Various types of swings are known in the art. Typically, swings include a support frame, a hanger pivotably attached to the support frame, and a seat attached to the hanger. Electrically powered drive mechanisms are utilized to supply energy to the swing to move the swing in a reciprocal motion back and forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,224 to Dillner et al, which is commonly assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses one such swing drive mechanism. The Dillner et al. swing includes a swing drive mechanism that has a motor driving a crank arm. The crank arm is associated with an input mechanism that translates the rotational motion of the crank arm into an arcuately oscillating motion of the input mechanism. A torsion spring is connected to the input mechanism and to an output mechanism having an axle. The axle is connected to a hanger arm. The torsion spring couples the input mechanism to the output mechanism to allow the axle to be driven in a reciprocal fashion. The axle is supported in part by a ball bearing or bearings.
Another known swing drive mechanism includes two worm gears driven by a worm. The worm gears include eccentric drive pins to which are attached respective extension springs. The springs in turn are attached directly to a suspension arm for supporting a swing seat.
Yet another known swing drive mechanism has a worm engaging a worm gear. The worm gear has an eccentric pin which slidingly engages an elongated slot of a link. The link is mounted to an axle so as to allow the axle to rotate with the link when the link is driven by the worm gear, and this in turn drives a pendent arm to swing.
A further known swing drive mechanism also includes a worm gear with an eccentric pin. In this mechanism, the worm gear drives a linkage and a pivot arm coupled to an output shaft to impart pivoting motion to the output shaft. In both this mechanism and the mechanism described in the preceding paragraph, the link or pivot is coupled directly to a cross axle or output shaft to provide motion to the swing hanger arms.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds