located in the center in the width direction, and the thin-walled portions are located on both sides in the width direction, flanking the weight-reducing portion.

3. The child seat cushion for a bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that a portion of the elastic foam material is not present around the mounting portion of the air valve.

4. The child seat cushion for a bicycle according to claim 1, characterized in that the air valve is equipped with a double stopper type having a check valve.

5. The cushion for a bicycle child seat according to claim 1, characterized in that side recesses are formed on both sides of the seat and back portions in the direction of connection to avoid interference with the child seat's waist belt, and a front recess is formed in the center of the front edge of the seat portion to avoid interference with the child seat's crotch belt.

6. The cushion for a child seat on a bicycle, characterized in that a connecting string for tying to the crotch belt of the child seat is attached to the overlapping and fixing portion of the surface material that forms the edge of the front recess of the seat surface.

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