CARRIER SUPPORT SYSTEM

Abstract

A carrier system includes a carrier base that defines a carrier footprint. A first carrier support member extends from an outer side surface on the carrier base, and includes a first user engagement member that is located outside of the carrier footprint. A second carrier support member extends from the carrier base from a location on the carrier base that is opposite the outer side surface from the first carrier support member, and includes a second user engagement member. The engagement of the first user engagement member with a hand of a user and the engagement of the second user engagement member with a portion of an arm of the user that includes the hand provides for support of the carrier base with the hand located outside of the carrier footprint, which has been found to reduce arm strain and provide a more natural carrying position for the user.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to carrier systems, and more particularly to a support system for a carrier system.

Carrier systems are typically utilized to assist a user in lifting, supporting, and carrying a wide variety of things, and include child carrier systems such as child car seats for carrying children, grocery carrier systems such as grocery baskets for carrying groceries, luggage carrying systems such as suitcases and bags for carrying clothing, and/or other carrier systems known in the art. Conventional carrier systems include a carrier seat, carrier basket, or carrier container that include a handle system that may extend from opposite sides of the carrier seat or carrier basket or from a surface of the carrier container, and that handle system provides a handle that is located within a footprint of the carrier seat, carrier basket, or carrier container (i.e., within a perimeter of the carrier seat, carrier basket, or carrier container when the carrier seat, carrier basket, or carrier container is viewed from a top view in its normal use orientation). As is known in the art of such carrier systems, the use of such handle systems to support the carrier seat, carrier basket, or carrier container typically involves the user using the handle to lift and support the carrier system, and typically results in the carrier seat, carrier basket, or carrier container engaging the leg and/or hip of the user when the user is standing or walking. Such engagement of the carrier seat, carrier basket, or carrier container with the leg and/or hip of the user can be annoying, painful, and in some cases damaging. Some solutions to this issue involve the user holding the carrier system out and away from their body to prevent the engagement of the carrier seat, carrier basket, or carrier container with their leg and/or hip, or engaging the handle system with the “crook” of their arm (e.g. between the forearm and the bicep on the user's arm). However, such solutions cause the user to engage several muscles in their arm and shoulder in a manner that result in accelerated fatigue and sometimes muscle damage.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved carrier support system.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a child support system includes a seat chassis that defines a seat channel; a child seat located in the seat channel; a first user engagement member that is coupled to a first side of the seat chassis, wherein the first user engagement member is located outside of a footprint of the seat chassis and is configured to engage a first hand of a user; and a second user engagement member that is coupled to a second side of the seat chassis and that is configured to engage a portion of a first arm of the user when the first hand of the user is engaging the first user engagement member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a carrier system.

FIG. 1b is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the carrier system of FIG. 1a.

FIG. 1c is a front view illustrating an embodiment of the carrier system of FIG. 1a.

FIG. 1d is a side view illustrating an embodiment of the carrier system of FIG. 1a.

FIG. 1e is a side view illustrating an embodiment of the carrier system of FIG. 1a.

FIG. 1f is a top view illustrating an embodiment of the carrier system of FIG. 1a.

FIG. 1g is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a carrier base footprint of the carrier system of FIG. 1a.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the carrier system of FIGS. 1a-1f including some optional functionality associated with carrier support members and user engagement members.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a method for supporting a carrier system.

FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating an embodiment of a user lifting and supporting the carrier system of FIGS. 1a-1f.

FIG. 5a is a front view illustrating an embodiment of a user lifting and supporting a modified version of the carrier system of FIGS. 1a-1f.

