Abstract:
An apparatus for applying a motion simulating a moving vehicle to an infant&#39;s carrier. A platform supporting the carrier is suspended on flexible members in an open-topped enclosure. A pair of crank shafts with cranks upon which are mounted frictional members positioned under the platform. The frictional members cause the platform to rise and fall and sets it into complex motion on the flexible members while the motion of the frictional members gently bounces an infant in the carrier. By varying the length of the flexible members and the speed of the crank shafts, a user may find a setting effective at calming the infant and inducing sleep.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus for simulating the complex motions applied to a passenger in an automobile, which motions are known to have a soporific effect on infants. 
         [0003]    2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    It is well known that a car ride tends to put an infant to sleep. The motions in a car are very complex and involve all six degrees of motion—namely, moving forward and backward (surging), moving left and right (swaying), moving up and down (heaving), tilting up and down (pitching), turning left and right (yawing) and tilting side to side (rolling). Coupled with these motions is a gentle vibration or hum imparted by the engine and rolling wheels. This combination of motions and sounds has a soothing, soporific effect on an infant. 
         [0005]    But it is not always convenient to take an infant for a drive just to put him or her to sleep. Moreover, the effect of the drive may be lost when the car stops if that causes the infant to awaken. What is therefore needed is an apparatus that can be used in the home or in the baby&#39;s room for applying a motion that simulates a moving vehicle. 
         [0006]    There are many prior art devices to rock a baby to sleep. These devices, however, do not simulate the full range of motions imparted by a moving vehicle. Most of the devices either rock the baby side-to-side, up-and-down or back-and-forth and none, insofar as known, are as effective as a car ride. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for applying motion simulating a moving vehicle to an infant in a carrier to induce sleep. It is another object to provide an apparatus for keeping an infant in a sleeping state after coming back from a drive. Other objects and features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
         [0008]    In accordance with the invention an apparatus for simulating the complex motions applied to an infant&#39;s carrier in a moving vehicle is provided. In major part, the apparatus includes an open-topped enclosure in which a platform for supporting a carrier for an infant, such as a car seat, is suspended on flexible members. A pair of spaced apart crank shafts with out-of-phase cranks are positioned below the platform. Frictional members are mounted on the cranks and set the platform into complex motion on the flexible supports. By varying the speed at which the rotary drive means turns the crank shafts and the height of the platform, a user can find a setting effective at calming the infant and inducing sleep in most cases. 
         [0009]    The invention summarized above comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated by the subjoined claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0010]    In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated, corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first apparatus for applying motion simulating a moving vehicle to a carrier for an infant; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a detail illustrating one possible way to attach the carrier to the apparatus; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation in cross-section taken along a plane  3 - 3  in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an end elevation in cross-section taken along a plane  4 - 4  in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a plan view in cross-section taken along a plane  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a plan view in cross-section similar to  FIG. 5  but of a second embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the apparatus with the carrier removed; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a detail in perspective illustrating one possible way to adjust of the length of a flexible member; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side elevation similar to  FIG. 3  of a second apparatus for applying motion simulating a moving vehicle to a carrier for an infant; and, 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is an end elevation showing the second apparatus in cross-section similar to  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-8  more particularly by reference character, reference numeral  10  refers to a first apparatus for simulating a moving vehicle in accordance with the present invention. Apparatus  10  includes an enclosure  12  with an open top. As illustrated in the drawings, enclosure  12  comprises a bottom plate  14  and four side wall plates  16  held to bottom plate  14  in a manner well known in the prior art in order to form a generally open topped rectangular box. 
         [0022]    A platform  18  adapted to support a carrier  20  for an infant is suspended generally horizontally in enclosure  12  on flexible members  22 . When enclosure  12  is an open topped rectangular box, platform  18  is a rectangular plate with an upper surface  24  and a lower surface  26 . 
         [0023]    Enclosure  12  and platform  18  may be fabricated, for example, by injection molding from a rigid, non-toxic, plastic such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. Handles  28  ( FIG. 1 ) may be provided for carrying purposes and enclosure  12  may be contoured such that it will not detract from the decor of a baby&#39;s room. 
         [0024]    For the purpose of convenience, the term carrier  20  for an infant refers to any structure used to comfortably support a baby or infant. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, carrier  20  is an infant car seat but carrier  20  may be a bassinet or the like. Many infant car seats include a slot  30  by means of which carrier  20  is latched into a harness installed in a back seat of an automobile. Carrier  20  also typically includes a bail  32  by means of which carrier  20  may be carried when not installed in a car. A transverse rib  34  may be provided on upper surface  24  of platform  18  for engagement with slot  30  by means of which carrier  20  is secured to platform  18 . Other attachment means such as L-shaped brackets, straps, snaps and so forth, all well known in the prior art, may be used in place of or in addition to rib  34 . 
