JUVENILE RELAXATION APPARATUS WITH MOTION SYSTEM
A juvenile relaxation apparatus includes a juvenile holder including a seat and a frame adapted to set on an underlying floor surface. The juvenile holder is either a bouncer, rocker, lounger, crib, bassinet, cradle, or other juvenile seat. The juvenile relaxation apparatus further includes a rocker blade and a rocker motion system coupled to the rocker blade. The rocker motion system produces side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and frame.
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This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/664,769, filed Mar. 24, 2005, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUNDThe present disclosure relates to juvenile relaxation apparatus, and particularly to juvenile bouncers, rockers, loungers, cribs, cradles, and bassinets. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems for imparting rocking motion to a frame while a juvenile occupies a seat carried on the frame.
SUMMARYAccording to the present disclosure, a juvenile relaxation apparatus is provided with a side-to-side rocker motion system. The juvenile relaxation apparatus includes a juvenile holder configured to hold a juvenile, a rocker blade coupled to the juvenile holder, and a “side-to-side” rocker motion system coupled to the rocker blade. Illustratively, the juvenile holder includes a seat for holding a juvenile and a frame coupled to the rocker blade and configured to support the seat in an elevated position above an underlying floor surface.
In illustrative embodiments, the juvenile relaxation apparatus is a bouncer including a rocker blade that is coupled to a flexible seat-bouncer frame configured to support an elevated seat. The rocker motion system is operable to produce side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and the flexible seat-bouncer frame coupled to the rocker blade. In use, a juvenile seated in the seat is free to bounce the flexible seat-bouncer frame supporting the seat up and down during side-to-side rocking motion of a bouncer unit including the seat and the flexible seat-bouncer frame.
In illustrative embodiments, the rocker motion system includes a stationary floor base and a drive linkage. The stationary floor base is coupled to the drive linkage and is configured to extend through an aperture formed in the rocker blade to contact the underlying floor surface. The drive linkage is located in a chamber formed in the rocker blade and is configured to use rotation of a motor-driven rotatable drive shaft included in the rocker motion system to rock the rocker blade (and the frame coupled to the rocker blade) from side to side relative to the stationary floor base.
In other embodiments, the juvenile holder comprises a bassinet, a lounger, a hammock, a cradle, or other means for supporting a juvenile in a seat on a frame. In each embodiment, the juvenile holder is coupled to a rocker blade that is coupled to a rocker motion system.
Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe detailed description particularly refers to the following figures in which:
As suggested diagrammatically in
As suggested in
In an illustrative embodiment, rocker motion system 16 operates to cause side-to-side rocking motion of rocker blade 14 on underlying floor surface 18 as suggested in
A bouncer 12′ provides a juvenile holder 12 in the juvenile relaxation apparatus 10′ illustrated in
Auxiliary rocker blade 28 is interposed between left and right support members 24, 26 and provided with a downwardly facing curved surface 115 that is adapted to contact underlying floor surface 18. In the illustrated embodiment, auxiliary rocker blade 28 is arranged to interconnect left and right support members 24, 26. Up-and-down bouncing motion of seat 22′ relative to rocker blade 14 can occur at the same time that rocker motion system 16 is operating to cause side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade 14 and the bouncer unit 12′ comprising seat 22′, right support member 24, left support member 26, and auxiliary rocker blade 28.
