CHANGING PAD COVER AND PAD COVER TOPPER SECURABLE TO EACH OTHER WITH HOOK AND LOOP FASTENER MATERIAL

Abstract

An infant changing pad cover and a changing pad cover topper securable to each other with hook and loop fastener material are provided. Though specifically designed for use with a two-sided infant changing pad, both items can also be used with a four-sided pad, though fit may suffer. Either hook or loop fastener material is sewn to the pad in strips. Strips of the opposite fastener material (hook or loop) are sewn to the lower surface of the pad cover topper in a direction transverse to those sewn to the pad cover. The pad cover can be sewn much like a fitted bottom sheet, or it can completely envelope the changing pad and have a one-end opening that can be closed with either a zipper or hook and loop fasteners. The pad cover topper is easily removable from the changing pad cover for hand or machine washing.

Description

This application has a priority date of Sep. 23, 2011 based on the filing, by a same inventor, of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/538,267, titled CHANGING PAD COVER AND PAD COVER TOPPER SECURABLE TO EACH OTHER WITH HOOK AND LOOP FASTENER MATERIAL.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, generally, to infant changing pads of the type adapted to support an infant while changing its diaper or for other purposes in an elevated position. More specifically, it relates to changing pad covers having an auxiliary shield, or topper, which covers a major portion of an upper surface of the pad cover.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The care of nurturing of children has typically extended from birth through the high-school years. Though the type of care required changes over time, each period poses it own challenges to parents and caregivers. The care and nurturing of newborns and young infants present special issues, which marketplace has attempted to address.

One activity common to caregivers and infants in their care is that of changing diapers and garments. Oftentimes, such activities occur throughout the day and can be quite difficult to accomplish because infants tend to move constantly. The problem is compounded as the infant becomes more mobile and is unwilling to remain on his/her back during the changing process. This requires the care giver to stay more alert while changing diapers or garments because increasing mobility creates a higher risk of injury especially when the infant's needs are tended to from an elevated changing surface.

A caregiver will often change an infant's soiled diaper on a bed, in a crib or on a changing table. Sometimes, a changing sheet, towel or the like may be placed on the changing surface in order to provide a more sanitarily controlled condition for the infant. Such covering may also be more protective of the infant's skin and provide an insulating layer between infant and a cold surface.

During the past several decades, the use of specialized infant changing pads has become popular. Such changing pads are typically a relatively thick, resilient cushion that may be optionally enclosed in some sort of a cover or casing. An example of four-sided infant changing pad is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 338,110 issued Aug. 10, 1993 to Peay. A foldable, two-sided infant support cushion adapted for changing an infants diapers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,487 issued Oct. 3, 2000 to Ive. In each of these patents, a trough shaped upper surface is provided whereon the infant may be laid. FIG. 1 shows a typical, conventional two-sided, contoured changing pad that is available from any number of retail stores, such as J. C. Penney, Wal-Mart, Target, and K-Mart. The pad typically comprises a resilient foam core enclosed in a water-resistant padded envelope.

In the area of infant hygiene, disposable diapers have unfortunately come to dominate the marketplace, although a small number of parents buck the general trend by continuing to use washable, reusable cloth diapers. Unfortunately, when confronted with two choices—one of which involves ecological conduct, and the other convenient conduct—the latter is invariably chosen by the vast majority of people. However, regardless of the choice between disposable or reusable diapers, the problem of providing a sanitary surface on which the infant may be laid during the changing procedure is a vexing one. Changing diapers is typically a messy job, and while doing so, the area about which the activity occurs may easily become soiled. For this reason, caregivers often have to clean the changing area so that it remains sanitary for continued use. To respond to this need, changing stations are provided with removable covers that may be washed. Some of these removable covers are fitted over changing pads while others are able to detach and reattach by means of some fastening system.

