Exercise devices – Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof – Occupant propelled support frame having movement...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-08
2001-01-30
Donnelly, Jerome W. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Involving user translation or physical simulation thereof
Occupant propelled support frame having movement...
C482S068000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179755
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention disclosed and claimed herein relates generally to a new and improved infant walker and a kit for use with an infant walker; and, more particularly, the invention relates to an infant walker having an extender unit attached to the walker base.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Infant walkers are well known in the art. They generally include an infant seat and tray mounted on a collapsible pair of intersecting legs. The legs, in turn, are mounted to a walker base, the walker base being disposed on a plurality of rotatable wheels. An infant seated in the walker is able, by pushing his or her feet along the floor, to move the walker in any number of directions. Unfortunately, walkers presently available can be manipulated by an infant to pass through a doorway into a room or an area, such as stairs, where the flooring or surface is uneven or non-existent such that the walker and infant can tip over due to the non-uniform terrain.
Recently, because of concerns about the ability of an infant in a walker to manipulate the walker to a potentially dangerous terrain such as a stairway, standards have been invoked which will require that walker devices be designed so that they are unable to pass through a doorway having a width of thirty-six (36) inches or less.
Accordingly, what is desired is to obviate the ability of an infant, who is located in a walker, from transporting the walker from a room or area where the operation of the walker can be conducted safely and with minimal risk of tipping the device. It is particularly desired that an infant in a walker be precluded from moving the walker from one confined room or area to another room or area where the safe operation of the walker would be impaired. Further, it is desired to have a walker unit which will satisfy the above-discussed standards presently being enacted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention disclosed and claimed herein serves to obviate the problems associated with infant walkers presently available, while at the same time achieving the desired features for an infant walker.
Briefly, the infant walker of the present invention includes a walker having an extender unit which projects laterally outwardly away from the walker base. The extender unit provides an increased walker width which is greater than the width of a normal 36 inch doorway whereby a child seated or standing in the walker is precluded from transporting the walker through the doorway of a room to an area or terrain where the walker operation cannot safely be carried out. Moreover, the walker extender of the present invention will satisfy standards being enacted which are directed to the overall walker width and it is adapted for use with conventional walkers.
The present invention includes the use of a plurality of walker extender segments which can be assembled to a conventional walker to increase the overall width of the walker base. The segments can be made in component size so that they can be offered and shipped as a kit for assembly to conventional walker units presently available. Similarly, by forming the extender unit in segments which later are assembled at a point of walker use, the overall walker size has not been increased which is significant in not increasing the bulk size of the walker which can adversely affect shipping and storage costs.
Further, once the walker extender segments are assembled to a walker by a retailer or end user, the extender will not be removed from the walker during normal use; however, an end user such as a parent may remove the extender from the walker base and the extender segments from one another for purposes of storage or transportation.
The walker extender of the present invention preferably comprises a plurality of four segments. Each segment includes one or more flanges which assist in connecting the segment to a walker base. Additionally, one end of each segment includes a locking tab while the opposite segment end includes a recess for receiving a lock tab of an adjacent segment. One end of each segment also includes a plurality of locking lugs while the opposite end includes a plurality of slots adapted to receive the lugs located on an adjacent segment.
Upon assembly of the extender device to a walker, each segment is attached to adjacent segments and to the walker base whereby the lugs and tab of one base are inserted in corresponding slots and recesses of an adjacent segment and the flanges of the walker segments are positioned adjacent a walker base wall surface. Wheel posts having one-way locks are inserted in post openings located in the extender segments. The wheel posts lock the extender segments to one another at the location of the tab/recess connections and also lock the segments to the walker base. Conventional walker wheel members are inserted in the wheel posts.
Once assembled, the walker segments serve to increase the overall walker width to a dimension which will satisfy the above-referenced standard whereby the walker cannot be transported by an infant through a doorway of a room or area where it is desired the walker be maintained.
If desired, the walker and extender unit can be disassembled in that the wheel posts can be removed from the walker base and the extender segments are separable from one another.
Finally, with the extender of the present invention, the wheel members, which permit the walker to travel over the terrain, are located only on the extender unit. Thus, the walker device cannot operate without having the extender unit attached to it.
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Kolcraft 1997 Catalog Cover Page and p. 17 illustrating the Walker With Electronic Play Tray, Model 14003 RF-Rain Forest. 2 pages.
Donnelly Jerome W.
Kolcraft Enterprises Inc.
Marshall O'Toole Gerstein Murray & Borun
LandOfFree
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