Patent Publication Number: US-2007094764-A1

Title: Nursing shawl

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/726,930, filed Oct. 14, 2005. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates to the field of nursing shields, and, in particular, to a nursing shawl.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Many nursing mothers attempt to maintain an active lifestyle despite the many tasks associated with caring for a small child. However, taking an excursion out of the house can be an ordeal for a nursing mother with small children. Bags can easily become filled with toys and other child-care-related items, including diapers, sanitary wipes, clothing, powders, blankets, and pacifiers. Some nursing mothers find it especially inconvenient to take their children into a public setting for an extended period of time due to the additional problems attendant with nursing their children in public. Many mothers are not comfortable nursing their children in public, and many use some sort of shielding device, such as a nursing shield or a baby blanket, to cover their breasts while nursing. Currently available nursing shields are often specialized items with unique shapes and intricate straps that are difficult to put on and unsightly to look at. Although baby blankets can be useful for wrapping a child for warmth and comfort, baby blankets often are not effective nursing shields because baby blankets lack rigidity and often fall out of place during the nursing process, exposing the nursing mother&#39;s breast. Nursing mothers have, therefore, recognized a need for a convenient, easy-to-use, and stylish nursing shield.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a nursing shawl that can be worn by a woman to shield the woman&#39;s breasts while she nurses a small child. In one embodiment of the present invention, the nursing shawl is a one-piece garment constructed from a continuous piece of fabric and includes a top aperture through which a woman&#39;s head, neck, a first shoulder, and a first arm extend when the nursing shawl is worn. The nursing shawl wraps over the second shoulder, covering a second arm. The nursing shawl further includes two side edges that meet beneath the open first arm. The side edges can be fastened along the top portion, but are otherwise unfastened along the remaining length to provide access for attending to the small child beneath the nursing shawl and to provide a place for the small child&#39;s legs to extend. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a woman wearing an exemplary nursing shawl that represents one embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a back view of a woman wearing the exemplary nursing shawl shown in  FIG. 1  that represents one embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3A  illustrates a side view of a woman wearing the exemplary nursing shawl shown in  FIG. 1  that represents one embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3B  illustrates a side view of a woman nursing a small child while wearing the exemplary nursing shawl shown in  FIG. 1  that represents one embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  shows a front view of a nursing small child underneath the exemplary nursing shawl shown in  FIG. 1  that represents one embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a nursing shawl that can be worn by a woman to shield the woman&#39;s breasts while she nurses a small child.  FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a woman wearing an exemplary nursing shawl that represents one embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , a nursing shawl  100  is shown being worn by a woman  102 . The nursing shawl  100  includes a top aperture  104  through which the woman&#39;s head  106 , neck  108 , right shoulder  110 , and right arm  112  extend. The woman&#39;s right arm  112  remains outside the nursing shawl  100 , while her left arm (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) is covered by the nursing shawl  100 . The top aperture  104  includes an elastic border  114  that can be stretched so that the woman  102  can open the top aperture  104  to observe a nursing child (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) beneath the nursing shawl  100 . In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the top aperture  104  utilizes a drawstring instead of an elastic border  114 . The drawstring can be clinched for privacy and uncinched to allow observation of a nursing child beneath the nursing shawl  100 . The nursing shawl  100  also includes a bottom edge  116  positioned in proximity to the woman&#39;s waist  118 . In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, an elastic border is included along the bottom edge  116  of the nursing shawl  100 . In yet another alternate embodiment of the present invention, a drawstring is included along the bottom edge  116  of the nursing shawl  100 .  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a back view of a woman wearing the exemplary nursing shawl shown in  FIG. 1  that represents one embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 2 , the nursing shawl  100  is shown as a one-piece garment with a front side edge  202  and a rear side edge  204  that meet below the woman&#39;s exposed right arm  112 . The nursing shawl  100  is fastened at a single point, or at several closely-positioned points, along a top portion  206  of front side edge  202  and a rear side edge  204 , while a bottom portion  208  of the front side edge  202  and the rear side edge  204  remains open. In  FIG. 2 , the front side edge  202  and the rear side edge  204  are shown stitched together to form a seam along the top portion  206  of the front side edge  202  and the rear side edge  204 . In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, various types of fasteners may be used to fasten the nursing shawl along the complete length of the front side edge  202  and the rear side edge  204  to fully enclose a nursing small child (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) and the woman&#39;s torso (not shown in  FIG. 2 ). In yet another alternate embodiment of the present invention, various fasteners can be used to fasten the nursing shawl along a portion of the length of the front side edge  202  and the rear side edge  204 , including along the length of the top portion  206 , along the length of the bottom portion  208 , or along a section of the top portion  206  and/or a section of the bottom portion  208 . Suitable fasteners for interconnecting all, or a portion, of the front side edge  202  to the rear side edge  204  may include one or more buttons, snaps, zippers, hook and loop fasteners, and alligator clips.  
