Convertible infant rocker

Abstract

A convertible infant rocker which is adapted for use with a conventional infant/child car seat. The infant rocker includes a frame which is placeable onto an underlying support surface, and includes a support assembly connected thereto. The support assembly itself includes a cradle which defines a cradle cavity. In addition to the cradle, the support assembly includes a liner which is selectively placeable into the cradle cavity and engageable to the cradle, the liner itself being sized and configured to accommodate an infant. The infant rocker is selectively convertible between a liner configuration and a car seat configuration. In the liner configuration, the liner is cooperatively engaged to the cradle, with a portion of the liner being received within the cradle cavity. In the car seat configuration, the liner is disengaged and removed from the cradle, thus allowing for the cradle to accommodate a conventional infant car seat in which the infant may be positioned. In this regard, the cradle cavity is sized and configured to receive and accommodate at least a portion of the car seat when the car seat is cooperatively engaged to the cradle. The frame of the infant rocker may be configured so as to be selectively moveable between a deployed or extended position, and a collapsed or storage position.

1 . An infant rocker adapted for conversion between a liner mode and a car seat mode, the rocker comprising:
 a frame having a lower section and an upper section which are pivotally movable relative to each other between deployed and collapsed positions; and   an infant support assembly cooperatively engaged to the upper section and including:
 a cradle connected to the upper section and defining a cradle cavity; and 
 a liner releasably attached to the cradle and at least partially disposed within the cradle cavity when the rocker is in the liner mode; 
   the cradle cavity being sized and configured to accommodate at least a portion of a car seat, the rocker being selectively convertible from the liner mode to the car seat mode by the removal of the liner from the cradle and replacement thereof with the car seat which is at least partially disposable within the cradle cavity of the cradle.   
     
     
         2 . The rocker of  claim 1  wherein the lower section of the frame is arcuately contoured to allow the frame to achieve a rocking motion when placed upon a generally planar underlying support surface. 
     
     
         3 . The rocker of  claim 2  wherein the frame further comprises a front section pivotally connected to the lower section and selectively moveable between rocking and non-rocking positions relative thereto, the movement of the front section to the non-rocking position effectively preventing any rocking motion of the lower section upon the support surface. 
     
     
         4 . The rocker of  claim 1  wherein the upper section of the frame includes a vibration device integrated therein. 
     
     
         5 . The rocker of  claim 1  further comprising an actuation mechanism integrated between the upper and lower sections of the frame, the actuation mechanism being configured to facilitate the movement of the frame between the collapsed and deployed positions. 
     
     
         6 . The rocker of  claim 5  wherein:
 the lower section of the frame includes a pair of prong portions which extend in spaced relation to each other; and 
 the actuation mechanism is slidably mounted to the prong portions of the lower section and operatively coupled to the upper section such that the movement of the actuation mechanism along the prong portions in a first direction facilitates the movement of the frame to the deployed position, and the movement of the actuation mechanism along the prong portions in a second direction opposite the first direction facilitates the movement of the frame to the collapsed position. 
 
     
     
         7 . The rocker of  claim 6  wherein the actuation mechanism comprises:
 a cross member slidably attached to the prong portions of the lower section; 
 an actuation handle mounted to the cross member and selectively movable between locking and release positions relative thereto; and 
 a pair of retention pins movably mounted to cross member and operatively coupled to the actuation handle such that the movement of the actuation handle from the locking position to the release position facilitates the concurrent inward movement of the retention pins relative to the prong portions of the lower section of the frame. 
 
     
     
         8 . The rocker of  claim 7  wherein:
 each of the prong portions includes at least one aperture disposed therein, with the aperture of one of the prong portions being arranged so as to be disposed in opposed relation to the aperture included in the other one of the prong portions; and 
 the retentions pins are aligned with and partially advanced into respective ones of the apertures of the opposed pair thereof when the actuation handle is in the locking position. 
 
     
     
         9 . The rocker of  claim 8  further comprising a pair of stopper members attached to respective ones of the prong portions and positioned thereon such that the abutment of the cross member against the stopper members facilities the alignment of the retention pins with the opposed pair of the apertures. 
     
     
         10 . The rocker of  claim 7  wherein the cross member includes a pair of tubular sleeve portions which are slidably mounted to respective ones of the prong portions and selectively positionable against respective ones of the stopper members. 
     
     
         11 . The rocker of  claim 7  wherein the cross member further includes a locking switch movably mounted thereto and operatively coupled to the actuation handle such that the movement of the locking switch from a locked position to an unlocked positions allows the actuation handle to be moved from the locking position to the release position. 
     
     
         12 . The rocker of  claim 5  wherein the upper section of the frame comprises:
 a first segment pivotally connected to the lower section; and 
 a second segment pivotally connected to the first segment and to the actuation mechanism; 
 the first and second segments and the lower section extending in generally side by side relation to each other when the frame is moved to the collapsed position. 
 
     
     
         13 . An infant rocker, comprising:
 a frame; and   an infant support assembly cooperatively engaged to the frame and including a cradle connected to the frame and defining a cradle cavity;   the cradle cavity being sized and configured to accommodate at least a portion of one of a liner and a car seat.   
     
     
         14 . The rocker of  claim 13  wherein the frame comprises a lower section, at least a portion of which is arcuately contoured to allow the frame to achieve a rocking motion when placed upon a generally planar underlying support surface. 
     
     
         15 . The rocker of  claim 14  wherein the frame further comprises a front section pivotally connected to the lower section and selectively moveable between rocking and non-rocking positions relative thereto, the movement of the front section to the non-rocking position effectively preventing any rocking motion of the lower section upon the support surface. 
     
     
         16 . The rocker of  claim 13  wherein the frame has a lower section and an upper section which are pivotally movable relative to each other between deployed and collapsed positions. 
     
     
         17 . The rocker of  claim 16  further comprising an actuation mechanism integrated between the upper and lower sections of the frame, the actuation mechanism being configured to facilitate the movement of the frame between the collapsed and deployed positions. 
     
     
         18 . An infant rocker adapted for conversion between a liner mode and a car seat mode, the rocker comprising:
 a frame having an actuation mechanism integrated therein, the actuation mechanism being configured to facilitate the movement of the frame between collapsed and deployed positions; and   an infant support assembly cooperatively engaged to the frame and including:
 a cradle connected to the frame and defining a cradle cavity; and 
 a liner releasably attached to the cradle and at least partially disposed within the cradle cavity when the rocker is in the liner mode; 
   the cradle cavity being sized and configured to accommodate at least a portion of a car seat, the rocker being selectively convertible from the liner mode to the car seat mode by the removal of the liner from the cradle and replacement thereof with the car seat which is at least partially disposable within the cradle cavity of the cradle.   
     
     
         19 . The rocker of  claim 18  wherein the frame comprises a lower section, at least a portion of which is arcuately contoured to allow the frame to achieve a rocking motion when placed upon a generally planar underlying support surface. 
     
     
         20 . The rocker of  claim 19  wherein the frame further comprises a front section pivotally connected to the lower section and selectively moveable between rocking and non-rocking positions relative thereto, the movement of the front section to the non-rocking position effectively preventing any rocking motion of the lower section upon the support surface.