Infant Activity Systems

• US 20060226615A1
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Monaghan
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Monaghan
• Inventors: Monaghan, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,713,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/47.300
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 11/00 Children's furniture convertible into other kinds of furniture, e.g. children's chairs or benches convertible into beds or constructional play-furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 13/04 Apparatus for helping babies to walk; Baby walkers or strollers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/006 Infant exercisers, e.g. for attachment to a crib

Abstract

A safe and fun exercise and walking-training apparatus and method that is ideal for infants in the approximate age range of 10 months to 18 months is disclosed. The apparatus is lightweight, very sturdy, very simple, consisting of only six unique elements, and may be assembled and disassembled by hand without tools. A system of attachable play features is also disclosed.

Claims

1. ) An infant activity system, relating to providing unrestricted learning-to-walk oriented play activities to at least one infant, comprising:

a) upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar means for grasping by the at least one infant;

b) lower polygonal peripheral support means for supporting said upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar means in at least one fixed elevation position; and

c) geometry means for permitting essentially free movement by the at least one infant throughout said infant activity system.

2. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 1, wherein said geometry means comprises tilt-prevention means for essentially preventing tilting of said infant activity system when the at least one infant applies forces to said upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar means.

3. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 2, wherein said lower polygonal peripheral support means comprises lower polygonal peripheral base means surrounding at least one base area for providing at least one lower polygonal peripheral base for said infant activity system.

4. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 3, wherein said tilt-prevention means comprises geometric retention means for geometrically retaining at least one center of gravity of said infant activity system within such at least one base area when the at least one infant applies forces to said upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar means.

5. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 3, further comprising attacher means for attaching said upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar means to said lower polygonal peripheral support means.

6. ) An infant activity system relating to providing unrestricted activities to at least one infant comprising in combination:

a) at least one upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar adapted to be grasped by the at least one infant;

b) at least one lower polygonal peripheral support adapted to support said at least one upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar in at least one fixed elevation position; and

c) at least one geometric arrangement adapted to permit essentially free movement by the at least one infant throughout said infant activity system.

7. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 6, wherein said at least one geometric arrangement comprises at least one tilt-prevention arrangement adapted to essentially prevent tilting of said infant activity system when the at least one infant applies forces to said at least one upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar.

8. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 6, wherein said lower polygonal peripheral support comprises:

a) at least one lower polygonal peripheral base surrounding at least one base area;

b) wherein at least one geometric relationship between said at least one lower polygonal peripheral base and said at least one upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar permits retention of at least one center of gravity of said infant activity system within such at least one base area when the at least one infant applies forces to said upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar; and

c) at least one attacher adapted to attach said at least one lower polygonal peripheral base to said at least one upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar.

9. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 8, wherein said at least one lower polygonal peripheral base comprises:

a) at least six end bars, each of essentially equal length;

b) at least two side bars, each of essentially equal length;

c) at least four 90-degree elbow bar connectors; and

d) at least four tee bar connectors.

10. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 8, wherein said at least one attacher comprises at least four attacher bars, each of essentially equal length.

11. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 6, wherein said at least one upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar comprises:

a) at least two end bars, each of essentially equal length;

b) at least two side bars, each of essentially equal length; and

c) at least four three-way elbow bar connectors.

12. ) The infant activity system, according to claim 6 wherein said at least one upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar is user adjustable to at least two fixed elevation positions relative to said at least one lower polygonal peripheral support.

13. ) A kit system for assembling at least one infant activity system relating to providing unrestricted learning-to-walk activities to at least one infant comprising:

a) at least one side bar set;

b) at least one attacher bar set;

c) at least one end bar set;

d) at least one connector set;

e) at least one container;

f) at least one assembly instruction sheet; and

g) at least one indicia;

h) wherein said at least one side bar set, said at least one attacher bar set, said at least one end bar set, and said at least one connector set are assembled to provide said infant activity system.

14. ) The kit system, according to claim 13, wherein said at least one side bar set comprises at least four side bars, each of essentially equal length.

15. ) The kit system, according to claim 14, wherein said at least four side bars comprise schedule 40 polymerized vinyl chloride.

16. ) The kit system, according to claim 14, wherein said at least four side bars comprise color coding.

