Abstract:
The present invention relates to a joint of a crib and a method for releasing the joint. A flexible linkage unit is connected between the joints so that when one of the joints is released, the other joints are released by the linkage unit simultaneously. The top frame of the crib is able to be folded easily. The one action folding feature allows the user to fold the crib by one hand and hold the kid by the other hand.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a joint of a crib and a method for locking and releasing the joint, and more particularly, to a join which is easily released to release all of the joints of the crib simultaneously. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Taiwan Patent Publication No. M382780 discloses joints respectively connected between the side tubes of the top frame of a crib and the top frame of the crib can be folded by operation of the joints. 
         [0005]    Taiwan Patent Publication No. M345539 and M323250 respectively disclose a joint that is similar to Taiwan Patent Publication No. M382780, and provide joints for connecting the side tubes of the top frame, and the top frame is folded by operation of the joints. 
         [0006]    However, when folding the top frame, the joints have to be released one by one, that is to say, the user cannot release all the joints by releasing one of the joints. 
         [0007]    Besides, Taiwan Patent Publication No. M375912 discloses a joint of a crib and the joint has a pressing member which is pressed when releasing the joint. The pressing member is moved to push the support members on two sides thereof so as to rotate the support members which then do not support the support members and the crib can be folded. However, it is experienced that the pressing action to the pressing member may not successfully rotate the support members as expected and the joint cannot be released. 
         [0008]    The present invention intends to provide a joint for a crib and all of the joints of the crib can be released by simply releasing one of the joints. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention relates to a joint of a crib which has two joints connected to a top frame thereof. The joint comprises a mounting member, two operation units, a resilient member and two end pieces. The mounting member has a bridge and two side plates extend from two ends of the bridge so as to define a space between the two side plates. The two operation units are pivotably connected to each other and located in the space of the mounting member and the two operation units are pivotably connected to the two side plates. The mounting member are connected to two side tubes of the top frame and two end pieces are respectively engaged with two respective distal ends of the two side tubes of the top frame. When the operation unit of one of the two joints is pushed and the side tube corresponding to the operation unit is rotated about to the extreme position, the end piece of the side tube is hooked with the operation unit and drives the other operation unit on the other end of the joint to force the two operation units not to support the side tubes of the top frame. The joints are then released. 
         [0010]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide a joint of a crib and one of the joints is released, the rest of the joints of the top frame are released simultaneously. 
         [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a joint of a crib wherein the once the joint is released from one end thereof, the other end of the joint is ensured to be released to avoid the user from folding the top frame by force while the other end of the joint is still in locked status. 
         [0012]    The present invention relates to a method for releasing the joint. A flexible linkage unit is connected between the joints so that when one of the joints is released, the other joints are released by the linkage unit simultaneously. The top frame of the crib is able to be folded easily. The one action folding feature allows the user to fold the crib by one hand and hold the kid by the other hand. 
         [0013]    The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the frame of the crib of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is to an exploded view show the joint of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows the joint designated by circle A of  FIG. 1  of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows that the joint designated by circle A of  FIG. 1  of the present invention is pushed; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows the action of the joint designated by circle B of  FIG. 1  of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  shows the other action of the joint designated by circle B of  FIG. 1  of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  shows the crib of the present invention with the joints cooperated with the casings; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view to show the joint cooperated with the casings, and 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view to show the bottom base of the crib of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the frame of the crib of the present invention comprises a top frame  5 , a bottom frame  10  and four upright members  20 . The top frame  5  has at least two joints  30  and the four upright members  20  are connected to the four corers of the top frame  5 . Each upright member  20  is connected to the bottom frame  10  by its lower end. The distal ends of the links  101  of the bottom frame  10  are connected to a bottom base  40 . 
         [0024]    The joint  30  comprises a mounting member  1 , two operation units  2 , a resilient member  3  and two end pieces  4 . 
         [0025]    The mounting member  1  has a bridge  11  and two side plates  12  extend downward from two ends of the bridge  11 . A space  13  defined between the two side plates  12 . 