FIG. 5b is a front view illustrating an embodiment of a user lifting and supporting the modified carrier system of FIG. 4a that includes some optional functionality associated with carrier support members and user engagement members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, the use of conventional support systems on conventional carrier systems involves the user using a handle that is provided within a footprint of the carrier base to lift and support the carrier system, and typically results in the carrier base engaging the leg and/or hip of the user when the user is standing or walking. Furthermore, conventional solutions to this issue involve the user attempting to hold the carrier system out and away from their body to prevent the engagement of the carrier base with their leg and/or hip, or engaging the handle system with the “crook” of their arm (e.g. between the forearm and the bicep on the user's arm). When the carrier system is held out and away from the body of a user, several muscles in the users' arm and shoulder are engaged such as, for example, the deltoid, the bicep, the rotator cuff, several muscles in the shoulder, the supraspinatus muscle, and others. Much of this muscle engagement involves contracting the muscles in an isotonic manner (i.e., where the tension remains unchanged while the length of the muscle changes (shortens or lengthens) in order to support the weight of the carrier system), and can result in fatigue and sometimes damage. For example, the engagement of the supraspinatus muscle to support the carrier system in this manner is necessary because the supraspinatus muscle is responsible for the first 15-30 degrees of movement of the arm away from the body, and it is notable because the supraspinatus muscle is one of the most frequently torn muscles in the body, as well as one of the smaller muscles in the body and thus more prone to fatigue than the other muscles engaged when supporting the carrier system in this manner. Carrying the carrier system using the “crook” of a users' arm can reduce the engagement of the supraspinatus muscle to remedy some of the issues discussed above, but introduces a flexed elbow and engaged bicep to provide support the carrier system, which puts added stresses on the labrum in the shoulder (another frequently torn muscle) and provides for an awkward carrying orientation for the user.

As described in detail below, carrier support systems and methods for supporting a carrier system have been discovered that remedy the deficiencies of the conventional systems discussed above. The systems and methods of the present disclosure provide a carrier system that includes a carrier base with a handle that is located outside of the footprint of the carrier base, along with an arm support that extends from a location on the carrier base that is opposite at least some of the carrier base from the handle. A user may engage the handle with their hand to lift and support the carrier system while engaging the arm support with their arm (the arm that includes the hand engaging the handle) to also support the carrier system, which allows the user to lift and support the carrier system while standing and walking while reducing the occurrence of the carrier base engaging the leg and/or hip of the user. Furthermore, it is believed that the arm orientation that is enabled by the systems and methods of the present disclosure when lifting and supporting a carrier system produces less stress on the muscles in the arm and shoulder of the user relative to conventional systems and methods, particularly with regard the supraspinatus muscle. While in the embodiments discussed below, the carrier system is illustrated and described as a child carrier system, the teachings of the present disclosure will be beneficial for any of a variety of carrier systems including the grocery carrier systems and the luggage carrier systems discussed above, and/or any other carrier systems known in the art.

Referring now to FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, and 1f, an embodiment of a carrier system 100 is illustrated. The carrier system 100 includes a carrier base 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier base 102 is a seat chassis that defines a seat channel 102a, and a child seat 104 is located in the seat channel 102a that may include any of a wide variety of child seat features including cushion features, child securing features such as seat belts and straps, and/or any other child seat features known in art. The carrier base 102 includes a plurality of outer surfaces including a front surface 106a, a rear surface 106b that is located substantially opposite the carrier base 102 from the front surface 106a, a side surface 106c that extends between the front surface 106a and the rear surface 106b, a side surface 106d that extends between the front surface 106a and the rear surface 106b and that is located substantially opposite the carrier base 102 from the side surface 106c, and a bottom surface 106e that extends between the front surface 106a, the rear surface 106b, the side surface 106c, and the side surface 106d.

As is known in the art of child carrier systems such as those that include the seat chassis and child seat 102a illustrated and described below, the outer surfaces of the carrier base/seat chassis may include intermediate surfaces between the front surface 106a, the rear surface 106b, the side surface 106c, the side surface 106d, and the bottom surface 106e that may provide curved or transitional outer surfaces between substantially parallel portions of the front surface and rear surface, and substantially parallel portions of the side surfaces 106c and 106d. However, the outer surfaces of the seat chassis may include any number of surfaces that may be provided at different orientations relative to each other, and the front surface and rear surface, as well as the side surfaces 106c and 106d, need not include parallel portions. Furthermore, any of the outer surfaces on the seat chassis may include child carrier system features known in the art that may be used to secure the seat chassis directly to a vehicle seat or to a mounting base (e.g., when the child carrier system includes a complementary mounting base used in securing the child seat chassis to a seat in a car or other vehicle), as well as any other outer surface features that are known in the art and provided on conventional child carrier systems.

