Patent Publication Number: US-6901613-B1

Title: Dual-use playpen

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a playpen, more particularly to a dual-use playpen. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a conventional playpen  1  is configured with a playing region having a depth sufficient to prevent an infant playing in the region from climbing out of the playpen  1 . Since the playing region is deep, it is not convenient for parents to change a diaper of the infant or to cover the infant with a blanket when the latter sleeps in the playing region of the playpen  1 . Therefore, a suspending bed  2  is designed for installation in the playpen  1 . When the infant is placed on the suspending bed  2 , changing of the infant&#39;s diaper and covering the infant with a blanket are facilitated. However, the following drawbacks arise when the suspending bed  2  is in use:
         1. The suspending bed  2  is required to be installed and disassembled frequently depending on the intended use of the playpen  1 .   2. Extra space is required for storing the suspending bed  2  when the latter is disassembled from the playpen  1 .   3. In order to fasten the suspending bed  2  on the playpen  1  securely, an additional fastening member is required, which in turn results in higher costs.       

   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a dual-use playpen that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art. 
   Accordingly, the dual-use playpen of this invention includes a hollow body, a separating member, and a frame member. The hollow body is made of a flexible sheet material, and has a first open end and a second open end opposite to the first open end. The separating member is mounted in the hollow body between the first and second open ends so as to partition the hollow body into a first region having a first depth from the first open end, and a second region having a second depth from the second open end. The second depth is smaller than the first depth of the first region. The frame member supports the hollow body, and includes a first frame portion framing the first open end, a second frame portion framing the second open end, and a plurality of connecting rods extending and connected between the first and second frame portions. The dual-use playpen can be configured in one of a first state in which the first region is located above the second region such that an infant can play within the first region, and a second state in which the second region is located above the first region such that the infant can lie down in the second region. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional playpen; 
       FIG. 2  is a partly exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a dual-use playpen according to this invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a fragmentary schematic sectional view of the preferred embodiment; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment when configured with a playing region; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment, showing a state in which an infant is playing in the playing region; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment when configured with a resting region; and 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment, showing a state in which the infant is placed in the resting region. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the preferred embodiment of a dual-use playpen according to this invention is shown to include a hollow body  3 , a separating member  4 , a frame member  5 , a mattress  6 , and a plurality of fastening members  7 . 
   The hollow body  3  is made of a flexible sheet material, and has a first open end  31  and a second open end  32  opposite to the first open end  31 . The hollow body  3  further includes a plurality of sleeves  33  extending between the first and second open ends  31 , 32 . 
   The separating member  4  is mounted in the hollow body  3  between the first and second open ends  31 , 32  so as to partition the hollow body  3  into a first region (A) having a first depth from the first open end  31 , and a second region (B) having a second depth from the second open end  32 . The second depth is smaller than the first depth of the first region (A). In this embodiment, the separating member  4  is sewn to the hollow body  3  to form a unitary body. Furthermore, the separating member  4  has a first surface  41  facing toward the first region (A), and a second surface  42  facing toward the second region (B). 
   The frame member  5  supports the hollow body  3 , and includes a first frame portion  51  framing the first open end  31 , a second frame portion  52  framing the second open end  32 , and a plurality of connecting rods  53  extending and connected between the first and second frame portions  51 , 52 . Each of the first and second frame portions  51 , 52  includes two opposite horizontal first rods  515  ( 525 ), two opposite horizontal second rods  516  ( 526 ) extending between the two horizontal first rods  515  ( 525 ), and four corner blocks  511  ( 521 ) each having a vertical coupling portion  513  ( 523 ) connected to a corresponding one of the connecting rods  53 , a foot  514  ( 524 ) opposite to the vertical coupling portion  513  ( 523 ), and two lateral coupling portions  512  ( 522 ) protruding laterally from the vertical coupling portion  513  ( 523 ) and connected to a corresponding one of the first rods  515  ( 525 ) and a corresponding one of the second rods  516  ( 526 ). 
   Each of the connecting rods  53  includes first and second ends  531 , 532  to mate with the vertical coupling portions  513 , 523  of the corresponding corner blocks  511 , 521 , a male screw  533  proximate to the first end  531 , and a sleeve  54  having a female screw. The sleeve  54  engages the male screw  533  and embraces a part of the vertical coupling portion  513  after the first end  531  mates with the vertical coupling portion  513 . 
   The mattress  6  is mounted on either the first surface  41  or the second surface  42  of the separating member  4  according to the intended use of the playpen. Furthermore, each of the fastening members  7  includes a first fastening portion  71  mounted on an underside of the mattress  6 , and a second fastening portion  72  mounted on the separating member  4  to engage releasably the first fastening portion  71 . Preferably, both of the first and second surfaces  41 , 42  are mounted with the second fastening portions  72  of the fastening members  7 . 
   During assembly, the connecting rods  53  are passed through the sleeves  33  respectively, and are then connected to the vertical coupling portions  513 , 523  of the corresponding corner blocks  511 , 521 . Then, for each of the connecting rods  53 , the sleeve  54  engages the male screw  533  and embraces a part of the vertical coupling portion  513  after the first end  531  mates with the vertical coupling portion  513 . The hollow body  3  together with the separating member  4  is framed by the frame member  5  at this time. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , when it is intended for an infant to play in the playpen, the dual-use playpen is mounted in a first state in which the first region (A) is located above the second region (B). The mattress  6  can be mounted and fastened on the first surface  41  of the separating member  4  by fastening the first fastening portions  71  to the corresponding second fastening portions  72  of the fastening members  7 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , when it is intended to change a diaper of the infant or to put the infant to sleep, the mattress  6  is removed from the separating member  4 , and the dual-use playpen is then upturned to a second state in which the second region (B) is located above the first region (A). The mattress  6  is then mounted and fastened on the second surface  42  of the separating member  4  by fastening the first fastening portions  71  to the corresponding second fastening portions  72  of the fastening members  7 . The infant can rest in the second region (B) at this time. 
   In view of the aforesaid, since the playing and resting functions of the playpen can be accomplished easily by simply interchanging the orientations of the first region (A) and the second region (B) of the dual-use playpen of this invention, the aforesaid disadvantages of the prior art can be eliminated. 
   While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included is within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.