GB2579770A

GB2579770A - Improvements in or relating to wheeled child carriers

Info

Publication number: GB2579770A
Application number: GB1817591.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harold Jonas John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-10-29
Filing date: 2018-10-29
Publication date: 2020-07-08
Also published as: GB201817591D0

Abstract

An apparatus for inducing an undulating motion to a wheeled child carrier being pushed along a surface. The apparatus may be in the form of a surface 11 having an irregular upper surface, which may include an undulating series of transverse ribs 13 or a series of projections 12, 14. The ribs may be spaced uniformly or spaced in pairs. The projections may be spaced irregularly about the surface. A portion of the surface of the apparatus may be resistant to compression. Another embodiment of the invention is in the form of an attachment (20, see fig. 4) for a wheel (22) of a wheeled child carrier in which the attachment provides an irregular profile to the wheel for inducing an undulating motion. The attachment may comprise a hub having a plurality of radial arms.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO WHEELED CHILD CARRIERS

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to wheeled child carriers, in particular to child carriers of the type referred to as prams, pushchairs, buggies, strollers and the like.

Many parents will have spent long nights endeavouring to encourage their baby to fall asleep by rocking them in their arms. Typically, when the parents' arms begin to tire, the baby is placed in a pram and pushed up and down a room in the home in an attempt to encourage sleep. However, floors in the home are usually smooth and do not give rise to the same rocking motion. As a result, the parent often resorts to taking the baby in its pram outside for a walk along the uneven surfaces of the garden or the street. At night-time, the parent may be in their night clothes, such that leaving the home for a mid-night walk also involves a degree of dressing for an outdoor walk, especially if the weather is cold or wet, for example.

The present invention seeks to provide a solution to this problem.

Accordingly, in its broadest aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for inducing an undulating motion to a wheeled child carrier being pushed along a surface.

In a first aspect, the apparatus is in the form of a mat having an irregular upper surface.

In one embodiment, the upper surface includes an undulating series of transverse ribs or similar formations.

Preferably, the ribs are uniformly spaced.

Suitably, the ribs are uniformly spaced in pairs.

Preferably, the ribs have a uniform height from a base of the apparatus.

In an alternative embodiment, the upper surface comprises a series of projections. Suitably, the projections are spaced irregularly about the upper surface of the mat.

Preferably, the mat includes a plurality of tracks, wherein each track has a different design of upper surface from an adjacent track.

Suitably, at least one of the plurality of tracks is substantially planar.

Preferably, at least a portion of the irregular upper surface is resistant to compression by the wheeled child carrier.

Preferably, the tracks are generally straight.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides an attachment for a wheel of a wheeled child carrier, wherein the attachment provides an irregular profile to the wheel.

In one embodiment, the attachment is attachable to the wheel by means of a frictional or clip-on fit to the wheel.

Preferably, the attachment comprises a hub having a plurality of radial arms extending therefrom, each arm extending transversely over the tread area of the wheel.

Suitably, the plurality of arms are spaced uniformly about the hub.

Optionally, the attachment comprises a plurality of attachment elements, each attachment element comprising a plurality of radial arms extending from a respective hub and extending transversely over the tread area of the wheel.

Preferably, the plurality of attachment elements are radially adjustable with respect to each other.

In an alternative embodiment, the attachment comprises a carrier having a resilient member for fitting over the wheel wherein the carrier is provided with at least one mass mounted thereto.

Preferably, the attachment includes a plurality of masses.

Suitably, the masses have a range of sizes.

Preferably, the masses are distributed randomly about the carrier. Preferably, the carrier is formed of a net or mesh material.

The above and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention; Figure 2 shows cross-sectional views along lines A-A, B-B and C-C of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention; Figure 4 is a sequence of front views of an embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention being applied to a wheel of a wheeled child carrier; Figure 5 is a sequence of side views of the embodiment of Figure 4 applied to a wheel showing rotational adjustment.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown an apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention in the form of rectangular mat 11 having an upper surface in which are formed a plurality of discrete paths 12, 13 14. The paths shown are substantially parallel and run from one end of the mat 11 to an opposite end. In the embodiment shown, between each of the paths 12,13,14 is a substantially planar path 16.

First path 12 provides a generally randomly-undulating pattern between the two ends of the mat 11. It simulates a randomly varying surface. Second path 13 comprises regularly-spaced transverse ribs formed along the path. This arrangement has the effect of inducing regular, but small, vibrations on the pram or pushchair. In alternative embodiments, not shown, the ribs are arranged in pairs with two ribs relatively close together and with a greater spacing between the next pair of ribs. With this arrangement, a two-pulse undulating motion is generated, similar to a heartbeat. Third path 14 provides a regular sinusoidal varying surface, to generate a gentle up and down motion. Typical cross-sections of the randomly-varying path 12, the rib surface path 13 and the sinusoidally-varying path 14 are shown in Figure 2 as Figures 2A, 2B and 2C respectively.

In use, the wheels on one side of a pram or pushchair are placed on a particular path and the carrier is pushed from one end of the path to the other and back, so that the wheels or at least one wheel moves over the shaped surface. The undulating movement over the shaped surface is transferred to the pram and are found to be comforting and encourage the baby or child to fall asleep.

The mat is suitably made of a flexible material so that it is light and may be folded or rolled up for easy storage. The material should be generally resilient to deformation by the wheels of the pram. Foamed rubber or plastics materials are suitable.

