DE102014017119B4 - Garment to promote sleep - Google Patents

Abstract

Garment, in particular bodysuit or overall for infants and small children, made of elastic material for variable wrapping and for promoting sleep of an infant or small child, through which at least the torso and at least partially the arms of the body of the infant or small child can be covered, comprising: a torso section (2) and an arm section (3), wherein the torso section (2) is connected to the arm section (3) and the arm section (3) has at least two areas (4) for variably attaching the arms of the infant or toddler, and fastening means (5) for variable Packing the infant or small child, the fastening means (5) being at least partially attached in the two areas (4) of the arm section (3), so that the garment (1) adapts to the body size in the area of the arms and/or torso the body shape of the infant or small child is adjustable, characterized in that the fastening means (5) and the complementary fastening means (5) are mounted in the torso section (2) and/or distributed over the arm section (3), so that an effective Garment width can be variably adjusted by attaching the one or more fastening means (5) to the one or more complementary fastening means (5).

Description

The invention relates to a piece of clothing, in particular a bodysuit or overall for infants and small children, made of elastic material for variable wrapping and for promoting sleep of an infant or small child, through which at least the torso and at least partially the arms of the infant or small child's body can be covered. The invention also relates to a method for producing a garment.

Swaddling is a special swaddling technique used to wrap newborns tightly to give them a feeling of security and tightness, similar to that in the womb during pregnancy. When swaddled, the newborn's arms lie close to the body and movement of the arms and legs is severely restricted. This swaddling technique has been known for a long time, as children were swaddled or swaddled even in ancient times.

Today, swaddling is widespread among parents and midwives. The babies or infants are usually only swaddled for an hour at a time, for example when they are sleeping. The protective cover with clearly visible and tangible boundaries makes the baby feel protected and safe. Swaddled babies often sleep longer and more peacefully and the supine sleeping position recommended by pediatricians and the World Health Organization is encouraged, which can also reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Swaddling can also help in the case of so-called “cry babies”, i.e. in the event that a baby tends to cry. Because of the tight wrap and the feeling of security, newborns often sleep longer and more peacefully.

Parents and midwives usually use a so-called swaddle cloth for this purpose, which is usually an ordinary cloth or blanket of sufficient length. For example, the baby is placed in the middle of the cloth and the two sides are folded inwards over the baby and fixed under the baby. The swaddle cloth is made of stretchy textile material. Furthermore, so-called swaddling bags are known, which consist of several layers of fabric or cloths sewn together and which are intended to simplify swaddling the infant. A swaddle bag should be appropriate for the size of the child and the ambient temperature, which means that multiple swaddles are needed to accommodate different temperatures and the growth of the infant. An alternative to using towels, blankets or swaddles is to use straps.

Furthermore, swaddling suppresses the child's Moro reflex. This reflex causes the arms to suddenly stretch, the fingers to spread and the mouth to open. The infant's arms and legs fall apart in the supine position. Many infants wake themselves up and start screaming. However, this reflex is also triggered by frightening situations and makes it difficult for some newborns to fall asleep, which can lead to overtiredness and crying.

Other disadvantages of swaddling can include the creation of greater heat or the development of greater heat build-up, which can increase the risk of heat stroke or dehydration. Furthermore, swaddling can result in pinched nerves, or there may simply not be enough space for the baby to take deep breaths and cry. Furthermore, the risk of a misalignment of the hip joint, known as hip displasia, is increased.

From the US 2010/0 299 802 A1 is a romper suit for toddlers that has adjustable sleeve and leg lengths.

From the DE 20 2012 001 564 U1 a swaddle bag is known.

It is the object of the invention to provide a way to swaddle or swaddle an infant or toddler easily and reliably, whereby a satisfactory swaddling result can be achieved regardless of the size and/or width of the infant, i.e. infants of different sizes and/or width can be swaddled easily, reliably and sufficiently firmly and no ordinary wrapping parts should have to be transported for swaddling. By the terms "satisfactory" and "adequately firm" it is meant that the toddler or infant can easily fall asleep or stay asleep, while at the same time reducing the risks of heat build-up, heat stroke or dehydration, pinching of nerves and misalignment of the hip joint be minimized.

