Child Safety Coat With Precompressed Fill

This application relates generally to outwear garments for children.

Child safety car seats include a 5-point harness to secure a child. In cold weather, children often wear warm jackets that are bulky with insulating materials. These materials are generally not compatible with child safety car seats due to their high compressibility, which makes them unsafe in crash tests and on the road.

Example embodiments described herein have innovative features, no single one of which is indispensable or solely responsible for their desirable attributes. The following description and drawings set forth certain illustrative implementations of the disclosure in detail, which are indicative of several exemplary ways in which the various principles of the disclosure may be carried out. The illustrative examples, however, are not exhaustive of the many possible embodiments of the disclosure. Without limiting the scope of the claims, some of the advantageous features will now be summarized. Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the disclosure will be set forth in the following detailed description of the disclosure when considered in conjunction with the drawings, which are intended to illustrate, not limit, the invention.

An aspect of the invention is directed to an outer garment configured for a child safety car seat, comprising a front portion that covers a front of a child's torso, the front portion including first and second front panels, the first front panel including first and second shoulder covers configured to cover the child's shoulders; a back portion having a first side attached to a first side of the first front panel and a second side attached to a first side of the second front panel, and first and second back shoulder portions that are aligned with the child's shoulders, the back portion including an insulation material that comprises: first and second outer layers comprising a paper interlining; and an inner layer disposed between the first and second outer layers, the inner layer comprising an organic-polyfiber material; an outer garment fastener that releasably attaches a second side of the first front panel to a second side of the second front panel, the outer garment fastener having an attached state in which the second side of the first front panel it attached to the second side of the second front panel and a detached state in which the first front panel can swing away from the second front panel and/or the second front panel can swing away from the first front panel; a first shoulder fastener that releasably attaches the first shoulder cover and the first back shoulder portion; and a second shoulder fastener that releasably attaches the second shoulder cover and the second back shoulder portion, wherein when the outer garment fastener is in the detached state, the first shoulder fastener is in a detached state, and the second shoulder fastener is in a detached state, the child can be secured in a five-point harness of the child safety car seat without obstruction by the first and second front panels and the first and second shoulder covers.

In one or more embodiments, the first and second outer layers consist of the paper interlining, and the inner layer consists of the organic-polyfiber material. In one or more embodiments, the organic-polyfiber comprises pulverized oyster shells and polyethylene terephthalate. In one or more embodiments, the insulation material includes stitching that at least partially compresses the insulation material. In one or more embodiments, the paper interlining in the first and second outer layers at least partially compresses the organic-polyfiber material in the inner layer.

In one or more embodiments, the outer garment fastener comprises a zipper and the first and second shoulder fasteners comprise hook-and-loop fasteners.

Another aspect of the invention is directed to an outer garment configured for a child safety car seat, comprising a front portion that covers a front of a child's torso, the front portion including first and second front panels, the first front panel including a first shoulder cover, the second front panel including a second shoulder cover, the first and second shoulder covers configured to cover the child's shoulders; a back portion having a first side attached to a first side of the first front panel and a second side attached to a first side of the second front panel, and first and second back shoulder portions that are aligned with the child's shoulders, the back portion including an insulation material that comprises: first and second outer layers comprising a paper interlining; and an inner layer disposed between the first and second outer layers, the inner layer comprising an organic-polyfiber material; an outer garment fastener that releasably attaches a second side of the first front panel to a second side of the second front panel, the outer garment fastener having an attached state in which the second side of the first front panel it attached to the second side of the second front panel and a detached state in which the first front panel can swing away from the second front panel and/or the second front panel can swing away from the first front panel; a first shoulder fastener that releasably attaches the first shoulder cover and the first back shoulder portion; and a second shoulder fastener that releasably attaches the second shoulder cover and the second back shoulder portion, wherein when the outer garment fastener is in the detached state, the first shoulder fastener is in a detached state, and the second shoulder fastener is in a detached state, the child can be secured in a five-point harness of the child safety car seat without obstruction by the first and second front panels and the first and second shoulder covers.

