Abstract:
An inventive changing garment is provided herewith. Generally, the changing garment comprises a rectangular piece of fabric having curved ends with an outer fabric layer being made from a waterproof or water-resistant fabric and lined with an inner fabric layer of non-water-resistant or non-waterproof fabric, a fastener for securing one end of the garment to the other, and a gathered perimeter for securing the bottom of the fabric around the child&#39;s waist and the top of the fabric around the child&#39;s shoulders.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 61/180,180 filed on May 21, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to articles of clothing, and more particularly to a garment for securing a child during a diaper change. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Anyone who has cared for a child knows the difficulties that may be encountered while changing a diaper or clothing of a child. Typically, caregivers attempt to hold the child&#39;s feet and hands in one hand and the diaper or article of clothing in the other. Many children cry, squirm, attempt to crawl away and grab nearby objects during a diaper change. As a result, changing time is often more difficult, messy and time-consuming than one might hope. Sometimes, a child will urinate on himself during the diaper change. In the event there is an accident, the child may require a change of clothing, which can make the process of changing a diaper frustrating and overly time consuming. A child also tends to touch the soiled areas while being changed. Caregivers sometimes struggle to clean the child while trying to keep the child&#39;s hand out of the soiled areas. Similar problems exist when changing a child&#39;s pants, socks, shoes, undergarments or other clothing items. 
         [0004]    There are a plethora of inventions that address the problems in the routine of changing a child&#39;s diaper. For example, changing pads are widely used during diaper changes but only protect the table or surface that is used to change the child&#39;s diaper. There are also protective cones and cups that shield a male child&#39;s penis while changing, but they have not proven to be entirely satisfactory. One problem is that an accident can still occur since the child can easily remove or knock off the cone or cup. Accidents can also occur while the caregiver is putting on a new diaper, pants or undergarments once the cone or cup is removed. The use of a cone or cup also does not prevent a male child&#39;s urine from soiling clothing, since the urine flows towards the child&#39;s waistline. There are also swaddle garments which secure a child&#39;s arms but such garments are primarily used to ease the fussiness or to help a child sleep. These garments are not used during changing a diaper since the child&#39;s entire body is covered and the fabric is permeable. To change a child while wrapped in a swaddle garment, the caregiver must remove the child&#39;s lower body portion from the swaddle garment and rest the child on top of the garment. Additionally, the permeability of the swaddle garment renders the garment unsuitable for child changing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In view of the deficiencies and drawbacks in the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a changing garment that secures the arms of a child and protects the child&#39;s clothing. 
         [0006]    Another advantage of the present invention is that the child and the child&#39;s clothing are protected from soiling. 
         [0007]    A further advantage of the present invention is that the child&#39;s arms and hands are secured and the caregiver will not have to secure the child through some other means. 
         [0008]    Another advantage of the present invention is that the child&#39;s arms and hands will be sanitary since they are secured. 
         [0009]    Still another advantage of the present invention is that while the child is exposed during changing, the upper body portion of the child will remain warm from the extra layer of fabric wrapped around the body. 
         [0010]    And yet a further advantage of the present invention is that the child will feel more secure while the garment is in use. 
         [0011]    In summary, there is provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention a changing garment having a rectangular piece of fabric having curved ends with an outer fabric layer being made from a waterproof or water-resistant fabric and lined with an inner fabric layer of non-water-resistant or non-waterproof fabric, a fastener for securing one end of the garment to the other, and a gathered perimeter for securing the bottom of the fabric around the child&#39;s waist and the top of the fabric around the child&#39;s shoulders. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0012]    The above-described and other advantages and features of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings of which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a changing garment for a child of the preferred embodiment and shown disposed over a child; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view of the inventive garment in open condition; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the changing garment of  FIG. 2  taken along line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the inventive garment in a closed condition; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the inventive garment in an open condition. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , show a preferred embodiment of an inventive changing garment  100 . The changing garment  100  is constructed in a substantially rectangular shape with outwardly curved flap ends  102  and  112 . Preferably, the ends are outwardly curved to protect the child&#39;s eye from sharp corners. The shape of the garment is not limited to a rectangle and may be a racetrack shape, oval, rhombus or any other shape suitable for wrapping the child. The length of the garment may be from 20 inches to 50 inches and is preferably 28 to 35 inches. When the garment is held end to end in open position it forms a boat shape, providing a cavity or space within which enables some movement of the child. When held upright in a closed position not on a child, the garment is bulbous in the center and tapered at the top and bottom to accompany the child&#39;s arms and hands. 
