Baby carrier

Abstract

To provide a nursing band capable of holding an infant in a stable posture.SOLUTION: A nursing band (1) is provided with a seat part (200) for holding an infant. The seat part includes a pair of side regions (203, 204) located at both sides, a central region (205) arranged with a space from the pair of side regions to extend vertically, and stretchable regions (206, 207) located between the central region and the side regions to have higher lateral flexibility than the central region and the side regions do.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a baby carrier, and more particularly to a baby carrier that can be used for holding a baby upright. [Background technology]

[0002] A baby carrier used to hold an infant in a vertical position with the infant's body standing upright is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 6933954 (Patent Document 1). This baby carrier is characterized by having a crotch width adjustment function.

[0003] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-521444 (Patent Document 2) discloses a baby carrier with a vertically extending notch in the center of the backrest to make it possible to adjust the width of the seat member itself that envelops the baby. This baby carrier is disclosed to have a safety means for preventing the notch from moving beyond its maximum width, which includes narrow strips of fabric joined to both sides of the notch, and a means for adjusting the opening degree of the notch, which includes a cord or string extending between the edges of the notch.

[0004] Furthermore, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4861402 (Patent Document 3) discloses a baby carrier in which the sheet member has two non-elastic parts separated from each other in the horizontal direction and a belt-like element connected to these that has lateral elasticity, and the belt-like element has the same width along its entire vertical length. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6933954 (Patent Publication No. 2019-76629) [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-521444 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 4861402 (Special Publication No. 2008-532724) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the above Patent Documents 2 and 3, although the width of the seat member is adjustable, the notches or band-shaped elements serving as width adjustment means are provided in the central widthwise region of the seat member, which may cause the infant to sink in and make it impossible to hold the infant in a stable position.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a baby carrier that can hold an infant in a stable position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A baby carrier according to one aspect of the present invention includes a seat portion for holding an infant, the seat portion having a pair of side regions located on both sides, a central region that is spaced apart from the pair of side regions and extends in the vertical direction, and a stretchable region located between the central region and the side regions and that has greater lateral stretchability than the central region and the side regions.

[0009] Preferably, the stretchable region is formed from a material that is laterally stretchable.

[0010] Preferably, the sheet further includes an upper region located above the central region and the stretchable region and extending in the width direction. The stretchable region extends in the vertical direction, and its upper end preferably intersects with the upper region. Alternatively, the central region may have a narrowed shape in the vertical center, and the width of the upper end of the central region may be approximately equal to the width of the upper region.

[0011] Preferably, the baby carrier further comprises a head support for supporting the baby's head, in which case the upper region may include a seam for joining to the head support.

[0012] Preferably, the sheet further includes a lower region located below the central region and the stretchable region and extending in the width direction. The stretchable region extends in the vertical direction, and its lower end preferably intersects with the lower region. Alternatively, the central region may have a narrowed shape in the vertical center, and the width of the lower end of the central region may be approximately equal to the width of the lower region.

[0013] Preferably, the baby carrier further comprises a waist belt that is wrapped around the waist of a person carrying the baby, and in this case, the lower region may include a seam to connect to the waist belt.

[0014] The seat portion has at least a crotch support portion and a pair of leg support portions, and it is desirable that the stretchable region extend along the boundary line between the crotch support portion and the leg support portion.

[0015] The seat portion may be divided into an infant-side seat member that covers the infant from the back and a parent-side seat member that is positioned between the infant and the person carrying the infant. In this case, it is desirable that the pair of side regions, the central region, and the stretchable region are provided in the infant-side seat member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to hold an infant in a stable position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of a baby carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an external view showing a specific configuration of a baby carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is an external view showing a specific configuration of a baby carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are cross-sectional views showing the material configuration of the infant-side seat member in the embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows the unloaded state (unused state), and FIG. 1B shows the loaded state (used state). [Figure 5]1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a baby carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention in use; [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the baby carrier being used in a face-to-face holding position. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the baby carrier being used in a forward-facing position. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the baby carrier being used in a piggyback position. [Figure 9] 10(a) and 10(b) are external views of a baby carrier according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals and description thereof will not be repeated.

[0019] First, an overview of the baby carrier according to this embodiment will be described. The baby carrier according to this embodiment is used to carry an infant in an upright position. The person carrying the infant is the wearer of the baby carrier, such as a parent. In the following description, the person carrying the infant will be simply referred to as the parent.

