Child carrier

Abstract

A child carrier for carrying a child in a standing position on the back of the wearer is disclosed. The child carrier may have a shoulder harness having a first loop of material adapted to encircle a left shoulder area of a child carrier wearer, and a second loop of material adapted to encircle a right shoulder area of the wearer. The first loop of material and the second loop of material may be connected in an upper back region of the wearer. First and second handholds may be provided at the shoulder area of the first and second loops of material. The child carrier may have positions to attach accessories such as a water bottle, small enclosure for storage, and the like. In a first embodiment, a rigid or semi-rigid elongated platform having a width adapted to permit a child to stand on the platform may be suspended from the back of the shoulder harness by flexible straps, where the platform may be compact folding to allow the entire child carrier to be stored in a small pouch. In a second embodiment, individual stirrups for the child's feet may be suspended from the back of the shoulder harness.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A child carrier comprising:
 a shoulder harness having a first loop of material adapted to encircle a left shoulder area of a child carrier wearer, a second loop of material adapted to encircle a right shoulder area of the wearer, wherein the first loop of material and the second loop of material are connected in an upper back region of the wearer;   a first handhold attached to the first loop of material;   a second handhold attached to the second loop of material;   first and second stirrups each having a lower rigid or semi-rigid platform, each said platform having dimensions adapted to permit a child to stand on the platform with one of the child's feet;   a first flexible strap connecting the first stirrup to the first loop of material in a lower back region of the wearer;   a second flexible strap connecting the second stirrup to the second loop of material in a lower back region of the wearer; and   a tether extending between (a) one of the first flexible strap or the first stirrup and (b) one of the second flexible strap or the second stirrup.   
     
     
         9 . The child carrier of  claim 8  wherein the first loop of material and the second loop of material each include an adjustable buckle. 
     
     
         10 . The child carrier of  claim 8  further comprising a chest strap having a first piece connected to the first loop of material in a chest area of the wearer and a second piece connected to the second loop of material in a chest area of the wearer. 
     
     
         11 . The child carrier of  claim 8  wherein the first loop of material and the second loop of material are connected in the upper back region of the wearer by a length of stretchable material. 
     
     
         12 . The child carrier of  claim 8  wherein the first loop of material and the second loop of material comprise stretchable material. 
     
     
         13 . The child carrier of  claim 8  wherein the first flexible strap and the second flexible strap comprise stretchable material. 
     
     
         14 . The child carrier of  claim 8  further comprising a means for adjusting the length of the first flexible strap and a means for adjusting the length of the second flexible strap. 
     
     
         15 . The child carrier of  claim 14  further comprising a means for adjusting the length of the tether. 
     
     
         16 . The child carrier of  claim 15  wherein the tether comprises stretchable material. 
     
     
         17 . The child carrier of  claim 8  further comprising a means for adjusting the length of the tether. 
     
     
         18 . The child carrier of  claim 17  wherein the tether comprises stretchable material. 
     
     
         19 . The child carrier of  claim 8  wherein the tether comprises flexible material. 
     
     
         20 . The child carrier of  claim 8  wherein the tether comprises semi-rigid or rigid material. 
     
     
         21 . The child carrier of  claim 8  wherein the tether comprises stretchable material. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The child carrier of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 means for adjusting a location of a connection point of the first flexible strap with the first loop of material; and   means for adjusting a location of a connection point of the second flexible strap with the second loop of material.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The child carrier of  claim 8 , further comprising a rigid member attached to the first loop of material and the second loop of material in the upper back region of the wearer. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled)