Abstract:
A baby sports toy bar with sporting toys suspended down from a toy holder which pivots and locks around a pivot. The pivot is held in position at the curved end of the toy support frame while the straight end of the toy support frame slides into a base tube which pivots and locks in the attachment unit that adapts to a cot/rocker. The toy support frame is operatively height adjustable and radially adjustable with reference to the base tube and the attachment unit. The sports toys include both foot sport and hand sport. There are accessories provided for the hand sport activities for the baby to use.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to introduction of professional sport to infants and toddlers while in the comfort of their cot, cradles, rockers, bouncers. This also involves developing a good hand, foot and eye coordination that plays an important part in sport at an early stage in the child&#39;s life. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    We have a wide range of sport activities played and enjoyed as a profession and recreation. But not every child has the opportunity to develop their skills to a level that would enable them to get the support to develop into professional sports personnel. This could be due to lack of interest in the sport and or basic skills required for the sport. It is widely known that the things that we teach our children as babies, they carry those skills a long way in their life, hence the importance of reading to a baby. 
         [0003]    There is also a wide range of bouncers and rockers available in the market which have toy bars of various kinds fitted to them. But what they offer to the baby is a few toys that a baby can play with. These toys are figures of animals, shapes, and other variety of toy products. Some of these toy bars are patented such as U.S. Pat. Nos. RE 41,121, 6,811,217, 7,506,922B2 are a few to list. There are products available in the market that provide visual introduction of sport to babies which can be found on amazon.com such as Bedtime originals super sports musical mobiles, All stars sports musical mobile, li&#39;l kids sports fan musical mobiles. There are a few musical mobiles with patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,025,654, 482,066,131, 5,370,570. The concept of providing a toy bar to entertain a baby either in the cot, on the floor or in a recliner chair has been in the society for well over a hundred years. But the inventions have stopped at entertaining the baby with animal figures or at visual entertainment. 
         [0004]    The present invention is a toy bar that intends to introduce the babies to a range of sporting activities the baby can physically participate in and learn some basic skills of these sports that they get to carry forward into the rest of their lives. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    According to one embodiment of Baby Sports Toy Bar, the toy bar comes as an attachment to the cot/cradle of the baby. The attachment includes: sporting balls suspended down from a toy holder which is held at the centre by a pivot. This pivot is held in position by a toy support frame which has a quarter arc on one side and a straight end on the other end. The straight end fits into a base tube and held in position by a tube joining locking screw and nut. The base tube is fitted into the cot attach component which is secured to the cot by means of a polyester strapping/Velcro or screw mechanism. There is sporting accessories of tennis racquet and cricket bat provided in the disclosed embodiment which are miniature in size to suit a baby. 
         [0006]    In the second embodiment, the toy bar comes as an attachment to a rocker/bouncer with a different mechanism in place to secure the toy bar to the rocker/bouncer. In this embodiment the toy bar can be removed from the rocker/bouncer without removing the attachment that secures the toy bar as it becomes an integral part of the rocker/bouncer. Other aspects of this embodiment are similar to the first embodiment with slight changes to adapt the concept to a different environment, which are disclosed in the detailed description. 
         [0007]    The Baby Sport Toy bar in both the embodiments has three different toys hanging down the toy holder by toy strings. The position of each toy with respect to the baby can be changed by rotating the toy holder around the pivot. The position of the toys and toy holder can also be changed by moving the toy support frame. This movement can be radial and/or vertical adjustment of the height of the toy support frame with respect to the base tube. The toy bar as a whole unit can be swung away to enable easy access to the cot/cradle/rocker/bouncer to place the baby in or take out. 
         [0008]    These and other aspects of the invention as to their functioning are further explained in the next few sections of this document. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Identical numbers indicate the same part or functionally identical part. 
           [0010]    1.  FIG. 1 , illustrating the baby sport toy bar as an attachment to cot/cradle. 
           [0011]    2.  FIG. 2 , is an exploded view of the toy holder and pivot assembly. 
           [0012]    3.  FIG. 3 , is an enlarged view of the cot attach and its assembly. 
           [0013]    4.  FIG. 4 , illustrating the baby sport toy bar as an attachment to rocker frame. 
           [0014]    5.  FIG. 5 , illustrating the enlarged view of the rocker attach and its assembly. 
           [0015]    6.  FIG. 6 , illustrating the baby sports toy bar with the toy positions changed. 
           [0016]    7.  FIG. 7 , illustrating the baby sports toy bar rotated at a slight angle. 
           [0017]    8.  FIG. 8 , illustrating the baby sports toy bar swung away from the cot. 
           [0018]    9.  FIG. 9 , illustration the baby sports toy bar at a raised height. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The baby sports toy bar as illustrated in  FIG. 1  is the described embodiment being attached to the cot  117 . The baby sports toy bar in the illustration has a tennis/cricket ball  101 , soccer ball  102  and a footy ball  103  suspended from the toy holder  105  with the aid of toy strings  104 . The toy string in the described embodiment is a hard plastic rod that has an elastic element  137 ,  138  at its either ends, one end connecting to the toys while the other end connects to the holes  130  provided in the toy holder  105  and held in place by tying a knot. The toy holder  105  is held in position by the pivot  106  which is attached to the toy support frame  107 . 
