Patent Publication Number: US-2006016013-A1

Title: Infant changing station and method of use therewith

Description:
BACKGROUND  
      The disclosed embodiments herein relate to infant care products. One aspect of these embodiments is to provide a changing apparatus for safely supporting an infant while changing the infant&#39;s diapers or garments. Also disclosed is a method of using such an apparatus for changing an infant&#39;s diapers and garments.  
      One of the strongest human instincts involves the care and nurturing of offspring. Parents provide for their children in a wide variety of ways. At a basic level, however, most parents provide their children with the necessities of food, clothing and shelter. While the needs of children last from birth through later years, the care and nurturing of newborns and young infants present special issues.  
      In response to these special issues, the infant/baby industry continues to grow with new and innovative products that are continuingly made available to expectant mothers and fathers for the care of their children. Presently, the infant industry offers a vast number of products ranging from bedding products, travel products, feeding products, toys, bathing and health products, clothing, and the like.  
      One activity common to all caregivers and there infants is that of changing diapers and garments. Oftentimes, such activities occur throughout the day and can be quite difficult to accomplish because infants tend to move constantly. This is especially so when as the infant becomes more mobile because they no longer stay on their backs. This requires the care giver to stay more alert while changing diapers or garments because increasing mobility creates a higher risk of injury especially when the infant&#39;s needs are tended to from an elevated changing surface.  
      In addition, changing diapers is typically a messy job and while doing so, the area about which the activity occurs may become soiled. For this reason, caregivers often have to cleanse the changing area so that it is sanitary for its next use. To respond to this need, changing stations are provided with removable covers that are may be washed. Some of these removable covers are fitted over changing pads while others are able to detach and reattach by means of some fastening system.  
      However, there still remains a need for a changing station to safely secure an infant while tending to his/her needs as well as to provide a changing station that is easy to keep clean. Accordingly, there remains a need to provide a new and improved changing station that meets these needs.  
     SUMMARY OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      The exemplary embodiments of the changing station illustrated herein may be used to support an infant while changing the infant&#39;s diapers and garments. Broadly, the disclosed embodiments include a longitudinally extending support base having a cover panel that extends over a bay. The bay defines a chamber to house a roll of dispensable sheet liner.  
      The support base extends from a first end to a second end and has an upper surface to support the infant and a lower surface opposite thereof. The support base may include a contoured inner shell and an outer cover that is adapted to removeably fit onto the inner shell. The support base has a recess formed therein and a bay adjacent thereto that is disposed proximately to the first end of the support base. The recess is sized and adapted to nestably receive a pad that is adapted to be disposed thereon. Preferably, the pad has a thickness that is the same or approximately the same as the selected depth of the recess.  
      The support base includes a pair of spaced apart upright sidewalls that extend along opposite side edges of the support base in opposed relation to one another so as to define an upwardly divergent channel sized and adapted to receive and support an infant. Each sidewall has an inverted V-shaped cross-section and a first end portion having an enlarged height. The first end portion of each of the sidewalls proximate to the first end of the support base forms an end wall for the bay. The upper surface of the support base has a first surface portion proximate to the first end of the support base that is arcuate in configuration and which defines the bay.  
      The cover panel associated with the changing station is also arcuate in configuration and sized to extend in an arch wise manner over the first surface portion of the bay. The cover panel may be pivotally disposed on the support base and formed of a material that is substantially transparent or, in the alternative, of a material that is opaque. Together, the bay and the cover panel define a chamber that is sized and adapted to receive a roll of dispensable sheet liner therein whereby a layer of the sheet liner may be dispensed out of the chamber across the support base so that it confronts the upper surface thereof.  
      Additionally, the support base may be provided with a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the support base. A mounting structure may further be provided that is adapted to receive at least one support block. The support block, in turn, is adapted support an accessory device.  
