The present invention is directed to infant activity centers, and more particularly to an infant activity center which is foldable.
The present invention is directed to an infant activity center including an infant-activity-center tray, a ring, a cushion, and a plurality of substantially-rectilinear pylons. Each of the pylons has a lower portion that is directly or indirectly rotatably attached to the base and each of the pylons has an upper portion that is directly or indirectly rotatably attached to the tray enabling the tray and the ring to be relatively rotated and folded from a use position to a storage position The distance between the tray and the base is greater in the use position than in the storage position. Each of the pylons is substantially vertical when the tray and the ring are in the use position.
It is a first aspect of the present invention to provide an infant activity center comprising: (a) an infant-activity center tray having an infant seat; (b) a ring having a cushion extending across the diameter of the ring; and (c) a plurality of repositionable pylons concurrently mounted to the ring and the tray, the repositionable pylons being repositionable between a use position and a storage position, wherein the distance between the tray and the cushion is greater when the pylons are in the use position than in the storage position, and wherein each of the pylons cooperates with the ring to form a biased latch securing each pylon in at least the use position or the storage position, and wherein at least one of the cushion and the ring includes a catch operative to interact with the tray to secure the pylons in the storage position.
In a more detailed embodiment of the first aspect, the tray is rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to the ring to rotate and fold the tray from the use position to the storage position. In yet another more detailed embodiment, each pylon is injection molded. In a further detailed embodiment, the plurality of pylons include three or more pylons. In still a further detailed embodiment, each of the pylons is perpendicular to the tray and ring when in the use position. In a more detailed embodiment, each of the pylons is substantially parallel to the tray and ring when in the storage position.
It is a second aspect of the present invention to provide an infant activity center comprising: (a) an infant-activity-center tray having an infant-receiving opening; a ring having a cushion distributed about the interior thereof; and (b) a plurality of connecting arms concurrently mounted to the tray and the ring, each of the connecting arms being rotationally repositionable and vertically repositionable with respect to the tray and the ring.
In yet another more detailed embodiment of the second aspect, the ring comprises semicircular metal frame members interconnected by polymer mounts that connect to the connecting arms. In still another more detailed embodiment, the cushion comprises a fabric bag filled with stuffing. In a further detailed embodiment, the cushion is extractable from the ring to facilitate replacement of the cushion without complete disassembly of the infant activity center.
It is a third aspect of the present invention to provide a An infant activity center comprising: (a) an infant-activity-center tray having an infant seat and a cushion disposed underneath the infant seat; (b) a plurality of connecting arms to support the tray, each of the connecting arms being rotationally repositionable and vertically repositionable with respect to the tray; and (c) a plurality of shock absorbers interposing the tray and the plurality of connecting arms to provide a vertical range of movement relative to the tray and the connecting arms.
It is a fourth aspect of the present invention to provide a method of constructing an infant activity center, the method comprising the steps of: (a) mounting a plurality of supports to an infant tray, the supports being at least one of rotationally and vertically adjustable with respect to the infant tray; (b) mounting the plurality of supports to a ring, the ring having a cushion across the interior thereof, where the plurality of supports are at least one of rotationally and vertically adjustable with respect to the ring; (c) positioning a cushion underneath the infant tray and mounting the cushion to at least one of the plurality of supports, the ring, and the infant tray; (d) locking the plurality of supports to inhibit rotational adjustment with respect to the infant tray; and (e) locking the plurality of supports to inhibit vertical adjustment with respect to the ring.
It is a fifth aspect of the present invention to provide a method of constructing an infant activity center, the method comprising the steps of: (a) mounting a plurality of supports to an infant tray, the supports being at least one of rotationally and vertically adjustable with respect to the infant tray; (b) mounting the plurality of supports to a ring, where the plurality of supports are at least one of rotationally and vertically adjustable with respect to the ring; (c) mounting a cushion to the ring to retain the cushion in position with respect to the ring; (d) orienting the infant tray to substantially overlap the ring and cushion; (e) locking the plurality of supports to inhibit rotational adjustment with respect to the infant tray; and (f) locking the plurality of supports to inhibit vertical adjustment with respect to the ring.
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated below to encompass infant activity centers and methods of reconfiguring infant activity centers. Of course, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the preferred embodiments discussed below are exemplary in nature and may be reconfigured without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. However, for clarity and precision, the exemplary embodiments as discussed below may include optional steps, methods, and features that one of ordinary skill should recognize as not being a requisite to fall within the scope of the present invention.
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In operation, a user desiring to change the infant activity center 10 from the use position (seen in
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In the same or a different variation of the infant activity center 10, various play objects 80 such as toys and mirrors are attached to the tray 12. In the same or a different variation, the tray 12 includes other objects such as a cup holder 82, a crayon receptacle, etc.
Each pylon 18 is injection molded using a plastic material such as, without limitation, polyethylene or polypropylene. Similarly, the tray 12 and the platform component 50 of the ring 16 can also be injection molded using a polymer material. Moreover, each intervening upper connecting member 26 and each intervening lower connecting member 48 can also be fabricated using an injection molding process by molding polymer components. In sum, each of the aforementioned exemplary components may be fabricated using a plastic injection molding process, however, components such as the spring 40 are preferable fabricated from metals. It is to be understood, however, that other materials suitable for the functionality of the instant components could be substituted in lieu of the polymer components such, without limitation, woods, composites, ceramics, or metals.
It is also within the scope of the invention to have the lower portion 22 of one or more pylons 18 being rotatably attached to the ring 16 using a ball and socket joint (not shown) and/or the upper portion 24 of one or more pylons 18 being rotatably attached to the tray 12 using a ball and socket joint (not shown). An exemplary variation of the foregoing includes providing a lower portion 22 and an upper portion 24 of the pylon 18 that are repositionable in at least two axes of rotation, though not necessarily by way of a ball and socket joint.
While the aforementioned exemplary embodiment 10 has been described as having three pylons 18, it is also within the scope of the invention to have more than, or less than, three pylons 18. Likewise, while the three pylons 18 of the exemplary embodiment have been shown as being equidistant from one another, it is also within the scope of the invention that one or more of these pylons (or other pylons where more three pylons are utilized) may be more closely spaced to one another or farther spaced from one another than other reference pylons.
It is also within the scope of the present invention to mount wheels to the ring 16, thereby allowing the infant activity center 10 to be made portable by the movements of the infant.
As used herein, the term “infant” includes a baby, an infant, and a child. The terminology “infant activity center” includes, without limitation, infant walkers, infant exercisers, infant bouncers, infant toy centers, infant eating centers, etc.
It should be noted that as used herein, the term “attached” includes directly attached and includes indirectly attached, as can be appreciated by those skilled in the art. It is further noted that the terms “lower” and “upper” are used merely for differentiation and describe relative positioning in the use position, but not necessarily in the storage position.
Following from the above description and invention summaries, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the methods and apparatuses herein described constitute exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the invention contained herein is not limited to this precise embodiment and that changes may be made to such embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiments set forth herein are to be incorporated into the interpretation of any claim element unless such limitation or element is explicitly stated. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claims, since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/777,613, filed Feb. 28, 2006, entitled “RECONFIGURABLE INFANT ACTIVITY CENTER”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
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