Patent Publication Number: US-10314410-B2

Title: Play gyms and methods of operating the same

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent arises from a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/756,168, filed on Jan. 31, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/589,777, filed on Aug. 20, 2012, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,388,501, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/062,670, filed on Apr. 4, 2008, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,257,229, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/725,071, filed on Dec. 1, 2003, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,376,993, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/431,079, filed on May 7, 2003, now abandoned. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/756,168, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/589,777, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/062,670, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/725,071 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/431,079 are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This disclosure relates generally to child care products, and, more particularly, to play gyms and methods of operating the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, portable play yards have become very popular. Portable play yards typically include a frame, a fabric enclosure supported by the frame, and a removable floor board or mat. The frame is largely or completely contained within the fabric enclosure so that there are few if any loose parts when the frame is collapsed or when the frame is erected. When collapsed, the portable play yard typically has a compact form factor to enable easy transport and storage of the play yard. Sometimes, the floor board is wrapped around the collapsed frame to prevent the frame from inadvertently leaving the collapsed state. 
     Sometimes, these portable play yards are provided with a portable bassinet. The portable bassinet is typically suspended within the top of the play yard by hooking the bassinet to the upper rails of the play yard frame and permitting the bassinet to extend downward into the enclosure of the play yard. With the exception of depth (which is significantly lower, often one-quarter to one half the depth of the play yard enclosure), the bassinet may have substantially the same size as the play yard enclosure (i.e., substantially the same width and length), or may be smaller than the play yard enclosure (e.g., substantially the same width but approximately one-half the length). The bassinet is used with infants. When the bassinet is installed, the play yard enclosure cannot be occupied by a child, although the area below the bassinet may sometimes be used for storage of inanimate objects. When the child grows sufficiently, the bassinet is removed from the play yard and the play yard is used to house the child. 
     The floor mat of the play yard may be used as the floor of the play yard and/or the bassinet. In examples in which the bassinet has a smaller floor area than the play yard that supports the bassinet, the floor board may be folded (e.g., doubled up) to be used as the floor of the bassinet and fully extended to be used as the floor of the play yard. 
     Mats for use on a floor with an over-arching play gym have also become popular in recent years. For instance, in a known prior art device, a play gym having two flexible arches for suspending objects such as toys or the like is coupled to the corners of a rectangular mat via snaps or the like. The arches cross and are snapped to one another roughly above the middle of the mat. A small child placed on the mat may be entertained by the suspended objects. Because the play gym&#39;s arches are flexible, the suspended objects tend to bounce and move in response to vibrations such as those that might be caused by the child batting his/her hands and/or feet at the objects. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example play yard, an example bassinet, and an example play gym. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the example play gym of  FIG. 1  when removed from the play yard and bassinet, and coupled to a floor mat of the play yard and bassinet. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the example play gym of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in an expanded state before the play gym is coupled to a play yard, a bassinet or a floor mat. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the example play gym of  FIG. 3  in a folded state. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an example connector joining the example play gym of  FIGS. 1-4  to the example floor board of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional view of an example connector joining the example play gym of  FIGS. 1-5  to an example bassinet or play yard. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the hub and some of the legs of the example play gym of  FIGS. 1-6  and showing the legs in a folded position suitable for storing the play gym. 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7 , but showing the legs being moved between the extended and locked positions. 
         FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 7 , but showing some of the legs in the extended position suitable for erecting the play gym. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example play gym  10  mounted to an example bassinet  12  which is, in turn, mounted to an example portable play yard  14 . The illustrated play gym  10  is structured to suspend an object such as a toy above the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  as explained below. Additionally, the play gym  10  is structured to suspend the same or a different object above a mat  16  separate from the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14  as shown in  FIG. 2 . In the illustrated example, the mat  16  is a removable floor board or mat  16  which is used as the floor of at least one of the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the illustrated play gym  10  has a first mode in which it suspends an object above the mat  16  when the mat  16  is positioned in the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the play gym  10  also has a second mode in which it suspends the same or a different object above the mat  16  when the mat  16  is removed from the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 , and the mat  16  is positioned on another surface such as the floor of a house. Whereas in the first mode, the play gym  10  supports the object above any or all of the bassinet  12 , the play yard  14 , and the mat  16 , in the second mode the play gym  10  supports the object above the mat  16 , but not above the play yard  14  or the bassinet  12 . 
     The play yard  14  may be constructed in any manner. For example, it can be constructed like any of the portable play yards sold by such companies as Kolcraft Enterprises, Graco Children&#39;s Products, Evenflo, Cosco, etc. The play yard  14  may collapse into a rectangular package, may fold into a generally planar configuration (e.g., by folding in half), and/or may not be foldable. Although shown as a rectangular structure, the play yard  14  may have any other desired shape or configuration (e.g., square, triangular, round, etc.) 
     Similarly, the bassinet  12  may be constructed in any desired manner and/or shape. For example, the bassinet  12  may be constructed like any of the bassinets sold by such companies as Kolcraft Enterprises, Graco Children&#39;s Products, Evenflo, Cosco, etc. For instance, the bassinet  12  may be a framed or frameless bassinet that is removably suspended by hooks, snaps or any other type of fastening technique within the play yard  14 . The bassinet  12  may have the same general shape and floor area as the play yard  14  as shown in  FIG. 1 , or may have a different shape and/or less floor space then the play yard  14  (e.g., half the floor space of the play yard  14 ). Alternatively, the bassinet  12  may be a stand alone unit that is not intended for use with a play yard, is erected apart from a play yard  14 , and/or is not collapsible. 
     As mentioned above, in the illustrated example the floor mat  16  is adapted for use as a floor for the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 . Thus, the floor mat  16  is dimensioned to be positioned within at least one of the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14 . Since, in the illustrated example, the play yard  14  and the bassinet  12  are not intended to be in use at the same time, one floor mat  16  is provided for use with both the play yard  14  and the bassinet  12  and, thus, the floor mat  16  is dimensioned to be used with both of those structures. Alternatively, two different floor mats  16  of the same or different size and/or construction may be provided. 
     As used herein, the terms “floor mat” and “floor board” are equivalent and interchangeable. The floor mat  16  may be implemented in any desired manner. For example, the floor mat  16  may be a completely flexible mat made of foam, cloth, plastic and/or other materials. In the illustrated example, however, the floor mat  16  is at least partially rigid to provide a substantially solid floor for the play yard  14  and/or bassinet  12  and to provide enhanced support for a child disposed on the mat  16 . In examples in which the floor mat  16  is at least partially rigid, the floor mat  16  may include a pad secured to one or more boards. The pad and board(s) may be encased in a plastic sleeve as is conventional in portable play yards sold today such as the Travelin&#39; Tot play yard sold by Kolcraft Enterprises. If the floor mat  16  includes multiple boards, adjacent boards may be positioned along a seam to facilitate folding of the mat  16  in discrete sections. For example, the floor mat  16  may include four solid boards and be foldable in fourths for wrapping around the collapsed play yard  14  during storage and/or transport. In the illustrated example, the play yard  14  and the bassinet  12  have substantially the same floor space and the floor mat  16  is, thus, inserted into the play yard  14  and the bassinet  12  in substantially the same orientation (e.g., flat without folding). In examples in which the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14  have different sizes and/or shapes, the floor mat  16  may be folded (e.g., in half) for insertion into one or both of the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 . 
     The floor mat  16  may be removably secured in the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  by any suitable fasteners. For example, the floor mat  16  may be secured to the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  by Velcro strips. Alternatively, the floor mat  16  may be held in place by gravity without the benefit of fasteners. 
     The illustrated play gym  10  includes a hub  20  and four legs  22 , although persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that no hub and/or fewer or more than four legs  22  may alternatively be employed. For instance, the play gym  10  may include only one leg that forms an arch over the mat  16 , the bassinet  12 , and/or the play yard  14  without the benefit of a hub. Alternatively, the play gym  10  may include two or more legs that cross near the center of the mat  16 , the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 ; again with or without the benefit of a hub. The legs may form crossing arches and the arches may be coupled to one another either directly or through a hub. 