       FIG. 3A  illustrates a side view of a woman wearing the exemplary nursing shawl shown in  FIG. 1  that represents one embodiment of the present invention. The woman&#39;s  302  exposed right arm  304  is shown in a forward position to more clearly show the fastened top portion  206  and unfastened bottom portion  208  of the front side edge  202  and the rear side edge  204 . When the woman  302  is nursing a small child (not shown in  FIG. 3A ), the woman&#39;s  302  exposed right arm  304  can be used to access the small child through either the unfastened bottom portion  208 , through the top aperture  104 , or under the bottom edge  116 .  
       FIG. 3B  illustrates a side view of a woman nursing a small child while wearing the exemplary nursing shawl shown in  FIG. 1  that represents one embodiment of the present invention. Legs  306  from a nursing small child  308  are shown extending from the unfastened bottom portion  208  of the front side edge  202  and the rear side edge  204  of the nursing shawl  100 . In addition to providing room for the small child&#39;s legs  306  to extend, the unfastened bottom portion  208  provides additional space for the small child  308  to move around, and provides the woman  302  with a convenient access point to reach under the nursing shawl  100  with her right arm  304  to attend to the needs of the small child  308 .  
       FIG. 4  shows a front view of a nursing small child underneath the exemplary nursing shawl shown in  FIG. 1  that represents one embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 4 , a woman  402  wearing the nursing shawl  100  is shown nursing a small child  404 . The woman&#39;s covered left arm  406  is holding the small child  404 , while the woman&#39;s exposed right arm  408  is positioned with the distal end of the exposed right arm  408  passed through the unfastened bottom portion  208  of the front side edge  202  and rear side edge  204  to help support the lower half of the small child&#39;s body. The small child&#39;s legs  410  are shown extending through the unfastened bottom portion  208  of the front side edge  202  and the rear side edge  204 , under the woman&#39;s exposed right arm  408 .  
      The nursing shawl increases a woman&#39;s privacy while nursing a small child. Material covers the woman when she is viewed from the front, back, or from her covered-arm side. Although the exposed-arm side of the woman may contain an unfastened top portion and/or bottom portion, the unfastened top and/or bottom portion is generally covered by the woman&#39;s exposed arm. Privacy is maintained when the woman wearing a nursing shawl is viewed from above because the top aperture has an elastic border that conforms to the woman&#39;s body. Privacy is also maintained when the woman wearing a nursing shawl is viewed from below because of the woman&#39;s arms holding the small child in position.  
      The nursing shawl can be constructed from any number of fabrics, including cotton, premium stretch fibers, polyester, or other lightweight and breathable materials. The nursing shawl can also be constructed in a variety of sizes, colors, and prints. The nursing shawl can be worn so that the woman&#39;s left shoulder and arm are exposed, while the woman&#39;s right shoulder and arm are covered by the nursing shawl. Alternatively, the nursing shawl can be reversed so that the woman&#39;s right shoulder and arm are exposed, while her left shoulder and arm are covered by the nursing shawl. Moreover, the nursing shawl can be used in many different situations and in many different environments. For example, the nursing shawl can maintain nursing privacy while a woman is seated, lying down, standing, or walking.  
      Additional modifications within the spirit of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, one or more pockets can be added to the nursing shawl to carry items, such as a nursing pad or a pacifier. Various colours, fabrics, sizes, and designs can be used when fabricating nursing shawls. A nursing shawl can be designed so that, when the nursing shawl is being worn by a woman, the bottom edge of the nursing shawl hangs at a level that is either higher or lower than the woman&#39;s waist.  
      The foregoing detailed description, for purposes of illustration, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description; they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variation are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.