In alternative embodiments, the carrier base 102 may include a variety of different configurations. For example, when the carrier system is a grocery carrier system, the carrier base 102 may be a grocery basket chassis that defines a grocery channel and that utilizing a variety of grocery basket materials known in the art (e.g., plastic walls, metal mesh walls, etc.) that may be used to provide the front surface, rear surface, side surfaces, and bottom surface discussed above, as well as including any grocery carrier system features known in the art. Similarly, when the carrier system is a luggage carrier system, the carrier base 102 may be a luggage chassis that defines a luggage channel and that utilizes a variety of luggage materials known in the art that may be used to provide the front surface, rear surface, side surfaces, and bottom surface discussed above, as well as including any luggage carrier system features known in the art. As such, the Applicants submit that one of skill in the art in possession of the present disclosure will recognize how the teachings of the present disclosure may be applied to any of a wide variety of carrier systems known in the art while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

A first carrier support member 108 extends from the side surface 106c of the carrier base 102 and includes a first user engagement member 108a that, as discussed in the embodiments illustrated below, provides a handle for lifting and supporting the chassis base 102. In some embodiment, the first carrier support member 108 is integral to the carrier base 102 as a molded portion of the carrier base 102 that extends from the side surface 106c. In other embodiments, the first carrier support member 108 is attached to the carrier base 102 via an attachment coupling on the carrier base 102 that may accept a variety of coupling members such as screws, clips, and/or other coupling members known in the art. In yet other embodiments, the first carrier support member 108 may be attachable to and detachable from the carrier base 102 by the user via a variety of quick-attach and quick-release couplings known in the art. As such, a user may be enabled to attach the first carrier support member 108 to the side surface 106c of the carrier base 102 when the user wishes to perform the method 300 discussed below, and may detach the first carrier support member 108 from the side surface 106c of the carrier base 102 when the user is no longer performing the method 300 discussed below. In FIGS. 1a and 1f, the first user engagement member 108a is illustrated having a substantially parallel orientation with respect to the side surface 106c of the carrier base 102 (i.e., the handle is provided as a straight, graspable member that extends between two support portions of the first carrier support member 108 and that is substantially parallel to the side surface 106c). However, as discussed below, the first user engagement member 108a may be moveable (e.g., provided in a moveable coupling defined by the first carrier support member 108) such that the orientation of the first user engagement member 108a with respect to the side surface 106c of the carrier base 102 is changeable (e.g., to the substantially perpendicular orientation illustrated in FIG. 2, or to any other orientation desired by the user).

In the illustrated embodiment, the first carrier support member 108 also includes a third user engagement member 108b that is positioned adjacent the first user engagement member 108a and that defines an arm channel 108c that is spaced apart from the first user engagement member 108a to allow a user to grasp the first user engagement member 108a with a hand and engage the third user engagement member 108 with an arm that includes that hand by placing that arm in the arm channel 108c, as discussed in further detail below. The third user engagement member 108b may include any of a variety of padding, cushioning, or other engagement features known in the art on its inner surface that is immediately adjacent the arm channel 108c such that those padding and/or cushioning features engage the arm of the user when that arm is located in the arm channel 108c. However, in other non-illustrated embodiments, the third user engagement member 108b may be omitted from the carrier system 100.

A second carrier support member 110 extends from the side surface 106d of the carrier base 102 and includes a second user engagement member 110a that, as discussed below, provides for supporting the chassis base 102 when the chassis base 102 is lifted and supported using the first user engagement member 108a. In some embodiments, the second carrier support member 110 is integral to the carrier base 102 as a molded portion of the carrier base 102 that extends from the side surface 106d. In other embodiments, the second carrier support member 110 is attached to the carrier base 102 via an attachment coupling on the carrier base 102 that may accept a variety of coupling members such as screws, clips, and/or other coupling members known in the art. In yet other embodiments, the second carrier support member 110 may be attachable to and detachable from the carrier base 102 by the user via a variety of quick-attach and quick-release couplings known in the art. As such, a user may be enabled to attach the second carrier support member 110 to the side surface 106d of the carrier base 102 when the user wishes to perform the method 300 discussed below, and may detach the second carrier support member 110 from the side surface 106d of the carrier base 102 when the user is no longer performing the method 300 discussed below.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1f, the second carrier support member 110 is illustrated as including a first end from which it extends from the side surface 106d of the carrier base 102, and a second end that is opposite the second carrier support member 110 from the first end and includes the second user engagement member 110a that “free floats” or is otherwise not directly connected to the carrier base 102. However, the second carrier support member 110 may extend from other locations on the carrier base 102 that are opposite the side surface 106c from the first carrier support member 108 while still providing the support discussed below. For example, the second carrier support member may extend from different locations on the carrier base 102 (e.g., the bottom surface 106e), from multiple locations on the carrier base 102 (e.g., the front surface 106a and the rear surface 106b), and/or from any other location that provides for the support of the carrier base 102 by the second carrier support member 102 that is detailed below. Furthermore, as discussed below, the second carrier support member 110 may be coupled on both of its ends to the carrier base 102 (e.g., on its opposing ends to the side surfaces 106c and 106d as illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b), while providing the second user engagement member 110a somewhere along the length of the second carrier support member 110. Thus, a wide variety of configurations of the second carrier support member and second user engagement member other than those illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1f are envisioned as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

The second user engagement member 110a defines an arm channel 110b that, in the illustrated embodiment, is located on a distal end of the second carrier support member 110 (opposite the end of the second carrier support member 110 that is connected to the side surface 106d) and that is configured to allow a user to engage the second user engagement member 110a with an arm when the user is grasping the first user engagement member 108a with their hand (and optionally has that arm engaging the third user engagement member 108b) by placing that arm in the arm channel 110b, as discussed in further detail below. However, in other embodiments, only a few of which are discussed below, the second user engagement member 110a may be provided at some point along the length of the second carrier support member 110 rather than on its distal end. The second user engagement member 110a may include any of a variety of padding, cushioning, or other engagement features known in the art on its inner surface that is immediately adjacent the arm channel 110b such that those padding and/or cushioning features engage the arm of the user when that arm is located in the arm channel 110b.

Referring now to FIGS. 1a-1g, and particularly to FIGS. 1f and 1g, the carrier base 102 includes a footprint 112 that is defined by a perimeter of the carrier base 102 when the carrier base 102 is viewed from a top view in its normal use orientation (e.g., with the bottom surface 106e of the carrier base 102 engaging, facing, and/or parallel to the ground). FIG. 1g illustrates how the first user engagement member 108a is located outside of the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102, as well as illustrating how the second user engagement member 110a may also be located outside of the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102. As discussed in further detail below, providing these user engagement members outside of the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102 allows a user to lift and support the carrier base 102 while preventing the carrier base 102 from engaging the leg and/or hip of the user and in a manner that is less stressful and fatiguing on the muscles in the arm and shoulder of the user relative to conventional systems and methods. However, as discussed below, in some embodiments, at least some of the benefits discussed above may be realized with the second user engagement member 110a located within the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102 while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 2, embodiments of some optional features of the carrier system 100 are illustrated. The carrier system 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 includes the first carrier support member 108 with a moveable coupling 200 that is coupled to the first user engagement member 108a and that provides a range of motion A of the first user engagement member 108a that allows the first user engagement member 108a to move relative to the carrier base 102 and between a parallel orientation similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1f (e.g., where the handle provided by the first user engagement member 108a is parallel to the side surface 106c of the carrier base 102), and a perpendicular orientation illustrated in FIG. 2 (e.g., where the handle provided by the first user engagement member 108a is perpendicular to the side surface 106c of the carrier base 102). While the first user engagement member 108a is illustrated (e.g., in FIGS. 1a, 1f, and 2) and described above as being allowed to move between a substantially parallel orientation and a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the side surface 106c, the moveable coupling 200 may include any of a variety of moveable couplings and features (e.g., locks, detents, etc.) that allow the first user engagement member 108a to be moved into and secured in any intermediate orientations or other orientations desirable by the user. Furthermore, other types of moveable couplings may be provided on the first carrier support member 108 and/or the carrier base 102 to allow for other types of movement of the first user engagement member 108a such as, for example, a vertical range of motion that allows the distance between the first user engagement member 108a and the arm channel 108c defined by the third user engagement member 108b to be adjusted, a horizontal range of motion that allows the distance between the first user engagement member 108a and a central axis of the arm channel 108c defined by the third user engagement member 108b to be adjusted, and/or any other movement that would allow for the re-positioning of the first user engagement member 108a as desired by the user.