[0020] In this specification, "vertical holding" refers to a state in which the infant's body is held approximately vertically, with the infant's head facing up and the infant's feet facing down. "Vertical holding" can refer to either "holding" or "piggybacking." "Holding" can refer to either "face-to-face holding," in which the parent's face faces the infant, as shown in FIG. 6, or "forward-facing holding," in which the infant's face faces forward, as shown in FIG. 7. In the "piggybacking" vertical holding state, the parent carries the infant on their back, as shown in FIG. 8. Note that it is typically assumed that "face-to-face holding" is for infants between 14 days old (and weighing 3.5 kg) and approximately 36 months old, "forward-facing holding" is for infants between 7 months and 24 months old, and "piggybacking" is for infants between 7 months and 36 months old.

[0021] <Baby carrier outline> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a baby carrier 1 according to the present embodiment. Arrow A1 in Fig. 1 indicates the width direction (left and right direction) when in use, and arrow A2 indicates the upward direction when in use.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the baby carrier 1 mainly comprises a pair of loop-shaped shoulder belts 2, 3 that are placed on both shoulders of the parent, and a seat part 200 for holding the baby.

[0023] The seat section 200 is a member for enveloping the torso of an infant, and is connected to a pair of shoulder belts 2, 3. To facilitate understanding, the seat section 200 will be described assuming that the baby carrier 1 is used for face-to-face carrying.

[0024] The seat unit 200 has a size and shape that allows it to support the torso of an infant from below and behind. The seat unit 200 is also flexible overall. This allows the infant to be stably held between the parent's body (upper body) and the seat unit 200.

[0025] The seat portion 200 of this embodiment is characterized by having a pair of side regions 203, 204 located on both sides, a central region 205 that is spaced apart from the pair of side regions 203, 204 and extends in the up-down direction, and stretchable regions 206, 207 that are located between the central region 205 and the side regions 203, 204 and have higher lateral stretchability than these regions 203 to 205. Note that these regions are not shown in Figures 6 to 8, which show an example of use in a vertical holding state.

[0026] "High lateral stretchability" means that the stretchability is greater in the width direction than in the up-down direction. Therefore, stretchable regions 206, 207 are regions that are hardly (or not at all) stretchable in the up-down direction, but are highly stretchable in the width direction.

[0027] The central region 205 and the side regions 203, 204 have relatively low lateral stretchability. That is, the central region 205 and the side regions 203, 204 are regions that are slightly stretchable or almost non-stretchable in the width direction. Regarding vertical stretchability, the central region 205 and the side regions 203, 204 may have higher or the same degree of stretchability as the stretchable regions 206, 207. Furthermore, the degree of lateral stretchability of the central region 205 and the side regions 203, 204 may be the same or different.

[0028] The sheet member 200 preferably further has an upper region 201 and a lower region 202. The upper region 201 is located at least above the central region 205 and the stretchable regions 206 and 207 and extends in the width direction (see FIG. 2), and may extend across the entire width, including above the pair of side regions 203 and 204. The lower region 202 is located at least below the central region 205 and the stretchable regions 206 and 207 and extends in the width direction, and may extend across the entire width, including below the pair of side regions 203 and 204 (see FIG. 2).

[0029] The upper region 201 and the lower region 202 have lateral stretchability that is lower than or equal to that of the pair of side regions 203, 204 and the central region 205. The upper region 201 and the lower region 202 are typically provided so as to intersect with the upper and lower ends of the stretchable regions 206, 207. This restricts the stretch in the width direction at the upper and lower ends of the stretchable regions 206, 207 (near the boundaries with the upper region 201 and the lower region 202).

[0030] As described above, because seat 200 has a pair of elastic regions 206, 207, it is possible to hold an infant in a stable position when held upright. In other words, baby carrier 1 of this embodiment can completely envelop the torso of the infant between the parent's body (upper body) and the seat 200, preventing the buttocks of the held infant from sinking. Furthermore, because seat 200 has upper region 201 and lower region 202, the strength of baby carrier 1 can be improved compared to a configuration in which the upper and lower ends of elastic regions 206, 207 are free.

