EP2457470A2

EP2457470A2 - Device for aiding in infant care

Info

Publication number: EP2457470A2
Application number: EP10802483A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jong Tae Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-23
Filing date: 2010-07-23
Publication date: 2012-05-30
Also published as: CN102469883A; WO2011010890A2; EP2457470A4; KR101050514B1; US20120119039A1; WO2011010890A3; KR20110010073A; JP2012533397A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for aiding in infant care. More particularly, the present invention proposes a device for aiding in infant care comprising: an upper body support unit for supporting the upper body of a baby; a lower body support unit for supporting the lower body of the baby with the legs of the baby being spread apart; and a stanchion for interconnecting the upper body support unit and the lower body support unit. The device of the present invention for aiding in infant care enables a user to easily care for a baby while changing diapers, clothing the baby, washing the buttocks of the baby, or the like with the baby standing up and legs spread apart.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a device for aiding in infant care.

Background Art

Until now, changing infants' diapers after laying the infants on the floor has been the general practice. However, while laying the infants on the floor and changing their diapers, the infants frequently wriggle their arms and legs. Further, because guardians have to hold the legs of the infants and at the same time lift the buttocks to change the infants' diapers, excrement may flow down toward the waist of the infant or flow out of the diapers. In addition, the guardians who change infants' diapers have to hold parts of the infants' bodies using a hand while changing the infants' diapers. In other words, one of the hands of the guardians is occupied, thus making changing infants' diapers more difficult.
There is thus a growing need to introduce a device that can assist in infant care in many different conditions, in addition to when changing infants' diapers, when putting pants on the infants or taking them off, washing the lower bodies or other body parts of the infants, teaching toddling, feeding baby food, etc.

Disclosure

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a device for aiding in infant care which enables an infant to stand with the legs of the infant being spread apart.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a device for aiding in infant care, including: an upper body support unit supporting an upper body of an infant; a lower body support unit supporting a lower body of the infant with the legs of the infant being spread apart; and a stanchion connecting the upper body support unit to the lower body support unit.
The upper body support unit may include a pair of armrests spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, the armrests being inserted into respective armpits of the infant.
Each of the armrests may be bent upwards at a distal end thereof that is opposite to the stanchion.
Each of the armrests may be curved convex downwards on at least a portion thereof.
The armrests may be bent toward each other so that the armrests wrap the infant who stands between the armrests.
The upper body support unit may further include a connection part provided between the armrests and the stanchion so that the armrests are spaced apart from the stanchion by a predetermined distance.
The upper body support unit may be removably coupled to the stanchion.
The lower body support unit may include a pair of seating parts spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and receiving respective feet of the infant therein so that the lower body support unit supports the legs of the infant with the legs of the infant being spread apart.
The seating parts may include depressions formed in a support plate connected to the stanchion.
The lower body support unit may include an anti-slip member under a bottom surface thereof.
The stanchion may be configured such that a height thereof is adjustable.
The device for aiding in infant care may further include a clip provided on at least either the stanchion or the upper body support unit.
The clip may be movable such that the clip protrudes from the upper body support unit or the stanchion or is retracted into the upper body support unit or the stanchion.

Advantageous Effects

A device for aiding in infant care according to the present invention can support an infant so that the infant can stand with the legs being spread apart. Therefore, in infant care, for example, when changing a diaper or clothes, washing the buttocks or other parts of the infant, etc., a guardian who takes care of the infant can use his/her both hands freely, because there is no necessity for the guardian to hold the infant. Further, because it is not required to lay down the infant who is resistant to lying, infant care can be facilitated. Moreover, the present invention can prevent excrement or contaminant from flowing down toward the waist of the infant when changing the infant's diaper or washing the buttocks or other parts of the infant, thus being more sanitary.

Description of Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device for aiding in infant care, according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a circled portion 'A' of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a bottom view of Fig. 1;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of a method of adjusting the height of the device of Fig. 1;
Fig. 7 is a partially broken side view of Fig. 6; and
Figs. 8 and 9 are partially broken side views showing the operation of a one-touch button type clip.

