GB2442196A

GB2442196A - Rucksack usable as a childs booster seat

Info

Publication number: GB2442196A
Application number: GB0619025A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kate Connell-Wynne; Nicholas Connell-Wynne; John Connell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-09-27
Filing date: 2006-09-27
Publication date: 2008-04-02
Also published as: GB0619025D0

Abstract

A rucksack usable as a child's booster seat comprises padded carrying straps, a hollow rigid shell made from plastic and forming a storage space for school supplies or the like and external pockets. The rucksack usable as a child's booster seat may be used in vehicles, cinemas, restaurants etc. The hollow rigid shell may have hooks for correct seat belt positioning. The rucksack usable as a child's booster seat will conform to UN ECE 44.03 and 44.04 standards and may be a number of different colours and designs including school colours and logos.

Description

Kids Booster Seat Bag (KBSB) Title 2442196 Kids Booster Seat Bag

(KBSB)

Short description

An all-in-one Rucksack and Booster Seat that is light enough and portable enough to be carried everywhere by the child who needs it. The hollow Booster Seat doubles-up as a school or leisure bag. It's uniqueness and newness lies in a number of areas: * The seat and the bag are one unit (not separate pieces) * Lightweight * For the child and carried with the child * Designed for children from the ages of 6 years to 12 years of age * Meets all current and future planned in-car (vehicle) safety legislation

Description

Background

Recent child car restraint legislation has focussed the minds and actions of parents of children under 135 cm (4' 5") in height on in-car safety. The new law, that came into force on the 18th September 2006 (it is already applicable in all EU countries), states that children under the age of 12 or who measure less than 135 cm (4' 5") are required to have an appropriate form of child restraint when travelling in cars, vans and good vehicles. And, future EU legislation (2009) will extend this to all vehicles where seat belts are required or fitted.

The driver is responsible for all violations by passengers under the age of 14 with UK penalties for not complying with this legislation starting with a 30 fixed-penalty notice for each offence up to a maximum fine of 500 for each offence if the case goes to court.

Furthermore, although the law states that this is applicable to children under 135 cm, road safety, consumer organisations and the Department of Transport recommend that appropriate child restraints are used for children up to 150 cm (4' 11").

"Child-restraints" is the collective term for rear facing Baby Seats and forward facing Child Seats and Booster Seats.

Statement of invention

The most common and universal safety equipment fitted and used in cars and other vehicles are seat belts. Unfortunately seat belts fitted in cars etc. are not designed to restrain children and therefore are neither suitable nor safe without some form of modification or assistance.

Furthermore, the government says that surveys show that three-quarters of children are wearing adult seat belts before they are tall enough to do so. Adult seat belts sit too high over children's stomachs and in a crash there is risk of serious damage to the child's internal organs or the child sliding under the belt thus rendering the seat belt useless as a safety device or worse potentially seriously harmful to the person it is supposed to be protecting. In order for adult seat belts to fit and work properly for a child, the child needs to be boosted up so that the seat belts fit properly. Common devices for boosting children up are Child Seats for children between 9kg and 18kg (approximately 9 months to 4 years), and Booster Seats for children from 4 years upwards. Booster Seats have two main designs, a seat with a back and a seat only. The Kid's Booster Seat Bag (KBSB) is one of the latter designs -seat only -and is a category 2 and 3 device suitable for children of 22 kg upwards (approximately 6 years).

I

Current seat-only Booster seat models are not very user-friendly or portable from the point of view of the person who needs it (the child). Also, they take up space inside vehicles or in the boots of cars when not in use and, in order to be sure of transporting grandchildren, nieces, nephews and/or other people's children safely as well as not breaking the law, friends and family will almost certainly have to buy and carry spare seats.

The KBSB is a lightweight and portable booster seat and rucksack -it is multi-functional in that it combines seat and school or leisure bag all in one.

Avantg * Importantly, the KBSB is user-friendly to the person who needs it most -the child.

Everywhere the child goes with a KBSB they are carrying their own safety equipment with them and, as well as saving themselves from potential injury or worse, they are saving any drivers who are charged with looking after them potential safety-seat problems and/or breaking with the law.

* By the child carrying the seat with them parents will have the peace of mind of knowing that any trips their children have in any vehicles with seat belts will be safe as the children will have their own booster seats on their backs.

* Also, by the child keeping the seat with them, the seats are not taking up space inside the car or in the boot * Friends and family do not need to worry about transporting children with the KBSB.

Neither do they need to buy spare booster seats to keep in their cars for the occasional trip. The semi-redundant seats will not be taking up space in their cars and the friends and family will be comfortable about the child's safety when in their cars and will not be breaking the law.

* As well as being lightweight and portable, the KBSB is multi-functional in that the seat design incorporates space for school books/equipment and or leisure material and suitably padded fixed-straps for carrying. This will enable the child to carry school equipmentIbooksflun sports equipment in the hollow area of the seat on school days and mp3 players/play stations etc. on other days.

* The design includes a padded seat/back cushion that is removable (velcro) for washing. This cushion can be tailored to any design -leisure or school logo/colours -as can the zip front and pocket(s) using either different material colours or screen or other printing processes.

* The KBSB can be used on school trips, school holidays and importantly, in hired cars (or in taxis) on family trips abroad where this legislation is already in force (eg. EU countries).

