US20060174406A1

US20060174406A1 - Collapsible base frame for playyard

Info

Publication number: US20060174406A1
Application number: US11/326,446
Authority: US
Inventors: Cheng-Fan Yang
Original assignee: Link Treasure Ltd
Current assignee: Link Treasure Ltd
Priority date: 2005-01-21
Filing date: 2006-01-06
Publication date: 2006-08-10
Also published as: TWM271497U; GB2422306A; GB0601194D0

Abstract

A collapsible base frame for playyard, comprising a control device pivotally connected between a first lower frame assembly and a second lower frame assembly. The control device including a joint having a push-button for controlling a positioner to precisely and accurately manipulate the first and second lower frame assembly between an erected state and a folded state.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a collapsible base frame for playyard, in particular to the collapsible base frame which is pivotally connected to the playyard, and whereby forcing the foldable frame in an erected or in a folded state by the joint.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Playyard is better provided with a roomy accommodation for comforting the baby is placed inside the playyard. Nevertheless, the roomy accommodation would take too much space for storage. In order to overcome this problem, the current design tends to use a foldable frame for the playyard.
The configuration of the collapsible base frame for playyard basically consists of four panels and a base. As the playyard being collapsed, the rails of the panels are folded by the joint and closed up to the posts of the playyard. This well developed technology is as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,811,437 and 5,697,111 to Dillner et al; besides, in order to fold the entire frame of the playyard, the lower frame assembly is provided with a foldable structure, whereby the entire frame is foldable controlled by the lower frame assembly which is in either a locked or a released condition. For example, the U.S. Publication No. 2003/0061657A1 includes a base which is connected to lower supporting rods; the lower supporting rods are relatively confined by a pair of locking members to be in an erected state fixedly. The pair of locking members link respectively to a piece of cord, and the locking members can be pulled by a band at the same time, therefore releasing the supporting rod to be in a folded state.
However, as the structure mentioned above, the pair of locking members are moved by pulling a band which links to a cord. The supporting rod is released by pulling the pair of locking member via the cord. The pair of locking members should be pulled at the same time through a band in a straight upward direction, or only one locking member can be released since the user pulls the band in a slanting angle. The supporting rods are not released completely if only one locking member is moved and leads the disadvantages of failing to fold properly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a collapsible base frame for playyard that substantially obviate the problems of the related art due to the inconvenience of using a band or a handle to simultaneously pull a pair of detached locking members, or the disadvantages of incompletely fold by releasing only one locking member since the user pulls the band in a slanting angle.
The present invention is providing an improved lower frame assembly which can be folded accordingly; wherein the lower frame assembly having a control device disposed between the first and the second lower frame assembly; the control device includes a joint, whereby a push-button can manipulate the first and the second lower frame assembly to selectively be in an erected or folded state in order to achieve the goal of being unfolded and collapsed completely.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the foldable frame of the playyard.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the joint.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view shown the joint in an erected state.
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view shown the joint in a folded state.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view shown the playyard is converting to a collapsible state.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view shown the playyard is converting into a collapsed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a collapsible base frame for a playyard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein said playyard includes a upper frame assembly 3 and a lower frame assembly 4.
The upper frame assembly 3 consists of 4 upper corner housings 31 and a pair of upper rail assemblies 32, wherein said upper corner housings 31 are respectively arranged at four corners of the playyard (for triangle playyard would be of three corners) and pivoted to the upper rail assemblies 32 respectively; the upper rail assemblies consists of a pair of rails 321 and a lock assembly 322, whereby the lock assembly 322 extends the rails 321 in alignment in an unfolded state (as shown in FIG. 1) and folds in a V-shape folded state.
The lower frame assembly 4 includes a first lower frame assembly 41 and a second lower frame assembly 42, wherein the first and second lower frame assembly 41 and 42 are provided with a lower corner base 43 in one end. The lower corner base 43 is opposite below the upper corner housing 31. An upright post 5 is connected between the upper corner housing 31 and the lower corner base 43.
The first lower frame assembly 41 is connected to lower end of the upright post 5 to one side of the playyard. In accordance with the present invention, the first lower frame assembly 41 includes a pair of connecting rods 411 and a connecting base 412, wherein one end of one side of the pair of connecting rods 411 are each pivotally coupled to the lower corner bases 43, and the other ends are pivotally coupled together to the connecting base 412, therefore the lower frame assembly 41 is in a general V-shaped configuration. As shown in this invention additionally, a first supporting rod 413 is pivotally coupled to one side of the connecting rod 411 and support the playyard over the ground.
The second lower frame assembly 42 is connected to lower end of the upright post 5 to the other side of the palyyard. According to this invention, the second lower frame assembly 42 is in the same configuration of the first lower frame assembly, which includes a pair of connecting rods 421 and a connecting base 422, wherein one end of one side of the pair of connecting rod 421 are pivotally coupled to the lower corner bases 43, and the other ends are pivotally coupled together to the connecting base 422, therefore the second lower frame assembly is in a general V-shaped configuration. As shown in this invention additionally, a first supporting rod 423 is connected to one side of connecting rod 421.
Referring now to FIG. 2, 3 and 4, wherein the control device 6 is pivotally connected between the first and second lower frame assembly 41, 42. The collapsible base frame includes a pair of connecting rods 61, a joint 62 and a pair of second supporting rod 63. The connecting rod 61 is coupled to and between the first lower frame assembly 41, second lower frame assembly 42 and the joint 62.
Said joint 62 consists of a positioner 622, a push-button 623, a spring 624 and a pair of sleeves 621 which are mutual pivotally connected and rotated relatively thereon. According to the preferred embodiment of this invention, wherein the positioner is a tooth block. The pair of sleeves 621 has a locking groove for accommodating the positioner 622, and the positioner 622 is movable inside the locking groove 625. As shown in FIG.3, the spring 624 is arranged at one side of the positioner 622. In the normal status, the spring 624 maintains the positioner 622 between the locking grooves 625 of the pair of sleeves 621, and prevents the sleeves 621 from being folded by rotating. The push-button 623 is arranged at one of the sleeves 621 and on the other side of the positioner 622. The user is able to press the push-button 623 and forces the positioner 622 to move into the locking groove 625 of the other sleeve 621, whereby the sleeves are rotated as shown in FIG.4 in a collapsible state.
As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5, when the foldable frame 2 is fully extended, and the positioner 622 of the joint 62 on the lower frame assembly 4 is located inside the locking groove 625 of the pair of sleeves 621. As the entire collapsible base frame 6 is in a fixed state, the foldable frame 2 is also erected fixedly. When the user tends to fold the foldable frame 2, the push-button 623 is being pushed in order to push the positioner 622 to enter the locking groove 625 of the other sleeve 621. As the joint 62 is being folded by rotating, the first and second lower frame assembly 41, 42 are being interlinked and rotated; therefore the lower frame assembly 4 is being able to fold upwardly as shown as FIG. 6.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.

