Abstract:
A collapsible umbrella gym for an infant or toddler which is highly portable, and combines the desirable attributes of an activity arch and support mat such as an activity mat. The gym comprises a frame assembly which is selectively movable between collapsed and uncollapsed states. When in its fully deployed, uncollapsed state, the frame assembly assumes a configuration which provides the functional attributes of an activity gym or activity arch, with multiple toys or mobiles being suspended from the frame assembly at locations which are easily accessible to an infant or toddler lying underneath the frame assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/718,862 entitled COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA GYM filed Sep. 20, 2005. 
     
    
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not Applicable  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention generally to infant activity toys and, more particularly, to an activity gym/mat which is configured to allow toys, mobiles or similar devices to be suspended from a frame assembly thereof, and is quickly collapsible to a configuration which lends itself to easy portability.  
         [0004]     An item known to most parents and popular with many infants toddlers is commonly referred to as an activity arch of gym. Activity arches/gyms typically comprise a rigid frame or bar having a plurality of detachable toys suspended therefrom. In those activity arches which comprise a rigid frame, such frame is typically positioned upon a horizontal support surface such as a floor, with the infant or toddler being positioned under the frame so as to be able to grasp the toys suspended therefrom. Other activity arches comprise a single bar which is adapted to be attached to a car seat or stroller in a manner allowing the infant or toddler within the car seat or stroller to be able to play with those toys suspended from the bar.  
         [0005]     Another item known to most parents and also popular with infants and toddlers is referred to as an activity mat. Activity mats typically comprise a layer of cushioned or padded material having decorative indicia and various activity items disposed on one side or face thereof. The mat is also typically placed upon a horizontal support surface such as a floor, and provides a comfortable, clean surface upon which the infant or toddler can play or sleep.  
         [0006]     While activity mats are able to be folded and thus are easily portable, activity arches/gyms are typically not configured in a manner facilitating portability. In this regard, those activity arches/gyms which are specifically configured for retrofit attachment to a car seat or stroller do not have the structural attributes which allow for use upon a floor or other horizontal support surface. Those activity arches/gyms which are specifically configured for such usage are typically not easily portable due to the rigid construction of the frame thereof. It would be highly desirable to provide an activity arch/gym which is easily collapsible and thus portable to allow for usage in conjunction with a mat such as an activity mat at any desired location.  
         [0007]     The present invention addresses this particular need by providing a gym which combines the attributes of an activity arch and an activity mat, and is quickly collapsible to a configuration which lends itself to easy portability. These and other attributes of the present invention will be described in more detail below.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a collapsible umbrella gym for an infant or toddler which is highly portable, and combines the desirable attributes of an activity arch and support mat such as an activity mat. The gym comprises a frame assembly which is selectively movable between collapsed and uncollapsed states. When in its fully deployed, uncollapsed state, the frame assembly assumes a configuration which provides the functional attributes of an activity gym or activity arch, with multiple toys or mobiles being suspended from the frame assembly at locations which are easily accessible to an infant or toddler lying underneath the frame assembly.  
         [0009]     Operatively connected to the frame assembly is a mat which is foldable into the interior of the frame assembly when the frame assembly is actuated to its collapsed state. Due to the manner in which the frame assembly is attached to the mat, the movement of the frame assembly to its fully deployed, uncollapsed state effectively maintains the mat in a fully extended, spread out orientation underneath the frame assembly, thus providing a soft, comfortable and clean surface for the infant or toddler lying under the frame assembly and playing with the toys or mobiles suspended therefrom. The frame assembly itself further includes a uniquely configured central support mechanism which is operative to maintain the frame assembly in its fully uncollapsed, deployed state, and includes a cam handle which, when actuated, quickly and easily facilitates the movement of the frame assembly to its collapsed state. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     These as well as other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the umbrella gym of the present invention in its collapsed state;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the gym of the present invention in its partially deployed state;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the gym of the present invention in its fully deployed, uncollapsed state;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the central support mechanism of the frame assembly of the gym of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the central support mechanism of the gym of the present invention; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the cam handle of the central support mechanism shown in  FIG. 5 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention only, and not for the purposes of limiting the same,  FIG. 1  illustrates a collapsible gum  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , the gym  10  is shown in its fully folded, collapsed state. The gym  10  is shown in a partially deployed state in  FIG. 2 , and in a fully deployed, uncollasped state in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0018]     As is best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the gym  10  comprises a frame assembly  12  which itself includes a central support mechanism  14  having a plurality (i.e., four) support legs  16  attached thereto and extending therefrom. Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the central support mechanism  14  comprises an upper housing section  18  and a lower housing section  20  which, when attached to each other, collectively define an interior chamber. The combined upper and lower housing sections  18 ,  20  further collectively define four radially presented openings  22  which are separated from each other by intervals of approximately ninety degrees, and are used to accommodate portions of respective ones of the support legs  16  in a manner which will be described in more detail below.  
