US20150150386A1 - Baby Restraining Article - Google Patents
Baby Restraining Article Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20150150386A1 US20150150386A1 US14/096,581 US201314096581A US2015150386A1 US 20150150386 A1 US20150150386 A1 US 20150150386A1 US 201314096581 A US201314096581 A US 201314096581A US 2015150386 A1 US2015150386 A1 US 2015150386A1
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- Prior art keywords
- sheet
- connector
- attached
- article
- base
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F5/00—Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices; Anti-rape devices
- A61F5/37—Restraining devices for the body or for body parts, e.g. slings; Restraining shirts
- A61F5/3769—Restraining devices for the body or for body parts, e.g. slings; Restraining shirts for attaching the body to beds, wheel-chairs or the like
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41B—SHIRTS; UNDERWEAR; BABY LINEN; HANDKERCHIEFS
- A41B13/00—Baby linen
- A41B13/06—Slip-in bags; Swaddling clothes
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41B—SHIRTS; UNDERWEAR; BABY LINEN; HANDKERCHIEFS
- A41B13/00—Baby linen
- A41B13/06—Slip-in bags; Swaddling clothes
- A41B13/065—Slip-in bags; Swaddling clothes with sleep positioning feature
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47D—FURNITURE SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CHILDREN
- A47D15/00—Accessories for children's furniture, e.g. safety belts
- A47D15/005—Restraining devices, e.g. safety belts, contoured cushions or side bumpers
- A47D15/008—Restraining devices, e.g. safety belts, contoured cushions or side bumpers in beds, play-pens or cradles
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F5/00—Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices; Anti-rape devices
- A61F5/37—Restraining devices for the body or for body parts, e.g. slings; Restraining shirts
Definitions
- the technical field relates to articles for restraining a baby.
- SIDS Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- SIDS can affect babies even if they have been placed to sleep on their backs. As babies grow older and get stronger, they gain the ability to flip themselves over from their backs to their stomachs, but they may not be able to repeat the feat to return to their backs. For this reason, parents restlessly spend countless hours checking on their babies to ensure that they have not flipped over on their stomachs. Parents deserve better options, and so do their children.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress with a left restraint, a right restraint, and a lower restraint for restraining a baby lying on top of the sheet.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress with upper bases that may hold pillows, head tilting objects, and/or shoulder restraints.
- FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet of FIG. 1 , where strap portions connect behind a baby lying on top of the sheet.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet of FIG. 1 , where a single strap portion wraps behind a baby lying on top of the sheet.
- FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet of FIG. 1 , where strap portion(s) are stitched into the back of the sheet.
- FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of a mattress where a strap wraps around the mattress from through and behind an example sheet.
- FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of a mattress where strap portions wrap around the mattress and connect in the back.
- FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress where the restraints are adapted to swaddle a baby.
- the article may include a special-purpose sheet, restraint(s) such as strap(s) that are anchored to the sheet and/or to a mattress, and a connector or connector portion(s) such as a buckle or different parts of buckle(s).
- the sheet is designed to have a plurality of attached bases that allow the restraints to be anchored to the sheet and/or to the mattress.
- the baby may be placed on the sheet on his back, the restraints may be lightly tightened around the baby, and the connector portion(s) at the ends of the restraints may join to lock the baby on his back.
- the connector portion(s) may then be unlocked in the morning so that the baby may be safely retrieved from the sheet.
- the sheet could but does not need to be attached to the frame of a crib, and the sheet could but does not even need to be affixed to the mattress. Instead, the sheet may be fitted to elastically hug the mattress.
- the sheet may also include strap(s) that wrap around the mattress and connect in the front or back of the mattress, behind the sheet.
- the article includes a sheet, a plurality of bases attached to the sheet, and a plurality of restraint portions adapted to restrain a baby.
- the sheet that is specialized with bases is sold separately from the restraints, and multiple different types of restraints may be interchangeable. For example, a swaddling-type restraint may be changed in for or changed out from a strap-type restraint.
- the sheet, restraint portion(s), and/or mattress are sold together. The sheet may be affixed to the mattress or may be removably attached to the mattress.
- the article comprises a sheet, a plurality of bases attached to the sheet, a plurality of restraint portions adapted to restrain the baby, and a connector adapted to connect the plurality of restraining portions.
- the plurality of bases may include a first base attached to the sheet in a first direction from a region of the sheet, a second base attached to the sheet in a second direction from the region, and a third base attached to the sheet in a third direction from the region.
