Patent Application
20130068805
The present invention generally relates to a baby carrier. More particularly, the present invention relates to a baby carrier configured to enable a user to breast feed a baby hands free.
Baby carriers are generally known in the art. Generally, during the breastfeeding process, babies prefer to be held close to his/her mother. In such a position, a bonding experience is shared between the mother and the infant. Typically, the breastfeeding process requires that the mother hold the infant securely in a generally lateral nursing position, close to the mother's breast. As such, this type of positioning generally requires both of the mother's hands to support the infant. Unfortunately, if the mother is nursing, and standing, or moving around, holding the infant in the proper lateral nursing position can be tiring to the mother because most of the infant's weight is forced on the mother's arms and lower back.
Since both of the mother's hands are being utilized to hold and support the breastfeeding infant, in the proper lateral position, it is difficult, if not impossible, for a nursing mother to accomplish anything else, because her hands are occupied supporting the infant. The present invention provides a hands free baby carrier which supports the baby in a proper lateral position, while enabling the mother to have her hands and arms free to perform other tasks.
The hands free baby carrier provides a carriage assembly and a one piece back support harness assembly. The carriage assembly comprises a frontal piece, torso support and an adjustable carriage pocket. The carrier further comprises frontal straps, shoulder straps and strap adjusters for enabling the carrier to be adjusted relative to the user.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the carrier further comprises a webbing strap extending through openings in the back support harness and torso support respectively, for enabling the carrier to be removably fastened to the user's mid-section.
In one embodiment, the carrier comprises netting formed on the outer edges of the carriage pocket, torso support and frontal piece, for enabling air to pass into and out of the pocket to the infant.
In one embodiment, the carrier comprises one or more support strips formed on the outer portion of the frontal piece to provide additional support to the carriage assembly.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary constructions of the invention are shown in the drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein.
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
Particular embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the figures. Referring now to the figures, there is shown in
The carrier 100 has a novel, generally lateral configuration, adjustable to a user's body and capable of supporting an infant in the user's chest region for nursing. The carrier 100 is a unitary piece and non-detachable body. It is contemplated that the carrier 100 comprises soft 68% cotton/32% polyester blended, double face quilted fabric for comfort, durability, and machine washing. Notably, it is contemplated that the carrier 100 can be constructed with other materials conducive for carrying a baby, and providing support and comfort, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The carrier 100 generally comprises a carriage assembly 200 as shown in
The carriage assembly 200 is configured for supporting an infant in the carriage pocket 250, proximate to the user's chest area, so as to provide support for the infant and enable the infant to feed from the user's breast. The carriage pocket 250 and assembly 10 is configured for supporting an infant in a generally lateral, non-cradling position. The carriage pocket is unitary piece formed with the carriage assembly 200. The carriage pocket 250 is fully connected to the assembly such that the infant is held laterally against the torso of the user. The carriage pocket 250 further comprises a detachable, liner 275 removably connected to the inner portion of the pocket 250. The liner can be connected using Velcro or other means generally known in field of art.
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In accordance with the present embodiment, netting 260 is comprised of two 7 by 5 inch pieces of dark colored camouflage netting pieces. The pieces are placed on top of one another and sewn onto the bottom left end of the hands free nursing baby carrier 100 connecting the carriage assembly 200 and back support harness assembly 300. The netting 260 enables easy air flow into the carriage pocket 250 enabling the baby to breathe and nurse from the mother/user, while also maintaining optimum privacy for mother.
As previously mentioned, the carriage assembly 200 further comprises one or more support straps 220 and strap adjusters 230, which enable adjustment of the carriage assembly 200 and carrier 100, relative to the user's body. The strap adjusters 230 engage shoulder straps 360 from the one piece back support harness assembly 300, which will be discussed later in this application. Adjustable shoulder straps adjust the carriage assembly 200, positioning assembly 200, closer to and further away from mother's body or breasts.
The support straps 220 are comprised of a nylon webbing, however, it is contemplated that the straps 220 can comprise of another material without departing from the scope of the present invention. As shown in
By pulling on the end portions of the straps 220, the straps can to be moved in a generally downward position. Accordingly, when the straps 220 are adjusted downwardly by the user, the height of the hands free nursing baby carrier 100 and carriage pocket 250 is raised relative to the users body and thereby raising the infant in a generally upwardly direction relative to the user. The carriage pocket 250 provides openings 255 at each end of the pocket, for baby growth.
The frontal piece 240 of the carrier 100 further comprises generally curved double face quilted fabric support strips 280a and 280b as shown. The strips 280a and 280b extend and provide support to the infant's head and hips while supported in the carriage pocket 250 of the carrier 100.
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The carrier 100 further comprises a privacy scarf. Attached privacy scarf for nursing, doubles as weather guard for wind and sun in upright sitting positions.
In use, the user fits the carrier 100 to her by first placing her head between the carriage assembly 200 and the back support harness assembly 300. Secondly, the user buckles the webbing strap 320 with buckle 390 proximately underneath the breast line of the user, thereby connecting the back support harness assembly 300 and the torso support 210 to the mother's/user's mid-section. Next, the user opens the carriage pocket 250 and places baby inside with head facing the user's breast on the desired breast to nurse the baby within. The baby is attached to the mother's/user's breast for nursing. The user then can adjust carrier by adjusting the height of the carriage assembly 200 relative to the mother's/user's body to obtain proper nursing position, a snug fit, and optimum privacy by pulling down on the support straps 220.
The foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present method and product disclosed herein. While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Further, although the invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the invention expands to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the teachings of this specification, may affect numerous modifications thereto and changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects.
This application entitled “Baby Nursing Carrier with Removable Liner” is a continuation in-part of application Ser. No. 12/655,607, filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Nov. 12, 2008.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12655607 | Nov 2008 | US |
| Child | 13353308 | US |
