Patent Application
20120311779
This invention relates to the general field of bathing apparatus for infants and small children, and more specifically toward an improved bath apparatus providing 360 degree protection during bathing, is comfortable, easier and safer to use than conventional bathing apparatus, and is collapsible for storage and support. The apparatus includes a protective seat having plural protruding foam members in a radial pattern that when placed in a sink or other bathing basin, extend up the walls of the sink or basin and form a bowl shaped protective padding that provides 360 degree protection for the child. The base foam members have open spaces between them for providing for easy circulation and drainage of water.
Infant bath seats and apparatus are available in various shapes and sizes and typically formed of sponge-like material such as polyurethane foam. Prior art infant bathing apparatus has usually disclosed support for the child in a reclining position; however, other than a simple back rest, there has not been found apparatus disclosing adequate support for the child when in a sitting or upright position.
Examples of infant bathing seats and apparatus of interest are shown and described in the following: U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,460 issued to Bernstein, et al. on 27 Oct. 1992 entitled BATH SEAT; U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,000 issued to Pfaeffle on 7 Apr. 1998 entitled Infant Bathing Apparatus With Faucet Guard; U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,959 issued to Sundberg, et al. on 21 Jan. 2003 entitled Bath Station, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,993 issued to Dunn on 12 Oct. 1999 entitled Bath Sponge Support for Infants. Although these inventions are adequate for their intended use, they do not teach or suggest the inherent advantages disclosed in the instant invention.
Thus, in view of the known prior art there is a need for an improved infant bathing apparatus that is constructed to be used in a wide variety of sink shapes, sized and depths, allows water to flow freely within the bath seat during bathing, provides for adequate drainage during use, provides sot, resilient, 360 degree support to a sitting child, is easy to set up and use, folds up for easy transportation, and has the advantage of blocking the faucet controls from the infant.
The current invention provides just such a solution by having an improved apparatus for protecting and entertaining an infant or small child during bathing in a sink basin, or similar receptacle. The apparatus includes a protective base or seat having plural protruding foam members, that when placed in a sink or other water basin extend up the walls of the sink or basin and form a bowl shaped protective padding that provides 360 degree protection for the child. Adjacent foam members have open spaces therebetween providing for easy circulation and drainage of water, and the base or seat may have holes for further water drainage.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved child bathing apparatus that is simply, easily and quickly set up in a sink or other bathing basin.
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved child bathing apparatus that has a safe enclosure for the child.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved child bathing apparatus that has provision for water circulation and drainage.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved child bathing apparatus that is machine washable and dryable.
In a particular embodiment, the current invention is an apparatus comprising a central portion and a plurality of members, where each member is attached to the central portion, where each member and the central portion comprises a top layer, a bottom layer, and a filler layer, and where the filler layer is between the top layer and bottom layer, where the top layer comprises a plush material, where the bottom layer comprises a breathable mesh, slippage resistant material, where the filler layer comprises a water-resistant foam-like material.
In another embodiment, the current invention is a child bathing apparatus comprising a top layer, a bottom layer, and a filler layer, and where the filler layer is between the top layer and bottom layer, where the top layer, bottom layer and filler layer form a central portion and a plurality of member portions radiating from the central portion, where the top layer comprises a plush material, wherein the top layer forms an external surface of the child bathing apparatus, where the bottom layer comprises a breathable mesh, slippage resistant material, wherein the bottom layer forms an external surface of the child bathing apparatus, where the filler layer comprises a water resistant foam-like material.
In a further embodiment, the current invention is a child bathing apparatus comprising a central portion and a plurality of members, where each member is attached to the central portion, where each member and the central portion comprises a top layer, a bottom layer, and a filler layer, and where the filler layer is between the top layer and bottom layer, where the top layer consists of a plush material, where the bottom layer consists of a breathable mesh, slippage resistant material, where the filler layer consists of a water-resistant foam-like material, where the top layer forms an external surface of the apparatus, wherein the bottom layer forms an external surface of the apparatus, wherein the filler layer forms no part of an external surface of the child bathing apparatus.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The features listed herein and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this invention.
Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with the references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings.
The present invention relates to bathing apparatus for infants and small children. It is primarily intended for bathing a baby or small child in a sink, or other water receptacle or basin meant for containing and draining water. It protects the child from the unsanitary surface of the sink while providing comfort by isolation from the cold, hard surface of the sink. The apparatus includes a central protective base or seat having multiple radially protruding members, such that when the apparatus is placed in a sink or other bathing basin, the protruding members extend up the walls of the sink or basin and form a bowl shaped protective padding that provides 360 degree protection for the child. The adjacent protruding members have open spaces between them for easy circulation and drainage of water. The center seat may, as shown in the several views, include holes for additional drainage, however, it is understood that the holes are optional since it may be desired to maintain a certain level of water in the bathing apparatus during bathing. The center seating portion and the protruding members are formed of foam or other soft resilient material.
In addition to forming a protective enclosure for the child, the apparatus may be configured to block potentially dangerous or troublesome objects, such as faucet controls, from the child. Further, the protruding members, being in a petal-like form, are conducive to creating a variety of familiar shapes such as a flower, an octopus, footballs, baseball bats, surf boards, princesses, animals, bugs, letters, numbers, etc. designed to attract and entertain the child. The child will be enticed to grab the “petals” of foam and thus distracted the baby from the potentially dangerous or troublesome objects.
Referring now to the drawings, and initially to
In a particular embodiment of the current invention, a user obtains a child bathing apparatus such as one described above and shown in
During bathing, the child bathing apparatus has multiple possible configurations. As will be easily understood from the drawings, the child bathing apparatus may be placed into a water basin with the center in the middle of the water basin and the members extending therefrom to and up any enclosing walls of the water basin. Alternatively, one member can be folded underneath the center portion thereby acting as a wedge to angle and/or raise up the center portion.
