U.S. patent application number 14/577959 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-23 for pocket swaddle.
This patent application is currently assigned to BreathableBaby, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Dale Richard Waters, Susan Marie Waters. Invention is credited to Dale Richard Waters, Susan Marie Waters.
Application Number | 20160174619 14/577959 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56127965 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160174619 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Waters; Dale Richard ; et
al. |
June 23, 2016 |
POCKET SWADDLE
Abstract
A baby swaddle fashioned from breathable mesh material has a
pocket for receiving a baby. The swaddle may also include a left
and right outer wing for wrapping around the baby. One or more of
the wings are cinched and released through a non-hook and loop
closure apparatus to avoid waking up a sleeping baby.
Inventors: |
Waters; Dale Richard;
(Eagan, MN) ; Waters; Susan Marie; (Eagan,
MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Waters; Dale Richard
Waters; Susan Marie |
Eagan
Eagan |
MN
MN |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
BreathableBaby, LLC
Minnetonka
MN
|
Family ID: |
56127965 |
Appl. No.: |
14/577959 |
Filed: |
December 19, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/69.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41B 13/065 20130101;
A41B 13/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41B 13/06 20060101
A41B013/06 |
Claims
1. A baby swaddle comprising: a rear garment section having an
inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least a portion of
the rear garment comprises a breathable mesh material; a front
garment section having an inner surface and an outer surface,
wherein a portion of the front garment is stitched to a portion of
the rear garment to create a pocket for receiving a baby, in which
the pocket comprises a upper edge, a lower edge, a left edge and a
right edge, wherein the upper and lower edges have no seams, and
wherein the swaddle comprises a stitched seam along the left edge
of the pocket in which the stitched seam has a length shorter than
the length of the left edge of the pocket, and a stitched seam
along the right edge of the pocket in which the stitched seam has a
length shorter than the length of the right edge, and wherein the
stitched seam along a left or right edge of the pocket extends
further away from the lower edge of the pocket than the stitched
seam along the opposite edge, and and wherein at least a portion of
the front garment comprises breathable mesh material.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. The baby swaddle of claim 1, wherein the rear garment section is
triangular in shape.
8. The baby swaddle of claim 1, wherein the rear garment further
comprises: a left outer wing; and a right outer.
9. The baby swaddle of claim 8, wherein the left outer wing is
shorter than the right outer wing.
10. The baby swaddle of claim 1, wherein inner surfaces of the rear
garment section and the front garment section are brushed.
11. The baby swaddle of claim 1, further comprising a closure
apparatus.
12. The baby swaddle of claim 11, wherein the closure apparatus is
selected from the group consisting of a button hole, a D-ring
strap, a loop closure, two slits, and breathable mesh ring.
13. The baby swaddle of claim 11, wherein the closure apparatus is
relocatable.
14. The baby swaddle of claim 13, further comprising a closure
apparatus relocation apparatus selected from the group consisting
of buttons, snaps, and hook and loop material.
15. The baby swaddle of claim 1, further comprising at least one
dart along the upper edge of the rear garment section.
16. The baby swaddle of claim 1, wherein the breathable mesh
material has a suffocation resistance level of less than about 15
cm H.sub.2O as determined by RAM Consulting Virtual Child
Suffocation Hazard Assessment Model.
17. The baby swaddle of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the
breathable mesh material is water resistant.
18. The baby swaddle of claim 17, wherein the at least a portion of
water resistant breathable mesh material is located near where the
baby's bottom would be placed.
