AU2006100626A4 - Protect-a-bub Deluxe Duo UPF50+ rated Sun Shade - Google Patents

Description

INO Description 1. A devise for shielding an occupant in a hooded pram/stroller/3 wheel stroller from direct C, sunlight/light rain, said device comprising: a flexible UV protective cover configured so that on 00 r, attachment to the edge of the hood of the said hooded pram/stroller/3 wheel stroller it provides shade and protection for occupant of the said hooded pram/stroller/3 wheel stroller, said cover to be

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N made only from UPF50+ rated fabric but having;

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NO a mid mesh section that provides 50% 70% shade and allows baby to see out and adults to see in; said cover further having attachment means being elastic, ties or Velcro for reasonably fastening

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said cover to said pram/stroller/3 wheel stroller and vent means to admit air into/under said cover N, via a hooped effect at bottom of said cover, created by elasticized rod or PVC coated wire.

The present invention relates generally to a protective covering to protect an individual from the harmful ray of the sun.

The invention has been developed primarly for use only with a hooded pram/stroller and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. It would be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

With the increased awareness of the hole in the ozone layer, skin cancer, sun spots, tumours and other UV related concerns, there has been a world wide movement towards protecting individuals from the harmful UV rays, created by the sun. Many examples of UV protection exist, for example, some local swimming pools have erected shade cloths to cover part swimming area, local -2authorities, schools and other organizations have required workers and school children to use sunscreen, hats and protective clothing when outdoors.

Similarly, governments have attempted to educate the general public in the necessity of protecting oneself from the sun with the use of campaigns such as "slip,slop,slap" resulting in the general public increasingly using wide brim hats, long sleeve shirts and the like to keep themselves protected from the harmful rays whenever outdoors.

Children are particularly vulnerable to damage from UV radiation. In the early years of childhood the skin is very sensitive and susceptible to damaging UV rays.

Conventional prams and strollers did not and still do not provide adequate UV protection.

Indeed up until recently these prams and strollers were not designed with UV protection in mind.

They generally only included a hood section adapted to keep the occupant relatively dry during rain. As awareness of the hazards of UV rays increased the hood was incorrectly marketed as both 0 o a shield from the rain and from the sun.

It was found, however that although this hood section provided some protection from the -t elements the hood section did not satisfactorily keep the rain and certainly not direct and reflected 00 c, sunlight off the occupant. Accordingly, it was generally necessary for a towel or other shade means to be draped over the hood section in an effort to keep out the rain and or/sun. This arrangement I not -3o only did not provide adequate protection for the occupant, but it had the effect of restricting airflow to and around the occupant. Furthermore, the occupant may suffer trauma from being enclosed.

Whilst moving, no knowing where they were going or what was around them.

In an effort to stop any trauma cause by the above techniques and to more fully enclose the occupant, some prior art pram and strollers included a protective device hanging from the hood section made of a clear plastic. This device, whilst efficient in protecting an occupant from the rain, however, did not provide sufficient airflow to the occupant. Indeed since the device was transparent, sunlight could reach the occupant heating up the interior quite markedly. Since there was little in the way of air circulating in the interior, a green house effect was created whereby the occupant was both uncomfortable and exposed to the harmful UV rays from the sun.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.

Accordingly, the invention provides a device for shielding an occupant in a hooded pram/stroller from direct sunlight and light rain, said device comprising: Mid section of mesh, for occupant to see out and adult to see in; Attachment means for releasably fastening said cover to said hooded pram/stroller, and vent means to admit air up into said pram/stroller, via hooped effect.

-3- Preferably, said device is configured for attachment to a hooded pram/stroller wherein said cover extends downwardly from top portion which hangs from said hood and terminates in a lower skirt portion, said skirt portion including shaping means to provide vent means in the form or an open base to allow air flow into and heat out of said cover.

Preferably, said shaping means comprises an elasticized rod and/or PVC coated stretch wire.

IND Preferable, said device has a length of boning inserted into a pocket under the mid section of 0 O mesh which cause the device to arc, keeping the fabric away from the occupant.

Preferably, said device has a large sun flap that covers the large mid mesh window, the sun flap can be used in the up or down position to control the amount of sunlight allow in to the 00 r, pram/stroller.

In one particular embodiment the elasticized rods and/or stretch wire have been inserted IND through channels/tunnels which are provided in the flexible UV protective cover.

IIn a number of preferred embodiments the shaping means is provided along the lower most edge, of said cover to maintain the shape of said open base. This will then preferably form a C generally frustum shape cover.

Advantageously, the device according to one particular embodiment can be securely folded into a raised position to assist in viewing and attending to the occupant.

-4- In another embodiment, the device is configured for attachment to a three wheel jogger style stroller.

Advantageously in a preferred form the mid mesh section is of two layers that provides 50% shade.

Preferably in a preferred form the attachment means includes any combination of a plurality of ties, hook and loop fastening strips.

To allow the covers to be used at all times the flexible UV protective device is preferably mildly water resistant.

Preferably, said protective device is manufactured from UPF50+ rated fabric.

