US2650590A - Infant restraining device - Google Patents

Description

Sept.A l, 1953 L. MOORE ETAL INFANT RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed aarcn 17 1952 L eroy Moore Dorothy S. Moore IN VEN TORS Patented Sept. l, 1953 INFANT RESTRAININ G DEVICE Leroy Moore and Dorothy S. Moore, J wckson, Miss.

Application March 17, 1952, Serial No. 276,998

1 claim. l

This invention relates to an infant restraining device for limiting the movement of an infants legs.

Once an infant has learned to Walk, he is no longer satisfied in having his movements restrained and begins to dislike being placed in a play pen or crib. Inasmuch as a childs desire for freedom is the `same as an adult, he soon begins to try climbing out of the play pen or crib in which he is confined. A child will soon learn that by lifting his legs high enough that he will be able to move himself over the upper rail of the play pen or crib in which he is placed. However, a small child is unable to cope with the situation once he has obtained the top of the rail and normally falls out of the bed on his head or face thereby hurting himself. It is, therefore, desirous to provide a suitable restraining means for infants which would permit normal movement of their legs and at the same time prevent one leg from being raised suiiiciently to permit the child to climb over the rail of a play pen or crib.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved infant restraining device which will permit normal movement of the infants legs so as to permit walking and at the same time restraining the infant from raising one of his legs above the other suiiiciently to climb over a rail of a play pen or crib in which he is confined.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved infant restraining device which will restrain an infant from a climbing without exposing the infant to injury due to the utilization of the device.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved infant restraining device for attachment to the ankles of the infant in order to restrain the same from climbing, said device being of simple construction and formed of inexpensive materials whereby it is economically feasible.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved infant restraining device which is formed of flexible materials whereby it may be conveniently packaged for shipment and display.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved infant restraining device for attachment to the angles of an infant, said restraining device including straps adapted to encircle the ankles of an infant, said strips being adjustable whereby said device may be utilized on infants of various sizes.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of con- (Cl. 12S-134) struction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an infant standing in a conventional play pen, the infant having secured to his ankles opposite ends of the improved infant restraining device which is the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the lower portion of an infants legs and including the ankles and feet thereof, the ankles of the infant having secured thereto the infant restraining device, the infants legs being placed closely together and a flexible link connecting the strap ends of the restraining device being shown in contracted position;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the infant restraining device of Figure 2 and shows the general construction thereof, one of the straps at the ends of the restraining device being shown fastened to form a loo-p and the other strap being illustrated as being unfastened; and

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the infant restraining device of Figure 3 and showing the general construction thereof.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the: different views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the improved infant restraining device, which is the subject of this invention, the rest-raining device being referred to in general by the reference numeral I0. The infant restraining device I0 includes a central elastic link I2 formed of a. length of conventional elastic tape. Secured to the opposite ends of the elastic link I2 are straps i4 and I6, the straps being identical and adapted to engage opposite legs of an infant.

Inasmuch as the straps III and I6 are identical, only the strap I6 will be explained in detail. The strap I6 is formed of a length of conventional belting or plastic strip I8 which is doubled upon itself to form a loop. One end of the belting I8 is provided with a plurality of socket grippers 20 in longitudinal alignment and the other end of the belting I 8 is provided with a plurality of stud grippers 22 which are complementary to the socket grippers 20. It will be understood that the gripper elements 20 and around the ankle of the infant and selective grip elements snapped into engagement.

In order that the elastic link I2 may be firmly secured to the strap I6, one end of the strap I6 is overlapped at one end of the elastic link I2' and the two secured together by one of .the-stud grippers 22. While the elastic link I2 has been illustrated and described as being .secured to the strap I6 by a stud gripper 22, it will be readily apparent that if so desired that end of the .elastic link I2 may be secured to the end of the belting EB to which the socket grippers 20 aie secured.

and fastened thereto by the end socket gripper 20. As is best illustrated in Figure 2, when it is desired to restrain the movement of an infants leg, the strap la is secured to the ankle of the lef-t 'leg 24 of the infant and the strap I6 is secured to the right leg 26. The 4length of the elastic link I2 is such to permit normal Walking of the infant and at the same time prevent one of the legs of the infant from being raised above the other -a suilicient amount to permit the infant to climb. While the straps I4 and I6 have been associated with specic legs of the infant, it will be understood that they may be reversed.

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be seen that there is illustrated a conventional play pen having a bottom 28 and side vrails 3E). Standing on the bottom 2S is a small child .or infant who is in the walking stage and has been placed in the play pen to prevent him from leaving a designated area While the mother is busy with other duties. The infant is of such size where he is Walking and is naturally `desirous of climbing out `of the play pen and joining his mother or straying off to other parts of the house. Normally the in.- fant will attempt to climb .over the side rail A(il) and having reached the top thereof will lose his balance and fall either out lof the play pen or back into the same and thereby injuring himself. The infant illustrated in the play pen has his legs connected together by the infant restraining device I0, which is the subject of this invention, and is allowed to Walk although the lifting one leg only is restrained. With his legs so restrained, the infant is prevented from climbing up to the top of the side rail 30 of the play pen and therefore cannot possibly escape from the same. However, the infant restraining device I0 permits freedom of the 'legs and he is in no way uncomfortable.

The operation of this device will be understood 'from the foregoing description of the details therecf,-taken in connection with the above recited obiects and drawings. Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from the embodiment of the device illustrated and described here, m-ay be resorted to Without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claim.l

Hav-ing described the inventan, Vwhat is claimed as new is:

An infant restraining-device comprising a pair of individual straps adapted to engage an infants ankles, said straps being detachably connected by a separate elastic link, said elastic link beingoi' a Alength to permit Walking and at the same time to discourage climbing, Vsaid straps having adjustable fastening means for accommodating various size infants, said fastening means in cluding a plurality of gripper studs at one end cf each strap and complementary gripper sockets at the other end of each strap, said elastic link having gripper sockets at its ends engaging said gripper studs to removably secure said elastic link to said straps.

LEROY MOORE.

DOROTHY S. MOORE.

References .Cited in the fue of .this patent UNITED ,STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,636,101 McLallen July 19, 1927 2,093,744 Tuckey Sept. 21, 1937 2,425,489 Peterson Aug. 12, 1947

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