Neonatal Swaddler

Abstract

A neonatal swaddler (60) is formed from flexible, transparent, single-ply sheet plastics material. The material is folded along a pair of generally-parallel longitudinal fold-lines ( 26,34 ) to form (i) a generally-rectangular back-panel ( 62 ) of the swaddler between the lines, (ii) a generally-rectangular right front-panel ( 64 R) beyond one of the fold-lines ( 26 ) and (iii) a generally-rectangular left front-panel ( 64 L) beyond the other fold-line ( 34 ). Each front-panel is connected to the back-panel along a respective transverse weld line ( 40 R, 40 L) at one end of the swaddler. The weld-lines are spaced apart so that when a newborn baby is placed between the front-panels and the rear-panel, the baby's neck can project from the swaddler between the connection-lines. When the swaddler is flat, the right and left front-panels overlap each other over at least 20% of the width of the back-panel between the fold lines, the overlap being between about 60% and 100% of the spacing between the connection-lines. Due to the amount of overlap, there is no need to provide any means for positively and releasably attaching the front panels to each other part way along the overlap. The lack of such attaching means simplifies manufacture and use of the swaddler and does not obscure the view of the baby through the front panels.

1 . A neonatal swaddler ( 60 ) formed from flexible sheet plastics material which is folded along a pair of generally-parallel longitudinal fold-lines ( 26 , 34 ) to form a generally-rectangular back-panel ( 62 ) of the swaddler between the lines, a generally-rectangular right front-panel ( 64 R) beyond one of the fold-lines ( 26 ) and a generally-rectangular left front-panel ( 64 L) beyond the other fold-line ( 34 ) such that when the swaddler is flat the right and left front-panels overlap each other over at least 20% of the width of the back-panel between the fold lines, each front-panel being connected to the back-panel along a respective transverse connection-line ( 40 R, 40 L) at one end of the swaddler, the connection-lines being spaced apart so that when a newborn baby is placed between the front-panels and the rear-panel, the baby's neck can project from the swaddler between the connection-lines at said one end of the swaddler. 
     
     
         2 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the front panels is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         3 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plastics material is single-ply. 
     
     
         4 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the swaddler is devoid of any means for positively attaching the front panels to each other part way along the overlap. 
     
     
         5 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the front-panels are connected to the back-panel along a common transverse connection-line at the opposite end of the swaddler. 
     
     
         6 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a pair of side perforation-lines extend between the ends of the swaddler each spaced from a respective one of the fold-lines. 
     
     
         7 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein along each side perforation-line, the swaddler is perforated through the back-panel and the respective front-panel. 
     
     
         8 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a central perforation-line extends between the ends of the swaddler, 
     
     
         9 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein along the central perforation-line, the swaddler is perforated through the back-panel but not through the front-panels. 
     
     
         10 . A neonatal swaddler ( 60 ) formed from flexible sheet plastics material which is folded along a pair of generally-parallel longitudinal fold-lines ( 26 , 34 ) to form a generally-rectangular back-panel ( 62 ) of the swaddler between the lines, a generally-rectangular right front-panel ( 64 R) beyond one of the fold-lines ( 26 ) and a generally-rectangular left front-panel ( 64 L) beyond the other fold-line ( 34 ) such that when the swaddler is flat the right and left front-panels overlap each other, each front-panel being connected to the back-panel along a respective transverse connection-line ( 40 R, 40 L) at one end of the swaddler, the connection-lines being spaced apart so that when a newborn baby is placed between the front-panels and the rear-panel, the baby's neck can project from the swaddler between the connection-lines at said one end of the swaddler, the overlap of the right and left front-panels, when the swaddler is flat, being between about 60% and 100% of the spacing between the connection-lines. 
     
     
         11 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein each of the front panels is substantially transparent. 
     
     
         12 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the plastics material is single-ply. 
     
     
         13 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the swaddler is devoid of any means for positively attaching the front panels to each other part way along the overlap. 
     
     
         14 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the front-panels are connected to the back-panel along a common transverse connection-line at the opposite end of the swaddler. 
     
     
         15 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a pair of side perforation-lines extend between the ends of the swaddler each spaced from a respective one of the fold-lines. 
     
     
         16 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein along each side perforation-line, the swaddler is perforated through the back-panel and the respective front-panel. 
     
     
         17 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a central perforation-line extends between the ends of the swaddler. 
     
     
         18 . A neonatal swaddler as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein along the central perforation-line, the swaddler is perforated through the back-panel but not through the front-panels. 
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacture of a neonatal swaddler, comprising the steps of:
 folding flexible sheet plastics material along a pair of generally-parallel longitudinal fold-lines to form a generally-rectangular back-panel of the swaddler between the lines, a generally-rectangular right front-panel beyond one of the fold-lines and a generally-rectangular left front-panel beyond the other fold-line; and   connecting each front-panel to the back-panel along a respective transverse connection-line at one end of the swaddler, the connection-lines being spaced apart so that when a newborn baby is placed between the front-panels and the rear-panel, the baby's neck can project from the swaddler between the connection-lines at said one end of the swaddler;   wherein the sheet plastics material is folded and connected such that, when the swaddler is laid flat, the right and left front-panels overlap each other over at least 20% of the width of the back-panel between the fold lines, and/or the overlap of the right and left front-panels is between about 60% and 100% of the spacing between the connection-lines.