Patents Assigned to Graco Children Products, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20120062001
    Abstract: A child seating device has a seat with spaced apart sides, a seat back part, a seat bottom part terminating at a front edge, and a seating surface defined by the seat back and seat bottom parts. A canopy has a hood with an open front end, a plurality of sections, and a pair of canopy sides positioned adjacent the sides of the seat. The hood extends above and is positionable to cover the seat back part of the seating surface. A privacy screen has a perimeter with an extendable portion and an attachment portion, which removably attaches the privacy screen to the canopy near the open front end. The privacy screen can be extended forward from the open front end to a deployed position above and covering the seat bottom part of the seating surface. The extendable portion of the perimeter can be pulled forward and secured to the front edge of the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Christine D. Krasley
  • Patent number: 8128119
    Abstract: A stroller includes a frame having a frame leg and a frame joint at which the frame leg is coupled to the frame. The frame joint is configured to allow retraction of the frame leg to a folded position. A handle is attached to the frame at a pivot joint, the pivot joint being configured for rotation of the handle between first and second operational orientations. The pivot joint is further configured for rotation of the handle from the first or second operational orientations to a storage position aligned with the folded position of the frame leg. In some cases, a front frame leg and a rear frame leg are coupled to the frame joint, the frame joint being configured to allow the front frame leg and the rear frame leg to retract to respective folded positions in which the stroller is supported in an upright orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Saville, Daniel Newhard, Nico Michler, Christian Busse, Bianca Fleischer
  • Patent number: 8112835
    Abstract: A bassinet includes a frame and a bed basket supported by the frame. The bed basket defines an infant sleep surface. The frame and the bed basket are pivotably coupled to allow the bed basket to rotate relative to the frame to convert between a first bassinet configuration and a second bassinet configuration. The second bassinet configuration has a greater wall height about the infant sleep surface than the first bassinet configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Rachel Eirich, John (Jason) C. Arnold, IV, Matthew Rivera, Annette Stella
  • Patent number: 8109775
    Abstract: A juvenile product includes an electrical device, a structural assembly configured to structurally support the electrical device, and a power delivery path configured to carry power to the electrical device. The structural assembly includes first and second structural components, and is formed via a structural connection of the first and second structural components. The power delivery path is disposed within the first and second structural components, respectively, and includes first and second electrical contacts positioned relative to the first and second structural components, respectively, such that the structural connection between the first and second structural components establishes an electrical connection between the first and second contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Ransil, Bryan Graham, Craig Desrosiers
  • Publication number: 20120025492
    Abstract: A storage latch mechanism (160) is disclosed for a foldable stroller. The stroller has a frame assembly with a chassis (52) and a handle (54). The frame assembly is reconfigurable between an in-use configuration and a folded configuration and the handle (54) is movable between a normal use position and a stowed position relative to the chassis. The storage latch mechanism (160) has first and second storage latch parts carried on the frame assembly and which are latched to one another with the frame assembly in the folded configuration and which are unlatched from one another in the in-use configuration. Movement of the handle (54) to the stowed position frees the storage latch mechanism (160) to latch and movement of the handle from the stowed position to the normal use position unlatches the storage latch mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Graco Childrens Products Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Todd Grintz, Michael A. Dotsey
  • Patent number: 8087680
    Abstract: A stroller is configured to transport interchangeable child seats. The stroller includes a stroller frame having a first set of connection locations removably attach to a first child seat. The frame also includes a removable child seat adapter that can be connected to the stroller frame such that the stroller frame presents a second set of connection locations that removably attach to a second child seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dotsey, Patrick Nolan
  • Publication number: 20110309663
    Abstract: A child safety seat has a seat back (16) with an upper end (28), a lower end, a back side, and a front side (26). A harness (50) has a pair of shoulder straps (58) each having a portion positioned forward of and extending along the front side. A headrest (32) is coupled to the seat back near the upper end and has a bottom (40). The vertical position of the headrest is selectively adjustable along the seat back between a raised and a lowered position. A strap router (112) on the seat back directs the shoulder straps from the back side toward the front side. The shoulder straps are directed under the bottom (40) of the headrest. By selectively adjusting the headrest vertical position, the bottom (40) of the headrest adjusts the vertical position of the shoulder straps on the front side of the seat back by increasing or decreasing the useable length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Brunick, Ira Rubien
