Abstract:
An infant positioning aid including a pair of position members arranged on opposite sides of the infant, and where at least one of the position members is adjustable to a selected shape that is maintained during use.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/241,789 filed Sep. 11, 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Some pediatricians recommend that an infant be placed on his back while sleeping to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Other pediatricians recommend that an infant be placed on his side while sleeping. As a result, various sleep positioning aids have been developed to keep an infant on his back or side while sleeping. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Various infant sleep positioning aids such as support pillows and wedges have been developed to position an infant while sleeping. The support pillows and wedges can be placed around the infant to prevent the infant from rolling over onto his stomach. Better sleep positioning aids are desired to improve the comfort of an infant while sleeping. 
         [0004]    In some embodiments, the present invention provides an infant positioning aid including a first position member positioned on a first side of the infant; and a second position member arranged on a second side of the infant opposite the first side, and wherein at least one of the first position member and the second position member is adjustable to a selected shape that is maintained during use. 
         [0005]    In other embodiments, the present invention provides an infant positioning aid including a first position member and a second position member configured to fit adjacent an infant, wherein at least one of the first position member and the second position member is adjustable to a selected length that is maintained during use. 
         [0006]    In yet other embodiments, the present invention provides an infant positioning aid including a first position member and a second position member configured to fit adjacent an infant, wherein at least one of the first position member and the second position member is adjustable to a selected curvature that is maintained during use. 
         [0007]    Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1A  is a top view of an infant placed in a sleep positioner. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  is a top view of an infant placed in a sleep positioner. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a sleep positioning aid according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an exploded cross-sectional view of a mat of the sleep positioning aid illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a positioning member of the sleep positioning aid illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of an expanded positioning member of the sleep positioning aid illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4C  is a perspective view of an expanded and curved positioning member of the sleep positioning aid illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a positioning member of the sleep positioning aid illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6A  is a top view of an infant placed in the sleep positioning aid illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6B  is a top view of an infant placed in the sleep positioning aid illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. 
         [0019]    Although directional references, such as upper, lower, downward, upward, rearward, bottom, front, rear, etc., may be made herein in describing the drawings, these references are made relative to the drawings (as normally viewed) for convenience. These directions are not intended to be taken literally or limit the present invention in any form. In addition, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” are used herein for purposes of description and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance. 
         [0020]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate an infant placed on a sleep positioner having two positioning members that do not conform to the shape and size of the infant. This type of sleep positioner can lead to unwanted movement of the infant and make the sleep positioner uncomfortable for the infant leading to less sleep time. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates an infant sleep positioning aid  10  including a mat  14  with a support surface. The mat  14  can have a consistent thickness throughout its length and width. In other constructions, the mat  14  can have a varying thickness throughout its length forming a wedge shape (i.e., an increasing thickness from one side of the mat to an opposite side of the mat). As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the mat  14  includes a first fabric layer  18  and a second fabric layer  22  stitched together at their peripheries and forming an enclosure for an intermediate layer  26 . The intermediate layer  26  can comprise a spacer fabric having a first mesh layer, a second mesh layer, and a plurality of fabric strands positioned in a lengthwise fashion between the first mesh layer and the second mesh layer. The fabric strands are flexible yet rigid enough to withstand the weight of an infant without collapsing. The intermediate layer  26  can include one or more additional layers such as a layer of a foam material, a memory foam material, and/or a combination of materials. The intermediate layer  26  provides support for the infant while also allowing air flow between the infant and the support surface. 
         [0022]    The first fabric layer  18  and the second fabric layer  22  can comprise the same material or a different material. Portions of the first fabric layer  18  and portions of the second fabric layer  22  can comprise a different material than the rest of the fabric layer  18 ,  22 . The first fabric layer  18  and the second fabric layer  22  can comprise cotton, tricot, nylon, spandex or other suitable materials or combinations of materials. 
         [0023]    The infant sleep positioning aid  10  also includes a first positioning member  30  and a second positioning member  34  as illustrated in  FIGS. 4A-C  and  5 . Both positioning members  30 ,  34  include Velcro® such that the positioning member  30 ,  34  can be coupled to the mat  14  and moved and adjusted to conform to any position of the infant and to the size and shape of the infant. Both positioning members  30 ,  34  are substantially the same in construction, but can form the same or different configurations during use. Accordingly, only the description of the first positioning member  30  is set forth below. 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIGS. 4A-C  and  5 , the first positioning member  30  includes a tube  38  having a generally defined perimeter as shown. The tube  38  includes a first end  42 , a second end  46 , and an intermediate section  50  positioned between the first end  42  and the second end  46 . The first end  42  and the second end  46  of the tube  38  are open and allow for the free passage of air. The tube  38  can comprise a plastic material having sufficient flexibility yet rigid enough to prevent collapse. The plastic material can include openings adjacent to the first end  42  and the second end  46  that cooperate with the open ends to allow for the passage of air. The intermediate section  50  includes an accordion configuration as illustrated in  FIGS. 4A-4C . The accordion configuration allows the first positioning member  30  to be lengthened and/or curved to accommodate different sizes and shapes of infants. A user can push or pull the positioning member along its length to adjust the length of the positioning member. A user also can bend or flex the ends of the positioning member to adjust a curvature of the positioning member. 
         [0025]    The first positioning member  30  also includes a fabric layer  54  generally surrounding the tube  38  and having a thickness for providing a cushioned and soft feeling next to the infant. The fabric layer  54  can include an open first end and an open second end to allow for the free passage of air. The first end and the second end of the fabric layer  54  can comprise a mesh-like fabric to cover the ends, but yet still provide for the free passage of air. A bottom surface  58  of the fabric layer  54  includes Velcro® such that the positioning member  30  is capable of being repositionable on the mat  14 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate an infant placed in the sleep positioning aid  10  with the positioning members  30 ,  34  adjusted to accommodate the size and shape of the infant. 
         [0027]    Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.