- the different directions may include to the left of the region, to the upper left of the region, above the region, to the upper right of the region, to the right of the region, to the lower right of the region, below the region, and/or to the lower left of the region.
- the plurality of restraint portions may include a first restraint portion in contact with the first base, a second restraint portion in contact with the second base, and a third restraint portion in contact with the third base.
- the restraint portions may be slidably held by or attached to their respective bases.
- the article may further include additional base(s), such as a fourth base in a fourth direction of the region and a fifth base in a fifth direction of the region.
- the additional base(s) may hold additional restraint portions such as a fourth restraint portion and fifth restraint portion, respectively.
- the first direction from the region is described as a direction to the left of the sheet, the second direction from the region as a direction to the right of the region, and the third direction from the region as a direction below the region.
- Other combinations of the example directions from the region are also possible and may be substituted for the left, right, and lower directions in the various examples.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress 100 with a left restraint 104 a , a right restraint 104 b , and a lower restraint 104 c for restraining a baby lying on top of the sheet.
- the left restraint 104 a passes through or is attached to left base 102 a .
- right restraint 104 b passes through or is attached to right base 102 b
- lower restraint 104 c passes through or is attached to lower base 102 c .
- the bases 102 a , 102 b , and 102 c are attached to or otherwise part of sheet or mattress 100 .
- the restraints 104 a , 104 b , and 104 c meet at a connector defined by connector portions 106 a , 106 b , and 106 c .
- left connector portion 106 a is at the end of left restraint 104 a
- right connector portion 106 b is at the end of right restraint 104 b . If the connector is a T connector, left connector portion 106 a and right connector portion 106 b may snap into lower connector portion 106 c.
- a baby's back may be placed in a region spanning between left base 102 a and right base 102 b , and the restraints may be lifted around the baby and secured at connector portions 106 .
- the plurality of bases may include any combination of:
- the region may be an area on the sheet designated for the baby's back, and a base may be at or near any border of the region.
- the base is attached to the sheet as a border for an opening such as a hole or slot through which a restraint may pass.
- the base may strengthen the sheet by adding layers of same or different material than the sheet itself.
- the sheet may be cotton, polyester, or rayon (or any other material suitable for a baby's bedsheets), and the base may be made of the same material or additional material that could be sturdier, such as nylon, leather, or plastic.
- the base may be attached to the sheet by sewing, stapling, tying, sticking, taping, or gluing the material to the sheet or by any other means that fixes the base to the sheet to resist or distribute sliding or pulling forces between the restraint and the base.
- the base itself may even just be added threading around the opening that serves to strengthen the opening and allow a restraint to pass through the opening, and possibly slide and be pulled without tearing the sheet.
- the sheet, bases, and restraint portions are made out of machine-washable materials such that the entire sheet, with or without restraint portions intact, is machine washable in a standard washing machine.
- the sheet and bases may be machine-washable, and the restraint portions may be rinsed in water or spot-cleaned.
- the entire article may be rinsed in water or spot-cleaned.
- the base is attached to the sheet as a mount to which the restraint may be attached.
- the base may be made of similar materials as in the other embodiment, with a goal of distributing the force that could be provided when a restraint is slid or pulled by the baby.
- the restraint may be attached to the restraint using threading, staples, a hook-and-loop fastener such as Velcro, tape, glue, or any other means that fixes the restraint to the base to resist or distribute sliding or pulling forces between the restraint and the base.
- the plurality of restraint portions may be held, slidably or fixedly, by the plurality of bases, and the plurality of restraint portions may be distinct parts of one or multiple restraints.
- a restraint portion may be sewed or otherwise attached to a respective base.
- a restraint portion may slidably fit through a respective base.
- the base may be a reinforced hole in the sheet.
- the plurality of restraint portions may include any combination of:
- a base may have an opening such as a hole or slot through which a restraint portion such as part of a strap may pass.
- the base may hold one end of the part of the strap within the hole or slot but allow the strap to otherwise move freely.
- the strap may continue behind the sheet and pass back through another opening to form another restraint portion.
- a portion of the strap may be stitched into the back of the sheet, pass behind the sheet, or even wrap around the mattress.
- the strap comprises:
- a first restraint portion in front of the sheet such as a left restraint portion
- a second restraint portion in front of the sheet such as a right restraint portion.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet 400 , such as the sheet of FIG. 1 , where a single strap portion 410 wraps behind a baby lying on top of the sheet.
- bases 402 a , 402 b , and 402 c may include stitching or other material that is not visible from the top of the sheet, or may be missing stitching or other material that is visible from the top of the sheet.