The carrier system 100 illustrated in FIG. 2 also includes the second carrier support member 110 with a moveable coupling 202 that is provided between the second user engagement member 110a and the side surface 106d of the carrier base 102, and that provides for an extension B of the second carrier support member 110 that allows the second user engagement member 110 to move relative to the carrier base 102 from is coupling to the carrier base 102 via the second carrier support member 110. While the second carrier support member 110 is illustrated and described in FIG. 2 as including a moveable coupling 202 that provides for telescoping movement of the second carrier support member 110, the moveable coupling 202 may include any of a variety of moveably couplings and features (e.g., locks, detents, etc.) that allow the second user engagement member 110a to be moved into and secured in any intermediate orientations or other orientations desirable by the user. Furthermore, other types of moveable couplings may be provided on the second carrier support member 110 and/or the carrier base 102 to allow for other movement of the second user engagement member 110a such as, for example, rotational movement that allows the rotational position of the second user engagement member 108a relative to the carrier base 102 to be adjusted, and/or any other movement that would allow for the re-positioning of the second user engagement member 110a as desired by the user. For example, a rotational coupling may couple the second carrier support member 110 to the carrier base 102 such that the second carrier support member 110 may be rotated away from the child seat 104 (e.g., towards the back surface 106b of the carrier base 102) in order to, for example, place the carrier system 100 in a car, to place a child in the carrier system 100, etc. In another example, the moveable coupling (e.g., a telescoping coupling similar to moveable coupling 202) may be provided adjacent the second user engagement member 110a to allow for movement of the second user engagement member 110a relative to the second carrier support member 110 in order to, for example, extend the second user engagement member 110a in a substantially horizontal plane after extending the second carrier support member 110 in a substantially vertical plane using the moveable coupling 202.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, and with reference to FIGS. 1a-1g, an embodiment of a method 300 for supporting a carrier is illustrated. While the method 300 is described as being performed using the carrier system 100 illustrated and described above with reference to FIGS. 1a-1g, it may similarly be performed using any of the modified features either described above or in further detail below while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure, as well as being utilized with a variety of other types of carrier systems known in the art. The method 300 is described as being performed by a user 400 including a first arm with a first arm portion 402 (i.e., an upper arm or bicep portion of the right arm of the user 400), a second arm portion 404 (i.e., a forearm portion of the right arm of the user 400), and a hand 406 (i.e., on the right arm). However, as discussed below, alternative embodiments of the carrier system 100 may allow for performance of the method 300 using similar parts of a second arm of the user 400 (i.e., the left arm) while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

The method 300 begins at block 302 where the first user engagement member is engaged with a hand. In an embodiment, the user 400 may engage the first user engagement member 108a by grasping the first user engagement member 108a with their hand 406. As discussed above, the first user engagement member 108a may be moveable relative to the carrier base 102, and thus in some embodiments the user 400 may move the first user engagement member 108a relative to the carrier base 102 and into an orientation desired by the user prior to grasping the first user engagement member 108a (and subsequent to securing the first user engagement member 1089a in that orientation in some embodiments), or the user 400 may move the first user engagement member 108a relative to the carrier base 102 and into an orientation desired by the user subsequent to grasping the first user engagement member 108a. In embodiments in which the third user engagement member 108b is provided (e.g., as illustrated), at block 302 the user 400 may move the hand 406 and second portion of the arm 404 through the arm channel 108c defined by the third user engagement member 108b in order to grasp the first user engagement member 108a, and as a result the third user engagement member 108b will be engaged by the second portion 404 of the arm of the user 400.

The method 300 then proceeds to block 304 where the second user engagement member is engaged with a portion of an arm. In an embodiment, the user 400 may engage the second user engagement member 110a by positioning the first portion 402 of their arm in the arm channel 110b defined by the second user engagement member 110a. As discussed above, the second user engagement member 110a may be moveable relative to the carrier base 102, and thus in some embodiments the user 400 may move the second user engagement member 110a relative to the carrier base 102 and into an orientation desired by the user and that allows the first portion 402 of their arm to be positioned in the arm channel 110b and in engagement with the second user engagement member 110a. In some embodiments, the user 400 may move the hand 406, the second portion 404 of their arm, and the first portion 402 of their arm through the arm channel 110b defined by the second user engagement member 110a (and through the arm channel 108c defined by the third user engagement member 108b, when provided) in order to grasp the first user engagement member 108a, and as a result the second user engagement member 110a is engaged by the first portion 402 of the arm of the user 400 (as well as the third user engagement member 108b being engaged by the second portion 404 of the arm of the user 400, when provided).

