Abstract:
A foldable bassinet is disclosed. The bassinet can be transformed from an erected position wherein a floor of the bassinet is substantially horizontal to ground, and elevated therefrom by a stand, to a folded position wherein the bassinet is compacted into a relatively small size. Using a uni-directional hinge in the floor of the bassinet, and a plurality of over-center locks, the floor of the bassinet can be locked into the horizontal position easily and effectively, without any structure provided directly below the center of the bassinet floor.

Description:
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/563,139 filed May 2, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,033. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to cribs and bassinets and, more particularly, relates to portable and foldable cribs and bassinets. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Bassinets have been used in the care of infants for centuries. Such devices typically include an oblong-shaped basket having a floor, raised walls, and an open top. A mattress and/or other suitable cushioning are typically provided within the basket for enhancing the comfort of the child. The basket is often provided on some form of stand to elevate the level of the basket for ease of use. 
   As families have become increasingly mobile, it has become increasingly desirable to provide a portable bassinet to accommodate this mobility. However, given the shape of the oblong basket, height of the supporting stand, and structural integrity and weight limitations required of such devices, bassinets do not easily lend themselves to transformation into dimensionally small and light weight units for ease of transportation and/or storage. 
   A number of foldable playpens and cribs have been created. However, to the extent such structures include a foldable floor, they typically rely on support afforded by the ground on which they rest to maintain a horizontal floor position. If elevated, the ground would provide no support, and the floor would tend to invert given a sufficiently heavy load. Alternatively, centralized support structure must be provided below the foldable floor. Such structure necessarily imposes undesirable size and weight penalties on the device. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a bassinet is provided which comprises a frame, a floor, and a flexible sidewall. The frame includes a top member with first and second legs and first and second rims pivotally attached thereto. The frame is foldable from an erected position wherein the rims are parallel to the top member to a folded position wherein the rims are non-parallel to the top member. The floor supported below the rims includes first and second halves connected by a hinge. The first and second halves are foldable downwardly about the hinge, but the hinge prevents folding of the first and second halves upwardly about the hinge. The flexible sidewall connects the first and second floor halves to the first and second rims, respectively. The first and second rims and the sidewalls prevent the first and second halves of the floor from being downwardly folded about the hinge when the frame is in the erected position. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a bassinet is provided which comprises a frame, and a foldable floor. The foldable floor is supported by the frame and connected by a center hinge. The center hinge is suspended without any structure directly therebelow. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a bassinet is provided which comprises a top member, first and second legs pivotally attached to the top member, first and second rims pivotally attached to the top member, first and second tension bars connecting the first leg to the first rim and the second leg to the second rim, respectively, a flexible wall extending downwardly from the first and second rims, a foldable floor supported in a substantially horizontal plane by the flexible wall below the first and second rims to define a crib space with the flexible wall, and a hinge connecting first and second halves of the foldable floor. The hinge also prevents upward folding of the floor, while the tension bars, rims, and flexible wall prevent downward folding of the floor. 
   These and other aspects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a bassinet constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the bassinet shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the bassinet shown in  FIG. 1 , with a mattress therein being partially torn away to show a suspended hinge according to the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the bassinet shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an end view of the bassinet shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the bassinet shown in  FIG. 1 , and configured in a stowed or folded position; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the suspended hinge taken along line  7 — 7  of  FIG. 3 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the suspended hinge shown in  FIG. 7 , but showing the hinge in a stowed or folded position. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the scope of this patent to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawings, and with particular reference to  FIG. 1 , a bassinet constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention is generally depicted by reference numeral  20 . As shown therein, the bassinet  20  includes a sleeping basket  22  supported by a foldable stand  24 . As will be discussed in further detail herein, the bassinet  20  is foldable from the deployed or erected position shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , to the stowed or folded position shown in FIG.  6 . When in the deployed position, the bassinet  20  provides a stable and sturdy sleeping basket  22 , and when in the stowed position, the bassinet  20  forms a compact structure for ease of storage and transportation purposes. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1 , and with additonal reference to  FIGS. 2-5 , the basket  22  is shown having a floor  26  from which a flexible side  28  upwardly extends to define an oblong-shaped enclosure, with an open top  30 . The flexible side  28  is depicted as one continuous expanse of material having four identifiable sides, but could be provided in multiple sections without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
   As shown best in FIGS.  3  and  7 - 8 , the floor  26  includes a hardened sub-floor  32 , on which a cushioned mattress material  34  having buttons  36  rests. The sub-floor  32  is provided in first and second halves  38 ,  40 , which are connected by a unidirectional hinge  42 . The hinge  42  can be provided in multiple portions, such as the two, laterally spaced, portions depicted. 