  • Patent number: 8070227
    Abstract: A car seat is configured to rest on a seat of a vehicle and to support a child, and the car seat has a shell with a front side and a rear side and a seating surface on the front side. A first contact surface is defined on a part of the car seat facing generally opposite the seating surface. The first contact surface is oriented to support the car seat with the seating surface at a first seat incline. One or more adapter bodies are carried on the car seat and movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The one or more adapter bodies each define a second contact surface. With the adapter bodies in the stowed position, the first contact surface is exposed to rest on the vehicle seat. With the adapter bodies in the deployed position, the one or more second contact surfaces are exposed and oriented to support the car seat with the seating surface at a second seat incline different than the first seat incline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Brunick, Neil C. Penza, Craig Weber
  • Patent number: 8070179
    Abstract: A foldable stroller has a frame assembly that can be moved from an in-use configuration to a folded configuration. A storage latch for the foldable stroller has a catch part carried on a first frame part that extends transversely between left and right frame sides. The storage latch also has a latch part carried on a second frame part that extends transversely between the left and right frame sides, at least one of the latch or catch parts moving from a stowed position to a latching position adjacent the other of the parts as the frame assembly is moved to the folded configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Pike, Michael A. Dotsey
  • Patent number: 8070226
    Abstract: An infant car seat base assembly has a base section with a top side, a bottom side, an upright base panel on a first end, and first and second openings vertically spaced apart on the upright base panel. A foot is attached to the first end and is slidable along the upright base panel in a direction generally normal to a plane of the bottom side between a first position and a second position. The foot has a foot body and a resilient, flexible leg extending up from the foot body. The flexible leg is exposed on an exterior of the base section and has a back side facing the upright base panel. The foot has a guide leg extending up from the foot body adjacent the flexible leg and positioned behind the upright base panel. A tab protrudes from the back side of the flexible leg and is sized to selectively seat in each of the first and second openings. The flexible leg biases the tab toward the upright base panel to seat in a selected one of the first and second openings when aligned therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Noah Dingler, Jason Arnold, Craig Weber
  • Publication number: 20110283457
    Abstract: A mattress pad assembly for use with a child containment area is disclosed. The mattress pad assembly includes a mattress pad having a plurality of panels each of which is coupled to at least one other panel along a flexible seam, wherein the mattress pad is reconfigurable between a non-planar configuration and a planar configuration defined by the cooperation of the plurality of panels to form a flexible top surface and a substantially rigid bottom surface. The mattress pad assembly further includes a support assembly coupled to the bottom surface of the mattress pad when the mattress pad is in the planar configuration, the support assembly having one or more support connectors coupled to at least two of the plurality of panels, and a brace configured to removably cooperate with the one or more support connectors, wherein the brace is configured to engage each of the plurality of panels to prevent bending along the flexible seam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest Son, Matthew Rivera, Melissa Wolf, Brandon Burkholder, James Dorsey
  • Patent number: 8056921
    Abstract: A stroller has a frame structure with two laterally spaced apart sides and a frame extension on each side. Each frame extension projects rearward and terminates at a free end. The frame structure is collapsible laterally from a side-to-side in-use spacing between the frame extensions to a side-to-side compact spacing less than the in-use spacing between the frame extensions. A push handle is on the free end of each frame extension. A cross-brace extends between and interconnects the frame extensions. The cross-brace has a central section and a pair of flanking sections pivotally connected to one another. The cross brace is selectively reconfigurable from a stiff condition to a loose condition with the frame extensions in the in-use spacing. The stiff condition maintains the in-use spacing between the frame extensions and the loose condition permits the frame extensions to collapse to the compact spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dotsey, Todd D. Sorzano, Roy L. Dean
  • Publication number: 20110258775
    Abstract: A child containment system has a child containment structure with a bottom, a perimeter side wall surrounding the bottom, and a connector part carried on each of two opposed inward facing surfaces of the perimeter wall. The system has an infant sleeping apparatus with a fabric panel having a top surface, a perimeter edge, a frame structure carrier near the perimeter edge, and an exposed portion of the frame structure positioned near each opposed end of the fabric panel. The infant sleeping apparatus is removably mounted to the child containment structure with the fabric panel suspended above the bottom of the child containment structure by connecting each exposed portion of the frame structure to a corresponding one of the connector parts of the child containment structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Burkholder, Matt Rivera, Annette Stella
