# US 11,026,521 B2 · Child carrier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,521 B2 - Document ID: US11026521B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/682,288 - Filed: 2019-11-13 - Published: 2020-03-12 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-13 - Assignees: The ERGO Baby Carrier, Inc. - Applicants: The ERGO Baby Carrier, Inc. - Inventors: Rodney V. Telford; Daruni M. Gotel; Carol J. Lubick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026521B2 ## CPC - A47D 13/025: {for carrying children in seated position} - A47D: FURNITURE SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CHILDREN (school benches or desks A47B39/00, A47B41/00) ## Abstract A child carrier having a waist belt, an upper torso support, a hammock coupled to the waist belt and to the upper torso support, and a thigh support strap extending to each side of the hammock. Each thigh support strap has an inward end portion proximate to the hammock and an outward end portion configured for selective coupling to the upper torso support in multiple positions. When the thigh support straps are coupled to the upper torso support, the hammock and the thigh support straps form a seat to support a child in an ergonomic spread-squat position in inward and outward facing orientations. The shape of the seat adjusts depending on the positions in which the outward end portions of the thigh support straps are coupled to the upper torso support. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A child carrier comprising: a main body including a torso support portion and a hammock portion coupled to the torso support portion; a thigh support strap extending to a side of the main body, the thigh support strap having an inward end portion proximate to the main body and an outward end portion adapted to be coupled to the torso support portion in multiple locations, the hammock portion and the thigh support strap adapted to form a seat to support a child in an ergonomic spread-squat position when the thigh support strap is coupled to the torso support portion; and one or more shoulder straps, each shoulder strap having a first end adapted to be coupled to the main body and a second end adapted to be coupled to the main body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, wherein the seat has a first shape when the thigh support strap is coupled to the torso support portion in a first location and a second shape when the thigh support strap is coupled to the torso support portion in a second location. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, wherein the thigh support strap is sized to wrap around a portion of the child's pelvis, bottom and thigh when the thigh support strap is coupled to the torso support in the first location or the second location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The child carrier of claim 3, further comprising a biasing mechanism coupled to the thigh support strap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The child carrier of claim 4, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises gussets extending between an edge of the thigh support strap and an edge of the hammock portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The child carrier of claim 2, wherein the hammock portion and thigh support strap pass from an inward side of a child carrying area to an outward side of the child carrying area to form the seat. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, further comprising a waist belt. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The child carrier of claim 7, wherein the waist belt is coupled to the hammock portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The child carrier of claim 8, wherein the waist belt and the hammock cooperate to distribute a majority of the child's weight to the hips of a wearer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable collar. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The child carrier of claim 10, wherein the adjustable collar is configured to be positioned according to an orientation of the child. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The child carrier of claim 11, wherein the adjustable collar is formed from the main panel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, wherein the hammock portion and the thigh support strap are adapted to form the seat such that the child is supported in a manner whereby the flexion of the child's hip joint is at least 90 degrees from the coronal plane and the spreading angle averages between 45-55 degrees from the median plane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, wherein the seat is narrower than the main body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, wherein the main body is a single piece of material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, wherein the hammock portion and torso support portion comprise a unitary construction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, wherein the inward end portion of the thigh support strap is adapted to be coupled to the hammock portion or a waist belt. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The child carrier of claim 17, wherein the inward end portion of the thigh support strap is joined to the hammock portion with a hinge having an axis of rotation of the hinge is parallel to a lateral centerline of the child carrier when the carrier is in a flat configuration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, comprising a frame element incorporated in the torso support portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The child carrier of claim 1, wherein the carrier is adapted to be alternatively worn by a wearer in a front carry, back carry or side carry position.