The method 300 then proceeds to block 306 where a lifting force is provided on the first user engagement member to produce a support force on the second user engagement member. As illustrated in FIG. 4, blocks 302 and 304 may be performed while the carrier system 100 is located on the ground 408. At block 306, the user may provide a lifting force on the first user engagement member 108a in a direction C to cause the first user engagement member 108a to move in the direction C. In response to that lifting force, the carrier system 100 will begin to rotate about the first user engagement member 108a. However, as a result of the engagement of the portion 402 of the arm of the user 400 with the second user engagement member 110a, that rotation will cause the portion 402 of the arm of the user 400 to produce a support force on the second user engagement member 110a that is then transferred to the side surface 106d of the carrier base 102 to prevent that rotation. In addition, in embodiments where the third user engagement member 108b is provided, the rotation of the carrier system 100 about the first user engagement member 108a will cause the portion 404 of the arm of the user 400 engaging the third user engagement member 108b to produce a support force on the third user engagement member 108b that is then transferred to side surface 106c of the carrier base 102 to prevent that rotation. As a result of the lifting force provided on the first user engagement member 108a and the support force(s) provided on the second user engagement member 110a (and optionally the third user engagement member 108b), the lifting and supporting of the carrier base 102 may be accomplished with the carrier base 102 substantially parallel to the ground 408 (e.g., as illustrated by the plane 410 that is indicated by the dotted line and that is substantially co-planar with the bottom surface 106e of the carrier base 102). As such, the user 400 may stand still and/or walk with the carrier system 100 supported as illustrated in FIG. 4, which has been found to reduce and/or eliminate the occurrence of the carrier base 102 engaging the hip and/or leg of the user 400.

Furthermore, the orientation of the arm of the user 400 when lifting and supporting the carrier system 100 as illustrated in FIG. 4 has been found to remedy many of the deficiencies discussed above that are associated with conventional carrier systems. As can be seen, using the systems and methods for the present disclosure, the load of the carrier system 100 may be supported by user 400 with their arm substantially straight down by their side (e.g., with the arm substantially extended and located adjacent the torso and hip of the user 400). Using the arm orientations enabled by the systems and methods of the present disclosure to support the load of the carrier system 100 engages the shoulder muscles, rotator cuff, and deltoid, but does not work those muscles to the extent that they are worked using the typical arm orientations that utilized for conventional carrier systems as discussed above. Furthermore, the arm orientations enabled by the systems and methods of the present disclosure do not substantially engage the supraspinatus muscle, and do not put any substantial load on the biceps such that stress on the labrum in the shoulder is substantially eliminated. These benefits have been found using embodiments of the present disclosure that provide for lifting and support the carrier system 100 with the hand 406 and first portion 402 of the arm located outside of the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102, while embodiments of the present disclosure that provide for lifting and support of the carrier system 100 with just the hand 406 of the user 400 located outside of the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102 (e.g., with some part of the first portion 402 of the arm of the user 400 located within the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102) have provided at least some of these benefits as well.

Thus, systems and methods have been described that provide a novel carrier system and method for supporting a carrier system that provide substantial benefits over conventional carrier systems and methods. The carrier systems and methods of the present disclosure utilize a handle extending from a first outer surface of the carrier base such that the handle is located outside of a footprint of the carrier chassis, along with a support member that extends from a second side of the carrier chassis and that is configured to engage an arm of a user when the hand on that arm is lifting the carrier chassis using the handle. A user lifting and supporting the carrier chassis using the systems and methods of the present disclosure will not engage their hip and/or leg with the carrier chassis when the user is holding the carrier system and/or walking with the carrier system, and may do so using an arm orientation that produces less stress on the muscles in the user's arm and shoulders than is experienced in conventional carrier systems, thus providing the user the ability to support the carrier system comfortably and without stress, fatigue, or injury.

Referring now to FIGS. 5a and 5b, an embodiment is illustrated showing the user 400 lifting and supporting an alternative carrier system 500 that utilizes the teachings of the present disclosure. The carrier system 500 is substantially similar to the carrier system 100, discussed above, but with the provision of a modified second carrier support member 502 replacing the second carrier support member 110, and an added user engagement member 504 that is substantially similar to the first user engagement member 108a but that extends from the side surface 106d opposite the carrier base 102 from the side surface 106c, and that is located outside of the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102. As can be seen, the modified second carrier support member 502 extends from both the side surface 106c and the side surface 106d of the carrier base 102. Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 5a, the modified second carrier support member 502 may extend, respectively, from the carrier support member that includes the first user engagement member 108a and from the carrier support member that includes the added user engagement member 504. The modified second carrier support member 502 includes a modified second user engagement member 502a that is provided by an appropriately shaped portion of the modified second carrier support member 502 and that defines an arm channel that is similar to the arm channel 110b defined by the second user engagement member 110a, and that may be may be located outside of the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102. The modified second carrier support member 502 also includes an added user engagement member 502b that is provided by an appropriately shaped portion of the modified second carrier support member 502 and that defines an arm channel that is similar to the arm channel 110b defined by the second user engagement member 110a, and that may be located outside of the footprint 112 of the carrier base 102. While not illustrated, a third user engagement member (e.g., similar to the third user engagement member 108b discussed above) may be provided on either or both sides of the alternative carrier system 500 similarly as discussed above (e.g., with reference to FIGS. 1a-1g) and/or as an extension from the modified second carrier support member 502 in order to provide for additional support of the carrier system.

