Abstract:
A crib and bassinet assembly is provided for accommodating newborns as well as older babies and children. The assembly includes a crib having opposing sides, each having a top rail. A bassinet is removably coupled to the top rails such that its foot end adjoins one side of the crib and its head end adjoins the opposite side. A method for providing a bedding arrangement for an infant is also provided which includes suspending the bassinet between the top rails of the crib.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The field of the invention relates to a versatile crib and bassinet assembly designed to accommodate newborns as well as more mature babies and small children.  
         [0003]     2. Brief Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Cribs are ordinarily employed as bedsteads for babies and small children. Most cribs include slatted ends and/or sides for confinement purposes as well as to allow parents to easily see the baby or small child within the crib. At least one of the sides can be moved vertically between upper and lower positions to facilitate access to the baby or child. To provide further convenience, many cribs include a spring hanger that may be positioned in any of a plurality of vertical positions. A mattress supported by the spring hanger can accordingly be positioned at a relatively high position to facilitate access to a baby and a relatively low position to prevent small children from climbing out of the crib.  
         [0005]     The dimensions of cribs are set by government standards in the United States. Most cribs marketed in the United States accordingly have the same length and width. For example, the distance between end boards of a crib is about 1310 mm, while the distance from the dropside to the side opposing the dropside is about 680 mm.  
         [0006]     Despite the fact that the mattress height of a crib is adjustable and that the dropside may be lowered to facilitate access to a baby, it remains relatively difficult to remove a baby from a crib. Bassinets are often employed to provide a relatively high sleeping surface for an infant. Portable baby cribs/bassinet combinations have also been marketed. The bassinet portions of such combinations are designed for use by babies less than 15 pounds. The mattress of the assembly can be used by children weighing less than 30 pounds and who are unable to climb out of the assembly. The portable crib/bassinet combinations available in the market do not include a dropside.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A crib and bassinet assembly is provided that offers versatility, convenience and requires a minimum of space. The crib is comprised of a pair of opposing end boards, a dropside, and a side opposite from the dropside. The dropside includes top and bottom rails connected by a plurality of vertical slats. The side opposite the dropside also includes a top rail. A bassinet is mounted to the crib such that the foot end of the bassinet is removably secured to one of the top rails while the head end of the bassinet is removably secured to the opposing top rail. The dropside is preferably positioned such that its top rail is at substantially the same height as the opposing top rail. The bassinet is preferably secured by adjustable securement members such as belt and buckle assemblies. The length of the bassinet approximates the distance between the top rails. One side of the bassinet preferably adjoins one of the two end boards of the crib  
         [0008]     In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, a dressing table and/or a storage compartment are also releasably mounted to the top rails of the crib dropside and opposing side, respectively. The dressing table may include an adjustable safety belt for securing a baby. The dressing table may further include a lower compartment that is accessible by displacement of the floor ordinarily used for supporting the baby. The bassinet and adjoining structures preferably occupy the entire area defined by the end boards and the two sides of the crib.  
         [0009]     A method in accordance with the invention includes providing a bassinet having head and foot ends, connecting one of the ends to the top rail of a crib dropside, connecting another of the ends to a top rail of a side of a crib opposite from the crib dropside, whereby the foot end of the bassinet and the head end of the bassinet adjoin the opposite sides of the crib. Attachment mechanisms are preferably adjusted as necessary such that the bassinet is substantially level and will not be likely to tilt in any direction with respect to the crib.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a crib including a bassinet, a dressing table and a storage tray;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the connection of belt buckle halves used to secure any of the bassinet, dressing table or storage compartment to a top rail of the crib;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a belt with a closed buckle securing the storage compartment to a top rail of the crib;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a step of adjusting the belt or strap by pulling a tab extending from the buckle;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of a crib and bassinet assembly showing the floor of a dressing table raised to expose a lower compartment containing a bathtub. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a crib  10  is shown having first and second end boards  12 , 14 , a dropside  16  and a side  18  opposite from the dropside. The dropside  16  is movable vertically with respect to the end boards to which it is connected. Suitable latching mechanisms (not shown) are employed so that the dropside can be maintained at a selected height. Both the dropside  16  and the opposite side  18  include a top rail  20 , a bottom rail  22 , and slats  24  extending between the top and bottom rails. The top rails may be designed as teething rails, as known to the art. The end boards  12 ,  14  also include top and bottom rails  26 ,  28  with connecting slats  30 . Alternative end board designs, with or without slats, may be employed. As used herein, the term “slats” is intended to include vertical stretchers of any design connecting the top and bottom rails, whether having rectangular, round, oval or other cross sectional configurations. The sides of the crib and end boards are comprised of substantially rigid materials such as wood, plastic and/or metal.  
