Patent Grant
11266254
The present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous crib liners. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous crib liners having a breathable body portion having an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.
The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Conventional baby cribs typically include side rails that are made up of top and bottom horizontal bars interconnected by a series of spaced supports (e.g., vertical slats). Frequently, babies and toddlers, while sleeping or playing in their cribs, intentionally or accidentally extend their limbs out of the crib between the slats and have difficulty drawing them back into the crib. If this occurs when the child is sleeping, the extended limbs will remain uncovered and become cold, and the child will ultimately be awakened or harmed. Cribs may also have headboards and footboards (i.e., endboards) that are also made with spaced-apart supports and the baby may also extend its arms or legs out of the crib between these slats.
Although various types of apparatuses have been used to prevent such problematic situations (i.e., extension of limbs outside of the crib through the spaced-apart supports), many of such apparatuses exhibit their own problems. For example, as described herein, ventilation may be problematic (e.g., such as that leading up to and resulting in suffocation). For example, crib bumpers are widely used in cribs. Such bumpers may be used for blocking the openings between slats and/or for protecting a child from injury caused by bodily impact of the child against the sides of the crib that define the interior boundary of the crib. However, in many cases, such bumpers do not allow for adequate ventilation, or air flow, within the crib and also obstruct viewing of the child.
Infants usually breathe through their nasal passages. However, during crying or in the event their nasal passages are blocked, infants may breathe through their oral cavities. Mechanical resistance suffocation takes places when respiration is interrupted if these passages are both blocked externally by an object. When respiration is interrupted, CO2 levels in the blood rise. The body's response to this elevation in CO2 levels is to attempt more rigorous respiration. If the agent of suffocation is not removed, the incident may be fatal after two or three minutes. Further, the accumulation of CO2 or other dangerous gases inside the crib or around the infant may be a possible cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Existing crib apparatuses, such as crib bumpers, tend to trap dangerous gases inside the crib. Further, such apparatuses may block the nasal and oral passages of infants under certain circumstances. Existing crib bumpers are known to lead to impaired respiration.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an apparatus to block the openings between the slats of cribs without risking blocking the nasal and oral passages of infants or trapping dangerous gases in the crib.
The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments, nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments.
The present invention, as described herein, addresses the problems described above and other problems of prior art systems and methods that will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the description below.
The present disclosure, in one or more embodiments, relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The first panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, the first panel may further comprise side borders. A first fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end, wherein the first fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. In some embodiments, the crib liner may further comprise a second fastening mechanism at the second end, wherein the second fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. Either or both of the first and second fastening mechanisms may be hook and loop fasteners. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.
In some embodiments, the breathable body portion of the first panel of the crib liner may include a front layer and a back layer, wherein the front layer and the back layer have different fabric weaves and are attached to one another. The breathable body portion may further comprise an intermediate layer between the front layer and the back layer. The intermediate layer may be a pile layer.
In some embodiments, the breathable body portion may comprise a padded spacer mesh.
In some embodiments, the breathable body portion may comprise a mesh-type material having a mesh coverage of between 32% and 91%.
The crib liner may further comprise a second panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The second panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. A first fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end, wherein the first fastening mechanism attaches the second panel to the crib. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.
The second panel may be removably coupleable to the first panel. For example, the second end of the second panel may be removably coupleable to the second end of the first panel. In some embodiments, a length of the first crib liner may be less than a length of the second crib liner.
The present disclosure, in one or more embodiments, relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The first panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, the first panel may further comprise side borders. A first fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end, wherein the first fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. In some embodiments, the crib liner may further comprise a second fastening mechanism at the second end, wherein the second fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. Either or both of the first and second fastening mechanisms may be hook and loop fasteners. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.
The present disclosure, in one or more embodiments, relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements and a second panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. Each of the first panel and the second panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, each of the first panel and the second panel may further comprise side borders. A fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end of the first panel, wherein the fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. A fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end of the second panel, wherein the fastening mechanism attaches the second panel to the crib. Either or both of the fastening mechanisms may be hook and loop fasteners. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.
The present disclosure, in one or more embodiments, relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The first panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, the first panel may further comprise side borders. A first fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end, wherein the first fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. In some embodiments, the crib liner may further comprise a second fastening mechanism at the second end, wherein the second fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. Either or both of the first and second fastening mechanisms may be hook and loop fasteners. The first panel comprises a breathable material having an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%. The breathable material may be a functional fabric that at least partially blocks a hazard from penetrating the crib liner. Such hazard may be any hazard now known or later discovered to be hazardous to an infant including, but not limited to, mold, mildew, allergens, heat, ultraviolet light (UV), and electric and magnetic forces (EMF).
