Abstract:
DVD player attachment for baby stroller with a DVD player housing, an articulated elongate arm member and a clamping member. The arm member is attached at one end to the rear of the DVD housing by of a friction ball joint and attached at the opposite end to the clamping member. The DVD player housing includes a hinged top cover. The top cover has a child proof latch that can removably engage a recess in the side wall of the lower portion of the housing. The top cover has an aperture for viewing the video screen of the DVD player and has additional apertures for allowing audio sound to travel freely out from the DVD player. The player housing side has an aperture for allowing signals emanating from a remote control device to enter the housing and control the DVD player located within the housing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    This invention relates generally to the field of baby stroller accessories and more specifically to a DVD player attachment for baby stroller. 
         [0005]    Baby Strollers are a well known way of transporting young children from one location to another. Care givers are always looking for new ways to entertain young children, even while the child is sitting in a stroller. 
         [0006]    To this end, various attachments have been designed to be added to a stroller for keeping the child entertained while seated in the stroller. My U.S. Pat. No. 7,657,954 describes a stroller with integral media entertainment and education center for a baby, in which the stroller includes a built in DVD player and video screen that allows the child to view videos while sitting in the stroller. 
         [0007]    However, my U.S. Pat. No. 7,657,954 only describes a DVD player that is built into a stroller. There is still a need for the ability to attach a DVD player to any existing stroller so that a person who already owns a stroller does not have to purchase an entirely new stroller, but need only purchase a DVD player attachment. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The primary object of the invention is to provide a DVD player housing and attachment arm for a baby stroller that allows a user to easily attach a DVD player to a stroller so that a baby sitting in the stroller can view a DVD or other video presentation. 
         [0009]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
         [0010]    In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed DVD player attachment for baby stroller comprising: a DVD player housing, an articulated elongate arm member, a damping member, said arm member attached at one end to the rear of said DVD housing by means of a friction ball joint, said arm member attached at the opposite end to said clamping member, said DVD player housing including a hinged top cover, said top cover having a child proof latch that can removably engage said a recess in the side walls of the lower portion of said housing, said top cover having an aperture for viewing the video screen of said DVD player, said top cover having additional apertures for allowing audio sound to travel freely out from said DVD player, and said player housing side having a aperture for allowing signals emanating from a remote control device to enter said housing and control said DVD player. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the invention in use on a baby stroller. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the invention showing the clamp portion attached to a baby stroller. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the DVD player housing of the invention with the top cover in the open position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the DVD housing and arm of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the DVD housing and arm of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the DVD housing and attachment arm of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a side section view of the DVD housing and attachment arm of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the attachment arm of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment where the video screen and DVD player portion are separated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  we see a perspective view of a small child  2  seated in a standard stroller  80 . An adjustable elongate arm  12  is attached to the stroller frame  16  by a clamp  18  and clamp knob  14 . The arm  12  is covered with a flexible outer sheath and terminates at its upper end in an J shaped member  10  which in turn is attached to the back of DVD housing  100 . Sun shade hood  4  shades the screen of the DVD player from direct sunlight. A standard remote control device, not shown, can operate the DVD player stored in the housing  100 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows another perspective view of the invention attached to the stroller  80 . This view more clearly shows the clamp member  18  as it is attached to stroller frame member  16  and tightened in place by knob  14 . Arm member  12  is attached at its lower most point to clamp  18  and at its upper end to DVD housing  100 . The clamp  18  can be placed at any convenient location along the frame  16  of the stroller. The clamp  18  can also be attached to the railing of a child&#39;s crib, or to other frame-like members such as a headrest support post of the front passenger seat of a vehicle thereby enabling a child sitting in a rear seat to view a video. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the DVD housing  100  in the open position. The housing is composed of a bottom portion  60  and a top portion  50 . A DVD  62  is installed in the player  66 . The top portion  50  and the bottom portion  60  are attached by hinge member  24 . The top portion  50  houses a video screen, associated electronics and at least one audio speaker. The DVD player  66  is similar to one manufactured by E Motion Inc. and includes a three and one half inch video screen. Alternately, the DVD player  66  can be removed from the housing  60  and replaced with a FLO TV personal television that receives a signal in the same way that a cell phone does. This allows any TV show to be viewed in real time. Aperture  64  allows the signal sent from a standard remote controller to enter the DVD player  66  and control the player  66 . The FLO TV also includes a three and one half inch screen, so the aperture in the housing  66  is sized properly for either the DVD player or the FLO TV device. Other Video devices may also be placed in housing  100  as technology advances and produces new video devices. Aperture  47  allows the signal from the remote transmitter to enter the housing and be received by a transmitter located within DVD player  66 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a front perspective view of the invention. A transparent plastic sheet covers Video screen  20  can be clearly viewed through housing aperture  21 . The transparent plastic sheet prevents small children from directly touching the screen  20 . Additionally, all the controls for the DVD player  66  located within housing  100  are covered by top cover  50  so that small children can not touch them. A plurality of apertures  22  allows audio sound to exit the housing top  50 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  shows a rear perspective view of the invention. A clear view of clamp  18  and tightening knob  14  can be seen. An elongate threaded member  17  passes through a mating female thread in clamp  18  and terminates in a rubber tip so that the end of the threaded member  17  does not scratch the stroller frame that it is clamped to. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows a top view of the housing  100 . Hinge member  24  can be clearly seen as well as the relationship of bottom housing half  60 , top housing half  50  and sun shade  4 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  shows a side section view that bisects the housing  100  and part of elongate arm  12 . A standard compact DVD player  66  fits inside housing halves  60 ,  50 . The video screen  20  can be viewed through rigid, transparent sheet  19  that covers housing aperture  21 . The rear portion of housing bottom  60  includes an aperture  31  that allows a bent arm  32  to penetrate and be fastened by retaining plate  38 . Plate  38  is fixed onto the inside wall of housing  60  bottom by screws  38  being attached to threaded apertures in retaining plate  38 . The plate  40  frictionally retains a ball shaped tip  30  that is fixed onto the end of bent arm  32 . This allows the user to swivel the housing  100  or to rock the housing  100  to a desired angle for ideal viewing. A child resistant latch  44  located on the side of the top housing  50  engages a recessed portion  46  in the bottom housing portion  60  also shown in  FIG. 3 . Lifting tab  45  allows the stroller operator to open the latch  44 . The lifting strength needed to separate the latch  44  is greater than the strength of a small child&#39;s fingers. Other standard latches may be substituted for the latch shown in  FIG. 7 . Hinge member  24  can be clearly seen. The elongate arm  12  is comprised of several items. A flexible tubular outer sheath  12 A encloses the structural elements of the arm assembly  12 . A J shaped end cover  10  encloses bent arm  32 . Bent arm  32  terminates at one end in ball shaped tip  30  and on the opposite end in sheath retaining insert member  34 . The sheath retainer  34  includes a lower neck that fixedly retains the top most section of an adjustable elongate structure  36  comprised of a series of hollow members that have a partial spherical shape on each end and where the sphere shape of one end is snapped onto the sphere portion of the end below it. This type of construction can be found on snap-loc coolant hoses used for aiming a cooling mist at a part being cut while being machined. Each connection of the members of the elongate inner structure  36  provides enough frictional force to hold the arm  12  in place in the position that it is moved to by the user. The opposite end of the inner adjustable structure  36  is fixed to the clamp member  18 . 
         [0029]    An alternate embodiment of the arm structure can be found in  FIG. 8 . Arm structure  200  is comprised of two straight shaft members  202 ,  212  rotatably attached to central clamping member comprised of clamping halves  206 ,  207  and damping knob  208 . A threaded shaft  218  is attached to the underside of knob  208  and engages mating female threads located in protrusion  220 . Shaft member  212  terminates on one side in clamp member  216  including tightening knob  214 , and on the other side in ball member  210 . Shaft  202  terminates on one side in ball member  204  and on the opposite side in a smaller ball shaped member similar to the one  30  described in  FIG. 7  so that it can engage the back wall of the DVD housing  100  as described in  FIG. 7 . The central clamping assembly terminates on each end in ball retaining cups  209 ,  211 . The user can loosen the damping knob  208 , adjust the arms  202 ,  212  so that the DVD housing  100  is in the optimal position for viewing, and then tighten the knob  208  so that the arm assembly  200  is fixed in place. This type of arm assembly allows heavier DVD players and housings  100  to be held firmly in place. The first arm assembly  12  only holds by the frictional force of the structural arm pieces  36 . However, the first arm assembly  12  is easier and more economical to manufacture as well as looking more sleek in comparison to arm assembly  200 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment  300  of the invention. In this embodiment the video screen and audio speaker portion  302  of the DVD player is separated from the rest of the DVD player  310 . The screen and speaker portion  302  are connected by electric cable  308  to DVD player  310  which is stored in the carry section  316  found below the seat of most standard strollers  312 . The clamping member  306  and adjustable arm  304  are that same as those found in the first embodiment. The hollow area  33  in the bent shaped arm portion  32  shown in  FIG. 7  as well as the hollow nature of the adjustable connecting members  36  allows the electrical cable  308  to travel through the arm assembly  112  and be attached to the video screen  302 . In this way, a larger video screen may be used for viewing while the heavier and larger portion of the DVD player  310  can be held safely in the stroller storage area. 
         [0031]    While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.