Child carrier

Abstract

The invention relates to a child carrier for fastening a child's leg to a shoulder strap, comprising a carrying sleeve which is made of a flexible strip and has a closing mechanism in order to fix the child's leg to the shoulder strap. The child carrier is characterised in that the carrying sleeve is coupled to a flexible fixing sleeve which has a closure mechanism such that the fixing sleeve can be fixed to the shoulder strap by looping around the latter and closing the closure mechanism.

Description

[0001] Giant Dwarf GmbH

[0002] Child Traq Aid

[0003] The present invention relates to a child carrier and in particular to a child carrier for attaching a child's leg to a shoulder strap.

[0004] Child carriers with which a child's leg can be attached to a shoulder strap by means of a cuff are known, for example, from US 2015 / 0335171 A1, EP 3 811 816 A1, KR 2018 / 0003242 U, US 2012 / 018467 A1, US 2010 / 084445 A1 or US 2009 / 200346 A1.

[0005] Such child carriers also have cuffs that can be detached from the shoulder strap or attached to it later. For example,

[0006] US 2015 / 0335171 A1 discloses a mechanism for attaching such a cuff, which comprises two plates with small, pyramid-shaped prongs on their opposing surfaces. These plates can be pressed against the front and back of a shoulder strap by means of a strap, thus securely fixing the cuff to the shoulder strap.

[0007] EP 3 811 816 A1 also discloses a cuff that can be detached from the shoulder strap. The strap has a slot-shaped recess through which the cuff can be passed. The strap is thus specifically designed to accommodate the cuff. The shoulder strap can be part of a backpack. These cuffs can only be used on backpacks that have pre-prepared shoulder straps with a slot-shaped recess for receiving the cuff.

[0008] The other well-known child carriers are more or less complex devices, which usually also include a belt system to attach it to the body of the person carrying it.

[0009] When walking or hiking with children, there's often a need to temporarily carry them. However, using a conventional baby carrier or the child carriers described above adds another bulky item, which represents an additional burden. When children see the child carrier, their motivation to walk on their own diminishes.

[0010] There is therefore a significant need for a child carrier that is light and small so that it can be easily stored and carried and is not noticed by children when not in use.

[0011] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a child carrier which is simple and lightweight so that it does not represent a great burden when walking and hiking.

[0012] A further object of the invention is to provide a child carrier which is very small in comparison to conventional child carriers and yet functions reliably so that it can be easily stowed in hiking luggage.

[0013] One or more of the objects are achieved by a child carrier according to the independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the respective subclaims.

[0014] A child carrier according to the invention is designed for attaching a child's leg to a shoulder strap with a carrying cuff made of a flexible band, which has a locking mechanism for securing a child's leg to the shoulder strap. This child carrier is characterized in that the carrying cuff is coupled to a flexible securing cuff, which can be secured to the shoulder strap by wrapping around the shoulder strap.

[0015] The term “flexible fixation cuff” refers to a fixation cuff that does not have any rigid components, such as plates that are pressed against a shoulder strap, as is known, for example, from US 2015 / 0335171 A1.

[0016] The present invention is based on the finding that when children are carried on the shoulders of a carrying person and are secured with one or both of their legs to a shoulder strap by means of a carrying cuff, the vertically directed forces, in particular upwardly directed forces, are low. As long as the child's leg is secured against the torso of the carrying person by means of the cuff, it cannot swing forward from the carrying person's perspective. However, this is a prerequisite for the child's leg to swing upward and for the child to slide backward from the shoulder. Therefore, only low forces in the vertical direction need to be transferred from the securing cuff to the shoulder strap.The inventor realized that a simple, flexible fixation cuff is sufficient, which simply wraps around the shoulder strap without having any special fixation mechanisms such as spiked plates or buckles.

[0017] Such a child carrier, which consists of a carrying cuff and a securing cuff, both of which are flexible cuffs made of flexible straps, can be rolled up compactly and easily stowed away. They take up very little space. They can therefore be easily stored in the pockets of a piece of clothing or a backpack, out of sight of children, and removed only when needed.

