Electronic activity center

Abstract

An electronic activity center for infants includes a spring biased kick bar, a cross bar supported above the infant, a plurality of hanging toys suspended from the cross bar, and a rotating “motion” bar with rotating flippers and disks mounted on the cross bar. The kick bar and the hanging toys are connected to an electronic control unit mounted inside the frame of the activity center. The electronic control unit controls output of music and sounds responsive to movement of the kick bar and/or hanging toy. The electronic unit also controls motion the rotating bar responsive to movements of the kick bar and hanging toys. Activation of the music, sounds, and rotating bar responsive to movement of the kick bar and/or hanging toys are believed to encourage kicking of the infant's feet and swinging of the infant's arms and thus aid in the development of motor skills.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An electronic activity center comprising: 
 a cross bar;    a frame for supporting said cross bar above a supporting surface;    a toy article suspended from said cross bar, said toy article being movable responsive to engagement by an operator;    a first switch mounted in operable association with said toy article, said first switch being actuable responsive to movement of said toy article;    a kick bar movably mounted on said frame, said kick bar being movable responsive to engagement by an operator;    a second switch mounted in operable association with said kick bar, said second switch being actuable responsive to movement of said kick bar; and    a sound generating device operably associated with said first and second switches, said sound generating device initiating output of a sound responsive to a respective actuation of at least one of said first and second switches.    
     
     
         2 . The electronic activity center of  claim 1  further comprising a movable element mounted within said cross bar, a motor, and a transmission device coupled between said movable element and said motor for translating rotation of said motor into a corresponding movement of said movable element, said motor being operably associated with said first and second switches, said motor being energized responsive to a respective actuation of one of said first and second switches.  
     
     
         3 . The electronic activity center of  claim 1  wherein said movable element comprises a motion bar rotatably mounted within said cross bar, said transmission device translating rotation of said motor to a corresponding rotation of said motion bar.  
     
     
         4 . The electronic activity center of  claim 3  wherein said motion bar includes a rotatable element mounted thereon, said rotatable element rotating with said motion bar.  
     
     
         5 . The electronic activity center of  claim 1  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said frame and pivotably movable between said at rest position and said active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position.  
     
     
         6 . The electronic activity center of  claim 5 , wherein said frame includes spaced upright support members and said kick bar is pivotably mounted between said spaced upright support members.  
     
     
         7 . The electronic activity center of  claim 2  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said frame and pivotably movable between an at rest position and an active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position.  
     
     
         8 . The electronic activity center of  claim 7  wherein said frame includes spaced upright support members and said kick bar is pivotably mounted between said spaced upright support members.  
     
     
         9 . The electronic activity center of  claim 3  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said frame and pivotably movable between an at rest position and an active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position.  
     
     
         10 . The electronic activity center of  claim 9  wherein said frame includes spaced upright support members and said kick bar is pivotably mounted between said spaced upright support members.  
     
     
         11 . An electronic activity center comprising: 
 a cross bar;    a frame for supporting said cross bar above a supporting surface;    a toy article suspended from said cross bar;    a kick bar movably mounted on said frame, said kick bar being movable responsive to engagement by an operator;    a switch mounted in operable association with said kick bar, said switch being actuable responsive to movement of said kick bar; and    a sound generating deice operably associated with said switch, said sound generating device initiating output of a sound responsive to a respective actuation of said switch.    
     
     
         12 . The electronic activity center of  claim 1  further comprising a movable element mounted within said cross bar, a motor, and a transmission device coupled between said movable element and said motor for translating rotation of said motor into a corresponding movement of said movable element, said motor being operably associated with said switch, said motor being energized responsive to a respective actuation of said switch.  
     
     
         13 . The electronic activity center of  claim 11  wherein said movable element comprises a motion bar rotatably mounted within said cross bar, said transmission device translating rotation of said motor to a corresponding rotation of said motion bar.  
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 13  wherein said motion bar includes a rotatable element mounted thereon, said rotatable element rotating with said motion bar.  
     
     
         15 . The electronic activity center of  claim 11  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said frame and pivotably movable between an at rest position and an active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position.  
     