   Each portion of the hinge  42 , as shown in detail in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , includes first and second leaves  44  and  46  connected at a pivot  48 . Each leaf  44  and  46  includes an elongated base  50  and a raised ledge  52 . The elongated base  50  and raised ledge  52  are provided normal to each other. The second leaf  46  includes a bearing surface  54  at a comer  56  thereof. A pivot rod  58 , connected to the first leaf  44 , matingly fits within the bearing surface  54  to allow for pivotal motion. As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , and described in further detail herein, it can be seen that the hinge  42  is able to pivot downwardly about pivot  48  from the deployed position shown in  FIG. 7  to the stowed position shown in FIG.  8 . However, the contact between the adjacent raised ledges  52 , and the location of the pivot  48  on a bottom surface  60  of the hinge  42  prevents the hinge  42  from being pivoted upwardly about the pivot  48 , the significance of which will be discussed in further detail herein. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the illustrated stand  24  has a frame or top member  62  to which first and second rims  64 ,  66  (shown in phantom) are pivotally attached at pivots  68 .  70 , respectively. First and second legs  72 ,  74  are also pivotally attached to the frame  62 , at separate pivots  76 ,  78 , respectively (also shown in phantom). Each of the first and second rims  64 ,  66  and first and second legs  72 ,  74  are substantially U-shaped in the depicted bassinet  20 . However, persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other shapes are possible, particularly with regard to first and second legs  72 ,  74 , wherein four individual legs could be provided as opposed to the two legs depicted without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Supporting cross-bars  79 ,  80  may laterally span the U-shaped legs  72 ,  74  to provide added structural support. 
   When the stand  24  is folded from the deployed position shown in  FIGS. 1-5  to the stowed position shown in  FIG. 6 , each of the first and second rims  64 ,  66 , and first and second legs  72 ,  74  are substantially parallel to one another with the flexible sidewall  28  being collapsed inwardly. In so doing, the resulting width a of the bassinet  20  is minimized and limited to the relatively short expanse of material provided by the frame  62 . Accordingly, in the stowed position, the bassinet  20  can be easily transported and/or stored in multiple areas, including beneath a bed, or within a trunk space, for example. 
   In order to temporarily lock the stand  24  in the deployed position shown in  FIG. 1 , and to thereby secure the floor  26  in a horizontal plane, a plurality of tension bars  81  are provided. In the depicted embodiment, four such tension bars  81  are provided, two of which connect the first rim  64  to the first leg  72 , and two of which connect the second rim  66  to the second leg  74 . Referring specifically to  FIG. 2 , the tension bars  81  are shown in detail. Each includes first and second links  82 ,  84 , which are pivotally connected to a locking clip  86 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each locking clip  86  is channel-shaped and includes a closed side  88  from which first and second lateral sides  90 ,  92  extend. An open space  94  is provided opposite the closed side  88  and allows the pivot links  82 ,  84  to pass therethrough. Such tension bars  81  are of a conventional design, common on such devices as foldable card tables and the like, and are often referred to as over-center locks. 
   The combined length of the first and second links  82 ,  84  and locking clip  86  is slightly greater than the combined distance depicted by the center line β between adjacent rims and legs. Therefore, as the stand  24  is folded from the stowed position of  FIG. 6  to the deployed position of  FIGS. 1-5 , the user must exert substantial force on the locking clip  86  to force the corresponding tension bar past the center line β. This in turn flexes the rims and legs away from each other to allow for the locking clip  86  to pass over-center. The tension bar  80  is locked in place by engagement of sides  96 ,  98  of the pivot links  82 ,  84 , respectively, with the closed sides  88  of the locking clips  86 . In so doing, the locking clips  86  are prevented from further outward motion slightly past the center line β, and the stand  24  is temporarily locked into the deployed position. In order to move or transform the stand  24  back into the stowed position the user must exert sufficient force in the direction of arrow Γ (see  FIG. 2 ) to pivot the tension bars  80  inwardly. 