         [0019]    Garment  100  has an outer fabric layer  106  that is visible when changing garment  100  is wrapped around a child. Outer fabric layer  106  may be constructed of a waterproof or water-resistant material such as polyester, canvas, PUL, combinations thereof and/or other fabrics known in the art. Preferably, the outer shell is comprised of a 100% polyester fabric treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment to provide for a water-resistant finish. The fabric of the outer shell is preferably free of any toxins including vinyl, BPA, PVC and phthalates. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , elastic bands  104  and  108  are located along a portion of the perimeter of changing garment  100  and substantially perpendicular to flap ends  102  and  112 . The bands  104  and  108  snugly grip the child&#39;s shoulder and waist during the wearing of changing garment  100 . The bands also prevent the child from squirming during the diaper change and allow the garment to adjust to the size of the child in order to provide for a secure fit. 
         [0021]    The fastening mechanism may be constructed of VELCRO hook and loop type fasteners, hooks, snaps, zippers, buttons and/or other materials known in the art. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of VELCRO hook fasteners  110  are located along outer fabric layer  106  for the purpose of selectively fastening flap ends  102  and  112  to one another. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the layers of material comprising changing garment  100  are shown. Starting from the exterior of the garment  100  and moving inward (or going from the top surface of the garment  100  to the bottom surface of the garment), the edge region  130  of outer fabric layer  106  is folded over. An elastic band  124  is sewn-in between the folded over fabric layer  106  and edge region  130 . Drawstrings or other materials known in the art may be inserted between the fabric layers to gather the material around the child for a secure fit. 
         [0023]    There is a second fabric layer which is an inner fabric layer  114 . Edge region  132  of inner fabric layer  114  is folded over and sewn to outer fabric layer  106  and elastic band  124 . Inner fabric layer  114  may be constructed of cotton, fleece cashmere, wool, flannel, combinations thereof and/or other fabrics known in the art that are suitable for soft contact with a child&#39;s skin. Preferably, the inner layer is made from machine-washable 100% soft cotton to minimize allergies or skin irritation that may be caused from the child squirming. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a plurality of VELCRO loop fastener strips  122  are located along inner fabric layer  114 . VELCRO loop fastener strips  122  are preferably from two to six inches in length. Strips  122  allow for the selective fit adjustment of the changing garment  100  around a child. 
         [0025]    In use, the user pulls end flap  112  around one of the child&#39;s shoulder and over the child&#39;s arm. End flap  102  is pulled around the child&#39;s other shoulder and over the child&#39;s other arm. The end flaps  102  and  112  are secured to one another by VELCRO hook and loop type fasteners  110  and  122 . The elastic bands  104  and  108  are secured around the child&#39;s waist and around the child&#39;s shoulders. 
         [0026]    In an alternate embodiment, the end flaps of outer fabric layer and inner fabric layer are sewn together as a continuous panel. In this embodiment, the changing garment is pulled over the child&#39;s head and adjusted so that the top band is snugly fitted against the child&#39;s shoulder and the bottom band is snugly fitted against the child&#39;s waist. 
         [0027]    In another alternate embodiment, a plush doll, foam figurine or other children&#39;s toy is sewn or is otherwise provided to the inner fabric layer  114  of changing garment  100 . The child&#39;s hands will be occupied by the toy when wrapped in the changing garment and therefore, the child will squirm less. 
         [0028]    The accompanying drawings only illustrate a changing garment and its constituent parts, however, other types and styles are possible, and the drawings are not intended to be limiting in that regard. Thus, although the description above and accompanying drawing contains much specificity, the details provided should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiment(s) but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiment(s). The drawings and the description are not to be taken as restrictive on the scope of the embodiment(s) and are understood as broad and general teachings in accordance with the present invention. While the present embodiment(s) of the invention have been described using specific terms, such description is for present illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that modifications and variations to such embodiments, including but not limited to the substitutions of equivalent features, materials, or parts, and the reversal of features thereof, may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom” and similar terms may be used herein to modify various elements. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated.