INFANT GRIP GARMENT

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying the infant. The garment comprises a bodysuit for an infant where the bodysuit provides grip areas for assisting a caregiver in carrying an infant. The article has at least one grip area having a frictional material, such as an elastomer, applied to the grip area to create a frictional surface extending above the outside surface of the article. The frictional surface is in contact with a caregiver to resist the relative motion of the infant with respect to the grip area.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a garment for assisting a caregiver in holding an infant. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bodysuit for an infant where the bodysuit provides grip areas for assisting a caregiver in carrying an infant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The physical strain associated with holding and lifting an infant is well known. Proper technique when lifting and carrying a child is important to the caregiver as well as the infant. For example, it is important to bring the baby as close to your body as possible before lifting it to reduce strain. In addition, it is also important to face the child directly when preparing to place or retrieve a child from a car seat.

The art is replete with devices for carrying a child, such as backpacks, slings and carriers. Research has shown that carrying a child facing toward the caregiver many advantages are available. Advantages to carrying a child facing the caregiver include providing the child the opportunity to learn human social interaction, such as reading and interpreting the facial expressions of the caregiver. Carrying an infant outward can be terrifying without being able to turn away to face a caregiver when the flood of information becomes too much for the infant. By facing the caregiver, an infant is able to be reassured that everything is OK.

Carrying the infant outward creates problems with its spinal development. By facing outward, the child will be supported by the symphysis of the pelvis, which is not developmentally sound and very uncomfortable for the child. When the baby sits facing away, there is a tendency for the child to have an upright posture which is contrary to proper spinal development at that age. It should be noted that dangling legs are also unfavorable regarding the development of the hip joint. Although balancing the infant on the caregiver's hip is one technique that is more favorable to the child, this can harm the caregiver. It is preferred that the infant be supported by the buttocks.

If a caregiver balances an infant on their hip it can strain the back and ligaments on that side of the caregiver's body. Additionally the contraction of muscles reduces blood flow, which over time can lead to shoulder and arm injury.

In addition to carrying a child there is the ever present challenge of holding a squirming child. Preventing the child from slipping is also important. Falling from the height of the caregiver's torso could result in serious injury or death to an infant. Fatigue is also an issue to a caregiver carrying a child. Caregivers would certainly welcome an apparatus that provided a way to reduce the force necessary to constrain a squirming load.

Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying the infant. Further it would be desirable to provide a garment for assisting a user in carrying an infant facing the caregiver. And finally, it is desirable to provide a garment that may be worn by the infant when not being carried by caregiver.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying an infant comprises a bodysuit adapted to be worn on a torso of an infant and formed of a flexible material having an inside surface and an outside surface. The bodysuit comprises at least trunk section and at least partially covering the torso of the infant. The trunk section has a front side, a backside, a left side and a right side. A seat section extends from the backside of the trunk section at least partially covers the buttocks of the infant. A saddle portion extends between the legs of an infant. The bodysuit has a back side grip area disposed on the backside of the bodysuit. A frictional material is applied to the back side grip area to form a frictional surface extending above the outside surface of the garment. The frictional surface is adapted to be in contact with a caregiver to resist the relative motion of the infant with respect to the caregiver.

In one embodiment, the garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying the infant has a back side at least partially covers the seat section of the bodysuit.

The grip garment may also include a front grip area disposed on the front side of the trunk section.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from analysis of the following written description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front view of a garment for assisting a caregiver in holding an infant according to the principles of the present invention revealing a bodysuit secured by suspenders;

FIG. 1B is a rear view of the grip garment of FIG. 1A according to the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a front view of a garment for assisting a caregiver in holding an infant according to the principles of the present invention revealing a bodysuit secured by a flap; and

FIG. 2B is a rear view of the grip garment of FIG. 1A according to the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an environmental view of a caregiver carrying an infant wearing a grip garment, revealing the caregiver providing support to the buttocks of the infant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The wearable garment of the present invention shall be described as is employed on the torso of an infant, in three dimensions, rather than in two dimensions. Accordingly the wearable garment has a front, back, right side, and left side as it would when being worn by child. Although the terms used to describe the present invention may be the same or similar to those used to refer to the human anatomy, the present invention is described with respect to the garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying the infant.

With initial reference to FIGS. 1A-2B and 2, FIG. 1A is a front view of a garment 10 wearable by an infant 1 for assisting a caregiver 2 in carrying the infant 1, comprising a bodysuit 12. An example of such a bodysuit 12 is the infant bodysuit sold under the trademark ONESIE. A typical infant bodysuit 12 is formed of a flexible material 20 with at least some means of securing the bodysuit 12 to the infant 1. An example of means of securing the bodysuit 12 to an infant 1 include suspenders 13 as shown in FIG. 1A. A number of fasteners 14, in this case buttons, are employed to fixedly attach the suspenders 13 to the bodysuit 12. Other examples of fasteners include snaps, zippers and Velcro to name a few. Although a few common fasteners are set forth herein it should be understood to those skilled in the art that any reasonable substitute for the fasteners 14 disclosed herein may be employed.

The bodysuit 12 is worn on the torso 3 of an infant 1 and has openings for the head 4, arms 5 and legs 6. As used herein, torso shall refer to the portion of the infant's body not including the head and limbs. The bodysuit 12 may also include sleeves 15 as shown in FIG. 2A and pant legs 16. A popular option for an infant bodysuit is integrated slippers (not shown). The bodysuit 12 of FIG. 1A employs suspenders 13 as the means of securing the bodysuit 12 to an infant 1. Other common means of securing a bodysuit and infant include a bottom flap 17 as shown in FIG. 2A or an opening along the side (not shown), either of which may be secured by any fasteners known in the art.

