Abstract:
A toy for use by an infant in which the infant may set a top, suspended in pendulum fashion to a base, into motion. The top and base are joined by pendulum arms that cause a reciprocating gliding mechanism that is generally in the horizontal plane. The infant is positioned such that the infant may kick a pad joined to the fixed location base, initiating a force which propels the top to move back and forth providing entertainment and motor skills development.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This device relates generally to devices used by infants. More particularly the invention relates to a toy that allows an infant to propel a gliding device on which the infant rests. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A number of alternative devices for infant exercise and entertainment have been marketed. Such devices include swings, saucers, activity gyms which position dangling objects within the reach of an infant, and walkers, among others. Such devices provide an infant with the opportunity to exercise, developing muscles and potentially learning coordination of muscle movement. Alternatively, such devices may produce a motion which is soothing to the infant. 
     One such invention is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,242,338 and 5,411,457. These references disclose infant entertainment and development devices in which an infant holding bed surface may slide over a base surface. At one end of the base surface is a kick board. The infant is positioned such that the infant is able to kick the kick board, sliding the infant holding surface over the base surface. The base surface may be inclined such that the infant is pushing the infant holding surface up a slight incline. When such pushing force is relaxed, the infant holding surface would then slide back to a stop, finding its original position at the lower position of the incline. Ball bearings between the infant holding surface and the base may make the sliding easier. Straps may be used to secure an infant to the infant holding surface. Positive reinforcement signal generator may also be used to encourage infant use of the kick plate. 
     It is an object of our invention to provide a more energy efficient device which an infant may use to strengthen muscles and gain coordination of leg muscles. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which both allows an opportunity for entertaining an infant as well as providing a continuous soothing rocking motion for an infant. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The above objects are achieved in a toy using a gliding device operated by an infant. The term “gliding” used herein means back and forth reciprocating motion with deviation from the horizontal due to a pendulum suspension. A gliding mechanism produces motion governed by the pendulum principle, a back and forth motion that continues (with dampening) for a period of time. The device includes a stationary base with a bed top on top of the base. The bed top is attached to the base by a glider mechanism that links the base to the bed top. The glider mechanism may be a plurality of pivot arms affixed at a first end on each arm by a bearing assembly to the stationary base and affixed at a second end of the pivot arm to the bed top. If four such pivot arms are used on each of four corners of the stationary base, this would allow a back and forth gliding motion once the bed top is set in motion. Affixed to the base is an adjustable kick pad which extends from the base to an area over the bed top such that an infant would interact with this kick pad. When the infant exerts a force on the kick pad, the bed top is set in motion in a gliding arc. This gliding motion is often found entertaining to infants providing a built-in reinforcement of the kicking action. The kick pad may be padded and adjustable such that the kick pad may be brought closer to an infant or raised from the bed top as an infant grows larger. The bed top may include a pad permanently attached to the bed top or detachable via snaps, plastic hooks, or other attachment means. The bed top may also include straps allowing the infant to be secured over the bed top. A removable fitted sheet may also be used on the bed top. The straps would extend through holes on the fitted sheet. This sheet may then be washed when soiled. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the infant propelled glider of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1 with the device at rest. 
     FIG. 3 is a view of the device of FIG. 2 with the bed top moved with respect to the stationary base. 
     FIG. 4 is a partial side cut-away illustrating an infant on the bed top portion of the present device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With respect to FIG. 1, in the perspective view shown, one embodiment of the present invention includes a stationary base  10  joined to a bed top  16 . The stationary base is I-shaped, having a base bottom  12  and a base top  14 . The base bottom  12  may rest on any level surface such as a floor or counter table top. 
     Base  10  is attached to bed top  16  by a number of pivot arms  22 . In the illustrated embodiment, four pivot arms are used at four corners of base  10 . Pivot arms  22  are joined to base  10  by bearing assembly  20 . Bearing assembly  20  is affixed onto base  10  such that arm  22  may swing back and forth on bearing assembly  20 . At a lower portion of arm  22 , bearing assembly  18  extends onto or through bed top  16 . In this way, arm  22  is attached at one end to base  10  and a second end to bed top  16  such that arm  22  may pivot on either end. Once bed top  16  is set in motion, the bed top will continue to rock back and forth on arms  22 , producing a gliding motion. Thus arms  22  constitute a glider mechanism or pendulum mechanism producing a back and forth pendulum motion. 
     The top of bed top  16  provides features to allow positioning of an infant. An inclined side  25  provides a top inside surface  24 . In the center of top inside surface  24  is an infant holding recess  26 . Extending over this area are straps  28  secured by clip  48 . The infant is held in the depression created by recess  26  and secured in place by straps  28 . Alternatively, pairs of straps connected by a clip or buckle may be used, or self-adhering straps may also be used. An infant positioned in recess  26  will be rocked by bed top  16  when bed top  16  is subjected to a gliding motion. 
     An infant kicks the kick pad  44  to apply force to pad  44  mounted on kick plate  36  which allows an infant to set bed top  16  into motion. The infant is positioned on bed top  16  such that the infant&#39;s legs are directed toward kick pad  44 . Kick pad  44  is secured on one side of an elongate bar. The other side to which kick pad  44  is affixed is kick plate  36  secured by bolts  38  extending through plate  46  onto arm  31 . This positions kick pad  44  within the reach of the legs of an infant held in recess  26 . Kick pad  44  may be textured or contoured to provide a desired tactile surface. Bracket  32  attaches the arm  31  to arm  30  extending downward from kick plate  36 . Lateral arms  40 ,  42  extend through holes  15 ,  17  respectively in bed top  16 . Arms  40 ,  42  are attached to base  10  to securely anchor the structure of the kick pad into a fixed position. In other embodiments, a single arm extending from the base may be used. This arm may extend from the area of the base close to the surface on which the base rests. 
     Bracket  32  includes adjustment pins  34  or other adjusters. The pins may be removed and bracket  32  adjusted to move kick pad  44  up or down relative to bed top  16  or to move kick pad  44  closer to or farther from the legs of an infant (i.e. have the pad  44  extend further or less far into bed top  16 ). When an infant kicks kick pad  44 , bed top  16  is moved in a gliding motion. Infants generally respond positively to such gliding motions. The gliding motion caused by the infant kicking the kick pad provides an automatic reinforcement to the infant to encourage subsequent targeting of the kick pad to produce the rocking motion. 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the motion of the bed top  16  of the present device. As shown in FIG. 2, bed top  16  is secured onto base  10  by pivot arms  22 . Pivot arms  22  are secured at a first end to the base by bearing assembly  20  and at a second end to the bed top by bearing assembly  18 . Arms  40 ,  42  extend from base  10  securing kick plate  36  to base  10 . At rest the pivot arms  22  are not angled. Facing into the crib mounted on kick plate  36  is kick pad  44 . The kick pad  44  may be textured to provide a frictional surface. An infant positioned within a contoured, body-shaped recess  26  and secured by straps  28  fastened by clip  48  may be positioned such that the infant&#39;s legs are pointed in the direction of kick pad  44 . The infant is at a fixed location on bed top  16  secured by straps  28 . When the infant kicks onto kick pad  44 , pivot arms  22  pivot on bearing assemblies  18 ,  20  rocking bed top  16  in a glider motion. Stop  70  limits the range of motion of arm  22 . Stop  70  may be a rubber bumper, a metal spring or other similar device. This is shown in FIG. 3 where pivot arms  22  are shown angled. Once the bed top  16  is set in motion, pendulum momentum in the suspension will cause continued rocking in a gliding motion for a period of time. This motion is often pleasing or soothing to an infant. 
     The cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 illustrates the various layers of the infant recess area  26 . A hard plastic bottom surface  56  forms the base of the recess extending between sides  25 . Mounted over this surface is a foam pad with vinyl covering  54 . This pad is waterproof or water resistant allowing spills to be easily wiped up and removed. This pad may be affixed with adhesive or attached using snaps, hooks, or other fasteners. Sheet  52  is fitted over pad  54 . Sheet  52  may have a plurality of holes at the sides of the sheet to allow straps to be inserted through the sheet. An infant  50  positioned within recess  26  is positioned such that the infant is held by straps  28  and may apply foot pressure to kick pad  44  mounted on kick plate  36  held by arm  31 . Arm  31  is connected to the base as described in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  3 . 
     A number of different gliding mechanisms may be adopted. Various known glider mechanisms are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,796,949; 5,765,913; and 6,464,295. All references mentioned in this patent application are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     The “kick and glide” device disclosed herein may include a number of additional features. One skilled in the art will realize that it would be very simple to mount instrumentation for measuring or counting the gliding motion. During times when it is desired not to use the gliding feature of the present invention, a lock could be inserted such that bed top  16  remains stationary. In its simplest form such a lock could be a pin inserted through the sides of bed top  16  and inserted into base  10 . Such a lock would allow the bed top  16  to remain stationary if desired. Base  10  may include wheels allowing the device to be transported to a new location. Such wheels could be retractable or could include a lock to prevent the wheels from rotating making the device stationary. A cover sheet used on the bed top could extend over kick pad  44 . Such a cover would present the infant a kick target while preventing the legs of a smaller infant from getting between kick pad  44  and bed top  16 . Such a sheet may be secured to bed top  16  and includes some elasticity to allow for the gliding mechanism. Bed top  16  could have a flat top surface, allowing a parent to put a changing pad or other similar device on the flat surface. This changing pad would hold the infant on the glider. The pad would need to be secured onto the flat surface of bed top  16 . Besides providing entertainment, the present invention is a development apparatus that is appropriate for a baby from only a few weeks old to several months old. The ability to adjust the kick pad allows the device to be adjusted to the increasing size of the baby during a period of the baby&#39;s growth. In addition, arms  30 ,  34  being adjustable, arms  40 ,  42  could also be adjustable in length.