AU649367B2 - Toddler crib and bed conversion cot - Google Patents

Description

P/00/0 11 28151 AUSTALIARegulation 3.2 Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: O.AQ jfj C.7 folinwmg statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- .I

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D-2497 TODDLER CRIB AND BED BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a crib useful for an infant or toddler. More particularly, the invention relates to an infant or toddler crib which includes a very convenient and straight forward mechanism by which the crib's drop panel can be moved from an elevated position to a lowered position and vice versa. In one embodiment, the drop panel is very easily removed from the crib frame, thus allowing an easy and rapid conversion of the crib to a toddler bed.

Many different constructions for cribs useful for .i infants and/or toddlers have been used. Very often, one of the side panels of the crib is moveable between. an elevated position to provide protection for the infant and a lowered position to provide convenient access, for S: 15 example, for a parent, to the infant in the crib, A number of prior art cribs involve the use of relatively complex locking mechanisms by which the drop panel is held in the o elevated position. Such relatively complex me-henisms tend to require high maintenance and to make operac. )n of the drop panel relatively difficult and/or inconvenient.

Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an "i infant and/or toddler crib which has a drop panel which is straight forward in construction and can be easily moved between an elevated position and a lowered position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION New cribs useful for infants and/or toddlers have been discovered. The present cribs provide straight forward, effective, reliable and easy to operate mechanisms by which the drop panels of the cribs can be moved from the elevated position to the lowered position and vice versa. No springs or other potentially dangerous (to the infant) pieces of hardware are included in these mechanisms. In addition, when the drop panels of the present cribs are in the elevated position, substantial security is provided against the drop panels being inadvertently or accidentally moved to the lowered position, for example, by the action of the infant.Further, the mechanisms are relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and require little or no maintenance over long periods of use. As a further, preferred, feature of tue present invention, the present drop panels are easily and conveniently removed from the cribs, thus allowing a rapid conversion of the cribs to toddler beds, for example, when the security of a crib is no longer needed or desired.

n3rft -e bread aspect-, the prccntbinvntio -i.

S" 15 directed to a crib which comprises the crib frame, a dr panel, a guide element and a locking ring. The crib ame includes a first end portion and a spaced apart se ond end portion. The drop panel is located between t first and second end portions of the crib frame a is moveable 20 between an elevated position and a lowe d position. The guide element is located on the dro panel. The present locking ring is coupled to the rst end portion of the crib frame. This locking ri is structured to receive and hold the guide element hen the drop panel is in the elevated position. T e locking ring includes a cam surface which comes to contact with and is moved by the guide element as e drop panel is moved from the lowered position to t elevated position. Further, the locking ring defin a holding space or notch, preferably located direct adjacent the cam surface, to receive and hold the gui element when the drop panel is in the elevated sition. This locking ring is pivotably moveable in response to gravity to cause the guide element to be ived in tho holding apace.

2a In one broad aspect, the present invention provides a crib comprising a crib frame including a first end portion and a spaced apart second end portion; a drop panel located between said first end portion and said second end portion and being moveable between an elevated position and a lowered position; a guide element located on said drop panel adjacent said first end portion; and a locking means comprising a housing mounted to said first end portion and having a side facing to the interior of the crib, a side facing said second end portion and a side facing to the exterior of the crib wherein the side facing to the interior of the crib is closed, the side facing said second end has a generally vertical slot therein whereby said guide element can enter the housing and the side facing to the exterior of the crib has an opening, and wherein the locking means further comprises a locking ring which is pivotally mounted by pivot means located within the housing i and adjacent the top of the locking ring so that the locking ring will normally hang under gravity within the 20 housing but with a portion of the locking ring protruding through said opening, and wherein said locking ring includes a cam surface adapted to be contacted by and be moved by said guide element as said drop panel is moved from the lowered position to the elevated position, said 25 locking ring defining a holding slot to receive and hold said guide element when said drop panel is in the elevated position and being pivotably moveable in response to gravity to cause said guide element to be received in said holding slot and wherein said guide element is freeable from said holding slot by gripping said portion between fingers of a user and moving said portion of the locking ring outwardly with respect to the crib to free said guide element from said holding slot.

