Abstract:
An infant support assembly for supporting an infant using a mesh material to permit free flow of air around the infant to minimize the potential for smothering of the infant. The infant support assembly includes a frame assembly and a mesh material coupled to the frame assembly to form a support surface. Additionally, mesh side rails are provided for facilitating retention of an infant on the support surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to infant beds and more particularly pertains to a new infant support assembly for supporting an infant using a mesh material to permit free flow of air around the infant to minimize the potential for smothering of the infant. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of infant beds is known in the prior art. More specifically, infant beds heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,555,577; 1,279,944; 961,669; 5,349,709; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 184,347; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,430. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new infant support assembly. The inventive device includes a frame assembly and a mesh material coupled to the frame assembly to form a support surface. Additionally, mesh side rails are provided for facilitating retention of an infant on the support surface. 
     In these respects, the infant support assembly according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of supporting an infant using a mesh material to permit free flow of air around the infant to minimize the potential for smothering of the infant. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of infant beds now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new infant support assembly construction wherein the same can be utilized for supporting an infant using a mesh material to permit free flow of air around the infant to minimize the potential for smothering of the infant. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new infant support assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the infant beds mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new infant support assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art infant beds, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a frame assembly and a mesh material coupled to the frame assembly to form a support surface. Additionally, mesh side rails are provided for facilitating retention of an infant on the support surface. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new infant support assembly apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the infant beds mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new infant support assembly which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art infant beds, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new infant support assembly that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new infant support assembly that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new infant support assembly which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such infant support assembly economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new infant support assembly which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new infant support assembly for supporting an infant using a mesh material to permit free flow of air around the infant to minimize the potential for smothering of the infant. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new infant support assembly which includes a frame assembly and a mesh material coupled to the frame assembly to form a support surface. Additionally, mesh side rails are provided for facilitating retention of an infant on the support surface. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new infant support assembly that permits free flow of air around the infant to facilitate breathing by the infant during sleep. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new infant support assembly that permits free flow of air around an infant, which is believed to reduce the possibility of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new infant support assembly according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 3 thereof, a new infant support assembly embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the infant support assembly  10  generally comprises a frame assembly  20  and a support member  40 . The support member  40  is coupled to the frame assembly  20  such that the support assembly is positioned for supporting an infant in spaced relationship to a surface supporting the frame assembly  20 . 
     The support member  40  has a plurality of apertures  42  for facilitating free flow of air through the support member  40 . A pair of side panels  50  are also provided and coupled to the frame assembly  20 . Each side panel  50  has a plurality of apertures  52  for facilitating free flow of air through the side members  50 . 
     The frame assembly  20  includes a pair of longitudinal side members  22  and a pair of cross members  24  that extend between associated ends of the side members  22  to define an opening  59  in the frame assembly  20 . The support member  40  is coupled to the cross members  24  such that the support member  40  is positioned in the opening  59  in the frame assembly  20 . 
     The support member has longitudinal sides  44  coupled to the side members  22  of the frame assembly  20 . 
     In an embodiment, the support member  40  is constructed from a flexible inelastic sheet of material such as nylon. The support member  40  should be constructed of a pliable and preferably soft material for comfortably supporting the infant without additional materials being placed on the support member  40  with the infant. Thus, nothing is provided to obstruct breathing of the infant regardless of the position of the infant on the support member  40 . 
     The frame assembly  20  has a plurality of leg members  26 . In an embodiment, each of the leg members  26  extends downwardly from an underside of an associated one of the longitudinal side members  22 . Each of the leg members  26  has an extension portion  27  and a support portion  28 . The extension portion  27  extends outwardly from a medial portion of the support portion  28 . Thus, each leg member  26  is generally T-shaped. Each support portion  28  has a longitudinal axis that extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the associated one of the longitudinal side members  22 . 
     Each cross member  24  has a cross member slot  25 . An associated end of the support member  40  is positioned in the cross member slot  24 . A pair of end connection members  29  are provided. Each end connection member  29  is insertable into an associated one of the cross member slots  25 . A plurality of end connectors  23  are provided for coupling the end connection members  29  to their associated one of the cross members  24  such that the associated end of the support member  40  is clamped between the cross member  24  and the associated end connection member  29 . Thus, each end of the support member  40  is coupled to the frame assembly  40 . In an embodiment, each cross member slot  25  extends a full length between the side members  22  and each associated end of the support member  40  is positioned to extend the full length between the side members  22 . Thus, a full length of each end of the support member  40  is coupled to the frame assembly  20 . 
     Similarly, each longitudinal side member  22  has a side member slot  35 . An associated side of the support member  40  is positioned in each side member slot  35 . A pair of side connection members  36  are each insertable into an associated one of the side member slots  35 . A plurality of side connectors  33  are provided for coupling an associated one of the side connection members  36  to the associated one of the side members  22  such that the associated side of the support member  40  is clamped between the side member  22  and the associated side connection member  36 . Thus, each side of the support member  40  is coupled to the frame assembly  40 . Each side member slot  35  extends a full length between the cross members  24 . Each associated side of the support member  40  is positioned to extend the full length between the cross members  24 . Thus, a full length of each side of the support member  40  is coupled to the frame assembly  20 . 
     Most preferably, each end connection member  29  fits into the associated cross member slot  25  such that an exterior face  21  of the end connection member  29  is flush with a face  31  of the cross member  24  when the end connection member  29  is coupled to the cross member  24 . 
     Similarly, each side connection member  36  fits into the associated side member slot  35  such that an exterior face  39  of the side connection member  36  is flush with a face  38  of the side member  22  when the side connection member  36  is coupled to the side member  22 . 
     Each side member  22  further has a generally U-shaped cutout portion  62  that extends along a medial portion of the side member  22 . 
     Each side panel  50  is positioned in the U-shaped cutout portion  62  of an associated one of the side members  22 . Each side member  22  has a ridge  66  that extends into the cutout portion  62 . Each ridge  66  is positioned on an interior side of the cutout portion  62 . Each side panel  50  has an edge positioned in abutment to a side of the ridge  66  such that the side panel  50  extends into the cutout portion  62 . 
     A pair of side panel connection members  68  are provided. Each side panel connection member  68  is generally U-shaped for positioning adjacent the ridge  66  of an associated one of the side members  22 . A plurality of side panel connectors  67  are provided for coupling an associated one of the side panel connection members  68  to the associated side member  22 . Thus, each side panel  50  is coupled to the frame assembly  20 . 
     Each side member slot  35  has upwardly turned ends. Thus, opposite end portions of the support member  40  are curved upwardly. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.