GB2503340A

GB2503340A - Baby walker with rotatable tray

Info

Publication number: GB2503340A
Application number: GB201308159A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Royston Pearsall; David Welsh
Original assignee: JOIE INTERNAT CO Ltd
Current assignee: JOIE INTERNAT CO Ltd
Priority date: 2012-05-09
Filing date: 2013-05-07
Publication date: 2013-12-25
Anticipated expiration: 2033-05-07
Also published as: GB2503340B; GB201308159D0

Abstract

A baby walker 1 includes a tray 20 whereon a central hole (22, Fig 1) is formed, a seat 10 passing through the central hole and fixed to the tray and a frame 30 for supporting the tray with a plurality of wheel components 34 disposed on the bottom of the frame. A rotating module 40 (for example a sliding component 42 and track 44) is installed between the tray and the frame which allows the tray to be rotated relative to the frame and synchronously with the seat.

Description

BABY WALKER

Background of the Invention

Field a-f the Invent.i on

The present invention relates to a baby walker, and specifically relates to a baby walker with structural design of synchronous rotation of the seat and the tray.

2. Description of the Prior-Lrt

With the continuous improvement of people's living standard, a baby walker is widely used for child care. The babywalker can assist a baby to walk alone, resulting in great convenience to caregivers. In general, the baby walker includes a chair for supporting the baby, an annular frame connected to the chair, a base, a plurality of connecting rods that connect the annular frame and base, and a plurality of wheels installed under the base. A tray is integrated with the annular frame, and toys are often installed on the tray.

The seat of the conventional baby walker rotatably passes through a central hole of the annular frame, so that the baby can rotate on the seat freely to adjust progress direction.

However, the baby might rotate opposite to the tray, resulting in inconvenience of taking the toys installed on the tray.

That is, the seat has to be rotated toward the tray to take the toys. Therefore, there is a need to design a baby walker with simply structure and convenient operation.

StLmmary of the Invention The purpose of the present invention is to provide a baby walker with simple structure and structural design of synchronous rotation of the seat and the tray, to solve the above problems.

To achieve the above purpose, the present invention provides a baby walker including a tray whereon a central hole is formed, a seat passing through the central hole and fixed to the tray, a frame for supporting the tray, and a rotating module installed between the tray and the frame. The rotating module is for rotating the tray relative to the frame. A plurality of wheel components is disposed on a bottom of the frame.

Preferably, the rotating module includes a first sliding component and a first track cooperating with the first sliding component.

Preferably, one of the first sliding component and the first track is disposed on the bottom of the tray, and the other one of the first sliding component and the first track is disposed on a top of the frame.

Preferably, the first track is an annular slot structure, and the first sliding component is an annular protrusion or composed of a plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions.

Preferably, the annular slot structure opens upward or downward, and the annular protrusion or the plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions faces the annular slot structure.

Preferably, a second sliding component and a second track are respectively disposed on cooperating surfaces of the first sliding component and the first track, so as to prevent the tray from separating from the frame as the tray is rotating relative to the frame.

Preferably, the annular slot structure opens inward or outward, and the annular protrusion or the plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions faces the annular slot structure to engage with the annular slot structure, so as to prevent the tray from separating from the frame as the tray is rotating relative to the frame.

Preferably, the seat includes a seat portion whereon a baby sits, and a connecting portion connected to the seat portion and the tray.

Preferably, the connecting portion includes a backrest part, and two armrest parts connected to two sides of the backrest part and fixed to the tray.

Preferably, a slot is disposed on the connecting portion, and the baby walker further includes a seat belt passing through the slot and fixed on a front side or a lower side of the seat portion by a buckle.

Preferably, the seat further includes a guarding portion disposed in front of the seat portion for preventing the baby from falling from the seat portion.

Preferably, an accommodating space is formed between the guarding portion and the connecting portion and open upward.

Preferably, the seat is fixed to the tray by a buckling structure or a screw. The seat can be assembled easily and conveniently by the buckling structure.

Preferably, the seat and the tray are monolithically integrated, so as to simplify structure and reduce cost.

Preferably, each wheel component is a ball wheel. The ball wheel can rotate freely, and there is no need to install additional rotating shafts which might interfere with the baby's legs as the baby is walking.

The baby walker of the present invention utilizes the rotating module disposed between the tray and frame to rotate the tray relative to the frame along the first track. Because the seat and the tray are fixed, the seat and the tray can rotate synchronously. Hence, when the baby who sits on the baby walker rotates the seat to adjust progress direction, the tray fixed to the seat can be driven synchronously, so that the relative position of the object disposed on the tray with respect to the baby does not change. It facilitates the baby to take the object on the tray. Therefore, the present invention provides the baby walker with simply structure and convenient operation.

!Ibese and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt be oosne obvious to those of ordinary Dkill in the art a fter r:ead:jng the fol lowi rig deta tied description of the.

preferred eth odi.ment that. is illustrated in the various figures and: drawings.