[0031] <Specific examples of baby carrier configuration> An example of the configuration of the baby carrier 10 equipped with the seat part 200 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is an external view of the baby carrier 10 when in use, seen from the front. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the seat part 200, and is an external view of the seat part 200, seen from the front, with the baby-side seat member 5 (described later) hanging down.

[0032] The baby carrier 10 according to this embodiment basically comprises a pair of shoulder belts 2 and 3, as well as a waist belt 7 that is wrapped around the waist of the parent. The shoulder belts 2 and 3 and the waist belt 7 form an attachment member 100 that is worn by the parent.

[0033] 3, the waist belt 7 extends in the left-right direction and has a waist support part 71 that is wrapped around the parent's waist, and a female buckle (engaged part) 72 and a male buckle (engaging part) 73 that are provided on both ends of the waist support part 71. By engaging the male buckle 73 with the female buckle 72, the waist belt 7 is securely wrapped around the parent's waist.

[0034] 3, seat unit 200 in this embodiment is divided into a first seat member 5 that covers the back of the baby and a second seat member 4 that is placed between the baby and the person carrying the baby, with the connecting point to waist belt 7 as the boundary. First seat member 5 forms the main part of seat unit 200. Therefore, it is desirable that the pair of side regions 203, 204, central region 205, and stretchable regions 206, 207 described above be provided in first seat member 5.

[0035] The second sheet member 4 has, for example, a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and is made of a breathable material, such as mesh fabric. One end of the shoulder belts 2, 3 is sewn to the upper end of the second sheet member 4, the other ends of the shoulder belts 2, 3 are sewn to both sides of the second sheet member 4, and the upper edge of the waist belt 7 is sewn to the lower end of the second sheet member 4. As described above, the second sheet member 4 of this embodiment is integral with the shoulder belts 2, 3 and the waist belt 7, and therefore also serves as the attachment member 100. Therefore, in the following description, the second sheet member 4 will be referred to as the "parent-side sheet member 4," and the first sheet member 5 will be referred to as the "infant-side sheet member 5."

[0036] Belts 41, 42 are sewn to both sides of the parent-side seat member 4, and female buckles 95, 96 are provided at the ends of the belts 41, 42, respectively. These female buckles 95, 96 are detachably connected to male buckles 97, 98 provided on the infant-side seat member 5. The points at which the belts 41, 42 are attached to the parent-side seat member 4 are preferably higher than the points at which the other ends of the shoulder belts 2, 3 are attached.

[0037] In this embodiment, the pair of shoulder belts 2, 3 and waist belt 7 that make up the wearing member 100 are integrated with the parent-side sheet member 4, so that the parent can easily wear the baby carrier 10. The other ends of the shoulder belts 2, 3 may be sewn to a member other than the parent-side sheet member 4 (for example, the waist belt 7).

[0038] The lower end of the infant-side sheet member 5 is sewn to the upper edge of the waist belt 7. In other words, the lower edges of the parent-side sheet member 4 and the infant-side sheet member 5 are sewn to the upper edge of the waist belt 7 in an overlapping manner.

[0039] The infant-side seat member 5 has, for example, a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the front (specifically, a vertically elongated rectangular shape) and faces the parent-side seat member 4 when in use. The outer dimensions (width and vertical length) of the infant-side seat member 5 are larger than those of the parent-side seat member 4. Male buckles 97, 98 are provided on both sides of the infant-side seat member 5, and engage with female buckles 95, 96 provided on the straps 41, 42. The male buckles 97, 98 may be provided on a pair of flanges 5a, 5b sewn to both sides of the infant-side seat member 5.

[0040] When in use, the infant-side seat member 5 has a generally J-shape when viewed from the side (see FIG. 5 ), and a buttocks support section that supports the infant's buttocks by lifting them from below is formed at the connecting section (lower end section) with the lower end of the parent-side seat member 4. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2 , the infant-side seat member 5 has a crotch support section 51 connected to the boundary with the parent-side seat member 4 (the seam with the waist belt 7), a hip support section 52 connected above the crotch support section 51, and a back support section 53 connected above the hip support section 52. The infant-side seat member 5 further has a pair of side support sections 54, 55 connected to both sides of the hip support section 52 and the back support section 53, and a pair of leg support sections 58, 59 connected to both sides of the crotch support section 51. The lower section of the parent-side seat member 4 may function as a front support section that supports the infant's lower abdomen.