     In the illustrated example, the legs  22  of the play gym  10  are flexible such that they can be bent into the arched position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but will spring back to the generally planar position shown in  FIG. 3  when released from the mat  16 , the bassinet  12 , and/or the play yard  14 . In the illustrated example, the legs  22  are implemented by flexible plastic tubes  24  (see  FIGS. 5 and 7-9 ) encased in a plastic, vinyl, or cloth covering  26  (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ), although legs of other forms and materials with or without coverings of the same or different materials may likewise be employed. 
     In the illustrated example, the legs  22  are pivotably coupled to the hub  20  such that they can be pivoted between a stored position wherein the legs  22  are positioned generally parallel to each other as shown in  FIG. 4 , and an extended position wherein the legs  22  extend generally radially outward from the hub  20  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the legs  22  may be coupled to the hub  20  in any number of ways. In the illustrated example, each of the legs  22  defines a slot  30  (see  FIGS. 7-9 ) and the hub  20  includes a plurality of pins  32 . Each of the pins  32  is positioned in a respective one of the slots  30 . The pins  32  and slots  30  are dimensioned such that each of the legs  22  may pivot about its respective pin  32  and/or slide along its respective longitudinal axis toward and away from the hub  20 . The permitted slide distance is defined by the size of the corresponding slot  30  and pin  32 . 
     To bias the legs  22  toward the hub  20 , each of the legs is further provided with a spring  36 . As shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , in the illustrated example the springs  36  are helical springs located within respective ones of the legs  22 . One end of each of the springs  36  is positioned adjacent an inner end of its respective leg  22 , while the other end of each spring  36  abuts one of the pins  32 . As a result, absent a countervailing force, the springs  36  force the pins  32  toward the bottom of their respective slots  30  (see  FIGS. 7 and 9 ). In other words, the springs  36  force their respective legs  22  toward the hub  20  unless a countervailing force is applied pulling the legs away from the hubs  20 . 
     To define the stored and extended positions of the legs  22 , the hub  20  defines a plurality of cavities  40 ,  44 . A first set of the cavities  40  is positioned to prevent the legs  22  from pivoting when the legs  22  are in the stored position. The second set of cavities  44  is positioned to prevent the legs  22  from pivoting when the legs  22  are in the extended position. Thus, each of the legs  22  is associated with a pair of cavities, namely, one of the cavities  40  from the first set and one of the cavities  44  from the second set. 
     More specifically, each of the cavities  40 ,  44  is dimensioned to receive an end of a respective one of the legs  22  when the leg  22  is in one of the stored position and the extended position. As discussed above, the springs  36  bias the legs toward the hub  20 . This biasing force biases the legs  22  into engagement with respective ones of the cavities  40 ,  44 . When the ends of the legs  22  are positioned in a corresponding cavity  40 ,  44 , the walls of the cavity  40 ,  44  prevent the legs  22  from pivoting out of the cavity. Thus, when an end of a leg  22  is positioned in its first corresponding cavity  40 , the walls of the cavity  40  prevent the leg  22  from pivoting out of the stored position. Similarly, when the end of the leg  22  is positioned in its second corresponding cavity  44 , the walls of the cavity  44  prevent the leg from pivoting out of the extended position. As a result, when it is desirable to pivot a leg  22  between the extended and stored positions, a user must pull that leg  22  against the force of the spring  36  a distance away from the hub  20  such that the end of the leg  22  can be pivoted out of one of the cavities  40 ,  44  and into the other one of the cavities  40 ,  44  (see  FIG. 8 ). The dimensions of the slots  30  are, therefore, chosen to permit sufficient longitudinal movement of the legs  22  to permit withdrawal of the legs  22  from the cavities  40 ,  44 . As shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , in the illustrated example, the cavities  40 ,  44  of each pair of cavities are positioned at generally right angles so that the corresponding leg  22  must be pivoted approximately ninety degrees to move that leg between the extended and stored positions. 
