Abstract:
A swaddling accessory ( 100 ) comprised of elongate flexible material ( 102 ) divided into a left wing ( 110 L) and a right wing ( 110 R), the elongate flexible material ( 102 ) having attached hook and loop components ( 104 HL,  104 HR,  104 LC,  104 LL). The swaddling accessory ( 100 ) secures the babies arms by: placing the infant ( 100 B) on the swaddling accessory ( 100 ); weaving the left wing ( 110 L) between the right arm ( 100 BR) and the torso ( 100 BT), then passing the left wing ( 110 L) around the right arm ( 100 BR); repeating a similar weaving with the left arm ( 100 BL) and the right wing ( 110 R); and then securing the left wing ( 110 L) and right wing ( 110 R) at the back of the infant with hook and loop fasteners installed on the elongate flexible material ( 102 ). The swaddling accessory may be used with a swaddling cloth. Several embodiments and variations are presented, including an embodiment with a capability of securing either one arm or two arms, and an embodiment constructed out of two removably attachable pieces of flexible material.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/278,477 filed Oct. 7, 2009 by the present inventor. This provisional patent application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention refers to apparatus used to swaddle babies; more particularly to accessories that may be used with swaddling cloths, swaddling blankets and the like. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0003]    The age-old practice of swaddling is a method of wrapping babies in garments of various materials and styles. Studies have shown that the benefits of swaddling include a reduction in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as well as improved sleep habits. Unfortunately, there is a safety concern associated with swaddling. This issue relates to securing an infant&#39;s arms in an effective manner to avoid the arms wriggling out of the swaddle. If the infant&#39;s arms are not properly secured, there is a risk of the swaddle garment moving upwards towards the infant&#39;s face if the infant attempts to free the infant&#39;s hands. This is a serious concern, as no swaddle garment should cover an infant&#39;s face. In some instances, the infant&#39;s arms are simply too strong to hold in its swaddle. In other instances, parents may have difficulty mastering the unique swaddling technique. Many swaddle garments also pose a challenge of holding infant&#39;s arms in place due to the lightweight fabric that is often used. All of these issues may be compounded. It is common for parents who experience these challenges to simply abandon swaddling their babies altogether for fear of their child&#39;s safety. Therefore there is a need for securing an infant&#39;s arms in a fail-safe manner when using a swaddling cloth. 
       SUMMARY 
     Technical Problem 
       [0004]    The problem is to secure the arms of an infant in a fail-safe manner when used with a swaddling cloth. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0005]    The swaddling accessory presented herein solves the problem of securing the arms of an infant in a fail-safe manner when used with a swaddling cloth or used to assist a health care provider while examining an infant. In a first embodiment, the swaddling accessory is constructed from a single piece of elongate flexible material such as, but not limited to, a knitted cloth. The elongate flexible material has attached hook and loop fasteners. It is designed and configured so that the infant is placed on the flexible material with the longitudinal axis of the cloth traverse to the infant&#39;s torso. Then a first end of the swaddling accessory is placed between the infant&#39;s first arm and torso, then over the first arm. Similarly; the second end of the swaddling accessory goes between the infant&#39;s second arm and torso, then over the second arm. The two ends of the swaddling accessory are then secured to the back of the elongate flexible material using the hook and loop fasteners. The swaddling accessory secures the infant&#39;s arms in a sufficiently snug way so the infant&#39;s arms cannot be raised or moved away from the infant&#39;s torso. A swaddling cloth may then be put around the infant, over the swaddling accessory, in the usual manner of securing a swaddling cloth to an infant. The swaddling accessory is designed so it adjusts to the infant as the infant grows. It may be manufactured in several sizes to accommodate various sizes of babies. Furthermore, the amount of snugness may be adjusted to determine the amount of movement the infant is allowed. The swaddling accessory may also be used without the swaddling cloth in assisting a health care provider while examining an infant. Additional embodiments are included, including one that allows the swaddling accessory to constrain only one arm of the infant as well as two arms. The swaddling cloth is not part of the invention. 
       ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    What is novel about this invention is that it is an accessory that works with, but is independent of, most swaddling blankets and cloths. The swaddling accessory secures the infant&#39;s arms from being raised or from getting free of the swaddling cloth. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a front view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1B  illustrates a back view of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a front view of a first step of putting the first embodiment of the present invention on an infant. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a front view of a second step of putting the first embodiment of the present invention on an infant. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2C  illustrates a front view of the first embodiment of the present invention when secured on an infant. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a cross section of  FIG. 2C  when the first embodiment secures the arms of a moderately sized infant. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a cross section of  FIG. 2C  when the first embodiment secures the arms of a small infant. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention made from two sections of elongate flexible material. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a cross section of  FIG. 2C  for the second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5A  illustrates a front view of preparing to put on a swaddling cloth after the first embodiment of the present invention is secured on an infant. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5B  illustrates a front view of the swaddling cloth wrapped on an infant after the first embodiment of the present invention is secured on an infant. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  illustrates a front view of a third embodiment of the present invention designed to secure either one or two arms of an infant. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6B  illustrates a sectional view of the third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6C  illustrates a front view of the third embodiment of the present invention securing one arm of an infant. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    In this detailed description and the appended claims, terms such as left, right, bottom and top refer to the figure where the reference is first introduced. The exception to the terminology is made when referring to an infant&#39;s left arm and right arm; where the usual meaning applies. The term swaddling cloth refers to any blanket, cloth or other garment that is used for swaddling an infant. The terms front and back refer to the front and back of the swaddling accessory when the infant is lying on the swaddling accessory. The term hook component and loop component refer to components of a hook and loop pair of removable attachment means such as, but not limited to VELCRO brand hook and loop fasteners. Two hook and loop pairs may have share a single component. The same numeral is used to refer to a specific item in different figures if it refers to the same physical item, independent of the figure&#39;s view. The term flexible material refers to a cloth or other fabric or material suitable for use in swaddling an infant. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  refer to a first embodiment  100  of the present invention.  FIG. 1A  illustrates a front view of the first embodiment  100 , looking at it from the front while it is positioned on a surface such as a floor or bed. First embodiment  100  is comprised of an elongate piece of an elongate flexible material  102  having a left wing  110 L and a right wing  110 R. The elongate flexible material  102  has one piece of center loop component  104 LC and two pieces of hook component, left hook component  104 HL and right hook component  104 HR attached to the back of the elongate flexible material  102 ; and one piece of left loop component  104 LL attached to the front of the elongate flexible material  102 . The center loop component  104 LC is positioned on the back of the elongate flexible material  102  centered on the elongate flexible material  102  so it is bisected by the vertical axis  100 V. The left loop component  104 LL is positioned on the front of the elongate flexible material  102  on the left side towards the left end  108 L: the right hook component  104 HR is positioned on the front of the elongate flexible material  102  on the right side towards the right end  108 R. The left hook component  104 HL is positioned on the back of the elongate flexible material  102  on the left side towards the left end  108 L. All the hook and loop components, center loop component  104 LC, left hook component,  104 HL, right hook component  104 HR, and left loop component  104 LL are positioned centered on the horizontal axis  100 H located midway between the top and bottom of the elongate flexible material  102 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 1B  shows the back of first embodiment  100 . The same numerals used in  FIG. 1A  apply to  FIG. 1B . 