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the various embodiments of the present disclosure are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter that is regarded as forming the various embodiments of the present disclosure, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Figures, in which:
The present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous crib liners. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous crib liners having a breathable body portion having an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.
The present disclosure relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The first panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, the first panel may further comprise side borders. Fastening mechanisms may be provided at either or both ends for attaching the first panel to the crib. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.
In general, the present invention is related to a crib liner that allows air to flow through it and provides some protection from limbs getting entangled in crib slats. In various embodiments, the crib liner may yield CO2 rebreathing values of less than about 20%. The crib liner can be made from any airflow material, such as mesh, and can comprise one or more panels suitable for attachment to a crib. It is to be appreciated that any reference to “mesh” is intended to include mesh-like materials in addition to materials commonly referred to as mesh. The crib liner may allow air flow primarily in the area of an infant's head and can provide less in other less critical areas, such as the borders of the liner. Since, in general, crib liners are removed from the crib as the infant gains the ability to sit or stand, the primary area of airflow concern is from the crib mattress surface up 4 or 5 inches in height, where the infant's head lies during sleeping. As such, for example, a crib liner that has a bottom border of 0.5 to 1 inches, a middle area of 4 to 5 inches of mesh in height and a top border of any height, say for example 10 inches can allow air flow even though the total amount of mesh makes up only 4 inches of the total 15 inches. In other words, in some embodiments, only 26.7% of the above crib liner may be mesh. However, that mesh is provided such that the area of the crib liner proximate an infant's head during sleep may be or may be close to 100% mesh.
In general, a crib liner, suitable for use with a crib, is disclosed. A typical crib suitable for use with the crib liner has first, second, third, and fourth sides configured for receiving a mattress is disclosed. Such crib also includes four corners, wherein each corner is constructed as part of where two adjacent sides meet; wherein at least one of the first, second, third, or fourth sides has a horizontal top bar and a plurality of vertical spaced support elements. A crib liner as disclosed herein may be used with any structure in which an infant may rest and it is not necessary that such structure have, for example, first, second, third, and fourth sides. The crib liner may be used with a crib having a perimeter inside which a mattress may be received, wherein the perimeter includes a plurality of vertical spaced support elements. Similarly, there are situations wherein an infant may be laid in a structure that does not have a mattress. It is to be appreciated that liners as provided herein may also be used with such structures.
The crib liner may include at least a first panel configured to cover a portion of the vertical spaced support elements. The first panel may include a breathable body portion, a bottom border, a top border, and side borders. The first panel may further include first and second fasteners at each end to attach the first panel to the crib. The breathable body portion includes a first material having a front layer and a back layer, the front layer and the back layer being attached to each other and having different fabric weaves. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM to 1530 CFM and a light permeability of between 47 and 99%. The crib liner may yield CO2 rebreathing values of less than about 20%.
Air permeability is the measure of air flow passed through a given area of a fabric. Air permeability is defined as the flow rate of air per unit area at a given differential pressure and may be expressed as cubic feet per minute, CFM. In the context of the liner, air permeability quantifies the resistance of a material to allow a baby to breathe the air on the contralateral side of the material. Air permeability may be influenced by thickness of material, density of material, and the material construction.
Light permeability, sometimes referred to as light transmission, may be defined as the percentage of light that passes through the fabric from a first side to a second side.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas the body naturally produces as waste. Humans breathe in oxygen (O2) and breathe out CO2. When someone rebreathes CO2, that is, when they inhale the exhaled CO2, it can have harmful effects on the body. CO2 rebreathing (also referred to as CO2RB) can be measured and used as a metric for quantifying impaired respiration. The CO2 rebreathing value is the percentage of CO2 contained in a unit of air that is rebreathed.