[0041] Side support portion 54 located on one side in the width direction (right side of the drawing) is continuous in the vertical direction with leg support portion 58 located on the same side, and side support portion 55 located on the other side in the width direction (left side of the drawing) is continuous in the vertical direction with leg support portion 59 located on the same side. Leg support portions 58, 59 are portions that come into contact with the baby's legs from the base to the thighs.

[0042] It is desirable that the leg rests 58, 59 have a crotch width adjustment function. In this case, the leg rests 58, 59 have a deformed, approximately triangular shape, and the base is sewn to the waist belt 7. The boundary line extending in the vertical direction between the leg rests 58, 59 and the crotch rest 51 is curved so that it bulges inward. The leg rests 58, 59 have one or two (multiple) folding lines extending in the vertical direction, and by folding the leg rests 58, 59 along the folding lines to reduce their width, the width of the lower end of the infant-side sheet member 5 (i.e., the crotch width) can be made to a width suitable for forward-facing carrying.

[0043] The baby carrier 10 preferably includes a head support 61 for supporting the baby's head. The head support 61 has a higher cushioning property than the seat part 200.

[0044] In this embodiment, a head support 61 is sewn to the center of the upper edge of the infant-side seat member 5. A pair of left and right extensions 62, 63 extending upward are sewn to both sides of the upper edge of the infant-side seat member 5. Female buckles 93, 94 are provided on the tip ends (upper sides) of the extensions 62, 63, respectively. The female buckles 93, 94 function as connectors for the shoulder belts 2, 3, respectively, and engage with male buckles 91, 92 provided on the upper parts of the shoulder belts 2, 3.

[0045] The head support 61 extends in the width direction. The extensions 62, 63 are arranged to overlap both widthwise ends of the head support 61, and both widthwise ends of the head support 61 may be hidden by the extensions 62, 63 when viewed from the front (front).

[0046] (Infant side seat material) The infant-side sheet member 5 is formed by sewing together multiple materials with different stretchability. This will be explained further with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4(a) shows the cross-sectional structure of the infant-side sheet member 5 in an unloaded state (not in use), and Fig. 4(b) shows the cross-sectional structure of the infant-side sheet member 5 in a loaded state (in use). The cross-sectional structure shown in Fig. 4(a) corresponds to a cross section taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3.

[0047] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the infant side sheet member 5 is mainly formed of a first material 81 extending vertically from the lower edge to the upper edge at the center position in the width direction, a pair of second materials 82 extending vertically from the lower edge to the upper edge at both ends in the width direction, and a pair of third materials 83 having both sides sewn to the first material 81 and the second material 82 and extending vertically from the lower edge to the upper edge.

[0048] In this case, the first material 81 constitutes the central region 205, the pair of second materials 82 constitute the pair of side regions 203, 204, and the pair of third materials 83 constitute the pair of stretchable regions 206, 207. Note that the seams between the first material 81 and the third material 83 and the seams between the second material 82 and the third material 83 are preferably located on the back side (not shown). "Sewing" refers to joining two or more materials in a linear fashion using a needle or the like with thread, and may involve sewing together the ends of two or more materials while wrapped in a strip-shaped end treatment member such as piping. In a broader sense, it may also refer to joining (connecting) two or more materials with a fastening material.

[0049] The first material 81 is a flexible but almost non-stretchable (low-stretch) material. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4(a) and (b), the width dimension L1 of the first material 81 in the unloaded state is almost the same as or slightly larger than the width dimension L11 of the first material 81 in the loaded state (when the infant-side sheet member 5 is pulled to both sides). The specified width dimension L1 of the first material 81 can be selected, for example, from 5 cm to 15 cm. The first material 81 desirably has a certain degree of breathability and is formed of one or more layers of fabric, including, for example, a mesh-like fabric such as a mesh fabric.

[0050] Similarly, the second material 82 is a flexible but hardly stretchable (low-stretchable) material. Therefore, as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), the width dimension L12 of the second material 82 in the unloaded state is almost the same as or slightly larger than the width dimension L12 of the second material 82 in the loaded state (when the infant-side sheet member 5 is pulled to both sides). The specified width dimension L2 of the second material 82 is typically equal to or less than the width dimension L1 of the first material 81, but may be greater than the width dimension L1 of the first material 81 within the height range where the leg rest portions 58, 59 are located.

