20030037379 | Inflatable cushion with built-in carrying case | February, 2003 | Gibson et al. |
20100058540 | Modular hook and loop attachment cushions | March, 2010 | Calvert |
20090313764 | FOAMS FORMULATED WITH RUBBER COMPOSITION BASED SPRINGS | December, 2009 | Deporte |
20080222805 | SHEET WITH DETACHABLE WATERPROOF PAD | September, 2008 | Saunders |
20080028529 | COMBINATION TRAVEL PILLOW/PILLOW ENHANCER | February, 2008 | Abell |
20030061659 | Stadium blanket construction | April, 2003 | Dunlap et al. |
20090265857 | Cushion for Supporting Patients and for Preventing Pressure Sores | October, 2009 | Habegger |
20040111802 | Closure for a cover on a mattress and the like | June, 2004 | Pedersen |
20080029103 | Infant Support and Mattress and Harness Therefor | February, 2008 | Regev et al. |
20080052830 | BED FOUNDATION WITH DROP-IN UNIT | March, 2008 | Koughan et al. |
20080148487 | MULTI-PURPOSE BODY PILLOW WITH INSERT PANEL AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME | June, 2008 | John et al. |
[0001] This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e), of co-pending provisional application No. 60/402,320; filed Aug. 8, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] Not Applicable
[0003] This invention relates to a self-inflating changing pad for infants that has the benefit of portability. In particular, it relates to an inflatable pad on which an infant can be placed while he or she is being attended to, for example, while the baby's diapers are being changed.
[0004] Travel with infants is challenging, particularly infants who must wear diapers. Provision must be made to change their diapers whenever the need arises, which can be very inconvenient. To accommodate such needs, restrooms in hotels, restaurants, airports, and even airplanes are increasingly being fitted with changing tables. Nevertheless, such changing tables typically offer a hard, uncomfortable surface, with uncertain sanitary conditions. Moreover, there can be no certainty of finding a suitable changing table when the need arises for changing a diaper. Typically, therefore, a baby's diapers must be changed while the baby is lying on a hard floor or counter-top, at best with a blanket underneath.
[0005] Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a device on which an infant can be placed for diaper changing (or for other care) that is easily portable, and that provides the baby with a soft, comfortable surface.
[0006] Broadly, the present invention is a self-inflating, collapsible changing pad, comprising an open-cell foam cushion unit; a retaining cover enclosing the cushion unit; and a self-inflation valve situated in the cover and communicating between the exterior of the cover and the interior of the cover, and selectively operable to allow the inflation and deflation of the cushion unit, whereby, when the valve is open and the cushion unit is collapsed, the cushion unit is expanded by the flow of air into the valve in response to the pressure differential between the interior and the exterior of the cover.
[0007] More specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the cushion unit includes a substantially rectangular base element having two opposed sides. An open-cell foam side bolster, integral with the base element, extends along each of the opposed sides of the base element, and a flexible, airtight retaining cover encloses the base element and the side bolsters.
[0008] In use, to collapse the changing pad from its inflated state to its deflated or collapsed state, the valve is opened. This allows air to escape from the open -celled foam material of the base element and the side bolsters through the valve as the changing pad is squeezed and rolled into a more or less cylindrical configuration. The valve is then closed to maintain the changing pad in this collapsed, deflated state. To restore the changing pad to its inflated state by self-inflation, the valve is opened, whereby the elastic expansion of the foam material creates a pressure differential with respect to the atmospheric pressure, causing air under atmospheric pressure to flow into the foam material, until the base element and side bolsters are fully expanded.
[0009] As will be more fully appreciated from the detailed description below, the present invention provides a fully and conveniently portable changing pad that includes a soft, comfortable pad surface contained within an easily cleanable cover. These and other advantages will be readily understood from the following detailed description.
[0010]
[0011]
[0012]
[0013]
[0014]
[0015]
[0016]
[0017] Referring first to
[0018] As shown in
[0019] An inflation/deflation valve
[0020] A particular advantage of the valve
[0021] As shown in
[0022] The use of the inflation/deflation valve
[0023] While an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be appreciated that a number of modifications and variations may suggest themselves to those skilled in the pertinent arts. Such variations and modifications may be considered be within the scope of the invention, as determined by a fair reading of the claims that follow.