- the strap portion may comprise multiple parts that connect together.
- the strap portion may include two or more strap portions that connect together with a buckle behind the sheet or even below the mattress.
- the strap portions meet under the mattress and terminate in connector portions that snap together.
- FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet of FIG. 1 , where strap portions 310 a and 310 b connect behind a baby lying on top of the sheet.
- sheet 300 includes elastic portion 301 for fitting around a mattress.
- Left strap portion 310 a attaches to or passes through sheet 300 and ends at connector portion 312 a .
- right strap portion 310 b attaches to or passes through sheet 300 and ends at connector portion 312 b .
- the connector portions 312 may snap or lock together behind the baby.
- bases 302 a , 302 b , and 302 c may include stitching or material that may not be visible from the top of the sheet, or may be missing stitching or other material that is visible from the top of the sheet.
- FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet of FIG. 1 , where strap portion(s) 510 are stitched to the back of the sheet at stitched portion 514 .
- FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of a mattress where a strap 622 wraps around the mattress from through and behind an example sheet.
- strap 622 may originate from left strap portion 310 a at one end and right strap portion 310 b at the other end.
- Strap portions 310 are shown in FIG. 3 .
- the strap portions may pass through or attach to the sheet at bases 302 a and 302 b , but, instead of connecting at connector portions 312 a and 312 b as shown in FIG. 3 , the strap portions 310 a and 310 b wrap around the mattress behind the fitted sheet 601 and out from under the fitted sheet.
- FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of a mattress where the strap portions 722 a and 722 b wrap around the mattress and connect in the back.
- Left strap portion 722 a may wrap around mattress, under fitted sheet 701 , and continue as left strap portion 310 a to pass through or attach to the sheet at left base 302 a .
- right strap portion 722 b may wrap around mattress, under fitted sheet 702 , and continue as right strap portion 310 b to pass through or attach to the sheet at right base 302 b .
- Left strap portion 722 a ends at connector portion 724 a , which connects to connector portion 724 b at the end of right strap portion 722 b.
- the base may be attached to the end of a restraint portion.
- one end of the strap may be stitched to the base, and the other end of the strap may be attached to a portion of a connector such as a buckle.
- the restraint portion terminates at the base at one end and at the connector at the other end.
- the restraint portion may also include additional slack that passes beyond either end or doubles a thickness of the restraint portion. The additional slack is used to adjust the restraint portion to be larger or smaller.
- Some, none, or all of the restraint portion(s) may be adjustable to support babies of various sizes and various levels of comfort.
- the plurality of restraint(s) may connect using a connector comprising a plurality of connector portion(s) attached to the plurality of restraining portion(s).
- the plurality of connector portions may include any combination of:
- a 3-point harness may have a buckle that connects a left strap portion, a right strap portion, and a lower strap portion.
- a 5-point harness may have a buckle that connects these strap portions and also a left shoulder strap portion and a right shoulder strap portion.
- the connector may be any device that allows multiple restraint portions or strap portions to connect to each other, for example, to restrain a baby.
- the connector is a T-connector, where the lower portion of the T-connector comprises a first insert that accepts the left connector portion from the left restraint portion and a second insert that accepts the right connector portion from the right restraint portion.
- the connector is a Y-connector, where any connector is adapted to be connected to any other connector, and the remaining connector may be snapped into place after the other connectors are already connected.
- the restraint connector may also be a 2-way, 3-way, 4-way, 5-way, or n-way connector that secures n restraint portions that may be connected to n bases.
- the connector may also connect strap portions that pass behind the sheet or behind the mattress.
- a single connector function such as securing a baby with restraint portions, may be accomplished by multiple connectors working together whether or not they are physically connected to each other.
- an upper connector may be used to connect upper restraints for an upper body of the baby
- a lower connector may be used to connect lower restraints for a lower body of the baby.
- the connector is lockable and un-lockable with the press of a button or the flip of a mechanical switch.
- the lock may be baby-proof such that the lock requires the strength or precision of an adult to operate.
- the connector may be locked by snapping in at least one of the connector portions on at least one of the restraints to at least one other of the connector portions on at least one other of the restraints.
- the connector may be unlocked by snapping out at least one of the connector portions from at least one other of the connector portions.
- the connector portions may be locked and unlocked one portion at a time or all at once.
- the connectors are plastic portions molded to fit together snugly.
- the plastic portions may be flexible enough to snap into a locked connection, but rigid enough to remain in the locked connection until they are unlocked.
- the connectors may also be made of fabric, metal, or any other material that is safe for use near or on a baby.
