Anti-Rollover Infant Sleep Garment

Abstract

A wearable garment for maintaining an infant in the supine position while sleeping is disclosed. The garment includes a body for holding an infant, first and second pockets, first and second support pads insertable in the first and second pockets, and means for preventing the unintentional removal of the support pads from the pockets.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates generally to protective infant devices and more specifically, to a wearable anti-rollover garment for keeping an infant in the supine position.

[0002] Keeping the infants in the supine position is a new tool in the fight to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ("SIDS"). SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of an infant who is younger than one year old. It is a frightening prospect because it can strike without warning, usually in a seemingly healthy infant. In fact, SIDS is the leading cause of death in healthy babies after one month of age. Most SIDS deaths are associated with sleep, and infants who die of SIDS show no signs of suffering. SIDS is responsible for roughly 0.05%, or 50 deaths per 100,000 births in the U.S.

[0003] Although there has been little understanding of the syndrome's biological cause or causes, studies have identified several risk factors for SIDS. Foremost among these risk factors is stomach sleeping. Numerous studies have found a higher incidence of SIDS among babies placed on their stomachs to sleep than among those sleeping on their backs or sides. Some researchers have hypothesized that stomach sleeping puts pressure on a child's jaw, therefore narrowing the airway and hampering breathing.

[0004] Another theory is that stomach sleeping can increase an infant's risk of rebreathing his or her own exhaled air, particularly if the infant is sleeping on a soft mattress or with bedding, stuffed toys, or a pillow near the face. In this scenario, the soft surface could create a small enclosure around the baby's mouth and trap exhaled air. As the baby breathes exhaled air, the oxygen level in the body drops and carbon dioxide accumulates. Eventually, this lack of oxygen could contribute to SIDS.

[0005] Therefore, sleeping on the back has been recommended for some time to avoid SIDS. In fact, the incidence of SIDS cases have dropped significantly since the American Academy of Pediatrics rolled out their "Back to Sleep" campaign. To this end, several attempts have been aimed at preventing infants from rolling over on their stomachs while sleeping. However, these prior art attempts at maintaining infants in a supine position suffer from several disadvantages. For example, one of the prior art attempts involves a wearable harness having supports for maintaining infants in the supine position. However, these supports are detached from the garment worn by the infant. Because the supports can be easily separated from the garment, it is likely that the infant can roll over onto its stomach while sleeping.

SUMMARY

[0006] A wearable anti-rollover garment for infants solving at least one or more problems associated with the prior art is disclosed. According to one exemplary embodiment, the wearable garment for maintaining an infant in the supine position includes a body, pockets attached to the body, foam pads insertable in the pockets for maintaining an infant in a supine position, and straps for preventing the inadvertent removal of the foam pads from the pockets. Pockets provide a superior method for removably integrating the pads directly into an infant sleeping garment, while enabling their easy removal in order to wash the garment or otherwise carry the child.

[0007] In another exemplary embodiment, the garment has sleeves for the wearer, and the garment body includes either a singular sack or separate leg portions. The body of the garment is opened and closed by using either zippers, clamps, clasps, hook and loop strips, buttons or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing showing one exemplary embodiment of an anti-rollover garment.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing showing another exemplary embodiment of an anti-rollover garment.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a frontal view of the exemplary embodiment of the anti-rollover garment of FIG. 2.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the exemplary embodiment of the anti-rollover garment of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0012] In the following description, like numbers refer to like elements.

[0013] Referring now to the figures and in particular FIG. 1, a first exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated as wearable infant anti-rollover garment 10. The garment 10 includes a body 12, pockets 14A and 14B, support straps 16, a zipper 18, pocket closing straps 20A and 20B and foam pads 22A and 22B. Pockets 14A and 14B are securely attached to the body 12. For example, in one embodiment, the pockets 14A and 14B can be sewn directly to the body 12 using standard sewing practices to create a strong seam between the body 12 and the pockets 14A and 14B. This prevents the pockets from being removed. Alternatively, the pockets 14A and 14B can be attached to the body 12 using buttons, string, buckles, clamps, clasps, adhesives, hook and loop strips, tape and the like. One skilled in the art will recognize that by securely attaching the pockets 14A and 14B to the body 12, the pockets 14A and 14B will have a greater likelihood of remaining in place and thus, will not be inadvertently separated from the body as can occur with prior art devices.

[0014] The body 12 further includes support straps 16 through which the infant's arms are placed. A zipper 18 for opening and closing the body 12 is disclosed in FIG. 1. The opening-closing mechanism 18 can also be in the form of clamps, clasps, hook and loop strips, buttons or any other suitable method for opening and closing the body.

