Infant seat handle with ergonomic extension
An extension member for an infant seat handle includes an extension arm having first and second arm members. A body contact member interconnects the first and second arm members at a first end of said extension member. A clamp configured for attachment to the infant carrier handle is also provided. The clamp includes first and second studs that pivotally engage the first and second arm members.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 60/566,598 filed Apr. 30, 2004.
I. FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to infant seats/carriers, and more particularly to ergonomically enhanced infant seats.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONInfant carriers are an increasingly popular way to transport babies. As used herein, the terms infant carrier, infant seat and baby carrier are used interchangeably to refer to identical structures. Heretofore, infant carriers have been made available with standard attachments that allow the infant carrier to be attached to strollers, car seats or shopping carts. Still, parents often must pick up and move the infant carrier between such devices, sometimes over long distances.
Users of infant carriers are subjected to asymmetrical stresses on the upper body and that may cause strain and injury. Additionally, the awkward position that a user must assume when carrying conventional infant carriers often leads to muscle fatigue of the shoulder and arm muscles making it very difficult to avoid collision with the users legs while walking.
Existing technology provides a variety of ergonomic carrier handles that attempt to reduce the awkwardness of walking while holding a carrier (
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an infant carrier that is held away from the user's body to prevent collision with the knees or other body parts. There is a further need for a carrier that does not encourage the user to assume injury-causing compensatory postures often exhibited when the user can no longer abduct the arm while holding the carrier.
III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with an aspect of the invention, an infant seat handle assembly is provided. The handle assembly includes a handle portion having a first arm including an end configured to attach to a first side of an infant-seat shell. The handle assembly also includes a second arm that includes an end configured to attach to a second side of the infant seat shell and an intermediate section that extends across the infant seat shell and interconnects the first and second arms. An extension member extends from one of the first and second arms and has a first end attached to the handle portion and a second end that includes a body contact member.
In accordance with another aspect, an extension member for an infant seat handle is provided. The extension member comprises an extension arm including first and second arm members. A body contact member interconnects the first and second arm members at a first end of the extension member. A clamp is configured for attachment to the infant carrier handle, the clamp includes first and second studs that pivotally engage the first and second arm members.
It is an object of the invention to provide an infant carrier that relieves that is displace from the body to relieve upper body stresses often associated with transport of infant carriers.
It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus that can attached to conventional infant carrier handles that displaces the infant carrier from the body to relieve upper body stresses often associated with transport of infant carriers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an infant carrier that does not obstruct that user's normal gait.
As used herein “substantially,” “generally,” and other words of degree are relative modifiers intended to indicate permissible variation from the characteristic so modified. It is not intended to be limited to the absolute value or characteristic which it modifies but rather possessing more of the physical or functional characteristic than its opposite, and preferably, approaching or approximating such a physical or functional characteristic.
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, and which is shown by way of illustration to the specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. The following illustrated embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes based on presently known structural and/or functional equivalents may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is generally is embodied in an apparatus that reduces shoulder and/or arm strain and other poor health consequences that may result from carrying infant seats or carriers. The apparatus includes an extension member that extends from the handle of the carrier at a deployment angle of between about 30° to about 130° from a vertical axis of the carrier. The extension member may be fixed to the infant carrier handle or it may be adjustable along the handle. The lever arm may be integrally formed with the handle or may be removably attached to the handle. In some embodiments, the extension member includes a lever arm that moves about a permanent or temporary fulcrum. In keeping with the invention, one end of the lever arm is adapted to rest against a user's body so that the carrier is positioned and maintained a short distance from the user's body thereby reducing strain and preventing collision with the user's legs while walking.
In accordance with the invention, in this embodiment, an extension member 300 is attached to handle 200. In some embodiments, extension member 300 may be fixedly attached to handle 200 either at intermediate section 260 or along one of first and second arms 220 and 240. In the illustrated embodiment, extension member 300 comprises a lever arm and is attached to intermediate section 260 via fulcrum 270.