- the connector is lockable and unlockable using one or more sets of hook fasteners and one or more sets of loop fasteners.
- one restraint portion may have a set of hook fasteners attached to the end, and another restraint portion may have a set of loop fasteners attached to the end.
- the hook fasteners may lock into the loop fasteners and require an adult-level of force to unlock.
- the hook-and-loop fasteners are Velcro® fasteners.
- the examples are not limited to these types of restraints.
- at least a subset of the restraint portions are sheets of fabric adapted to swaddle a baby in the region.
- the restraint sheets may be supported by a wide base that stretches the sheet from the baby's lower to middle region up to the baby's chest or shoulders.
- the restraint sheets may snap together with plastic connectors at the end, or the sheets may merely tie together with or without any specialized connector.
- a lower restraint portion may include one or more stitched pockets adapted to cover legs of a baby.
- the pockets may be long enough to support babies of a variety of sizes.
- the back and bottom of a baby may be placed in a resting region of the sheet just above the pockets, and the legs of the baby may be inserted into the pockets.
- the sheet may support one or two pockets, depending on parents' and babies' preferences.
- the pockets may be loosely fitted to allow the baby to move his or her legs comfortably, but tight enough to prevent tangling of the fabric that lines the pocket.
- FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress where the restraints are adapted to swaddle a baby.
- lower restraint portion 804 c is a sheet that spans from elongated lower base 802 c upwardly.
- Lower restraint portion 804 c may span up to a mid-region of the baby or to a chest region of the baby.
- right restraint portion 804 b is a sheet that spans from elongated right base 802 b toward left base 802 a .
- right connector portion 806 b connects to lower connector portion 806 c .
- the connector portions 806 a and 806 b may be hook-and-loop connectors, or snap-on button connectors, or slide-in button connectors, which work well for fabric-to-fabric connections.
- Left restraint portion 804 a is also a sheet that spans from elongated left base 802 a toward right base 802 b .
- the restraint portions 804 a and 804 b may connect at connector portions 806 a and 806 b .
- restraint portion 804 c lies on the bottom, followed by right restraint portion 804 b and then by left restraint portion 804 a ; however, the sheets may be layered in any order or may connect without forming layers.
- base(s) may also be adapted to attach to pillow(s).
- the pillow base(s) may be located just above the region in which the baby's back or either shoulder is placed. In this manner, a pillow base may be centered to provide general comfort for the back of the head or offset from the center to force a tilting of the head.
- the pillow(s) may be used to prop or tilt the baby's head partially to one side or the other while the baby is lying on his or her back.
- the baby's head may be tilted to avoid developing a flatness on the back of the baby's head, which may result from the baby spending too much time on his or her back.
- a single sheet may include a left pillow base and a right pillow base for alternately holding a pillow attachment.
- a pillow may be placed on the left pillow base some nights to encourage the baby to tilt his head away from that side, and on the right pillow base other nights to encourage the baby to tilt his head away from that side.
- a pillow is adapted to be wedge-shaped or flat-bottomed such that the pillow sits firmly on the sheet.
- the pillow may or may not be attached to a pillow base, and the sheet may or may not have a pillow base even if the pillow is used.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress with upper bases that may hold pillows, head tilting objects, and/or shoulder restraints.
- left upper base 208 a and right upper base 208 b may be used to mount head tilting objects, such as soft wedges, or shoulder restraints, which, if present, would connect to connector portions 206 .
- a single removable pillow may be attached to either left upper base 208 a or right upper base 208 b , which may both be present on the product.
- the pillow may be switched from one base to the other to balance the baby's sleeping positions.
- central upper base 210 may hold a pillow.
- the pillow may be designed to be concave to cradle the baby's head or neck. By cradling the head, the pillow may reduce the likelihood of the baby forming a flatness on the back of his or her head.
Abstract
Description
- The technical field relates to articles for restraining a baby.
- The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death for infants 1 month to 1 year old, claiming the lives of about 2,500 babies each year in the United States. The best known way to reduce the risk of SIDS is to place babies to sleep on their backs.
- Unfortunately, SIDS can affect babies even if they have been placed to sleep on their backs. As babies grow older and get stronger, they gain the ability to flip themselves over from their backs to their stomachs, but they may not be able to repeat the feat to return to their backs. For this reason, parents restlessly spend countless hours checking on their babies to ensure that they have not flipped over on their stomachs. Parents deserve better options, and so do their children.