         [0026]    The two operation units  2  are located in the space  13  of the mounting member  1  and each operation unit  2  is pivotably connected between the two side plates  12  by a first pin  21 . Each operation unit  2  has a support piece  22  extending toward a first direction M (toward the top frame). Each of the support pieces  22  has an engaging member  23  protruding from the top thereof. Each of the support pieces  22  has a contact member  25  extends toward a second direction N. The support piece  22  is connected to the contact member  25 . One of the two operation units  2  has a pivot  26  on the top of the contact member  25  and the other one of the two operation units  2  has an elongate hole  27  defined in the top of the contact member  25 . The pivot  26  is engaged with the elongate hole  27 . Each of the two operation units  2  has a pressing section  28  extending toward a third direction O (the direction away from each other). 
         [0027]    The resilient member  3  connected between the engaging members  24  of the two operation units  2 . 
         [0028]    The two end pieces  4  are respectively engaged with two respective distal ends of the two side tubes  51  of the top frame  5 . Each end piece  4  having a notch  41  which is located corresponding to the support piece  22  of the operation unit  2  corresponding thereto. Each of the end pieces  4  has a groove  411  located beside the notch  41 , the engaging member  23  is engaged with the groove  411 . A second pin  42  extends through the side plates  12 , the side tube  51  and the end piece  4  to pivotably connect the mounting member  1  to the side tubes  51 . The end pieces  4  are secured in the side tubes  51 . 
         [0029]    A linkage unit  6  is connected between the two joints  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the linkage unit  6  is a flexible unit, preferably, the linkage unit  6  is a cable. The linkage unit  6  has a first end connected to the pressing section  28  of one of the operation units  2  of one of the two joints  30 , a second end of the linkage unit  6  is connected to the pressing section  28  of one of the operation units  2  of the other one of the two joints  30 . 
         [0030]    When expanding the crib, the side tubes  51  are located horizontally so that the notch  41  of each of the end pieces  4  is supported by the support piece  22  of the operation unit  2 . The resilient member  3  biases the two operation units  2 , and the two contact members  25  of the two operation units  2  are in contact with each other. Therefore, the two operation units  2  are firmly in contact with each other to ensure that the top frame does not fold unexpectedly. 
         [0031]    Further referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , when folding the top frame  5 , the user pushes the pressing section  28  of one of the operation units  2  of one of the joints  30 , the linkage unit  6  drives the operation unit  2  of the other joint  30  as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , to let the two operation units  2  of the two joins  30  not support the side tubes  51 . Therefore, when one joint  30  is released, by the linkage unit  6 , the rest of the joint  30  is released, this allows the user to fold the crib by one hand and hold the kid by the other hand. 
         [0032]    When the pressing section  28  of one of the operation units  2  is pushed, the operation unit  2  is pivoted about the first pin  21  and toward the first direction M, in the meanwhile, because the contact members  25  of the two operation units  2  are in contact with each other, the other operation unit  2  is also pivoted about the first pin  21  and toward the first direction M. By the two pivotal movement of the two operation units  2 , the support pieces  22  do not support the end pieces  4  in the side tubes  51  which are not supported by the operation units  2 , the joint  30  is released. 
         [0033]    In addition, the pressing section  28  of each of the operation units  2  has a hook portion  29  extending toward the first direction M. When the pressing section  28  of one of the operation units  2  is pushed, but the support piece  22  of the other operation unit  2  is not disengaged from the end piece  4  of the side tube  51 , the hook portion  29  of one of the operation units  2  hooks the notch  41  of the end piece  4  and drives the other operation unit  2 . The support piece  22  of said the other operation unit  2  is then disengaged from the notch  41  of the other side tube  51 . Therefore, the joint  30  is completely released even if only one end of the joint  30  is released. This prevents the user to fold the crib without knowing that the other end of the joint  30  is still locked and damage the joint  30 . 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the mounting member  1  has a casing  14  mounted thereto and the casing  14  has a push member  15  extending from the underside thereof. The push member  15  has two tabs  151  on two sides thereof so as to be engaged with two protrusions  141  on an inside of the casing  14  to restrict the protruding distance. The push member  15  has two push portions  152  which are located corresponding to the pressing sections  28  of the operation units  2 . When pushing the push member  15 , the push portions  152  push the pressing sections  28  of the operation units  2  to fold joint  30 . 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , the bottom base  40  of the crib has two tubular members  402  which have toothed portions  401 , and the two toothed portions  401  are engaged with each other. When the crib is expanded or folded, by the engagement between the two toothed portions  401 , the bottom frame  10  can be folded or expanded even only one side of the bottom frame  10  is operated. 
         [0036]    While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.