US20120100776A1 - Children's entertainment device - Google Patents
Children's entertainment device Download PDFInfo
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- US20120100776A1 US20120100776A1 US13/279,001 US201113279001A US2012100776A1 US 20120100776 A1 US20120100776 A1 US 20120100776A1 US 201113279001 A US201113279001 A US 201113279001A US 2012100776 A1 US2012100776 A1 US 2012100776A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- children
- drive shaft
- stepper motor
- drive
- entertainment device
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H33/00—Other toys
- A63H33/006—Infant exercisers, e.g. for attachment to a crib
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H29/00—Drive mechanisms for toys in general
- A63H29/22—Electric drives
Definitions
- Various embodiments of the present invention described herein generally relate to children's entertainment devices and, in particular, to a drive system for a children's entertainment device that imparts rotational motion to an entertaining element.
- motorized children's mobiles typically include a support structure configured to suspend a rotating element above a child support surface, such as a crib.
- the rotating element may comprise various visual stimuli, such as figurines and other decorative objects.
- the rotating element is powered by a motor configured to continuously rotate the rotating element and its visual stimuli in order to entertain a child.
- Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a children's entertainment device comprising at least one support member, a rotatable entertaining element suspended from the at least one support member, and a drive system configured to impart rotational motion to the entertaining element.
- the drive system comprises a stepper motor configured for rotating a drive member in a stepped rotational motion, and a damper operatively connected between the drive member and the entertaining element.
- the damper is configured for at least partially damping the stepped rotational motion generated by the stepper motor and for rotating the entertaining element.
- the stepper motor is configured for rotating the drive member in incremental steps at a frequency that causes the entertaining element to rotate continuously.
- the stepper motor is configured for rotating the drive member in incremental steps at a frequency that causes the entertaining element to rotate with a substantially constant angular velocity.
- FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a children's entertainment mobile according to one embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a drive system for a children's entertainment mobile according to one embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 3 shows a cutaway side view of the drive system of FIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 4 shows a drive shaft according to one embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 5 shows a mating member according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 shows a graph indicating the rotation of a stepper motor and an entertaining element according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a children's entertainment device having a stepper motor drive system configured to drive a rotatable entertaining element.
- the stepper motor consumes less power than a typical electric motor (e.g., a brushed DC motor) due to its low duty cycle, and is generally smaller and lighter than a typical brushed DC motors.
- stepper motors output rotational motion in intermittent rotational steps, which can result in a jerky motion if applied directly to the entertaining element.
- a damper is provided between the stepper motor's drive shaft and the entertaining element in order to at least partially damp the intermittent rotational motion output by the stepper motor.
- the stepper motor is able to smoothly and continuously rotate the entertaining element.
- various embodiments of the stepper motor drive system may be incorporated into a variety of children's entertainment devices, such as rotating crib mobiles and entertainment devices attached to jumpers, bouncers, strollers, play yards, and the like.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a children's entertainment mobile 5 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- the mobile 5 is generally comprised of a base 20 , support arm 30 , and an entertaining element 40 .
- base 20 is generally configured for supporting the support arm 30 and entertaining element 40 , and may include an attachment device configured for securing the base 20 to the railing of a children's crib, such as that described in U.S. application Ser. No. 13/224,161, which is incorporated herein by reference.
- the support arm 30 is generally configured to act as a support member for the entertaining element 40 and support for a drive system configured for rotating the entertaining element.
- the support arm 30 is affixed to an upper portion of the base 20 and extends upwardly and outwardly in order to suspend the entertaining element 40 above a children's support surface, such as the floor of a crib.
- the entertaining element 40 is a children's mobile comprised of a conical canopy 44 suspended from an upper support member 42 by a plurality of strings 46 .
- the entertaining element 40 includes a plurality of figurines 48 suspended from the conical canopy 44 .
- the entertaining element 40 is removably secured to a drive system positioned predominately within a housing 32 at the upper end of the support arm 30 .
- the drive system is configured to automatically rotate the entertaining element 40 —and thereby its canopy 44 and Figurines 48 —in order to entertain a child (e.g., a child positioned in a crib to which the base 20 is attached).
- the entertaining element can take many different forms based on design preferences, and may include multiple moving or stationary elements.
- FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of various components of a drive system 10 configured for automatically rotating the mobile's entertaining element 40 according to one embodiment.
- the drive system 10 comprises a stepper motor 110 , a drive shaft 120 , a compression spring 130 , a retaining plate 140 , a mating member 150 , and a damping member 160 .
- the drive system 10 is positioned predominately within a housing 32 at the upper end of the mobile's support arm 30 .
- the housing 32 includes an upper housing member 102 and a lower housing member 104 , which may be joined together to form an enclosure in which the drive system 10 predominately resides.
