Device for baby walking and balancing assistance

Abstract

A device for baby walking and balancing assistance provides the baby's faster learning of the baby walking, balancing and motor coordination. The device for baby walking and balancing assistance includes the left and right portions each comprising the baseplate and shoe or supporting strips to receive the baby's feet.

Claims

1. A device for baby walking and balancing assistance, comprising: a right portion comprising: a right slip-on boot or pair of supporting strips configured to hold a right foot of said baby: a right baseplate having a front edge, a rear edge, a right side edge, and a left side edge, wherein said right slip-on boot or said pair of supporting strips is located on an upper surface of said right baseplate at a first distance spaced apart from the right side edge and at a second distance spaced apart from the left side edge of said right baseplate, where the first distance is greater than the second distance, wherein a sole of said right slip-on boot or free ends of said pair of supporting strips are rigidly coupled to said upper surface of said right baseplate, wherein an area of said front edge of said right baseplate and an area of said rear edge of said right baseplate are slightly bent upward; and a left portion comprising: a left slip-on boot or pair of supporting strips configured to hold a left foot of said baby: a left baseplate having a front edge, a rear edge, a right side edge, and a left side edge, wherein said left slip-on boot or pair of supporting strips is located on an upper surface of said left baseplate at a first distance spaced apart from the left side edge and at a second distance spaced apart from the right side edge of said left baseplate, where the first distance is greater than the second distance, wherein a sole of said left slip-on boot or free ends of said pair of supporting strips are rigidly coupled to said upper surface of said left baseplate, and wherein an area of said front edge of said left baseplate and an area of said rear edge of said left baseplate are slightly bent upward.

2. The device for baby walking and balancing assistance of claim 1, wherein said device for baby walking and balancing assistance includes a baby walker comprising a pant seat for holding of said baby, a pant right leg coupled with said pant seat of said baby walker, and a pant left leg coupled with said pant seat of said baby walker; wherein said upper surface of said right baseplate is coupled with a bottom of said pant right leg of said baby walker, and said upper surface of said left baseplate is coupled with a bottom of said pant left leg of said baby walker.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) In order that the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed can be more clearly understood, embodiments thereof will be described by way of example with reference to the attached drawings, the detailed description of which particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a simplified spatial view of the right portion of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance with the shoes.

(3) FIG. 2 is a simplified generalized top view of another variant of configuration of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance with the shoes.

(4) FIG. 3 is a simplified drawing of the vertical lateral cross-section 28-28 of the right portion of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance with the shoe.

(5) FIG. 4 is a simplified drawing of the vertical lateral cross-section 29-29 of the left portion of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance with the shoe.

(6) FIG. 5 is a simplified drawing of the vertical longitudinal cross-section 30-30 of the right portion of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance with the shoe.

(7) FIG. 6 is a simplified spatial view of the right portion of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance with the supporting strips.

(8) FIG. 7 is a simplified illustration of the fabric seat.

(9) FIG. 8 is a simplified illustration of the fabric pants.

THE DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS

(10) 1a device for baby walking and balancing assistance;

(11) 2a right foot portion (right portion);

(12) 3a left foot portion (left portion);

(13) 4a right foot baseplate (right baseplate);

(14) 5a left foot baseplate (left baseplate);

(15) 6a right foot shoe (right shoe);

(16) 7a front edge of the right baseplate 4;

(17) 8a rear edge of the right baseplate 4;

(18) 9a right side edge of the right baseplate 4;

(19) 10a left side edge of the right baseplate 4;

(20) 11a left foot shoe (left shoe);

(21) 12a front edge of the left baseplate 5;

(22) 13a rear edge of the left baseplate 5;

(23) 14a right side edge of the left baseplate 5;

(24) 15a left side edge of the left baseplate 5;

(25) 16a right semicircular edge of the right baseplate 4;

(26) 17a left semicircular edge of the left baseplate 5;

(27) 18a lower surface of the right baseplate 4;

(28) 19a lower surface of the left baseplate 5;

(29) 20an upper surface of the right baseplate 4;

(30) 21an upper surface of the left baseplate 5;

(31) 22a lateral supporting strip of the right portion 2;

(32) 23a heel supporting strip of the right portion 2;

(33) 24a lateral supporting strip of the left portion 3;

(34) 25heel supporting strip of the left portion 3;

(35) 26a fabric seat;

(36) 27a fabric pants;

(37) 28-28a vertical lateral cross-section of the right portion 2;

(38) 29-29a vertical lateral cross-section of the left portion 3;

(39) 30-30a vertical longitudinal cross-section of the right (left) portions;

(40) 31a child (baby).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(41) A device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1 in accordance with the present disclosure, is shown in FIGS. 1-8. According to FIGS. 1 and 2, the device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1 comprises two main portions (a pair of portions): a right foot portion 2 (further for simplification can be called as right portion) and a left foot portion 3 (further for simplification can be called as left portion).

