BED SHEET FOR SECURE PLACEMENT OF A CHILD
The present invention relates more specifically to a bed sheet for secure placement of a child which provides breathable elements and/or a truss for preventing the child from being crushed or suffocated when a parent occupies a bed with the child. The bed sheet comprises at least one bumper extending upwardly from the top surface of the sheet. The bumpers form a substantially continuous closed wall that defines a secure area for the child to be placed. In one aspect of the invention, the bumper has an air flow passage that prevents suffocation of the child if the child's mouth and nose are forced against the bumper. In another aspect of the invention, a truss is disposed across and above at least a portion of the secure area when inserted into the bumpers.
The present invention relates generally to a bed sheet for secure placement of a child. The present invention relates more specifically to a bed sheet for secure placement of a child which provides breathable elements and/or a truss for preventing the child from being crushed or suffocated when a parent occupies a bed with the child.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONParents of newborn children often sleep in the same bed as the child to encourage comfort of the child and convenience for the parent. Unfortunately, this practice has led to numerous deaths or near-deaths as a result of the parent rolling over in his or her sleep and suffocating the child, the parent moving in his or her sleep and pushing the child off of the bed, the parent moving in his or her sleep causing the bed coverings (blanket, duvet, etc.) to cover the mouth and nose of the child causing suffocation, or the child rolling over in its sleep and suffocating or falling off the bed.
While some parents have avoided these risks by sleeping separately from the child, others are reluctant to do so. Therefore, a number of solutions have been proposed for attempting to prevent these risks from occurring.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,666 to Laiso relates to a pocket pillow and sheet combination comprising a sheet having a plurality of pockets on a reverse side thereof for the insertion of particular pillows. The pillows comprise a head pillow and side pillows spaced from one another and base pillows spaced from the head pillow defining a sleeping space therebetween. The side pillows comprise one or more contoured pillows while the base pillows comprise crescent shaped pillows which may be added or subtracted depending upon the elevation desired or the size of an individual located within the sleeping area. The contoured pillows may comprise a plurality of shaped strips having Velcro® or hook and loop fasteners to attach to one another to achieve a predetermined shape. The arrangement taught by Laiso is not able to prevent a parent from accidentally affecting the child, nor is it able to prevent a child from falling off a bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,734 to Pollard relates to a bumper sheet including an array of pockets in which relatively soft yet form-retaining inserts (such as foam plastic cylinders or inflatable bladders) are removably fitted to define a bumper area enclosing a sleeping or rest area within the confines of a crib, bed rails or the like. The arrangement taught by Pollard is likely to prevent a child from moving beyond the bumper area, however the bumpers present a suffocation hazard to the child. If a child were to turn so as to contact any bumper with its mouth and nose, the child is likely to suffocate. Furthermore, the bumpers do not prevent suffocation due to a parent accidentally covering the face of a child with a bed covering.
Therefore, what is required is a means to prevent a parent from either rolling over and suffocating a child or accidentally causing bed coverings to suffocate a child, while also preventing the child from suffocating as a result of turning.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
The invention will be better understood and objects of the invention will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONUnless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Also, unless indicated otherwise, except within the claims, the use of “or” includes “and” and vice-versa. Non-limiting terms are not to be construed as limiting unless expressly stated or the context clearly indicates otherwise (for example “including”, “having” and “comprising” typically indicate “including without limitation”). Singular forms including in the claims such as “a”, “an” and “the” include the plural reference unless expressly stated otherwise.
The invention will be explained in details by referring to the figures.
The present invention provides a bed sheet for secure placement of a child. The present invention enables a parent to occupy the same bed as a child with a greatly reduced risk of rolling onto, crushing, or suffocating the child.
The present invention, in an aspect thereof, provides a bed sheet for secure placement of a child in which the bed sheet comprises at least one bumper extending upwardly from the bed sheet's top surface. The at least one bumper forms a substantially continuous closed wall defining a secure area. The at least one bumper has at least one air flow passage at least partially disposed substantially adjacent the top surface of the bed sheet within the secure area.
