United States Patent [191
`Storm
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`4,492,326
`Jan. 8, 1985
`
`[54] SLING-TYPE INFANT CARRIER
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[75] Invenwr‘ Linda W- storm’ White Sands Missile
`Range, N- MeX-
`'
`[73] Assigneel Babies by sml‘m, Inc‘! Spring?eld’
`Ohio
`[21] Appl. No.: 479,917
`[22] Filed:
`Mar. 28, 1983
`
`/1 ,
`
`D/3/99,
`
`[51] Int‘ CU """""""""""""" "
`[52] US. Cl. .................................. ..
`,
`[58] Field of Search ................. .. 224/160, 159; D3/99
`[56]
`References Cited
`U‘S‘ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`D. 247,199 2/1978 Carter .................................... .. D3/2
`D. 253,558 12/1979 Carter
`D3/99
`133/99
`112561300 11/1982 Kula ct 3L -
`3,l62,343 12/1964 Anderson .......................... .. 224/160
`22:55:?“ '
`4:0O9:808 3/1977 Sharp _
`'
`4,149,687 4/1979 Nunemacher ..................... .. 224/159
`4,234,229 ll/l980 Arnold ......... ..
`297/467
`4,271,998 6/ 1981 Ruggiano .......................... .. 224/160
`
`167146 4/1950 Austria .............................. .. 224/160
`2028633 3/1980 United Kingdom .............. .. 224/160
`Primary Examiner—Steven M. Pollard
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cushman, Darby & Cushman
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`A sling-type infant carrier is provided, typically sewn of
`fabric to include an approximately rectangular body,
`with a lower set of straps to girdle the adult at mid-torso
`and an upper set of straps each for crossing Over the
`adult’s respective one shoulder and under the adult’s
`opposite underarm The upper Set of Straps preferably
`Igeratrallyfincltjalrporalteg a pilllow{chin}r§st._ The 1carrier
`o y pre era y me u es a p ura 1ty o orlzonta p eats
`which may be let out to accommodate growth of the
`infant. And the carrier body, which is con?gured to
`provide the infant with a comfortable seat when the
`infant is slung in confronting relation, preferably in
`eludes an adjustable width_reducing strap for easily
`recon?guring the infant carrier for the infant’s comfort
`when the infant is to be carried in a facing-out orienta
`"0"
`
`8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures
`
`Petitioner Ex. 1014 Page 1
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`‘US. Patent Jan. 8, 1985
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`Sheet 1 of2
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`4,492,326
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`Petitioner Ex. 1014 Page 2
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`

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`U.S. Patent Jan. 8, 1985
`
`Sheet2of2
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`4,492,326
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`Petitioner Ex. 1014 Page 3
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`

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`1
`
`SLING-TYPE INFANT CARRIER
`
`4,492,326
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`In many other cultures, past and present, it has been 5
`customary for parents, particularly, but not exclusively,
`mothers, to carry their infant children against the par
`ems‘ sides, chests or backs, using a sling-like arrange
`ment of fabric, woven ?ber or the like. The practice is
`particularly well-known from North, Central and South
`American, Indian and sub-Saharan African traditional
`cultures, although at times it has been known practi
`cally around the world.
`Over the last few years, interest in the traditional
`practice of sling-carrying infants has become considera
`bly heightened in the United States, as it has become
`increasingly recognized that the practice has advan
`tages for both the infant and the adult. With a well
`designed sling, the adult is largely free to go about her
`or his business while carrying the child, and the child is
`in possession of an enhanced state of well-being, from
`being closely associated with another’s heartbeat and
`from not being overwhelmed by a feeling of separation
`and of being alone in the world.
`Although some traditional baby carrier slings are
`designed for supporting the infant on the adult’s hip,
`most are designed for supporting the infant in a con
`fronting relation either to the adult’s back or to the
`adults chest. There are some times when it is obvious
`from the way that the infant is twisting her or his neck
`about that they would rather be looking out at what is
`going on around them than to be faced with the relative
`sameness of their tender’s back or chest. However, no
`available sling-type carriers known to the present inven
`tor easily accommodate an infant'in a choice of either
`facing in or facing out position. Also, with known sling
`type infant carriers, growth of the baby may soon strain
`the capacity of the device, so that the child must suffer
`being squeezed by a carrier which she or he has out
`grown, or a new larger-size carrier must be purchased,
`borrowed or otherwise acquired.
