US20040075318A1

US20040075318A1 - Child resting cushion

Info

Publication number: US20040075318A1
Application number: US10/274,665
Authority: US
Inventors: Barry Wroobel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-19
Filing date: 2002-10-19
Publication date: 2004-04-22

Abstract

A cushioning device that is placed into a shopping cart after the child is first placed and secured within the cart, allowing the child to sit on the normal seating surface of a shopping cart, and providing padding between the front of the child and the shopping cart push bar for the child's comfort when in a resting position in the cart. The cushion provides sufficient padding to protect the head and upper torso portion of a person/child from the superstructure of the shopping cart in a forward leaning position or a lateral leaning position, such as in a sleeping position in which the person's head lies forward over the cart push bar or sideways over the side railings of the cart. Preferably, the resting cushion is constructed to be at least partially self securing within such a transportation device. The cushioning device can also be used, without modification, as a nursing cushion. The enlarged ends of the cushion provide support for the head of a nursing child, while also providing a foot stop to give the child a feeling of security.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a cushion for supporting a person resting, and more specifically, for children resting in a child's seat of a shopping cart, or any other transportation device for a person with a similar structure as a seating compartment of a typical shopping cart. Additionally, the invention also relates to an improved cushion for feeding a child or infant by a nursing mother.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Heretofore, various cushioning devices have been proposed for the comfort of children seated in shopping carts. Almost without exception, the prior art devices have been designed to increase comfort between the child's backside and the cart itself. Some additional prior art has addressed shielding the child from bacteria that might be accessed from the shopping cart push bar. Little attention has been given to cushioning or supporting a child from the front side of the child, such as when a child inadvertently is lunged forward toward the shopping cart push bar, or when the child leans forward to a sleeping position.

As noted, many variations in seat cushions have been developed to function between the backside of the child and the shopping cart. Such cushions have been constructed employing various fabrication techniques and materials, including padded fabric, spongy material, or inflatable bladders.

Bergh et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,606, issued Oct. 19, 1999, discloses a perimeter lined padded material formed in various geometric shapes intended to completely isolate the child form all points of contact with the shopping cart. In Bergh et al., the cushion is designed to cover the seat prior to placement of the child into the cart. Bergh et al. makes several assumptions about the requirement of padding under the child which may not necessarily be valid. Additionally, insulating the child from the firm seat base can cause delays in a very young child's ability to learn to sit up on a normal firm surface independently.

Installation of the Bergh et al. device in a shopping cart can be further complicated by the small button holes provided for passing a safety strap of the shopping cart through the seat pad to the child. This process almost certainly requires two hands to accomplish with the child not in the seat. This means that the child is unattended during this installation time. This cumbersome task can discourage use of the safety straps, adding a tremendous liability factor when using the Bergh et al. device. Bergh et al. requires the legs of the child to be passed through access holes in the cushion. This can be made quite difficult when the child is resistant to such placement. In Bergh et al., the issue of providing sufficient padding over the push bar of the shopping cart is not directly addressed. However, since the device of Bergh et al. is constructed of a relatively constant thickness material, it is quite probable that providing sufficient thickness to provide adequate protection would cause the remainder of the pad to become impractical and cumbersome due to excessive size.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,607, issued Oct. 19, 1999 to Waldroup, a seat cushioning device for a shopping cart is disclosed. In Waldroup, the devices are made of relatively firm materials that are placed under, behind, and to the sides of a child in the child seat of a shopping cart. An additional cover is provided to keep the child isolated from a potentially dirty shopping cart push bar. Although the invention of Waldroup folds conveniently, it lacks any substantial protection or comforting for a child leaning or lying forward on the cart push bar. Further, like Bergh et al., Waldroup requires that the cushioning device be placed in the cart prior to placement of the child, and further requires the user to deal with numerous straps for proper application. Further, Bergh et al. provides relatively little or no protection of the child from biting or teething on the shopping cart structures.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,207, issued May 19, 1987 to Quartano, a seat cushioning device for a shopping cart is disclosed. In Quartano, the devices are made of segmented cushions forming a pad that is placed under, behind, and in front of the child in the shopping cart seat. The segmented pad is brought forward over the cart push bar to provide chest padding. Numerous straps are provided to secure the pad to the back and front of the shopping cart. A restraint strap is relied upon to hold the child from lateral movement. No additional padding is provided to restrain or protect the child from harm by contact with either side of the cart, and the frontal padding only protects the child if it experiences movement directly forward. Further, as with previously mentioned prior art, Quartano's pad is placed generally under the child prior to the child being placed into the shopping cart. This means that the attendant must use their hands to insert the Quartano device and fix the straps while the young child is left relatively unattended.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,639, issued May 28, 2002 to Ohsner, discloses an inflatable cushion with an inflatable tubular periphery. In Ohsner, no attention is given, nor structure provided, for placement or use of the cushion within a child's seat portion of a shopping cart. In Ohsner, the child is presumed to be lying horizontal during use. Additionally, Ohsner uses a system of larger area bottom walls than top walls to bias the tubular members upward. This device is not very practical for use as a nursing/feeding cushion and provides little or no elevation support for the child's head.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,298, issued Apr. 17, 2001 to Oliveria, discloses a head support for a child's car seat. In Oliveria, no attention is given, nor structure provided, for placement or use of the device within a child's seat portion of a shopping cart. In Oliveria, the child is presumed to be sitting generally vertical within a car seat and is structurally supported by the back upright portion of the car seat. Oliveria has no provisions for use in a shopping cart or for use as a nursing or feeding cushion. Oliveria does not provide any practical use as a nursing/feeding cushion.