- FIG. 3 shows a cutaway view of the drive system 10 assembled within the housing 32 and connected to the entertaining element's upper support member 42 .
- the stepper motor 110 is secured to an interior portion of the upper housing member 102 (e.g., by screws, clips, or other attachment devices).
- the stepper motor 110 can be a unipolar or bipolar stepper motor, and can be configured for rotating clockwise, counterclockwise, or both.
- the stepper motor 110 can be configured to change directions in order to provide reciprocating swinging motion.
- the stepper motor 110 can be powered by any suitable power source (e.g., batteries, a connection to an AC power outlet).
- the stepper motor 110 is configured for rotating an output shaft 112 in intermittent rotational steps.
- the output shaft 112 acts as a drive member outputting the rotation generated by the stepper motor 110 .
- the drive system 10 includes an integrated circuit configured to control the stepper motor 110 such that the output shaft 112 rotates clockwise 7.5 degrees every 417 milliseconds (i.e., 48 “steps” per revolution at a speed of three revolutions per minute).
- the speed and step range of the stepper motor 110 may be adjusted according to user preferences.
- FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the drive shaft 120 according to one embodiment.
- the drive shaft 120 comprises an elongated cylindrical body 122 defining a central cavity 124 .
- the drive shaft's central cavity 124 extends longitudinally into the drive shaft 120 .
- the drive shaft 120 also includes a circular flange 126 , which extends outwardly around a medial portion of the drive shaft's body 122 .
- the drive shaft 120 includes an engagement ball 125 , which is positioned at the lower end of the drive shaft's body 122 and has a hexagonal cross section.
- the stepper motor's output shaft 112 is positioned within the drive shaft's central cavity 124 and affixed to the drive shaft 120 such that the drive shaft 120 cannot be moved with respect to the output shaft 112 .
- the drive shaft 120 rotates with the output shaft 112 such that both components rotate simultaneously in the same increments and at the same angular speed.
- the rotation of the drive shaft 120 is synchronous with the output shaft 112 .
- the drive shaft 120 may be connected to the output shaft 112 using various attachment mechanisms or methods according to various embodiments.
- FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the mating member 150 according to one embodiment.
- the mating member 150 comprises an upper plate 151 and an elongated body 152 extending downwardly from the upper plate 151 .
- the upper plate 151 defines a pair of shoulders 153 , which extend outwardly past the elongated body 152 .
- the mating member's elongated body 152 defines a hexagonal cavity 154 , which extends longitudinally into the center of the body 152 and has a hexagonal cross-section.
- the elongated body 152 defines a side opening 156 in communication with the mating member's cavity 154 , and a slot 157 which extends through the bottom end of the mating member's body 152 and is in communication with the side opening 156 and cavity 154 .
- the drive shaft's ball 125 is positioned within the mating member's hexagonal cavity 154 .
- the cross-section of the hexagonal cavity 154 is configured to mate with the ball 125 , which has a similarly dimensioned and slightly smaller hexagonal cross section.
- the interface between the drive shaft's ball 125 and the hexagonal cavity 154 permits the mating member 150 to move vertically with respect to the drive shaft 120 , but substantially constrains the mating member 150 from translating laterally or rotating about its longitudinal axis with respect to the drive shaft 120 .
- the mating member 150 rotates with the drive shaft 120 such that both components rotate simultaneously in the same increments and at the same angular speed.
- the mating member 150 is operatively connected to the stepper motor's output shaft 112 and the rotation of the mating member 150 is synchronous with both the drive shaft 120 and the output shaft 112 .
- the interface between ball 125 and cavity 154 allows for some movement of the longitudinal axis of the mating member 150 such that the mating member 150 and drive shaft 120 can be axially misaligned.
- the mating member 150 may be configured such that it cannot be axially misaligned from the drive shaft 120 .
- the cross-sections of the ball 125 and cavity 154 may comprise other shapes and achieve the same effect.
- the ball 125 and cavity 154 may be connected using other mechanisms or methods to provide the same functional result.
- the vertical movement of the mating member 150 is influenced by the compression spring 130 .
- the compression spring 130 is positioned around the cylindrical body 122 of the drive shaft 120 such that the spring's lower end engages the upper surface of the drive shaft's circular flange 126 .
- the spring's upper end is connected to the retaining plate 140 proximate a central hole in the retaining plate 140 .
- the retaining plate 140 is connected to the shoulders 153 of the mating member 150 (e.g., by screws), thereby causing the mating member 150 and retaining plate 140 to move vertically together.
- the output shaft 112 , drive shaft 120 , mating member 150 , retaining plate 140 , and spring 130 all rotate synchronously together.
