Toy retrieval apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus intended to assist in retrieving toys and other objects that have fallen off a table and to prevent such objects from coming in contact with the ground. The apparatus comprises a bar clamp having a fixed portion and a movable portion mounted on a slide bar for clamping to a table or other flat surface. Affixed to the bar clamp is at least one attachment cord with a fastener adapted to grasp the toy or other object to be retrieved. The movable portion of the bar clamp has a trigger handle and a braking lever which work to tighten and disengage the bar clamp thus enabling a parent or other adult to fasten and unfasten the apparatus to a table or other flat surface with one hand so that the person is free to simultaneously use their other hand for an alternative purpose.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/693,348 filed Jun. 23, 2005 and entitled “Toy Retrieval Apparatus”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When sitting at a table with a young child in a highchair or booster seat, adults will often times give the child certain toys or other playthings for the purpose of entertainment or to occupy the child's attention. Frequently, the child will be quite young and lack the manual dexterity required to grasp the particular object for more than a few moments. Other times, the child may, in an effort to entertain him or herself, attempt to deliberately toss the object. In either situation, the toy or object given to the child will typically fall off the table and onto the floor. Since the child is fastened into the highchair or booster seat, the adult typically has to reach down or get up from where they are seated in order to retrieve the fallen object. This scenario can sometimes continuously repeat itself numerous times and can cause the adult great frustration. In addition, the fallen toy may become damaged or dirtied from coming in contact with the ground such that it would not be suitable for further play, thus causing the child to become restless or irritated.

Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus that can be attached to objects such as a child's toys and clamp to a table or other raised surface in order to prevent the toys or other objects from falling off the table and onto the floor. Such a device would be helpful by enabling adults to retrieve a toy that is dropped or thrown without having to get up from the table or bend over. There is an additional need for a device having the aforementioned characteristics with the additional feature of being operable with one hand, such that an adult holding, for example, a child or toy with one hand would be able to mount the apparatus to a table or other flat surface without first having to put the child or toy down.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets this need by providing a device that can be attached to toys and other objects in order to allow a person, without having to get up or bend over, to retrieve the attached objects, should they fall or be thrown off the table. The device further provides a convenient one-handed means for fastening or unfastening the clamp to a table or flat surface so that the person mounting the device is free to simultaneously use their other hand for an alternative purpose. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

The apparatus includes at least one toy fastener with an attachment cord and a bar clamp. An example of the type of bar clamp featured in the present invention would be the Quick Grip Micro Bar Clamp made by Irwin Quick-Grip, Model No. 53006, or its equivalent. The bar clamp of the present invention, which is operable with one hand, can be conveniently fastened or unfastened to the edge of a table through the use of a fixed jaw and a moveable jaw with a one-way drive means. Each toy fastener of the invention is attached to the bar clamp through the use of an attachment cord having two ends, such that the first end of the cord is attached to the bar clamp and the second end of the cord is attached to the toy fastener. To account for height discrepancies between different tables or counters, the attachment cords of the present invention can be of varying lengths in order to prevent the toy from coming in contact with the floor.

The individual toy fasteners of the present invention are adapted to be mounted to certain types of children's toys. When a toy is fastened to one of the toy fasteners and the device is mounted to a table or other raised surface near the vicinity of where the child is seated, the child is able to freely handle and play with the toy. However, should the child drop or throw the toy, the bar clamp, toy fastener and attachment cord work together to prevent the toy from going too far away from the child or from coming in contact with the ground. A person seated near the child or device is then able to pull the attachment cord and, without bending down, able to retrieve the toy for the child so that the child is able to resume play.

