Driven Infant Seat

Abstract

An infant rocking seat includes a base; a track provided on the base having a first arc-shaped portion and a second arc-shaped portion meeting at a crest; a carriage having a body portion, a first pair of wheels positioned at a first end of the body portion, and a second pair of wheels positioned at a second end of the body portion; and a drive mechanism configured to move the carriage along the track. The carriage is positioned within a central portion of the base and is configured to ride along the track. A distance between the first pair of wheels and the second pair of wheels is less than a distance between centers of curvature of the first arc-shaped portion and the second arc-shaped portion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An infant seat comprising:
 a base;   a track provided on the base;   a carriage configured to ride along the track;   a drive mechanism configured to move the carriage along the track;   a microprocessor operatively connected to the drive mechanism; and   at least one sensor operatively connected to the microprocessor,   wherein the microprocessor is configured to provide a signal to the drive mechanism based on a signal from the at least one sensor that causes the drive mechanism to one of a) move the carriage such that the carriage travels along the track in a first direction and b) release the carriage such that the carriage travels along the track in a second direction.   
     
     
         2 . The infant seat of  claim 1 , wherein the track has a first arc-shaped portion and a second arc-shaped portion meeting at a crest. 
     
     
         3 . The infant seat of  claim 2 , wherein the carriage comprises a body portion, a first pair of wheels positioned at a first end of the body portion, and a second pair of wheels positioned at a second end of the body portion, the carriage positioned within a central portion of the base and configured to ride along the track. 
     
     
         4 . The infant seat of  claim 3 , wherein a distance between the first pair of wheels and the second pair of wheels is less than a distance between centers of curvature of the first arc-shaped portion and the second arc-shaped portion. 
     
     
         5 . The infant seat of  claim 2 , wherein the carriage is travelling up the first arc-shaped portion and down the second arc-shaped portion when the carriage is moved in the first direction and the carriage is travelling down the first arc-shaped portion and up the second arc-shaped portion when the carriage is released in the second direction. 
     
     
         6 . The infant seat of  claim 2 , further comprising a user interface operatively connected to the microprocessor, the user interface configured to receive input from a user for controlling the drive mechanism and a device for communicating to the user information relating to operating parameters of the infant seat. 
     
     
         7 . The infant seat of  claim 6 , wherein a distance to which the carriage is pulled forward by the drive mechanism is determined by a speed setting provided on the user interface. 
     
     
         8 . The infant seat of  claim 7 , wherein if the at least one sensor detects that the carriage has moved beyond the distance determined by the speed setting, the microprocessor sends a signal to the drive mechanism to move the carriage with less force. 
     
     
         9 . The infant seat of  claim 7 , wherein if the at least one position sensor detects that the carriage is unable to reach the distance from the center of the first arc-shaped portion and the second arc-shaped portion determined by the speed setting, the microprocessor sends a signal to the drive mechanism to pull the carriage with increased force. 
     
     
         10 . A system for controlling motion of an infant seat, the infant seat comprising: a base; a track provided on the base; a carriage configured to ride along the track; and a drive mechanism configured to move the carriage along the track, the system comprising:
 a microprocessor operatively connected to the drive mechanism; and   at least one sensor operatively connected to the microprocessor,   wherein the microprocessor is configured to provide a signal to the drive mechanism based on a signal from the at least one sensor that causes the drive mechanism to one of a) move the carriage such that the carriage travels along the track in a first direction and b) release the carriage such that the carriage travels along the track in a second direction.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the track has a first arc-shaped portion and a second arc-shaped portion meeting at a crest. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises:
 a motor;   a drive shaft driven by the motor,   wherein rotation of the drive shaft in a third direction pulls the carriage in the first direction and rotation of the drive shaft in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction releases the carriage.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to actuate the drive mechanism to impart motion to the carriage. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one spindle positioned to rotate on the drive shaft; and a string connected between the at least one spindle and the carriage. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the motion imparted to the carriage can be divided into a forward cycle, in which the motor is energized by the microprocessor to rotate the drive shaft in the third direction, thereby winding up the string around the at least one spindle of the drive shaft and pulling the carriage in the first direction, and releasing the drive shaft in the fourth direction, thereby unwinding the string wrapped around the at least one spindle of the drive shaft and releasing the carriage to move in the second direction. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one sensor is used to operatively measure the amount of string being wound and unwound around the at least one spindle. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises a first spindle positioned at a first end of the drive shaft and a second spindle positioned at a second end of the drive shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the string has a first end connected to the first spindle, a length that extends along a first side of the carriage, through a central portion of the carriage, and along a second side of the carriage, and a second end connected to the second spindle. 
     
     
         19 . A method for controlling motion of an infant seat, the method comprising:
 providing an infant seat comprising a base; a track provided on the base; a carriage configured to ride along the track; a drive mechanism configured to move the carriage along the track; a microprocessor operatively connected to the drive mechanism; and at least one sensor operatively connected to the microprocessor;   sending a signal from the microprocessor to the drive mechanism based on a signal from the sensor; and   initiating the drive mechanism based on the signal from the microprocessor to one of a) move the carriage such that the carriage travels along the track in a first direction and b) release the carriage such that the carriage travels along the track in a second direction.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 positioning at least one spindle to rotate on a drive shaft of the drive mechanism; and connecting a string between the at least one spindle and the carriage; and   imparting motion to the carriage by rotating the drive shaft in a forward direction, thereby winding up the string around the at least one spindle of the drive shaft and moving the carriage in the first direction, and releasing the drive shaft in a backward direction, thereby unwinding the string wrapped around the at least one spindle of the drive shaft and releasing the carriage to move in the second direction.