BABY-BATHING AID

ACCESSOIRE DE BAIN POUR BEBE

English Abstract

A safety baby-bathing aid comprises an apron (1) of largely standard
design to which a towel (13) is detachably connected, preferably with the
aid of VELCRO® strips (11 and 15). Preferably both the apron (1) and the
towel (13) are internally lined with a waterproof membrane. After bathing a
baby, a wearer of the baby-bathing aid can pull the towel from the apron to
dry the baby.

French Abstract

Accessoire de bain pour bébé, constitué d'un tablier (1) de type couramment répandu auquel est attachée amovible une serviette (13), de préférence à l'aide de bandes de fermeture autoagrippante (11) et (15). De préférence, le tablier (1) et la serviette (13) sont tous deux doublés intérieurement d'une membrane imperméable. Après avoir donné son bain au bébé, le porteur dudit accessoire peut détacher la serviette du tablier pour sécher le bébé.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A baby-bathing aid comprising a first part in the form
of an apron (1) having a skirt portion (2) and which can be
worn by a person bathing a baby, and a second part in the
form of a towel portion (13), characterised in that the baby
bathing aid is in two parts with the towel portion (18)
being detachably connectable to the skirt portion (2) so
that when it is connected to the skirt portion it overlies
at least a major part of the skirt portion, and when it is
fully detached therefrom, it may be used to wrap around
and/or dry a baby, leaving the apron to protect the person
bathing the baby.
2. A baby-bathing aid as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
apron (1) has a bib portion (3), the skirt portion (2) and
means (9) for securing the apron in place to cover a major
portion of the front of the body of a wearer.
3. A baby-bathing aid according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the towel portion (13) is connected to the apron (1) by
means of one or more pairs of complementary releasable self-
adhesive areas, pads or strips (11,15), which are
immediately releasable with one hand, such as VELCRO strips
(VELCRO is a Registered Trade Mark).
4. A baby-bathing aid according to claim 3, wherein
there is a continuous length of self-adhesive strip (11) on
the front face of the apron (1) at waist level and a co-
operating or complementary continuous self-adhesive strip
(15) along a central top edge region of the towel portion
(13).
5. A baby-bathing aid according to any one of claims 1-4,
wherein the towel portion (13) is larger than the skirt
portion (2).

