The disclosure relates to a baby walker, more particularly to a transformable baby walker.
A conventional baby walker, as shown in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,963 discloses a walking chair having a pair of opposed arcuate side frames, a front rod pivotally connected with corresponding first distal ends of the arcuate side frames, and a rear rod opposed to the front rod and pivotally connected with corresponding second distal ends of the arcuate side frames, such that when a folding device is activated, the arcuate side frames are able to be positioned in place to allow the arcuate side frames to engage with the ground to allow a walking chair to be converted into a rocking chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,869 discloses a combined baby walker/rocking chair including a chassis, a support, an upper frame, and a seat. The chassis and the upper frame are connected via the support. Two parallel transverse beams are mounted to a lower end of the support. Plural casters are mounted to an underside of the chassis. The chassis having two symmetric arcuate frames and two control devices are constructed to allow a baby walker to be converted into a rocking chair, while providing a stable structure.
Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a novel transformable baby walker.
According to the disclosure, a transformable baby walker is movable on a floor surface and includes an upper frame unit, a support unit, two front retaining members, two rear retaining members, two shell units, four latch members, four actuators, and a plurality of casters. The upper frame unit includes two guard arms and a front guard piece. Each of the two guard arms extends in a longitudinal direction to terminate at a front arm region and a rear arm region. The two guard arms are spaced apart from each other in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. The front guard piece is disposed between the front arm regions of the two guard arms. The front guard piece and the two guard arms define thereamong an accommodation space. The support unit includes two support rods and two bracing members. Each of the two support rods is disposed to be spaced apart from a corresponding one of the two guard arms in an upright direction transverse to both the longitudinal and transverse directions. Each of the two support, rods extends along a rod axis in the longitudinal direction to terminate at a front rod end segment and a rear rod end segment. Each of the two bracing members interconnects the corresponding one of the two guard arms with a corresponding one of the two support rods. The two front retaining members are mounted respectively on the front rod end segments of the two support rods. Each of the front retaining members has a front retaining surface, a first retaining slot, and a second retaining slot. The front retaining surface extends in a circumferential direction about the rod axis of the corresponding one of the two support rods. The first retaining slot is formed in the front retaining surface. The second retaining slot is formed in the front retaining surface and is angularly displaced from the first retaining slot. The two rear retaining members are mounted respectively on the rear rod end segments of the two support rods. Each of the rear retaining members has a rear retaining surface, a first retaining slot formed in the rear retaining surface, and a second retaining slot formed in the rear retaining surface. The rear retaining surface extends in the circumferential direction about the rod axis of the corresponding one of the two support rods. The second retaining slot is angularly displaced from the first retaining slot. Each of the two shell units includes a shell member, a front pivot shell, a rear pivot shell, a front guiding member, and a rear guiding member. The shell member extends alone a lengthwise line to terminate at front and rear end regions opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction. The shell member has a mounting surface and a rocking surface. The mounting and rocking surfaces define therebetween an included angle. The front and rear pivot shells extend respectively from the front and rear end regions of the shell member and transversely to the lengthwise line. Each of the front and rear pivot shells has inner and outer surfaces, and a through hole extending through the inner and outer surfaces. Each of the front and rear guiding members is configured to slidably engage a corresponding one of the front and rear rod end segments of the two support rods, and is configured to couple a corresponding one of the front and rear pivot shells to the corresponding one of the front and rear rod end segments of the two support rods, such that each of the two shell units is guided to be angularly displaceable between a walker position, where the mounting surface faces the floor surface and the through hole of each of the front and rear pivot shells is in register with the first retaining slot of a corresponding one of the front and rear retaining members, and a rocker position, were the rocking surface is in contact with the floor surface and the through hole of each of the front and rear pivot shells is in register with the second retaining slot of the corresponding one of the front and rear retaining members. Each of the four latch members is disposed in the through hole of the corresponding one of the front and rear pivot shells of the two shell units, and has an actuated end and an inserted end. The actuated end is disposed outwardly of the corresponding one of the front and rear pivot shells of the two shell units. The inserted end is lengthwise opposite to the actuated end, and is configured to be movable between a latched position, where the inserted end is inserted into one of the first and second retaining slots of the corresponding one of the front and rear retaining members so as to retain a corresponding one of the shell units in the walker or rocker position, and an unlatched position, where the inserted end is disengaged from the corresponding one of the front and rear retaining members so as to permit angular movement of the corresponding one of the shell units. Each of the four actuators is coupled to the actuated end of a corresponding one of the latch members so as to move the inserted end of the corresponding one of the latch members between the latched and unlatched positions. Each of the casters is mounted on the mounting surface of the shell member of the corresponding one of the shell units. The plurality of casters are disposed to be in contact with the floor surface when each of the two shell units is in the walker position.
Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
A transformable baby walker according to an embodiment of the disclosure can be used for helping infants to learn to walk (see
As shown in
The upper frame unit 2 includes two guard arms 22 and a front guard piece 24.
Each of the two guard arms 22 extends in a longitudinal direction (X) to terminate at a front arm region 220 and a rear arm region 221. The two guard arms 22 are spaced apart from each other in a direction (Y) transverse to the longitudinal direction (X).
The front guard piece 24 is disposed between the front arm regions 220 of the two guard arms 22. The front guard piece 24 and the two guard arms 22 define thereamong an accommodation space 23 as shown in
In this embodiment, as shown in
The support unit 6 includes two support rods 61 and two bracing members 62.
Each of the support rods 61 is disposed to be spaced apart from a corresponding one of the two guard arms 22 in an upright direction (Z) transverse to both the longitudinal and transverse directions (X, Y). As shown in
Referring back to
As shown in
In this embodiment, each of the front retaining members 31 is mounted between the front annular zones 601 of the front rod end segment 611 of the corresponding one of the two support rods 61.
In this embodiment, each of the front retaining members 31 further has a first engaging surface 313 displaced angularly from the front retaining surface 310, and a second engaging surface 314 displaced angularly from the first engaging surface 313 and the front retaining surface 310.
In this embodiment, each of the front retaining members 31 is integrally formed with the front rod end segment 611 of the corresponding one of the two support rods 61.
As shown in
In this embodiment, each of the rear retaining members 32 is mounted between the rear annular zones 602 of the rear rod end segment 612 of the corresponding one of the two support rods 61.
In this embodiment, each of the rear retaining members 32 further has a first engaging surface 323 displaced angularly from the rear retaining surface 320, and a second engaging surface 324 displaced angularly from the first engaging surface 323 and the rear retaining surface 320.
In this embodiment, each of the rear retaining members 32 is integrally formed with the rear rod end segment 612 of the corresponding one of the two support rods 61.
As best shown in
The shell member 41 extends along a lengthwise line (L) to terminate at front and rear end regions 411, 412 opposite to each other in the longitudinal direction (X). The shell member 41 has a mounting surface 413 and a rocking surface 414. The mounting and rocking surfaces 413, 414 define therebetween an included angle. In this embodiment, the shell member 41 is spaced apart from the corresponding one of the two support rods 61, and the shell member 41 has cut-out portions for reducing the weight thereof and may be formed with a reinforced rib structure.
The front pivot shell 42 extends from the front end region 411 and transversely to the lengthwise line (L). The rear pivot shell 43 extends from the rear end region 412 of the shell member 41 and transversely to the lengthwise line (L). As shown in
Referring back to
As shown in
As shown in
In this embodiment, each of the front and rear guiding members 44, 45 extends lengthwise to terminate at two mounting areas 404. Each of the shell units 4 further includes two front mounting walls 46 and two rear mounting walls 47.
