Infant head support, safety and comforting device

Abstract

An infant head and neck support comprises a support body having two substantially flat shoulder surfaces and two side support portions to restrain lateral movement of the infant's head and provide support to the infant's neck. The support also includes a rear support portion having a head contacting surface to restrain rearward movement and provide rear cushioning to the infant's head and a wrap-around portion to restrain movement and provide support to the infant's head. The support defines a depression adjacent the rear support portion to receive an infant's head and a neck cavity between the side support portions. The maximum width of the depression is larger than the maximum width of the neck cavity. The thickness of the wrap-around portion and the thicknesses of the side portions are larger than the thickness of the rear support portion.

1 . An infant support to support the head and neck of an infant in an infant retaining device, said support comprising a resilient support body having a front surface, a back surface and two substantially flat shoulder surfaces, wherein said support body includes two side support portions to restrain lateral movement of the infant's head and provide support to the infant's neck, a rear support portion having a head contacting surface to restrain rearward movement of the infant's head and provide rear cushioning to the infant's head, and a wrap-around portion to restrain movement and provide support to the infant's head, wherein said support defines a depression adjacent said rear support portion configured to at least partially receive an infant's head and an adjacent neck cavity between said side support portions, wherein the maximum width of the depression is larger than the maximum width of the neck cavity and the width of said support body increases from said wrap-around portion to said side support portions to support an infant's neck, wherein the thickness of said wrap-around portion and the thicknesses of said side portions are larger than the thickness of said rear support portion. 
   
   
       2 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said side portions and said wrap-around portion are composed of at least one solid foam piece. 
   
   
       3 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said head contacting surface is substantially flat. 
   
   
       4 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said head contacting surface is substantially concave. 
   
   
       5 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said support includes at least one loop configured to receive a seat belt to removably secure said support in an infant retaining device. 
   
   
       6 . The support of  claim 1 , said support comprising a removable cover surrounding said support body, wherein said cover includes a closure mechanism to allow for selective removal of said cover. 
   
   
       7 . The support of  claim 6 , wherein said cover includes at least one pocket. 
   
   
       8 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said support body includes at least one pocket. 
   
   
       9 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein said support body includes adjustability means for increasing the size of said depression. 
   
   
       10 . The support of  claim 9 , wherein said adjustability means includes a perforation in said support body configured to allow a section of said body to detach to increase the size of said depression. 
   
   
       11 . An infant support to support the head and neck of an infant in an infant retaining device, said support comprising a main body portion to restrain lateral movement of an infant's head and provide support to an infant's neck and a rear support portion to provide rear cushioning to an infant's head and to restrain rearward movement of an infant's head, wherein said rear support portion is inset from said main body portion, wherein said main body portion is composed of a solid foam piece and terminates in two substantially flat shoulder rest surfaces configured to rest on an infant's shoulders, wherein said main body portion includes two widened neck support areas adjacent said flat shoulder rest surfaces which increase in width toward said flat shoulder rest surfaces to provide support to an infant's neck. 
   
   
       12 . The support of  claim 11 , wherein said rear support portion includes a bottom surface substantially parallel to said shoulder rest surfaces, the bottom surface being offset from said should rest surfaces to create a neck cavity. 
   
   
       13 . The support of  claim 11 , wherein said rear support portion includes a maximum width and a bottommost width adjacent said neck support areas, wherein said maximum width is at least one and a half times larger than said bottommost width. 
   
   
       14 . The support of  claim 11 , said support comprising a removable cover surrounding said main body portion and said rear support potion, wherein said cover includes a closure mechanism to allow for selective removal of said cover. 
   
   
       15 . An infant support to support an infant in an infant retaining device, said support comprising a body support and a head support, wherein the head support is configured to at least partially surround an infant's head and is composed of a solid foam material, wherein said head support terminates in two substantially flat shoulder surfaces and includes two widened side support portions adjacent said flat shoulder surfaces to restrain lateral movement of an infant's head and provide support to an infant's neck. 
   
   
       16 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein said body support and said head support are two separate solid foam pieces, with said head support attached to said body support. 
   
   
       17 . The support of  claim 15 , said support comprising at least one cover to surround said body support and said head support. 
   
   
       18 . The support of  claim 17 , wherein said cover includes at least one pocket. 
   
   
       19 . The support of  claim 15 , said support comprising means for attachment to an infant retaining device. 
   
   
       20 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein said head support is adjustable in height relative to said body support. 
   
   
       21 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein said head support is adjustable in width relative to said body support. 
   
   
       22 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein said body support and said head support are composed of a single solid foam piece. 
   
   
       23 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein said head support includes a rear support portion having a head contacting surface to restrain rearward movement of the infant's head and provide rear cushioning to the infant's head.