FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous crib liners. Particularly, the present disclosure relates to novel and advantageous crib liners having a breathable body portion having an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

Conventional baby cribs typically include side rails that are made up of top and bottom horizontal bars interconnected by a series of spaced supports (e.g., vertical slats). Frequently, babies and toddlers, while sleeping or playing in their cribs, intentionally or accidentally extend their limbs out of the crib between the slats and have difficulty drawing them back into the crib. If this occurs when the child is sleeping, the extended limbs will remain uncovered and become cold, and the child will ultimately be awakened or harmed. Cribs may also have headboards and footboards (i.e., endboards) that are also made with spaced-apart supports and the baby may also extend its arms or legs out of the crib between these slats.

Although various types of apparatuses have been used to prevent such problematic situations (i.e., extension of limbs outside of the crib through the spaced-apart supports), many of such apparatuses exhibit their own problems. For example, as described herein, ventilation may be problematic (e.g., such as that leading up to and resulting in suffocation). For example, crib bumpers are widely used in cribs. Such bumpers may be used for blocking the openings between slats and/or for protecting a child from injury caused by bodily impact of the child against the sides of the crib that define the interior boundary of the crib. However, in many cases, such bumpers do not allow for adequate ventilation, or air flow, within the crib and also obstruct viewing of the child.

Infants usually breathe through their nasal passages. However, during crying or in the event their nasal passages are blocked, infants may breathe through their oral cavities. Mechanical resistance suffocation takes places when respiration is interrupted if these passages are both blocked externally by an object. When respiration is interrupted, CO2levels in the blood rise. The body's response to this elevation in CO2levels is to attempt more rigorous respiration. If the agent of suffocation is not removed, the incident may be fatal after two or three minutes. Further, the accumulation of CO2or other dangerous gases inside the crib or around the infant may be a possible cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Existing crib apparatuses, such as crib bumpers, tend to trap dangerous gases inside the crib. Further, such apparatuses may block the nasal and oral passages of infants under certain circumstances. Existing crib bumpers are known to lead to impaired respiration.

Thus, there is a need in the art for an apparatus to block the openings between the slats of cribs without risking blocking the nasal and oral passages of infants or trapping dangerous gases in the crib.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments, nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments.

The present invention, as described herein, addresses the problems described above and other problems of prior art systems and methods that will become apparent to one skilled in the art from the description below.

The present disclosure, in one or more embodiments, relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The first panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, the first panel may further comprise side borders. A first fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end, wherein the first fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. In some embodiments, the crib liner may further comprise a second fastening mechanism at the second end, wherein the second fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. Either or both of the first and second fastening mechanisms may be hook and loop fasteners. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.

In some embodiments, the breathable body portion of the first panel of the crib liner may include a front layer and a back layer, wherein the front layer and the back layer have different fabric weaves and are attached to one another. The breathable body portion may further comprise an intermediate layer between the front layer and the back layer. The intermediate layer may be a pile layer.

In some embodiments, the breathable body portion may comprise a padded spacer mesh.

In some embodiments, the breathable body portion may comprise a mesh-type material having a mesh coverage of between 32% and 91%.

The crib liner may further comprise a second panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The second panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. A first fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end, wherein the first fastening mechanism attaches the second panel to the crib. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.

The second panel may be removably coupleable to the first panel. For example, the second end of the second panel may be removably coupleable to the second end of the first panel. In some embodiments, a length of the first crib liner may be less than a length of the second crib liner.

The present disclosure, in one or more embodiments, relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The first panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, the first panel may further comprise side borders. A first fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end, wherein the first fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. In some embodiments, the crib liner may further comprise a second fastening mechanism at the second end, wherein the second fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. Either or both of the first and second fastening mechanisms may be hook and loop fasteners. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.

The present disclosure, in one or more embodiments, relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements and a second panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. Each of the first panel and the second panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, each of the first panel and the second panel may further comprise side borders. A fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end of the first panel, wherein the fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. A fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end of the second panel, wherein the fastening mechanism attaches the second panel to the crib. Either or both of the fastening mechanisms may be hook and loop fasteners. The breathable body portion may have an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2 rebreathing value of less than 20%.

The present disclosure, in one or more embodiments, relates to a crib liner suitable for use with a crib, wherein the crib has a perimeter, and wherein a plurality of spaced vertical support elements are provided along the perimeter. In one embodiment, the crib liner may include a first panel configured to cover a portion of the spaced vertical support elements. The first panel may have first and second ends, a breathable body portion, a bottom border, and a top border. In some embodiments, the first panel may further comprise side borders. A first fastening mechanism may be provided at the first end, wherein the first fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. In some embodiments, the crib liner may further comprise a second fastening mechanism at the second end, wherein the second fastening mechanism attaches the first panel to the crib. Either or both of the first and second fastening mechanisms may be hook and loop fasteners. The first panel comprises a breathable material having an air permeability of between 385 CFM and 1530 CFM, a light permeability of between 47 and 99%, and a CO2rebreathing value of less than 20%. The breathable material may be a functional fabric that at least partially blocks a hazard from penetrating the crib liner. Such hazard may be any hazard now known or later discovered to be hazardous to an infant including, but not limited to, mold, mildew, allergens, heat, ultraviolet light (UV), and electric and magnetic forces (EMF).

While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the various embodiments of the present disclosure are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