In one embodiment of the invention, the toy retrieval apparatus comprises a bar clamp, at least one attachment cord and at least one toy fastener which is adapted to grasp the toy to be retrieved. The bar clamp features a fixed portion, a movable portion and a slide bar having a first and second end. The movable portion of the bar clamp is slideably mounted on the slide bar and subject to movement along said bar. The attachment cord has a first end which is fastened to the bar clamp and a second end which is attached to the toy fastener. The first end of at least one attachment cord may be attached to the fixed portion of the bar clamp or the movable portion of the bar clamp, or both the fixed and movable portions of the bar clamp. In addition, the present invention may also feature at least one fitting for fastening the first end of the attachment cord to the bar clamp. This additional fitting may be of various sizes and shapes and is intended to give the attachment cords a greater range of movement around the bar clamp and to provide an larger point of attachment on the bar clamp for fastening a greater number of attachment cords.

One embodiment of the present invention may also feature at least one attachment cord having a coupling fastened to the first end or the second end, or both the first and second ends. This coupling is intended to assist in fastening the attachment cord to the toy fastener or the bar clamp or the additional fitting fastened to the bar clamp. This coupling can be formed from various materials including for example metal or plastic or their equivalents without limitation.

The bar clamp of the present invention may also include a trigger handle and a braking lever on the movable portion in order to assist in tightening and disengaging the clamp. While the movable portion of the bar clamp may be manually advanced towards the fixed portion of the clamp in order to fasten the clamp around the edge of a table or other surface, actuation of the trigger handle advances the movable portion of the bar clamp along the slide bar in a direction towards the fixed portion of the clamp. Use of the trigger handle in this manner allows a person to tighten the device by using only one hand. Alternatively, when the bar clamp is tightened around the edge of a table or other surface, actuation of the braking lever on the movable portion of the bar clamp disengages the bar clamp and allows the movable portion of the clamp to advance along the slide bar in a direction away from the fixed portion.

One embodiment of the present invention may also feature non-abrasive protective pads on the fixed and movable portions of the bar clamp. These pads serve as a barrier between the clamp and the surface in which the clamp is fastened and are intended to enhance the grip of the clamp and prevent the clamp from scratching or causing other damage to the table or surface once the apparatus is secured into place. The second end of the slide bar of the present invention may also feature a raised section for preventing the movable portion of the bar clamp from advancing past the second end of the slide bar and becoming disengaged from said bar.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: FIG. 1 is a side view of the toy retrieval device in accordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 illustrates a retrieval apparatus 10 in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus 10 includes a quick-action bar clamp 11, and at least one toy fastener 12a, 12b with attachment cord 13a, 13b. It will be understood that while multiple toy fasteners 12a, 12b and attachment cords 13a, 13b are illustrated, an apparatus with only one cord and toy fastener comes within the spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, it will be further understood that while only one type of toy fastener is shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is not limited to fasteners having such specific characteristics. Indeed, since the size and shape of the toys and objects intended to be retrieved by the present invention may be vastly different, different types and sizes of fasteners may be used. Such fasteners may include clips, carabiners, hooks, key rings, suction cups, Velcro and their equivalents.

The bar clamp 11 of the present invention is generally comprised of a fixed portion 20, a movable portion 21, and a slide bar 23. The size of the bar clamp 11 may vary in order to be able to clamp to tables or surfaces with various thicknesses. The fixed portion 20 of the bar clamp 11 is affixed proximate one end of the slide bar 23 and the movable portion 21 of the clamp 11 is slideably mounted on the bar 23 such that it may move either towards or away from the fixed portion 20 of the clamp 11 in order to enable the clamp 11 to fasten to or disengage from the edge of a table or other flat surface S. As illustrated in FIG. 1, both the fixed and movable portions of the clamp may have protective non-abrasive pads 22 which are intended to enhance the grip of the clamp 11 when it is fastened to a surface S and to prevent the clamp 11 from scratching or causing other damage to the surface S once the apparatus 10 is secured in place. The slide bar 23 may also feature a raised section 26 proximate the end opposite the fixed portion 20 of the clamp 11. This raised section 26 of the slide bar 23 prevents the movable portion 21 of the clamp 11 from withdrawing past the end of the slide bar 23 such that it would separate from the slide bar 23.

