INFANT SLEEP POD

• US 20140137324A1
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UWM Research Foundation, Inc. (University of Wisconsin System)
• Original Assignee: UWM Research Foundation, Inc. (University of Wisconsin System)
• Inventors: Doering, Jennifer J., Krzecki, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 9,554,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/93.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 9/016 capable of being suspended from, or attached to, other articles or structures, e.g. adult's bed

Abstract

An infant sleep pod providing passive and/or active safety features. The infant sleep pod provides a safe sleeping environment for infants sharing sleep areas with adults. The infant sleep pod provides a firm, flat, separate, portable, and dedicated sleep space for an infant. The infant sleep pod includes a base with a bed and sidewall, and a bridge extending across the bed. The bridge covers a head portion of the bed, while a foot portion of the bed is left open for inserting and removing the infant. The bridge prevents pillows and blankets from covering the bed and infant. The infant sleep pod also includes electronics for monitoring the sleep pod. The electronics include a sensor unit in the bridge and a control unit in communication with the sensor unit. The control unit and sensor unit are operable to detect unsafe conditions and, in response, generate alerts.

Claims

1. An infant sleep pod comprising:

a base including;

a bed having a head portion and a foot portion, and

a sidewall around a perimeter of the bed to define an infant receiving area;

an insertion space above the foot portion enabling insertion of an infant to the infant receiving area; and

a bridge coupled to the base and extending across the head portion and forming a protective structure above the head portion, the bridge including

a left side leg, a right side leg, and a top leg that each have an apex end in an apex area above the bed and a connecting end coupled to the base, each leg extending away from the apex area toward a different portion of the base.

2. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, wherein the head portion of the bed has a first width and the foot portion of the bed has a second width that is smaller than the first width.

3. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, wherein the bridge includes a joining portion in the apex area where the left side leg, the right side leg, and the top leg are joined together.

4. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, wherein the bridge includes a gap in the apex area separating the apex ends of the left side leg, the right side leg, and the top leg.

5. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, further comprising:

a first peek space formed between the left side leg and the top leg; and

a second peek space formed between the right side leg and the top leg,

wherein the first peek space and the second peek space are covered by a mesh material.

6. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, wherein at least one of the left side leg, right side leg, and top leg has a through-hole forming a peek space.

7. The infant sleep pod of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the left side leg, right side leg, and top leg has a triangular shape with the connecting end wider than the apex end.

8. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor unit on the bridge; and

a control unit in communication with the sensor unit.

9. The infant sleep pod of claim 8, wherein the sensor unit includes at least one of a motion processing unit and an infrared material detector.

10. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, further comprising a user interface on the bridge, the user interface including at least one of an alert output device and an arm/disarm selector.

11. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, wherein the bridge is selectively removable from the base.

12. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, wherein at least one of the bed and bridge are made of a foam material and formed through injection molding.

13. The infant sleep pod of claim 1, further comprising hinges coupling the connecting ends of the left side leg, the right side leg, and the top leg to the base, the hinges providing the left side leg, the right side leg, and the top leg with a closed position where the apex ends are in the apex area and an open position where the apex ends are outside of the apex area.

14. An infant sleep pod comprising:

a base including;

a bed having a head portion and a foot portion, and

a sidewall around a perimeter of the bed to define an infant receiving area;

an insertion space above the foot portion enabling insertion of an infant to the infant receiving area; and

a bridge coupled to the base and extending across the head portion and forming a protective structure above the head portion, the bridge including

a left wing panel and a right wing panel that each have an apex end in an apex area above the bed and a connecting end coupled to the base, each wing panel extending away from the apex area toward a different portion of the base.

15. The infant sleep pod of claim 14, further comprising hinges coupling the connecting ends of the left wing panel and the right ring panel to the base, the hinges providing the left wing panel and the right wing panel with a closed position where the apex ends are in the apex area and an open position where the apex ends are outside of the apex area.

16. The infant sleep pod of claim 14, wherein the head portion of the bed has a first width and the foot portion of the bed has a second width that is smaller than the first width.

17. The infant sleep pod of claim 14, wherein the bridge includes a joining portion in the apex area where the left wing panel and the right wing panel are joined together.

18. The infant sleep pod of claim 14, wherein the bridge includes a gap in the apex area separating the apex ends of the left wing panel and the right wing panel.

19. The infant sleep pod of claim 14, wherein the left wing panel and the right wing panel each include a through-hole forming a peek space.

20. The infant sleep pod of claim 19, wherein the left wing panel and the right wing panel each include a divider separating the peek spaces.

21-40. -40. (canceled)