[0018] The child carrier according to the invention can be attached to a shoulder strap of a conventional backpack or to another strap / hip belt or chest strap of a backpack or any other object that can be attached to a body by means of straps. A separate strap device can also be provided, which serves solely to form a base for securing the child carrier. However, it should be noted that the child carrier according to the invention does not require a separate strap base, but can be attached to any conventional shoulder strap.

[0019] Preferably, the securing cuff is provided with an anti-slip coating on its inner surface. This can increase the resistance of the securing cuff to longitudinal movement of the child carrier on the shoulder strap. Such an anti-slip coating can be made, for example, from a silicone coating or a rubber coating.

[0020] The carrying cuff can be padded, which increases comfort.

[0021] The child carrier may have a safety strap that can enclose the closed carrying cuff.

[0022] The safety strap can be equipped with a snap fastener, ensuring a firm and reliable securing of the support cuff. The fixation cuff can be connected to an inner surface of the support cuff. The fixation cuff is thus positioned inside the support cuff during use. This is particularly useful when the axes around which the fixation cuff and the support cuff rotate when closed are parallel or essentially parallel.

[0023] The fixing cuff can also enclose an angle with its axis relative to the axis of the carrying cuff, which can also be a right angle, particularly if the child carrier is designed to be fixed to a carrying strap running horizontally on the body.

[0024] The carrying cuff and / or the securing cuff may have a hook-and-loop fastener to secure the cuffs together when closed. A child carrier system may comprise two such child carriers to secure both legs of a child simultaneously.

[0025] A child carrier system may also include a seat cushion having fixing elements for fixing to the shoulder straps and / or the child carriers and / or a luggage section of a backpack.

[0026] The seat cushion is preferably inflatable so that the entire child carrier system can be folded up very compactly.

[0027] As an alternative to the seat cushion, or in combination with the seat cushion, the child carrier system can have a body strap with detachable loops at its ends, each of which can be used to secure one of the child carriers. This body strap can also be used with child carriers that do not have a securing cuff, but consist solely of the carrying cuff. However, the primary use of the body strap is to allow the child carriers, which include a carrying cuff and a securing cuff, to be used without a backpack or similar device.

[0028] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:

[0029] Figure 1 a child carrier in a perspective view from the front,

[0030] Figure 2 shows the child carrier from Figure 1 in a perspective view from behind,

[0031] Figures 3A and 3B show the material web of a fixing cuff and a support cuff in the unfolded state before sewing, so that both the inside and the outside of the fixing cuff and the support cuff are visible,

[0032] Figures 4A, 4B, 4C each show a body strap in a front view, back view and in a schematic side view together with two child carrying aids, and

[0033] Figure 5 shows a top view of a seat cushion. A child carrier 1 according to the invention serves to attach a child's leg to a shoulder strap 2. The child carrier 1 has a day cuff 3 and a fixation cuff 4.

[0034] The support cuff 3 is formed from a flexible band (Figures 1, 2, 3), the length of which is dimensioned such that it can enclose a child's leg. The length of the day cuff is preferably at least 20 cm, in particular at least 23 cm. The length of the day cuff should not be longer than 35 cm, in particular not longer than 32 cm. Figures 1 to 3 show a preferred embodiment in which the length of the support cuff is 27 cm.

[0035] The support sleeve is made of a flat, flexible material, in particular a woven, knitted, nonwoven, or film. Figure 3A shows a rectangular material strip 5 made of the flexible material in an unfolded state. The support sleeve 3 is formed from this material strip 5 by folding and sewing the material strip 5 along its transverse center line 6 (Figure 3A). A padding material, such as cotton wool, can be inserted between the two folded material strip sections to cushion the support sleeve 3. The folded material strip sections are sewn or glued together at the free edges. If the material strip 5 is made of a woven, knitted, or nonwoven fabric, then a seam is expedient, whereas with a material strip 5 made of a plastic film, it is expedient to glue it at the free edges.

[0036] In Figure 3A, an inner surface 7 of the tag cuff 3 is shown above the transverse center line 6 and an outer surface 8 is shown below the transverse center line.

