Child carrier
A child carrier having a waist belt, an upper torso support, a hammock coupled to the waist belt and to the upper torso support, and a thigh support strap extending to each side of the hammock. Each thigh support strap has an inward end portion proximate to the hammock and an outward end portion configured for selective coupling to the upper torso support in multiple positions. When the thigh support straps are coupled to the upper torso support, the hammock and the thigh support straps form a seat to support a child in an ergonomic spread-squat position in inward and outward facing orientations. The shape of the seat adjusts depending on the positions in which the outward end portions of the thigh support straps are coupled to the upper torso support.
1. A child carrier comprising:
a main body including a torso support and a hammock portion, the hammock portion coupled to the torso support;
a thigh support strap extending to a side of the hammock portion, the thigh support strap having an inward end portion proximate to the hammock portion and an outward end portion adapted to be coupled to the main body, the hammock portion and the thigh support strap adapted to form a seat to support a child in an ergonomic spread-squat position in multiple positions; and
a set of shoulder straps, each shoulder strap having a first end adapted to be coupled to the main body and a second end adapted to be coupled to the main body.
2. The child carrier of claim 1 , wherein the seat is narrower than the main body.
3. The child carrier of claim 1 , wherein the main body is a single piece of material.
4. The child carrier of claim 1 , wherein the hammock portion and torso support comprise a unitary construction.
5. The child carrier of claim 1 , comprising a frame element.
6. The child carrier of claim 1 , wherein the frame element is incorporated in the torso support.
7. The child carrier of claim 1 , wherein the thigh support strap is sized to wrap around a portion of a child's pelvis, bottom and thigh when the outward end portion is coupled to the main body.
8. The child carrier of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is adapted to be alternatively worn by a wearer in a front carry, back carry and side carry position.
9. The child carrier of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing mechanism coupled to the thigh support strap.
10. The child carrier of claim 9 , wherein the biasing mechanism comprises gussets extending between an edge of the thigh support strap and an edge of the hammock portion.
11. The child carrier of claim 1 , further comprising a waist belt configured for circumventing the waist of a user.
12. The child carrier of claim 11 , wherein the waist belt and the shoulder straps are adapted to form a harness to distribute the child's weight to a wearer.
13. The child carrier of claim 1 , wherein the hammock portion and thigh support strap pass from an inward side of a child carrying area to an outward side of the child carrying area to form the seat.
14. The child carrier of claim 13 , wherein the seat is adjustable.
15. The child carrier of claim 1 , wherein the inward end portion of the thigh support strap is adapted to be coupled the hammock portion or a waist belt.
16. The child carrier of claim 15 , wherein the inward end portion of the thigh support strap is joined to the hammock portion with a hinge.
17. The child carrier of claim 16 , wherein an axis of rotation of the hinge is parallel to a lateral centerline of the child carrier when the carrier is in a flat configuration.