Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BABY CARRIER
This invention relates to a baby carrier which allows a baby to be
carried by a caregiver in a garment designed specifically for the purpose.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many different designs of harness or sling have been provided over the
years to enable a caregiver to carry a small child or baby in a suitable
location on the
back, or on the front facing forwards or rearwards. Typically these require
the
caregiver to carry the harness when not in use so that it can be engaged
around the
body when required and the child inserted. Clearly this is inconvenient and an
alternative manner of carrying a child would be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a baby
carrier comprising:
a garment to be worn by a caregiver including front and rear fabric
panels shaped for covering the chest and back of the caregiver and connected
to
define a neck opening through which the neck of the caregiver can pass, arm
openings through which the arms of the caregiver can pass, and a lower portion
for
surrounding the lower torso of the caregiver;
the panels being shaped to cover substantially the whole of the torso of
the caregiver between the neck and the lower torso;
the lower portion including a band for tightly surrounding the caregiver
at a level between the waist and hips of the caregiver;
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the front panel having a pair of upper slots though the front panel so
allow arms of a baby carried inside the garment with the caregiver to extend
through
the upper slots;
the front panel having a pair of lower slots though the front panel so
allow legs of a baby carried inside the garment with the caregiver to extend
through
the lower slots;
the front panel having a front opening extending upwardly along the
front panel so allow the head of a baby carried inside the garment with the
caregiver
to extend through the opening;
the lower slots being arranged relative to the band so that the baby
with its legs through the lower slots is supported by sitting on that portion
of the front
panel pulled against the lower torso of the caregiver by the band.
The formation of garment from different panel pieces can be effected in
many different ways depending on the design of the garment. Thus the front and
rear panels can be formed from separate fabric sections forming the front and
rear
panels respectively connected at side edges or other connection locations can
be
used and no limitation to a particular construction is intended.
Preferably each of the slots has at least one closure member for
closing the slot at a position spaced from an end of the slot so that the
effective
length of the slot can be reduced for adjustment or to maintain the slot
closed when
not in use. Thus each of the slots can conveniently include a pair of closure
members for closing the slot at a position spaced from respective ends of the
slot.
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The closure members cane be simple snap fasteners or can be other types of
fasteners including zippers, although this is not preferred to avoid
generating a
rough edge of the slot to chafe the arm or leg.
The slots are generally upstanding so that the upper slots are roughly
vertical and the lower slots are inclined slightly inwardly and upwardly from
the
vertical. However other orientation including at or close to horizontal can be
used
provided the arm or leg can project through the slot without pressure or
chafing.
At least some of the slots are covered by a flap which can be closed
over the slot to hide the slot against being directly visible from the front
of the front
panel to generate an attractive appearance and to prevent direct access into
the
garment from the front. Thus the upper slots can include a simple flap which
closes
over the slot in the manner of a flap over an edge of a pocket
In particular the lower slots can each be covered by a fabric cover
panel partly covering the front panel and defining a pocket and having a side
edge of
the cover panel spaced outwardly to a respective side of the garment from the
respective slot. This has the appearance of a conventional front pocket of
a
garment and fully hides the slots underneath.
Preferably the side edge of the cover panel is inclined upwardly and
inwardly toward a center line of the front panel and is inclined downwardly
and
outwardly to intersect with the band at the band so that the legs of the baby
emerge
from the pocket at the band to avoid chafing or pinching on the underside.
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Underneath the cover panels or pocket, each of the lower slots can include the
above snap fasteners within the cover panel for closing the lower slot.
In order to provide sufficient support for the baby to prevent the baby
from slipping out from the leg holes the band includes a strap which can be
lulled
Preferably the sleeve is at the bottom edge of the garment in the form
of a sweater or short coat but the band may be located around the torso with
the
garment being longer and extending down below the band.
In order to ensure that the band is pulled sufficiently tight to prevent the
baby from slipping downward within the garment, the strap is adjustable to
pull tight
and includes a clip to allow it to be released.
In most cases the front opening extends from the neck opening to the
bottom edge and includes a fastener system such as an preferably a zipper
In most cases the garment includes sleeves but this is not an essential
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In most cases the garment includes a hood at the neck opening but
again this is not an essential element and garments with regular open collars
or
folded collars can work equally well..