- In the drawings:
-
FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress with a left restraint, a right restraint, and a lower restraint for restraining a baby lying on top of the sheet. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress with upper bases that may hold pillows, head tilting objects, and/or shoulder restraints. -
FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet ofFIG. 1 , where strap portions connect behind a baby lying on top of the sheet. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet ofFIG. 1 , where a single strap portion wraps behind a baby lying on top of the sheet. -
FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet ofFIG. 1 , where strap portion(s) are stitched into the back of the sheet. -
FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of a mattress where a strap wraps around the mattress from through and behind an example sheet. -
FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of a mattress where strap portions wrap around the mattress and connect in the back. -
FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress where the restraints are adapted to swaddle a baby. - In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.
- An article or apparatus is described for restraining a baby. The article may include a special-purpose sheet, restraint(s) such as strap(s) that are anchored to the sheet and/or to a mattress, and a connector or connector portion(s) such as a buckle or different parts of buckle(s). The sheet is designed to have a plurality of attached bases that allow the restraints to be anchored to the sheet and/or to the mattress. The baby may be placed on the sheet on his back, the restraints may be lightly tightened around the baby, and the connector portion(s) at the ends of the restraints may join to lock the baby on his back. The connector portion(s) may then be unlocked in the morning so that the baby may be safely retrieved from the sheet. The sheet could but does not need to be attached to the frame of a crib, and the sheet could but does not even need to be affixed to the mattress. Instead, the sheet may be fitted to elastically hug the mattress. The sheet may also include strap(s) that wrap around the mattress and connect in the front or back of the mattress, behind the sheet.
- In one embodiment, the article includes a sheet, a plurality of bases attached to the sheet, and a plurality of restraint portions adapted to restrain a baby. In another embodiment, the sheet that is specialized with bases is sold separately from the restraints, and multiple different types of restraints may be interchangeable. For example, a swaddling-type restraint may be changed in for or changed out from a strap-type restraint. In yet another embodiment, the sheet, restraint portion(s), and/or mattress are sold together. The sheet may be affixed to the mattress or may be removably attached to the mattress.
- In one embodiment, the article comprises a sheet, a plurality of bases attached to the sheet, a plurality of restraint portions adapted to restrain the baby, and a connector adapted to connect the plurality of restraining portions. The plurality of bases may include a first base attached to the sheet in a first direction from a region of the sheet, a second base attached to the sheet in a second direction from the region, and a third base attached to the sheet in a third direction from the region. For example, the different directions may include to the left of the region, to the upper left of the region, above the region, to the upper right of the region, to the right of the region, to the lower right of the region, below the region, and/or to the lower left of the region. The plurality of restraint portions may include a first restraint portion in contact with the first base, a second restraint portion in contact with the second base, and a third restraint portion in contact with the third base. For example, the restraint portions may be slidably held by or attached to their respective bases. The article may further include additional base(s), such as a fourth base in a fourth direction of the region and a fifth base in a fifth direction of the region. The additional base(s) may hold additional restraint portions such as a fourth restraint portion and fifth restraint portion, respectively.
- To simplify various examples, the first direction from the region is described as a direction to the left of the sheet, the second direction from the region as a direction to the right of the region, and the third direction from the region as a direction below the region. Other combinations of the example directions from the region are also possible and may be substituted for the left, right, and lower directions in the various examples.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an example sheet ormattress 100 with aleft restraint 104 a, aright restraint 104 b, and alower restraint 104 c for restraining a baby lying on top of the sheet. Theleft restraint 104 a passes through or is attached toleft base 102 a. Similarly,right restraint 104 b passes through or is attached toright base 102 b, andlower restraint 104 c passes through or is attached tolower base 102 c. Thebases mattress 100. Therestraints connector portions left connector portion 106 a is at the end ofleft restraint 104 a, andright connector portion 106 b is at the end ofright restraint 104 b. If the connector is a T connector,left connector portion 106 a andright connector portion 106 b may snap intolower connector portion 106 c. - In the example of
FIG. 1 , a baby's back may be placed in a region spanning betweenleft base 102 a andright base 102 b, and the restraints may be lifted around the baby and secured at connector portions 106. - The plurality of bases may include any combination of:
- left base(s) attached to the sheet at first point(s) that lie to the left of a region of the sheet,
- right base(s) attached to the sheet at second point(s) that lie to the right of the region,
- lower base(s) attached to the sheet at third point(s) that lie below the region, and/or
- upper base(s) attached to the sheet at fourth point(s) that lie above the region.