Various embodiments of crib liners shall be described with reference to
The mattress 26 is supported within the crib 10 by various structures not shown in
The side rail 12 generally includes a top bar 22 and a bottom bar 24 positioned approximately parallel to one another. A plurality of generally vertically-spaced side support elements 20, such as slats, extend between the horizontal top bar 22 and horizontal bottom bar 24. Although less prevalent due to crib regulation, the side rail 12 in some older cribs may be moveable from a raised state to a lowered state. For example, the moveable side rail 12 allows a user to lower the side rail 12 in order to have easier access to a child lying on mattress 26. As shown in
Typical cribs today do not have a moveable side rail. In addition, cribs may or may not have slats on one or more sides as the current trend in cribs is to have a crib that is convertible to a toddler bed, using one or more of the crib sides (or foot and head boards) as the foot and/or headboard of the toddler bed. In some cribs typical corner posts are not apparent. Therefore reference to a corner post herein does not strictly refer to a structural member at the corner of the crib and can also simply include where two sides meet.
Side rail 14 may be similarly configured to side rail 12. For example, side rail 14 may be moveable from a lowered to a raised state, and vice versa. However, side rail 14 may also be in a stationary position fixedly attached to corners 36, 31. Likewise, side rail 12 may be moveable or in a fixed position. As moveable side rails are conventional configurations, no further description is provided with respect to the mechanisms for allowing such movement thereof. In addition, any of the sides of the crib may or may not include slats and the crib may or may not include corner posts. The crib shield systems described herein also work with various mechanisms for moving side rails, e.g., side and bottom latch systems and gliding side mechanisms, fixed rails, rails with no
As shown in
Generally, headboard 18 of crib 10 includes an upper bar 32, here having a decorative curved shape but any shape may be used, as well as a bottom horizontal element 43, each connected in a fixed position to corners 36, 38. In a similar manner to the side rails 12, 14, the generally vertically-spaced support elements 34 extend between the top bar 32 and the horizontal element 43. It will be recognized that many cribs may or may not have spaced support elements that define a part of the footboard 16 or headboard 18. For example, the headboard and footboard may be solid materials as opposed to spaced-apart supports. The footboard 16 is configured in a manner like that of headboard 18 and include corners 31, 33. Of course, in certain cribs there may or may not be corner posts, e.g. the convertible crib. Therefore the term “corner post” may be used herein to refer to where two sides meet without requiring a specific physical structure.
As shown in
As used herein, the term mattress may include any structure disposed within the crib 10 and upon which objects and/or human beings may be placed. In other words, mattress refers to any structure and not just a soft sleeping apparatus. For example, the crib could be configured into a playpen-type structure with a solid hard and/or flat bottom that is, for example, lowered very close to the floor. As such, and as used herein, a crib can be equated to and encompasses the various structures similar to a crib, such as those for containing a small child (e.g., playpens, portable cribs, basinets, convertible cribs, round cribs, or other structures including, for example, spaced-apart side supports that require an apparatus or system such as that described herein). In some embodiments, no mattress or other structure may be provided within the crib, playpen, basinet, or other and the crib liner may simply work with the bottom surface of the crib, playpen, basinet, or other.
As further shown in
In another embodiment of the crib shield system, the crib shield may extend nearly the full height of the crib.
The crib shield of
Various wrap types are illustrated in
In some embodiments, the body portion 46 has a width (e.g., W panel 1) that is less than a length (e.g., L support as shown in
Preferably, the crib liner is configured to be secured to a crib such that a portion of the liner, e.g., a bottom border 62, is located approximately between the mattress and the crib, and as such, the breathable material of the liner exposed to an infant in the crib is not significantly reduced by the bottom border 62, which may be composed of less breathable materials. Typically, the bottom border may range from 0.25 inches to 1.5 inches in height. Of course, if the bottom border is above the surface of the mattress, the crib liner is still very breathable. For example, a crib liner that has a bottom border of 1 inches, a middle area of 4 inches of mesh in height and a top border of any length, say for example 10 inches can allow air flow even though the total amount of mesh makes up on 4 inches of the total 15 inches. In other words, only 26.7% of this crib liner is mesh but it is still about 80% mesh where the infant's head is resting during sleep if the bottom border is above the surface of the mattress. In some embodiments, the mesh is provided such that the area of the crib liner proximate an infant's head during sleep is, or is close to, 100% mesh.
In many embodiments, the crib liner is configured to provide breathable material along the four sides of the crib such that the head of an infant lying in the crib is exposed to mainly breathable material regardless of positioning of the infant in the crib. In some embodiments, the panel has an approximately four (4) inch height of breathable material, or greater, above the bottom border 62, such that an infant resting against a side rail or endboard will mainly be exposed to the breathable material. It is less relevant if top and bottom borders are breathable as they are not significantly in the area of the infant's head. Therefore, it is possible for a liner to be 12 or more inches in height as long as there is approximately 3 or 4 inches or more of breathable material in the area of the infant's head when the infant is lying down resting her head against the mattress. In this example embodiment, the mesh may be only 25% of the total height of the liner, but it is a majority mesh near the infant's head where breathability matters most.
