BABY CARRIER AND INTERCHANGEABLE CARRIER COVER
An interchangeable cover for a middle panel of a baby carrier.
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This application is a non-provisional of and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/798,515, filed Mar. 15, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONBaby carriers typically include first and second shoulder straps and a waist strap that are connected by a front panel in order to define a cavity or opening therein. The opening is closed at one end and is designed to receive an infant or child therein. The carrier allows a parent to wear the carrier such that the child is secured next to the parent's body. In this way, the parent is able to hold and bond with the child. The carrier also enables the parent to have both hands free to make everyday activities easier.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an improved baby carrier, and more specifically to an interchangeable cover for the baby carrier.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a baby including a front panel, a waist strap, and a cover. The front panel includes a middle portion, a first top arm extending from the middle portion, a second top arm extending from the middle portion, a first bottom arm extending from the middle portion, and a second bottom arm extending from the middle portion. The waist strap is coupled to the front panel and includes complementary connectors for securing around a user's waist. The cover is removably coupled to the middle portion and includes a first opening for the first top arm, a second opening for the second top arm, a third opening for the first bottom arm, and a fourth opening for the second bottom arm.
In other embodiment, the invention provides an interchangeable cover for a baby carrier. The cover comprises a first sheet of material; a second sheet of material; the first sheet of material connected to the second sheet of material at a top edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge to define four separate openings, wherein the four separate openings are configured to receive portions of a baby carrier to secure the cover to the baby carrier.
In another embodiment the invention provides a method of changing a cover on a baby carrier. The method comprises folding a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and a fourth arm on the baby carrier toward a middle panel of the baby carrier, sliding the cover over the middle panel; and unfolding the four arms on the baby carrier away from the middle panel.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a baby carrier including a panel integrally coupled to a waist strap. The panel includes first and second lower arms and first and second upper arms extending from the panel. The baby carrier also includes first and second shoulder straps that are removably coupled to the upper and lower pairs of arms. The baby carrier further includes a cover that is removably positioned over the panel. The cover may be removed and replaced to ensure that the carrier remains in a good condition and for interchangeable fashion. The cover prevents the carrier, and specifically the front panel, from retaining stains from spills and bodily fluids.
Further, with respect to
The front side 158 and the back side 162 are also coupled to one another at a first location and a second opposite location about midway between the first end 150 and the second end 154. The front side 158 and the back side 162 are stitched together at a periphery thereof to define first and second top openings 42, 46 and first and second bottom openings 52, 56. The first and the second top openings 42, 46 are configured to receive the first and second top arms 26, 30 therethrough. Similarly, the first and second bottom openings 52, 56 are configured to receive the first and second bottom arms 34, 38 therethrough.
When the cover 14 is coupled to the middle portion 24, the second end 154 of the cover 14 is secured to the distal end 72 of the front panel 22. The second end 154 slips over and receives the first end of the middle portion 24, and each of the first and the second top arms 26, 30 and the first and the second bottom arms 34, 38 are disposed between the front and the back sides 158, 162 of the cover 14 and extend outwardly from the cover 14 through the respective openings 42, 46, 52, 56. The securement portion 60 couples with a mating securement portion 66 on the front panel 22. The cover 14 may be secured to the front panel 22 in other suitable ways as well.
With reference to
In the illustrated embodiment, a removable fabric member 92 (
The front panel 22, shoulder straps 112, 116, waist strap 68, and member 92 define a cavity or an opening 120 configured to receive an infant or child. The baby carrier 10 is worn such that the front panel 22 is situated on a front of the user's body. As such, the shoulder straps 112, 116 and the waist strap 68 extend from the front of the user's body to the back. The child is received within the opening 120 and between the panel 22 and the front of the user's body. The child faces toward or away from the user and sits on the member 92. His or her arms extend through openings 123, 125 created on opposites sides thereof formed between the respective first arms 26, 30 and second arms 34, 38. Similarly, his or her legs extend through openings 124, 128 created on opposite sides thereof formed between the waist member 68 and the respective first and second bottom arms 34, 38. In this position, the cover 14 that overlays the front panel 22 frequently becomes dirty while in use as a result of saliva and other fluids that may drip thereon. Therefore, the cover 14 is removable from the carrier 10 such that the carrier 10 is protected from stains and spills. Because the cover 14 is removable, it is washable so that the carrier 10 remains in a good, clean condition. The cover 14 is also interchangeable with other covers, which may have different and unique patterns.
Thus, the invention provides, among other things, an interchangeable cover for a baby carrier that is removable and replaceable. The cover prevents the carrier from stains and spills and is washable to maintain the carrier in a good, clean condition. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A baby carrier comprising:
- a front panel including a middle portion, a first top arm extending from the middle portion, a second top arm extending from the middle portion, a first bottom arm extending from the middle portion, and a second bottom arm extending from the middle portion;
- a waist strap coupled to the front panel and including complementary connectors for securing around a user's waist; and
- a cover removably coupled to the middle portion and including a first opening for the first top arm, a second opening for the second top arm, a third opening for the first bottom arm, and a fourth opening for the second bottom arm.
2. The baby carrier of claim 1, further comprising a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder strap, and wherein the first shoulder strap is coupled to the first top arm and the first bottom arm and the second shoulder strap is coupled to the second top arm and the second bottom arm.
3. The baby carrier of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a first end opposite a second end, a front side and a back side, the front side and the back side coupled at the first end such that the first end is closed and spaced apart at the second end such that the second end is open.
4. The baby carrier of claim 3, wherein the middle portion includes a top, a bottom, a first side, and a second side, and when the cover is coupled to the middle portion, the open end of the cover is secured to the bottom of the middle portion, the closed end of the cover receives the top of the middle portion, and each of the first and the second top arms and the first and the second bottom arms are disposed between the front and the back sides of the cover.
5. The baby carrier of claim 2, wherein each of the first and the second shoulder straps is removably coupled to the front panel at two points.
6. The baby carrier of claim 1, further comprising a member removably coupled to the middle portion and to the waist strap.
7. The baby carrier of claim 1, wherein the cover is interchangeable with another cover.
8. The baby carrier of claim 2, wherein each of the waist strap, the first shoulder strap, and the second shoulder strap are adjustable.
9. An interchangeable cover for a baby carrier, the cover comprising:
- a first sheet of material;
- a second sheet of material;
- the first sheet of material connected to the second sheet of material at a top edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge to define four separate openings,
- wherein the four separate openings are configured to receive portions of a baby carrier to secure the cover to the baby carrier.
10. The interchangeable cover of claim 9, further comprising a connector on one of the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material to secure the cover to the baby carrier.
11. The interchangeable cover of claim 1, wherein the first sheet of material is further connected to the second sheet of material at a bottom portion of the first side edge and a bottom portion of the second side edge.
12. The interchangeable cover of claim 1, wherein a bottom edge of the first sheet of material and the second sheet of material remain unconnected.
13. A method of changing a cover on a baby carrier, the method comprising:
- folding a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and a fourth arm on the baby carrier toward a middle panel of the baby carrier;
- sliding the cover over the middle panel; and
- unfolding the four arms on the baby carrier away from the middle panel.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling a first shoulder strap to the first arm and the second arm.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising coupling a second shoulder strap to the third arm and the fourth arm.
16. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling a bottom of the cover to the middle panel of the baby carrier to secure the cover on the middle panel.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 13, 2014
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
Applicant: TOMY INTERNATIONAL, INC. (Dyersville, IA)
Inventor: Kellyn Bailey (Logan, UT)
Application Number: 14/209,998
International Classification: A47D 13/02 (20060101);