Juvenile furniture electronic amusement device
An interactive amusement system for use with a variety of juvenile furniture. In one example, an amusement bar is connected to a control unit arranged at one corner of a collapsible play yard. A motion sensor controls the type of sound generated and flashing rate of an array of light on the amusement bar. The amusement system has a play and a nap mode which cooperates with the sensor to change the sound generated and the flashing rate as well as the intensity of illumination. The motion sensor may be a combination infrared (IR) transmitter and receiver. The play yard is usable as either a bassinet or play yard and the sensor is usable with either configuration. The control unit and amusement bar are removable to enable the juvenile furniture to be collapsed to a compact unit.
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This application claims priority from provisional application Ser. No. 60/604,231 filed on Aug. 25, 2004, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.
FIELD OF INVENTIONThe invention generally relates to electronic amusement devices; it more particularly relates to electronic amusement devices adapted for use with juvenile furniture; and most particularly relates to motion activated electronic amusement devices adapted for use with juvenile furniture.
BACKGROUNDKeeping a small child engaged and amused can be challenging, but it is even more challenging when the child is restrained within the confines of juvenile furniture, such as a swing, car seat, or a crib. However, there are times when a child should be at rest in the same furniture intended to restrain the child at another time. There is in a need for providing a source of child amusement that is selectively operational.
SUMMARYThe present invention is characterized by comprising apparatus for stimulating the infant during play periods as well as selectively soothing the infant occupying the juvenile furniture during periods of rest as well as inducing restfulness. The devices are interactive in that motion detection devices are provided to activate the amusement activities responsive to detection of the infant's motion.
Lights, music and motion of attractive and decorative objects are provided. The on/off operation and selection of the activities are controlled by a manually operable control panel preferably forming a part of the juvenile furniture. The components providing the amusement and other activities are preferably arranged within a housing which is removably mounted to the juvenile furniture to facilitate the provision of a collapsible furniture design which significantly contributes to compactness and portability. The juvenile furniture, in one preferred embodiment, comprises a portable play yard capable of being selectively arranged in one of a play mode in which a bottom floor is utilized to support the infant and a nap mode in which an upper supporting surface (i.e. bassinet) is mounted within the play yard to provide a nap mode enclosure. The embodiment, having both a play and nap mode capability is preferably provided with either a single motion sensor having a range for detecting motion at either the bassinet (upper) level or the floor (lower) level, or alternatively may be provided with a receiver arranged above the play yard for detecting motion from transmitters respectively provided at the bassinet level and lower or floor level.
An amusement bar, in one embodiment, activates a micro-switch provided within an opening for receiving a support rod of the amusement bar to selectively control the micro-switch to turn off the “kick mat” amusement activities when the amusement bar is detached from the juvenile furniture and to turn on the “kick bar” amusement activities when the amusement bar is attached to the juvenile furniture. As an alternative, the amusement bar support rod may be provided with electrical contacts which cooperate with electrical contacts in the opening receiving the support rod to provide electrical connections between the control panel and the amusement bar.
The bassinet structure is detachably mounted to the play yard. The upper and lower floors are preferably each provided with a vibrating device having a timer capability, the rate of vibration being changeable as a function of the operating mode. For example, in the play mode, the amusement bar provides flashing lights and active music, while the vibrating device provides more robust vibration, while in the nap mode, the amusement device provides gradually fading lights and lullaby music, while the vibrator provides more soothing vibrations which preferably gradually fade away.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
The electronic amusement devices disclosed herein provide features such as motion detection that is activated by the infant, a night light that may fade to allow sleep, music with selection of the music as well as volume control, timed gentle or robust vibration, nap and play modes, twinkling lights and mobile activation are shown in the Figures for use with various items of juvenile furniture. Although the amusement devices described herein are described as either stand-alone or for use with a collapsible play yard, the amusement devices may also be configured to be mounted on a crib, a child's bed, a car seat, a chair, a highchair, a bouncy seat, a stroller, a swing, activity centers (such as jumpers), walkers, and other child care items. There is also provided a stand-alone gym.
Play yard assembly 10 has a substantially X-shaped support assembly shown
The upper side rails 22, 24, 26 and 28 have latchable, collapsible locking mechanisms at their central portions 22a through 28a, respectively, enabling these members to be folded in half about their centrally located latching mechanisms to facilitate the provision of a collapsible portable play yard which is highly compact in its collapsed state.