In many embodiments, the liner is configured to provide between five inches to eight inches or more of breathable material along the width W of the panel (extending upwardly from the mattress, between the bottom border and the top border). This may also be referred to as a height when considering the liner as deployed in a crib, wherein the breathable body portion of a panel extends for a height of at least 3 inches, at least 4 inches, at least 5 inches, at least 8 inches, at least 10 inches, at least 12 inches, or more up to the entire width of the liner. It should be understood that the portion of breathable material may be determined based upon the average head size of an infant, which may be determined using available Center of Disease Control (CDC) data (e.g., average infant head circumference data). In most embodiments, the width of breathable material is at least the portion that extends from the top edge of the crib mattress and extends upward to the top of an average baby's head. In this area, the liner comprises a majority or more of breathable material.
Returning now to
Various fastening apparatus may be used to attach one or more of the panels of the crib shield system to a crib or similar infant holder. For example, various types of fastening apparatus may include hook and loop closures (e.g., Velcro), snaps, buttons/buttonholes, ties, straps, buckles, zippers, etc. Although hook and loop fasteners are convenient, any other closure or fastener apparatus suitable for attaching panels to crib 10 may be used.
In one embodiment, a finishing edge material 58, or border, is provided along the periphery of the body portion 46. For example, as shown in
Second side panel 44 may include fastening apparatus 76 at first end 72 of the second side panel 44 and fastening apparatus 78 at the second end 74 of the second panel 44. Such fastening apparatus 76, 78 may be substantially similar to the hook and loop fasteners described with respect to first panel 42. Further, in a like manner, finishing edge material 80 may be used around the perimeter of the body portion 70 as shown by the finishing material 80 along edges 81-84.
The breathable material of the body portion 46 of first side panel 42 and body portion 70 of second side panel 44 may include any suitable material that provides breathable functionality such as a mesh type material. Breathable functionality refers to the ability of the material to allow air to move effectively therethrough. As used herein, when air is indicated as moving effectively through a material, it is meant that the material includes openings (e.g., mesh openings, open-framework, spaces between elements thereof, or even those that may not be visually perceivable openings but still allow a breathable function to occur) that do not impede air movement to an extent that would prevent a human being from breathing through (e.g., when a human's respiratory openings (e.g., nose/mouth) are in direct contact with a material) such a material in order to help prevent suffocation and further that such openings are too small to permit an infant to insert a finger or toe therethrough. For example, such materials may include cotton, silk, polyester, nylon, modal/semi-cellulose based fabrics, etc.
The first side panel and the second side panel may be removably coupleable to one another. In other embodiments, the first side panel and the second side panel may be fixed together. Further, in various embodiments, more than two side panels may be used.
As discussed above, the breathable material of the body portions of the panels of the crib shield system may comprise a material that is breathable, is air permeable, is light permeable, and has a low CO2 rebreathing value. In various embodiments, the breathable material may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM to 1530 CFM and a light permeability of between 47 and 99%. The specific light permeability level for the crib shield system may vary and may be chosen based on parental preferences. The crib liner may yield CO2 rebreathing values of less than about 20%, less than about 10%, less than about 7%, less than about 5%, or less than about 3%.
The CO2 rebreathing value may be influenced by the tendency for CO2 to become retained within the fibers of the material. This in turn may sometimes be related to the air permeability of the material. Accordingly, in some embodiments, a crib shield system may be provided having a high air permeability and a low CO2 rebreathing value. A mesh material may be useful by also limiting the influence of force (the pressure of an infant's head) against the material to CO2 pushed into the liner. That is, the level of CO2 rebreathing may be largely unchanged with increased force using certain mesh materials. This is thought to result from the lack of effective seal made between the infant's face and the mesh material. Accordingly, a mesh liner as disclosed herein may maintain a stable low CO2 rebreathing value independent of applied force.
In one embodiment, the mesh-type material may include a mesh available from Apex Mills, Inc. under the trade designation TA1 Mesh. However, other various similar mesh materials (e.g., mesh material having suitable openings) are available. A Suffocation Hazard Assessment was performed by RAM Consulting (Oak Brook, Ill.) (e.g., the Assessment is further described herein and for which protocol is available from RAM Consulting) on the TAI Mesh resulting in average readings of 1.6 cm H2O and, for an upper specification limit of 5 cm H2O, a Z-value of 9.0 was obtained.