     
         16 . The electronic activity center of  claim 15  wherein said frame includes spaced upright support members and said kick bar is pivotably mounted between said spaced upright support members.  
     
     
         17 . The electronic activity center of  claim 12  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said frame and pivotably movable between an at rest position and an active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position.  
     
     
         18 . The electronic activity center of  claim 17  wherein said frame includes spaced upright support members and said kick bar is pivotably mounted between said spaced upright support members.  
     
     
         19 . The electronic activity center of  claim 13  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said frame and pivotably movable between an at rest position and an active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position  
     
     
         20 . The electronic activity center of  claim 19  wherein said frame includes spaced upright support members and said kick bar is pivotably mounted between said spaced upright support members.  
     
     
         21 . An electronic activity center comprising: 
 a cross bar;    a frame having a base portion and spaced upright support members extending upwardly from said base portion, said cross bar being mounted between said spaced upright support members for supporting said cross bar above a supporting surface;    a toy article suspended from said cross bar, said toy article being movable responsive to engagement by an operator;    a first switch mounted in operable association with said toy article, said first switch being actuable responsive to movement of said toy article;    a kick bar mounted on said base portion of said frame between said spaced upright support members, said kick bar being movable responsive to engagement by an operator;    a second switch mounted in operable association with said kick bar, said second switch being actuable responsive to movement of said kick bar;    a movable element mounted within said cross bar;    a motor;    a transmission device coupled between said movable element and said motor for translating rotation of said motor into a corresponding movement of said movable element; and    a processor device including a sound generating device operably associated with said first and second switches, said sound generating device initiating output of a sound responsive to a respective actuation of at least one of said first and second switches, said motor being operably associated with said first and second switches, said motor being energized responsive to a respective actuation of one of said first and second switches.    
     
     
         22 . The electronic activity center of  claim 21  wherein said movable element comprises a motion bar rotatably mounted within said cross bar, said transmission device translating rotation of said motor to a corresponding rotation of said motion bar.  
     
     
         23 . The electronic activity center of  claim 22  wherein said motion bar includes a rotatable element mounted thereon, said rotatable element rotating with said motion bar.  
     
     
         24 . The electronic activity center of  claim 21  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said frame and pivotably movable between an at rest position and an active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position.  
     
     
         25 . The electronic activity center of  claim 24  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted between said spaced upright support members.  
     
     
         26 . The electronic activity center of  claim 25  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said base portion of said frame and pivotably movable between an at rest position and an active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position.  
     
     
         27 . An electronic activity center comprising: 
 a cross bar;    a frame having a base portion and spaced upright support members extending upwardly from said base portion, said cross bar being mounted between said spaced upright support members for supporting said cross bar above a supporting surface;    a kick bar mounted on said base portion of said frame between said spaced upright support members, said kick bar being movable responsive to engagement by an operator;    a switch mounted in operable association with said kick bar, said switch being actuable responsive to movement of said kick bar;    a movable element mounted within said cross bar;    a motor;    a transmission device coupled between said movable element and said motor for translating rotation of said motor into a corresponding movement of said movable element; and    a control device including a sound generating device operably associated with said switch, said sound generating device initiating output of a sound responsive to a respective actuation of said switch, said motor being operably associated with said switch, said motor being energized by said control device responsive to a respective actuation of said switch.    
     
     
         28 . The electronic activity center of  claim 27  wherein said movable element comprises a motion bar rotatably mounted within said cross bar, said transmission device translating rotation of said motor to a corresponding rotation of said motion bar.  
     
     
         29 . The electronic activity center of  claim 28  wherein said motion bar includes a rotatable element mounted thereon, said rotatable element rotating with said motion bar.  
     
     
         30 . The electronic activity center of  claim 27  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted to said frame and pivotably movable between an at rest position and an active position, said kick bar including a biasing element for normally biasing said kick bar to said at rest position.  
     
     
         31 . The electronic activity center of claim  30  wherein said kick bar is pivotably mounted between said spaced upright support members.