Mirror assembly for infant activity center

Abstract

A mirror assembly mountable on an arch of an infant activity center comprising a foldable floor mat, said arch bridging remote areas thereof, the assembly making it possible for a baby on the mat to see its own image as it engages in an activity appropriate to its age. The mat is flexible and the arch is bendable whereby the center can be collapsed to create a pack in which the mat is folded and the arch lies therein. The mirror assembly includes a disc on whose front face is a mirror, the rear face being hinged to one side of a triangular easel web whose other side is hinged to a sleeve fitted on the arch, whereby in an active mode of the assembly, the easel web supports the mirror from the arch, whereas in a collapsed mode, the web is folded against the rear face of the disc which is now sandwiched within the mat.

1 . A mirror assembly mountable on an arch of an infant activity center comprising a foldable mat, said arch bridging remote areas thereof, making it possible for an infant lying on the mat to view its own image as it engages in activity appropriate to its stage of development; 
 the center being collapseable to create a pack in which the mat is folded; said assembly comprising: 
 I. a sleeve fittable on the arch  
 II. a disc having a front face on which a mirror is mounted and a rear face; and  
 III. a triangular easel web having angled sides, one of which is hinged to said rear face of the disc, the other of which is hinged to the sleeve whereby in an active mode of the assembly in which the center is erect, the easel web supports the disc and the mirror is then outstretched from the arch, and in an inactive mode in which the center is collapsed, the web lies against the rear surface of the disc which is then sandwiched in the mat.  
   
     
     
         2 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , in which the mirror is formed by a sheet of reflective metal.  
     
     
         3 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 2 , in which the disc is enveloped in a soft fabric jacket whose front face has a circular opening therein to create an annular frame overlying the mirror.  
     
     
         4 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , in which the sleeve is formed of soft fabric material.  
     
     
         5 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 4 , in which the arch on which the sleeve is fitted is formed by a core rod of flexible plastic material surrounded by a cylindrical sheath of flexible foam plastic material, covered by a tubular fabric casing.  
     
     
         6 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , further including a pair of wings extending from opposing sides of a longitudinal junction line between the sleeve and the web hinged thereto, the wings being oppositely angled with respect to the sleeve and being connected to the periphery of the disc to maintain the web so that it is perpendicular to the disc.  
     
     
         7 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 6 , in which the wings are each joined to the disc periphery by elastic bands whereby in the inactive mode of the assembly in which the web then is folded against the disc, one band is stretched while another band is relaxed to accommodate folding of the web.  
     
     
         8 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein when the activity center is in its inactive mode, the mat is folded and at least a portion of the arch lies sandwiched in the mat.  
     
     
         9 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the arch extends and bridges edges of the mat.  
     
     
         10 . An assembly as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the mirror assembly is fixable at a location adjacent the mat by a fastener strip.  
     
     
         11 . An infant activity center comprising a foldable floor mat, an arch extending between and bridging opposing edges of said mat; said arch being adapted for mounting thereon a mirror assembly, said mirror assembly comprising a disc upon whose front face is a mirror and being supported by a support means making it possible for an infant lying on the mat to view its own image as it engages in activity appropriate to its stage of development.  
     
     
         12 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein when the activity center is in its inactive mode, the mat is folded and the arch lies sandwiched in the mat.  
     
     
         13 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein when the activity center is in its inactive mode, the mat is folded and the mirror assembly lies sandwiched in the mat.  
     
     
         14 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein the arch has dangling therefrom toys and/or other play-pieces suited to its stage of development.  
     
     
         15 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein the mirror assembly comprises a sleeve for mounting said mirror assembly the arch.  
     
     
         16 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein the sleeve is slidable the arch and fits snugly to secure the mirror assembly in a desired location.  
     
     
         17 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein the support means is an easel web attached to the rear face of the disc.  
     
     
         18 . An infant activity center according to  claim 17 , wherein the easel web supports said mirror away from the arch upon which it is fitted.  
     
     
         19 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein the arch on which the sleeve is fitted is formed by a core rod of flexible plastic material surrounded by a cylindrical sheath of flexible foam plastic material, covered by a tubular fabric casing.  
     
     
         20 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein the mirror assembly further comprises a fastener strip allowing said assembly to be held adjacent the mat.  
     
     
         21 . An infant activity center according to  claim 11 , wherein the mirror assembly further comprises a pair of wings extending from opposing sides of a longitudinal junction line between the sleeve and the web hinged thereto, the wings being connected to the disc to maintain the web so that it is generally perpendicular to the disc.  
     
     
         22 . An infant activity center according to  claim 21 , wherein the wings are each joined to the disc by elastic bands whereby in the center's inactive mode the web is folded against the disc with one band being stretched and the other band being relaxed to accommodate folding of the web.