940228pnsspc.074,smithcan,6 From the above description, it is clear that no springs or other complex mechanical parts are included in the present locking ring assembly. The relatively simple combination of pivotal movement of the locking ring, a cam surface and gravity is used to capture and hold the guide element in the holding space or notch defined by the locking ring to "lock" the drop panel in the elevated position.

The locking ring is preferably structured to be pivotably moveable in response to the application of manual force to release the guide element from the holding space. When this release is accomplished, the drop panel is free to move from the elevated position to the lowered position. Thus, the person operating the present crib can very easily move the drop panel from the lowered position to the elevated position where the guide ee element is received and held by the locking ring.

SFurther, simply by pivotably moving the locking ring, for example, to release the guide element from the holding space or notch, by the application of manual force, the person operating the crib can cause the drop panel to move from the elevated position to the lowered position.

In one very useful embodiment, a second guide element is located on the drop panel, and a second locking ring is 25 coupled to the second end portion of the crib frame. This second locking ring is structured to receive and hold the second guide element when the drop panel is in the eelevated position. The second locking ring is structured similarly to the locking ring noted above, Thus, the second locking ring is moved or cammed by the second guide element as the drop panel is moved from the lowered position to the elevated position. The holding space defined by the -econd locking ring acts to receive and hold the second guide element when the drop panel is in the elevated position. This second locking ring is pivotably nmoveable in response to gravity to cause the second guide element to be received in the holding space.

In order to lower the drop panel from the elevated position to the lowered position, both of the locking rings are to be operated simultaneously. This represents a significant safety feature in that it is highly unlikely that a human infant or toddler occupying the crib will be able to manually move both of the locking rings at the same time. Thus, as far as the infant or toddler is concerned, the drop panel is secured in the elevated position, as desired. However, the drop panel can be very easily moved to the lowered position by an adult.

In one embodiment, the crib further comprises a drop guide which is mounted to the first end portion of the crib frame. This drop guide is sized and adapted to receive and hold the guide element as the drop panel moves from the elevated position and the lowered position. This drop guide, in effect, functions to provide for movement of the guide element along a path which is defined by the drop guide. The crib preferably further comprises a guide member located on the drop panel spaced apart from the guide element. The drop guide is preferably sized and adapted to hold this guide member as'the drop panel moves *o between the elevated position and the lowered position.

The guide acts to further ensure that the drop panel moves along a well defined path between the elevated position and the lowered position.

Preferably, the locking ring is coupled to the drop guide. Thus, the locking ring is preferably located at or near one end of the path along which the drop panel travels as it moves between the elevated position and the lowered position.

The present crib preferably further includes a housing sized and adapted to partially contain the locking ring and to limit the range of pivotable movement of the

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locking ring. This housing preferably includes an aperture through which the locking ring protrudes. The portion of the locking rings which protrudes through this aperture can preferably be manually manipulated to release the guide element from the holding space, as desired.

In one embodiment, the present cribs include a stop element, preferably coupled to the drop guide. This stop element is sized and adapted to contact the guide member when the drop panel is in the lowered position. With such a stop element, the path through which the drop panel moves between the lowered position and the elevated position is clearly defined.

S. The cribs preferably include a drop guide which has an opened lower end. The stop element is preferably removable from the drop guide. The drop panel is removable from the crib by passing the guide element out :.06 of the drop guide through the opened lower end. Thus, for example, when it is desired to remove the drop panel from the crib, the stop element is removed from the drop guide and the drop panel is simply removed from the crib frame by passing the guide element out of the drop guide through the opened lower end of the drop guide.

These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description and claims, particularly when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts bear like reference numerals, 0 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a front side view, in perspective, of an infant/toddler crib in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial view, in perspective, showing certain components of a locking mechanism designed to lock the drop panel of the crib shown in Fig. 1 in the elevated position.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4a is a side elevation view of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with the drop panel located below the elevated position.

Fig. 4b is a side elevation view of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with the drop panel approaching the elevated position from below.

Fig. 4c is a side elevation view of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with the drop panel located in the elevated position.