[0037] The inner surface 7 of the support sleeve 3 has an approximately rectangular connecting area 9 in the longitudinal center, which serves for connection to the fixing sleeve 4, which is explained in more detail below.

[0038] In the present exemplary embodiment, a securing strap 10 is fastened to the outer surface. The securing strap 10 is made of a tensile material and has complementary plug-in closure elements 11, 12 at its ends, so that the strap can be closed to form a loop by connecting the two plug-in closure elements 11, 12 to one another. The securing strap 10 is connected to the material strip 5 of the support sleeve 3 approximately in the region of its longitudinal center. In the present exemplary embodiment, the securing strap 10 is sewn to the material strip 5. However, it can also be connected thereto by means of an adhesive connection. At least one, preferably both plug-in closure elements 11, 12 are designed such that they can be moved and fixed along the securing strap 10 in order to be able to adjust loops of different sizes.Instead of a safety strap 10, the plug-in closure elements 11, 12 can also be attached directly to the material strip 5 of the support sleeve 3. This is particularly useful if the material of the material strip 5 is a tensile material.

[0039] Instead of the plug-in closure elements 11, 12, which form a plug-in clasp, other connecting elements, such as a hook-and-loop fastener, can also be provided. However, in the present embodiment, a locking plug-in clasp is used, whereby the locking engagement of the plug-in closure elements 11, 12 creates a secure connection, which is only released when the locking is canceled by a corresponding actuation. Therefore, such a locking plug-in clasp is preferable to non-locking connections, such as a hook-and-loop fastener.

[0040] The fixing sleeve 4 is formed from a further material strip 13, which has approximately the same width as the material strip 5 of the support sleeve 3, but is somewhat shorter. The length of this material strip 13, and thus the length of the fixing sleeve 4, is preferably at least 12 cm, in particular at least 15 cm or at least 18 cm. It is expedient for this length to be no greater than 27 cm, in particular no greater than 24 cm. Figure 3B shows a preferred embodiment in which the length of the fixing sleeve 4 is 22 cm.

[0041] In Figure 3B, the material strip 13 is again shown in an unfolded state, with an outer surface 15 of the fixing sleeve 4 being shown above a transverse center line 14 and an inner surface 16 being shown below the transverse center line 14.

[0042] Approximately in the region of the longitudinal center of the outer surface 15, a connecting region 17 is provided, which is designed to correspond to the connecting region 9 of the support sleeve 3.

[0043] Furthermore, a hook-and-loop fastener strip 18 is attached to the material strip 13 in the area of ​​the outer surface 15, with the hook-and-loop fastener strip 18 extending from a longitudinal edge region 19 a short distance toward the center of the fixing sleeve 4. In the present embodiment, the hook-and-loop fastener strip has a length of 6.5 cm and a width of 3 cm. Both the length and width of the hook-and-loop fastener strip can be designed differently depending on requirements.

[0044] A complementary hook-and-loop strip 20 is attached to the inner surface 16 and extends from the opposite longitudinal edge 21 a short distance toward the center of the fixing sleeve 4. The complementary hook-and-loop strip 20 can be approximately the same size as the hook-and-loop strip 18 arranged on the outer surface 15. However, it can also be designed in a different size. An anti-slip coating is provided on the inner surface 16 of the fixing sleeve 4 in an area adjacent to the first longitudinal edge 19. The anti-slip coating 22 can extend to approximately the longitudinal center of the fixing sleeve 4 or even slightly beyond. In the present exemplary embodiment, the anti-slip coating 22 is strip-shaped. However, a full-surface anti-slip coating or a anti-slip coating in any other pattern can also be provided.In this example, the anti-slip coating is made of rubber. However, there are other suitable, flexible materials that can form such an anti-slip coating, such as silicone.

[0045] The material strip 13 of the fixing sleeve 4 is folded around the transverse center line 14 in the same way as the material strip 5 of the support sleeve 3 and the two sections are joined together by sewing or gluing the free edges.

[0046] During the production of the child carrier, the two material strips 5, 13 are first produced independently of each other, as shown in Figures 3A and 3B. The two material strips 5 and 13 are then aligned and joined together at their connecting areas 9 and 17. In the present embodiment, they are sewn in the area of ​​the connecting areas 9, 17. Gluing is also possible.