- For example, the region may be an area on the sheet designated for the baby's back, and a base may be at or near any border of the region. In one example, the base is attached to the sheet as a border for an opening such as a hole or slot through which a restraint may pass. In this example, the base may strengthen the sheet by adding layers of same or different material than the sheet itself. For example, the sheet may be cotton, polyester, or rayon (or any other material suitable for a baby's bedsheets), and the base may be made of the same material or additional material that could be sturdier, such as nylon, leather, or plastic. The base may be attached to the sheet by sewing, stapling, tying, sticking, taping, or gluing the material to the sheet or by any other means that fixes the base to the sheet to resist or distribute sliding or pulling forces between the restraint and the base. The base itself may even just be added threading around the opening that serves to strengthen the opening and allow a restraint to pass through the opening, and possibly slide and be pulled without tearing the sheet.
- In one embodiment, the sheet, bases, and restraint portions are made out of machine-washable materials such that the entire sheet, with or without restraint portions intact, is machine washable in a standard washing machine. In another embodiment, the sheet and bases may be machine-washable, and the restraint portions may be rinsed in water or spot-cleaned. In yet another embodiment, the entire article may be rinsed in water or spot-cleaned.
- In another example, the base is attached to the sheet as a mount to which the restraint may be attached. The base may be made of similar materials as in the other embodiment, with a goal of distributing the force that could be provided when a restraint is slid or pulled by the baby. The restraint may be attached to the restraint using threading, staples, a hook-and-loop fastener such as Velcro, tape, glue, or any other means that fixes the restraint to the base to resist or distribute sliding or pulling forces between the restraint and the base.
- The plurality of restraint portions may be held, slidably or fixedly, by the plurality of bases, and the plurality of restraint portions may be distinct parts of one or multiple restraints. For example, a restraint portion may be sewed or otherwise attached to a respective base. In another example, a restraint portion may slidably fit through a respective base. In the latter example, the base may be a reinforced hole in the sheet. The plurality of restraint portions may include any combination of:
- left restraint(s) held by the left base(s),
- right restraint(s) held by the right base(s),
- lower restraint(s) held by the lower base(s), and/or
- upper restraint(s) held by the upper base(s).
- For example, a base may have an opening such as a hole or slot through which a restraint portion such as part of a strap may pass. In the example, the base may hold one end of the part of the strap within the hole or slot but allow the strap to otherwise move freely. The strap may continue behind the sheet and pass back through another opening to form another restraint portion. In this example, a portion of the strap may be stitched into the back of the sheet, pass behind the sheet, or even wrap around the mattress.
- If a portion of the strap is behind the sheet, a majority or minority, in terms of surface area, of that portion may be stitched into the sheet. In a particular example, the strap comprises:
- a first restraint portion in front of the sheet, such as a left restraint portion,
- a strap portion below the sheet, and
- a second restraint portion in front of the sheet, such as a right restraint portion.
-
FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of anexample sheet 400, such as the sheet ofFIG. 1 , where asingle strap portion 410 wraps behind a baby lying on top of the sheet. Also as shown,bases - In one embodiment, whether a strap portion is stitched behind the sheet, merely passes behind the sheet, or wraps around the mattress, the strap portion may comprise multiple parts that connect together. For example, the strap portion may include two or more strap portions that connect together with a buckle behind the sheet or even below the mattress. In a particular example, the strap portions meet under the mattress and terminate in connector portions that snap together.
-
FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet ofFIG. 1 , wherestrap portions sheet 300 includeselastic portion 301 for fitting around a mattress.Left strap portion 310 a attaches to or passes throughsheet 300 and ends atconnector portion 312 a. Similarly,right strap portion 310 b attaches to or passes throughsheet 300 and ends atconnector portion 312 b. The connector portions 312 may snap or lock together behind the baby. As shown,bases -
FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of an example sheet, such as the sheet ofFIG. 1 , where strap portion(s) 510 are stitched to the back of the sheet at stitchedportion 514. -
FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of a mattress where astrap 622 wraps around the mattress from through and behind an example sheet. For example,strap 622 may originate fromleft strap portion 310 a at one end andright strap portion 310 b at the other end. Strap portions 310 are shown inFIG. 3 . The strap portions may pass through or attach to the sheet atbases connector portions FIG. 3 , thestrap portions sheet 601 and out from under the fitted sheet. -
FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of a mattress where thestrap portions Left strap portion 722 a may wrap around mattress, under fittedsheet 701, and continue asleft strap portion 310 a to pass through or attach to the sheet atleft base 302 a. Similarly,right strap portion 722 b may wrap around mattress, under fitted sheet 702, and continue asright strap portion 310 b to pass through or attach to the sheet atright base 302 b.Left strap portion 722 a ends atconnector portion 724 a, which connects toconnector portion 724 b at the end ofright strap portion 722 b. - In another example, the base may be attached to the end of a restraint portion. In a particular example, one end of the strap may be stitched to the base, and the other end of the strap may be attached to a portion of a connector such as a buckle. In this example, the restraint portion terminates at the base at one end and at the connector at the other end. The restraint portion may also include additional slack that passes beyond either end or doubles a thickness of the restraint portion. The additional slack is used to adjust the restraint portion to be larger or smaller.
