Table bumper for use with an article and a toy and learning tool provided therewith

Abstract

A bumper for a table top and for use with an amusement or learning article. The bumper includes a pliable jaw which can be of a suitable length L, for example at least the width of several inches (e.g., a hand width) to about twelve inches and thickness T, e.g., 0.5 inch. The bumper can be self retained on the table top.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to children's toys and safety. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the invention relates to a bumper for a table and for use with amusement articles and to prevent potential injury as well as toy and learning device provided with the combination. The invention provides not only a way to keep your child safe from injuries, but also provides an opportunity for the adult to interact with the developing mind of a child. With attachment of shapes, colors, numbers, a child at anytime can have a safe, fun, and educational experience at the table.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Mealtime for infants and small children presents unique challenges both at home and in restaurants. These challenges can be broadly categorized into physical, emotional, and logistical concerns.Physical Challenges

[0003] Infants and small children are still developing their motor skills, which can make eating a messy and frustrating experience. They may struggle with utensils, spill food, or have difficulty chewing and swallowing certain textures. In restaurants, high chairs may not always provide the necessary support, and the height of tables can be problematic for comfortable eating.Emotional Challenges

[0004] Mealtimes can be overwhelming for young children, especially in a restaurant setting where there is unfamiliar noise, people, and activity. They may become overstimulated, leading to fussiness or tantrums and this presents a nuisance to other patrons. At home, emotions like frustration or boredom can arise if the child finds the meal uninteresting or the environment unengaging.Logistical Challenges

[0005] Parents often face logistical issues such as bringing appropriate utensils, bibs, and baby-safe food to restaurants. At home, preparing separate meals for young children while managing the rest of the household can be exhausting. Timing is also a factor, as children may get hungry or cranky if meals are delayed.Health and Safety Concerns

[0006] Ensuring the safety of young children is another significant challenge. Many times smaller children and infants are pulled close to a table and can lean to far forward and can hit their head on the edge of the table and this requires further extra attention.Cultural and Social Expectations

[0007] In public settings, parents may feel judged if their child behaves disruptively during a meal. This pressure can make dining out stressful, reducing the enjoyment of the experience for both parents and children.

[0008] Addressing these challenges requires a combination of thoughtful preparation and creating a child-friendly mealtime environment. Currently, many parents typically opt of restaurants lacking kid-friendly environments, menus, or feel it necessary to bring familiar play items, utensils and snacks. These enable a practice to help children feel more comfortable in different settings.

[0009] While the use such current items, such as phones, tablets, or toys provides for some entertainment of small infants and children, it is not an ideal solution. There remains a need to improve the mealtime experience and safety for small children and infants in order to render a more user friendly environment for all concerned. Accordingly, the instant invention aims to overcome the deficiencies in the art.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] It is an object to improve the mealtime experience and safety for small children and infants.

[0011] It is another to provide a device for use with one or more amusement article, particularly during a mealtime experience.

[0012] A further aspect of the invention is to provide a learning tool.

[0013] Another object is to provide a safety device for small children and infants during mealtime.

[0014] Still another object is to reduce stress during mealtime with small children and infants.

[0015] Yet another object is to address mealtime in public settings, wherein parents may feel judged if their child behaves disruptively during a meal.

[0016] Another object is to provide increased enjoyment of the mealtime experience for both parents and children

[0017] Accordingly, an aspect of the invention is directed to a bumper for use on a table with one or more amusement or learning article. The bumper includes a pliable jaw which can be of a suitable length L, for example, a width from about several inches (e.g., a hand width) to twelve inches, though other lengths are envisioned. The pliable jaw can preferably be configured with a lengthwise opening which is less than the thickness of a typical table top. The average thickness of a dining table is typically between ¾ inch and 1 inch (approximately 1.9 cm to 2.5cm), striking a balance between aesthetics and functionality for most dining tables.

