Child sleeping and rocking apparatuses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9693639-B2
Application number	US-201514722338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2015
Priority date	May 29, 2014
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A child-supporting device including a child-seat assembly mounted to and supported by a rocker frame assembly. The seat assembly includes a backrest, a footrest, or both, pivotably adjustable between reclined and inclined positions. A recline adjustment mechanism is operable to selectively lock the seat in the reclined or inclined position for use, then release the seat for pivotal adjustment to the other position. In some embodiments, a linkage interconnects the backrest and the footrest so that pivoting one of them synchronously pivots the other one. And in some embodiments, the footrest is detachable and a quick connect/disconnect mechanism is provided that permits operation of the recline adjustment mechanism when the footrest is attached.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for supporting a child above a support surface, comprising:
a support-frame assembly configured to rest on the support surface;
a child-seat assembly mounted to the support-frame assembly, supported above the support surface, and adapted to hold the child, wherein the child-seat assembly includes at least one child-supporting floor portion that is pivotal between a reclined position and an inclined position, wherein the child-seat assembly includes a seat enclosure that holds the child and a seat frame that supports the seat enclosure and is mounted to and supported by the support-frame assembly, and wherein the seat frame includes a pivotal child-supporting seat-frame portion supporting the pivotal child-supporting seat-floor portion;
a connect/disconnect mechanism including releasably mating connection elements that permit the child-supporting seat-frame portion to be detached from the child-supporting apparatus; and
a recline adjustment mechanism that is selectively operable to lock the child-seat assembly in the reclined position and the inclined position and to release the child-seat assembly so that it can be adjusted between the reclined position and the inclined position, the recline adjustment mechanism including at least one actuator, at least one latch mechanism having at least one lock member movable between a lock position and a release position, and a connection element extending between the actuator and the at least one lock member so that activating the actuator moves the at least one lock member between the lock and release positions.

2. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one child-supporting floor portion comprises a footrest portion and a backrest portion of the child-seat assembly.

3. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising linkage connecting the footrest portion and the backrest portion of the child-seat assembly for synchronous motion so that, with the child-seat assembly in the reclined position, pivoting the footrest portion downward to the inclined position causes the backrest portion to pivot upward to the inclined position.

4. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the linkage includes a connecting member pivotally connected between a pivotal footrest stub or crank arm extending from and pivotal about a pivot of the footrest portion and a pivotal backrest stub or crank arm extending and pivotal about a pivot of from the backrest portion.

5. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a lever having at least one ramped cam and at least one shuttle having at least one follower that engages and rides long the ramped cam, wherein the shuttle is attached to the connection element that is in turn attached to the at least one lock member, and wherein pivoting the lever causes the ramped cam to displace the shuttle which in turn cause the at least one lock member to displace from the lock position to the release position.

6. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one latch mechanism includes a catch member mounted to the support-frame assembly and the at least one lock member is mounted to and linearly reciprocates relative to the child-seat assembly between the lock position and the release position.

7. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the at least one lock member includes at least one engagement element and the catch member includes at least one engagement element that is engaged by the at least one lock member engagement element in the lock position and that is not engaged by the at least one lock member engagement element in the release position.

8. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lock member of the at least one latch mechanism includes two detachable lock-member portions adapted to provide for recline-adjustment locking and releasing of the child-supporting seat-frame portion, and further comprising two releasably mating retainer elements adapted to provide for structural support of the child-supporting seat-frame portion.

9. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lock member of the at least one latch mechanism includes a first lock member portion coupled to the child-supporting seat-frame portion and a second lock member portion coupled to another part of the child-supporting apparatus, wherein the first lock member portion defines a first one of the releasably mating connection elements and the second lock member portion defines a second one of the releasably mating connection elements.

10. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support-frame assembly includes a base frame and a pedestal support frame mounted to and extending above the base frame, the base frame is configured for resting on the support surface, the seat assembly includes a seat enclosure that holds the child and a seat frame that supports the seat enclosure and is mounted to the pedestal support frame, the pedestal support frame or the seat frame includes an extension member that extends above and supports the seat enclosure in suspension, the seat enclosure includes a seat floor that supports the child and a sidewall extending between the seat floor and the extension member, and the sidewall is made of a flexible material so that when the seat floor is pivoted from the reclined position upward, closer to the extension member, into the inclined position, then the sidewall folds and collapses.

11. The child-supporting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support-frame assembly includes an arcuate rocking base frame configured for rocking on the support surface and a rock-stopping mechanism adjustable between a blocking position preventing the rocking motion and a clear position permitting the rocking motion.

12. An apparatus for supporting a child above a support surface, comprising:
a support-frame assembly including an arcuate rocking base frame configured for rocking on the support surface, a rock-stopping mechanism adjustable between a blocking position preventing the rocking motion and a clear position permitting the rocking motion;
a child-seat assembly mounted to the support-frame assembly, supported above the support surface, and adapted to hold the child, wherein the child-seat assembly includes a seat frame supporting a seat enclosure, the seat frame includes a foot-supporting seat-frame portion and a head-supporting seat-frame portion that are each pivotal between a reclined position and an inclined position, the seat enclosure includes a floor and a peripheral sidewall extending between the floor and an extension frame member, and the seat-enclosure sidewall is made of a flexible material so that when the foot-supporting seat-frame portion is pivoted from the reclined position upward toward the extension member and into the inclined position then the sidewall folds and collapses;
a linkage connecting the foot-supporting seat-frame portion and the head-supporting seat-frame portion of the child-seat assembly for synchronous motion so that, with the child-seat assembly in the reclined position, pivoting the foot-supporting seat-frame portion downward to the inclined position causes the head-supporting seat-frame portion to pivot upward to the inclined position; and
a recline adjustment mechanism that is selectively operable to lock the child-seat assembly in the reclined position and the inclined position and to release the child-seat assembly so that it can be adjusted between the reclined position and the inclined position, the recline adjustment mechanism including at least one actuator, at least one latch mechanism having at least one

Assignees

• Kids Ii Inc

Inventors

• Corso Daniel
• Lange Eric A

Classifications

• A47D9/053

  with curved rocking member · CPC title

• A47D13/102 Primary

  with curved rocking members resting on the ground · CPC title

• A47D9/02

  with rocking mechanisms · CPC title

• A47D9/016

  capable of being suspended from, or attached to, other articles or structures, e.g. adult's bed · CPC title