Abstract: An infant car seat system is provided, including a car seat, a car seat base, and a stroller. The connection and release mechanisms between the car seat and the base and stroller are durable and easy to operate.

Abstract: A teething gel system and a burstable ampule for use therewith. The teething gel system includes a teether with a chewing portion defining a plurality of depressions for holding gel. A gel spreader is provided for movement across the teether so that gel is deposited into the depressions. The gel spreader includes a housing sized to receive the ampule. A cutter is disposed in the housing and is adapted to burst the ampule when the ampule is inserted into the housing. The ampule includes an inner sleeve formed of rigid material and an outer sleeve formed of frangible material.

Abstract: A teething gel system and a burstable ampule for use therewith. The teething gel system includes a teether with a chewing portion defining a plurality of depressions for holding gel. A gel spreader is provided for movement across the teether so that gel is deposited into the depressions. The gel spreader includes a housing sized to receive the ampule. A cutter is disposed in the housing and is adapted to burst the ampule when the ampule is inserted into the housing. The ampule includes an inner sleeve formed of rigid material and an outer sleeve formed of frangible material.

Abstract: A children's handrail assembly consists of four equally spaced connector brackets having three sections of plastic tubing interconnected therebetween. The connector brackets are secured to a standard handrail by means of cable ties which pass through apertures in the connector bracket and pull tightly around the standard handrail. The children's handrail can be applied to either wall mounted or spindle supported standard handrails. When wall mounted, the connector brackets urge against the wall surface. When spindle mounted, an additional cable tie may be employed to secure the bracket to a spindle.

Abstract: A child restraint car bed is disclosed comprising a shell body (12) including a chamber (5) sized to receive an infant; and first and second through-slots (44, 46) extending through the shell body and communicating with the chamber. A lower surface portion (42) of the first sidewall is concave to support an infant in an on-side position and the bottom chamber surface (40) is substantially planar to support the child in a supine position. A harness assembly (78) is further provided for engaging the shell body and includes retention straps (80, 82, 84) having hook and loop end portions (86, 92, 94) that extend through the through-slots (44, 46) and attach to an infant positioned within the chamber to fixedly secure the infant to the shell body. The harness assembly laterally moves within the through-slots (44, 46) into alternative locations to adjust to a variable body position assumed by an infant in the chamber.

Abstract: A teething gel applicator including a teether. The teether has a chewing portion sized to be partially inserted into a child's mouth. The teether has a series of depressions for holding a gel. A handle, sized to be grasped by a child, is connected to the chewing portion. A gel spreader, that is removably secured to the chewing portion, is used to fill the depressions with the gel. The gel spreader receives a vial containing the gel and rotates around the chewing portion to deposit the gel in the depressions.

Abstract: An infant seat consists of collapsible and intersecting frame members providing for a substantial base to accommodate elevation of an infant maintained therein. One of the frame members is articulated with the two pieces thereof being interconnected by a spring such that the seat itself may be caused to reciprocate or "rock." Wheels at one end of the base accommodate ease of movement of the infant seat. A toy bar is adapted for selective interconnection with the frame for the presentation of an array of toys over the infant. The frame members are collapsible upon themselves for ease of storage.

Abstract: An overhead shield for a child's car seat has a pair of arms pivotally attached to the side walls of the car seat and a central section which is adjustable with respect to the pivotable arm portions. A stationary rack secured to the arm has a plurality of rack notches which engage a pawl latch pivotally mounted to the side extensions of a central cushion member. An exposed operating button enables the pawl latch to be disengaged from the rack notches, and a bias spring normally urges the latch pawl into engagement with one of the rack notches.

Abstract: An improved seat belt for a child car booster seat, having a novel five-point seat belt harness with a belt adjusting mechanism. A novel belt tightening and loosening mechanism is disclosed. The booster seat may be secured preferably by one of two ways: either employing belts that secure the booster seat from the rear, or employing a traditional automobile shoulder and lap belt harness to secure both the user and the booster seat. When using an automobile shoulder and lap belt harness mode of securing the booster seat, a shoulder belt clasp is employed to keep the shoulder belt away from the child user's face and neck.

Abstract: A NHTSA-safety compliant infant restraint with a number of advantageous features including a linkage mechanism that allows relative movement between the seat and underframe during an impact, to allow for an infant to be transported reclined while the restraint is in a rear-facing mode, while enabling the restraint to comply with NHTSA standards during a crash. The restraint may be used in a forward facing, non-rotatable position as well. A plurality of seat back incline positions may be selected for both the rearward and forward-facing modes.

Abstract: An improved rotatable joint of the kind disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,570 for foldable tubular playpen frames having a step in the tooth of a recessed sprocket portion in which a connecting gear rests. In order to unlock the joint one must move the gear axially inwardly with a pushbutton as well as relieve the stresses on the joint by lifting up the tubular bars connected to the joint so that the gear may slip off the step. In this way an additional factor of safety is built-in in order to unlock the joint, and accidental release is reduced.

Abstract: A securing structure for fixing an child restraint designed for automobile seats onto a bench type seat of the kind commonly found on school buses. The securing structure comprises a fabric seat belt harness secured by seat belt buckles onto an fastening anchor that is attached to the bench seat frame. At least one slack take-up tensioning buckle ensures that the harness can be tensioned snugly around the child restraint. In one embodiment the fastening anchor is an elongated tongue bolted to the frame and thin enough to be slid out of the way in the seam of the seat when not being used to secure the harness. In another embodiment an elongated hook is used.

Abstract: A positioning device for a car seat indicates when the car seat has been properly positioned in an automobile or on a shopping cart. The positioning device includes a paper backing which is encapsulated in a plastic housing. The plastic housing includes a relief projection in the shape of an arc. A ball slides within the relief projection and against the paper backing. Printed information on the paper backing indicates when the seat is in the proper orientation according to the position of the ball.

Abstract: An infant carrier (2) for secure attachment of a shopping cart (4). The infant carrier includes a seating section (5) for supporting the infant. The seating section includes a bottom portion (6) and a back portion (8) disposed at an angle to the bottom portion. Side portions (10) are located adjacent to and substantially perpendicular to the back and bottom portions. Rear side extensions (12) are coplanar with the side portions, extending rearwardly therefrom, and include a lock (14) for securely attaching the carrier to a horizontal wire (20) of the shopping cart. The lock is disposed on a rear surface (13) of the rear side extensions in an elongated opening (26) formed in the rear surface. The lock includes a resilient cantilever member (28) connected by a connection end (32) at a lower end (30) of the opening. A latch (34) is disposed remote from the lower end for retaining the horizontal wire within a recess (22) formed in the rear side extension.

Abstract: A safety brake for a child's walker is constructed of a braking bar pivotally mounted to the base of the walker for rotation between a nonbraking position above the wheels and a braking position whereby a straight section of the bar extends below the wheels to lift the wheels out of contact with the floor. A releasable catch on the walker base retains the braking bar in the nonbraking position, and a spring urges the bar into the braking position upon release thereof from the catch.