Fig. 5 is a partial cut-away view, in perspective, showing certain components of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 2 in more detail.

e 15 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, an infant/toddler crib oo in accordance with the present invention, shown generally at 10, has a crib frame, shown generally at 11. Crib frame 11ii includes a head panel 12, a foot panel 14, a stationary 20 side panel 16, a base panel 18, a right bed panel 20 and a left bed panel 22. A drop panel 24 is located between head panel end post 26 and foot panel end post 28.

Drop panel 24 is moveable from an elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1, to a lowered position, and vice versa.

In the elevated position, dtrop panel 24, together with the components of the crib frame 11 provide a high degree of protection for the infant occupying crib 10. In the lowered position, drop panel 24 allows convenient access to the infant in the crib 10, for example, by a parent seeking to care for the infant.

Coupled to the head panel end post 26 is a locking mechanism, shown generally at 30. Although it is not shown in the drawings, a second locking mechanism is coupled to the foot panel end post 28. The second locking mechanism is structured and functions similarly to locking mechanism 30. Thus, in describing the structure and functioning of locking mechanism 30, the structure and functioning of the second locking mechanism are also described.

Locking mechanism 30 includes a drop guide 32 which is secured directly to head panel end post 26. Drop guide 32 defines a generally T-shaped space 34 which runs generally from the top to the bottom of the drop guide.

Drop guide 34 has an open lower end 36.

Attached or secured to, and covering the top portion of, drop guide 32 is lock housing 38 which includes an open ended notch 40 in sidewall 42 and an aperture 44 in front wall 46.

A locking ring 50 is located in lock housing 38 and protrudes out of aperture 44. Locking ring 50 is generally tear or pear shaped and is held in place by pivot pin 52 which passes through a hole in the locking ring and is secured to head panel end post 26. Locking ring 50, which is pivotably moveable about pivot pin 52, includes a cam surface 54 and a containment notch 56 located adjacent the cam surface.

A guide element 58 is secured to the top cross member 60 of drop panel 24, extends toward head panel end post 26 and is received in space 34. A bottom guide 62 is secured to the bottom cross member 64 of drop panel 24, extends toward head panel end post 26 and is received in space 34.

Structures corresponding to guide element 58 and bottom guide 64 are secured to the top cross member 60 and bottom cross member 64, respectively of drop panel 24, extend toward foot panel end post 28 and are received in a space corresponding to space 34 of a drop guide corresponding to drop guide 32.

A removable stop 66 is secured to the drop guide 32 and to the head panel end post 26 and acts to contact bottom guide 62 when drop panel 26 is in the lowered position, thereby stopping the travel of the drop panel in the downward direction. Again, a structure corresponding to removable stop 66 is secured to the corresponding drop guide on the foot panel end post 28. This structure functions in a manner corresponding to removable stop 66.

Crib 10 may be operated as follows. With the drop panel 24 in the lowered position, bottom guide 62 is in contact with removable stop 66. When it is desired to raise drop panel 24 into the elevated position, the top member 60 of the drop panel can be manually raised. This causes both guide element 58 and bottom guide 62 to travel upwardly in space 32.

As shown in Fig. 4a, as drop panel 24 is being raised, the guide element 58 is located substantially 15 below locking ring 50. Cam surface 54 of locking ring as shown in Fig. 4a, crosses the path of travel of guide element 58 through space 32. As drop panel 24 is raised, guide element 58 comes in contact with cam surface 54 of locking ring 50. As shown in Fig. 4b, the upward movement of drop panel 24 and guide element 58 acts to cam the cam surface 54 and pivotably move locking ring 50 generally in an upward direction around pivot pin 52. When guide element 58 has traveled so that the'drop panel 24 is in the elevated position, the cam surface 54 has been moved out of the way sufficiently so that drop guide 58 loses contact with the cam surface. The upper wall 45 of .aperture 44 is placed so as to come into contact with locking ring 50 and thereby limit the generally upward movement of the locking ring. The locking ring 50, under the influence of gravity, reverses its direction of movement and pivots in a generally downward direction.

