Patent Publication Number: US-2005132491-A1

Title: Equipping baby cribs with refrigerators

Description:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is related to the field of baby cribs for infants, and more specifically to kits and devices for baby cribs to be equipped with refrigerators for snacks, and methods for supplying snacks such as milk to infants, especially when they wake up.  
     2. BACKGROUND  
      When infants wake up in the morning, they tend to cry until they are given milk A parent needs to wake up to prepare it, sometimes before they were ready to wake up.  
      For somewhat older infants, parents sometimes prepare the milk in the evening before, and store it in the family refrigerator, which is typically in the kitchen. When in the next morning they hear the infant cry, they go to the kitchen, pick up the bottle from the family refrigerator, and then deliver it to the infant.  
      In some instances that is not enough, and the infant needs additional attention. But in the majority of the times, the infant is content merely with the bottle. After drinking some, they may even go back to sleep. In those instances, some parents may return to bed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The invention will become more readily apparent from the following Detailed Description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of components for describing kits according to embodiments of the invention;  
       FIGS. 2A, 2B ,  2 C are perspective diagrams showing configurations of how a refrigerator can be attached to a crib;  
       FIGS. 3A, 3B  are perspective diagrams showing a variant of the configuration of  FIG. 2C ; and  
       FIGS. 4A, 4B ,  4 C,  4 D show various configurations of how the refrigerator door can open according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Briefly, the present invention provides kits, devices, and methods for equipping a baby crib with a small refrigerator, and using it. The refrigerator is attached to the crib, oriented such that the infant can open its door while still being in the crib. After the infant goes to sleep, the parent prepares a bottle of milk, and stores it in the crib refrigerator, instead of the family refrigerator. When the infant wakes up, they can open the refrigerator and retrieve the bottle of milk by themselves, after a few days training. And if they need no more attention beyond the milk, they might not cry. This will spare the parent from having to wake up one more time during the night.  
      The invention is now described in more detail.  
      The invention may be sold in kits. In some embodiments, a kit is an assembly kit for a full crib that is equipped with e refrigerator. In other embodiments, the kit is merely for retrofitting a crib with a refrigerator.  
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of components for describing kits according to embodiments of the invention. More particularly,  FIG. 1  shows components of assembly kit  100  of a baby crib with a refrigerator. Kit  100  includes crib components denoted generally by arrow  120 , and refrigerator  140 . The crib components include crib base  122 , and side walls  124 ,  125 ,  126 ,  127  intended for attaching vertically with respect to base  122 . In  FIG. 1 , these components are shown as already assembled, as may be known without a refrigerator, and together form a space  129  suitable for an infant to sleep in.  
      Refrigerator  140  includes refrigerator box  142 , and refrigerator door  144  that open with respect to box  142 . Door  144  preferably has a drawing or toy shape on it, to focus the infant&#39;s attention. Box  142  defines interior  149 , where the snack is to be placed. Power cord  152  is for plugging into a wall outlet to power the refrigerator, and thus maintaining interior  149  at a cool temperature. Refrigerator  140  also includes ON indicator light  154 , which comes on when power cord  152  is plugged in, and refrigerator  140  is working properly to maintain interior  149  cool.  
      Refrigerator  140  may be any suitable sine. In order to fit a milk cup, interior  149  need be no larger than one cubic foot (0.027 m 3 ). In any event, the refrigerator has an interior capacity of no more than 4 cubic feet (0.108 m 3 ).  
      Refrigerator  140  is intended for attachment to the crib components, as suggested by general arrow  160 . Attachment may be by a fastener, such as bracket  162 , a flange, and the like. In addition, damper  164  may be optionally provided from sound insulating material to provide vibration isolation between the refrigerator and one of the crib walls. As will be seen, damper  164  is also shaped according to its eventual use. Moreover, at least one cord fastener may be provided. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , cord fasteners  166  are for at to one of the side walls a segment of power cord  152 .  
      Kit  100  additionally includes incidentals for completing the above described attachments for the assembly, such as screws, nuts, bolts and the like that are typically provide with such kits, as will be discerned by a person skilled in the art. Furthermore, tools such as a screwdriver may be provided.  
      Further,  FIG. 1  shows components of a retrofitting kit according to the invention. These are components of kit  100 , without crib components  120 .  
      Once kit  100  is fully assembled, or retrofitting has been accomplished, the result is largely as described above. The assembled device has crib base  100 , and side walls  124 ,  125 ,  126 ,  127  attached to base  100  so as to form space  129  suitable for an infant to sleep in. Refrigerator  140  is attached to one of the walls, preferably through damper  140 . Refrigerator  140  has an interior capacity of less than 4 cubic feet (0.108 m 3 ), and optionally much less. An infant in space  129  can access refrigerator  140 . A segment of power cord  152  is attached to one or two of side walls  124 ,  125 ,  126 ,  127  via fasteners  166 .  
