Motorized Swinging Bassinet With Horizontal Motion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current play yards with bassinets face challenges in maintaining a horizontal surface during swinging motions to comply with ASTM standards, and the bottom board size is insufficient to accommodate both the play yard and bassinet configurations.
Innovation Solution
A bassinet structure is suspended from the play yard frame using four detachable connector mounts, with a motorized mechanism for gentle swinging and a reconfigurable bottom board formed in segments to adapt between play yard and bassinet sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a bassinet is suspended from the play yard frame to enable swinging motion, then the bassinet becomes easily accessible to caregivers and provides gentle motion for infants, but the surface may exceed 5 degrees from horizontal during swinging, violating ASTM safety standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the swinging parameters by limiting the arc of motion to maintain the bassinet surface within 5 degrees of horizontal. The connector mounts are designed to permit only limited swinging motion, transforming the swinging capability while maintaining safety compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The bassinet assembly is designed with dynamic capability for swinging motion through the motorized mechanism, allowing the system to transition from static to dynamic operation while maintaining safety constraints through controlled motion limits.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a bassinet is added to the play yard, then the play yard provides multiple functions (sleep area and play area), but the fixed bottom board size is insufficient to accommodate both configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom board is divided into multiple detachable segments that can be reconfigured. When the bassinet is installed, the bottom board segments can be removed or rearranged to fit within the bassinet footprint, allowing the same components to serve both play yard and bassinet functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom board transitions from a fixed configuration to a dynamic, reconfigurable structure. The detachable segments allow the bottom board to adapt its size and shape based on whether the bassinet is installed, providing versatility without requiring multiple separate components.
3Quantity of substance
If the bottom board is made large enough to serve as the bassinet bottom surface, then material usage is optimized, but the bottom board cannot fit within the smaller bassinet area when bassinet is installed
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom board is segmented into multiple pieces that can be detached and reconfigured. This allows the full-size bottom board to be used with the play yard while smaller portions can be used with the bassinet, optimizing material usage across both configurations without waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom board segments are designed to be universal components that can function in both the play yard configuration and the bassinet configuration. The same physical segments serve multiple purposes, eliminating the need for separate bottom boards for each mode.
Data Source
AI summary
A bassinet for mounting on a play yard frame is supported to provide a swinging movement of the bassinet relative to the play yard. The bassinet is suspended from four detachable connector mounts that slide over the upper frame member of the play yard frame by three flexible support members and a single rigid support member that is operatively connected to a motor housed within a motorized connector mount to drive the swinging motion for the bassinet. The movement induced into the bassinet is controlled by the four support members to keep the bottom surface of the bassinet at a horizontal orientation throughout the swinging movement. The bottom board of the play yard is formed in segments which can be reconfigured to fit in the bassinet. The end segment can be folded below the remaining segments, or in the alternative removed, to affect the reconfiguration for the bassinet structure.