GB2055592A - Baby-bouncer exercising device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a child support arrangement and a support means for resiliently suspending the child support means from a fixed location, the support means including a resilient member arranged to deform in compression to absorb loadings applied to the support means. The resilient member may be a coil spring and/or a body 16 formed of a number of resilient elements 24 defining air chambers and is supported on a washer 17 of a rod 14 passing through one end wall of a frame 15. A load exerted via flexible members 22 and 23 thereby compresses the body 16. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to exercising devices This invention relates to an exercising device and, more specifically, to the so-called "baby-bouncer" type of child exercising device.

Baby-bouncer type exercising devices are well known in the art and generally comprise a child support arrangement resiliently suspended from a fixed elevated location so that a child, in the support arrangement, is resiliently suspended beneath the fixed elevated location and can exercise by pushing with its feet or toes against the ground to cause the support arrangement to bounce up and down.

The fixed location from which the baby-bouncer is suspended may comprise a special stand or any other relatively fixed elevated location, such as the lintel of a doorway orthe branch of a tree. The actual fixed elevated location for the baby bouncer forms no part of the present invention but it will be understood that the baby-bouncer proposed by the present invention can be suspended from any fixed elevated location capable of supporting a conventional baby-bouncer.

The child support arrangement conventionally comprises a crutch-supporting arrangement depending from a wast band with four flexible members extending from locations spaced around the waist band upwardly to a single suspension point, orto suspension points on a yoke or frame which yoke or frame is itself suspended from a single suspension point.

The resilient suspension may be provided by the flexible members comprising resilient members or by a single resilient member between the "single" suspension point and the "fixed"elevated location but with all the prior art constructions the resilient member or members absorbs loadings on the child support arrangement by extending in tension. Thus, there is always the danger that, in the event of the, or a, resilient member failing under load the resilient member and those parts of the support arrangement supported by the resilient member below the failure can "whip" downwardly and strike the child.

Further, in the eventthatthe rnsilientsupport comprises the four flexible members, failure of one flexible resilient member may allow the child support arrangement to tip, to the detriment of the child whilst with the single resilient support member failure of that support will cause the child, and the bouncer parts beneath the failure, to fall to the ground.

The present invention seeks to provide a babybouncer type exercising device in which the aforementioned disadvantages of the conventional baby-bouncer are avoided.

According to the present invention there is provided an exercising device comprising a child support arrangement and a support means for resiliently suspending the child support means from a fixed location, said support means including a resilient member arranged to deform in compression to absorb loadings applied to the support means.

As a resilient member can only be placed in compression between two opposing surfaces a partial collapse of the resilient member simply allows the said opposing surfaces to come closertogether whereby the support is maintained and, in the event of a complete collapse including loss of the resilient member from between the opposing surfaces, the opposing surfaces will make contact affording a non-resilient support for the child support arrangement. Thus, even the event of a complete collapse and loss of the resilient member, the support of the child support arrangement is maintained.

Preferably the child support arrangement comprises a band, intended to surround the lower trunk regions of the child, and a crutch strap for retaining the child within the band.

In one embodiment the child support arrangement is suspended by a plurality of flexible members from a single anchorage presented by the support means.

In another arrangement the child support arrangement is suspended by a plurality of flexible members from a yoke and said yoke is attached to a single anchorage presented by the support means.

Preferably the device includes means for adjusting the distance between the child support means and said single anchorage and whereby, in use, the height of the child support arrangement can be adjusted.

Preferably said support means includes a rigid frame bounding said resilient member and one end of said resilient member abuts an inner face of said frame, said face being directed towards the said child support means when the device is in use.

Preferably said support means includes a rod with one free end anchorable to said fixed location, conveniently by being hook-shaped, and said rod extends through said frame, to pass through said inner face, and through said resilient member to a support for that end of the resilient member remote from said innerface.

In one embodiment said rigid frame is of rectangu larconfiguration and said innerface is presented by one narrow side part of said frame. In another embodiment said rigid frame comprises a tubular element closed at one end and said rod passes through said closed end.

The resilient member preferably comprises a coil spring or a resilient body or a coil spring in combination with a resilient body.

Preferably the device includes a resilient damper acting in opposition to the said resilient member and, conveniently, the resilient damper comprises a coil spring or a resilient body located on said rod between said rigid frame and an abutment on the said rod externally of said frame.

When the resilient member or the damper comprises a resilient body said body preferably comprises a plurality of resilient elements, in stacked relationship in the direction of compression, each element conveniently defines an air space, and the element, when under compression, seals the air space from atmosphere.

Preferably each said resilient element comprises a body of revolution, including parallel end walls con nected by an axially extending wall which tapers outwardly from said end walls to a maximum diameter in the mid-plane between said end walls.

In use the resilient member is preferably preloaded in compression.

Preferably the child support arrangement comprises a strip of flexible material, forming the front, crutch and back support for the child, with an adjust- able waistband. Four flexible members secured, as by stitching, extend two from the front and two from the back of the said strip.

In a preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention the resilient support is arranged to afford a relatively low frequency of vertical oscillation so that the support cannot attain a frequency which may be detrimental to the child.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows, in front view, the upper part of a baby-bouncer exercising device including a resilient member in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows, on an enlarged scale, a cross-section through part of a resilient body for use with the device of Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 4 shows a view, similar to Fig. 3, with the resi lient body deformed in compression, Fig. 5 shows, in perspective view, a child support arrangementforthe baby-bouncer, Fig. 6 shows, in cross-section, an alternative resi lient support arrangement for an exercising device and, Fig. 7 shows an alternative arrangement for the lowest end of the resilient support illustrated in Fig.

6.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, a baby-bouncer type exercising device is suspended from a ring 11, anchored to a fixed elevated location (not shown), the device attaching to the ring 11 by a hook 12, provided with a safety locking screw 13. The hook 12 is formed on one end of a rod 14 which passes through a clearance hole (not shown) in one end wall of a rectangular metal frame 15, within frame 15 the rod 14 passes axially th rough a resilient body generally indicated by reference numeral 16, and the lower end of rod 14 is threaded to allow a washer 17 beneath the resilient body 16 to be secured by a nut 18 on the end of rod 14.

A belt 19, adjustable in length by a buckle 20, couples the end wall of frame 15 remote from rod 14 with a metal coupling 21 and two flexible members 22 and 23 pass through the coupling 21 and each flexible member 22 and 23 has its two ends secured to a child support arrangement (not shown in Figs. 1 and 2).

It will be seen that with the above described assembly the weight of a child in the child support arrangement and the weight of the child support arrangement in applied via flexible members 22 and 23 to the coupling 21,this load is transmitted through adjustable belt 19, which is adjusted in length as desired to correctly locate the child relative to the floor, and from adjustable belt 19 the entire load on the baby bouncer is applied to the frame 15.

As frame 15 is totally supported by the resilient body 16 and the lower regions of body 16 are supported by the washer 17 and nut l8on anchored rod 14, vertically downward loads applied to the frame 15 cause resilient body 16to be axially compressed between the upper end wall of frame 15 and washer 17.

It will be seen that any partial failure ofthe body 16 will simply allow body 16 to be less effective in absorbing the axial loads so that the body 16 may adopt a reduced axial lengthrwithout adverse effect - on the bouncer or the child. Loathe most extreme case, where the resilient body, 16 completely fails and fails away from the rod 14, the frame 15 will simply displace relative to rod 14 until the washer 17 engages with the upper end wall of frame 15, when the downward movement of frame 15 will be arrested and the bouncer will be simply supported by frame 15 rested on washer 17.Thus, even with a complete failure and removal ofthe resilient body 16 from the baby bouncer, the bouncer will still be fully supported and injurytothe child avoided.

