Multifunction infant carrier with lumbar belt
View Patent ↗There is provided is an infant carrier having a lumbar belt to enhance the comfort and support during usage thereof. The infant carrier is adaptable to support an infant in a forward facing position or a rearward facing position. The infant carrier may also be configured to allow for easy adjustment to fit the infant carrier to the specific size of the wearer. The infant carrier may also be configured to be connectable with a bib in a variety of configurations to protect the wearer or infant carrier from fluids or objects which may fall from the infant's mouth. The bib may also be connected to the infant carrier in a position to provide shade to the infant. In this regard, the bib may provide three-in-one functionality to the infant carrier to enhance the overall experience of wearing the carrier for both the wearer and the infant.
1. An infant carrier assembly for carrying an infant, the infant carrier assembly comprising:
an infant carrier including:
a pair of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap having a shoulder engagement segment configured to be positionable adjacent a respective one of the wearer's shoulders to cup the respective one of the wearer's shoulders;
a main panel having a body portion and a distal portion, the main panel being engageable with the pair of shoulder straps to define a pair of leg openings to receive and support the infant, within the infant carrier, the main panel being transitional between a rearward configuration wherein the distal portion is substantially coplanar with the body portion and a forward configuration wherein the distal portion is folded relative to the body portion to overlap the body portion; and
a lumbar belt connected to the main body, the lumbar belt having a first connector end and a second connector end engageable to each other to maintain a looped configuration about the abdomen and back of the wearer; and
a bib having a pair of attachment tabs and a bib panel connected to the pair of attachment tabs, the pair of attachment tabs being configured to be releasably attachable to the infant carrier in a first bib configuration when the infant carrier is in the rearward configuration to dispose the bib panel between the pair of shoulder straps, and a second bib configuration when the infant carrier is in the forward position to dispose the bib panel adjacent the main panel;
the bib being configured to be attachable to the infant carrier to assume is sun visor configuration, wherein the pair of attachment tabs are connected to respective ones of the pair of shoulder straps, and the bib panel is attached to the main panel.
2. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lumbar support pad affixed to the lumbar belt and being slidable relative to the main panel.
3. The infant carrier assembly of claim 2 , wherein the lumbar support pad includes a straight middle portion, and opposed outer portions angled relative to the middle portion to conform to the back of the wearer.
4. The infant carrier assembly of claim 2 , wherein the lumbar belt is defined by a first segment to which the lumbar support pad is affixed, and a second segment having a first end coupled to the first segment with a threaded adjustable buckle and a second end coupled to the first segment with a locking connector.
5. The infant carrier assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:
a tubular abdomen support sleeve selectively positionable along the second segment of the support belt between the first end and the second end thereof.
6. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first connector end and the second connector end are complimentary male and female fasteners.
7. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein each shoulder engagement segment includes opposed first and second lateral edges, the distance between the first and second lateral edges varying along the shoulder engagement segment.
8. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bib panel extends from the body portion to the distal portion when the bib is in the second bib configuration.
9. The infant carrier assembly of claim 8 , wherein the pair of attachment tabs are connected to prescribed locations of the body portion when the bib is in the second bib configuration.
10. The infant carrier assembly of claim 9 , wherein the bib panel is connected to a prescribed location of the distal portion when the bib is in the second bib configuration.
11. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bib is connected to the infant carrier in the sun visor configuration when the infant carrier is in the rearward configuration.
12. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bib panel includes a distal portion connected to the distal portion of the main panel when the bib is in the sun visor configuration.
13. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of fasteners configured to engage the distal portion to the pair of shoulder straps to dispose the distal portion in the rearward configuration and to disengage the distal portion from the pair of should straps to dispose the distal portion in the forward configuration.
14. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of shoulder straps are connected to the main panel to assume an overlapping, intersecting configuration to define an intersection point.
15. The infant carrier assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a strap connector slidably coupled to the pair of shoulder straps, the strap connector being slidable along the pair of shoulder straps to move the intersection point along the pair of shoulder straps.
16. The infant carrier assembly of claim 15 , wherein each shoulder engagement segment includes opposed first and second lateral edges, the first and second lateral edges diverging as they extend away from the strap connector toward the user's shoulder.
17. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1 , further including a pair of strap fasteners for engaging the pair of shoulder straps to the main panel, the infant carrier further comprising a pocket coupled to the main panel, the pocket being sized and configured to capture the pair of strap fasteners.