[0051] Like the first material 81, the second material 82 may be formed of one or more layers of fabric, including a mesh-like fabric such as a mesh fabric. From the viewpoint of breathability, for example, if the mesh (air holes) of the first material 81 are larger than those of the second material 82, the stretchability of the first material 81 (central region 205) may be slightly higher than that of the second material 82 (side regions 203, 204). Note that the first material 81 and the second material 82 may be made of the same material. If the leg support portions 58, 59 of the infant-side sheet member 5 have a crotch width adjustment function, the lower region of the second material 82 (the region constituting the leg support portions 58, 59) may contain a core material such as urethane foam.

[0052] The third material 83 is flexible and has lateral stretchability. In this embodiment, the third material 83 is formed of a stretchable knitted fabric that has much higher stretchability in the width direction (weft direction) than in the up-and-down direction (warp direction).

[0053] In this case, the third material 83 is a warp knitted fabric warp knitted using a double Raschel knitting machine. As shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), the third material 83 has a shape in which rib-like front protrusions 83a, which curve and protrude toward the front side along the warp direction, and rib-like back protrusions 83b, which curve and protrude toward the back side along the warp direction, are alternately arranged in multiple rows in the weft direction, and the cross section along the weft direction has a wavy shape. The phase of the parallel back protrusions 83b is shifted in the weft direction relative to that of the front protrusions 83a, so that each back protrusion 83b is positioned at the middle of the front protrusions 83a. Therefore, when the third material 83 is pulled in the weft direction (left-right direction), the front protrusions 83a and the back protrusions 83b flatten in the weft direction, causing the entire knitted fabric to stretch in the weft direction. When the applied load is removed, the knitted fabric shrinks in the weft direction due to contraction force, returning to its original state.

[0054] In the third material 83 of this embodiment, the front protrusions 83a are formed with larger meshes than the back protrusions 83b (not shown). Therefore, as shown in Fig. 4(b) , when the third material 83 is stretched laterally (when pulled in the weft direction), the meshes of the flattened front protrusions 83a are exposed, thereby providing breathability.

[0055] The two third materials 83 are spaced apart by the width of the first material 81. The two third materials 83 are arranged symmetrically about the widthwise centerline C of the infant-side sheet member 5. The width of the third material 83 in the unloaded state is substantially constant over its entire length, and its width dimension L3 is smaller than the width dimension L1 of the first material 81, for example, 1.0 cm to 3.0 cm. It is more preferable that the width dimension L3 of the third material 83 is approximately 1.2 to 2.0 cm. It is preferable that the maximum width dimension L13 of the third material 83 in the loaded state (when the infant-side sheet member 5 is pulled in the left-right direction) is 1.5 to 3 times the width dimension L3 in the unloaded state.

[0056] The third material 83 may be made of any material other than a stretchable knitted fabric as long as it has lateral stretchability.

[0057] Since the baby-side sheet member 5 is formed by sewing the first to third materials 83 together in the width direction as described above, the crotch support portion 51, the hip support portion 52, and the back support portion 53 are mainly composed of the first material 81 (central region 205), and the pair of leg support portions 58, 59 and the pair of side support portions 54, 55 are mainly composed of the pair of second materials 82 (pair of side regions 203, 204). In this case, it is desirable that at least a part of the lower portion of the pair of third materials 83 (pair of stretchable regions 206, 207) is located at the boundary between the crotch support portion 51 and the leg support portions 58, 59, and at least a part of the upper portion (upper end) is located at the boundary between the back support portion 53 and the side support portions 54, 55.

[0058] In this embodiment, because the lower region of the second material 82 (the region that forms the leg rests 58, 59) has a deformed, approximately triangular shape, the lower portions of the two third materials 83 are curved to fit the curved shapes of the leg rests 58, 59. Specifically, the two third materials 83 are configured with a pair of inclined straight portions that extend linearly from their upper ends so as to approach each other as they extend downward, and a pair of curved portions that connect to the lower ends of the pair of inclined straight portions and curve so as to move away from each other as they extend downward. In this case, the distance between the left and right third materials 83 (i.e., the width dimension L1 of the first material 81) is largest at the upper end portion (width Wb in FIG. 2 ) or the lower end portion and is smallest at the portion adjacent to the leg rests 58, 59 (width Wa in FIG. 2 ).