The mechanism which may be employed to provide the collapsible capability of play yard apparatus 10 may be of the type described in pending application Ser. No. 10/918,893 filed Aug. 16, 2004 (SIM2-PT013.1) and the description therein is incorporated herein by reference thereto. The X-shaped support members serve as the supporting structure for the lower floor 40 which supports a floor F (
The upper (i.e., bassinet) floor 30 is supported by a plurality of elongated straps 32 joined at their upper ends to a pair of members 34, 36 which are fitted over the collapsible support arm 22, 26. Mesh-like sides 38, 40, 42 and 44 are each joined with strips of rugged, flexible fabric SF along their left and right vertical sides to provide vertical side walls which serve to enclose the play yard about the vertical posts 12, 14, 16 and 18. The mesh material is sufficiently flexible to facilitate collapsing of the play yard to a compact structure. For example, noting mesh side 38, it is joined at its lower end to flexible strip 11, at its upper end to strip 28 and at its left and right hand ends to the strips SF, which are provided with “pockets” for receiving the corner posts 12, 14, as is conventional. The mesh side walls 40, 42 and 44 are joined to adjacent members in a similar fashion.
The electronic amusement bar 50 is an arcuate-shaped bar having rods 50a, 50b at its opposite ends. Rod 50b is removably mountable within an opening in control panel 60, which is arranged at one corner of the play yard and rests upon upright 14 and snap-fits over the adjacent ends of arms 22 and 28. Rod 50a has a flexible C-shaped clip 50d which is snap-fitted onto rail 26.
Protective coverings, such as lenses 50c are arranged along spaced intervals of arcuate-shaped member 50. Amusement bar 50 is preferably covered with a soft cloth or fabric. Decorative and aesthetically pleasing members are suspended from bar 50, such as, for example, the star-shaped members 52. The control panel 60 is provided with an array of control buttons 62 to be more fully described.
In the embodiment of
The rigid floor F is selectively placed upon either the bassinet or play yard floors. The floor F, shown in
A battery operated vibration V is releasably secured by Velcro straps Vs to the underside of floor F. A control panel Vc provides on/off, hard/soft vibration and timing control. The vibration and timing control may be of the type described in copending application Ser. No. 10/752,171 filed Jan. 6, 2004 (SIM2-PT005).
The embodiment 10′ further distinguishes from the embodiment 10 of
The embodiment 10″ of
As was set forth here and above, the opening 54″ may be sealed by sliding door 55 to prevent ingress into opening 54″ when the mobile arm is not being used.
Top surface 110 is further provided with a receiving slot 110c having a female type receptacle 126 mounted therein. A movable locking projection 128 extends upwardly from the floor of recess 110c and is configured to fit within a recess provided along the bottom surface of the mobile arm 50′, the lower portion thereof being shown in greater detail in
It should be understood that the play yard and control unit 60 may be utilized without the mobile arm, enabling the control unit to be utilized independently of the mobile unit and the flashing lights. In such applications, it is preferable to close recess 110c through the use of the member 132′, shown in
Making reference to
When mobile arm 50′ is mounted to the control unit 60, the lights 50c′ along the mobile arm may be controlled by the motion detector and controller CP to blink when in the play mode and the mobile may be rotated when the control unit is in the play mode, both of these operations occurring when the motion sensor detects movement of the infant.
Likewise, the music may be selectively controlled to provide lullaby music (or a soothing voice or other sound) when in the rest or sleep mode and to play a more lively musical selection (or a more animated voice or sound) when in the play mode.
Control unit 60 is configured to fit into an inside corner of the play yard and has two perpendicular surface 110e, 110f shown, for example, in
In the embodiment 60 shown in
A coupling similar in design and function to the coupling 132 shown in
The vibration unit V is battery operated and has a compartment (not shown) for receiving portable batteries. The vibration unit is slidably received within a base member secured to one panel of the floor member, Vibration unit V is slidably received therein and removable for replacement of portable batteries (not shown). The vibration unit V, when controlled independently of controller CP, has an amplitude control extending to one side thereof for adjusting amplitude. A push button BP is arranged on the surface of the vibration unit V which faces the floor F enabling the button to be pushed from the top surface of the floor. Although not shown, it should be understood that appropriate indicia such as a circle and a designation such as “vibrator push button” adjacent to the circle serves to accurately locate the push button for operating the vibration unit V. The push button preferably operates in such a way that pressing it once turns the vibration unit V on and pressing it a second time turns the vibration unit V off.
