Abstract:
The present invention provides a flexible door for use in enclosing a protected area, thus limiting ingress or egress. The invention includes a tracking system for accommodating the door from above and below and has both top and bottom portions. Also a bendable portion that is engageable with both the top and bottom portions of the tracking system is provided. Further, mesh faces can be attached to the bendable portions for the door and can be engageable with the strip-like portions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/566,122, filed on Apr. 28, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Notwithstanding many studies and reports focusing on infant death and injury in cribs, there remains a dramatic need for improved bedding structure to ensure safety for infants and young children and to create a more user friendly environment for the benefit of parents or other care providers.  
         [0003]     Various enclosures are known for infant and health care beds which feature mesh and comparable materials to improve safety while also presenting aesthetically acceptable crib and bed units. Difficult access to the bed area presents handling challenges such as extreme bending in reaching down over side structure to lift or lower an infant onto a crib. Suitable closure of mesh-like materials when used with cribs presents a challenge.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,902 discloses a crib with moveable doors which form one side of the crib structure. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  of U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,902, the doors  30 ,  32  include materials which are flexible to permit the doors to bend at head sidewall  18  and foot sidewall  20 . As shown in  FIG. 5  of U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,902, the flexible material comprises a series of slats  56  which include a front face  58 , side faces  60 , and a rear face  62 . Adjacent slats are fastened together at the rear face  62 . A flexible backing  64  is used to secure the adjacent rear faces  62  in proper vertical alignment to enable the doors to then be slid around approximately a ninety degree corner to enable them to be housed in the end structure. Upper and lower tracks control the range of the doors.  
         [0005]     Other crib designs can also be found, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,160, which is also directed to an infant&#39;s crib. An enclosure  12  comprises two end panels  18  and  20 , a side frame  22 , which is suitably secured by brackets  24  and an opposite side gate  26 . Side gate  26  has two sections  28  suitably hinged to the end panels  18  and  20 .  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 1,290,585 is directed to an infant&#39;s crib which includes an open mesh structure  9  that encloses the crib about framework  10 . Two hinged doors  12  are also provided.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 1,211,762 is directed to a baby bed which utilizes a screen  4  to protect the baby.  
         [0008]     All of the above references have shortcomings related to aesthetics, safety, and particularly with respect to the feasibility and handling of small infants.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is thus an object of the subject invention to provide an improved bedding structure which is easily accessible yet safe, and which provides easy visibility of the infant from outside of the bedding structure.  
         [0010]     It is another object of the subject invention to provide bedding structure that will permit a child to be placed into and taken from the bedding structure without unnecessary bending or reaching.  
         [0011]     It is yet another object of the subject invention to provide a bedding structure where there is increased visibility of the child from outside of the bedding structure.  
         [0012]     It is but one more object of the subject invention to provide a bedding structure where access can be accomplished in a relatively silent fashion.  
         [0013]     These objects can be achieved with the features recited herein. Rather than having to bend over a typical crib by reaching over a high side, the bedding structure provides sliding doors which include a mesh-like material attached to upper and lower slideable members. The upper and lower members may be engaged to a track to enable the doors to be opened by sliding them around a substantially ninety degree corner. Further, the doors can be slid around the perimeter of the bedding structure to allow for multiple access points.  
         [0014]     As can be readily understood, each door can be opened for access to place the infant in the bedding structure and then closed once the infant is placed within the bedding structure. Through the use of the mesh material, clear acrylic, and/or Eisenglass, visibility into the bedding structure is achieved at the same time that security is also achieved. The child in the bedding structure is also able to see others in the room without having to look upwardly to be able to see someone who can only be seen when they are directly above the bedding structure&#39;s sides. The high mesh sides prevent the child from climbing out.  
         [0015]     Safety is greatly enhanced as the subject crib has no bars that could otherwise be injurious to an infant or toddler. Also, no bumper pads are contemplated. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the bedding structure with design features which include retractable steps and a canopy;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the framework of the bedding structure showing its access doors open;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a similar perspective view to  FIG. 2 , showing the framework of the bedding structure but with access doors closed;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows a close-up perspective view taken from inside the bedding structure and which shows a door partially open, thus highlighting the ninety degree turn through which the door moves, as enabled by the accompanying track structure;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a portion of the movable track;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional partial side elevation view of the stationary track;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a bifurcated corner post shown in the construction phase showing the track member; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a bifurcated corner post in the construction phase showing the mesh holder in place over the track member.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , a bedding structure  10  is shown with various added attributes. The bedding structure  10  shows retractable steps  12  and a canopy structure  14  which adds to the aesthetic appearance of the bedding structure  10 . End walls  16 ,  18 , and side wall  20  complete three sides of the bedding structure  10 . The fourth side, which in  FIG. 1  is shown open, features two doors (not shown) which when opened, are closely aligned to end walls  16 ,  18 . A mattress  22  will provide a resting surface. Of the four corner posts that provide structural support for bedding structure  10 , only corner post  32  is shown in  FIG. 1 . Side drapes  26 ,  28 , and  30  can extend downwardly from canopy structure  14  to block out light and noise. In one embodiment, the side drapes  26 ,  28 , and  30  can be attached with hook and loop fasteners for safety and ease of removal for cleaning. Further, the inside surfaces of the corner posts  32  and end walls  16 ,  18  and  20  can be lined with padding  21 , which can also be removably attached with hook and loop fasteners.  
