CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. nonprovisional application Ser. No. 12/013,382 filed on Jan. 11, 2008, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/897,740 filed on Jan. 24, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND One of the strongest human instincts involves the care and nurturing of offspring. Parents provide for their children in a wide variety of ways. At a basic level, however, parents provide their children with the necessities of food, clothing, and shelter. While the needs of children last from birth through later years, the care and nurturing of newborns and young infants present special issues. As is well known, infants are somewhat helpless in interacting with their environment and rely upon others to assist and care for them.
One of the aspects of infant care is the provision of sleeping accommodations for the infant. A wide variety of beds, cradles and cribs are used as a resting place for the infant. Various cushions, pads and blankets may be employed to increase the comfort of the infant during the sleep activity. Moreover, numerous cushion devices, such as sleep positioners are sometimes used to create a better sleeping environment for a young child.
Despite these various devices and comfort items, some infants exhibit difficulty in entering the sleep state. It is known to provide audible relaxation aids for a child with these audible aids including singing to the child, recorded music, mechanical sound devices and the like. In particular, it is thought that simulating the sound of the human heart helps to relax an infant or young child. For instance, placing a ticking clock next to an infant was thought to relax the infant and assist the infants slumber. This was because the ticking of the clock at one second intervals is close to the rate of the human heart thereby providing a rudimentary simulation of the heartbeat. This ticking concept has evolved into more elaborate devices which simulate the human heart.
One such device, for example, is described in International Application PCT/AU90100100 International Publication No. W091/13647 entitled Sleep Inducing Device. Another such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,912 to Hughes issued Nov. 12, 1991. While these devices are used to generate an audible tone, it is also known to provide sensory input to an infant in the form of a heartbeat vibration in order to calm the infant. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,923 issued Jan. 7, 1969 to Cowan. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,282 issued Nov. 30, 1976 to Moulet an astatic multivibrator is provided for producing audible sounds simulating the human heartbeat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,022 issued Nov. 7, 1978 to Gross also provides an audible tone as a sleep aid. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,259 issued Dec. 21, 1999 to Sedaros, a device is shown wherein a mother may record her own heartbeat so that this heartbeat may be played back for an infant as a sleep inducement or sleep relaxation aid.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,811 issued Apr. 27, 1993 to Fornarelli a baby blanket with a heartbeat simulator of the vibratory type is disclosed. Here, the heartbeat simulator is placed inside of a foam form, and the foam form may be placed inside of a blanket upon which an infant may rest. The heartbeat simulator is pressure activated so that the weight of the infant on the simulator activates the simulator for a selected duration.
Accordingly, despite the advantages of the preexisting devices, there remains a need for improved heartbeat simulators which can be used in conjunction with infant blankets and various other forms of sleep positioners. There is a need for such a heartbeat simulator that is more convenient to use.
SUMMARY Various embodiments are provided for a sleep aid which incorporates a heartbeat simulator for providing a soothing sleeping environment for an infant. The sleep aid, which may be in the form of a sleep positioner or the like, incorporates a cushion of a selected size and configuration to accommodate the infant when placed thereon. In preferred embodiments, the cushion includes a resilient foam padding and an outer casing which substantially surrounds the padding. A heartbeat simulator is at least partially embedded, or otherwise supported by, the positioner's cushion and is operative upon actuation to vibrate in a manner which simulates a mother's heartbeat.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sleep aid incorporating a heartbeat simulator according to a first exemplary embodiment and showing an infant sleeping thereon;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the construction of one of the positioning members for the sleep positioner of FIG. 1, with its outer casing removed;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the positioning member of FIG. 2 in a fully assembled state;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a sleep aid incorporating a heartbeat simulator, and showing an infant steeping thereon;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a third exemplary embodiment of a sleep aid incorporating a heartbeat simulator;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a sleep aid incorporating a heartbeat simulator, with the sleep aid in the form of a swaddling blanket;
FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the heartbeat simulator for use in the various representative sleep aid embodiments;
FIG. 8 is a schematic circuit diagram for the heartbeat simulator;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the heartbeat simulator's electromagnetic component; and
FIGS. 10(a)-10(c) collectively, comprise high level flow diagrams of the various operating modes for the heartbeat simulator which are accomplished by the disclosed circuitry of FIG. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS With initial reference to FIG. 1, a first exemplary embodiment of a sleep aid 10 is introduced. Sleep aid 10 is substantially in the form of a sleep positioner, such as that described in FIGS. 1-8 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,176 B2, issued Apr. 12, 2005 to Houghteling, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Accordingly, sleep aid 10 is adapted to be suitably configured to support an infant between first and second positioning members or bumpers 14 and 16, respectively. These bumpers 14 and 16 are preferably movably and detachably positioned along the lower portion of the pad's top surface to create a suitable width therebetween within which infant 12 is positioned. In this regard, the sleep positioner 10 can be constructed substantially the same as those referred to in the various embodiments disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,176 B2.
