Weighted lap pad

Abstract

A weighted lap pad 10 is provided to be positioned about the legs 72 and 74 and the waist of a child 66. The lap pad 10 includes a first and second elongated support member 12 and 18 respectively. An elongated plurality of weighted members 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 respectively are successively coupled to each other. The first and second elongated support members 12 and 18 are coupled to the weighted members 28 and 32. As a result the weighted lap pad 10 can be secured around a child's waist and positioned on a child 66 so that the elongated weighted member 26 rests over the side of the leg 72 of the child, the weighted members 28, 30 and 32 rest in the lap 64 of the child and the weighted member 34 rest over the other leg 74 of the child. As a result the child is given an uninterrupted felling to stay seated.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a lap pad and more particularly to a weighted lap pad for children with development disorders such as autism and attention deficit disorder. Treatment for children having development disorders is an ongoing concern. Many of the treatment strategies for these children require that they are in a seated position. Keeping the child in a seated position during therapeutic sessions can be a problem. Often when undergoing therapeutic treatment it is very difficult for a child with these conditions to understand and feel the need to stay seated. Accordingly it is desirable to provide a means for giving a child undergoing treatment while seated a feeling that they should stay seated during the treatment regiment.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

There are many treatment regiments today for children with development disorders, such as, for example autism and attention deficit disorder. A great number of the treatments have to be implemented while the child is sitting although the child often does not feel or understand the need to be seated. Recognizing this problem a number of attempts have been made to provide tools to assist in keeping the child seated. Often the arrangement is simply a weighted member which is sat in the child's lap while seated.

These arrangements are not designed in a manner so that they can be easily maintained in position on the child. As a result they can easily fall off if there is any movement whatsoever by the child. This of course would hinder the treatment process. These arrangements really don't attempt to deal with the problem of undesired movement and attempts to stand up by the child. What is needed is a device that can rest in the child's lap in such a manner that undesired movement will not defeat the purpose of the device. That is a device that is not readily removed by movement of the child thereby giving the child an uninterrupted feeling that they should stay seated.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A weighted lap pad is provided to be positioned about the legs and waist of a user. The lap pad includes first and second elongated cable members with each one having a locking member coupled to an outermost end thereof. An elongated weighted member is provided. The first and second elongated cable members are coupled at innermost ends thereof to the elongated weighted member so that first predetermined portions thereof can be positioned in the user's lap, and so that second and third predetermined portions thereof can be positioned to overlap the user's legs when the first and second locking members are lockingly engaged around the waist of the user thereby helping the user to feel a need to stay seated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The details of the invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a weighted lap pad in accordance with the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a weighted lap pad secured in position about a user in accordance with the principles of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a back view of a locking mechanism of the weighted lap pad secured in position about a user in accordance with the principles of this invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a weighted lap pad, generally designated by the numeral, 10 is provided. The weighted lap pad 10 includes a first elongated support member or belt, generally designated by the numeral, 12 having a locking member 14 coupled to an innermost end 16 thereof. A second elongated support member generally designated by the numeral, 18 is also provided having a locking member 20 coupled to an innermost end 22 thereof. The lap pad 10 also includes an elongated weighted member, generally designated by the numeral, 24. The elongated weighted member 24 includes a plurality of flexible oval shaped weight members 26, 28 30, 32 and 34 respectively. Each weighted member 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 is successively coupled to the next weight member in coupling engagement therewith. The members 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 may, for example, be made of vinyl or any such material that cam be easily sanitized. The first elongated support member 12 is coupled at an outermost end 38 thereof to an intermediate portion 40 of the weighted member 28. The second elongated support member 14 is coupled at an outermost end 42 thereof to an intermediate portion 44 of the weighted member 32.

The locking member 14 is provided with a rectangular shaped base member 46 having elongated openings 48 and 50 formed therein. A pair of outwardly urging spring biased elongated engaging members 52 each having an abutment 54 formed thereon are coupled to laterally extend from the base member 46. The outermost end 16 of the first elongated support member 12 is supported in the openings 48 and 50 of the base member 46 in a well known manner to facilitate coupling of the elongated support member to the locking member 12.

The locking member 20 is provided with a base member 56. The base member 56 is provided with a laterally extending opening 58. The base member 56 also includes an opening 60 (only one shown) formed on each side 62 thereof. The spring biased elongated members 52 of the first locking member 14 of the elongated support member are inserteable through the opening 58 in the locking member 20. This allows the abutments 54 to lockingly engage the sides 62 of the second locking member when there are aligned with the openings 60. This permits the elongated support members 12 and 18 to be secured around the waist of the user.

When it is desired to use the weighted lap pad 10 the weighted members 28 30 and 32 are placed in the lap 64 of a child 66 so that the weighted members rest in the child's lap. The weighted member 26 is positioned so that it extends over the side 70 of one leg 72 of the child 66 and the weight member 34 extends over the side 74 of the other leg 76 of the child. The first and second elongated support members 12 and 18 are then secured around the waist 78 of the child 66. When the lap pad 10 is secured in the proper position across and over the legs of the child 66 the child is provided with an ongoing sensation to stay seated. This of course facilitates a positive therapeutic intervention.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A weighted lap pad to positioned across the legs of a seated child and secured around the child's waist including:

an elongated weighted member having first, second and third predetermined portions;

a first elongated support member coupled at an outermost end thereof to a first intermediate portion of the second portion of the first elongated weighted member;

a first locking member coupled to an innermost end of the first elongated support member;

a second elongated support member coupled at an outermost end thereof to a second intermediate portion of the second portion of the elongated weighted member; and

a second locking member coupled to an innermost end of the second elongated member being secured around the child's waist so that the first and third portions of the elongated weight members overlap a respective one of the legs of the child and so that the second portion of the elongated weighted member is positioned across the child's legs.

2. A weighted lap pad as defined in claim 1 wherein the elongated weighted members include a first, second, third, fourth and fifth oval shaped weighted members successively coupled to each other.

3. A weighted lap pad as defined in claim 2 wherein the first elongated support member is coupled at an outermost end thereof to an intermediate portion of the second cylindrically shaped weighted member and the second elongated support member is coupled at an outermost end thereof to an intermediate portion of the fourth cylindrically shaped weighted member.

4. A weighted lap pad as defined in claim 3 wherein the first locking member includes:

a first rectangularly shaped base member having a pair of elongated openings formed therein for facilitating coupling of an innermost end of the first elongated member thereto; and

a pair of inwardly spring-biased elongated engaging members coupled to extend laterally from the base member.

5. A weighted lap pad as defined in claim 4 wherein the second locking member includes:

a second rectangularly shaped base member having a laterally extending opening formed therein for facilitating the coupling of the innermost end of the second elongated member to the base member;

a first opening formed on one side of the base member; and

a second opening formed on another side of the base member.