Best Mode

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
As shown in Fig. 1 and the following drawings, a device for aiding in infant care according to the present invention includes an upper body support unit 10 which supports the upper body of an infant 2, a lower body support unit 20 which supports the lower body of the infant 2 with the legs of the infant 2 being spread apart, and a stanchion 30 which connects the upper body support unit 10 to the lower body support unit 20.
The upper body support unit 10 can have any kind of structure so long as it can support the upper body of the infant 2.
Preferably, the upper body support unit 10 includes a pair of armrests 12 that are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and can be inserted into the armpits of the infant 2. In other words, the aiding device of the present invention can reliably hold the upper body of the infant 2 despite having a simple structure in such a way that the two armrests 12 support the upper body of the infant 2. Furthermore, because the two armrests 12 do not completely surround the infant 2, the infant 2 can easily lean on the armrests 12 without resistance as a result of being restricted. The distance between the two armrests 12 is appropriate for the infant 2 to lightly move without being pressed. In addition, this structure of the two armrests 12 makes it easy for a guardian to stand or put the infant 2 on the aiding device of the present invention.
Particularly, as designated by the arrow B of Figs. 1 and 2, distal ends 12A of the armrests 12 that are opposite to the stanchion 30 are bent upwards. Therefore, because the distal ends 12A of the armrests 12 catch the upper body of the infant 2, the upper body of the infant 2 can be prevented from undesirably escaping the aiding device through the space between the armrests 12. More preferably, at least a portion of each armrest 12 is curved convex downwards so that the armrests 12 softly come into contact with the infant 2.
Furthermore, as designated by the arrows C and D of Fig. 4, the two armrests 12 may be bent toward each other so that they partially wrap the infant 2 who is between the armrests 12, thus preventing the infant 2 from undesirably escaping through the space between the armrests 12. More preferably, the two armrests 12 may be curvilinearly bent toward each other so that the armrests 12 softly come into contact with the infant 2.
The upper body support unit 10 further includes a connection part 14 that is provided between the armrests 12 and the stanchion 30 so that the armrests 12 are spaced apart from the stanchion 30 by a predetermined distance G. The distance G between the armrests 12 and the stanchion 30 allows the stanchion 30 to be spaced apart from the infant 2 who stands on the aiding device. Hence, the guardian who takes care of the infant 2 can easily put his/her hands behind the infant 2, thus facilitating replacement of a diaper 4, putting clothing on the infant 2, or washing the buttocks of the infant 2. Furthermore, the body of the infant 2 can be prevented from coming into contact with the stanchion 30, thereby preventing the infant 2 from being repulsed by the contact, and being more advantageous in terms of cleanliness.
The upper body support unit 10 having the above-mentioned construction may be removably coupled to the stanchion 30 to make it possible to maintain or repair the upper body support unit 10 or replace it with a new one to change the color, design, size, etc. Here, the structure of the upper body support unit 10 is not limited to a special structure to make it possible for the upper body support unit 10 to be removably coupled to the stanchion 30. Making use of a bolt 36 or pin to removably couple two members to each other is well known, and further detailed explanation will thus be omitted.
Next, the lower body support unit 20 may have any kind of structure so long as it can support the lower body of the infant 2 with the legs of the infant 2 being spread apart.
Preferably, the lower body support unit 20 has a pair of seating parts 22, which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and into which the feet of the infant 2 are inserted, so that the lower body support unit 20 can reliably support the legs of the infant 2 with the legs of the infant 2 being spread apart. This structure of the lower body support unit 20 is advantageous in that it is simple and the infant 2 can easily spread his/her legs.
The seating parts 22 may have any type of shape so long as the feet of the infant 2 can enter the seating parts 22. Preferably, to simplify the structure of the aiding device, the seating parts 22 comprise depressions 22A that are formed in a support plate 24 that is connected to the lower end of the stanchion 30 to allow the aiding device to be stably placed on a support surface. In the embodiment, as shown in the drawings, the support plate 24 may have an elliptical shape. Of course, the shape of the support plate 24 is not limited to this and, for example, may have not only a rectangular or circular shape but also a bifurcate shape, such as a U shape, corresponding to the two seating parts 22.
A water drain hole may be formed in the lower body support unit 20 so that water that has been used, for example, to wash the infant can be drained through the water drain hole, thus making it easy to dry the infant.
Anti-slip members 26 may be provided under the bottom surface of the lower body support unit 20. Thus, the anti-slip members 26 provide high frictional resistance between the bottom surface of the lower body support unit 20 and the support surface, thus preventing the aiding device of the present invention from slipping. Thereby, the aiding device according to the present invention can be used more safely. The anti-slip members 26 may have any type of structure and be made of any kind of material as long as they can provide frictional force to prevent slippage of the aiding device. For instance, each anti-slip member 26 may comprise a rubber wheel.
The stanchion 30 functions to integrally connect the upper body support unit 10 to the lower body support unit 20. The stanchion 30 can be embodied by a variety of structures. For example, the stanchion 30 may have a single post structure that connects the central portion of the upper body support unit 10 to the corresponding portion of the lower body support unit 20. Alternatively, the stanchion 30 may have a dual post structure that connects opposite sides of the upper body support unit 10 to corresponding opposite sides of the lower body support unit 20.
Particularly, the stanchion 30 is configured such that the height thereof can be adjusted depending on the height of the infant 2. Thus, the aiding device can be applied to many different heights of infants. Here, the height adjustment structure of the stanchion 30 can be embodied in many different ways. For example, as shown in the drawings, the stanchion 30 includes an upper stanchion 32 that is connected to the upper body support unit 10, and a lower stanchion 34 that is connected to the lower body support unit 20 and is removably coupled to the upper stanchion 32 by the bolt 36. A plurality of coupling holes 32A are formed in either the upper stanchion 32 or the lower stanchion 34 and arranged in the vertical direction so that the bolt 36 is inserted into one of the coupling holes 32A. A single coupling hole 34A is formed in the remaining one of the upper stanchion 32 and the lower stanchion 34 so that the bolt 36 is coupled into the single coupling hole 34A along with the corresponding one of the coupling holes 32A. Therefore, depending on which one of the coupling holes 32A into which the bolt 36 is inserted, the position at which the upper stanchion 32 is coupled to the lower stanchion 34 can be changed with respect to the vertical direction, making it possible to adjust the height of the stanchion 30.
The aiding device according to the present invention may further include a clip 40 that is provided on at least either the stanchion 30 or the lower surface of the upper body support unit 10. In this case, the aiding device can be more conveniently used in such a way that a diaper 4, a cloth, a washing instrument or the like is clipped to the clip 40. For instance, changing the infant's diaper is conducted by the following process: the guardian first clips the diaper 4, in detail, a waistband of the diaper 4, to the clip 40; stands the infant 2 on the aiding device of the present invention; puts the diaper 4 on the infant 2; and removes the waistband of the diaper 4 from the clip 40. As such, the process of changing the diaper 4 can be facilitated.
The clip 40 can be embodied in a variety of structures and methods. For example, the clip 40 may have a one-touch button type structure. In this case, as shown in Fig. 8, to use the clip 40, a button B is automatically or manually pushed. Then, the clip 40 moves and protrudes outwards from the upper body support unit 10 or the stanchion 30 through a hole h that is formed in the upper body support unit 10 or the stanchion 30. As shown in Fig. 9, when the clip 40 is not in use, the button B is automatically or manually manipulated and returned to its original position to allow the clip 40 to be retracted into the upper body support unit 10 or the stanchion 30 through the hole h that is formed in the upper body support unit 10 or the stanchion 30. Alternatively, the clip 40 may be configured such that the clip 40 is rotated by a method similar to that of a toggle switch and is brought into close contact with the lower surface of the upper body support unit 10 or the stanchion 30, when it is not in use. As a further alternative, the clip 40 may be configured such that it is removably coupled to the upper body support unit 10 or the stanchion 30. In this case, when the clip 40 is not in use, the clip 40 may be removed from the aiding device. In addition to these, there may be many different methods of preventing the protruding clip 40 from hurting the infant or the guardian who takes care of the infant when it is not in use.
As described above, the device for aiding in infant care according to the present invention can be made of many different kinds of materials; for example, plastic. Particularly, because the aiding device comes into direct contact with the skin of an infant, it is preferable for the aiding device to be made of antibacterial and anti-contamination material. Furthermore, the aiding device according to the present invention is preferably made of waterproofing material, because it may be used with water.
In addition, the aiding device according to the present invention having the above-stated structural characteristics can be configured in a variety of designs. Particularly, the aiding device is sufficient to withstand the weight of the infant while he/she stands on the aiding device, is stable against overturning or falling of the aiding device, for example, attributable to motion of the infant, reliably enables the guardian to lift and move the aiding device even when the infant is standing on the aiding device, and is formed in an ergonomic design that can minimize stress of the infant.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

