Punishment Pad/Mat for Toddlers

Abstract

A child's punishment mat comprising a mat on which a child may sit, said mat having a pre-designated target area for the child; a removable battery powered timer mechanism with a digital readout affixed to the mat by a snap, including a start-stop button for setting and timing a period for the child to be punished; a handle affixed to the mat for carrying the mat; and a tote bag with a closure mechanism and a handle for carrying and storing the mat.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit to provisional application 60/764,596 filed on Feb. 2, 2006, entitled Punishment Pad/Mat for Toddlers, which is incorporated by referenced herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a design for a pad/mat for toddlers and small children, which is washable, portable and includes a removable timer. In a most preferred embodiment, the invention may come with a tote or carrying case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, there has been a move away from the spanking of children toward non-violent punishment options. There is a belief among many child psychiatrists that physical punishment promotes violence and rage.

The most popular of these new punishment options has been to place children in “time out”. During “time out”, the child is forced to sit in a designated place to contemplate his or her transgression.

There have been a number of inventions directed to the area of a design for pads/mats for toddlers; however, there has not been one specifically directed to a “time out” with a removable timer mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 20040110115 discloses a time-out mat that is used for disciplining a small child. The mat is a circular or other shaped flat device of about 20 inches in diameter that is comfortable for a young child to sit on. The mat can be constructed so that it can be folded or rolled for portability. It is useful to parents, teachers, preschool instructors, or daycare operators. A child associates that mat with discipline and it can be placed in a location where the child's behavior can be observed.

U.S. Pat. No. 20040048229 discloses a behavior shaping kit includes at least one time-out defining device, at least one timer, a plurality of stickers having prohibitory indicia marked thereon, training devices for a caregiver, a plurality of stop signs, and craft tools. The caregiver affixes stickers having prohibitory indicia marked thereon, to items in the house with which the child should not come into contact. When a child does come into contact with these items, the child is immediately placed in a time-out area which is defined by a time-out defining device. A time-out defining device serves to restrict movement of the child from place to place.

U.S. Pat. No. 20050204471 discloses a baby mat comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and an inner layer, one surface having an imprint of a ruler for measuring the height of a baby. The mat is usually bordered at its peripheral edges by various known methods to keep the inner layer intact between the top and bottom surfaces and to prevent the fabric from frilling. The mat provides a good media for recording vital information about a baby and for advertising, as well. A compartment or a bag for holding baby accessories and personal items may be incorporated into or with the mat. The mat is preferably made of washable and reusable materials and is of such thickness to allow the mat to be folded or rolled for easy storage.

U.S. Pat. No. 20050115000 discloses a baby mat comprises a main region having a constant width, a head region having a shape of semicircle, and a leg region. A projection part for holding a baby head is provided in the head region of the baby mat, and side projections are provided on both sides of the main region. The baby mat is increased in height from the leg region toward the head region.