17. ) The kit system, according to claim 13, wherein said at least one end bar set comprises at least eight end bars, each of essentially equal length.

18. ) The kit system, according to claim 17, wherein said at least eight end bars comprise schedule 40 polymerized vinyl chloride.

19. ) The kit system, according to claim 17, wherein said at least eight end bars comprise color coding.

20. ) The kit system, according to claim 13, wherein said at least one connector set comprises:

a) at least four three-way elbow bar connectors;

b) at least four 90-degree elbow bar connectors; and

c) at least four tee bar connectors.

21. ) The kit system, according to claim 20, wherein:

a) said at least four three-way elbow bar connectors comprise schedule 40 polymerized vinyl chloride;

b) said at least four 90-degree elbow bar connectors comprise schedule 40 polymerized vinyl chloride; and

c) said at least four tee bar connectors comprise schedule 40 polymerized vinyl chloride.

22. ) The kit system, according to claim 20, wherein:

a) said at least four three-way elbow bar connectors comprise color coding;

b) said at least four 90-degree elbow bar connectors comprise color coding; and

c) 23 said at least four tee bar connectors comprise color coding.

23. ) The kit system, according to claim 13, wherein said at least one attacher bar set comprises at least four attacher bars, each of essentially equal length.

24. ) The kit system, according to claim 23, wherein said at least four attacher bars comprise schedule 40 polymerized vinyl chloride pipe.

25. ) The kit system, according to claim 23, wherein said at least four attacher bars comprise color coding.

26. ) The kit system, according to claim 13, wherein said at least one container permits easy storage of such at least one infant activity system after disassembly.

27. ) The kit system, according to claim 13, wherein said at least one attacher bar set, said at least one end bar set, and said at least one connector set are factory pre-assembled.

28. ) The kit system, according to claim 13 further comprising:

a) at least one side bar extender set;

b) wherein said at least one side bar extender set comprises

i) at least four side extender bars, each of essentially equal length, and

ii) at least four linear bar connectors.

29. ) The kit system, according to claim 13 further comprising at least one removably attachable play feature adapted to removably attach to such at least one infant activity system.

30. ) The kit system, according to claim 29 wherein said at least one removably attachable play feature comprises at least one sports related theme.

31. ) The kit system, according to claim 29 wherein said at least one removably attachable play feature comprises at least one basketball hoop.

32. ) The kit system, according to claim 29 wherein said at least one removably attachable play feature comprises at least one goal net.

33. ) The kit system, according to claim 29 wherein said at least one removably attachable play feature comprises:

a) at least one soft toy;

b) wherein said at least one soft toy comprises at least one removable attacher adapted to removably attach said at least one soft toy to said infant activity system.

34. ) The kit system, according to claim 29 wherein said at least one removably attachable play feature comprises at least one cover adapted to cover at least one portion of said infant activity system.

35. ) An infant activity system assembly method for at least one infant activity system, relating to providing unrestricted learning-to-walk oriented play activities to at least one infant, comprising upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar means for providing at least one polygonal peripheral graspable bar for grasping by such at least one infant;

lower polygonal peripheral support means for supporting such upper polygonal peripheral graspable bar means in at least one fixed elevation position; and

geometry means for permitting essentially free movement by such at least one infant throughout such infant activity system, comprising the steps of;

a) providing at least one set of modular components;

b) wherein such at least one set of modular components comprises

i) at least one set of bars having essentially the same outside diameter, and

ii) at least one set of connectors having essentially the same inside diameter; and

c) assembling such at least one set of bars and such at least one set of connectors without tools to produce such at least one infant activity system.

36. ) The infant activity system assembly method, according to claim 35, wherein such at least one set of bars comprises:

a) at least eight end bars, each of essentially equal length;

b) at least four side bars, each of essentially equal length; and

c) at least four attacher bars, each of essentially equal length.

37. ) The infant activity system assembly method, according to claim 35, wherein such at least one set of connectors comprises:

a) at least four three-way elbow bar connectors;

b) at least four 90-degree elbow bar connectors; and

c) at least four tee bar connectors.

38. ) claim 35, further comprising the step of providing at least one removably attachable play feature adapted to removably attach to such at least one infant activity system.