     To removably couple the play gym  10  to at least one of the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14 , at least one of the mat  16 , the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14  is provided with connectors  50 . Persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the connectors  50  may be implemented in any number of ways. In the illustrated example, the connectors  50  are implemented by fabric pockets  50  which are sewn or otherwise fastened adjacent the corners of the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  (see  FIG. 6 ). The ends of the legs  22  opposite the hub  20  are positioned in respective ones of these pockets  50  to thereby couple the play gym  10  to the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , to position all of the legs  22  in their corresponding pockets  50 , the legs  22  must be bent into an arcuate shape thereby causing the play gym  10  to form a pair of arches crossing one another at the hub  20  over the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 . Preferably, the lengths of the legs  22  are selected to be substantially equal such that the arches cross in the middle of the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  (i.e., such that the hub  20  or, if no hub is present, the point of crossing of the legs  22 , is located above the center of the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 ). 
     Preferably the legs  22  are selected such that, after being bent, the legs  22  will seek to return to their original, generally straight condition (see  FIG. 3 ). As a result, when the legs  22  are bent into the arched position shown in  FIG. 1 , each of the ends of the legs  22  will apply a force away from the center of the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  seeking to return the legs  22  into the straight position. These forces act to bias the hub  20  upward away from the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  and to bias the free ends of the legs  22  into tight engagement with the sides of the pockets  50  (and, thus, with the frame of the bassinet  12  and/or play yard  14 ) to thereby securely hold the play gym  10  above the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 . 
     While in the illustrated example the connectors  50  are located on the bassinet  12 , connectors  50  could alternatively or additionally be located on the play yard  14  such that, if desired, the play gym  10  could be mounted to the play yard  14  without the bassinet  12 . Alternatively, no connectors  50  may be located on the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 , and the play gym  10  can instead be coupled to the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  via direct connection to the mat  16 . In such an approach, the mat  16  may include non-pivoting connectors located within the perimeter of the mat  16  and accessible from the top of the mat  16  to permit the mat  16  to be inserted and/or withdrawn from the bassinet  12  and/or play yard  14  without interference from the connectors and possibly with the play gym  10  still attached to the mat  16 . 
     To removably couple the play gym  10  to the mat  16 , the mat  16  is further provided with a plurality of connectors  60 . To removably join the legs  22  to the connectors  60 , each of the legs  22  preferably terminates in a foot  68  having a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the leg  22 , and a reduced diameter ankle  70  located between the foot  68  and the leg  22  (see  FIG. 5 ). The feet  68  and ankles  70  may be integrally formed into a single piece and fastened to their corresponding legs  22  by a fastener such as a rivet as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 8 , or may be integrally formed with their corresponding legs  22 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , in the illustrated example each of the connectors  60  is implemented by a plate  62  that defines an aperture  64  for receiving a respective one of feet  68  of the legs  22 . Preferably, each of the apertures  64  comprises an enlarged end or opening dimensioned to receive the foot  68  of a respective one of the legs  22 . The enlarged end of the aperture  64  is in communication with a longitudinal slot having a length and a width. The width of each slot is preferably smaller than the diameter of the foot  68  and slightly larger than the diameter of the ankle  70  such that the leg  22  can easily move along the slot without withdrawing from the aperture  64 . The end of the aperture  64  opposite the enlarged end may include radial slots  74  as shown in  FIG. 2  to facilitate withdrawal of the feet  68  when desired. 
