Swaddling blanket and pouch combination
A swaddling blanket and pouch combination (SBPC) (10) that allows an infant to be comfortably and easily swaddled. The blanket (12) is comprised of a right blanket flap (28) and a left blanket flap (46) and includes a designated area to which is removably attached the pouch (70). The pouch features a lower end (78) which includes an opening and closing means that allows an infant's soiled diaper to be easily removed and replaced or to take a rectal temperature. The SBPC (10) is used by first placing the left blanket flap (46) over the pouch (70), which is then followed by placing the right blanket flap (28) over the pouch. The right and left blanket flaps (28,46) as well as the pouch (70) are preferably held in place by hook and loop fasteners (88).
The invention generally pertains to the field of infant swaddling blankets, and more particularly to a swaddling blanket and pouch combination. The pouch, which is removably attached, is made of a resilient material and includes a lower end that can be opened to change an infant's diaper or to take a rectal temperature.
BACKGROUND ARTArchaeological records indicate that infant swaddling blankets were first used around 4000 B.C. in the desert regions of Central Asia in combination with a back-pack cradle board. As time progressed, the migration of people from region to region became a relatively permanent way of life. Swaddling subsequently also became a common part of child-rearing.
Early swaddling blankets consisted of a square piece of cloth. The infant was laid on the cloth diagonally and the corners of the cloth were folded over the feet, body and under the head, and the corners were tied to hold the blanket in position. A swaddling blanket typically formed the clothing for an infant until the infant was about a year old. The confinement provided by the swaddling blanket provided warmth and security for the infant who had recently left the mother's womb.
Today, swaddling is a standard newborn care practice in most hospitals and consists of swaddling blankets that are tucked and are useful for keeping the baby warm and comfortable, without increasing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), because the wrappings stay well clear of the baby's face and airway. By the time the infant learns to roll over, usually around 6 months, the infant should be sleeping in less restrictive coverings so it has more freedom to respond when the infant succeeds in rolling over.
Current infant swaddles are designed to make it easier to swaddle an infant than with traditional square sheets or blankets. Typical, swaddling blankets having flaps that fold around the infant's body or down and over the baby's shoulders and around and underneath the infant. These current swaddling blankets have the problem of having a wakeful infant loosening the blanket and kicking the swaddling blanket off. These problems are eliminated or at least minimized by the swaddling blanket and pouch combination disclosed in the instant patent application.
A search of the prior art did not disclose literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
The 7,181,789 patent discloses a swaddling blanket having a back panel that supports an infant from the neck to the feet, a leg pouch that loosely contains the infant's legs, arm restraints that hold the infant's arms against and parallel to the infant's torso, a tapered short blanket arm to wrap over the infant and a tapered long blanket arm. The long blanket arm is dimensioned to wrap around the infant more than once from the opposite direction to provide pressure around the infant's arms and torso.
The 7,043,783 patent discloses a swaddling blanket having a back panel that supports an infant from the neck to the feet, a leg pouch that loosely contains the infant's legs, arm restraints that hold the infant's arms against and parallel to the infant's torso, a tapered short blanket arm to wrap over the infant, and a tapered long blanket arm. The long blanket arm is dimensioned to wrap around the infant more than once from the opposite direction to provide pressure around the infant's arms and torso.
The 6,928,674 patent discloses a swaddling blanket which includes a tri-folded fabric sheet having a middle section with a pocket secured to an inner side of the fabric sheet on two adjacent sides to form a pouch. The pouch is dimensioned to receive an infant feet-first and is open on two other adjacent sides, and having left and right sections that border the middle section on opposite sides thereof and a width that is sufficient to overlap an infant in the middle section pocket. The left and right sections carry cooperating fasteners arranged to releasably secure the left and right sections to each other when overlapped abut an infant in the middle section pocket.
The 6,868,566 patent discloses a swaddling blanket having a back panel that supports an infant from the neck to the feet, a leg pouch that loosely contains the infant's legs, arm restraints that hold the infant's arms against and parallel to the infant's torso, a tapered short blanket arm to wrap over the infant, and a tapered long blanket arm. The long blanket arm is dimensioned to wrap around the infant more than once from the opposite direction to provide pressure around the infant's arms and torso.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention relates, references may be made to the following remaining patents found in the search:
The swaddling blanket and pouch combination (SBPC) improves current swaddling blankets by providing a swaddling blanket design that includes a pouch that is made of a resilient material that aids in maintaining a comfortable pressure on an infant placed into the pouch. The pouch includes a means for allowing a lower and a side section of the pouch to be opened to allow an infant's soiled diaper to be removed and changed or to take a rectal temperature.