[0059] In this way, it is desirable that the lower portion of the third material 83 (i.e., the stretchable regions 206, 207) extend along the boundary line between the crotch pad portion 51 and the leg pad portions 58, 59. The two third material portions 83 may extend straight from the upper end to the lower end and be arranged parallel to each other (see the stretchable regions 206, 207 in FIG. 1).

[0060] In this embodiment, the head support 61 located above the infant-side sheet member 5 is connected to the upper edges of the first material 81 and the pair of third materials 83. Specifically, the head support 61 is sewn over the entire range of the upper edges of the first material 81 and the pair of third materials 83, and preferably is sewn continuously from the connection point between the second material 82 (side region 203) and the third material 83 (elastic region 206) on one side in the width direction to the connection point between the second material 82 (side region 204) and the third material 83 (elastic region 207) on the other side in the width direction.

[0061] A pair of extensions 62, 63 are sewn to the upper edges of the pair of second materials 82. In this case, the upper member 6 including the head support 61 and the pair of extensions 62, 63 may be sewn continuously over the entire range of the upper edges of the first to third materials 81 to 83. The extensions 62, 63 may be formed by extending the upper end of the second material 82 upward, and may be configured as part of the infant-side sheet member 5 (see FIG. 5).

[0062] The waist belt 7, which is located below the infant-side seat member 5, is desirably sewn along the entire range of the lower edges of the first to third materials 81 to 83. Note that the waist belt 7 may be sewn along the range from the connection point between the second material 82 (side region 203) and the third material 83 (elastic region 206) on one side in the width direction to the connection point between the second material 82 (side region 204) and the third material 83 (elastic region 207) on the other side in the width direction.

[0063] If the sewn portion between the infant side seat member 5 and the head support 61 (upper member 6) is referred to as the "upper sewn portion 84," and the sewn portion between the infant side seat member 5 and the waist belt 7 is referred to as the "lower sewn portion 85," then the upper sewn portion 84 forms the upper region 201 of the seat member 200, and the lower sewn portion 85 forms the lower region 202 of the seat member 200. Because the upper sewn portion 84 and the lower sewn portion 85 do not have lateral stretchability, the widths of the upper and lower edges of each of the materials 81 to 83 remain constant regardless of whether the seat is in a loaded or unloaded state.

[0064] <Baby carrier usage status> 5 shows a state in which a parent is wearing the baby carrier 10 and holding the baby in a vertical position (face-to-face holding position). In this state of use, the side regions 203, 204 (second material 82) and the central region 205 (first material 81) of the infant-side sheet member 5 are hardly stretchable in either the vertical or horizontal directions, but the stretchable regions 206, 207 (third material 83) between the side regions 203, 204 and the central region 205 stretch outward due to the weight of the infant, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 5.

[0065] Therefore, the infant can be held by being wrapped from below, the back, and both sides by the infant-side sheet member 5. Furthermore, because the central region 205 has an appropriate hardness, it is possible to prevent the infant from sinking (shown by imaginary lines in Figure 5) which can occur when the central region has high elasticity. Therefore, even when holding a young infant face-to-face, it is possible to prevent the infant from becoming buried between the parent's body and the infant-side sheet member 5.

[0066] In addition, the infant side sheet member 5 has an upper region 201 (upper seam 84) and a lower region 202 (lower seam 85) that regulate the stretching of the stretchable regions 206, 207, thereby preventing a decrease in the strength of the baby carrier 10 itself and enabling the infant to be held in a stable position.

[0067] Furthermore, the third material 83 constituting the stretchable regions 206, 207 is a material that exhibits breathability when stretched laterally, and therefore exhibits breathability when in use. Therefore, the infant-side sheet member 5 of this embodiment can hold an infant comfortably. In this embodiment, the third material 83 is used around the base of the legs (i.e., the boundary between the crotch support portion 51 and the leg support portions 58, 59), which is an area where sweating tends to occur, thereby improving the comfort of the infant.

[0068] Furthermore, since the baby carrier 10 of this embodiment is configured to use the third material 83 only in specific parts of the infant side sheet member 5, it is possible to keep manufacturing costs down even if the third material 83 is expensive.

