Patents Assigned to Graco Children's Products Inc.
  • Publication number: 20100159428
    Abstract: A children's development device has a carrier coupled to a juvenile product and elevated above a support surface. The carrier defines an x-y-z axis system including a generally vertical z-axis, a generally horizontal x-axis and a generally horizontal y-axis oriented normal or perpendicular to the x-axis. A child seat is coupled to the carrier and positionable such that feet of an occupant of the seat can contact a launching surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth Grasing, Joshua E. Clapper
  • Publication number: 20100156060
    Abstract: A stroller includes a frame, a pivot joint assembly mounted on the frame, and a handle coupled to the frame at the pivot joint assembly. The handle rotates about a pivot axis defined by the pivot joint assembly between first and second positions relative to the frame. A latch assembly includes a projection and is movable between a latched state in which the latch assembly secures the handle in either the first position or the second position and a released state in which the handle is released for movement between the first and second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dotsey, Patrick W. Laffan, Stephen Ahnert, Devon T. Siesholtz, Branden McCorkel, Robert T. Pike, Joseph T. Grintz
  • Publication number: 20100148543
    Abstract: A seat pad assembly is disclosed including a body pad for placement on the seating surface of a child seating device. The body pad has a front side, a back side, and two spaced apart vertical slots through the pad. The seat pad assembly has a head support with a connecting strip extending between a pair of laterally spaced apart cushions. The head support is generally H-shaped and installed on the pad through the slots with the pair of cushions on one side of the pad and the connecting strip on the other side. The head support is slidable along the slots to adjust the vertical position of the cushions. The seat pad assembly can be used on a child seating device such as a children's car seat, an infant carrier, a stroller, an infant swing, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Kelly Runk, Sharon L. Griffiths
  • Patent number: 7735843
    Abstract: A stroller is provided having a stroller frame supported by at least one wheel and a handle. The handle includes a brake operator that is coupled to a brake assembly at the wheel. The brake operator is movable between a first position whereby the brake assembly is disengaged from the wheel, and a second position whereby the brake assembly engages the wheel to retard the wheel motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dotsey, Patrick Nolan, Michiel Sebastiaan Emanuél Petrus Knoppert, Karen Rosenkranz, Merijn Hartog, Marcel Arthur Jan Schreuder
  • Patent number: 7727078
    Abstract: A juvenile product includes a seat having a seating area supported by a part of the juvenile product, a canopy positionable over at least a portion of the seating area and having an underside that faces the seating area, and a projection system carried on the juvenile product. The projection system has a projector configured to project visible stimuli either above the seating area or onto at least part of the underside of the canopy. These and other aspects of the disclosure are directed to providing a soothing and entertaining environment that may also be adjustable or customizable to address the changing interests and developmental levels of a child occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: John (Jason) C. Arnold, IV, Joshua E. Clapper, Brian Kincaid, Matthew J. Ransil, James E. Godiska
  • Publication number: 20100127539
    Abstract: A child motion device has a frame assembly configured to rest on a floor surface, a drive system defining a generally vertical axis of rotation, and a support arm supported above the floor surface by the frame assembly. The support arm is cantilevered from near the axis of rotation and has a driven end coupled to the drive system, which pivotally reciprocates the support arm through a partial orbit around the axis of rotation. A seat holder is carried by the support arm spaced from the driven end and a seat is supported by the seat holder. The seat and seat holder are constructed to permit the seat to be removed from the seat holder. The seat is usable as a seat when removed from the seat holder and can be positioned on the seat holder in more than one optional seat facing orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: William B. Bellows, Samuel Chambers, Kabu Kakuda
  • Publication number: 20100127480
    Abstract: A foldable stroller has a frame assembly reconfigurable between an in-use and a folded configuration. The frame assembly has first and second frame parts movable between respective in-use positions and folded positions relative to one another that correspond to the in-use and folded frame configurations. A fold joint is connected to both the first and second frame parts and has a joint pivot about which the first and second frame parts pivot relative to one another between the respective in-use and folded positions. A fold link has one end coupled to part of the frame fold joint at a pivot point spaced from the joint pivot and has an opposite end coupled to the first frame part at a connection point spaced from the fold pivot. When the second frame part is pivoted from the in-use position toward the folded position, the fold link drives movement of part of the frame assembly toward the folded frame configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Ahnert, Roy L. Dean, Joseph T. Grintz, Todd D. Sorzano
  • Publication number: 20100124833
    Abstract: A juvenile product includes an electrical device, a structural assembly configured to structurally support the electrical device, and a power delivery path configured to carry power to the electrical device. The structural assembly includes first and second structural components, and is formed via a structural connection of the first and second structural components. The power delivery path is disposed within the first and second structural components, respectively, and includes first and second electrical contacts positioned relative to the first and second structural components, respectively, such that the structural connection between the first and second structural components establishes an electrical connection between the first and second contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Ransil, Bryan Graham, Craig Desrosiers
  • Patent number: 7717798
    Abstract: A child motion device has a frame assembly configured to rest on a support surface. The frame assembly includes at least one track configured to slidably receive a child seat assembly. The track can extend in any desired direction and include a geometric profile so that as the seat assembly travels along the track, a desired motion profile is imparted onto the seat assembly and to the child seated therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: William B. Bellows, Dennis Stauffer
  • Publication number: 20100109878
    Abstract: A child monitor system includes a child unit having a sensor to capture content, and a parent unit having a processor and a user interface communicatively coupled with the processor to reproduce the content captured by the sensor. The child unit and the parent unit are configured to communicate via a wireless communication link carrying content data representative of the captured content. The system further includes a memory communicatively coupled with the child unit or the parent unit and configured for non-volatile storage of the content data. The processor of the parent unit is configured to issue an instruction to effectuate the non-volatile storage of the content data in the memory in response to a content storage request received via the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Desrosiers