The movable portion 21 of the bar clamp 11 has a trigger handle 24 which, when actuated by a person tightening the clamp 11, advances the movable portion 21 of the clamp 11 in a direction closer to the fixed portion 20 of the bar clamp 11. The movable portion 21 of clamp 11 may also be manually advanced along the slide bar 23 in a direction towards the fixed portion 20. When the movable portion 21 of the clamp 11 is manually advanced into a position where the clamp 11 is fastened around the edge of the raised surface S, the person fastening the apparatus 10 may depress the trigger handle 24 in order to further tighten the clamp 11 around the surface S. Another feature of the movable portion 21 of the bar clamp 11 is a braking lever 25 which permits the movable portion 21 to move along the slide bar 23 in a direction away from the fixed portion 20 of the clamp 11. When the clamp 11 is fastened to a surface S, a person wishing to disengage the clamp may actuate the braking lever 25. When actuated, the braking lever 25 allows the movable portion 21 of the clamp 11 to slide in a direction away from the fixed portion 20 thus disengaging the clamp 11 from the surface S. The trigger handle 24 and braking lever 25 of the present invention permit a person to fasten and unfasten the retrieval apparatus 10 to a table or other flat surface with one hand so that the person is free to simultaneously use their other hand for an alternative purpose.

The invention embodied in FIG. 1 illustrates a retrieval apparatus 10 having toy fasteners 12a, 12b and attachment cords 13a, 13b. The toy fasteners 12a, 12b of the present invention are adapted to be mounted to toys or other objects such that the toys are not able to move a considerable distance away the area where the child is located or the bar clamp 11 is mounted. While FIG. 1 illustrates only one type of toy fastener, those of skill in the art will understand that the toy fasteners 12a, 12b of the present invention may be composed of various materials and may be of varying sizes in order to accommodate a wide variety of different children's toys.

Those of skill in the art will further understand that the attachment cords 13a, 13b can be made of various materials and can be of varying lengths. Examples of the type of materials that may be used include Bungee cords, rope, plastic, rubber, nylon, fishing wire and any such equivalents. The attachment cords 13a, 13b may also not be a fixed length, but may be retractable such that they are able to stretch or recoil. As shown in FIG. 1, the ends of the attachment cords 13a, 13b are fitted with couplings 14. These couplings enable the cords 13a, 13b to be fastened to both the bar clamp 11 and the toy fasteners 12a, 12b. Those of skill in the art will understand that the couplings 14 used to fasten the attachment cords 13a, 13b to either the bar clamp 11 or toy fasteners 12a, 12b can be formed from various materials including for example metal or plastic or their equivalents without limitation.

The retrieval apparatus 10 may also feature at least one fitting 15, which is intended to connect the couplings 14 of the attachment cords 13a, 13b to the bar clamp 11. This fitting 15 provides a single attachment point on the clamp 11 for coupling multiple attachment cords 13a, 13b and enables the cords to extend from the clamp 11 in any direction. The fitting 15 therefore allows a user of the retrieval apparatus 10 to attach a greater number of toys and ensures that the movement of these toys around the clamp 11 is not restricted in any particular direction. Like the couplings 14 of the attachment cords 13a, 13b, the fitting 15 may be formed from various materials including for example metal or plastic without limitation, and while FIG. 1 illustrates the fitting 15 as having a ring-like shape, the shape of the fitting 15 is not limited in this regard.

While FIG. 1 illustrates the attachment cords 13a, 13b fastened to the fixed portion 20 of the bar clamp 11, the cords 13a, 13b may equally extend from the movable portion 21 of the clamp 11. The present invention may also feature attachment cords 13a, 13b extending from both the fixed and movable portions of the clamp as well.