- the mating member's elongated body 152 extends through a hole 106 in the lower housing member 104 .
- the compression spring 130 is biased such that, under normal loading (e.g., the weight of entertaining element 40 ), the mating member 150 and retaining plate 140 are positioned at the height shown in FIG. 3 .
- the spring 130 compresses and permits the mating member 150 and retaining plate 140 to move downwardly.
- the drive system 10 is configured such that the mating member 150 does not contact the lower housing member 104 in either its normally-biased upper position or its loaded lower position. This configuration reduces the friction applied to the stepper motor 110 and increases the overall efficiency of the drive system 10 .
- the damping member 160 is configured for being removably secured to the mating member 150 .
- the damping member 160 includes an attachment member 162 affixed to the damping member's upper end.
- the damping member 160 is configured such that its attachment member 162 can be inserted through the side opening 156 and into the bottom of the cavity 154 .
- the damping member 160 extends downwardly from the attachment member 162 , through the slot 157 , and downwardly from the bottom of the mating member 150 .
- the attachment member 162 is configured to engage the mating member 150 such that the attachment member 162 is secured to the mating member 150 and resistant to rotating with respect to the mating member 150 .
- the attachment member 162 may be configured such that the weight of the entertaining element 40 holds the attachment member 162 in place.
- engagement features e.g., teeth, ribs, rubber surface
- the attachment member 162 comprises a rigid body shaped to resemble the lower half of a sphere.
- the attachment member 162 may comprise any other suitable member, such as a knot at the top of the damping member 160 or a small ball attached to the top of the damping member 160 .
- the damping member 160 is connected to the entertaining element's upper support member 42 . Accordingly, when the attachment member 162 is engaged with the mating member 150 , the entertaining element 40 is operatively connected to the stepper motor 110 via the damping member 160 , the mating member 150 , the drive shaft 120 , and the output shaft 112 .
- the damping member 160 may be affixed to the mating member 150
- the entertaining element's upper support member 42 may be removably secured to the damping member 160 itself.
- the damping member 160 is configured to act as a damper to dampen the rotational motion imparted by the stepper motor 110 to the entertaining element 40 .
- the damping member 160 comprises a braided nylon cord configured to twist in response to being rotated by the stepper motor 110 .
- the stepper motor 110 may be configured to rotate its output shaft 112 in incremental 7.5 degree steps. When the stepper motor 110 is pulsed by its power source and rotated through one step (e.g., rotated 7.5 degrees), the output shaft 112 —and thereby the drive shaft 120 , mating member 150 , and attachment member 162 —rotate quickly through the step angle and then stop.
- the damping member 160 As the damping member 160 is flexible, it twists in response to its attachment member 162 being rotated by the stepper motor 110 . This twisting action briefly stores the rotational kinetic energy transmitted to the damping member 160 by the stepper motor 110 . When the damping member 160 begins to unwind, it releases the stored kinetic energy and applies a torque to the entertaining element's upper support member 42 that causes the entertaining element 40 to rotate. However, as will be appreciated from the description above, the rotational motion of the entertaining element 40 imparted by the damping member 160 is at least partially dampened and lags behind the rotation of the stepper motor 110 .
- the rotation of the entertaining element 40 is not synchronous with the rotation of the stepper motor's output shaft 112 as the entertaining element does not rotate in the same intermittent steps of the stepper motor's output shaft 112 .
- the stepper motor 110 is able to drive the entertaining element 40 such that it rotates smoothly.
- an integrated circuit controlling the stepper motor 110 can be configured to repeatedly pulse the stepper motor 110 at a frequency that causes the entertaining element 40 to rotate continuously.
- FIG. 6 shows a graph indicating the rotation of the stepper motor 110 and the entertaining element 40 when the stepper motor 110 is rotates its output shaft 112 in 7 . 5 degree steps at three revolutions per minute (i.e., 48 steps per revolution, with steps occurring every 417 milliseconds).
- the frequency of the output shaft's rotation is such that, before the damping member 160 stops applying torque to the entertaining element 40 in response to being twisted by a single step, the output shaft 112 rotates through another step and twists the damping member 160 again.
- the damping member 160 dampens the intermittent stepping rotation of the output shaft 112 , applies torque to the entertaining element 40 substantially constantly, and causes the entertaining element 40 to rotate smoothly and consistently.
- the stepper motor 110 may be configured to drive the entertaining element 40 such that it rotates continuously with a substantially constant angular velocity.
- the stepper 110 may be configured to drive the entertaining element 40 such that it rotates with a discontinuous, varying angular velocity, which may be more interesting to a child.
- the stepper motor 110 can achieve comparatively low battery consumption due to its low duty cycle (e.g., 3 to 10 times longer battery life than a brushed DC motor).
- the damping member 160 may be comprised of any deformable material capable of damping the rotational motion imparted by the stepper motor 110 .
- the damping member 160 may comprise a rubber band, a spring, a cord, a thin wire, a fabric member, or various other flexible materials capable of storing and releasing rotational kinetic energy.
- the stepper motor 110 can be configured to rotate in steps at any one of a range of degrees (e.g., a relatively small step being 0.5 degrees and a large step being a full 360 degree rotation).
- the rotational speed of the entertaining element 40 is based on the pulse rate (e.g., the number of times the motor steps in a given time period) and the step period (e.g., the time it takes the stepper motor 110 to rotate one step) of the stepper motor 110 .
- the rotational speed of the entertaining element 40 is widely variable (e.g., zero RPM to 30 RPM).
- a high RPM may be achieved by pulsing the stepper motor 110 at the same interval as the step period.
- an integrated circuit may be configured for tracking the position of the output shaft 112 (e.g., by counting steps in order determine position) in order to more precisely control the stepper motor 110 .
- the above described variables in the operation of the stepper motor 110 can be controlled by one or more user input controls provided on the mobile 5 .
- user input controls may include, but are not limited to, an on/off switch, a timer for rotating the entertaining element 40 , a speed dial for adjusting the speed of the entertaining element's rotation, and a direction dial for changing the direction of the entertaining element's rotation.
- these various user controls may be in communication with an integrated circuit programmed to control the operation of the stepper motor 110 .
- the drive system's compression spring 130 may be located elsewhere in the drive system 10 or may be comprised of multiple springs.
- the compression spring 130 may be replaced by another device, such as an air spring or hydraulic component.
- various embodiments of the drive system 10 may not include a spring and may be configured such that the mating member 150 and retaining member 140 are vertically constrained.
- the mating member 150 and drive shaft 120 may comprise a single drive shaft component directly affixed to the stepper motor 110 and configured to be secured to the damping member 160 .
- the orientation of the location of the various components of the drive system 10 may also be adjusted.
- the stepper motor 110 may be positioned such that its output shaft is vertically upright, vertically upside down, or horizontal, and may be connected to a variety of gears and other drive shafts to generate rotational motion analogous to that described herein.
- the stepper motor 110 may be positioned in the base 20 and connected to a drive shaft in the housing 32 .
- various embodiments of the stepper motor drive system 10 described herein may be incorporated into various other children's entertainment devices (e.g., rotating elements positioned on play gyms, toy bars, or other hanging toys, and elements configured to swing along a reciprocating path) and is not limited to use in children's mobiles.
Abstract
Description
- This application claims priority from provisional U.S. Application No. 61/405,478 entitled “Drive System for an Infant Entertainer,” which was filed on Oct. 21, 2010, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
- 1. Field of the Invention
- Various embodiments of the present invention described herein generally relate to children's entertainment devices and, in particular, to a drive system for a children's entertainment device that imparts rotational motion to an entertaining element.
- 2. Description of Related Art
- Many children's entertainment devices incorporate a motor-driven rotating element configured to automatically and continuously rotate in order to entertain children. For example, motorized children's mobiles typically include a support structure configured to suspend a rotating element above a child support surface, such as a crib. The rotating element may comprise various visual stimuli, such as figurines and other decorative objects. Typically, the rotating element is powered by a motor configured to continuously rotate the rotating element and its visual stimuli in order to entertain a child.
- Existing children's mobiles often rely on brushed DC motors in order to power such rotating elements. These brushed DC motors, however, are relatively large and heavy, and typically require a gearbox in order to reduce the output speed of the motor. Furthermore, such motors are commonly noisy in operation, have high battery consumption, and tend to fail after a relatively low number of operating hours. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a smaller, quieter, more reliable, and more energy efficient drive system for driving a rotating component of a children's entertainment device.
- Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a children's entertainment device comprising at least one support member, a rotatable entertaining element suspended from the at least one support member, and a drive system configured to impart rotational motion to the entertaining element. The drive system comprises a stepper motor configured for rotating a drive member in a stepped rotational motion, and a damper operatively connected between the drive member and the entertaining element. The damper is configured for at least partially damping the stepped rotational motion generated by the stepper motor and for rotating the entertaining element. In certain embodiments, the stepper motor is configured for rotating the drive member in incremental steps at a frequency that causes the entertaining element to rotate continuously. In further embodiments, the stepper motor is configured for rotating the drive member in incremental steps at a frequency that causes the entertaining element to rotate with a substantially constant angular velocity.
- Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
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FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a children's entertainment mobile according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a drive system for a children's entertainment mobile according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 3 shows a cutaway side view of the drive system ofFIG. 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 4 shows a drive shaft according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 5 shows a mating member according to one embodiment of the present invention; and -
FIG. 6 shows a graph indicating the rotation of a stepper motor and an entertaining element according to one embodiment of the present invention. - The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
- Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a children's entertainment device having a stepper motor drive system configured to drive a rotatable entertaining element. The stepper motor consumes less power than a typical electric motor (e.g., a brushed DC motor) due to its low duty cycle, and is generally smaller and lighter than a typical brushed DC motors. However, stepper motors output rotational motion in intermittent rotational steps, which can result in a jerky motion if applied directly to the entertaining element.
- Accordingly, in various embodiments of the present invention, a damper is provided between the stepper motor's drive shaft and the entertaining element in order to at least partially damp the intermittent rotational motion output by the stepper motor. In this way, the stepper motor is able to smoothly and continuously rotate the entertaining element. As will be appreciated from the description herein, various embodiments of the stepper motor drive system may be incorporated into a variety of children's entertainment devices, such as rotating crib mobiles and entertainment devices attached to jumpers, bouncers, strollers, play yards, and the like.
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FIG. 1 illustrates a children's entertainment mobile 5 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown inFIG. 1 , the mobile 5 is generally comprised of abase 20,support arm 30, and anentertaining element 40. According to various embodiments,base 20 is generally configured for supporting thesupport arm 30 andentertaining element 40, and may include an attachment device configured for securing thebase 20 to the railing of a children's crib, such as that described in U.S. application Ser. No. 13/224,161, which is incorporated herein by reference. Thesupport arm 30 is generally configured to act as a support member for theentertaining element 40 and support for a drive system configured for rotating the entertaining element. As shown inFIG. 1 , thesupport arm 30 is affixed to an upper portion of thebase 20 and extends upwardly and outwardly in order to suspend theentertaining element 40 above a children's support surface, such as the floor of a crib. - In the illustrated embodiment of
FIG. 1 , theentertaining element 40 is a children's mobile comprised of aconical canopy 44 suspended from anupper support member 42 by a plurality ofstrings 46. In addition, theentertaining element 40 includes a plurality offigurines 48 suspended from theconical canopy 44. As described in greater detail herein, theentertaining element 40 is removably secured to a drive system positioned predominately within ahousing 32 at the upper end of thesupport arm 30. The drive system is configured to automatically rotate theentertaining element 40—and thereby itscanopy 44 and Figurines 48—in order to entertain a child (e.g., a child positioned in a crib to which thebase 20 is attached). The entertaining element can take many different forms based on design preferences, and may include multiple moving or stationary elements. -
FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of various components of adrive system 10 configured for automatically rotating the mobile'sentertaining element 40 according to one embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, thedrive system 10 comprises astepper motor 110, adrive shaft 120, acompression spring 130, aretaining plate 140, amating member 150, and adamping member 160. As noted above, thedrive system 10 is positioned predominately within ahousing 32 at the upper end of the mobile'ssupport arm 30. As shown inFIG. 2 , thehousing 32 includes anupper housing member 102 and alower housing member 104, which may be joined together to form an enclosure in which thedrive system 10 predominately resides. -
FIG. 3 shows a cutaway view of thedrive system 10 assembled within thehousing 32 and connected to the entertaining element'supper support member 42. As shown inFIG. 3 , thestepper motor 110 is secured to an interior portion of the upper housing member 102 (e.g., by screws, clips, or other attachment devices). According to various embodiments, thestepper motor 110 can be a unipolar or bipolar stepper motor, and can be configured for rotating clockwise, counterclockwise, or both. In addition, thestepper motor 110 can be configured to change directions in order to provide reciprocating swinging motion. Thestepper motor 110 can be powered by any suitable power source (e.g., batteries, a connection to an AC power outlet). In the illustrated embodiment, thestepper motor 110 is configured for rotating anoutput shaft 112 in intermittent rotational steps. According to various embodiments, theoutput shaft 112 acts as a drive member outputting the rotation generated by thestepper motor 110. For example, in one embodiment, thedrive system 10 includes an integrated circuit configured to control thestepper motor 110 such that theoutput shaft 112 rotates clockwise 7.5 degrees every 417 milliseconds (i.e., 48 “steps” per revolution at a speed of three revolutions per minute). However, as will be appreciated from the description herein, the speed and step range of thestepper motor 110 may be adjusted according to user preferences. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , the stepper motor'soutput shaft 112 is connected to thedrive shaft 120.FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of thedrive shaft 120 according to one embodiment. As shown inFIG. 4 , thedrive shaft 120 comprises an elongatedcylindrical body 122 defining acentral cavity 124. As can be seen inFIG. 3 , the drive shaft'scentral cavity 124 extends longitudinally into thedrive shaft 120. Thedrive shaft 120 also includes acircular flange 126, which extends outwardly around a medial portion of the drive shaft'sbody 122. In addition, thedrive shaft 120 includes anengagement ball 125, which is positioned at the lower end of the drive shaft'sbody 122 and has a hexagonal cross section. - Referring back to
FIG. 3 , the stepper motor'soutput shaft 112 is positioned within the drive shaft'scentral cavity 124 and affixed to thedrive shaft 120 such that thedrive shaft 120 cannot be moved with respect to theoutput shaft 112. In other words, thedrive shaft 120 rotates with theoutput shaft 112 such that both components rotate simultaneously in the same increments and at the same angular speed. As a result, the rotation of thedrive shaft 120 is synchronous with theoutput shaft 112. As will be appreciated from the description herein, however, thedrive shaft 120 may be connected to theoutput shaft 112 using various attachment mechanisms or methods according to various embodiments. - As shown in
FIG. 3 ,drive shaft 120 is connected to themating member 150.FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of themating member 150 according to one embodiment. As shown inFIG. 5 , themating member 150 comprises anupper plate 151 and anelongated body 152 extending downwardly from theupper plate 151. Theupper plate 151 defines a pair ofshoulders 153, which extend outwardly past theelongated body 152. The mating member'selongated body 152 defines ahexagonal cavity 154, which extends longitudinally into the center of thebody 152 and has a hexagonal cross-section. In addition, theelongated body 152 defines aside opening 156 in communication with the mating member'scavity 154, and aslot 157 which extends through the bottom end of the mating member'sbody 152 and is in communication with theside opening 156 andcavity 154. - Referring back to
FIG. 3 , the drive shaft'sball 125 is positioned within the mating member'shexagonal cavity 154. In particular, the cross-section of thehexagonal cavity 154 is configured to mate with theball 125, which has a similarly dimensioned and slightly smaller hexagonal cross section. The interface between the drive shaft'sball 125 and thehexagonal cavity 154 permits themating member 150 to move vertically with respect to thedrive shaft 120, but substantially constrains themating member 150 from translating laterally or rotating about its longitudinal axis with respect to thedrive shaft 120. In other words, themating member 150 rotates with thedrive shaft 120 such that both components rotate simultaneously in the same increments and at the same angular speed. As a result, themating member 150 is operatively connected to the stepper motor'soutput shaft 112 and the rotation of themating member 150 is synchronous with both thedrive shaft 120 and theoutput shaft 112. In the illustrated embodiment ofFIG. 3 , the interface betweenball 125 andcavity 154 allows for some movement of the longitudinal axis of themating member 150 such that themating member 150 and driveshaft 120 can be axially misaligned. In other embodiments, themating member 150 may be configured such that it cannot be axially misaligned from thedrive shaft 120. In addition, as will be appreciated from the description herein, the cross-sections of theball 125 andcavity 154 may comprise other shapes and achieve the same effect. In addition, theball 125 andcavity 154 may be connected using other mechanisms or methods to provide the same functional result. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , the vertical movement of themating member 150 is influenced by thecompression spring 130. In particular, thecompression spring 130 is positioned around thecylindrical body 122 of thedrive shaft 120 such that the spring's lower end engages the upper surface of the drive shaft'scircular flange 126. The spring's upper end is connected to the retainingplate 140 proximate a central hole in the retainingplate 140. The retainingplate 140 is connected to theshoulders 153 of the mating member 150 (e.g., by screws), thereby causing themating member 150 and retainingplate 140 to move vertically together. In addition, as will be appreciated fromFIG. 3 , theoutput shaft 112,drive shaft 120,mating member 150, retainingplate 140, andspring 130 all rotate synchronously together. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , the mating member'selongated body 152 extends through ahole 106 in thelower housing member 104. Thecompression spring 130 is biased such that, under normal loading (e.g., the weight of entertaining element 40), themating member 150 and retainingplate 140 are positioned at the height shown inFIG. 3 . However, when themating member 150 is subjected to excessive loading (e.g., a child or user pulling down on the entertaining element 40), thespring 130 compresses and permits themating member 150 and retainingplate 140 to move downwardly. In the illustrated embodiment, thedrive system 10 is configured such that themating member 150 does not contact thelower housing member 104 in either its normally-biased upper position or its loaded lower position. This configuration reduces the friction applied to thestepper motor 110 and increases the overall efficiency of thedrive system 10. - According to various embodiments, the damping
