Beds – Bedclothing – Having means to engage body of user or bed structure to...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-18
2001-10-16
Grosz, Alexander (Department: 3628)
Beds
Bedclothing
Having means to engage body of user or bed structure to...
C005S482000, C005S922000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301729
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to infant crib bedding, and more particularly to infant blankets for use in cribs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Baby blankets and coverings are well known. Since baby blankets are intended, foremost, to keep a sleeping infant warm, it has long been an objective of blanket designers to develop a blanket which will resist kicking off by a moving infant.
In the past, attempts to develop kick-off resistant infant blankets have yielded various methods of attaching a sheet or blanket to a crib mattress (U.S. Pat. No. 2,677,137 to Bergin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,831 to Fuld & Craig) or to the crib bumper pads (U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,954 to Ohman). Various types of infant jackets and fitted garments have been provided to be attached to crib sheets and blankets (U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,513 to Hubner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,052 to Bilanzich). The inventions are directed to maintaining the warmth of infants while sleeping.
Much more is known today about infant sleeping patterns. Concern for the warmth and comfort of the sleeping infant is now shared with a concern for the safety of the infant while sleeping. Since babies are known to frequently change position while sleeping, it is desirable to make the sleeping environment as free as possible of suffocation and injury risks and to keep the baby in a secure sleeping position within that environment.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), sometimes referred to as “crib death”, refers to the sudden and unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant usually less than one year of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation. It is estimated that 3 infants per week die of SIDS in Canada (Canadian Paediatric Society, 1999). The American Academy of Pediatrics has reported that SIDS is responsible for more infant deaths in the US than any other cause of death during infancy beyond the neonatal period (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2000).
Although the exact causes of SIDS are unknown, various risk factors have been consistently identified. These factors include, prone (tummy) sleeping, and sleeping on soft bedding surfaces. Health organizations in Canada and the US now recommend that babies be put to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of SIDS.
Furthermore, it is recommended that firm, flat bedding be used with normal healthy infants, with sheets and light blankets as needed. Soft bedding, such as pillows, comforters, bumper pads, lambskins and similar products, is not recommended due to the risk of suffocation.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a bedding product which not only keeps the infant snug and warm while sleeping, but also promotes a secure back sleeping position within the crib environment. At the same time, it is desirable to avoid the suffocation risks associated with overly fluffy or soft bedding. A streamlined bedding product should also be resistant to displacement or disengagement from the crib mattress by the infant in the course of ordinary sleeping patterns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a crib safety sack for securing an infant in a back sleeping position on a crib mattress.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a crib safety sack for securing an infant in a back sleeping position on a crib mattress is disclosed. The sack comprises a fabric sack including a top panel fastened to a bottom panel. The panels (which are preferably fastened together by sewing) form a pocket adapted to fit securely over part of the infant lying at an end of the crib mattress. The top panel exerts a gentle force on the infant so as to prevent rollover. To ensure a snug fit and adequate pressure on the infant to prevent rollover, the sack preferably comprises a pocket which wraps entirely around the foot end of the mattress and is substantially the same size as the end of the crib mattress to be covered.
Although the preferred embodiment of the sack is for infant use in a crib setting, as a blanket alternative, the sack may also have application on larger child- or adult-size beds.
The sack is preferably fastened on three sides by two downwardly extending side panels and a downwardly extending foot panel.
In a preferred embodiment of the sack, the sack comprises a stretchable fabric. The sack may comprise a fleece fabric, such as polar fleece, or any suitable non-quilted (non-fluffy) blanket material. Where regulations exist requiring infant bedding to be treated for flammability, the sack will preferably be treated to meet or exceed the appropriate standard, such as that set by the American Society for Testing and Materials, “Standard Method of Test for Flammability of Clothing Textiles”.
In a preferred embodiment of the sack, to facilitate access, the sack comprises at least one opening flap. The flap comprises a slit extending lengthwise from an open top edge of the sack to a closed bottom edge of the sack. Two overlapping edges of the slit are resealably closeable by a fastening means. The fastening means preferably comprises one or more pairs of strips of hook and loop tape, such as Velcro® hook and loop tape. However, the fastening means may alternatively comprise snaps, fabric or string ties, buttons or any other suitable means. The fastening means preferably allows for a range of closed sizes, allowing the sack to be extended to accommodate a growing child. The sack may comprise two opening flaps, positioned on opposite panels of the sack, such as the top and bottom panels of the sack.
In another preferred embodiment of the sack, the sack is rotatably reversible around the foot end of the crib mattress, about a horizontal axis defined by a head end and a foot end of the crib mattress. When the sack is flipped over (by tugging the sack reversibly around the end of the mattress, or by removing the sack and replacing it on the mattress in the reverse position), the relative top and bottom panels of the sack may be reversed. Alternatively, the entire mattress may be flipped over with the sack in place to achieve a similar effect. It is preferred to make the sack reversible in order to extend the usefulness of the blanket between washings. If the infant wets or soils one side of the sack, the sack is reversible so that the infant may be covered by a dry side of the sack.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of securing an infant in a back sleeping position on a crib mattress is disclosed. The method comprises two steps:
(a) covering an end of a crib mattress with a crib safety sack; and
(b) tucking a foot end of an infant between a top panel of the crib safety sack and a top surface of the crib mattress.
Within the crib safety sack, the infant is secured on the infant's back with his or her head, shoulders and arms remaining exposed. The crib safety sack exerts a gentle force on the infant to prevent rollover.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of securing an infant in a back sleeping position on a crib mattress is disclosed. The method comprises four steps:
(a) opening at least one flap on a crib safety sack;
(b) covering an end of a crib mattress with the crib safety sack;
(c) tucking a foot end of an infant between a top panel of the crib safety sack and a top surface of the crib mattress; and
(d) closing the at least one flap securing the infant on the infant's back under the top panel of the crib safety sack.
The infant is secured by the crib safety sack on the infant's back on the surface of the crib mattress with his or her head, shoulders and arms remaining exposed. The crib safety sack exerts a gentle force on the infant to prevent rollover. The flap permits easy removal and reversal of the sack, as well as, access to the infant occupant.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1863256 (1932-06-01), Snoddy
patent: 2627617 (1953-02-01), Avila
patent: 2677137 (1954-05-01), Bergin
patent: 2720661 (1955-10-01), Harris
patent: 2729831 (1956-01-01), Fuld et al.
patent: 2851703 (1958-09-01), Greco
patent: 3570026 (1971-03-01), Allison
patent: 3845513 (1974-11-01), Hubner
patent: 4202052 (1980-0
Grosz Alexander
Hotel & Leisure Living Services Ltd.
Renner Kenner Greive Bobak Taylor & Weber
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