GB2440900A

GB2440900A - Bib

Info

Publication number: GB2440900A
Application number: GB0616440A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Morris Gold; Daniel Jason Tyler
Original assignee: CATALYST DEVELOPMENTS; Brother Max Ltd
Current assignee: Brother Max Ltd
Priority date: 2006-08-18
Filing date: 2006-08-18
Publication date: 2008-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-18
Also published as: GB2440900B; GB0616440D0

Abstract

There is provided an infant bib 1 comprising an upper portion 10 and a lower portion 20 defining a trough. The upper portion comprises a connector 16 for detachably connecting the upper portion to the neck of the infant; and a fastener 30 for fastening the upper portion to the lower portion such that in a use configuration, the trough 20 is arranged for catching foodstuffs dropped by the infant. The upper portion is arranged such that in a storage configuration, the upper edge rolls up over at least part of the lower edge thereof to form a cover for the trough, thereby defining a storage pouch (figures 3 and 4).

Description

Infant bib

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an infant bib of the type that is typically worn by an infant (e.g. a baby) during feeding and is suitable for use in protecting its clothing from soiling arising from spillage of food and drink.

Background to the Invention

Infant feeding bibs are well-known in the prior art. One well-known type of feeding bib comprises a protective apron arranged for receipt by the neck of an infant and a connector for detachably connecting the protective apron to the neck of the infant.

Other well-known types of feeding bib incorporate a trough, which is arranged for catching foodstuffs that are inevitably dropped by the feeding infant.

The present invention provides an infant feeding bib in which an upper portion defining a protective apron is arranged to for detachable connection to a lower portion that includes a trough. The upper and lower portions are conveniently formed of different materials. For example, the upper portion may comprise a soft material that provides comfort to the infant wearer and the lower portion be formed of a more robust, liquid impermeable material for effective containment of dropped foodstuffs.

The infant feeding bib of the present invention is also arranged such that in a storage configuration, an upper edge of the lower portion rolls up over a lower edge thereof to form a cover for the trough, and to thereby define a storage pouch. Conveniently, the upper portion of the bib may then be stowed (e.g. in a rolled or folded up state) in this storage pouch. This makes the bib particularly convenient for storage during travel, and is therefore especially convenient when arranging for feeding of the infant when out and about and br on the move.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an infant feeding bib, which is more convenient for use by the parent.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an infant bib for use when feeding an infant with foodstuffs comprising an upper portion defining a protective apron having an upper edge arranged for receipt of the neck of an infant, and a lower edge; provided to said upper portion, a connector for detachably connecting the flexible upper portion to the neck of said infant; a lower portion defining a receptacle having a forwardly and upwardly extending lower edge defining a trough, and an upper edge; and a fastener for fastening the upper portion to the lower portion such that in a use configuration, the trough is arranged for catching foodstuffs dropped by the infant, wherein the upper portion is arranged such that in a storage configuration, the upper edge rolls up over at least part of the lower edge thereof to form a cover for said trough, thereby defining a storage pouch.

There is described herein an infant bib. The bib for is arranged to be suitable for use when feeding an infant with foodstuffs, which term is used generally to encompass both solid and liquid foodstuffs.

The bib has an upper portion, which defines a protective apron. The upper portion has an upper edge arranged for receipt of the neck of an infant, and a lower edge.

The upper portion is typically formed from a flexible material, which is preferably soft to the touch to ensure comfort for the infant. The upper portion may be formed of a single material or it may be formed of composite materials, for example arranged as layers, which may in embodiments be laminated to each other.

The upper portion may in aspects, be arranged to be disposable and is suitably bio-degradable. Where the upper portion is arranged to be disposable (e.g. formed of paper) the infant bib might be supplied in a pack comprising multiple (e.g. 10 or 20) disposable upper portions and a durable lower portion.

In one aspect, the upper portion comprises a first, outwardly facing (i.e. away from the infant, in use), layer of liquid permeable (e.g. absorbent) material and a second, inwardly facing (i.e. towards the infant, in use), layer of liquid impermeable material.

In one particular aspect, the upper portion comprises cotton material. In another particular aspect, the upper portion comprises paper material. In a further particular aspect, the upper portion comprises a first layer of cotton or paper material and a second layer of plastic polymer (e.g. PVC) material.