         [0016]     A mattress  32  is provided within the crib. A mechanism (not shown) is preferably provided for adjusting the elevation of the mattress and maintaining it at the selected elevation.  
         [0017]     A bassinet  34 , a changing table  36  and a storage tray  38  are suspended from the top rails  20  of the dropside  16  and second side  18  of the crib, respectively. The bassinet  34  includes walls defining a compartment and a hood  39  covering a portion of the compartment. The bassinet is preferably positioned such that its foot end adjoins the dropside  16  while its head end adjoins the second side  18  of the crib opposite the dropside. One of the two sidewalls of the bassinet  34  preferably adjoins one of the end boards. While not preferred, the bassinet could be positioned elsewhere and its orientation reversed from that shown. The bassinet is preferably about 400 mm in width and has a depth of about 300 mm. The maximum height of the hood as measured from the floor of the basinet is preferably about 650 mm.  
         [0018]     Two pairs of straps  40  or belts are provided for releasably securing the bassinet to the top rails. Each strap is preferably secured near a corner of the bassinet. A buckle  42  is used to connect the portion of the strap  40  secured to the bassinet and a second portion of the strap that is looped around a top rail. When the two halves of the buckle are coupled as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the bassinet is effectively suspended from the top rails. The length of the strap and buckle assembly may be adjusted by pulling a tab  44  extending from the buckle half mounted to the upper portion of the strap. By adjusting all four straps in the manner shown, the bassinet can be positioned such that its floor is substantially level. Lateral movement of the bassinet is restricted by engagement of the straps with the vertical slats  24 . Forward and rearward movement is restricted by the two sides  16 ,  18  of the crib, both of which are preferably in close proximity to the head and foot ends thereof. It will be appreciated that the bassinet can be leveled using only adjustable attachment mechanisms at one end of the bassinet. The attachment mechanisms at the opposite end do not need to be adjustable.  
         [0019]     Strap and buckle assemblies are similarly secured to the changing table  36  and the storage tray  38 . Each of these elements is coupled to the top rail by employing the strap and buckle assemblies, their positions being adjusted by pulling the tab portions of the straps as needed to provide level surfaces at a height desired by the user. The changing table, tray and bassinet may be suspended such that the foot end of the bassinet and both ends and sides of the changing table and tray are below the elevations of the top rails. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , the bassinet, changing table and storage tray are sized to occupy substantially the entire area defined by the crib sides  16 ,  18  and end boards  12 ,  14 . This arrangement helps prevent lateral motion of these elements with respect to the crib and each other. A safety strap and buckle assembly  46  may be affixed to the changing table in order to secure a baby thereto. While the bassinet, changing table and storage tray are preferably individual elements, they could be integral with each other or connected to each other.  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the depths of the bassinet and changing table are substantially the same while the storage tray  38  is shallower. As the entire depth of the changing table is not required for changing a baby, the lower portion thereof can function as a storage compartment. The floor  48  of the changing table can be raised or removed to gain access to the compartment. A bathtub  50  can, for example, be removably positioned within the compartment.  
         [0021]     In use, the crib dropside  16  is positioned such that the top rail  20  thereof is as close to the same elevation as the top rail of the opposing side  18  of the crib as possible. This corresponds to the highest vertical dropside position for most cribs. Once the dropside is locked in position, the bassinet is positioned within the crib such that the foot end thereof adjoins the dropside and the head end adjoins the opposing side  18 . The mattress  32  may be raised to its highest position so that the bassinet is near the top rails when placed within the crib and on the mattress. One end of the bassinet is secured to one of the top rails using the appropriate strap and buckle assemblies. The other end of the bassinet is then secured to the opposing top rail. The straps are adjusted as necessary to level the bassinet as it is suspended above the mattress and to minimize the extent to which the bassinet can move about its longitudinal axis.  
         [0022]     The changing table  36  and storage tray  38  are secured to the top rails  20  in a similar manner. Each is preferably suspended such that the top edges of the side and end walls thereof are slightly below the top rails. The bassinet, changing table and tray have combined widths that approximate the distance between the end boards  12 ,  14 . The preferred widths of the bassinet, changing table and tray are about 400 millimeters, 500 millimeters and 400 millimeters, respectively. The depth of the changing table, as measured from the floor  48 , is preferably about 100 millimeters, with a total depth as measured from the bottom wall being about 300 millimeters. The depth of the tray is preferably about 100 millimeters. The bassinet, changing table and tray are preferably mounted such that the bassinet adjoins an end board.  
         [0023]     It will be appreciated that the means for attaching the bassinet and other components to the crib may be different from those shown and described herein. Hooks or other members can be employed so long as they can be effectively locked to the top rails and released by unlocking them.