Infant sleeping blanket/garment for use with medical devices

An infant's sleep blanket/garment for use with medical monitoring devices, which is offered as either a sleep sack or a sleep shirt, depending on the age of the infant, with the sleep sack further presented with no arm holes and having snugging straps for newborns or with arm holes and sleeves for older infants. An openable monitor cable sheath located inside of the sleeper allows for bundling medical monitoring device cables and IV tubes and enclosing them within the sheath to prevent irritation to the infant and reduce the possibility of the infant becoming entangled in the cables and tubes. Additionally, the upper shoulder and sleeve seams are openable to allow for the installation, maintenance and removal of IV tubes without removing the garment from the infant. Thermometers incorporated into the body of the garment and an optional sleep cap aid in monitoring the infant's temperature as he sleeps.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the monitoring of vital signs of infants. More particularly, the invention comprises a sleeping blanket/garment and cap set incorporating provisions for use with monitoring devices to warn of the onset of incidents such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), apnea or other respiratory or heart emergencies.

2. Description of the Prior Art

SIDS is the main cause of death among infants between one week and twelve months of age. Overheating and re-breathing carbon dioxide, which can get trapped in blankets and loose objects, are highly suspected links to SIDS. A number of methods of monitoring infants have been propounded over the years, using various methods of attachment of transducers to the monitored infant, with varying degrees of success.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,201, issued to William H. Jackson, III, on Apr. 4, 2000, presents an INFANT BLOOD OXYGEN MONITOR AND SIDS WARNING DEVICE, a device to monitor blood oxygen levels and pulse rate of an infant. A foot and ankle wrap containing a rechargeable battery and radio transmitter is connected to a toe cap containing a pulse oximeter. Blood oxygen level and pulse are transmitted to a receiver which sounds an alarm if the blood oxygen drops to a predetermined level for a predetermined period of time.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,157, issued to Joseph E. O'Dwyer on Jul. 27, 1999, presents an APNEA DETECTION MONITOR WITH REMOTE RECEIVER, wherein a strap having motion sensors and a transmitter is fitted around an infant's chest. Physical motion is converted to electronic signals which are processed by a comparator. As long as the infant is breathing within predetermined parameters the motion will be accepted as normal. If breathing becomes abnormal or ceases, the comparator will consider the movement as abnormal and the transmitter will transmit an alert signal to a remote receiver.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,005, issued to Michael V. Scanlon on Dec. 29, 1998, presents an ACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEM, in which a transducer in communication with fluid in a pad receives acoustic signals, such as heart beat or breathing, transferred to the fluid by a body in close contact with the pad. The acoustic signals may be processed at the site of the monitoring system or transmitted to a remote receiver to sound an alarm if the acoustic signal changes or is interrupted, as changes in pulse or breathing rhythm, as might be caused by SIDS or apnea.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,562, issued to Gregory S. Beck on Mar. 17, 1998, presents a PNEUMATICALLY SENSED RESPIRATION MONITOR & METHOD, in which a flexible, gas filled belt is fitted around the chest of an infant to monitor respiration. As the infant inhales, pressure within the belt increases due to the expansion of the chest, opening a pressure switch. Conversely, as the infant exhales, pressure within the belt decreases, closing the pressure switch. Should the respiration interval exceed a predetermined period of time, a timing circuit sounds an audible alarm, warning an attendant of the change in respiration interval.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,376, issued to David L. Stephens, et. al., on Oct. 3, 1995, presents BREATHING MONITOR ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL, teaches a garment for an infant in which a shirt or similar garment contains a pocket having a monitor therein. An elastic band or bands extend around the garment in the region of the chest and/or abdomen, each band having a strain gauge secured thereto. The electronic monitor generates an alarm signal if there is a cessation of breathing for a predetermined period of time.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,300, issued to Johannes Buschmann on Aug. 31, 1993, presents a SIDS DETECTION APPARATUS AND METHODS, teaches a garment which is fabricated with a series of transilluminated optical fibers encircling an infants chest and/or abdomen. Movement of the fibers causes a modulation of the intensity of the light transmitted to a monitor, therefore, cessation of movement for a predetermined period of time can be detected and an alarm sounded.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,162, issued to Maria Dolliver on Jan. 23, 1990, presents an APNEA MONITOR BELT, in which a soft belt containing a pair of electrodes is positioned around the torso of an infant such that the electrodes are in position to monitor vital signs, such as respiration and pulse. Monitoring lead wires connect the electrodes to a monitor unit proximate the infant.

