US20140366276A1

US20140366276A1 - Baby bouncer with a width variable frame

Info

Publication number: US20140366276A1
Application number: US14/304,729
Authority: US
Inventors: Yi-Wei Chang; Chung-Ming Tsai; Fu-Peng Chou; Sheng-Po Hung; Chen-Tai Chang
Original assignee: Lerado Zhongshan Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: Dorel Juvenile (zhongshan) Product Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-06-13
Filing date: 2014-06-13
Publication date: 2014-12-18
Also published as: CN203314544U

Abstract

A baby bouncer with a width variable frame is configured to have an erected configuration for use as a regular baby bouncer, and a folded configuration for reducing the width of the baby bouncer when being not in use. The frame of the baby bouncer includes at least a base frame, a pair of bouncing support rods and a baby carrier frame. The base frame and the bouncing support rods are associated by two gear elements. By meshing the first gear element and the second gear element, the bouncing support rods and the bouncing support rods are capable of simultaneously rotating in an opposite direction either in erecting or folding of the baby bouncer. When need to fold the frame of baby bouncer into the folded configuration, care-giver may unlock two lockable joints of the baby carrier frame and fold to associating the bouncing support rods and the base frame.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a baby bouncer; especially to a baby bouncer can reduce the width in a folded configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Baby bouncers are popular products for care-giver and their infants. Basically a baby bouncer is a device that holds an infant and provides them with gentle motion in a manner that can stimulate an infant when they are active, soothe them when they are not, enable an infant to exercise, all while enhancing free time for parents.
Traditional baby bouncers can be divided into two types, namely the rocking type which may rock back-and-forth on the floor, and the spring rod type which may bounce high and low. Both the types cannot be folded into a compact size for easy stow or transportation.
A third type of baby bouncers are newly available in the market which includes a base frame and a pair of support rods connected by two lockable joints. The support rods can be locked in an erected position by the lockable joints to support a baby carrier on its upper end. The baby carrier can be a seat or small baby bed capable of bouncing high and low on top of the support rods, and can be released and lay down on the floor by unlocking the lockable joints. Since the support rods and the baby carrier both are laid down on the floor, the care-giver has to bow down to pick them up when need to reuse or moving the baby bouncers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For eliminating the troublesome of bowing down and picking up before moving or reuse of the folded baby bouncer, the present invention provides a baby bouncer with a width variable frame, which is configured to have an erected configuration for use as a regular baby bouncer, and a folded configuration for reducing the width of the baby bouncer when being not in use.
The frame of the baby bouncer includes at least a base frame, a pair of bouncing support rods and a baby carrier frame. The base frame and the bouncing support rods are associated by two gear elements.
By meshing the first gear element and the second gear element, the bouncing support rods and the bouncing support rods are capable of simultaneously rotating in an opposite direction either in erecting or folding of the baby bouncer.
When need to fold the frame of baby bouncer into the folded configuration, the care-giver may unlock two lockable joints of the baby carrier frame and fold to associating the bouncing support rods and the base frame.
As the pair of bouncing support rods and a baby carrier frame according to the present invention shall not lay down on the floor or ground in the folded configuration, the care-giver can move and operate to reuse baby bouncer without bowing down their body and knees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the frame of the baby bouncer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of a pivot mount of the frame of the baby bouncer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the folding operation of the baby bouncer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the frame of the baby bouncer can be folded into a folded configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a baby bouncer with a width variable frame 10 according to the present invention is configured to have an erected configuration 100 for use as a regular baby bouncer, and a folded configuration 200 for reducing the width of the baby bouncer when being not in use.
The frame 10 according to the present invention includes at least a base frame 1, a pair of bouncing support rods 2 and a baby carrier frame 3. The base frame 1 is composed of a left base frame 11 and a right base frame 12 both are rotatably connected with each other by a pivot mount 13.
The bouncing support rods 2 are swivelably pivoted on the pivot mount 13 and capable of simultaneously rotating in opposite direction with each other, and can be positioned in a wider position 23 and a closed position 24. Referring to FIGS. 2-3, the bouncing support rods 2 may be connected to a first gear element 21 and a second gear element 22 respectively. Due to the first gear element 21 and the second gear element 22 are meshed with each other, the bouncing support rods 2 are capable of simultaneously rotating in opposite direction with each other.
As best shown in FIG. 3, the first gear element 21 and the second gear element 22 may be pivoted in the pivot mount 13. Further, the first gear element 21 may be connected with the left base frame 11, and the second gear element 22 is connected with the right base frame 12, so as to keep the left base frame 11 and the right base frame 12 to simultaneously rotate in opposite direction with each other.
The pair of bouncing support rods 2 each may be formed with either a solid metal rod or metal tube. For enhancing the effect of bouncing, two elastic elements 25 may be mounted in the pivot mount 13 for cushioning the bouncing support rods 2 in regular bouncing movements.
The baby carrier frame 3 is composed of a left curved frame 31 and a right curved frame 32 pivoted by two lockable joints 34. The left curved frame 31 and the right curved frame 32 each has mounted with the connector 33 for pivotably connecting with the pair of bouncing support rods 2.
By meshing the first gear element 21 with the second gear element 22, the left base frame 11 and a right base frame 12 may be associated with the pair of bouncing support rods 2, and can be rotated to an opened configuration 15 and a closed configuration 16.
The left curved frame 31 and the right curved frame 32 have an opened position 30 for stretching a cloth (not shown) therebetween for support baby occupant, and a folded position 40 for reducing the width of the baby bouncer when the baby bouncer being not in use.
FIGS. 4-5 illustrate the folding operation of the baby bouncer of the present. In the erected configuration 100, the left curved frame 31 and the right curved frame 32 are locked in the opened position 30 by the lockable joints 34. Due to the two connectors 33 are pivoted with the pair of bouncing support rods 2, the two connectors 33 are then kept in the wider position 23. When need to fold the frame 10 to the folded configuration 200, the care-giver may unlock the lockable joints 34 and rotate to close the left curved frame 31 and the right curved frame 32 to each other, the two connectors 33 would then carry the pair of bouncing support rods 2 to the closed position 24 as best shown in FIG. 5.
For reducing the width of the frame 10 in the folded configuration 200, the left base frame 11 and a right base frame 12 are preferably to be overlapped with each other in the closed configuration 16. For instance, the pivot mount 13 may be formed with two guiding slots 29 for guiding the move of the left base frame 11 and the right base frame 12, so as to guide the left base frame 11 and the right base frame 12 to be opened in a horizontal plan and folded in a overlapped configuration, as best shown in FIG. 5.
Further, for preventing the baby bouncer from sliding on the ground during the baby bouncer in use, the left base frame 11 and a right base frame 12 each may further be mounted with least an anti-slide element 14, such as rubber, silicon pad or the likes for providing friction to against the sliding on ground.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications are possible that will achieve the same goals by substantially the same system, device or method, and where those systems, devices or methods still fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention disclosed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A baby bouncer with a width variable frame (10) having an erected configuration (100) for use as a regular baby bouncer, and a folded configuration (200) for reducing its width when being not in use, the frame (10) including:

