Adjustable child carrier with multiple carry orientations

#The present disclosure relates to child carriers. Even more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a child carrier that is adaptable to ergonomically carry a child as the child grows.

#Various child carriers are currently available for transporting a child by a parent or other individual. Child carriers have become popular for carrying infants and toddlers because they afford the wearer freedom of hand and arm movement while carrying a child. In pursuit of child safety, some of these devices have become overly complex involving, among other things, rigid seats and frames which considerably increase the weight of the carrier and cannot accommodate for the growth of the child. These complex carriers are relatively heavy and place an undue strain upon the wearer, particularly in the lumbar region. In addition, because of the size of many of the present day carriers, they can only be worn on the back thus denying the child the comfort and security of a position where a child and its mother may be in a face-to-face relationship.

#Soft structured carriers have become increasingly popular because they are lighter, less cumbersome and more comfortable to wear. These carriers incorporate padding, stitching and fabrics, rather than a rigid frame, to provide the structure. However, some soft-structured carriers hold a child in an upright position with the child's legs hanging down and the base of the child's spine supporting the child's bodyweight. This position may not be optimal for infant and other young children. While an adult spine has four curves, a young child's spine only has two curves. A majority of a young child's spine will form a C-shape (so-called total kyphosis). Positioning a young child, particularly an infant, in an upright position may unduly limit curvature of the spine and puts stress on the infant's sacrum. This can cause the infant's pelvis to tilt backward limiting leg and hip movement, which may impede healthy development of the infant's pelvis.

#For a better understanding of these and other objects of the invention, reference will be made to the following detailed description of the invention which is to be read in association with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an outside view of one embodiment of an adjustable carrier worn on a torso.

#FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of an adjustable child carrier worn in a front carry position with a child supported in an outward facing (facing away from the wearer) orientation.

#Child carriers and related methods and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the nonlimiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known starting materials, processing techniques, components and equipment are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the invention in detail. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications, additions and/or rearrangements within the spirit and/or scope of the underlying inventive concept will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

#The present disclosure relates to child carriers that allow a child, including an infant, to be carried in a manner that supports the child and maintains the child's pelvis and thighs in a preferred ergonomic position through a range of ages. In particular, embodiments described herein provide carriers that support the child's bottom, pelvis and thighs in a desired position. Embodiments described herein also allow a child to be carried on the front or back or to the side of the person carrying the child. The carrier can be worn by a user in front of, in back of or to the side of the wearer with the child's weight carried near the wearer's center of gravity and close to the wearer's front, back or side in a front, back or side position, respectively. In addition, the child may be oriented in an inward facing orientation or outward facing orientation in at least one of the positions.

#In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a carrier includes a bucket seat that can be adjusted in multiple configurations. A first configuration may be adapted to support a child of a first size range in a first orientation in a corresponding first spread squat position, a second configuration may be adapted to support a child of a second size range in the first orientation in a second corresponding spread squat position, a third configuration may be adapted to support a child of a third size range in the first orientation in a third corresponding spread squat position. The first configuration may have a first bucket seat width and first bucket seat depth, the second configuration may have a second bucket seat width and a second bucket seat depth, and the third configuration may have a third bucket seat width a third bucket seat depth. According to one embodiment, the first bucket seat width is less than the second bucket seat width, the first bucket seat depth is greater than the second seat bucket depth, the second bucket seat width is less than the third bucket seat width and the second bucket seat depth is less than the third bucket seat depth. The carrier may be further configurable in a fourth configuration adapted to support a child in a second orientation in a fourth corresponding spread squat position. The first orientation may be an inward facing orientation and the second orientation may be an outward facing orientation.