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Harness system for an infant or young childHarness system for an infant or young child description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080018163, Harness system for an infant or young child. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/807,981 filed Jul. 21, 2006, and entitled "Harness System for an Infant or Young Child," which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002]Not applicable. BACKGROUND [0003]1. Field of the Invention [0004]The invention relates generally to a harness system to hold and support a child. More particularly, the invention relates to a harness system to assist in training a child to walk. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an adjustable harness system to aid in training a child to walk while improving the child's balance. [0005]2. Background of the Invention [0006]Young infants spend the first few months of their lives in the prone position or on their backs. However, as their strength grows, they soon begin to hold their heads up and start crawling. Eventually, young infants start trying to stand upright and walk on their own two legs. [0007]The transition to upright walking is an exciting time for parents and the child, but can also be challenging and dangerous. Usually, young children just starting to stand upright have not fully developed their motor skills or balance. Thus, some children learning to stand and walk may stumble, fall, and possibly injure themselves. [0008]Traditionally, many parents simply hold the hand of the infant as the infant attempts to stand upright and take his/her first steps. This process often requires the relatively taller parent to bend down to reach and hold the child's hand. Although this approach is interactive between the parent and infant, it can be uncomfortable for the adult, and it may place stresses on the undeveloped joints and sockets (e.g., elbow joint, shoulder joint) of the infant as the infant's arm is extended and often pulled upward. [0009]As an alternative to simply holding the hand of the infant and walking along with the infant, some adults employ a conventional rolling walker device that includes a seat or harness. Typically, the infant or young child is placed within the seat or harness and then uses his/her own legs to push the rolling device around. However, these conventional rolling walker devices tend to be less interactive between adult and child, and may even place the infant in an unsafe environment if not closely monitored. For instance, if not closely supervised, the infant could potentially push the device over the edge of stairs. [0010]Other conventional infant training devices employ a harness that is strapped to the infant and includes one or more holding tethers or straps that extend from the harness and are held by an adult. By holding and controlling the straps, the adult can hold the child upright within the harness as the child learns to walk. If the infant loses its balance or begins to stumble, the holding tethers or straps can be manipulated by the adult to control the position of the infant and to restrict the infant from falling. [0011]Some conventional harnesses directly apply forces to the infant via thin straps, having a relatively small surface area. The concentration of forces over such a small surface area may be uncomfortable to the child, rub and irritate the child's skin, and/or potentially injure the child. In addition, the plurality of interconnected straps may present a choking hazard to the infant if the straps inadvertently get wrapped around the infant's neck. Further, some of these devices provide lifting forces to the underarms of the infant which can also create discomfort for the infant, especially in some conventional devices that rely on underarm straps to support the entire weight of the child. In addition, the lifting straps of some conventional harnesses may be fixed, rotationally and/or translationally, relative to the harness worn by the infant. Such devices may result in the application of unstable rotational torques to the infant when the infant leans forward of backwards. Still further, some conventional training harnesses fail to provide adequate lumbar or lower back support. As a result, the harness may be uncomfortable and/or the infant may tend to slump in the harness. [0012]Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a harness system to train a child to walk that is interactive and offers the potential for improved comfort, enhanced back support, and that permits controlled leaning of the child forwards and backwards while eliminating other detrimental effects of conventional training harnesses. In addition, such a new and improved harness system would be well received if it was relatively inexpensive and simple to manufacture. SUMMARY [0013]These and other needs in the art are addressed in one embodiment by a harness system for an infant. In an embodiment, the harness system comprises a unitary body including a front section to engage at least a portion of the anterior of the infant, a rear section to engage at least a portion of the posterior of the infant, and an intermediate section extending between the front section and the rear section to engage the groin area of the infant. In addition, the harness system comprises a pair of shoulder straps, each having a front end coupled to the front section and a rear end coupled to the rear section. Further, the harness system comprises a pair of lifting straps, wherein each lifting strap is coupled to one of the shoulder straps. Still further, the harness system comprises a back support member encircling the unitary body and positioned adjacent the waist of the infant. [0014]Theses and other needs in the art are addressed in another embodiment by a harness system for an infant. In an embodiment, the harness system comprises a unitary body including a front section, a rear section, and an intermediate section extending therebetween, wherein the intermediate section is adapted to support substantially all the weight of the infant. In addition, the harness system comprises at least two shoulder straps, wherein each shoulder strap includes a front end coupled to the front section of the unitary body and a rear end coupled to the rear section of the unitary body. Further, the harness system comprises a connecting member slidingly coupled to each shoulder strap. Still further, the harness system comprises at least two lifting straps, wherein each lifting strap includes a free end and a connected end pivotally connected to one of the connecting members. [0015]Theses and other needs in the art are addressed in another embodiment by a harness system to hold an infant upright. In an embodiment, the harness system comprises a unitary body including a front section to engage at least a portion of the anterior of the infant, a rear section to engage at least a portion of the posterior of the infant, and an intermediate section extending between the front section and the rear section to engage the groin area of the infant. In addition, the harness system comprises a pair of shoulder straps, wherein each shoulder strap includes a front end fixed to the front section of the unitary body and a rear end fixed to the rear section of the unitary body. Further, the harness system comprises a pair of lifting straps, wherein each lifting strap includes a connected end and a free end. Still further, the harness system comprises means for pivotally and slidingly coupling each lifting strap to one of the shoulder straps; and [0016]Thus, embodiments described herein comprise a combination of features and advantages intended to address various shortcomings associated with certain prior devices. The various characteristics described above, as well as other features, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, and by referring to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the embodiments described herein. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017]For a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: [0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an infant harness system; [0019]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an infant in the infant harness system of FIG. 1; Continue reading about Harness system for an infant or young child... Full patent description for Harness system for an infant or young child Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Harness system for an infant or young child patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. 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