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`25
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`A sling-type infant carrier is provided, typically sewn
`of fabric to include an approximately rectangular body,
`with a lower set of straps to girdle the adult at mid-torso
`and an upper set of straps each for crossing over the
`adult‘s respective one shoulder and under the adult’s
`opposite underarm. The upper set of straps preferably
`centrally incorporates a pillow/chinrest. The carrier
`body preferably includes a plurality of horizontal pleats
`which may be let out to accommodate growth of the
`infant. And the carrier body, which is configured to
`provide the infant with a comfortable seat when the
`infant is slung in confronting relation, preferably in
`cludes an adjustable width-reducing strap for easily
`recon?guring the infant carrier for the infant’s comfort
`when the infant is to be carried in a facing-out orienta
`tion.
`'
`The principles of the invention will be further dis
`cussed with reference to the drawing wherein a pre
`ferred embodiment is shown. The speci?cs illustrated in
`the drawing are intended to exemplify, rather than limit,
`aspects of the invention as defined in the claims.
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`55
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`In the Drawing
`
`2
`FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sling-type infant
`carrier by itself, but arranged as it would be when an
`infant is being carried therein in confronting relation to
`the adult’s chest. (The direction of view is looking
`through the adult from the back, and then through the
`infant, at the carrier.)
`FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the infant carrier in
`use with a baby being supported in confronting relation
`to the adult’s chest;
`FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, but
`showing the infant carrier in use with a baby being
`carried in facing-out relation on the adult’s chest;
`FIG. 4 is a larger scale fragmentary perspective view
`showing how the carrier body width-reduction strap is
`used when the baby is to be carried as in FIG. 3; and
`FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational
`view illustrating the baby growth-accommodating
`pleats.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`The sling-type baby carrier 10 preferably is con
`structed largely of woven textile‘ fabric, although any
`strong, preferably washable or cleanable, ?exible sheet
`material of a type which is safe and comfortable for use
`in close association with a human infant may be used.
`Generally, the same types of material as currently are
`used for making infant carriers, and the like may be
`used. A typical preferrred material has the appearance
`and hand of a lightweight duck, canvas, drill, denim or
`the like except for the face of the pillow portion (further
`described hereinafter) which preferably has a softer
`hand, e. g. being made of ?annel.
`The baby carrier 10 is shown including a body por
`tion 12 that is approximately rectangular in form, taller
`than wide, but centrally gathered, shirred or pleated at
`14 along its lower margin 16, e.g. in the course of secur
`ing the lower set of straps 18 thereto, so that effectively
`the body portion 12 is somewhat narrower along its
`lower margin 16 than along its upper margin 20. Thus,
`the lateral margins 22, 24 at the left and right, while
`being generally vertical and generally parallel, do con
`verge especially in the lower approximately one-third
`of the body.
`The body 12 preferably is made of two thicknesses of
`fabric which are sewn together along their respective
`margins. It is in the course of sewing these thicknesses
`together along the lower margin 16 that the lower set of .
`straps 18 may be connected to the lower margin of the
`body. The lower set of straps 18 in the preferred em
`bodiment is shown comprising a torso girth-encircling
`strap 26 having a D-ring 28 sewn onto one end and a
`pivotable clip 30 mounted in a loop 32 which is pro
`vided at the opposite end. The loop 32 is defined by a
`buckle 34 provided on an end of the strap 18 and dou
`bled-back onto the strap 18. Accordingly, whereas the
`strap 18 is sewn at approximately midway along the
`length of its upper margin to the lower margin of the
`body 12, the position of the buckle 34 may be adjusted
`along the strap to effectively increase and decrease the
`girth of the loop de?ned by the strap 18 and the connec
`tor 28/30 may be connected and disconnected in order
`to put on and take off the carrier 10 without modifying
`the girth setting provided by the buckle 34.
`Near the upper margin of the body 12, the side mar
`gins of the body 12 are provided with ear-like lateral
`wings 36 which form the bases for D-rings 38 of the
`upper set of straps 40.
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`Petitioner Ex. 1014 Page 4
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`25
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`3
`The upper set of straps 40 is shown further compris
`ing a banana-shaped roll pillow 42 which is stuffed, e.g.