      A method is also contemplated by the present invention for changing an infant&#39;s diapers and garments, which comprises providing a support base that has a longitudinally extending channel defined by its upper surface and a pair of upright sidewalls whereby the channel is sized to receive an infant thereon in a supine position. The method includes the step of supporting a roll a dispensable sheet liner at one end of the support base, advancing a section thereof longitudinally across the upper surface of the support base and placing the infant in the channel such that the sheet liner underlies the infant. After the infant&#39;s diapers or garments are changed, the infant is removed from the channel and the section of sheet liner upon which the infant was lying is moved away from the upper surface of the support base. The method may further include the step of removing the section of sheet liner and thereafter discarding the section after its removal. Further, the sheet liner may be provided with transverse perforations wherein the step of removing the section of sheet liner is accomplished by detaching the section of the respective perforations. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an infant changing station according to the present invention shown supporting an infant;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the infant changing station shown in  FIG. 1  without the infant;  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the infant changing station shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view, in elevation of the support base shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the support base shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view, in elevation of the support base shown in  FIG. 5  taken about lines  6 - 6 ;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the straps shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , which may be used to safely restrain movement of the infant while during use of the changing station;  
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the pad shown in  FIG. 3  taken about lines  8 - 8 ;  
       FIG. 9  is an exploded, top plan view of the outer cover partially broken away, and the cover panel;  
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view in elevation of the cover panel shown in  FIG. 3  taken about lines  10 - 10 ;  
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view, in elevation, of the infant changing station shown in  FIG. 2 , partially broken away, taken about lines  11 - 11 , and without the outer cover;  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the infant changing station shown in  FIG. 2  with the cover panel in an open position; and  
       FIG. 13  is an exploded top plan view of the support base partially broken away and the cover panel shown with the dispensable sheet liner in phantom;  
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a support block;  
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of the changing station according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 16  is a top plan view of the support base and cover panel shown in  FIG. 15 ;  
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the cover panel shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 ; and  
       FIG. 18  is a side view in elevation of the cover panel shown in FIGS.  15   17 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
      The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are broadly directed to products related to the care of infants. More particularly, the embodiments disclosed relate to a changing station adapted to safely support an infant in the supine position while changing the infant&#39;s diapers and garments. Generally, these embodiments include a support base to support the infant and a chamber for housing a roll of dispensable sheet liner that is interposed between the infant and the upper surface of the support base. Once the infant is removed from the changing station, soiled portions of the liner may be removed and discarded and new sheet liner dispensed from its chamber and across the upper surface of the support base. The disclosed embodiments are also directed to a method of changing an infant&#39;s diapers and garments wherein a changing station according to the present invention is used.  
      Turning then to  FIG. 1 , a first exemplary embodiment of the infant changing station  10  is shown with infant  2  that safely supported thereby in a supine position. The infant is directly lying on a layer of sheet liner  80  and safely restrained by straps  12 .  FIG. 2  shows the infant changing station  10  without the infant. As may better appreciated, changing apparatus  10  generally includes channel  30  for receiving the infant and a chamber  96  that houses a roll of sheet liner  80 . Sheet liner  80  is dispensed through chamber  96  and extends the length of channel  30 . These and other features are described in more detail in the following figures.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , changing station  10  has several components, including support base  20 , pad  60 , outer cover  70 , liner  80 , and cover panel  90 . Generally, support base  20  may be formed as a one-piece integral construction of suitable material for handling an infant such as plastic, wood, metal, and combinations thereof, to name a few. Other materials consistent with the infant care industry are contemplated as well as any decorative features that would permit the support base to accommodate the decoration of the nursery.  
      Turning now to the features of support base  20 , attention is first directed to  FIGS. 3-6 . As shown, support base  20  extends longitudinally between first end  22  and second end  24  and has an upper surface  26  and lower surface  28  opposite thereof. Upper surface  26  may be divided into two distinct surface portions: an arcuate first surface portion  25  and a second planar surface portion  27 .  
