Cooling sheet cover system and method

Abstract

A seat cover system for detachably connecting to a seat includes a main body and a cooling pack. The main body includes an upper end, a lower end, a first side, and a second side, the first side including a first gusset, and the second side including a second gusset. The cooling pack is housed in the main body. The seat cover system can be reconfigured from a rolled configuration to a sheet configuration and vice versa, and the first and second gussets are configured to prevent the seat cover system from being reconfigured from a sheet configuration to a flat configuration.

Description

[[TECHNICAL FIELD]]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority and benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 583,727, filed on September 19, 2023, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [[BACKGROUND ART]]

[0002] In general, participating in outdoor activities in a high-temperature environment means being exposed to excessive heat from direct sunlight and ambient temperature. This can cause discomfort, excessive sweating, and in extreme cases, safety issues. In this regard, seats in various outdoor environments such as stadiums and amphitheaters, seats in motor vehicles, portable chairs, and the like, are generally not suitable for maintaining an appropriate temperature for users, and thus are relatively uncomfortable in high-temperature environments. In some cases, for example, premium seats are provided in consideration of these problems, such as high-grade seats in sports stadiums, but such seats are relatively expensive, and the cost is often borne by the customers themselves. Therefore, there is a need for improved solutions for enabling comfortable seating, regulating body temperature, and enjoying outdoor activities in high-temperature environments. [[SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION]]

[0003] According to one embodiment ("Embodiment 1"), a seat cover system for detachably connecting to a seat includes a main body and a cooling pack. The main body includes an upper end, a lower end, a first side surface, and a second side surface, wherein the first side surface includes a first gusset, and the second side surface includes a second gusset. The cooling pack is accommodated in the main body. The seat cover system is reconfigurable from a rolled configuration to a sheet configuration, and vice versa, and the first gusset and the second gusset are configured to restrict reconfiguration of the seat cover system from the sheet configuration to a flat configuration.

[0004] According to another embodiment ("Embodiment 2"), the seat cover system of Embodiment 1 further includes a plurality of straps connected to the main body.

[0005] According to another embodiment ("Embodiment 3"), the seat cover system of Embodiment 2 is configured such that a plurality of straps extend around the seat to connect the seat cover system to the seat.

[0006] According to another embodiment ("Embodiment 4"), the seat cover system of Embodiment 2 further includes a plurality of swivel buckles for connecting a plurality of straps to the main body.

[0007] According to another embodiment ("Embodiment 5"), the seat cover system of Embodiment 1 further includes a backrest and a seat, with the angle between them in the range of 100° to 120°.

[0008] According to another embodiment ("Embodiment 6"), the seat cover system of Embodiment 1 further includes an insulated pouch located inside the main body and containing a cooling pack.

[0009] Another embodiment ("Embodiment 7") is a method for connecting a seat cover system to a seat, the seat cover system comprising a main body, a plurality of straps connected to the main body, and a cooling pack housed within the main body. The method includes arranging the seat cover system in a rolled configuration, connecting the plurality of straps to maintain the seat cover system in a rolled configuration, unconnecting the plurality of straps, rearranging the seat cover system from a rolled configuration to a sheet configuration, and connecting the plurality of straps and arranging the plurality of straps around the seat.

[0010] According to another embodiment ("Embodiment 8"), in the method of Embodiment 7, the plurality of straps include a plurality of upper straps and a plurality of lower straps, and connecting the plurality of straps to maintain the seat cover system in a winding configuration includes connecting each of the plurality of upper straps to one of the plurality of lower straps, and connecting the plurality of straps to each other and arranging the plurality of straps around the seat includes connecting the plurality of upper straps to each other and arranging the plurality of upper straps around the seat.

[0011] According to another embodiment ("Embodiment 9"), in the method of Embodiment 7, the seat cover system further includes a plurality of swivel buckles connecting a plurality of straps to the main body.

[0012] According to another embodiment ("Embodiment 10"), the method of Embodiment 9 further includes rotating the multiple straps relative to the main body via multiple swivel buckles after (1) unconnecting the multiple straps and before (2) connecting the multiple straps and arranging them around the seat.