  • Patent number: 8029377
    Abstract: A child motion device includes a frame that provides a structural support relative to a reference surface and that includes an arm pivotably coupled to the structural support. A child supporting device is coupled to the arm and spaced from the reference surface by the frame. A drive system is configured to move the arm such that the child supporting device reciprocates along a motion path at a frequency within a range from about 0.37 Hz to about 0.62 Hz. In some cases, a further drive system is configured to oscillate the child supporting device generally along the axis of rotation at a frequency in a range from about 2.85 Hz to about 3.15 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Velderman, William B. Bellows, Joshua E. Clapper, Matthew J. Ransil, James E. Godiska, Baku Kakuda
  • Patent number: 8029014
    Abstract: A stroller includes a frame assembly, a seat supported by the frame assembly, and first and second adjustable seat supports engaged with the frame assembly to support the seat in a position relative to the frame assembly. A link couples the first and second seat supports such that a movement of the first seat support is mirrored in a corresponding movement of the second seat support to adjust the position of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Ahnert, Daniel Newhard, Derek Saville, John (Jason) C. Arnold, IV
  • Patent number: 8001630
    Abstract: A child containment system has a child containment structure with a bottom and a perimeter side wall surrounding the bottom. The system has a removable bassinet with a bottom panel and a surrounding wall around the bottom panel. The bassinet is mounted to the perimeter side wall of the child containment structure with the bottom panel elevated above the bottom. The system also has an infant sleeping apparatus with a fabric panel having a top surface. The infant sleeping apparatus is removably mounted to the child containment structure with the fabric panel suspended above the bottom panel of the bassinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Burkholder, Matt Rivera, Annette Stella
  • Publication number: 20110197356
    Abstract: A changing table for a playard has a flexible platform sized to support a child and a changing table mount arranged to releasably engage the platform to the playard. The changing table mount can have a plurality of straps each having a fastener and removably received in corresponding slots of the playard. The changing table mount can comprise a zipper releasably connecting the changing table to the playard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua E. Clapper, Jeffrey David Swan, Neil C. Penza, Todd D. Sorzano, Matthew J. Ransil, Thomas J. Pollack, Jonathan M. Pacella, Robert T. Pike, Michael A. Dotsey
  • Patent number: 7992269
    Abstract: A child restraint assembly for a child vehicle seat includes a buckle assembly including a buckle and a pair of latches, a harness coupled to the buckle assembly, and a harness adjuster to adjust the harness. The buckle includes a buckle actuator slidable between a first position and a second position relative to a front surface of the buckle to unlock the buckle assembly. The harness adjuster includes a housing and a harness adjuster actuator movable between a first position and a second position relative to a front surface of the housing to unlock the harness adjuster. Movement of the buckle actuator from the first position to the second position is in the same direction as movement of the harness adjuster actuator from the first position to the second position. The buckle can include a grip surface of sufficient thickness to enable a user to brace a finger against the buckle grip surface when actuating the buckle actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Patrizi, Patrick B. Nolan
  • Publication number: 20110181084
    Abstract: A child seat has a seat base with a seating surface, a front edge, and a back end. A back support surface of the child seat is generally inclined relative to the seating surface. A seat bight is formed at the juncture between the seating surface and the back support surface. The seat bight is adjustable between a first bight position spaced a first distance from the front edge of the seat base and a second bight position spaced a second distance from the front edge of the seat base. The second distance is less than the first distance. A seat back insert can be provided that is attachable to the seat base in one or more insert positions defining one or more of the bight positions. The insert can create the back support surface at one or more position relative to the front edge. The seat base can also have a back wall creating the back support surface further from the front edge when the insert is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: John (Jason) C. Arnold, IV, Dennis Stauffer
  • Patent number: 7973665
    Abstract: A child monitor system includes a child unit having a sensor to capture content, and a parent unit having a processor and a user interface communicatively coupled with the processor to reproduce the content captured by the sensor. The child unit and the parent unit are configured to communicate via a wireless communication link carrying content data representative of the captured content. The system further includes a memory communicatively coupled with the child unit or the parent unit and configured for non-volatile storage of the content data. The processor of the parent unit is configured to issue an instruction to effectuate the non-volatile storage of the content data in the memory in response to a content storage request received via the user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Desrosiers