Claims

1. A collapsible base frame for playyard that is convertible between an erected and a collapsed configuration, comprising

a first lower frame assembly pivotally coupled to lower end of the foldable frame on one side;

a second lower frame assembly pivotally coupled to lower end of the foldable frame on another side;

a control device pivotally connected between the first lower frame assembly and the second lower frame assembly, including a joint, wherein the joint comprises a pair of sleeves, a positioner, a push-button and a spring; while the collapsible base frame is converting to the erected configuration, the positioner is maintained by the spring between the pair of sleeves to keep the collapsible base frame in the erected configuration; and while the collapsible base frame is converting to the collapsed configuration, the push-button is pushed to force positioner to enter one side of the pair of sleeves, allowing the first lower frame assembly and second lower frame assembly to be folded.

2. The collapsible base frame for playyard according to claim 1, wherein the foldable frame is further comprising a foldable upper frame assembly and an upright post, and wherein the upright post is connected between the upper frame assembly and the lower frame assembly.

3. The collapsible base frame for playyard according to claim 1, wherein the first and second lower frame assembly are further comprising a pair of connecting rods and a connecting base respectively; and wherein one end of the pair of the connecting rod is pivotally connected to one side of the foldable frame, and the other end of the connecting rod is pivotally coupled to the connecting base.

4. The collapsible base frame for playyard according to claim 1, wherein the first and the second lower frame assembly are pivotally connected to a supporting rod respectively.

5. The collapsible base frame for playyard according to claim 1, wherein the collapsible base frame includes a pair of connecting rods, which is connected between the joint, the first and the second lower frame assembly.

6. The collapsible base frame for playyard according to claim 1, wherein the pair of sleeves include a locking groove for accommodating the positioner; while the collapsible base frame is converting to the erected state, the positioner is kept in a position between the pair of sleeves and biased by a spring to inhibet the sleeves from rotation, thereby to keep the collapsible base frame and the lower frame assembly in an unfolded state.

7. The collapsible base frame for playyard according to claim 6, wherein the push-button is positioned on the other side of the positioner, and wherein the positioner can be pushed by the push-button to enter the locking groove, thus is allowing the pair of the sleeves to be rotatable relatively to each other, and then the lower frame assembly and the collapsible base frame are both to be converted to a collapsible state, and are foldable carrying by linkage with each other.