Beds – Support for users body or part thereof – Specially adapted for infant support
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-04
2004-08-24
Luu, Teri Pham (Department: 3673)
Beds
Support for users body or part thereof
Specially adapted for infant support
C005S640000, C005S657000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06779211
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a baby support assembly and a method for forming a baby support assembly and more particularly, to a baby support assembly which may be selectively and removably assembled, effective to allow a baby lo be securely positioned on the lap of an individual or on another location.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Frequently, it is necessary and/or desirable to place a baby upon the lap of an individual, such as a mother, in order to allow the mother to nurse or to otherwise attend to the baby, allow a mother's hands to be free; and minimize back and arm strain. At the outset, it should be realized that while the following discussion describes the placement of a baby upon a lap, it is equally applicable to the placement of the baby upon any surface or other location. Moreover, it is also very desirable to ensure that the baby remains substantially stationary as the baby is being bottle fed or nursed or attended to in order to reduce the likelihood that the baby will fall from the top of the mother and be injured and in order to allow the mother to easily feed or otherwise attend to the baby.
One approach to supporting the baby on the lap of the mother requires the use of a flat pillow which is placed upon the lap and upon which the baby is placed. While this approach does allow the baby to be selectively placed upon the lap and provides some comfort for the baby and mother, it does not adequately ensure that the baby will remain in a desired position and, in fact, may actually cause the baby to fall off the lap due to its shape and size (e.g., the shape and size of the pillow may actually increase the instability of the placement of baby upon the mother's lap).
A second approach which provides greater stability in the placement of the baby upon the mother's lap requires the use of a single short and relatively arcuate type pillow which is placed upon the mother's lap and which “wraps” around the back and the sides of the baby. While this approach does desirably provide some support for the back and the sides of the baby, it does not appreciably reduce the likelihood of an undesired fall and is of very little use for larger or longer babies. Hence, such a short pillow becomes obsolete in very short order. Furthermore, while this approach does provide some support for the back, arms, and the sides of the mother, it does not appreciably reduce the strain upon the major muscles (non-limitative examples of which include back, neck, arms, chest, and sides) which are associated with holding and/or supporting a baby. That is, due to the relatively short architecture of the single arcuate pillow (i.e., the height of the single pillow only raises the baby's head and body a few inches closer to the mother'S upper body), a mother or another individual continues to require the use of the major muscles of her/his body to support the baby.
There is therefore a need for a new and improved baby support assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of existing baby support assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a baby support assembly and a method for forming a baby support assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated disadvantages of prior baby support assemblies.
It is a second non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a baby support assembly which may be used with babies of various sizes.
It is a third non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a baby support assembly of a selected height.
It is a fourth non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a baby support assembly which may provide significantly more back, neck, and arm support for a mother than a single short pillow when feeding a baby in an upright or lying down position.
It is a fifth non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a baby support assembly which incorporates a fastening device and which allows for substantial flexibility in positioning a top pillow upon a bottom pillow as well as positioning a baby within the baby support assembly.
It is a sixth non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a baby support assembly. Particularly, the baby support assembly includes a first arcuate portion having at least one first attachment member; and a second arcuate portion having at least a second attachment member which cooperates with the first attachment member to allow the second arcuate portion to be selectively and removably attached to the first arcuate portion.
It is a seventh non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a baby support assembly. Particularly, the baby support assembly includes a first “C” shaped pillow member having a first cylindrical cross sectional area of a certain first width and further having a first back support portion and two substantially identical first arm portions, each of the substantially identical first arm portions being of a substantially identical first length and forming a first acute angle with the first back support portion. Further, the baby support assembly includes a second “C” shaped pillow member having a second cylindrical cross sectional area which is about one half of the certain first width of the first cylindrical cross sectional area and further having a second back support portion and two substantially identical second arm portions, each of the two substantially identical second arm portions having a second length which is shorter than the first length and forming a second acute angle with the second back support portion, the second acute angle being greater than the first acute angle. A first attachment member may be attached to the first “C” shaped pillow member, and a second attachment member may be attached to the second “C” shaped pillow member and may cooperate with the first attachment member to allow the second “C” shaped pillow member to be attached to the first “C” shaped pillow member.
It is a an eighth non-limiting advantage of the present invention to provide a method for forming a baby support assembly. Particularly, the method includes the steps of providing a first “C” shaped member; providing a second “C” shaped member; and stackably coupling the second “C” shaped member to the first “C” shaped member, thereby forming the baby support assembly.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention and by reference to the following drawings.
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Dierker & Associates P.C.
Luu Teri Pham
LandOfFree
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