U.S. Pat. No. 20030131901 discloses an invention that relates to both a textile article and a method of making the textile article. The textile article is a two-sided Jacquard woven textile with a graphic impression on at least one side thereof. In one embodiment, the front side of the textile has a dark color border and a light color area within said border. The light color area is the area receiving the graphic impression. It is sometimes advantageous to reverse the textile. Therefore, in another embodiment the front side has a light color border with a dark central area, and the dark central area will receive the graphic impression. The graphic impression may be applied by screen printing, image dyeing, digital imaging, or heat transfer (heat applied graphics). The method of making the article comprises the steps of providing a two-sided Jacquard woven textile and then transferring the impression onto the textile, preferably in the light color central area, but the reverse side of the textile could be employed and the impression could be on the dark central area. The textile may be a golf or sports towel, hand, bath, or wash towel, beach towel, baby bib, a bath or beach robe, a bath mat, an apron, hot-plate, mittens, and the like.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,684,758 discloses a child's disciplinary device including a plush toy and a countdown timer secured to the toy. The timer includes indications corresponding to children's ages, and the timer is set to a proper time-out period by setting the timer to the child's age. The correspondence between ages and time-out periods is nonlinear.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,802 discloses a pillow capable of being highly useful and convenient to a user. An alarm is arranged at a predetermined portion of a stuffed doll which is made in imitation of a real or fanciful animal or the like. The alarm may be actuated through a timer. The timer may be driven through a cell or a spring. The alarm is constructed so as to generate sound, voice, vibration, light or the like.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,463 discloses a baby play mat with protective enclosure comprising a mat and one or more bumpers circumscribing the perimeter of the mat. The bumpers comprise fastening means on the top and bottom surfaces. The perimeter of the mat also comprises fastening means. The bumpers are securely and removably attached to the perimeter of the play mat to form a protective tier defining an interior cavity. Additional layers of bumpers can be fastened to the top of the first protective tier to increase the height of the enclosure. Additional mats can be joined together to increase the width of the play area.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,634 discloses a convertible bag for holding articles therein is arranged to be opened into a reclining mat to provide a sanitary surface for reclining a child thereon. An inner surface of the reclining mat includes a pillow compartment into which a pillow is removably secured. A pair of zippers is used to removably join the top and bottom panels to form the bag. The bag includes a pair of handle straps. The handle straps are attached to the bag to form at least one utility loop useful for attaching baby related paraphernalia such as pacifiers and toys, so they remain within the child's reach and they do not fall onto the floor and get lost. The handle straps preferably further includes a metal snap fasteners for removably attaching the handle straps to the outer surface of the reclining mat to prevent an infant from being strangled by a handle strap while lying on the reclining mat. The bag preferably includes a plurality of compartments for storing additional articles; and the bag preferably further includes an identification tag with emergency information regarding the child.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,761 discloses an educational electronic baby mat having means for auditory and visual responses to user motion or pressure stimuli including a top layer having a plurality of symbols inscribed on a plurality of light transmitting zones adapted to be compressed by a baby or child thereby impacting middle layer light diffusers. The light diffusers impact electrical conducting contacts that impinge upon contact points located within electrical circuits on a flexible printed circuit board to activate indicator lights and auditory recitations associated with each compressed symbol. Alternatively, a motion sensor detects a baby or child's movements and preprogrammed sound and visual responses indicating the identity of top layer symbols are activated.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,771 discloses electromechanical vibration transducers are embedded in a pad, and a mat on which a newborn baby is placed is stacked on the pad. A graphic equalizer is arranged to correct the frequency characteristics of a sound signal generated by a sound signal generator to characteristics close to the original frequency characteristics even if sounds are reflected to interfere with each other in an incubator. Comfortable vibrations can be applied to the newborn baby. In addition, sounds having frequency characteristics close to the original frequency characteristics can be played for the newborn baby. The newborn baby therefore can feel at ease, and at the same time bedsores, night terrors, and the like can be prevented. Maintenance cost is also low.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,620 discloses a multifunctional baby device including a substantially toroidal shaped cushion having at least one strap for preferably removably securing a play toy to the device. The device may also include a mat integrally interconnected with the cushion for providing a clean, soft surface. This mat may define an interior portion of the cushion and may also extend beyond to cushion to provide a suitable surface for diaper changing. A baby may be placed in the cushion in a supine position whereupon the cushion provides support to the baby's head or in a prone position whereupon the cushion provides support to the baby's chest. Preferably, the toys are interconnected with the support such that they are accessible only when the baby is in the noted prone position.

U.S. Pat. 4,712,258 discloses a baby changing mat comprising a central padded body with a raised sill extending about a majority of the edge of the body and a pair of straps for holding a baby to the mat. The mat is formed from a flexible material and has at least one centrally located transverse stabilizing member to which the straps may be anchored. Extra padding may be provided for the baby's head.

While there have been a number of child and toddler mats, there has not been a dedicated time out pad with a removable time. None of the prior inventions discloses a device in which a toddler can be seated on a designated area that includes a timer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a child a time out mat with a removable timer.

