Infant changing station and method of use therewith

Abstract

A changing station is provided to support an infant while changing the infant's diapers and garments. It generally includes a support base having an upper surface, a lower surface, a first end, and a second end longitudinally spaced therefrom, with a bay disposed proximately to the first end, and a cover panel extending above and across the bay. The bay and cover panel define a chamber to receive a roll of dispensable sheet liner whereby a section of the sheet liner is dispensed from the chamber and across the support base's upper surface. A method is also provided, including the step of supporting a roll of dispensable sheet liner at one end of the support base, advancing a section of sheet liner across the upper surface, changing the infant's diapers or garments, and thereafter moving away the advanced section of sheet liner from the upper surface of the support base.

1 . A changing station adapted to support an infant while changing the infant's diapers and garments, comprising: 
 (A) a support base having an upper surface operative to support an infant thereon, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end;    (B) a bay disposed proximately to the first end at a location above the upper surface of said support base; and    (C) a cover panel extending above and across said bay so that said bay and said cover panel define a chamber sized and adapted to receive a roll of dispensable sheet liner therein whereby a layer of said sheet liner may be dispensed out of the chamber and across said support base in confronting relationship to the upper surface thereof.    
     
     
         2 . A changing station according to  claim 1  including a pad adapted to be disposed on the upper surface of said support base.  
     
     
         3 . A changing station according to  claim 2  wherein said support base includes a recess formed therein that is sized and adapted to nestably receive said pad.  
     
     
         4 . A changing station according to  claim 3  wherein said pad has a thickness and wherein said recess has a selected depth such that the thickness of said pad and the depth of said recess are about the same.  
     
     
         5 . A changing station according to  claim 1  wherein said support base includes a contoured inner shell and an outer cover adapted to removably fit onto said inner shell.  
     
     
         6 . A changing station according to  claim 1  wherein said support base has a pair of upright sidewalls extending along opposite side edges thereof in spaced-apart, opposed relation to one another thereby to define a channel sized and adapted to receive and support the infant therein.  
     
     
         7 . A changing station according to  claim 6  wherein the channel is upwardly divergent.  
     
     
         8 . A changing station according to  claim 7  wherein each of said sidewalls has an inverted V-shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         9 . A changing station according to  claim 6  wherein a first end portion of each of said sidewalls proximate to the first end of said support base forms an end wall for said bay.  
     
     
         10 . A changing station according to  claim 9  wherein each said end portion has an enlarged height.  
     
     
         11 . A changing station according to  claim 1  wherein the upper surface of said support base has a first surface portion proximate to the first end of said support base that is arcuate in configuration thereby to define said bay.  
     
     
         12 . A changing station according to  claim 11  wherein said cover panel is arcuate in configuration and extends in an archwise manner over the first surface portion of said support base.  
     
     
         13 . A changing station according to  claim 1  wherein said cover panel is pivotally dispose on said support base.  
     
     
         14 . A changing station according to  claim 1  wherein said cover panel is formed of a material that is substantially transparent.  
     
     
         15 . A changing station according to  claim 1  including a plurality of legs extending downwardly from said support base.  
     
     
         16 . A changing station according to  claim 1  wherein said support base includes a mounting structure thereon and including at least one support block adapted to secure to said mounting structure and adapted to support an accessory device thereon.  
     
     
         17 . A changing station adapted to support an infant while changing the infant's diapers and garments, comprising: 
 (A) a support base having an upper surface operative to support an infant thereon, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end;    (B) a bay disposed proximately to the first end at a location above the upper surface of said support base;    (C) a roll of dispensable sheet liner disposed in said bay whereby said sheet liner may be dispensed in confronting relationship to the upper surface; and    (D) a cover panel extending above and across said bay so as to enclose said roll, a first edge of said cover panel and said support member forming a dispensing opening therebetween whereby a layer of said sheet liner may be dispensed out of the chamber and across said support base in confronting relationship to the upper surface thereof.    
     
     
         18 . A changing station according to  claim 17  including a pad adapted to be disposed on the upper surface of said support base.  
     
     
         19 . A changing station according to  claim 18  wherein said support base includes a recess formed therein that is sized and adapted to nestably receive said pad.  
     