This task is solved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

This object is achieved according to a first aspect of the invention in that a piece of clothing, in particular a bodysuit or overall for infants and small children, is made of elastic material for variable packaging and storage Sleep promotion of an infant or small child, through which at least the torso and at least partially the arms of the infant or small child's body can be covered, is provided. The garment includes a torso portion and an arm portion, the torso portion being connected to the arm portion and the arm portion having at least two areas for variably securing the arms of the infant or toddler, and fastening means for variably wrapping the infant or young child, the fastening means being at least partially in the two areas of the arm section are attached so that the garment in the area of the arms and / or the torso can be adjusted to the body size and body shape of the infant or toddler.

This provides a way to calm the child, give it sufficient warmth and thereby enable it to fall asleep more easily or stay asleep better. It also prevents the child from injuring themselves through their own arm movements and at the same time promotes the child's natural urge to move and thus also the learning process of the brain that controls motor skills.

In particular, the item of clothing can be a jumpsuit for small children. A coverall is a one-piece suit that essentially completely covers the wearer's torso, arms and legs. While a bodysuit usually lies directly on the wearer's skin, a jumpsuit is usually the top layer of clothing and is worn, for example, over a bodysuit or an undershirt or underpants. A jumpsuit is particularly advantageous as toddler clothing, as it allows the toddler the necessary freedom of movement and, thanks to its one-piece design, ensures that the individual sections of the jumpsuit cannot slip. This prevents individual areas of the toddler's body from being uncovered and cooling down. Overalls also make it easier to change the baby's diaper. Advantageously, such a jumpsuit not only protects the wearer's limbs from hypothermia, but thanks to the variable wrapping, the heat can be regulated even in warm seasons, in particular a natural freedom of movement of the arms and / or legs can be specified and the infant's arm position can be adjusted be changed or adjusted.

The expression “connected to one another” means that the individual sections are permanently connected to one another so that they cannot be separated from one another without being destroyed. For this purpose, the respective sections of the garment can, for example, be sewn together. It is also possible for the respective sections of the garment to be formed in one piece, i.e. to be formed from a continuous fabric web or from several continuous fabric webs lying one above the other. The infant can be wrapped variably depending on needs; for example, sleep promotion can be ensured with enough arm space.

The at least two areas are preferably attached to the respective sleeves of the garment, i.e. the arm section includes both sleeves and the sleeves preferably have an area for variable fastening. For this purpose, the appropriate fasteners are selected and the fasteners that are not selected remain unconnected. Advantageously, the garment can also be adapted to the infant's body in the area of the legs using cuffs and/or straps on the leg sections. The idea of the invention can be generally applied to the area of a garment that covers the torso and at least partially the arms of its wearer. The garment therefore includes not only bodysuits or overalls, but also jackets, for example. The garment advantageously consists of a body-friendly and easy-to-clean fabric, for example cotton or nickel plush. However, other types of fabric, for example synthetic fabrics or combinations of natural and synthetic fibers, are also possible.

Advantageously, the garment can preferably be made from cuddly soft cotton. It is an idea of the invention that the garment is ideal for summer and winter because it allows the infant or toddler to be packed variably. The garment preferably has a pleasantly soft, elastic and wide waistband and sits well on the child's body. The generous shape advantageously gives the baby, infant or toddler plenty of freedom to move and enough air for their legs. In contrast to tight swaddling, kicking can also be made possible, but the toddler still remains covered at all times.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fastening means and the fastening means designed to complement it are mounted in the torso section and/or distributed over the arm section, so that an effective garment width is achieved by fastening the one or more fasteners to the one or more means designed to be complementary thereto Fasteners can be variably adjusted.

