U.S. patent application number 11/676809 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-20 for powered rocking base for infant car seat.
Invention is credited to Kelly Molden Dodder, Paul Anthony Dodder.
Application Number | 20070214568 11/676809 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38516193 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070214568 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dodder; Paul Anthony ; et
al. |
September 20, 2007 |
Powered Rocking Base for Infant Car Seat
Abstract
A powered rocking base for a typical molded plastic infant car
seat to allow the infant car seat to attach to the rocking base and
facilitate a rocking motion of the base and infant car seat. The
rocking base attaches to typical molded plastic infant car seats
currently in production. The rocking base provides side-mounted
friction knobs that allow for secure attachment of a typical molded
plastic infant car seat. A power unit is mounted within a housing
on the underside of the rocking base. The rocking motion is
provided by a mechanical rotating weight inside the housing that is
weighted eccentrically and rotates in a horizontal plane, creating
a fore and aft rocking motion.
Inventors: |
Dodder; Paul Anthony;
(Bridgeport, CT) ; Dodder; Kelly Molden;
(Bridgeport, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Paul Anthony Dodder
466 Courtland Avenue
Bridgeport
CT
06605
US
|
Family ID: |
38516193 |
Appl. No.: |
11/676809 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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60776902 |
Feb 17, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47D 9/04 20130101; A47D
13/102 20130101; A47D 13/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/107 |
International
Class: |
A47D 9/04 20060101
A47D009/04 |
Claims
1. A powered rocking base for a commercially produced typical
molded plastic infant car seat secures the infant car seat to the
rocking base and creates a fore and aft rocking motion of the base
and infant car seat combined. The powered rocking base comprising
of: a. Concave runners connected by a floor which a typical molded
infant car seat rests. b. Friction knobs mounted on either side of
the rocker secure the typical molded plastic infant car seat to the
base. c. The speed of the power unit with mechanical rotating
weight is adjustable. d. Our powered rocking base for a typical
molded plastic infant car seat is comprised of a reduced number of
pieces to achieve fore and aft rocking motion.
2. An improved powered rocking system for a typical molded plastic
car seat currently in production that uses rotating weight is
superior to a rocking system that uses leverage against the floor
because the rocking motion will be more natural and unforced.
3. Our powered rocking base for a typical molded plastic infant car
seat requires no modifications of the infant carrier seat to which
it will rock.
Description
REFERENCES CITED
[0001] TABLE-US-00001 3,851,343 March 1974 Kinslow, Jr. 5/109
4,656,680 April 1987 Wilson 5/108 4,911,499 May 1990 Meeker 294/260
4,985,949 January 1991 Jantz 5/109 5,277,472 January 1994 Freese et
al. 297/130 5,342,113 August 1994 Wu 297/260 5,860,698 January 1999
Asenstorfer et al. 297/260
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of Invention
[0003] This invention relates to rocking devices for a typical
molded plastic infant car seat, specifically; a rocking base which
secures a typical molded plastic infant car seat to achieve fore
and aft rocking motion.
[0004] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0005] A typical molded plastic infant car seat acts as the primary
method of transportation for an infant. Infants tend to sleep in
their infant car seats as a result of the motion from the
automobile. Transporting a sleeping infant from a car to inside a
home can be easily achieved by removing the infant car seat from
the automobile and carrying it inside the home. The infant car seat
can be placed anywhere inside the home but because of the sudden
lack of motion, the infant usually awakes. The need for a device in
the home that can accommodate and secure a typical molded plastic
infant car seat and provide continuous motion of the infant car
seat is necessary so that the simulated motion can continue to help
an infant sleep.
[0006] Exhausted parents will often take their baby on an
automobile ride for the sake of helping the infant fall asleep.
They may also place the infant in their typical molded plastic
infant car seat at home and manually rock the infant car seat so
that the infant falls asleep. Because the majority of commercially
produced typical molded plastic infant car seats are comprised of a
one piece molded plastic body and a rounded base, a fore and aft
rocking motion of the seat can be accomplished by holding the top
or bottom edge of the infant car seat and slowly pressing up and
down. A need for a device that accomplishes this rocking motion
automatically is desirable, as well as a device that can
accommodate any typical molded infant plastic car seat currently
offered.
[0007] Today, parents have many options to choose from when
purchasing a rocking device for soothing a baby, however; there is
currently not one device on the market that adapts to a typical
molded plastic infant car seat to achieve a soothing fore and aft
rocking motion. The use of one rocking device which accommodates
any typical molded plastic infant car seat simplifies the need for
multiple swinging, gliding or rocking devices for parents.
