WO2018027153A1

WO2018027153A1 - Portable rocker conversion apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2018027153A1
Application number: PCT/US2017/045546
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jenna Kolle ZIELBAUER
Original assignee: Parents Who Rock, Inc.
Priority date: 2016-08-05
Filing date: 2017-08-04
Publication date: 2018-02-08

Abstract

Portable rocker conversion devices are disclosed herein that convert a standard non- rocking chair into a rocking chair. The portable rocker conversion devices include arcuate rocking rail that each include a front section, a center section, and a rear section. Each arcuate rocking rail includes a front leg attachment and a rear leg attachment, for attaching legs of a chair to the arcuate rocking rail. The portable rocker conversion devices can be disassembled from a use configuration to a storage configuration.

Description

PORTABLE ROCKER CONVERSION APPARATUS

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to Provisional Application Serial No. 62/371,711, filed on August 5, 2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Rocking chairs are quintessential relaxing tools that are among the most well- known and readily available tools for inducing sleep. They are utilized by people of all ages for their ability to increase relaxation and reduce stress. The rhythmic motion associated with rocking in a chair is also known to be one of most effective solutions for a crying infant who will not fall asleep. However, rocking chairs are not always available to caregivers, particularly with traveling with an infant.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0003] The present invention relates generally to portable rocker conversion devices that convert a standard non-rocking chair into a rocking chair and, more particularly, to a portable rocker apparatus that attaches to a four legged chair and thus converts the four legged chair into a rocking chair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Specific examples have been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and are shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification.

[0005] Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of one example of a portable rocker conversion apparatus of the present technology attached to a chair.

[0006] Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the portable rocker conversion apparatus of Figure 1, and a chair to be attached thereto. [0007] Figure 3 illustrates an arcuate rocking rail of the portable rocker conversion apparatus of Figure 1, assembled.

[0008] Figure 4 illustrates the arcuate rocking rail of Figure 3, disassembled.

[0009] Figure 5 illustrates a connector on the arcuate rocking rail of Figure 3.

[0010] Figure 6 illustrates a leg attachment of the portable rocker conversion apparatus of Figure 1, in an open position.

[0011] Figure 7 illustrates the leg attachment of Figure 6, in a locked position.

[0012] Figure 8 illustrates a perspective view of a second example of a portable rocker conversion apparatus of the present technology, and a chair to be attached thereto.

[0013] Figure 9 illustrates a perspective view of the portable rocker conversion apparatus of Figure 8, and the chair attached thereto.

[0014] Figure 10 illustrates a cross-section of a leg attachment of the portable rocker conversion apparatus of Figure 8.

[0015] Figure 11 illustrates an arcuate rocking rail of a third example of a portable rocker conversion apparatus of the present technology, dissasambled.

[0016] Figure 13 illustrates a foldable example of a an arcuate rocking rail that can be used in portable rocker conversion apparatus of the present technology.

[0017] Figure 14 illustrates a partially folded view of the arcuate rocking rail of Figure 13.

[0018] Figure 15 illustrates a connector that can be used in portable rocker conversion apparatus of the present technology.

[0019] Figure 16 illustrates an unlocked leg attachment on an arcuate rocking rail of the present technology having the connector of Figure 15.

[0020] Figure 17 illustrates an unlocked leg attachment on an arcuate rocking rail of the present technology having the connector of Figure 15. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] A portable rocker conversion apparatus is a device that can be used to convert a standard, non-rocking chair, into a rocking chair. The devices described herein are designed to provide such conversion on a temporary basis, although they can be left on a desired chair for any period of time. The devices described herein can be disassembled from a use configuration to a storage configuration, such as a plurality of pieces, that can be carried by a user, such as in a bag, and thus provide a portable rocker conversion solution. While the examples provided herein describe rocking rails that each disassemble into three pieces, it should be understood that rocking rails may be designed to disassemble into any suitable number of pieces.

[0022] Figures 1 -7 illustrate one example of a portable rocker conversion apparatus 100 of the present technology. The portable rocker conversion apparatus 100 includes a first arcuate rocking rail 102 and a second arcuate rocking rail 104 that each detachably attach to two legs of a chair 106. In some examples, the second arcuate rocking rail 104 can be identical to, or a mirror image of the first arcuate rocking rail 102.

