US20190014920A1

US20190014920A1 - Universal Baby Carrier

Info

Publication number: US20190014920A1
Application number: US15/699,415
Authority: US
Inventors: Tomokatsu Matsuyama
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-07-14
Filing date: 2017-09-08
Publication date: 2019-01-17

Abstract

A baby carrier is disclosed comprising: a main body portion having an upper portion and a lower portion; a lumbar support portion attached to the lower side of the main body portion wherein the lumbar support portion is further comprised of a lumbar strap for securing around a wearer's hip; a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder attached to the upper portion of the main body portion; a neck support portion attached to the upper portion of the main body portion wherein the neck supporting portion is further comprised of a protective hood; a first buckle and a second buckle attached to the upper portion of the main body portion; wherein the main body portion forms a bucket to carry baby when the first shoulder strap is strapped around the shoulder of the wearer to the first buckle and the second shoulder strap is strapped around the shoulder of the wearer to the second buckle and where the lumbar strap is secured to the waist of the wearer.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to the filing date of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/532,982, titled “Universal Baby Carrier,” which was filed on Jul. 14, 2017, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for carrying babies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Baby carriers have been around for thousands of years. Prior to the early 1900s, parents worldwide used a variety of long cloths, shawls, scarves and even bed sheets to snuggle up their babies and get the chores done. Baby-wearing wasn't something “special” or different, as it is perceived today in the Western world; it was a necessity. Mothers in the old days, or in many places in Asia or Africa today, had to work incredibly hard and didn't have time to stop and entertain baby, so baby just came along for the ride. Even where there is no access to modern high-tech baby carriers, mothers still need to carry their babies while they work. Thus, even today, many traditional types of a baby carrier are still used in developing countries, although this is usually restricted to indigenous communities where baby-wearing is totally normal, a necessity and way of life.
Today's dads actively participate in childcare. It's also been scientifically proven that infants dig being next to dad just as much as their mothers. Although men look for different designs than women, everyone likes a baby carrier that's part athleisure-wear, part ergonomic science, very securely fastened, and very convenient and easy to use. Among these features of a modern baby carrier, baby safety is always number one requirement. Next, ergonomic design and convenience are high on the list of features when you have to lug a kid, who gets heavier over time, around for almost 3 years. Not only a baby carrier is convenient and frees parents' hands for other tasks, but it also promotes other health and development benefits for a baby, such as parent-baby bonding due to the baby being next to the parent's chest all the time, or the baby falling asleep easily with the motion of walking or rocking, or the baby watching and learning parents' language and non-verbal cues. Given the convenience for the parents and all the benefits for the babies, it is no surprise that many parents surveyed would want to use a baby carry, especially, when the baby is a newborn.
The rudimentary baby carriers were usually made of fabric, soft, had no body or back or neck support for babies. Babies were at risk of being suffocated if placed incorrectly in a baby carrier because they do not have the physical capacity to move out of dangerous positions that block their airways. The suffocation issue was exacerbated for babies who are under four months old, premature, low birth weight or having breathing difficulties.
However, past baby carrier companies over-design for child safety, and create some of the baby carriers that are overly complex with rigid seats and frames which increase the weight of the carriers and cannot accommodate for the growth of the child. These complex, large and heavy carriers place an undue strain upon the parent, particularly in the lumbar region. In addition, they can only be worn on the back thus denying the child the comfort, security, and bond provided by a face-to-face interaction with the parent. Therefore, soft structured carriers have become popular because they are lighter, convenient, more comfortable to wear, and no less safe. The latest carriers incorporate padding, fabrics, velcro, and clever designs, rather than a rigid frame, to provide the structure.
Although safer, lighter, and more convenient, previous soft-structured carriers have their flaws. They hold a child in an upright position with the child's legs hanging down and the base of the child's spine supporting the child's bodyweight. This position may not be optimal for infant and young children due to their under-developed spines. Positioning a young child, particularly an infant, in an upright position may unduly limit curvature of her/his spine, and puts stress on the her/his sacrum. This can cause the infant's pelvis to tilt backward limiting leg and hip movement, which may impede healthy development of the infant's pelvis.