AS shown in Fig. 4c, this gravity-induced generally downward pivotable movement causes guide element 58 to be captured within notch 56. The bottom wall 47 of aperture 44 is placed so as to come into contact with locking ring 9 and thereby limit the generally downward movement of the locking ring. By capturing and holding guide element 58 within notch 56, the drop panel 24 is "locked" in place in the elevated position. The locking mechanism coupled to the foot panel end post 28 operates in substantially the same manner as, and simultaneously with, the locking mechanism 30. In this way, drop panel 24 is locked in place by two independent locking mechanisms.

This locking arrangement is very reliable and secure.

Moreover, it would be very difficult, if not impossible,, for an infant occupying the crib 10 to release both of the locking mechanisms simultaneously in order to lower drop panel 26 to the lowered position. Thus, the crib provides a very effective and safe system by which the S. 15 drop panel 24 can be locked in place in the elevated position.

t. When it is desired to lower the drop panel 24 to the .9 -9 S: lowered position, the portion of the locking ring protruding through the aperture 44 is simply manually pivotably moved generally upward. This movement releases the guide element fronm the notch 56. The locking t* mechanism coupled to the foot panel end part 28 is simultaneously operated in a similar manner. The guide element 58 and drop panel 24 are thus allowed to move to 25 the lowered position. Once the drop panel 24 has been placed in the lowered position, the cycle can be repeated as often as is necessary, for example, in order to properly care for and provide protection for the infant in crib An additional feature of the present invention is the easy and rapid removal of the drop panel 24 from the crib for example, to convert the crib to a toddler bed.

This operation can be accomplished by removing the stop element 66 (and corresponding structure secured to the foot panel end post 28) from the crab 10. This is preferably done with the drop panel 24 in the elevated position. With the stop element 66 (and corresponding structure) removed, the drop panel 24 is released from the elevated position, as described above, and allowed to drop. The bottom guide 62 is allowed to pass through the open end 36 of space 34. Also, the guide element 58 is allowed to pass through the open end 36 of space 34.

After both of these el,ements have been removed from space 34 (and the corresponding elements removed from the corresponding space associated with foot panel end post 28), drop panel 24 is no longer secured to the crib If desired, the stationary side panel 16 can be unbolted from the crib 10. In this manner, both the drop panel 24 and the stationary side panel 16 are removed from the crib 15 10. The resulting structure is very suitable for use as a toddler bed.

Simply by reversing the above procedure, the toddler bed can be reconverted to the crib 10, as desired.

While this invention has been described with respect to various specific examples and embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that it can be variously practiced within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (8)

1. A crib comprising a crib frame including a first end portion and a spaced apart second end portion; a drop panel located between said first end portion and said second end portion and being moveable between an elevated position and a lowered position; a guide element located on said drop panel adjacent said first end portion; and 15 a locking means comprising a housing mounted to said 0* first end portion and having a side facing to the interior of the crib, a side facing said second end portion and a side facing to the exterior of the crib wherein the side facing to the interior of the crib is 20 closed, the side facing said second end has a generally vertical slot therein whereby said guide element can enter the housing and the side facing to the exterior of the crib has an opening and wherein the locking means further comprises a locking ring which is pivotally mounted by pivot means located within the housing and adjacent the top of the locking ring so that the locking ring will normally hang under gravity within the housing but with a portion of the locking ring protruding through said opening, and wherein said locking ring includes a cam surface adapted to be contacted by and be moved by said guide element as said drop panel is moved from the lowered position to the elevated position, said locking ring defining a holding slot to receive and hold said guide 940228,upc.074,sm tIB,1 -12 element when said drop panel is in the elevated position and being pivotably moveable in response to gravity to cause said guide element to be received in said holding slot and wherein said guide element is freeable from said holding slot by gripping said portion between fingers of a user and moving said portion of the locking ring outwardly with respect to the crib to free said guide element from said holding slot.

