Patent Publication Number: US-6710717-B2

Title: Crib gate position indicator

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of Co-Pending application Ser. No. 09/968,232 filed Oct. 1, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,699, which is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 09/843,976 filed Apr. 27, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,724, which is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 09/383,176 filed Aug. 25, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,913, all of which are entitled CRIB GATE POSITION INDICATOR and all of whose entire disclosures are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to indicators and, more particularly, to electronic position indicators for the gate of a crib. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Most baby cribs comprise a mattress located within a bed frame having four sides, with each side comprising vertical bars positioned between a top molding and a bottom molding. Two opposing sides are vertically displaceable, known as a crib gate, in either a raised (closed) condition or in a lowered (open) position. Lowering the gate is accomplished by displacing a footbar (located at the bottom and just under the bottom molding) which disengages a bottom molding catch from the footbar and then allows the gate to drop downward. Raising the gate is accomplished by simply lifting the gate upwards until the bottom molding catch re-engages the footbar, thereby locking the gate in a raised position. 
     In most instances, the parent or infant-caretaker will be holding or rocking the baby to sleep. When the parent or infant-caretaker is ready to place the baby on the mattress, the gate is lowered as discussed previously. Usually, the parent or infant caretaker is so focused on positioning the infant on the mattress without waking the infant that frequently the parent or infant-caretaker forgets to raise the gate after the infant is placed on the mattress. The result is that the infant is left in a crib with the gate down. If the infant is old enough to roll and raise himself/herself, the infant could fall out of the crib at a later time because the crib gate remains in an open condition. 
     Moreover, a recent study conducted by a Temple University researcher has recommended increasing the side heights of cribs to reduce the number of falls from cribs. If this recommendation is followed, the opening and closing of the crib gate by the parent/caregiver should occur more often since raising the height of the crib sides makes it more difficult to place or lift a toddler from the crib without opening the gate. As a result, this increases the chances that a parent/caregiver may walk away from a crib with the toddler inside and with the crib gate left open. 
     The following U.S. patents disclose some form of indication or warning in association with a baby crib or bed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,734,104 (Gollhofer) discloses an alarm for alerting an attendant that the crib gate is in a down position. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,030 (Weiss) discloses a safety device for a crib that provides an indicating light or an alarm at the crib to alert a person to the fact that the crib gate is in a down position. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,032 (Langsam) discloses a crib rail safety monitor that utilizes a weight sensor for detecting the presence of a child in the crib and an ultrasonic motion detector or infrared temperature sensor for detecting the presence of an attendant at the crib in order to provide an indication or alarm at the crib that the crib gate is down when the child is in the crib and is unattended. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,819 (Valenti) discloses a safety cushion device that is positioned on the floor adjacent the baby crib for cushioning the fall of a child and an alarm for alerting an adult of such a fall. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,181 (DePonte) discloses a wet bed alarm and temperature monitoring system for detecting urine on the bed and the temperature of a person lying on the bed and for supplying a remote annunciator panel with such information. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,683 (Slomowitz et al.), whose entire disclosure is incorporated by reference herein, discloses an automatic crib gate indicator that utilizes a remote-enabling means to enable a crib gate sensor that detects the open condition of the crib gate and then transmits a signal to a remotely located indicator. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,274 (Slomowitz et al.), whose entire disclosure is incorporated by reference herein, discloses an automatic crib gate indicator that utilizes a crib gate sensor, for detecting the open condition of the crib gate, that is integrated with a baby monitoring system. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,913 (Slomowitz et al.) discloses an automatic crib gate indicator that utilizes a crib gate sensor for detecting the open condition of the crib gate. 
     However, there remains a need to provide a more durable crib gate sensor for a crib gate position indicator that provides the parent or infant-caretaker with an automatic remotely-located indication or warning of the crib gate being left in an open condition. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A gate sensor for use with a baby crib having a displaceable gate (e.g., a vertically-displaceable gate, a rotatably-displaceable gate, etc.) that can be moved into an open or a closed position. The gate sensor detects the open condition of the displaceable gate and transmits a wireless signal to a remotely-located indicator (e.g., a dedicated remote indicator, a parent unit of a baby monitoring system which includes a “crib gate open indicator”). The gate sensor comprises: a first portion containing a transmitter coupled to a crib; and a second portion coupled to the displaceable gate wherein the second portion interacts (e.g., by contact, or non-contact interaction) with the first portion when the displaceable gate is moved into the open position to cause the first portion to transmit the wireless signal. 