         [0020]    The toy holder  105  is cone shaped disk with three holes  130  (refer to  FIG. 2  for part no.  130 - 139 ) provided near its outer edge while the centre of the toy holder has hub  131  with locator key  132  projection in the hole  133  of the hub  131 . The hub  131  slides over the pivot  106  with the locator key  132  sliding into one of the locating grooves  135  also called as spline teeth provided towards the bottom end of the pivot  106 . The top ends of the grooves are connected with a groove  136  that runs around the circumference of the pivot  106 , where the depth of this groove  136  is equal or deeper than the locating grooves  135 . The holder is then held in position and prevented from falling down by a washer  137  that is attached to the pivot  106  during assembly. In this position the toy holder  105  can be lifted upwards until the locator key  132  in the toy holder hub  131  comes in contact with the toy of the groove  136  provided on the pivot  105 . In this position, the toy holder  105  can be rotated around the pivot  106  by the desired amount of movement and dropping the toy holder down with the locator key  132  now in a different locator groove  135 . This movement enables the user to finely position the preferred toy ( 101 , 102 , 103 ) for easy access to the baby. The toy holder  105  in this embodiment does not have a rotating motion similar to the other toy bars or musical mobiles. The toy holder  105  has a rotational movement when the user intends to offer the baby a different sporting experience otherwise it is in a fixed position. Refer to  FIG. 6  illustrating the baby sports toy bar toys in a different position to the toys in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    The described embodiment has a toy support frame  107  which is straight towards one end and has a quarter arc towards the other end. At the end of this quarter arc is fitted a pivot  106 . The toy holder  105  locates and pivots around this pivot  106 . 
         [0022]    The straight end of the toy support frame  107  is further located and slides inside a base tube  108 . The top end of the base tube  108  is fitted with a locking screw  109  and a locking nut  110 . There is a vertically split conical  157  section as an integral part of the locking screw  109  on the top. The locking nut  110  has a matching complete conical  158  on the top. The locking nut  110  when screwed on to the locking screw  109  and tightened, the conical  158  on the locking nut compresses the split conical  157  of the locking screw  109 , clamping the locking screw  109  on to the toy support frame  107 , securing it the base tube  108 . This mechanism is put to use when the user wants to increase or reduce the height of the toy bar with respect to the baby where in the user loosens the locking nut  110 , slides the toy support frame  107  up or down and tightens the locking nut  110  securing the relationship between the toy support frame  107  and the base tube  108 . Refer to  FIG. 9  to view the baby sports toy bar at a raised height. This mechanism of clamping and loosening of the toy support frame  107  with respect to the base tube  108  also enables positioning the toy ( 101 , 102 , 103 ) and the toy holder  105  in a different position to offer the baby a different play experience and develop a different set of skills. Refer to  FIG. 7  to see the baby sports toy bar at a slightly different angular position as compared to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    The described embodiment has a cot attach  111  component that is secured to the cot  117  by means of 2 Velcro straps  113  which wrap around the cot  117  structural frame. There is a hole  141  (refer to  FIG. 3  for part no.  140 - 160 ) provided towards one side of this cot attach  111  for the base tube  108  to slide through. A slot  142  in the cot attach cuts through this hole  141  such that there is a top portion  145  and a bottom portion  146  of the hole with a gap equal to the size of the slot  142  in between. Two locking grooves  143 , 144  are made at 90 degrees or more to each other on the face of this slot  142  that would be the bottom face if the cot attach  111  were to be held in its correct orientation as shown in the  FIG. 1 . 
         [0024]    In the opening generated by the intersection of this slot  142  and hole  141  in the cot attach  111 , is located the base tube clamp  112  which is a split bush with two rectangular extensions  151  on either sides of the split  152 . In the disclosed embodiment, there is a threaded hole  153  on one rectangular extension  151  while there is a plain hole  154  bigger than the threaded hole  154  on the other rectangular extension  151 . There is a clamping screw  156  that is screwed into the thread hole  154  coming through from the plain hole  154  side. The base tube  108  slides into the cot attach  111  hole  141  from the top portion  145 , through the base tube clamp  112  and out through the bottom portion  146  of the cot attach  111  hole  141 . Part of the base tube  108  along with the locking screw  109  and locking nut  110  stays above the top portion  145  of the cot attach  111  hole  141  while there is also part of the base tube  108  below the bottom portion  146  of the cot attach  111  hole  141 . The clamping screw  156  can be tightened in this position to securing the base tube clamp  112  on to the base tube  108 . The user when having got the maximum height adjustment using the toy support frame  107 , gets to increase the height further by loosening the clamping screw  156  and the base tube clamp  112 , move the base tube  108  higher with respect to cot attach  111  and tighten the clamping screw  156  once the user is satisfied with the new height. 
