Child carry device

A child carrying device for transporting a child in a natural fashion upon the hip of a person. This is a flexible horizontal seat which is worn in the manner of a holster and which folds down when not in immediate use. When in use, the child's weight is born through the seat into the hip via attachments to a hip pad, and onto the upper leg of the person through metal hinges which communicate with a thigh pad shaped to contour the upper leg. Hinges attach to the outermost aspect of the seat and to a central position on the thigh pad. A vertical strap connects the thigh pad to aforementioned hip pad.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
The need and subsequent conception of this device came about with the birth 
of my first child. 
Carrying a child upon one's hip is the most natural and indeed the most 
likely choice when working about the house. The difficulty two fold. One 
in order to maintain the child on the hip. One must bend laterally in 
order to center the combined weight of oneself and the child while at the 
same moment increasing the horizontality of the hip. This is tiresome and 
unhealthy for the parent, however, the child is quite content being in 
close proximity to the parent. The second difficulity is that one or both 
hands must be employed constantly in order to insure the childs continued 
position. 
My first solution to this problem was to fashion a triangular wedge of 
leather and wood which was maintained in position with a belt. This worked 
well, however, it shortly became apparent that eight includes of wood 
thrusting out into space would be a physical and visual difficulty. The 
present design incorporates a leather seat and a hinge system for 
convenient folding away when not in use. 
There are two basic types of child carrier's on the market today, they are 
a back pack and a belly pack. They each are suspended from shoulder straps 
and each have some problems. 
The back pack is best for the long walk but impossible to use comfortably 
in the home or while shopping. The child is behind the parent, out of 
sight, and can do great mischief when the parent is otherwise occupied. As 
well it is difficult to remove and replace the child. The bellypack is 
best for the infant, however, it is extremely difficult to don and it 
places the child directly in the way of one's hand. The position of the 
child also caused an increase in the hordotic curve of the lumbar spine, a 
condition which exacerbates low back problem such as slipped disc. 
The Hipster is small and convenient to use, a snap of the wrist and the 
seat is in place. The child can be placed on or removed from the device 
quickly and easily, as often as necessary. 
The physiologic advantages include no unhealthy bending in order to 
comfortably center the childs weight, the buttressing effect of the device 
projects the weight toward one's own center of gravity thereby decreasing 
energy needed to maintain the childs weight. 
The child is always in sight and in close proximity to the body and 
therefore parent and child both feel secure. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The principal components are as follows: 
The hip pad consists of a roughly rectangular piece of leather of a 
synthetic material with similar qualities. Said hip pad is backed by felt 
for padding and supplied with belt loops, for suspension. Located 
centrally and inferiorly is a buckle to accept and provide height 
adjustment for the next principal component, the thigh pad. 
The high pad is composed of rectangular piece of leather or other material, 
backed by felt for padding. Sandwiched between these is a similarily 
shaped although somewhat smaller section of aluminum. This allows shaping 
for comfort and dispersion of force for the same reason. Riveted to the 
central area of the said thigh pad is a vertical strap. This verticle 
strap wraps around and shares a rivet with the next component the hinge 
pivot assembly. 
There are two hinge pivot assembly's, one at each end of the upright 
hinges. The pivot assembly is composed of an aluminum tube within a wrap 
of leather or other material. This wrap surrounds and extends one inch on 
either side of the tube. One pivot assembly is riveted centrally on the 
thigh pad. The other assembly is riveted to the outer most aspect of the 
seat inferiorly. The seat is composed of a material such as leather, 
strong enough to be safe, and flexible enough to be comfortable. One end 
of the seat connects and is riveted centrally to the high pad. The other 
end of the seat connects to the upper end of the hinges by way of one of 
the aforementioned hinge pivot assemblys. 
The hinges themselves are composed of aluminum or synthetic material strong 
enough to support the weight of a child. They are doubly hinged centrally 
in order to fold open themselves when the device is not in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
The hip pad FIG. 1, Part 1 consists of a rectulangular piece of leather or 
a synthetic material with similar qualities. Said hip pad is backed by 
felt, FIG. 1, Part 2 for padding and supplied with belt loops, FIG. 1, 
Parts 4, 5, and 6 for suspension. Located centrally and inferiorly is a 
buckle, FIG. 1, Part 7. Said buckle accepts and provides height adjustment 
for the next principal component the thigh pad, FIG. 1, Part 8. The thigh 
pad, FIG. 1, Part 8 is comprised of leather or other material backed by 
dacron felt, FIG. 1, Part 9 for padding. Sandwiched between these, is a 
similarly shaped although smaller section of aluminum, FIG. 3, Part 10. 
Said piece of aluminum allows shaping for comfort and dispersal of forces. 
Riveted to the central area of said thigh pad, FIG. 1, Part 8 is a 
vertical strap, FIG. 1, Part 11. This vertical strap wraps around and 
shares a rivet with the next component, the hinge pivot assemble, FIG. 3, 
Part 12, FIG. 4, Part 13. There are two identical hinge pivot assembles, 
FIG. 3, Part 12, FIG. 4, Part 13, one at each end of the pair of upright 
hinges, FIG. 1, Part 14, and Part 15. Said pivot assemble is composed of 
an aluminum tube, FIG. 4, Part 16, FIG. 3, Part 17 within a wrap of 
leather, FIG. 3, Part 18 and FIG. 4, Part 19 or other material. Said wrap 
of leather surrounds and extends an inch on either side of said aluminum 
tube. One said pivot assemble is riveted centrally on the thigh pad, FIG. 
3, Part 8. 
The other pivot assemble, FIG. 4, Part 13 is riveted to the outer most 
aspect of the seat, FIG. 4, Part 16 in an inferior position. 
The Seat, FIG. 4, Part 16 is composed of material such as leather, strong 
enough to safely bear a childs weight, and flexible enough to be 
comfortable. 
One end of the seat, FIG. 4, Part 16 connects and is riveted centrally to 
the thigh pad, FIG. 4, Part 1. The other end of the rectangular seat 
connects to the upper most end of the hinges, FIG. 1, Part 14 and Part 15, 
by way of aforementioned hinge pivot assemble, FIG. 4, Part 13 and secured 
by a nut, FIG. 4, Part 20 and bolt FIG. 4, Part 21. Inferiorly, the hinges 
attach to the hinge pivot assemble, FIG. 3, Part 12 and is secured by a 
nut, FIG. 3, Part 22 and a bolt, FIG. 3, Part 23. 
The hinges, FIG. 1, Part 14 and Part 15 themsleves, are composed of 
aluminum, or other synthetic material strong enough to support the weight 
of a child. 
These hinges, FIG. 1, Part 14 and Part 15 are double hinged centrally, in 
order to fold evenly upon themselves when the device is not in use.