The air flow passage enables a child to be able to breathe despite the possibility of the child's mouth and nose being forced against the bumper. Such a position can result from movement caused by the parent (for example, being pushed by the parent while sleeping) or by movement of the child (for example, the child rolling over in his or her sleep). The air flow passage allows air to be channelled from an area not covered by the child's mouth and nose to an area covered by the child's mouth and nose.
Additionally or alternatively, a mattress may be placed within the secure area. The mattress may include one or more air flow passages, particularly along the head portion of the mattress.
The present invention, in another aspect thereof, provides a bed sheet for secure placement of a child in which the bed sheet comprises at least one bumper extending upwardly from the bed sheet's top surface. The at least one bumper forms a substantially continuous closed wall defining a secure area. A truss is adapted for insertion into apertures disposed in the at least one bumper. The truss is inserted into the aperture and disposed across and above at least a portion of the secure area when inserted.
The truss forms a protective structure over the child when the child is placed in the secure area. For example, if a bed covering is accidentally placed over the child (for example, a parent accidentally moving the bed covering over the secure area), the bed covering will be suspended a distance over the child, preventing the bed covering from covering the child's mouth and nose causing suffocation.
The truss may include a support disposed approximately midway thereacross, for suspending or holding a mobile and/or one or more functional elements above a child placed in the secure area.
The bumpers may also include one or more recesses for storing accessories, such as bottles, soothers, toys, etc.
Alternatively, the bed sheet of the present invention can be provided to fit a portion of a bed. For example, the bed sheet may be tubular or foldable into a substantially tubular arrangement. The sheet may be disposed around the width or length of a portion of the bed from the top of the bed to underneath the bed.
Extending upwardly from a portion of the top surface of the bed sheet (1) is at least one bumper forming a substantially continuous closed wall defining a secure area. For example, as shown in
The bumpers may be fixedly secured to the sheet, for example by gluing or stitching the bumpers to the sheet. The bumpers may alternatively be removably secured to the sheet, for example by means of one or more buttons, snaps, Velcro™ strips, or the like. Alternatively, as shown in
With reference to
It should be understood that the bumper may also be placed inside of a sleeve prior to securing the sleeve to the bed sheet. It should also be understood that the sleeve and/or bumper may also be secured to the bottom surface of the bed sheet, so as to extend upwardly from the bed sheet when the bed sheet is laid flat on top of a bed. Separate sleeves may also be secured to both the top and bottom surface of the bed sheet to provide a reversible bed sheet, so that the secured area can be placed to one side or the other of the bed, as desired by the parent.
To provide additional rigidity to the closed wall, each bumper may be secured to one or more of its adjacent bumpers. For example, a screw (4A) may be provided for axial insertion to one bumper (3C) and radial insertion in an adjacent bumper (3A), in the case of a rectangular secure area. Similar screws (4B, 4C, 4D) may be provided for securing the remaining bumpers (3D to 3A, 3C to 3B, and 3D to 3B, respectively).
In the example shown in
Disposed radially substantially at the end of the two other opposing bumpers is a rigid bracket (13), preferably formed of a metal such as steel or a rigid plastic. The rigid bracket (13) includes an aperture enabling insertion of the screw (12). The rigid bracket (13) is adapted to be inserted into the rigid insert (11). The screw (12) can then be inserted into the bumper having the rigid insert, through the aperture in the rigid insert, and threadably engaging the aperture in the rigid bracket for securing the two bumpers to one another. It should be understood that the placement of the rigid brackets and rigid inserts could be reversed, or each bumper may have a rigid bracket at one end and a rigid insert at the other end, provided that each bumper is securable to an adjacent bumper.
In
In
If sleeves are provided for the bumpers, the sleeves may either have apertures matching the air flow passages to the bumpers, or can be made from a breathable material. In the latter case, the sleeve is preferably tightly fitted over the bumper when inserted, such that an air gap exists between the sleeve and the air flow passage to ensure air flow.
Additionally or alternatively, a mattress may be placed within the secure area. The mattress (7) may include one or more air flow passages, particularly along the head portion of the mattress.
