Abstract:
This invention relates generally to a portable child development station. More specifically, an infant crawling and walking aid. The invention is collapsible and can be stored in smaller confines. When the invention is set up, it is structurally sound and safe with detachable variations allowing assistance in crawling as well as walking by suspending the infant with variable height adjustments to accommodate infant.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/270,252, filed in 2009 Jul. 3 by the present inventors 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Prior Art 
     The following is a tabulation of some prior art that presently appears relevant: 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 U.S. Patents 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Patent Number 
                 Kind Code 
                 Issue Date 
                 Patentee 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 7,326,152 
                 B2 
                 2008 Feb. 5 
                 Gates 
               
               
                   
                 3,730,587 
                 A 
                 1973 May 1 
                 Bloxham 
               
               
                   
                 5,211,607 
                 A 
                 1993 May 18 
                 Fermaglish 
               
               
                   
                 3,049,350 
                 A 
                 1962 Aug. 14 
                 Walker 
               
               
                   
                 4,844,452 
                 A 
                 1989 Jul. 4 
                 Tomosky 
               
               
                   
                 4,569,532 
                 A 
                 1986 Feb. 11 
                 Mirkarimi 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     2. Background of the Invention 
     At birth, an infant&#39;s body and brain is not fully developed. The corpus callosum is a neurological passageway communicating information between the left and right brain hemispheres. This allows the body to use both eyes, both ears, both hands and both feet in conjunction, as well as storing and retrieving information. Myelin, a fatty substance in the brain helps neurons send and return information to the brain, brain stem and spinal cord. Neuroscience research has shown that the parts of the brain that control movement also control cognition and emotion. Early infant physical development can improve this cerebral connection and its transmission of information. Gross motor skills including but not limiting: memory, muscle tone, strength, and hand/eye coordination can be improved through a repetitive, cross lateral movement, such as crawling at an early age. Therefore, if an infant/user spends much of its early age crawling or learning to crawl, it is equally improving its brain function/development rate. 
     A variety of infant walkers have been proposed—for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,152 (2008) to Gates, and 3,730,587 (1973) to Bloxham, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,607 (1993) to Fermaglish. Although these walkers allow the infant/user to move on their feet in revolutions around a central-positioned structural column, they are not, however designed to harness an infant/user from the torso, allowing the infant/user to “crawl” on both knees and both hands, bypassing an earlier stage of the infants&#39; age which can be integral to early childhood development. 
     Many infant walkers (not including U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,587) may restrict the vision of the infants lower limbs do to a device obstruction such as a tray or even the supporting means itself, resulting in a lesser development of hand/eye coordination. In addition to visual obstructions, such infant walkers with height settings are not elasticized, permitting the infant to bounce and build up the much needed physical strength to later walk independently. Because of these aforementioned restrictions, the infant may become “comfortable” sitting in the walker seat until it is not even attempting to walk preventing the intended developmental purpose. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,532 (1986) to Mirkarimi enables an infant that already has proper strength to crawl, to roam freely near unobstructed locations such as a stairway, causing a dangerous environment for the infant. If an infant has not yet built sufficient strength to crawl, the infant will have the task of carrying the weight of the device thereof; resulting in additional strength needed to utilize the device, but nevertheless all the crawling and walking aids suffer from a number of disadvantages: 
     (a) By not allowing infant/user to suspend in a “crawling” position with a padded harness around infants torso, walkers prevent the infant from moving on both hands and both knees in a locomotive, cross-lateral manner. This prevents walkers from improving trunk muscles and coordination of all four limbs. 
     (b) Walkers with stationary seating, that is, walkers that do not allow the infant to bounce up and down can promote the infant to just sit in the seat making movement of their legs less desirable. 
     (c) Prior walkers that do allow the infant to suspend in walking position have many more required parts to complete the intended function of device due to weight balance needed to support the infant, resulting in a higher cost of materials and manufacturing. 
     (d) Prior walkers are not designed to be as freely adjustable as the present embodiment. This lack of adjustment restricts the infant to a specific height making the device less accommodating to the variable heights, lengths, and weight of each respective infant/user. 
     (e) Walkers that restrict the vision of the infant/user&#39;s legs can prevent the him/her from recognizing that it can control it&#39;s legs to move about freely. 
     (f) Prior walkers with central-positioned structures that are not detachable from center column to base, making it less portable. 
     (g) Prior walkers with central-positioned structures do not have a guide wheel that rolls on a plate on top of center column requiring additional means of function to support weight of infant. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks and limitations by providing a crawling aid to assist the infant in crawling, enabling both sides of the brain to function in concert improving the corpus callosum at a much earlier and important brain development age. In addition, the present embodiment allows for an attachment to support the infant around the crotch and waist to then allow the infant/user to walk/jump in revolutions around the center column. 
     Advantages 
     While the infant is held up by a padded harness holding its torso in a conventional “crawling” position, the infant is able to crawl around the base and column in revolutions exploring its surroundings, simultaneously visualizing its locomotive movements-improving its grasp of motor development and binocular vision. For example, if the supervising user assisting the infant in the crawling apparatus, places a toy just out of reach of the infant, the infant can attempt to move to the toy. The infant will later realize that she can control all of her limbs and start to bounce until she performs a locomotive act of crawling. While the infant is moving, she can see the toy and her eyes will begin to focus and improve binocular vision. while the infant is also able to “bounce” building up much needed muscles for a later walking development stage. By being elastically suspended in the cushioned harness over the padded floor, the infants carrying weight is reduced making it easier for the infant to push off the padded floor in an attempt to crawl. When the infant is not in the apparatus, she may remember the position she was in when in using the apparatus, and attempt to crawl on her own. 
     A pivot arm is connected to the top of a bearing assembly. The bearing assembly is situated on the top-center of a plate. A guide wheel is connected to bottom of pivot arm to roll on top of outer end of plate, which supports the bearing assembly by carrying a portion of infant/user weight around the center column. This aids the infant/user by reducing the load weight of their body so the infant/user can move with ease, while not obstructing the vision of the infant/user. The present embodiment can allow any height of harness within elasticized cord limitations by locking said cord to desired length. 
     In addition to assisting the infant in crawling, the present embodiment can also attach a jumper seat. The jumper seat has cords attached to top of seat in both front and rear of jumper. The upper portion of jumper cords are connected to a fixed cord support embodiment with means of connecting to adjustable cord. On one side of the cord support is a handle that is used to lift jumper seat to attach to adjustable cord. 
     By using this device, the infant, at a much earlier age than that of walkers can improve numerous areas of early childhood development such as gross/fine motor skills, binocular vision, muscle strength and space/depth perception. The attachable jumper seat allows the infant to bounce up and down and walk around the device. There are no obstructions to prevent infant from seeing its left and right legs moving in concert. The Infant and also move laterally because of a bearing assembly placed above the pivot arm bearing assembly on outer end of pivot arm, the infant can turn its body in a full 360 degree radius allowing both clockwise and counterclockwise rotating travel. The infant can utilize this invention from-when it&#39;s old enough to lift it&#39;s head-to when the infant is able to walk on its own, making the life of this device far longer than most walker apparatuses readily available. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
       For a more in depth understanding of present invention reference should be made to the detailed description of preferred and alternative embodiments and associated drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portable infant development station in one embodiment of present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the infant development apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  in assembled state of present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the development apparatus from its base, up to it&#39;s guide wheel and pivot arm. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the bottom half of the invention showing the lower column, vertical, and support legs with locking knob. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of  FIG. 4  with addition of center column showing how the lower column receives the center column with and locked in place with threaded locking knobs. 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the top half of the invention showing the pivot arm bracket with caster wheel attached to the bearing housing assembly attached to guide plate and center column of. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of  FIG. 6  showing the pivot arm locked in place with pivot arm bearing assembly of present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the pivot arm and locking pin with pivot arm bearing assembly connected to eyebolt. 
         FIG. 8   a  is a perspective view of an additional pivot arm that raises the height of the elasticized cord embodiment for jumper attachment. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the elasticized cord embodiment including upper and lower cord housings and their associated means of attachment. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the crawling harness and its connecting handles. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the jumper harness and harness support embodiment. 
         FIG. 11   a  is a perspective of the harness support connectivity of present jumper embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the padded flooring showing how the pieces interconnect around radius of center column. 
         FIG. 12   a  is an exploded view of an individual piece of padded flooring (and how center of piece covers sub plate if sub plate is used). 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of alternate base embodiment showing the development apparatus with base and connected swiveling support bars, and locking pins. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring more specifically to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5  wherein support legs  410  are preferably straight and made of metal, plastic or wood. Support legs  410  can be circular, square, oval or any other shape that is structurally suitable to withhold the present invention. Support legs  410  are fixedly attached to vertical legs  410   a  to make a 45 degree angle at the inner portion wherein vertical legs  410   a  are preferably welded to lower column  402 . A lower column base  402   a  is fixedly attached to lower column  402  for additional support. Threaded holes  403  are preferably placed inline between any two of the vertical legs  410   a  wherein adjustable knob  404  removably screws into threaded holes  403 . 
     A column  13  is preferably made of metal, plastic or wood material with a circular, square or oval shape. At the lower end of column  13  is a reduced column  401  made of same material that inserts into lower column base  402  wherein adjustable knob  404  pushes into reduced column to removably lock column  13  in place. 
     Referring more specifically to  FIGS. 3 ,  6 , and  7  wherein upper guide plate  14  is fixedly attached to upper end of column  13  preferably by weldment and is made same material as column  13  with a circular, square or oval shape used to support a pivot arm bracket  16 , guide wheel  35 , and bearing assembly of preferred embodiment. 
     The Pivot arm bracket  16  is hingedly bolted to the upper bearing housing  15 . Upper bearing housing  15  is connected to lower bearing housing  21  using a bolt  22  wherein upper bearing housing  15  pivots in revolution on conventional bearings  31 . Lower bearing housing  21  is fixedly bolted to upper guide plate  14  using conventional nuts and bolts  30 . 
     A guide wheel housing embodiment  33  is fixedly bolted to pivot arm bracket  16  using conventional nuts and bolts through throughholes  34  to outer end walls of the pivot arm bracket  16  wherein guide wheel  35  will roll on top of the upper guide plate  14  to support the weight of the infant user as it rotates. 
     Referring more specifically to  FIGS. 6 ,  8 ,  8   a  and  9  wherein a pivot arm  17  is removably connected at the outer end of the pivot arm bracket  16  and is made of metal, plastic or wood in a circular, square or oval shape. The connecting end  37  of pivot arm  17  is reduced in dimensions to be received by outer end of pivot arm bracket  16  and is held in place by a locking pin  38  through throughholes  36  in both pivot arm  17  and pivot arm bracket  16 . The pivot arm  17  is detached for storage or portability.  FIG. 8   a  is an additional pivot arm comprising a vertical riser  17   a , then extending outwardly at outer end of straight portion  17   b . A pivot arm swivel  41  is placed on top of outer end of pivot arm  17 , although, pivot arm swivel  41  can also be placed on inside of pivot arm  17 . An eyebolt  40  or preferred embodiment with means of connecting multiple attachments extrudes through pivot arm  17  through a throughhole and connects to top of pivot arm swivel  41  and held in place by a locknut  41   a.    
     Referring more specifically to  FIGS. 8 ,  8   a ,  9  and  10  wherein Upper cord housing  18  is removably connected to eyebolt  40  wherein upper cord housing  18  is preferably a sphere or prism shaped embodiment with means of attaching to eyebolt  40  using a hook  61 . 
     An elasticized cord comprising two sides  51  and  62  connected to upper cord housing  18  wherein stationary side  51  is fixedly held in place by a clamp  60  at upper end of upper stationary cord opening  59  suspending downward to lower cord housing  20  through lower stationary cord opening  55  onto lower groove of pulley assembly  54 . Adjustable end of elasticized cord  62  extends upwardly through lower adjustable cord opening  56  to interior of upper cord housing  18  wherein adjustable end of elasticized cord  62  extends through adjustable cord opening  58  which gradually reduces downward to a lesser opening  63  enabling adjustable end of elasticized cord  62  to lock in place after obtaining desired length. A handle embodiment  57  is connected to adjustable end of elasticized cord  62  by a clamp to allow ease of use when adjusting, and locking elasticized cord onto upper cord housing lock  63 . 
     A harness  71  shown in  FIG. 10  is preferably made of fabric such as fleece, cotton, canvas, spandex, or any other desired material may be used. At polar ends of harness are harness handles  70  of triangular shape preferably formed of hard plastic or metal embodiment used to removably attach to the lower elasticized cord housing hook  53  shown in  FIG. 9 . Harness  71  will comfortably wrap infant torso allowing him/her to suspend at desired height so that infant hands and knees are positioned on the padded flooring  150  shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11-11   a  wherein support embodiment is made of a metal, plastic, or wood suitable to withhold the weight requirement to support infant/user. A support ring  341  is bolted to upper end of jumper support housing  340   a  from upper end of support handle  343   a . The ends of support handle  343   a  are threaded and insert through throughholes  345  of jumper support housing  340   a  and fixedly locked in place by threaded lock nuts  343   b . A support hanger opening  340   b  is shaped to receive support hanger  342 , wherein center of support hanger  342  is fixedly bolted to inside of jumper support housing  340   a  by a hanger bolt  344   a  and hanger nut  344   b . At each end of support hanger  342  is a groove shaped to receive jumper ropes  302  wherein each end removably slides into grooves to support jumper seat  300 . 
     The padded jumper seat  300  is preferably made of polyester, canvas, wool or any washable material. The jumper cords  302  are fixedly connected to jumper seat  300  by a cord support  301  that receives jumper ropes  302  at upper end and are preferably sewn or stitched together, then rope housing  301  is sewn or stitched to jumper seat  300 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12-12   a  Padded flooring  150  preferably made of a washable foam or any other soft, cushioned, and washable material. Padded flooring  150  may also preferably contain miscellaneous designs with different color schemes prints. Each piece of floor padding  150  removably interconnects to adjoining ends  93  to cover support legs  410  extending floor to desired shape, preferably circular, hexagonal, or square. Floor padding  150  will preferably have a cutout on bottom of inner edge  91  to match shape of vertical legs  410   a  and lower column  402  in order to place padded flooring  150  on top of support legs  410  to create a low profile flooring. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13  is an alternate embodiment of the base support means from the lower end, comprising a sub plate  10  with support bars  12  wherein both are preferably made of metal, plastic or wood material with a circular, square or oval shape that can be locked in place to stabilize the apparatus. The support bars  12  will preferably extend out to length of desired floor padding allowing a structurally sound sub floor. The support bars  12  hingedly connect  12   a  to stabilizer bracket  11  from inner end of support bars  12 , below sub plate, using preferably standard bolts through throughholes wherein support bars  12  pivot upwardly from inner end of support bars  12 . When in the down position stabilizer bars  12  are locked in place by a locking pin  100  at the outer end of the stabilizer bracket  11  through throughholes  11   a.    
     Connected to the sub plate  10  is a column  13  preferably made of metal, plastic or wood material with a circular, square or oval shape that is attached to the center of sub plate  10  at the lower end preferably by weldment with the upper guide plate  14  attached to the upper end of column  13 . 
     As shown particularly in  FIG. 5  that by loosening the threaded locking knobs  404  and removing the column  13  to detach upper portion of present invention, the device can be stored in a reduced dimension and easily transported to desired destinations.