As illustrated in
In keeping with an aspect of the invention, extension member 300 includes a body contact member 340, as shown in
In keeping with still another aspect of the invention, in some embodiments, extension member 300 may be pivotally engaged with handle 200 via fulcrum 270. Extension member 300 may then be movable between a stowed position,
A stop may be provided to prevent extension member 300 from pivoting past the deployed position. In the embodiment depicted in
In the stowed position, extension member 300 preferably overlays one of first and second arms 220 and 240 and intermediate section 260. In the embodiment illustrated in
As illustrated in
A suitable universal clamp 350 is preferably east to operate and constructed to fit infant carrier handles of various constructions. An exemplary universal clamp 350 is illustrated in
Universal clamp 350 is preferably further provided with first and second studs 362 on respective ends of planar sections 352 and 356, as shown in
Universal clamp 350 further preferably includes mechanisms for maintaining extension member 300 in the deployed position and for preventing over rotation as illustrated in
As previously mentioned, extension member 300 may be “top” mounted on handle 200 at intermediate section 260 or “side” mounted on one of first and second arms 220 and 240.
Still another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in
In accordance with yet an alternate embodiment of the invention, extension member 300 may engage handle 200 using a weight lock method. In this embodiment, as shown in
As illustrated in
In keeping with the invention, extension member 300 may be constructed from a lightweight rigid material such as plastic, aluminum or light steel tubing. To increase user comfort, body contact members 340 and 430 may be cushioned with, for example, foam padding.
Claims
1. An infant seat handle assembly comprising:
- a handle portion having a first arm including an end configured to attach to a first side of an infant-seat shell, a second arm including an end configured to attach to a second side of the infant seat shell and an intermediate section extending across the infant seat shell and interconnecting the first and second arms; and
- an extension member extending from one of the first and second arms and having a first end attached to said handle portion and a second end including a body contact member.
2. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 1 wherein the body contact member is a structural element configured to anatomically accommodate a body curvature of a human waist.
3. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 1 wherein said extension member is pivotally engaged with said handle and is movable between a deployed position and a stowed position.
4. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 3 wherein the stowed position is generally parallel to one of the first and second arms and the intermediate section.
5. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 3 wherein said handle portion has a generally ovular cross section and said extension member has a hollow open ovular cross section such that, in the stowed position, said extension member overlays said handle portion.
6. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 3 wherein said handle portion has a generally circular cross section and said extension member has a hollow open circular cross section such that, in the stowed position, said extension member overlays said handle portion.
7. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 3 wherein said handle portion has a generally rectangular cross section and said extension member has a hollow open rectangular cross section such that, in the stowed position, said extension member overlays said handle portion.
8. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 1 wherein said extension member is fixedly attached to said handle portion.
9. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 1 wherein said extension member extends from one of the first and second arms by a distance of at least four inches.
10. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising a clamp for removably attaching said extension member to said handle portion, said extension member being pivotally connected to the clamp.
11. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 10 further comprising a stop operatively associated with said extension member to restrict pivotal motion of the extension member.
12. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 11 wherein the stop is attached to said handle.
13. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 11 wherein the stop is attached to the clamp.
14. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 1 further comprising a stop operatively associated with said extension member to restrict pivotal motion of the extension member.
15. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 3 wherein said extension member includes a lever arm and a stop.
16. The infant seat handle assembly of claim 15 wherein the lever arm and the stop define a unitary structure, the lever arm including first and second wire leads extending from said handle portion and a body contact member interconnecting the first and second wire leads at a first end of the extension member, the stop including a mating portion interconnecting the first and second wire leads at a second end of said extension member, the mating portion being configured to matingly engage said handle portion when said extension member is in the deployed position.
17. An extension member for an infant seat handle comprising:
- an extension arm including first and second arm members;
- a body contact member interconnecting the first and second arm members at a first end of said extension member; and
- a clamp configured for attachment to the infant carrier handle, said clamp including first and second studs that pivotally engage the first and second arm members.
18. The extension member of claim 17 wherein said clamp includes a locking spring configured for engagement with said extension arm to urge said extension arm into a deployed position.
19. The extension arm of claim 18 wherein said clamp further comprises a stop that prevent said extension member from rotating past the deployment position.
20. The extension member of claim 18 wherein said extension arm is disposed at a deployment angle of between about 30° to about 130°.
Type: Application
Filed: May 2, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 10, 2005
Inventor: Arthur Yeager (Columbia, SC)
Application Number: 11/118,762