The present invention is directed to a child carrier for carrying a child, and more particularly, to improvements in such a carrier that make it more comfortable for a child seated therein as well as which make it easier for an adult wearer thereof to secure the child therein.
Child carriers permit transportation of a child within a backpack-type structure that may be worn by a wearer. Child carriers are generally considered to be of two types, hard carriers and soft carriers. Hard carriers generally include a rigid frame fabricated from either metal or plastic tubing, and generally include a child seating area in which a child may be secured (typically through the use of one or more belts), and a mounting portion to which shoulder straps are attached to support the carrier on the back of a wearer. Soft carriers are generally similar in construction to hard carriers but do not include a rigid frame. Additionally, both hard and soft carriers may include waist belts that allow the wearer to secure the lower portion of the carrier firmly against the wearer's waist and/or lower back.
Prior art child carriers have generally had features that make them easier for a wearer to secure the child therein and which provide additional comfort to a child carried therein. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,490,620 and 5,732,861 discloses a buckle mechanism for a child carrier of the type discussed herein. Additionally, WO 01/84984 A1 discloses a buckle mechanism which is comprised of a single plastic finger-like projection that engages a sewn pocket on the carrier. While that type of buckle is easy and simple to use, it generally is not as robust as would be desired since essentially the entire weight of the upper outside portion of the carrier is supported by only a single, narrow portion of the finger. Additionally, that type of buckle does not include any kind of interlock or two step securing method. Accordingly, while the weight of the child should generally keep that buckle engaged, the disengagement of that buckle can be accomplished unexpectedly if the child's weight is not pushing down on the bottom of the carrier.
In addition to having the child held in the carrier using a buckle that is robust, easy and simple to manipulate, it is also desired that the child be held in the carrier as comfortably as possible. Considering the fact that carriers may be used in the outside when temperatures are relatively high, and given the fact that most carriers are made of materials that may not allow significant air-flow through to the child, it is desirable to provide a carrier with the ability to vent air to the child and/or the wearer of the carrier. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,823 discloses that side panels of a carrier may be made of mesh in order to improve ventilation to the child. However, it is noted that sometimes the carrier may be used when the ambient temperature and/or the baby temperature makes it desirable that the baby and/or the wearer be kept as warm as possible. Furthermore, the ventilation for the child in the carrier may often be needed most on the back or the front of the child (depending on the orientation of the child in the carrier), as opposed to the sides of the child.
Accordingly, for all of these reasons, it would be desirable to provide a buckle for use with a child carrier that is robust, easy to use, and which resists unwanted disengagement of the buckle. Furthermore, it would be desirable to have an infant carrier that provides ventilation to a child carried in the carrier on the child's front or back, and the wearer thereof, when such ventilation is desired, but which also has the ability to reduce or eliminate the ventilation properties thereof when ventilation is not desired.
The present invention is directed to improvements in soft and/or hard child carriers by providing a buckle mechanism that is robust, easy to use and resists undesired disengagement. Additionally, the present invention provides improved ventilation for a child carried in the carrier, as well as the wearer of the carrier, which is preferably configured for selective engagement depending on whether or not ventilation is desired.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a child carrier with a side buckle. The buckle includes a male portion and a female portion. The male portion of the buckle is shaped to mate with the female portion simply and easily, yet securely attaches the side portion of the carrier to the front/strap portion of the carrier. The buckle is robust, yet easy to use and does not easily disengage without a deliberate movement by the wearer thereof.
The ventilation features of the present invention provide comfort to the child carried in the carrier as well as the wearer thereof. Generally, the vents are provided on the front or back support sections of the carrier and may be selectively openable via a selectively releasable closure device, such as a zipper, that is attached to a flap. The flap thus may be opened via the closure device when ventilation is desired or closed when ventilation is not desired. Preferably ventilation is provided by a mesh fabric, although other breathable fabrics (or no fabric or material at all) may be used to provide ventilation if desired. In alternate embodiments, the ventilation area or panel may be covered, at least in part, at all times by a fabric flap and the fabric flap may include a slit or larger opening therein for air flow access to the ventilation panel. The slit may include pleats therearound if desired. In another embodiment, the ventilation panel may comprise the entire front and/or back support of the carrier.
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated below in reference to the drawings included herewith. The various orientational, positional, and reference terms used to describe the elements of the exemplary embodiments are therefore used according to this frame of reference. However, for clarity and precision, only a single orientational or positional reference will be utilized. Therefore, it will be understood that the positional and orientational terms used to describe the elements of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are only used to describe the elements in relation to one another.
Referencing
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The female portion 32 of the buckle 28 is preferably stitched or otherwise incorporated into the left side of the front support 16 or shoulder strap 23 via a baseplate 48. The baseplate 48 preferably includes a slot 50 therein for receiving the outside portion 42 of the second loop 40 of the male portion 32. The female portion also preferably includes a flange 52 having an upper notch 56 therein, a sliding surface 58 and a lower support floor 62, all of which are attached to the baseplate 48 and which are shaped to receive and secure the outside portion 42 of the second loop 40 of the male portion to the female portion 32. More specifically, the slot 50 is shaped to initially receive the extension portion 44 and the rest of the outside portion 42 of the second loop 40 such that the outside portion may be slid downwardly through slot 50. Then, when the lower extent 46 of the second loop 40 contacts the sliding surface 58, the male portion 30 is rotated so that the second loop 40 captures flange 52 therein such that the upper portion 66 of the second loop 40 rests upon the upper portion of the upper notch 56 and the bottom of the extension portion 44 rests upon the support floor 62.
The ventilation features of the present invention are shown best in
In an alternate embodiment, as best shown in
Additionally, it is noted that the front support 16 may be made partially or completely out of a mesh fabric (or may include fabric-less voids therein) in order to provide additional ventilation to the child or the wearer or may include a ventilation panel 74 as described above. It is further noted that the selectively closeable and slit ventilation features discussed above with respect to the back support 14 may be incorporated with equal utility to the front support 16.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/636,683, filed Feb. 12, 2004, and entitled “CHILD CARRIER WITH SIDE BUCKLE AND VENTING,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60544056 | Feb 2004 | US |