As shown in
As shown in
Another view of left and right support members 24, 26 and auxiliary rocker blade 28 interposed between left and right support members 24, 26 is shown in
As shown, for example, in
As shown, for example, in
As suggested in
A first frame kickstand 81 is mounted on right side 31 (e.g., first end) of rocker blade 14 and a second frame kickstand 82 is mounted on left side 41 (e.g., second end) of rocker blade 14 as suggested in
Floor base 64 includes a foot foundation 86, a pivot axle 88 coupled to rocker blade 14, a right foot 91, and a left foot 92 a shown, for example, in
In an illustrative embodiment, first and second upright plates 93, 94 are provided in chamber 59 in rocker blade 14 and are formed to include, respectively, axle receivers 95, 96. In the illustrated embodiment, bottom shell 58 is formed to include upright plates 93, 94. Pivot axle 88 is coupled to foot foundation 86 and placed into axle receivers 95, 96 provided in bottom shell 58 to support rocker blade 14 for pivotable movement about pivot axis 90 relative to stationary floor base 64 as suggested, for example, in
Foot foundation 86 includes a cam support fixture 102 coupled to pivot axle 88 and formed to include a cam receiver 104 adapted to mate with rocker blade mover 66 as suggested, for example, in
Foot foundation 86 remains stationary and in contact with underlying floor surface 18 through right and left feet 91, 92 while rocker blade 14 rocks back and forth relative to foot foundation 86 on pivot axle 88 as shown, for example, in
In the illustrated embodiment, cam support fixture 102 includes first and second spaced-apart vertical walls 97, 98 and a curved wall 99 interconnecting vertical walls 97, 98. These walls 97, 98, 99 border and cooperate to define cam receiver 104 to provide a substantially U-shaped cam receiver 104 as shown, for example, in
In the illustrated embodiment, rocker blade mover 66 includes a motor housing 124, a rotatable cam shaft 126, and an eccentric disk cam 128 as shown, for example, in
Rocker blade mover 66 also includes motorized rotary transmission means 135 including a drive motor 132 located in motor housing 124 (as suggested in
One illustrative embodiment of rocker blade mover 66 is shown in
Side-to-side rocking motion of rocker blade 14 relative to floor base 64 is shown, for example, in
Eccentric disk cam 128 is arranged to maintain contact with first and second spaced-apart vertical side walls 97, 98 bordering U-shaped cam receiver 104 formed in cam support fixture 102 of floor base 64 during rotation of rotatable cam shaft 126 about axis of rotation 130 as suggested in
Eccentric portion 193 of eccentric disk cam 128 is arranged to move in sequence in cam receiver 104 in response to rotation of rotatable cam shaft 126 about axis of rotation 130 between:
(1) a 6 o'clock position associated with the first upright/level attitude of rocker blade 14 a shown, for example, in
(2) a 3 o'clock position associated with the left-tilting orientation of rocker blade 14 as shown, for example, in
(3) a 12 o'clock position associated with the second upright/level attitude of rocker blade 14 as shown, for example, in
(4) a 9 o'clock position associate with the right-tilting orientation of rocker blade 14 as shown, for example, in
As shown in FIGS. 2A, 3-7, and 23, an on/off switch 200 is included in electric circuit 11 and provided to activate and deactivate drive motor 132. Portions of electrical circuit 11 cooperate to provide “first means” coupled to power supply 71 for energizing motorized cam shaft rotation system 135 to move eccentric disk cam 128 in an eccentric pattern about axis of rotation 130 in cam receiver 104 to cause motor housing 124 and rocker blade 14 coupled to motor housing 124 to rock from side to side relative to floor base 64 about pivot axis 90 so that rocker blade 14 is moved repeatedly relative to floor base 64 to assume, in sequence, a first upright/level attitude, a left-tilting orientation, a second upright/level attitude, and a right-tilting orientation to establish side-to-side rocking motion of rocker lade 14 on underlying floor surface 18.
As suggested in
A bassinet 10″ as illustrated in
Frame 20″ includes right and left support members 224, 226 and an auxiliary rocker blade 228. Each of right and left support members 224, 226 is a substantially U-shaped element coupled to rocker blade 14. Right support member 224 includes a first right knee 231 coupled to rocker blade 14, a second right knee 232 coupled to auxiliary rocker blade 228, an elongated right stretcher 233 interconnecting first and second right knees 231, 232, a first right upright leg 234 extending upwardly from first right knee 231 to a footrest 257 of seat 22″, and a second right upright leg 235 extending upwardly from second right knee 232 to a headrest 255 of seat 22″. Left support member 226 includes a first left knee 241 coupled to rocker blade 14, a second left knee 242 coupled to auxiliary rocker blade 228, an elongated left stretcher 243 interconnecting first an second left knees 241, 242, a first left upright leg 244 extending upwardly from first left knee 241 to footrest 257, and a second left upright leg 245 extending upwardly from second left knee 242 to headrest 255.
Right and left support members 224, 226 further include (1) a first pivot axle 246 coupled to first right and left upright legs 234, 244 and to footrest 257 and (2) a second pivot axle 247 coupled to second right and left upright legs 235, 245 and to headrest 255. First and second pivot axles 246, 247 cooperate with headrest 255 and footrest 257 to support seat 22″ for swing movement relative to frame 20″ about a pivot axis 248 extending through first and second pivot axles 246, 247.