In the following, the expression “distributed over the arm section” also means the section outside the two areas of the arm section. The effective garment width correlates with the strength of the swaddling or swaddling. This means that the effective garment width can be adjusted variably. The garment can therefore be used for babies of different sizes or can grow with the baby. Zippers, Velcro fasteners, buttons, especially snap fasteners, straps, magnets, hooks and/or eyes are designed as fasteners. In addition, the width and circumference of the back and chest/abdomen area can be adjusted variably and yet reliably and safely. This means that a satisfactory swaddling result can be achieved regardless of the infant's chest circumference.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the two areas of the arm section have a rail-shaped shape and the fastening means and / or the fastening means designed to complement it on the rail-shaped areas are displaceable in the vertical direction in the torso section, so that the desired position of the infant's arms or Toddlers can be adjusted.

Hereinafter, the term “vertical direction” means the direction towards the child's head and/or legs. This makes it possible to adjust the infant or toddler's arms as needed. The rail-shaped shape is particularly advantageous for zippers and buttons as fasteners, since these can be easily and securely snapped into the rail or into the rail-shaped shape.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the two areas of the arm section have a strip-shaped shape and the fastening means and/or the fastening means designed to complement them on the strip-shaped areas can be fastened in the vertical direction in the torso section, so that the desired position of the infant's arms or Toddlers can be adjusted. The infant's desired arm position can also be adjusted using buttons, magnets and Velcro fasteners as fasteners. A combination of the rail-shaped and strip-shaped shapes is also advantageously possible. The Velcro strips, which are preferably elongated, enable a simple but efficient adjustment of the effective garment width or the effective swaddling width, so that with the garment according to the invention, infants of different widths or different circumferences can be swaddled easily, reliably and sufficiently firmly, especially in the circumferential direction . This means that the infant's upper body, including the arms, can be swaddled securely and snugly, regardless of the infant's width. Advantageously, the fastening means enable a simple, yet efficient adjustment of the effective garment width, so that with the garment according to the invention, infants of different sizes or lengths can be swaddled easily, reliably and sufficiently firmly, especially in the longitudinal direction. This means that the infant's legs and feet can also be wrapped tightly in a lengthwise direction. Advantageously, the Velcro fasteners allow the sleeves to be opened and closed again with one hand, without the front and back sides of the sleeves having to be positioned exactly relative to one another.

Since small children in particular grow very quickly in their first months of life, it is advantageous to provide several rows of fasteners in the torso section and/or in the arm section in order to be able to follow the growth of the small child in this area, at least within certain limits, and to adapt the garment accordingly can. This improves the fit of the garment and prevents pressure or chafing. In addition, by packing the toddler in different ways, diapers of different thicknesses can be accommodated, for example a thinner diaper during the day and a thicker diaper at night. Advantageously, the garment can already be purchased with fasteners. Alternatively, the fasteners for upgrading can also be purchased separately.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a temperature sensor is provided which is at least partially integrated into the elastic material and is suitable for measuring the temperature within the garment. This provides a way to measure the temperature inside the garment or in the vicinity of the baby's body at any time and thus to meet the different heat needs of the child or baby at different times of the year and/or at different times of the day. It is also possible to specifically set a comfortable temperature that does not cause the infant or toddler to sweat.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a pressure sensor is provided in the arm section and/or in the torso section, which is at least partially integrated into the elastic material and is suitable for measuring the force acting on the infant or toddler. This provides an opportunity, too to measure the force acting on the small child and thereby check whether the strength of the swaddling or swaddling is appropriate and whether an improvement is necessary.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a display is provided on a surface of the elastic material, the display being coupled to the temperature sensor and being adapted to display the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. This makes it possible to read the temperature directly from the display on a surface of the garment without opening the garment.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a display is provided on a surface of the elastic material, the display being coupled to the pressure sensor and being suitable for displaying the force measured by the pressure sensor in the arm section and/or in the torso section. This allows the strength of the swaddling to be monitored and adjusted. A combination of the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor is also possible, whereby the measured values can be displayed on the same display or on different displays.