[0023] The first arcuate rocking rail 102 includes a first center section 108 having a front end 1 10 and a rear end 112, a first front section 1 14 that detachably attaches to the front end 1 10 of the first center section 108, and a first rear section 1 16 that detachably attaches to the rear end 112 of the first center section 108. The first front section 114 includes a first front leg attachment 118 configured to receive and detachably attach to a first front leg 120 of the chair 106. The first rear section 1 16 includes a first rear leg attachment 122 configured to receive and detachably attach to a first rear leg 124 of the chair 106.

[0024] The second arcuate rocking rail 104 includes a second center section 126 having a front end 128 and a rear end 130, a second front section 132 that detachably attaches to the front end 128 of the second center section 126, and a second rear section 134 that detachably attaches to the rear end 130 of the second center section 126. The second front section 132 includes a second front leg attachment 136 configured to receive and detachably attach to a second front leg 138 of the chair 106. The second rear section 134 includes a second rear leg attachment 140 configured to receive and detachably attach to a second rear leg 142 of the chair 106.

[0025] Each front section and each rear section of the first and second arcuate rocking rails can detachably attach to the respective center section via a connector to form an arcuate rocking rail in a use configuration. In the use configuration, the front section, center section and rear section are aligned and a chair can be connected to the rocking rail. The front section and rear section can be detached from the center section to place the pieces of the arcuate rocking rail into a storage configuration, which may be more compact than the use configuration. When in the storage configuration, the front section, center section, and rear section may be completely detached as separate pieces, or may remain connected by the connector even though they are not attached in the use configuration.

[0026] One example of a connector can be seen in Figure 3-5 with respect to the first arcuate rocking rail 102. As shown, the first front section 1 14 detachably attaches to the front end 1 10 of the first center section 108 via connector 144, and the first rear section 1 16 detachably attaches to the rear end 112 of the first center section 108 via connector 146. In this example, the first portion 148 of connector 144 is formed on the first front section 114, and a second portion 150 of the connector 144 is formed on the front end 110 of the first center section 108. Likewise, the first portion 152 of connector 146 is formed on the first rear section 1 16, and a second portion 154 of the connector 146 is formed on the rear end 1 12 of the first center section 108. In this example, each connector 144 and 146 is a tongue and groove connector. As can be seen in Figure 5, with respect to connector 144, the first portion 148 comprises the tongue, and the second portion 150 comprises the groove. The connector 144 also includes a stabilizer 156 that prevents lateral movement of the first front section 114 and the front end 110 of the first center section 108 when they are attached. A first portion 158 of the stabilizer 156 may be formed on the first front section 1 14 and a second portion 160 of the stabilizer 156 may be formed on the front end 1 10 of the first center section 108, and the two portions of the stabilizer 156 may slidably connect. [0027] Each of the leg attachments may include an adjustable locking mechanism that receives and detachably attaches to a leg of the chair 106. For example as shown in Figures 6-7, the first front leg attachment 1 18 includes an adjustable locking mechanism 162 that receives and detachably attaches to the first front leg 120 of the chair. The adjustable locking mechanism 162 includes a chair leg receiver 164, such as an opening or receptacle, and an adjustable chair leg holder 166 that is movable from an open position (Figure 6) to a locked position that engages the first front leg 120 of the chair 106 (Figure 7). In the illustrated example, the adjustable chair leg holder 166 includes a ratchet lock 168, and is thus movable from the open position to any one of a plurality of locked positions depending on a size of the chair leg, in order to engage the first front leg 120 of the chair 106. Likewise, the first rear leg attachment 122 may also include an adjustable locking mechanism 162 that receives and detachably attaches to the first front leg 120 of the chair. The adjustable locking mechanism that includes a chair leg receiver, which may be identical to the adjustable chair leg holder 166, and an adjustable chair leg holder that is movable from an open position to a locked position that engages the first rear leg of the chair.

[0028] In some examples, any or all of the leg attachments may be adjustable forward or back to one or more positions along the length of the arcuate rail. In other examples, the first front leg attachment 1 18 may be in a fixed positon, and the first rear leg attachment 122 may be adjustable forward or back to one or more positions along the length of the arcuate rail. In such examples, the first front leg of the chair may be locked into position in the first front leg attachment 118, and the first rear leg attachment 122 may then be adjusted to lock the rear leg of the chair into position.

