Bonding Garment with Angled Opening for Skin-to-Skin Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing garments fail to provide sufficient access for skin-to-skin contact with infants while maintaining the wearer's privacy and appearance of everyday clothing, particularly for male caregivers and not just nursing mothers.
Innovation Solution
A bonding garment with a strategically designed opening that allows easy exposure of the wearer's skin for infant placement without removing the garment, utilizing a receiving flap and fasteners to maintain privacy and appearance, suitable for both men and women.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the garment provides sufficient access for skin-to-skin contact, then the area of access is improved, but the wearer's privacy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The garment is divided into separate functional zones: a main body portion for coverage and a distinct receiving portion with an opening for skin-to-skin contact. This segmentation allows the garment to provide both access and privacy by isolating the exposure area to a specific functional zone rather than requiring full chest exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving portion of the garment has different properties than the main body - specifically, it includes an opening that allows skin exposure while the rest of the garment maintains full coverage. This local differentiation enables the garment to provide targeted access without compromising overall privacy.
2Area of moving object
If the garment provides sufficient access for skin-to-skin contact, then the area of access is improved, but the appearance of standard clothing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The garment structure separates the functional receiving portion with the opening from the main body, allowing the opening to be positioned and sized specifically for skin-to-skin contact while the rest of the garment maintains a conventional appearance suitable for everyday wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment serves multiple functions: it provides skin-to-skin contact access, maintains appearance as standard clothing, and ensures wearer privacy. The receiving portion with its opening enables bonding functionality while the overall garment design retains universal appeal as everyday attire.
3Shape
If the garment maintains appearance as standard clothing, then the appearance is improved, but the access for skin-to-skin contact deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The garment is structured with a distinct receiving portion that includes an opening, separating the bonding function from the main body. This allows the garment to maintain conventional appearance while providing targeted access through the opening in the receiving portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening is localized to the receiving portion rather than being distributed across the entire garment. This localized access point provides sufficient area for skin-to-skin contact while preserving the overall appearance and structure of standard clothing.
4Ease of operation
If the garment provides easy access for skin exposure, then the ease of operation is improved, but the privacy of the wearer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The garment structure with its receiving portion and opening allows the wearer to easily expose the necessary skin area without removing the garment or making significant adjustments. The opening is positioned and sized to provide direct access while the segmented structure maintains coverage elsewhere, preserving privacy.
Data Source
AI summary
A garment for skin-to-skin bonding with an infant, comprising a back, a lower front, an upper front, a hem, sleeve holes and a collar, a receiving flap and a plurality of fasteners. The garment further comprises a receiving portion comprising an angled, substantially longitudinal break in the upper front. The receiving flap is operable to be removably joined by operation of the fasteners to a portion of the upper front to cover the receiving portion and to cause the upper front to take the visual appearance of a known article of clothing.