Infant crib enclosure

An infant enclosure for use with a conventional baby crib which includes a sheet and a soft bumper which is detachably securable to the sheet to extend across the crib to establish a smaller enclosure within the crib for receiving small children such as newborn infants.

The present invention relates to an infant accessory and more particularly 
to an accessory for use with a conventional baby crib to provide an 
enclosure for an infant. 
Very young infants often exhibit uncontrolled movements when asleep and 
when infants are awake they often will roll and move about. Unless 
confined, such movements may possibly cause injury to the child. For this 
reason, infants are often placed in cradles and other types of enclosures 
to protect against the effects of sudden movement as by rolling over and 
by moving when lying in a bed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,782,839 shows 
a child's chair pad which provides padding for the back or rear of the 
torso as well as for the waist of the infant. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 
3,366,294 discloses a carrier for infants which includes a flexible sheet 
of cloth or plastic having a shorter portion and a longer portion the 
edges of which are provided with padding. Each portion of the flexible 
sheet is arcuate. The back of the infant is positioned against the longer 
portion of the flexible sheet with the neck or back in contact with the 
end of the padding on the longer portion of the sheet. The infant sits on 
the shorter portion and straps secure the child in place. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,434,513 shows an infant head device which has a roll that 
extends around the upper end and along the side of the infant's back. A 
panel continues beyond the roll and has a flap on which the infant sits. 
The patentee suggests the device may be placed on a bed, couch or other 
surface on which the infant is to be placed or in a car seat or other type 
of seat such as a carrier or stroller. 
A somewhat similar support apparatus for infants is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,383,713 which discloses an orthopedic support apparatus for infants 
which has a sheet member of fabric and a pillow removably positioned to 
the top edge of the sheet. The pillow is configured to accomodate the neck 
of the infant. Also included are lateral support members located at the 
side of the infant. The sheet also is provided with strap members to allow 
the unit to be placed in a stroller, infant chair or other device. 
As mentioned above, there are various types of infant enclosures which can 
be found in the prior art and generally all require placement in a cradle, 
infant seat or some other device. Generally with small infants, parents 
and attendants prefer to contain the small child within a protected 
enclosure which more closely corresponds to the size of the infant. 
The present invention provides an infant enclosure which is adapted for use 
with a conventional crib. Unlike the enclosures mentioned above, the use 
of an auxiliary infant seat, cradle or other type of support is not 
required. With the present invention, the parents or attendants can 
utilize a standard crib which is generally available in most nurseries. 
Parents and child attendants prefer to place the child in an enclosure 
smaller than the standard size crib and for that reason resort to 
auxiliary devices as mentioned above. In some cases, infants of an age 
from a few weeks to eighteen months or two years are placed in cribs with 
towels or blankets around them to provide a smaller, padded enclosure. 
With the present invention, the necessity for auxiliary cradles and infant 
seats to contain the child is eliminated as the full size standard crib 
can be adapted for use by the newborn infant. As the infant grows, the 
enclosure of the present invention is removed and the child can then 
utilize the entire crib area. The enclosure of the present invention is 
intended for use with a standard size crib and comprises a planar sheet 
section of cotton or similar fabric which has a contoured end conforming 
to the shape of the crib mattress and is fitted to this end. The planar 
sheet section extends for a part of the length of the mattress and is 
provided with a transversely extending fastener section which preferably 
is of hook and loop fastener material such as that sold under the mark 
Velcro. A bumper having an outer covering of fabric is filled with a 
resilient, compressible material such as foam, cotton, or fiberfill. The 
bumper has a length generally corresponding to the width of the crib and 
height that corresponds generally to the distance from the mattress to the 
top of the crib rails when locked in the "up" position. The bumper is 
provided with ties so that it may be secured in a vertical position 
between the opposite side rails of the crib and is provided with a strip 
of mating fastener material so that the bottom transverse edge of the 
bumper may be secured substantially along its length to the planar sheet 
section on the mattress. Since the crib normally incorporates bumpers or 
padding extending around the interior periphery of the crib ends and 
rails, the enclosure of the present invention serves to subdivide the crib 
interior into a smaller, environmental enclosure for the infant child. 
In other embodiments of the present invention, the planar sheet covering on 
the crib mattress comprises a full sheet extending over the entire surface 
of the mattress. The bumper also may be provided with a pocket for 
receiving a device such as a heartbeat device or music box for the 
contentment of the infant. 
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an infant enclosure according to the 
invention shown in conjunction with a standard crib; 
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the enclosure; 
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1; 
FIG. 4 is a rear view of the bumper showing the pocket for reception, of an 
audio device; and 
FIG. 5 is an exploded, perspective view showing an alternate embodiment of 
the invention.