  • Publication number: 20100109272
    Abstract: A stroller includes a frame assembly, a seat supported by the frame assembly, and first and second adjustable seat supports engaged with the frame assembly to support the seat in a position relative to the frame assembly. A link couples the first and second seat supports such that a movement of the first seat support is mirrored in a corresponding movement of the second seat support to adjust the position of the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Ahnert, Daniel Newhard, Derek Saville, John (Jason) C. Arnold, IV
  • Patent number: 7694980
    Abstract: A stroller handle assembly has a handle with a grip part. The handle is movable from an in-use position extending from the stroller frame to a collapsed position lying adjacent and parallel along the stroller frame. The assembly has a bracket for attaching the handle to the stroller frame. The bracket has one part configured to allow rotation of the handle sideways away from the in-use position to a partly collapsed position. The bracket has a different part configured to allow the handle to rotate to the completely collapsed position adjacent the stroller frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dotsey, Patrick Nolan, Michiel Sebastiaan Emanuél Petrus Knoppert, Karen Rosenkranz, Merijn Hartog, Marcel Arthur Jan Schreuder
  • Patent number: 7696711
    Abstract: A diaper pail has a body with an interior container space and an access opening into the interior container space. A diaper receptacle is also in the body and has a diaper receiving opening into the receptacle. An obstruction is provided that can be moved between a receiving orientation and a dumping orientation. In one aspect, an input device I configured to signal a part of the diaper pail to automatically operate the obstruction between the dumping orientation and the receiving orientation to receive a soiled diaper into the diaper receptacle and to dump the soiled diaper from the diaper receptacle into the interior container space. In another aspect, an activated charcoal filter is in communication with at least the interior storage space and is designed to chemically eliminate odors that emanate from the soiled diapers in the interior storage space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Pollack, Jeffrey Swan, Brad Studer
  • Patent number: 7696888
    Abstract: A video baby monitor system has a child unit and a receiver unit. The receiver unit has a housing assembly with a first section having a viewing surface and a second section. The first and second sections are movable relative to one another between an open position exposing the viewing surface and a closed position where the second section covers the viewing surface. A video screen is provided on the viewing surface of the first section. The first section can be moved from the closed position to the open position such that the video screen faces upward for viewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Swan, Craig Desrosiers, Fa-Yun Zhang
  • Patent number: 7694996
    Abstract: A stroller is provided having a stroller frame supporting a stroller seat. The stroller frame includes a linkage that facilitates collapsing or folding of the stroller frame from an in-use configuration to a folded or collapsed configuration, and unfolding of the stroller frame from the folded or collapsed configuration to the in-use configuration. The linkage also facilitates adjustment of the stroller seat height between at least two vertically offset positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Saville, Daniel N. Newhard, Nico Michler, Christian Busse, Bianca Fleischer
  • Patent number: 7695374
    Abstract: A bouncer seat assembly generally has a wire frame structure and a seat suspended from the wire frame structure. The wire frame structure includes a seat section and a base section resiliently and flexibly coupled to and supporting the seat section above the base section. The wire frame structure is configured so that any gap between parts of the bouncer seat assembly is either sized small enough to prohibit a head of a child from fitting between any adjacent parts or sized large enough to prevent a head of a child from being entrapped or pinched between any adjacent parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: William B. Bellows, Nicholas E. Papageorge, Baku Kakuda, Thomas M. Perrin
  • Patent number: 7697891
    Abstract: A baby monitor system has a child unit with a child transducer that receives and converts incoming audio signals to an incoming analog signal. The child unit has an analog-to-digital converter that converts the incoming analog signal to outgoing digital data. A child unit microprocessor converts the outgoing digital data to a wireless signal and a transmitter of the child unit transmits the wireless signal. A parent unit has a receiver that receives the wireless signal and converts the wireless signal to incoming digital data. A parent unit microprocessor processes the incoming digital data. A digital-to-analog converter in the parent unit converts the processed incoming digital data to outgoing analog information. A parent unit transducer converts the outgoing analog information and transmits outgoing audio signals representative of the incoming audio signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Craig S. Desrosiers, Ronald G. Pace
  • Patent number: 7694995
    Abstract: A stroller includes a stroller frame movable between an in-use configuration and a folded configuration and a seat assembly mounted to the stroller frame. The stroller frame includes right and left front legs, right and left fold links, and right and left seat support frame members extending between the respective right and left front legs and the respective right and left fold links. The seat assembly includes a seat and a seat support mounted to the right and left seat support frame members such that, as the stroller frame moves from the in-use configuration to the folded configuration, the seat support translates relative to the right and left seat support frame members. The stroller frame also can include right and left push arms and right and left rear legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dotsey, Gregg R. Espenshade, Daniel N. Newhard
  • Patent number: 7677590
    Abstract: A stroller is provided including a stroller frame supported for movement on at least one wheel. The stroller frame supports at least one child seat, and includes a handle that is grasped by the operator to drive the stroller. The handle includes a main handle portion and an auxiliary handle portion that is telescopically connected to the main handle portion. The auxiliary handle portion is thus movable between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the main handle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Dotsey, Patrick Nolan
  • Publication number: 20100051353
    Abstract: A device for monitoring growth of a child includes a platform to support the child during a measurement of weight, a transducer coupled to the platform to generate an indication of the weight of the child, a controller configured to determine a timing of the weight measurement, a computer-readable medium in communication with the controller and configured to store data representative of the weight indication and the measurement timing, and a data output port coupled to the controller. The controller is further configured to incorporate the data in a data compilation representative of a set of measurements of the growth of the child for exportation of the data compilation via the data output port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: Graco Children's Products Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Swan