19. A baby swaddle comprising: a rear garment section having an
inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at least a portion of
the rear garment comprises a breathable mesh material; a front
garment section having an inner surface and an outer surface,
wherein at least a portion of the front garment comprises
breathable mesh material, and wherein a portion of the front
garment is stitched to a portion of the rear garment to create a
pocket for receiving a baby, a stitching located along a left side
of the pocket and along a right side of the pocket so that a
stitching does not extend along the entire length of the left or
right side; and wherein the stitching along a left or right edge of
the pocket extends further away from the lower edge of the pocket
than the stitching along the opposite edge, and a left outer wing;
a right outer wing; and a closure apparatus.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The instant disclosure relates to apparatuses with improved
air flow and comfort. In particular, the instant disclosure relates
to baby swaddles with improved air flow, comfort, and
securement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present disclosure relates to baby swaddles and other
child usable objects. Swaddling refers to the practice of wrapping
infants in blankets or fabrics to restrict the movement of the
infant's limbs. Many parents find swaddling to have a calming
effect on the baby, and therefore employ swaddling as a means to
reduce crying and to assist the baby in sleep. In addition,
swaddling can be used to keep the baby in the supine position
during sleep to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS).
[0003] Conventional swaddle techniques utilize a square blanket
folded into triangular shapes to hold the baby within. The blanket
is folded into a triangular shape and the baby is positioned near
the center of the triangle long edge. The triangle point to the
left or right of the baby is laid across the baby and tucked under
the baby, and then the opposite triangle point is then wrapped over
that and tucked in to the pre-wrapped portion of the blanket. This
way, the baby's arms are locked into place. The parent can elect to
have the baby's arms down, or up near the baby's mouth. Oftentimes,
the third point of the triangle located at the baby's feet is
folded up prior to the wrap of the left or right triangle point.
Experts caution that the legs should remain free to move to lower
the risk of developmental hip disorders.
[0004] There are several issues in properly swaddling a baby.
First, the swaddle should be secure enough so that the baby cannot
wiggle out of the swaddle. This not only improves the experience
for the baby, but ensures the baby won't fall out during transport.
Second, the swaddle should laterally secure the baby, but also
allow the baby's legs to move freely.
[0005] Third, for preferred breathing conditions, no part of the
swaddle material should be in contact with the baby's face. Infants
usually breathe through their nasal passages. However, during
crying or in the event their nasal passages are blocked, infants
may breathe through their oral cavities. Mechanical resistance
suffocation takes places when respiration is interrupted if these
passages are both blocked externally by an object. When respiration
is interrupted, CO.sub.2 levels in the blood rise. The body's
response to this elevation in CO.sub.2 levels is to attempt more
rigorous respiration. If the agent of suffocation is not removed,
the incident may be fatal after two or three minutes. Further,
breathing CO.sub.2 or other dangerous gases may be a possible cause
of SIDS. Conventional swaddle designs may attempt to keep
extraneous portions of the swaddle garment away from the baby's
face, but even they do not adequately address mechanical resistance
and buildup of CO.sub.2. A need exists for a swaddle that reduces
the risk of suffocation in the event the swaddle material comes in
contact with the face of the baby.
[0006] Although the exact causes of SIDS remain unconfirmed,
overheating is another suspected cause. Overheating may be caused
by over-bundling, too much bedding material, or the wrong kinds of
materials in an infant's bedding. Additionally, some infants sweat
heavily during the deepest part of their sleep cycles and can wake
up wet from the accumulation of sweat. Babies spend more time in
the deepest part of the sleep cycle than do children or adults, and
are therefore more susceptible to waking up wet. Heat coupled with
accumulated moisture can be a cause of heat rash and/or prickly
heat. Currently available swaddle garments do not adequately
address overheating and sweating. Therefore, a need exists for a
swaddle design that reduces the risk the overheating, and allows
for sweat to evaporate from the body.
[0007] Finally, because swaddles are mostly used to promote sleep
in a baby, they should avoid components prone to awaking the baby,
such as hook and loop fasteners or snaps. For at least these
reasons, a need exists for a new swaddle garment that addresses
breathability, heat regulation, and peacefulness.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present disclosure is directed to a swaddle for a baby.
According to one embodiment, the swaddle comprises a pocket for
receiving a baby. The pocket may be stitched near the top two
corners, or it may have stitching only located in the middle region
of the left and right sides. Stitched seams, according to one
embodiment, travel down the sides of the left or right side. In one
embodiment, stitching along the left side is higher than the
stitching along the right side. In one embodiment, the swaddle has
left and right wings for wrapping the baby, with the left wing
shorter and more rounded than the right wing.