[0015] Attached to the pockets 14A and 14B are pocket closing straps 20A and 20B. The pocket closing straps 20A and 20B are designed to prevent foam pads 22A and 22B from being inadvertently removed from pockets 14A and 14B. While FIG. 1 shows straps 20A and 20B for closing pockets 14A and 14B, alternatively, foam pads 22A and 22B can be secured in the pockets 14A and 14B using zippers, clamps, clasps, hook and loop strips, buttons and the like.

[0016] Foam pads are inserted into pockets 14A and 14B and secured in the pockets 14A and 14B using straps 20A and 20B. When inserted in the pockets 14A and 14B, foam pads 22A and 22B provide support for preventing an infant from rolling over, and thus, maintains the infant in the supine position. In lieu of using foam for pads 22A and 22B, the pads 22A and 22B can be constructed of any type of sufficiently firm material, capable of firmly maintaining the position of the infant's body. Additionally, pads 22A and 22B can be bags for holding water, sand or other material capable of maintaining the position of the infant's body when inserted into pockets 14A and 14B.

[0017] Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, a second exemplary embodiment of an anti-rollover garment 100 is disclosed. The garment 100 is comprised of a body 120, pockets 140A and 140B, shoulder straps 160, a zipper 180, pocket closing straps 200, foam pads 220A and 220B and rubber pads 240A and 240B. In this exemplary embodiment, body 120 contains separate portions for the insertion of an infant's legs in the body 120 of garment 100. Further, shoulder straps 160 can be replaced with full sleeves which keep the infant warm in colder environments.

[0018] Rubber pads 240A and 240B are included on the body 120 to prevent infants from sliding in their rest area while wearing the garment 100. Rubber pads 240A and 240B are releaseably attached to the body 120 with the use of zippers, clamps, clasps, hook and loop strips, buttons or other suitable means for attaching materials together. Alternatively, rubber pads 240A and 240B can be composed of any material suitable to prevent infants from sliding while wearing the garment 100. Although shown in FIG. 4 as oval-shaped, the pads 240A and 240B can also be in any geometric shape and still prevent infants from sliding in their rest area.

[0019] The foregoing description is of an exemplary and preferred embodiments employing at least in part certain teachings of the invention. The invention, as defined by the appended claims, is not limited to the described embodiments. Alterations and modifications to the disclosed embodiments may be made without departing from the invention. The meaning of the terms used in this specification are, unless expressly stated otherwise, intended to have ordinary and customary meaning and are not intended to be limited to the details of the illustrated structures or the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

1. A garment for maintaining an infant in a supine position: a body for holding an infant; at least first and second pockets attached to the body; at least first and second support pads insertable in the at least first and second pockets; and at least first and second straps for maintaining the at least first and second support pads within the first and second pockets.

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein the body further includes sleeves attached to the body.

3. The garment of claim 1, wherein the body further includes separate lower portions for the insertion of an infant's legs.

4. The garment of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises an opening and closing mechanism for holding the infant in the body of the garment.

5. The garment of claim 1, wherein the at least first and second support pads are comprised of a firm material capable of preventing an infant from rolling over.

6. The garment of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises at least one pad for preventing the body from sliding or slipping while being worn.

7. The garment of claim 6, wherein the at least one pad can be any geometric shape.

8. A wearable anti-rollover garment, comprising: means for holding an infant; means for preventing the body of the garment from rotating attached to the means for holding the body of an infant, wherein the means for preventing the body of the garment from rotating includes at least first and second pockets capable of receiving at least first and second support means; and means for securing the at least first and second support means within the means for preventing the body from rotating.

9. The garment of claim 8, wherein the means for holding an infant further comprises means for supporting the infant's upper and lower body portions.

10. The garment of claim 8, wherein the further support means are foam pads.

11. The garment of claim 8, wherein the further support means are comprised of a firm material capable of preventing an infant from rolling over.

12. The garment of claim 8, wherein the means for securing the support means within the means for preventing the body from rotating are straps.

13. The garment of claim 8, further comprising a means for preventing the anti-rollover garment from sliding while being worn.

14. A garment for regulating the movement of a garment wearer, comprising; means for supporting the body of the garment wearer; and means for restricting the torsional rotation of the garment wearer attached to the means for supporting the body of the garment wearer.

15. The garment of claim 14, further including means insertable inside the means for restricting the torsional rotation of the garment wearer capable of holding a material for restricting the torsional rotation of the garment wearer.

16. The garment of claim 14, wherein the means insertable inside the means for restricting the torsional rotation of the wearer includes bags capable of holding one of any type of various weighted materials.

17. The garment of claims 16, wherein one of any type of various weighted materials include sand.

18. The garment of claims 16, wherein one of any type of various weighted materials include water.