Although the embodiments shown in
The vibration unit V having the battery compartment may be releaseably mounted to floor F or be provided separately and independently of the floor, if desired. Providing the battery compartment and vibration motor MV in one housing mounted to floor F reduces the size, weight and complexity of the unit V. Alternatively, one common battery compartment portion may be provided in control unit 60 (
The power to motor MV, in one alternative embodiment, is coupled to the vibration motor MV through central processor CP.
In a preferred embodiment, the mobile arm 50′ includes light switch 136 and mobile switch 138 which operate to selectively turn on/off these devices, while the control unit processor CP controls the performance of these devices. A power switch 124 (
In a preferred embodiment, music push button switch 80 provides a control signal to processor CP which activates speaker 138, and pulses lights 50c′. Mobile drive motor MM may also have its rotation rate varied according to the position of mode switch 112. Preferably, an analog music signal is sent to the speaker 138, and the lights 50c′ pulse with the rhythm of the music. Processor CP preferably stores a plurality of tunes (in a memory) which may be selected by continually depressing the music push button switch 116. Alternatively, the music switch 116, when activated, may provide only music, and the drive motor MM and lights 50c′ may be activated concurrently. A volume adjustment controls 118, 120, respectively raise or lower the volume by controlling the amplitude of a speaker amplifier (not shown) to respectively raise or lower the volume of the sound produced by the speaker. Alternatively, instead of music, the processor may provide any other suitable signals to the speaker, including a human voice recording.
A separate vibration switch VS may be provided to control processor CP to energize the vibrator motor MV to impart vibration to floor F. A vibration rate adjustment switch SR, which is preferably a rotatable member, is configured to raise or lower the current supplied to the vibration motor 60 and thereby raise or lower the amplitude/frequency of vibration imparted to floor F. By mounting the vibration unit V beneath the floor F, floor F, and thus the infant, are vibrated.
A night light pushbutton switch 143 provides a signal to processor CP to energize the night light. The LED which forms part of the night light pushbutton serves as a means to monitor the condition of the night light 142, whereby, if the LED is on and the night light is off, this indicates that the night light needs to be replaced. The motion detector, for example the motion detector 137, provides a signal to processor CP, which, according to the position of mode selection switch 112, controls the type of music coupled to speaker 139 and controls the flashing (and fading) of lights 50c′, and if desired, the rotating speed of the mobile motor MM. Alternatively, a switch VS, for controlling the speed and time period of the vibration motor MV, may be provided at a suitable location on control unit 60.
The operating push buttons/slide switches may be arranged in any suitable pattern other than that shown in
Claims
1. An electronic amusement device having at least one selectively activated electronic amusement that is adapted for attachment to an article of juvenile furniture and selectively activated by an occupant of the juvenile furniture.
2. The electronic amusement device of claim 1 wherein the electronic amusement is activated by a motion detector.
3. The combination of an article of juvenile furniture and an electronic amusement device having at least one selectively activated electronic function that is attached to the article of juvenile furniture and the electronic function is selectable in response to an activity of an occupant of the juvenile furniture article.
4. The combination of claim 3 wherein activation of the electronic function is controlled by a motion detector.
5. An electronic amusement device for attachment to an article of juvenile furniture, the device comprising:
- a controller;
- at least one selectively activated electronic amusement; and
- an activity sensor associated with the controller and operatively connected to the at least one electronic amusement for selectively activating the electronic amusement in response to detecting presence of an occupant.
6. The electronic amusement device of claim 5 wherein the sensor is a motion detector
7. The device of claim 5, said controller further comprising:
- a housing for the controller having a pair of adjacent sides provided with recesses for releaseably securing said housing to a corner of the juvenile furniture comprised of a collapsible play yard.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein said play yard has at least two adjacent upper side rails and forming one corner of the play yard and hingedly connected to a vertical corner post, said housing recesses being configured to releaseably grip portions of said adjacent side rails and a top of said vertical post.