         [0025]     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the bedding structure  10  is shown in a construction phase with the corner posts  32 ,  34 ,  36 , and  38  extending downwardly to the floor, as shown by corner posts  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38 . Accordingly, the corner posts  32 ,  34 ,  36 , and  38  provide the support for base  56  of the bedding structure  10 . The mattress  22  shown in  FIG. 1  will rest on base  56 . Additionally, front posts  34  and  38  can be bifurcated (see  FIG. 7 ) to allow the doors  52  and  54  to tunnel through the posts (see  FIG. 4 ). With further reference to  FIG. 2 , lower side walls  40 ,  42 ,  44 , and  46  connect the posts  32 ,  34 ,  36 , and  38  in the same fashion as upper side walls  48 ,  50 . The main frame structure is completed by two additional upper side walls (not shown) connecting posts  32 ,  34 ,  36 , and  38 .  
         [0026]     Also shown in  FIG. 2 , doors  52  and  54 , are slideable within tracks (not shown) so as to come together in a closed position, as will be described with respect to  FIG. 3 . In the retracted position in  FIG. 2 , the opening between the doors when in the open position, allows access to the inside of the bedding structure  10 .  
         [0027]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the doors  52  and  54  can be closed to completely close access to the bedding structure  10 . It will be appreciated from  FIG. 3  that the side walls of the doors  52 ,  54  and endwalls  16  may be constructed of mesh material. Windows  55  of clear acrylic, and/or Eisenglass are also contemplated, which allows visual observation within the bedding structure  10 , but which provides both closure and safety simultaneously. Also, the doors  52  and  54  can include door handles  57 ,  59  for grasping during movement. Latch  61 , although shown as a hook and eye structure may be a childproof latch as well.  
         [0028]     As seen from the close-up view of  FIG. 4  taken from a perspective within the bedding structure  10 , each door  52  includes the side wall of mesh material  53  attached to holders  58 ,  60  by hook means  62 ,  64 . The holders  58  and  60  can be constructed of plastic or any other suitable flexible and bendable material. The door  54  has side upright  66 , which prevents the door from wobbling and acts as a closure extremity with a comparable upright on the mating door ( 54 ), such that the uprights come together to provide a tight joinder as the doors are fully closed. Stabilizing blocks  68  and  70  are shown at bottom and top to provide secure closure as they are joined together with comparable structure on the opposing door when the doors are closed.  
         [0029]     With reference to  FIG. 5 , the other side of a plastic holder  58  can be seen. The holder  58  has gripping structure  72 , which forms a track-like member to engage the stationary mating track members  74  ( FIG. 4 ). The track member  74  extends along the end walls and what serves as a front wall so that the doors can be moved along the perimeter of bedding structure  10 . Accordingly, the doors can be moved from their closed position, to the end walls where they are in the open position, and therewith making a ninety degree turn through the bifurcated corner post  34 , as best appreciated from  FIG. 4 . It is to be appreciated that holder  60  has comparable structure to gripping structure  72  (not shown) and that door  54  is constructed in like manner to door  52 .  
         [0030]     With reference to  FIG. 6 , cross section view is shown of stationary track  74  which is encompassed by gripping structure  72  of holder  58 . Stationary track  74  is attached to lower side wall  40  by fastener  73 . Risers  75  create the necessary space between track member  74  and sidewalls such as  40  to allow gripping structure  72  to fit over tracking member  74 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  shows the detail of the corner structure for the two posts  34 ,  38  (not seen in  FIG. 7 ) that are adjacent the opening doors. Each of the two corner posts include bifurcated structure, enter section  35  and enter section  37  which allow the track member  74  to go between as it rounds each of the corners. The track member  74  is attached at periodic spots by fasteners  73  and risers  75  which offset the track member  74  from the sidewall members such as sidewall member  40  (see  FIG. 6 ).  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7 , however, the holder  58  is shown encircling the track member  74  but without mesh  53 .  
         [0033]     It will be appreciated that when the doors  52  and  54  are slid open from their orientation in  FIG. 3  to the orientation shown in  FIG. 2 , access to the bedding structure  10  is enabled so that an infant can be placed in the bedding structure  10  or removed or otherwise cared for by a parent or care provider. As the doors  52  and  54  are closed to the positions shown in  FIG. 3 , the bedding structure  10  is easily secured so that the baby is safe within, but yet visibly observed through the mesh-like material, clear acrylic, and/or Eisenglass.  
         [0034]     In daily operation, it will be appreciated that with this design, safety is greatly enhanced. The mesh material and the removable padding, which can be used on not only the doors, but the end walls and back side walls as well, eliminates the need for dangerous bumper pads and provides a safe environment. Soft material can be used for the mattress and to cover the corner uprights so that there is no danger of the user injuring themselves on hard and/or sharp materials.  
         [0035]     The need to bend over an upright side of the bedding structure is eliminated by the doors, which are easily opened and closed, providing the necessary access to the inside of the bedding structure. Side rails do not have to be lowered or raised or otherwise adjusted, as it is much easier to open and close the mesh doors, which greatly increase the ability to effortlessly yet securely present an acceptable bedding structure environment.  
         [0036]     It will be appreciated that the present invention may be adapted for utilization beyond the specific environments discussed herein. For instance, although the bedding structure  10  may be used for infants instead of using a crib, the invention is not limited in this regard as such an access providing bedding structure can be used by adults in a variety of settings, such as in a health care facility. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but is defined by the scope and spirit of the following claims.