(42) FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1, wherein a right foot baseplate 4 (further for simplification can be called as right baseplate) and a left foot baseplate 5 (further for simplification can be called as left baseplate) are represented by the different geometrical configurations of the right 4 and left 5 baseplates. In FIG. 1 the right 4 and left 5 baseplates are presented, as an example, of rectangular form (the square form can be used too), but in FIG. 2 the right 4 and left 5 baseplates are presented, as an example, in the shape (form) of combination of the straight edges 10 and 15 with the semicircular edges 16 and 17 respectively: semicircular edge 16 for the right portion 2 and semicircular edge 17 for the left portion 3, as shown in FIG. 2. The presented configurations of the right 4 and left 5 baseplates are given as the examples and are not limited to these representations. The configurations of the right 4 and left 5 baseplates can be of any reasonable geometric forms, shapes, sizes, and dimensions.

(43) FIG. 1 presents the simplified spatial view of the right portion 2 and left portion 3 of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1 with a right foot shoe 6 (further for simplification can be called as right shoe) and a left foot shoe 11 (further for simplification can be called as left shoe). The shoes can be of any reasonable kind, but not dangerous for the baby health, and for example, such as the slip-on type of boots from the soft elastic material. Also such boots preferably can be manufactured using an injection molding (not shown) of the shoes (e.g., of the shoes' soles) into the upper surfaces 20 and 21 of the right 4 and left 5 baseplates respectively or the soles (not shown) of the right shoe 6 and left shoe 11 can be rigidly connected (for example, by screws/not shown/or by glue/not shown/) to the upper surfaces 20 and 21 respectively.

(44) Referring to FIG. 1, additionally to the right baseplate 4 and right shoes 6, the right portion 2 of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1 also includes a front edge 7 of the right baseplate 4, a rear edge 8 of the right baseplate 4, a right side edge 9 of the right baseplate 4 and a left side edge 10 of the right baseplate 4. And additionally to the left baseplate 5 and left shoes 11, the left portion 3 of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1 also includes a front edge 12 of the right baseplate 5, a rear edge 13 of the right baseplate 5, a right side edge 14 of the right baseplate 5 and a left side edge 15 of the right baseplate 5. The right shoe is rigidly connected to the upper surface 20 of the right baseplate 4 at a first distance spaced apart from the right side edge and at a second distance spaced apart from the left side edge of said right baseplate, where the first distance is greater than the second distance, and the left shoe is rigidly connected to the upper surface 21 of the left baseplate 5 at a first distance spaced apart from the left side edge and at a second distance spaced apart from the right side edge of said left baseplate, where the first distance is greater than the second distance. The baseplates 4 and 5 are generally flat, as shown in FIG. 1. The edges 7-10 and 12-15 should be not sharp for safety, therefore, can be rounded in their shape (not shown in FIG. 1, but shown in FIGS. 3-5) or alike. Also, edges 7-10 and 12-15 can be configured slightly upward, as it is shown in FIGS. 3-5.

(45) According to vertical lateral cross-sections in FIGS. 3 and 4, a lower surface 18 of the right baseplate 4 of the right portion 2 and a lower surface 19 of the left baseplate 5 of the left portion 3 can preferably be slightly rough in order to prevent the baby's sliding steps, while the upper surface 20 of the right baseplate 4 of the right portion 2 and upper surface 21 of the left baseplate 5 of the left portion 3 can be of the shiny pleasant condition.

(46) FIG. 5 illustrates the vertical longitudinal cross-section of the right portion 2, but the analogous vertical longitudinal cross-section of the left portion 3 (not shown) will depict the same view, therefore, the drawing reference numerals of the analogous components for the left portion 3 are given in the parentheses in FIG. 5.

(47) In FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 is shown that the right shoe 6 is located closer to the left edge 10 of the right portion 2 of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1, and that the left shoe 11 is located closer to the right edge 15 of the right portion 3 of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1. Such shoes 6 and 11 locations are provided for baby's convenient steps.

(48) The right shoe 6 and left shoe 11 of the device for baby walking and balancing assistance can have some decorations (not shown), e.g., such as animal heads (not shown) or if permitted some famous animation characters (not shown) or sound-making toys (not shown), etc.

(49) FIG. 6 demonstrate the possibility of the use of the supporting strips instead of the shoes (boots). The lateral supporting strip 22 and the heel supporting strip 23 for the right portion 2, and the lateral supporting strip 24 and the heel supporting strip 25 for the left portion 3 can be used to hold the baby feet. The supporting strips 22-25 can be manufactured from the soft flexible elastic material, for example, such as Teflon, nylon, etc., and any equivalent thereof, and the Velcro locks or any other suitable strip locking member (element) can be used for control of the reasonable tightness of the strips to the baby's feet.