[0013] Although several embodiments are disclosed, other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art through the following detailed description illustrating and explaining exemplary embodiments of the invention. Therefore, the drawings and detailed description should be considered illustrative and not restrictive. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a front perspective view of a seat cover system in the shape of a seat, according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an end view of the seat cover system. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is another front perspective view of the seat cover system. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a partial front perspective view of the seat cover system. [Figure 5] It is a partial side view of the seat cover system in Fig. 1. [Figure 6] It is a rear perspective view of the seat cover system in Fig. 1. [Figure 7] It is a rear view of the seat cover system in Fig. 1. [Figure 8] It is a rear perspective view of a configuration in which the seat cover system in Fig. 1 is wound. [Figure 9] a is another rear view of the seat cover system in Fig. 1 in an unfolded state. b is a rear view of the seat cover system in Fig. 1 in an inverted state. [Figure 10] It is a side view of a configuration in which the seat cover system in Fig. 1 is formed into a seat shape. [Figure 11] a to c are perspective views of buckles of the seat cover system in Fig. 1. [Figure 12] It is a front view of a main body of the seat cover system in Fig. 1. [Figure 13] It is a front view of a cooling pack of the seat cover system in Fig. 1. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view of a pull tab of the seat cover system in Fig. 1. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view of a heat insulating material arranged in the seat cover system in Fig. 1. [Figure 16] a to c are views of a seat cover system in an unfolded state according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 17] It is a flow chart of a method for coupling a seat cover system to a seat according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] It should be understood that these drawings are intended to facilitate understanding of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0016] The following description refers to the accompanying drawings showing specific embodiments. While specific embodiments are shown and described, additional and / or alternative features may be employed in other embodiments. The following detailed description is not to be construed as limiting, and the scope of the claimed invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0017] Like reference numerals are intended to consistently designate the same structural members, elements, portions or surfaces throughout the several drawings, and it is to be understood that such members, elements, portions or surfaces may be further described or explained in the entire specification of which this detailed description forms a part. Unless otherwise stated, the drawings are intended to be read in conjunction with the specification (for example, hatching, arrangement of parts, proportions, degrees, etc.) and are considered to be part of the specification.

[0018] Figures 1 to 15 show a seat cover system 10 or its components according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The seat cover system 10 is configured to be detachably connected to a seat, more specifically, to, for example, a stadium seat, a motor vehicle seat, or any other seat having a backrest to which straps can be attached. The seat cover system 10 may have dimensions of approximately 1010 cm × 450 cm × 10 cm, or various other dimensions. In certain embodiments, the seat cover system 10 includes a body 12 which may be made of packcloth or other weather-resistant material, a zipper 14 such as a YYK#5 zipper (Figure 1), multiple straps 16 such as 1.5-inch or 38mm black polyester webbing (Figures 6-8), webbing members 18 such as 10mm polyester webbing (Figures 3-5), an upper flap 20 such as a silver foil layer (Figures 3-5), a refrozen or refrozen cooling pack 22 (more specifically a flexible ice pack) (Figure 13), a pull tab 24 (Figure 14), connecting buckles 26 (Figures 6-8, 11a and 11b), and a swivel connector or buckle 28 (Figures 6-8 and 11c). According to some embodiments, the stitching may be applied to the body 12 of the seat cover system 10 and may be 8 stitches per inch. The stitching may be nylon, and the seat cover system 10 may be individually packed in poly bags.

[0019] Referring particularly to Figure 1, the seat cover system 10 is shown in a “in-use” or “seat-like” configuration (i.e., the general shape of a seat). Exemplarily, the zipper 14 of the seat cover system 10 is located at the top end 30 of the seat cover system 10. Alternatively, the zipper 14 may be located on the side of the seat cover system 10. The zipper 15 facilitates the removal of the cooling pack 22 and the insulated pouch (shown separately) from the system 10, the cooling pack 22 is cooled, and then the cooling pack 22 and the insulated pouch are reinserted. The webbing member 18 is located near the corner 32 of the seat cover system 10. Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the first or left side 34 and the second or right side 36 of the seat cover system 10 extend between the upper end 30 and the lower end 38, and include a first or left side gusset 40 and a second or right side gusset 42, respectively, which prevent the seat cover system 10 from changing from a sheet-like configuration to a flat configuration (i.e., a configuration in which the seat cover system 10 is positioned in a generally single plane) due to, for example, its own weight. The left side gusset 40 and the right side gusset 42 also facilitate the identification of the up and down orientation of the seat cover system 10.

[0020] Referring particularly to Figures 3 to 5, the upper flap 20 is positioned at or near the upper end 30 of the seat cover system 10. The upper flap 20 is folded over the upper end 30 to form an envelope for housing the cooling pack 22. More specifically, the upper flap 20 extends, for example, about 100 mm past the upper end 30 of the seat cover system 10 and is rolled forward to facilitate insulation of the cooling pack 22.