In operation, the alternative carrier system 500 may be utilized according to the method 300 substantially as described above for the carrier system 100. In some embodiments, the user may utilize the hand 406 on their right arm to grasp the first user engagement member 108a while engaging the modified second user engagement member 502a with the second portion 404 on their right arm (as illustrated in FIG. 5a). In other embodiments, the user may utilize the hand on their left arm to grasp the added user engagement member 504 while engaging the added user engagement member 502b with a portion on their left arm. As such, the alternative carrier system 500 allows the user 400 to lift and support the carrier base 102 using either of their arms (or a preferred arm) while realizing the benefits discussed above.

Furthermore, the alternative carrier system 500 also includes rotatable couplings 506a and 506b that are located between the first user engagement member 108a and the modified second carrier support member 502, as well as between the added user engagement member 504 and the modified second carrier support member 502. In some embodiments, the modified second carrier support member 502 may be utilized to lift and support the alternative carrier system 500 in a conventional manner. The rotatable couplings 506a and 506b may be utilized to allow the modified second carrier support member 502 to be rotated about an axis defined by the rotatable couplings 506a and 506b to, for example, move the modified second carrier support member 502 adjacent the front surface 106a or back surface 106b of the carrier base 102 (e.g., when positioning the alternative carrier system 500 in a car). Further still, the alternative carrier system 500 also includes extendable couplings 508a and 508b located between the first user engagement member 108a and the modified second carrier support member 502, as well as between the added user engagement member 504 and the modified second carrier support member 502. As illustrated in FIG. 5b, the extendable couplings 508a and 508b allow the modified second carrier support member 502 to be extended away from the carrier base 102 in a direction D, which moves the modified second user engagement member 502 such that it engages the first portion 402 of the user's arm instead of the second portion 402 (as illustrated in FIG. 5a). Similarly as discussed above, while illustrated as being utilized with the right arm of the user 400, similarly functionality is available when utilizing the left arm of the user 400 to lift and support the alternative carrier system 500 via the added user engagement member 504 and the added user engagement member 502b.

Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A carrier system, comprising:

a carrier base that defines a carrier footprint;

a first carrier support member that extends from an outer side surface on the carrier base, wherein the first carrier support member includes a first user engagement member that is located outside of the carrier footprint and that is configured to engage a hand of a user; and

a second carrier support member that extends from the carrier base from a location on the carrier base that is opposite the outer side surface from the first carrier support member, wherein the second carrier support member includes a second user engagement member that is configured to engage a portion of an arm of the user when the hand of the user is engaging the first user engagement member.

2. The carrier system of claim 1, wherein the first user engagement member is moveable relative to the first carrier support member between a first orientation that is substantially parallel with the outer side surface of the carrier base and a second orientation that is substantially perpendicular with the outer side surface of the carrier base.

3. The carrier system of claim 1, wherein the first carrier support member extends from a first outer side surface on the carrier base, and wherein the second carrier support member extends from a second outer side surface on the carrier base that is opposite the carrier base from the first outer side surface.

4. The carrier system of claim 1, wherein the second user engagement member is configured to engage a first portion of the arm of the user, and the carrier system further comprises:

a third user engagement member that is located on the first carrier support member and that is configured to engage a second portion of the arm of the user that is located between the hand of the user and the first portion of the arm of the user.

5. The carrier system of claim 1, wherein the second carrier support member is extendable to increase a length of the second carrier support member between the second user engagement member and the carrier base.

6. The carrier system of claim 1, wherein the engagement of the first user engagement member with the hand of the user and the engagement of the second user engagement member with the portion of the arm of the user provides for support of the carrier base with both of the hand of the user and the arm of the user located outside of the carrier footprint.