[0029] Figures 8-10 illustrate a second example of a portable rocker conversion apparatus 200 of the present technology. The portable rocker conversion apparatus 200 includes a first arcuate rocking rail 202 and a second arcuate rocking rail 204 that each detachably attach to two legs of a chair 206. In some examples, the second arcuate rocking rail 204 can be identical to, or a mirror image of the first arcuate rocking rail 202.

[0030] The first arcuate rocking rail 202 includes a first center section 208 having a front end 210 and a rear end 212, a first front section 214 that detachably attaches to the front end 210 of the first center section 208, and a first rear section 216 that detachably attaches to the rear end 212 of the first center section 208. The first front section 214 includes a first front leg attachment 218 configured to receive and detachably attach to a first front leg 220 of the chair 206. The first rear section 216 includes a first rear leg attachment 222 configured to receive and detachably attach to a first rear leg 224 of the chair 206.

[0031] The second arcuate rocking rail 204 includes a second center section 226 having a front end 228 and a rear end 230, a second front section 232 that detachably attaches to the front end 228 of the second center section 226, and a second rear section 234 that detachably attaches to the rear end 230 of the second center section 226. The second front section 232 includes a second front leg attachment 236 configured to receive and detachably attach to a second front leg 238 of the chair 206. The second rear section 234 includes a second rear leg attachment 240 configured to receive and detachably attach to a second rear leg 242 of the chair 206.

[0032] Each front section and each rear section of the first and second arcuate rocking rails can detachably attach to the respective center section via a connector. The connectors of this example are the same type as those shown in Figure 5.

[0033] Each of the leg attachments may include an adjustable locking mechanism that receives and detachably attaches to a leg of the chair 206. For example as shown in Figure 10, the first front leg attachment 218 includes an adjustable locking mechanism 262 that receives and detachably attaches to the first front leg 220 of the chair. The adjustable locking mechanism 262 includes a chair leg receiver 264, such as an opening or receptacle, and an adjustable chair leg holder 266 that is movable from an open position to a locked position that engages the first front leg 220 of the chair 206. In the illustrated example, the adjustable chair leg holder 266 includes a spring loaded detent 268, and is thus movable from the open position to any one of a plurality of locked positions depending on a size of the chair leg, in order to engage the first front leg 220 of the chair 206.

[0034] Figures 11-12 illustrate a third example of an arcuate rocking rail 300 for use in a portable rocker conversion apparatus of the present technology. [0035] The arcuate rocking rail 300 includes a center section 302 having a front end 304 and a rear end 306, a front section 308 that detachably attaches to the front end 304 of the center section 302, and a rear section 310 that detachably attaches to the rear end 306 of the center section 302. The front section 308 includes a front leg attachment 312 configured to receive and detachably attach to a front leg of the chair. The rear section 310 includes a rear leg attachment 314 configured to receive and detachably attach to a rear leg of the chair.

[0036] The front section and the rear section of the rocking rail 300 can detachably attach to the center section 302 via a connector 316. For example, as shown, the front connector 316 is a tongue and groove connector in which the tongue 318 on the front end 304 of the center section 302 is slidably received by the groove 320 on the front section 308.

[0037] Another example of a connector can be seen in Figures 13-14 with respect to the first arcuate rocking rail 400. Figure 13 shows the first arcuate rocking rail 400 in a use configuration, and Figure 14 shows the first arcuate rocking rail 400 in transition from the use configuration to a folded storage configuration. As shown, the first arcuate rocking rail 400 has a front section 402, a center section 404 and a rear section 406. As shown in Figure 13, the front section 402 and rear section 406 are each detachably attached to the center section 404 by a connector 408 to form the arcuate rocking rail in the use configuration. As shown in Figure 14, the front section 402 and rear section 406 are each detached from the center section 404, although they are still connected to the center section 404 by the connectors 408. The connectors 408 are hinges, which allow the pieces of the rocking rail 400 to fold from the use configuration to the storage configuration.