[0047] Only then are the material strips 5, 13 folded around their transverse center lines 6, 14 and the corresponding sections connected by sewing or gluing.

[0048] This results in a child carrier 1 in which the shorter fixing cuff 4 is arranged within the longer carrying cuff 3 when the carrying cuff 3 is closed by means of its snap fastener. In principle, it is also possible to attach the fixing cuff 4 to the carrying cuff 3 such that both cuffs, when closed, form approximately an "8" in plan view. However, the arrangement of the fixing cuff 4 within the carrying cuff 3 is preferred, as explained in more detail below.

[0049] In use, the child carrier 1 is looped with its fixing cuff 4 around a shoulder strap 2 and secured with the hook-and-loop fastener strips 18, 20. The anti-slip coating 22 rests against the shoulder strap 2. The shoulder strap 2 can, for example, be a shoulder strap of a backpack. A child can then be placed on the shoulders of the person carrying the backpack, and the child's leg can be secured using the carrying cuff 3, which is looped around the child's leg and closed with the snap fastener. One such child carrier 1 is preferably provided for each of the two shoulder straps 2 of a backpack and each of the two legs of a child. Since the fixing cuff 4 is located in the area inside the carrying cuff 3, when the child carrier 1 is in use, the child's leg rests against the fixing cuff 4 and presses on the hook-and-loop connection formed by the hook-and-loop fastener strips 18, 20.As long as the carrying cuff 3 is closed using the snap fastener, the child's leg cannot move away from the fixing cuff 4. Thus, the fastening cuff 4's wrap around the shoulder strap 2 is secured by the closed carrying cuff 3, whose snap fastener provides a much more secure closure than the hook-and-loop fastener of the fixing cuff 4. However, the hook-and-loop fastener has the advantage of being both flexible and very flat. A hard stretch fastener on the fixing cuff 4 would either impair the wearing comfort of the person carrying the child if the snap fastener were located on the inside of the shoulder strap 2, or would impair the comfort of the child if the snap fastener were located between the shoulder strap 2 and the child's leg.The present combination of a Velcro fastener on the fixing cuff and a snap fastener on the carrying cuff provides, on the one hand, optimal comfort for both the person carrying the child and the child itself, and on the other hand, it ensures a secure closure of both the carrying cuff 3 and the fixing cuff 4 during use.

[0050] An additional advantage of the arrangement of the fixing cuff 4 in the area inside the carrying cuff 3 is that a child who pushes its leg away from the body of the person carrying it presses the closed carrying cuff 3 against the shoulder strap 2 and does not exert a pull on the closure of the fixing cuff 4, as would be the case with an embodiment which forms approximately an "8" in plan view.

[0051] In addition, the Child Carrier 1 can be folded very compactly when not in use and stored in pockets of clothing such as jackets, out of sight for children. This way, children don't see the child carrier and don't demand to be carried, simply because they see it, as is well known to mothers and fathers who carry a backpack when hiking with small children.

[0052] A child carrier system normally comprises two such child carriers 1 , with one such child carrier 1 being provided for each leg of a child.

[0053] A child carrier system can also be supplemented by a body strap 23 (Figures 4A-4C). The body strap 23 is an elongated, narrow band. The body strap has a length of at least 75 cm and in particular at least 90 cm. In the present exemplary embodiment, the body strap is designed with a length of 110 cm. On at least one side of the body strap 23, first hook-and-loop strips 24 are provided, extending from the longitudinal end of the body strap 23 a short distance towards the center. Then, either at the end or at a distance from the first hook-and-loop strips, second hook-and-loop strips 25 are provided, which are complementary to the first hook-and-loop strips 24, so that together they form a hook-and-loop fastener. As a result, a loop 26 (Figure 4C) can be formed on the body strap 23 at each end by means of the hook-and-loop fastener, which loop can be used to wrap a child carrier 1.In the present embodiment, the body strap 23 has first and second hook-and-loop strips 24, 25 on both sides, so that the loops 26 can be formed on any side of the body strap 23. The first and second hook-and-loop strips 24, 25 can also be arranged on only one side of the body strap 23.