Advantageously, the garment can be adapted to the different sizes of the child in the torso area as well as in the area of the arms and also the legs using the fastening means, so that the garment can be adapted to any body size of the child and can grow with the newborn. Furthermore, the risk of the child becoming overheated and/or overloaded can be minimized by the at least partially integrated temperature sensor and/or pressure sensor. This can be particularly beneficial if the baby becomes ill with feverish infections. In addition, freedom of movement can be specified or set so that, especially in premature babies, loose swaddling can serve to hold the weak and poorly mobile arms on the child's body. This also makes movements easier because the precocious baby can carry out certain movements. The extremely retarded motor development of these children requires simulation of the previously “weightless” state of the arms in the aqueous medium of the uterus. Therefore, the arms of these premature babies are wrapped in flexion and not in extension. In addition, the hands are placed close to the mouth. This position allows for self-soothing, something that regular swaddling prevents.

There is also disclosed an armband for attaching to an arm portion of the garment according to the first aspect of the invention, the armband comprising an elastic material and fastening means and the fastening means being attached to a surface of the elastic material so that the arms of the infant's body or small child can be completely covered. The bracelet can also be used to cover not only the arms but also the hands of the infant or toddler. This means that the arm section of the garment can be variably extended, which is particularly desirable in the colder seasons.

The bracelet can be purchased separately and the width can be varied depending on the elastic material and/or the fasteners. In addition, a heart rate monitor can be integrated into the bracelet, whereby the heart rate monitor is coupled to a display and so the measured pulse on the infant's wrist is shown on the display. Advantageously, the bracelet can already be purchased with fasteners. Alternatively, the fasteners for upgrading can also be purchased separately.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the object is achieved in that a method for producing a piece of clothing, in particular a bodysuit or overall for infants and small children, is provided according to the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps: a) attaching at least two areas for variably fastening the arms of the infant or toddler in an arm section of the garment and connecting a torso section to the arm section, the torso section and the arm section having an elastic material, and b) attaching fasteners at least partially in the two areas of the arm section .

• 1 zeigt ein Kleinkind in einem Kleidungsstück gemäß einem ersten bevorzugten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung;
• 2 zeigt ein Kleidungsstück und Armbänder gemäß einem zweiten bevorzugten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung; und
• 3 zeigt die Schritte eines Verfahrens zum Herstellen eines Kleidungsstücks gemäß einem dritten bevorzugten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.

The invention is explained in further detail below using preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings.

• 1 shows a toddler in a garment according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention;
• 2 shows a garment and bracelets according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention; and
• 3 shows the steps of a method for producing a garment according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention.

1 shows a toddler in a piece of clothing 1 according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. The garment 1 includes a torso section 2 and an arm section section 3, which are permanently connected to each other. In this first preferred embodiment of the invention, two areas 4 are provided for variably attaching the toddler's arms to the arm section 3. The two areas 4 of the arm section 3 are permanently connected to the torso section 2 in this first preferred exemplary embodiment. Furthermore, fastening means 5 are provided for variable wrapping of the small child, the fastening means 5 being attached in the two areas 4 of the arm section 3 and the fastening means 5 designed to complement this being attached in the torso section 2. Velcro strips 5 are provided as fastening means in this first preferred exemplary embodiment. The garment 1 covers the torso, arms and legs of the toddler, ie the toddler's feet are also covered and only the toddler's hands and head remain uncovered in this first preferred embodiment.

2 shows a garment 1 and two bracelets 9 according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention. The garment 1 in this second preferred embodiment has a short leg section. The arm section 3 is also short, but can be lengthened accordingly by attaching or attaching one or more bracelets 9. Furthermore, a temperature sensor 6 and a pressure sensor 7 are integrated into the elastic material of the garment 1 and coupled to a display 8, the display 8 showing the measured temperature and force in the torso section 2. This means parents or midwives can control the temperature in the garment and the force acting on the baby at any time. This makes it possible to improve the effective garment width and thus the temperature and/or the force. The garment 1 covers the torso and at least partially the arms of the toddler, ie only a portion of the arms, hands, head and legs of the toddler remain uncovered in this second preferred embodiment. Since the bracelets 9 are made of elastic material, the arm section 3 of the garment 1 can be variably extended so that, depending on requirements, either the arms of the toddler are covered and no longer just a partial area of the arms, or even the hands of the toddler are also covered . In other preferred embodiments of the invention, instead of or in addition to the bracelets 9, gloves are also provided, which can be attached to the bracelets 9 or directly to the arm section 3 of the item of clothing 1.