[0009] In one embodiment, there is presented a closure apparatus
for securing the swaddle garment around a baby. The closure
apparatus may take many forms such as a button hole, closure loop,
D-Ring, or two-slit design. In addition, the closure apparatus may
be relocatable on the swaddle garment itself. In one embodiment,
multiple closure apparatuses allow the caregiver to select the
optimum fit for different sized babies.
[0010] The swaddle garment, according to the present disclosure, is
fashioned from breathable mesh material. This material can be, for
example, a one ply perforated Birds Eye fabric of 165 grams per
square meter (gsm) with brushed inside texture and a smooth outer
texture. In another example, the swaddle garment includes a wicking
liner. Certain embodiments include breathable mesh material with
multiple layers.
[0011] In one embodiment, the baby swaddle comprises a rear garment
section having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein at
least a portion of the rear garment comprises a breathable mesh
material, and a front garment section having an inner surface and
an outer surface, wherein a portion of the front garment is
stitched to a portion of the rear garment to create a pocket for
receiving a baby, and wherein at least a portion of the front
garment comprises breathable mesh material. The pocket may comprise
an upper edge, lower edge, left edge and right edge, wherein the
upper and lower edges have no seams. In one embodiment, the swaddle
further comprises a stitched seam along the pocket left edge. In
yet another embodiment, the stitched seam has a length shorter than
the length of the pocket left edge. In one embodiment, the swaddle
comprises a stitched seam along the pocket right edge, and the seam
may be shorter than the length of the pocket right edge.
[0012] The swaddle, according to the present disclosure may contain
a left outer wing and a right outer wing. One embodiment has the
left outer wing shorter than the right outer wing. Both wings can
be triangular in shape, with the right outer wing having a more
acute angle. The right outer wing, therefore, is well suited for
drawing through a closure apparatus, which is provided in one
embodiment. The closure apparatus can take several forms, such as a
button hole, a D-ring strap, a loop closure, or a two-slit design.
One embodiment has multiple closure apparatuses to allow for better
fit of different size babies. In another embodiment, the D-ring
strap or the loop closure is relocatable, for example by buttons,
snaps, or hook and loop.
[0013] In one embodiment, the entire swaddle takes a triangular
form, with the lower point slightly cut off to form the pocket. The
baby swaddle may contain one or more darts along the upper edge of
the rear garment section. The darts provide guides for placing the
baby in the swaddle garment. The darts also slightly curve the
upper edge to provide a better fit around the neckline of the baby.
In one embodiment, the swaddle may contain water resistant material
near where a baby's bottom area would be placed within the
swaddle.
[0014] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and
technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the
detailed description that follows may be better understood.
Additional features and advantages will be described hereinafter
which form the subject of the claims herein. It should be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and
specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis
for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the
same purposes of the present designs. It should also be realized by
those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not
depart from the spirit and scope as set forth in the appended
claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic
of the designs disclosed herein, both as to the organization and
method of operation, together with further objects and advantages
will be better understood from the following description when
considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be
expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided
for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not
intended as a definition of the limits of the present
disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 represents the front side of a swaddle according to
one embodiment of the present design;
[0017] FIG. 2 shows the back side of a swaddle according to one
embodiment of the present design;
[0018] FIG. 3 represents the back side of a swaddle according to
one embodiment of the present design;
[0019] FIG. 4 represents the back side of a swaddle according to
one embodiment of the present design;
[0020] FIG. 5 represents the back side of a swaddle according to
one embodiment of the present design;
[0021] FIGS. 6-10 demonstrate one method of swaddling a baby using
the present swaddle design;
[0022] FIG. 11 shows one embodiment of breathable material for use
with the swaddle garment; and
[0023] FIG. 12 represents a swaddle garment during
construction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a breathable
baby swaddle. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, there is
provided a swaddle garment 100 having a rear garment section 144, a
front garment section 146, and a pocket 130. In this embodiment,
pocket 130 is fashioned by stitching front garment section 146 to
rear garment section 144 in at least point seam locations 110 and
112. Pocket 130 is thus available for receiving a baby in between
front garment section 146 and rear garment section 144. Connections
at seam locations 110 and 112 laterally hold the baby in position
so she will not slide left or right within swaddle garment 100. In
one embodiment, seam 114 is continued from seam position 110
downwards toward lower edge 142. Left side pocket seam 114 can
continue all the way to lower edge 142, but need not do so, as
shown in FIG. 1. Likewise, right side pocket seam 116 can continue
all the way to lower edge 142, but need to do so. Pocket 130 can be
created by point seams at locations 110 and 112 alone.