[0069] <Other examples of seat configurations> In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which both ends of the shoulder belts 2, 3 are sewn to the second sheet member 4 of the seat unit 200, and the second sheet member 4 also serves as the wearing member 100 (an example in which the second sheet member 4 functions as a parent sheet member), but this is not limiting. For example, both ends of the shoulder belts 2, 3 may be sewn to (or detachably connected to) the first sheet member 5 that forms the main part of the seat unit 200, and a connecting means may be provided that detachably connects the first sheet member 5 and the second sheet member 4. Alternatively, the seat unit 200 may not have the second sheet member 4, and may have only the first sheet member 5.

[0070] 9(a) and 9(b) are diagrams schematically showing other configuration examples of the first sheet member 5 (sheet portion 200). As in the first sheet members 5A and 5B shown in Fig. 9(a) and 9(b), the upper and lower ends (or at least one of them) of a pair of stretchable regions 206 and 207 may be directed outward from the first sheet members 5A and 5B.

[0071] Specifically, like the first sheet member 5A of the baby carrier 10A shown in Figure 9(a), the pair of stretchable regions 206, 207 may be composed of a pair of straight sections extending approximately straight (parallel) in the vertical direction, a pair of upper curved sections that are connected to the upper ends of the pair of straight sections and curve so that they move away from each other as they extend upward, reaching the outer ends, and a pair of lower curved sections that are connected to the lower ends of the pair of straight sections and curve so that they move away from each other as they extend downward, reaching the outer ends.

[0072] Alternatively, as in the first sheet member 5B of the baby carrier 10B shown in Figure 9(b), the pair of stretchable regions 206, 207 may be configured as a pair of curved portions that are curved as a whole so that the upper and lower ends reach the outer ends.

[0073] When the pair of stretchable regions 206, 207 are arranged in this manner, the central region 205 has a narrowed shape at the center in the vertical direction. In this case, the widths of the upper and lower ends of the central region 205 may be approximately equal to the widths of the upper region 201 and the lower region 202, respectively. "Approximately equal" means that the difference between the two is approximately 10 mm or less. In addition, the pair of side regions 203, 204 may form (only) the leg rest portions 58, 59 described above.

[0074] 9(a) and 9(b), the pair of stretchable regions 206, 207 may be positioned downward and spaced apart from the upper edges (position of upper seam 84) of the first sheet members 5A, 5B, with the spaced apart portion being the upper region 201. Similarly, the pair of stretchable regions 206, 207 may be positioned upward and spaced apart from the lower edges (position of lower seam 85) of the first sheet member 5, with the spaced apart portion being the lower region 202.

[0075] In this way, when the upper region 201 is a region that extends in the width direction and the up-down direction, the upper region 201 may form, for example, the back support portion 53 and the pair of side support portions 54, 55 on both sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, the above-mentioned extension portions 62, 63 may extend upward from both sides of the upper end of the upper region 201. In other words, the attachment and detachment points for the upper ends of the shoulder belts 2, 3 may be realized in the upper region 201, not on the side regions 203, 204 side.

[0076] 9(a) and 9(b), the upper region 201 may be formed integrally with the central region 205 using the same material (first material 81). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2 etc., in a configuration in which the entire stretchable regions 206, 207 are positioned more inward than the outer edge of the first sheet member 5, the upper region 201 may be formed integrally with the pair of side regions 203, 204 using the same material (second material 82). In yet another configuration, the upper region 201 may be formed from another material (fourth material) sewn to the upper edge of the first material 81 and the sewn portion.

[0077] Similarly, if the lower region 202 is a region that extends in the width and vertical directions, the lower region 202 may, for example, form a front portion that is connected to the lower end of the crotch portion 51 and supports the lower abdomen of the infant.

[0078] 9(a) and 9(b), the lower region 202 may be formed of another material (a fifth material) sewn to at least the lower edge of the first material 81 and the sewn portion thereof. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2 etc., in a configuration in which the entire stretchable regions 206, 207 are positioned more inward than the outer edge of the first sheet member 5, the lower region 202 may be formed of the same material (the second material 82) as the pair of side regions 203, 204 and the pair of side regions 203, 204.

[0079] The fourth and fifth materials may be the same material as the first material 81 or the second material 82 as long as they have low elasticity.