In one or more embodiments, the first and second outer layers consist of the paper interlining, and the inner layer consists of the organic-polyfiber material. In one or more embodiments, the organic-polyfiber comprises pulverized oyster shells and polyethylene terephthalate. In one or more embodiments, the insulation material includes stitching that at least partially compresses the insulation material. In one or more embodiments, the paper interlining in the first and second outer layers at least partially compresses the organic-polyfiber material in the inner layer.

In one or more embodiments, the outer garment fastener comprises a zipper and the first and second shoulder fasteners comprise hook-and-loop fasteners. In one or more embodiments, the zipper is aligned with a center of the front portion.

A child safety coat includes a front portion, a back portion, and sleeves. The front portion includes left and right front panels that are releasably attached with a garment fastener such as a zipper. The front portion also includes left and right shoulder covers that are configured to cover a child's shoulders. The back portion includes left and right shoulder portions that are configured to be releasably attached, via respective left and right shoulder attachments, to the left and right shoulder covers.

When the garment fastener and the left and right shoulder attachments are in detached states, the left and right front panels and the left and right shoulder covers can be moved out of the way so that a child wearing the child safety coat can be safely secured with a harness (e.g., a 5-point harness) in a child safety car seat. The child wearing the child safety coat can be secured without the harness straps passing over the left and right front panels and the left and right shoulder covers, which include bulky and highly compressible insulating materials.

The back portion includes an insulation material that includes an inner layer and first and second outer layers. The inner layerincludes an organic-polyfiber material that can include pulverized oyster shells and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The first and second outer layers include a paper interlining. The insulation material can be stitched, such as in a pattern, to at least partially compress the organic-polyfiber, allowing the child to be secured with the harness straps at the same settings as they are when the child is not wearing the child safety coat.

is a front view of a child safety coataccording to an embodiment. The child safety coathas a front portion, a back portion, and sleeves,.

The front portionincludes a first front paneland a second front panelthat are physically separate and releasably attachable to each other. The first and second front panels,are shown in a closed and attached state. A garment fasteneris disposed on the first and second front panels,to releasably attach the first and second front panels,. Examples of the garment fastenermeans include a zipper, hook-and-loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro), buttons, snaps, magnetic fasteners, and/or other garment fastener means.

The first and second front panels,include first and second shoulder covers,, respectively, that are configured to cover a child's shoulders when the child wears the coat. The first and second shoulder covers,are releasably attached to respective back shoulder portions,() on the back portion. A neck openingis defined between the first and second shoulder covers,.

The first panelis wider than the second panel, as measured with respect to an axisthat extends between the sleeves,. In other embodiments, the second panelis wider than the first panel. In other embodiments, the first and second panels,have the same or about the same width in which case the garment fastenercan be located along (or approximately along) the center of the front portion.

is a front view of the child safety coatin which the first and second front panels,are in a detached state and the first front panelis in an opened state.

A first sideof the first front paneland a first sideof the second front panelare attached to the back portion. A first garment fastener portionis disposed on a second sideof the first front panel. A second garment fastener portionis disposed on a second sideof the second front panel. The first and second garment fastener portions,form the garment fastener. In the illustrated embodiment, the garment fastenercomprises a zipper and the first and second garment fastener portions,include first and second sides (e.g., teeth and tape) of the zipper.

A first front shoulder fastener portionon the first shoulder coveris configured to releasably engage a first back shoulder fastener portionon the first back shoulder portion. A second front shoulder fastener portionon the second shoulder coveris configured to releasably engage a second back shoulder fastener portionon the second back shoulder portion. The first front shoulder fastener portionand the first back shoulder fastener portionform a first shoulder fastener. The second front shoulder fastener portionand the second back shoulder fastener portionform a second shoulder fastener. The first and second shoulder fasteners,can comprise hook-and-loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro), buttons, snaps, magnetic fasteners, and/or other shoulder fastener means. The first and second back shoulder fastener portions,can be aligned with the top and/or the back of the child's shoulders.

When the garment fastener, the first shoulder fastener, and the second shoulder fastenerare detached, the first front panelcan pivot and/or swing away from the second front panel. The second front panelcan also pivot and/or swing away from the first front panelwhen the garment fasteneris detached. When the first and/or second front panels,pivot and/or swing away from each other, the child's torso and shoulders are exposed, allowing the child to be secured to a 5-point harnessor another harness in a child safety car seat without obstruction from the first and second front panels,and the first and second shoulder covers,. The first and second front panel,and the first and second shoulder covers,can include bulky and/or highly compressible insulation materials such as cotton, polyester, polyfill, down, wool, and/or fleece.