In one example embodiment, the breathable material is a breathable generally mesh-type material 300 (e.g., a padded spacer mesh), such as that shown generally in
The material 300 is further shown in the perspective views of
The meshes or other fabrics shown in
It will be recognized that the thickness of the padded mesh material may vary, as well as for other materials described herein. For example, more padding may create a softer more plush effect with slightly different breathability/ventilation properties and more opaqueness (e.g., less light transmissive) whereas less padding may create more breathability and buoyancy with less opaqueness (e.g., more light transmissive). In some embodiments, the panels described herein are at least somewhat transparent such that at least motion of the child in the crib can be seen.
In further embodiments, the padded mesh material if the crib shield system is collapsible. As such, when installed or uninstalled, should a child stand on it, the material will collapse. This reduces the risk of the mesh material being leverage to a climbing infant (unlike most conventional bumpers).
The breathable material may be a woven polymeric fiber mesh material that is integrated with or attached to a front and/or back substructure 391, 392. Both the front substructure 391 and the back substructure 392 may comprise openings. In some embodiments, the front substructure 391 may include larger openings than the back substructure 392. In one example embodiment, the padded mesh material 300 may comprise front and back substructures 391, 392 with fibers of the pile substructure 393 woven therethrough, as shown in
In one embodiment, for example, the breathable padded mesh material 300 may include a padded spacer mesh available from Apex Mills, Inc. under the trade designation DNB27 Spacer Mesh. However, other various similar padded spacer mesh materials are available.
In another embodiment, the mesh-type material is a breathable padded mesh material in combination with one or more other material layers. For example, the breathable padded mesh material may be used in combination with one or more layers of other material adjacent to (e.g., one material laid flat against the other) either the front substructure and/or the back substructure of the breathable padded mesh material. In various embodiments of such a combination, one or more layers of material may be used substantially adjacent the front substructure, one or more layers of material may be used substantially adjacent the back substructure, or one or more layers of material may be used substantially adjacent both the front substructure and the back substructure. For example, such additional layers may be layers of cotton material, knit jersey material, etc. Such additional material layers may provide additional benefits such as, for example, thermal properties with breathability.
In some embodiments, the mesh material may have functional properties. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the liner may comprise a functional fabric having air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%. The functional fabric may at least partially blocks a hazard from penetrating the crib liner. Such hazard may be any hazard now known or later discovered to be hazardous to an infant including, but not limited to, mold, mildew, allergens, heat, ultraviolet light (UV), and electric and magnetic forces (EMF). In other embodiments, the functional fabric may at least partially block any undesirable element from penetrating the crib liner, regardless of whether such element poses a hazard. This may be provided by, for example, applying a functional coating to one or more of the substructures or adding a functional threading through one or more of the substructures.
Further, for example, the breathable material, such as breathable material 300 of
Suffocation Hazard Assessment was performed by RAM Consulting (Oak Brook, Ill.) on various configurations of crib shield systems disclosed herein using the breathable padded mesh material available from Apex Mills, Inc. under the trade designation DNB27 Spacer Mesh.
1 Configuration 1: Single Layer of Padded Spacer Mesh Configuration 2: Layer 1: Padded Spacer Mesh Layer 2: Cotton Configuration 3: Layer 1: Knit Jersey Layer 2: Padded Spacer Mesh Layer 3: Cotton Configuration 4: Layer 1: Cotton Layer 2: Padded Spacer Mesh Layer 3: Cotton Configuration 5: Layer 1: Knit Jersey Layer 2: Padded Spacer Mesh Layer 3: Knit Jersey Configuration 6: Layer 1: Padded Spacer Mesh Layer 2: Flannel Fabrics tested: Knit Jersey Manufacturer: NATEX Content: 50% Polyester/50% Cotton Knit Jersey Style #: INT Cotton Manufacturer: SOUTHERN BELLE Content: 100% Cotton Style #: L93N67 Flannel Manufacturer: QUELTERS CORNER Content: 100% Cotton Style #: RN41324.
A screening was performed on all configurations in both a dry and wet state. The spacer padded mesh when layered with fabrics, including knit jersey, flannel, 50% polyester/50% cotton, and cotton, resulted in a satisfactory reading based on values in cm H2O, wherein the specification upper limit for products young children are intended to lie on is equal to 5 cm H2O (e.g., mattress pads or items young infants are intended to have their face on) and wherein the specification for products young children are not intended to lie on is equal to 15 CM H2O.