An illustrative embodiment of a rocker blade 300 is shown in
In use, as suggested in
Floor base 312 includes a right foot 322, a left foot 324, a cam carriage 325 having an upper cam follower plate 326 and a lower cam follower plate 328 coupled together and coupled to right and left feet 322, 324 by, for example, screws 330, as shown in
Rocker blade mover 320 includes motorized rotary transmission means 336 including a wobble gear 338, a shaft 340, a drive motor 342 located in motor housing 344 (as suggested in
Alternatively, in another embodiment of a rocker blade 300′, shown in
An illustrative embodiment of a rocker blade 400 is shown in
Floor base 412 includes right and left rocker wheels 414, 416, right and left rocker arms 426, 428 coupled, respectively, to rocker wheels 414, 416 and a linkage bar 430 coupled to and interposed between rocker arms 426, 428. Linkage bar 430 includes right and left extension arms 432, 434 pivotably coupled at axes 435, 437, respectively, to right and left rocker arms 426, 428, which extension arms 432, 434 are coupled to linkage bar 430 by a spring assembly 431. Rocker arms 426, 428 are pivotably coupled to wheels 414, 416 via pivot axes 413 and 415, respectively. Spring assembly 431 includes springs 436, 438, pins 440, 442 on linkage bar 430 and pins 444, 446 on extension arms 432, 434, respectively. Pins 440 and 444 couple spring 436 to linkage bar 430 and extension arm 432. Pins 442 and 446 couple spring 438 to linkage bar 430 and extension arm 434. Spring assembly 431 is configured to provide a cushioning effect and/or a back-up rocking function whereby pins 444, 446 are adapted to move in elongated slot 456 of linkage bar 430 thereby expanding springs 436 and/or 438 when a pressure or force is applied to wheels 414 and/or 416 by contact with floor surface 422.
Rocker blade mover 424 includes motorized rotary transmission means 448 including a drive motor 450 for rotating a rotatable drive shaft 452 about axis of rotation 454 to move drive linkage 458 coupled to linkage bar 430, thereby causing rocker wheels 414, 416 to impart a rocking side-to-side motion to rocker blade 400 relative to floor surface 422. Drive shaft 452 is configured to move within elongated slot 460 of drive linkage 458 during the side-to-side motion of rocker blade 400.
Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A juvenile relaxation apparatus comprising
- a juvenile holder including a seat and a frame adapted to set on an underlying floor surface, the seat being coupled to the frame to lie in an elevated position above the underlying floor surface,
- a rocker blade coupled to the frame and formed to include a curved bottom surface adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, and
- a rocker motion system coupled to the rocker blade and configured to provide means for producing side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the means for producing side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade includes a stationary floor base adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, a rocker blade mount coupled to the rocker blade, and a rocker blade tilter supported for rotation relative to the rocker blade mount about an axis of rotation and to cooperate with the stationary floor base to provide mover means for repeatedly moving the rocker blade mount and the rocker blade coupled to the rocker blade mount relative to the stationary floor base to assume, in sequence, a left-tilting orientation, a first upright/level attitude, a right-tilting orientation, and a second upright/level altitude to establish the side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rocker blade tilter includes a rotatable cam shaft and an eccentric disk cam coupled to the rotatable cam shaft to rotate therewith and arranged to extend into a cam receiver formed in the stationary floor base.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the rocker blade mount includes motorized rotary transmission means for rotating the rotatable cam shaft about an axis of rotation to move the eccentric disk cam in an eccentric pattern about the axis of rotation in the cam receiver formed in the stationary floor base to cause the rocker blade mount and the rocker blade coupled to the rocker blade mount to rock from side to side relative to the stationary floor base.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seat includes a headrest and a footrest in spaced-apart relation to the headrest, the frame includes a right support member arranged to underlie a right-side portion of the seat and a left support member arranged to underlie a left-side portion of the seat, and the rocker blade is arranged to lie under the footrest of the seat and interconnect the left and right support members of the frame.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the frame further includes an auxiliary rocker blade arranged to underlie the headrest of the seat and interconnect the left and right support members and the auxiliary rocker blade is formed to include a downwardly facing curved bottom surface adapted to contact the underlying floor surface.
7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the juvenile holder is a bouncer unit, the left and right support members are each made of an elastic material, the right support member includes a right knee coupled to a right side of the rocker blade, a lower right leg extending from the right knee to a right side of the auxiliary rocker blade, and an upper right leg extending from the right knee to a right side of the seat and cooperating with the lower right leg to define an acute included angle therebetween, and the left support member includes a left knee coupled to a left side of the rocker blade, a lower left leg extending from the left knee to a left side of the auxiliary rocker blade, and an upper left leg extending from the left knee to a left side of the seat and cooperating with the lower left leg to define an acute included angle therebetween.