As such, the 5-point harness(or other harness) can be placed directly against (e.g., in direct physical contact with) the child and/or the child's clothing while the child wear's the child safety coat. The first and second back shoulder portions,can be between the harnessand the child and/or the child's clothing while the child wear's the child safety coat. After the child is secured in the 5-point harness(or other harness), the garment fastener, the first shoulder fastener, and/or the second shoulder fastenercan be attached (e.g., such that the child safety coatis in the configuration illustrated inand the 5-point harnessis between the child and the child safety coat) to keep the child warm.

is a cross section of the back portionthrough planein. The back portionincludes an insulation materialdisposed between an inner linerand an outer liner. The insulation materialincludes an inner layerand first and second outer layers,.

The inner layerconsists of or comprises an organic-polyfiber material that consists of or comprises fibers formed from an organic material and a polymer material. The organic material can comprise or consist of pulverized oyster shells and the polymer can comprise or consist of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). An example of the organic-polyfiber material is SMAWARM®, available from Creative Tech Textile Co., LTD. (Taiwan). The first and second outer layers,comprise or consist of a paper interlining.

The inner layercan comprise a range of about 60 grams per square meter (GSM) to about 100 GSM of the organic-polyfiber material, including about 70 GSM, 80 GSM, 90 GSM, and any value or range between any two of the foregoing values. The first and second outer layers,can comprise or consist of a range of about 15 GSM to about 25 GSM of the paper interlining, including about 20 GSM and any value or range between any two of the foregoing values. As used herein, “about” means plus or minus 10% of the relevant value.

The organic-polymer material has a low compressibility, allowing it to be used safely in a child safety car seat. The organic-polymer material also has high thermal insulation properties to provide warmth without sacrificing safety. When used together, a child can wear a winter coat that is warmer than a traditional packable coat that has less fill to keep it compressible but still remain compressible enough to be used safely in car seats.

is a front view of an example section of the insulation materialwith the inner linerremoved. The insulation materialcan be quilted into a pattern. The patterncan comprise rectangles, square, circles, ovals, triangles, and/or other shapes. In the illustrated embodiment, the patterncomprises or consists of squares. Each squarehas a border defined by stitching. Each squarehas a pocketin the region between the stitching. The pocketscreate space for warmth while the stitchingflattens and/or partially or fully compresses the insulation materialbefore the child safety coatis used in a child safety car seat to reduce the compressibility of the insulation material. Each side of a squarecan in a range of about 0.75 inches to about 1.25 inches including about 1 inch and any value or range between any two of the foregoing values. In other embodiments, the stitchingdoes not form a pattern.

For example, the stitchingcauses the paper interlining in the first and second outer layers,to at least partially compress the organic-polyfiber material in the inner layerto allow the child safety coatto be worn safely by a child in a child safety car seat (e.g., as determined through crash testing). The at least partial compression of the organic-polyfiber material allows a child to be secured in a 5-point harnessfor a child safety car seat with the same settings (e.g., strap tension) that the child would be secured with without wearing the child safety coat(or any other coat).

are rear views of the child safety coatto further illustrate the first and second shoulder fasteners,in the attached state () and in the detached state ().

is a front view of a child safety coataccording to another embodiment. The child safety coatis the same as the child safety coatexcept that in the child safety coatthe width of the first and second front panels,is the same or approximately the same such that the garment fasteneris in the center of the front portion. The first and second front panels,inare shown in a closed and attached state.

is a front view of the child safety coatin which the first and second front panels,are in a detached state and the first and second front panels,. are in an opened state.

A cross section of the back portionthrough planeinis the same as the cross section of the back portionthrough planein, which is shown in.

The invention should not be considered limited to the particular embodiments described above, but rather should be understood to cover all aspects of the invention as fairly set out in the attached claims. Various modifications, equivalent processes, as well as numerous structures to which the invention may be applicable, will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention is directed upon review of this disclosure. The claims are intended to cover such modifications and equivalents.

Also, as described, some aspects may be embodied as one or more methods. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative embodiments.