According to a further definition of the invention there is provided a
5 method for carrying a baby comprising:
wearing a garment including front and rear fabric panels shaped for
covering the chest and back of the wearer and connected to define a neck
opening
through which the neck of the wearer pass, with arms of the wearer passing
through
arm openings, and a lower portion surrounding the lower torso of the wearer;
the panels being shaped to cover substantially the whole of the torso of
the caregiver between the neck and the lower torso;
applying a band at the lower portion surrounding the wearer at a level
between the waist and hips of the wearer;
carrying a baby inside the garment;
locating the baby with the arms of the baby extending through a pair of
. transversely spaced upper slots the front panel;
locating the baby with the legs of the baby extending through a pair of
transversely spaced lower slots the front panel;
locating the baby with the head of the baby extending through a front
opening extending upwardly along the front panel;
,
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and locating the lower slots relative to the band so that the baby with
its legs through the lower slots is supported by sitting on that portion of
the front
panel pulled against the lower torso of the wearer by the band.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of the garment
according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the inside of the front panel of the
garment of Fig urel .
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the garment of Figurel carrying a
baby.
Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the garment of Figural carrying a
baby.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The baby carrier described herein comprises a garment 10 such as a
coat, sweater or hoodie to be worn by a caregiver. This includes front and
rear fabric
panels 11 and 12, sleeves 13, 14 and a collar 15. The garment is shaped for
covering the chest and back of the caregiver and connected to define a neck
opening 16 through which the neck of the caregiver can pass, arm openings 17
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through which the arms of the caregiver can pass and carrying sleeves 13, 14,
and a
lower portion 18 for surrounding the lower torso of the caregiver.
The front and rear panels are shaped to cover substantially the whole
of the torso of the caregiver between the neck and the lower torso so that the
garment acts as a convention sweater of coat when worn to cover the body of
the
wearer for warmth or protection.
The shape and design of the garment can of course vary to use any
design constructions used in such garments.
The lower portion 18 including a band 19 defined by a belt or strap 20
contained in a sleeve for tightly surrounding the caregiver at a level between
the
waist and hips of the caregiver. The strap has a buckle 21 and an adjustment
connection 22 of conventional construction so that the strap can be fastened
and
pulled tight.
The front panel is formed in two pieces connected at a center line by a
fastener particularly a zipper 23 extending the full length of the front from
the band
19 to the neck opening to allow the front to be opened.
In order to support the baby as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front
panel has a pair of upper slots 30 and 31 though the front panel so as to
allow arms
of a baby carried inside the garment with the caregiver to extend through the
upper
slots. The front panel also has a pair of lower slots 32, 33 though the front
panel
below the upper slots so allow legs of the baby carried inside the garment
with the
caregiver to extend through the lower slots.
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The zipper 23 of the front panel provides a front opening extending
upwardly along the front panel so allow the head of the baby carried inside
the
garment with the caregiver to extend through the opening at a position above
the
zipper slider. The lower slots 32, 33 are arranged relative to the band 19 and
the
strap 20 so that the baby with its legs through the lower slots 32, 33 as
shown in
Figure 3 is supported by sitting on that portion 11A of the front panel pulled
against
the lower torso of the caregiver by the band 19. Thus the weight of the baby
is
supported on the fabric in front of the band and does not rely on the baby
holding
itself in the slots 32, 33. The band is sufficiently tight to prevent the
portion 11A of
the fabric from pulling away from the torso and allowing the baby to slid down
behind
the band.
As shown best in Figure 1, each of the slots 30, 31 has at least one
closure member defined by a flap 30A, 31A and snap fasteners 40 for closing
the
slot at a position spaced from an end of the slot. That is the flap 30A shown
in the
closed position covering the slot 30 includes snap fasteners 40 at positions
spaced
from the ends of the slot 30 to hold the slot closed when not in use. Two snap
fasteners are shown but more could be used to close the slot along its whole
length.
In Figure 1 the flap 31A is shown in the open position open to the right of
the slot so
that it hinges about a line 31B at the side of the slot 31 to move to the left
to the
closed position covering the slot. The slots 30 and 31 are generally
upstanding that
is vertical and parallel to the center zipper line 23.
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The lower slots 32, 33 are each covered by a fabric cover panel 34. 35
partly covering the front panel 11 at the lower portion 11A and having a side
edge
34A, 35A of the cover panel spaced outwardly to a respective side from the
respective slot 32, 33. The side edges of the cover panels are inclined
upwardly
and inwardly toward the center line of the front panel at the zipper 23 but
spaced
therefrom by a top edge 34B, 35B. Each side edge 34A, 35A of the cover panel
is
inclined downwardly and outwardly to intersect with the band 19 at a bottom
point
34C, 35C so that the legs of the baby emerging from the edge 34A, 35A do so at
the
bottom point 34C, 35C to avoid a seam engaging into the leg and possible
causing
chafing.
The cover panels 34, 35 cover the lower slots 32, 33 and each of the
lower slots includes fasteners 40 within the cover panel for closing the lower
slot
adjacent to but spaced inwardly from the ends of the slot. The slots are
closed by
the fasteners sufficiently to prevent flopping open in an unsightly manner
when the
garment is used without carrying a baby.