In its basic design configuration the SBPC is comprised of:
A. A swaddling blanket having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface has a marked pouch attachment area having a first side and a second side. From the first side extends longitudinally a first blanket flap and from the second side extends longitudinally a second blanket flap. The first blanket flap has a longitudinal length that is greater than the longitudinal length of the second blanket flap, and
B. A pouch having an inner surface with means for being removably attached to the marked pouch attachment area, an outer surface, an open upper end and a lower end. The lower end has means for being opened and closed to allow a diaper to be easily removed and replaced or to take a rectal temperature.
To utilize the SBPC, the second blanket flap is initially wrapped around the outer surface of the pouch and is attached thereto by an attachment means. After the second blanket flap is attached, the first blanket flap is wrapped around the second blanket flap and is attached thereto by the attachment means.
The means for attaching the inner surface of the pouch to the marked attachment area located on the swaddling blanket is selected from the group consisting of hook and loop fasteners, male and female detents and buttons. Likewise, the means for opening and closing the lower end of the pouch is selected from the group consisting of hook and loop fasteners, male and female detents and a zipper. The means for attaching the first and second blanket flaps is preferably a hook and loop fasteners.
In view of the above disclosure, the primary object of the invention is to provide a swaddling blanket and pouch combination that incorporates within a single article a swaddling blanket that has removably attached a pouch. The pouch features a lower end that is easily opened and closed to allow a diaper to be easily changed or to take a rectal temperature and can also include a removably attached infant head cover.
In addition to the primary object of the invention it is also an object of the invention to provide a swaddling blanket and pouch combination that:
-
- can be produced from various materials that will not gather at the infant's neck,
- can be produced in various dimensions to accommodate infants of various sizes,
- can be made of various colors such as a pink or a blue color to identify the sex of the infant,
- simulates a “womb-like” environment therefore is less traumatic on the infant,
- keeps the infant better positioned so the infant is less likely to turn, suffocate, and reduces the risk of SIDS,
- provides breath-ability so that the infant does not overheat,
- provides a pressure around the infant which is imperative for drug-exposed infants, and
- is cost effective from both a consumer's and manufacturer's point of view.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of a preferred embodiment for a swaddling blanket and pouch combination (SBPC) that is designed to improve current designs of swaddling blankets by including an infant pouch which is made of a resilient material that maintains a comforting pressure on an infant that is placed into the pouch. The pouch is removably attached and includes closeable lower and side openings that allow a diaper to be easily removed and a clean diaper attached or to take a rectal temperature.
The preferred embodiment of the SBPC 10, as shown in
The swaddling blanket 12, as shown attached to the pouch 70 in
The right blanket flap 28 is further comprised of a inner edge 30 that is integral with the right pouch border attachment mark 20, an outer edge 32, an upper edge 34, a lower edge 36, an inner surface 38 and an outer surface 40. Likewise, the left blanket flap 46, as also shown in
As shown in
The blanket's 12 right blanket flap 28 and left blanket flap 46 can be configured in at least four different shapes. In the first shape, as shown in
The second shape, as shown in
Third shape, as shown in
The fourth shape, as shown in
The pouch 70, which is the second major element of the SBPC 10, is shown attached to the swaddling blanket 12 in
The inner section 72 is dimensioned to be attached by an attachment means 86 to the area bordered by the right and left pouch border attachment marks 20,22 which are located on the swaddling blanket 12, as shown best in
The pouch 70, as shown in
As shown in
To utilize the SBPC 10, as shown in
While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and the scope of the claims.
Swaddling Blanket and Pouch Combination Element Designation
Claims
1. A swaddling blanket and pouch combination (SBPC) comprising:
- a) said a swaddling blanket having comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface has comprises a marked pouch attachment pouch-attachment area form where from which laterally extends a right first blanket flap and a left second blanket flap, wherein the left blanket flap has a longitudinal length that is less than the longitudinal length of the right blanket flap, and
- b) said a pouch having an inner surface with comprising means for being removably attached attaching the inner surface of the pouch to the marked pouch attachment pouch-attachment area, an outer surface, an open upper end portion, and a lower end having recloseable portion, spaced apart from the open portion and extending at least along a segment of a lower end of the pouch opposite the open portion and a segment of a first side of the pouch, the recloseable portion comprising means for being opened and closed opening and closing to allow a diaper to be easily removed and replaced or to take a rectal temperature access to an interior of the pouch, wherein said means for removably attaching the inner surface of said pouch to the marked pouch attachment pouch-attachment area located on said swaddling blanket is selected from the group consisting of hook and loop fasteners, male and female detents, and buttons, wherein to utilize said SBPC, in use, the left second blanket flap is initially wrapped around the outer surface of said pouch, which is then followed by wrapping and the right first blanket flap is wrapped over and around the left second blanket flap.
