Restraint for child seat

Abstract

A restraint for a child seat including at least one strap having a water-resistant coating covering an exterior surface a flexible base material. The water-resistant coating facilitates cleaning the restraint by preventing food or other materials from adhering to the strap, and resists staining.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A restraint for a child seat, the restraint comprising at least one strap, the at least one strap comprising a flexible base material and a water-resistant coating covering an exterior surface of at least a portion of the flexible base material. 
     
     
         2 . The restraint of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one strap comprises a waist strap configured for placement around a waist of a child seated in the child seat, and further comprising a waist strap fastener for detachably fastening segments of the waist strap together. 
     
     
         3 . The restraint of  claim 2 , further comprising a pair of shoulder straps, and shoulder strap fasteners for detachably fastening the shoulder straps to the waist strap. 
     
     
         4 . The restraint of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible base material comprises a polymeric webbing material. 
     
     
         5 . The restraint of  claim 4 , wherein the water-resistant coating comprises a pliable polymer coating. 
     
     
         6 . The restraint of  claim 5 , wherein the pliable polymer coating is selected from urethane, silicone, rubber, hydrophobic fluoropolymer, a vacuum-induced plasma-bound hydrophobic nanocoating, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The restraint of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one strap comprises an extruded water-resistant polymer. 
     
     
         8 . A child seat comprising:
 a seating surface configured for supporting a child seated thereon; and   a restraint for holding the child seated in position on the seating surface, the restraint comprising at least one strap having a water-resistant exterior surface.   
     
     
         9 . The child seat of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one strap comprises a waist strap configured for placement around a waist of a child supported on the seating surface, and further comprising a waist strap fastener for detachably fastening segments of the waist strap together. 
     
     
         10 . The child seat of  claim 9 , further comprising a pair of shoulder straps, and shoulder strap fasteners for detachably fastening the shoulder straps to the waist strap. 
     
     
         11 . The child seat of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one strap comprises a flexible base material and a water-resistant coating covering an exterior surface of at least a portion of the flexible base material. 
     
     
         12 . The child seat of  claim 11 , wherein the flexible base material comprises a polymeric webbing material. 
     
     
         13 . The child seat of  claim 11 , wherein the water-resistant coating comprises a pliable polymer coating. 
     
     
         14 . The child seat of  claim 13 , wherein the pliable polymer coating is selected from urethane, silicone, rubber, hydrophobic fluoropolymer, a vacuum-induced plasma-bound hydrophobic nanocoating, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The child seat of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one strap comprises an extruded water-resistant polymer. 
     
     
         16 . A method of producing a water-resistant strap for use in a restraint for a children's accessory, the method comprising applying a water-resistant coating material onto an exterior surface of an inner strap material to form an outer coating over at least a portion of an exterior surface of the inner strap material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the water-resistant coating material is applied onto the inner strap material by spraying. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the water-resistant coating material is applied onto the inner strap material by vacuum-induced coating.