Some soft-structured carriers take into account a young child's spine development, but they have other limitations. Some of them do not account for the child's fast growth. Some of them make large baby carriers to anticipate the child's growth, and make the carriers more adaptable with a specially designed “infant insert,” which is an accessory that incorporates additional padding and structure and makes it possible to carry a small infant in a carrier that would not otherwise properly support the infant. As generally true with accessories, they may be cumbersome, non-intuitive, and easily lost.
Affluent parents could avoid infant inserts by changing carriers as the child ages. However, even they wish for an innovative baby carrier that fits all babies, so they. The current invention will disclose a new baby carrier to address the shortcomings of the current baby carriers.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a baby carrier that is adjustable to accommodate different baby sizes.
It is the object of this invention to provide a baby carrier that allow a child of any sizes to be carried in a manner that supports the child's spine, pelvis, and thighs in a preferred ergonomic position.
It is the object of this invention to provide a baby carrier that allow a child can be carried on the front, back, or side of the parent.
It is an object of the invention to provide a baby carrier whose design comprises a bucket seat.
It is an object of the invention to provide a baby carrier whose design comprises an adjustable mechanism to resize the bucket seat to accommodate different babies.
It is an object of the invention to provide a baby carrier that provides a structured bucket seat adjusts to keep a baby ergonomically seated in an optimal natural “M shape” position from newborn to toddler.
It is an object of the invention to provide a baby carrier that provides ergonomic sitting positions for babies, including front newborn, front infant, front and facing out position, front toddler, hip and back.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In one aspect of the invention, a baby carrier is disclosed comprising: a main body portion having an upper portion and a lower portion; a lumbar support portion attached to the lower side of the main body portion wherein the lumbar support portion is further comprised of a lumbar strap for securing around a wearer's hip; a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder attached to the upper portion of the main body portion; a neck support portion attached to the upper portion of the main body portion wherein the neck supporting portion is further comprised of a protective hood; a first buckle and a second buckle attached to the upper portion of the main body portion; wherein the main body portion forms a bucket to carry baby when the first shoulder strap is strapped around the shoulder of the wearer to the first buckle and the second shoulder strap is strapped around the shoulder of the wearer to the second buckle and where the lumbar strap is secured to the waist of the wearer.
In one embodiment, the first shoulder strap is comprised of a first portion of a safety harness and the second shoulder strap is comprised of a second portion of a safety harness wherein the first portion of safety harness is connected to the second portion of the safety harness to prevent the first should strap and the second shoulder strap from failing off the wearer's shoulder. In another embodiment, the first shoulder strap is comprised of a first rail wherein the first portion of the safety harness is comprised of a first adjustable clip wherein the first adjustable clip is comprised of a first groove wherein the first groove is engaged to the first rail and the second shoulder strap is comprised of a second rail wherein the second portion of the safety harness is comprised of a second adjustable clip wherein the second adjustable clip is comprised of a second groove wherein the second groove is engaged to second rail wherein the first and second portion of the safety harness are able to slide along the axial length of the first and second should straps. In yet another embodiment, the lower portion of the main body portion is comprised of a left flap and a right flap wherein the left flap is comprised of a upper part of a first popper fastener and the right flap is comprised of a upper part of second popper fastener and the lumbar support portion is comprised of a left portion and a right portion wherein the left portion is comprised of a plurality of lower part of the first popper fastener and the right portion is comprised of plurality of power part of the second popper fastener. In yet another embodiment, the left flap is further comprised of a hooks portion of a first Hook-and-loop fastener and the right flap is comprised of hooks portion of a second hook-and-loop fastener and the left portion of the lumbar support portion is comprised of a loops portion of the first hook-and-loop fastener and the right portion of the lumbar support portion is comprised of a loops portion of the second hook and loop fastener. In yet another embodiment, the main body portion is further comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer wherein the inner layer is comprised of air permeable material and the outer layer is comprised of non-air-permeable material wherein the outer layer is removable to allow air to permeate through the inner layer. In yet another embodiment,