         [0025]    There is a locking key  155  on the bottom face of the tube clamp  112 . The locking key  155  engages with the one of the two locking grooves  143 ,  144 . This locking key  155  when seated in the locking groove  143 , the toy bar is within the cot and over the baby for the baby to access the toys. In the event the user wants to swing the toy bar away clear of the cot, the user lifts on the toy support frame  107  until the base tube clamp  112  comes against the top face of the slot  142  in the cot attach  111  and rotates the base tube  108  along with the base tube clamp  112  until the locking key  155  locates into the locking groove  144 . Refer to  FIG. 8  to view the baby sports toy bar in a swung away position. 
         [0026]    In the described embodiment, a miniature cricket bat  114  and tennis racquet  115  as loose sporting accessories for hand sport are included to aid in the development of these skills in babies. The hand sporting accessories could change based on the most common played hand sport in the country, i.e. a polo bat could take the place of cricket bat. 
         [0027]    The illustration in  FIG. 4  is a baby sport toy bar as an attachment to rocker frame; a similar mechanism can be used for bouncers. The main difference between this embodiment and the cot attachment embodiment is the way the base tube  108  attachment mechanism, the height adjustment mechanism and the toy bar swing away mechanism. The description of this embodiment will deal only with the attachment mechanism and functioning. 
         [0028]    The rocker attach  161  has holes  170  provided for it to be secured to the rocker frame  164  with a form shape  162  on one face to suit the shape of the framework on the rocker frame  164  where in the holes  170  are horizontal located. The rocker attach  161  can be secured to the rocker  164  using rivets or screws. The rocker attach has a hole  163  perpendicular and behind the form shape  162  such that if the tube were to fit into this hole  163 , it will stand vertically upwards. On the top face of the rocker attach  161 , there are three locking grooves  165 ,  166 ,  167  located around the hole  163 . 
         [0029]    The base tube  168  has a locking screw  171  which is an integral part of the base tube  168  in this described embodiment and a locking nut  172  fitted to it. The locking screw  171  has vertical split conical  173  section on the top. The locking nut  172  has a similar complete conical  174  section on the top. After sliding the toy support frame  107  into the base tube  168 , tightening the locking nut  172  onto the locking screw  171 , the complete conical  174  section of the nut compress the vertically split conical  173  section on the locking screw and providing a gripping force on the toy support frame  107 . Loosening the locking nut  172  loosens the grip on the toy support frame  107  for it to move freely. This locking and loosening mechanism enables the height adjustment of the toy support frame  107  with respect to the base tube  168  and the rocker  164 . This also allows the user to move the toy holder  105  radially into a different position with respect to the base tube  168  and the rocker  164 . 
         [0030]    In the described embodiment, the base tube  168  has a projection right underneath the threaded section of the locking screw  171 . This projection is the locking key  176 . When the base tube  168  is assembled into the rocker attach  161 , the locking key  176  fits into the locking groove  166 . The toy bar in this position is on the rocker, and suitable for baby to use. The user can swing the toy bar away for easy access to the rocker for placing the baby in or out of the rocker by lifting the toy support frame slightly and rotating to engage the locking key  176  into either of the remaining two locking grooves  165 ,  167 . 
         [0031]    In the described embodiment, the base tube  168  is located in the rocker attach  161  and is not securely fixed to the rocker attach  161 , enabling the base tube  168  to be lifted out of the rocker attach  161  which is secured to the rocker  164 . This enables the user to remove the described embodiment out of the rocker  164  for safety reasons or other reasons they feel the described embodiment should be removed. 
       How Will the Consumer Use this Invention 
       [0032]    The invention Baby Sports Toy bar described in both the embodiments offers the consumer with similar functions and benefits. The following is the general usage method of the invention by the consumer.
   1. Fit the Bab sports toy bar either to the cot or the rocker.   2. Swing away the Baby Sports toy bar such that the cot or rocker is easily accessible to place the baby.   3. Choose the sport you want the baby to play. For example if the consumer wants the baby to play tennis.   4. Pushes up on the toy holder, rotates the toy holder around the pivot until the tennis/cricket ball is closest to the baby hands and let&#39;s go of the toy holder to lock into position on the pivot.   5. Provide the baby with the tennis racquet to play and practice hitting the ball with the racquet.   6. The consumer changes the height of the tennis ball with respect to the baby by loosening the locking nut and moving the toy support frame up or down.   7. The consumer follows the same procedure if they want the baby to play soccer or footy. In this case the consumer ensures that the ball is closer to the feet of the baby so that the baby can kick the ball.   8. If the toy ball doesn&#39;t reach close to the feet of the baby after rotating the toy holder, the consumer loosens the locking nut and swings the toy support frame around to bring the toy ball closer to the baby feet. They tighten the locking nut with the toy ball in this position. This way the consumer gets to cover a wide area of the cot or rocker for easy access of the sporting toy to the baby to play and develop the right sporting skills.   9. Once the baby has finished with the play, the toy support frame can be lifted up slightly and the toy bar swung away from the cot or rocker. In case of the rocker attachment, the consumer has the additional option to lift the toy bar away from the rocker.