   When the tension bars  81  are in the locked positions shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the tension generated thereby is transferred through the stand  24  such that the first and second rims  64 ,  66  are located in planes which are substantially horizontal to ground. Since the flexible sidewall  28  is connected to the first and second rims  64 ,  66 , and to the first and second floor halves  38 ,  40 , this tension is also transferred through the flexible side  28  to the floor  26  to hold the floor horizontal to ground as well. The flexible sidewall  28  is sized to barely stretch between the floor  26  and the first and second rims  64 ,  66  when in the deployed position to facilitate this tension transfer. 
   It can therefore be seen that the hinge  42 , which prevents upward rotation past horizontal, and the tension bars  38 , which prevent downward rotation past horizontal, cooperate to maintain and temporarily lock the floor  26  in a horizontal position when the bassinet  20  is in the deployed position. Such horizontal maintenance is provided without any structure whatsoever being provided directly below the hinge  42 , or floor  26 , as clearly shown in FIG.  2 . Moreover, the hinge  42  cooperates with the floor  26  to provide a continuous, flat bottom surface for the sleeping basket  22 , adding to the comfort of the infant when the bassinet  20  is in use. 
   As accessories to the bassinet  20 , a storage basket or bay  100  is provided below the sleeping basket  22 . The storage bay  100  is preferably manufactured from fabric to allow for necessary flexibility when moving from the stowed position to the deployed position. The storage bay  100  may include an arcuately shaped bottom  102  with first and second semi-circularly shaped sides  104  and  106 . The storage bay  100  may be connected at each of the four resulting corners  108  to the first and second legs  72  and  74 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a protective upper shield  110  may be provided proximate the first and second rims  64  and  66  and be partially removable therefrom via a suitable fastener, such as a zipper  112 . When the upper shield  110  is secured to the first and second rims  64 ,  66  via the zipper  112 , the upper shield  110  is horizontal to the floor  26  and provides an enclosed crib space  114 . The protective shield  110  is preferably manufactured from a mesh-like material to allow for communication between the crib space  114  and ambient air. The flexible sidewall  28  is preferably manufactured from a similar mesh material. To secure the flexible sidewall  28  to the first and second rims  64 ,  66  and the floor  26 , a solid fabric material may be employed. 
   In operation, it can therefore be seen that the bassinet  20  can be easily transformed from the stowed position, shown in  FIG. 6 , to the deployed position, shown in  FIG. 2 , with limited effort by the user. More specifically, starting with  FIG. 6 , a user can simply pull upwardly and outwardly upon the first and second rims  64 ,  66  at points Δ. This motion in turn pulls the first and second rims  66 ,  64  into a horizontal position parallel with the frame  62 . Since the first and second rims  64 ,  66  are attached to the tension bars  81 , which in turn are connected to the first and second legs  72 ,  74 , the tension bars straighten and the legs are pulled apart to the position shown in FIG.  2 . If, sufficient force is generated by such motion, the locking clips  86  may pass over-center and into the locked position. Alternatively, once the stand  26  is in the deployed position, the user may need to apply additional force to the locking clips  86  to pass the clips  86  over-center and lock the bassinet  20  into the deployed position. 
   When the bassinet  20  is to be placed back into the stowed position of  FIG. 6 , the user simply needs to apply sufficient force to the locking clips  86  in the opposite direction, which in turn collapses the first and second rims  64 ,  66  downwardly and enables the first and second legs  72 ,  74  to be folded inwardly into the parallel configuration of FIG.  6 . The bassinet  20  can then be grasped, as by the frame  62 , or by the first and second legs  72 ,  74  for easy transportation and storage purposes. 
   From the foregoing, it can be seen that the disclosed bassinet can be easily transformed from a sturdy deployed position to a compact stowed position. In the deployed position, substantial structure is provided to ensure the bassinet is secured and stable, yet no structure is provided directly below the center of the bassinet floor. In the stowed position, the illustrated, bassinet occupies little space and is easily transported. Moreover, through such a design, the disclosed unit can be easily manufactured at relatively low cost and weight.