However, as may also be seen in FIG. 1, one of the positioning members, such as first bumper 14, has a unique construction in that it incorporates a partially embedded heartbeat simulator 20, as perhaps best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Referring to FIG. 2, bumper 14, which is a wedge-shaped member having a triangular cross-section, includes a cavity 26 formed in its base which is sized and adapted to accommodate a main body portion 24 of heartbeat simulator 20. As can be appreciated with reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, main body portion 24 is generally rectangular in shape and provides a housing to accommodate some of the simulator's circuitry components. To this end, housing 24 has a receptacle portion 28 within which the various components are stored and a coverplate 30 secured thereto via suitable screws, generally 32, or the like. Protruding from housing 24 so that it is accessible to a caregiver is the actuator portion 22 of the heartbeat simulator 20. As will be discussed in greater detail below, actuator portion 22 contains first and second actuator buttons 34 and 36, respectively, as well as indicator lights 37 and 38 and a microphonic element 40. Actuator 20 is joined in electrical communication to the remaining circuitry components contained within housing 24 via an elongate insulative sleeve 42, as would be well-known to those skilled in the art.
With reference, then, to FIG. 3, it may be seen that once the housing portion of the heartbeat simulator 20 is inserted into the cavity, the casing for first bumper pad 14 may be inserted over the bumper's resilient padding so that the actuator 22 protrudes from the bumper to be accessible by a caregiver. Casing 15 for positioning member 14 is quite similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,176 B2, and it can be appreciated from FIG. 3 that a flap 19 can be included on the casing to releasably engage a band of hook material 17 to encase the stored simulator.
Before describing the particular construction for the heartbeat simulator itself, reference will now be made to FIGS. 4-6 which illustrate alternative constructions for sleep aids which could incorporate the heartbeat simulator. Thus, with initial reference to FIG. 4, a sleep aid, again in the form of a sleep positioner, is shown. Sleep aid 50 incorporates a contoured cushion 52 and the heartbeat simulator 20 partially embedded therein. The construction for the contoured cushion 52 is, preferably, similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,281 B2, issued May 8, 2007 to Hahn, the disclosure of which is also incorporated by reference in its entirety. Such a cushion construction can be suitably modified, however, by forming a base cavity or cutout, similar to that described above. The base cavity insertably and removably accommodates the housing portion 24 of heartbeat simulator 20 so that the actuator portion protrudes therefrom to be accessible by a caregiver. The artisan will readily appreciate that a variety of other constructions could be employed to embed or otherwise support the simulator, such as an internal pocket accessible via a slit formed in the encased padding.
Further, with reference to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the sleep positioner can assume a configuration substantially like that disclosed in my co-pending patent application Ser. No. 12/013,382, filed Jan. 11, 2008, which is also incorporated by reference in its entirety. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, however, the sleep positioner 60 has a zipper construction 62 along one of its side margins which can be unzipped to provide access to a slot or cavity within the encased resilient foam padding that is sized and adapted to accommodate the heartbeat simulator's housing portion (not shown). Here again, the actuator 22 protrudes to be accessible.
Finally, a still further embodiment for a sleep aid is shown in FIG. 6. Here, sleep aid 70 is in the form of a swaddling blanket 72 for infant 12 wherein the heartbeat simulator is wrapped and placed proximate to the baby's torso.
Refer now to the remaining figures which describe the operational characteristics of the heartbeat simulator 20 referred to above. When embedded within a sleep aid, upon activation, the heartbeat simulator is operative to simulate the sound and/or feel of a mother's heartbeat. Accordingly, as the above-described embodiments have illustrated, it is preferred to position the heartbeat simulator in an area proximate to the baby's torso region. With reference to FIG. 9, circuit diagram 100 for the heartbeat simulator would be well understood to those ordinarily skilled in the art of electronics. The values for the various components of the circuitry are tabulated below in Table 1.