3 shows the steps of a method according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention. In a first step of the method, at least two areas 4 for variably fastening the arms of the infant are attached 10 in an arm section 3 of the garment 1 and a torso section 2 of the garment 1 is connected to the arm section 3, both the torso section 2 and the arm section 3 have an elastic material. In a second step, fasteners 5 are at least partially attached 11 in the two areas 4 of the arm section 3. Furthermore, fasteners 5 can also be attached in the torso section 2, so that the garment 1 adapts to the body size in both the arms and the torso can be adjusted to the toddler's body shape. In further steps, temperature and/or pressure sensors or displays can be attached.

In further embodiments, the garment covers the torso, arms, hands, legs and even the head of the infant. The garment can therefore be variably extended not only in the arm section, as the bracelets made of elastic material enable, but also in a head section. The head section, preferably made of elastic material, can be attached to the torso section and thus the toddler's head can also be covered.

Claims (8)

Garment, in particular bodysuit or overall for infants and small children, made of elastic material for variable wrapping and for promoting sleep of an infant or small child, through which at least the torso and at least partially the arms of the body of the infant or small child can be covered, comprising: a torso section (2) and an arm section (3), the torso section (2) being connected to the arm section (3) and the arm section (3) having at least two areas (4) for variably attaching the arms of the infant or toddler, and fastening means (5) for variable Packing the infant or small child, the fastening means (5) being at least partially attached in the two areas (4) of the arm section (3), so that the garment (1) adapts to the body size in the area of the arms and/or torso the body shape of the infant or small child is adjustable, characterized in that the fastening means (5) and the complementary fastening means (5) are mounted in the torso section (2) and/or distributed over the arm section (3), so that an effective Garment width by attaching the one or more fasteners (5) to the one or more complementary Fastening means (5) designed for this purpose can be variably adjusted. Garment according to Claim 1 , wherein the two areas (4) of the arm section (3) have a rail-shaped shape and the fastening means (5) and / or the fastening means (5) designed to complement it are displaceable on the rail-shaped areas in the vertical direction in the fuselage section (2), so that the desired position of the infant or toddler's arms can be adjusted. Garment according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein the two areas (4) of the arm section (3) have a strip-shaped shape and the fastening means (5) and / or the fastening means (5) designed to complement it can be fastened on the strip-shaped areas in the vertical direction in the fuselage section (2), so that the desired position of the infant or toddler's arms can be adjusted. Garment according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a temperature sensor (6) is provided, which is at least partially integrated into the elastic material and is suitable for measuring the temperature within the garment (1). Garment according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a pressure sensor (7) is provided in the arm section (3) and/or in the torso section (2), which is at least partially integrated into the elastic material and is suitable for being applied to the infant or the To measure the force acting on a small child. Garment according to Claim 4 , wherein a display (8) is provided on a surface of the elastic material and wherein the display (8) is coupled to the temperature sensor (6) and is suitable for displaying the temperature measured by the temperature sensor (6). Garment according to Claim 5 , wherein a display (8) is provided on a surface of the elastic material, and wherein the display (8) is coupled to the pressure sensor (7) and is suitable for measuring the force in the arm section (3) measured by the pressure sensor (7). and/or in the fuselage section (2). Method for producing an article of clothing (1), in particular a bodysuit or overalls for infants and small children, according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , comprising the steps: a) attaching (10) at least two areas (4) for variably attaching the arms of the infant or small child in an arm section (3) of the garment (1) and connecting a torso section (2) to the arm section (3) , wherein the torso section (2) and the arm section (3) have an elastic material, and b) attaching (11) fastening means (5) at least partially in the two areas (4) of the arm section (3).

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