member 160 is configured for being removably secured to themating member 150. As shown in the illustrated embodiment ofFIG. 2 , the dampingmember 160 includes anattachment member 162 affixed to the damping member's upper end. As shown inFIG. 3 , the dampingmember 160 is configured such that itsattachment member 162 can be inserted through theside opening 156 and into the bottom of thecavity 154. When theattachment member 162 is positioned in the bottom of thecavity 154, the dampingmember 160 extends downwardly from theattachment member 162, through theslot 157, and downwardly from the bottom of themating member 150. - According to various embodiments, the
attachment member 162 is configured to engage themating member 150 such that theattachment member 162 is secured to themating member 150 and resistant to rotating with respect to themating member 150. In certain embodiments, theattachment member 162 may configured such that the weight of theentertaining element 40 holds theattachment member 162 in place. In other embodiments, engagement features (e.g., teeth, ribs, rubber surface) may be provided on the portions of theattachment member 162 andcavity 154 in contact with one another in order to hold theattachment member 162 in place. In the illustrated embodiment ofFIGS. 2 and 3 , theattachment member 162 comprises a rigid body shaped to resemble the lower half of a sphere. However, according to various other embodiments, theattachment member 162 may comprise any other suitable member, such as a knot at the top of the dampingmember 160 or a small ball attached to the top of the dampingmember 160. - As shown in
FIG. 3 , the dampingmember 160 is connected to the entertaining element'supper support member 42. Accordingly, when theattachment member 162 is engaged with themating member 150, theentertaining element 40 is operatively connected to thestepper motor 110 via the dampingmember 160, themating member 150, thedrive shaft 120, and theoutput shaft 112. In other embodiments, the dampingmember 160 may be affixed to themating member 150, and the entertaining element'supper support member 42 may be removably secured to the dampingmember 160 itself. - As noted above, the damping
member 160 is configured to act as a damper to dampen the rotational motion imparted by thestepper motor 110 to theentertaining element 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the dampingmember 160 comprises a braided nylon cord configured to twist in response to being rotated by thestepper motor 110. For example, in one embodiment, thestepper motor 110 may be configured to rotate itsoutput shaft 112 in incremental 7.5 degree steps. When thestepper motor 110 is pulsed by its power source and rotated through one step (e.g., rotated 7.5 degrees), theoutput shaft 112—and thereby thedrive shaft 120,mating member 150, andattachment member 162—rotate quickly through the step angle and then stop. As the dampingmember 160 is flexible, it twists in response to itsattachment member 162 being rotated by thestepper motor 110. This twisting action briefly stores the rotational kinetic energy transmitted to the dampingmember 160 by thestepper motor 110. When the dampingmember 160 begins to unwind, it releases the stored kinetic energy and applies a torque to the entertaining element'supper support member 42 that causes theentertaining element 40 to rotate. However, as will be appreciated from the description above, the rotational motion of theentertaining element 40 imparted by the dampingmember 160 is at least partially dampened and lags behind the rotation of thestepper motor 110. In other words, the rotation of theentertaining element 40 is not synchronous with the rotation of the stepper motor'soutput shaft 112 as the entertaining element does not rotate in the same intermittent steps of the stepper motor'soutput shaft 112. As a result, thestepper motor 110 is able to drive theentertaining element 40 such that it rotates smoothly. - In certain embodiments, an integrated circuit controlling the
stepper motor 110 can be configured to repeatedly pulse thestepper motor 110 at a frequency that causes theentertaining element 40 to rotate continuously. For example,FIG. 6 shows a graph indicating the rotation of thestepper motor 110 and theentertaining element 40 when thestepper motor 110 is rotates itsoutput shaft 112 in 7.5 degree steps at three revolutions per minute (i.e., 48 steps per revolution, with steps occurring every 417 milliseconds). As is evident fromFIG. 6 , the frequency of the output shaft's rotation is such that, before the dampingmember 160 stops applying torque to theentertaining element 40 in response to being twisted by a single step, theoutput shaft 112 rotates through another step and twists the dampingmember 160 again. As a result, the dampingmember 160 dampens the intermittent stepping rotation of theoutput shaft 112, applies torque to theentertaining element 40 substantially constantly, and causes theentertaining element 40 to rotate smoothly and consistently. In particular, in certain embodiments, thestepper motor 110 may be configured to drive theentertaining element 40 such that it rotates continuously with a substantially constant angular velocity. In other embodiments, thestepper 110 may be configured to drive theentertaining element 40 such that it rotates with a discontinuous, varying angular velocity, which may be more interesting to a child. In addition, thestepper motor 110 can achieve comparatively low battery consumption due to its low duty cycle (e.g., 3 to 10 times longer battery life than a brushed DC motor). - As will be appreciated from the description herein, the damping