[0038] Figures 15-17 illustrate another example of a connector and leg attachment that can be used with the present technology. Figures 15-17 show a portion of an arcuate rocking rail 500, including the a front section 502, a center section 504. The rear end 506 of the front section 502 detachably attaches to the front end 508 of the center section 504 via a connector 510. In this example, the connector 510 is a locking key type connector having a keyhole 512 into which key 514 can be inserted to connect the front section 502 and the center section 504. A first portion of the keyhole 512 is formed in the rear end 506 of the front section 502, and the second porion of the keyhole 512 is formed in the front end 508 of the center section 504. The center section 504 can also be detachably attached to a rear section of the arcuate rocking rail 500 by the same type of connector, or a difference type of connector.

[0039] Figures 16-17 illustrate the front leg attachment 520 of the arcuate rocking rail 500. The first front leg attachment 520 is configured to receive and detachably attach to a front leg 522 of a chair. The arcuate rocking rail may also include a rear leg attachment configured to receive and detachably attach to a rear leg of the chair, which may be the same or different type of leg attachment as the front leg attachment 520. As shown, the front leg attachment 520 includes an adjustable locking mechanism 524 that receives and detachably attaches to the front leg 522 of the chair. The adjustable locking mechanism 524 includes a chair leg receiver 526, such as an opening or receptacle, and an adjustable chair leg holder 528 that is movable from an open position (Figure 16) to a locked position that engages the front leg 522 of the chair (Figure 17). In the illustrated example, the adjustable chair leg holder 528 is movable from the open position to any one of a plurality of locked positions depending on a size of the chair leg. Additionally, the front section 502 of the arcuate rocking rail 500 includes a locking strip 530, and the leg attachment 520 is adjustable forward or back to one or more positions along the length of the locking strip 530 of the arcuate rail 500.

[0040] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that although specific examples have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to particularly point out and distinctly claim the claimed subject matter.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A portable rocker conversion apparatus comprising: a first arcuate rocking rail, the first arcuate rocking rail comprising a first center section having a front end and a rear end, the first arcuate rocking rail having a use configuration in which a first front section is detachably attached to the front end of the first center section and a first rear section is detachably attached to the rear end of the first center section; wherein the first front section comprises a first front leg attachment configured to receive and detachably attach to a first front leg of a chair; and wherein the first rear section comprises a first rear leg attachment configured to receive and detachably attach to a first rear leg of the chair.

2. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second arcuate rocking rail, the second arcuate rocking rail comprising a second center section having a front end and a rear end, a second front section that detachably attaches to the front end of the second center section, and a second rear section that detachably attaches to the rear end of the second center section; wherein the second front section comprises a second front leg attachment configured to receive and detachably attach to a second front leg of the chair; and wherein the second rear section comprises a second rear leg attachment configured to receive and detachably attach to a second rear leg of the chair.

3. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first front section detachably attaches to the front end of the first center section via a connector.

4. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 3, wherein the connector is a hinge.

5. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 3, wherein a first portion of the connector is formed on the first front section and a second portion of the connector is formed on the front end of the first center section.

6. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 5, wherein the connector comprises a snap fit joint.

7. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 5, wherein the connector comprises a tongue and groove joint.

8. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 7, wherein the connector further comprises a stabilizer that prevents lateral movement of the first front section and the front end of the first center section when they are attached.

9. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 5, wherein the connector comprises a locking key joint.

10. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first front leg attachment includes an adjustable locking mechanism that receives and detachably attaches to the first front leg of the chair.

11. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 10, wherein the adjustable locking mechanism comprises a chair leg receiver and an adjustable chair leg holder that is movable from an open position to a locked position that engages the first front leg of the chair.

12. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 11, wherein the adjustable chair leg holder is movable from the open position to one of a plurality of locked positions depending on a size of the chair leg in order to engage the first front leg of the chair.

13. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first rear leg attachment includes an adjustable locking mechanism that receives and detachably attaches to the first front leg of the chair.

14. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 13, wherein the adjustable locking mechanism comprises a chair leg receiver and an adjustable chair leg holder that is movable from an open position to a locked position that engages the first rear leg of the chair.

15. The portable rocker conversion apparatus of claim 14, wherein the adjustable chair leg holder is movable from the open position to one of a plurality of locked positions depending on a size of the chair leg in order to engage the first rear leg of the chair.