Patent Publication Number: US-2005115000-A1

Title: Baby mat

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a baby mat and more particularly, it relates to a baby mat with which a parent can sleep alongside a baby.  
      2. Description of the Background Art  
      Recently, sharing of a bed among parents and children in which the parents and the children sleep together in the same bed has been reviewed. An article about the above is described in “Newsweek, special edition of Japanese version, The New Health from Zero Year Old” published by Hankyu Communications Co., Ltd. Jul. 29, 2003, p.7.  
      According to the above document, the number of mothers who rear their babies at the breast is increased recently and the importance of physical contact is explained. Thus, new merits are discovered in sharing the bed among parents and children.  
      Meanwhile, the following precautions has to be taken when the parent sleeps with the baby. That is, it is necessary to be careful not to let the baby choke because a bed (or mat) of the parent is too soft. It is necessary to be careful not to let the baby lay on the face. In addition, it is necessary to be careful not to let the baby be squashed when the parent rolls over.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention was made in view of the above problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a baby mat with which the parent can share the bed with the baby comfortably.  
      According to the present invention, a baby mat extends, maintaining a predetermined height and comprises a main region having a constant width dimension, a leg region positioned on the side of baby legs and a head region positioned on the side of a baby head and having a configuration in which its width dimension is decreased toward its top. A height of the baby mat is gradually increased from the leg region toward the head region.  
      Since the head region of the baby mat has a configuration in which the width dimension is decreased toward its top, the parent can nurse the baby, sliding an arm around the head region of the baby mat so as to hold the baby mat. In addition, since it has the predetermined height, even when the parent hit the baby mat when the parent rolls over and the like, the parent feels odd because of a difference in level of the baby mat and finds at once that the baby is sleeping with. In addition, since the height is gradually increased from the leg region toward the head region, the head of the baby can be held higher than the legs, so that the baby is likely to let out a burp after having milk.  
      As a result, there can be provided the baby mat with which the parent can share the bed with the baby comfortably.  
      In addition, the head region may be in the shape of semicircle, convexity and the like.  
      Preferably, a projection part projecting upward and extending along an edge is provided in the head region.  
      Since the projection part is provided in the head region, the baby is prevented from rolling over freely so as not to be choked.  
      More preferably, the mat has ventilation holes.  
      Since the ventilation holes are provided in the baby mat, a temperature of the baby can be appropriately maintained.  
      More preferably, the baby mat further comprises side projections provided on both sides of the main region.  
      In addition, the projection part and the side projections may be continuously formed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are views showing a baby mat according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are views showing a baby mat according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are views showing a baby mat according to still another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are views showing a baby mat according to still another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  are views showing a baby mat according to still another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIGS. 6A, 6B  and  6 C are views showing a baby mat according to still another embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are views showing a sofa to which the baby mat is applied. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings hereinafter.  FIG. 1A  is a plan view showing a baby mat and  FIG. 1B  is a view in the direction of the arrows B in  FIG. 1A  according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the baby mat comprises a main region  11  having a constant width dimension in which a baby body is put, a head region  12  in which a baby head is put, and a leg region  13  in which baby legs are put. The head region  12  is in the shape of almost semicircle and the leg region  13  has a linear configuration.  
      The baby mat  10  is gradually increased in height such that it is lower on the side of the leg region  13  and higher on the side of the head region  12 . In this constitution, since the head of the baby can be highly held in the head region, the baby is likely to let out a burp after having milk.  
      There is provided a projection part  14  which protrudes upward so as to hold the side of the baby head. In addition, there is provided a plurality of ventilation holes in the baby mat  10 . The baby mat  10  may be formed of a material harder than a mat on which the baby mat  10  is set.  
      Then, a description will be made of how to use the baby mat  10 . The baby mat  10  is separately used in the living room, for example near a mother in the daytime. While the baby is laid down on the baby mat  10 , the mother can observe the baby, doing housework.  
      During the night, the baby mat  10  is set on the center of the mat of a bed for parents in the bedroom. The parents sleep across the baby mat  10  while the baby is laid down on the baby mat  10 .  
      Since the head region  12  of the baby mat  10  is in the shape of semicircle, the parent can nurse the baby, sliding an arm around the head region  12  of the baby mat  10  so as to hold the baby mat  10 . In addition, since the baby mat  10  has a predetermined height, the parent does not have to bend the neck and can bring the face close to the baby in a comfortable position.  
      Thereafter, even when the parent falls asleep and rolls over in the bed and hit the baby mat  10  eventually, since the baby mat  10  is highly positioned, the parent can find at once that the baby is sleeping with.  
      Besides, when the baby mat  10  is made of a material harder than the parent&#39;s bed, an accident in which a baby is choked on a soft mat will not occur.  
