AU2007100570B4 - Baby garment - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: Baby garment The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 004992011 Baby garment Field of the invention The present invention relates to a baby garment and finds particular application in relation to baby garments such as bodysuits and coveralls.

Background of the invention Baby garments are typically created in one piece or two pieces. The two piece garment usually has a pair of pants that are either completely separate from the top or are easily separable if they are joined by buttons etc. One piece garments have the top and pants joined as an integral unit and are preferred for small babies to avoid separation of two 0 pieces exposing the torso. To provide an access hole to a one piece garment, a split is provided in the crotch area so that the garment can be pulled over the baby's head like a t-shirt and closed by fastening the crotch seam together. If the garment has legs, the inside of the legs are also split and fasteners are provided down their length.

The fastening of the crotch area is typically provided by press studs, however buttons, zips and other suitable fasteners are also used. The correct positioning of the fasteners has been an issue for manufacturers as they need to position them so that they are comfortable for the baby and also allow easy access for dressing and changing nappies. Fasteners, particularly zips, can also rub against a baby's delicate skin causing irritation.

It can be quite difficult for even nimble hands to fasten small press studs between a baby's legs, particularly whilst the baby is moving their legs or rolling sideways.

Whilst the standards for testing press studs are stringent in the infant garment industry, they are still a potential choking hazard. After a substantial number of washes, press studs can become loose and be pulled off by a baby.

304992011 3 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an alternative baby garment that improves the comfort for the baby and eliminates the potential choking hazard associated with the above-mentioned garments.

Summary of the invention Accordingly, the present invention provides a one-piece baby garment, including: an upper portion for positioning over a baby's upper torso; a lower portion for positioning over a baby's lower torso and crotch area; the garment having a front and a back, and a horizontal slit provided across one of the front and back to allow the baby to be placed into and removed from the garment; wherein the horizontal slit allows the lower portion to be pulled over the legs of the baby to expose the baby's lower torso and crotch area; and wherein, in use, the lower portion is positioned over a baby's lower torso and crotch area without fasteners.

Advantageously, the lower torso portion includes two leg apertures to form a bodysuit.

Alternatively, the lower torso portion may include legs which are integrally formed to form coveralls. The legs may be any desired length and may have integral socks.

The slit is preferably provided on the back of the garment. The slit may be positioned approximately half way to two thirds of the way down the length of the torso.

The front and back are preferably joined along side seams. The back is preferably formed as two panels, with the lower panel being joined to the front by a crotch seam, or may be integral with the front. The upper panel similarly may be joined to the front by shoulder seams, or may be integral with the front. At the slit, the upper panel and the lower panel overlap. Advantageously, the lower panel sits on top of the upper panel.

One or both of the edges of the material at the slit preferably include a strip of elastic.

The elastic strip may extend across the entire width of the back, between the two side seams. The material at the edge of the lower panel is preferably of greater width that the width of the back and is gathered by the elastic, thus allowing the lower portion to be 004992011 4 stretched over the baby's legs and nappy. In an advantageous embodiment, the width of the lower panel may double when stretched.

The garment is preferably made from a cotton/elastane jersey fabric. Advantageously, the fabric is 95% cotton and 5% elastane.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a baby garment according to a first embodiment of the present invention; O Figure 2 is a rear view of the baby garment of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front view of a baby garment according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a rear view of the baby garment of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a baby garment according to the present invention on a baby; and Figure 6 is a cross-sectional partial side view of a baby garment according to the present invention showing the section of the garment near the slit.

Detailed description of the embodiments Two different versions of a baby garment 10 are shown in Figures 1 to 4. Figure shows the baby garment 10 on a baby in a position to allow its nappy to be changed.

The baby garment 10 includes an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 14. The upper portion 12 includes sleeves 16 (or arm holes if sleeves are not present) and a neck hole 18. The lower portion 14 includes leg apertures 20 to form a bodysuit (Figures 1 and 2) 004992011 or legs 22 to form coveralls (Figures 3 and When the garment 10 is being worn by a baby, the upper portion 12 is positioned over the baby's upper torso 24 and arms 26 and the lower portion 14 is positioned over the baby's lower torso 28 and crotch area (Figure The baby garment 10 has a front 32 and a back 34 joined by side seams 35. A slit 36 is provided across one of the front or back. In the embodiments shown in the Figures, the slit 36 is provided across the back 34 sectioning the back 34 into upper panel 50 and lower panel 52. The baby is placed into and removed from the garment 10 through the slit 36. The garment 10 is put on like a t-shirt, with the upper portion 12 in the position 0 shown in Figure 5. The lower portion 14 is then stretched over the baby's legs inserting the legs through the leg apertures The slit 36 allows the lower portion 14 to be pulled over the legs of the baby to expose the baby's lower torso 28 and crotch area 30, as shown in Figure 5. This allows the baby's nappy to be changed, whilst leaving the upper torso 24 and arms 26 fully dressed.

The slit 36 is positioned approximately half way to two thirds of the way down the length of the torso. This allows the slit 36 to be positioned at or above the top of the nappy.

One advantage of the present invention is that fasteners do not need to be undone to check if a nappy is dirty. Additionally, you do not need to attempt to check for a dirty nappy through the leg aperture 20. By pulling out the lower panel and the top of the nappy, the nappy can be easily checked. The upper panel 50 and the lower panel 52 overlap at the slit 36, as best represented in Figure 6. The overlapping portions 38 and prevent a gap forming that may expose the baby's skin. The lower panel 52 sits on top of the upper panel 50, as the lower panel 52 is the one that is moveable.

The fabric used to make the garment 10 is preferably a cotton/elastane jersey, which allows substantial stretch. This enables the lower portion 14 to be easily pulled over the legs of the baby. The edges 54, 56 of the fabric at the slit include elastic strips 42, 44 to ensure that the upper and lower portions 50, 52 hug against the baby's torso. The elastic strip 44 on the lower panel 52 includes more gathering of material than elastic 004992011 6 strip 42 to provide additional stretch over the baby's nappy and legs. The width of the lower panel 52 at the elastic strip 44 can double when stretched.

The advantage of the present invention is that the lower portion 14 can be easily and quickly pulled over the legs of the baby to expose the baby's lower torso and crotch area for changing a nappy, whilst leaving the upper torso covered. The removal of all fasteners means that there are no small fasteners that require fastening and the crotch area of the garment is more comfortable for the baby. The potential of any fasteners becoming separated from the garment and posing a choking hazard is no longer an issue.

Claims (4)

1. A one-piece baby garment, including: an upper portion for positioning over a baby's upper torso; a lower portion for positioning over a baby's lower torso and crotch area; 5 the garment having a front and a back, and a horizontal slit provided across one 0of the front or back to allow the baby to be placed into and removed from the garment; wherein the horizontal slit allows the lower portion to be pulled over the legs of the baby to expose the baby's lower torso and crotch area; and wherein, in use, the lower portion is positioned over a baby's lower torso and crotch area without fasteners.

2. A baby garment according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal slit is formed in the back and the back is formed as an upper panel and a lower panel.

3. A baby garment according to claim 2, wherein, at the horizontal slit, the upper panel and the lower panel overlap.

4. A baby garment according to claim 2 or 3, wherein one or both edges of the upper and lower panel include a strip of elastic. A baby garment according to claim 4, wherein the material at the edge of the lower panel is of greater width that the width of the back and is gathered by the elastic, thus allowing the lower portion to be stretched over the baby's legs and nappy.