     A gate sensor for use with a baby crib having a displaceable gate that can be moved into an open or a closed position. The gate sensor detects the open condition of the displaceable gate and transmits a wireless signal to a remotely-located indicator (e.g., a dedicated remote indicator, a parent unit of a baby monitoring system which includes a “crib gate open indicator”). The gate sensor comprises: a first portion containing a transmitter coupled to the displaceable gate; and a second portion coupled to the crib wherein the second portion interacts (e.g., by contact, or non-contact interaction) with the first portion when the displaceable gate is moved into the open position to cause the first portion to transmit the wireless signal. 
     A gate sensor for use with a baby crib having a displaceable gate (e.g., a vertically-displaceable gate) that can be moved into an open or a closed position. The gate sensor detects the open condition of the displaceable gate and transmits a wireless signal to a remotely-located indicator (e.g., a dedicated remote indicator, a parent unit of a baby monitoring system which includes a “crib gate open indicator”). The gate sensor comprises: a housing including a pair of downwardly-directed members extending from each end of a central portion, and wherein the central portion is disposed on a horizontal support surface located at a lower part of the crib. The housing includes: a microphone and transmitter for detecting the sounds of the infant or toddler placed in the crib and for generating a wireless signal representative of the sounds; a switch interfaced with the displaceable gate and electrically coupled to a signal generator to a power source whenever the displaceable gate is in an open condition to form a crib gate open condition signal; and wherein the signal generator has an output coupled to the transmitter for incorporating the crib gate open condition signal into the wireless signal. 
     A method for detecting the open condition of a displaceable gate (e.g., a vertically-displaceable gate, a rotatably-displaceable gate, etc.) of a crib. The method comprises the steps of: coupling a first member comprising a transmitter to the crib; coupling a second member to the displaceable gate; and wherein the first member and the second member interact (e.g., by contact, or non-contact interaction) with each other to cause the transmitter to transmit a wireless signal to a remote indicator (e.g., a dedicated remote indicator, a parent unit of a baby monitoring system which includes a “crib gate open indicator”) whenever the displaceable gate is opened. 
     A method for detecting the open condition of a displaceable gate (e.g., a vertically-displaceable gate, a rotatably-displaceable gate, etc.) of a crib. The method comprises the steps of: coupling first member comprising a transmitter to the displaceable gate; coupling a second member to the crib; and said first member and said second member interacting (e.g., by contact, or non-contact interaction) with each other to cause said transmitter to transmit a wireless signal to a remote indicator (e.g., a dedicated remote indicator, a parent unit of a baby monitoring system which includes a “crib gate open indicator”) whenever the displaceable gate is opened. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a home showing a crib gate position indicator of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,629,683 (Slomowitz et al.), 5,757,274 (Slomowitz et al.) and 6,225,913 (Slomowitz et al.), and application Ser. No. 09/843,976 having a gate sensor coupled to a conventional baby crib which is at one location in the home and a remote indicator positioned at another remote location in the home; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the crib of FIG. 1 with the gate sensor coupled thereto; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the crib showing the gate sensor of the present invention mounted to the crib, with crib gate being shown in a closed position (shown in phantom) and with the crib gate being shown in an open position activating the gate sensor; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial side view of the crib showing the crib gate in a closed position and with the gate sensor in a de-activated state; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of another conventional crib having a rotating gate; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial side view of the crib of FIG. 6 showing the gate sensor of the present invention mounted to the crib, with the crib gate being shown in a closed position and with the gate sensor in a de-activated condition; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial side view of the crib of FIG. 6 showing the gate sensor of the present invention mounted to the crib, with crib gate being shown in a closed position (shown in phantom) and with the crib gate being shown in an open position activating the gate sensor; 
     FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 10A is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3 but with the switch of the first portion replaced with an emitter/detector and a target replacing the tapered edges of the second portion; 
     FIG. 10B is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 3 but with the switch of the first portion replaced with a detector and an emitter replacing the tapered edges of the second portion; 
     FIG. 11A is similar to the view of FIG. 8 but with the switch of the first portion replaced with a detector and an emitter replacing the tapered edges of the second portion; 
     FIG. 11B is similar to the view of FIG. 8 but with the switch of the first portion replaced with a detector and an emitter replacing the tapered edges of the second portion; and 
     FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a variation of the gate sensor of A.S.N. 09/843,976. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, there is shown generally at  1222  in FIG. 3, a gate sensor that forms a portion of a crib gate position indicator as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,629,683 (Slomowitz et al.), 5,757,274 (Slomowitz et al.) and 6,225,913 (Slomowitz et al.), all of whose entire disclosures are incorporated by reference herein, and as set forth in application Ser. No. 09/843,976 whose entire disclosure is also incorporated by reference herein. 
