Child carrier

Abstract

A child carrier, in various embodiments, comprises: (1) a torso support portion configured to support an upper portion of the body of a child; (2) a seat support portion configured to support the bottom of the child; (3) a waist belt configured to engage a user's waist; (4) a head support configured to selectively support the head of the child; and (5) a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder strap (e.g., which are configured to strap over the shoulders of the individual wearing the child carrier). In particular embodiments, the child carrier comprises leg supports configured to enable an individual to selectively alter the configuration of the child carrier between a first configuration (in which the legs of the child are supported in a wide position) and a second configuration (in which the legs of the child are supported in a narrow position).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A child carrier for supporting a child while worn by an individual, the child carrier comprising:
 a torso support portion configured for supporting the torso of a child between the child carrier and the individual wearing the child carrier while the individual is wearing the child carrier, the torso support portion comprising a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder strap extending from an upper portion of opposing sides of the torso support portion;   a seat support portion coupled to a base of the torso support portion configured for supporting the bottom of the child while the individual is wearing the child carrier and the child carrier is supporting the child, the seat support comprising:
 a first leg support comprising a first leg support fastener of a first fastener type; and 
 a second leg support comprising a second leg support fastener of a second fastener type; and 
   a waist belt coupled to the seat support portion configured to secure about a waist of the individual wearing the child carrier, the waist belt comprising:
 a first wide position fastener of the second fastener type configured to at least temporarily engage with the first leg support fastener in a first configuration; and 
 a second wide position fastener of the first fastener type configured to at least temporarily engage with the second leg support fastener in the first configuration, wherein:
 the first leg support and the second leg support are secured in the first configuration such that the seat support portion has a first width and is configured to support the child with a first leg and a second leg substantially perpendicular to a body of the child; and 
 the first leg support fastener is configured to at least temporarily engage the second leg support fastener in a second configuration in which the seat support portion has a second width that is narrower than the first width. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first leg support is substantially triangular and comprises a first seat support leg position adjusting strap;   the first leg support fastener is disposed on an end of the first seat support leg position adjusting strap;   the second leg support is substantially triangular and comprises a second seat support leg position adjusting strap; and   the second leg support fastener is disposed on an end of the second seat support leg position adjusting strap.   
     
     
         3 . The child carrier of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first seat support leg positing adjusting strap defines a first vertex of the substantially triangular first leg support; and   the second seat support leg positing adjusting strap defines a first vertex of the substantially triangular second leg support.   
     
     
         4 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the waist belt defines a second configuration fastener pocket disposed adjacent a central portion of the waist belt; and   the first leg support fastener is configured to at least temporarily engage the second leg support fastener at least partially within the second configuration fastener pocket in the second configuration.   
     
     
         5 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the waist belt defines a first wide position fastener pocket adjacent a first side of the waist belt;   the waist belt defines a second wide position fastener pocket adjacent a second side of the waist belt;   the first wide position fastener is at least partially disposed in the first wide position fastener pocket; and   the second wide position fastener is at least partially disposed in the second wide position fastener pocket.   
     
     
         6 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the first wide position fastener and the second wide position fastener are substantially co-facing and spaced apart along a length of the waist belt. 
     
     
         7 . The child carrier of  claim 1 , wherein the child carrier is configured to enable the first leg and the second to hang substantially parallel to the body of the child in the second configuration. 
     
     
         8 . A child carrier comprising:
 a torso support portion configured for supporting the torso of a child between the child carrier and an individual wearing the child carrier while the individual is wearing the child carrier;   a seat support portion coupled to the torso support portion configured for supporting the bottom of the child while the individual is wearing the child carrier and the child carrier is supporting the child, the seat support comprising a first leg support and a second leg support; and   a waist belt coupled to the seat support portion configured to secure about a waist of the individual wearing the child carrier, wherein:
 the child carrier is configured to support the child in both:
 a first configuration in which the first leg support and the second leg support are at least temporarily coupled to the waist belt in a wide position; and 
 a second configuration in which the first leg support is at least temporarily coupled to the second leg support in a narrow position; 
 
 the first leg support and the second leg support are configured to at least partially support an upper portion of a first leg and a second leg of the child in the first configuration; and 
 the first leg support and the second leg support are configured to enable the upper portion of the first and second leg of the child to hang substantially freely in the second configuration. 
   
     
     
         9 . The child carrier of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the waist belt comprises a first wide position fastener adjacent a first side of the waist belt and a second wide position fastener adjacent a second side of the waist belt;   the first wide position fastener is configured to at least temporarily engage with a first corresponding fastener disposed on the first leg support when the child carrier is in the first configuration; and   the second wide position fastener is configured to at least temporarily engage with a second corresponding fastener disposed on the second leg support when the child carrier is in the first configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The child carrier of  claim 9 , wherein the first wide position fastener and the second wide position fastener are substantially co-facing and spaced apart along a length of the waist belt. 
     
