GB2314026A

GB2314026A - Infant carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2314026A
Application number: GB9611995A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gary William Disney Spiers
Original assignee: LOXLEY MEDICAL Ltd; NOTTINGHAMSHIRE AMBULANCE SERV
Current assignee: LOXLEY MEDICAL Ltd; NOTTINGHAMSHIRE AMBULANCE SERV
Priority date: 1996-06-07
Filing date: 1996-06-07
Publication date: 1997-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-07
Also published as: GB2314026B; GB9611995D0

Abstract

An infant carrier (1) comprises a base portion (2) and wall panels (3). The wall panels can occupy a first position in which they lie substantially in the same plane as the base portion. In this position a baby or infant may be easily placed in the carrier. The wall panels (3) may then be moved into a second raised position by means of a drawstring (5) threadable through the wall panels (3). The base of the carrier may include a step so that in use the infant's head is lower than its body. The carrier may also include a removably attached cover.

Description

INFANT CARRIER This invention relates to a carrier for infants, particularly, but not exclusively, to a carrier for carrying an infant under 10 kilogrammes in an emergency situation.

If an infant becomes seriously ill, it may be necessary to transport the infant from its home to a hospital, or from one hospital to another by means of, for example, an ambulance.

When transporting an infant, particularly a sick or ill infant, it is important to ensure that the infants body temperature is maintained, and to avoid loss of vital body warmth from the infant.

In addition, it is important that the infant is adequately supported whilst being transported, particularly if the infant is suspected of having broken limbs and/or internal injuries.

It is known to carry an infant in the arms of an adult to transport the infant to, for example, an ambulance.

A disadvantage of this known method of transporting an infant is that the infant may not be properly supported.

In addition, even if the baby is wrapped in blankets, it may still be vulnerable to loss of body temperature.

A further disadvantage is that it is difficult to administer emergency medical care, for example, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when a baby is held in the arms of an adult.

According to the present invention, there is provided a carrier comprising: a base portion; a plurality of wall panels attached to the base portion and moveable between a first position in which the wall panels and the base are substantially in the same plane, and a second position which the wall panels are raised relative to the base to define an enclosure, moving means for moving the wall panels from the first position to the second position.

The carrier according to the present invention is particularly suitable for carrying infants, particularly sick or injured infants from, for example, their home to a waiting ambulance.

When taking sick or injured infants from a warm environment such as their home to an ambulance, the infant often has to be carried into a cold environment before reaching the ambulance.

Infants are particularly vulnerable to rapid loss of body temperature. Body heat loss from infants compared to that from adults is more pronounced due to a body surface area that is relatively large in comparison to their ability to regulate heat loss.

By means of the present invention, a sick or injured infant may be placed on the base portion of the carrier when the wall panels are in their first position. In this position the carrier is substantially in a flat form and the infant may easily be placed on the base portion.

The wall panels are then moved into their second position in which they are raised relative to the base portion. In this position, an enclosure is defined by the wall panels and the base portion, and the baby is positioned in the enclosure.

Advantageously, the carrier is formed from a padded material.

Preferably, the means for moving the wall panels from the first position to the second position comprises a drawstring threaded through the wall panels.

Advantageously, the drawstring comprises a locking toggle positioned towards the ends of the drawstring. Once the wall panels have been raised, they may be held in their second raised position by means of a locking toggle.

Preferably, the carrier further comprises a weather cover removably attachable to the carrier and positionable over a baby retained in the enclosure.

Conveniently, the weather cover is attachable to the carrier by means of velcro tapes.

One way in which a body loses heat is through convection.

Still air is a poor conductor of heat, but air moving across the body surface can pick up heat and carry it away. If an infant is placed in an open ended cylinder, air would pass through rapidly cooling the infant. This is known as the "tunnel cooling effect". By closing one end of the cylinder, the passage of air through the cylinder is stopped and therefore heat loss reduces. A carry cot open at the foot and head ends could be regarded as a cylinder, and if the infant were carried in such a carry cot it would be susceptible to rapid body heat loss.

