Infant support device
An infant cradling device includes a casing, a resilient support member contained within the casing and a pouch secured to an outer surface of the casing, the pouch overlying the casing from a central location thereof to a bottom thereof. An infant seating member is secured to the outer surface of the casing interiorly of the pouch.
This invention relates generally to infant support and pertains more particularly to a support unit or device for cradling an infant, e.g., with the arm and upper torso of a person cradling the infant.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONWhile car seats, strollers and the like provide for the cradling of an infant, such devices are self-standing and rather expensive and employ structure which can present harm to an infant, e.g., metal elements. Further, these devices do not lend themselves to use by an individual simply wishing to hold an infant while reading or watching television, i.e., they lack portability and lightness of weight.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention has as its primary object the provision of a portable, lightweight infant cradling device which is comprised of components not presenting harm to infants.
In attaining this and other objects, the invention provides an infant cradling device comprising a resilient infant support member, a casing for the infant support member, and a pocket-like structure (pouch) secured to the casing and adapted to receive an infant. Preferably, the infant cradling device further includes an infant seating member disposed between the pouch and the casing and secured to the casing interiorly aside the pouch for engaging the middle of the infant's body.
More particularly, the device of the invention has its casing, its pouch and its infant seating member constituted of cloth segments sewn to one another and has the perimeter of its resilient support member interiorly adjacent the stitching of the casing. All device components are accordingly soft in constitution and present no harm. The configuration of the device of the invention is desirably elliptical with the major axis of the ellipse aligned with the infant insertion direction and the minor axis of the ellipse generally coincident with the top of the pouch.
The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be further understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof and from the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify like parts throughout.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring to
Pouch 20 is disposed atop front sheet member 14 and is secured to front sheet member 14 or both front sheet member 14 and rear sheet member 16, as will be understood from the preferred practice of the invention, discussed hereinafter. Infant seating member 22 (
As above noted, and illustrated in
Application chooses such preferred elliptical configuration to facilitate nesting of cradling device 10 in the space defined by the arm and upper torso of a person cradling the infant.
Turning now to
Resilient support member 18 is an ellipse of the same dimension as the ellipse of cradle device 10 and is comprised of a resilient material, such as a foam or rubber. In assembling cradle device 10, resilient support member 18 is disposed centrally top enlarged rear sheet member 16, as is shown in
In one assembly practice of the invention, enlarged front sheet member 14 is placed atop the subassembly of
In another assembly practice of the invention, infant seating member 22 is secured to enlarged front sheet member 14. Then, this assembly is disposed atop the assembly of
In use of cradling device 10, one typically disposes the device against his or her upper torso and arm, with the arm elbow bent. The infant is now inserted, feet first into the pouch with the infant's legs inserted into and through the infant seating member, whereby the infant is supported upon the infant seating member, above the bottom of the cradling device.
The cradling device may otherwise be placed on a table or other flat surface and the infant likewise inserted therein.
It is to be understood that the foregoing particularly discussed and illustrated embodiments of the invention are intended in an illustrative, and not in a limiting, sense. Thus, various changes may be introduced without departing from the invention. For example, the invention contemplates rendering the peripheral seam between the front and rear sheet members in part discontinuous, whereby the resilient support member may be withdrawn from the cradling device to facilitate laundering the cloth components thereof separately from the resilient support member. The true spirit and scope of the invention are set forth in the ensuing claims.
Claims
1. An infant cradling device comprising a casing, a resilient support member contained within the casing and a pouch secured to an outer surface of said casing, said pouch overlying said casing from a central location thereof to a bottom thereof.
2. The infant cradling device claimed in claim 1, further including an infant seating member secured to said outer surface of said casing interiorly of said pouch.
3. The infant cradling device claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing comprising first and second sheet members peripherally secured to one another.
4. The infant cradling device claimed in claim 3, wherein said pouch comprises a sheet member secured to one of said first and second sheet members.
5. The infant cradling device claimed in claim 4, further including an infant seating member secured to said one of said first and second sheet members interiorly of said pouch.
6. The infant cradling device claimed in claim 4, wherein said first and second sheet members and said pouch are comprised of cloth material.
7. The infant cradling device claimed in claim 5, wherein said first and second sheet members, said pouch and said infant seating member are comprised of cloth material.
8. The infant cradling device claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing and said resilient support member are of elliptical configuration.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 18, 2004
Publication Date: Apr 20, 2006
Inventor: Susan Munro (Denver, CO)
Application Number: 10/967,441
International Classification: A47G 9/00 (20060101);