Although the embodiment shows three paths having different undulating surface profiles, other embodiments may include other numbers of paths. For example, a single path mat may be appropriate for smaller homes with less available floor space. The wheels on one side of the pram will run along the path of the mat and the wheels on the other side of the pram will run along the floor. This will induce the same side-to-side rocking motion as the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

A further embodiment is shown in Figure 3 in which two undulating paths are provided. This embodiment may be of a width such that all the wheels of the pram can be placed on the mat, in which case a different undulating rhythm can be imparted to each side of the pram, or it can be used with one side of the pram having its wheels on the mat and the other side having its wheels on the floor.

The mat should be of a size which makes the mat manageable in terms of storage and deployment which also being sufficiently large to achieve the desired effect. A size of 60 cm by 60 cm has been found to be suitable.

It will be appreciated that many alternative designs to provide an undulating surface are suitable, include a combination of undulations, as shown in the first and third paths, with transverse ribs as shown in the second path.

An embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the second aspect of the invention is shown in Figures 4A, 4B and 4C and in Figures 5A, SB and SC. The apparatus comprises a collar 21 having a central body 20 from which extend a plurality of radial arms 23. Each radial arm 23 extends, in use, parallel to the side face of a wheel 22 to the rim 26 of the wheel. Each arm 23 terminates in a finger portion 25 which extends generally at right angles to the arms 23 across the tread area of the wheel. The apparatus is formed so that the finger portions 25 resiliently engage the rim and is typically made from a resilient plastics material which is deformable so that the apparatus can be simply pushed into position over the wheel.

Effectively, the fingers form a discontinuous collar around the circumference of the wheel. Thus the wheel has effectively a first radius where the wheel itself engages the ground and a second, and slightly greater, radius where the finger portions 25 engage the ground. Figure 4B and Figure 5A show the collar means 21 engaged over the wheel 22.

In this embodiment the collar means 21 has six arms but three or more arms would function in the same manner. As the pram is pushed or pulled and the wheel or wheels to which the apparatus is attached rotates, a bumping or undulating motion is imparted to the pram.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus comprises two such elements, one mounted to the other, as shown in Figure 4 and Figures 5B and SC. A second collar 24 fits over the collar 21 of the first element to engage the wheel 22, such that the arms and fingers of the second collar are interposed between those of the first collar 21. This is illustrated in Figures 4C, SB and SC. The first collar 21 and the second collar 24 are rotatable with respect to each other so that the relative angular positions of the first and second radii are varied. For example, in the arrangement shown in Figure 5B, the first collar 21 and the second collar 24 are spaced equally to produce an up and down motion having twice the frequency of the first collar means 21 on its own. Alternatively. The two collars 21, 22 may be positioned more closely together as shown in Figure SC, to produce a double pulse or heartbeat-pattern of undulating movement.

Motion may be induced to the pram with a single collar or pair of collars 21 attached to a single wheel of the pram or by means of sets of collars attached to two or more wheels, suitably in diagonally opposite or adjacent (whether on the same axle or on the same side of the pram) to induce an undulating motion, both front-to-back and side-to-side, to the pram as it is moved backwards and forwards on any surface, including on an entirely flat surface.

In an alternative embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention (not shown), the apparatus is formed of a carrier having a resilient member for fitting over the wheel wherein the carrier is provided with at least one mass mounted thereto. The carrier is advantageously formed of a sheet material, such as a polymeric sheet or a net or mesh material and is attachable to the wheel of a pram by means of elastic straps, preferably by virtue of the carrier material being formed substantially circularly and having a circular elastic trap mounted to the circumference of the carrier material.

In preferred embodiments, the attachment includes a plurality of masses, preferably having a range of sizes, optionally distributed randomly about the carrier material to create the effect of pushing the pram over an uneven surface.

The mass or masses may be stones or moulded synthetic materials. The masses may be glued to the carrier material or, where appropriate, moulded with the carrier material.

Claims

CLAIMS1 An apparatus for inducing an undulating motion to a wheeled child carrier being pushed along a surface.
2 An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is in the form of a mat having an irregular upper surface.
3 An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the upper surface includes an undulating series of transverse ribs or similar formations.
4 An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the ribs are uniformly spaced.
5 An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the ribs are uniformly spaced in pairs.
6 An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein the ribs have a uniform height from a base of the apparatus.
7 An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least a portion of the upper surface comprises a series of projections.
8 An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the projections are spaced irregularly about the upper surface of the mat.
9 An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the mat includes a plurality of tracks, wherein each track has a different design of upper surface from an adjacent track.
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least one of the plurality of tracks is substantially planar.
11 An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least a portion of the irregular upper surface is resistant to compression by the wheeled child carrier.
12 An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein the tracks are generally straight.
13 An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises an attachment for a wheel of a wheeled child carrier, wherein the attachment provides an irregular profile to the wheel.
14 An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the attachment is attachable to the wheel by means of a frictional or clip-on fit to the wheel.
An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14 wherein the attachment comprises a hub having a plurality of radial arms extending therefrom, each arm extending transversely over the tread area of the wheel.
16 An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the plurality of arms are spaced uniformly about the hub.
17 An apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the attachment comprises a plurality of attachment elements, each attachment element comprising a plurality of radial arms extending from a respective hub and extending transversely over the tread area of the wheel.
18 An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the plurality of attachment elements are radially or rotationally adjustable with respect to each other.
19 An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 18 wherein the attachment comprises a carrier having a resilient member for fitting over the wheel wherein the carrier is provided with at least one mass mounted thereto.
An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein the attachment includes a plurality of masses.
21 An apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein the masses have a range of sizes.
22 An apparatus as claimed in claim 20 or claim 21 wherein the masses are distributed randomly about the carrier.
23 An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 22 wherein the carrier is formed of a net or mesh material.