Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a sitting assistive device for toddlers that is capable of assisting toddlers in sitting. Additionally, the proposed device also enhances overall experience of toddlers by providing a cushioned and supportive seating surface that reduces discomfort and fatigue conditions of the toddlers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A sitting device for toddlers provides crucial support and comfort for young children, enhancing their safety and developmental experiences. Its adjustable features ensure proper height and posture, accommodating various activities and growth stages. The device often includes cushioning for added comfort, and mechanisms for soothing motions and stability, ensuring a secure environment. Its real-time adjustments and safety features, such as hazard detection and stability maintenance, help prevent accidents and adapt to changing needs. Overall, such a device promotes ergonomic support, ease of use for caregivers, and a nurturing space that contributes to the toddler's well-being and comfort. Traditional sitting devices for toddlers, like basic high chairs and booster seats, offer limited adjustability and comfort. They often lack features for posture correction, comfort enhancement, or real-time monitoring. These devices usually have static designs that do not adapt to the child's growth or changing needs effectively.

[0003] Traditional tools are useful, but they have their own limitations. Traditional sitting devices for toddlers often face several limitations. They typically lack adjustability, offering limited options for changing height, posture, or dimensions, which affect comfort and fit as the child grows. Many such devices do not provide adequate cushioning or support, leading to discomfort during prolonged use. They also usually lack features for real-time monitoring or adjustment, making it difficult to address the child’s changing needs promptly. Furthermore, traditional devices often do not account for uneven surfaces, and they lack automated safety or hazard detection features, potentially compromising the child's safety and comfort.

[0004] US5255958A discloses about a struggling barrier for children includes a semi rigid wall for blocking struggling movements which is attached to a flexible sheet for receiving sitting body weight of children. The method of sitting on the flexible sheet transfers body weight force to the attached wall thereby causing the flexible and movable device to become a semi rigid and difficult to move barrier device.

[0005] US5123707A discloses about a seat divider is disclosed for forming a physical barrier between adjacent children on a car seat. The seat divider includes a planar element which is attached to a conventional car seat and extends vertically upwardly therefrom. Formed on the planar element are entertainment indicia so that the planar element serves as an entertainment center for children in addition to serving as a physical barrier.

[0006] Conventionally, many devices have been developed that relates to a seating aid for children, and particularly to a struggling barrier which blocks the struggling movements of children seated near one another as well as relates generally to vehicular seat attachments, and more particularly to a seat divider for automobiles or the like which forms a physical barrier between adjacent occupants of the seat. However, the devices lack in alerting the user to potential hazards in order to ensures the toddler’s safety as well as lacks in offering a soothing motion to the toddler if signs of distress are detected to enhance their comfort and calming them.

[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there exists a need in the art to develop a device that requires to be capable of alerting the user to potential hazards in order to ensure toddler’s safety as well as offers a soothing motion to the toddler if signs of distress are detected to enhance their comfort and calming them.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of adjusting height and dimensions of the surface on which the toddler is accommodated to ensure a secure and comfortable fit for toddlers.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of providing a safe and comfortable seating arrangement for the toddler, thus ensuring that the toddlers are properly supported on ground surface.

[0011] Yet another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of offering a soothing motion to the toddler if signs of distress are detected in order to enhance the comfort.

[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to a sitting assistive device for toddlers that assists toddlers in sitting while sitting on uneven surface. Additionally, the proposed device also offers a soothing motion to the toddler if signs of distress are detected, thus enhancing the comfort of the toddlers.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a sitting assistive device for toddlers, comprises of a L-shaped platform having a first and second portion developed to be positioned on a ground surface, plurality of extendable legs are arranged underneath the first portion for supporting the platform over the surface, a microphone integrated in the platform for enabling a user to provide input voice commands for increasing/decreasing height of the platform, a flexible harness connected on the first portion and configured with a pair of openings in which the user is required to engage the toddler’s legs for allowing the toddler to get accommodated in the harness, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit is integrated in the platform and paired with a processor for capturing and processing multiple images in vicinity of the platform, a drawer arrangement integrated in the body that is actuated by the microcontroller to increase/decrease dimensions of the platform for properly accommodate the toddler, an electromagnetic springs integrated in between the links and first portion to expand/contract for providing a swinging motion to the toddler in view of comforting the toddler.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the proposed device further comprises of a motorized hinge joint is integrated in between the first and second portion for providing converging/diverging movement to the first portion in view of providing a correct posture of resting and sitting to the toddler as per requirement, platform is fabricated with a cushioned member to provide a comfortable experience to the toddler, an ultrasonic sensor is embedded in the platform for detecting uneven surface, a speaker installed on the platform for producing audio signals to notify the user regarding the hazard, a battery is configured with the device for providing a continuous power supply to electronically powered components associated with the device.

