Spring platform for a child

Abstract

 A spring platform (6) for a child, to provide a support to oscillate gently, at a slow rate of about 60 to 100 per minute, is suspended by slow rate springs (5) from a frame (1. 2. 4) which has upright guide members (14) engaged by slide members (11) of the platform and constraining the platform to vertical reciprocation with a horizontal attitude,

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a spring platform for a child and its object is to provide a spring support which will rise and fall gently at a slow rate when a child, in a carry-cot or push-chair for example, is placed on the platform. The platform may have a seat for a child.

[0002] Such a platform can provide a soothing movement for a baby, similar to the maternal carrying of a baby, or could be used by an older child for gentle bouncing exercise.

[0003] The movement is designed to correspond to the movement which is experienced by a baby, during pregnancy of the mother or when carried by its mother or nurse.

[0004] From observation, the average walking pace of a mother with an unborn or young baby corresponds to a stepping rate in a range of approximately 60 to 100 per minute which is consequently the frequency of rise and fall regular movement experienced by a baby being carried. It is such a frequency which is meant by reference to a "slow rate" in this specification.

[0005] Not only is a slow rate of rise and fall movement soothing for a baby but there must also be a sense of security given by regular movement, as experienced by a baby carried by its mother, as compared with random movement.

[0006] There have been several proposals to provide baby exercising or like appliances each comprising a frame with springs suspending a seat or other support for a baby to bounce, oscillate or swing in response to loading of the springs.

[0007] In none of these prior proposals has any provision been made for a designed or controlled rate or mode of movement, other than that incidentally arising from the kind, number and points of attachment of the springs.

[0008] According to the present invention, in a spring platform for a child and comprising a frame and springs suspending the platform in the frame, the springs are slow rate springs, for producing a gentle rise and fall repeating motion for a time under the simple effect of a load being placed on the platform, and the frame includes upright guide members each engaged with a slide member of the platform and constraining the platform to substantially vertical reciprocation and maintenance of a substantially horizontal attitude.

[0009] The platform may be designed as a plane rest on which a carry-cot, for example, may simply be placed with the result that the springs are loaded and consequently oscillate gently for a few minutes. By pushing the platform downwards, the sequence may be repeated. Due to the slow rate springs and the guides, the platform movement is gentle and regular, giving the child the familiar maternal sensation of secure up-and-down regular movement.

[0010] In a preferred construction, the upright guide members are a pair of posts, respectively at opposite ends or sides of the frame, and the slide members of the platform are sleeves or channels which are an easy sliding fit on the posts and of sufficient length to prevent any substantial tilting of the platform. The slide members are preferably lined with or made from anti-friction material, such as nylon.

[0011] The frame is preferably a folding frame, the upright guide posts being engegeable at their lower and upper ends with spring-suspending frame members which are relatively pivoted so that the frame can be folded to a compact condition when not in use. The pivots of the frame members are provided with locking means, such as clamping screws, for holding them securely in the raised position.

[0012] A preferred construction for the platform is a rectangular ring-frame covered by a shallow tray, having a rim to prevent a carry-cot from sliding off, and a central aperture in which a sling seat, of flexible sheet or strip material, is secured.

[0013] The springs are preferably four helical steel tension springs, two spaced apart at each end of the platform. For example, the springs have approximately an unloaded length of 300 mm which extends under a static platform load of 10 Kg to about 450 mm beyond which the springs have an oscillation amplitude of about 50 mm. This arrangement will give an oscillation frequency of the required 60 to 100 per minute.

[0014] The invention is illustrated, by way of example, on the accompanying drawings of a spring platform, in which:-

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a side elevation, end elevation and a plan, and

Figs. 4 and 5 are, on a larger scale, fragmentary sectional detail views.

[0015] A frame base, comprising a pair of longitudinal side bars 1 and a pair of end cross bars 2, has mounted on each end thereof, by pivotal, and optionally longitudinally adjustable clamping brackets 3, an inverted U-shaped end frame 4 providing a support for suspension, by four symmetrically arranged, relatively long, slow rate, helically coiled tension springs 5, of a platform 6.

[0016] The platform comprises a shallow rim tray 7, with a central hole for a child's sling seat or harness 8, carried by a ring-frame which has longitudal sides 9 and ends 10.

[0017] At the mid-length of each ring-frame end 10 there is incorporated a cruciform tubular bracket 11 (Fig. 4) providing an upright guide sleeve 12, with an anti-friction liner 13, which slides on an upright guide post 14 in the respective U-shaped end frame 4.

[0018] Each guide post 14 is removably located at its lower end on a spigot 15 on the respective base cross bar 2 and at its upper end (Fig. 5) is releasably engageable with the frame 4 by a screw 16, with a hand knob 17, which engages through the frame 4 into a nut 18 in the guide post 14.

[0019] The above-described frame construction is preferably made principally of aluminium or other light metal or alloy tubular components.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 1, a carry-cot 19 may be placed on the platform tray 7 and consequent loading of the platform will cause it to oscillate for a few minutes with a vertical motion guided by the sleeves 12 on the posts 14.

[0021] When not required for use, the screws 16 are removed, the guide posts 14 withdrawn from the sleeves 12 and the U-frames 4, after release of the clamping brackets 3, can then be folded down. The platform 6 may be arranged to bo removable, by unhooking its springs for example, or to be lowered with the U-frames 4.

[0022] The spring platform illustrated will be guided in smooth vertical movement without twisting of its spring suspension.

[0023] Constraint against tilting of the platform is also provided by the slides 12 and guide posts 14 and the extent of this, for example to permit a very small degree of rocking, can be controlled by the depth of mutual engagement and clearance of the slide liners 13 with the guide posts 14.

Claims

1. A spring platform for a child and comprising a frame (1, 2, 4) and springs (5) suspending the platform (6) in the frame, characterised thereby that the springs (5) are slow rate springs, for producing a gentle rise and fall repeating motion for a time under the simple effect of a load (19) being placed on the platform (6), and the frame includes upright guide members (14) each engaged with a slide member (11, 12, 13) of the platform (6) and constraining the platform to substantially vertical reciprocation and maintenance of a substantially horizontal attitude.

2. A spring platform according to claim 1, characterised thereby that the upright guide members are a pair of posts (14) respectively at opposite ends or sides of the frame (4) and the slide members of the platform are sleeves or channels (12, 13) which are an easy sliding fit on the posts and of sufficient length to prevent any substantial tilting of the platform (6).

3. A spring platform according to claim 2, characterised thereby that the posts (14) are releasably engageable at their lower and upper ends (15 and 16) with spring-suspending frame members (2, 4) which are relatively pivoted so that the frame can be folded to a compact condition when not in use.

₄. A spring platform according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised thereby that the platform (6) is a rectangular ring-frame (9, 10) covered by a shallow tray (7) with a central aperture in which a seat (8) is secured.

5. A spring platform according to any foregoing claim, characterised thereby that there are four helical tension springs (5) spaced apart, two at each end of the platform (6), with an unloaded length of approximately 300 mm which extends under a static platform load of 10 Kg to about 450 mm beyond which the springs have an oscillation amplitude of about 50 mm.

Drawing