Child swing

A self-supporting child's swing supportable on a support surface and configurable between a storage and use position, comprising:

• a frame configurable between a folded position and an unfolded position, said frame including a ground engaging portion, a first frame portion and a second frame portion, each of said frame portions being fixedly hinged to said ground engaging member, and a first and second housing, wherein when said frame is configured in said unfolded position, said first and second frame portions are configured in a first orientation relative to said ground-engaging member, and when said frame is configured in the folded position, said first and second frame portions are configured in a second orientation relative to said ground-engaging member, said second orientation corresponding to said first and second frame portions being rotationally offset from their respective first orientations;
• and
• a child support having a child support surface and describing a child receiving end, said child support being configurable between a deployed and stowed position, said child support including:
• an annular support member defining an outer perimeter of the child receiving end and first and second terminal ends of said child support,
• a first connector and a second connector disposed at the respective first and second ends, and
• a child receiving portion secured to said support member, said child receiving portion including retaining walls and the child support surface,
• wherein when said child support is in the deployed position, said child support surface is disposed below said support member and the child support surface is contained within said retaining walls, and wherein when said child support is in the stowed position, said child support surface and said support member lie within approximately the same plane;
• wherein when said self-supporting child's swing is in the use position, said child support is suspended from said first and second frame housings by the respective first and second connectors of said child support, said child support is in said deployed position, and said frame is in said unfolded position, and
• wherein when said self-supporting child's swing is in the storage configuration, said child support is configured in said stowed position, said frame is in said folded position and said folded frame is contained substantially within said child receiving end.

A child swing configurable between a use position and a storage position, comprising:

• a child support having first and second ends, said child support being supportable on first and second frame ends of a ground engaging support frame, said child swing being adapted for rotation of the child support about a rotation axis;
• a first mounting member disposed at the first frame end, said first mounting member including an output member of a motor drive assembly mounted to the first frame end, the drive assembly being adapted for producing periodic motion of the output member, and a retainer disposed at a terminal end of said first mounting member;
• a second mounting member disposed at the second frame end;
• a first and second connecting arm of said child support, said first and second connecting arms being adapted for supporting said child support from the ground engaging support frame first and second ends, each of said first and second connecting arms including
• a proximal end coupled to the respective child support first and second end, and
• a distal end adapted for being connected to the respective first and second mounting members;
• and
• a first latch disposed at one of said distal end of said first connecting arm and said first frame end, said first latch including a blocking piece movable between an engaged and disengaged position;
• wherein when said child swing is configured in the use position, said first connecting arm distal end is in contact with said output member so as to enable the periodic output from the motor drive assembly to rotate said child support and said first latch is in said engaged position so as to provide an interference fit between said distal end and said first mounting member, said interference fit preventing inadvertent removal of said first connecting arm distal end from said first mounting member when said child support rotates.

A method for configuring a child's swing from a use position to a storage position, the child's swing including a child support suspended from a frame when in the use position, the child support including a child support surface, first arm and second arm located at a head and foot end of the child support, respectively, the first and second arms including a respective first and second latch and the child support including a rim support having an outer perimeter that is approximately equal to an outer perimeter of the child support surface, the child support surface being contained within collapsible walls and suspendable from the rim support, the frame having frame members connected by hinges, a first end and a second end and the frame including a motor drive assembly mounted to the first end, wherein when the child's swing is configured in the use position, the first arm is suspended from the first end and the second arm is suspended from the second end, comprising the steps of:

• removing the first arm of the child support from the first end of the frame;
• removing the second arm of the child support from the second end of the frame;
• folding the frame, consisting of the step of rotating the frame members about the hinges;
• collapsing the walls of the child support, wherein when the child support walls are collapsed, the child support surface lies in approximately the same plane as the child support rim support;
• and
• placing the folded frame within the rim support.

A swing assembly, said swing assembly being adapted for use by a child and being configurable between a collapsed and use position, comprising:

• a child carrier including a supporting surface for supporting the child thereon and an ellipsoidal-like frame member providing an opening for receiving the child on the support surface, said frame member defining first and second ends of said child carrier and said support surface being disposed below said frame member;
• a support structure including first and second end portions adapted for supporting said child carrier;
• a first and second relatively rigid and elongate connecting arm coupled to said child carrier first and second ends, respectively, said connecting arms further including
• a proximal end rotatably coupling said connecting arm to said child carrier end, said proximal end being adapted for configuring said connecting arm between a deployed position wherein said connecting arm extends upwardly from said child carrier, and a stowed position wherein said connecting arm lies substantially within said opening defined by said frame member,
• a distal end adapted for rotatably coupling said child carrier to the respective upstanding end portions of said support structure;
• wherein when said swing assembly is in the collapsed position, said first and second distal ends are decoupled from said support structure end portions and said first and second connecting arms are configured in the respective stowed positions.