Infant calming aid

An infant pacifying apparatus which includes: sound system includes a sound generator and associated power source; an auditory output device associated with the sound system; a receiving portion is configured to: be located on a hand or an arm of an adult cradling an infant; and house or be connected to a housing for containing: the auditory output device; or the sound system and auditory output device.

STATEMENT OF CORRESPONDING APPLICATIONS

This application is based on the Provisional specification filed in relation to New Zealand Patent Application Number 588751, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an infant calming aid. In particular an infant calming aid which makes use of white noise or the like to soothe and pacify an infant.

BACKGROUND ART

Devices which make use of white noise to induce sleep in adults and to soothe and pacify infants are well known and a few representative examples include:GB 1,165,541 Titled: Sleep Inducing Device.This specification discloses a sine wave oscillator inside a pillow which can generate white noise.U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,096 Titled: Method and Apparatus for Therapeutic Motion and Sound Treatment of InfantsThis specification discloses an apparatus which imparts a rhythmic cyclic motion to a support surface as well as generate a sound at 60-80 decibels within a frequency range of 200 Hz and 4000 Hz.U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,616 Titled: Baby CalmerThis specification details a sound source which generates a random noise over an audio frequency range to at least 10 kHz.U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,471 Titled: Garment Useful for listening to Audio SignalsThis specification discloses a garment to be worn on the upper torso of a human.

However, conventional infant calming devices employing white noise such as those outlined above suffer from one or more of the following drawbacks:being bulky and not easily carried such as pillow;being affixed to a support surface such as a cot;needing to be worn by the infant which can be uncomfortable, impractical or dangerous in some situations or unsightly;being designed for use within a cot or bassinet and not being readily portable;producing a sound that is dangerously loud if the infants ear is positioned too close to the device;not producing a sound in a region substantially adjacent an infant's ear;producing a sound which is audible to adults in the vicinity of the device;not permitting the adult holding the device in use to safely or confidently hold the infant at the same time, or to maintain tactile contact with the infant while in usenot being readily adaptable to a variety of different situations in which an infant may need to be calmed.

It is desirable for the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention in essence relates to an infant calming apparatus which is worn on a person's hand or arm. The apparatus includes one or more contrivances which can generate white noise or other sounds to pacify an infant whose head is being cradled by the hand or arm of a person wearing the apparatus. The sound generating contrivances deliver sound to the ear of an infant yet preferably do not:interfere with the comfort of the infant resting on the hand of the person wearing the apparatus; norsubstantially interfere with any normal tactile feedback provided to the wearer of the apparatus so as to indicate a hand or arm has made or is in contact with an infant's head.

The term “white noise” is sometimes defined as “a noise produced by a stimulus containing all of the audible frequencies of vibration.” However, as used herein, the term “white noise” is used in a broader sense, and includes other heterogeneous mixtures of sound waves occurring over a wide frequency range, such as “pink noise” and “Gaussian noise.” Thus, the term “white noise” also includes:certain music melodies;radio noise;sounds that replicate the sounds in the womb such as a mother's heartbeat, andsounds similar to those found in nature, such as the sounds of waves, wind, rain and waterfalls;as well as the collective sounds of animals.

These sounds can be either naturally or artificially produced.

According to a first aspect there is provided an infant pacifying apparatus which includes:a) a sound system comprising a sound generator and associated power source;b) an auditory output device associated with the sound system;characterised in that the apparatus includes:a receiving portion (RP) which is configured to:a) be located on a hand or an arm; andb) house or be connected to a housing for containing:the auditory output device; orthe sound system and auditory output device.

In some embodiments, the apparatus may also include a cover or pocket covering the sound system and sound output device which is either:made from a substantially sound permeable material; and/oris adapted to permit the permeation of sound through the RP.

According to a further aspect there is provided an infant pacifying apparatus substantially as described above wherein the RP is configured to house:the auditory output device; orsound system and sound output device;
in a manner which does not substantially interfere, in use, with the support and/or comfort of an infant's head.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an infant pacifying apparatus substantially as described above wherein the sound system and/or auditory output device is/are configured to enable the auditory output device to produce sound at a level, which can be heard by an infant being cradled, yet cannot be heard by an adult outside a radius of substantially 30 mm of the auditory output device.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an infant pacifying apparatus substantially as described above wherein the sound system and/or auditory output device is/are configured to enable the auditory output device to produce sound at a level which may audible to an adult cradling an infant but is not audible to any other adult within a 1 meter radius of the user.

In some embodiments of this aspect the sound is produced at a level of around 35-60 dB to ensure it is at a safe level for the child and not so loud as to be heard by the adult cradling the child unless the child is being held up close to the adult's face.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an infant pacifying apparatus as claimed in any one of claims3-5wherein the sound is white noise.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided an infant pacifying apparatus substantially as described above wherein the RP is configured so that the sound system is positioned to not substantially interfere, in use, with:a palm; and/or,thumb and fingers; and/oran arm;
of a user receiving tactile feedback: when moving to cradle, or when cradling, the infant's head.

According to a still further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of pacifying an infant characterized by the step of:a) using a sound system to deliver sounds to an associated auditory output device located on a palm or other part of an arm against which an infant's head can be cradled.

A method substantially as described above characterized by the further step of:b) using the sound system and associated auditory output device to produce sound at a level, which can be heard by an infant being cradled yet cannot be heard by an adult outside a radius of substantially 30 mm of the auditory output device.

Several embodiments of the invention and advantages it provides will be further described in more detail below.

BEST MODES AND ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES

With respect toFIGS. 1 and 2there is provided an infant pacifying apparatus1000which has a receiving portion (RP) in the form of a mitten1001which has a thumb receiving portion1002and finger and palm receiving portion1003. In one embodiment depicted mitten1001is made out of neoprene.

The mitten has located in a pocket P a sound system1006which has a sound generator1007and associated power source in the form of a rechargeable battery pack1008and speaker1009. The pocket P is situated so that in use it is positioned between the thumb1004and index finger1005of a user. The pocket may have a re-sealable entrance (not shown) which uses fasteners such as domes or VELCRO™ strips (not shown).

InFIG. 2it can be seen that the sound generator1007is positioned beneath the surface of the thumb, palm and fingers as indicated by dotted line1010.

In relation toFIGS. 3 and 4there is shown an alternate embodiment with like elements toFIGS. 1 and 2being represented with like reference numerals. The key difference with this embodiment is that the speaker1009is located remote to the sound system1006and is connected thereto by wires (not shown) or through a wireless connection, such as a BLUETOOTH connection, to a speaker1009which is a thin flexi speaker (such as a Flexpeaker™ developed by Taiwan's Technology Research Institute (ITRI)). The speaker1009is located under a foam layer1011which provides a cushion so the speaker does not interfere with the comfort of the baby. The speaker1009is optimally adapted to have tactile projections1012on the underside thereof which press against the palm of a user wearing the mitten1001to provide a tactile indicator as to when the mitten begins to support a baby's head.

InFIG. 5there is shown another embodiment of an infant pacifying apparatus5000which has an RP in the form of a thumb receiving sleeve5001and finger sleeve5002with a web element5003connecting the sleeves5001and5002. The web element5003is made out of neoprene and has a pocket therein (not shown) which houses the sound system (also not shown). The pocket has a re-sealable entrance (not shown) which uses fasteners such as domes or VELCRO™ strips (not shown).

InFIG. 6there is shown an infant pacifying apparatus6000having an RP in the form of a mit6000made of neoprene. The mit6000has an elasticized band6001which together with the underside of the mit6000forms the RP. The mit6000includes a pocket (not shown) which is accessed on the underside of the mit. The pocket houses the sound system (not shown).

InFIG. 7there is shown an infant pacifying apparatus a mit7000which has a housing7001in which the sound system (not shown) is located. Interchangeable neoprene cushioning layers7002and7003cover the top surface of the housing7001on which an infant's head will be cradled. The mit7000has an elasticized band7004which together with the underside of the housing forms the RP. The cushioning layers include holes adjacent the four corners thereof which stretch over a bulbous headed male projections7005located on the underside of the housing7001near the corners thereof. The layers7002and7003provide the ability to remove a layer which has become wet and/or dirty whilst the wearer is out and about.

InFIG. 8there is shown an RP in the form of a band8000made of an elasticized material similar to that used to tennis wrist bands. The band8000has a pocket (not shown) housing a sound system (not shown). The top of the pocket has cushioning in the form of a neoprene pad to cushion the infants head whilst resting on the sound system. The band8000may also stretch over the hand so as to be capable of being used in the crook of a person's elbow, as shown inFIG. 9.

InFIG. 10andFIG. 11there is shown an infant pacifying apparatus10000having an RP in the form of a strap10001which has Velcro hooks10002at one end thereof on a first surface10003of the strap10001and has Velcro loops10004at the other end thereof on a second surface10005of the strap10001. The strap is connected via adhesive to a housing10006which houses an mp3 player (not shown) in a snug gripping cavity10007the mp3 player connects via Bluetooth to a speaker10008. In use the strap is fitted around a person's hand so that the speaker10008is exposed and the mp3 and housing10006is adjacent the surface of a person's hand. The speaker10008is preferably surrounded by a foam covering (not shown).

An alternative arrangement that can be employed in relation to the infant pacifying apparatus10000shown inFIGS. 10 and 11has the speaker inbuilt in the mp3 player10000(not shown) on the back surface thereof.

The speaker of the mp3 player transmits sound through the housing10006via channels10009which exit on the upper surface10008of the housing10006against which an infant's head will rest.

In one embodiment of the present invention there is shown an infant pabifying apparatus having an RP in the form of a housing which is in the form of a pad being substantially disc like in form (not shown) to which there is connected a speaker and associated power supply (both not shown). The speaker is configured to receive an auditory output signal via BLUETOOTH™ from a remote sound apparatus in the form of a smart phone such as an iPhone™ (not shown). The housing has a foam cover (not shown) against which the infant's head rests so as to not contact the housing/speaker directly, which would be uncomfortable.

The smart phone has a music playing application similar to the iPod™ application on the iPhone™ said application being configured to play one or more white noise sound tracks at the desired sound level. In use the housing is held in the hand of the adult so the speaker side of the housing is facing outwardly from the palm so as to be proximate an infant's head which can then be rested thereon.

Detailed Discussion of Ways to Alternate Implement the Invention

The receiving portion (RP) may come in a variety of different forms without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In one embodiment the RP may be in the form of a mitten.

In some embodiments the RP may be in the form of a fingerless glove.

In another embodiment the RP may be in the form of a strap which is attached to a housing.

Alternatively, the RP may fit within a strap in the form of a loop of elasticised material which can surround a person's hand or arm.

In yet another embodiment the RP may be in the form of a pad which can be handheld.

In some further embodiments the RP may be in the form of at least one sleeve, band or such like that can be worn on an arm, or over one or more fingers and/or thumb. For example in one possible embodiment the RP may be in the form of a ring which houses the sound system and is worn on a finger or thumb.

The RP may also be configured so that the sound system is positioned to not substantially interfere, in use, with the palm, and/or, thumb and fingers, of a user receiving tactile feedback: when moving to cradle, or when cradling, the infant's head.

In some embodiments RP may be in the form of a housing made from a sound permeable material, or configured to allow sound to travel from the auditory output device to the outer surface of the housing.

In one embodiment the sound system is positioned on the back hand side of the RP having regard to a plane through the hand within the RP. In some preferred embodiments the plane may be below the surfaces of the fingers/palm and thumb.

The auditory output device may come in a variety of different forms without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In other embodiments the auditory output device may be in the form of a speaker.

In some further embodiments the auditory output device may be in the form of a bone conduction device. A bone conduction device being a device configured to facilitate the conduction of sound to the inner ear through the bones of the skull.

The speaker of the sound system may be located in between the thumb and index finger and may be positioned so as to not project substantially above the surface of the fingers and thumb.

In one embodiment the white noise may be the sound of waves crashing.

In another embodiment the white noise may be the sound of rain on an iron roof.

In some further embodiments the white noise may be the sound produced by radio static.

In another embodiment the white noise may be the sound of a heart beat.

