Mums I need your help please! :)

[JPitt]

Hi,

My name is James and I am a design student at the University of Sussex.

I am currently doing a project on child safety products.

I am specifically developing a design to replace the common stair gate.

The basic idea is to replace stair gate which can be:

Hard to install (drilling into the wall and causing damage to the house).

DANGEROUS if your child likes to swing on it or attempt to climb over it.

A nuisance to have to keep opening and closing and wondering if you remembered to close it properly.

The new design consists of two turnstyles that will be placed in either hallways, landings, doorways etc. You will be able to get through the turnstyle by pressing a button on top (which a young child can not reach) This will prevent the child from gaining access to certain areas of the house. 2 set up together will allow you tight control and the ability to make a play-pen area in a hallway.

The links below are to several images of designs I have come up with.

I have focused on functionality, style, safety and portability.

I would very much appreciate any comments or thoughts that you have on my designs. Which is your favorite? Are there things that you like/dont like? Any problems you think it may cause or any way that it could be improved?

The turnstyle will be easy to use and will not require any DIY knowledge to set up.

1. This is the origional design with adjustable doors that will fit into any area you may need it:

i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt350/stair-gate-researcher/scaleturnstyleinlandingpic.jpg

1. An image showing how the turnstyle will be activated:

i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt350/stair-gate-researcher/handpushingdown.jpg

1. This is a fold away design showing the turnstyle in its 'unfolding' stage:

i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt350/stair-gate-researcher/foldaway3.jpg

4.This is a fold away design showing the turnstyle in its 'ready to use' stage:
i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt350/stair-gate-researcher/foldaway1.jpg

1. A different idea, this is a hand rail extension to aid a small child whilst climbing the stairs:

i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt350/stair-gate-researcher/kidsextension1.jpg

1. Would a stylish design like this appeal to anybody?

i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt350/stair-gate-researcher/wires.jpg

1. A thinner gate design designed for very thin passage ways:

i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt350/stair-gate-researcher/narrowgateinhall.jpg

1. Finally! this is a design that stops your child from tumbling all the way down the stairs. It allows them to learn to climb the stairs properly. The blue stoppers stick to the stairs with a velcro type material. The green arrow shows the path the child will take down the stairs. If they do take a tumble then they will be caught by the blue stopper:

i626.photobucket.com/albums/tt350/stair-gate-researcher/fallstopper1.jpg

Any responses would be very very gratefully recieved, I believe it is very important to have the feedback of experienced parents in order to get the most out of a design.

Many thanks, James

So far just looked at photos 1-4. I love the fact there is no "bar" across the floor to trip over (can be a big problem particularly on stairs). However is there any way for children/babies to get hands caught/stuck/pinched under the door or indeed in any hinge mechanism (if there are any) - like they tend to do in door hinges?
Also if this gets off the ground for you don't let the vultures on Dragen's Den take away your fortune for this innovation! Hope this helps.

Hello James.

The turnstyle design with the button on top would not contain my tall 11 month old as he would reach up and press the button by accident and then tumble through. It would also not contain my 3 year old who is not a danger on stairs, but who I sometimes want to keep confined to certain areas of the house.

Also, my children like looking through their baby gates. My 11 month old likes to support himself holding the bars and watch me cooking in the kitchen, for example. The closed in design would prevent this.

I'm afraid I don't understand pictures 3 and 4.

I like the hand rail extension. Would possibly consider buying one of these, depending on price. It would have to be fairly low price as it would only be useful for a short amount of time.

I don't like the tumble stoppers at all. If a child is so unsteady that they are likely to fall, then I will be with him on the stairs hovering inches behind so that he doesn't fall even one step, let alone 5. If a child is steady and confident enough to be alone on the stairs, then they are also physically able to climb on the tumble stoppers, which my children certainly would, leading to a risk of more accidents, not fewer. Also, I don't fancy doing a slalom down the stairs carrying a baby.

Sorry - didn't mean to be so negative. A twist and push button would be harder for a child to activate?

Good luck with it all

Photo 6 design would solve the can't look through issue.

Thank you so much for taking your time to write these comments!

A mixture of what you like and dislike is great for me as I can go on to further develop these ideas into a more feasible product.

Regards, James

if this post is bumoped up on Monday you should get lots more comments from mums so worth checking back then

it's an awful lot of plastic isn't it?

I think the handrail thing is a good idea - as long as it's not too pricey, but it may create other dangers if the child could clamber on it.

Hi, I'm wondering how your design would work in limited space, for exapmle, I currently have one at the top of my stairs, however my landing is tiny, same again for my hall, so if I were to use your design at the foot of the stairs, how would it work? How would it work if it has to be placed on the bottom stair?

I do like the lack of a bar to trip over. the original design would make the overall gap for walking through quite narrow, which would be awkward if one was generously proportioned, or carrying a child. the other design for narrow corridors looks much more pratical in that aspect.

I don't like the tumble stoppers. older siblings would climb all over them, and tbh, I'd probably trip over them in the middle ofg the night iykwim.

A see through gate is much more reassuring if being used as a barrier, as you can then chat to your child and the child can see you, vital if clingy.

Would you be considering a disabling mechanism so the gate could be left open, using my gate as an example, so older silings can get upstairs to the toilet?

Also, how would it be secured to the floor?

You know what the best stair gate you could design would be one that can fit right at the bottom of the stairs. Because the ballastrade(sp) only starts on the second step up on our stairs this is where our stair gate has to sit and we have a stone floor in the hallway. DS2 climbs the bottom two steps and hangs off the stair gate if left unattended. I'm terified he will fall straight back on his head.

We've never been able to figure a way round it.

I like the idea but agree with another poster that the button needs to be more difficult to use in order to prevent a child from operating it.
Is there any chance that fingers or small children could get trapped.
The small hallway one looks the best a the other turnstile takes up so much room but the pass through gap is small. It would make getting passed while carrying something difficult.

For me the thinner hallway design is the best and most practical.

The turnstyle system would not work for us as our landing is quite narrow but the staircase is a standard width and therefore it would not be able to turn round - nor would I be able to walk up and down the landing.

we have a great stairgate that is operable one handed - doesn't have a bottom bar and is quickly removable if we have lots of people to stay and the children are away.

Not sure there is anything that could improve on what we have.

Good luck though - I really like the lowered banister - both DC's try to reach the tall one and this makes them less stable on the stairs.

i don't understand how you would fit the turnstile stair gate. My stair gate is fitted on the first step, attached to the first post on one side and the wall on the other. The turnstile takes more space than the depth of a step so would have to go on the floor before the first step, but with no post the children could just walk in front of it.

don't like the tumble "towers" for the reasons listed above. i have 2 children who are now both capable of using the stairs no problem and haven't had any near misses. The stair gates didn't come off until they were well and truly steady.

handrail idea is great, but needs to be very neat.

Good luck!

I agree with those who have said about the button. Never underestimate the fiddling capacity of young children!

The relief to take stair gates down is immense so the re-design of it would be great because they are so bloody awkward and limiting (struggle getting through when carrying piles of washing etc). I like the look of the designs. I am guessing that it is weighted down at the bottom rather than fixed to the wall. I also guess that this is designed not to topple, but is this also taking into account adults/older siblings messing on it.....leading to unintentional squashing of children? I am a bit wary of this because surely the thing will weigh a ton - think of mum struggling out of the shop, with buggy, trying to get it in the boot in the rain?

Love the extension rail for the stairs. Great idea and could be used all over (nurseries,dreaded indoor play places, kiddie restaurants etc etc)

Good luck with the project.