In the shopping cart cushion by “Baby a la cart” as presented at www.babyalacart.com, a typical prior art device is depicted. In “Baby a la cart”, a relatively thin cotton padded fabric is shaped into a general basket shape that fits into the seating portion of a typical shopping cart forming a pad that is placed under, behind, and in front of the child. A portion of the padding is brought forward over the cart push bar to provide chest padding. An elastic strap is relied upon to secure the device to the shopping cart. A restraint strap is relied upon to hold the child from lateral movement in place of the standard strap provided with the shopping cart. This action transfers liability for restraining the child away from the shopping cart and to the “Baby a la cart” device. While padding is provided around the child, the use of “1 inch fluffy batting” is hardly sufficient to protect a child's forward or sideways movement that results in even relatively low force impact with the hard bars of the shopping cart. Further, as with previously mentioned prior art, the pad of “Baby a la cart” is placed generally under the child prior to the child being placed into the shopping cart. This means that the attendant must use their hands to insert the “Baby a la cart” device while the young child is left relatively unattended. In addition to these stated drawbacks of “Baby a la cart”, this device is totally impractical to serve as a nursing/feeding cushion.

It should be noted, that none of the above mentioned prior art examples deal with the issues of nursing or feeding a child or infant at all.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,134 to Matthews, issued Nov. 16, 1993, discloses a generally “C” or horseshoe shaped cushion with a generally round or curved inner and outer edge and generally lesser curved support surfaces. In this patent, the unusual shape is commonly copied or emulated by many manufacturers with various minor modifications. The cushions of this shape are generally designed to aid in nursing or feeding an infant or child. However, this type of cushion has several drawbacks as a nursing cushion. The lesser curved surface is relatively the same elevation across the entire surface thus not elevating the child's head for nursing. Second, the curved or crescent shape requires that the child remain curved very close to the mother. Very little extra surface area for random movement is provided. Attempts have been made to use this type of cushion as a shopping cart cushion. There are several drawbacks to using this type of device as a shopping cart cushion, some of these being actually dangerous to the child. First, there is no securing device to hold the cushion in front of the child in a shopping cart. The child can simply jettison the cushion off the front of the cart leaving the child totally exposed to hitting or teething on the super structure of the shopping cart. Second, the surface of these types of cushions are relatively flat. If the child were to rest or fall asleep on this type of cushion in a shopping cart, the child could easily roll off to either side and be harmed by hitting the superstructure of the shopping cart. Additionally, as a nursing cushion, the relatively even or continuous surface does not provide any elevated support for the child's head above the surface of the cushion. There is also nothing to provide a foot stop for a nursing child. Further, the resting surface of the cushion is rounded at its outer edge. As the infant or child becomes larger, he or she is forced to curl into a curved shape to avoid falling off the edge of the cushion. Additionally, this device, along with the many others that resemble it, does not deal with the issues of protecting a child in a shopping cart.