     
         11 . The child carrier of  claim 10 , wherein the first wide position fastener and the second wide position fastener are substantially equally spaced apart from the pocket. 
     
     
         12 . The child carrier of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the waist belt defines a first wide position fastener pocket adjacent the first side of the waist belt;   the waist belt defines a second wide position fastener pocket adjacent the second side of the waist belt;   the first wide position fastener is at least partially disposed in the first wide position fastener pocket; and   the second wide position fastener is at least partially disposed in the second wide position fastener pocket.   
     
     
         13 . The child carrier of  claim 12 , wherein, in the second configuration in which the first leg support is at least temporarily coupled to the second leg support in the narrow position, the first corresponding fastener is at least temporarily coupled to the second corresponding fastener. 
     
     
         14 . The child carrier of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the fist wise position fastener and the second corresponding fastener have a first fastener type; and   the second wide position fastener and the first corresponding fastener has a second fastener type.   
     
     
         15 . The child carrier of  claim 14 , wherein the first fastener type is configured to engage and at least temporarily mate with the second fastener type. 
     
     
         16 . The child carrier of  claim 15 , wherein the first fastener type and the second fastener type comprise at least one of a male buckle portion, a female buckle portion, a hook fastener, a loop fastener, a clip, a snap, or a magnet. 
     
     
         17 . The child carrier of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first leg support is substantially triangular and comprises a first seat support leg position adjusting strap;   the first corresponding fastener is disposed on an end of the first seat support leg position adjusting strap;   the second leg support is substantially triangular and comprises a second seat support leg position adjusting strap;   the second corresponding fastener is disposed on an end of the second seat support leg position adjusting strap;   the first seat support leg positing adjusting strap defines:
 a first vertex of the substantially triangular first leg support; 
 a first wide position leg support outer portion along an edge of the substantially triangular first leg support in the first configuration; and 
 a first narrow position leg support outer portion defined by a central portion of the first leg support in the second configuration; and 
   the second seat support leg positing adjusting strap defines:
 a first vertex of the substantially triangular second leg support; 
 a second wide position leg support outer portion along an edge of the substantially triangular second leg support in the first configuration; and 
 a second narrow position leg support outer portion defined by a central portion of the second leg support in the second configuration. 
   
     
     
         18 . A child carrier for supporting a child while worn by an individual, the child carrier comprising:
 a torso support portion configured for supporting the torso of a child between the child carrier and the individual wearing the child carrier while the individual is wearing the child carrier, the torso support portion comprising a first shoulder strap and a second shoulder strap extending from an upper portion of opposing sides of the torso support portion;   a seat support portion coupled to a base of the torso support portion configured for supporting the bottom of the child while the individual is wearing the child carrier and the child carrier is supporting the child, the seat support comprising:
 a first leg support comprising a first leg support fastener of a first fastener type; and 
 a second leg support comprising a second leg support fastener of a second fastener type; and 
   a waist belt coupled to the seat support portion configured to secure about a waist of the individual wearing the child carrier, the waist belt comprising:
 a first wide position fastener of the second fastener type configured to at least temporarily engage with the first leg support fastener in a first configuration; 
 a second wide position fastener of the first fastener type configured to at least temporarily engage with the second leg support fastener in the first configuration; and 
 a pocket disposed substantially centrally along a width of the waist belt, wherein:
 the first leg support and the second leg support, when secured in the first configuration, are secured such that the seat support portion has a first width and is configured to support the child with a first leg and a second leg substantially perpendicular to a body of the child; and 
 the first leg support fastener is configured to at least temporarily engage the second leg support fastener within the pocket in a second configuration in which the seat support portion has a second width that is narrower than the first width. 
 
   
     
     
         19 . The child carrier of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the first leg support is substantially triangular and comprises a first seat support leg position adjusting strap and a first seat support inner base portion coupled to the waist belt and disposed in the pocket;   the first leg support fastener is disposed on an end of the first seat support leg position adjusting strap;   the second leg support is substantially triangular and comprises a second seat support leg position adjusting strap and a second seat support inner base portion coupled to the waist belt and disposed in the pocket adjacent the first seat support inner base portion; and   the second leg support fastener is disposed on an end of the second seat support leg position adjusting strap.   
     
     
         20 . The child carrier of  claim 19 , wherein
 the first seat support leg position adjusting strap and the second seat support leg position adjusting strap are at least partially disposed in the pocket in the second configuration; and   the first leg support and the second leg support are respectively folded substantially in half in the second configuration.