Fences – Panel – Inclosure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-10-16
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Fences
Panel
Inclosure
C016S386000, C052S102000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302382
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a floor or ground mounted apparatus for stopping a wheeled device. In particular, this invention relates to a floor or ground mounted bumper system comprised of one or more elastically resilient bumpers which can be connected together to make a desired boundary that limits the movement of a wheeled device such as a baby walker.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many wheeled devices such as baby walkers which are self-propelled by an infant or a young child. Such devices are used indoors in the home for exercising and entertaining the infant or child.
A typical baby walker is comprised of a seat or harness which is suspended or supported in frame-like structure. The frame-like structure is mounted on at least four wheels or casters. The infant or child is placed in the seat or harness with his or her legs extending to the ground in a standing or almost standing position. The infant or child may move about in any desired direction in the walker by pushing against the ground with his or her legs.
Unfortunately, these baby walkers provide the infant or child with mobility that enables him or her to gain access to areas in the home which are extremely dangerous, such as stairs, balconies, raised decks and porches, and the like. Moreover, because the infant or child can move about the home in a standing or almost standing position, the infant or child can reach objects such as television sets, video cassette recorders, plants, and other similar objects which can cause the infant or child injury or be damaged by the infant or child.
The prior art has addressed these problems by providing various floor mounted stop member designs. These prior art floor stop members may be used alone as a single unit or in multiple units to provide a predetermined boundary for limiting the movement of a baby walker. When one or more wheels of a baby walker engages a typical stop member, the rolling action of the wheel is stopped thereby preventing the baby walker from moving past or over the stop member.
However, prior art stop members are not designed to be connected to each other when used in multiple units. Unless each of the stop members are permanently fastened to the floor, an infant or child in a baby walker may succeed in dislodging one of the stop members, thus, gaining access to a dangerous object or area.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved apparatus for limiting the mobility of a wheeled device such as a baby walker, which is substantially less likely of being defeated if one of the stop members is dislodged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bumper for limiting the mobility of a wheeled device. The bumper comprises an elongated member having a base wall and an elastically resilient wheel engagement wall coupled to the base wall. The wheel engagement wall includes an outer surface and an inner surface, one of which includes relief means for aiding the wall to conform to a wheel of a wheeled device when impacted thereby. The energy stored in the engagement wall, when impacted by the wheel of the wheeled device, returns the engagement wall to its original shape thereby pushing the wheel of the wheeled device away from the bumper.
The present invention also relates to a bumper system comprised of at least two bumpers and coupling means for connecting the bumpers to one another.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3099895 (1963-08-01), Beebe
patent: 3350812 (1967-11-01), Lindsay et al.
patent: 3865437 (1975-02-01), Crosby
patent: 4037978 (1977-07-01), Connelly
patent: 4356999 (1982-11-01), McShane
patent: 4579473 (1986-04-01), Brugger
patent: 4726552 (1988-02-01), Warshawsky
patent: 4726614 (1988-02-01), Myers et al.
patent: 4795151 (1989-01-01), Mulcaster
patent: 4880193 (1989-11-01), Warshawsky
patent: 4930753 (1990-06-01), Alvyn
patent: 4937916 (1990-07-01), Redman
patent: 5069311 (1991-12-01), Young
patent: 5078075 (1992-01-01), Liming et al.
patent: 5345731 (1994-09-01), Sykes
patent: 5425157 (1995-06-01), Chang
patent: 5518332 (1996-05-01), Katoh
patent: 5544870 (1996-08-01), Kelley et al.
patent: 5626330 (1997-05-01), Young
patent: 5826307 (1998-10-01), Chin-Fu
patent: 6027104 (2000-02-01), Alexander et al.
patent: 6059268 (2000-05-01), Santelli, Jr.
Browne Lynne H.
Cottingham John R.
Duane Morris & Heckscher LLP
Schwarz, Esq. Paul A.
LandOfFree
Bumper system for limiting the mobility of a wheeled device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Bumper system for limiting the mobility of a wheeled device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Bumper system for limiting the mobility of a wheeled device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2611338