Baby Wrap and Method of Use

Abstract

A wrap for an infant is provided. The wrap includes a first part configured as a loop having a through opening. A second part attached with the first part to seal off a portion of the opening and form a pouch configured to receive a bottom half of an infant. A portion of the first part includes an elastic band configured for disposal adjacent a top of a diaper. A system for dressing and infant is also disclosed, including an overlay tucking layer and a loop part. Systems and methods are disclosed.

Description

Swaddling, which is wrapping or binding around an infant, has traditionally been practiced using a blanket or strips of cloth which are tightly wrapped around the infant. Swaddling an infant has been shown to increase sleep duration with fewer awakenings. The wrap helps calm the infant and prevents the infant from being awakened. The wrap may be made of cotton fabric stretchy material and may be attached to the infant without the use of added fasteners.

In one embodiment, a wrap for an infant is provided. The wrap includes a first part configured as a loop having a through opening. A second part attached with the first part to seal off a portion of the opening and form a pouch configured to receive a bottom half of an infant. A portion of the first part including an elastic band configured for disposal adjacent a top of a diaper. Systems and methods are disclosed.

In some embodiments, a method for wrapping a baby is provided. The method includes the steps of: providing a wrap having a first part configured as a loop having a through opening and a top portion with a seam; a second part attached with the first part to seal off a portion of the opening and form a pouch; and a portion of the first part including an elastic band; positioning the wrap with the elastic band towards the infant; positioning the seam adjacent a head of the infant; placing the top portion over the head of the infant such that the head is placed through the opening; positioning the top portion behind a neck of the infant; pulling the wrap down over legs of the infant; and pulling the elastic band around feet of the infant and adjacent to a top waist band of a diaper such that a bottom half of the infant is positioned in the pouch.

In some embodiments, the method of wrapping an infant includes the steps of: providing a wrap having a first part configured as a loop having a through opening and a top portion with a seam; a second part attached with the first part to seal off a portion of the opening and form a pouch and a second opening within the pouch; and a portion of the first part including an elastic band; positioning the wrap with the elastic band towards the infant; positioning the seam adjacent a head of the infant; placing the top portion over the head of the infant such that the head is placed through the opening; positioning the top portion behind a neck of the infant; pulling the wrap down over legs of the infant; pulling the elastic band around feet of the infant and adjacent to a top waist band of a diaper; and pulling the legs of the infant through the second opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the components of one embodiment of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the components of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the components of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the components of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sewing pattern of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the components of one embodiment of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure disposed with an infant;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the components of one embodiment of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the components of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sewing pattern of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the components of one embodiment of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure disposed with an infant;

FIG. 11 is a top view of the components of one embodiment of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a top view of the components of one embodiment of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the components of one embodiment of the wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure disposed with an infant.

The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of certain examples of the invention should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. Other examples, features, aspects, embodiments, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, which is by way of illustration, one of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different and obvious aspects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

For clarity of disclosure, to the extent that spatial terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” or the like are used herein with reference to the drawings, it will be appreciated that such terms are used for exemplary description purposes only and are not intended to be limiting or absolute. In that regard, devices such as those disclosed herein may be used in a variety of orientations and positions not limited to those shown and described herein.

Furthermore, the terms “about,” “approximately,” and the like as used herein in connection with any numerical values or ranges of values are intended to encompass the exact value(s) referenced as well as a suitable tolerance that enables the referenced feature or combination of features to function for the intended purpose described herein.

It should be understood that any one or more of the teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein may be combined with any one or more of the other teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. that are described herein. The above-described teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc. should therefore not be viewed in isolation relative to each other. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein may be combined will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the teachings herein. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

It should also be appreciated that any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

Having shown and described various embodiments of the present invention, further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein may be accomplished by appropriate modifications by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Several such potential modifications have been mentioned, and others will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For instance, the examples, embodiments, geometrics, materials, dimensions, ratios, steps, and the like discussed above are illustrative and are not required. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be considered in terms of the following claims and is understood not to be limited to the details of structure and operation shown and described in the specification and drawings.

