Child Safety Restraint

United States Patent Application 20060071536

Restraining device which comprises a pair of straps, having a middle section and two ends comprised of two straps at each end, each having a releasable fastener at end portions. When the end portions are fastened they will form a loop. Additionally, an optional set of two straps can be attached to the back of the middle section to be used to attach to the crotch bar of the “stroller”, shopping cart, high chair or the like. In use, the end portions of said straps are placed around each one of a child's legs at any point between the thigh and ankle. The straps are attached to each other between the legs. The restraining device conveniently restrains the child in the seat, preventing the child from lifting both feet to the seat and into a standing position.

Slabaugh, Andrea (Goodyear, AZ, US)
Lowe, Michele (Surprise, AZ, US)

10/711689

04/06/2006

09/30/2004

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297/466

A47D15/00

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MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM

MICHELE LOWE (SURPRISE, AZ, US)

What is claimed is:

1. A device for restraining young children in a shopping cart, high chair, stroller or like device, of the type having a seat, including a bench section and a back section and preferably a crotch bar, comprising: a middle strap member having four straps, two at each opposite ends and a center; fastening means for releasably securing together two straps at said ends of said middle strap member so that two loops are formed, one at each opposite end; Said end straps having an adjustable length sufficient to wrap around a child's legs at any part of the leg; Whereby all fastening means are out of the reach of a small child seated in a shopping cart seat, stroller, or highchair.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an optional set of two straps attached to the back of the middle section of the device of claim 1, for the purpose of attaching device to the crotch bar of shopping cart, “stroller”, high chair, or like device.

DESCRIPTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to restraining devices suitable for retaining a child in a seating compartment of a shopping-cart, a baby-carriage, so-called “stroller”, high chair or the like.

2. Background

A problem encountered by many mothers is that active children can injure themselves by climbing out of a shopping cart while the mother is distracted. Various restraining devices have been disclosed by people trying to solve this problem. Concerned that a child might be injured falling out of one of their shopping carts, some supermarket owners and shopping cart manufactures have provided safety devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,800 dated Nov. 5, 1985 discloses a shopping cart safety belt with an adjustable loop at one end, which is placed around the child's waist, and a snap fastener at the other end which is fastened to the shopping cart. A drawback of this kind of restraining device is that a child's buttocks generally are smaller than its torso, so the child can wriggle upwards out of the loop. Several patents have been obtained in the past for various safety devices used to keep children safely seated within apparatus such as shopping carts, strollers, high chairs and the like: U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,430 dated Apr. 13; U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,622 dated Jan. 20, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,676 dated Dec. 31, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,216 dated Jan. 3, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,252 dated Mar. 17, 1987.

These child restraint devices indicate that there is a need for a safe way to secure a child in a shopping cart, stroller, high chair or the like, but generally are not sufficiently secure because the child can wiggle out or are so complicated that they are unlikely to be used by the typical shopper who has neither the time nor the patience. Many different customers must use the shopping carts and their children will be of all shapes and sizes so it is important that the child restraint be quick and easy to use.

Concerned that a child might be injured falling out of one of their shopping carts, some supermarket owners have tried providing safety devices but they were not used because they were not simple and easy to use and adjust. It will be appreciated that many different customers will use the shopping carts and their children will be of all shapes and sizes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a restraining device which is readily adapted for use with a variety of different seat-bearing devices, such as a shopping cart, a “stroller”, or a dining (high) chair, and is easily adjusted to accommodate children of different shapes and sizes.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a shopping cart, baby carriage, high chair, or the like, comprising a seating compartment for an infant, said seating compartment being defined by a seat, a front frame member defining openings for the legs of an infant seated therein, a rear frame member spaced from the front wall and serving as a seat back, and opposing side frame members. Preferably, a crotch member extends between said seat and said front frame member so that the infant cannot slide through the front of the seating compartment and the straps can optionally be attached to crotch bar. In use, the straps are placed around each of a child's legs. The straps are attached in the middle, between the child's legs. The straps can optionally be attached to the shopping-cart, baby carriage, or the like by fastening optional straps around the crotch bar. The invention comprises a restraining device comprising a pair of straps, attached together in the middle with two straps at opposite sides of the middle, four straps in total. Each strap having releasable fastening means at each end portion thereof, each releasable fastening means comprising first and second parts spaced apart along the end portion such that the end portion forms a loop when the first and second parts are fastened together, each said end portion being looped around the child's legs.