Baby Carrier Seat Width Adjustment Using Segmented Widening Elements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing baby carrying devices face issues with limited adjustability, leading to pressure points, discomfort for both the child and the wearer, and inadequate support for orthopedically correct hip positioning, especially as the child grows.

Innovation Solution

A carrying device with widening elements connected to the hip belt that can be adjusted steplessly, allowing for even support and distribution of tension, and an intermediate piece for additional support and protection, ensuring comfortable and orthopedically correct positioning from birth to infancy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the receiving body is made adjustable in width by gathering or pulling apart on the hip belt, then the seat width and span between knees can be adjusted, but this creates a large amount of folds in the seat underneath the child and in the area behind the knees, leading to pressure points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustability of seat widthVSAvoidpressure points on child
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving body is divided into a central part and two widening elements that can be independently adjusted. The widening elements are connected to the central part and can be shifted along the hip belt, allowing the seat width to be adjusted without creating excessive folds in the central part where the child sits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The widening elements are designed to extend in the direction of the upper edge of the hip belt, providing local adjustment capability at the sides of the seat while keeping the central part where the child sits relatively stable and fold-free.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the receiving body is pulled apart by shoulder straps to adjust width, then the seat width can be changed, but the ruffles on the hip belt make the wearer uncomfortable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustability of seat widthVSAvoidcomfort of wearer
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The width adjustment function is extracted from the shoulder straps and hip belt ruffles and transferred to dedicated widening elements that are specifically designed for this purpose. These widening elements are connected to the central part and can be adjusted independently, eliminating the need for ruffles on the hip belt.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the receiving body width is adjusted significantly, then the seat width changes, but the distribution of pressure across the width of the child's bottom and lower back changes unfavorably

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadjustability of seat widthVSAvoidpressure distribution on child
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The widening elements are designed to extend in the direction of the upper edge of the hip belt, which helps maintain favorable pressure distribution across the child's bottom and lower back while adjusting the seat width. This directional extension ensures that the central part remains stable and provides consistent support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Ease of manufacture

If the receiving body is made from a rectangular blank, then the structure is simple, but the adjustability is limited to the width of the rectangular blank

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of structureVSAvoidadjustability range
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The receiving body is segmented into a central part made from a rectangular blank and two separate widening elements. This segmentation allows the central part to maintain its simple rectangular structure while the widening elements provide extended adjustability by being shifted along the hip belt.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3681351B1Carrying device for babies or small children
Publication Date: 2021.07.28 SCHACHTNER VERMOGENSVERW
  • EP3681351B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3681351B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3681351B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a carrying device (1), comprising an accommodation body (10), which forms an accommodation space for accommodating a baby or small child, and comprising a holding harness system (40) for fastening the accommodation body (10) to a person. The holding harness system (40) has a waist belt (44). The accommodation body (10) has a center part (11), which supports the baby or small child and which is connected to the waist belt (44) at a first connection point (41). According to the invention, the center part (11) narrows from an upper region (12) toward the waist belt (44), and a first and a second widening element (13, 14) are connected to the center part (11) in the upper region (12). The first widening element (13) extends to a second connection point (42) to the waist belt (44), the position of the second connection point being adjustable by sliding the first widening element (13) along the waist belt (44). Similarly, the second widening element (14) extends to a third connection point (43) to the waist belt (44), the position of the third connection point being adjustable by sliding the second widening element (14) along the waist belt (44).