`with polyester ?ber ?lling 44 only to its lateral margins
`46 which typically are in line with the respective D
`rings 38. From the margins 46, the material of the outer
`and inner faces 48, 50 of the pillow 46 come together
`and continue as the upper set of straps. At each end, the
`upper set of straps doubles back at a loop 52 that is
`adjustably maintained with the aid of a buckle 54, Each
`loop carries a clip 56, 58. The central lower margin 60
`of the pillow 42 is sewn to the upper margin of the body
`12. The left end of the upper set of straps may be clipped
`to the right wing D-ring 38 using the clip 56 and the
`right end of the upper set of straps may be clipped to the
`left wing D-ring 38 using the clip 58. The upper set of
`straps when thus clipped, provides two over the shoul
`der/ under the opposite arm loop-like straps for support
`ing the carrier 10 on the adult wearer. These loops may
`be opened-up at 38/56 and 38/58 without affecting the
`adjustments at 54, or may be adjusted at 54, without
`need for opening up the loops at 38/56 and 38/58.
`By preference, the inner face 50 of the pillow (and of
`the whole upper set of straps) is made of a soft material
`such as cotton or cotton-blend ?annel.
`At at least one and preferably a plurality of levels, the
`body 12 preferably initially is provided with respective
`pleats 60, 62, 64 which extend across the full width of
`the body. The pleats 60 and 62 are shown disposed
`slightly below and slightly above half-way up the body.
`The pleat 64 is shown provided at the level of the wings
`36 and extending out onto the wings nearly to the re
`spective D-rings, and then tapering to extinction. Each
`pleat is shown taking-up about one inch of the height of
`the body. Accordingly, as the infant grows, one by one
`the pleats 66, 62, 64 can be let out by removal of the
`respective lines of stitching 66, so that there is more
`room for the baby.
`Typically, the distance around the pillow at its center
`is about nine inches; the lower strap is about forty-four
`inches long when opened up and adjusted to its full
`length; the upper strap incorporating the pillow is about
`eighty-eight inches long when released at both D~rings
`and adjusted to its full length; the body is about twelve
`and a half inches wide at its upper margin but near the
`top is about twenty-three inches wide including the
`wings 36 and D-rings 38; the body is about ?ve inches
`wide at the lower margin; and the body is about four
`teen to about seventeen inches tall, depending on how
`many of the pleats are let-out. All these dimensions are
`exemplary.
`’
`By preference, about four inches above the lower
`margin of the body, a body width adjustment strap 70 is
`sewn by one end to a respective lateral margin of the
`body so as to project laterally. A velvet, hook-and
`?eece, e.g. Velcro-type fastener 72 is provided, e.g. on
`the tip of the strap 70 and at its base, or on the body 12
`at the level of the strap 70. This strap 70 and fastener is
`surplus when the device 10 is being used for carrying a
`child in confronting relation to the adult as shown in
`FIGS. 1 and 2. However, it has an important use when
`the device 10 is used for carrying the infant in a facing
`out relation as shown in FIG. 3. That use is depicted in
`an isolated way in FIG. 4.
`It should now be evident that when the infant is being
`carried in confronting relation, that the carrier body 12
`should be relatively wide at the level 74, so as to pro
`vide generous full-width support for the infant’s bot
`tom. However, if one were to attempt to carry the
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`4,492,326
`4
`infant in a facing-out relation, the same width of mate
`rial at the level 74, instead of needing to be wide to
`support the baby’s bottom, needs to be narrow in order
`to ?t between the baby’s legs without producing un
`comfortable leg-spreading pressure and cha?ng at its
`lateral margins. And that is where use of the strap 70
`comes into play. When the baby is to be carried in a
`facing-out relation, the adult simply loops the strap
`completely around the body, and fastens the fastener 72
`to itself. In the device of the example, this cinching
`decreases the width of the body at the level 74 to about
`three and one-half inches. (Again, these dimensions are
`exemplary).
`The various connectors and methods of construction
`and fastening as described herein are exemplary. For
`instance, ?ber bonding, adhesives, laser welding and the
`like may be used in place of sewing.
`As should be apparent by comparing FIGS. 1 and 2
`with FIG. 3, when the baby is being carried in confront
`ing relation, the pillow is in an “up” position and acts as
`a head rest and lateral protector for the infant and the
`infant may extend her or his arms between the upper
`strap and wing at each respective side of the device 10.
`And when the baby is being carried in facing-out rela
`tion, the pillow may be folded down so that it provides
`a chin support for the infant, whose arms may then
`extend over the upper straps. Because the padding of
`the pillow preferably extends laterally beyond the edges
`of the body, when the baby’s arms come over the upper
`straps, it is at sites where the upper straps are padded
`and thus do not uncomfortably engage the baby.
`The term “adult” is used broadly herein so as to in
`clude such. older person, whether or not technically
`over the threshold age of adulthood, who may be using
`the device 10. For instance, a babysitter or older sibling
`may be the person who is using the device 10 to carry
`an infant.