      Furthermore, since the projection part  14  for holding the baby head is provided and the baby cannot freely roll over, there is no fear that the baby is choked.  
      Still further, since the plurality of ventilation holes  15  are provided in the baby mat  10 , a temperature of the baby can be appropriately maintained.  
      In addition, the above effect can be provided not only in the case where the baby mat  10  is used on the parent&#39;s mat but also in a case where the baby mat  10  is separately used when the parent sleeps alongside the baby.  
      As described above, according to the baby mat  10 , the parent can be physically affectionate with the baby anytime day or night without providing a baby bed. In addition, since the parent can be released from precautions which was conventionally taken when the parent sleep with the baby, the parent can sleep alongside the baby comfortably.  
      Another embodiment of the present invention will be described.  FIGS. 2A and 2B  are views showing a baby mat  20  according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 2A  is a plan view and  FIG. 2B  is a side view.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , although the baby mat  20  in this embodiment is basically the same as that in the above embodiment, this embodiment is different from the above embodiment in that there is no projection part but side projections  21  are provided on both sides of a main region  11  of the baby mat  20 . The side projection  21  is higher than the projection part  14 . Since other parts are the same as in the above embodiment, their descriptions are omitted.  
      Here, the side projections  21  restrain the sides of the baby when the baby is laid down on the baby mat  20 . Since the sides of the baby is restrained by the side projections  21 , the baby cannot roll over. Therefore, an accident in which a baby is choked during sleep will not occur.  
      Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described.  FIGS. 3A and 3B  are views showing the still another embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 3A  is a plan view and  FIG. 3B  is a side view.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , a baby mat  30  comprises both projection part  14  in a head region  12  and side projections  21  on both sides of a main region  11 . Since other parts in this embodiment are the same as in the above embodiments, their descriptions are omitted.  
      According to this embodiment, since the head and sides of the body are restrained by the projection part  14  and the side projections  21 , the baby is further restrained and cannot roll over and the like. As a result, the baby can sleep on the mat further safely.  
      Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described.  FIGS. 4A and 4B  are views showing the still another embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 4A  is a plan view and  FIG. 4B  is a side view.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a projection part  41  in which a projection part and side projections are integrated is provided in this embodiment. In this case, a height of the projection part  41  is the same as that of the projection part  14  in the above embodiment.  
      Alternatively, the height of the projection  41  may be the same as that of the side projections  21 , or only the sides of a main region  11  may be as high as the side projections  21  while a head region  12  is as high as the projection part  14 .  
      According to this embodiment, since the projection part  41  in which the projection part and the side projections are integrated is provided, the entire body of the baby can be surrounded by it. As a result, there can be provided a baby mat in which the baby can sleep on the mat further safely.  
      Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described.  FIGS. 5A and 5B  are views showing the still another embodiment of the present invention, in which  FIG. 5A  is a plan view and  FIG. 5B  is a side view.  
      According to this embodiment, a baby mat  50  does not have a projection part nor side projections.  
      Even if there is no projection part nor side projection, since the baby mat  50  has a predetermined height such that the height is gradually increased from a leg part toward a head part, the baby can sleep on the mat safely. In addition, even when the parent sleeping alongside the baby rolls over, since the baby mat  50  has the predetermined height, the parent finds at once that the baby is sleeping with because the parent feels odd because of the mat.  
      In addition, although the description was made of the example in which the head region of the baby mat is in the shape of semicircle in the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and it is all right if the baby mat is constituted such that the head region is decreased in width toward its top and the height is increased from the leg region  13  toward the head region  12 . Examples of such configuration are shown in  FIGS. 6A  to  6 C.  FIGS. 6A  to  6 C are plan views showing configurations the baby mat can have. In  FIGS. 6A  to  6 C, upper parts are the head regions and lower parts are leg regions.  
      Next, an application example of the baby mat will be described.  FIGS. 7A and 7B  are views showing a sofa  70  to which the baby mat according to the present invention is applied. Referring to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the sofa  70  comprises a baby mat  60  having the configuration shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  or  FIGS. 6A and 6B , a back face  65  and both side parts  66   a  and  66   b  provided so as to surround a head region of the baby mat  60 . According to the baby mat  60  constituting the sofa  70 , a notch is provided in the central part on the back side (opposite side of the side shown in  FIG. 7A ) shown by a dotted line in  FIG. 7A , so that a leg part  60   a  of the baby mat  60  can be folded along the notch as shown by an arrow in  FIG. 7A . Therefore, when the leg part  60   a  is folded, there can be provided the sofa  70  shown in  FIG. 7B . Thus, the baby mat can be used not only as a baby bed by itself, but also as the sofa  70  by folding the baby mat.  
      Although the embodiments of the present invention were described with reference to the drawings above, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Therefore, various kinds of modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiments within the same or equivalent scope of the present invention.