It is a further object to the invention to provide a time out mat which includes a timer.

It is a yet a further object of the present invention to provide a child mat with a removable timepiece and which further includes a carrying case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, the child's punishment mat comprises a mat on which a child may sit and a removable timer mechanism affixed to the mat for timing a period for the child is to be punished.

In a further embodiment, the invention is a child's punishment mat that comprises a mat on which a child may sit and have a pre-designated target area; a removable timer mechanism affixed to the mat by a snap for timing a period for the child to be punished and a handle affixed to the mat for carrying the mat.

In still a further embodiment, the invention is a child's punishment mat comprising a washable cloth mat on which a child may sit, said mat having a pre-designated target area for the child; a removable battery powered timer mechanism with a digital readout affixed to the mat by a snap that including a start-stop button for setting and timing a period for the child to be punished; a handle affixed to the mat for carrying the mat; and a tote bag with closure mechanism and handle for carrying and storing the mat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overhead view of the present invention with a child seated thereon.

FIG. 2 is an isolated view of the removable timepiece of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an overhead view of the novel timeout mat without child.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a tote bag carrying system for use with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is disclosed with reference to the enclosed Figures. The preferred embodiment is directed toward a design for a pad/mat 10 for toddlers with a handle 12, which is washable, portable, includes a removable timer 14. The timer 14 is electronic and may be selectively removed. The pad/mat materials are made out of machine washable fabrics and the product is designed to fold/zip into a small tote bag.

Referring to FIG. 1, the invention comprises a mat 10. The mat may be constructed from a wide variety of materials and fabrics such as cotton and synthetics. Preferably, the mat should be constructed from a washable material and may include a liquid impenetrable layer. The mat may have a handle 12 and will include a timer 14. In one embodiment, this top layer has a target 26, 24 for the child to sit in as shown in FIG. 3. The mat includes a handle 12.

Referring to FIG. 2, the invention includes a pre-settable timer mechanism 14 which can be set in minutes 32 and seconds 34 and includes a start-stop button 22. The timer, which is preferably battery powered, includes a digital readout 16 for minutes 32 and seconds 34. The timer includes reset buttons 18, 20 to reset minutes and seconds and a start-stop button 22. The timer will have an audible buzzer or sound mechanism, which will activate when the pre-set time for punishment is over. The timer mechanism 14 can be attached by a snap or lock and will be removed for washing.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an embodiment in which the mat 10 folds to become a carrying case or a tote 28. The mat folds and is held connected by a zipper 29, snaps or buttons. The folded and connected mat can then be carried by the handle 12.

When it is necessary to punish the child, the mat is removed from the tote 28. A period of punishment is set using the minute 32 seconds 34 buttons on the timer 14 and the child is directed to sit on the target 26, 24 on the mat 10. When the pre-designated period ends, a buzzer or other sound device associated with the timer 14 can sound.

The present invention has been described with reference to the above discussed preferred embodiments. It is to be appreciated that the true nature and scope of the present invention is determined with reference to the claims appendix hereto.

Claims

1. A child's punishment mat comprising:

a mat on which a child may sit; and

a removable timer mechanism affixed to the mat for timing a period for the child to be punished.

2. The child's punishment mat of claim 1, further comprising a tote bag for holding and transporting the punishment mat.

3. The child's punishment mat of claim 1, in which a timer can be set for a pre-selected period of minutes and seconds.

4. A child's punishment mat comprising:

a mat on which a child may sit having a pre-designated target area;

a removable timer mechanism affixed to the mat by a snap for timing a period for the child to be punished; and

a handle affixed to the mat for carrying the mat, said mat being foldable to become a carrying case.

5. A child's punishment mat comprising:

a washable cloth mat on which a child may sit, said mat having a pre-designated target area for the child;

a removable battery powered timer mechanism with a digital readout affixed to the mat by a snap and including a start-stop button for setting and timing a period for the child to be punished; and

a handle affixed to the mat for carrying the mat; said mat being foldable to become a carrying case to be carried by said handle.