1. An infant carrier assembly for carrying an infant, the infant carrier assembly comprising:
an infant carrier including:
a pair of shoulder straps; and
a main panel having a body portion and a distal portion, the main panel being engageable with the pair of shoulder straps to define a pair of leg openings to receive and support the infant within the infant carrier, the main panel being transitional between a rearward configuration wherein the distal portion is substantially coplanar with the body portion and a forward configuration wherein the distal portion is folded relative to the body portion to overlap the body portion; and
a bib having a pair of attachment tabs and a bib panel connected to the pair of attachment tabs, the pair of attachment tabs being configured to be releasably attachable to the infant carrier in a first bib configuration when the infant carrier is in the rearward configuration to dispose the bib panel between the pair of shoulder straps, and a second bib configuration when the infant carrier is in the forward position to dispose the bib panel adjacent the main panel.
2. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the pair of attachment tabs are connected to respective ones of the pair of shoulder straps when the bib is in the first bib configuration.
3. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the bib panel extends from the body portion to the distal portion when the bib is in the second bib configuration.
4. The infant carrier assembly of claim 3, wherein the pair of attachment tabs are connected to prescribed locations of the body portion when the bib is in the second bib configuration.
5. The infant carrier assembly of claim 4, wherein the bib panel is connected to a prescribed location of the distal portion when the bib is in the second bib configuration.
6. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the bib is configured to be attachable to the infant carrier to assume a sun visor configuration, wherein the pair of attachment tabs are connected to respective ones of the pair of shoulder straps, and the bib panel is attached to the main panel.
7. The infant carrier assembly of claim 6, wherein the bib is connected to the infant carrier in the sun visor configuration when the infant carrier is in the rearward configuration.
8. The infant carrier assembly of claim 6, wherein the bib panel includes a distal portion connected to the distal portion of the main panel when the bib is in the sun visor configuration.
9. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pair of fasteners configured to engage the distal portion to the pair of shoulder straps to dispose the distal portion in the rearward configuration and to disengage the distal portion from the pair of should straps to dispose the distal portion in the forward configuration.
10. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1, wherein the pair of shoulder straps are connected to the main panel to assume an overlapping, intersecting configuration to define an intersection point.
11. The infant carrier assembly of claim 10, further comprising a strap connector slidably coupled to the pair of shoulder straps, the strap connector being slidable along the pair of shoulder straps to move the intersection point along the pair of shoulder straps.
12. The infant carrier assembly of claim 1, further including a pair of strap fasteners for engaging the pair of shoulder straps to the main panel, the infant carrier further comprising a pocket coupled to the main panel, the pocket being sized and configured to capture the pair of strap fasteners.
13. An infant carrier for carrying an infant, the infant carrier comprising:
a main panel;
a pair of shoulder straps engageable with the main panel to define a pair of leg openings to receive and support the infant within the infant carrier, the pair of shoulder straps being connected to the main panel to assume an overlapping, intersecting configuration to define an intersection point; and
a strap connector slidably coupled to the pair of should straps, the strap connector being slidable along the pair of shoulder straps to move the intersection point along the pair of shoulder straps.
14. The infant carrier of claim 13, wherein the main panel includes a body portion and a distal portion moveable relative to the body portion between a rearward configuration wherein the distal portion is substantially coplanar with the body portion, and a forward configuration wherein the distal portion is folded relative to the body portion about a fold line to overlap the body portion.
15. The infant carrier assembly of claim 14, further comprising a pair of rearward fasteners configured to engage the distal portion to the pair of shoulder straps to dispose the distal portion in the rearward configuration and to disengage the distal portion from the pair of should straps to dispose the distal portion in the forward configuration.
16. An infant carrier for carrying an infant, the infant carrier comprising:
a main panel;
a pair of shoulder straps engageable with the main panel to define a pair of leg openings to receive and support the infant within the infant carrier;
a pair of strap fasteners for engaging the pair of shoulder straps to the main panel; and
a pocket coupled to the main panel, the pocket being sized and configured to capture the pair of strap fasteners.
17. The infant carrier of claim 16, wherein the main panel includes a body portion and a distal portion moveable relative to the body portion between a rearward configuration wherein the distal portion is substantially coplanar with the body portion, and a forward configuration wherein the distal portion is folded relative to the body portion about a fold line to overlap the body portion.
18. The infant carrier of claim 17, further comprising a pair of rearward fasteners configured to engage the distal portion to the pair of shoulder straps to dispose the distal portion in the rearward configuration and to disengage the distal portion from the pair of should straps to dispose the distal portion in the forward configuration.
19. The infant carrier of claim 16, further comprising a bib having a pair of attachment tabs and a bib panel connected to the pair of attachment tabs, the pair of attachment tabs being configured to be releasably attachable to the infant carrier.
20. The infant carrier of claim 16, wherein the pair of shoulder straps are connected to the main panel to assume an overlapping, intersecting configuration to define an intersection point, the infant carrier further comprising a strap connector slidably coupled to the pair of should straps, the strap connector being slidable along the pair of shoulder straps to move the intersection point along the pair of shoulder straps.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1) A device for stabilizing a package folded about a respective article and having at least two superimposed portions (11, 12), the device (1) comprising a conveyor assembly (14) for feeding the package (2) from an input station (15) to an output station (16) along a path (P); and an operating unit (17) for exerting pressure on the portions (11, 12) and heating the package (2), as the package (2) travels, in use, along the path (P), to connect the portions (11, 12) to each other; the device (1) being characterized in that the operating unit (17) comprises a first heating member (20) located along said path (P), and at least one second heating member (20) located downstream from the first heating member (20) along the path (P); the first and second heating member (20) being designed to heat said portions (11, 12).
2) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second heating member (20) are substantially fixed along the path (P).
3) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second heating member (20) are designed to heat up so as to heat said portions (11, 12).
4) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating unit (17) comprises a control unit (29) for independently regulating the heat supplied by the first heating member (20) and the heat supplied by the second heating member (20).
5) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second heating member (20) are removable individually from the operating unit (17).
6) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second heating member (20) each comprise a respective heating plate (26) and respective shock-absorbing means (23); the shock-absorbing means (23) allowing the relative heating plate (26) to move crosswise to the path (P) in cushioned manner.
7) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating unit (17) comprises adjusting means (19) for adjusting the pressure exerted, in use, on the portions (11, 12) of the package (2).
8) A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the adjusting means (19) adjust the pressure exerted, in use, on the portions (11, 12) of the package (2), so that the pressure varies along the path (P).
9) A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said adjusting means (19) comprise at least one eccentric pin (19).
10) A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adjusting means (19) comprise at least two eccentric pins (19).
11) A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating unit (17) comprises at least one first supporting member (18) extending alongside the path and to which the first and second heating member (20) are fitted integrally.
12) A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the operating unit (17) comprises first adjusting means (19) for adjusting the position of the first supporting member (18).
13) A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first adjusting means (19) adjust the tilt of the first supporting member (18) with respect to the path (P).
14) A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said conveyor assembly (14) comprises a first conveyor (31) in turn comprising a respective conveyor belt (32) having a first work branch (34) and a first return branch (35); the first work branch (34) extending alongside the path (P); and the first adjusting means (19) adjusting the position of the first work branch (34) integrally with the position of the first supporting member (18).
15) A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first conveyor (31) is connected integrally to the first supporting member (18).
16) A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first and second heating member (20) are located on the opposite side of the first work branch (34) to the path (P).
17) A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the operating unit (17) comprises at least one second supporting member (18) fitted with further heating members (20); the first and second supporting member (18) being located on opposite sides of the path (P).
18) A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the operating unit (17) comprises second adjusting means (19) for adjusting the position of the second supporting member (18).
19) A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second adjusting means (19) adjust the tilt of the second supporting member (18) with respect to the path (P).
20) A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said conveyor assembly (14) comprises a second conveyor (31) in turn comprising a respective conveyor belt (32) having a second work branch (34) and a second return branch (35); the second work branch (34) extending alongside the path (P); and the second adjusting means (19) adjusting the position of the second work branch (34) integrally with the position of the second supporting member (18).
21) A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the second conveyor (31) is connected integrally to the second supporting member (18).
22) A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the path (P) and the further heating members (20) are located on opposite sides of the second work branch (34).
23) A method of stabilizing a package folded about a respective article and having at least two superimposed portions (11, 12), the method comprising the steps of conveying the package (2) from an input station (15) to an output station (16) along a path (P); exerting pressure on the portions (11, 12); and heating the package (2) to connect the portions (11, 12) to each other; the steps of exerting pressure and heating being substantially simultaneous with the step of conveying the package (2); and the method being characterized in that the heat supplied to the portions (11, 12) is varied as the package (2) is conveyed along the path (P).
24) A method as claimed in claim 23, and comprising a first adjusting step to adjust the heat supplied to the portions (11, 12) along the path (P).
25) A method as claimed in claim 23, and comprising a second adjusting step to adjust the pressure exerted on the portions (11, 12) along the path (P).
26) A method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the pressure exerted on the portions (11, 12) of the package (2) is varied as the package (2) is conveyed along the path (P).
27) A device for stabilizing a package folded about a respective article and having at least two superimposed portions (11, 12), the device (1) comprising a conveyor assembly (14) for feeding the package (2) from an input station (15) to an output station (16) along a path (P); and an operating unit (17) for exerting pressure on the portions (11, 12) and heating the package (2), as the package (2) travels, in use, along the path (P), to connect the portions (11, 12) to each other; the device (1) being characterized by comprising adjusting means (19) for adjusting the pressure exerted, in use, on the portions (11, 12) of the package (2).
28) A device as claimed in claim 27, wherein the adjusting means (19) adjust the pressure exerted, in use, on the portions (11, 12) of the package (2), so that the pressure varies along the path (P).
29) A device as claimed in claim 27, wherein said adjusting means (19) comprise at least one eccentric pin (19).
30) A device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the adjusting means (19) comprise at least two eccentric pins (19).
31) A method of stabilizing a package folded about a respective article and having at least two superimposed portions (11, 12), the method comprising the steps of conveying the package (2) from an input station (15) to an output station (16) along a path (P); exerting pressure on the portions (11, 12); and heating the package (2) to connect the portions (11, 12) to each other; the steps of exerting pressure and heating being substantially simultaneous with the step of conveying the package (2); and the method being characterized in that the pressure exerted on the portions (11, 12) of the package (2) is varied as the package (2) is conveyed along the path (P).
32) A method as claimed in claim 31, and comprising an adjusting step to adjust the pressure exerted on the portions (11, 12) along the path (P).