"WALKING DEVICE"

The present invention relates to a walking device, for use by infants, to help train them to walk as well as keep them within a predetermined area. BACKGROUND ART

A conventional means of walking trainer provides a seating framework on castors, to allow the infant to sit down and propel itself along the floor. This unfortunately enables the child to collide with furniture and people, and allows the child to roam out of sight of its parents. This known type of device does not prevent an infant from getting itself into difficulty or into a parents way at dangerous times such as while cooking in the kitchen. Physiologically, the seating frame work on castors tends to create a bent posture in the infant user, such that when the infant learns to walk without the framework it resumes the bent possture that it had whilst seated. Although the bones of infants are soft and the posture may eventually straighten up after the child learns to walk properly, it nonetheless subjects the infants developing skeleton to unnecessary strain.

These wheeled seating devices also allow for the possibility that an infant may roam out of the adults view with the imminent risk of rolling or falling down the stairs. It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or ameliorate the abovementioned disadvantage by providing a walking device which can be used to train infants to walk but keeps them in a predetermined area. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a walking aid for an infant, said aid including a base, a post extending upwardly from the base so as to be supported thereby, infant support means extending generally radially outward of the post and adapted to generally encompass the body of the infant so as to support the infant in a generally walking posture with the infants feet engaging a firm surface, and wherein said post and

support enable rotation of said support about a generally vertical axis of rotation defined by the post.

Preferably the enclosure and supports are adjustable so as to accommodate any size infant. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a walking device of a preferred embodiment; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a walking device of another embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an elevational view illustrating a different pivot arrangement for the embodiment of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a further embodiment,incorporating a seating arrangement.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of a further embodiment incorporating another form of pivot construction. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the walking device 9 of a preferred embodiment comprises a base member such as a round flat base 10, with a vertical support 11 with a raised spindle 12. Coupled to the spindle 12 is an annular enclosure 13, shown here as an under shoulder type support. A walking device 14 according to a further embodiment, illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, comprises a base 15, and a rigid support 16 rotatably connected to the base 15 by the pivot 17. An annular enclosure 18 is attached to the rigid support 16.

An alternative type of pivot arrangement, whereby the support 20 is hollow so as to allow a post 21 of outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of support 20, is illustrated in Fig. 5. Attached to the post 21 is an annular enclosure 22.

A still further embodiment 23, illustrated in Fig. 6, again consists of a base 24, a support 25 rigidly secured to the base 24, and a post 26 inserted in the support 25.

OMPI

Attached to the post 26, is a "saddle" 27 to allow an infant to be seated and also permitting the infant (not shown) to have its feet touching the floor.

All of the described embodiments allow the infant to be supported either by an under shoulder arrangement or a seating arrangement. Once in this position, the infant, by using its legs and feet can propel itself on the base around _* ' the pivot.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, another embodiment comprises a base member 30 having a vertical support 31 adapted to support an annular enclosure 32. The nature of this adaptation is a downwardly projecing spindle 33, which allows the annular enclosure 32 to rotate. Located along the length of the spindle 33 is a recess 34 which receives either a counter sunk, counter bored or hidden set screw 35. The set screw 35 must be counter sunk or hidden, so that an infant using this embodiment will not catch clothing, scratch or cut itself.

The foregoing describes some embodiments of the present invention, and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example the seating or "saddle" arrangement in Fig. 6 may be combined with the rigid support pivoted at the base as in Figs. 3 and 4, or with the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Bearings can be introduced into the pivot system, non-slip surfaces can be applied to the base, and the enclosures can be padded and/or upholstered. Preferably the supports and enclosures have adjustment means for different sizes and heights of the infants, and the posts include adjustment means to vary the height of the supports and enclosures above the base. Further adjustment can be included to enable the torque required to rotate the supports and enclosures around the base to be varied.