Abstract:
A baby burping cloth for burping by an infant as well as providing protection to a caregiver is disclosed. The baby burping cloth comprises a “cross”-shaped cloth assembly having a pair of openings for insertion of an infant&#39;s leg portions, a pair of side sections to wrap around the infant, a neck section to protect the caregiver, and an accessible inner space. The inner space is configured to retain a prosthetic breast which increases pressure upon the infant to burp.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     There are no current co-pending applications. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The presently disclosed subject matter is directed toward infant care devices. More particularly the present invention is directed to a baby burping cloth for improving infant burping and protecting a caregiver. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One (1) of the first things a parent or other caregiver finds out about a new infant is that an infant requires a lot of time, care and effort. Basic things such as feeding seem to take the most time and effort. 
     One (1) very big problem with feeding an infant is that as an infant feeds it swallows a great deal of air. That air must be released to prevent various problems such as spitting up, colic and gas. To remove the swallowed air an infant needs to be burped. 
     Burping can be performed in several different ways. However, probably the most common method is to have a parent (or other caregiver) sit upright while holding the infant against the parent&#39;s chest. The infant&#39;s chin is placed on the parent&#39;s shoulder while the infant is supported using one hand. The other hand is then used to gently pat and/or rub the infant&#39;s back. Parents quickly learn various modifications of this method that best suit the infant. Some infants like to be rocked, some bounced, some gently moved, others held still. 
     Burping an infant is highly effective at removing air. Unfortunately the traditional method of burping is not without problems. One (1) of the first problems, which is quickly learned, is that an infant not only burps air but some of its stomach content. This problem is usually addressed by using a burping rag placed under the infant&#39;s chin to catch the stomach content. 
     Another problem is more difficult to address: the infant is only held by one hand. Because the safety of an infant is paramount this can be a very large problem with infants that move a great deal. Yet another problem is that at times, because mothers more often burp infants, their infants become accustom to the feel of the mother&#39;s breast during burping. When the father tries to burp the infant the infant is not as comfortable and burping can become less effective. 
     Finally, simply holding an infant against the chest is less than optimal at inducing burping. Yet that position is almost always the most comfortable way to hold a baby using only one hand. Allowing an infant to kick its legs may be useful for some infants, but having to safely hold an infant tends to restrict leg movement. 
     Therefore, a device for addressing prior art problems with burping would be useful. More particularly, a baby burping cloth that catches an infant&#39;s stomach content and that can mimic the feel of a mother would be useful. Even more useful would be such a baby burping cloth that improves infant safety during burping. In particular, a baby burping cloth that enables an infant to be held safely while kicking its legs would be useful. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention provide for a baby burping cloth that catches an infant&#39;s stomach content and that can mimic the feel of a mother. Such a baby burping cloth is also useful for improving infant safety during burping. One (1) benefit of the improved safety is having allowing an infant to kick its legs during burping. 
     A baby burping cloth that is in accord with the present invention includes a “cross”-shaped cloth assembly having a front panel and a rear panel that are attached along their edges. The cloth assembly includes a leg section having leg openings, a first side section, a second side section, and a shoulder section. In addition the cloth assembly includes at least a first fastener, preferably a hook-and-loop fastener, for holding the first side section and the second side overlapped. Additionally the baby burping cloth includes a strap for fastening the baby burping cloth to a user. In practice the front panel and the rear panel are substantially identical and are sown together. The leg openings pass through both the front and rear panels. A second fastener can be used to attach the leg section to an upper part of the cloth assembly. 
     An alternative baby burping cloth that is in accord with the present invention includes a “cross”-shaped cloth assembly having a front panel and a rear panel that are attached along their edges to define an inner space. The cloth assembly includes a shoulder section, a leg section having leg openings, a first side section, and a second side section. In addition, there is a first access opening into the inner space. The inner space has a front fastening surface that is accessible by the first access opening. A first fastener is attached to the cloth assembly for holding the first side section and the second side section in an overlapping configuration. The baby burping cloth also includes a strap for fastening the baby burping cloth to a user. 
     Beneficially the alternative baby burping cloth includes a prosthetic breast in the inner space. The prosthetic breast is accessible to a user by the first access opening and is attachable to a front fastening surface. Beneficially there is also a rear fastening surface within the inner space that is accessible by the first access opening and the prosthetic breast is also attachable to the rear fastening surface. In practice there may be a second access opening into the inner space which provides access to the front fastening surface, to the rear fastening surface, and to the prosthetic breast. 