         [0025]    Platform  18  is suspended in enclosure  12  on flexible members  22  such that it has freedom of movement forward and backward, left and right and up and down. It also is free to tilt up and down, turn left and right and tilt side to side. Flexible members  22  may be wires, cables, chains or the like formed of metal or plastic that is sufficient in strength to safely bear the weight of platform  18  when loaded with an infant in carrier  20 . As illustrated, one flexible member  22  is attached at each corner of platform  18 . Holes are provided in opposing ones of side wall plates  16  through which a free end of flexible members  22  are passed. A retainer  36  is provided for adjusting the effective length of flexible members  22  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0026]    First and second spaced apart crank shafts  38 ,  40  are journaled in enclosure  12 . For this purpose mounting blocks may be provided on bottom plate  14  in a manner well known in the art or, as illustrated, crank shafts  38 ,  40  may be journaled in bearings  42  ( FIG. 4 ) provided in opposing ones of side wall plates  16 , preferably the same side wall plates to which flexible members  22  are attached. A mounting block  44  may be provided between the ends of crank shafts  38 ,  40  with a bearing  46  ( FIGS. 5-6 ) in which crank shafts  38 ,  40  are journaled. When not journaled in mounting blocks on the inside of enclosure  12 , crank shafts  38 ,  40  extend through side wall plates  16  for attachment to a rotary drive means  48  as more particularly described below. Otherwise, such attachment may be made within enclosure  12 . 
         [0027]    Each of crank shafts  38 ,  40  has at least two cranks  50 ,  52 , the arms  54  ( FIG. 4 ) of which may be the same length, as shown, or of different lengths. Crank shafts  38 ,  40  may also be linear, as shown, or non-linear in a manner well known in the prior art. Cranks  50 ,  52  on each of crank shafts  38 ,  40  may be in the same plane, as shown, or may lie in different planes and are preferably opposed such that when one of cranks  50  or  52  is up, the other is down. A rolling member  56  which may be either a wheel or a roller is mounted on each of cranks  50 ,  52 . Rolling members  56  may be identical or may be different sizes depending on the length of arms  54  of cranks  50 ,  52  and on the vertical placement of bearings  42 ,  46 . 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , separate rotary drive means  48  may be coupled to each of crank shafts  38 ,  40  either directly or through a speed reduction means. Rotary drive means  48  may be an electric motor, as shown, of the variable speed type with voltage and/or current regulators. Electric motor  48  is connected to a power source such as a battery or wall current. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a single rotary drive means  48  may be used to drive both of crank shafts  38 ,  40  in which case a first pulley/sprocket  58  is attached to crank shaft  38  and a second pulley/sprocket  60  is attached to crank shaft  40 . A belt/chain  62  connects first and second pulleys/sprockets  58 ,  60  such that crank shafts  38 ,  40  rotate in concert. With either the arrangement in  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 6 , crank shafts  38 ,  40  may be arranged to rotate at the same speed or at different speeds. In the case of  FIG. 5 , this is accomplished through the voltage and/or current regulators and in  FIG. 6  through the relative size of pulleys/sprockets  58 ,  60 . In  FIG. 6 , the angular relationship between cranks  50 ,  52  on crank shafts  38 ,  40  is fixed by pulleys/sprockets  58 ,  60  and belt/chain  62  whereas in  FIG. 5  the angular relationship will change when crank shafts  38 ,  40  are rotated at different speeds by separate rotary drive means  48 . 
         [0029]    In use as shown in the drawings, the length of flexible members  22  may be adjusted as shown in  FIG. 8  with sliding retainers  36 . As crank shafts  38 ,  40  are rotated by rotary drive means  48 , rolling members  56  are brought into contact with lower surface  26  of platform  18  pushing platform  18  up and rolling along lower surface  26  until rotated out of contact with platform  18  on cranks  50 ,  52 . When cranks  50 ,  52  are opposed to each other on each of crank shafts  38 ,  40 , platform  18  will never have more than three-point contact with rolling members  56  and in some instances it may make no contact at all. This rising and the falling of rolling members  56  in and out of contact with lower surface  26  of platform  18  suspended on flexible members  22  sets platform  18  into a very complex motion with a long period of repetition or with no repeat at all. 
         [0030]    By varying the tension on flexible members  22  and by varying the speed that crank shafts  38 ,  40  are driven, a user can find a setting that is most effective at calming an infant to induce sleep. The rising and falling, twisting and turning of platform  18  is coupled with the rolling action of rolling members  56  on lower surface  26  of platform  18  to provide a motion similar to that experienced by an infant in an automobile. The rolling action of rolling members  56  may be further enhanced, if desired, by providing corrugations  64  or the like on lower surface  26  such that the infant is gently bounced. 
         [0031]    A second apparatus  10 ′ in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 9-10 . As shown, rolling members  56  are replaced with pistons  66  which are free to slide in vented cylinders  68  attached to platform  18 . The distance traveled by pistons  66  is fixed by the length of cranks  50 , 52  on each of first and second crank shafts  38 ,  40 . Both pistons  66  and cylinders  68  may be mounted on ball joints  70  to ensure non-binding reciprocating of the pistons in the cylinders. As with rolling members  56 , pistons  66  are not attached to platform  18 . 
         [0032]    In operation, as pistons  66  slide in cylinders  68  a subtle vibration is transmitted to platform  18 . During a cycle in some instances, the head of piston  66  contacts the bottom of cylinder  68  and lifts platform  18 . In other instances, depending on the phase of cranks  50 ,  52  on first and second crank shafts  38 ,  40 , the only contact between platform  18  and piston  66  is the frictional contact between the piston and the sidewalls of the cylinder. As with rolling members  56 , the sliding of pistons  66  in cylinders  68  sets platform  18  into a very complex motion with a long period of repetition or with no period of repeat. 
         [0033]    With either apparatus  10  or  10 ′, the “ride” may take place in the comfort of a nursery where it may be easy to transfer the baby to his or her bed after he or she falls asleep, instead of trying to remove the infant from an actual car. Apparatus  10  or  10 ′ is also useful in keeping an infant in a sleeping state after coming back from a drive, for example, to give a mother time to put away her purchases before the baby wakes up. 
         [0034]    In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.