[0054] Additionally, securing straps 27 arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the body strap can be provided at the ends of the body strap 23. These straps are provided with a first hook-and-loop strip on one side and a second hook-and-loop strip 29 on the other side, which are complementary to each other. These securing straps 27 can be used to secure the connection consisting of the first and second hook-and-loop strips 24, 25 of the body strap 23 by wrapping the securing strap 27 around the superimposed layers of the body strap 23, with the wrap 30 being secured by the first and second hook-and-loop strips 28, 29 of the securing strap 27.

[0055] During use, the body strap 23 is looped around the back of the person carrying a child, so that the ends of the body strap 23 are positioned in the chest area, each of which holds a child carrier 1. This allows the child carrier 1 to be used without a shoulder strap 2 of a backpack or the like. The body strap 23 can also be folded up small and easily carried.

[0056] The child carrier system may further comprise a seat cushion 31 (Fig. 5), which is approximately U-shaped in plan view, so that it fits ergonomically on the shoulders of a person carrying a child. The seat cushion 31 is preferably inflatable.

[0057] The U-shaped cushion has at least one strap 32 at each of its ends, on which connecting means are provided for connecting to a backpack or the child carrier 1. In the present embodiment (Fig. 5), the connecting means are snap fasteners 33 for connecting to a backpack. However, the connecting means can also be a strap equipped with complementary hook-and-loop strips on its opposite sides, so that in use it is arranged between the first and second hook-and-loop strips 18, 20 of the fixing cuff 3 and is thus easily secured to the child carrier 1. List of Reference Symbols

[0058] 1 child carrier

[0059] 2 shoulder straps

[0060] 3 carrying cuff

[0061] 4 Fixation cuff

[0062] 5 material strips of the support sleeve

[0063] 6 Transverse center line

[0064] 7 inner surface

[0065] 8 Exterior surface

[0066] 9 Connection area

[0067] 10 safety straps

[0068] 11 Plug-in locking element

[0069] 12 Plug-in locking element

[0070] 13 material strips

[0071] 14 Transverse center line

[0072] 15 Exterior area

[0073] 16 inner surface

[0074] 17 Connection area

[0075] 18 Velcro strips

[0076] 19 first longitudinal edge

[0077] 20 Velcro strips

[0078] 21 second longitudinal edge

[0079] 22 anti-slip coating

[0080] 23 body straps

[0081] 24 first Velcro strip

[0082] 25 second Velcro strip

[0083] 26 loops

[0084] 27 safety straps

[0085] 28 first Velcro strip

[0086] 29 second Velcro strip

[0087] 30 wraps

[0088] 31 seat cushions

[0089] 32 belts

[0090] 33 Snap clasp

Claims

Patent claims 1. A child carrier for attaching a child's leg to a shoulder strap, comprising a carrying cuff made of a flexible band and having a locking mechanism for securing a child's leg to the shoulder strap, characterized in that the carrying cuff is coupled to a flexible locking cuff having a locking mechanism such that the locking cuff can be secured to the shoulder strap by looping it around and closing the locking mechanism.

2. Child carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixing sleeve is provided with an anti-slip coating on its inner surface.

3. Child carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the carrying cuff is padded.

4. Child carrier according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a safety strap is provided which encloses the closed carrying cuff.

5. Child carrier according to claim 4, characterized in that the safety strap is provided with a snap fastener.

6. Child carrier according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the fixing sleeve is connected to an inner surface of the carrying sleeve.

7. Child carrier according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the support cuff and / or the fixing cuff have a Velcro fastener.

8. A child carrier system comprising two child carriers according to one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Child carrier system according to claim 8, characterized by a) a seat cushion having fixing elements for fixing to the shoulder straps and / or the child carriers and / or a luggage section of a backpack, and / or b) a body strap having detachable loops at its ends, with each of which one of the child carriers can be fixed.

10. Child carrying system according to claim 9, characterized in that the seat cushion is inflatable.

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