When the weather cover of the carrier of the present invention is attached to the carrier only the face of the infant is exposed. The carrier may be regarded as a cylinder or tunnel with one end closed and the other end substantially at 90" to the shaft of the cylinder. This reduces loss of body heat due to the tunnel cooling effect.

Preferably, the base portion is stepped such that when the infant is placed on the base portion its body is at a higher level than its head. In other words the step is aligned with the infant's shoulders to ensure that the back of the head, or the occiput is lower than the infant's back. In this position the infant's air passages are in line and open. In other words the head is in neutral and airways are open.

Conveniently, the carrier further comprises two or more shoulder straps allowing the baby to easily be carried in the carrier.

The invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a carrier according to the present invention showing the wall panels raised relative to the base portion; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the carrier of Figure 1 in flat form; Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a part of the base portion of the carrier of Figure 1 showing the step; and Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a weather cover attachable to the carrier of Figure 1.

Referring to the Figures, a carrier according to the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 1.

The carrier comprises a base portion 2 and wall panels 3. The wall panels have a first position shown in Figure 2 in which they lie in substantially the same plane as the base portion.

This position is known as the open position, and if it is required to transport a baby or infant in the carrier, the carrier is initially arranged into the open position.

An infant may be placed on the base portion 2 with its head towards the wider rounded end 4 of the base portion. The shoulders of the infant should be aligned with a step 30 (shown in more detail in Figure 3) defined in the base portion. The arms of the infant should then be placed at its sides. The wall panels 3 may then be moved into their second raised position by means of a drawstring 5 which is threadable through the wall panels 3 by means of drawstring holders 6. The ends of the drawstring are positioned at the foot end 7 of the carrier. Once the wall panels have been moved into the raised position shown in Figure 1, a locking toggle through which both ends of the drawstring are threaded is moved into a locking position which holds the wall panels in their raised position.

Any excess cord from the drawstring may be placed inside the carrier.

An attachable weather cover 40, shown in Figure 4 may be placed over the baby and held in place by means of velcro strips 42 engageable with velcro strips 7 positioned on the wall panels 3. The weather cover 40 is shaped to fit the carrier with the wall panels in their raised position with a baby contained within the carrier. The carrier is formed with a division or slit 44 which allows access to an infants chest if that infant requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The division or slit 44 should be positioned in line with the infant's sternum when it has been placed over the baby.

The carrier may then be gathered up by the person who is to carry the infant by putting it under one arm with the shoulder straps over the head of the carrier. The position of the carrier relative to the person carrying it is adjustable due to the fact that a first portion of the strap 8 is threaded onto a second portion of the strap 9 such that a loop defined by portions 8, 9 may be varied in size via a buckle to suit the person carrying the infant.

If the infant requires emergency medical attention, for example, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, this may be administered to the baby by a second person while the first person carries the baby in the carrier.

The carrier is made from a padded material such as foam padding as is the base. A suitable material from which to make the carrier would be, for example, PVC.

The base portion may be reinforced with 4mm plywood and may have 25mm of foam padding over the firewood.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A carrier comprising: a base portion; a plurality of wall panels attached to the base portion and moveable between the first position in which the wall panels and the bases are substantially in the same plane, and a second position in which the wall panels are raised relative to the base to define an enclosure, and moving means for moving the wall panels from the first position to the second position.

2. A carrier according to claim 1 formed from a padded material.

3. A carrier according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the means for moving the wall panels from the first position to the second position comprises a drawstring threaded through the wall panels.

4. A carrier according to claim 3, wherein the drawstring comprises a locking toggle positioned towards the end of the drawstring.

5. A carrier according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a weather cover removably attachable to the carrier and positionable over a baby retained in the enclosure.

6. A carrier according to claim 5, wherein the weather cover is attachable to the carrier by means of velcro tapes.

7. A carrier according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base portion is stepped such that when an infant is placed on the base portion its body is at a higher level than its head.

8. A carrier according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising two or more shoulder straps.

9. A carrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.