2. The crib as claimed in Claim 1 which further comprises a second guide element located on said drop panel adjacent said second end portion; and a second locking means comprising a second housing mounted to said 15 second end portion and having a side facing to the interior of the crib, a side facing said second end portion and a side facing to the exterior of the crib co o :wherein the side facing to the interior of the crib is closed, the side facing said second end has a generally vertical slot therein whereby said second guide element can enter the housing and the side facing to the exterior of the crib has an opening, and wherein the second locking means further comprises 25 a second locking ring which is pivotally mounted by pivot means located within the second housing and adjacent the top of the second locking ring so that the second locking ring will normally hang under gravity within the second housing but with a portion of the second locking ring protruding through said opening, and wherein said second locking ring includes a cam surface adapted to be contacted by and be moved by said second guide element as said drop panel is moved from the lowered position to the elevated position, ZOA-'R^S said second, locking pin defining a second holding alot 94022 is pe.O74,zintcIa.2 to receive on hold said second guide element when the drop panel is in the elevated position and being pivotally moveable in response to gravity to cause said second guide element to be received in said second holding slot and wherein said second guide element is freeable from said second holding slot by gripping said portion of the second locking ring between fingers of a user and moving said portion of the second locking ring outwardly with respect to the orib to free said second guide element from said second holding slot.

3. The crib as claimed in Claim 1 which further comprises 15 a drop guide mounted to said first end portion, and sized and adapted to receive and hold said guide .element as said drop tpanel moves between the elevated position and the lowered position. o o 20 4. The crib as claimed in Claim 3 which further comprises a guide member located on said drop panel spaced apart from said guide element, and said drop guide is sized and adapted to hold said guide member as said drop panel moves between the elevated position and the 25 lowered position. ee

5. The crib as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said locking means is coupled to said drop guide.

6. The crib as claimed in Claim 4 which further comprises a stop element coupled to said drop guide, and sized and adapted to contact said guide member when said drop panel is in the lowered position.

7. The crib as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said drop guide has an open lower end, said stop element is removable from said drop guide and said drop panel is removable 94228,cansp.074,sIthda,3 -14 from said crib by passing said guide element out of said drop guide through said open lower end.

8. The crib as claimed in Claim 2 which further comprises a first drop guide mounted to said first end portion and sized and adapted to receive and hold the first mentioned guide element as said drop panel moves between the elevated position and the lowered position; and a second drop guide mounted to said second end portion, and sized and adapted to receive and hold said second guide element as said drop panel moves between the elevated position and the lowered position. 15 9. The crib of Claim 8 which further comprises a first guide member located on said drop panel spaced apart g from said first mentioned guide element, said first e «drop guide being sized and adapted to hold said first guide member as said drop panel moves between the elevated position and the lowered position; and a second guide member located on said drop panel spaced apart from said second guide element, said second drop guide being sized and adapted to hold said second 6$6 S• guide member as said drop panel moves between the 25 elevated position and the lowered position. 66

66. 10. The crib as claimed in Claim 9 which further comprises a first stop element coupled to said first drop guide and sized and adapted to contact said first guide member when said drop panel is in the lowered position; and a second stop element coupled to said second drop guide and sized and adapted to contact said second guide member when said drop panel is in the lowered position. 11. The nrb as claimed in Claim 10 wherein said first drop guide has an open lower end and said second drop 940228,wicuzpc.074Am0thhxa4 guide has an open lower end, said first stop element is removable from said first drop guide and said second stop element is removable from said second drop guide, and said drop panel is removable from said crib by passing said guide member, said second guide member, said first mentioned guide element and said second guide element out of said first drop guide and said second drop guide through said open lower ends thereof. 12. A crib substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. 15 Dated this 28th day of February, 1994 Do o SANDERCOCKS PATENT ATTORNEYS o*ee PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR S* 20 IAN DICKSON SMITH so** .o 6 940228,sspc.074,smithdads TODDLER CRIB AND BED ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A crib for use by infants and toddlers is disclosed. In one embodiment, the crib comprises a crib frame including a first end portion and a spaced apart second end portion; a drop panel located between the first end portion and the second end portion and being moveable between an elevated position and a lowered position; a guide element located on the drop panel; and a locking ring coupled to the first end portion and structured to receive and hold the guide element when the drop panel is in the elevated position. The locking ring includes a cam surface which comes into contact with and is moved by the guide element as the drop panel is moved from the lowered position to the elevated position. The locking ring defines a holding space to receive and hold 15 the guide element when the drop panel is in the elevated position, and is pivotably moveable in response to gravity to cause the guide element to be received in the holding space. 9* 9. 0* C o* 9 9