Description

CA 02210456 1997-07-15
1
(KG14979P.SPE)
BABY-BATHING AID
This invention relates to a baby-bathing aid, which
is worn over one's normal clothes and allows the user to use
both hands when removing a baby or child from a bath. It is
envisaged the aid could be used for children from birth to
an age of around ten years.
In US-A-2879514, there is disclosed an apron device
for protecting a mother while bathing a baby. This is
formed of a large, one piece L-shaped towelling robe which
has a drape portion which is unwound by the mother from
around her body, and wrapped around a baby to be dried,
whereupon the device can then be released in its entirety
from the mother completely by detaching a neck piece. This
has the disadvantage that.the apron device then no longer
protects the mother while she is drying the baby.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved
baby-bathing aid.
According to the present invention, I provide a baby-
bathing aid comprising a first part in the form of an apron
having a skirt portion and which can be worn by a person
bathing a baby, and a second part in the form of a towel
portion, characterised in that the baby bathing aid is in
two parts with the towel portion being detachably
connectable to the skirt portion so that when it is
connected to the skirt portion it overlies at least a major
part of the skirt portion, and when it is fully detached
therefrom, it may be used to wrap around and/or dry a baby,
leaving the apron to protect the person bathing the baby.
When the towel portion is detached from the skirt
portion for drying a baby, the apron with its skirt portion
will still protect the wearer from getting wet.
Furthermore, the present invention has a major advantage
over the one piece apron device of US-A-2879514, in that if
the towel portion has been removed from the apron, it can be
replaced by another, dry towel portion, i.e. if more than
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CA 02210456 1997-07-15
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one baby is to be bathed.
Preferably, the apron is of largely standard design
with a bib portion upstanding from a central upper edge
region of the skirt portion, and having an upper loop which
slips over a user's head, and a pair of strings or ties
extending outwardly from each side edge of the upper edge of
the skirt portion, which can be tied or otherwise joined
around the user's waist.
Preferably, the towel portion is connected to the
apron by means of VELCRO strips (VELCRO is a Registered
Trade Mark), preferably there being a continuous length of
VELCRO strip on the front face of the apron portion at waist
level and a co-operating continuous strip of VELCRO along a
central top edge region of the towel portion.
The towel portion may be larger than the skirt portion
and the bib portion may have a patch pocket thereon,
together with a loop to which a user's wrist watch may be
connected whilst bathing a baby.
The apron may be internally lined with a waterproof
membrane, and both the apron and towel portions may be
provided with a hanging loop.
A preferred embodiment of the safety baby-bathing aid
according to the invention is now described by way of
example with reference to the accompanying schematic
drawings, in which:-
FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an apron, and
FIGURE 2 is an underneath view of a towel portion
detached from the apron.
In the drawings, the apron 1 has a skirt portion 2,
to an upper edge of which an upstanding bib portion 3 is
attached, there being the usual loop 5 connected to the top
corners of the bib portion 3, which may have a length of
about 42cm so that it can be slipped easily over a wearer's
(user's) head. The bib portion may measure about 26cm high
by 25.5cm wide, and a patch pocket 7 approximately 17cm
square may be attached centrally to its face. A logo patch
or manufacturer's label may be attached to the pocket 7. A
loop 8 may be connected to the bib portion 3 to which a
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CA 02210456 1997-07-15
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wristwatch may be attached during bathing of a baby.
Two ties or strings 9 are attached to the top edge of
the skirt portion 2 (total length approximately 200cm), as
extensions of a strengthened waistband. The skirt portion
2 may measure approximately 69cm wide and 63cm high and at
the waist may be gathered in (as shown in Figure 1) relative
to the lower edge, so as to have a width of about 39cm. A
length of VELCRO strip is attached to the waistband and the
first part of each tie 9, as shown at 11.
A rectangular towelling panel 13, which may be larger
than the skirt portion 2, e.g. about 110cm wide by 80cm
high, is detachably connectable to the skirt portion 2 by a
VELCRO strip 15 located centrally on a rear top edge portion
of the panel 13. The towelling panel 13 can subsequently be
used as a normal towel to dry the baby or child after
bathing. Furthermore, when attached to the skirt portion 2,
it ensures that the apron 1 does not get too wet when
bathing a baby or child, and it also keeps the apron 1 dry
while drying the baby or child.
It will of course be appreciated that both the apron
1 and towelling panel 13 may be used independently as an
apron and a towel respectively; also, each can be used for
purposes other than bathing babies or young children.
The above-mentioned measurements mean that the apron
is designed to fit any average sized adult female, e.g. a
person with a height of about 163cm and an average waist
measurement. The VELCRO strip is about 67cm long, which
allows for most female waist measurements plus clothing
without the VELCRO becoming involved in the tying behind the
user of the ties 9, the avoidance of which would make the
apron too loose. The apron 1 is preferably made of a low
pile absorbent towelling material of either 100% cotton or
cotton synthetic fibre mix. The edges of the apron 1 are
preferably bound with a contrasting colour cotton or cotton
mix bias tape, whilst the edges of the towel may be finished
with a non contrasting colour cotton or cotton mix bias
binding.
The waistband of the apron 1 and/or the ties 9 may be
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CA 02210456 1997-07-15
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of a contrasting colour to the rest of the apron (although
bib portion 5 and skirt portion 2 may be of different
colours). It is preferred that the edge binding on the
apron 1 will be of a contrasting colour to the rest of the
apron, whereas that on the towelling panel 13 will be of the
same colour as the rest of the panel 13. This helps to
distinguish the towelling panel 13 from the apron 1,
especially when both are formed of white towelling material.
A loop (not shown) is preferably provided on the
centre front of the towelling panel 13, which serves both to
enable the panel 3-3 to be centred on the apron 1 when
attaching it to the apron 1, and also allows the panel 13 to
be hung up, e.g. on a hook.
Preferably, the smoother "looped" strip of the two co-
operating VELCRO strips 11, 15 is attached to the towelling
panel 13, and the harsher "hooked" portion is attached to
the apron waistband. This reduces the risk of hurting a
baby when drying the baby with the towelling panel 13.
It will of course be understood that the present
invention has been described above purely by way of example,
and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of
the invention.
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Representative Drawing