Child carrier

Abstract

The present invention is a carrier useful for supporting the weight of a child on the hips of a wearer. The child carrier includes a belt having an attached seat that is intended to be worn near the wearer's waist. A child may thus sit on the seat facing the child carrier wearer. In one embodiment, the rigid form is not removable from the belt pouch. In another embodiment, the seat includes a rigid form that is removable from the belt pouch. This structure allows for easy cleaning of the belt and seat pouch. In another embodiment, the seat is substantially rigid and includes one or more seat surfaces having a softer cover. This provides for a comfortable fit for the wearer and a comfortable seat for the child. In yet another embodiment, the belt is wide near the seat, effectively distributing the child's weight on the wearer's hips.

1 . A seat form for a carrier to be supported in the pouch of an apparatus securable about a wearer, said seat form comprising:
 a contoured member of substantially rigid material, where said contoured member is adapted to fit within the pouch.   
   
   
       2 . The seat form of  claim 1 , where said contoured member includes polyurethane. 
   
   
       3 . The seat form of  claim 1 , where said contoured member includes at least a partial cover of a compressible material. 
   
   
       4 . The seat form of  claim 3 , where said compressible material is a foam. 
   
   
       5 . The seat form of  claim 1 , where said contoured member, when supported in the pouch and secured about the wearer, has a concave surface adjacent to the wearer. 
   
   
       6 . The seat form of  claim 5 , where said concave surface is substantially covered with a compressible material. 
   
   
       7 . The seat form of  claim 5 , where said contoured member, when supported in the pouch and secured about the wearer, has an at least partially concave surface that extends substantially perpendicular from the wearer. 
   
   
       8 . The seat of  claim 7 , where said surface is substantially covered with a compressible material. 
   
   
       9 . A form seat for a carrier to be supported in the pouch of an apparatus securable about a wearer, said seat form comprising:
 a contoured member of substantially rigid material having at least a partial cover of a compressible material, where said contoured member is adapted to fit within the pouch.   
   
   
       10 . The seat of  claim 9 , where said contoured member includes polyurethane. 
   
   
       11 . The seat of  claim 9 , where said compressible material is a foam. 
   
   
       12 . The seat of  claim 9 , where said contoured member, when supported in the pouch and secured about the wearer, has a concave surface adjacent to the wearer. 
   
   
       13 . The seat of  claim 12 , where said concave surface is substantially covered with a compressible material. 
   
   
       14 . The seat of  claim 9 , where said contoured member, when supported in the pouch and secured about the wearer, has an at least partially concave surface that extends substantially perpendicular from the wearer. 
   
   
       15 . The seat of  claim 14 , where said surface is substantially covered with a compressible material. 
   
   
       16 . A child carrier to be worn about the waist of a wearer, said child carrier comprising:
 a pouch securable about the waist; and   a contoured member of substantially rigid material contained within said pouch.   
   
   
       17 . The child carrier of  claim 16 , where said contoured member includes polyurethane. 
   
   
       18 . The child carrier of  claim 16 , where said contoured member includes at least a partial cover of a compressible material. 
   
   
       19 . The child carrier of  claim 18 , where said compressible material is a foam. 
   
   
       20 . The child carrier of  claim 16 , further including a mechanism to secure said contoured member within said pouch. 
   
   
       21 . The child carrier of  claim 20 , further including a pouch top, and where said mechanism includes a fastener to fasten said pouch and said pouch top. 
   
   
       22 . The child carrier of  claim 21 , where said fastener includes a zipper. 
   
   
       23 . The child carrier of  claim 16 , where said contoured member is not removably insertable into said pouch. 
   
   
       24 . The child carrier of  claim 16 , where said contoured member is removable from said pouch. 
   
   
       25 . The child carrier of  claim 16 , where said contoured member has a surface adjacent to the wearer, where said surface has a shape that is concave. 
   
   
       26 . The child carrier of  claim 25 , where said surface is substantially covered with a compressible material. 
   
   
       27 . The child carrier of  claim 16 , where said contoured member has a surface that extends substantially perpendicular the wearer, and where said surface has a shape that is concave. 
   
   
       28 . The child carrier of  claim 27 , where said surface is substantially covered with a compressible material. 
   
   
       29 . The child carrier of  claim 16 , further comprising a strip of flexible material fastenable about the waist and supporting said pouch. 
   
   
       30 . The child carrier of  claim 29 , where said strip has a length and a width, and where the width varies along said length. 
   
   
       31 . The child carrier of  claim 30 , where the width varies between a maximum width and a minimum width, and where the pouch is positioned between said maximum width and said minimum width. 
   
   
       32 . A belt for a child carrier worn about the waist of a wearer and adapted to accept a contoured member to support a child, said belt comprising:
 a strip of flexible material fastenable about the waist, where said strip has a length and a width, and where the width varies along said length; and   a pouch supported by said strip and sized to contain the contoured member.   
   
   
       33 . The belt of  claim 32 , where the width varies between a maximum width and a minimum width, and where said pouch is positioned between said maximum width and said minimum width. 
   
   
       34 . The belt of  claim 32 , where the contoured member is substantially rigid. 
   
   
       35 . The belt of  claim 32 , where said contoured member is not removably insertable into said pouch. 
   
   
       36 . The belt of  claim 32 , where said contoured member is removable from said pouch. 
   
   
       37 . The belt of  claim 32 , where said belt further includes a fastening mechanism to secure an accepted contoured member in said belt. 
   
   
       38 . The belt of  claim 37 , where said fastening mechanism includes a zipper. 
   
   
       39 . The belt of  claim 32 , where said contoured member is not removable from said pouch. 
   
   
       40 . The belt of  claim 32 , where the accepted contoured member has a surface adjacent to the wearer, where said first surface has a shape that is concave. 
   
   
       41 . The belt of  claim 40 , where said surface is substantially covered with a compressible material. 
   
   
       42 . The belt of  claim 32 , where the accepted contoured member has a surface that extends substantially perpendicular to the wearer, and where said surface has a shape that is concave. 
   
   
       43 . The belt of  claim 42 , where said surface is substantially covered with a compressible material.