In yet another embodiment, the air permeable material is a meshed fabric selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, micro-polyester and tricot. In yet another embodiment, the non-air-permeable material is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, micro-polyester and tricot.
In yet another embodiment, the main body portion is comprised of a pouch wherein the pouch is further comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer wherein the inner layer is comprised of air permeable material and the outer layer is comprised of non-air-permeable material wherein the outer layer is removable to allow air to permeate through the inner layer.
In another aspect of the invention, a method to carry baby is disclosed comprising: providing a main body portion having an upper portion and a lower portion; having a lumbar support portion attached to the lower side of the main body portion wherein the lumbar support portion is further comprised of a lumbar strap for securing around a wearer's hip; having a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder attached to the upper portion of the main body portion; having a neck support portion attached to the upper portion of the main body portion wherein the neck supporting portion is further comprised of a protective hood; providing a first buckle and a second buckle attached to the upper portion of the main body portion; wherein the main body portion forms a bucket to carry baby when the first shoulder strap is strapped around the shoulder of the wearer to the first buckle and the second shoulder strap is strapped around the shoulder of the wearer to the second buckle and where the lumbar strap is secured to the waist of the wearer. In one embodiment, wherein the first shoulder strap is comprised of a first portion of a safety harness and the second shoulder strap is comprised of a second portion of a safety harness wherein the first portion of safety harness is connected to the second portion of the safety harness to prevent the first should strap and the second shoulder strap from failing off the wearer's shoulder. In one embodiment, the first shoulder strap is comprised of a first rail wherein the first portion of the safety harness is comprised of a first adjustable clip wherein the first adjustable clip is comprised of a first groove wherein the first groove is engaged to the first rail and the second shoulder strap is comprised of a second rail wherein the second portion of the safety harness is comprised of a second adjustable clip wherein the second adjustable clip is comprised of a second groove wherein the second groove is engaged to second rail wherein the first and second portion of the safety harness are able to slide along the axial length of the first and second should straps. In yet another embodiment, the lower portion of the main body portion is comprised of a left flap and a right flap wherein the left flap is comprised of a upper part of a first popper fastener and the right flap is comprised of a upper part of second popper fastener and the lumbar support portion is comprised of a left portion and a right portion wherein the left portion is comprised of a plurality of lower part of the first popper fastener and the right portion is comprised of plurality of power part of the second popper fastener. In yet another embodiment, the left flap is further comprised of a hooks portion of a first Hook-and-loop fastener and the right flap is comprised of hooks portion of a second hook-and-loop fastener and the left portion of the lumbar support portion is comprised of a loops portion of the first hook-and-loop fastener and the right portion of the lumbar support portion is comprised of a loops portion of the second hook and loop fastener. In yet another embodiment, the main body portion is further comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer wherein the inner layer is comprised of air permeable material and the outer layer is comprised of non-air-permeable material wherein the outer layer is removable to allow air to permeate through the inner layer. In yet another embodiment, the air permeable material is a meshed fabric selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, micro-polyester and tricot. In yet another embodiment, the non-air-permeable material is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, micro-polyester and tricot. In yet another embodiment the main body portion is comprised of a pouch wherein the pouch is further comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer wherein the inner layer is comprised of air permeable material and the outer layer is comprised of non-air-permeable material wherein the outer layer is removable to allow air to permeate through the inner layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the invention will not be described with reference to the drawings of certain preferred embodiments, which are intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention, and in which