     Preferably the alternative baby burping cloth is constructed such that the front panel and the rear panel are identical and are sewn together. Furthermore, leg openings pass through both the front and rear panels. The alternative baby burping cloth preferably uses a hook-and-loop fastener and includes a strap for fastening the baby burping cloth to a user. 
     A second alternative baby burping cloth that is in accord with the present invention includes a “cross”-shaped cloth assembly having a front panel and a rear panel that are attached along their edges so as to define an inner space having a front fastening surface and a rear fastening surface. The cloth assembly includes a shoulder section, a leg section having leg openings, a first side section, and a second side section. The second alternative baby burping cloth further includes a first access opening and a second access opening into the inner space, a plurality of fasteners attached to the cloth assembly for holding the first side section and the second side section in an overlapping configuration and for holding the bottom of said leg section in an upward folded configuration; and a strap for fastening the second alternative baby burping cloth to a user. 
     The second alternative baby burping cloth can further include a prosthetic breast having a surface that is configured to attach to either the front or rear fastening surfaces. That prosthetic breast is accessible by the first and second access openings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a baby burping cloth  10  that is in accord with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a prosthetic breast  34  used in the baby burping cloth  10  shown in  FIG. 1 ; and, 
         FIG. 3  is a section view of the baby burping cloth  10  taken along section line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  baby burping cloth 
               20  cloth assembly 
               21  edge seam 
               22   a  front panel 
               22   b  rear panel 
               24  leg section 
               26   a  first side section 
               26   b  second side section 
               28  shoulder section 
               30   a  first access opening 
               30   b  second access opening 
               31  inner space 
               32   a  front fastening surface 
               32   b  rear fastening surface 
               34  prosthetic breast 
               36  filler 
               38  breast fastening surface 
               40  clip 
               41  strap 
               50   a  first leg aperture 
               50   b  second leg aperture 
               80  fastener 
               100  caregiver 
               105  infant 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 3 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a baby burping cloth  10  and its use. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the baby burping cloth  10  provides a two-layer cloth assembly  20  having both internal and external features for comfort and safety when burping an infant  105 . 
     Refer now primarily to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , which respectively present front and section views of the baby burping cloth  10 , which is in accord with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the baby burping cloth  10  includes a “cross”-shaped cloth assembly  20 . The cloth assembly  20  includes identically a front panel  22   a  and a rear panel  22   b  which are sown together along their perimeter via an edge seam  21  and which are identical or at least substantially the same. The cloth assembly  20  is envisioned as being available in a variety of attractive colors and patterns and made using the soft natural and synthetic fabrics common in baby blankets and infant clothing. Additionally, the baby burping cloth  10  is envisioned as being made available in a variety of sizes which correspond to the growth of an infant  105 , such as “newborn”, “infant”, and “toddler” sizes. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the cloth assembly  20  includes a leg section  24 , a first side section  26   a , a second side section  26   b , and a shoulder section  28 . The side sections  26   a ,  26   b  and leg section  24  are configured to wrap around and support an infant  105  in a desired fashion when fastened together (see  FIG. 3  and the also reference the fastener description provided below). The shoulder section  28  is configured to lie on a caregiver and to protect them while burping. A newborn infant  105  may be partially enveloped within the cloth assembly  20  by pulling the leg section  24  upward and securing the leg section  24  around the infant  105  using fasteners  80  ( FIG. 1 ). Subsequently the first section  26   a  and the second section  26   b  can then be sequentially wrapped sideways around the infant  105  and secured with additional fasteners  80 . An older infant can be carried with their legs extending through leg openings  50   a  and  50   b.    
