Abstract: A sleep apparatus for an infant comprises an upstanding enclosure surrounding a sleeping platform. The enclosure has front and rear walls, the front wall being moveable between an upper position for preventing the infant from rolling off the sleeping platform and a lower position allowing access to the infant. A biasing mechanism biases the front wall to return automatically in to the upper position in the absence of a barrier to upward movement, and a latch automatically engages when the front wall is in its upper position. The latch prevents movement of the front wall from the upper position towards the lower position until and unless the latch is released.

Abstract: A sleep device for newborns and infants that provides a separate but proximate sleep area near a caregiver or parent's bed and at the same level the caregiver is sleeping at for increased visibility of infant and easier access to the infant without the need for the parent to leave their own bed. The sleep device allows for more convenient access to the infant, better ability to soothe and comfort the infant thru close, yet safe contact, and easier access and egress to the adult bed. The sleep device can include a bumper that slopes downwardly in a direction from a rear bumper portion to a front bumper portion so that a rear side wall portion has a vertical height that is greater than a vertical height of a front side wall portion.

Abstract: A device and method are provided for positioning an infant's hips, and for maintaining the hip joint in a physiological position, during early months of life. The hip-positioning device includes a flexible base having a pair of opposed, outwardly extending side portions. The side portions are dimensioned for supporting thighs of an infant at an acute angle greater than zero relative to a dorsal plane of the infant, with knees of the infant in a flexed position. The base further has a downwardly extending, generally central portion that is adapted for positioning between the infant thighs and dimensioned for retaining the infant thighs in an abducted position. The device additionally includes an element for retaining the base on the infant.

Abstract: A device and method are provided for positioning an infant's hips, and for maintaining the hip joint in a physiological position, during early months of life. The hip-positioning device includes a flexible base having a pair of opposed, outwardly extending side portions. The side portions are dimensioned for supporting thighs of an infant at an acute angle greater than zero relative to a dorsal plane of the infant, with knees of the infant in a flexed position. The base further has a downwardly extending, generally central portion that is adapted for positioning between the infant thighs and dimensioned for retaining the infant thighs in an abducted position. The device additionally includes an element for retaining the base on the infant.

Abstract: An infant swaddle blanket that includes a torso wrap section with wings and a leg pouch for the infant's legs. The torso wrap section is designed to wrap around the infant's torso for swaddling. The swaddle includes various hook and loop fasteners which facilitates swaddling and makes the swaddle easier to use, as well as making the swaddle safer to use by providing a more secure, adjustable fit. External hold-down straps augment hook and loop closures on the wings. The leg pouch permits the infant's diaper to be changed without unwrapping the torso wrap section, thereby facilitating diaper changes.

Abstract: An infant swaddle blanket that includes a torso wrap section with wings and a leg pouch for the infant's legs. The torso wrap section is designed to wrap around the infant's torso for swaddling. The swaddle includes various hook and loop fasteners which facilitates swaddling and makes the swaddle easier to use, as well as making the swaddle safer to use by providing a more secure, adjustable fit. External hold-down straps augment hook and loop closures on the wings. The leg pouch permits the infant's diaper to be changed without unwrapping the torso wrap section, thereby facilitating diaper changes.

Abstract: A swaddling accessory attachable to a wearable blanket for use in swaddling an infant. The wearable blanket can be used with or without the swaddle to give the caregiver the option of using the wearable blanket without the swaddling accessory. The swaddling accessory and wearable blanket are equipped with fasteners that allow the swaddling accessory to be detachably secured to the wearable blanket in different positions relative to the blanket. The fasteners are positioned to prevent the swaddling accessory from being wrapped too high on the infant's body where it could potentially cover a portion of the mouth or nose. The infant's legs are left free to flex within the wearable blanket which helps to prevent hip dysplasia.

Abstract: A swaddling accessory attachable to a wearable blanket for use in swaddling an infant. The wearable blanket can be used with or without the swaddle to give the caregiver the option of using the wearable blanket without the swaddling accessory. The swaddling accessory and wearable blanket are equipped with fasteners that allow the swaddling accessory to be detachably secured to the wearable blanket in different positions relative to the blanket. The fasteners are positioned to prevent the swaddling accessory from being wrapped too high on the infant's body where it could potentially cover a portion of the mouth or nose. The infant's legs are left free to flex within the wearable blanket which helps to prevent hip dysplasia.