     In the illustrated example, each of the connectors  60  is pivotably coupled to the mat  16  for movement between a first position wherein the plate  62  is entirely within the perimeter of the mat  16  and a second position wherein the plate  62  lies at least partially outside of the perimeter of the mat  16 . In the illustrated example, the plate  62  is pivotably coupled to the underside of the mat  16  via a rivet  63  (see  FIG. 5 ). Thus, when the plate  62  is moved to its first position (i.e., within the perimeter of the mat  16 ), the connector  60  is located beneath the mat  16 , but when the plate  62  is moved to its second position, at least a portion of the connector  60  is not disposed beneath the mat  16 . Since, in the illustrated example, the mat  16  is intended to be used as the floor of the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14 , the perimeter of the mat  16  closely matches the inner perimeter of the floor of the bassinet  12  and the inner perimeter of the floor of the play yard  14 . As a result, when the user desires to use the mat  16  in one of the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14 , the connectors  60  are pivoted in to their first positions so that they do not interfere with positioning the connectors  60  within the bassinet  12  or the play yard  14 . When, however, it is desired to use the mat  16  with the play gym  10  apart from the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 , the connectors  60  are pivoted to their second positions where they can be engaged by the legs  22  of the play gym  10 . 
     Although in the illustrated example the connectors  60  are coupled to an undersurface of the mat  16 , persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the connectors  60  could alternatively be connected to other portions of the mat  16 . For example, the connectors  60  may be adapted to move into and out of the side edges of the mat  16  or connected to a top surface of the mat  16 . Alternatively, the connectors  60  may not be pivoted to the mat  16  and/or the connectors may be located within the perimeter of the mat  16  to permit coupling of the play gym  10  to the mat  16  when the mat  16  is located within the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14 . 
     The enlarged ends of the slots of the apertures  64  are preferably located near the edges of the mat  16  when the connectors  60  are positioned in their extended positions outside of the perimeter of the mat  16 . As a result, when the legs  22  are coupled to the connectors  60 , they are inserted into the enlarged ends of the apertures  64  near the perimeter of the mat  16 . When the legs  22  are released, they will attempt to move from their bent position toward a straight position as explained above. Therefore, the legs  22  are biased to slide away from the perimeter of the mat  16  and away from the enlarged ends of the apertures  64  such that the ankles  70  slide along the slots and the feet  68  run under the plates  62  to thereby secure the legs  22  to the mat  16 . 
     Any or all of the legs  22  of the play gym  10  may be provided with straps  80  and/or split rings  82  to permit objects such as toys to be selectively attached and detached from the play gym  10 . Example straps  80  and split rings  82  are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     In operation, a user wishing to use the play gym  10  may first erect a bassinet  12  and/or a play yard  14 . Erecting the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  may include positioning a floor mat  16  within one or both of the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14 . The user may then secure the play gym  10  at least partially above one or both of the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14  by, for example, inserting the feet  68  of the legs  22  into the connectors  50  of the bassinet  12  and/or play yard  14  or into the connectors of the mat  16 . 
     If the user wishes to use the play gym  10  apart from the bassinet  12  and the play yard  14 , the user may remove the play gym  10  from the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  by, for example, withdrawing the feet from the connectors  50 . If the user desires to use the play gym  10  with the mat  16 , the user may then remove the mat  16  from the bassinet  12  and/or the play yard  14  and position the mat  16  in a desired location of use. If pivotable connectors  60  are employed as in the illustrated example, the user may then pivot the connectors  60  out from their first positions within the perimeter of the mat  16  to their second positions outside the perimeter of the mat  16 . The user may then secure the play gym  10  to the floor mat  16  by, for example, inserting the feet  68  of the legs  22  into corresponding ones of the apertures  64  of the connectors  60 . 
     If the user desires to store the play gym  10 , the user may remove the feet  68  of the legs  22  from the apertures  64  to thereby remove the play gym  10  from the floor mat  16 . The user may then collapse the play gym  10  by moving the legs  22  from their extended positions (see  FIG. 3 ) to their stored positions (see  FIG. 4 ). To move a leg  22  to the stored position, the user may pull the leg  22  against the force of the spring  36  in a direction away from the hub  20  such that the end of the leg  22  is withdrawn from the cavity  44  and the leg  22  enters a first intermediate position. The user may then pivot the leg  22  into a second intermediate position and permit the spring  36  to pull the end of the leg  22  into the corresponding cavity  40  of the hub  20  to move the leg  22  into the stored position. The above procedures may be repeated with each of the legs  22  until all of the legs  22  are in the stored position. 
     Although certain example methods and apparatus have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.