Children's entertainment device

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a children's entertainment device having a stepper motor drive system configured to drive a rotatable entertaining element. In certain embodiments, the stepper motor is configured to rotate a drive shaft operatively connected to a damper, which is configured to damp the intermittent rotational motion output by the stepper motor in order to smoothly and continuously rotate an entertaining element, such as in a children's mobile.

1 . A children's entertainment device comprising:
 at least one support member;   a rotatable entertaining element suspended from the at least one support member; and   a drive system configured to impart rotational motion to the entertaining element, the drive system comprising:
 a stepper motor configured for rotating a drive member in a stepped rotational motion; and 
 a damper operatively connected between the drive member and the entertaining element, the damper being configured for at least partially damping the stepped rotational motion generated by the stepper motor and for rotating the entertaining element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 1 , wherein the stepper motor is configured for rotating the drive member in incremental steps at a frequency that causes the entertaining element to rotate continuously. 
     
     
         3 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 1 , wherein the stepper motor is configured for rotating the drive member in incremental steps at a frequency that causes the entertaining element to rotate with a substantially constant angular velocity. 
     
     
         4 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 1 , wherein the damper comprises a damping member having an upper end operatively connected to the stepper motor's drive member and a lower end operatively connected to the entertaining element, the damping member being configured such that, when the drive member rotates, the damping member twists and applies a torque to the entertaining element in order to impart damped rotational motion to the entertaining element. 
     
     
         5 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 4 , wherein the damping member comprises a flexible cord. 
     
     
         6 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 4 , wherein the damping member comprises a rubber band. 
     
     
         7 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a housing defined on the support member, wherein the stepper motor is positioned at least partially within the housing;   a drive shaft connected to the stepper motor's drive member and configured for rotating synchronously with the drive member; and   a mating member connected to the drive shaft and connected to the upper end of the damping member, wherein the mating member is configured to rotate synchronously with the drive shaft.   
     
     
         8 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 7 , wherein the mating member is configured to move vertically with respect to the drive shaft while remaining connected to the drive shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 8 , wherein the mating member comprises a central cavity configured to receive the drive shaft, at least a portion of the drive shaft being positioned within the mating member's cavity such that the mating member cannot be translated laterally and or rotated about its longitudinal axis with respect to the drive shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 9 , wherein mating member can be moved such that its longitudinal axis is misaligned from the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 at least one compression spring having a lower end affixed to the drive shaft and an upper end operatively connected to the mating member and configured to move vertically with respect to the drive shaft, wherein the mating member is configured to move downwardly with respect to the drive shaft and compress the compression spring in response to the entertaining element being pulled downward.   
     
     
         12 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 11 , wherein the drive member, drive shaft, and mating member are configured to remain out of contact with the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 1 , wherein the entertaining element is configured for being removably connected to the drive system. 
     
     
         14 . The children's entertainment device of  claim 1 , wherein the entertaining element comprises a children's mobile.