It should be noted that all of the aforementioned prior devices cushion the child from underneath or behind the child in the shopping cart mode, except for Mathews which does not address this issue at all. None of these prior art devices seeks to cushion a child already seated on the normal seating surface of a shopping cart. Further, none of the known prior art seeks to cushion the child in a forward lying down position, or in a position in which the child is leaning forward with chest and face down in a sleeping position against the push bar of a shopping cart. Typically, the known prior art devices require the user to install the devices into the shopping cart prior to placement of the child into the shopping cart seat. This forces attention and supervision of the child to be diverted from the child to the device during installation in a shopping cart. When used as a nursing cushion, none of the prior art shopping cart devices address this issue at all, and Matthews, along with the many similar devices does not provide full support for the nursing child's head and feet, and provides only a relatively small surface support area for the child.

Additionally, most of the prior art devices require some form of strapping to secure them to a shopping cart for normal use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a cushion configured to provide a resting surface for a child, comprising a uniquely configured and constructed multi-sectional cushion arrangement. A center cushion section has a cover enclosing a filler, an upper surface, a lower surface, left and right sides, an unrestricted front side free from obstructions, and an unrestricted rear side free from obstructions, the center cushion section forming a generally level cushioning area. Each one of a left and a right elevated cushion section has a cover enclosing a filler, an upper surface, a lower surface, and left and right sides. The right side of the left elevated cushion section is attached to the left side of the center cushion section, and the left side of the right elevated cushion section is attached to the right side of the center cushion section, thereby forming a plurality of side-by-side joined cushion sections with the left and right elevated cushion section upper surfaces lying in a plane above and parallel to the center cushion section upper surface.

The device of the present invention provides a cushion that can be used in two ideal embodiment modes. In the shopping cart mode, it is placed into a shopping cart after the child is first placed and secured within the cart, using the standard securing devices provided with the shopping cart. This allows the child to sit on the normal seating surface of a shopping cart and become accustomed to sitting on a normal seating surface. Additionally, it provides padding between the front and sides of the child and the shopping cart push bar and superstructure.

In the nursing cushion mode, the significantly enlarged ends of the present invention provide significant support for the head of a nursing child while also providing a foot stop to give a nursing child a feeling of security. Additionally, the support surface, being more rectangular verses the typical crescent shape of prior art cushions allows support for larger children and twins.

It is an object of the present invention, in the shopping cart mode, to provide a resting cushion that provides support for a person, such as a child, in a seating area of a transportation device such as a shopping cart. In all of the below shopping cart mode embodiments, the resting cushion provides sufficient padding to protect the head and upper torso portion of a person/child from the superstructure of the shopping cart in a forward leaning position or in a position slightly off to either side, such as in a sleeping position in which the person's head lies forward over the cart push bar. It is a further object of the present invention in this mode to provide a padding system that can be placed into the shopping cart after the child is situated within the seating area of the shopping cart. Preferably, the resting cushion is constructed to be at least partially self securing within such a transportation device.

In the nursing mode, it is an object of the present invention to supply a cushion that provides significant head support above the main support area, foot stops to provide a feeling of security to a nursing child, and a large child support surface area generally rectangular in shape in the front of the nursing mother.

The cushion of the present invention, in the shopping cart mode, may have secondary usages, such as on top of a front cross support section of a car seat, similar to the head support cushion of Oliveria. Additionally, in the nursing usage mode, the present invention also provides for child support on the thighs of an adult while the adult is in a reclining position with their legs bent up, and other similar positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