TABLE 1
RESISTORS (Ω)
R1 10R
R2 100K
R3 4R7
R4 100K
R5 100K
R6 4R7
R7 331R
R8 331R
R9 331R
R10 2.2K
R11 360K
R12 10K
R13 5M1
R14 33K
R15 330K
R16 100K
R17 101
R18 2.2K
R* 0
CAPACITORS (μf)
C1 47/10 V
C2 0.1
C3 100/16 V
C4 —
C5 104
C6 104
C7 104
C8 0.1
TRANSISTORS
Q1 S8550
Q2 S8550
Q3 S8550
Q4 C945
Q5 A733
DIODES
D1 1N4148
LDM LED
LDS LED
LOGIC
U1 AM4ED0097
MISC
AM Switch
AS Switch
POWER 4.5 V
MIC1 ~50 dB
J1 Electromagnet
Some of the principal components for the electronic circuitry 100 are briefly discussed to illustrate how they relate to the construction of the simulator 20 discussed above, for example with reference to FIGS. 2 and 7. There are two push buttons 34 and 36 which activate the device to place it in one of three modes as will be described below in FIGS. 10(a)-(c). Once depressed, these buttons activate LED's. More particularly, when the larger heart-shaped button 38 is depressed, it results in the illumination of LED 38. Similarly, when the smaller heart-shaped button 36 is depressed, it results in the illumination of LED 37. Depending on the mode of operation which is selected, as determined by the sequence of buttons pushed, an electromagnet 102 will be activated to pulse at a selected frequency simulating that of a typical heartbeat. The structure of this electromagnet 102 is more particularly shown in FIG. 9 where it may be seen that electromagnet includes a coil 104 and an aluminum yoke 106 having mounting fingers 107. A steel strike plate 108 is disposed on a lower portion of the yoke and a thin layer of bumper padding (not shown) may be interposed between the strike plate and the coil to muffle noise as coil is energized at a selected pulse rate.
Referring again to FIG. 9, if the heartbeat simulator enters into a listening mode, a microphonic device 104, such as a condenser microphone, is provided to detect any sounds of the baby crying. The microphone's signal is amplified by amplifier sub-circuit 109 which serves to reactivate the pulsating vibration of electromagnet 102. A programmable integrated circuit chip 103 is powered by a suitable power supply, provided by three 1.5-volt batteries housed within the housing's battery compartment 25 (FIG. 8). Chip 104 is preferably a programmable microcontroller which provides the logic for the various modes of operation described in FIGS. 10(a)-10(c). To this end, chip 104 may be part no. AM4ED0097 available from Shenzhen Zesen Science & Technology Co., Ltd. With initial reference to FIG. 10(a), a first mode of operation 110 is described. First mode 110 begins at 112 upon activation of small button 36 which causes the heartbeat simulator to begin beating at 114. In FIG. 8, this corresponds to pnp transistor subcircuit 105 driving electromagnet 102. The device operates at 100% power for ten minutes and then begins to fade until the unit shuts off after twelve minutes. During the tenth minute, the device operates at 75% power, 50% power during the eleventh minute, and then shuts off. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that once the device begins to beat at 114, a timer is started, and when a determination is made at 116 as to whether the time interval (preferably twelve minutes) has elapsed or the small button is activated again, the device will turn off at 118.
In the second mode 120 diagrammed in FIG. 10(b), activation of the large button at 124 causes the device to enter into a listening state 126. When in the listening state, if the large button is again activated at 128, the device turns off 130. Otherwise, the device sits idle to determine at 132 if noise has been detected, namely the baby crying. If a cry is detected, the device then beats at 134 for the selected time interval until that interval has elapsed at 136. Once the interval has elapsed, the device reenters the listening state 126 and the process is repeated.
Finally, a third mode of operation is diagrammed in FIG. 10(c). Third mode 140 begins upon activation of the small button at 142 followed by activation of the large button at 144. Following this button sequence, the device begins to beat at 146 until the internal timer discussed above has elapsed at 148. At this point, the device enters the listening state 150. Once in the listening state, if the large button is again activated at 152, the device is turned off at 154. Otherwise, the device waits for noise detection at 156. Once noise is detected, the device again starts to beat at 146.
Accordingly, the present invention has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the exemplary embodiments thereof. It should be appreciated, though, that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so that modifications or changes may be made to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained herein.