     The leg section  24  of the cloth assembly  20  comprises a first leg aperture  50   a  and a second leg aperture  50   b  arranged side-by-side that extend through both the front panel  22   a  and the rear panel  22   b . This enables an infant  105  to insert their legs through the leg apertures  50   a ,  50   b  to be supported. The fasteners  80  are preferably of the hook-and-loop type to enable easy, single handed use. This feature is very useful while supporting the infant  105 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the cloth assembly  20  enables removable attachment of a prosthetic breast  34  within an inner space  31  of the cloth assembly  20 . The prosthetic breast  34  is envisioned as being positioned against the torso of the infant  105 . The prosthetic breast  34  is configured to be affixed to a large front fastening surface  32   a  which is permanently sewn to an inward facing surface of the front panel  22   a . Likewise, the rear panel  22   b  has a large rear fastening surface  32   b  that is sewn to the opposing surface. This enables reversible attachment of the prosthetic breast  34 . The front fastening surface  32   a  and the rear fastening surface  32   b  are envisioned as being approximately sixteen inches (16 in.) in width and approximately twelve inches (12 in.) in height. 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the prosthetic breast  34  comprises a corresponding breast fastening surface  38  which covers one (1) side of the prosthetic breast  34 . That breast fastening surface  38  enables attachment of the prosthetic breast  34  to either the front fastening surface  32   a  or to the rear fastening surface  32   b . The front fastening surface  32   a , rear fastening surface  32   b , and breast fastening surface  38  are envisioned as being comprise permanently sewn-in sheets of hook-and-loop fastener material to allow easy attachment and repositioning of the prosthetic breast  34 . 
     The prosthetic breast  34  can be used to increase the pressure upon the infant  105  during burping. Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , to install the prosthetic breast  34  a caregiver  100  accesses the inner space  31  of the cloth assembly  20  through a pair of oval-shaped access openings  30   a ,  30   b  that are formed within the front panel  22   a . The access openings  30   a ,  30   b  are positioned near armpits of the caregiver  100 . This allows the caregiver  100  to selectively position the prosthetic breast  34  at a desired location either to the front  32   a  or rear  32   b  fastening surfaces. Thus the baby burping cloth  10  is fully reversible, side-to-side and front-to-back which enables the shoulder section  28  of the cloth assembly  20  to be draped over the right or left shoulder of the caregiver  100 . The cloth assembly  20  also may be used without the prosthetic breast  34 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the prosthetic breast  34  comprises a bag-like structure that is envisioned to comprise a compliant and supple outer layer made from latex, rubber, or the like. The prosthetic breast  34  includes a filler  36  of small polystyrene beads or an equivalent material which emulates the texture of a human breast. It is envisioned that the prosthetic breast  34  be introduced in a variety of volumetric sizes to produce a desired burping effect as well as corresponding to the size of the infant  105 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the baby burping cloth  10  further includes a clip  40  that is permanently affixed along a top edge of the cloth assembly  20 . That clip enables attaching the baby burping cloth  10  to the clothing of the caregiver  100 . The clip  40  is envisioned as being a common spring clamping device that is permanently sewn to the cloth assembly  20  via a short strap  41 . 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and while only one particular configuration is shown and described that is for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not limitation. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be used by the common caregiver  100  in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the baby burping cloth  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The method of installing and using the baby burping cloth  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: procuring a model of the cloth assembly  20  having a desired size, external color/pattern, and a prosthetic breast  34  having a desired size; placing the shoulder section  28  of the cloth assembly  20  upon the right shoulder of the caregiver  100  (or flipping the cloth assembly  20  over to align the shoulder section  28  with a left shoulder of the caregiver  100 ); fastening the clip  40  to the front shoulder of a caregiver&#39;s blouse or shirt; installing the prosthetic breast  34  within the cloth assembly  20  by holding the prosthetic breast  34  in the caregiver&#39;s hand and inserting the prosthetic breast  34  through an access opening  30 ; positioning the prosthetic breast  34  as desired position; attaching the prosthetic breast  34  by pressing the breast fastening surface  38  of the prosthetic breast  34  against the front fastening surface  32   a  or against the rear fastening surface  32   b , based upon the orientation of the cloth assembly  20 ; positioning an infant  105  on the baby burping cloth  10  such that the prosthetic breast  34  contacts the infant  105  in a desired manner; pulling up the leg section  24  around the leg of the infant  105 , if desired; fastening the leg section  24  in place using the hook-and-loop fasteners  80 ; wrapping the first side section  26   a  and then the second side region  26   b  around the infant  105 ; securing the side sections  26   a ,  26   b  using the hook-and-loop fasteners  80 ; burping the infant  105  in a conventional manner; and, benefiting from improved burping propagation due to the pressure applied by the prosthetic breast  34  to the infant  105  while using the present invention  10 . 
     Additionally, the baby burping cloth  10  may also be used for burping an infant  105  by removing the prosthetic breast  34  completely and allowing the cloth assembly  20  to act as a conventional protective cloth layer to be used during the burping process. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.