[0025] In one embodiment, front garment section 146 has an
alternate front garment section upper edge 148 extending from the
left side of swaddle garment 100 to the bottom of seam 114.
[0026] Swaddle garment 100 may contain darts 120. Darts 120 alter
the line of upper edge 140, adding slight arcs or curves in the
line to assist in wrapping swaddle 100 around the baby's neckline
or shoulders. In addition, darts 120 can serve as points to assist
the caregiver in lining up the baby in swaddle 100 prior to
wrapping the baby.
[0027] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, swaddle garment
100 contains a left outer wing 150 and a right outer wing 152. In
one embodiment, left outer wing 150 is shorter than right outer
wing 152, as shown in FIG. 1. In addition, left outer wing 150 may
have a more rounded edge than right outer wing 152. There is
provided button hole 122 located to the right side of pocket 130
near top edge 140. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,
button hole 122 is intended to receive a portion of right outer
wing 152.
[0028] To swaddle a baby, swaddle garment 100 is laid flat on a
surface with front garment section 146 upwards, as shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 6 through 10 demonstrate the preferred swaddling process
according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The baby is inserted
feet first into pocket 130 as shown in FIG. 6. The caregiver may
choose to leave the baby's arms upward so that the baby has access
to her face or mouth with her hands, or the caregiver may choose to
lower the arms into pocket 130. In the alternative, the caregiver
may lower the baby's arms on the outside of pocket 130, over the
outer portion of front garment section 146.
[0029] Because pocket 130 is longer than the lower portion of the
baby, the baby's feet are not bunched up and are allowed to move
freely within the space provided at the bottom of pocket 130. Next,
left outer wing 150 is wrapped over the torso of the baby and
tucked underneath the baby's left shoulder as seen in FIG. 7. In
FIG. 8, right outer wing 152 is then laid over the torso of the
baby's body. Button hole 122, as seen in FIG. 8, is now located
above the torso of the baby, near the center of her upper chest.
Right outer wing 152 is then tucked under the baby's torso so that
it surrounds her. Because right outer wing 152 is longer, some of
it remains free even after being wrapped around the baby. That
portion, being thin, is then brought up to the center of the baby's
torso and threaded through button hole 122 as seen in FIG. 10. The
baby is now swaddled as seen in FIG. 9. As seen in FIG. 10, the
remaining portion of right outer wing 152 can be tucked back under
the edge of right outer wing 152.
[0030] Because swaddle garment 100 is fastened using button hole
122, no hook and loop fasteners or snaps are required. Therefore, a
caregiver wishing to unswaddle a baby would not risk awakening her
with loud noises.
[0031] It is contemplated that swaddle garment 100 can be reversed
to present a longer left outer wing 150, with the corresponding
button hole 122 then being on the left side as well. In one
embodiment, left outer wing 150 and right outer wing 152 are equal
in proportion. In one embodiment, front garment section 146 is
attached to rear garment section 144 along lower edge 142 with a
constant seam. In one embodiment, front garment section 146 is
folded up so lower edge 142 of pocket 130 is closed by breathable
mesh material but has no seam. In another embodiment, however, no
seam along lower edge 142 is provided. Pocket 130 remains in place
because of at least attachment at seam locations 110 and 112, but
the lower portion of pocket 130 remains open. This allows a
caregiver to change a baby's diaper without unswaddling the
baby.