         [0024]      FIGS. 2A through 2C  illustrate an overview of the steps involved in wrapping the first embodiment of the present invention on an infant while  FIGS. 3A and 3B  give a cross section view of first embodiment  100  when wrapped on a moderately sized infant and a small infant respectively. Referring to  FIG. 2A , the first step is to place the elongate flexible material  102  on a flat horizontal surface such as a floor or a bed with the front of the elongate flexible material  102  facing upward and the cloth extended with the horizontal axis  100 H going from left to right. The infant  100 B is then placed on elongate flexible material  102  facing front with the infant&#39;s back lying on elongate flexible material  102 . The infant is positioned so the bottom edge of the elongate flexible material  102  is just above the infant&#39;s wrist and the infant is centered on the elongate flexible material  102 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 2B  shows the second step. The left wing  110 L of elongate flexible material  102  is placed between the torso  100 BT of the infant and the right arm  100 BR and then extended over the right arm  100 BR toward the left. The right wing  110 R of elongate flexible material  102  is placed between the torso  100 BT of the infant and left arm  100 BL, then extended over the left arm  100 BL, and extended to the right. 
         [0026]    The third step, also discussed later with reference to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , is performed as follows: The left wing  110 L is then placed to the back of elongate flexible material  102 ; the right wing  110 R is then placed to the back of elongate flexible material  102 ; and the two wings  110 R and  110 L are secured to the back of elongate flexible material  102  so that that the left arm  102 BL and right arm  102 BR are secured snugly. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2C  illustrates a front view of first embodiment  100  when wrapped on the infant with the arms snugly secured at the sides of the torso  100 BT. The specific details illustrating how first embodiment  100  secures the infant&#39;s arms are illustrated in the cross section views of  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  show two methods for securing first embodiment  100  on the infant. Both  FIGS. 3A and 3B  are cross section of  FIG. 2C .  FIG. 3A  illustrates how first embodiment  100  is wrapped on a moderate sized infant while  FIG. 3B  shows how first embodiment  100  is wrapped on a small infant. Refer now to  FIG. 3A . With the infant&#39;s back lying on the front side of first embodiment  100 , the left wing  110 L of first embodiment  100  is threaded between the right arm  100 BR of the infant and torso  100 BT, then around the front of the right arm  100 BR of the infant and then under the infant. The left end  108 L is then pulled firmly to the right under the infant&#39;s back so the right arm  100 BR of the infant is held snugly. The left hook component  104 HL is then attached to the left side of the center loop component  104 LC. This secures the infant&#39;s right arm. 
         [0029]    The left arm  100 BL of the infant is secured similarly. The right wing  110 R of first embodiment  100  is threaded between the left arm  100 BL of the infant and torso  100 BT, then around the front of the left arm  100 BL of the infant and then under the infant. The right end  108 R is pulled firmly to the left under the infant&#39;s back so the left arm  100 BL of the infant is held snugly. The right hook component  1041 - 1 R is then attached to the right side of the center loop component  104 LC. This secures the infant&#39;s left arm. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3B  illustrates how first embodiment  100  is attached to an infant that is smaller then the infant illustrated in  FIG. 3A . The left wing  110 L of first embodiment  100  is wrapped around the infant&#39;s right arm in the same manner as described for  FIG. 3A . The right wing of first embodiment  100  is also wrapped around the infant&#39;s left arm as described for  FIG. 3A , but with one difference. The right hook component  104 HR is attached to the left loop component  104 LL. This secures both of the infant&#39;s arms. It is therefore seen that first embodiment  100  can accommodate the infant as she grows in size.  FIG. 3B  accommodates a small infant while  FIG. 3A  accommodates a larger infant. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate a second embodiment  200  of the present invention.  FIG. 4A  has the same design as  FIG. 1A  with the following wing differences. Second embodiment  200  is divided into two wings vertically, separating them into approximately two halves, a left wing  110 L and a right wing  110 R. The left wing  110 L has a left side hook component  204 HL attached to the back near the edge  202 L; and the right wing  1108  has right side loop component  204 LR attached to the front of the right wing  110 R near the edge  202 R. The center loop component  104 LC of first embodiment  100  is replaced by two loop components  206 LL and  206 LR. 
