Abstract:
A collapsible base frame for playyard, comprising a control device pivotally connected between a first lower frame assembly and a second lower frame assembly. The control device including a joint having a push-button for controlling a positioner to precisely and accurately manipulate the first and second lower frame assembly between an erected state and a folded state.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a collapsible base frame for playyard, in particular to the collapsible base frame which is pivotally connected to the playyard, and whereby forcing the foldable frame in an erected or in a folded state by the joint.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Playyard is better provided with a roomy accommodation for comforting the baby is placed inside the playyard. Nevertheless, the roomy accommodation would take too much space for storage. In order to overcome this problem, the current design tends to use a foldable frame for the playyard.  
         [0003]     The configuration of the collapsible base frame for playyard basically consists of four panels and a base. As the playyard being collapsed, the rails of the panels are folded by the joint and closed up to the posts of the playyard. This well developed technology is as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,811,437 and 5,697,111 to Dillner et al; besides, in order to fold the entire frame of the playyard, the lower frame assembly is provided with a foldable structure, whereby the entire frame is foldable controlled by the lower frame assembly which is in either a locked or a released condition. For example, the U.S. Publication No. 2003/0061657A1 includes a base which is connected to lower supporting rods; the lower supporting rods are relatively confined by a pair of locking members to be in an erected state fixedly. The pair of locking members link respectively to a piece of cord, and the locking members can be pulled by a band at the same time, therefore releasing the supporting rod to be in a folded state.  
         [0004]     However, as the structure mentioned above, the pair of locking members are moved by pulling a band which links to a cord. The supporting rod is released by pulling the pair of locking member via the cord. The pair of locking members should be pulled at the same time through a band in a straight upward direction, or only one locking member can be released since the user pulls the band in a slanting angle. The supporting rods are not released completely if only one locking member is moved and leads the disadvantages of failing to fold properly.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is directed to a collapsible base frame for playyard that substantially obviate the problems of the related art due to the inconvenience of using a band or a handle to simultaneously pull a pair of detached locking members, or the disadvantages of incompletely fold by releasing only one locking member since the user pulls the band in a slanting angle.  
         [0006]     The present invention is providing an improved lower frame assembly which can be folded accordingly; wherein the lower frame assembly having a control device disposed between the first and the second lower frame assembly; the control device includes a joint, whereby a push-button can manipulate the first and the second lower frame assembly to selectively be in an erected or folded state in order to achieve the goal of being unfolded and collapsed completely.  
         [0007]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the foldable frame of the playyard.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the joint.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view shown the joint in an erected state.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view shown the joint in a folded state.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view shown the playyard is converting to a collapsible state.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view shown the playyard is converting into a collapsed state. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a collapsible base frame for a playyard according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein said playyard includes a upper frame assembly  3  and a lower frame assembly  4 .  
         [0016]     The upper frame assembly  3  consists of  4  upper corner housings  31  and a pair of upper rail assemblies  32 , wherein said upper corner housings  31  are respectively arranged at four corners of the playyard (for triangle playyard would be of three corners) and pivoted to the upper rail assemblies  32  respectively; the upper rail assemblies consists of a pair of rails  321  and a lock assembly  322 , whereby the lock assembly  322  extends the rails  321  in alignment in an unfolded state (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) and folds in a V-shape folded state.  
         [0017]     The lower frame assembly  4  includes a first lower frame assembly  41  and a second lower frame assembly  42 , wherein the first and second lower frame assembly  41  and  42  are provided with a lower corner base  43  in one end. The lower corner base  43  is opposite below the upper corner housing  31 . An upright post  5  is connected between the upper corner housing  31  and the lower corner base  43 .  
         [0018]     The first lower frame assembly  41  is connected to lower end of the upright post  5  to one side of the playyard. In accordance with the present invention, the first lower frame assembly  41  includes a pair of connecting rods  411  and a connecting base  412 , wherein one end of one side of the pair of connecting rods  411  are each pivotally coupled to the lower corner bases  43 , and the other ends are pivotally coupled together to the connecting base  412 , therefore the lower frame assembly  41  is in a general V-shaped configuration. As shown in this invention additionally, a first supporting rod  413  is pivotally coupled to one side of the connecting rod  411  and support the playyard over the ground.  
         [0019]     The second lower frame assembly  42  is connected to lower end of the upright post  5  to the other side of the palyyard. According to this invention, the second lower frame assembly  42  is in the same configuration of the first lower frame assembly, which includes a pair of connecting rods  421  and a connecting base  422 , wherein one end of one side of the pair of connecting rod  421  are pivotally coupled to the lower corner bases  43 , and the other ends are pivotally coupled together to the connecting base  422 , therefore the second lower frame assembly is in a general V-shaped configuration. As shown in this invention additionally, a first supporting rod  423  is connected to one side of connecting rod  421 .  
         [0020]     Referring now to  FIG. 2, 3  and  4 , wherein the control device  6  is pivotally connected between the first and second lower frame assembly  41 ,  42 . The collapsible base frame includes a pair of connecting rods  61 , a joint  62  and a pair of second supporting rod  63 . The connecting rod  61  is coupled to and between the first lower frame assembly  41 , second lower frame assembly  42  and the joint  62 .  
         [0021]     Said joint  62  consists of a positioner  622 , a push-button  623 , a spring  624  and a pair of sleeves  621  which are mutual pivotally connected and rotated relatively thereon. According to the preferred embodiment of this invention, wherein the positioner is a tooth block. The pair of sleeves  621  has a locking groove for accommodating the positioner  622 , and the positioner  622  is movable inside the locking groove  625 . As shown in  FIG.3 , the spring  624  is arranged at one side of the positioner  622 . In the normal status, the spring  624  maintains the positioner  622  between the locking grooves  625  of the pair of sleeves  621 , and prevents the sleeves  621  from being folded by rotating. The push-button  623  is arranged at one of the sleeves  621  and on the other side of the positioner  622 . The user is able to press the push-button  623  and forces the positioner  622  to move into the locking groove  625  of the other sleeve  621 , whereby the sleeves are rotated as shown in FIG. 4  in a collapsible state.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 5 , when the foldable frame  2  is fully extended, and the positioner  622  of the joint  62  on the lower frame assembly  4  is located inside the locking groove  625  of the pair of sleeves  621 . As the entire collapsible base frame  6  is in a fixed state, the foldable frame  2  is also erected fixedly. When the user tends to fold the foldable frame  2 , the push-button  623  is being pushed in order to push the positioner  622  to enter the locking groove  625  of the other sleeve  621 . As the joint  62  is being folded by rotating, the first and second lower frame assembly  41 ,  42  are being interlinked and rotated; therefore the lower frame assembly  4  is being able to fold upwardly as shown as  FIG. 6 .  
         [0023]     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.