[0032] As mentioned, babies are particularly susceptible to
respiratory problems, in part because they have not yet developed
the motor skills to clear breathing passages. Therefore, it is
important to reduce the risk that a baby's breathing passages are
blocked. According to the present disclosure, swaddle garment 100
comprises a breathable mesh-type material.
[0033] In one embodiment, the fabrics of rear garment section 144
and front garment section 146 may include any of a variety of
mesh-type materials that provide breathable functionality.
Breathable functionality refers to the ability of the material to
allow air to substantially move effectively therethrough. As used
herein, when air is indicated as substantially moving effectively
through a material, it is meant that the material includes openings
(e.g., mesh openings, open-framework, spaces between elements
thereof, or even those that may not be visually perceivable
openings but still allow a breathable function to occur) that do
not impede air movement to an extent that would prevent a human
being from breathing through (e.g., when a human's respiratory
openings are indirect contact with a material) such a material in
order to prevent suffocation and further that such openings are too
small to permit an infant to insert a finger or toe
therethrough.
[0034] In one embodiment, swaddle garment 100 includes rear and
front garment sections 144 and 146 that each are fashioned from a
single fabric layer. Both rear garment section 144 and front
garment section have an outer surface 104 and an inner surface 103,
as seen in FIG. 11. Outer surface 104, according to this
embodiment, is a breathable mesh surface having, for example, a
mesh pattern formed from an inline slit pattern. In one embodiment,
slits are 2 mm in length every 2 mm and spaced laterally apart by
1.5 mm. Slits may be formed by three holes punched through the
surface of the garment section 144. In one embodiment, the slits
are 3 mm in length. In one embodiment, the slits are laterally
spaced apart by 2 mm. One skilled in the art would recognize that
additional slit patterns are available to achieve the preferred
breathability and thermal transference properties. The
breathability mesh pattern of outer surface 104 can take other
shapes as well, such as diamonds, squares, triangles, and ellipses.
In a preferred embodiment, inner surface 103 is brushed to improve
softness. Brushing may remove the mesh look and feel, but it
maintains the breathability of the fabric. A suitable fabric,
therefore, may be one known in the industry as birds eye
fabric.
[0035] In one embodiment, either of front garment section 146 or
rear garment section 144 is fashioned from multiple layers of
fabric. For example, the garment sections may comprise a two-ply
design with the inside surface made from lightweight liner mesh and
the outer surface made from breathable mesh described above. In one
embodiment, padded mesh is contemplated in certain areas. In
addition, rear garment section 144 may contain a liquid resistant
section near the baby's bottom area to help protect for diaper
blowouts.
[0036] In the event that a baby's oral or nasal orifices come in
contact with swaddle fabric, Carbon Dioxide ("CO.sub.2") buildup is
a concern. For conventional swaddles that do not employ breathable
fabric, a baby may suffocate. The breathable mesh fabric herein
contemplated for the present swaddle disclosure mitigates this risk
by allowing CO.sub.2 to disperse. The Carbon Dioxide Dispersal Test
is a study of CO.sub.2 retention during simulated breathing cycles,
where breathable mesh fabric exhibited the ability to disperse
CO.sub.2 more effectively than conventional fabric when the
conventional fabric was positioned so gases could move through it.
In addition, the mesh fabric of rear and front garment sections 144
and 146 did not contribute significantly to the retention of
CO.sub.2 because gases can easily pass through the mesh fabric.
Such findings indicate that the ability of the mesh fabric to
disperse CO.sub.2 is a safety advantage that can limit the
likelihood of CO.sub.2 rebreathing for infants in comparison to the
conventional swaddles evaluated.
[0037] The RAM Consulting Virtual Child Suffocation Hazard
Assessment Model assesses suffocation hazards of various fabrics.
In one embodiment, the breathable mesh material has a suffocation
resistance level of less than about 15 cm H.sub.2O as determined by
the RAM model.
