GB2287877A

GB2287877A - Infant support sling for suspending in doorways

Info

Publication number: GB2287877A
Application number: GB9406547A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alice Wotherspoon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-03-31
Filing date: 1994-03-31
Publication date: 1995-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-31
Also published as: GB9406547D0; GB2287877B

Abstract

An infant support comprises a horizontal bar (14) which is freely suspended by an elastomeric cord (9) which is supported in a doorway by a spring clamp (2). A closed loop of fabric (13) is gripped within slots (15) at the ends of the bar and an infant lies transverse to the bar in the cupped region (17) of the lower portion (16) of the loop of fabric. A cord (12) is wound around the upper portion of the loop and is attached to the mid-region of the bar. The width of the sheet is preferably greater than the length of bar (14). Means (not shown) may be provided for drawing together the edge regions of the sheet so as more completely to enclose the infant. <IMAGE>

Description

Infant support The present invention relates to a freely suspended intant support. in a known freely suspen@ed infant support, the infant is supported in an essentially upright position with its legs extending downwaroly through apetures in a support member.

In the support of the present invention, the infant is supported in a prostrate position and accordingly is encouraged to sleep.

The invention provides a support for an infant, comprising an elongate support member, spring means for freely suspending said support member in a substantially horizontal orientation trom a fixed support, and a sheet extending between the ends of the support member beneath the support member, the sheet being capable of supporting an infant in a prostrate position, and suspending means comprising a clamp which is capable of attaching the support to a fitting of a doorway. Preterably the sheet is formed of fabric or other pliable material. The suspending means comprising spring means, enables the infant to be bounced gently either in play or as an encouragement to sleep.

Preferably the width of the sheet is greater than (e.g. at least 1.5 times as great as) the distance between the ends of said support member, whereby the infant is encouraged to lie transverse to the support member. This feature has the following advantages over an arrangement in which the infant is encouraged to lie parallel to the support member: 1) the curvature of the support (as viewed from the side of the infant) is reduced, and 11) the length of the support member can be elss than the height of the infant, leading to greater compactness.

In a preferred embodiment the sheet is in the form of a closed loop having an upper portion extending between the ends of the support member and a lower portion extending between said ends below said support member and arranged to conformably support the infant. however in another embodiment each end of said support member bends downwardly sidewardly and upwardly to form hook means said sidewardly directed portions of said hook means pointing in opposite directions and the uppe@ po@tion of said sheet running over said hooks and below said support member.

Preferably the support comprises means @e.g. @@@w strings, one or more @@p tasteners or press studs et the edges of the sheet, or clips) for drawing together e@@e regions of said sheet to more @ully enclose the infant.

A preterred embodiment is described below by way of example only. with reterence to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1.

The arrangement is supported by a spring clamp 2 from the lintel 1 (shown in cross-section) of a doorway. The clamp comprises two generally U- shaped arms 3 and 4 connected at one end by a hinge 5 and having their tree ends urged against the sides of the lintel by a tension spring 6 which is attached to eyelets 7 in the mid-regions of the respective arms.

A hook 8 is supported from hinge 5 and carries a resiliently extensible cord 9 of elastomeric material, having a support ring 11 at its lower end. A strong cord 12 is threaded through support ring 11 and the ends of the cord 12 are wound round the upper section of a closed loop of fabric 13 and then round the mid portion of a substantially horizontal wooden support member 14, and securely knotted to form a loop around the support member.

Central recesses 18 are formed in the sides of support member 14 to accommodate the loop of cord 12.

The gathered section of the loop of fabric 13 is releasably gripped at its ends by slots 15 in the ends of support member 14. The lower section 16 of the loop extends between seid ends beneath the support member to form a cupped region 17. The width of the fabric (measured in a direction orthogonal to the support member) is about 1 metre and the length of the support member is only about 0.5 metre. Consequently cupped region 17 extends in a direction substantially orthogonal to the support member 14. An infant (not shown) can lie in this cupped region substantially orthogonal to the support member 14.Press studs (not shown) at the edges of the lower section 16 of loop of fabric 13 enable the inclined edge regions of the fabric in front of support member 14 to be attached to each other and similarly enable the inclined regions behind the support member to be attached to each other, to prevent the infant from escaping from the support.

It should be noted that cord 12 prevents the infant from falling in the event that the loop of fabric becomes detached from slots 15, and also provides sufficient support for the fabric to enable the support member 14 to be raised or lowered to adjust the length of lower section 16 of the loop.

A chain 10 is hooked at one end to hook 8 and is @ttached et its other end to support ring 11 end the looped end of cord 12, and either serves to limit the extension of elastomeric cord 9 or to pre@ent the intant talling in the event that the elastromeric cord 9 snape in half. @ tension spring may be substituted @o@ elastomeric cord 9, in which case chain 10 m@y be dispensed with. More preferably cushioning means can be placed on the floor d@@ectly ondern@@th the cupped reg@on 1@, for additional safety to protect the infant in the event the spring clem@ 2 becomes cet@ch@@ from lintel @@ Finally it should be noted that the arrangement can be supplied fully or partly disassembled, e.g. with the loop of febric 13 separate from the remaining components.

Claims

1. A support for an intant. comprising an elongate support member, spring means for freely suspending said support member in a substantially horizontal orientation from a fixed support, a sheet extending between the ends of the support member beneath the support member, the sheet being capable of conformably supporting an infant in a prostrate position, said suspending means comprising a clamp which is capable of attaching the support to a fitting of a doorway.

2. A support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the width of the sheet is greater than the distance between said ends, whereby said sheet is adapted to support an infant lying transverse to said support member.

3. A support as claimed in claim 2, wherein the width of said sheet is at least 1.5 times said distance.

4. A support as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said sheet is in the form of a closed loop having an upper portion extending between the ends of said support member and a lower portion extending between said ends below said support member and arranged to conformably support the infant.

5. A support as claimed in claim 4 wherein said suspending means has a free end connected to a midregion of said support member and a region above said free end which is attached to said upper portion of said closed loop.

6. A support as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said ends of said support member are provided with slot means which grip said sheet at the junctions of said upper and lower portions.

7. A support as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6 wherein in use, the relative lengths of said upper and lower portions are adjustable.

8. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising means for drawing together edge regions of said sheet to more fully enclose the infant.

9. An infant support substantially as described hereinabove with reterence to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1.

10. A kit of parts for forming a support as claimed in any preceding claim.