The present disclosure includes that which is contained in the forgoing description. Although, this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of the elements, compositions and the combination of individual ingredients may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A toy retrieval apparatus comprising:

a bar clamp having a fixed portion, a movable portion, and a slide bar having a first and second end, the movable portion of said bar clamp being slideably mounted on the slide bar and subject to movement along said bar;

at least one attachment cord having both a first end and a second end, the first end of said attachment cord fastened to the bar clamp;

at least one toy fastener attached to the second end of the attachment cord, the fastner adapted to grasp the toy to be retrieved.

2. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one fitting for fastening the first end of the attachment cord to the bar clamp.

3. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the fixed portion of the bar clamp.

4. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the moveable portion of the bar clamp.

5. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the fixed portion of the bar clamp and the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the moveable portion of the bar clamp.

6. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 1 wherein the movable portion of the bar clamp has a trigger handle, said trigger handle for advancing said movable portion along said slide bar in a direction towards the fixed portion.

7. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 1 wherein the movable portion of the bar clamp has a braking lever for disengaging the bar clamp and allowing the movable portion of said clamp to advance along the slide bar in a direction away from the fixed portion.

8. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fixed and movable portions of the bar clamp have non-abrasive protective pads.

9. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second end of the slide bar has a means for preventing the movable portion of the bar clamp from advancing past the second end of the slide bar.

10. A toy retrieval apparatus comprising:

a bar clamp having a fixed portion, a movable portion, and a slide bar having a first and second end, said first end fastened to the fixed portion of the clamp, said movable portion slideably mounted on the slide bar between the first and second ends such that the movable portion of the clamp is subject to movement along the slide bar between the first and second ends of said bar;

at least one attachment cord having a both a first and second end fitted with a coupling, the coupling of the first end of said attachment cord attached to the bar clamp;

at least one toy fastener attached to the coupling at the second end of the attachment cord, the fastener adapted to grasp the toy to be retrieved.

11. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 10 further comprising at least one fitting for fastening the coupling at the first end of the attachment cord to the bar clamp.

12. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the fixed portion of the bar clamp.

13. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the moveable portion of the bar clamp.

14. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the fixed portion of the bar clamp and the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the moveable portion of the bar clamp.

15. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 10 wherein the movable portion of the bar clamp has a trigger handle, said trigger handle for advancing said movable portion of the bar clamp in a direction towards the fixed portion.

16. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 10 wherein the movable portion of the bar clamp has a braking lever for disengaging the bar clamp and allowing the movable portion of said clamp to advance in a direction away from the fixed portion.

17. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 10 wherein the fixed and movable portions of the bar clamp have non-abrasive protective pads.

18. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 10 wherein the second end of the slide bar has a means for preventing the movable portion of the bar clamp from advancing past the second end of the slide bar.

19. A toy retrieval apparatus comprising:

a bar clamp having a fixed portion, a movable portion, and a slide bar having a first and second end, said first end fastened to the fixed portion of the clamp, said movable portion of the clamp slideably mounted on the slide bar between the first and second ends such that the movable portion of the clamp is subject to movement along the slide bar between the first and second ends of said bar, said movable portion of the bar clamp having a trigger handle and a braking lever, said trigger handle for advancing said movable portion of the bar clamp in a direction towards the fixed portion, said braking lever for disengaging the bar clamp and allowing the movable portion of said clamp to advance in a direction away from the fixed portion;

at least one attachment cord having a both a first and second end fitted with a coupling, the coupling of the first end of said attachment cord attached to the bar clamp;

at least one fitting for fastening the coupling at the first end of the attachment cord to the bar clamp;

at least one toy fastener attached to the coupling at the second end of the attachment cord, the fastener adapted to grasp the toy to be retrieved.

20. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the fixed portion of the bar clamp.

21. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the moveable portion of the bar clamp.

22. The toy retrieval apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the fixed portion of the bar clamp and the first end of at least one attachment cord is attached to the moveable portion of the bar clamp.