      Assembly or retrofitting can be in a number of configurations. Various possibilities are now described.  
       FIGS. 2A, 2B ,  2 C are perspective diagrams showing respectively configurations  210 ,  220 ,  230  of attaching refrigerator  140  to at least wall  127 . While attachment near the middle of wall  127  is shown, that is not necessary. Attachment can be near an end of the wall, and also at a or, attached to two of the side walls at once.  
      Generally, refrigerator  140  is attached near top rim  227  of side wall  127 . That is to prevent the infant from using the refrigerator to climb out of the crib portion.  
      In configuration  210 , refrigerator box  142  is attached on top of rim  227 . In configuration  220 , refrigerator box  142  is attached on the side of side wall  127 , within space  129 . In configuration  230 , refrigerator box  142  is attached on the side of side wall  127 , but outside space  129 .  
      In all of configurations  210 ,  220 ,  230 , there is no limitation as to which side of box  142  includes door  144 . Indeed, box  142  and its attachment may be designed so that door  144  may be located at any of the sides, or even at the top, according to the invention. In the case of retrofitting, the preferred embodiment is configuration  230 , with opening from the top.  
       FIGS. 3A, 3B  are perspective diagrams showing two sides of configuration  310 , which resents a somewhat different embodiment of configuration  230  of  FIG. 2C . Even though refrigerator box  142  is located outside space  129 , side wall  127  has access opening  328  shaped such that refrigerator door  144  can open through opening  328 . This way the snack can be accessed from inside the crib, by opening handle  332  of door  144 . Handle  332  can be shaped as a toy, to draw an infant&#39;s attention.  
      It is interesting how access opening  328  is different from view openings  327  of wall  127 . View openings  327  are constricted, such that a rigid ball having a diameter of at least some size cannot pass through them. On the contrary, access opening  328  is shaped such that the same ball could pass through in some instances. It should be noted that, while opening  328  is in itself wide, the infant cannot go through it because refrigerator box  140  would be in the way.  
      Referring particularly to  FIG. 3B , box  142  is attached to wall  127  via a flange  340  that is bolted to wall  127  via bolts  342 . Damper  164  is provided between flange  340  and side wall  127 , and is shaped like a window to allow door  144  through. Further, cord fasteners  166  attach a segment of power cord  152  to wall  127 , so that it attracts less attention.  
       FIGS. 4A, 4B ,  4 C,  4 D show respectively various configurations  410 ,  420 ,  430 ,  440  of how refrigerator door  144  can open according to the invention. Door  144  can open sideways to the left (arrow  415 ), to the right (arrow  425 ), upwards (arrow  435 ), or downwards (arrow  445 ). The preferred embodiment is configuration  430 , where the upward opening door  144  closes again under its own weight.  
      A method according to the invention is to place an infant to sleep in a crib, and to prepare a snack for when the infant wakes up. Then the snack is placed in a refrigerator that is accessible to the infant from the crib, such as refrigerator  140 . The snack may be a cup of milk. It is preferred to wait until the infant falls asleep, prior to placing. Further, it is preferred to check an ON indicator light of the refrigerator prior to placing, to ensure the refrigerator is working properly, and thus the snack will not spoil while the infant is sleeping.  
      Another method according to the invention is to wake up in a crib, and to open the door of a refrigerator without leaving the crib. Then a snack is retrieved, which is stored in the refrigerator.  
      When the child wakes up and cries the first morning the invention is used, the parent should walk over to the refrigerator, and draw the infant&#39;s attention to it. Then the door should be opened, and the milk bottle retrieved and delivered. With a few repetitions, a child will learn to directly check the refrigerator in the morning for milk, sometimes without crying.  
      While the present invention is disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments of the invention as disclosed herein and illustrated in the drawings are not to be considered in a limiting sense. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Indeed, it should be readily apparent in view of the present description that the invention may be modified in numerous ways. The detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.  
      Throughout the specification, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” may also include plural references. The meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on.” The term “coupled” means a direct connection between the items that are connected, or an indirect connection through one or more intermediary devices or components.  
      Numerous details have been set form in this description, which is to be taken as a whole, to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail, so as to not obscure unnecessarily the invention.  
      The invention includes combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. The following claims define certain combinations and subcombinations, which are regarded as novel and non obvious. Additional claims for other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be presented in this or a red document.