      Support base  20  includes two opposing upright sidewalls  32 ,  34 , of selected height, which extend along a respective side edges  31 ,  33  of support base  20  to form an upwardly divergent channel  30  that is sized and adapted to receive the infant. Sidewalls  32 ,  34 , together with upper surface  26  generally form a contoured inner shell  56 . Sidewalls  32 ,  34  may have a substantially constant height, or, as shown, may have a first height, indicated by “d 1 ” in  FIG. 3 , and an enlarged height, indicated by “d 2 ”, which is proximate to second end  24  of support base  20 . As perhaps best shown in  FIG. 6 , upright sidewalls  32 ,  34  may further have an inverted V-shape in cross-section.  
      With continued reference to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , bottom surface  28  includes an arrangement of laterally extending support webs  35 ,  37 , and  39 , as well as a first pair of mounting structures  36  located proximate to first end  22  and a second pair of mounting structures  38  located proximate to second end  24 . Mounting structures  36  and  38  are preferably arranged at a 45° angle with respect to ends  22  and  24 . As shown, support webs  35 ,  37 ,  39  and mounting structures  36  and  38  include mounting holes  29 , which may or may not be threaded, for use as a point of attachment for various items. Legs or feet  19 , shown in  FIG. 3 , may be mounted into mounting holes  29  of support webs  35  and  39  so as to extend downwardly from the support base. Feet  19  may be made of rubber or other such material that reduces movement of the support base when in use. Additionally, straps may constructed to mount in mounting holes  29 . Turning for the moment then to  FIG. 7 , straps  12  are shown, each having a respective first end  11 ,  13  and respective second end  14 ,  16 . First strap ends  11  and  13  may be associated with cooperating fasteners, such as buckle  18 . However, other such cooperating fasteners are contemplated such as hook and loop fasteners, snaps, and buttons, to name a few. Each second end  14 ,  16  may be associated with a respective mounting peg  17  that may be received through a respective bore  19 . Mounting pegs  17  may then be threaded into mounting holes  29 , such as those located on support webs  37  so as to be secured therein.  
      Additionally, with reference to  FIG. 14 , support block  54  may be provided to be receiving by mounting structures  36  and  38 . Support block  54  includes pegs  56 , which are sized and adapted to be received by mounting holes  29  of mounting structures  36  and  38 . Support block  54  may further be adapted to support an accessory devices that may be received in bore  58 . Bore  58  may be sized and adapted, for example, to receive a pole that supports a child&#39;s mobile or something that would distract or entertain the infant while his/her diapers are being changed such as a mobile.  
      Returning now to  FIGS. 3-6 , there are various additional features associated with support base  20  that need to be described in some detail to better appreciate the relationship of the support base to the other components of the changing station. First, as mentioned above, the upper surface  26  of support base  20  may be generally divided into two surface portions  25  and  27 . The second upper surface portion  27  is a planar surface and generally associated with recess  40 , which is formed in support base  20  while the first upper surface portion  25  is arcuate in configuration and generally associated with bay  50 . Due to its arcuate configuration, areas of the first upper surface portion  25  are slightly elevated above the second upper surface portion  27 .  
      Recess  40  has a first end wall  42  proximate to the second end  24  of support base  20  and a second end wall  44 , which borders bay  50 . Generally, recess  40  is sized and adapted to nestably receive pad  60 . Turning then for the moment to  FIG. 8 , it may be further appreciated that pad  60  may be a soft, resilient pad and may include an inner foam layer  62 , such as a polyurethane foam, encased in a water resistant outer layer  64 , such as polyester. Again, other materials suitable for infant care are contemplated and further within the understanding of a person ordinarily skilled in this art. Pad  60  has a lower surface  66  adapted to confront the second upper surface portion  27  of support base  20 , and an oppositely facing upper surface  68 . Preferably, the depth of recess  40  and thickness of pad  60  are approximately the same such that when received therein, pad  60  is disposed between first end wall  42  and second end wall  44  of recess  40  and upper surface  68  of pad  60  is flush with the elevated areas of first upper surface portion  25 .  