     In general and as shown in FIG. 1, the crib gate position indicator in the above-identified patents and patent application basically comprise a gate sensor GS coupled to a crib  22  located in a baby room  23  and a remote indicator RI (e.g., a dedicated remote indicator, or a parent unit of a baby monitoring system having a crib gate open indicator, etc.) positioned at another location  25 , remote from the crib  22 . When the crib gate is moved into an open position, the gate sensor GS detects this open condition and then transmits a wireless signal WS to the remote indicator RI to alert the parent or caregiver to close the crib gate; once the gate is closed, the gate sensor GS is de-activated. 
     By way of example only, FIG. 2 depicts a conventional crib  22  having a vertically-displaceable gate showing the gate sensor GS coupled thereto. With particular regard to the conventional crib  22  of FIG. 2, the crib gate  26  comprises an upper molding  32 A and a lower molding  32 B. The moldings have respective holes (not shown) that align to allow the crib gate  26  to be vertically displaceable along a first slide rod  34  and a second slide rod  36 . The slide rods  34  and  36  are fixedly secured to crib legs  30 A and  30 B at their respective top ends  34 A and  36 A. In addition, the slide rods  34  and  36  are fixedly secured to crib legs  30 A and  30 B at their respective bottom ends by respective support plates  34 B and  36 B. To cushion the weight of the gate  26  when the gate is down, the lower molding  32 B rests on a pair of support springs  34 C and  36 C. The crib gate  26  is designed to be in either one of two states: an open (gate-down) condition or a closed (gate-up) condition. FIG. 2 shows the crib gate  26  in a closed (gate-up) condition. Coupled to the underside of the mattress support is a pivoting footbar  38 . The footbar  38  is pivotally coupled to the mattress support and is spring-loaded such that whenever there is no countering force by the parent&#39;s or infant caretaker&#39;s foot, two prongs  40 A and  40 B, located on the footbar  38 , are positioned in the plane of vertical displacement of the gate  26 . These prongs  40 A and  40 B engage two corresponding catch plates  42 A and  42 B positioned on the bottom surface of the lower molding  32 B. Hence, when these prongs  40 A and  40 B engage the corresponding catches  42 A and  42 B, the crib gate  26  is in the closed (gate-up) position. To open the gate, the parent or infant-caretaker pivots the footbar  38  by pushing the footbar  38  towards the center of the crib  22  (into the plane of FIG.  2 ), thereby disengaging the prongs  40 A and  40 B from the corresponding catches  42 A and  42 B. Such disengagement allows the crib gate  26  to drop down. In this position, the bottom surface of the lower molding  32 B rests on cushioning springs  34 C and  36 C. To close the gate, the parent or infant-caretaker simply pulls the upper molding  32 A upward until the corresponding catches  42 A and  42 B re-engage the prongs  40 A and  40 B on the footbar  38 , thereby locking the crib gate  26  in a closed (gate-up) condition. Activation of the gate sensor GS occurs when the lower molding  32 B contacts a switch SW on the GS which activates an internal transmitter (not shown) in the gate sensor GS to transmit the wireless signal WS; the signal WS is received by an internal receiver (not shown) in the remote indicator RI, thereby causing the remote indicator RI to alert (by a visual indicator or sound, etc.) the parent or caregiver that the crib gate is in an open condition. De-activation of the gate sensor GS occurs when the crib gate  26  is raised such that the lower molding  32 A no longer contacts the switch SW. 
     The improvement of the present invention, gate sensor  1222 , as shown in FIG. 3, is to interface the gate sensor GS with the crib  22  so as to avoid having the weight of the crib gate  26  on the gate sensor GS itself. 
