Abstract:
A bed assembly convertible from a crib to a toddler bed to a full size headboard or vice versa. Components of the bed assembly perform multiple, different functions in each of the bed arrangements. For example, the component which functions as a sidewall in the crib structure is utilized as part of the toddler bed and full size headboard, together with tubular elements forming part of the crib mattress support which serve as components of the headboard for the full size bed.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/482,332, filed on Jun. 25, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a bed assembly convertible from a crib to a toddler bed to a full size headboard and vice versa and more particularly to a bed assembly in which components thereof serve different and multiple functions in different ones of the possible bed structures.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Convertible bed assemblies are well known and have the capability of “growing” with the growth of an infant, i.e., of being capable of being assembled to form a crib and being convertible from a crib to a toddler bed and ultimately to a full size headboard thereby “growing” along with an infant. One such convertible bed assembly is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,631, granted Sep. 15, 1992. Although the conversion capabilities of the aforementioned patent are commendable, it is nevertheless desirable to provide a convertible bed assembly of simplified design and one in which fewer components are needed.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     The present invention provides a convertible bed assembly having a design which is rugged, simplified, easy to use and which, in addition to having a reduced number of components, utilizes components which perform multiple and different functions in the various bed structures. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0005]     The present invention will be understood from a consideration of the Figures wherein like elements are designated by like numerals and wherein:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a crib structure embodying the principles of the present invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the mattress support for the crib shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an assembled toddler bed employing the components of the convertible assembly of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3A  is a detailed view of the safety rails employed in the toddler bed of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a full size headboard assembled from selected components of the convertible assembly.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4A  is a detailed view showing a section of the headboard of  FIG. 4  in greater detail.  
         [0012]      FIGS. 4B and 4C  are detailed views of selected ones of the components employed in the full size headboard assembly of  FIG. 4A . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]     Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right,” “left,” “lower,” “upper,” “top,” and “bottom” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The terminology includes the words noted above as well as derivatives thereof and words of similar import.  
         [0014]     The crib structure  10 , shown in  FIG. 1 , is comprised of two endboards  12  and  14 , one of which functions as a headboard and the other of which functions as a footboard, and stationary and moveable sides  16  and  18  respectively. The movable side  18  (typically referred to as a drop side) is capable of being raised and lowered to facilitate placement and removal of an infant.  
         [0015]     The endboards  12  and  14  are preferably substantially identical in design and function. The endboards  12  and  14  each preferably have a curved upper member  12   a ,  14   a  and a lower member  12   d ,  14   d  with two end posts  12   b ,  12   c  and  14   b ,  14   c ; the lower ends of which are typically provided with either a rubber foot or a selectively lockable caster C. A plurality of slats  13  are arranged in spaced parallel fashion and have their upper ends secured to members  12   a ,  14   a  and their lower ends secured to members  12   d ,  14   d  of endboards  12 ,  14 , respectively.  
         [0016]     Similarly, the stationary and drop sides  16  and  18  are preferably substantially identical in design and function. Stationary and drop sides  16 ,  18  each have an upper rail  16   a ,  18   a  and a lower rail  16   b ,  18   b  and a plurality of slats  19  arranged in spaced parallel fashion and having their upper ends secured to upper rails  16   a ,  18   a  and their lower ends secured to lower rails  16   b ,  18   b.    
         [0017]     The hardware utilized to connect the stationary and drop sides  16  and  18  is conventional and will be omitted herein for purposes of simplicity, it being understood that a set of upper and lower tracks  14   e,    14   f  (only one set of upper and lower tracks being shown) are preferably provided in end posts  12   c  and  14   c  and cooperate with such conventional hardware for lifting and lowering the drop side  16 .  
         [0018]     A mattress support assembly  20  is shown in assembled fashion in  FIG. 1  and in an exploded view in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a perspective, exploded view showing the mattress support assembly  20  which is comprised of support posts  21 ,  22  and a plurality of substantially identical crossbars  23 , each arranged to extend into cooperating openings in the support posts  21  and  22 . Note, for example, the openings  21   a  in support post  21 ; support post  22  being provided with similar openings (not shown). Only selected ones  23 ′ of the crossbars  23  need be secured at both ends to the support posts  21  and  22  by suitable assembly bolts B, the remaining crossbars  23  being retained in place by securement of the crossbars  23 ′ with the support posts  21  and  22  by way of the assembly bolts B.  
         [0019]     Four (4) S-shaped brackets  24  have their lower ends coupled to the support posts  21  and  22 . The upper end of each S-shaped bracket is provided with an opening  24   a  for securement to an associated one of the end posts  12   b ,  12   c ,  14   b ,  14   c.  The lower ends are provided with a plurality of spaced openings  24   b  and receive an assembly bolt B 1  in one of these openings  24   b  for securement to an end of an associated support post  21 ,  22 . The S-shaped configuration prevents interference between these brackets and the drop and stationary sides  18 ,  16 .  
         [0020]     The mattress support assembly  20  may be raised or lowered relative to end posts  12   b ,  12   c ,  14   b ,  14   c  by selection of the appropriate one of the group of openings  25  on end posts  12   b ,  12   c ,  14   b ,  14   c  and/or by selection of one of the plurality of openings  24   b  on the S-shaped members.  
         [0021]     The crib  10  may be converted to a toddler bed  30 , shown in  FIG. 3  by removal of the drop side  18  and its associated hardware. The casters C (see  FIG. 1 ) are also preferably removed and replaced by suitable end caps (not shown for purposes of simplicity) which snap fit into the bottoms of the end posts  12   b ,  12   c ,  14   b ,  14   c . A pair of safety rails  32 ,  33  have their left-hand and right-hand ends respectively secured to the posts  12   b ,  14   b  by suitable assembly bolts B 2  extending through openings  25  in the end posts  12   b ,  12   c ,  14   b ,  14   c  and threadedly engaging a suitable tapped member (not shown for purposes of simplicity) in the ends of horizontal members  32   a ,  32   b  and  33   a ,  33   b  of safety rails  32  and  33  as shown in  FIG. 3A . Each of the safety rails  32 ,  33  is further secured to the mattress support post  22  by suitable assembly bolts B 3  extending through openings  34  in the mattress support post  22  and corresponding openings (not shown) in inwardly directed sections  32   c ,  33   c  of the bottom of safety rails  32 ,  33  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 3 A.  
         [0022]     The crib  10  or toddler bed  30  may further be converted into a full size headboard through utilization of the stationary side  16  and the support posts  21  and  22  of the mattress support assembly  20  (see  FIG. 2 ). The mattress support assembly  20  is disassembled and the two support posts  21  and  22  are then employed, together with the stationary side  16  to form a headboard  38  for a full size bed.  FIG. 4  shows the full size headboard  38  while  FIG. 4A  shows the manner in which the full size headboard  38  is assembled by disassembling the crib  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , or, as the case may be, the toddler bed  30  shown in  FIG. 3 , in order to preferably utilize the stationary side  16  and the support posts  21  and  22 . Making reference to  FIGS. 4, 4A , and  4 B, a connector  40  having a rounded end surface  40   a  is pushed onto each of the hollow ends  16   a - 1 ,  16   a - 2 ,  16   b - 1 ,  16   b - 2  of the upper and lower rails  16   a  and  16   b.  Alternatively, an end cap (not shown) can be mounted upon each end  16   a - 1 ,  16   a - 2 ,  16   b - 1 ,  16   b - 2  of the upper and lower rails  16   a ,  16   b  and secured to the support posts  21 ,  22  and upper and lower rails  16   a ,  16   b  by suitable screw fasteners (not shown). The support posts  21 ,  22  are preferably positioned to be adjacent to opposing ends of the stationary side  16 . A bed frame attachment  42 , also shown in detail in  FIG. 4C , is attached to each of the support posts  21 ,  22  at the position shown in  FIG. 4A  (only one side being shown). A cylindrical-shaped end cap  44  can be placed over the bottom end of each of the support posts  21 ,  22 .  
         [0023]     Fasteners F are passed through support posts  21  and  22  and the connectors  40  and engage tapped openings within the interior of the upper and lower side rails  16   a ,  16   b . The connectors  40 , one being shown in  FIG. 4B , each have a curved concave surface  40   a  confronting the support posts  21 ,  22  which conforms to the convex curvature of the support posts  21 ,  22   
         [0024]     A decorative ball-shaped member  46  is mounted at the top of the support posts  21 ,  22 . The decorative ball  46  is preferably snap-fitted into position.  
         [0025]     The bed frame attachments  42 , which are provided on each of the support posts  21  and  22 , can be adjusted up or down on the support posts  21 ,  22 . A standard bed rail (not shown) may be utilized, as is conventional, and secured to the bed frame attachments  42 .  
         [0026]     The unused components are normally stored for future use and the full size headboard may be converted back to either a toddler bed  30  or crib  10 .  
         [0027]     The arrangement shown herein while being capable of being assembled to provide any one of a crib, toddler bed or full size headboard, significantly reduces the number of components required due to the novel design in which a number of the components of the convertible bed assembly are designed to perform a plurality of different functions according to the type of bed being assembled. The components may be tubular metallic or plastic members or may be solid members made of assembled plastic or wood.  
         [0028]     While various methods, configurations, and features of the present invention have been described above and shown in the drawings for the various embodiments of the present invention, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate from this disclosure that any combination of the above features can be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is recognized by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to the above described methods and embodiments of the invention without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular methods and embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover all modifications which are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and/or shown in the attached drawings.