Abstract: Safety features for a crib mattress are described. One safety feature is designed to maintain airflow to a fan inlet despite the fan inlet being blocked by a mattress sheet. Another safety feature removes obstructions to airflow within the mattress so that air is dispersed more uniformly across the sleep surface which is formed by a taut sheet of fabric. Yet another safety feature is designed to help retain a fitted sheet on a mattress and make it difficult for the sheet to be inadvertently pulled off the mattress.

Abstract: A sheet of pliable, washable material is configured to cover at least a portion of a piece of furniture, such as a mattress. A manifold and a plurality of air flow tubes are formed in the sheet, with the air flow tubes in communication with the manifold. The air flow tubes include top surfaces that are constructed to release air at a controlled rate therethrough. The sheet helps reduce exposure to allergens and other harmful particles, including the house dust mite.

Abstract: A system to significantly improve the air quality in a personal breathing environment. The system includes a blower unit that produces a conditioned air flow, a delivery system that delivers air provided by the blower unit to a person's breathing zone, and a conduit that interconnects the blower unit and the delivery system for directing conditioned air from the blower unit to the delivery system. The delivery system is positioned so that it sends conditioned air around an individual's head and into the individual's personal breathing zone, thereby creating a zone of conditioned air around the individual's head.

Abstract: A system to significantly improve the air quality in a personal breathing environment. The system includes a blower unit that produces a conditioned air flow, a delivery system that delivers air provided by the blower unit to a person's breathing zone, and a conduit that interconnects the blower unit and the delivery system for directing conditioned air from the blower unit to the delivery system. The delivery system is positioned so that it sends conditioned air around an individual's head and into the individual's personal breathing zone, thereby creating a zone of conditioned air around the individual's head.

Abstract: A system to significantly improve the air quality in a personal breathing environment. The system includes a blower unit that produces a conditioned air flow, a delivery system that delivers air provided by the blower unit to a person's breathing zone, and a conduit that interconnects the blower unit and the delivery system for directing conditioned air from the blower unit to the delivery system. The delivery system is positioned so that it sends conditioned air around an individual's head and into the individual's personal breathing zone, thereby creating a zone of conditioned air around the individual's head.

Abstract: A sheet of pliable, washable material is configured to cover at least a portion of a piece of furniture, such as a mattress. A manifold and a plurality of air flow tubes are formed in the sheet, with the air flow tubes in communication with the manifold. The air flow tubes include top surfaces that are constructed to release air at a controlled rate therethrough. The sheet helps reduce exposure to allergens and other harmful particles, including the house dust mite.

Abstract: A mattress assembly, comprising: substantially nonporous bottom and side walls forming a mattress foundation; a mattress inner core disposed in the mattress foundation being permeable to air; nonporous top cover covering the mattress inner core, the nonporous top cover having apertures at predetermined locations to allow the flow of air therethrough; and a fan disposed with the mattress assembly for forcing air into the mattress inner core whereby the air is forced out the top cover so as to reduce the accumulation of carbon dioxide in bedding on the top cover of the mattress.

Abstract: Airflow through a piece of furniture, such as a ventilated mattress of an infant sleep system, is conditioned. When applied to an infant sleep mattress, the conditioning improves the infant's sleep environment to promote the infant's health and/or enhance sleep. The conditioning can include the distribution of beneficial gases, vapor, heat, or other conditioning elements into the airflow. The conditioning can also include filtration of the airflow.

Abstract: A method for quantifying airflow, in the form of a measured airflow rate, through a porous surface. The method is particularly useful for ventilated sleep surfaces used to prevent SIDS. Provided that one knows the correlation between air flow rate and CO2 washout times, the resulting measured airflow rate provides an indication of whether a ventilated sleep surface is providing sufficient airflow to effectively dissipate the CO2. One can determine the minimum measured airflow rate that is effective to provide a minimum adequate level of CO2 dispersal. Thus, a ventilated sleep surface system that produces an air flow sufficient to result in the minimum airflow rate, as measured by a suitable airflow meter, can effectively dissipate CO2 and reduce the risk of SIDS.