     In particular, the gate sensor  1222  comprises a first portion  1222 A that is adjustably coupled to a crib leg  30 A and a second portion  1222 B coupled to one end of the lower molding  32 A. The first portion  1222 A comprises the electronics as set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,629,683 (Slomowitz et al.), 5,757,274 (Slomowitz et al.) and 6,225,913 (Slomowitz et al.) and in application Ser. No. 09/843,976, including the switch  52  for activating the gate sensor  1222  and for transmitting the wireless signal WS. The second portion  1222 B comprises a durable material (e.g., ABS, plastic, etc.) having a first tapered edge  1223 , along which the switch  52  rides as the lower molding  32 B is moved downward when the crib gate  26  is opened. As the switch  52  is driven inward by the tapered edge  1223 , the transmitter (not shown) in the first portion  1222 A transmits the wireless signal WS, thereby activating the remote indicator RI. When the lower molding  32 B comes to rest on the support spring  34 C, a forward end  1225  of the second portion  1222 B (as shown in the lower portion of FIG. 3) holds the switch  52  inward to maintain the transmitter activation. Conversely, when the crib gate  26  is lifted upward to the closed position (FIG.  4 ), the switch  52  rides along the tapered edge  1223  in the reverse direction. Once the switch  52  disengages from the tapered edge  1223 , the transmitter stops transmitting the wireless signal WS and the remote indicator RI is de-activated. 
     As can be seen most clearly in FIG. 5, both the first portion  1222 A and the second portion  1222 B can adjustably coupled to the crib  22 . For example, using a hook and pile  1227 A (e.g., VELCRO®), the first portion  1222 A can be adjusted in the directions indicated by the line  1229  to make proper contact with the tapered edge  1223  of the second portion  1222 B; similarly, the second portion  1222 B can be adjusted in the directions indicated by the line  1229  using a hook and pile  1227 B to have the tapered edge  1223  make proper contact with the switch  52  of the first portion  1222 A. 
     It should be understood that the locations of the first and second portions  1222 A/ 1222 B can be interchanged such that the first portion  1222 A is located on the lower molding  32 B and the second portion  1222 B is located on the crib leg  30 A, without deviating from the scope of this invention. 
     It should also be noted that it is also within the broadest aspect of this invention to have the gate sensor  1222  be compatible with a variety of displaceable gate cribs, such as a Gerry Wood Products, Inc. Model 85 crib. For example, there is shown in FIG. 6, a crib  132  having a crib gate  134  that has a rotatable upper portion  136  and fixed lower portion  138 . In particular, the upper portion  136  rotates about an axis  140  away from the crib interior (out of the plane of the paper in FIG.  6 ), thereby opening the gate  134 . A hinge  141  (FIG. 7) rotatably couples the upper portion  136  to the fixed lower portion  138 . The ends of the upper molding  142  are releasably press-fit into catches  144 A and  144 B by the parent or infant-caretaker to close the gate  134 . Pressure on the upper molding  142  away from the crib interior disengages the ends of the upper molding  142  from the catches  144 A and  144 B, thereby opening the gate  134 . FIG. 6 depicts the crib gate  134  in a closed condition. 
     In particular, the first portion  1222 A can be adjustably mounted on the upper surface  143  of the molding  145  using the hook and pile  1227 A (e.g., VELCRO®). Similarly, the second portion  1222 B can also be adjustably mounted on the crib leg  131 A using the hook and pile  1227 B (FIG.  9 ). To permit the second portion  1222 B to be used for the crib  132  also, a second tapered edge  2223  is provided on the second portion  222 B. Thus, when the upper portion  136  is rotated downward, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the switch  52  makes contact with and rides along the tapered edge  2223 , thereby causing the transmitter (not shown) in the first portion  1222 A to transmit the wireless signal WS and to activate the remote indicator RI. Once the switch  52  encounters the edge  1225  on the second portion  1222 B, the switch  52  is held in place to maintain the transmitter activation. Conversely, when the upper portion  136  is rotated upward (FIG.  7 ), the switch  52  rides along the tapered edge  2223  in the reverse direction. Once the switch  52  disengages from the tapered edge  2223 , the transmitter stops transmitting the wireless signal WS and the remote indicator RI is de-activated. 
     It should be understood that the locations of the first and second portions  1222 A/ 1222 B can be switched such that the first portion  1222 A is located on the crib leg  131 A and the second portion  1222 B is located on the upper surface  143  of the molding  145 , without deviating from the scope of this invention. 