The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are included to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

In one embodiment, a wrap system is configured as an under wrapping layer. The wrap slides over the head, then around the torso, holding the baby in a round position. In some embodiments, the wrap system encloses the feet. In some embodiments, the wrap system allows the feet to be exposed. In some embodiments, the wrap system includes an overlay tucking layer and a loop part. In some embodiments, the wrap system includes an elongated part configured to wrap multiple times around the infant. In some embodiments, the elongated part is 16 inches by 60 inches. In some embodiments a second part, for example, a loop part is configured for disposal over the elongated part to hold the elongated part in place. In some embodiments, the wrap system includes a tubular portion configured for placement over the infant such that the torso and arms are positioned within the tubular part. A loop portion is placed over the infant's head and stretched under the legs to hold the legs in place.

The system of the present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this application is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions, or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting. In some embodiments, as used in the specification and including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It is also understood that all spatial references, such as, for example, horizontal, vertical, top, upper, lower, bottom, left, and right are for illustrative purposes only and can be varied within the scope of the disclosure. For example, the references “upper” and “lower” are relative and used only in the context of the other and are not necessarily “superior” and “inferior.”

The following discussion includes a description of an infant wrap in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure. Alternate embodiments are also disclosed. Reference is made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. Turning to FIGS. 1-13, there are illustrated components of a wrap, for example, a wrap system 10. Wrap system 10 is configured to swaddle an infant I, as described herein.

As shown in FIGS. 1-6, wrap system 10 includes a fabric part 12 and a fabric part 14, as shown in the sewing pattern in FIG. 5. Part 12 includes a loop shape, as shown in FIG. 2. Part 12 includes a top portion 20 and a bottom portion 22. Top portion 20 includes indicia, for example, a seam 24 configured to assist the user in aligning swaddle 15 properly with a head of infant I.

Part 14 is attached, for example, by sewing to part 12 to form a swaddle 15. In some embodiments, part 14 is attached with part 12 by other mechanisms, for example, gluing, Velcro®, snaps, buttons, or other attachment means. Part 12 and/or part 14 are made from stretchable fabric having the ability to stretch, for example, stretch cotton cloth, Lycra®, Spandex®, elastane, or knit fabrics which stretch due to the production method of looping.

Attachment of part 14 to part 12 forms a pouch 16 and an opening 18. Pouch 16 is configured to fit a body of infant I. Opening 18 is configured for placement of a head of infant I. In some embodiments, the circumference of part 12 forming opening 18 includes a pull string configured to adjust the fit around the neck of infant I. In some embodiments, part 12 includes a hood configured for placement on the head of infant I.

Part 12 includes an elastic band 30 along a back portion 32 of wrap system 10. In some embodiments, elastic band 30 can include braided elastic, knitted elastic, cotton elastic, latex free elastic, nylon elastic, or polyester elastic. Elastic band 30 is configured for positioning adjacent the waistband of a diaper. Elastic band 30 facilities forming a snug fit around infant I. In some embodiments, another device can be utilized to tighten wrap system 10, for example, a pull string, a pull cord, buttons, snaps, or Velcro®.

In use, swaddle 15 is positioned such that elastic band 30 is towards infant I. The user positions seam 24 adjacent the head of infant I and places it over the head of infant I and through opening 18. Top portion 20 is positioned behind a neck of infant I. Elastic band 32 is pulled down over legs of infant I and over the feet of infant I, and elastic band 30 is pulled up along a backside of infant I for positioning adjacent the waist band of the diaper such that a bottom half of infant I is positioned in pouch 16, as shown in FIG. 6.

When infant I is positioned within wrap system 10, infant I is contained such that the legs are folded against the body, and the arms are folded such that the hands are positioned towards the head. This position makes infant I feel like they are in the womb and more comfortable and less stressed, compared to current swaddle systems that compress the arms lengthwise against the body and restrict the legs is a straight position. In addition, use of wrap system 10 allows infant Ito be placed within a car seat or baby swing without interfering with straps or belts designed to safely retain infant I.

In some embodiments, wrap system 100, similar to wrap system 10 as described herein, includes a fabric part 112 and a fabric part 114, as shown in the sewing pattern in FIG. 9. Part 112 includes a loop shape, as shown in FIG. 7. Part 112 includes a top portion 120 and a bottom portion 122. Top portion 120 includes a seam 124 configured to assist the user in aligning swaddle 115 properly with a head of infant I, as described herein.