The child bathing apparatus according to the current invention is made up of three main components. A filler material is placed within a cover, where the cover is made of two different materials. In a particular embodiment, the filler material is a water-resistant, quick drying foam-like material, and more specifically one-pound density, open-cell polyurethane foam that is die cut from sheets that are one and one-quarter inches thick. Such a foam material provides a balance of good cushioning for the child as well as drying capability. A denser foam filler material will dry slower while a less dense foam filler material does not provide a good cushion for a child in the child bathing apparatus. Another embodiment includes materials that are non water absorbing, such as closed cell foam, skinned foam or cushioning materials made from soft egg-crate like shaped polymer sheet.
The cover of the child bathing apparatus has a top layer (which comes in contact with the child when bathing) and a bottom layer (which comes in contact with the water basin when bathing). The top layer, or top surface, is made from a plush, soft, durable, washable and finely textured material that has a mink-like feel, an example is made from 100% polyester. At the same time, this layer should readily absorb heat from adjacent running water to provide a warm and comfortable surface for a child. The bottom layer is made from a highly breathable yet tight-nit mesh material, an example is made from 100% polyester, preferably using a tricot knit. The bottom layer is specifically designed for its breathability and to enable the filler material of the child bathing apparatus to dry quickly. The bottom layer should also resist slippage on smooth basin surfaces, such as sinks and bathtubs. Both the top layer and bottom layer should naturally resist mold and mildew.
In an alternative embodiment, the filler material is made from a closed cell polyurethane foam. In a further embodiment, the filler material is made from a skinned foam or integral skin foam. In yet another embodiment, the filler material is made from a non-water absorbing foam substitute that would feel like foam, in terms of providing padding, but would be non-water absorbing. This foam substitute material would be produced from polymer sheet, formed polymer sheet, extruded polymer materials, or some combination of the aforementioned.
In yet another alternative embodiment, the child bathing apparatus of the current invention is made from a single layer of material. This layer is a foam layer that is made from an open-cell polyurethane foam or a cushioning foam-like material that is die cut from sheets or molded into the desired shape. The polyurethane foam material has a density greater than one-half pound, and in a particular embodiment it has a one-pound density. There is no cover that surrounds the single foam layer; rather, the child and water basin would each be in direct contact with the foam or foam like material layer during use. The surfaces of the foam or foam like materials would be prepared (by either chemical or mechanical means) in such a manner to provide non-slip surfaces when in contact with the baby and in contact with the basin.
A child bathing apparatus according to the current invention may be manufactured according to the following method. A center filler is cut as well as a plurality of member fillers. Described in more detail above, the filler material is a soft, resilient material such as polyurethane foam. Covers for the center and each of the plurality of members are cut as well, which will include a top layer and a bottom layer and have larger dimensions than the filler material such that they may be affixed together around the filler material. Each member is attached to the center filler. Alternatively, the member with its cover is attached to the center portion with its cover. However, each member is not secured to another member (other than via the center portion), which therefore allows for each member to move independently from the other and is only restrained by its attachment to the center portion. The combined filler (center and members) is then placed within the cover, between the top layer and the bottom layer. The cover is sewn together around the edges and through certain portions of the filler. Specifically, the cover has stitching in the central portion of the member that run down the centerline of each member, which holds the filler in place within the member, and the center member has stitching sewn into the center that holds the filler in place within the center, an example is stitching in the shape of an “X”.
Another embodiment for manufacturing the child bathing apparatus includes the steps of obtaining a bottom layer, a top layer and a filler layer. Each layer is cut or otherwise made into a similar shape that includes a center portion and a plurality of members. The layers are then stacked on top of each other, such that the filler layer is between the bottom layer and the top layer. The three layers are then sewn together. The outer edges of the bottom layer and top layer are sewn together along with sewing lines that secure the three layers together along the center portion of each member, an example is stitching the shape of an “X” in the middle of the center portion.
An additional embodiment for manufacturing the child bathing apparatus includes the steps of obtaining a bottom layer, a top layer and a filler layer. The top layer and the bottom layer each have a surface that includes an adhesive laminated thereto. Each layer is cut or otherwise made into a similar shape that includes a center portion and a plurality of members, with each layer having the same width and height, though the thicknesses may be different. The top layer and bottom layer are then affixed to the filler layer using the adhesives of the top layer and bottom layer respectively, thereby creating a laminate structure. Such a manufacturing method results in a child bathing apparatus where the three layers (top layer, bottom layer, and filler layer) are visible from the side.
Various designs are possible according to the current invention. In one embodiment, the child bathing apparatus appears to be a flower, with the center portion being the center of the flower and each member representing a petal of the flower. In a like manner, other design are contemplated including an octopus, bats around a baseball, footballs around a helmet, surfboards around a sun, and dolphins around a ball.
The child bathing apparatus also includes an added member for hanging the item to dry. In a particular embodiment, the hanging member is a fabric loop that is also the product's information tag. The hanging member can be attached to the back side of the circular base member or on the back of or at the tip of one of the members that is attached to the center member.
A child, as used herein, is an individual that is to be bathed using the current invention. While the child bathing apparatus is most beneficially used for children, it is nonetheless possible and anticipated to be within the scope of this invention that individuals of any age may use the child bathing apparatus as it is described herein. Placing an individual into the child bathing apparatus, as used herein, shall include without limitation placing an individual onto a surface of the child bathing apparatus.
It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.
All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/802,558 filed on Jun. 10, 2010, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/274,561 filed on Aug. 20, 2009, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61274561 | Aug 2009 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12802558 | Jun 2010 | US |
| Child | 13592177 | US |