In some further embodiments, the white noise may be user selected from a plurality of white noise options.

In some embodiments the sound may be in the form of musical composition or a sample of one or more musical compositions. In some embodiments the musical composition may be classical music. For example, compositions by Mozart.

The sound system may come in a variety of different forms.

In one embodiment the sound system may include a heat sensitive switch which activates the system when heat is sensed within the RP and deactivates when no heat is detected within the RP.

In some embodiments the sound system may include a programmable logic unit (PLU).

The sound system may include an amplifier in some embodiments.

In one embodiment the sound system may be an Mp3 player or the like. One such an example is an iPod™. In some such embodiments the Mp3 player may include an inbuilt speaker.

In another embodiment the sound system may be a smart phone with a suitable software application to play recorded sounds. For example, the smart phone may be an iPhone™ which includes an iPod™ application and a suitable white noise audio track.

In further embodiments, the sound system is configured so as to produce a single safe audible output, that is optimised having regard to the need for the output to be both effective in calming the infant, but without any risk of damage to the infant's hearing.

In some embodiments the sound system may include a microphone connected to the PLU wherein the PLU is configured to analyse ambient noise received by the microphone and adjust the sound level within a safe range to help ensure sufficient detection of white noise by an infant. In some further embodiments the PLU may also select a particular type of white noise to be generated having regard to the ambient noise received by the microphone.

The sound permeable material of the RP and/or web element may be any number of known materials which are non-toxic and suitable for contact with an infant's skin without causing discomfort or irritation.

Ideally the sound permeable material may be washable, or if a disposal material such as paper based or synthetic material (easily recyclable).

In a preferred embodiment the RP may be made out of neoprene.

The material of the RP and/or web element may be washable.

In some embodiments the RP and/or web element may be made out of cloth. In some such embodiments the RP may also include padding. In one embodiment the padding may be a foam material.

In some embodiments the thickness of the RP and/or web element should such as to allow for sound permeation and tactile feedback from an infant's head. For example, if the RP is made of neoprene the thickness of the RP may generally be substantially 2 mm and not more than 5 mm in thickness.

In some preferred embodiments the RP and/or web element may include a pocket which houses the sound system to facilitate easy removal thereof to enable washing of the RP. The pocket may include a cushioning layer. The cushioning layer may also be made from a substantially sound permeable material and/or be adapted to allow for sound to permeate therethrough.

A material may be adapted to allow for sound to permeate therethrough in any number of ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the material may include one of more apertures or areas of reduced thickness.

In some embodiments the RP may be in the form of two sleeves respectively configured to receive a thumb and forefinger wherein said sleeves are bridged by at least one web element to which the sound system is attached.

In some further embodiments the apparatus may include one or more disposable or interchangeable outer layers of material thereon.

In additional embodiments the RP may include on the backhand side thereof one or more reinforcing elements which are configured to hold a user's hand in a correct cradling position. In general the correct cradling position is one in which the user's fingers, palm and thumb present a substantially open surface upon which an infant may rest their head.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

Thus embodiments may have one or more advantages over the prior art which may include:

The apparatus can be easily used.

The apparatus does not interfere with support and/or comfort of the infant's head when being cradled. The fact tactile feedback is received is important as this gives the parent comfort they are not being unduly rough with the head of the infant which is a risk if tactile feedback were masked. This can reduce the risk of dropping the infant while using the device, compared to using a pillow or white noise generating toy.

The apparatus can be worn easily. It can reduce suffocation risk associated with infants using pillows.

The apparatus is able (via the sound system when playing white noise (or similar sounds)) to soothe an infant and encourage sleep in most situations and with people other than the parent or close family members in regular contact with the infant. Thus, providing an ideal baby sitter aid.

The apparatus is easily transportable, compact and can be used when out and about on the move without the need for a cot or other bed.

Another advantage is that white noise is audible to the infant but inaudible to the user or others in the immediate vicinity due to the ability to position the speaker substantially adjacent an infant's ear. The same is not true of pillows and sound emitting toys which require sound to be emitted at a sufficient volume to travel any distance between the ear and the speaker.