[0038] Under the ASTM D1518 Thermal Transmittance of materials
test, the thermal resistance, in a value referred to as TOG, is
equal to 10 times the temperature difference (in .degree. C.)
between two faces of a material when the flow of heat is equal to
one Watt/m.sup.2. The thermal transmittance is largely a function
of (1) the thickness of a garment and (2) the amount of material in
a garment. The mesh fabric of rear and front garment sections 144
and 146 release excess body heat keeping the body warm. By
contrast, in conventional fabrics used for swaddling, a baby's body
can overheat if excess body heat cannot escape through the fabric
walls. The TOG value for rear and front garment sections 144 and
146 of this example is less than other non-breathable fabrics
because of the ability to allow for relatively easy movement of air
through the fabric, which will also influence the retention of heat
and moisture. Embodiments presented herein provide a balance of
both heat retention and airflow, which prevents overheating.
[0039] The ASTM E96 Water Vapor Transmission rate (WVTR) test is
typically dominated by the amount of material and the thickness of
a garment because such tests measure the rates of thermal and
molecular diffusion through the materials. Breathable mesh fabric
allows for more moisture evaporation than non-breathable fabrics
generally used in swaddles. In addition, breathable mesh fabric
provides superior wicking properties to non breathable materials,
where moisture is wicked away from the skin of the wearer.
Likewise, excess body heat can escape through the open pores of the
mesh fabrics and evaporate quickly, keeping the body dry and
comfortable and preventing a wet, sweaty skin. Because of the
porosity of the fabric(s) used, garment 100 does not trap excess
heat, thereby minimizing overheating and sweating. This is unlike
other conventional fabrics used to keep the body warm, where the
fabric does not release the excess heat and entraps the wetness,
which can cause medical issues.
[0040] Fabrics that can be used include, but are not limited to
cotton, silk, polyester, nylon, and the like. In fact, one
embodiment is made of 100% polyester fabric, polyester being
versatile enough to be manufactured into the mesh fabric
configurations described above. It should be noted that the scope
of embodiments is not limited to any particular value for mesh
size, thickness, thermal transmission, carbon dioxide dispersion,
water vapor transmission, air permeability, and the like. Various
embodiments include fabrics that provide breathability, even when
placed over an infant's mouth and nose, but do not include holes in
the mesh that are large enough to it a finger or other appendage.
In fact, any garment providing a breathable thermal mesh outer
surface, a mesh or brushed inner surface, or even an inner liner
that wicks moisture, is contemplated.
[0041] It will be recognized that the thickness of any of the
materials may vary, as well as for other materials described
herein. For example, more padding may create a softer more plush
effect with slightly different breathability/ventilation
properties, whereas less padding may create more breathability,
more thermal transmittance, and less weight.
[0042] Additionally, any of the mesh-type materials herein may be
configured as a breathable integrated mesh material in combination
with one or more other material layers. For example, a mesh
material may be used in combination with one or more layers of
other material adjacent thereto. Such additional layers may be
layers of cotton material, knit jersey material, and/or the like.
Such additional material layers may provide additional benefits
such as, for example, thermal properties with breathability.
[0043] FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of swaddle 100 from the back
side. This embodiment includes point seams at seam location 110 and
112 to form pocket 130 (not shown). Pocket left side closed seam
114 is also shown, though it appears on the right side of swaddle
100 in FIG. 2 because swaddle 100 is shown from the back side.
Darts 120 are also shown as dotted lines because they exist on the
inside surface of rear garment section 144. In one embodiment one
or more darts 120 are placed on the outside surface of rear garment
section 144. Button hole 122 continues through rear garment section
144, and is shown in FIG. 2. One embodiment, according to the
present design, can have multiple button holes 122, placed side by
side at intervals, or above or below. Placement of multiple button
holes assists in using the swaddle for multiple sized babies, such
as in a nursery. In addition, the swaddle may continue to be used
as a baby grows in size.
[0044] Other apparatuses to secure the swaddle are contemplated.
For example, FIG. 3 shows a two slit 124 design. Slits are cut into
rear garment section 144 at one or more predesigned locations.
