GB2452912A

GB2452912A - Weaning shield

Info

Publication number: GB2452912A
Application number: GB0718140A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laura Brett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-18
Filing date: 2007-09-18
Publication date: 2009-03-25
Also published as: GB0718140D0

Abstract

A weaning shield is provided for use in the feeding of babies or infants, which comprises a body portion 4 extending across the width of the child's body, a neck portion 10 and two shoulder portions 6 and 8, wherein the shoulder portions extend substantially outwards from the neck portion such that the shoulder portions are adapted to prevent a wearer's arm reaching its face, in this way less mess is created during baby feeding. The shield may also comprise a tray 14 situated along the lower edge of the body portion to catch any food or drink spillage.

Description

Weaning Shield The present invention relates to a weaning shield for use in the feeding of babies and/or infants. In particular, the present invention relates to a weaning shield which prevents the wearer from reaching their hands to their mouth.

Babies and infants must, at some stage, be weaned on to solid food. This is usually a messy process. Often, because they are not used to being fed solid food, the baby or infant will put their hands into their mouth whilst being fed, thus getting food on their hands. They then wave their arms around getting food on anything that their hands touch, including their own clothes and those of people within reaching distance, their hair, furniture, the floor, and so on.

Traditionally, bibs are used when feeding babies and infants to reduce mess. However, the purpose of such bibs is to catch any food which would otherwise drip down from the baby's or infant's chin onto their clothes or skin.

Such bibs may have a tray element to catch any spilled food or liquid which lands down the front of the bib.

However, only the front of the wearer's clothes are protected and, should the wearer move or tilt their head to one side, there is a risk that any spillages will miss the bib and land instead on the wearer's clothes.

It is an object to the present invention to address these and other disadvantages associated with the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a weaning shield comprising a body portion, a neck portion and two shoulder portions, wherein the shoulder portions extend substantially outwards from the neck portion such that the shoulder portions are adapted to prevent a wearer's arms reaching his face.

Preferably, the shoulder portions extend beyond the wearer's shoulders, when the shield is in use.

Preferably, the neck portion of the device is adapted to abut the wearer's neck. Preferably, the neck portion of the device forms a collar about the wearer's neck.

Preferably, the body portion is adapted to abut the wearer's chest. Preferably, the body portion, when in use, extends substantially across the width of the wearer's body.

The body portion may comprise a tray section. The tray section, when present, is preferably situated along a lower edge of the body portion. Preferably, the tray section, when present, extends substantially across the width of the lower edge of the body portion.

Alternatively, the lower edge of the body portion of the shield forms a tray section of the shield. Preferably, the tray section is adapted to catch any food, drinks, or the like which is spilled down the wearer's chest.

The neck portion preferably comprises an opening which allows the weaning shield to be placed around, and removed from, a wearer's neck.

Preferably, the opening is situated at the rear of the weaning shield which would, in use, be located at the back of the wearer's neck.

Preferably, the opening in the neck portion of the device comprises fastening means to retain the device around the wearer's neck. The fastening means may comprise at least one male and at least one female fastening section.

Preferably, the fastening means comprise corresponding hooks and eyes, velcro strips, buttons and eyelets, or press-stud sections on either side of the opening.

Fastening means preferably allow the neck portion of the shield to be adjusted to the size of the user's neck. In this regard, there are preferably two or more male and/or female fastening sections.

Preferably, the weaning shield is constructed from a material that is resilient and will retain or return to its original shape when subjected to stress or strain.

Preferably, the weaning shield is constructed from a hard plastics material.

Preferably, the body portion, neck portion and shoulder portions from a composite structure. Preferably, the body portion, neck portion and shoulder portions are integrally formed. Preferably, the weaning shield is moulded from a single piece of plastics material.

All of the above features may be taken in any combination with any of the above aspects of the invention.

The present invention will now be illustrated, by way of example only, with regard to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a weaning shield according to the present invention; Figure 2A shows a schematic perspective view of the front of the weaning shield of Figure 1 when in use; Figure 2B shows a schematic perspective view of the rear of the weaning shield of Figure 1 when in use; and Figure 3 shows a schematic perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to figures 1, 2A and 2B, a weaning shield 2 comprises a body portion 4, two shoulder portions 6, 8 and a neck portion 10. The weaning shield 2 is formed from a single piece of resilient plastics material.