* In the playground, no longer will there be a need for parents/carers to carry around the booster seats and hand over to the person transporting their children at the end of the school day and beyond.

* The KBSB can also be used anywhere the child needs elevating on a fixed seat such as restaurants, cinema, theatre or on an aeroplane.

Drawings Please find a set of drawings. There are two pages.

Fig I -Relates to the side profile of the seat. It shows the device for positioning for the seat belts and the fixed shoulder straps that are placed under the seat when travelling, It also shows the side utility pocket (designed to hold a water bottle or similar). Importantly, it shows that the booster seat is hollow and this is where the inside of the rucksack is and where there is space for school/leisure items to be carried.

Fig 2-This shows the back view of the booster seat and the seat belt positioners and restraints. The fixed padded straps can be moved to the front when being used as a seat The top of the seat has a removable seat/back cushion to enable this to be cleaned.

Fig 3-Front View with Zip front open. This clearly shows the hollow parti Von inside to enable the carrying of books, drinks, a lunch box and/or leisure equipment, IPODS, DVD players, CD players, games etc.. Again, there are a number of utility pockets. The front is a zippered flap.

Fig 4-Front View with zip closed. There is a further utility pocket on the front and a place for inserting name and other details. Fig 4 shows the fixed padded shoulder straps in the front (ie. the position when travelling) and the seat belt restraints and positioners.

Fig 5-This is to demonstrate how easy the bag/seat will be carried and therefore used.

From the side view, we are demonstrating how the seat part of the rucksack fits snugly onto the child's back. The fixed padded and adjustable shoulder straps come over the shoulder and around the arms fitting neatly and comfortably on any child. The back view demonstrates the front' of the bag showing the zippered front flap, the shoulder straps and utility pockets.

Claims

Claims 1. The KBSB is a portable car (vehicle) booster seat and

rucksack in one unit
2. The KBSB is a lightweight rucksack/seat
3. The KBSB is designed to meet current and future planned legislation relating to the transportation of children in vehicles in particular UN ECE 44.03 and 44.04 standards
4. The KBSB is designed for ownership and use by children
5. The KBSB is totally portable
6. The KBSB is a rucksack with compartments and utility pockets
7. The seat element' of the KBSB is the internal space for the bag split into compartments designed to carry school wear/books/equipment, lunch box, sports equipment, leisure items.
8. The side pocket is designed to hold a drinks bottle
9. The front utility pocket is designed for further books/papers/magazines
10. The name tag on the front can be used for the name of the school as well as the individual plus any other personal information
11. The KBSB will be produced in a number of colours and designs which will appeal to the age range 4 to
12 years 12. The KBSB will incorporate safety features such as reflective strips on the bag clearly visible when it is dark
13. The KBSB (in conjunction with schools) will also be produced in particular school colours incorporating school logos
14. The KBSB bag will be accessed from the base of the seat
15. The KBSB will be made from a moulded plastic or similar/equivalent material that is strong but at the same time, lightweight
16. The KBSB is designed to take the weight of a child 22kg upwards
17. The KBSB is designed for use for children from the age of 4 years to 12 years of age
18. The KBSB is designed for use for children up to 4'l 1" or 150cm.
19. The KBSB is designed for use, not only in vehicles, but also anywhere a child would benefit from being elevated from a fixed seat (eg.

Restaurant, aeroplane, cinema, theatre...

C

Claims continued...
20. The KBSB will meet all the current safety standards
21. The KBSB will meet current and future planned legislation relating to in car (vehicle) child restraint laws in particular future EU legislation (MAY 2009)
22. The KBSB is a portable car (vehicle) booster seat and rucksack in one unit
23. The KBSB is a lightweight rucksack/seat
24. The KBSB is designed to meet current and future planned legislation relating to the transportation of children in vehicles in particular UN ECE 4403 and 44. 04 standards
25. The KBSB is designed for ownership and use by children
26. The KBSB is totally portable
27. The KBSB is a rucksack with compartments and utility pockets
28. The seat element' of the KBSB is the internal space for the bag split into compartments designed to carry school wear/books/equipment, lunch box, sports equipment, leisure items.
29. The side pocket is designed to hold a drinks bottle
30. The front utility pocket is designed for further books/papers/magazines
31. The name tag on the front can be used for the name of the school as well as the individual plus any other personal information
32. The KBSB will be produced in a number of colours and designs which will appeal to the age range 4 to 12 years
33. The KBSB will incorporate safety features such as reflective strips on the bag clearly visible when it is dark
34. The KBSB (in conjunction with schools) will also be produced in particular school colours incorporating school logos
35. The KBSB bag will be accessed from the base of the seat
36. The KBSB will be made from a moulded plastic or similar/equivalent material that is strong but at the same time, lightweight
37. The KBSB is designed to take the weight of a child 22kg upwards
38. The KBSB is designed for use for children from the age of 4 years to 12 years of age
39. The KBSB is designed for use for children upto 411" or 150cm.

Claims continued...
40. The KBSB is designed for use, not only in vehicles, but also anywhere a child would benefit from being elevated from a fixed seat (eg.

Restaurant, aeroplane, cinema, theatre...
41. The KBSB will meet all the current safety standards
42. The KBSB wifl meet current and future planned legislation relating to in car (vehicle) child restraint laws in particular future EU legislation (MAY 2009)