[0021] Referring particularly to Figures 6-8, a rear view of the seat cover system 10 is shown. A swivel buckle 28 connects the strap 16 to the main body 12. The swivel buckle 28 also allows the strap 16 to transition from a first configuration to a second configuration and vice versa, more specifically, to rotate. In the first configuration (generally shown by the solid lines in Figures 6 and 7), the strap 16 can be connected to form a vertical loop, thereby functioning as a compression / shoulder strap (in other words, the strap 16 takes on a carrying or arm-worn configuration). In the second configuration (generally shown by the dashed lines in Figures 6 and 7), the strap 16 can be connected to form a horizontal loop, thereby functioning as a fastening strap to attach the seat cover system 10 to a seat (in other words, the strap 16 takes on a seat-mounting configuration). Examples of seats in this case include stadium seats, car seats, other outdoor chairs, or other types of seats. As shown in the figure, the connecting buckles 26 provided on the opposing upper straps 16a and 16b have opposite structures (i.e., one upper strap 16a includes a male buckle 26a, and the other upper strap 16b includes a female buckle 26b), so that the upper straps 16a and 16b can be selectively connected to each other in the seat mounting configuration. Also, as shown in the figure, the connecting buckles 26 provided on the lower straps 16c and 16d have opposite structures to the upper straps 16a and 16b on the same side of the cover 10 (i.e., one lower strap 16c includes a female buckle 26c, and the other lower strap 16d includes a male buckle 26d), so that the straps 16 on the same side of the cover system 10 can be connected to each other when the cover system 10 is configured for arm attachment or in a wrap-around configuration (Figure 8).

[0022] Figure 9a shows a rear view of the seat cover system 10 in a flat configuration, and Figure 9B shows a rear view of the seat cover system 10 in an inverted (in other words, reversed) configuration. The seat cover system 10 may have a height of approximately 1010 cm, a width of approximately 450 cm, and a distance of approximately 240 cm between the straps 16. In some embodiments, the rear side of the seat cover system 10 has a double layer of insulation or bubble wrap foil, and the front side of the seat cover system 10 has a single layer of insulation.

[0023] Figure 10 shows a side view of the sheet-like configuration of the seat cover system 10. In some embodiments, and as shown, the adjuster 44 is connected to the strap 16 to facilitate adjustment of the length of the strap 16. In some embodiments, the depth of the seat cover system 10 is approximately 10 cm. The backrest 46 and seat 48 of the seat cover system 10 form an angle between them, which can be in the range of 100° to 120°, more specifically 105° to 115°, and even more specifically about 110°. The backrest 46 may have a height of approximately 605 cm, and the seat 48 may have a length of approximately 405 cm.

[0024] Figures 11a to 11c show the buckles of the seat cover system 10. More specifically, Figure 11a shows one of the adjusters 44, Figure 11b shows one of the connecting buckles 26, and Figure 11c shows a swivel buckle 28. Figure 12 shows a part of the main body 12 of the seat cover system 10. Figure 13 shows the cooling pack 22 of the seat cover system 10, mounted inside the main body 12. Figure 14 shows the pull tab 24 of the seat cover system 10. Figure 15 shows the insulating material 50, which is positioned together with the seat cover system 10 and forms a pouch for receiving the cooling pack 22.

[0025] In some embodiments, the test requirements for the seat cover system 10 are as follows: POM: 50 kg, number of passes: 500, salt spray: pH 5.5 ± 1.0 (white), for zippers: pH 5.75 ± 1.75 (colored materials), no tolerance, UV fastness: 3.5 for non-white colors, and seam allowance is a minimum of 3 / 8 inch.

[0026] Figures 16a to 16c show a seat cover system 110 or its components according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The seat cover system 110 is configured to be detachably attached to a seat, more specifically, to a lounge seat, for example. The seat cover system 110 may have dimensions of approximately 1905 cm × 560 cm × 10 cm, or it may have various other dimensions. In some embodiments, the seat cover system 110 has substantially the same features as the seat cover system 10, except for the above dimensions, and is used in substantially the same manner. More specifically, in some embodiments, the seat cover system 110 includes a body 112 which may be made of packcloth or other weather-resistant material, a zipper (not shown; identical or substantially similar to the zipper 14 of the seat cover system 10), several straps 114 (Figure 16a) such as straps made of 1.5-inch or 38 mm black polyester webbing, a webbing member (not shown; identical or substantially similar to the webbing member 18 of the seat cover system 10), a side flap (not shown; identical or substantially similar to the upper flap 20 of the seat cover system 10), a refrozen or refrozen cooling pack (not shown; identical or substantially similar to the cooling pack 22 of the seat cover system 10), a pull tab (not shown; identical or substantially similar to the pull tab 24 of the seat cover system 10, but located on the side of the seat cover system 110 rather than at the top), a connecting buckle 116, a swivel connector or buckle 118, and an adjuster 120. In some embodiments, the stitching may be applied to the body 112 of the seat cover system 110, and may be 8 stitches per inch. The stitching may be made of nylon, and the seat cover systems 110 may be individually packed in poly bags.