There is provided to the upper portion, a connector for detachably connecting the flexible upper portion in use, to the neck of the infant. Any suitable connectors are envisaged. In one aspect, the connector comprises a tie for tying to the neck of the infant. In another aspect, the connector comprises a loop provided with a Velcro (trade name) fastener means. Other suitable connectors include poppers, clips, snap-fasteners, hook and loop fasteners and adhesives.

Suitably, the connector is offset from the centre (i.e. to one or other side of the neck of the infant, in use) to make it easier for connecting I disconnecting by a carer (e.g. parent or guardian) of the infant.

The lower portion of the bib defines a receptacle having a lower edge that in use, extends forwardly and upwardly to define a trough, and an upper edge.

The lower portion is generally formed of a liquid impermeable material. Suitably, the lower portion is formed of a plastic polymer material. In one aspect, the lower portion is an injection-moulded plastic polymer material (e.g. polypropylene).

The bib is further provided with a fastener for fastening the upper portion to the lower portion such that in a use configuration, the trough is arranged for catching foodstuffs dropped by the infant. Any suitable fasteners are envisaged. In embodiments, the fastener is selected from the group consisting of popper fasteners, clip fasteners, snap-fasteners, hook and loop fasteners and zip fasteners.

The upper portion of the bib is arranged such that in a storage configuration, the upper edge rolls up over at least part of the lower edge thereof to form a cover for said trough, thereby defining a storage pouch.

Suitably, the upper portion is provided with a pouch fastener for fastening thereof in the storage configuration, in which the storage pouch is defined.

Suitably, the storage pouch is arranged for receipt of the upper portion of the bib (e.g. in a rolled-up or folded up state) in the storage configuration. The storage pouch thus, provides a convenient means of hygienically stowing away the upper portion (e.g. during travel).

Suitably, the lower portion is arranged such that it may be rolled or folded up whilst still connected to the upper portion (i.e. from the upper edge thereof to the lower edge) and then placed into the trough of the upper portion, which cover is then applied to contain the rolled I folded up upper portion in the storage pouch.

Suitably, the pouch fastener comprises one or more first pouch fastening elements provided to the upper edge of the upper portion (e.g. on the exterior face thereof, which faces away from the infant in the use configuration) arranged for fastening interaction with one or more second pouch fastening elements provided to the lower edge of the upper portion (e.g. on the exterior face thereof, which faces away from the infant in the use configuration).

It will be appreciated that the upper (i.e. apron) and lower (i.e. trough) elements of the infant bib herein may be manufactured and supplied separately and br supplied as a pre-assembly or a kit of parts. The present invention encompasses all of these separate component parts and any assemblies thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 shows an infant bib in accord with the present invention in the use configuration; Figure 2 shows the infant bib of Figure 1 with the upper portion thereof detached from the lower portion thereof; Figure 3 shows the infant bib of Figure 1 in a configuration intermediate between the use and storage configurations thereof, and in which the upper portion is being rolled up in preparation for its storage in the trough defined by the lower portion; and Figure 4 shows the infant bib of Figure 1 in the storage configuration, in which the upper portion is stowed in a storage pouch defined by the upper portion.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates an infant bib I herein when in the use configuration and Figure 2 shows that same infant bib with the upper portion 10 detached from the lower portion 20 thereof.

In more detail, the infant bib I comprises an upper portion 10 formed of a flexible material and defining a protective apron, which in use acts to prevent soiling of the front and neck part of an infant's clothing. The upper portion has an upper edge 12 arranged for receipt of the neck of an infant, and a lower edge 14. The upper portion is provided with a connector in the form of a loop tie 16 for detachably connecting the flexible upper portion 10 to the neck of the infant. The lower edge 14 is provided with a Velcro fastener 18 for detachably fastening the end of the loop tie 16 thereto to thereby, define an infant neck-receiving loop. It will be noted that the Velcro fastener 18 is offset from the centre (i.e. to one side of the neck of the infant, in use) of the infant bib I to make it easier for fastening / unfastening by a carer of the infant.

The infant bib I further comprises a lower portion 20 defining a receptacle having a forwardly and upwardly extending lower edge 22 defining a trough 24, and an upper edge 26. The trough 24 is arranged in use, for catching foodstuffs dropped by the infant.

The upper portion 10 is provided with a series of female popper fastening elements (female elements facing towards the infant, in use) arranged for fastening interaction with a similar series of male popper fastening elements 32 (male elements facing away from the infant, in use) provided to the lower portion 20. Thus, the upper portion 10 may be detachably fastened to the lower portion 20.