The U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0016013 of John Lord and Donald Seigler discloses a changing station for supporting an infant while changing the infant's diapers and garments. It generally includes a support base having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first end, and a second end longitudinally spaced therefrom, with a bay disposed proximately to the first end, and a cover panel extending above and across the bay. The bay and cover panel define a chamber which holds a roll of dispensable sheet liner. Much like a physician's examining table, a section of the sheet liner can be dispensed from the chamber and disposed across the support base's upper surface. There are three potential problems associated with the invention. The first is that there is no provision for securing the dispensable sheet liner to the support base. Thus, a squirming, kicking infant may move the dispensable sheet liner, thereby exposing the underlying base, which may become soiled. The second is that, like most items manufactured in the U.S., the dispensable sheet liner is disposable and will invariably end up in landfills along with the disposable diapers. The third is that the disposable sheet is unlikely to be padded for comfort, as throw-away padding increases manufacturing costs, in addition to increasing the disposable landfill mass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a changing pad cover and a changing pad cover topper securable to each other with hook and loop fastener material. Though both items are specifically designed for use in combination with a two-sided, contoured infant changing pad, such as that shown in FIG. 1, they may also be used with a four-sided infant changing pad, although the fit may not be ideal. Either hook or loop fastener material is sewn to the pad in strips. Strips of the opposite fastener material (hook or loop) are sewn to the lower surface of the pad cover topper in a direction transverse to those sewn to the pad cover. For a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the pad cover topper is quilted and filled with a resilient material, such as a polyester fiberfill layer or a compacted cotton layer. The pad cover is sewn from conventional fabrics much like a fitted bottom sheet, with pockets that fit over the corners of the changing pad. Alternatively, it can completely envelope the changing pad and have one end opening that can be closed with either a zipper or hook and loop fasteners. The pad cover can be sewn from a variety of fabrics, and may be treated to resist soiling. Such fabrics can be made of cotton, a cotton and polyester blend, cotton and modal blend, rayon, a blend of spandex and cotton, a blend of spandex and polyester or a blend of spandex and both cotton and polyester. The pad cover topper can be created as a sandwich of two layers of fabric with the resilient padding between the two layers. The fabrics may be woven of natural or synthetic fibers, such as cotton, polyester and cotton blend, cotton and modal blend, rayon, and other non-elastomers. The two layers of fabric can be treated to prevent soiling, but should be water-permeable so that the interior padding can absorb a certain amount of aqueous liquids. The pad cover topper is easily removable from the changing pad cover for hand or machine washing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a typical two-sided, contoured changing pad enclosed in a padded cover equipped with a child-securing strap;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a changing pad enclosed in a padded cover, much like the pad and cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the upper surface of the changing pad cover topper;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the lower surface of the changing pad cover topper;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the changing pad cover topper secured to the changing pad cover;

FIG. 6 (Step 1) is a digital photograph of a typical two-sided, contoured changing pad covered with the changing pad cover;

FIG. 7 (Step 2) is a digital photograph of the changing pad cover topper being secured to the upper surface of the changing pad cover with the hook and loop fastener strips; and