8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the left and right support members and the auxiliary rocker blade is made of a metal rod and the auxiliary rocker blade is interposed between and coupled to the left and right support members.
9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the juvenile holder is a bassinet unit, each of the left and right support members is a U-shaped element, the right support member includes a first right knee coupled to the rocker blade, a second right knee coupled to the auxiliary rocker blade, an elongated right stretcher interconnecting the first and second right knees, a first right upright leg extending upwardly from the first right knee to the footrest of the seat, and a second right upright leg extending upwardly from the second right knee to the headrest of the seat, the left support member includes a first left knee coupled to the rocker blade, a second left knee coupled to the auxiliary rocker blade, an elongated left stretcher interconnecting the first and second left knees, a first left upright leg extending upwardly from the first left knee to the footrest of the seat, and a second left upright leg extending upwardly from the second left knee to the headrest of the seat.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the left and right support members further include a first pivot axle coupled to the first left and right upright legs and to the footrest and a second pivot axle coupled to the second left and right upright legs and to the headrest and wherein the first and second pivot axles cooperate with the footrest and headrest to support the seat for swinging movement relative to the frame about a pivot axis extending through the first and second pivot axles.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first frame kickstand mounted on a first end of the rocker blade for movement relative to the frame between an extended position extending below the curved bottom surface of the rocker blade to inhibit side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface and a retracted position lying alongside the rocker blade to allow side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface produced by the rocker motion system.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a second frame kickstand mounted on an opposite second end of the rocker blade for movement relative to the frame between an extended position extending below the curved bottom surface of the rocker blade to cooperate with the first frame kickstand to maintain the rocker blade in an upright/level attitude relative to the underlying floor surface upon movement of the first frame kickstand to the extended position further to inhibit side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface and a retracted position lying alongside the rocker blade to allow side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface upon movement of the first frame kickstand to the retracted position.
13. A juvenile relaxation apparatus comprising
- a juvenile holder including a seat and a frame adapted to set on an underlying floor surface, the seat being coupled to the frame to lie in an elevated position above the underlying floor surface,
- a rocker blade coupled to the frame and formed to include a curved bottom surface adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, and
- a rocker motion system coupled to the rocker blade and configured to provide means for producing side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade, wherein the rocker blade is formed to include a chamber, the rocker motion system includes a floor base located in the chamber and arranged to extend through at least one aperture formed in the rocker blade to contact the underlying floor surface to remain in a stationary position during relative side-by-side rocking motion of the rocker blade.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the rocker motion system further includes a rocker blade mover located in the chamber and coupled to the floor base and the rocker blade mover is configured to provide mover means for repeatedly moving the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade relative to the floor base to assume, in sequence, a first upright/level attitude, a left-tilting orientation, a second upright/level attitude, and a right-tilting orientation to establish the side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the seat includes a headrest and a footrest in spaced-apart relation to the headrest, the frame includes a right support member arranged to underlie a right-side portion of the seat and a left support member arranged to underlie a left-side portion of the seat, the rocker blade is arranged to lie under the footrest of the seat and interconnect the left and right support members of the frame, and the chamber formed in the rocker blade is located between the right and left support members.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the rocker blade includes a bottom shell and a top shell interposed between the bottom shell and the seat and coupled to the bottom shell to define the chamber therebetween and wherein the bottom shell is formed to include the at least one aperture.
17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the rocker blade includes a bottom shell and a top shell interposed between the bottom shell and the seat and coupled to the bottom shell to define the chamber therebetween, the bottom shell is formed to include the at least one aperture, the floor base includes a pivot axle, and the bottom shell is formed to include means for supporting the pivot axle to permit pivoting movement of the top and bottom shells about a pivot axis established by the pivot axle relative to the floor base during side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface.
18. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising blade vibrator means located in the chamber formed in the rocker blade for vibrating the bouncer unit.