2. A swaddling blanket and pouch combination (SBPC) comprising:
- a) said a swaddling blanket having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface has comprising a marked pouch attachment pouch-attachment area from where which laterally extends a right first blanket flap and a left second blanket flap, wherein the left blanket flap has a longitudinal length that is less than the longitudinal length of the right blanket flap, and
- b) said a pouch having an inner surface with means for being removably attached comprising a first outward-facing portion comprising one or more fasteners configured to removably attach the first outward-facing portion of the pouch to the marked pouch attachment pouch-attachment area, an outer surface a second outward-facing portion, an open upper end and a lower end having, a recloseable portion, spaced apart from the open upper end and extending at least along a segment of a lower end of the pouch opposite the open portion and a segment of a first side of the pouch, the recloseable portion comprising means for being opened and closed to allow a diaper to be easily removed and replaced or to take a rectal temperature opening and closing to allow access to an interior of the pouch, an infant head cover that is removably attached to the open upper end of said pouch by means of hook and loop fasteners, male and female detents and, or buttons, wherein to utilize said SBPC, in use, the left second blanket flap is initially wrapped around the outer surface second outward-facing portion of said pouch, which is then followed by wrapping the right and the first blanket flap is wrapped over and around the left second blanket flap.
3. A swaddling blanket and pouch combination (SBPC) comprising:
- A. said a swaddling blanket comprising: a) a pouch attachment pouch-attachment area having: comprising (1) an upper edge, (2) a lower edge, (3) a right pouch border attachment mark a first side, and (4) a left pouch border attachment mark a second side, b) a right a first blanket flap having: comprising (1) an inner edge that is integral with the right pouch border attachment mark portion proximal the first side of the pouch-attachment area, and (2) an outer edge portion, (3) an upper edge, (4) a lower edge, (5) an inner surface and (6) an outer surface, c) a left a second blanket flap having: comprising (1) an inner edge that is integral with the left pouch border attachment mark portion proximal the second side of the pouch-attachment area, and (2) an outer edge portion, (3) an upper edge, (4) a lower edge, (5) an inner surface and (6) an outer surface, wherein the longitudinal length of said left blanket flap is less than the longitudinal length of said right blanket flap,
- B. said a pouch having comprising: a) an inner section that is dimensioned a first outward-facing portion configured to be attached by an attachment means one or more pouch fasteners to the area bordered by the right and left pouch border attachment marks located pouch-attachment area on said swaddling blanket, b) an integrally attached outer section a second outward-facing portion, c) an open upper and portion, d) a closeable lower end and side end, e) a right a first side, and g) a left a second side, a recloseable portion of the pouch spaced apart from the open portion and extending at least along a segment of the pouch's lower end and along a segment of the pouch's first side and/or a segment of the pouch's second side, and wherein to utilize said SBPC, in use, the left second blanket flap commencing from the left pouch border attachment mark is wrapped sequentially around said pouch's inner section, the left side, the outer section second side and second outward-facing portion and and with the outer edge portion of the left second blanket flap is configured to be attached by an attachment means one or more second-blanket-flap fasteners to the right first side of said pouch, likewise and wherein, in use, the right first blanket flap is wrapped sequentially around the left blanket flap that is attached to the right side of said pouch, around the outer and left side section of said pouch with the pouch's first side and second outward-facing portion and the outer edge portion of the right first blanket flap is configured to be attached by the attachment means one or more first-blanket-flap fasteners to the left second blanket flap that is attached to the inner section of said pouch, wherein said pouch is dimensioned sized and configured to allow an infant to be placed partially into said pouch, with the infant's arms located internally within said pouch or with the infant's arms located externally to said pouch.
4. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein the first blanket flap comprises a lower portion, the second blanket flap comprises a lower portion, and said pouch has a length that preferably places is sized and configured such that, when in use, the open upper end portion of said pouch adjacent to is near the chest area of an the infant and the lower end recloseable portion of said pouch adjacent to is near the lower edge portions of said swaddling first and second blanket flaps.
5. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 4 wherein said pouch is made of a resilient, soft material that applies configured to apply a comforting pressure around the infant.
6. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 5 wherein the resilient, soft material is comprises one or more fabrics selected from the group consisting of cotton, spandex, stretch denim, stretch vinyl and stretch velvet.
7. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said means for attaching the inner section of said pouch to the pouch attachment area on said swaddling blanket is one or more pouch fasteners comprises one or more fasteners selected from the group consisting of hook and loop fasteners, male and female detents, and buttons; said one or more first-blanket-flap fasteners comprises hook and loop fasteners; and said one or more second-blanket-flap fasteners comprises hook and loop fasteners.
8. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein the closeable lower end recloseable portion of said pouch further comprises an opening and closing means a flap comprising an edge that extends along the a lower end of said pouch that, when in use, is near the infant's feet and continuous partially along either the right or the left at least one side of said pouch, wherein the opening and closing recloseable portion further comprising means allows said pouch to be opened to allow a soiled diaper to be easily removed and replaced or to take a rectal temperature for opening and closing the flap to allow access to an interior of the pouch.
9. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 8 wherein the opening and closing means for opening and closing said pouch means is selected from the group consisting of comprises hook and loop fasteners, male and female detents, a zipper and, or a drawstring.
10. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said pouch further comprises further comprising an infant head cover that is removably attached to and extends from attachable to the open upper end of said pouch or said blanket.
11. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 10 wherein said infant head cover is removably attached attachable to the upper end of said pouch or to the upper edge of said blanket by an attachment means that is one or more fasteners selected from the group consisting of hook and loop fasteners, male and female detents, and buttons.
12. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 10 wherein said infant head cover is made of comprises a resilient, soft material that is comprising one or more fabrics selected from the group consisting of cotton, spandex, stretch denim, stretch vinyl and stretch velvet.
13. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein:
- a) the upper edges of the right first and left second blanket flaps are angled downward from the respective upper edge of said blanket inner portions to the respective outer portions of the first and second blanket flaps, and
- b) the lower edges of the right first and left second blanket flaps are angled upward from the respective lower edge of said blanket inner portions to the respective outer portions of the first and second blanket flaps, wherein the right first and left second blanket flaps each terminate at an outer edge configured as a centered radiused apex.
14. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein the upper edges of the right first and left second blanket flaps are in respective alignment with the upper edge of said blanket generally aligned and generally parallel, and the lower edges of the right first and left second blanket flaps are in respective alignment with the lower edge of said blanket generally aligned and generally parallel.
15. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein:
- a) the upper edges of said right first and left second blanket flaps are in alignment with the respective upper edge of said blanket generally aligned and generally parallel, and
- b) the lower edges of said right first and left second blanket flaps are angled upward from the respective lower edge of said blanket inner portions to the respective outer portions of the first and second blanket flaps, wherein the right first and left second blanket flaps each terminate in an outer edge configured as an off-centered radiused apex.
16. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein:
- a) the upper edges of said right first and left second blanket flaps are angled downward from the respective upper edge of said blanket inner portions to the respective outer portions of the first and second blanket flaps, and
- b) the lower edges of said right first and left second blanket flaps are in alignment with the respective lower edge of said blanket generally aligned and generally parallel, wherein the right first and left second blanket flaps each terminate at an outer edge configured as an off-centered radiused apex.
17. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said swaddling blanket is made of comprises a material that is selected from the group consisting of wool, cotton, and waterproof nylon.
18. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 1 wherein one of the first and second blanket flaps has a lateral length that is less than the lateral length of the other of the first and second blanket flaps.
19. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 2 wherein the infant head cover is configured to be removably attached near the open end of the pouch with one or more fasteners.
20. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 2 wherein the infant head cover is configured to be removably attached to the blanket with one or more fasteners.
21. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 1, the recloseable portion further extending along a segment of a second side of the pouch.
22. The swaddling blanket and pouch combination as specified in claim 2, the recloseable portion further extending along a segment of a second side of the pouch.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Aug 9, 2012
Date of Patent: Mar 1, 2016
Inventor: Hindi R. Zeidman (Upland, CA)
Primary Examiner: Matthew C Graham
Application Number: 13/571,009
International Classification: A47G 9/08 (20060101); A01M 1/20 (20060101); A01M 1/24 (20060101); A01N 43/16 (20060101);