Br.ief Des oript:ion of -the Drawings FIG.1 is a front view of a baby walker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.2 is an exploded diagram of the baby walker according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.3 is a top view of the baby walker according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.4 is a schematic drawing of the baby walker according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FTG.5 is a partial sectional diagram of a rotating module according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a partial enlarged diagram of the rotating module shown in FTG.5 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG.7 is a partial enlarged diagram of the rotating module shown in FIG.5 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Petal ie.d Descr.iution Please refer to FIG.1 to FIG.3. FIG.1 is a front view of a baby walker 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.2 is an exploded diagram of the baby walker 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FTG.3 is a top view of the baby walker 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The baby walker 1 includes a tray whereon a central hole 22 is formed, a seat 10 passing through the central hole 22 and fixed to the tray 20, a frame for supporting the tray 20, and a rotating module 40 installed between the tray 20 and the frame 30. The rotating module 40 is for rotating the tray 20 relative to the frame 30. The seat 10 can be fixed to the tray 20 by a buckling structure or a screw. Preferably, the seat 10 can be installed, disassembled or cleaned easily and conveniently by the buckling structure. The seat 10 and the tray 20 can be monolithically integrated, so as to simplify structure and reduce cost.

Please refer to FIG.l to FIG.4. FIG.4 is a schematic drawing of the baby walker 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The seat 10 includes a seat portion 12 whereon a baby sits, and a connecting portion 14 connected to the seat portion 12 and the tray 20. The connecting portion 14 extends upward from the seat portion 12 and is disposed above the seat portion 12. The oonnecting oonnection 14 is disposed around three sides of the seat portion 12, and the connecting portion 14 inoludes a backrest part 142, and two armrest parts 144, 146 connected to two sides of the backrest part 142 and fixed to the tray 20. At least one slot 16 is disposed on the backrest part 142 of the connecting portion 14. Preferably, two columns of slots 16 are disposed on the backrest part 142 vertically. The baby walker 1 further includes at least one seat belt 18 for selectively passing through the corresponding slot 16 in a different height for fitting the babies with different heights, and the belt 18 is fixed on a front side or a lower side of the seat portion 12 by a buckle (not shown in figures) . The seat 10 further includes a guarding portion 122 disposed in front of the seat portion 12 for preventing the baby from falling from the seat portion 12. The guarding portion 122 extends upward from the front of the seat portion 12 and is lower than the two armrest parts 144, 146 so as to occupy less space. An accommodating space is formed between the guarding portion 122 and the two armrest parts 144, 146 of the connecting portion 14, and the accommodating space is open upward to accommodate the baby' s legs. It does not interfere with the baby's legs to walk or access and can prevent the baby from sliding from the front of the seat 10.

As shown in FIG.3, the tray is rectangular -shaped in this embodiment. A toy, a cup or other object (not shown in figures) can be accommodated in a compartment 24 on the tray 20. A shape and disposal of the tray 20 are not limited to this embodiment.

The two armrest parts 144, 146 of the connecting portion 14 are fixed with the tray 20 in this embodiment. Please refer to FIG.1 to FIG.3, the frame 30 includes a plurality of supporting legs 32. In this embodiment, the frame 30 includes the four supporting legs 32. A plurality of wheel components 34 is disposed on a bottom of the frame 20, that is, the plurality of wheel components 34 is installed under the plurality of supporting legs 32, respeotively. Each wheel component 34 can be a ball wheel. The ball wheel can rotate freely, and there is no need to install additional rotating shafts which might interfere with the baby' s legs as the baby is walking, for safety considerations.

Please refer to FIG.5 to FIG.7. FIG.5 is a partial sectional diagram of the rotating module 40 according to the embodiment of the present invention. P10.6 is a partial enlarged diagram of the rotating module 40 shown in £10.5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FTG.7 is a partial enlarged diagram of the rotating module 40 shown in FIG.5 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The rotating module 40 of the baby walker 1 includes a first sliding component 42 and a first track 44 cooperating with the first sliding component 42. One of the first sliding component 42 and the first track 44 is disposed on the bottom of the tray2o, andtheotherone of the first slidingcomponent 42 and the first track 44 is disposed on a top of the frame 30. It is illustrated that the first sliding component 42 is disposed on the bottom of the tray 20, and the first track 44 is disposed on the top of the frame 30 in the following embodiment.

As shown in FTG.5 and P10.6, the first sliding component 42 is disposed under the bottom of the tray 20 and can be an annular protrusion which protrudes downward. The first sliding component 42 also can be composed of a plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions. The first track 44 is disposed on the top of the frame 30 and is an annular slot structure which opens upward to face the annular protrusion.

The first sliding component 42 is adapted inside the first track 44 and slides along the first track 44. The tray 20 can slide relative to the frame 30 along a direction of the first track 44 due to the cooperation of the first sliding component 42 on the tray 20 and the first traok 44 on the frame 30.

