Infant Walker Harness and Rail Guidance for Safer Balance Training

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional infant walkers are limited in teaching balance and other necessary movements for walking, posing safety hazards due to increased speed and allowing infants to access dangerous areas.

Innovation Solution

An infant walker system with a harness that slidingly engages with horizontal rails, allowing the infant to walk along a predetermined path while being partially supported, incorporating adjustable and portable rail systems with motivators to enhance learning and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If conventional infant walkers with wheels are used, then mobility and speed are improved, but safety hazards increase and balance training is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewalker speedVSAvoidsafety hazards
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the wheeled mobility component from the infant walker, extracting the harmful speed element while retaining the supportive function. The walker becomes a stationary or limited-mobility device with rails that guide the infant along a predetermined path, eliminating the safety hazards associated with fast-moving wheels while preserving the walking training function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces horizontal rails as an intermediary structure between the infant and the ground. These rails provide physical guidance and constraints that limit the infant's movement to a safe predetermined path, acting as a mediator that prevents access to dangerous areas while still allowing walking motion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional infant walkers are used, then leg muscle movement is taught, but balance and other necessary movements for walking are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewalking training capabilityVSAvoidtraining function completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs adjustable rail systems that can be reconfigured in terms of height, position, and configuration. This dynamic adaptability allows the device to grow with the infant and provide progressively more challenging balance and coordination tasks, enhancing the completeness of walking training without requiring multiple separate devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent designs the walker to serve multiple training functions simultaneously: it provides leg muscle movement training, balance training, coordination development, and safety guidance all in one device. The horizontal rails and adjustable components enable the single device to deliver comprehensive walking preparation that addresses all necessary developmental aspects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10028593B1Infant walker system
Publication Date: 2018.07.24 MATHEWS JR MICHEAL
  • US10028593B1 patent drawing
  • US10028593B1 patent drawing
  • US10028593B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A infant walker system includes a frame with a first top rail; a second top rail; a first leg attached to the first top rail and configured to elevate the first top rail at a distance relative to a ground surface; and a second leg attached to the second top rail and configured to elevate the second top rail at a distance relative to the ground surface. The system also includes a harness secured to the first top rail and the second top rail, the harness being configured to secure an infant at a predetermined height relative to the ground surface; a first sliding joint slidingly engaged with the first top rail; a second sliding joint slidingly engaged with the second top rail; a first strap attached to the harness and to the first sliding joint; and a second strap attached to the harness and to the second sliding joint.