[0018] The pliable jaw can include a spring element which can be integral in the pliable jaw material or provided by an additional component to assist in enabling the spring-like operations. This permits the bumper to be easily grasped and manipulated to open the pliable jaw and receive about an edge of the table and upon release securely hold the bumper in place.

[0019] The pliable jaw is preferably configured to be in a closed position enabling engagement of the pliable jaw by forcibly opening a mouth of the pliable jaw to receive about the edge of the table. In a preferred embodiment, the pliable jaw can include a polyfoam material or soft rubber and can include a spring material (memory thermoplastic), preferably a core within the polyfoam material. The pliable jaw can be formed with a cross section to have an arcuate structure and include lengthwise opening which readily permits a table edge to be received. The polyfoam material can provide a comfortable soft spot as well as an area to secure articles.

[0020] In this regard, an exterior surface of the pliable jaw is a first connecting part, e.g., a hook and loop member. The retainer can be disposed on a portion of or entire exterior of the pliable jaw.

[0021] An amusement article, which can be a toy, e.g., a spinning top, or learning article, e.g., formed letters or tablet, having a complementary second connecting part, i.e., another hook and loop counter part, to connect to the article to the bumper. The article can thus be removably connected to the bumper.

[0022] Another aspect of the invention is directed to a bumper toy for use with a table having a thickness TT1, which includes a pliable jaw having a length L and a width W and a thickness T, and an openable mouth to receive part of the table; and when the part is so received, the pliable jaw closes to engage about the part of the table and be self retained thereon. An amusement article is removably connected to the bumper. This provides a unique, safe and entertaining area in which to keep the infant or small child entertained anytime, particularly mealtime.

[0023] Further aspects of the invention are evident from the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments and Drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective of an embodiment of the invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows another perspective of another embodiment of the invention.

[0026] FIG. 3 depicts a sectional view through line A-A of FIG. 2.

[0027] FIG. 4 depicts a perspective of another embodiment of the invention in use.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Referring now to the drawings, the instant invention provides a bumper generally designated by the numeral 10 which is for use with a table top 12 having a thickness TT1 and for use with one or more amusement article 14. The bumper 10 provides a dual function as a component removably connectable to the table top 12 and for use with the amusement or learning article 14, e.g., toy or tablet, and also provides a safety device which can prevent injury of an infant's head hitting an edge 16 of the table top 12.

[0029] The bumper 10 includes a pliable jaw 18 which can be of a suitable length L, for example at least several inches (e.g., a hand width) to about twelve inches, a width or diameter W of about several inches and a thickness T of about 0.5 inches, though other lengths, widths, and thicknesses are envisioned. The pliable jaw 18 can preferably be configured with a lengthwise opening 21 (mouth) which in an embodiment is defined between an upper lip 23 and lower lip 25 where in a relaxed or non use position, the upper lip 23 and lower lip 25 are spaced a distance T2 a gap which is less than the thickness TT1 of a table top 12. It is noted that average thickness of a dining table top, i.e., table top 12, can be between ¾ inch and about 2 inches, and the bumper 10 can be configured with this in mind.

[0030] The pliable jaw 18 can preferably include a spring element which can be integral in the material or an additional spring-like component 22 to assist in enabling spring-like operation. This permits the bumper 10 to be easily grasped and manipulated to open the pliable jaw 18 and receive about an edge 16 of the table top 13 and upon release securely holds the bumper 10 in place. The pliable jaw 18 is preferably configured to be in a closed position enabling engagement of the pliable jaw 18 achieved by forcibly opening a mouth 20 of the pliable jaw 18 to receive about the edge 16 of the table top 12. In the contemplated embodiments, the bumper 10 can include a polymer material such as a polyfoam material with an open cell structure for example, or a thermoplastic rubber material, or in the case of employing spring-like component 22 a thermoplastic material. An exemplary embodiment may comprise a polyfoam material or soft rubber and can include a spring material (memory thermoplastic), preferably within the polyfoam material. The pliable jaw 18 can be formed with a cross section to have an arcuate structure and include lengthwise opening 20 to receive the table edge 16. The polyfoam material can provide a comfortable soft spot as well as an area to secure articles 14.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the pliable jaw 18 can include an outer retaining material 24. The retaining material 24 can include a hook and loop material, such as Velcro® wherein one part, for example, the loop part 24A is attached to an exterior surface 19 of the pliable jaw 18. The loop part 24A can be disposed on part or all of exterior surface 19. A complementary hook part 24B can be attached to a part of the amusement article 14, such as a bottom surface 15 of the article 14. It is noted the retaining material can have an adhesive backing or can be stitched or otherwise connected to the respective part.

