INFANT CARRIER

Abstract

 An infant carrier (1) is comprising: a support member (2) which supports a recumbent infant; and a shoulder belt (3) which supports a front end portion (2a) of the support member to be a head support and a back end portion (2b) thereof to be a leg support in a suspended manner, wherein the support member includes a mat portion (4) for lying the infant (110) down, and the mat portion includes a back plate (10) as a interlining to retain a shape of the mat portion against a support load of the infant. The back plate includes a back support plate (11) having a back support surface (11a) which supports a back of the infant (112) and a head support plate (12) which supports a head of the infant (111), and the head support portion includes a holding portion (14) which holds a back of the head of the infant (111a) in a position recessed from the back support surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an infant carrier that supports a recumbent infant in a suspended manner.

Background Art

[0002] In an infant carrier which has a support member supported by a belt from the shoulder of a user to support a recumbent infant horizontally in a suspended manner, a technology that seeks to retain the shape of the support member by arranging a interlining constituted of resin such as polypropylene inside the support member is known (for example, refer to the Patent Literature 1).

Citation List

Patent Literature

[0003] 

Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2005-230107

Summary of Invention

Technical Problem

[0004] When a recumbent infant who cannot control its head is supported in a suspended manner, a mat that supports the infant from the backside is provided on the support member and a back plate is contained in the above mat as a core. However, if the back plate has a roughly flat shape, the head of the infant may not be held with stability.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide an infant carrier capable of holding the head of an infant with stability.

Solution to Problem

[0006] An infant carrier according to the present invention solves the above problem by an infant carrier comprising: a support member which supports a recumbent infant; and a shoulder belt which supports in a suspended manner a front end portion of the support member to be a head support and a back end portion thereof to be a leg support, wherein the support member includes a mat portion for lying the infant down, and the mat portion includes a back plate as a interlining to retain a shape of the mat portion against a support load of the infant, wherein the back plate includes a back support portion having a back support surface which supports a back of the infant and a head support portion which supports a head of the infant, and the head support portion includes a holding portion which holds a back of the head of the infant in a position recessed from the back support surface.

[0007] According to an infant carrier of the present invention, when an infant is laid down on a mat, the head of the infant is supported by a head support portion of a back plate. At this point, the back of the head of the infant is held by a holding portion in a position recessed from a back support surface and thus, the head of the infant is stabilized. Therefore, the load on the cervical vertebra of the infant can be reduced.

[0008] As one aspect of the infant carrier of the present invention, the holding portion includes a support portion deformable by a weight of the head of the infant. According to this, when the head of the infant is positioned on the holding portion, the back of the head of the infant is held by the support portion while being deformed and therefore, the head of the infant is stabilized.

[0009] As one aspect of the infant carrier of the present invention, the holding portion includes a hole into which the back of the head of the infant is sunk. According to this, with the head of the infant being fitted into the hole by the weight thereof, the head is stabilized without being shaken. Moreover, a user of the infant carrier can acquire a sense of security by checking the presence of the infant with the transmission of a feel of the back of the head of the infant to a hand when the user supports the head of the infant from the underside of the mat.

[0010] As one aspect of the infant carrier of the present invention, comprising: a cushion member covering the hole and having elasticity as the holding portion. According to this, the head of the infant is surrounded by a soft feel with the cushion member being provided so that a feel to touch the bottom can be eliminated for the back of the head.

[0011] As one aspect of the infant carrier of the present invention, the cushion member has a slit. According to this, when the head of the infant is positioned on the holding portion, the back of the head is held by the cushion member while the slit being opened properly by the weight of the head. Therefore, a feel to touch the bottom can be eliminated for the back of the head and also the head can be held with stability. Further, the cushion member may be urethane.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0012] According to an infant carrier of the present invention, as described above, when an infant is laid down on a mat, the head of the infant is supported by a head support portion of a back plate. At this point, the back of the head of the infant is held by a holding portion in a position recessed from a back support surface and thus, the head of the infant is stabilized. Therefore, the load on the cervical vertebra of the infant can be reduced.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0013] 

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an infant carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how the infant carrier is used.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a back plate.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the back plate.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a condition of use of a head support plate.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the back plate of the infant carrier according to an example of a modification of the present invention.

