Lightweight juvenile transport product with protective and decorative microshell cover and method

Abstract

A juvenile transport product, such as an infant carrier, having a protective microshell cover adhered to a foam body to protect the foam against damage from wear and impacts. The protective cover shell may be transparent, and the method includes the step of applying a material to an inside surface of the protective cover shell before adhering the protective cover shell to the foam body. The material may be selected from the group consisting of paints, pigments, dyes, decalcomanias, labels and placards.

1 . A juvenile transport product, comprising: 
 (a) a foam body molded to define the shape of the juvenile transport product; and    (b) a protective cover shell adhered to the foam body to protect the foam against damage from wear and impacts.    
   
   
       2 . A juvenile transport product according to  claim 1 , and including a support skeleton formed of an openwork structure defined by integrally-formed support members and weight-reducing voids, and around which the foam body is molded.  
   
   
       3 . A juvenile transport product according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective cover is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polyethylene terephthalate modified with CHDM (PETG), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polycarbonate (PC), polycarbonate blended with acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (PC/ABS), high density polyethylene (HDPE), high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), and polypropylene (PP)  
   
   
       4 . A juvenile transport product according to  claim 1 , wherein the foam body comprises foam selected from the group consisting of open cell foam and closed cell foam.  
   
   
       5 . A juvenile transport product according to  claim 4 , wherein the foam body comprises a foam selected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene (EPS), expanded polypropylene (EPP), polyurethane (PE) and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       6 . A juvenile transport product according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective cover forms a thin, resilient surface.  
   
   
       7 . A juvenile transport product according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective cover is transparent.  
   
   
       8 . A juvenile transport product according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective cover has a thickness of about between 0.038 cm and 0.5 cm.  
   
   
       9 . A juvenile transport product according to  claim 1 , wherein the protective cover has a thickness of about 0.05 cm to about 0.1 cm.  
   
   
       10 . A method of forming a juvenile transport product, and comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming a load-bearing support skeleton;    (b) placing the support skeleton in a mold;    (c) molding a foam body to the skeleton; and    (d) applying a protective cover shell to the foam body to protect the foam against damage from wear and impacts.    
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the protective cover shell comprises a plurality of cover elements applied to different parts of the foam body.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 10 , and including the step of molding the protective cover shell to the foam body during the foam body molding step.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 10 , and including the step of adhering the protective cover shell to the foam body after the foam body molding step.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of adhering the protective cover shell to the foam body comprises the step of adhering the protective cover shell to the foam body with an adhesive.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 10 , and wherein the protective cover shell is transparent, and the method includes the step of applying a material to an inside surface of the protective cover shell before adhering the protective cover shell to the foam body.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 10 , and wherein the protective cover shell is transparent, and the method includes the step of applying a material to an inside surface of the protective cover shell before adhering the protective cover shell to the foam body, the material being selected from the group consisting of paints, pigments, dyes, decalcomanias, labels and placards.