[0016] While the invention has been described and shown with particular reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a sitting assistive device for toddlers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0019] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises,” and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having” and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.

[0020] As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0021] The present invention relates to a sitting assistive device for toddlers that assists the toddlers in sitting by providing a safe and comfortable seating arrangement to the toddlers.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1, an isometric view of a sitting assistive device for toddlers is illustrated, comprises of a L-shaped platform 101 having a first and second portion, plurality of extendable legs 102 are arranged underneath the first portion, a microphone 103 integrated in the platform 101, a flexible harness 104 connected on the first portion and configured with a pair of openings, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 105 is integrated in the platform 101, a motorized hinge joint 106 is integrated in between the first and second portion, a speaker 107 installed on the platform 101.

[0023] The proposed device comprises of an L-shaped platform 101 having a first and second portion which is to be positioned on ground surface for accommodating toddlers. The platform 101 is fabricated with a cushioned member designed to provide a comfortable experience for the toddler. The cushioning ensures that the surface on which the toddler sits or rests is soft and supportive, enhancing comfort during use. The cushioned member helps to prevent discomfort or pressure points, making the platform 101 more pleasant for the toddler to use over extended periods.

[0024] A push button is integrated in the platform 101 for activating or deactivating the device. The user manually pushes the button, when the button is pressed the electrical circuit gets completed, allowing flow of electric current to actuates a microcontroller associated with the device that regulates the working of the device.

[0025] The platform 101 is configured with multiple extendable legs 102 for providing support to the platform 101 on the ground surface. The legs 102 extended or retracted as needed, allowing the platform 101 to maintain its stability across various surfaces. The adjustability of the legs 102 ensures that the platform 101 remains level and secure, even on uneven ground, enhancing its reliability and safety during use. The extendable legs 102 are telescopic in nature. The telescopically operated extendable legs 102 is linked to a pneumatic unit, including an air compressor, air cylinders, air valves and piston which works in collaboration to aid in extension and retraction of the platform 101. The pneumatic unit is operated by the microcontroller, such that the microcontroller actuates valve to allow passage of compressed air from the compressor within the cylinder, the compressed air further develops pressure against the piston and results in pushing and extending the piston. The piston is connected with the platform 101 and due to applied pressure, the platform 101 extends and similarly, the microcontroller retracts the extendable legs 102 by closing the valve resulting in retraction of the piston. Thus, the microcontroller regulates the extension/retraction of the piston in order provide support to the platform 101 over the ground surface.

[0026] The platform 101 is integrated with a microphone 103 that allows the user to input commands to adjust the height of the platform 101. By providing voice commands through the microphone 103, the user instruct the platform 101 to either increase or decrease its height. The microphone 103 ensures hands-free operation, making it convenient for users to modify the platform 101 height while attending to other tasks. The microphone 103 contains a small diaphragm connected to a moving coil. When sound waves of the user hit the diaphragm, the coil vibrates. This causes the coil to move back and forth in the magnet's field, generating an electrical current. The signal of which are sent to the microcontroller based on which the microcontroller increasing/decreasing height of the platform 101, thus allows the user to accommodate the toddler on the second portion.

[0027] A flexible harness 104 is attached to the first portion of the platform 101 having a pair of openings designed for accommodating the toddler's legs 102. The user inserts the toddler’s legs 102 into these openings in order to secure the toddler's legs 102 in place within the harness 104, ensuring that the toddler is properly positioned and supported while sitting on the second portion of the platform 101. The harness 104 provides stability and safety, allowing the toddler to be comfortably and securely seated, while the flexibility of the harness 104 allows for easy adjustments as needed.

