Device for Carrying a Child

Abstract

A child carrier includes a main body in which the child is carried and supported, a shoulder strap with a cushioning element for placement over the shoulder of a parent or other caregiver, a lumbar support for placement against the lower hack of the caregiver. a detachable hooded cape to cover the child, and a newborn head support attachment. The child carrier Can also include easily accessible storage areas.

1 . A child carrier, comprising:
 a main body including a seat portion and a torso portion;   a shoulder strap coupled to the main body near an upper edge of the torso portion;   a waist strap coupled to the main body near a lower edge of the seat portion; and   a lumbar support coupled to the waist strap.   
   
   
       2 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the lumbar support further comprises an ergonomically contoured pad. 
   
   
       3 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a foam element in the lumbar support to provide lower back support. 
   
   
       4 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising semi-rigid vertical reinforcement elements in the lumbar support. 
   
   
       5 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the seat portion further comprises a relatively narrow vertical region substantially forming the seat portion and a generally horizontal region substantially forming the torso portion. 
   
   
       6 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the main body defines an upper opening to accommodate a child's shoulders, arms and head, and side openings to accommodate the child's legs. 
   
   
       7 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein opposing ends of the shoulder strap are coupled to the main body near two lateral extremes of the torso portion. 
   
   
       8 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the waist strap passes through a generally horizontal passage across a lower region of the seat portion. 
   
   
       9 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a cushion coupled to the shoulder strap. 
   
   
       10 . The child carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the cushion includes a honeycomb-type silicone gel. 
   
   
       11 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the main body, the shoulder strap and the waist strap includes a storage compartment. 
   
   
       12 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a detachable bottle holder. 
   
   
       13 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable hooded cape that wraps around the main body and attaches to the ends of the shoulder strap and not to the child. 
   
   
       14 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a head support that attaches to an upper region of the torso portion and extends upward to provide support for a child's head. 
   
   
       15 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a safety belt coupled to the main body and positioned to secure a child in the child carrier. 
   
   
       16 . A child carrier, comprising:
 means for maintaining a torso of a child in an upright orientation;   means for seating the child;   means for suspending the maintaining means from a shoulder of a caregiver;   means for holding the seating means against a waist of the caregiver; and   means for a supporting a lumbar region of the caregiver, the supporting means being coupled to the holding means.   
   
   
       17 . The child carrier of  claim 15 , further comprising an ergonomically contoured pad in the supporting means. 
   
   
       18 . The child carrier of  claim 15 , wherein the supporting means further comprises semi-rigid vertical reinforcement elements to provide lower hack support. 
   
   
       19 . The child carrier of  claim 15 , further comprising means for cushioning coupled to the suspending means to reduce localized strain in the caregiver's shoulder.