19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the floor base further includes a cam support fixture formed to include a cam receiver, the rocker blade mover includes a motor housing coupled to the rocker blade to move therewith, and the mover means includes a rotatable cam shaft extending into the motor housing, an eccentric disk cam coupled to the rotatable cam shaft and arranged to extend into the cam receiver formed in the cam support fixture of the floor base, and motorized rotary transmission means including a drive motor located in the motor housing for rotating the rotatable cam shaft about an axis of rotation to move the eccentric disk cam in an eccentric pattern about the axis of rotation in the cam receiver to cause the motor housing and the rocker blade coupled to the motor housing to rock from side to side relative to the floor base.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the floor base further includes left and right feet arranged to lie in laterally spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the cam receiver formed in the cam support fixture therebetween, each of the left and right feet is arranged to extend through and move in a companion aperture formed in the rocker blade to contact the underlying floor surface, and the floor base further includes axle means coupled to the rocker blade for supporting the rocker blade for pivotable movement about a pivot axis relative to the floor base in sequence between a first tilted position causing the left foot to be retracted substantially into the chamber formed in the rocker blade and a portion of the right foot to be extended out of the chamber to establish the left-tilting orientation of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade, a centered position causing each of the left and right feet to be extended through the companion apertures to establish first and second upright/level attitudes of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade, and a second tilted position causing the left foot to be extended out of the chamber and the right foot to be retracted substantially into the chamber the establish a right-tilting orientation of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade.
21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cam support fixture includes first and second spaced-apart vertical side walls bordering the cam receiver and maintaining contact with the eccentric disk cam during rotation of the rotatable cam shaft about the axis of rotation, the eccentric disk cam includes a mount portion coupled to the rotatable cam shaft and arranged to extend a first radial distance away from the axis of rotation and an eccentric portion coupled to the mount portion and arranged to extend a greater second radial distance away from the axis of rotation, and the eccentric portion is arranged to move in sequence in the cam receiver, in response to rotation of the rotatable cam shaft about the axis of rotation, between a 6 o'clock position associated with the first upright/level attitude of the rocker blade, a 3 o'clock position associated with the left-tilting orientation of the rocker blade, a 12 o'clock position associated with the second upright/level attitude of the rocker blade, and a 9 o'clock position associated with the right-tilting orientation of the rocker blade, and wherein the rotatable cam shaft is located in a centered position about midway between the spaced-apart first and second vertical side walls bordering the cam receiver upon movement of the eccentric disk cam in the cam receiver to assume the 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock positions, the rotatable cam shaft is located in a first offset position to lie closer to the second vertical side wall than to the first vertical side wall upon movement of the eccentric disk cam in the cam receiver to assume the 3 o'clock position, and the rotatable cam shaft is located in a second offset position to lie closer to the first vertical side wall than to the second vertical side wall upon movement of the eccentric disk cam in the cam receiver to assume the 9 o'clock position.
22. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the rocker motion system further includes a motor housing coupled to the rocker blade to move therewith, a rotatable cam shaft mounted to rotate about an axis of rotation relative to the motor housing, an eccentric disk cam coupled to the rotatable cam shaft and arranged to extend into a cam receiver formed in the floor base, a motorized cam shaft rotation system located in the motor housing and coupled to the rotatable cam shaft, a power supply, first means coupled to the power supply for energizing the motorized cam shaft rotation system to move the eccentric disk cam in an eccentric pattern about the axis of rotation in the cam receiver to cause the motor housing and the rocker blade coupled to the motor housing to rock from side to side relative to the floor base so that the rocker blade is moved repeatedly relative to the floor base to assume, in sequence, a first upright/level attitude, a left-tilting orientation, a second upright/level attitude, and a right-tilting orientation to establish the side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface, and second means coupled to the power supply for energizing the motorized cam shaft rotation system automatically whenever the first means is disabled to stop side-by-side rocking motion of the rocker blade on the underlying floor surface to cause the rotatable cam shaft to continue to rotate about the axis of rotation until the frame coupled to the rocker blade comes to rest on the underlying floor surface in one of the first and second upright/level attitudes.
23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the seat includes a headrest and a footrest in spaced-apart relation to the headrest, the frame includes a right support member arranged to underlie a right-side portion of the seat and a left support member arranged to underlie a left-side portion of the seat, the rocker blade is arranged to lie under the footrest of the seat and interconnect the left and right support members of the frame, and the chamber formed in the rocker blade is located between the right and left support members.
24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second means includes a momentary contact switch coupled electrically to the power supply and a switch-actuation cam mounted on the rotatable cam shaft for rotation about the axis of rotation and wherein the switch-actuation cam is configured to provide means for actuating the momentary contact switch temporarily to energize the motorized cam shaft rotation system upon disablement of the first means until the frame moves relative to the floor base to assume said one of the first and second upright/level attitudes.