(50) The free ends of the strips 22 and 23 (the strip ends not intended to be coupled with the locks) are rigidly connected to the upper surface 20 of the right baseplate 4 at a first distance spaced apart from the right side edge and at a second distance spaced apart from the left side edge of said right baseplate, where the first distance is greater than the second distance, and the free ends of the strips 24 and 25 (the strip ends not intended to be coupled with the locks) are rigidly connected to the upper surface 21 of the left baseplate 5 at a first distance spaced apart from the left side edge and at a second distance spaced apart from the right side edge of said left baseplate, where the first distance is greater than the second distance.

(51) The adult guardian/trainer (e.g., parents, babysitters) can provide the direct aid and support during baby's first steps in the walking and balancing activity learning. It is now well known from the literature and other sources (e.g., WikipediA), that pedobarography, researching pressure fields acting between the plantar surface of the foot and a supporting surface of the sole (underside area of the foot), provides a wide range of applications including infant's biomechanics (balancing, motor coordination) and infant's posture and gait biometrics. It also well known that practically only two small areas of the sole are responsible for balancing and motor coordination, therefore, it is the important need to increase the flat area of the sole of the infant's little foot at the beginning of the balance learning. It is also preferable to provide supervision and active assistance for baby during his/her first steps, but any and all suitable and safety baby walkers can be additionally used as an aid for baby's walking and balancing exercises instead of the adult assistant(s). FIG. 7 demonstrates the use of the walker's fabric seat 26 (also called a holder or suspended child /baby, infant/fabric seat, etc.) in the traditional form of trousers, wherein the right portion 2 and left portion 3 of the disclosed improved device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1 are received by the baby's feet, and FIG. 8 illustrates the possibility of the use of the fabric seat in the form of loosen (relaxed) soft material pants (fabric pants) 27 respectively coupled with the right 2 and left 3 portions of the disclosed improved device for baby walking and balancing assistance 1, the soft elastic material boots (shoes) or supporting strips are received by the respective baby's foot. The fabric seat 26 or fabric pants 27 devised and utilized for the purpose of supporting a child (baby) 31 in a seat/pant so as the child 31 can walk without adult help. The baby seat 26 and the baby pants 27 can be interchangeable in the baby's walker (not shown).

(52) The fabric pants 27 is configured to receive and to support the baby relative to the movable base (not shown) or non-movable stationary base (not shown) in such a way that the baby with the put-on right portion 2 and left portion 3 touches the walking surface. More specifically, the lower surface 18 of the right baseplate 4 and lower surface 19 of the left baseplate 5 touches the walking surface (e.g., floor/not shown/, carpet/not shown/).

(53) The sizes (areas) of the baseplates 4 and 5 in FIGS. 1-6 are shown in the enlarged (increased) dimensions in comparison to the shoes 6 and 11 dimensions and to the supporting strips 22-25 in order to demonstrate all features of the invention and all relative drawing reference numerals. The dimensions (areas) of the baseplates 4 and 5 are preferably only slightly bigger then the foot of the baby, for example, as it is in simplified manner illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, wherein the sizes (widths) of the baseplates 4 and 5 and baby underside areas of the feet (as well as the width of the shoes/not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8/) are comparable (commensurable). Preferably, the lengths of the baseplates 4 and 5 are slightly bigger than the lengths of the soles of the shoes 6 and 11 respectively, and the widths of the baseplates 4 and 5 are slightly bigger than the widths of the soles of the shoes 6 and 11 respectively.

(54) It is understood, that any suitable safe from hazards, soft, flexible fabric material and/or synthetic material, and any equivalent thereof can be used. For example, the baseplates 4 and 5 can be preferably manufactured from any non-flexible material, but insignificantly flexible (slightly bendable, not rigid) material can be used too. Also, the right 6 and left 11 shoes, supporting strips 22-25, and right 4 and left 5 baseplates can preferably be of the light weight material.

(55) Although this invention has been described in connection with specific forms and embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that various modifications other than those discussed above may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically shown and described, certain features may be used independently of other features, and in certain cases, particular locations of elements may be reversed or interposed, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

(56) There are many advantages of the improved device for baby walking and balancing assistance, one of which is: the improved device for baby walking and balancing assistance does not include any complex and expensive mechanisms. The improved device for baby walking and balancing assistance can be conveniently used for the elderly or ill persons after brain medical surgical treatments, etc.

(57) With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships (scale) for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size (scale), materials, configurations, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

(58) Any and all additional modifications and improvements of the present invention may also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the particular combination of parts/components/ members/portions described and illustrated herein is intended to represent only certain embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to serve as limitations of alternative devices within the spirit and scope of the invention.

(59) The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

(60) Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.