Four individual readings were performed with an average being determined. Dry state readings did not register, thus presenting very low hazard when the configurations were dry (i.e., under the 5 cm H2O specification limit). In the wet state (after application of 8 ml of sprayed on water), the average readings for the configurations were between 4.6 cm H2O and 6.2 cm H2O.
For an individual single layer of spacer padded mesh, comprising a front substructure, a pile substructure, and a back substructure, average readings of 1.7 cm H2O were taken. Further, for an upper specification limit of 5 cm 1120, a Z-value of 9.5 was obtained.
As shown in
In at least one embodiment, the first side panel 42 is configured to cover at least a portion of the first side rail 12 and to extend along the length of the crib 10. As used herein when a panel extends along the length of the crib 10, it will be recognized that the panel may not extend completely along the entire length, but may end proximate the headboard and footboard. For example, depending upon the fastening techniques used, the panel may be attached a short distance from the corners of the crib (see panel 42 as shown in
In a like manner, second side panel 44 is attached to the crib 10.
Further, as shown in
One will recognize that the second side panel may be attached to any number of different support elements, may be fed around and/or to the outside of one or more spaced support elements, and, as with the first side panel 42, is pulled taut prior to fastening to keep the second side panel 44 in position. Further, the weaving of the second side panel 44 around the corners and/or around one or more of the spaced support elements also assists in maintaining the second side panel 44 in position (e.g., in a position higher on the crib 10 when the mattress is raised relative to the floor and lower in the crib 10 when the mattress is lowered to the floor). In addition, any of the panels may be positioned such that a portion of the panel is below the upper surface of the mattress (e.g., a few centimeters below the surface along the side of the mattress) to assist in securing the crib and preventing arms and legs from going under the panel.
In another embodiment, the crib shield system may comprise a single side panel such as shown in
The single side panel 111, as shown in
As shown in
In one embodiment, the single side panel 111 may be attached to headboard 18 by wrapping first end 72 of the single side panel 111 about spaced side support element 35 and mating the hook and loop fastener portions 110a-c, as shown in
Further, as shown in
As shown in the exemplary embodiment of
The illustrated embodiment of crib shield system 100 includes a first side panel 102 and a second side panel 104 for attachment to respective side rails 12, 104. Further, the crib shield system 100 includes a first end panel 106 for attachment to the footboard 16 and a second end panel 108 for attachment to the headboard 18.
The body portion 120 extends along a length (L panel 1) extending from a first end 122 of the first side panel 102 to a second end 124 thereof. Further, the laid flat first side panel 102 has a width (W panel 1) that is sized to cover at least a majority portion of side rail 12. However, the first side panel may cover less than a majority portion.
The first side panel 102 further includes a fastening apparatus 126 that extends along an entire edge 144 of the side panel 102 for use in attaching the side panel 102 to the top bar 22 of the side rail 12, as is shown in further detail in
In various embodiments, the fastening apparatus 126 may be a series of straps or ties intermittently disposed along the edge 144 of the side panel 102 for use in attaching the side panel 102 to the top bar 22 of the side rail 12. Each of the straps or ties of fastening apparatus 126, at least in one embodiment, includes first and second fastening portions 147, 148 that are both for mating with one another in order to hold the first side panel 102 in a fixed position relative to side rail 12.
As shown in
In another embodiment, the padded portion 150 may be removably attached to the fastening apparatus 126. For example, the padded portion 150 may comprise a strip of padded material with one fastening side, the fastening side designed to be removably attached to the fastening apparatus 126 using hook and loop fasteners, snaps, zippers, or other appropriate fastening apparatus. The padded material may be any suitable material, not just the aforementioned mesh-type material.
For example, as shown in
The rail cover 103 may include multiple layers of material.
One skilled in the art will recognize that many types of closures may be used to provide the attachment functionality, such as those described previously herein with respect to crib shield system 40. In one particular embodiment, all of the closures are provided with hook and loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro fasteners). In such a manner, no ties are necessary.
It will be readily understood that second side panel 104 is substantially similar to that of first side panel 102. In addition, the attachment of second side panel 104 to side rail 14 is performed in substantially the same manner as the attachment of first side panel 102 to side rail 12 of crib 10.