[0008] A rocking device has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,985,949 (1991) to Jantz. Although the device as described does
rock a typical plastic molded infant car seat, it is insufficient
for the following reasons: [0009] A) The device uses leverage
against the floor, rather than rotating weight, which we feel is
less natural and forced. [0010] B) The device lacks a mechanism to
secure the typical plastic molded infant car seat.
[0011] Similarly in U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,698 (1999) to Asenstorfer
et al., the device uses a lift drive rather than rotating
weight.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,680 (1987) to Wilson, depicts a device
that produces oscillating motion for a combined base and carrier on
a horizontal plane rather than fore and aft rocking motion. Our
device is not limited to a single typical molded plastic infant car
seat.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,472 (1994) to Freese et al, discloses a
multi-functional device which functions as an infant carrier, a
glider, or a car seat used in transporting an infant in an
automobile, however; this device, when functioning as a glider,
swings relative to its base as it is suspended by support members.
For this device to properly function, the infant car seat must be
mated with its base as a combined unit.
[0014] Our powered rocking base for a typical molded plastic infant
car seat operates in a fore and aft rocking motion rather than a
swinging motion. Our device can be paired with multiple types of
typical molded plastic infant car seats. Also, we are making no
claims that our device, when combined with a typical molded plastic
infant car seat, can be used as a safety device for transporting an
infant in an automobile.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,499 (1990) to Meeker, discloses a
stationary platform base for an infant seat. The device is a
stationary platform base that uses a leaf spring to oscillate the
seat attached to the base.
[0016] Our powered rocking base for a typical molded plastic infant
car seat is a base that is not stationary, but rather rocks with
the assistance of a power supply and mechanical rotating weight
housed on the bottom of the base which is weighted eccentrically
and rotates in a horizontal plane, creating a fore and aft rocking
motion.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The purpose of the invention is to provide a rocking
mechanism, for the purpose of soothing an infant, in combination
with a commercially produced typical molded plastic infant car
seat. This type of mechanism is not available in production.
[0018] In brief, a typical molded plastic infant car seat is
lowered onto the powered rocking base for an infant car seat and
secured with the side-mounted friction knobs. Once secured, the
powered rocking base for an infant car seat will be turned on
allowing the powered rocking base for an infant car seat to rock in
a fore and aft motion as the eccentrically weighted mechanical
weight rotates.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a side-to-top view of the powered rocking base for
a typical molded plastic infant car seat.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a front 3/4 view of the powered rocking base for a
typical molded plastic infant car seat with a simulated typical
molded plastic infant car seat attached.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a side view of the powered rocking base for a
typical molded plastic infant car seat.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a bottom-to-side view of the powered rocking base
for a typical molded plastic infant car seat.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a back view of the powered rocking base for a
typical molded plastic infant car seat.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a front view of the powered rocking base for a
typical molded plastic infant car seat.
[0025] FIG. 7 is a sectional top view of the power unit, gears and
weight.
[0026] FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of the power unit, gears,
and weight.
[0027] FIG. 9 is a view of the powered rocking base for a typical
molded plastic infant car seat in motion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] With reference to FIG. 1, the side-to-top view of the
powered rocking base includes side-mounted friction knobs 1, to
secure a typical molded infant car seat, and concave runners 2,
which assist the fore and aft rocking motion of the base. The floor
of the base 3, is a non-slip surface, on which a commercially
available typical molded plastic infant car seat rests. FIG. 2
illustrates a simulated typical molded plastic infant car set 4,
secured to the powered rocking base by friction knobs 1. In FIG. 3,
the side view of the powered rocking base shows a side-mounted
friction knob 1, and concave runners 2, which assist the fore and
aft rocking motion of the base. The bottom view of the powered
rocking base for a typical molded plastic infant car seat in FIG.
4, shows the location of the housing for the power supply and
mechanical rotating weight 5, location where a power cord would
attach to the powered rocking base 6, the location of a variable
speed on/off switch 7, and a location which supports a battery
power supply 8. With reference to FIG. 5, shows the back view of
the powered rocking base, the location where a power cord attaches
to the base 6, and a detailed illustration of the friction knobs 1.
The front view of the powered rocking base in FIG. 6, highlights
the location of a variable speed on/off switch 7, which is attached
to the battery power supply 8. In the sectional top view of FIG. 7,
the power supply 12, with an affixed worm gear 11, rotating a spur
wheel or gear 10, turning the shaft 13, which rotates the
mechanical weight 9. As the mechanical weight rotates on its axis,
the powered rocking base will freely rock fore and aft. FIG. 8, is
the sectional side view of the power supply 12, worm gear 11, spur
wheel or gear 10, shaft 13, and mechanical rotating weight 9. FIG.
9, is the side-to-top view of the powered rocking base depicting
motion by the use of dashed lines 14, illustrating the fore and aft
motion of the rocker.
* * * * *