25. A juvenile relaxation apparatus comprising
- a first rocker blade formed to include a curved bottom surface adapted to contact an underlying floor surface,
- a bouncer unit including a seat and a flexible seat-bouncer frame adapted to set on the underlying floor surface, the flexible seat-bouncer frame including a second rocker blade formed to include a second curved bottom surface adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, an elastic right support member coupled to right sides of the first and second rocker blades, an elastic left support member coupled to left sides of the first and second rocker blades, the seat being coupled to the left and right support members to lie in an elevated position above the underlying floor surface and to move up and down in a bouncing motion during flexure of the elastic left and right support members, and
- a rocker motion system coupled to the first rocker blade, the rocker motion system being configured to include a stationary floor base adapted to contact the underlying floor surface and a rocker blade mover coupled to the stationary floor base and to the first rocker blade and configured to produce side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade relative to the stationary floor base to cause the elastic left and right support members and the second rocker blade and seat coupled to the left and right support members to rock from side to side relative to the stationary floor base with the first rocker blade.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the floor base further includes a cam support fixture formed to include a cam receiver, the first rocker blade mover includes a motor housing coupled to the first rocker blade to move therewith, and the mover means includes a rotatable cam shaft extending into the motor housing, an eccentric disk cam coupled to the rotatable cam shaft and arranged to extend into the cam receiver formed in the cam support fixture of the floor base, and motorized rotary transmission means including a drive motor located in the motor housing for rotating the rotatable cam shaft about an axis of rotation to move the eccentric disk cam in an eccentric pattern about the axis of rotation in the cam receiver to cause the motor housing and the first rocker blade coupled to the motor housing to rock from side to side relative to the floor base.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the floor base further includes left and right feet arranged to lie in laterally spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the cam receiver formed in the cam support fixture therebetween, each of the left and right feet is arranged to extend through and move in a companion aperture formed in the rocker blade to contact the underlying floor surface, wherein the floor base further includes axle means coupled to the rocker blade for supporting the rocker blade for pivotable movement about a pivot axis relative to the floor base in sequence between a first tilted position causing the left foot to be retracted substantially into a chamber formed in the rocker blade and a portion of the right foot to be extended out of the chamber to establish a left-tilting orientation of the rocker blade and the flexible seat-bouncer frame coupled to the rocker blade, a centered position causing each of the left and right feet to be extended through the companion apertures to establish an upright/level attitude of the rocker blade and the flexible seat-bounce frame coupled to the rocker blade, and a second tilted position causing the left foot to be extended out of the chamber and the right foot to be retracted substantially into the chamber to establish a right-tilting orientation of the rocker blade and the flexible seat-bouncer frame coupled to the rocker blade.
28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the seat includes a headrest and a footrest in spaced-apart relation to the headrest, the first rocker blade is arranged to lie under the footrest, and the second rocker blade is arranged to lie under the headrest.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the flexible right support frame includes a right knee coupled to the right side of the first rocker blade, a lower right leg extending from the right knee to the right side of the second rocker blade, an upper right leg extending from the right knee to a right side of the seat, and wherein the flexible left support frame includes a left knee coupled to the left side of the first rocker blade, a lower left leg extending from the left knee to the left side of the second rocker blade, and an upper left leg extending from the left knee to the seat.
30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising first and second frame kickstands mounted on the first rocker blade and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the left and right knees therebetween and wherein each of the first and second frame kickstands is mounted for movement relative to the flexible seat-bouncer frame between an extended position extending below the curved bottom surface of the first rocker blade to inhibit side-to-side rocking motion of the first rocker blade on the underlying floor surface and a retracted position alongside the first rocker blade to allow side-to-side rocking motion of the first rocker blade on the underlying floor surface provided by the rocker motion system.
31. A juvenile relaxation apparatus comprising
- a juvenile holder including a seat and a frame adapted to set on an underlying floor surface, the seat being coupled to the frame to lie in an elevated position above the underlying floor surface,
- a rocker blade coupled to the frame and formed to include a curved bottom surface adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, and
- a rocker motion system coupled to the rocker blade, the rocker motion system including a stationary floor base adapted to contact the underlying floor surface to lie in a stationary position relative to the rocker blade, a motor housing coupled to the rocker blade to move therewith, a rotatable drive shaft rotated about an axis of rotation by a drive motor assembly located in the motor housing, and linkage means coupled to the rotatable drive shaft and to the floor base for using rotation of the rotatable drive shaft about the axis of rotation to cause the motor housing and the rocker blade coupled to the motor housing to rotate about the axis of rotation relative to the stationary floor base in sequence first in a counterclockwise direction to assume a left-tilting orientation, second in a clockwise direction to assume a first upright/level attitude and then a right-tilting orientation, and third in a counterclockwise direction to assume a second upright/level orientation so that side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and a bouncer unit coupled to the rocker blade relative to the stationary floor base is produced.