The lower portion 20 is provided along its upper edge 26 with a second series of male popper fastening elements 40 (male elements facing away from the infant, in use) arranged for interaction with a second senes of female popper fastening elements 42 (female elements facing away from the infant, in use) arranged along its lower edge 22 and thus, on the exterior face of the trough 24. The purpose of these second series of fastening elements will become clear from the later description.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown the infant bib I in a configuration intermediate between the use and storage configurations thereof, and in which the upper portion 10 is being rolled up in preparation for its storage in the trough 24 defined by the lower portion 20. In more detail, this intermediate configuration is achieved with the upper portion 10 still fastened to the lower portion 10 and by the action of rolling up the upper portion 10 from the upper edge 12 to the lower edge 14 thereof. The rolled-up upper portion 10 is then placed into the trough 24 of the lower portion 20.

As now seen in Figure 4, which shows the storage configuration, the upper portion of the bib has been pulled down such that the upper edge 26 rolls up over part of the lower edge 22 thereof to form a cover for the trough 24, thereby defining a storage pouch. The rolled-up lower portion 10 (just visible in Figure 4) is stowed within that storage pouch. The pouch is fastened by means of the fastening interaction between the second series of male popper fastening elements 40 along the upper (now rolled over) edge 26 of the upper section 20 with the second series of female popper fastening elements (not visible in Figure 4) along its lower edge 22 thereof. The fastened pouch thereby, provides a convenient storage and carrying configuration for the infant bib 1.

The application of which this description and claims form part may be used as a basis for priority in respect of any subsequent application. The claims of such subsequent application may be directed to any feature or combination of features described therein. They may take the form of product, method or use claims and may include, by way of example and without limitation, one or more of the following claims:

Claims

Claims 1. An infant bib for use when feeding an infant with foodstuffs

comprising an upper portion defining a protective apron having an upper edge arranged for receipt of the neck of an infant, and a lower edge; provided to said upper portion, a connector for detachably connecting the flexible upper portion to the neck of said infant; a lower portion defining a receptacle having a forwardly and upwardly extending lower edge defining a trough, and an upper edge; and a fastener for fastening the upper portion to the lower portion such that in a use configuration, the trough is arranged for catching foodstuffs dropped by the infant, wherein the upper portion is arranged such that in a storage configuration, the upper edge rolls up over at least part of the lower edge thereof to form a cover for said trough, thereby defining a storage pouch.

2. An infant bib according to claim 1, wherein said storage pouch is arranged for receipt of the upper portion therewithin.

3. An infant bib according to either of claims I or 2, wherein the upper portion is arranged for rolling or folding up whilst connected to the upper portion and placing in a rolled or folded up state into the trough of the upper portion, and wherein in said storage configuration said rolled or folded up upper portion is covered by said cover of the storage pouch.

4. An infant bib according to any of claims I to 3, wherein the upper portion is provided with a pouch fastener for fastening the upper edge to the lower edge thereof in the storage configuration.

5. An infant bib according to claim 4, wherein said pouch fastener comprises one or more first pouch fastening elements provided to the upper edge of the upper portion arranged for fastening interaction with one or more second pouch fastening elements provided to the lower edge of the upper portion.

6. An infant bib according to claim 5, wherein said one or more first pouch fastening elements are provided to the exterior face of the upper edge of the upper portion and said one or more second pouch fastening elements are provided to the exterior face of the lower edge of the upper portion.

7. An infant bib according to any of claims I to 6, wherein the upper portion comprises a single material.

8. An infant bib according to claim 7, wherein said single material is arranged to be disposable, particularly blo-degradable.

9. An infant bib according to any of claims I to 6, wherein the upper portion comprises layers of different materials.

10. An infant bib according to claim 9, wherein the upper portion comprises a first, outwardly facing layer of liquid permeable material and a second, inwardly facing layer of liquid impermeable material.

11. An infant bib according to claim 10, wherein said liquid permeable material comprises cotton or paper material and said liquid impermeable material comprises a plastic polymer material. lb

12. An infant bib according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein said connector is offset from the centre.

13. An infant bib according to any of claims I to 12, wherein the lower portion comprises a liquid impermeable material.

14. An infant bib according to claim 13, wherein said liquid impermeable material is a plastic polymer material.

15. An infant bib according to claim 14, wherein said plastic polymer material is an injection-moulded plastic polymer material.

16. An infant bib according to any of claims 1 to 15 in kit of parts form.