Description of Embodiments

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an infant carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention. An infant carrier 1 includes a support member 2 to support a recumbent infant and a shoulder belt 3 that supports a front end portion 2a to be a head support of the support member 2 and a back end portion 2b to be a leg support in a suspended manner. The support member 2 has a mat portion 4 on which the infant is laid down and a head guard 5 to enclose the head of the infant is provided on a front edge 4a of the mat portion 4. A side pad (side support) 6 in a substantially triangular shape is also provided on each of left and right side edges 4c of the mat portion 4. Further, a belly pad 7 is arranged between the left and right side pads 6 and a base 7a thereof is joined to a position somewhat forward of a back edge 4b of the mat portion 4 by a means such as sewing. An opening 8 for breast-feeding is provided between the head guard 5 and the side pad 6. The mat portion 4, the head guard 5, the side pads 6, and the belly pad 7 are all formed by covering an appropriate interior material with a skin material made of cloth. The interior material and the skin material are suitably changed in accordance with the use and function of each portion of the infant carrier 1.

[0015] The mat portion 4 includes a body portion 4A and a leg support portion 4B. As shown in FIG. 2, the body portion 4A supports the head to the buttocks of an infant 110 and the leg support portion 4B supports legs 113 of the infant 110. In consideration of breathability, a mesh fabric is suitably used as a skin material on the upside of each of the portions 4A, 4B. A cushioning material of urethane or the like is arranged inside each of the portions 4A, 4B as an interior material.

[0016] As a further interior material, in addition to the cushioning material, a back plate 10 functioning as a core to retain the shape of the mat portion 4 is contained in the mat portion 4. FIG. 3 shows a top view of the back plate 10 and FIG. 4 shows a side view of the back plate 10. The back plate 10 is a molding using a thermoplastic resin such as polypropylene as a raw material. The back plate 10 is provided with a back support plate 11 as a back support portion having a back support surface 11a that supports a region of back 112 as a back of the infant 110, a head support plate 12 as a head support portion that supports a head 111 of the infant 110, and a leg support plate 13 that retains the shape of the leg support portion 4B. Rigidity to the extent that the original shape can roughly be maintained against a load when the infant 110 is supported is provided to the back plate 10. The back support plate 11 has a flat shape and a plurality of air vents 11b is provided over almost the entire surface of the back support surface 11a. The air vents 11b improve breathability of the mat 4.

[0017] The head support plate 12 is a circular plate provided by extending one end of the back support surface 11a. A holding portion 14 that holds the head 111 of the infant 110 is provided in the center of the head support plate 12. The holding portion 14 includes a hole 12a provided in the head support plate 12 and a cushion member 15 as a support portion that supports the head 111 of the infant 110 provided on the upper surface of the head support plate 12, that is, the side on which the infant 110 sleeps. The hole 12a has an elliptic shape in which an ellipse is in the direction of a center line L in which the infant 110 is laid down. The cushion member 15 is fixed to the periphery of the hole 12a so as to cover the hole 12a and a slit 15a is provided in a position corresponding to the center of the hole 12a. The slit 15a is cut in a cross shape so that the head 111 of the infant 110 fits into the hole 12a. In addition to the cross shape, the shape of the slit 15a may be radial by changing the number of slits. To be provided is not limited to the slit and may be, for example, a hole in the shape in an example of a modification described later. An appropriate shape may be applied.

[0018] A raw material having an elastic force like urethane is applied as the cushion member 15. The leg support plate 13 is provided by being bent upward with respect to the back support plate 11 on the side of the other end of the back support plate 11. The leg support plate 13 is inserted into the leg support portion 4B to be positioned in a crotch of the infant 110 to suppress the change in shape of the leg support portion 4B. On the other hand, the back support plate 11 and the head support plate 12 are provided for the body portion 4A to suppress the change in shape of the body portion 4A. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the support plates 11 to 13 is integrally formed in the back plate 10. Incidentally, the leg support plate 13 may be provided as a separate plate from the back plate 10 so that the back plate 10 is constituted of the back support plate 11 and the head support plate 12. As shown in FIG. 1, a stitch line 9 may be provided on the mat 4 as a mark indicating the range where the head 111 of the infant 110 should be placed.

[0019] The working of the infant carrier 1 will be described. When, as shown in FIG. 2, the infant 110 is laid down on the mat portion 4, the head 111 of the infant 110 is positioned in the upper part of the head support plate 12 of the back plate 10. The head 111 is held by the hole 12a of the head support plate 12 via the cushion member of the mat portion 4. FIG. 5 shows a diagram illustrating the condition of use of the head support plate 12. The back plate 10 is contained as an interior material of the mat portion 4 in actual use and thus, the illustrated use is not assumed, but for convenience of description, the relationship between the head support plate 12 and the head 111 is shown in FIG. 5. The head 111 of the infant 110 laid down on the mat portion 4 is positioned on the cushion member 15 mounted on the head support plate 12 and fitted into the hole 12a. At this point, a back of the head 111a of the infant 110 is held in a position recessed from back support surface 11a. The back of the head 111a sinks moderately into the hole 12a due to the slit 15a of the cushion member 15 and thus, a feel to touch the bottom is eliminated and stability is obtained. Moreover, the back of the head 111a is in a position recessed from back support surface 11a and thus, there is no danger of the airway of the infant 110 being pressed while the load on the cervical vertebra of the infant 110 being reduced. Because the head 111 sinks with respect to the back plate 10, a user 100 can acquire a feel of the head 111 of the infant 110 when the user 100 of the infant carrier 1 supports the underside of the mat portion 4 with a hand 101 (FIG. 2). Accordingly, the user 100 can acquire a sense of supporting the infant 110 and so can acquire a psychological sense of security.

[0020] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be carried out in various forms. For example, the present embodiment is described as having the back plate 10 and the cushion member 15 as separate members, but is not limited to such an example and may have the holding portion 14 formed integrally. FIG. 6 shows an example of a modification of the back plate 10. A back plate 10A in the modification is integrally formed from a raw material having deformation properties. The back support plate 11 and the leg support plate 13 have the same shape as in the above embodiment and thus, a description thereof is omitted. A holding portion 14A of a head support plate 12A is provided with a plurality of support portions 21 that hold the head 111 of the infant 110. Each of the support portions 21 extends toward the center of the head support plate 12A independently of each other and a hole 22 formed by each of the support portions 21 is provided in the center of the head support plate 12A. If the head 111 of the infant 110 is positioned in the hole 22, the head 111 sinks with respect to the back plate 10A while being held by the support portions 21. With the support portions 21 being curved due to the weight of the head 111, an effect similar to the effect in the above embodiment is achieved. The shape of the holding portion 14A may be a slit in a cross shape or any appropriate shape may be adopted.

[0021]  The holding portion 14A may include only the hole 12a without the cushion member 15 being provided. If the cushion member of the mat portion 4 is a raw material capable of withstand the weight of the head 111 of the infant 110, an effect equivalent to the effect of the cushion member 15 can be achieved. The slit 15a of the cushion member 15 does not necessarily have to be provided. The slit 15a does not have to be provided if the raw material has an elastic force and is capable of withstand the weight of the head 111. For example, a cushion member may be configured by stretching a mesh raw material or a raw material having stretch properties such as a net and cloth in the hole 12a, If urethane is used as the cushion member, the center thereof may be configured to be thin. The cushion member 15 is mounted on the upside of the back plate 10, but is not limited to the above example. For example, the cushion member 15 may be mounted on the underside or may be mounted so as to nip the head support plate 12 around the hole 12a.

Claims

1. An infant carrier comprising:

a support member which supports a recumbent infant; and

a shoulder belt which supports a front end portion of the support member to be a head support and a back end portion thereof to be a leg support in a suspended manner, wherein

the support member includes a mat portion for lying the infant down, and the mat portion includes a back plate as a interlining to retain a shape of the mat portion against a support load of the infant, wherein

the back plate includes a back support portion having a back support surface which supports a back of the infant and a head support portion which supports a head of the infant, and the head support portion includes a holding portion which holds a back of the head of the infant in a position recessed from the back support surface.

2. The infant carrier of claim 1, wherein
the holding portion includes a support portion deformable by a weight of the head of the infant.

3. The infant carrier of claim 1 or 2, wherein
the holding portion includes a hole into which the back of the head of the infant is sunk.

4. The infant carrier of claim 3 comprising:

a cushion member covering the hole and having elasticity as the holding portion.

5. The infant carrier of claim 4, wherein
the cushion member has a slit.

6. The infant carrier of claim 4 or 5, wherein the cushion member is urethane.

Drawing