[0080] In the present embodiment, the sheet member 200 (first sheet member 5) has been described as having both the upper region 201 and the lower region 202, but the present invention is not limited to this example and may have only one of these regions. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 and other figures, even in a configuration in which the entire stretchable regions 206, 207 are located inside the outer edge of the first sheet member 5, in a configuration in which the shoulder belts 2, 3 are provided so as to connect to the upper ends of the side regions 203, 204 (along the extension direction of the side regions 203, 204), the stretchable regions 206, 207 can be restricted to some extent by the spacing between the shoulder belts 2, 3 during use, and therefore the sheet member may not have the upper region 201. Alternatively, at least one of the upper region 201 and the lower region 202 may be formed by (only) a stitched portion using an edge processing member such as piping.

[0081] <Modification> In this embodiment, the wearing member 100 is described as including the waist belt 7, but the waist belt 7 is not essential. In a baby carrier that does not include the waist belt 7, it is sufficient that the one-piece (undivided) sheet member 200 including the front part has the above-mentioned regions 201 to 207. Furthermore, although the wearing member 100 typically includes shoulder belts 2 and 3, if it is, for example, a vest-type, the shoulder belts 2 and 3 are not essential.

[0082] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the pair of elastic regions 206, 207 of the sheet portion 200 (first sheet member 5) are formed from the third material 83 having lateral elasticity, but the present invention is not limited to such an example. For example, a gap may be provided between the first material 81 and the left and right second materials 82, and the pair of elastic regions 206, 207 may be formed by this left and right gap. In such a case, a string-like material or the like may be sewn to the first material 81 and the second material 82 to prevent the gap from widening too much.

[0083] Although the baby carrier in this embodiment has been described as a baby carrier exclusively for holding the baby upright, the configuration of the sheet portion 200 described above can also be applied to a baby carrier that can be used for holding the baby sideways as long as it can be used for holding the baby upright.

[0084] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 1 baby carrier, 4 parent side seat member (second seat member), 5, 5A, 5B infant side seat member (first seat member), 7 waist belt, 51 crotch support portion, 52 buttocks support portion, 53 back support portion, 54, 55 side support portions, 58, 59 leg support portions, 61 head support, 81 first material, 82 second material, 83 third material, 84 upper seam portion, 85 lower seam portion, 200 seat portion, 201 upper region, 202 lower region, 203, 204 side regions, 205 central region, 206, 207 stretchable regions.

Claims

1. It has a seat for holding an infant, The seat portion is a pair of lateral regions located on both sides; a central region disposed at a distance from the pair of side regions and extending in the up-down direction; a stretchable region located between the central region and the side regions and having higher lateral stretchability than the central region and the side regions; The stretchable region is formed of a stretchable knit fabric that has higher stretchability in the width direction than in the up-down direction and that reveals mesh when stretched laterally.

2. The baby carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the sheet portion further includes an upper region positioned above the central region and the stretchable region and extending in the width direction.

3. The baby carrier according to claim 2 , wherein the stretchable region extends in the vertical direction, and an upper end thereof intersects with the upper region.

4. The central region has a constricted shape at the center in the up-down direction, The baby carrier according to claim 2 , wherein the width of the upper end of the central region is approximately equal to the width of the upper region.

5. It also has a head support to support the baby's head. The baby carrier according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the upper region includes a seam with the head support.

6. The baby carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sheet portion further has a lower region positioned below the central region and the stretchable region and extending in the width direction.

7. The baby carrier according to claim 6, wherein the stretchable region extends in the vertical direction, and a lower end thereof intersects with the lower region.

8. The central region has a constricted shape at the center in the up-down direction, The baby carrier according to claim 6, wherein the width of the lower end of the central region is approximately equal to the width of the lower region.

9. It also has a waist belt that can be worn around the waist of the person carrying the baby. The baby carrier according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the lower region includes a seam with the waist belt.

10. The seat portion has at least a crotch support portion and a pair of leg support portions, The baby carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the stretchable region extends along a boundary line between the crotch support portion and the leg support portion.

11. The seat section is divided into an infant-side seat member that covers the infant from the back and a parent-side seat member that is placed between the infant and the person carrying the infant, The baby carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the pair of side regions, the central region, and the stretchable region are provided on the baby-side sheet member.

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