[0028] Upon accommodating the toddler in harness 104, the microcontroller actuates an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 105 integrated into the platform 101 for capturing and analyze multiple images in the vicinity of the platform 101. The imaging unit 105 is designed to determine the body dimensions of the toddler by processing the captured images, thus provides an accurate measurement and analysis of the toddler’s size and shape, ensuring that the platform 101 and harness 104 are appropriately adjusted for the comfortable and secure fit. The artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 105 comprises of a camera lens and a processor, wherein the 360-degree rotatable camera captures multiple images of the platform 101 and then the processor carries out a sequence of steps including pre-processing, feature extraction and segmentation. In pre-processing, the unwanted data like noise, background is removed out and the image is converted into a format recommended for feature extraction. The features like pixel intensities of the foreground image are extracted and are sent for classification to determine the body dimensions of the toddler.

[0029] Upon determining the body dimensions of the toddler, the microcontroller actuates a drawer arrangement integrated into the body for the adjustment of the platform 101 dimensions to properly accommodate the toddler. The adjustment ensures that the platform 101 provides a secure and comfortable fit for the toddler, enhancing both safety and usability. The drawer arrangement consists of multiple plates that are overlapped to each other with a sliding unit, wherein upon actuation of the drawer arrangement by the microcontroller, the motor in the sliding unit starts rotating a wheel coupled via a shaft in clockwise/anticlockwise direction providing a movement to the slider in the drawer arrangement to extend for properly accommodate the toddler.

[0030] The imaging unit 105 continuously monitors the facial expressions of the toddler, particularly focusing on signs of crying or distress. Based on the detected expressions, the microcontroller actuates an electromagnetic spring integrated between the links and the first portion of the platform 101 for expanding and contracting to create a gentle swinging motion for providing comfort to the toddler. The electromagnetic spring uses electromagnetic force to provide a variable spring effect. It consists of a coil and a ferromagnetic core. When current flows through the coil, it generates a magnetic field, attracting the core and creating a force. Adjusting the current changes the magnetic force, allowing precise control over the spring's stiffness for providing a swinging motion to the toddler, thereby ensures that the platform 101 not only serves as a stable sitting place but also as a comforting environment for the child.

[0031] A motorized hinge joint 106 is integrated between the first and second portions of the platform 101, allowing for controlled converging and diverging movements of the first portion. The motorized adjustment enables the platform 101 to provide the toddler with the correct posture for both resting and sitting. By adjusting the angle and position of the first portion relative to the second, the platform 101 ensure that the toddler is comfortably and securely positioned. The motorized hinge joint 106 comprises of a pair of leaf that is screwed in between the first and second portion. The leaf is connected with each other by means of a cylindrical member integrated with a shaft coupled with a DC (Direct Current) motor to provide required movement to the hinge. The rotation of the shaft in clockwise and anti-clockwise aids in opening and closing of the hinge respectively. Hence the microcontroller actuates the hinge that in turn provides movement to the first and second portion for providing converging/diverging movement to the first portion.

[0032] An ultrasonic sensor is configured in the platform 101 to detect uneven surfaces. When the sensor identifies an irregular or sloped surface, it sends signals to the microcontroller. In response, the microcontroller regulates the actuation of the springs and legs 102 integrated into the platform 101, adjusting them to maintain a stable and level angle for the toddler. This real-time adjustment ensures that the platform 101 remains steady and secure, even on uneven surface, providing a safe and comfortable environment for the toddler to sit or rest without the risk of tipping or imbalance. The ultrasonic sensor works by emitting ultrasonic waves and then measuring the time taken by these waves to bounce back after hitting the surface. The ultrasonic sensor includes two main parts viz. transmitter, and a receiver for detecting uneven surface. The transmitter sends a short ultrasonic pulse towards the surface which propagates through the air at the speed of sound and reflects back as an echo to the transmitter as the pulse hits the surface. The transmitter then detects the reflected eco from the surface and calculations is performed by the sensor based on the time interval between the sending signal and receiving echo to determine the uneven surface. The determined data is sent to the microcontroller in a signal form, based on which the microcontroller further process the signal to regulate actuation of the springs and legs 102.

[0033] When the imaging unit 105 detects any potential hazards in the vicinity of the platform 101, the microcontroller automatically activates a speaker 107 installed on the platform 101 for producing an audio signal to alert the user regarding the detected hazard. The audio notification ensures that the user is promptly informed of any danger near the platform 101, allowing them to take immediate action to ensure the safety of the toddler. The speaker 107 works by receiving signals from the microcontroller, converting them into sound waves through a diaphragm’s vibration, and producing audible sounds with the help of amplification and control circuitry in order to notify the user regarding the hazard.