During securement of the final fold of right outer wing 152, the
end section of wing 152 is drawn through both slits and tucked
under. In one embodiment, the end section of wing 152 may be drawn
through both slits twice to aid in securing the baby in swaddle
100.
[0045] FIG. 4 shows a D-Ring strap 126 design, where two rings are
attached to the outer surface of rear garment section 144. In the
embodiment shown, the end section of right outer wing 152 is looped
through the center of both rings and then brought around the
outside of one ring and looped back through the center of the other
ring to secure swaddle 100. As the D-Ring strap 126 design is known
in the art of securing, such as with waist belts, one skilled in
the art would understand how to use it.
[0046] FIG. 5 shows the back side of swaddle 100 having a loop
closure device 128. After wrapping both left and right outer wings
150 and 152 over the baby's torso, loop closure 128 will be
situated somewhere above the baby's chest. Right outer wing 152 is
tucked under the baby and brought around the baby's chest where it
is then threaded through loop closure 128 and, if needed, tucked
back under the edge of right outer wing 152. Loop closure 128 can
be used in place of button hole 122 or two slits 124 or D-Ring 126.
In one embodiment, more than one of the four closure devices is
offered on a single swaddle. Embodiments of swaddle 100 can place
configurations of button hole 122 or two slits 124 near the top
section of rear garment section 144. Likewise, D-Ring 126 or loop
closure 128 can be placed near the top section or down in the
middle section of rear garment section 144.
[0047] In one embodiment, D-Ring 126 and/or loop closure 128 can be
relocated on swaddle 100 by the caregiver. For example, hook and
loop fasteners, buttons, or snaps are employed in one embodiment to
relocate said closures 126, 128 to another position on swaddle 100.
In one embodiment, one or more horizontal strips of loop material
are placed in the upper central region of the back side of rear
garment section 144, as represented in FIG. 5 as closure relocation
strips 132. In an alternate embodiment, loop closure 128 can
contain hook material on the portion that attaches to rear garment
144 such that the caregiver can physically remove loop closure 128
and reattach along closure relocation strips 132. After
reattachment, hook material on loop closure 128 is no longer
exposed. And because loop material does not inadvertently catch on
clothes, swaddle 100 would still be safe to run through the washing
machine without worry of damaging other clothes in the washer. In
addition, the caregiver could remove loop closure 128 prior to
running cradle 100 through the wash. Likewise, in one embodiment,
D-Ring 126 contains the same hook material such that it could be
placed accordingly, or switched out with loop closure 128 depending
on the caregiver's preference. In one embodiment, snaps are
employed rather than hook and loop material.
[0048] In another embodiment, loop closure takes the form of a
breathable mesh ring, having a separation and reattachment means,
such as hook and loop or snaps. Two holes are provided in rear
garment section 144 at or near the location where loop closure 128
is attached in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the caregiver simply
threads the breathable mesh ring through the two holes and then
reattaches one end of the breathable mesh ring to the other, such
that a loop closure is created.
[0049] FIG. 12 shows one method of manufacturing swaddle 100. In
this embodiment, breathable mesh form 200 is cut according to the
shape shown in FIG. 12, with left outer wing 150 having a
triangular shape and being shorter than right outer wing 152. Left
outer wing 150 has a rounded corner. Right outer wing 152 has a
small rounded corner. In FIG. 12, lower edge 142 is represented by
a line located at the bottom third of breathable mesh form 200.
Lower edge 142 can have a seam. Breathable mesh form 200 is folded
upward along lower edge 142 so that the lower portion of breathable
mesh form 200 becomes front garment section 146. This section is
then point seamed at seam locations 110 and 112. This results in
excess triangular shapes 210 and 212, which can be trimmed off.
[0050] Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been
described in detail, it should be understood that various changes,
substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the design as defined by the appended
claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not
intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the
process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means,
methods and steps described in the specification. As one of
ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the present
disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of
matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be
developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve
substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments
described herein may be utilized according to the present
disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to
include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture,
compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
* * * * *