These and other aspects of the invention will be better understood, and additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter having reference to the accompanying drawings in which: [0023]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention constructed using an air bladder construction technique; [0024]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention constructed using a sponge rubber construction technique; [0025]
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention constructed using a fabric and stuffing construction technique; [0026]
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the resting cushion taken along the line [0027] 4-4 in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention displayed in the lap of a nursing mother with an infant nursing across the cushion; and [0028]
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a child seated in a shopping cart, with the present moving into place over the lap of the seated child.[0029]
It is to be understood that the accompanying drawings and the following descriptions are provided by way of illustration only and are not intended to present a finite embodiment of the invention. [0030]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, one embodiment of the instant invention, based on a multi-chamber inflatable [0031] fluid bladder cushion 1, is depicted. The multi-chambered fluid bladder cushion 1 is inflated prior to use employing any of a number of known bladder-filling valves and associated apparatuses (not shown). After placement of a child in the seat of a shopping cart, the inflated resting cushion 1 is placed in front of the child between the child and the push bar 7 a of the shopping cart 7.
The [0032] larger end chambers 2 a, 2 b are provided to create a higher barrier compared to the standard padding chambers 9, thus helping to prevent the child's head or upper body from rolling off the left and right ends of the cushion 1.
[0033] Side chambers 4 define a securement structure section of the cushion 1, helping to hold the overall cushion 1 in place within the area of a basic shopping cart 7 to be occupied by a child, and provide padding protection between the child's legs/thighs and the sides 7 c of shopping cart 7. In effect, the resiliency of the side chambers 4 permit wedging of the side chambers 4 between a child's legs/thighs and the sides 7 c of the shopping cart 7.
In common practice, a child's favorite blanket can be placed over the top of the [0034] cushion 1 making an easily washable comfort surface.
The [0035] standard padding chambers 9 are formed large enough to provide sufficient padding to prevent a child from hitting the shopping cart push bar 7 a when lowering his or her head down to rest on the cushion 1.
Using this design, the invention allows the [0036] cushion 1 to be placed into the shopping cart 7 after the child has been placed in the shopping cart 7 and secured. Additionally, supervisory attention need not be split between placement of the cushion 1 and placement of the child in the cart 7, as with prior art.
While providing significant amount of padding and protection for the child within the [0037] shopping cart 7, the child is allowed to sit on the basic seat (not visible in the drawing) of the shopping cart 7 and can lean back against a back support 5 of the cart 7. This allows the child to learn to support and balance himself or herself as the shopping cart 7 moves in a more natural situation, i.e. the same as without a cushion. This gives the child a more natural base to become familiar with, contrary to the prior art which isolates the child from the seat of the shopping cart 7.
In some applications for the invention, the [0038] optional side chambers 4 can be made to press against the sides 7 c of the shopping cart 7, securing the cushion 1 in place and thereby eliminating the need to use additional strapping to support the cushion 1, as is the case with many of the prior art devices.
FIG. 2 depicts another embodiment of the invention. This embodiment of a shopping [0039] cart resting cushion 20 is constructed using sponge rubber foam or similar resilient material. It may be optionally covered with a soft fabric or with a child's favorite blanket (not shown). The end caps 22 a, 22 b are formed to extend higher than the central padding portion 23. While depicted with orthogonal corners and edges, the cushion of FIG. 2 can equally be formed with rounded edges and corners. The central padding portion 23 is made thick enough and resilient enough to provide sufficient padding to prevent a child from hitting the shopping cart push bar 7 a when lowering his or her head down to rest on the cushion 20. End pads 24 extend downwardly and help hold the overall cushion 20 in place within the area of a basic shopping cart 7 to be occupied by a child and provide padding protection between the child's legs/thighs and the sides 7 c of the shopping cart 7 in the same manner as described in connection with FIG. 1.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, the latter being a cross sectional view of the FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the [0040] cushion 30 is constructed of at minimum a fabric base attached to a fabric top, and stuffed with padding to form padded chambers 31 a, 31 b, 32, and 33, creating a multi-cushion structure employing processes known in the field of pillow, mattress, and quilt manufacturing. A number of different materials can be used for both the base fabric 41, the top fabric 43, and the padding 45 without changing the scope of the invention. For example, the filler for the different cushion segments 4, 2 a, 2 b, and 9 (FIG. 1) may be fluid, cut-foam, shredded foam, feathers, polyfill, synthetic or natural rubber, etc.