Preferably, said knitted fabric is polyester and or micro-fibre fabric.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a dismantled sectional view showing the pieces involved in manufacturing a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 2a is a front view showing the protective device of figure 1. Figure 2 show the cover with the Sun Flap shows the sun flap up Figure 2a shows the Sun Flap down Figure 3 shows the side view of the device with the sun flap up Figure 3a shows the side view of the device with the sun flap down Figure 4 shows the device in an alternative embodiment a raised, Up/Shade position ID Referring to the drawing and in particular Figure 1, the invention provides a device 1 for 0 shielding an occupant in a hooded pram/stroller from direct sunlight/light rain and therefore protecting the occupant from UV rays created therefore. The device 1 includes a flexible UV C, protective cover 3 configured so that on attachment to a hooded pram/stroller it defines a shaded 00 area. The flexible UV protective cover 3 includes a mid mesh section 4 adapted to allow the occupant to view through and be seen through said cover 2 3. Said cover 3 further includes a I flap portions 6, lower skirt portion 1, and side panels of mesh 3 and 3a. The device, as shown in r Figure 1, from several panels including mid mesh section 4 sun flap 6, lower portion skirt 1 and side panels 3 and 3a, bonding 5 sewn through centre of device to form arc which are preferably sewn together as required with any appropriate stitching techniques. The cover 3 further includes attachment means for releasably fastening said cover to said hooded pram/stroller.

Figure 2 and 3 shows two varieties of attachment means namely ties 7a and 7b for tying to the hooded pram/stroller' s frame and elasticized stip 8 for releasable connectin to the edge of the prema/stroller's heed. When using elastic attachment means 8 as shown in figure 1, said cover hangs from the hood terminating in a lower skirt portion 1 where in shaping means 9 is provided to create an open bas (vent means) to allow air flow into and heat transfer out of said cover. In a preferred embodiment the shaping means 9 includes an elasticized rod which is inserted through channels or tunnel housed at the lower portion of the -6skirt 1. This arrangement not only ensures the base stays open, but also maintains the general frustum shape of the cover.

Figures 2 and 2a show the front and side view respectively of the flexible UV protector cover, showing also the use of the sun flap, which is up in figure 2 and down in figure 2a. Covering the mesh window 4, providing complete protection from the suns damaging UV rays. An example of what the device would look like on a hooded pram/stroller can be seen in figures: 1 and la and 2 and 2a and 4. It is noted that as show in these figures the inventive cover 1 can be arranged such that the occupant is fully shaded or partially shaded as in figure 4. The open base ensures that adequate ventilation and heat transfer are provided at all times when in the down position 2, 2a,3 and 3a it also provided the means to provided at tented shaded area Figure 4 where the occupant of a hooded pram/stroller can sit and view the world without obstruction while being shaded from direct UV rays. The open base is maintained through the use of the saping means 9 and is provided at such an angle as to facilitated the free flowing of air into and out of under the cover.

The shaping means is preferably provided by an elasticized rod or pvc coasted stretch wire.

IND As show in shown in figure 4, the cover 1 may be securely folded into a raised portion to assist 0 0 in the viewing and attending to the occupant or to provide a shaded tent area for the occupant to sit and view the world unobstructed and protected from direct UV rays.

00 c-7- The device 1 can be used on any number of hooded prams/strollers and is not limited to 3 and 4 Swheel hoods prams/strollers, but can be attached to a baby car seat also. In and out of the car.

IThe cover of the present invention has been designed to assist in the protection of babies and young children while they are out and about. The cover is preferably manufactured from rated fabric, ensuring a high level of protection from the sun's rays whilst also being mildly water N, resistant. Advantageously, the mid section of mesh made is from a mesh that has a 50% shade factor.

The protective device may be easily attached to most hooded prams and strollers by simply placing the elastic attachment means over the edge of the hood of the pram/stroller and securing the ties to the frame.

Advantageously, the cover is fully machine washable.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims (2)

1. A device for shielding an occupant in a hooded pram/stroller/3wheel stroller from direct t sunlight/light rain, said device comprising: 00 C A flexible UV protective cover configured so that on attachment to the edge of the hod of the said hooded pram/stroller/3 wheel stroller it provides shade and protection for the occupant of the said N hooded pram/stroller/3 wheel stroller, said cover has a multi purpose sun flap, that can be IN- directionalize to suit the angle of the sun to further block UV rays from the occupant. The sun flap can be used in UP or DOWN Position. The device is made from UPF50+ rated fabric but having: \0 A mid mesh section that provided 50% 70% shade and allows baby to see out and adults to ,1 see in; said cover further having A directional sun flap, that provides UPF50+ rated protection and allows parents to control the amount of sunlight allowed in on the occupant; said cover further having Vent means via a the hooped effect at the bottom of the device created by using a elasticized rod or PVC or nylon coated wire placed into a tunnel or hem at base of devise. Also allowing and providing a frame for the device to be used in a tent fashion to shade the occupant of a pram/stroller while unobstructing their view of the world from direct UV rays. Attachment means being elastic, ties, Velcro or releasable fastening said cover to the frame of a hooded pram/stroller/3 wheel stroller -2-

2. A device for shielding an occupant in a hooded pram/stroller/3wheel stroller from direct sunlight/light rain, according to claim 1 configured for attachment to only hooded pram/stroller/3 wheel strollers, where in said cover extends downwardly from the edge of said hood and terminates in a lower skirt portion and mesh mid section. The skirt section terminating in a shaping means that provides a vent in the form of a open base to allow air to flow up into and heat to transfer out of under said cover. Shaping means also allows cover to be used in a tent fashion to provide an un- obstructed shaded area for occupant of the hooded pram/stroller