a base frame (1), composed of a left base frame (11) and a right base frame (12) both rotatably connected with each other by a pivot mount (13);

a pair of bouncing support rods (2), both swivelably pivoted on the pivot mount (13) and capable of simultaneously rotating in opposite direction with each other thereby positioning in a wider position (23) and a closed position (24); and

a baby carrier frame (3), composed of a left curved frame (31) and a right curved frame (32) pivoted by two lockable joints (34); wherein the left curved frame (31) and the right curved frame (32) each has mounted with a connector (33) for pivotably connecting with the pair of bouncing support rods (2); and wherein the left curved frame (31) and the right curved frame (32) have an opened position (30) for stretching a cloth therebetween for support baby occupant and a folded position (40) for reducing the width of the baby bouncer when the baby bouncer being not in use.

2. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, further included a pair of elastic elements (25) mounted in the pivot mount (13) for cushioning the bouncing support rods (2) in bouncing movements.

3. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, wherein the pivot mount (13) is formed with two guiding slots (29) for guiding the left base frame (11) and the right base frame (12), so as to guide the left base frame (11) and the right base frame (12) to be opened in a horizontal plan and folded in a overlapped configuration.

4. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, wherein the left curved frame (31) and the right curved frame (32) are capable of keeping the pair of bouncing support rods (2) in the wider position (23) when being locked by the two lockable joints (34) in the opened position (30), and capable of driving the pair of bouncing support rods (2) via the two connectors (33) to the closed position (24) when care-giver has unlocked the two lockable joints (34) and rotate the left curved frame (31) and the right curved frame (32) to the folded position (40).

5. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, wherein the left base frame (11) and a right base frame (12) are associated with the pair of bouncing support rods (2), and having an opened configuration (15) and a closed configuration (16).

6. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, wherein the left base frame (11) and a right base frame (12) are overlapped with each other in the closed configuration (16).

7. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, wherein the left base frame (11) and a right base frame (12) each being connected at least an anti-slide element (14) for preventing the baby bouncer from sliding on the ground during in use.

8. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, wherein the pair of bouncing support rods (2) each is formed with a solid metal rod.

9. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, wherein the pair of bouncing support rods (2) each is formed with a metal tube.

10. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 1, further included first gear element (21) and a second gear element (22) meshed with each other; wherein the bouncing support rods (2) are connected to the first gear element (21) and a second gear element (22) for capable of simultaneously rotating in opposite direction with each other.

11. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 10, wherein the first gear element (21) is connected with the left base frame (11), and the second gear element (22) is connected with the right base frame (12), so as to keep the left base frame (11) and the right base frame (12) capable of simultaneously rotating in opposite direction with each other.

12. The baby bouncer with a width variable frame according to claim 10, wherein the first gear element (21) and the second gear element (22) are pivoted in the pivot mount (13).