Preferably, a second sliding component 422 and a second track 442 are respectively disposed on cooperating surfaces of the first sliding component 42 and the first track 44. One of the seoond sliding component 422 and the second traok 442 is disposed on the first sliding component 42, and the other one of the second sliding component 422 and the second track 442 is disposed on the first track 44. As shown in FIG.6, it is illustrated that the second sliding component 422 is disposed on the first sliding component 42, and the second track 442 isdisposedonthe firsttrack44. Thecooperationof the second sliding component 422 and the second track 442 can prevent the first sliding component 42 from separating from the first track 44, so as to prevent the tray 20 from separating from the frame 30 as the tray 20 is rotating relative to the frame 30. Preferably, the second sliding component 422 can be inserted into or taken apart from the second track 442 by a driving means, so as to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the baby walker 1.

According to another embodiment as shown in FIG.7, the first sliding component 42 is laterally disposed on the bottom of the tray 20 and can be an annular protrusion which protrudes toward a center of the central hole 22 from the tray 20 inward.

The first sliding component 42 also can be composed of a plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions. The first track 44 is disposed on the top of the frame 30 and is an annular slot structure which opens in a direction opposite to a protruding direction of the first sliding component 42. That is, the annular slot structure opens outward, and the annular protrusion or the plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions faces the annular slot structure to engage with the annular slot structure. The first sliding component 42 is adapted inside the first track 44 and slides along the first track 44. The tray 20 can slide relative to the frame 30 along the direction of the first track 44 due to the cooperation of the first sliding component 42 on the tray 20 and the first track 44 on the frame 30.

In contrast to the prior art, the baby walker 1 of the present invention utilizes the rotating module 40 disposed between the tray 20 and frame 30 to rotate the tray 20 relative to the frame 30 along the first track 44. Because the seat and the tray 20 are fixed, the seat 10 and the tray 20 can rotate synchronously. Hence, when the baby who sits on the baby walker 1 rotates the seat 10 to adjust progress direction, the tray 20 fixed to the seat 10 can be driven synchronously, so that the relative position of the object disposed on the tray2o with respect tc the babydoes not change. It facilitates the baby to take the object on the tray 20. Therefore, the present invention provides the baby walker with simply structure and convenient operation.

Those skilled in the art will readily obse.rve that numerous rroct±oLcatacns and alLte.rati ors of the device and method may be macic while retaining the teachings of the invention.

A.ccorciingly, the above di.sclosure shnuid be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Claims

Cl aims What is ci±mea is: 1. A baby walker, comprising: a tray whereon a central hole is formed; a seat passing through the central hole and fixed to the tray; a frame for supporting the tray, a plurality of wheel components being disposed on a bottom of the frame; and a rotating module installed between the tray and the frame, the rotating module being for rotating the tray relative to the frame.
2. The baby walker ol claim 1, wherein the rotating module comprises a first sliding component and a first track cooperating with the first sliding component.
3. The baby walker of claim 2, wherein one of the first sliding component and the first track is disposed on the bottom of the tray, and the other one of the first sliding component and the first track is disposed on a top of the frame.
4. The baby walker of claims 2 or 3, wherein the first track is an annular slot structure, and the first sliding component is an annular protrusion or composed of a plurality of circimferentially spaced protrusions.
5. The baby walker of claim 4, wherein the annular slot structure opens upward or downward, and the annular protrusion or the plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions faces the annular slot structure.
6. The baby walker of claim 5, wherein a second sliding component and a second track are respectively disposed on cooperating surfaces ci the first sliding compcnent and the first track, so as to prevent the tray from separating from the frame as the tray is rotating relative to the frame.
7. The baby walker of claim 4, wherein the annular slot structure opens inward or outward, and the annular protrusion or the plurality of circumferentially spaced protrusions faces the annular slot structure to engage with the annular slot suructure, so as to prevent the tray from separating from the frame as the tray is rotating relative to the frame.
8. The baby walker of claim 1, wherein the seat comprises a seat portion whereon a baby sits, and a connecting portion connected to the seat portion and the tray.
9. The baby walker of claim 8, wherein the connecting portion comprises a backrest part, and two armrest parts connected to two sides of the backrest part and fixed to the tray.
10. The baby walker of claim 8, wherein a slot is disposed on the connecting portion, and the baby walker further comprises a seat belt passing through the slot and fixed on a front side or a lower side of the seat portion by a buckle.
11. The baby walker of any one of claims 8-10, wherein the seat further comprises a guarding portion disposed in front of the seat portion for preventing the baby from falling from the seat portion.
12. The baby walker of claim 11, wherein an accommodating space is formed between the guarding portion and the connecting portion and open upward.
13. The baby walker of claim 1, wherein the seat is fixed to the tray by a buckling structure or a screw.
14. The baby walker of claim 1, wherein the seat and the tray are monolithically integrated.
15. The baby walker of claim 1, wherein each wheel component is a ball wheel.
16.A baby walker substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.