Part 114 is attached, for example, by sewing to part 112 to form a swaddle 115, as described herein. Attachment of part 114 to part 112 forms a pouch 116, an opening 118, and an opening 150, as shown in FIG. 7. Pouch 116 is configured to fit a body of infant I. Opening 118 is configured for placement of a head of infant I. Opening 150 is configured for placement of the legs of infant I. Part 112 includes an elastic band 130 along a back portion 132 of wrap system 110, as described herein.

In use, swaddle 115 is positioned such that elastic band 130 is towards infant I. The user positions seam 124 adjacent the head of infant I and is then placed over the head of infant I. The head of infant I is placed through opening 118. Top portion 120 is positioned behind the neck of infant I. Elastic band 130 is pulled down over the legs of infant I and over the feet of infant I, and pulled up along a backside of infant I for positioning adjacent the waist band of the diaper such that a bottom half of infant I is positioned in pouch 116. The legs are pulled through opening 150, as shown in FIG. 10.

In some embodiments, wrap system 200, similar to wrap system 10, includes an overlay part 202 and a second layer 204, as shown in FIGS. 11-13. Overlay part 202 includes a flat layer, as shown in FIG. 12. In some embodiments, overlay part 202 includes dimensions of approximately 15 inches by 15 inches. However, other dimensions may be utilized. In some embodiments, overlay part 202 may include decorations or be plain. In some embodiments, a top portion 206 includes a cutout, for example a notch 208. Notch 208 is configured to facilitate overlay part 202 lying flat against a neck and beneath the chin of infant I, as shown in FIG. 12.

Part 204 is similar to part 12, as described herein. Part 204 includes a top portion 220 and a bottom portion 222. In some embodiments, part 204 includes a dimension of approximately 20 inches wide by 6 inches in length. However, other dimensions may be utilized. In some embodiments, part 204 is configured to stretch horizontally about infant I.

In use, part 202 is laid across infant I with notch 208 positioned beneath the chin of infant I. Overlay part 202 is tucked underneath infant I, as shown in FIG. 12. Part 204 is positioned adjacent the head of infant I and top portion 220 is positioned behind the neck of infant I. Bottom portion 222 is pulled to the front of infant I and looped down beneath the legs of infant I, as shown in FIG. 13. Part 204 is configured to hold overlay part 202 in place.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplification of the various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A system for dressing an infant, comprising: an overlay part having a top portion, wherein the top portion defines a cutout configured to facilitate the overlay part lying flat against a neck and beneath a chin of an infant, wherein the infant has a front and a bottom; anda second layer having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the second layer is configured to stretch horizontally about the infant as the top portion is positioned behind the neck of the infant and the bottom portion is pulled to the front of the infant and looped beneath the bottom of the infant to hold the overlay part in place.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the overlay part has dimensions of approximately 15 inches by approximately 15 inches.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second layer has dimensions of approximately 20 inches by approximately 6 inches.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the overlay part is configured to be tucked underneath the infant when the cutout is positioned flat against the neck and beneath the chin of the infant.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the overlay part and the second layer are made of a stretchable fabric to facilitate donning the infant and providing a snug fit about the infant.

6. A method of dressing an infant, the method comprising the steps of: positioning an overlay over the body of an infant, where the infant has a neck, a chin, a front, and a bottom, and where the overlay has top portion that defines a cutout, and the cutout facilitates the overlay lying flat against the neck and beneath the chin of the infant; andpositioning a second layer having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the second layer is configured to stretch horizontally about the infant, comprising positioning the top portion behind the neck of the infant and pulling the bottom portion to the front of the infant and looping the bottom portion beneath the bottom of the infant to hold the overlay part in place.

7. The method of dressing an infant of claim 6, wherein the overlay has dimensions of approximately 15 inches by approximately 15 inches.

8. The method of dressing an infant of claim 6, wherein the second layer has dimensions of approximately 20 inches by approximately 6 inches.

9. The method of dressing an infant of claim 6, wherein the overlay has side edges, and further comprising tucking the side edges of the overlay underneath the infant.

10. The method of dressing an infant of claim 6, wherein the overlay and the second layer are made of a stretchable fabric to facilitate donning the infant and providing a snug fit about the infant.