      Returning again to  FIGS. 3-6 , bay  50  is generally located proximate to first end  22  of the support base  20  and includes the first upper surface portion  25  of support base  20 . Bay is further defined by a first end portion  46 ,  48  of respective sidewalls  32 ,  34 , which together form a bay end wall  52 . As mentioned above, first upper surface portion  25  is arcuate in configuration and has a radius “r 1 ”.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , changing station  10  includes an outer cover  70  that may be removably fit onto the inner shell  56  of support base  20  and over pad  60 . Outer cover  70  has a head portion  72  that is adapted to extend about bay  50  of support base  20  and a body portion  74  that is adapted to extend about pad  60  when disposed in recess  40  of support base  20 . Additionally, outer cover  70  includes a pair of apertures, such as aperture  76 , the function of which will be described in more detail below after discussion of cover panel  90 . Outer cover  70  may further include an elastic band proximate to bottom edge  78  so that outer cover  70  maintains proper positioning with respect to support base  20 . Again material suitable for care of infants lying thereon may be used to form outer cover  70 , which includes materials having water resistant properties, particularly with respect to its outer surface layer. Accordingly, outer cover may be formed of a top layer of 100% PVC and the bottom layer may be a polyester cotton blend, as an example, and may be decorated or otherwise suitable to provide an overall aesthetically pleasing appearance to change station  10 .  
      Two general components remained to be discussed, sheet liner  80  and cover panel  90 . Both of these components are shown in  FIG. 3  are adapted to be disposed on the outer cover  70 . Generally, sheet liner  80  is disposed on the head portion  72  of outer cover  70  and comes in direct contact with the infant during use of the changing station. Preferably, sheet liner  80  is formed as a roll that may be easily dispensed quite similar to that of a roll of paper towels. However, unlike paper towels, sheet liner  80  is preferably formed of multiple layers wherein the bottom layer is made of vinyl or other water resistant material. Additional layers, such as a top layer and an intermediate layer may be formed of a water absorbent material, such as cotton, that may be laminated to the bottom water resistant layer. The roll of sheet liner  80  may further include transversely extending perforations  82  thereby dividing the roll of sheet liner  80  into a plurality of partible sheet segments. It is contemplated that the perforations  82  are approximately 12″ apart. As should be appreciated, perforations  82  assist in the detachment of selected sheet segments from the roll. The sheet liner may also be provided with decorative patterns or other indicia.  
      Cover panel  90  is an arcuate one-piece panel construction that may then be hingedly secured to support base  20 . Cover panel may be made of any suitable material sufficient to permit ease movement of cover panel about its hinge. Such materials include plastic, wood, metals, or combinations thereof. Further, it is preferred that cover panel be transparent so that at least a portion of the roll of sheet liner may be seen therethrough or may be opaque. To understand the construction and function of cover panel  90 , reference is made to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . As shown, cover panel  90  includes hinge  92 , that is integrally formed therewith. Cover panel  90  is arcuate and has a radius “r 2 ”. Preferably, “r 2 ” is less than the radius of curvature r 1  of bay  50  described above with particular reference to  FIG. 4 .  
      Hinge  92  is received through apertures  76  located at head portion  72  of outer cover  70 . Apertures  76  are somewhat teardrop in shape and are formed through the outer cover  70 . Once received therethrough, hinge  92  may then be received by a second pair of apertures  94 , which are associated with support base  20  and shown in  FIGS. 3-5 . Apertures  94  are formed in sidewalls  32  and  34  proximate to first end  22  of support base  20  and sized to receive hinge  92 . Once received therein, hinge  92  is operative to permit the pivotal movement of cover panel  90  relative to support base  20 . If desired, cover panel may be removed such that it is removably disposed with respect to support base  20 .  