`It should now be apparent that the sling-type infant
`carrier as described hereinabove, possesses each of the
`attributes set forth in the speci?cation under the head
`ing “Summary of the Invention” hereinbefore. Because
`it can be modi?ed to some extent without departing
`from the principles thereof as they have been outlined
`and explained in this speci?cation, the present invention
`should be understood as encompassing all such modi?
`cations as are within the spirit and scope of the follow
`ing claims.
`What is claimed is:
`l. A sling-type infant carrier, comprising:
`an approximately retangular body made of flexible
`material, said body having respective upper, lower,
`left lateral and right lateral margins;
`a length-adjustable lower strap means having two
`opposite ends and ?rst connector means for discon
`nectably connecting these ends together in encir‘
`cling relation to the girth of an adult user at mid
`torso level for facilitating donning and dof?ng of
`the sling-type infant carrier;
`said lower strap means having a central portion
`thereof connected to the body in the vicinity of
`said lower margin, at least by said left and right
`lateral margins;
`a length-adjustable upper strap means having two
`opposite ends and having a central portion thereof
`secured to said body along said upper margin of
`said body;
`second connector means associated with one of said
`ends of said upper strap means for disconnectably
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`Petitioner Ex. 1014 Page 5
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`4,492,326
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`being provided on each said wing distally of said
`connecting that end to said left lateral margin of
`said body below where said central portion of said
`body, each such connector being constructed and
`upper strap means is secured along the upper mar
`arranged to disconnectably connect with a respec
`gin of said body, with a respective portion of said
`tive said end of said upper strap means.
`3. The sling-type infant carrier of claim 1, wherein:
`upper strap means adjoining said second connector 5
`means, obliquely crossing the adult user’s torso and
`an inner face of said upper strap means, at least to the
`extending over the adult user’s right shoulder to
`lateral extent of said stuffing, is constituted by an
`the right lateral margin of said body;
`especially soft fabric in the nature of cotton ?annel.
`third connector means associated with the other of
`4. The sling-type infant carrier of claim 1, further
`said ends of said upper strap means for disconnect- 10 including:
`ably connecting that end to said right lateral mar-
`at least one horizontally extending row of releasable
`gin of said body below where said central portion
`pleat means on said body which when released
`of said upper strap means is secured along the
`increases the effective length of said body.
`upper margin of said body, with a respective por-
`5. The sling-type infant carrier of claim 4, wherein:
`tion of said upper strap means adjoining said third 15
`at least one row of said pleat means is provided at the
`connector means, obliquely cross the adult user’s
`level of said wings and extends onto said wings.
`torso and extending over the adult user’s left shoul-
`6. The sling-type infant carrier of claim 1, further
`der to the left lateral margin of said body;
`including:
`said upper strap means being stuffed with pillow
`means on said body for adjusting the width of the
`stuffing material along the width of said upper 20
`body about one-third of the way up the body from
`margin of said body and along adjoining portions
`said lower margin, so that the body may be dis
`thereof extending laterally leftwards and right-
`posed in a wide mode for supporting an infant’s
`wards beyond the respective lateral margins of said
`bottom when the infant is to be carried in a con
`body so as to provide a pillow which is substan-
`fronting relation to the wearer of said sling-type
`tially more laterally extensive than is said body at 25
`infant carrier and in a narrow mode for passing
`said upper margin, with said pillow thereby extend
`between the infant's thighs when the infant is to be
`ing over where said upper strap means is discon
`carried in a facing-out relation to the wearer of said
`sling-type infant.
`nectably connected by said second and third con
`nector means to said left and right lateral margins
`7. The sling-type infant carrier of claim 6, wherein:
`of said body;
`said adjusting means comprises a strap, and means for
`whereby said body is constructed and arranged to be
`releasably connecting the strap to itself with the
`strap encircling the body.
`supported sling-fashion on the torso of the adult
`8. The sling-type infant carrier of claim 7, further
`user between the upper strap means and the lower
`strap means.
`comprising:
`'
`2. The sling-type infant carrier of claim 1, wherein: 35
`means securing said strap to said body and means
`providing respective elements ofa hook and fleece
`said second and third connector means each include a
`respective laterally elongated wing of ?exible ma
`type fastener to said strap at means providing two
`terial extending laterally outwards from the respec
`opposite ends of said strap.
`tive lateral margin of said body, with a connector
`it
`it
`it
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`Petitioner Ex. 1014 Page 6