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the front of an embodiment of the present invention's baby carrier.

FIG. 2 shows the front of an embodiment of the present invention's baby carrier with the temperature control panel and extra storage compartment shown.

FIG. 3 further illustrates the use of the head support pillow.

FIG. 4 shows the back side of an embodiment of the present invention's baby carrier.

FIG. 5 further illustrates the present invention's innovative 3-stage adjuster device.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the present invention with its harness and its attaching clips, that are slidable and adjustable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Some embodiments are described in detail with reference to the related drawings. Additional embodiments, features, and/or advantages will become apparent from the ensuing description or may be learned by practicing the invention. The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention. The steps described herein for performing methods form one embodiment of the invention, and, unless otherwise indicated, not all of the steps must necessarily be performed to practice the invention, nor must the steps necessarily be performed in the order listed. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” or “some” embodiment(s) in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.
The present invention has been conceived with the aim of addressing one or more of the commercial baby carriers' problems. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a universal baby carrier that can accommodate all babies' sizes, and provide convenience to both parent and child.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for carrying babies at all age groups: newborn, infant, and toddler. Referring to FIG. 1, in one embodiment of the present invention, the baby carrier 100 comprises a lumbar support belt 110 that wraps around the waist just above the hips, and fastened with a adjustable side-release snap buckle 111. Above and attached to the lumber-bar support belt 110 is the back support and the adjustable structured bucket seats 120. The attachment section is about the center of the belt 110 and the seat back 120. Right below the center attachment and on the belt is a large convenient storage pocket 112, which is covered by a flap of a soft-structured material and fastened to the belt by a Velcro strip. The adjustable structured bucket seat further comprises a mid section 121, shown more clearly in FIG. 2, running vertically up the seat back that is constructed with a mesh, which will be shown in more details in the subsequent descriptions and figures, and is covered by a flap which is utilized to construct a zipped pouch 122. The pouch flap 122 is detached from the back by unzipping the two left and right zippers 123. About the waist line section, there are two flaps 130 on left and right sides that are important components of the structured bucket seat, and important to the safety of the child. In the corner of the two flaps 2 popper buttons (fasteners) 131 are disposed. These two popper buttons (fasteners) 131 fasten the flaps to the lumbar support belt 110 below. 2-way extra-padded crossable shoulder straps 140 are attached to the shoulders of the seat back, and wrap over the shoulders of the adult, and go under the armpits and attach to the seat back by a pair of adjustable snap buckles 141. The shoulder straps have multiple adjustments for a perfect fit, a safety harness 150 going across the back of the adult and connecting the shoulder straps 140 to keep them from coming apart and slipping off the shoulders. The safety harness 150 attaches to the shoulder straps 140 by a left and right vertically slidable clips disposed on the shoulder straps. The innovative vertical slidable slips will be described and shown subsequently. An oval shape comfort pad 151 is attached to the harness to provide the adult back comfort. The baby carrier further comprises convenient features such as purse strap holders, convenient pockets for electronic smart devices, etc. The baby carrier 100 further comprises a pillow and head support 160 for a taller child. When it is not used, it is folded down on the outside of the bucket seat's back 120, and tied down with left and right popper buttons (fasteners).
Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment, a baby carrier 200 comprises a pillow and head support 210 whose left and right popper buttons 211 are detached, and the head support is positioned straight up. The head support 210 is utilized to construct a storage compartment, and a protective hood for wearing 212 is shown. The compartment is normally closed by a zipper. FIG. 3 further shows the head support 310 is folded down on the outside of the seat back, and attached to the seat back by the left and right popper buttons 311.
Still referring to FIG. 2, the baby carrier 200 further comprises a pouch 220 is detached from the bucket seat's back by unzipping the left and right zippers 221. When the pouch is detached, the mesh back 230 is shown. The mesh is made of soft and resilient fabric, and is a part of a temperature control panel that covers the back of the bucket seat. When the panel is pulled down, the mesh, and, thus, the child's back, is exposed to the ambient air and temperature. The mesh provides air flow to the child and the space between the carrier and the adult. This air circulation is helpfully comforting during summer heat and humidity. When the panel is zipped up, the back of the child is protected from cold air.
Referring to FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the back, as opposed to the front shown in FIGS. 1-3, of a baby carrier 400 is shown, as well as the back of the lumbar support belt 410. The lumbar support belt further comprises an innovative 3-state device 420, disposed in the back of the belt 410 below the bucket seat 430, for adjusting the sizes and opening sizes of the adjustable structured bucket seat 430. The adjuster 3-state device 420 narrows or widens the opening of the bucket seat to accommodate different baby sizes. The set of symmetrical left and right popper buttons A's make the narrowest bucket seat opening for newborns, and, thus, preventing the child from falling through the side gaps, and, also, hugging the child in the best posture. The set of symmetrical left and right popper buttons B's make a medium bucket seat opening for infants, and provide the same protections. The set of symmetrical left and right popper buttons C's make the widest bucket seat opening for toddlers. The back of the carrier 400 further comprises a mesh back of the bucket seat 430, and the two left and right protection flaps 431. These flaps, the popper buttons 432, and the 3-state device 420 on the lumbar support belt set the sizes and shapes of the adjustable bucket seat by the foregoing disclosed ways. The mesh back is made of soft and resilience fabric, so that when a child, at whatever age and size, sits in the bucket seat, the mesh will conform, hug, and support the child's back, pelvis, and thighs.
FIG. 5 further illustrates the innovative 3-stage adjuster device, as shown in FIG. 4. In this figure, the side flaps engage with the lumbar support belt by the popper buttons in the C position, which make the largest opening of the bucket seat for toddlers. Also disclosed here is the further deployment of the hook and loop fastener 501 to increase strength in holding up the baby when the baby is in the bucket.
Referring to FIG. 6, in one embodiment, the baby carrier 600 comprises a safety harness 610 holding the left and right shoulder straps, preventing them from coming apart and slipping off the shoulders. The safety harness is attached to the shoulder straps by a left and right slidable clip 620. The slidable and height adjustable clips 620 allow comfort by accommodating different size and height adults.
The present invention's lumbar support belt and two extra-padded shoulder straps are calculated and configured to evenly distribute baby's weight between the hips and shoulders.

