Rest Pad for an Infant

The present invention refers to a rest pad of the type explained in the generic clause of claim 1.

Such a rest pad, which can also be used for an infant, is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,402. The known rest pad consists of a sort of tension sheet mounted on a bottom defined by a mattress. Along the edges of said tension sheet, strips of a textile material are sewed on in such a way that they define essentially semicircular tunnels into which rolls of foam material can be introduced. The strips have their two longitudinal edges sewed on the tension sheet in spaced relationship with each other, the distance between said longitudinal edges being equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the rolls of foam material. The inserted rolls of foam material will thus be secured in position relative to the tension sheet and, consequently, relative to the mattress. This, however, means that the available resting area of the rest pad has a fixed size, which cannot be varied.

An additional rest pad for an infant of the type mentioned hereinbefore is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,975. The known rest pad consists of a sort of air mattress having a flat, non-inflatable bottom and a hollow reception space, which extends around said bottom and into which air can be blown for elevating the whole outer rim of the bottom and not only rim sections. Also the elevated rim of this rest pad is fixed in position relative to the bottom and cannot be varied. Moreover, the possibilities of use of this rest pad are strongly limited, since only the rim as a whole, but not merely selected rim sections, can be lowered by letting off air.

A floor carpet with protective seals is known from French patent No. 1,209,288 as a playpen carpet for children. Rim sections (seals) made integral with the flat part of the carpet are located inwardly from the outer edges of the carpet. The seals are formed from impermeable and elastic material, such as plastic. While the seals are deformable while undergoing elastic stress, they bring the carpet back into the normal deployed position. In case of making use of the carpet with a playpen, it is made integral with the playpen and the seal then rests against the lower periphery on the inside and/or outside of the playpen. A number of different rest pads are shown of different constructions. From the fact that such rest pads can have a different size depending on the needs or certain requirements, the conclusion cannot be drawn that a certain fabricated rest pad can be varied in its useable size by means of foldable rim elements attached thereto to the bottom area.

Also, a cover for the base of a child's playpen is known from French patent publication No. 2,585,228, having cylindrical cushions attached to central blanket edges to form a safety means which define borders which prevent a child from putting feet outside the pen bars to reduce risk of injury. The borders are tightly drawn against the base by elastic straps arranged near opposite ends so that the border cushions can leave a maximum amount of interior space for a child and toys. There is nothing to suggest folding borders inwardly or outwardly to change the shape or size of the base rest area as in the present invention.

Hence, the present invention is based on the task of providing a rest pad, which can be used universally and which is variable in size. This task is solved by the characterizing features of claims 1 and 13.

Due to the predetermined bending boundary provided in accordance with the present invention, the elevated rim sections can, for example, be folded inwards, if the rest pad according to the invention is intended to be used in a narrow playpen or crib. If the rest pad is to be used as a blanket on which the infant can crawl, the rim sections will be folded outwards so that the largest possible bottom area will be obtained without reducing the restraining effect of the elevated rim section or rim sections. Notwithstanding this, the rest pad according to the present invention can be flattened by removing the filling material and it can be stored in a folded condition like a conventional blanket. In addition to the above-mentioned use as an insert in cribs or playpens or as a blanket on which the infant can crawl, there is also the possibility of using the rest pad according to the invention as a nursery pad for changing the infant's napkins, and in this case, it will be expedient to flatten the rim section facing the person who changes the infant's napkins because this will facilitate the work which has to be done.

The measure of providing the predetermined bending boundary in the form of an attachment seam of the loop according to claim 2 permits a particularly simple mode of production.

On the basis of the structural design according to claim 3, the size of the rest pad can easily be varied in two different directions.

The production will be rendered even more simple, if the loop consists of the material of which the bottom is made in accordance with claim 4. If the bottom material is padded, also the rim sections will thus be padded additionally according to features of claim 6.

On the basis of the structural design according to claim 5, the peripheral rim sections are easily flattened and reelevated independently by removing or inserting filling material.

On the basis of the features of claim 7, the size of the bottom surface can be varied still further according to requirements. It can, for example, be desirable to halve the bottom size of the rest pad, when said rest pad is used as a nursery pad for changing the infant's napkins, the non-used half being then folded backwards.

When, in accordance with claim 8, air is used as a filling material, the rest pad can be stored even more easily. Notwithstanding this, it is, of course, possible to use e.g. a roll of foam material or some other type of preformed filling material.

For accommodating the air, it will be expedient to use an inflatable, hose-like balloon in accordance with claim 9; said balloon is inserted into the hollow reception space and removed therefrom according to requirements, or it is fixed within the hollow reception space from the very beginning and blown up or opened, if required.

According to claim 10, at least one rim section is detachably connected.

On the basis of the structural design according to claims 11-12, the rest pad according to the present invention can be combined with a second rest pad, which is either constructed in accordance with the present invention or equipped in a conventional manner, so as to form one larger surface. The measure according to claim 12 guarantees in this case that the zipper parts are covered so as to avoid injuries.

In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail on the basis of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention with folded-out rim sections,

FIG. 2 shows the section II--II of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention with folded-up rims, and

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the rest pad according to FIG. 3 used as a nursery pad for changing the infant's napkins.