In contrast to each of the above, the present invention is intended to serve as a vehicle for facilitating the use of various independent medical devices without the danger of an infant becoming entangled in tubes or cords by channeling such tubes and cords through an internal sheath, while an openable shoulder seam allows for installation, maintenance and removal of medical devices along the arm and shoulder without having to remove the garment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention features a sleeping blanket/garment which provides for snug sleeping comfort for an infant while providing easy access for medical devices, such as respiration or cardiac monitors, intravenous (IV) tubes, and the like, as might be used for monitoring for conditions such as overheating, which can lead to SIDS or apnea. The garment can be made as either a sleeper sack, totally enclosing the infant below the neck, to a sleeved, sleeper sack or shirt for older infants. Both the sleeper blanket/garment and a sleep cap have provisions for a flat thermometer incorporated into their design for ease in monitoring the infants temperature without having to remove the blanket/garment for temperature taking.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a sleeping blanket/garment which provides channels to direct lines such as monitor cables and IV tubes through specific channels in order to prevent tangling or crimping.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sleeping blanket/garment and cap which facilitate the monitoring of the infants temperature to prevent overheating, which is a suspected link to SIDS.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sleeping blanket/garment which can easily be made as either a full sleeper sack for newborns to a sleeved sleeper sack or shirt for older infants.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sleeping blanket/garment which provides snug sleeping comfort for an infant, as an infant is calmed when bundled snugly to resemble its snug position while in utero.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sleeping blanket/garment which will facilitate the warmth of the infant so that blankets, which have been deemed hazardous because of the risk of trapping a baby's exhaled carbon dioxide and causing asphyxiation leading to SIDS, can be eliminated from use while also allowing the use of attached monitoring equipment simultaneously.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The sleeping blanket/garment of the present invention is intended to be produced in sizes ranging from premature infant to toddler, and as either a sleep sack or sleep shirt. The sleep sack may be produced in either a sleeved or sleeveless (i.e., having no arm holes) version. For the sake of illustration, FIG. 1 presents the sleeveless version of the sleep sack, FIG. 2 presents the sleeved version of the sleep sack, and FIG. 3 presents the sleep shirt. Various additional elements can be applied to any of the embodiments, although typically they will be illustrated in only one Figure. Like reference numbers will be used in each throughout, with the exception that the first digit will correspond to the FIG. number.

Referring now to FIG. 1 , sleep sack 100 has a back panel, 112 which is attached to a left front panel 114 and a right front panel 116 by sewn seams 118 L and 118 R along the respective shoulders 119 L and 119 R, down the respective side seams 120 L and 120 R, and seam 121 around the bottom 122 of sleep sack 100 . A two way zipper 124 which opens from either the top or the bottom, or other closure, such as, but not limited to snaps, buttons or Velcro , closes the juncture between left front panel 114 and right front left panel 116 . A collar band 126 surrounds a neck opening 128 at the upper end of two way zipper 124 between shoulders 118 L and 118 R. Snugging straps 130 L and 130 R are sewn into the seams 118 L and 118 R of shoulders 119 L and 119 R and the upper portion of side seams 120 L and 120 R for securing sleep sack 100 more snugly around an infant (not shown).

Referring now to FIG. 2 , the construction of basic sleep sack 200 is identical to that of sleep sack 100 , FIG. 1 , with the exception that sleeves 232 L and 232 R are sewn at the seams 218 L and 218 R of shoulders 219 L and 219 R and the upper portions of side seams 220 L and 220 R. Sleeves 232 L and 232 R terminate in cuff bands 234 L and 234 R, respectively.

Referring now to FIG. 3 , construction of sleep shirt 300 is, again, basically identical to that of sleep sack 200 , FIG. 2 , with the exception that the bottom region 322 of sleep shirt 300 is open. It would be evident to one skilled in the art, however, that bottom 322 could have a closure element 336 such as, but not limited to a zipper, snaps, buttons or Velcro to, in effect, convert sleep shirt 300 to a sleep sack.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , a cap 400 aids in keeping the infants head warm and may include a monitoring device, which will be discussed later.

It would be evident to one skilled in the art that sleeper sacks 100 and 200 , sleeper shirt 300 and cap 400 could be made of a variety of different materials, so long as they provide warm, soft, non-irritating and non-flammable comfort to the wearer. Likewise, while comfort is important, the exact styles of sleeper sacks 100 and 200 , sleeper shirt 300 and cap 400 are not of great importance to the overall invention, as they are primarily vehicles for the following additional elements of the invention. Designs presented in FIGS. 1-3 are intended only to be representational.

Referring now to FIG. 5 and 6 , the following additional elements of the invention are disclosed:

An openable monitor sheath 560 is formed by sewing or otherwise securing a first length edge of monitor cable sheath flap 562 , by means of a seam 564 to the inside surface of left front panel 514 , typically substantially parallel to and spaced from two way zipper 524 . The second length edge of monitor cable sheath flap 562 is equipped with Velcro fasteners 566 a or another suitable closure device is adapted to mate with suitable fasteners 566 b positioned along the edge of the inside surface of left front panel 514 , proximate two way zipper 524 . In the sleep sack version of FIGS. 1 and 2 , an opening 166 / 266 is left in the seam 121 / 221 between left front panel 114 / 214 and bottom 120 / 220 to allow monitor cables to be passed through sleeper sack 100 / 200 . Monitor cable sheath 560 may be used to consolidate and constrain cables 568 leading to any monitors to which the infant may be attached. It would be obvious to one skilled in the art that a number of different ways of securing monitor cable sheath 560 could be use, but obviously, whatever method is used should protect the cables and present a smooth, soft, non-irritating surface to the infant. It should also be obvious that monitor cable sheath could attached to the right front panel 516 , in lieu of left front panel 514 , or to both left front panel 514 and right front panel 516 , with equal effectiveness.

Referring now to FIG. 6 , a means of opening sleeve 632 L and/or 632 R is created by leaving seam 618 L and/or 618 R open along the upper edge of sleeve 632 L and/or 632 R. A folded flap 672 extends the back edge of sleeve 632 L and/or 632 R to facilitate attaching a fastening device 674 , such as, but not limited to, Velcro , along the two edges of what would have been seam 618 such that the seam may be opened and closed for the installation, maintenance and removal of IV tubes and/or monitor cables without having to remove sleep sack 500 from the infant.

In order to easily monitor an infants temperature while he sleeps, a clear plastic sheath 680 containing a flat thermometer 682 may be incorporated into sleeper 600 in any number of locations, including, but not limited to, the chest, the side and the back. A plastic sleeve 480 and thermometer 482 may also be incorporated into the sleep cap 400 .