For The bodysuit 12 is adapted to be worn on the torso 3 of the infant 1 and is formed of a flexible material 20 having an inside surface (not shown) and outside surface 22. The bodysuit 12 comprises at least trunk section 18 wherein the trunk section 18 which at least partially covers the torso 3 of the infant 1. The trunk section 18 has a front side 23, a back side 24, a left side 25 and right side 26. A seat section 28 extends from the back side 24 of the trunk section 18 and at least partially covers the buttocks 7 of the infant 1. A saddle section 19 extends from the seat section 28 and is adapted to extend between the legs 6 of the infant 1. The bodysuit 12 has a backside grip area 27 disposed on the back side 29 of the bodysuit 12 and the back side 29 includes the back side 24 of the trunk section 18 and the seat section 28.

A friction material 30 is applied to the back side grip area to form a frictional surface extending above the outside surface of the garment 10. The frictional surface is adapted to be in contact with a caregiver 2 to resist the relative motion of the infant 1 with respect to the caregiver 2.

The bodysuit 12 comprises a flexible material 20, including, but not limited to, cotton, polyester, a cotton polyester blend, nylon, wool, linen, silk, spandex, hemp, various brands of para-aramid synthetic fiber, and polyethylene fiber. The flexible material 20 has an inside surface (not shown) facing toward the body of the infant 1 and outside surface 22 facing away from the infant 1.

The bodysuit 12 of FIGS. 1A-2B includes front side grip area 21 and a back side grip area 27. A friction material 30 is applied to each of said grip areas 21 and 27 to form a frictional surface 40 extending above the outside surface 22 of the bodysuit 12. In the preferred embodiment, the friction surface 40 is formed by screen printing silicone on the flexible material 20 so that frictional material 30 at least partially extends above the outside surface 22 of the article 12. Although silicone is the preferred material 30, other materials may be substituted for plastisol within the spirit and scope of the present invention, including, but is not limited to, combinations, mixtures and compositions of elastomers, or other polymers, such as latex, vinyl, nitrile, plastisol, polyurethane, polypropylene, PVC and polyethylene.

The best mode of making the present invention is achieved by applying the friction material 30 to the flexible material 20 by a three dimensional screen printing process, although any suitable method known in the art may be substituted for three dimensional screen printing, including dip coating, casting, spraying and spread coating.

The friction material 30 is applied to the grip areas 21, 27 to form a frictional surface 40 extending above the outside surface 22 of said bodysuit 12. The frictional surface 40 is in contact with an caregiver 2 to resist the relative motion of the infant 1. The grip garment 10 assists caregiver 2 in carrying an infant 1. Ideally, the frictional surface 40 is a slip resistant surface, which could be described as “rubbery”.

The friction material 30 that is applied to the lateral grip area 25 of the torso 2 provides an upward resistive force to counter at least in part, the downward gravitational force acting on the infant 1. The upward resistive force works to prevent the infant 1 from slipping downward. A reaction force to the resistive force pulls upward on the garment 10 of the present invention. Therefore, part of the load of the infant 1 is translated through the article 12 and is carried by the torso 2. The advantage is clear in that some of the load burden that would have been on the caregivers arm 9 is reduced. Accordingly, relief from fatigue is clearly and advantage of the garment 10 of the present invention.

In addition to reduced load on the caregiver's arm 19, the garment 10 of the present invention prevents an infant 1 from slipping and being injured. Additionally, by reducing slipping and force required to carry the infant 1, the caregiver's fatigue is also reduced. The addition of the friction material 30 to the grip area 21, 27 provides an increased frictional force that resists the infant 1 from slipping out of the arms 9 of the caregiver 2. The garment 10 of the present invention requires less adduction force by the caregiver 2 when carrying the infant 1 under their arm 9. As an example, the coefficient of friction is higher between the friction material 30 and clothing than between cotton and clothing.

In the preferred embodiment, the grip areas 21, 27 have frictional material 30 applied in a spaced pattern 32 where the friction material 30 is deposited as discretely spaced areas. An advantage to a spaced pattern is breathability of the flexible material 20. The grip garment 10 illustrated herein has frictional material 30 applied in a “polka dot” pattern 34. Although a polka dot pattern is disclosed, it should be understood that a variety of friction material patterns may be employed, from a solid layer, to waves, bumps, and cross hatching to name a few. The friction material 30 may be black, clear or any color. Furthermore, it is contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention to have a reflective material applied on top of or integrated into the friction material 30. The safety aspects of having reflective material on a bodysuit 12 would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Additionally, a color pattern such as a logo or message may be designed into the frictional material 30, such as by forming an image by a pattern of colored dots.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes the preferred structure and control system for the present invention. However, one skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying the infant, said garment comprising:

a bodysuit adapted to be worn on the torso of an infant, said bodysuit formed of a flexible material having an inside surface and outside surface, said bodysuit comprising at least a trunk section wherein said trunk section at least partially covers the torso of an infant, said trunk section having a front side, a back side, a left side and a right side, a seat section extending from said back side of said trunk section, said seat section at least partially covering the buttocks of the infant, a saddle section extending from said seat section and adapted to extend between the legs of an infant, said bodysuit having a back side grip area disposed on the back side of said bodysuit; and

a friction material applied to said back side grip area to form a frictional surface extending above said outside surface of said garment, said frictional surface adapted to be in contact with a caregiver to resist the relative motion of the infant with respect to the caregiver.

2. The garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying the infant as set forth in claim 1, wherein said back side grip area at least partially covers said seat section of said bodysuit.

3. The garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying the infant as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a front grip area disposed on the front side of said trunk section.

4. The garment wearable by an infant for assisting a caregiver in carrying the infant as set forth in claim 3, wherein said back grip area substantially covers said seat section of said bodysuit.