- Some, none, or all of the restraint portion(s) may be adjustable to support babies of various sizes and various levels of comfort.
- The plurality of restraint(s) may connect using a connector comprising a plurality of connector portion(s) attached to the plurality of restraining portion(s). The plurality of connector portions may include any combination of:
- left connector portion(s) attached to the left restraining portion(s),
- right connector portion(s) attached to the right restraining portion(s),
- lower connector portion(s) attached to the lower restraining portion(s), and/or
- upper connector portion(s) attached to the upper restraining portion(s).
- For example, a 3-point harness may have a buckle that connects a left strap portion, a right strap portion, and a lower strap portion. In another example, a 5-point harness may have a buckle that connects these strap portions and also a left shoulder strap portion and a right shoulder strap portion.
- The connector may be any device that allows multiple restraint portions or strap portions to connect to each other, for example, to restrain a baby. In one embodiment, the connector is a T-connector, where the lower portion of the T-connector comprises a first insert that accepts the left connector portion from the left restraint portion and a second insert that accepts the right connector portion from the right restraint portion.
- In another embodiment, the connector is a Y-connector, where any connector is adapted to be connected to any other connector, and the remaining connector may be snapped into place after the other connectors are already connected.
- The restraint connector may also be a 2-way, 3-way, 4-way, 5-way, or n-way connector that secures n restraint portions that may be connected to n bases.
- The connector may also connect strap portions that pass behind the sheet or behind the mattress.
- A single connector function, such as securing a baby with restraint portions, may be accomplished by multiple connectors working together whether or not they are physically connected to each other. For example, an upper connector may be used to connect upper restraints for an upper body of the baby, and a lower connector may be used to connect lower restraints for a lower body of the baby.
- In one embodiment, the connector is lockable and un-lockable with the press of a button or the flip of a mechanical switch. The lock may be baby-proof such that the lock requires the strength or precision of an adult to operate. For example, the connector may be locked by snapping in at least one of the connector portions on at least one of the restraints to at least one other of the connector portions on at least one other of the restraints. The connector may be unlocked by snapping out at least one of the connector portions from at least one other of the connector portions. The connector portions may be locked and unlocked one portion at a time or all at once.
- In one embodiment, the connectors are plastic portions molded to fit together snugly. The plastic portions may be flexible enough to snap into a locked connection, but rigid enough to remain in the locked connection until they are unlocked. The connectors may also be made of fabric, metal, or any other material that is safe for use near or on a baby.
- In one embodiment, the connector is lockable and unlockable using one or more sets of hook fasteners and one or more sets of loop fasteners. For example, one restraint portion may have a set of hook fasteners attached to the end, and another restraint portion may have a set of loop fasteners attached to the end. The hook fasteners may lock into the loop fasteners and require an adult-level of force to unlock. In a particular example, the hook-and-loop fasteners are Velcro® fasteners.
- Various examples are described herein with respect to strap-like restraints, such as bands or cords. However, the examples are not limited to these types of restraints. In one embodiment, at least a subset of the restraint portions are sheets of fabric adapted to swaddle a baby in the region. For example, the restraint sheets may be supported by a wide base that stretches the sheet from the baby's lower to middle region up to the baby's chest or shoulders. The restraint sheets may snap together with plastic connectors at the end, or the sheets may merely tie together with or without any specialized connector.
- In the same or a different embodiment, a lower restraint portion may include one or more stitched pockets adapted to cover legs of a baby. The pockets may be long enough to support babies of a variety of sizes. The back and bottom of a baby may be placed in a resting region of the sheet just above the pockets, and the legs of the baby may be inserted into the pockets. The sheet may support one or two pockets, depending on parents' and babies' preferences. The pockets may be loosely fitted to allow the baby to move his or her legs comfortably, but tight enough to prevent tangling of the fabric that lines the pocket.