FIG. 8 (Step 3) is a digital photograph of the changing pad cover topper fully secured to the changing pad cover.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawing figures. It should be understood that the drawings may not be drawn to scale and are intended to be merely illustrative of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the changing pad cover 200 has been placed over a changing pad, such as the one shown in FIG. 1. It will be noted that three strips of hook or loop fastener material 201 have been sewn to the outer upper surface 202 of the changing pad cover 200. The fastener material strips 201 are positioned laterally on the upper surface 202. The pad cover is sewn from conventional fabrics much like a fitted bottom sheet, with pockets that fit over the corners of the changing pad. Alternatively, it can completely envelope the changing pad and have one end opening that can be closed with either a zipper or hook and loop fasteners. The pad cover can be sewn from a variety of fabrics, and may be treated to resist soiling. Such fabrics can be made of cotton, a cotton and polyester blend, cotton and modal blend, rayon, a blend of spandex and cotton, a blend of spandex and polyester or a blend of spandex and both cotton and polyester.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the changing pad cover topper 300 is generally rectangular in shape, with rounded corners. The pad cover topper can be created as a sandwich of two layers of fabric with the resilient padding between the two layers. For a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the pad cover topper is quilted and filled with a resilient material, such as a polyester fiberfill layer or a compacted cotton layer. The fabrics may be woven of natural or synthetic fibers, such as cotton, polyester and cotton blend, cotton and modal blend, rayon, and other non-elastomers. The two layers of fabric can be treated to prevent soiling, but should be water-permeable so that the interior padding can absorb a certain amount of aqueous liquids.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the lower surface 401 of the changing pad cover topper 300 is equipped with a pair of fastener strips 402 sewn in a longitudinal direction thereto. The fastener strips 402 are of the opposite configuration as those sewn to the changing pad cover 200. In other words, if hook fastener material is sewn to the changing pad cover 200, then loop fastener material is sewn to the pad cover topper 300 and visa versa.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the pad cover topper 300 has been secured to the changing pad cover with the hook and loop fastener strips 201 and 402. The pad cover topper 300 is easily removable from the changing pad cover 200 for hand or machine washing. A clean replacement pad cover topper 300 can be secured to the changing pad cover 200 while a soiled pad cover topper 300 is being washed.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show the steps involved in practicing the present invention. In FIG. 6, a typical two-sided, contoured changing pad has been covered with the changing pad cover. In FIG. 7, the changing pad cover topper is being secured to the upper surface of the changing pad cover with the hook and loop fastener strips. In FIG. 8, the changing pad cover topper is shown fully secured to the changing pad cover.

Although only several embodiments of the invention are shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A cover assemblage for an infant changing pad, said cover assemblage comprising:

a cover securable to at least a top portion of the changing pad; and

a cover topper securable to said cover with hook and loop fastener material.

2. The cover assemblage of claim 1, wherein said cover is designed to cover primarily only a top portion of the changing pad, being equipped with corner pockets similar to those of a fitted bottom bed sheet, so that each corner pocket fits over a corner of said changing pad, thereby securing said cover to said changing pad.

3. The cover assemblage of claim 1, wherein said cover is designed to enclose said changing pad, said cover being essentially an envelope, with an end opening, into which said changing pad is slidably installable.

4. The cover assemblage of claim 3, wherein said opening incorporates a zipper closure.

5. The cover assemblage of claim 3, wherein one side of said opening is equipped with a flap that is securable to a second side of said opening.

6. The cover assemblage of claim 5, wherein said flap is securable to said second side of said opening using closure means selected form the group consisting of flexible ties, snaps, and hook and loop fastener material.

7. The cover assemblage of claim 1, which further comprises at least one additional cover topper, each of which can replace an installed cover topper when the latter becomes soiled.

8. The cover assemblage of claim 1, wherein fastener material is sewn to both said cover and said cover topper in strips, with strips on said cover being transversely oriented with respect to strips on said cover topper.

9. In combination with an infant changing pad, a cover assemblage comprising:

a cover securable to at least a top portion of the changing pad; and

a cover topper securable to said cover with hook and loop fastener material.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein said cover is designed to cover primarily only a top portion of the changing pad, being equipped with corner pockets similar to those of a fitted bottom bed sheet, so that each corner pocket fits over a corner of said changing pad, thereby securing said cover to said changing pad.

11. The combination of claim 9, wherein said cover is designed to enclose said changing pad, said cover being essentially an envelope, with an end opening, into which said changing pad is slidably installable.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said opening incorporates a zipper closure.

13. The combination of claim 11, wherein one side of said opening is equipped with a flap that is securable to a second side of said opening.

14. The combination of claim 13, wherein said flap is securable to said second side of said opening using closure means selected form the group consisting of flexible ties, snaps, and hook and loop fastener material.

15. The combination of claim 9, which further comprises at least one additional cover topper, each of which can replace an installed cover topper when the latter becomes soiled.

16. The combination of claim 9, wherein fastener material is sewn to both said cover and said cover topper in strips, with strips on said cover being transversely oriented with respect to strips on said cover topper.