As shown in
As shown in
In this embodiment, as shown in
Similarly, the rear guiding member 45 has two rear engaging grooves 451 which are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction (X), and which are configured to pivotably engage the rear annular zones 602 of the rear rod end segment 612 of the corresponding one of the two support rods 61, respectively, so as to permit the rear guiding member 45 to pivotably ride on the rear rod end segment 612 of the corresponding one of the two support rods 61.
In this embodiment, the transformable baby walker further includes a crosspiece 3 which extends in the transverse direction (Y) and which interconnects the front rod end segments 611 of the two support rods 61. The crosspiece 3 has two piece end regions 34 connected to the front rod end segments 611 of the two support rods 61, respectively. Each of the two piece end regions 34 has a cutout area 35 configured to allow pivotal movement of the front guiding member 44 of the corresponding one of the she units 4.
In this embodiment, the rear rod end segment 612 of each of the two support rods 61 has a rest region 34′ which extends in a radial direction with respect to the rod axis (C1), and which is configured to permit the rear pivot shell 43 of the corresponding one of the shell units 4 in the walker position to rest thereon. The rest region. 34′ has a cutout area 35′ configured to allow pivotal movement of the rear guiding member 45 of the corresponding one of the shell units 4.
Each of the four latch members 37 is disposed in the through hole 403 of the corresponding one of the front and rear pivot shells 42, 43 of the two shell units 4. Each of the four latch members 37 has an actuated end 371 and an inserted end 372.
The actuated end 371 is disposed outwardly of the corresponding one of the front and rear pivot shells 42, 43 of the two shell units 4.
The inserted end 372 is lengthwise opposite to the actuated end 371, and is configured to be movable between a latched position (see
In the latched position, the inserted end 372 is inserted into one of the first and second retaining slots 311, 312, 321, 322 of a corresponding one of the front and rear retaining members 31, 32 so as to retain the corresponding one of the shell units 4 in the walker or rocker position.
In the unlatched position, as shown in
When the inserted end 372 of each of the latch members 37 is in the unlatched position, for displacing from the walker position to the rocker position, each of the shell units 4 is angularly displaced about the rod axis (C1) of the corresponding one of the two support rods 61 in a clockwise direction (R1) by 90°. Similarly, for displacing from the rocker position to the walker position, each of the shell units 4 is angularly displaced about the rod axis (C1) of the corresponding one of the two support rods 61 in a counterclockwise direction (R2) by 90°.
In this embodiment, each of the shell units 4 further includes a front hollow post 48 and a rear hollow post 49 which are formed respectively on the outer surfaces 401 of the front and rear pivot shells 42, 43. Each of the front and rear hollow posts 48, 49 defines therein a guiding hole 405 which is in register with the through hole 403 of the corresponding one of the front and rear pivot shells 42, 43, and which is configured to guide movement of a corresponding one of the latch members 37.
As shown in
Each of the four actuators 36 is coupled to the actuated end 371 of the corresponding one of the latch members 37 so as to move the inserted end 372 of the corresponding one of the latch members 37 between the latched and unlatched positions.
In this embodiment, as best shown in
The hollow head 361 defines a hollow space 360 configured to receive therein a corresponding one of the front and rear hollow posts 48, 49 of the shell units 4.
The mount piece 362 is disposed to span the hollow space 360, and is configured to secure the actuated end 371 of the corresponding one of the latch members 37 to the hollow head 361.
The face cover 363 is disposed to conceal the mount piece 362.
Each of the caster units 5 is disposed on the mounting surface 413 of the shell member 41 of the corresponding one of the shell units 4, and has a caster 51 and a caster brake 52. When each of the two shell units 4 is in the walker position, the casters 51 of the caster units 5 are disposed to be in contact with the floor surface (S) so as to permit the transformable baby walker to more on the floor surface (S). The caster 51 and the caster brake 52 are well-known in the art, and therefore details thereof are omitted for clarity.
In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiment. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal, number and so forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in the practice of the disclosure, it should be further appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of various inventive aspects.
While the disclosure has been described in connection with what is considered the exemplary embodiment, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
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