32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the stationary floor base includes a cam support fixture formed to include a cam receiver and the linkage means includes an eccentric disk cam coupled to the rotatable shaft and arranged to extend into the cam receiver and to move in an eccentric pattern about the axis of rotation in the cam receiver to cause the motor housing and the rocker blade coupled to the motor housing to rock from side to side relative to the stationary floor base.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the rocker blade is formed to include a chamber containing the stationary floor base, the stationary floor base further includes left and right feet arranged to lie in laterally spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the cam receiver formed in the cam support fixture therebetween, each of the left and right feet is arranged to extend through and move in a companion aperture formed in the rocker blade to contact the underlying floor surface, and the stationary floor base further includes axle means coupled to the rocker blade for supporting the rocker blade for pivotable movement about a pivot axis relative to the stationary floor base in sequence between a first tilted position causing the left foot to be retracted substantially into the chamber formed in the rocker blade and a portion of the right foot to be extended out of the chamber to establish the left-tilting orientation of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade, a centered position causing each of the left and right feet to be extended through the companion apertures to establish the first and second upright/level attitudes of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade, and a second tilted position causing the left foot to be extended out of the chamber and the right foot to be retracted substantially into the chamber to establish the right-tilting orientation of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade.
34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the cam support fixture includes first and second spaced-apart vertical side walls bordering the cam receiver and maintaining contact with the eccentric disk cam during rotation of the rotatable cam shaft about the axis of rotation, the eccentric disk cam includes a mount portion coupled to the rotatable cam shaft and arranged to extend a first radial distance away from the axis of rotation and an eccentric portion coupled to the mount portion and arranged to extend a greater second radial distance away from the axis of rotation, and the eccentric portion is arranged to move in sequence in the cam receiver, in response to rotation of the rotatable cam shaft about the axis of rotation, between a 6 o'clock position associated with the first upright/level attitude of the rocker blade, a 3 o'clock position associated with the left-tilting orientation of the rocker blade, a 12 o'clock position associated with the second upright/level attitude of the rocker blade, and a 9 o'clock position associated with the right-tilting orientation of the rocker blade, and wherein the rotatable cam shaft is located in a centered position about midway between the spaced-apart first and second vertical side walls bordering the cam receiver upon movement of the eccentric disk cam in the cam receiver to assume the 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock positions, the rotatable cam shaft is located in a first offset position to lie closer to the second vertical side wall than to the first vertical side wall upon movement of the eccentric disk cam in the cam receiver to assume the 3 o'clock position, and the rotatable cam shaft is located in a second offset position to lie closer to the first vertical side wall than to the second vertical side wall upon movement of the eccentric disk cam in the cam receiver to assume the 9 o'clock position.
35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the linkage means further includes a power supply, first means coupled to the power supply for energizing the drive motor assembly to move the eccentric disk cam in the eccentric pattern about the axis of rotation in the cam receiver, and second means coupled to the power supply for energizing the drive motor assembly automatically whenever the first means is disabled to stop side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and the bouncer unit coupled to the rocker blade relative to the stationary floor base until the rocker blade comes to rest on the underlying floor surface in one of the first and second upright/level attitudes.
36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the rocker blade is formed to include a chamber containing the stationary floor base and the seat includes a headrest and a footrest in spaced-apart relation to the headrest, the frame includes a right support member arranged to underlie a right-side portion of the seat and a left support member arranged to underlie a left-side portion of the seat, the rocker blade is arranged to lie under the footrest of the seat and interconnect the left and right support members of the frame, and the chamber formed in the rocker blade is located between the right and left support members.
37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the second means includes a momentary contact switch coupled electrically to the power supply and a switch-actuation cam mounted on the rotatable cam shaft for rotation about the axis of rotation and wherein the switch-actuation cam is configured to provide means for actuating the momentary contact switch temporarily to energize the motorized cam shaft rotation system upon disablement of the first means until the frame moves relative to the stationary floor base to assume said one of the first and second upright/level attitudes.
