GB2372204A - Bumper for a cot or bed - Google Patents

Abstract

A bumper for a cot or bed comprises an elongate cushion enclosed within a fabric cover (12), for resting horizontally on the mattress along an edge thereof, and a flap (16) of fabric extending from the cover, for passing down over the edge and partially under the bottom of the mattress, to hold the bumper securely in place. A set of four such bumpers are typically used, positioned along the sides and across the ends of the cot or bed.

Description

COT OR COT BED BUMPER The present invention relates to a bumper for a cot or cot bed.

Padded fabric bumpers have been used for generations and are a well accepted and popular nursery accessory. They are designed to be fitted vertically, primarily to the head of the cot or cot bed, and are attached to the walls of the cot or cot bed using fabric ties. The original concept behind such bumpers was to prevent the baby from knocking its head on the hard (normally wooden) cot or cot bed walls and to prevent cold drafts from reaching the baby's face.

Recent medical research and healthcare professional opinion has however raised serious concerns about such bumpers, and recommended sleeping positions for babies have changed over the years. The current recommendation is that the baby is placed into its cot or cot bed"feet to foot", i. e. with the baby's feet placed touching the bottom of the cot or cot bed. This has been clinically proven to reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or Cot Death).

However, many cots and cot beds have slatted or open bars at the foot of the cot, as well as around the sides, and, in the first few months of its life, a baby which is placed in the now accepted correct sleeping position will often get its legs trapped between the bars.

Current healthcare professional opinion no longer recommends the conventional type of bumper, or anything which is attached to the walls of the cot or cot bed within the infant's reach, as it may not only contribute to SIDS by restricting the flow of fresh air to the baby, but can pose a suffocation risk should it become detached from the walls of the cot or cot bed.

There is also concern that, as babies get older, the fabric ties currently used for fixing are a potential choking hazard, because these can become detached and chewed and/or

swallowed, and also, because of their vertical form, the conventional bumpers are a climbing hazard.

Having said all of this, babies still do move around their cots or cot beds and not only knock their heads on the hard surfaces of the cot or cot bed but also get limbs stuck between the mattress and the open bars of the cot or cot bed.

We have now devised a bumper which overcomes the problems outlined above, accords with the current medical findings and meets the current professional healthcare concerns regarding the construction of and materials used for infant bedding products.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a bumper for a cot or cot bed, the bumper comprising an elongate body of cushioning material enclosed within a fabric cover, for resting horizontally on the mattress along an edge thereof, and a flap of fabric extending from the cover, for passing down over the edge and partially under the bottom of the mattress.

It will be appreciated that, in use, the bumper will extend horizontally along the mattress, adjacent the edge of the mattress and against the inside wall of the cot or cot bed. Typically in a cot or cot bed having 4 open slatted sides, a set of four such bumpers will be used, running across the top and bottom and along the two sides of the cot or bed: each of the bumpers is retained in position by its flap of fabric material, extending down over the respective edge of the mattress and trapped under the mattress.

Preferably the flap of fabric material includes a stiffening layer.

Preferably the flap of fabric material is provided with one or more elements of slip-resistant material, for example provided in the form of a coating, to inhibit the flap being pulled free from under the mattress. Preferably the element or elements of slip-resistant material are positioned adjacent the free edge of the flap of fabric material, on the side of

the flap which, in use, faces upwardly : additional slipresistant elements may be provided on the flap, remote from its free edge. The slip-resistant elements may extend parallel to the length of the flap or, for the bumpers at the ends of the cot or bed, across its width.

Preferably the fabric cover for the elongate body of cushioning material is provided with a longitudinal opening to permit the body of cushioning material to be removed or replaced, to allow the cover to be washed or cleaned.

Preferably means, such as hook-and-loop type fasteners, are provided for closing the fabric cover.

Preferably the flap of fabric is permanently attached to this fabric cover, typically by stitching: preferably an edge of the flap is attached to the cover adjacent its opening.

The cushioning body (which is preferably cylindrical) fits the internal dimensions of the cot or cot bed, laying horizontally on the mattress to form a warm and protective barrier between the baby's head and the hard surfaces of the ends and sides of the cot or cot bed. The circumference of the bumper is such that it prevents the baby from getting its limbs stuck outside, or between the bars and the mattress. The fact that the bumper is horizontal allows air to flow freely around the baby no matter where he or she is in the cot.

The bumper is secured safely without presenting choking hazards. In use, the flap is tucked underneath the mattress and is designed to use the baby's weight, and the structure of the mattress and the cot or cot bed itself, to hold the "bumper"securely in place. The closer the infant is to the bumper, the more secure the bumper is held.

Also in use, the longitudinal opening of the fabric cover will face outwardly from the cot or cot bed, so that the sewn edges of the cover and its fasteners are remote from the infant and do not present a choking hazard.

An embodimer. of the present invention will now be described by way os example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a baby's cot fitted with a set of bumpers in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the set of bumpers in their in use positions; FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of one of the bumpers; FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through the bumper of Figure 3; and FIGURE 5 is a rear view of the bumper of Figures 3 and 4. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a baby's cot C in which a set of four bumpers B are fitted, along the edges of the cot mattress M.

Referring to Figures 3 to 5 of the drawings, each bumper B comprises a cylindrical body 10 of foamed plastics material (e. g. low density polyethylene) fitted within a fabric cover 12. The cover 12 is tubular in shape, with its opposite ends closed, and provided with a longitudinal opening 14 to enable the foamed plastics body 10 to be inserted or removed: the cover 12 is provided with hook-and-loop (e. g. Velcro) type fasteners e. g. 15 adjacent its opening 14, for closing the cover around the body 10.

A rectangular piece of fabric 16 is stitched along one of its longitudinal edges to the cover 12, adjacent its longitudinal opening 14, to form a flap for retaining the bumper in position.

In use, the bumper B is positioned with its covered foamed plastics body 10 resting on the top of the mattress M, along an edge of the mattress and against the inside of the upright bars of the cot. The flap 16 is passed down over the edge of the mattress and then tucked partially under the mattress, such that the mattress retains the bumper in position by trapping the flap 16. In order to inhibit the flap 16 being pulled out, a coating 18 of silicon or other slip-resisting material is applied to the flap adjacent its free edge.

It will be appreciated that the bumpers which have been described will remain securely in position and so provide effective protection for the baby placed in the cot.

Claims (9)

1) A bumper for a cot or bed, the bumper comprising an elongate body of cushioning material enclosed within a fabric cover, for resting horizontally on the mattress along an edge thereof, and a flap of fabric extending from the cover, for passing down over the edge and partially under the bottom of the mattress.

2) A bumper as claimed in claim 1, in which said flap is provided with one or more elements of slip-resistant material, arranged to inhibit the flap being pulled free from under the mattress.

3) A bumper as claimed in claim 2, in which said element or elements of slip-resistant material are positioned adjacent the free edge of said flap, on the side thereof which, in use of the bumper, faces upwardly.

4) A bumper as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which said element or elements of slip-resistant material are provided in the form of a coating.

5) A bumper as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said fabric cover is provided with a longitudinal opening to permit said body of cushioning material to be removed or replaced.

6) A bumper as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said flap is permanently attached to said fabric cover.

7) A bumper as claimed in claim 6 appended to claim 5, in which an edge of said flap is attached to said cover adjacent its said opening.

8) A bumper substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9) A set of four bumpers, each as claimed in any preceding claim, for use in a cot or bed.