The body portion 4 is adapted to abut a wearer's chest 12 when in use. The body portion 4 also serves the function of preventing any spilled food or liquid from falling onto the wearer's clothes or body.

The body portion 4 also comprises a tray section 14. The tray section 14 is preferably formed along the lower edge of the body portion 4 of the weaning shield 2. The tray section 14 is adapted to collect any food and/or drink which is spilled down the wearer's chest.

The shoulder portions 6, 8 extend from the neck portion 10, to a point beyond a wearer's shoulders such that the wearer's shoulders are completely covered by the shoulder portions 6, 8 when the weaning shield 2 is in use.

The weaning shield 2 further comprises a back section 16.

This back section 16 is adapted to form a rear of the weaning shield 2 and extend behind and abut a wearer's back 18 when in use. The back section 16 comprises an opening to allow the shield to be put on, and removed from the wearer. The opening is formed from two overlapping flaps 20, 22. The flaps 20, 22 are securable in position to produce a closed neck portion 10 to retain the device in place around the wearer's neck. The flaps 20, 22 are secured by way of fixing means. These fixing means comprise eyelets 24 in a first flap 20 and corresponding raised hooks 26 on the second flap 22. The circumference of the neck portion 10 may be adjusted by using the alternative sets of hooks 26 on the second flap 22.

In use, the overlapping flaps 20, 22 of the weaning shield 2 are separated and placed around the wearer's neck. The shield is then secured in position using the fixing means on the back portion 16 thereof. The wearer can then be fed without any unnecessary mess being created. Once the wearer has been fed, the fixing means are released and the overlapping flaps 20, 22 removed from around the wearer's neck. The shield 2 can then be cleaned prior to the next use.

Referring to figure 3, a weaning shield 200 may comprise any shape, as long as the shoulder portions 202, 204 of the device are operable to extend beyond the wearer's shoulders and prevent the wearer's hands reaching their mouth.

The use of a device comprising wide shoulder sections prevents any spills missing the shield should the wearer turn or tilt its head to one side. The shoulder portions further prevent the wearer from raising their arms and reaching their hands to their mouths. This prevents any mess being created by the wearer coating their hands with the food and spreading it on to his or her surroundings for example, onto furniture, clothes, people and so on.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features

disclosed in this specification (including any

accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A weaning shield comprising a body portion, a neck portion and two shoulder portions, wherein the shoulder portions extend substantially outwards from the neck portion such that the shoulder portions are adapted to prevent a wearer's arm reaching its face.

2. A weaning shield according to Claim 1 in which the shoulder portions extend beyond the wearer's shoulders, when the shield is in use.

3. A weaning shield according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the neck portion of the device is adapted to abut the wearer's neck.

4. A weaning shie!d accordrig to dny of me preceding claims in which the neck portion of the device forms a collar about the wearer's neck.

5. A weaning shield according to any of the preceding claims in which the body portion is adapted to abut the wearer's chest. S... * S *54*

6. A weaning shield according to any of the preceding claims in which the body portion when in use, extends substantially across the width of the wearer's S....' * * body. S.

:

7. A weaning shield according to any of the preceding claims in which the body portion comprises a tray section.

8. A weaning shield according to Claim 7 in which the tray section is situated along a lower edge of the body portion.

9. A weaning shield according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 in which the tray section extends substantially across the width of the lower edge of the body portion.

10. A weaning shield according to any of the preceding claims in which the neck portion comprises an opening which allows the weaning shield to be placed around and removed from, a wearer's neck. �

11. A weaning shield according to Claim 10 in which the opening is situated at the rear of the weaning shield which would, in use, be located at the back of the wearer's neck.

12. A weaning shield according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 in which the opening in the neck portion of the device comprises fastening means to retain the device around the wearer's neck.

13. A weaning shield according to Claim 12 in which the fastening means comprises at least one male and at least one female fastening section.

14. A weaning shield according to any of Claims 11 to 13 in which the fastening means comprise corresponding hooks and eyes, Velcro strips, buttons and eycets, or press-iud sections on either side of the opening.

15. A weaning shield according to any of the preceding claims which is constructed from a hard plastics material.

16. A weaning shield according to any of the preceding claims in which the body portion, neck portion and shoulder portions are integrally formed. **SI*

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