member 160 may be comprised of any deformable material capable of damping the rotational motion imparted by thestepper motor 110. For example, in various other embodiments, the dampingmember 160 may comprise a rubber band, a spring, a cord, a thin wire, a fabric member, or various other flexible materials capable of storing and releasing rotational kinetic energy. In addition, thestepper motor 110 can be configured to rotate in steps at any one of a range of degrees (e.g., a relatively small step being 0.5 degrees and a large step being a full 360 degree rotation). Furthermore, the rotational speed of theentertaining element 40 is based on the pulse rate (e.g., the number of times the motor steps in a given time period) and the step period (e.g., the time it takes thestepper motor 110 to rotate one step) of thestepper motor 110. Accordingly, the rotational speed of theentertaining element 40 is widely variable (e.g., zero RPM to 30 RPM). For example, a high RPM may be achieved by pulsing thestepper motor 110 at the same interval as the step period. In addition, in certain embodiments, an integrated circuit may be configured for tracking the position of the output shaft 112 (e.g., by counting steps in order determine position) in order to more precisely control thestepper motor 110. - In various embodiments, the above described variables in the operation of the
stepper motor 110 can be controlled by one or more user input controls provided on the mobile 5. Such user controls may include, but are not limited to, an on/off switch, a timer for rotating theentertaining element 40, a speed dial for adjusting the speed of the entertaining element's rotation, and a direction dial for changing the direction of the entertaining element's rotation. As will be appreciated from the description herein, these various user controls may be in communication with an integrated circuit programmed to control the operation of thestepper motor 110. - Furthermore, as will be appreciated from the description herein, various changes and modifications to the above-described components may be incorporated in various other embodiments of the children's
entertainment mobile 5. For example, in certain embodiments, the drive system'scompression spring 130 may be located elsewhere in thedrive system 10 or may be comprised of multiple springs. In addition, thecompression spring 130 may be replaced by another device, such as an air spring or hydraulic component. In addition, various embodiments of thedrive system 10 may not include a spring and may be configured such that themating member 150 and retainingmember 140 are vertically constrained. In such embodiments, themating member 150 and driveshaft 120 may comprise a single drive shaft component directly affixed to thestepper motor 110 and configured to be secured to the dampingmember 160. - According to various embodiments, the orientation of the location of the various components of the
drive system 10 may also be adjusted. For example, thestepper motor 110 may be positioned such that its output shaft is vertically upright, vertically upside down, or horizontal, and may be connected to a variety of gears and other drive shafts to generate rotational motion analogous to that described herein. As another example, thestepper motor 110 may be positioned in thebase 20 and connected to a drive shaft in thehousing 32. In addition, various embodiments of the steppermotor drive system 10 described herein may be incorporated into various other children's entertainment devices (e.g., rotating elements positioned on play gyms, toy bars, or other hanging toys, and elements configured to swing along a reciprocating path) and is not limited to use in children's mobiles. - Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Claims (14)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US13/279,001 US20120100776A1 (en) | 2010-10-21 | 2011-10-21 | Children's entertainment device |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US40547810P | 2010-10-21 | 2010-10-21 | |
US13/279,001 US20120100776A1 (en) | 2010-10-21 | 2011-10-21 | Children's entertainment device |
Publications (1)
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US20120100776A1 true US20120100776A1 (en) | 2012-04-26 |
Family
ID=45973413
Family Applications (1)
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US13/279,001 Abandoned US20120100776A1 (en) | 2010-10-21 | 2011-10-21 | Children's entertainment device |
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US20110117808A1 (en) * | 2009-11-16 | 2011-05-19 | The Boppy Company, Llc | Toy attachment systems and methods |
US20110154572A1 (en) * | 2009-11-16 | 2011-06-30 | The Boppy Company, Llc | Pillow with toy attachment system |
JP2014090912A (en) * | 2012-11-05 | 2014-05-19 | Akase Sangyo Kk | Pasteboard hanging hina |
US20140315467A1 (en) * | 2013-04-22 | 2014-10-23 | Margaret Marilyn Smith | Mobile Kit that Revolves from a Ceiling Fan |
USD830472S1 (en) | 2016-08-04 | 2018-10-09 | Skip Hop, Inc. | Infant mobile |
US10228090B2 (en) | 2017-07-11 | 2019-03-12 | Skip Hop, Inc. | Foldable arm |
US10307563B1 (en) | 2014-11-17 | 2019-06-04 | Dustin Kooyers | Sleep enhancement device |
CN113287903A (en) * | 2021-06-15 | 2021-08-24 | 上海羽果装饰设计有限公司 | Child bed |
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Owner name: KIDS2, INC., GEORGIA Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:REGIONS BANK;REEL/FRAME:054298/0106 Effective date: 20200928 |