FIG. 1 and 2 show a rest pad 1 for an infant, which is provided with a quadrangular (FIG. 1 square, FIG. 2 rectangular) bottom 2 consisting of a wadded material. Each of the four straight sides of the bottom 2 has arranged thereon a continuous loop 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d. Each loop 3 was formed by turning extension flaps, which consist of the material of the bottom 2, at the respective edge upwards and inwards or downwards and outwards and by sewing them then on the bottom 2 by means of an attachment seam 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d. The loops 3a to 3d thus define hollow reception spaces whose length corresponds to the length of the abutting edge portion of the bottom 2. Air-filled, cylindrical, balloon-like hoses 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d are introduced into the hollow reception spaces. The length of each of said hoses 5 corresponds to that of the loop 3 associated therewith; it is, however, just as well possible to accommodate in each loop 3 or in selected ones of said loops 3 two or more of these hoses. Each hose 5 is provided with a valve 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, which is located at the end face thereof and which is adapted to be used for inflating the hoses and for letting off the air acting as a filling material. The valves 6 can, for example, be constructed in the manner of air mattress valves.

The attachment seams 4a to 4d are constructed as predetermined bending boundaries so that each of the loops 3 can be folded inwards onto the bottom 2, whereupon the loops 3 and the filling material contained therein complement each other and form a complete rim surrounding the periphery of the bottom 2 with one end face of a folded-in rim section abutting on the neighboring rim section. Depending on the number of folded-up rim sections as well as on the manner and on the sequence in which said rim sections are folded, different sizes of the rest pad will be obtained. For the purpose of fixing the loops 3 in this position also in cases in which said loops do not abut on a playpen or crib, connection means in the form of self-adhering strips 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d are provided.

Transversely across the bottom 2, from the loop 3c to the loop 3d, an additional hollow reception space 8 for one or for several air-filled hoses 9 extends, a valve 10 being again provided. The hollow reception space 8 is, as can also be seen in FIG. 2, formed by a bulge in the wadded bottom material, said bulge being covered on the underside by a connection strip 11, which consists of thin cloth and which has a sufficient width, so that the bottom material forming the hollow reception space can be flattened again, when the air-filled hose has been removed or deflated.

In order to be able to connect, if necessary, the rest pad 1 according to the present invention with an additional rest pad having the same structural design, a disengageable zipper 12 is provided, the parts 12a, 12b of said zipper being respectively arranged in the vicinity of the attachment seams 4a, 4b at opposite sides of the bottom 2. One part 12a of the zipper is arranged on the underside of the rest pad 1, whereas the other part 12b is arranged on the upper side thereof. The respective abutting loops 3a, 3b will thus cover in the flat condition, i.e. when the falling material has been removed, the zipper connection between two connected rest pads. The zipper components can, of course, also be arranged on the outermost edges of the loops in the flat condition.

FIG. 3 shows an additional, simplified embodiment of a rest pad 1.sup.1, in the case of which parts which are comparable with the embodiment according to claim 1 were provided with the same reference numerals, supplemented by a prime, and will not be explained again. Rest pad 1.sup.1 has essentially the same structural design and is produced in essentially the same manner as rest pad 1, but it is not provided with the central hollow reception space 8 and it has a square bottom 2.sup.1. The rest pad 1.sup.1 is shown in FIG. 3 with its loops 3.sup.1 a to 3.sup.1 d folded up, said loops 3.sup.1 being held in the folded-up position by the fastening strips 7.sup.1 a to 7.sup.1 d. By means of this folding up of the loops, it is possible to simultaneously vary the shape and the size of the outer contour in the way desired (square-rectangular).

FIG. 4 shows the use of the rest pad 1.sup.1 as a nursery pad for changing the infant's napkins, in the case of which the filling material has been removed from the front loop 3.sup.1 c, and said loop has been flattened.

However, also the rest pad according to FIG. 1 can be used as a blanket on which the infant can crawl or as an insert with four elevated rim sections as well as a nursery pad for changing the infant's napkins; in cases in which the rest pad is used e.g. as a nursery pad for changing the infant's napkins, the hollow space provided in the bottom can be filled, whereas the non-required parts of the rim sections can be deflated, whereupon said rim sections can be turned down. For this type of use, it will be advantageous, when each of the rim sections, which extend at right angles to the hollow space in the bottom, includes two air-filled hoses. The rest pad according to the present invention can additionally be used as an insert for a child's bed with slatted walls, the elevated rim sections, especially those at the slatted walls, providing protection against the infant's attempts to pass through its feet. The same advantages will be achieved when the rest pad according to the present invention is inserted into a playpen.

As a modification of the embodiments described and shown hereinbefore, the loops themselves can be impermeable to air and provided with the valves so that an additional hose will not be necessary. Instead of air, some other filling material, such as a roll of foam material or a roll filled with quilting cotton, can be used. Additional hollow reception spaces in the bottom can also be provided in the transverse direction or at any location where they may be required. The connection means used may also be self-adhering fasteners or the like. The loop can be prefabricated and then be attached by sewing or in some other way. In accordance with the respective requirements, the rim sections, which are adapted to be elevated, may also be provided on only one, two or three sides of the bottom. However, by means of the embodiment according to the present invention, the desired shape of the rim sections can easily be determined by removing the filling material from the rim section which is not intended to be elevated, e.g. the front side in the case of a nursery pad for changing the infant's napkins.