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(11) | EP 1 010 376 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| published in accordance with Art. 158(3) EPC |
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| (54) | SUPPORT FOR A CHILD'S FOOT ONTO AN ADULT'S FOOT |
| (57) This support is constituted from a base body (1) which configures a sort of slipper
which is open at the back and which is dimensionally appropriate to receive a foot
of an adult, and to which it is fixed with the collaboration of strips (5, 5') closed
at the heel by any conventional means (6), a cavity (7) formed at the upper face of
this body being intended to house the foot of the child, with the shoe (8) of the
child, this cavity being embodied by a pair of straps (9, 9') provided with any appropriate
fastening means (10) to stabilize appropriately the child's foot onto the adult's
foot, so that the child can walk with the help of the adult with corresponding movements
of the feet of both the child and the adult. |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a support especially conceived for an adult to transport a child while the child's feet rest on the adult's feet, in a manner that enables the child to follow the adult's movements while walking or playing and prevents the child from sliding or falling off the adult's feet.
[0002] The support is formed on the basis of a shoe or similar body capable of internally lodging the foot of an adult person, with a smaller additional cavity being adhered to its upper part allowing a child's foot to be retained therein in a manner that the child's foot is attached to the adult's foot.
[0003] The support thus becomes a toy with ample educational qualities by which the child can be playfully introduced in left-right, upwards-downwards, forwards-backwards space concepts, etc., through the child's own psychomobility integrated to the body scheme, to which action contributes the fact that the child is aided affectively through direct contact with the adult person.
[0004] Associated to songs created specifically for each objective, this can be a source of numerous educational resources capable of preventing problems such as dyslexia, largely responsible for school failures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Adults playing with children spontaneously place them on their feet in order to perform rhythmic motions, thus providing all the playing and teaching possibilities created by this attitude, in addition to a good disposition for transmitting certain abilities.
[0006] However, the impossibility of the child remaining stable on the feet of an adult for a minimum period of time has prevented this activity to be potentially developed.
[0007] To this date, only dolls fitted with means for adapting onto the feet of a child are known, enabling the child to play with the doll in a fashion similar to that of an adult playing with a child.
[0008] The difference lies substantially in that the background art presents a single cavity in each of the doll's, feet where the child can insert his/her feet, whereas the present invention presents two cavities - a large one for inserting the adult's foot, and a small one, over the large one, for inserting the child's foot.
[0009] It also differs in the function provided, in view that, in the preceding art invention, the child cannot perceive the skills and teachings of the adult person and has to rely exclusively on the child's own skills; therefore, although it does have a certain didactic character, it is totally removed from the object of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The child foot support placed over the adult's foot, as proposed by the invention in order to achieve the above objective, is formed by a basic body in the shape of a slipper that is appropriately sized to enable the foot of an adult, either wearing a shoe or not, to be inserted therein.
[0011] This basic body presents two straps extending from the sides of the cavity in question which attach over the heel and are adapted to the length of the foot either permanently, by stitching, or else adjustably through any conventional means of attachment, thus providing the right length for each specific case.
[0012] A novel feature is provided in that this basic body incorporates, over its upper face, a smaller cavity designed to lodge the foot of a child, preferably a shoe-wearing child. More specifically, said cavity forms a bridge or stirrup composed of two straps attached to the sole of the basic body and fitted with an adjustable means of attachment which allows for appropriate tightening over the child's toot, which thus becomes conveniently attached to the basic body.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] In order to add to the description being provided and help toward a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention according to a preferred example of a practical embodiment, a set of drawings is attached and forms an integral part of said description, wherein the following is represented in an illustrative and non-limiting character:
Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a child foot support fitting over an adult foot according to the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a side elevation view, in section, along line A-B of the object shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a cross section along the cut line C-D shown in Figure 1.
Finally, Figure 4 shows, in a schematic perspective view, an example of the practical use of the support shown in the preceding figures.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In the light of these figures, it may be apparent that the support being advocated is structured around a basic body (1) forming a kind of slipper, i.e. providing a hollow receptacle fitted with a rear opening (2) through which the front portion of an adult foot may be inserted, and presenting a lower non-slip surface (3) supporting the lower portion of the foot of the user, and an upper portion (4) designed to be used as a base for the foot of a child.
[0015] In order to allow the adult foot to become firmly lodged inside the basic body (1), two straps (5-5') are provided, each of which emerges from each side of the rear opening (2) in the basic body (1), which attach onto each other by conventional means of attachment (6) such as stitching, press fasteners, a buckle, velcro, etc.
[0016] Furthermore, the basic body (1) incorporates, over its upper face (4), a cavity (7) designed to hold the foot of a child wearing a shoe (8), which cavity is preferably formed by a bridge structured on the basis of a pair of straps (9-9') related to each other via an attachment means (10) allowing for adjustment of their effective lengths. These two straps (9, 9') are each adhered to the sole of the basic body (1), onto respective sides (11-11') thereof, emerging through the upper part along the interior (12-12') of said basic body.
[0017] In order to protect the feet of the adult person supporting the body weight of a child, the upper portion (4) of the basic body (1) is conveniently padded in such a manner that, in order to a achieve a more horizontal position, the front portion (13) of the basic body (1) is thicker than the rear portion (13') thereof.
[0018] In order that the basic body (1) may adapt to the length of the child's foot and provide it with greater stability over the upper face (4), the basic body (1) is fitted in its front portion with an extension (14) which allows the child foot supporting surface to be elongated over the adult's foot.
[0019] Although Figure 4 shows an example of a practical use of the support where both the child and the adult person are shown in a forward walking direction, the support may obviously be used with the child in an inverted position, namely the child facing the adult person, in view that the shape of the bridge (9-9') over the cavity (7) allows the feet to be inserted in one direction or the other.
[0020] This description need not be more extensive for an expert on the subject to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages deriving therefrom.
1. Support for a child foot over the foot of an adult person, comprising a basic body
(1) forming a kind of slipper capable of lodging the front portion of the adult's
foot, the opening (2) of which is associated to means of attachment (5-5') for attaching
said basic body (1) to the rear portion of the foot, characteristic in that a cavity
(7) is established over its upper face capable of receiving the foot of a child, preferably
wearing a shoe (8).
2. Support for a child foot over the foot of an adult person, according to claim 1, characteristic
in that the upper cavity (7) forms a kind of stirrup defined by two straps (9-9'),
each of which is fixed to one side of the basic body, the straps being related to
each other through means of attachment (10) with allow for the adjustment of their
effective lengths.