The resilient body 16 comprises a plurality of resilient elements 24, each of which is defined by a body of revolution and each of which comprises two spaced apart generally parallel end walls 25 connected by a wall 26 which extends from each wall 25 axially and radially to an enlarged diameter, indicated by reference numeral 27, in the mid-plane between end walls 25. The end walls 25 are of substantially uniform thickness and the arcuate wall 26 is of generally uniform thickness so that each element 24 defines an internal air chamber 28. The end walls 25 include axial bores 29 through which the rod 14 passes and the bores 29 are of such diameter that the elements 24 readily slide along rod 14 when the elements 24 are unstressed.

When a load is applied to the baby bouncer, so that the body 16 is placed in compression, the elements 24 are axially compressed and the compression force applied to each element 24 and is initially absorbed by deformation ofthe arcuate wall 26 of that element. However, as each element is axially compressed, the volume of its respective air chamber 28 is reduced, reduction in the volume of chamber 28 causes an increase in the air pressure in that chamber 28, and such increase in pressure not only absorbs part of the loading but progressively increases the resistance ofThe element 24 to further axial comprnssion.Thus,,the resistance to axial deformation ofeach element 24 increases as the deformation increases and the resilient body as a whole absorbs loadings thereon partially by deformation of the body material and partially by com- pression ofthe air volumes within the elements 24.

It will be seen that with the above described arrangement a defective element 24 may be replaced by simply unscrewing nut 18, removing washer 17, removing the required elements 24 upto and including the defective element 24 and then reassembling the resilient arrangement to include a new element 24.

Fig. 5 illustrates a child support arrangement for a baby-bouncer and which comprises a crutch part 31, to which the ends of flexible members 22 and 23 are secured as by stitching, and a waistband 32, sewn to the crutch part 31 and having at each side, adjustable length means, illustrated as press-stud fasteners 33.

The child support arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5 is one conventional child support arrangement but any other child support arrangement may be substituted therefor and used with the support means proposed by the present invention.

In the support arrangement illustrated in Fig. 6 the rod 14, with hooked end 12 secured to the fixed ring 11 as by safety screw 13, extends downwardly through a clearance hole 34 in an end wall 35 of a cylinder 36, the hole 34 being concentric with the axis of cylinder 36. Within cylinder 36 the rod 14 passes axially through a coil compression spring 37 and through a washer 38 retained on rod 14 by a nut 39 on the threaded end of rod 14. Thus, the coil spring 37 is contained within cylinder 36 and is axially compressible between end wall 35 and the washer 38.

A coupling 40, attached to the lower regions of cylinder 36 by a bolt 41 passing through cylinder 36, supports the adjustable strap 19.

The rod 14 has a washer 42 secured thereon just below the hooked end 12 and between washer 42 and the end wall 35 the rod 14 passes axially through a resilient body, generally indicated by numeral 43 and comprising three resilient members 24, identical with, and arranged to operate in identical manner to, the resilient elements 24 illustrated and described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

In operation, and with a child in the child support arrangement suspended from adjustable strap 19, loads applied by the child in the downward direction are absorbed by compression of the coil spring 37 and as the child touches the floor, so that the child supports part of its own weight, or the child kicks against the floor to effectively reduce the loading on the support arrangement the reduced loading allows spring 37 to extend raising the child support arrangement with the child therein. Thus, the child can easily set up a "bouncing" oscillation in the device.

Preferably the spring 37 is pre-loaded (axially compressed) by adjusting nut 39 on rod 14 and such pre-loading is balanced by equal compressive loading of the resilient body 43. Thus, if a child in the child support arrangement loads the child support arrangement downwardly the load is absorbed by compression of spring 37 and the cylinder 36 is downwardly displaced relative to the rod 14. When now the loading is reduced the spring 37 extends, thus displacing cylinder 36 and the child support arrangement upwardly relative to rod 14 and, towards the end of the oscillation, the resilient body 43 is compressed between washer 43 and the end wall 35 of cylinder 36, to effectively damping the oscillation.

In the event that the spring 37 becomes damaged, but still retains part of its length effective between washer 39 and end wall 35, the child support arrangement is safely supported and the only ill effects will be that the support means will not have the resilience of an undamaged spring 37 and the mean position for the child support arrangement may be closer to the ground. In the unlikely event that the spring 37 is so damaged it has no effective length between washer 39 and end wall 35 the washer 39 will engage end wall 35 to retain support of the child support arrangement.