     
         20 . A changing station according to  claim 17  wherein said support base includes a contoured inner shell and an outer cover adapted to removably fit onto said inner shell.  
     
     
         21 . A changing station according to  claim 17  wherein said support base has a pair of upright sidewalls extending along opposite side edges thereof in spaced-apart, opposed relation to one another thereby to define a channel sized and adapted to receive and support the infant therein.  
     
     
         22 . A changing station according to  claim 21  wherein the channel is upwardly divergent.  
     
     
         23 . A changing station according to  claim 17  wherein the upper surface of said support base has a first surface portion proximate to the first end of said support base that is arcuate in configuration thereby to define said bay.  
     
     
         24 . A changing station according to  claim 17  wherein said cover panel is pivotally and removably disposed on said support base.  
     
     
         25 . A changing station according to  claim 17  wherein said cover panel is formed of a material that is substantially transparent.  
     
     
         26 . A changing station according to  claim 17  wherein said sheet liner has spaced-apart, transversely extending perforations thereby dividing said sheet liner into a plurality of partible sheet sections.  
     
     
         27 . A changing station adapted to support an infant while changing the infant's diapers and garments, comprising: 
 (A) a longitudinally extending support base having an upper surface operative to support an infant thereon, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end, said support base having a pair of upright sidewalls extending along opposite side edges of said upper surface in spaced-apart opposed relation to one another and having a selected height thereby to define a channel sized and adapted to receive and support an infant therein; and    (B) a roll of dispensable sheet liner disposed between said sidewalls at the first end of said support base whereby said lining paper may be dispensed in confronting relationship to the upper surface.    
     
     
         28 . A changing station according to  claim 27  including a bay disposed proximately to the first end at a location above the upper surface of said support base.  
     
     
         29 . A changing station according to  claim 28  wherein a first end portion of each of said sidewalls proximate to the first end of said support base forms an end wall for said bay.  
     
     
         30 . A changing station according to  claim 29  including a cover panel extending above and across said bay so that said bay, said cover panel and the first end portions of said sidewalls together define a chamber sized and adapted to receive said roll of sheet liner.  
     
     
         31 . A changing station according to  claim 30  wherein each said end portion has an enlarged height.  
     
     
         32 . A changing station according to  claim 30  wherein the upper surface of said support base has a first surface portion proximate to the first end of said support base that is arcuate in configuration thereby to define said bay.  
     
     
         33 . A changing station according to  claim 32  wherein said cover panel is arcuate in configuration and extends in an archwise manner over the first surface portion of said support base.  
     
     
         34 . A changing station according to  claim 27  including a pad adapted to be disposed on the upper surface of said support base.  
     
     
         35 . A changing station according to  claim 34  wherein said support base includes a recess formed therein that is sized and adapted to nestably receive said pad.  
     
     
         36 . A changing station according to  claim 35  wherein said pad has a thickness and wherein said recess has a selected depth such that the thickness of said pad and the depth of said recess are about the same.  
     
     
         37 . A changing station according to  claim 27  wherein said support base includes a contoured inner shell and an outer cover adapted to removably fit onto said inner shell.  
     
     
         38 . A changing station according to  claim 27  wherein the channel is upwardly divergent.  
     
     
         39 . A changing station according to  claim 27  wherein each of said sidewalls has an inverted V-shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         40 . A method for changing an infant's diapers and garments, comprising: 
 (A) providing a support base having a longitudinally extending channel defined by an upper surface of said support base and a pair of upright sidewalls extending along opposite side edges of said upper surface in spaced-apart opposed relation to one another, said channel size such that an infant may be placed therein in a supine position;    (B) supporting a roll of dispensable sheet liner at one end of said support base;    (C) advancing a section of said sheet liner longitudinally across the upper surface of said support base;    (D) placing an infant in the channel such that said section of sheet liner underlies the infant;    (E) changing at least one of the infant's diaper and garments;    (F) removing the infant from said channel; and    (G) moving said section of sheet liner away from the upper surface of said support base.    
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 40  including the step of removing said second of sheet liner and discarding said section of sheet liner after removal.  
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein said sheet liner is transversely perforated and wherein the step of moving said section of lining paper is accomplished by detaching said section at a respective perforation.