         [0019]     Positioned within the interior chamber collectively defined by the upper and lower housing sections  18 ,  20  is a cam handle  24 , an enlargement of which is shown in  FIG. 6 . A lower portion of the cam handle  24  resides within a complimentary recess  26  formed in the lower housing section  20 . The upper portion of the cam handle  24  resides within a complimentary aperture  28  formed in the approximate center of the upper housing section  18 . Cooperatively engaged to both the lower housing section  20  and cam handle  24  is a torsion spring  30 , the use of which will be described below.  
         [0020]     As best seen in  FIG. 6 , the cam handle  24  includes four arcuate cam portions  32  which protrude radially therefrom. When the cam handle  24  is operatively coupled to the upper and lower housing sections  18 ,  20 , the cam portions  32  reside in the interior chamber collectively defined by the upper and lower housing sections  18 ,  20 . In the central support mechanism  14 , the cam handle  24  is selectively rotatable from a locked position to an unlocked position, and is normally biased to the locked position as a result of the engagement of the torsion spring  30  thereto. The actuation/rotation of the cam handle  24  to its unlocked position is used to facilitate the movement of the frame assembly  12  to its collapsed state in a manner which will also be discussed in more detail below. In the central support mechanism  14 , the upper and lower housing sections  18 ,  20  are maintained in attached relation to each other by a series of attachment pins  34  which are advanced through respective openings  36  within the lower housing section  20  and into complimentary apertures within the upper housing section  18 .  
         [0021]     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 5 , each of the support legs  16  comprises a rigid upper section  16   a  which is pivotally connected to the central support mechanism  14 . More particularly, the upper section  16   a  of each support leg  16  includes an opposed pair of outwardly protruding attachment bosses  38  which are separated from each other at an interval of approximately 180° and are each sized and configured to be rotatably nestable into respective ones of a pair of notches  40  which are formed in each of the openings  22  collectively defined by the attached upper and lower housing sections  18 ,  20 . In this regard, when the bosses  38  of each upper section  16   a  are captured in a respective pair of notches  40  as a result of the attachment of the upper and lower housing sections  18 ,  20  to each other, each upper section  16   a  is pivotally moveable relative to the central support mechanism  14  between a first position (shown in  FIG. 3 ) wherein the upper sections  16   a  extend radially from the central support mechanism  14 , and second position (shown in  FIG. 1 ) wherein the upper sections  16   a  extend in generally parallel relation to the axis of the aperture  28 , and hence the rotational axis of the cam handle  24 .  
         [0022]     In addition to the attachment bosses  38 , the upper section  16   a  of each support leg  16  includes an engagement pin  42  which protrudes axially from that end thereof disposed closest to the attachment bosses  38 . The engagement pin  42  of each upper section  16  is sized and configured to interact with the cam portions  32  of the cam handle  24  in a manner wherein the upper sections  16   a  are maintained in their first positions described above when the cam handle  24  is in its normal locked position, and are pivotally moveable to their second positions described above when the cam handle  24  is actuated/rotated to its unlocked position.  
         [0023]     Each support leg  16  of the gym  10  further comprises a rigid lower section  16   b . In the gym  10 , the lower sections  16   b  of the support legs  16  are attached to a common face or side of a generally quadrangular (e.g., square or rectangular) mat  44  adjacent respective ones the four corners defined thereby. The mat  44  of the gym  10  is preferably fabricated from soft, pliable and washable materials, and may be provided with an intermediate layer of cushioning material to enhance the comfort of a toddler or infant rested thereupon. Preferably included on the side or face of the mat  44  to which the lower sections  16   b  of the support legs  16  are attached is decorative indicia. It is contemplated that the lower sections  16   b  of the support legs  16  may be releasably attached to the mat  44 , as opposed to being permanently secured thereto.  
