Wave-motion infant seat

Abstract

A first rotate/translate mechanism, a second rotate/translate mechanism, a drive system, and a control system are operable to generate and impart rotation and translation to an infant-receiving component supported by a frame thereby driving the infant-receiving component through an elliptical wave motion. In an example embodiment, the first rotate/translate mechanism includes a cam that is driven by the drive system and a follower that is driven by the cam to impart the rotation and translation to the infant-receiving component. And the second rotate/translate mechanism includes guided traveler that is guided by a guide track through conforming rotation and translation to permit the wave motion of the infant-receiving component without binding.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An infant seat for use on a support surface, the infant seat comprising:
 a frame that is supportable by the support surface;   an infant-receiving component that is supported by the frame;   a first motion mechanism coupled between the infant-receiving component and the frame, the first motion mechanism including a follower and a cam that drives the follower to impart motion to the infant-receiving component to trace an elliptical path defining a wave motion;   a second motion mechanism coupled between the infant-receiving component and the frame, the second motion mechanism including a guide track and a guided traveler that moves relative to the guide track to facilitate the motion of the infant-receiving component; and   a drive system that is selectively operable to drive the first motion mechanism to produce the wave motion of the infant-receiving component.   
     
     
         2 . The infant seat of  claim 1 , wherein the first motion mechanism, the second motion mechanism, or both, are provided by at least one rotate/translate mechanism that permits rotation and translation of the infant-receiving component relative to the frame. 
     
     
         3 . The infant seat of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second motion mechanisms are provided by respective first and second rotate/translate mechanisms that permit rotation and translation of the infant-receiving component relative to the frame. 
     
     
         4 . The infant seat of  claim 3 , wherein the cam includes a rotary cam that is rotationally driven by the drive system about a rotational axis. 
     
     
         5 . The infant seat of  claim 4 , wherein the rotary cam includes a cylindrical barrel and the rotational axis is generally horizontally and laterally extending. 
     
     
         6 . The infant seat of  claim 4 , wherein the follower includes at least one peripheral rim defining an opening that receives the rotary cam with the rotary cam surrounded and contained by the peripheral rim. 
     
     
         7 . The infant seat of  claim 6 , wherein the follower rim is circular and the rotary cam is circular. 
     
     
         8 . The infant seat of  claim 7 , wherein the follower is fixedly attached to the infant-receiving component and the cam is rotationally coupled to the frame at a connection point on the cam that is eccentric relative to the rotation axis. 
     
     
         9 . The infant seat of  claim 8 , wherein rotation of the rotary cam about the rotational axis causes the rotary cam to revolve around the eccentric rotational connection to the frame, and the containment of the revolving cam by the follower rim causes the infant-receiving component to move through the wave motion. 
     
     
         10 . The infant seat of  claim 4 , wherein the follower is fixedly attached to the infant-receiving component and the cam is rotationally coupled to the frame at a connection point on the cam that is eccentric relative to the rotational axis. 
     
     
         11 . The infant seat of  claim 3 , wherein the guided traveler rotates and translates relative to the guide track in response to the rotation and translation of the infant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translate mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The infant seat of  claim 3 , wherein the guide track is fixedly attached to the infant-receiving component and the guided traveler is fixedly attached to the frame. 
     
     
         13 . The infant seat of  claim 3 , wherein the guide track includes at least one guide slot and the guided traveler includes at least one guided pin that is received and retained by the guide slot. 
     
     
         14 . The infant seat of  claim 13 , wherein the guide track has a length selected to permit translation of the guided pin in response to the translation of the infant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translate mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The infant seat of  claim 13 , wherein the guided pin is cylindrical to permit rotation of the guided pin in response to the rotation of the infant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translate mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . An infant seat for use on a support surface, the infant seat comprising:
 a frame that is supportable by the support surface;   an infant-receiving component that is supported by the frame;   a first rotate/translate mechanism coupled between the infant-receiving component and the frame, the first rotate/translate mechanism including a follower and a rotary cam, wherein the rotary cam rotates about a rotational axis to drive the follower, the cam is rotationally coupled to the frame at a connection point on the cam that is eccentric relative to the rotation axis, the follower includes at least one peripheral rim defining an opening that receives the rotary cam with the rotary cam surrounded and contained by the peripheral rim, and the follower is fixedly attached to the infant-receiving component, and wherein rotation of the rotary cam about the rotational axis causes the rotary cam to revolve around the eccentric rotational connection to the frame, and the containment of the revolving cam by the follower rim drives the follower to impart rotation and translation to the infant-receiving component to trace an elliptical path defining a wave motion;   a second rotate/translate mechanism coupled between the infant-receiving component and the frame, the second rotate/translate mechanism including a guide track and a guided traveler that moves relative to the guide track to facilitate the rotation and translation of the infant-receiving component; and   a drive system that is selectively operable to drive the first rotate/translate mechanism to produce the wave motion of the infant-receiving component.   
     
     
         17 . The infant seat of  claim 16 , wherein the rotary cam includes a cylindrical barrel and the rotational axis is generally horizontally and laterally extending, and wherein the follower rim is circular and the rotary cam is circular. 
     
     
         18 . The infant seat of  claim 16 , wherein the guided traveler rotates and translates relative to the guide track in response to the rotation and translation of the infant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translate mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The infant seat of  claim 16 , wherein the guide track is fixedly attached to the infant-receiving component and the guided traveler is fixedly attached to the frame. 
     
     
         20 . The infant seat of  claim 16 , wherein the guide track includes at least one guide slot and the guided traveler includes at least one guided pin that is received and retained by the guide slot, and wherein the guide slot has a length selected to permit translation of the guided pin in response to the translation of the infant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translate mechanism, and the guided pin is cylindrical to permit rotation of the guided pin in response to the rotation of the infant-receiving component imparted by the first rotate/translate mechanism.