9. The device of claim 7 wherein said sensor is mounted on said housing and is configured to have a given angular range of detection for enabling detection of motion of an infant placed in said play yard.
10. The device of claim 5 wherein said play yard has a first flexible enclosure mounted upon a collapsible play yard frame.
11. The device of claim 10 further comprising:
- a floor mat configured to be positioned on a floor of the first flexible enclosure and comprised of a plurality of hingedly connected substantially rigid panels covered with a suitable fabric.
12. The device of claim 11, further comprising a vibration unit mounted on an underside of said floor mat for imparting vibration to said floor mat.
13. The device of claim 11 further comprising stiffening tubes mounted within sleeves provided on said floor mat.
14. The device of claim 10 further comprising:
- a second flexible enclosure for mounting upon said collapsible frame and said first enclosure and having a floor arranged a spaced distance above the floor of said first enclosure, said floor mat being configured to be placed upon the floor of the second enclosure.
15. The device of claim 14 further comprising a motion sensor mounted along said housing and configured to detect motion of an infant placed upon the floor mat which is placed upon the floor of one of the first and the second flexible enclosures.
16. The device of claim 7 further comprising an amusement arm selectively, mechanically and electrically coupled to said control unit and comprised of a rotatable mobile and an array of lights arranged at spaced intervals along said arm.
17. The device of claim 16 wherein said control unit is provided with a mode switch, said controller operating at least one of said array of lights and said rotatable mobile in one of a first and a second manner when said mode switch is respectively in one of a first and a second position.
18. The device of claim 17 wherein said controller is activated by said motion sensor to control one of said rotatable mobile and light array to respond to the position of said mode switch.
19. The device of claim 18, further comprising:
- a sound generating system and a memory for storing at least two types of sound, said controller controlling the type of sound provided to said sound generating system according to the position of the mode switch.
20. The device of claim 19 further comprising switches for respectively controlling an on/off and volume condition of the sound generating system.
21. The device of claim 7 wherein said control unit further comprises:
- a night light and a switch for controlling an on/off condition of the night light.
22. The device of claim 16 wherein said amusement arm is provided with switches for selectively turning said lights and said rotatable mobile on and off.
23. The device of claim 19 wherein said control unit controller is configured to operate said sound generating system independently of said amusement arm.
24. The device of claim 7 further comprising:
- a curved amusement bar having a first end releaseably electrically and mechanically coupled to said control unit and having a plurality of lights arranged at spaced intervals along said bar.
25. The device of claim 24 wherein an opposite end of said bar is provided with a resilient clip for being snap-fitted upon a play yard rail opposite and parallel to a side rail supporting said control unit.
26. The device of claim 25 further comprising:
- a second curved amusement bar, said first and second amusement bars having ends thereof coupled to diagonally opposite corners of a substantially rectangular-shaped play yard frame;
- said control unit being provided at an intersection of said amusement bars.
27. The device of claim 26 further comprising a rotatable mobile suspended from the intersection of said amusement bars.
28. A stand-alone play unit comprising:
- a floor unit;
- a pair of curved amusement bars having ends coupled to said floor unit so that intermediate portions and arranged so that said first and second bars intersect one another;
- a control unit arranged at said intersection and having a motion sensor;
- said bars each having a plurality of lights arranged at spaced intervals;
- said control unit for controlling pulsing of said lights responsive to detection of motion by said motion sensor.
29. The stand-alone play unit further comprising:
- a rotatable mobile coupled to said control unit, said bars being configured to support said mobile unit a given distance above said floor unit, said control unit controlling rotation of said rotatable mobile.
30. The device of claim 14 further comprising a wireless detector coupled to said control unit;
- a wireless transmitter coupled to said floor mat;
- said controller controlling one of said lights and said rotatable mobile responsive to detection of motion caused by an infant placed in one of said first and second enclosures and interrupting a wireless signal produced by said transmitter from reaching said wireless receiver.
31. The device of claim 30 wherein said wireless transmitter and receiver are configured to operate in an infra-red (IR) range.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 25, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 9, 2006
Applicant: Simplicity, Inc. (Reading, PA)
Inventors: Wood Stephen (Kutztown, PA), Kenneth Waldman (Reading, PA)
Application Number: 11/211,949
International Classification: A63G 23/00 (20060101);