Bib and/or Apron for Use on a Baby
This disclosure is for a baby's bib and/or apron, referred to as a “bapron,” that affixes to the baby securely, safely, comfortably, and which accommodates the growing size of the baby. The bapron has a generally rectangular bottom portion, configured to cover at least the baby's stomach and a portion of the baby's lap, and a U-shaped top section that includes two upwardly extending shoulder members. The shoulder members are configured and attached to form arm loops in which the baby's arms extend. The shoulder members support the bib and/or apron over the baby's shoulders and tie together with straps securing the bapron behind the baby's back.
Bibs and aprons are the best products to protect a wearer's clothing during eating, cooking, and other messy activities. For babies, bibs and aprons can be a necessity, especially when the baby is eating (typically done with their hands), painting, or a handful of other messy activities.
With the necessity and high use of baby bibs and aprons, as well as the simple fact that they are being used on babies, such products must be made in a manner that they are safe and do not cause harm or irritation to the baby. Baby bibs and aprons can be made of cloth, plastic or any other suitable material. Most bibs focus on protecting the baby's chest and almost always use straps that tie at least around the baby's neck. In tying around the neck, however, problems can occur. First, there are potential safety problems with anything tied around a baby's neck, especially as the baby moves, squirms and pulls at the bib or apron. Additionally, the straps used to tie the bib or apron can chafe the baby's neck.
It is also necessary to have a bib or apron stay in place covering the baby's chest as the baby squirms and moves around, and highly desirable to have a bib or apron that can trap food rather than having the food simply drop to the floor. Those bibs that tie around the baby's neck do not securely affix the bib to the baby's body. Instead, bibs of this design can easily shift and fail to adequately cover the baby's body as the baby moves. While some bibs are designed with pockets to catch fallen food, the pockets themselves trap food in a way that it is often difficult to clean and remove the food particles from the pockets.
Finally, new bibs must be purchased as the baby grows to properly fit and be able to be secured around the baby. Most baby bib designs, however, are not practical for a one-size bib while adequately accommodating the growth of the baby over time. It is thus highly desirable to also have a bib that can also accommodate the baby's growth and still be secure as the baby gets older.
Other baby bibs or aprons have been shown, but none having all the desirable features and attributes and solving the needs referenced above. See, for example, the Cover All Bib by Tiny Tailor designs, shown at https://www.etsy.com/listing/470549988/bib-cover-all-bib-bapron-reversible-bib?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us e-clothing-unisex_kids_clothing-unisex_baby_clothing&utm_custom1=e8a086c8-2edf-4bda-91e8-980de24c7d8f&gclid=COjH_Yvg79; the ZARA aprons shown at: https://www.zara.com/us/en/kids/accessories/mini/yummy-bib-pack-c893637p4080677.html#utm_referrer=http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/kids/clothi ng-footwear/best-baby-bibs-uk-for-spit-up-drooling-solids-a6728256.html; the “Cute Baby Piglet farm Animals Babies Zazzle HEART Apron” shown at https://www.zazzle.com/cute_baby_piglet_farm_animals_babies_zazzle_heart_apron-256315143290630148; the “Blue Chevron Baby Bapron Bib” by MamuDesigns, shown at https://www.etsy.com/listing/289244771/blue-chevron-baby-bapron-bib-bapron?ref=shop_home_active_19]; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,904,968.
SUMMARYMy invention is directed to a baby bib and/or apron, referred to as a “bapron,” that satisfies the needs and contains the desired features referenced above. It will securely, safely and comfortably cover the entire chest, stomach, and at least part of a baby's lap. It contains two shoulder members that in use extend over the shoulders of the baby, with straps that tie in a single and safe location behind the baby's back. By fitting over the baby's shoulders and torso, my invention more securely and comfortably affixes the bapron to the baby and covers a larger portion of his or her body. My invention also catches food that the baby drops while eating by a binding around the bapron and by creating a bowl-like shape in the baby's lap. My invention also accommodates the baby's increasing size, obviating the need to purchase larger sizes of the bapron as the child grows.
My invention will be better understood from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference designators are used to designate like elements, and in which:
While my invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and herein described in detail, features, structures, or characteristics of my/our invention as demonstrated in various preferred embodiments. These embodiments are to be considered for illustrative purposes and as an exemplification of the principles of my/our invention and are not intended to limit the broad aspects of my/our invention to the specific embodiments illustrated herein. The features, structures, or characteristics of my/our invention as disclosed in any one preferred embodiment, for example, may be rearranged or combined with the features, structures or characteristics in any other embodiment. One skilled in the relevant art will also recognize that my/our invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
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While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A bapron for use on a baby, said bapron comprising,
- a. a piece of fabric having a generally rectangular shaped bottom section and a generally U-shaped top section;
- b. said generally rectangular shaped bottom section having a width and height configured to cover the baby's stomach and at least a portion of the baby's lap;
- c. said generally U-shaped top section having a bottom portion with a left side and a right side, an elongated left shoulder member extending upwardly from the left side of said bottom portion, and an elongated right shoulder member extending upwardly from the right side of said bottom portion; said shoulder members configured in spaced relationship from each other to accommodate space for a baby's neck therebetween and to lie over a baby's shoulders and said bottom portion configured to at least cover a portion of a baby's chest;
- d. said elongated left shoulder member having a top end opposite from the bottom portion of the generally U-shaped top section from which the left sleeve extends, and said elongated right shoulder member having a top end opposite from the bottom section of the generally U-shaped top section from which the right sleeve extends;
- e. the top end of the left sleeve connected in proximity to the left edge of the generally rectangular shaped bottom section approximately at the uppermost limit of the bottom section creating a loop with said elongated shoulder member to accommodate a baby's arm therethrough;
- f. the top end of the right shoulder member connected in proximity to the right edge of the generally rectangular shaped bottom section approximately at the uppermost limit of the bottom section creating a loop with said elongated shoulder member to accommodate a baby's arm therethrough;
- g. a first strap having two ends, one end of said left strap connected to the top end of the left shoulder member and the other end unattached, and a second strap having two ends, one end of said second strap connected to the top end of the right sleeve and the other end unattached, whereby said unattached ends of said straps configured to tie to each other at and around a baby's back.
2. The bapron of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises a polyurethane laminate knit fabric;
3. The bapron of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises multiple layers of material;
4. The bapron of claim 1, further comprising a binding attached to and at the edges of said fabric configured to catch crumbs and spills when the baby is eating.
5. The bapron of claim 4, wherein said first and second straps are each an extension of said binding.
6. The bapron of claim 1, wherein the connection of the top end of the left shoulder member in proximity to the left edge of the bottom section is formed by the top end of the left sleeve positioned adjacent and near the left edge of the bottom section and connected by the binding attached to and around the edges of the fabric.
7. The bapron of claim 1, wherein the connection of the top end of the right shoulder member in proximity to the right edge of the bottom section is formed by the top end of the right sleeve positioned adjacent and near the right edge of the bottom section and connected by the binding attached to and around the edges of the fabric.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 7, 2017
Publication Date: Dec 13, 2018
Inventor: Kelsey A. Larsen (Surprise, AZ)
Application Number: 15/616,722