EP1362519A1

EP1362519A1 - Protective device

Info

Publication number: EP1362519A1
Application number: EP03253101A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Thomas; Kim Belinda Crawford
Original assignee: Thomas Michael
Current assignee: Thomas Michael
Priority date: 2002-05-18
Filing date: 2003-05-17
Publication date: 2003-11-19

Abstract

A Protective device to be worn around the knee joint of an infant to protect the infants knees from the soreness and pain caused by Crawling and falling when toddling and wear on the knee area of clothes.
The protective device is made of a band 12 and a patch 14 with wadding (stuffing) not shown, between the two for cushioning purposes.
Preferably elastic (Not shown) is used to hold the pad around the infants knee, preferably still toggles 20 are used with the elastic to allow for adjustment of the width of the band for the best possible fit around the infants knee joint. With minor adjustments it is clearly envisaged that the protective device could be used for protection on other joints of the infants body for instance but not exclusively the elbow joint.

Description

The present invention relates to a protective device, and more particularly to a device for protecting the knees of an infant.
A substantial amount of the early life of an infant is spent crawling on hands and knees. Not only does crawling cause wear, particularly to the knee area of the clothes in which the infant is dressed, but also, and perhaps more importantly, excessive crawling, particularly in carpeted areas, can cause painful abrasions to the skin of the infant around the knee area.
The present invention aims to at least alleviate the aforementioned problems by providing a protective device to be worn around the knee of an infant. The protective device is made of soft light weight material and provides sufficient protection of the knee area to avoid abrasions to the skin of the infant, as well as avoiding wear and tear of clothing material.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided, a protective device for an infant, the device comprising a band of fabric material arranged to be located around a joint of an infant, the band having located thereon a patch of protective material.
Preferably, the band is manufactured from a fleece material. Preferably still, the patch is manufactured from a corduroy material.
Advantageously, wadding is located between the patch and the band.
Preferably the diameter of the band is adjustable. Preferably still, the diameter of the band is adjusted by means of elastic, and more preferably the elastic is so-called "baby elastic".
Advantageously, a toggle is provided to alter the width of the band.
The weight of the fabric material is preferably around 245 g/m² , the weight of the patch is approximately 280 g/m² and the wadding is preferably 8 ply.
Preferably, the patch is sewn on to the band.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided, a method of manufacturing a protective device, the method comprising the steps of :
(1) cutting a rectangular-shaped piece of fabric material;
(2) attaching protective material to at least part of one surface of the fabric material;
(3) attaching together the ends of the fabric material to form a band such that the protective material is located on the outer surface of said band.
Preferably the method further comprises the step of locating wadding between said fabric material and said protective material.
Preferably still, the method comprises the further steps of
(1) stitching channels around the circumference of the band; and
(2) threading elastic through said channels.
One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a protective device constructed in accordance with the present invention; and
Figures 2 to 6 illustrate the procedural steps of manufacturing the protective device of Figure 1.
Referring first to Figure 1, the protective device 10 comprises a band 12 of fabric material. The fabric material is a fleece material or similar, lightweight, soft material.
The band 12 has attached thereon, a rectangular patch 14. The patch is made from corduroy or other similar, hard-wearing material. The patch 14 is stitched on to an outer surface of the band 12 and is located in the central vicinity of the surface.
Wadding (not shown) is located between the band 12 and the patch 14.
Channels 16, 18 are stitched around the entire length of the band, through which is threaded, so-called "baby" elastic. The ends of each piece of elastic (not shown) are sewn together, A 0.5 cm elastic hem is provided on each side of the gather.
A toggle 20 is provided through the band 12 in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the band 12. The ends 22 of the toggle 20 can thus be pulled away from each other to extend the width of the band 12.
Referring now to Figure 2 to 6 which show the steps undertaken to manufacture the protective device 10, the device 10 initially comprises a rectangular piece of fleece material 24. The material piece has a weight of approximately 245 g/m², and may be of two different sizes, resulting in two different sizes of protective device 10 available once constructed. The sizes are approximately 26 cm by 19 cm and 28 cm by 19 cm.
The patch 14 of corduroy material is also rectangular of approximately 9 cm by 5.5 cm in dimension and weighing approximately 280 g/m². The patch 14 is stitched on to the fabric material 24 in a central position thereof. Between the patch 14 and the fabric material 24 is provided a piece of wadding (not shown in the Figures). The wadding is two ply.
Referring to Figure 3, the fleece 24 and patch 14 (and wadding) is folded and its ends stitched together.
The corners of the ends that have not been stitched are pinched together and stitched at the fold point (denoted 26 in Figure 4).
The corners of the ends that have not been pinched together are then folded inwards to meet in the middle. Thus, the band 12 is formed (see Figure 5). The protective patch 14 being, at this stage, located on an inside surface of the band 12.
The band 12 is turned inside itself so that the patch 14 is located on an outside surface of the band 12.
Finally, two channels 16, 18 are stitched along the entire length of the band 12. The channels are located on either side of the patch 14 (see Figure 6). Lengths of elastic are threaded through each channel 16, 18 and the ends of each elastic length are sewn together forming a 0.5 cm elastic hem on each side of the gather.
In use, an infants foot and leg is placed through the band 12 and the band 12 is lifted so to be located over the knee area of the infant by means of the elastic allowing the band 12 to expand. The band 12 is positioned such that the patch 14 faces the front.
Once over the knee, the elasticity of the band 12 allows the band 12 to remain comfortably in place. The fleece material of the band 12 provides a soft comforting cushion for the infant.
The width of the band 12 may be extended by pulling the toggles 20 outwardly to ensure that the entire area of the knee (which engages the ground when crawling) is covered by the band 12. The protective corduroy patch 14 is hard-wearing and so the patch 14 will not substantially deteriorate when dragged against the surface of ground during crawling.
Although the description specifically refers to the protective device being suitable for surrounding the knees of an infant it is clearly envisaged that the protective device could be used, with minor adjustments, to encase elbows, or similar joints of the infant with the same effect.

Claims

A protective device for an infant, the device comprising a band of fabric material arranged to be located around a joint of an infant, the band having located thereon a patch of protective material, the band having at least one channel through which an elastic member extends, the or each channel having an opening out of which the or each elastic member may protrude to thereby adjust the width of the band.
A protective device according to claim 1, wherein the patch is sewn on to the band.
A protective device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the band is manufactured from a fleece material.
A protective device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the patch is manufactured from a corduroy material.
A protective device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising wadding located between the patch and the band.
A protective device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a toggle linked to the or each elastic member to adjust the width of the band.
A protective device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the weight of the fabric material is approximately 245 g/m².
A protective device according to any one of claims I to 7, wherein the weight of the patch is approximately 280 g/m².
A protective device according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the wadding is approximately 8 ply.
A method of manufacturing a protective device, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) cutting a generally rectangular shaped piece of fabric material;

(2) attaching a protective material to at least part of one surface of the fabric material; and

(3) attaching together the ends of the fabric material to form a band such that the protective material is located on the outer surface of said band.
The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of locating wadding between said fabric material and said protective material.
The method according to claim 10 or claim 11, further comprising the steps of :

(1) stitching at least one channel around the circumference of the band; and

(2) threading elastic through the or each channel.
A protective device to be worn around the knee of an infant to alleviate the infant from the problems caused by crawling and falling.
A protective device substantially as hereinbefore described and referred to in the drawings.