[0027] In some embodiments, the test requirements for the seat cover system 110 are as follows: POM: 50 kg, number of passes: 500, salt spray: pH 5.5 ± 1.0 (white), for zippers: pH 5.75 ± 1.75 (colored materials), no tolerance, UV fastness: 3.5 for non-white colors, and seam allowance is a minimum of 3 / 8 inch.

[0028] Figure 17 shows a method 210 for connecting a seat cover system to a seat according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following description of method 210, a seat cover system 10 and its components are used as examples, but method 210 can also be used to connect other seat cover systems, such as seat cover system 110, to a seat. The method begins in block 212 by providing or positioning the seat cover system 10 in a rolled-up state, with the straps 16 connected to each other to maintain the seat cover system 10 in a rolled-up configuration (see, for example, Figure 8). More specifically, each upper strap 16a, 16b is connected to either one of the lower straps 16c, 16d. In block 214, the straps 16 are separated from each other, for example by unconnecting the connecting buckles 26. In block 216, the seat cover system 10 is rearranged from a rolled-up configuration to a sheet configuration (see, for example, Figure 1). In some embodiments, the upper straps 16a and 16b are rotated relative to the body 12 via a swivel buckle 28 to reconfigure from a first configuration (e.g., a configuration shown by the solid lines in Figure 6) to a second configuration (e.g., a configuration shown by the dashed lines in Figure 6). In block 218, the straps 16 are connected to each other, more specifically, the upper straps 16a and 16b are connected to each other, and in block 220, the straps 16 are arranged around the seat, more specifically, the upper straps 16a and 16b are arranged around the seat. In certain embodiments, method 210 further includes, in the sheet-like configuration, connecting each upper strap 16a and 16b to either one of the lower straps 16c and 16d to form a carrying loop, and carrying the seat cover system 10 in the sheet-like configuration via the carrying loop. In other words, the straps 16 are positioned around the user's arms to facilitate carrying the seat cover system 10 in the sheet-like configuration.

[0029] Various other modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to certain features, the scope of the invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the features described above.

Claims

1. A seat cover system for detachably connecting to a seat, A body including an upper end, a lower end, a first side surface, and a second side surface, wherein the first side surface includes a first gusset, and the second side surface includes a second gusset, The main body comprises a cooling pack housed within the main body, The seat cover system is capable of changing its configuration from a wound configuration to a sheet configuration and vice versa, and the first gusset and the second gusset are configured to prevent the seat cover system from being reconfigured from a sheet configuration to a flat configuration.

2. The seat cover system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of straps connected to the main body.

3. The seat cover system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of straps are configured to extend around the seat and connect the seat cover system to the seat.

4. The seat cover system according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of swivel buckles for connecting the plurality of straps to the main body.

5. The seat cover system according to claim 1, wherein the main body further includes a backrest and a seat, and the angle between them is in the range of 100° to 120°.

6. The seat cover system according to claim 1, further comprising an insulated pouch disposed within the main body and containing the cooling pack.

7. A method for connecting a seat cover system to a seat, wherein the seat cover system comprises a main body, a plurality of straps connected to the main body, and a cooling pack housed within the main body. The aforementioned method, The aforementioned seat cover system is arranged in a winding configuration, The plurality of straps are connected to each other to maintain the seat cover system in the winding configuration, To release the connections between the aforementioned multiple straps, The aforementioned seat cover system is rearranged from the winding configuration to a sheet-like configuration, The method comprising connecting the plurality of straps together and arranging the plurality of straps around the sheet.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of straps include a plurality of upper straps and a plurality of lower straps, and connecting the plurality of straps to maintain the seat cover system in the winding configuration includes connecting each of the plurality of upper straps to any of the plurality of lower straps, and connecting the plurality of straps and arranging the plurality of straps around the seat includes connecting the plurality of upper straps and arranging the plurality of upper straps around the seat.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the seat cover system further includes a plurality of swivel buckles for connecting the plurality of straps to the main body.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising rotating the plurality of straps relative to the main body via the plurality of swivel buckles after (1) the plurality of straps have been unconnected from each other and before (2) the plurality of straps have been connected to each other and arranged around the seat.

Images