         [0024]     In addition to the upper and lower sections  16   a ,  16   b , each support leg  16  comprises a flexible middle section  16   c . The middle section  16   c  of each support leg  16  is attached to and extends between the upper and lower sections  16   a ,  16   b . Because of its flexible construction, the middle section  16   c  of each support leg  16  is preferably fabricated from a material having decorative indicia thereon which corresponds to that included on that side of the mat  44  having the lower sections  16   b  attached thereto.  
         [0025]     As indicated above,  FIG. 1  depicts the gym  10  in its folded, fully collapsed state. When the gym  10  is collapsed, the upper sections  16   a  of the support legs  16  are oriented in their second positions extending in generally parallel relation to the axis of the cam handle  24  of the central support mechanism  14  as explained above. As a result, the middle and lower sections  16   c ,  16   b  of the support legs  16  also extend in generally parallel relation to the axis of the cam handle  24 . The mat  44  is folded upwardly into the space or area defined between the collapsed support legs  16 . As is further shown in  FIG. 1 , it is contemplated that the mat  44  may be outfitted with a fastening strap  46 , a portion of the mat  44  being extended about the collapsed support legs  16  and secured to itself through the use of the fastening strap  46  for purposes of maintaining the gym  10  in its fully collapsed state.  
         [0026]     The release of the fastening strap  46  allows the support legs  16  to be pivoted outwardly relative to the central support mechanism  14  to assume the partially deployed configuration shown in  FIG. 2 . When the gym  10  is in its partially deployed configuration, the mat  44  is removed from in between the support legs  16  and expanded or unfolded into a generally planar configuration. The frame assembly  12  (i.e., the combination of the central support mechanism  14  and support legs  16 ) assumes a generally pyramid shape, with the support legs  16  extending generally linearly between respective corner regions of the mat  44  and the central support mechanism  14 .  
         [0027]     After the gym  10  has been unfolded to the partially deployed state shown in  FIG. 2 , downward pressure is applied to the central support mechanism  14  in the manner shown in  FIG. 3 . The application of such downward pressure causes the upper sections  16   a  of the support legs  16  to be pivoted into an orientation wherein the upper sections  16   a  extend generally radially from the central support mechanism  14 , thus assuming their first positions described above. Due to the configuration of the central support mechanism  14  and in particular the manner in which the cam portions  32  of the cam handle  24  engage the pins  42  of the support legs  16 , the upper sections  16   a  are effectively locked into their radially extending orientations relative to the central support mechanism  14  when pivoted to the first positions as a result of the application of downward pressure to the central support mechanism  14 . As is further seen in  FIG. 3 , the application of the downward pressure to the central support mechanism  14  also results in the flexible middle sections  16   c  of the support legs  16  each assuming a generally arcuate configuration. Importantly, the middle sections  16   c  are maintained in such arcuate configurations when the upper sections  16   a  are locked into their first positions in the above-described manner. As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the support legs  16 , and in particular, the middle sections  16   c  thereof, each have activity items  48  such as plush toys or mobiles attached thereto and suspended therefrom. When the upper sections  16   a  are locked into their first positions, the resultant arcuate configurations of the middle sections  15   c  effectively places the items  48  dangling therefrom into easy, graspable reach of an infant or toddler lying upon the underlying mat  44 . It is contemplated that the items  48  may be detachably connected to the support legs  16 . The movement of the upper sections  16   a  into their locked first positions effectively places the gym  10  into its fully deployed, uncollapsed state.  
         [0028]     The return of the gym  10  to its fully folded, collapsed state is accomplished by actuating the cam handle  24  from its normal locked position, to its unlocked position. Upon the rotation of the cam handle  24  to its unlocked position, the cam portions  32  of the cam handle  24  act against the engagement pins  42  and the support legs  16  in a manner allowing the upper sections  16   a  to be pivoted from their first positions extending radially from the central support mechanism  14 , downwardly back toward their second positions. Such downward pivotal movement of the upper sections  16   a  effectively returns each of the middle sections  16   c  of the support legs  16  to a generally linear configuration, and allows for the folding of the mat  44  back upwardly into the interior of the collapsed support legs  16  in the manner shown in  FIG. 1 . Thus, the gym  10  is easily moveable between its collapsed and uncollapsed states, and is highly portable when in its fully folded, collapsed state.  
         [0029]     Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention may also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the particular combination of parts described and illustrated herein is intended to represent only certain embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternative devices within the spirit and scope of the invention.