Baby carrier

A baby carrier includes chest straps, a waist belt, and a carrier bag mounted to the chest straps and the waist belt. The carrier bag has a front piece, with a lower portion of the front piece being connected to the waist belt. A connection between the chest straps is adapted to be achieved by an element, and a second part of the respective chest strap is connected to a middle portion of the front piece so as to permit the baby carrier to be rotated around an upper part of the body of a wearer. During one step of the rotation of the baby carrier, the element extends over one shoulder of the wearer and carries the weight which in the normal case is carried by the chest straps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to a baby carrier according to the preamble of claim1, and more particularly the invention relates to a rotatable baby carrier.

2. Description of the Prior Art

To be able to use a baby carrier during a longer period of time, i.e. for carrying an infant until it is about 24 months, alternatively about 36 months, it would be desirable if the baby carrier can be carried both on the chest side and the back side of a wearer, since, when a child gets heavier, it is advantageously carried on the back side of the wearer.

One problem with carrying a child on the back side of the wearer is that it is difficult to put the child into the carrier when the carrier is already placed on the back and you are alone, and that, in the case the child is already carried on the chest side, it is difficult to rotate/move the carrier from the chest side to the back side in a safely way.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have a baby carrier in which it is possible to position a child in the carrier when the carrier is carried on the chest side of the wearer, whereupon when the child is sitting safely in the carrier, the carrier may in a simple and for the child and the wearer safely way be rotated/moved by the wearer himself to the back sidec.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is thus to achieve a baby carrier which makes it possible to rotate/move the baby carrier in a way which is safe for both the child and the wearer from the chest side to the back side of the wearer and vice versa while the child sitting in the carrier.

According to the invention this is achieved by a baby carrier comprising chest straps, which are mutually adapted to extend around both shoulders of the wearer and connected to each other, a waist belt and a carrier bag mounted to the chest straps and the waist belt, the carrier bag comprises a front piece, a lower portion of the front piece is connected to the waist belt, characterized in that the connection between the chest straps is adapted to be achieved by a means, and a second part of respective chest strap is connected to a middle portion of the front piece so as to permit the baby carrier to be rotated around an upper part of the body of a wearer so as to move the baby carrier between a chest side and a back side of the wearer, whereby, during one step of the rotation of the baby carrier, the means extends over the shoulder of the wearer and carries the weight which in the normal case is carried by the chest straps.

Preferred embodiments are defined in the appending dependent claims.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the specification and the claims below the description of the baby carrier is to be understood such us that the baby carrier is carried on the chest side of the wearer if nothing else is stated.

FIG. 1shows schematically a first embodiment of a baby carrier1according to the invention. The baby carrier1comprises adjustable chest straps11, which are mutually adapted to extend around both shoulder areas3of the wearer2and are connected to each other on the back side of the wearer by a means30. A carrier bag14is mounted on the chest straps and connected to a waist belt12, preferably to an upper edge thereof, and comprises a front piece16, whereby a carrier pouch18for a child is formed between the front piece and the body of the wearer. A lower portion20of the front piece is connected to the waist belt and forms a seat support22for a child sitting in the baby carrier. A second part112of respective chest strap11is attached to a middle portion26of the front piece16, whereby preferably at least one second part112is detachably connected to the side of the front piece, preferably the front side, by a connecting device28.

FIG. 2shows schematically a second embodiment of a baby carrier1′ according to the invention. The baby carrier1′ comprises adjustable chest straps11′, which are mutually adapted to extend around both shoulder areas3of the wearer2and are connected to each other on the back side of the wearer by a means30′ and forms each in combination with a connecting means29′ a closed strap loop. An adjustable waist belt12′ is connected to a first part111′ of respective chest strap. A carrier bag14′ is mounted to the chest straps and to the waist belt, preferably to an upper edge thereof, and comprises a front piece16′ which together with at least the first part111′ of respective chest strap forms a carrier pouch18′. A lower portion20′ of the front piece is connected to the waist belt and forms at least one seat support22′ for a child sitting in the baby carrier, which seat support may be adjustable in the height direction. An upper portion24′ of the front piece is detachably connected to the first part111′ of respective chest strap. The detachable connection of the upper portion can be achieved by a strap25′, for instance, which is adjustable in the longitudinal direction and which is attached to the inside of the upper portion24′ and which is detachably connected to respective chest strap11′ by a connecting device25′a. A second part112′ of respective chest strap11′ is attached to a middle portion26′ of the front piece16′, whereby preferably at least one second part is detachably attached to the side of the front piece, preferably the front side, by a connecting device28′. The second part112′ is connected through the connecting means29′, in the form of a strap or a piece of fabric, for instance, to the first part111′ of respective chest strap.

In the second embodiment of the invention the carrier pouch18′ is formed of the middle portion26′ of the front piece, the lower portion20′ of the front piece, the seat support22′ and at least the first part111′ of respective chest strap together with the connecting means29′. The first part111′ of respective chest strap can be replaced by a flexible piece of fabric, for instance, which then can form an extension down to and a connection of the two chest straps to the waist belt.

Below, a baby carrier is described with reference to the second embodiment, but the only features which are different between the first and the second embodiments are how the carrier pouch18;18′ is formed and the possible existence thereof.