Claims

1. A baby carrier comprising:

a. a main body portion having an upper portion and a lower portion;

b. a lumbar support portion attached to said lower side of said main body portion wherein said lumbar support portion is further comprised of a lumbar strap for securing around a wearer's hip;

c. a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder attached to said upper portion of said main body portion;

d. a neck support portion attached to said upper portion of said main body portion wherein said neck supporting portion is further comprised of a protective hood;

e. a first buckle and a second buckle attached to said upper portion of said main body portion;

f. wherein said main body portion forms a bucket to carry baby when said first shoulder strap is strapped around the shoulder of said wearer to said first buckle and said second shoulder strap is strapped around the shoulder of said wearer to said second buckle and where said lumbar strap is secured to said waist of said wearer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first shoulder strap is comprised of a first portion of a safety harness and said second shoulder strap is comprised of a second portion of a safety harness wherein said first portion of safety harness is connected to said second portion of said safety harness to prevent said first should strap and said second shoulder strap from failing off said wearer's shoulder.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first shoulder strap is comprised of a first rail wherein said first portion of said safety harness is comprised of a first adjustable clip wherein said first adjustable clip is comprised of a first groove wherein said first groove is engaged to said first rail and said second shoulder strap is comprised of a second rail wherein said second portion of said safety harness is comprised of a second adjustable clip wherein said second adjustable clip is comprised of a second groove wherein said second groove is engaged to second rail wherein said first and second portion of said safety harness are able to slide along the axial length of the first and second should straps.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lower portion of said main body portion is comprised of a left flap and a right flap wherein said left flap is comprised of a upper part of a first popper fastener and said right flap is comprised of a upper part of second popper fastener and said lumbar support portion is comprised of a left portion and a right portion wherein said left portion is comprised of a plurality of lower part of said first popper fastener and said right portion is comprised of plurality of power part of said second popper fastener.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said left flap is further comprised of a hooks portion of a first Hook-and-loop fastener and said right flap is comprised of hooks portion of a second hook-and-loop fastener and said left portion of said lumbar support portion is comprised of a loops portion of said first hook-and-loop fastener and said right portion of said lumbar support portion is comprised of a loops portion of said second hook and loop fastener.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said main body portion is further comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer wherein said inner layer is comprised of air permeable material and said outer layer is comprised of non-air-permeable material wherein said outer layer is removable to allow air to permeate through said inner layer.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said air permeable material is a meshed fabric selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, micro-polyester and tricot.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said non air-permeable material is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, micro-polyester and tricot.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said main body portion is comprised of a pouch wherein said pouch is further comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer wherein said inner layer is comprised of air permeable material and said outer layer is comprised of non-air-permeable material wherein said outer layer is removable to allow air to permeate through said inner layer.

10. A method to carry baby comprising

a. providing a main body portion having an upper portion and a lower portion;

b. having a lumbar support portion attached to said lower side of said main body portion wherein said lumbar support portion is further comprised of a lumbar strap for securing around a wearer's hip;

c. having a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder attached to said upper portion of said main body portion;

d. having a neck support portion attached to said upper portion of said main body portion wherein said neck supporting portion is further comprised of a protective hood;

e. providing a first buckle and a second buckle attached to said upper portion of said main body portion;

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said first shoulder strap is comprised of a first portion of a safety harness and said second shoulder strap is comprised of a second portion of a safety harness wherein said first portion of safety harness is connected to said second portion of said safety harness to prevent said first should strap and said second shoulder strap from failing off said wearer's shoulder.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said first shoulder strap is comprised of a first rail wherein said first portion of said safety harness is comprised of a first adjustable clip wherein said first adjustable clip is comprised of a first groove wherein said first groove is engaged to said first rail and said second shoulder strap is comprised of a second rail wherein said second portion of said safety harness is comprised of a second adjustable clip wherein said second adjustable clip is comprised of a second groove wherein said second groove is engaged to second rail wherein said first and second portion of said safety harness are able to slide along the axial length of the first and second should straps.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the lower portion of said main body portion is comprised of a left flap and a right flap wherein said left flap is comprised of a upper part of a first popper fastener and said right flap is comprised of a upper part of second popper fastener and said lumbar support portion is comprised of a left portion and a right portion wherein said left portion is comprised of a plurality of lower part of said first popper fastener and said right portion is comprised of plurality of power part of said second popper fastener.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said left flap is further comprised of a hooks portion of a first Hook-and-loop fastener and said right flap is comprised of hooks portion of a second hook-and-loop fastener and said left portion of said lumbar support portion is comprised of a loops portion of said first hook-and-loop fastener and said right portion of said lumbar support portion is comprised of a loops portion of said second hook and loop fastener.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said main body portion is further comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer wherein said inner layer is comprised of air permeable material and said outer layer is comprised of non-air-permeable material wherein said outer layer is removable to allow air to permeate through said inner layer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said air permeable material is a meshed fabric selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, micro-polyester and tricot.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said non air-permeable material is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, micro-polyester and tricot.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein said main body portion is comprised of a pouch wherein said pouch is further comprised of an inner layer and an outer layer wherein said inner layer is comprised of air permeable material and said outer layer is comprised of non-air-permeable material wherein said outer layer is removable to allow air to permeate through said inner layer.