The crib infant enclosure of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 
and is generally designated by the numeral 10 and includes a planar sheet 
portion 12 and a transverse padded bumper 14. The enclosure 10 is to be 
used in conjunction with a conventional baby crib 15 which is generally 
rectangular having legs 16 at the corners and opposite ends 18 and 20. 
Side rails 20 and 22 extend between ends 18 and 20 and conventionally one 
or both of the side rails 20 and 22 are movable between a lowered position 
and an up-locked position. The lower position of the rails permits easy 
access to the crib mattress 25. With the rails 20 and 22 in the up 
position as shown in FIG. 1, the rails generally extend a substantial 
distance above the planar surface of the mattress to retain the child 
within the crib. It is also conventional to provide padded members 28 and 
30 at the opposite side rails 20 and 22 of the crib and padded member 32 
at the crib end to protect the baby from the hard surfaces of the crib. 
These padded members may be fabric or other material such as vinyl, 
suitably filled with resilient padding of polyester, fiberfill, cotton or 
the like. 
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the planar sheet member 12 is preferably a fabric 
such as cotton or cotton polyester having a width W and a length L. The 
width W generally corresponds to the width of the crib mattress. The end 
of the planar member 12 is preferably formed having contoured fitting 
section 35 which engages the end of the mattress to secure the planar 
member 12 in place. The length L of the planar member 12 may be any 
convenient length, but preferably proximates about one-half the overall 
length of the crib. The opposite edges of the planar sheet member 12 are 
preferably similarly formed having contoured edges 40 and 42 which 
correspond to the thickness of the mattress and engage the mattress 25 to 
maintain section 12 in a planar position on the upper surface of the 
mattress. 
The distal transverse edge of planar sheet member 12 defines a fastener 
section 52. Fastener section 52 may include a plurality of snaps, buttons, 
but preferably as shown is a strip of one portion of loop and hook 
fastener material such as that sold under the trademark Velcro. Fastener 
section 52 extends across the entire width of the planar sheet 12 so that 
when the bumper member 14 is attached as will be described hereinafter, a 
continuous line of attachment exists so that the infant cannot crawl or 
slide beneath the bumper 14 or so that an arm or leg of the child cannot 
be caught between the planar section 12 and the bumper 14. 
As best seen in FIG. 3, bumper 14 consists of an outer fabric casing 55 of 
cotton, polyester or similar material which is stitched or sewn around its 
outer edge and may be provided with a decorative fringe or appropriate 
pattern on the material. The bumper 14 is filled with a suitable soft 
resilient material 56 such as cotton, foam or fiberfill, preferably having 
a thickness of one inch or more. The bumper panel is generally rectangular 
having opposite longitudinal sides 58 and 59 and vertical ends 60 and 62. 
The bumper may be imprinted with a suitable pattern and may include a 
decorative fringe 65. A section of fastener material 66 extends 
substantially along the underside of bottom edge 59. Fastener section is 
cooperative with the transverse fastener section 52 on the sheet 12 so 
that the bumper and edge of the sheet section may be detachably secured 
across the entire width of the crib. Preferably, the fastener section on 
the bumper comprises one portion of a loop and hook fastener of the type 
sold under the trademark Velcro. 
A pair of ties 70 and 72 are provided at opposite vertical edges of the 
bumper so that the bumper 14 may be secured in a vertical position 
transverse of the crib by tying the upper and lower edges to the opposite 
crib rails. 
When installed as indicated above, bumper 14 compartmentalizes or 
subdivides the crib so that a smaller enclosure 98, more consistent with 
the size of a small child or infant, is provided within the confines of 
the crib. The bumper 14 is padded for the comfort of the infant. The 
bumper taken along with the conventional padding members 28, 30 and 32 
existing within the interior of the crib provides a safe, secure and snug 
enclosure for the infant. To further add to the feeling of a secure 
environment, a pocket 80 is stitched to the interior face of the bumper. 
The pocket preferably is in the shape of a heart, animal or other object 
normally associated with the nursery. The area of the bumper immediately 
adjacent the pocket defines an aperture 82 so that the parent or attendant 
can insert and operate an audio device 90 from the opposite side of the 
bumper by reaching through the aperture. The audio device may be a music 
box or preferably is a device that simulates a heartbeat to give the child 
a feeling of security. Such devices are known and one such device is sold 
under the designation Heartbeat by Rockabye. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 show an alternate embodiment of the present invention which 
is generally designated by the numeral 100. In this embodiment, the same 
numbers are used to identify the same or similar elements as were used 
with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 with a letter A being appended for 
differentiation. In this embodiment, the bumper 14A is again shown 
extending transverse of the conventional crib mattress 25A. A sheet 12A is 
generally planar and covers the conventional mattress in the crib 
extending, in the case of this embodiment, the entire length of the crib. 
The sheet 12A is preferably contoured along its opposite edges and sides 
to snugly fit the mattress. A fastener section 52A extends transversely of 
the sheet at an intermediate location for detachably securing the mating 
fastener portion 66A on the padded bumper 14A. The bumper 14A has opposite 
top and bottom edges 58A, 59A and opposite vertical sides 60A, 62A and is 
fabricated from a suitable fabric material which form a casing and which 
is a suitable soft resilient material. Ties 70A, 72A are provided at 
opposite side edges to secure the bumper 14A in place in a transverse 
position across the crib. 
The peripheral edges of the sheet section 12A adjacent the ends and sides 
of the crib are also provided with a fastener section 105 which may be one 
element of a cooperative loop and hook fastener such as Velcro. Bumpers 
110 and 112 at opposite ends of the crib and padded bumpers 115 and 116 at 
opposite sides of the crib are constructed similar to bumper 14A having a 
mating fastener section 120 along their respective lower edges. Thus, with 
the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, two separate compartments 121, 122 are 
formed, either of which may be used to confine the infant. Further, each 
enclosure is provided with peripherally extending padding which is 
substantially continuously secured to the sheet section 12A along the 
separable fastener sections. In this way, there are no openings at the 
intersection of the sheet and the bumpers through which a child may 
inadvertently catch a limb or other portion of the child's body. As has 
been described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a suitable pocket may be 
provided in the transverse bumper for reception of an environmentally 
soothing audio device. 
Although it has been described, the preferred embodiment of the enclosure 
of the present invention, it is of course understood that alternate 
embodiments can be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of 
the appended claims. These and other features are deemed to be within the 
scope and breadth of this invention as encompassed by the following claims 
.