The top and [0041] bottom fabric pieces 41, 43 may be sewn together, as shown at 47 in FIG. 4, such that the connection between top and bottom fabrics 41, 43 is closest to the bottom of the cushion 30, allowing the bottom piece of fabric 41 to be substantially flat and level in order to conform better to the top surface of the push bar 7 a. Additionally, the scallop-shaped top fabric 43 on the side padding section 33 tends to better secure the resting cushion 30 against the wire frame sides 7 c of the shopping cart 7.
The center padded [0042] chambers 32 provide sufficient padding and resiliency so as to cushion a child when leaning forward over the superstructure of a shopping cart 7, preventing injury and providing comfort. The end sections 31 a and 31 b extend higher than the center section 32, thus helping to prevent the child's head or upper body from rolling off the end of the cushion 30.
Left and right [0043] side padding sections 33 serves to protect the child's legs from impacting the shopping cart 7 superstructure and also serves to help secure the overall cushion 30 within the shopping cart 7 without the need for additional strapping.
The forward ends of the center and end [0044] sections 31 a, 31 b, and 32 project beyond the forward ends of the side padding sections 33, so as to extend well over the push bar 7 a.
The invention depicted in FIG. 5 is being used in the nursing mode, the figure illustrating the comfortable position of a child feeding from a [0045] nursing mother 50. In normal use, center sections 32 serve to support the body of a baby 51, while the enlarged end section 31 a serves to support the baby's head high enough to comfortably reach the mothers nursing nipple (not shown). The enlarged section 31 b at the opposite end serves as a foot stop for the nursing baby 51, or as an arm support for the nursing mother 50.
In FIG. 6, the [0046] cushion 60 of the present invention is depicted in the shopping cart mode as being placed over the lap of a child 62 in a shopping cart 61. The cushion 60 is depicted as being constructed and configured within the scope of the present invention, having a single large center chamber 63 comprising the middle section of cushion 60. As outlined in the objectives of the invention, the child 62 is placed into the shopping cart 61 prior to the installation of the cushion 60 being placed over the child's lap. As depicted in this figure, the standard restraining strap 64 is secured around the child 62 as designed by the shopping cart manufacturer, thus not altering the safety design of the standard shopping cart 61. Arrow 65 indicates the placement of the cushion 60 over the lap of the child 62 and into the shopping cart 61.
Although the descriptions and figures herein contain many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the resting cushion according to the invention. [0047]
There are many other features envisioned by the inventor. These include the use of the cushion in other structures such as strollers, car seats, etc. Additionally, a cushion made in accordance with the invention can also be used as a lap cushion for a resting child, or for playing with a child. Additionally, there are a variety of materials and chamber combinations that may be used in manufacture of the cushion. Some of these envisioned by the inventor include the basic structure as being filled with air, other gases, or other materials, while maintaining the shape and functionality. The entire cushion could be manufactured as a single chamber with the same basic shape, etc. Such basic modifications are well known to anyone skilled in the art and do not add or detract from the concept of providing a product that: a. cushions a child in a [0048] shopping cart 7, or similar transportation device, and which can be put in place after placement of the child within the shopping cart 7, or similar transportation device; or b. can serve as a nursing or feeding cushion that props the child's head above the elevation of the rest of the body.
While only certain embodiments of the invention have been set forth above, alternative embodiments and various modifications will be apparent from the above description and the accompanying drawing to those skilled in the art. These and other alternatives are considered equivalents and within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and the legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. [0049]