A device for aiding in infant care, comprising:
an upper body support unit supporting an upper body of an infant;

a lower body support unit supporting a lower body of the infant with the legs of the infant being spread apart; and

a stanchion connecting the upper body support unit to the lower body support unit.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 1, wherein the upper body support unit comprises a pair of armrests spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, the armrests being inserted into respective armpits of the infant.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 2, wherein each of the armrests is bent upwards at a distal end thereof that is opposite to the stanchion.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 2, wherein each of the armrests is curved convex downwards on at least a portion thereof.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 2, wherein the armrests are bent toward each other so that the armrests wrap the infant who stands between the armrests.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 1, wherein the upper body support unit further comprises a connection part provided between the armrests and the stanchion so that the armrests are spaced apart from the stanchion by a predetermined distance.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 1, wherein the upper body support unit is removably coupled to the stanchion.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 1, wherein the lower body support unit comprises a pair of seating parts spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and receiving respective feet of the infant therein so that the lower body support unit supports the legs of the infant with the legs of the infant being spread apart.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 8, wherein the seating parts comprise depressions formed in a support plate connected to the stanchion.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 1, wherein the lower body support unit comprises an anti-slip member under a bottom surface thereof.
The device for aiding in infant care according to any one of claims 1 through 10, wherein the stanchion is configured such that a height thereof is adjustable.
The device for aiding in infant care according to any one of claims 1 through 10, further comprising:
a clip provided on at least either the stanchion or the upper body support unit.
The device for aiding in infant care according to claim 12, wherein the clip is movable such that the clip protrudes from the upper body support unit or the stanchion or is retracted into the upper body support unit or the stanchion.