At least one other fastening apparatus, such as fastening apparatus 176, may be provided at one or more positions along an edge 184 opposite edge 183 to allow a user to pull the panel taut across the headboard 118 when fastening apparatus 166 has been attached to support element 37. Such fastening apparatus 176 can be thereafter used to secure the end panel 108 around support element 35 and maintain the end panel 108 in a taut position adjacent the support elements 34. In one embodiment, the fastening apparatus 176 includes hook and loop fasteners 177, 178, 179 positioned along edge 184 using a body of material 193 that can be wrapped about support element 35.
It will be readily understood that a second end panel 106 may be substantially similar to that of first end panel 108 and placed opposite the first end panel 108. The attachment of second end panel 106 to the footboard 16 may be performed in substantially the same manner as the attachment of first end panel 108 to headboard 18 of crib 10.
Both the side panel 102 and the end panel 108 may be provided with associated finishing material for functional or decorative purposes (e.g., to prevent the fraying of mesh material of body portion 120, to provide further padding, etc.). For example, as shown in
In another embodiment, the crib shield system may comprise a crib liner with two side panels 106, 108, two end panels 102, 104, and a bottom panel 428, where the side and end panels are attached to the bottom panel.
The air permeability of breathable materials 900, 920, and 940 may allow the breathable material to be layered with other breathable material (e.g., 900, 920, 940, etc.) to create a layered crib liner, while still maintaining air permeability (CFM) and low CO2 rebreathing values.
Testing was conducted by Bureau Veritas in accordance with ASTM D737 standards to determine the air permeability (CFM) of a single layer of textile materials. Additionally, various combinations of layered materials 900, 920, and 940—such as those described in paragraph 0129—were also tested to determine air permeability. For example, the single layer of breathable material 900 with a thickness of 0.13 inches provided an air permeability of 1013.1 CFM, similar to the 1.6 cm H2O discussed in paragraph 0067 above. Adjusting the properties (e.g., thickness, weave pattern, etc.) of the single layer of a breathable material may allow the air permeability to achieve an air permeability of at least 1250 CFM. Adjusting the properties (e.g., thickness, weave pattern, etc.) of the layered breathable material may allow the air permeability to achieve an air permeability of at least 900 CFM.
The breathability of the body portion of a crib liner can be measured using a variety of methodologies, including air permeability, mesh coverage (both location and cover factor measurement via light microscopy), light permeability as measured by photodetector, spectrophotometer or by transmittance or blocking of ultraviolet radiation, CO2 rebreathing, or other suitable tests. Preferably, the body portion has an air permeability of between 385 CFM to 1530 CFM. Of course, the higher the air permeability the more breathable the material is. Preferably, the body portion 46 has a mesh coverage of between 32% and 91%. Mesh coverage is measure of the holes versus material in a mesh material. Preferably, the body portion 46 has a light permeability by photodetector of between 47% and 99%, by spectrophotometer of between 4 and 71%, and by ultraviolet radiation of between 47% and 100%. The tested samples may have one or more layers that compose the crib liner and may or may not be “padded”. The below chart illustrates tests performed on various samples of materials that could comprise the body portion 46:
In contrast, competing crib bumpers provide a CFM of less than 100 CFM.
As illustrated in
The top portion 410a and the bottom portion 410b of the crib liner 410 may be similar materials or different materials. In one embodiment, the top portion 410a and the bottom portion 410b may be fabric material provided for aesthetic purposes to improve the appearance of the mesh fabric 410c. According to another embodiment, the top portion 410a and the bottom portion 410b may be a cushioning material, such as fabric material filled with padding.
The crib liner 410 may be weaved in and out of each of the slats 404 as shown in
According to one embodiment, the crib liner 410 may be a one-piece liner wrap design. The crib liner 410, when a one-piece liner wrap design, may be adjusted for different crib sizes by wrapping the liner 410 multiple times around the slats 404 to consume a portion of the liner 410 in excess length that the perimeter of the crib 402. According to other embodiments, the crib liner 410 may be a multi-piece liner. For example, the crib liner 410 may include several lengths of shorter material, which may be assembled together to form an appropriate length for the crib 402. Thus, the crib liner 410 may be adapted for use on cribs of different sizes.