-
FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress where the restraints are adapted to swaddle a baby. As shown,lower restraint portion 804 c is a sheet that spans from elongatedlower base 802 c upwardly.Lower restraint portion 804 c may span up to a mid-region of the baby or to a chest region of the baby. - Also as shown,
right restraint portion 804 b is a sheet that spans from elongatedright base 802 b towardleft base 802 a. As shown,right connector portion 806 b connects to lowerconnector portion 806 c. For example, theconnector portions -
Left restraint portion 804 a is also a sheet that spans from elongatedleft base 802 a towardright base 802 b. Therestraint portions connector portions restraint portion 804 c lies on the bottom, followed byright restraint portion 804 b and then byleft restraint portion 804 a; however, the sheets may be layered in any order or may connect without forming layers. - In one embodiment, base(s) may also be adapted to attach to pillow(s). For example, the pillow base(s) may be located just above the region in which the baby's back or either shoulder is placed. In this manner, a pillow base may be centered to provide general comfort for the back of the head or offset from the center to force a tilting of the head. The pillow(s) may be used to prop or tilt the baby's head partially to one side or the other while the baby is lying on his or her back. The baby's head may be tilted to avoid developing a flatness on the back of the baby's head, which may result from the baby spending too much time on his or her back. A single sheet may include a left pillow base and a right pillow base for alternately holding a pillow attachment. A pillow may be placed on the left pillow base some nights to encourage the baby to tilt his head away from that side, and on the right pillow base other nights to encourage the baby to tilt his head away from that side.
- In one embodiment, a pillow is adapted to be wedge-shaped or flat-bottomed such that the pillow sits firmly on the sheet. The pillow may or may not be attached to a pillow base, and the sheet may or may not have a pillow base even if the pillow is used.
- In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the invention, and what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the invention, is the literal and equivalent scope of the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction.
-
FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an example sheet or mattress with upper bases that may hold pillows, head tilting objects, and/or shoulder restraints. As shown, leftupper base 208 a and rightupper base 208 b may be used to mount head tilting objects, such as soft wedges, or shoulder restraints, which, if present, would connect to connector portions 206. For example, a single removable pillow may be attached to either leftupper base 208 a or rightupper base 208 b, which may both be present on the product. The pillow may be switched from one base to the other to balance the baby's sleeping positions. Also as shown, centralupper base 210 may hold a pillow. The pillow may be designed to be concave to cradle the baby's head or neck. By cradling the head, the pillow may reduce the likelihood of the baby forming a flatness on the back of his or her head.
Claims (25)
Priority Applications (2)
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US14/096,581 US9060620B1 (en) | 2013-12-04 | 2013-12-04 | Baby restraining article |
US14/713,148 US20150245941A1 (en) | 2013-12-04 | 2015-05-15 | Baby restraining article |
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US14/713,148 Continuation US20150245941A1 (en) | 2013-12-04 | 2015-05-15 | Baby restraining article |
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US9060620B1 US9060620B1 (en) | 2015-06-23 |
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US14/713,148 Abandoned US20150245941A1 (en) | 2013-12-04 | 2015-05-15 | Baby restraining article |
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US14/713,148 Abandoned US20150245941A1 (en) | 2013-12-04 | 2015-05-15 | Baby restraining article |
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Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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USD808609S1 (en) * | 2015-12-18 | 2018-01-23 | Sweet Goodbye Pty Ltd | Pet burial or cremation bag |
USD809735S1 (en) * | 2015-12-18 | 2018-02-06 | Sweet Goodbye Pty Ltd | Pet burial or cremation bag |
USD814138S1 (en) * | 2015-12-18 | 2018-03-27 | Sweet Goodbye Pty Ltd | Pet burial or cremation bag |
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CN104507947B (en) | 2012-07-16 | 2017-06-27 | 罗德科技公司 | For the method for improved opioid synthesis |
TWI546074B (en) | 2014-01-15 | 2016-08-21 | 羅德科技公司 | Process for improved oxycodone synthesis |
MX2016009125A (en) | 2014-01-15 | 2017-02-02 | Rhodes Tech | Process for improved oxymorphone synthesis. |
CN108904195B (en) * | 2018-05-03 | 2020-09-18 | 济南市第三人民医院 | A adjustment type inspection bed of being convenient for paediatrics |
US20220053838A1 (en) * | 2018-09-18 | 2022-02-24 | Wayne Kennard Scott, JR. | Method and apparatus for infant positioning for reduction of sudden infant death and plagiocephaly |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20150245941A1 (en) | 2015-09-03 |
US9060620B1 (en) | 2015-06-23 |
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