[0032] The pliable jaw 18 can have an exemplary thickness of about 0.5 inches, but it is contemplated other thickness may be employed. The thickness T can serve as a soft pad which can protect the infant's head in the event of falling into contact with bumper 10 during interaction with amusement articles 14. The retaining material 24 can serve to retain articles 14 on the bumper 10 and prevent them from falling from the table top 12. It is contemplated that the retainer material 24 could also include magnets and / or metal. The polyfoam and spring-like material can be formed from in varying amount of compressibility and spring force to accommodate preferences and perform the functions herein.

[0033] The amusement article 14 can be, for example. a toy such as a spinning top, learning article, formed letters or tablet, having a complementary second connecting part, another hook and loop counter part, to connect to the article to the bumper 10. The article can thus be removably connected to the bumper 10. This provides a unique, safe and entertaining area in which to keep the infant or small child entertained.

[0034] It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can make variations to the shown embodiment without departing from the intended scope of the invention. All such variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A bumper for use with a table top having a thickness TT1 and an article, which includes:a pliable jaw having a length L and a width W and a thickness T, and an openable mouth to receive part of the table top, and when the part is so received, said pliable jaw closes to engage about the part of the table top and be self retained thereon; anda retainer disposed on an exterior of said pliable jaw for retaining an article.

2. The bumper of claim 1, wherein said openable mouth extends lengthwise along length L between an upper lip and lower lip which in a relaxed position is less than the thickness TT1 of the table top.

3. The bumper of claim 1, wherein said pliable jaw includes a polymer material.

4. The bumper of claim 1, wherein said retainer is configured to removably retain the article.

5. The bumper of claim 1, wherein the article is further characterized to be one of an amusement article and a learning tool.

6. The bumper of claim 1, wherein said retainer includes a first retainer part connected to said exterior and a second retainer part connected to the article.

7. The bumper of claim 1, wherein said pliable jaw includes a spring member.

8. The bumper of claim 7, wherein said spring member is disposed in part of a polymer material of said bumper.

9. A bumper toy for use with a table top having a thickness TT1, which includes:a pliable jaw having a length L and a width W and a thickness T, and an openable mouth to receive part of the table top; and when the part is so received, said pliable jaw closes to engage about the part of the table top and be self retained thereon; andan article connected to said bumper.

10. The bumper toy of claim 9, which further includes a retainer disposed on an exterior of said pliable jaw for retaining the amusement article.

11. The bumper toy of claim 9 wherein said openable mouth extends lengthwise along length L with a gap between an upper lip and lower lip which in a relaxed position is less than the thickness TT1 of the table top.

12. The bumper of claim 9, wherein said pliable jaw includes a polymer material.

13. The bumper of claim 9, wherein said retainer is configured to removably retain said article.

14. The bumper of claim 10, wherein said retainer includes a first retainer part connected to said exterior and a second retainer part connected to said article.

15. The bumper of claim 9, which includes a spring-like member connected to said pliable jaw.

16. The bumper of claim 15, wherein said spring-like member is disposed in part of a polymer material.

17. The bumper of claim 16, wherein said article is further characterized to be one of an amusement article and a learning tool.

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