[0034] Lastly, a battery is installed within the device which is connected to the microcontroller that supplies current to all the electrically powered components that needs an amount of electric power to perform their functions and operation in an efficient manner. The battery utilized here, is generally a dry battery which is made up of Lithium-ion material that gives the device a long-lasting as well as an efficient DC (Direct Current) current which helps every component to function properly in an efficient manner. As the device is battery operated and do not need any electrical voltage for functioning. Hence the presence of battery leads to the portability of the device i.e., user is able to place as well as moves the device from one place to another as per the requirements.

[0035] The present invention works best in the following manner, where the L-shaped platform 101 as disclosed in the invention is developed to be supported by extendable legs 102 whose height is adjusted by providing voice commands given by the user through the integrated microphone 103. Upon receiving these commands, the microcontroller actuates the legs 102 to either extend or retract, allowing the platform 101 height to be customized for the toddler’s comfort. The flexible harness 104 on the first portion of the platform 101 secures the toddler in place by engaging their legs 102 through designated openings. The imaging unit 105, paired with the processor, continuously captures and processes images around the platform 101 to determine the toddler's body dimensions. The information is used to ensure that the platform 101 dimensions are properly adjusted via the drawer arrangement, ensuring the perfect fit for the toddler. The imaging unit 105 also monitors the toddler's facial expressions, specifically to detect signs of distress, such as crying. If the toddler is detected to be crying, the microcontroller responds by actuating electromagnetic springs creating a soothing swinging motion to comfort the child. To further enhance the toddler's experience, the platform 101 includes the motorized hinge joint 106 allowing the first portion to move and adjust the toddler’s posture, whether they need to sit upright or recline for resting. The entire platform 101 is cushioned to provide the soft and comfortable surface for the toddler. The ultrasonic sensor detects uneven surfaces, prompting the microcontroller to adjust the springs and legs 102 to maintain the stable and level angle for the toddler. In the event that the imaging unit 105 detects any potential hazards near the platform 101, the microcontroller activates the speaker 107 to alert the user with audio signals, ensuring the toddler's safety.

[0036] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. , Claims:1) A sitting assistive device for toddlers, comprising:

i) a L-shaped platform 101 having a first and second portion, developed to be positioned on a ground surface, wherein plurality of extendable legs 102 is arranged underneath said first portion for supporting said platform 101 over said surface;
ii) a microphone 103 integrated in said platform 101 for enabling a user to provide input voice commands for increasing/decreasing height of said platform 101, based on which an inbuilt microcontroller actuates said legs 102 for getting extended/retracted to provide a user-desired increase/decrease in said platform 101 height, in view of adjusting said height to allow said user to accommodate a toddler on said second portion;
iii) a flexible harness 104 connected on said first portion and configured with a pair of openings, in which said user is required to engage said toddler’s legs 102, for allowing said toddler to get accommodated in said harness 104, for properly sitting on said second portion, wherein an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 105 is integrated in said platform 101 and paired with a processor for capturing and processing multiple images in vicinity of said platform 101, respectively to determine body dimensions of said toddler; and
iv) a drawer arrangement integrated in said body that is actuated by said microcontroller to increase/decrease dimensions of said platform 101, for properly accommodate said toddler, wherein said imaging unit 105 continuously monitors facial expressions of said toddler relating to crying, based on which said microcontroller actuates an electromagnetic springs integrated in between said links and first portion to expand/contract for providing a swinging motion to said toddler, in view of comforting said toddler, thereby providing a stable sitting place for said toddler.

2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a motorized hinge joint 106 is integrated in between said first and second portion for providing converging/diverging movement to said first portion, in view of providing a correct posture of resting and sitting to said toddler, as per requirement.

3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said platform 101 is fabricated with a cushioned member to provide a comfortable experience to said toddler.

4) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an ultrasonic sensor is embedded in said platform 101 for detecting uneven surface, based on which said microcontroller regulates actuation of said springs and legs 102 for maintaining a stable angle for said toddler.

5) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in case said imaging unit 105 detects any potential hazards in proximity to said platform 101, said microcontroller actuates a speaker 107 installed on said platform 101 for producing audio signals to notify said user regarding said hazard.

6) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a battery is configured with said device for providing a continuous power supply to electronically powered components associated with said device.