      Now that all of the components of changing station  10  have been described, the relationship among the components may now be understood with reference to  FIGS. 11 and 12 . Pad  60  is received in recess  40  of support base  20  such that its lower surface  66  is in a confronting relationship to the second upper planar surface portion  27  of support base  20 . Further, as shown upper surface  68  of pad  60  is flush with the elevated portions of the arcuate first upper surface portion  25  of support base  20 .  
      Outer cover  70  is fitted about support base  20  that head portion  72  is in confronting relationship with the first upper surface portion  25  of support base  20  while body portion  74  is in confronting relationship with pad  60 . Sheet liner  80  and cover panel  90  are both disposed on head portion  72  of outer cover. Cover panel  90  is hingedly secured to support base  20  so that it extends in an archwise manner over bay  50  when closed and further permit access to the roll when opened as shown in  FIG. 12 . As may now be appreciated, bay  50  and cover panel  90  together form chamber  96  to house the roll of sheet liner  80 .  
      Sheet liner  80  is fed between cover panel  90  and outer cover  70 . More particularly, lower edge  97  of cover panel  90  forms gap  99  with the top surface  74  of outer cover  70  to accommodate sheet liner  80 . Sheet liner  80  may be advanced in the direction of the arrows simply by pulling upon the exposed sheets that have been fed out of chamber  96  and pulled to traverse the body portion  74  of outer cover  70  to line the channel  30  as shown in  FIG. 12 . The infant may then be placed on the exposed sheets of sheet liner  80 . If desired, outer cover  70  could be included so as to be interposed between the first upper surface portion  27  and sheet liner  80  and cover panel  90 . In this way, the sheet liner would extend across the outer cover  70  rather than pad  60 .  
      Alternatively, the components of changing station  10  can be assembled without use of outer cover  70 . In this way, as shown in  FIG. 13 , hinge  92  may be inserted directly into support base apertures  94 . Also, as shown in phantom, sheet liner  80  may be disposed directly onto arcuate first surface portion  25  thereby to be dispensed from chamber  96  to extend directly across pad  60  in confronting relationship thereto.  
      Turning now to  FIGS. 15-18 , a second exemplary embodiment of the changing station is shown. With respect to this second embodiment, changing station  110  is provided with an alternative support base  120  and cover panel  190 . As shown, cover panel  190  includes flanges  192 , which are formed as one-piece extensions of the cover panel. Flanges  192  are sized and adapted to be received in apertures  194  of support base  120  and are generally rectangular in cross-section. Cover panel  190  may be removably inserted in and out of apertures  194  to gain access to the sheet liner (not shown). To facilitate placement of cover panel  190 , hand opening  199  is formed therethrough. In this embodiment, cover panel  190  is not adapted for pivotal movement with respect to support base  120 . Further, as may be appreciate, an outer cover may also be used in conjunction with support base  120  and cover panel  190 . In doing so, outer cover would be provided with four tear-drop shaped apertures adapted to align with the four apertures  194  of support base  120 .  
      As may be appreciated from the foregoing, the present invention also contemplates a method of changing an infant&#39;s diapers and garments using the changing station described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-13 . Such a method contemplates providing a support base having a longitudinally extending channel that is sized and adapted to receive an infant in the supine position. The channel is defined by the upper surface of the support base and a pair of upright sidewalls extending along opposite side edges thereof. The method further contemplates supporting a roll of dispensable sheet liner at one end of the support base and advancing a section thereof across the upper surface of the support base so that the infant may be placed in the channel such that the infant the sheet liner underlies the infant. Next, the infant&#39;s diapers or garments may be changed and once this activity has been completed, the infant may be removed from the channel and the section of sheet liner upon which the infant was placed may be moved away from the upper surface of the support base.  
      If desired, and as contemplated by method, the used section of sheet liner could be removed from the roll and discarded after removal. Further, the step of removing the section of sheet liner may be aided by providing sheet liner is transversely perforated such that the section to be removed is accomplished by detaching the section at a respective perforation.  
      Accordingly, the present invention has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated, though, that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so that modifications or changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained herein.