Infant Sleep Garment with Segmented Enclosure for Safe Movement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing baby garments fail to safely and effectively manage the startle reflex in infants, leading to wakefulness and suffocation risks as children grow older and become adept at escaping swaddling.

Innovation Solution

A garment design featuring enclosed arm portions that allow arm movement with slight resistance, a reduced waist width, a single enclosed leg portion, and adjustable closures to prevent suffocation, along with a protective flap to shield the skin from closures, facilitating secure sleep without the risks of swaddling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If babies are swaddled to manage startle reflex, then they feel secure and sleep better, but they risk suffocation if they roll over and cannot escape the swaddling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesleep safetyVSAvoidsuffocation risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The garment is segmented into distinct functional zones: enclosed arm portions for startle reflex management, an open back design for freedom of movement and rolling, and a leg portion for containment. This segmentation allows different parts of the garment to serve different safety functions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The garment transitions from static swaddling to a dynamic design where the back remains open to allow infants to roll and reposition themselves freely, while the arm and leg portions maintain enclosure. This dynamic approach adapts to the infant's movement needs while maintaining safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If babies are swaddled to provide security, then they feel comforted, but they develop the ability to escape the swaddling as they grow older

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity feelingVSAvoidescape capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Different portions of the garment have different enclosure qualities: the arm portions are fully enclosed to provide security and manage startle reflex, while the back is open to allow freedom of movement and prevent entanglement. This local differentiation of quality addresses both security and escape prevention needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the garment encloses arms to manage startle reflex, then the infant feels secure, but the arm movement is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestartle reflex managementVSAvoidarm movement freedom

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The garment applies partial enclosure - only the arm portions are enclosed while the back and leg portions allow greater freedom. This partial action provides enough containment to manage startle reflex while preserving sufficient movement freedom for comfort and development.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10568364B2Baby sleeping garment

Publication Date: 2020.02.25 S & M TRADING PTY LTD

AI summary

Described embodiments relate to a garment for a baby or infant, the garment comprising a neck opening; two enclosed arm portions configured to each receive an arm of a wearer of the garment, each arm portion sized to allow the wearer to straighten their arm within the arm portion; a waist portion being of a reduced width compared to the width of the garment across the arm portions; a single enclosed leg portion, the leg portion being wider than the waist portion and sized to accommodate two legs of the wearer; and at least one closure. The at least one closure allows for fastening and unfastening of the garment at the neck opening and, independently of the neck opening, at the leg portion.