7. A child support system, comprising:

a seat chassis that defines a seat channel;

a child seat located in the seat channel;

a first user engagement member that is coupled to a first side of the seat chassis, wherein the first user engagement member is located outside of a footprint of the seat chassis and is configured to engage a first hand of a user; and

a second user engagement member that is coupled to a second side of the seat chassis and that is configured to engage a portion of a first arm of the user when the first hand of the user is engaging the first user engagement member.

8. The child support system of claim 7, wherein the first user engagement member is moveable between a first orientation that is substantially parallel with the first side of the seat chassis and a second orientation that is substantially perpendicular with the first side of the seat chassis.

9. The child support system of claim 7, wherein the first side of the seat chassis is located opposite the seat chassis from the second side of the seat chassis.

10. The child support system of claim 7, wherein the second user engagement member is configured to engage a first portion of the first arm of the user, and wherein the child support system further comprises:

a third user engagement member that extends from the first side of the seat chassis and that is configured to engage a second portion of the first arm of the user that is located between the first hand of the user and the first portion of the first arm of the user.

11. The child support system of claim 7, wherein the second user engagement member is extendable by increasing a length of the coupling between the second user engagement member and the seat chassis.

12. The child support system of claim 7, further comprising:

a third user engagement member that is coupled to the second side of the seat chassis, wherein the third user engagement member is located outside of the footprint of the seat chassis and is configured to engage a second hand of the user;

a fourth user engagement member that is coupled to the first side of the seat chassis and that is configured to engage a portion of a second arm of the user when the second hand of the user is engaging the third user engagement member.

13. The child support system of claim 7, wherein the engagement of the first user engagement member with the first hand of the user and the engagement of the second user engagement member with the portion of the first arm of the user provides for support of the seat chassis with the first hand of the user located outside of the footprint of the seat chassis.

14. A method for supporting a carrier, comprising:

engaging, by a first hand of a user, a first user engagement member that is included on a first carrier support member that extends from a first outer side surface on a carrier base, wherein the first user engagement member is located outside of a footprint of the carrier base;

engaging, by a portion of a first arm of the user when the first hand of the user is engaging the first user engagement member, a second user engagement member that is included on a second carrier support member that extends from the carrier base from a location on the carrier base that is opposite the first outer side surface from the first carrier support member; and

lifting, by the user, the carrier base by using the first hand to provide a lifting force on the first user engagement member that is transmitted through the first carrier support member to the carrier base, wherein in response to the lifting, a support force is provided by the portion of the first arm on the second user engagement member that is transmitted through the second carrier support member to the carrier base.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

moving the first user engagement member relative to the first carrier support member between a first orientation that is substantially parallel with the outer side surface of the carrier base and a second orientation that is substantially perpendicular with the outer side surface of the carrier base.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second carrier support member extends from a second outer side surface on the carrier base that is opposite the carrier base from the first outer side surface.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the second user engagement member engages a first portion of the first arm of the user, and the method further comprises:

engaging, by a second portion of the first arm of the user when the first hand of the user is engaging the first user engagement member, a third user engagement member that is included on the first carrier support member, wherein the second portion of the first arm of the user is located between the first hand of the user and the first portion of the first arm of the user.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

extending the second carrier support member to increase a length of the second carrier support member between the second user engagement member and the carrier base.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

engaging, by a second hand of the user, a third user engagement member that is included on a third carrier support member that extends from a second outer side surface on the carrier base that is located opposite the carrier base from the first outer side surface, wherein the third user engagement member is located outside of the footprint of the carrier base;

engaging, by a portion of a second arm of the user when the second hand of the user is engaging the third user engagement member, a fourth user engagement member that is included on the second carrier support member that extends from the carrier base from a location on the carrier base that is opposite the second outer side surface from the third carrier support member; and

lifting, by the user, the carrier base by using the second hand to provide a lifting force on the third user engagement member that is transmitted through the third carrier support member to the carrier base, wherein in response to the lifting, a support force is provided by the portion of the second arm on the fourth user engagement member that is transmitted through the second carrier support member to the carrier base.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the engagement of the first user engagement member with the first hand of the user and the engagement of the second user engagement member with the portion of the first arm of the user provides for the lifting and support of the carrier base with both the first hand of the user and the first arm of the user outside of the footprint of the carrier base.