FromFIG. 4it can be seen that, when the baby carrier is rotated/moved around the upper part of the body of the wearer, the first part111′ and the second part112′ of respective chest strap11′ are attached to the front piece in such a way that they are substantially parallel to each other, i.e. they carry, in the shown position, about the same load. More particularly, the second part112′ of respective chest strap is attached to the front piece16′, preferably by the connecting device28′, in such a way that a tangent which extends parallel to the main direction of the second part112′ forms an angle α of about 20° to 29°, preferably about 24°, to a horizontal plane. SeeFIGS. 1, 2 and 9.

As can be seen inFIGS. 5, 6 and 7both chest straps11′ are connected to each other by the means30′, preferably in the form of a strap30′, which is flexible and adjustable in the longitudinal direction.

In a preferred embodiment the strap30′ is a strap30′ formed in one piece, i.e. it may not be separated into two parts by any type of detachable means. Particularly from the position shown inFIG. 5it can be seen that the weight, which in the normal case is carried by both strap loops, is carried by, during the rotation/movement of the carrier, the strap30′ when the strap is positioned over one shoulder S of the wearer. Therefore, it is of great importance that the strap30′ may not be detachable from respective chest straps11′ nor be separable into two parts. Moreover, the chest strap30′ is preferably arranged adjustable along at least a part of the length of respective chest strap11′. SeeFIG. 7. This may be achieved by an edging32′, for instance, arranged along a side portion of respective strap loop and a sliding shoe34′ adapted to fit the edging, whereby respective end of the strap is securely attached to respective sliding shoe.

Furthermore, the waist belt12′ with associated buckle35′ is formed in such a way that they facilitate the movement of the baby carrier between the chest side and the back side of the wearer and vice versa. For this purpose the inner surface of the waist belt, i.e. the surface of the waist belt directed towards the wearer, may be formed of a material with low friction. The buckle35′ of the waist belt12′ is preferably a buckle which may be divided into two pieces so as to facilitate taking on and off the baby carrier.

In a preferred embodiment the seat support22′ is, as known, adjustably arranged in the height direction of the carrier bag14′ so that the depth of the carrier pouch18′ can be adapted to the size of the child. More particularly, as shown inFIG. 8, the seat support should be adjusted in such a way that, together with the position of the coupling device28′ on the front piece16′ and the connecting means29′ between the first part111′ and the second part112′ of respective chest strap11′, the depth of the carrier pouch is such that the centre of gravity T of the child always is located below the level of an upper edge29a′ of respective connecting means29′, i.e. a distance D between the centre of gravity T of the child and a schematically shown circle C, which is located at the level of the upper edge29a′ of respective connecting means29′, always should be greater than zero. This for securing that the child will never fall out of the baby carrier on one hand when the baby carrier is rotated/moved from the chest side to the back side of the wearer or vice versa and on the other hand when the child is sitting in the baby carrier when the baby carrier is located either on the chest side or on the back side of the wearer.

As can be seen fromFIG. 9, in the preferred embodiment and in the plane direction of the baby carrier, a distance Y from the fastening of the front piece16′ to the waist belt12′ to a centre point A of the attachment of the connecting device28′ to the front piece16′ shall always be about 23-27 cm, preferably about 25 cm. Furthermore, a distance X between the upper attachment point (inFIG. 9shown as a line of stitches on the outside of the front piece) for attachment of the adjustable strap25′ to the inside of the upper portion24′ and the centre point A of the attachment of the connecting device28′ to the front piece16′ shall be about 13-17 cm, preferably about 15 cm.

As can be seen inFIG. 10, in the plane direction of the baby carrier, a distance Z between the upper fastening point of the adjustable strap25′ at the inside of the upper portion24′ and a centre point B of the fastening of the connecting device25a′ to the chest strap11′ shall be about 13-17 cm, preferably about 15 cm.

FIG. 11shows schematically a baby carrier1″ the carrier pouch of which is formed by the front piece16″ and a piece of fabric40. A lower portion41of the piece of fabric40is fixed connected to the front piece16″ and/or the waist belt12″ to form a seat support22″. At least one side, at an upper portion42of the piece of fabric40, is detachably connected to the front piece16″ by press buttons, for instance. In all other parts the baby carrier1″ may be shaped as the baby carrier1according to the first embodiment.

To be able to rotate/move the baby carrier with a child sitting in the same from the chest side to the back side of the wearer the following steps are taken:

When the child has been placed into the baby carrier on the chest side of the wearer, the wearer slips one of his/her arms under i) one chest strap11(in the first embodiment) or ii) first part111′ of one chest strap11′ (the second embodiment) which extends around the first shoulder, and rotates the baby carrier until that the chest strap/first part is situated fully under one arm. Thereafter the wearer slips his second arm under the second part112;112′, whereby the second chest strap is placed over the second shoulder of the wearer (FIG. 4). The strap30;30′ forms together with the two chest straps11;11′ a closed loop over the second shoulder of the wearer, which ensures that henceforth the child is sitting in a mainly upright position with the centre of gravity of the child below an imaginary circle around the child (FIG. 8). In this position the wearer may now rotate the child under his/her one arm back to the back side (FIG. 5). When the child is rotated completely to the back side of the wearer the wearer may slip one arm back through one chest strap and the other arm through the other chest strap so that the child is now sitting on the back side of the wearer and with the two chest straps of the baby carrier totally on both shoulders of the wearer. In this position the strap30;30′ is placed on the chest side of the wearer.

In all embodiments of the baby carrier1;1′;1″, during the whole operation of rotation/movement, preferably the buckles28;28′, and where appropriate the buckles25a′, are locked to its respective parts of the carrier. The waist belt12;12′ shall always be closed during the above-mentioned rotation/movement of the carrier.