In the event that the spring 37 is damaged, or a differently rated spring 37 is to be substituted, it is only necessary to remove the bolt 41,separate the cylinder 36 from the coupling 40, and the cylinder 36 can be pushed up the rod 14to allow access to the nut 39. With nut 39 removed, washer 38 can be removed from rod 14, the spring 37, or the remains of spring 37 can be removed, and the new spring fitted on rod 14, followed by re-application ofwasher 38 and tensioning of the new spring 37 by nut 39 on rod 14.

Fig. 7 shows a modification to the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6 and whereby two resilient elements 24 are inserted between spring 37 and washer 38 to provide a damping in the event that the child is able to bounce so high that the spring 37 attains maximum contraction.

It will now be appreciated that the resilient member may comprise a coil compression spring, such as spring 37, a resilient body such as body 16, our a combination of a spring 37 and resilient elements 24.

Whilst the present invention has been described by way of example with reference to specific embodiments the invention is not limited thereto and any baby-bouncer exercising device which includes a resilient means comprising a resilient body adapted to absorb loadings on the baby-bouncer by compression must lie within the scope of this invention.

Claims (20)

1. An exercising device comprising a child support arrangement and a support means for resiliently suspending the child support means from a fixed location, said support means including a resilient member arranged to deform in compression to absorb loadings applied to the support means.

2. An exercising device as claimed in claim 1 in which the child support arrangement comprises a band intended to surround the lower trunk regions of the child and a crutch strap for retaining the child within the said band.

3. An exercising device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the child support arrangement is suspended by a plurality of flexible members from a single anchorage presented by the support means.

4. An exercising device as claimed in claim 1 or2 in which the child support arrangement is suspended by a plurality of flexible members from a yoke and said yoke is attached to a single anchorage presented by the support means.

5. An exercising device as claimed in claim 3 or4 including means for adjusting the distance between the child support means and said single anchorage.

6. An exercising device as claimed in any preceding claim in which said support means includes a rigid frame bounding said resilient member and one end of said resilient member abuts an inner face of said frame, said face being directed towards the said child support means when the device is in use.

7. An exercising device as claimed in claim 6 in which said support means includes a rod with one free end anchorable to said fixed location, said rod extending through said frame to pass through said inner face and through said resilient memberto a support for that end of the resilient member remote from said innerface.

8. An exercising device as claimed in claim 6 or7 in which said rigid frame is of rectangular configuration and said inner face is presented by one narrow side part of said frame.

9. An exercising device as claimed in claim 6 or 7 in which said rigid frame comprises a tubular element, closed at one end and said rod passes through said closed end.

10. An exercising device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the resilient member comprises a coil spring.

11. An exercising device as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 9 inclusive in which the resilient member comprises a resilient body.

12. An exercising device as claimed in claim 10 or 11 in which the resilient member comprises a coil spring in combination with a resilient body.

13. An exercising device as claimed in any preceding claim including a resilientdamperacting in opposition to the said resilient member.

14. An exercising device as claimed in claim 13 when dependent upon claim 7 in which the resilient damper is located on said rod between said rigid frame and an abutment on the said rod externally of said frame.

15. An exercising device as claimed in claim 13 or 14 in which said resilient damper comprises a coil spring or a resilient body.

16. An exercising device as claimed in claim 11, 12 or 15 in which said resilient body comprises a plurality of resilient elements in stacked relationship in the direction of compression.

17. An exercising device as claimed in claim 16 in which each resilient element defines an air space and the element, when under compression, seals the air space from atmosphere.

18. An exercising device as claimed in claim 16 or 17 in which each resilient element comprises a body of revolution including parallel end walls connected by an axially extending wall which tapers outwardly from said end walls to a maximum diameter in the mid-plane between said end walls.

19. An exercising device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the resilient member is preloaded in compression.

20. An exercising device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.