38. A juvenile relaxation apparatus comprising
- a juvenile holder including a seat and a frame adapted to set on an underlying floor surface, the seat being coupled to the frame to lie in an elevated position above the underlying floor surface,
- a rocker blade coupled to the frame and formed to include a curved bottom surface adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, and
- a rocker motion system coupled to the rocker blade and configured to provide means for producing side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade, wherein the rocker blade is formed to include a chamber, the rocker motion system includes a floor base located in the chamber and arranged to extend through at least one aperture formed in the rocker blade to contact the underlying floor surface during side-by-side rocking motion of the rocker blade relative to the underlying floor surface.
39. A juvenile relaxation apparatus comprising
- a first rocker blade formed to include a curved bottom surface adapted to contact an underlying floor surface,
- a bouncer unit including a seat and a flexible seat-bouncer frame adapted to set on the underlying floor surface, the flexible seat-bouncer frame including a second rocker blade formed to include a curved bottom surface adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, an elastic right support member coupled to right sides of the first and second rocker blades, an elastic left support member coupled to left sides of the first and second rocker blades, the seat being coupled to the left and right support members to lie in an elevated position above the underlying floor surface and to move up and down in a bouncing motion during flexure of the elastic left and right support members, and
- a rocker motion system coupled to the first rocker blade, the rocker motion system being configured to include a floor base adapted to contact the underlying floor surface and a rocker blade mover coupled to the floor base and to the first rocker blade and configured to produce side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and to cause the elastic left and right support members and the second rocker blade and seat coupled to the left and right support members to rock from side-to-side relative with the first rocker blade.
40. A juvenile relaxation apparatus comprising
- a juvenile holder including a seat and a frame adapted to set on an underlying floor surface, the seat being coupled to the frame to lie in an elevated position above the underlying floor surface,
- a rocker blade coupled to the frame and formed to include a curved bottom surface adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, and
- a rocker motion system coupled to the rocker blade, the rocker motion system including a floor base adapted to contact the underlying floor surface, a motor housing coupled to the rocker blade to move therewith, a rotatable drive shaft rotated about an axis of rotation by a drive motor assembly located in the motor housing, and linkage means coupled to the rotatable drive shaft and to the floor base for using rotation of the rotatable drive shaft about the axis of rotation to cause the motor housing and the rocker blade coupled to the motor housing to rotate about the axis of rotation in sequence first in a counterclockwise direction to assume a left-tilting orientation, second in a clockwise direction to assume a first upright/level attitude and then a right-tilting orientation, and third in a counterclockwise direction to assume a second upright/level orientation so that side-to-side rocking motion of the rocker blade and the bouncer unit coupled to the rocker blade relative to the stationary floor base is produced.
41. A juvenile relaxation apparatus comprising
- a juvenile holder including a seat and a frame adapted to set on an underlying floor surface, the seat being coupled to the frame to lie in an elevated position above the underlying floor surface, and
- a frame rocker including a rocker blade coupled to the frame and configured to include a curved bottom surface adapted to set on the underlying floor surface and a rocker blade mover coupled to the rocker blade and configured to act against the underlying floor surface to roll the curved bottom surface of the rocker blade back and forth along the underlying floor surface to impart a side-to-side rocking motion to the rocker blade and the frame coupled to the rocker blade.
42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein a left side of the curved bottom surface is formed to include a first tilter opening, a right side of the curved bottom surface is formed to include a second tilter opening, and the rocker blade mover includes a first tilter arranged to move up and down through the first opening to engage and disengage the underlying floor surface underlying the rocker blade, a second tilter arranged to move up and down through the second opening to engage and disengage the underlying floor surface underlying the rocker blade, and a drive system coupled to each of the first and second tilters and configured to extend one of the first and second tilters through a companion tilter opening and simultaneously retract another of the first and second tilters through another companion tilter opening to initiate and maintain back and forth rolling motion of the curved bottom surface of the front rocker blade on the underlying floor surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 21, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 11, 2007
Applicant: Cosco Management, Inc. (Wilmington, DE)
Inventors: Jeff Pemberton (Plainville, MA), Richard Glover (Greenwood, IN), Tadeusz W. Keska (Smithfield, RI), Larry Freese (Portsmith, RI), Douglas Melville (Avon, CT), Allan Ferraro (Attleboro, MA)
Application Number: 11/277,087
International Classification: A47C 3/02 (20060101);