GB2514310A

GB2514310A - A collapsible protective structure for infant nursery furniture

Info

Publication number: GB2514310A
Application number: GB201115030A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lynne Stewart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-08-31
Filing date: 2011-08-31
Publication date: 2014-11-26
Also published as: GB201115030D0

Abstract

A collapsible protective structure for an infant nursery furniture piece comprising a protective barrier 103, a support loop 102 for the protective barrier forming two connected arches in use and a base loop 101. The barrier 103 may form a substantially hemispherical dome. The barrier 103 may be semi permeable, a mesh textile or a net textile. The support loop 102 may be a flexible resilient material such as rubber tubing or steel wire. The device is designed to protect infants from falling or thrown objects. The device may be arranged to pop up when removed from a container.

Description

Patnt Application of Lynne Stewart for A coflapsible protective structure for infant nursery furniture Bsakqrounof the Xnnntion (1] The present invention relaLes to a collapsible protective structure for infant nursery furniture. Here specifically, it relates to, a structure to protect infants rested in nursery furniture from failing or thrown objects.

(2] When looking after infants in the hone, cerers oftat rest them on items of nursery furniture, such as cradle chaIrs or playtnats. This helps to ensure the irlant is sate whilst allowing the cater to complete other tasks. These items of nursery furniture are usually placed in communal areas within the home, such as the living room.

(3] In homes with a number of young children, other children can often be found playing around the infant rested in the nursery furniture.. Sometimes, this pray can becone boisterous, with young children throwing toys and other obj cots. The infants rested in nursery furniture are vulnerable and could be hit by the thrown objects.

(4J Protective str'xctures for some items of nursery furniture are known in the art. fl2009119933 to Yoshikawa discloses a cover for a pushchair, to protect infants from insects. U920fl0fl5204 to Smith discloses a similar cover for an infant carrier, designed to protect the.nfant front germs.

However, these are composed of materials suitable to protect specifically against insects and germs, and not thrown toys or objects.

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(5] US2002013O536 to Rains discloses a structure made of mesh to protect infants against projectiles. However, this is only designed to attach to infant carriers and could not be used on other items of nursery furniture, such as cradle chairs and playmats. It would be beneficial for carers cf infants to have a tent-like protective structure that could be simply placed on top of almost any item of nursery flrniture.

[6] 0520050236026 to Antico..: and Chandler discloses a portable baby tent, but this is intended to prQtect infants from insects and sun exposure when outside of the home. s such, ft comprises a floor oane. and therefore could not be placed over the top of an item of nursery furniture.

[7] Similarly, other collapsible tent-like structure.s are known in the art. various pOP-Up' tents for camping, self-tanning and so on are available on the market1 hut again these comprise a floor panel and are too large to use to protect infants rested on nursery furniture indoors.

Erief Summary of the Invention

[9] Ic can be seen by the forgoing that a need has arisen for a structure to be placed over the top of items of nursery furniture, to protect infants from falling or thrown objects.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such a structure.

[9] To this end, disclosed is a collapsible protective structure for infant nursery furniture.

(10] An advantase of the present invention Is that it allows carers to protect infants from falling or thrown objects, whilst still being able to rest them on items of nursery furniture.

[11] A further advantage is that the collapsible formation enables the structure to simply pop up' when the user wishes to use it, with no assembly regu:red.

[32] A yet further advantage is that the st.ructLre mEy be folded into a very small package, allowing it to be stored away quickly and simply, in a manner that requires little space.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawing [13] The invention can he better understood with reference to the following drawings, in which: [147 Figure one shows a preferred embodimant of the invention [15] Figure two shows a user folding a nreferred embodinent of the invention away for storage

betailod Description of an Embodtnant

[16) In a orefered embodiment of the invention, shown.n Figure 1, a collapsible protective structure for infant nursery furniture is disclosed conprising: a base boo 101; a protective harrier support loop 102; a. protective barrier 103.

[17] The base loop 101 comprises a continuous elliptical band to be placed on the ground around the Item of nursery furniture. This band may comprise any suitably resilient, flexible, child-safe material known in the art.

[18] The protective barrier support loop 102 comprases a separate continuous, elliptical band. The support 1oop 102 is preferably made from a resilient material with gocd memory.

This could be, far example, rubber-type tubing or perhaps steel wire.

[19] The support loop 102 is preferably the same diameter and shape as the base loop 101. However, the support loop 102 is formed to resemble two connected arches.

[20] At the bottom of each arch, where the two arches are connected to one another, the orotective harrier supUort £OO 102 is joined to the base loop 101. They may be joined by any suitable method known in the art. Together, the base loop 101 and protective barrier support loop 102 provide the framework for the structure.

[22) The protective barrier 103 comprises a continuous semi-permeable fabric covering, preferably a mesh or net fabric.

The protective barrier 103 should comprise a. material resilient encuh to withstand impact from thrown toys cr other objects.

122) The protective barrier 103 is joined to the base icop 101 along the entire circumference of the base loop 101.

[23] The protective harrier 103 is stretched across the protective barrier support ioop 102, forming a dome-shaped structure with protective, semi-pernisahie walls. If the collapsible protective structure is viewed as a tent-like structure, this protective barrier 103 forms the cancy' of the tent.

[24] The flexibility of both the hse loop 101 and protective barrier support loop 102 allows the entire structure to be twisted and folded down for storage, as shown in figire 2. This flexibiLity further allows for the structure to simply pop up' when removed from storage, with no assembly required.

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Claims

1. A collapsible protective structure for infant nursery furniture comprising: a protective barrier; a support icop for said protective barrier forming two connected arches; a base ioop of the same diameter as the support loop.

2. The structure of claim I where said crotective barrier comprises a semi-pennEable fabric.

3, The structure of claim 2 where said semi-permeable fabric corprises a nesh textile.

8. The structure of claim 2 where said semi-permeable fabric comprises a net textile.

3, The structure of any preceding claim where the support loop comprises a fle5cible, resilient material.

6. The structure of any preceding claim where the support loop comprIses rubber-type tu)ing 7. The structure of any precedIng claim where the support loop comprises steel wire.