     Thus, the gate sensor  1222  can be adapted to existing cribs for use in the various crib gate position indicators set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,629,683 (Slomowitz et al.), 5,757,274 (Slomowitz et al.) and 6,225,913 (Slomowitz et al.) and in application Ser. No. 09/843,976. 
     It should be understood that, as set forth in these patents and patent application, the switch  52  is by way of example only and that any similar or equivalent means, or other non-contact interaction means, for detecting the open position of the crib gate  26 / 136  (e.g., a proximity switch, a magnetically-coupled sensor, Hall effect sensor, etc. such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,278,968 (Arnett et al.); 5,365,214 (Angott et al.); 5,499,014 (Greenwaldt); and 5,689,236 (Kister), all of whose disclosures are incorporated by reference herein) is covered by the scope of the present invention. Thus, for example, the switch  52  of the first portion  1222 A can be substituted with any well-known in the art emitter/detector (electrical, magnetic, ultrasonic, optical, including infrared, etc.) and the tapered edges  1223 / 2223  of the second portion can be substituted with a passive target (conductive, capacitive, inductive, reflective, opaque, etc.). In particular, the first portion  1222 A of the gate sensor  1222  for use with a vertically-displaceable gate (FIG. 10A) and a rotatably-displaceable gate (FIG. 11A) may comprise an emitter/detector  1257  while the tapered edges  1223 / 2223  of the second portion  1222 B are replaced with a passive target  1259 . In use, the emitter/detector  1257  emits a signal (electrical, magnetic, ultrasonic, infrared, optical, etc.) that reflects or couples with the passive target  1259 , when the gate  26 / 136  is in an open condition, thereby causing a new signal to be detected by the detector  1257  which activates the transmitter to emit the wireless signal WS. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10B for a vertically-displaceable gate  26  and in FIG. 11B for a rotatably-displaceable gate  136 , the second portion  1222 B may comprise an emitter  1261  (which replaces the tapered edges  1223 / 2223 ) while the first portion  1222 A may comprise a detector  1263  (which replaces the switch  52 ). In use, the emitter  1261  emits a signal (electrical, magnetic, ultrasonic, infrared, optical, etc.) that is detected by the detector  1263  when the crib gate  26 / 136  is in an open condition and wherein the detector  1263  then activates the transmitter to emit the wireless signal WS. 
     It should be understood that the relative locations of the first and second portions  1222 A/ 1222 B using these non-contact configurations can be interchanged, i.e., which portion  1222 A/ 1222 B is located on a fixed portion of the crib and which portion is located on the displaceable gate, without deviating from the scope of the present invention. 
     As mentioned earlier, the important feature of the present invention is that the gate sensor  1222  is activated by the open condition of the crib gate  26 / 136  but without the need for the crib gate to rest upon the gate sensor  1222 . 
     FIG. 12 depicts a variation of the gate sensor  1122  of application Ser. No. 09/843,976. In particular, FIG. 12 shows gate sensor  1122 ′ for use with a vertically-displaceable crib gate  26 . The gate sensor  1122 ′ utilizes a housing having two downwardly-directed members  2 A and  2 B extending from each side of a central portion  3 . When used, the central portion  3  of the gate sensor  1122 ′ is positioned on one of the support plates  34 B. A hook and pile  1227  may be used between the support plate  34 B and the bottom surface of the central portion  3  to secure the gate sensor  1122 ′ to the crib  22 ; in addition, the downwardly-directed members  2 A and  2 B further secure and help stabilize the gate sensor  1122 ′ to the crib  22 . In all other respects, the operation of the gate sensor  1122 ′ is in accordance with the disclosure of application Ser. No. 09/843,976, including the use of the sound sensor  1153  (e.g., a microphone, or any equivalent device that converts sound into electrical signals) for detecting the sounds of the baby. Thus, for example, the sound sensor  1153  continuously detects the baby sounds and transmits the wireless signal WS representative of the baby sounds to a remotely-located parent unit; in addition, if the crib gate  26  is in an open condition, the switch  52  is activated causing a “crib gate open indication” to be included in the wireless signal WS to the remotely-located parent unit where a crib gate open indicator (e.g., visual and/or audible, etc.) is activated, thereby alerting the parent or caregiver that the crib gate  26  is in an open condition. 
     Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate our invention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge, readily adopt the same for use under various conditions of service.