In another aspect of the present invention, the truss shown in
The truss may comprise at least one substantially rigid post that extends from one bumper a first end of the truss to an opposing bumper at a second end of the truss. Preferably, at least three interconnected posts are provided for increased rigidity of the truss, each post having two ends. The truss shown in
The truss may be a curved rigid member, such as being substantially arc shaped. The truss may alternatively be any shape enabling placement of the child within the secure area while the truss is disposed across and above at least a portion of the secure area.
The truss may be removably secured to the bumpers from which it extends. For example, each bumper may include one or more insert apertures. The truss may correspondingly be adapted at its ends to be inserted into the insert apertures. Optionally, a greater number of apertures than posts can be provided for enabling selective placement of the truss along the bumper. Alternatively, the apertures can be formed in the truss with inserts on the bumpers, or any other mating arrangement.
The truss can also be used for placement of a nursery mobile or one or more functional elements above the secure area. The truss may include a support disposed approximately midway thereacross. The support may be adapted to hold a mobile above a child placed in the secure area.
The functional elements may be disposed on the top surface of the support, away from the secure area so as to be inaccessible to a child placed in the secure area. Disposing the functional elements on the top surface of the support also enables a light, as one of the functional elements, to provide ambient light rather than shine directly at the child. It should be understood that the functional elements may be disposed on any other surface of the support or inside the support.
Preferably, at least some of the recesses (35, 37) are shaped and sized to securely hold common accessories, such as bottles. If sleeves are provided, the sleeves may include apertures in matching relationship to the recesses enabling placement of accessories therein.
An enhancement includes providing foldable bumpers.
Another enhancement includes a travel bag for the bed sheet of the present invention.
Claims
1. A bed sheet for secure placement of a child, the bed sheet comprising:
- a sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- at least one bumper extending upwardly from the top surface and forming a substantially continuous closed wall defining a secure area, the bumper having at least one air flow passage at least partially disposed substantially adjacent the top surface within the secure area.
2. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air flow passage is at least two apertures disposed in the bumper permitting air flow therebetween.
3. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air flow passage is a recess formed in the bumper.
4. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one sleeve disposed on the sheet along the closed wall, wherein each bumper is an insert for insertion into the at least one sleeve.
5. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sleeve is tightly fitted over the insert when inserted, such that an air gap exists between the sleeve and the air flow passage.
6. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein two opposing crescent-shaped bumpers are provided, each bumper having a first end and a second end, the first ends being substantially adjacent to one another and the second ends being substantially adjacent to one another.
7. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein four bumpers are provided for defining a substantially rectangular secure area.
8. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one sleeve is formed on the top surface.
9. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one sleeve is formed on the bottom surface.
10. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one sleeve is removably secured on the top surface.
11. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one sleeve is removably secured on the bottom surface.
12. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bumper includes one or more recesses accessible at an angle substantially perpendicular the top surface, the one or more recesses defining one or more pockets for storage of accessories.
13. A bed sheet for secure placement of a child, the bed sheet comprising:
- a sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- at least one bumper upwardly extending from the top surface forming a substantially continuous closed wall defining a secure area, the at least one bumper having a plurality of insert apertures;
- a truss having at least two ends, each end adapted for insertion into at least two of the insert apertures, the truss disposed across and above at least a portion of the secure area when inserted.
14. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the truss is a curved rigid member.
15. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the truss is a plurality of interconnected rigid posts.
16. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the truss includes a support disposed approximately midway thereacross, the support adapted to suspend a mobile above a child placed in the secure area.
17. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the truss includes a support disposed approximately midway thereacross, the support adapted to hold one or more functional elements above a child placed in the secure area.
18. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the insert apertures are disposed at an angle substantially perpendicular the top surface.
19. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the insert apertures are disposed at an angle substantially parallel the top surface and outside of the secure area, and wherein at least two of the ends of the truss extend toward one another.
20. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the bumper includes one or more recesses accessible at an angle substantially perpendicular the top surface, the one or more recesses defining one or more pockets for storage of accessories.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 6, 2011
Publication Date: Dec 8, 2011
Inventors: Robert PAPP (Hamilton), David Sibbald (Hamilton)
Application Number: 13/153,685
International Classification: A47C 31/00 (20060101); A47D 15/00 (20060101);