Additional detailed illustrations of the crib liner 410 are shown in
Further details of the crib liner 410 are described below with reference to
The crib slat pads 420 may be attached to the slats 404 through attachment mechanisms such as, for example, sewing, snapping, tying, zipping, using a hook and loop fastener, buttoning, free form molding, clipping, and/or strapping the slat pads 420 to the slats 404. According to one embodiment, the slat pads 420 are separate pieces that are inserted between the slats. According to another embodiment, the slat pads 420 line the inside of the crib 402 and adhere to the slats 404.
In certain embodiments, such as that of
Other configurations of the crib liner 410 with one or more fabric layers in the mesh are possible. According to one embodiment, the mesh 410 may include two or more cotton or poly-breathable outer layers with a breathable spaces mesh in-between the two or more outer layers. According to another embodiment, the mesh 410 may include two or more cotton or poly-breathable outer layers with a breathable poly foam in-between. According to yet another embodiment, a breathable poly foam may be placed in-between a thin mesh and a spacer mesh. Each of these configurations may comprise the entire liner 410 or may be added to the crib liner 410 as additional layers. Further, these configurations may be applied to any of the embodiments described in this disclosure.
In an alternative example embodiment,
In another alternative example embodiment,
In another alternative example embodiment,
In another alternative example embodiment,
In another alternative example embodiment,
In yet another alternative embodiment,
As is apparent from
In some exemplary embodiments, the panels are formed substantially of a breathable material (e.g., mesh-type material). However, in some configurations, the panels may be formed of less than substantially of a breathable material. For example, a majority of the area of a panel may be formed of a breathable material. In other configurations, less than a majority of a panel may be formed of a breathable material, such as some of the configurations discussed herein.
The panels formed of the mesh-type material may be used in combination with one or more layers of other material generally adjacent to the mesh-type material. For example, in one embodiment the body portion of the panels may be formed with strips of padded material attached to the mesh-type material on one side. The strips of padded material may be disposed such that when the panels are attached to a crib, the padded materials line up with the vertical support elements of the crib and offset the mesh-type material from the vertical support elements, thus providing additional padding. The padded material may be any suitable material, not just the aforementioned mesh-type material.
The breathable materials allow for air circulation. When a padded, soft breathable mesh material is utilized, further protection is provided to a child from bodily harm. When using one or more of the breathable mesh materials described herein, it is preferred that little rebreathing of carbon dioxide occur when a child's face is in direct contact with the material.
One skilled in the art will recognize that various types of padding may be used in addition to the breathable material in order to form one or more of the shapes of the objects previously described herein. Further, for example, such padding materials may be the breathable padded mesh material itself and/or other breathable materials, such as cotton, jersey, flannel, polyester, nylon, rayon, gabardine, terry cloth, etc.
The preceding described embodiments are illustrative of the practice of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that other expedients known to those skilled in the art or disclosed herein may be employed without departing from the invention or the scope of the appended claims. For example, various apparatus or steps of one embodiment described herein may be used with one or more other embodiments described herein to form various combinations of methods, systems, or apparatus contemplated by the present invention. As such, the present invention includes within its scope other methods, systems and apparatus for implementing and using the invention described herein.
As used herein, the terms “substantially” or “generally” refer to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, an object that is “substantially” or “generally” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking, the nearness of completion will be so as to have generally the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. The use of “substantially” or “generally” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, an element, combination, embodiment, or composition that is “substantially free of” or “generally free of” an element may still actually contain such element as long as there is generally no significant effect thereof.
To aid the Patent Office and any readers of any patent issued on this application in interpreting the claims appended hereto, applicants wish to note that they do not intend any of the appended claims or claim elements to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless the words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim.
Additionally, as used herein, the phrase “at least one of [X] and [Y],” where X and Y are different components that may be included in an embodiment of the present disclosure, means that the embodiment could include component X without component Y, the embodiment could include the component Y without component X, or the embodiment could include both components X and Y. Similarly, when used with respect to three or more components, such as “at least one of [X], [Y], and [Z],” the phrase means that the embodiment could include any one of the three or more components, any combination or sub-combination of any of the components, or all of the components.
In the foregoing description various embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The various embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principals of the disclosure and their practical application, and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the present disclosure as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/699,675, filed on Dec. 1, 2019, now abandoned, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/729,514, filed on Oct. 10, 2017 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,492,624, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/559,117, filed Sep. 15, 2017. The contents of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein in their entirety for all purposes.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200345156 A1 | Nov 2020 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62559117 | Sep 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15729514 | Oct 2017 | US |
| Child | 16699675 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16699675 | Dec 2019 | US |
| Child | 16935125 | US |