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A cushion configured to fit securely in an apparatus such as a shopping cart, or other person transporting apparatus, in a position to provide a resting surface for a person's head and upper torso portion, comprising:

a center section having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front, a rear, and left and right sides, forming a generally level cushioning area; and

an elevated cushioning section fixed to each said left an right sides.

2. The cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said center section and said elevated cushioning sections are fluid filled.

3. The cushion as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said center section and said elevated cushioning sections, together, comprise a fluid bladder arrangement having at least one fluid chamber defining said center section and at least one fluid chamber defining said elevated cushioning sections.

4. The cushion as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

at least one securement structure, generally perpendicular to the said generally level cushioning area and extending below said lower surface to provide a means for securing said cushion to said apparatus.

5. The cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said upper and lower surfaces of the said generally level cushioning area is covered with a soft cloth-like material.

6. The cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said center section and said elevated cushioning sections are constructed from an elastomeric material.

7. The cushion as claimed in claim 6, comprising:

at least one structure, generally perpendicular to the said generally level cushioning area and extending below said lower surface to provide a means for securing said cushion to said apparatus.

8. The cushion as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of said upper and lower surfaces of the said generally level cushioning area is covered with a soft cloth-like material.

9. The cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said center section and said elevated cushioning sections are constructed of a stuffing filled bladder having multiple stuffing chambers and upper and lower central surfaces forming said generally level cushioning area.

10. The cushion as claimed in claim 9, comprising:

11. The cushion as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of said upper and lower surfaces of the said generally level cushioning area is covered with a soft cloth-like material.

12. A cushion configured to fit securely in an apparatus such as a shopping cart, or other person transporting apparatus, in a position to provide a resting surface for a person's head and upper torso portion, comprising:

a body resting section having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front, a rear, and left and right sides, forming a generally level cushioning area; and

13. The cushion as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said body resting section and said securement structure section are fluid filled.

14. The cushion as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said body resting section and said securement structure section, together, comprise a fluid bladder arrangement having at least one fluid chamber defining said body resting section and at least one fluid chamber defining said securement structure section.

15. The cushion as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least one of said upper and lower surfaces of the said generally level cushioning area is covered with a soft cloth-like material.

16. The cushion as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said body resting section and said securement structure section are constructed from an elastomeric material.

17. The cushion as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one of said upper and lower surfaces of the said generally level cushioning area is covered with a soft cloth-like material.

18. The cushion as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said body resting section and said securement structure section are constructed of a stuffing filled bladder having multiple stuffing chambers and upper and lower central surfaces forming said generally level cushioning area.

19. The cushion as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said upper and lower surfaces of the said generally level cushioning area is covered with a soft cloth-like material.

20. A cushion configured to fit securely in an apparatus such as a shopping cart, or other person transporting apparatus, in a position to provide a resting surface for a person's head and upper torso portion, comprising:

a center section having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front, a rear, and left and right sides, forming a generally level cushioning area;

an elevated cushioning section fixed to each said left an right sides; and

at least one securement structure, generally perpendicular to the said generally level cushioning area and extending below said lower surface to provide a means for securing said cushion to said apparatus; wherein

said center section, said elevated cushioning sections, and said securement structure section, together, comprise a fluid or padding filled bladder arrangement having multiple filled chambers defining said center section, at least one filled chamber defining each of said elevated cushioning sections, and at least one filled chamber defining said securement structure section.

21. A cushion configured to fit securely in an apparatus such as a shopping cart, or other person transporting apparatus, in a position to provide a resting surface for a person being transported in said apparatus, comprising:

a center section having an upper surface, a lower surface, a front, a rear, and left and right sides, forming a generally level cushioning area solely for a person's head and front upper torso portion and adapted to be placed between the person's head and front upper torso portion, and any structure of said apparatus in front of the person;

an elevated cushioning section fixed to each said left an right sides; and

a securement structure arrangement, generally perpendicular to the said generally level cushioning area and extending below said lower surface and to the sides of a person being transported in said apparatus, to provide a means for securing said cushion to said apparatus.

22. A cushion configured to provide a resting surface for a child, comprising:

a center cushion section having a cover enclosing a filler, an upper surface, a lower surface, left and right sides, an unrestricted front side free from obstructions, and an unrestricted rear side free from obstructions, said center cushion section forming a generally level cushioning area; and

left and right elevated cushion sections, each having a cover enclosing a filler, an upper surface, a lower surface, and left and right sides; wherein

said right side of said left elevated cushion section is attached to said left side of said center cushion section, and said left side of said right elevated cushion section is attached to said right side of said center cushion section, thereby forming a plurality of side-by-side joined cushion sections with said left and right elevated cushion section upper surfaces lie in a plane above and parallel to said center cushion section upper surface.

23. The cushion as claimed in claim 22, wherein:

said center cushion section is generally rectangular; and

said left and right elevated cushion sections extend rearwardly beyond said center cushion section rear side.

24. The cushion as claimed in claim 22, comprising:

a left securement cushion section connected to said left side of said left elevated cushion section; and

a right securement cushion section connected to said right side of said right elevated cushion section;

said left and right securement cushion sections extending generally perpendicular to said center cushion section and extending below said center cushion section lower surface to provide a means for securing said cushion to an external apparatus.