         [0032]      FIG. 4B  is a cross section of second embodiment  200  as illustrated in  FIG. 2C . The left wing  110 L and right wing  110 R are joined with the right side hook component  204 HR attached to the left side loop component  204 LL. Once these two wings are attached, securing the infant with embodiment two is done in the same manner as embodiment one. The primary advantage of embodiment two is that after the appropriate sizing is done once, the two wings can stay attached and both arms can easily be secured in subsequent uses of this embodiment without having to reach behind and/or around the infant as compared to the first embodiment. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 5A through 5D  illustrate the use of first embodiment  100  together with an infant blanket  112  used as a swaddling cloth.  FIG. 5A  indicated first embodiment  100 , positioned diagonally on a flat horizontal surface.  FIG. 5B  indicates the top corner  114  of the infant blanket folded down.  FIG. 5C  indicated laying the infant  100 B on the infant blanket  112 , the top crease  116  of the blanket level with the infant&#39;s neck, with first embodiment  100  already secured on the infant.  FIG. 5D  indicates the infant blanket  112  wrapped around the infant  100 B, the wrapping done in the usual manner. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 6A through 6C  illustrate a third embodiment  300  of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 6A , third embodiment  300  modifies first embodiment  100  by having a piece of additional right hook component  302 HR positioned on the right side of the front of first embodiment  100 . Third embodiment  300  permits the swaddling cloth to be used in the same way as first embodiment  100 . However, it also allows third embodiment  300  to be used as a one-arm swaddling cloth. 
         [0035]      FIG. 6B  illustrates a sectional view of third embodiment  300  as it is used as a swaddling accessory securing only one arm. Third embodiment  300  swaddles an infant torso BT and left arm  100 BL of infant while keeping the right arm  100 BR free.  FIG. 6C  illustrates third embodiment  300  as used with an infant. As illustrated in  FIG. 6B , additional right hook component  302 HR engages left loop component  104 LL in a manner that keeps left arm  100 BL of the infant free. The location and configuration of the components of third embodiment  300  are determined so that third embodiment  300  functions as indicated. 
         [0036]    The one arm swaddle of third embodiment  300  assists parents with weaning their infant off the swaddle blanket. One-arm swaddling is a fairly typical approach to this transition. The challenge with this is similar to the challenge with swaddling in general; babies often work their way out of them. Parents are highly motivated to keep their infant&#39;s arms secured for as long as they can because of the “startle-reflex” which is a known term to depict the infant&#39;s inability to control their arms from moving around while they sleep which often wakes them up. Therefore many want to swaddle as long as is practical and when they are ready to transition out of swaddling, they often attempt to do this one arm at a time. Third embodiment  300  will assist with this. 
         [0037]    The three embodiments are dimensioned and configured so they functions as described. The actual dimensions of the swaddling accessory are a design option. Typical dimensions for the first embodiment are 15 cm (6 in) height and 70 cm (23.5) length; however, these dimensions can vary, depending on the size of the infant using the swaddling accessory. The shape of the swaddling accessory can also vary as long as it functions as described herein. Other removable attaching mechanisms may be used instead of the hook and loop means such as buckles or snaps. A knitted fabric of the swaddling accessory works well when also used as the material for a companion swaddling cloth; however, other fabrics may also be used. Several different sizes of swaddling accessories may be used to accommodate the infant from birth until a swaddling accessory is no longer used. The swaddling accessory can also be used in certain situations without a swaddling cloth; for example in a doctor&#39;s office to secure the infant&#39;s arms during an exam. The elongate flexible material my be made from on or more pieces of material that are attached together by attachment means such as gluing, or stitching. 
         [0038]    The disclosure presented herein describes three embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are to be considered as only illustrative of the invention and not a limitation of the scope of the invention. Various permutations, combinations, variations, and extensions of these embodiments are considered to fall within the scope of this invention. Therefore, the scope of this invention should be determined with reference to the claims and not just by the embodiments presented herein.