Patent ID: 12251031

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer toFIG.1toFIG.3,FIG.1is a perspective view of a play yard1according to an embodiment of the invention,FIG.2is a side view illustrating the play yard1shown inFIG.1with a softgoods clothing, andFIG.3is a perspective view illustrating the central member50shown inFIG.1being lifted.

The play yard1can be configured to an unfolded position (as shown inFIG.1) or a folded position (the fully folded position of the play yard1in part is shown inFIG.10). As shown inFIG.1, the play yard1includes two brackets10, two rail members20, two support frames30, two engaging members40, a central member50, a plurality of connecting members52, and a latch mechanism54. The rail members20are pivotally connected to the brackets10. Each of the support frames30includes two upper support members32and a lower support member34. The upper support members32are pivotally connected to the brackets10and the lower support member34is pivotally connected to the upper support members32. The upper support members32and the lower support members34are simultaneously pivotally folded with respect to the brackets10and the upper support members32respectively when the play yard1is switched from the unfolded position to the folded position. The two engaging members40are respectively disposed on each of the two rail members20. In this embodiment, the engaging members40are spring-loaded and rotatable on the rail members20.

The connecting members52are pivotally connected to the central member50and the lower support member34. The latch mechanism54is configured to lock or unlock the connecting members52, so as to unfold or fold the play yard1. In this embodiment, the latch mechanism54is disposed on the central member50, but is not so limited. In another embodiment, the latch mechanism54may be disposed at an appropriate position near the central member50. Referring toFIG.2, the play yard1further includes a softgoods clothing60covering the rail members20, the support frames30, the central member50, and the connecting members52.

As shown inFIG.1, when the connecting members52are unfolded and the latch mechanism54locks the connecting members52, the rail members20, the upper support members32, the lower support members34, and the connecting members52are retained unfolded with respect to each other, such that the play yard1is situated in the unfolded position shown inFIG.1stably. To fold the play yard1, operating the latch mechanism54to unlock the connecting members52allows the central member50to be lifted along direction H as shown inFIG.3, and the rail members20, the upper support members32, the lower support members34, and the connecting members52are foldable with respect to one another, or toward a center C of the play yard1(as shown inFIG.6), to be more specific.

Referring toFIG.4andFIG.5,FIG.4is a side view illustrating portion of the bracket10and the rail member20andFIG.5is a perspective view illustrating the rail member20and the upper support member32. As shown inFIG.4, the play yard1further includes first linkage members36and second linkage members38pivotally disposed on the rail members20, the brackets10, and the upper support members32. The bracket10has a sliding groove14, the first linkage member36is pivotally connected to the rail member20and the second linkage member38, and the second linkage member38is pivotally connected to the sliding groove14. Accordingly, the second linkage members38can be rotating and sliding with respect to the sliding grooves14as the rail members20are rotated with respect to the brackets10between the unfolded position and the folded position. The linkage of the first linkage members36, the second linkage members38, and the sliding grooves14helps the balance and consistence of the folding and unfolding process.

As shown inFIG.5, the rail member20has a first engaging portion22and the upper support member32has a second engaging portion323. When the rail member20and the upper support member32are unfolded with respect to each other, the first engaging portion22engages with the second engaging portion323, such that the rail member20is retained in a horizontal position. Furthermore, the upper support member32has a first stop portion321and a second stop portion322. When the upper support members32are unfolded, the first stop portion321of one of the upper support members32abuts against the second stop portion322of the other one of the upper support members32.

When the central member50is lifted, the upper support member32rotates toward the center C of the play yard1to disengage the second engaging portion323from the first engaging portion22, such that the rail members20are rotatable toward the center C of the play yard1.

Referring toFIG.6to10,FIG.6is a side view illustrating the play yard1fully unfolded,FIG.7toFIG.9are side views illustrating various states of the play yard being folded by lifting the central member50along direction H, andFIG.10is a side view illustrating the play yard1in part being fully folded to the folded position.

As shown inFIG.6toFIG.10, when the latch mechanism54unlocks the connecting members52, the central member50is able to be lifted along direction H. When the central member50is lifted, the rail members20, the upper support members32, the lower support members34, and the connecting members52rotate toward the center C of the play yard1, such that the rail members20, the upper support members32, the lower support members34, and the connecting members52are folded.

Please refer toFIG.10. At least one of the brackets10has engaging recesses12. When the play yard1is configured to the folded position with the rail members20, the upper support members32, and the lower support member folded with respect to one another, the two engaging members40respectively engage with at least one of the brackets10, or coupled with the engaging recesses12respectively, and the two rail members20are retained folded with respect to the brackets10. As mentioned earlier, the engaging members40are spring-loaded and can be pulled to disengage from the engaging recesses12. When the engaging members40are disengaged from the engaging recesses12, the rail members20are made rotatable with respect to the brackets10so that the play yard1can be unfolded to the unfolded position.

The play yard provided in the invention can be locked in an unfolded position via a latch mechanism or unlocked by the latch mechanism to fold to a folded position, by means of lifting a central member and bringing the rail members, the upper support members, the lower support members, and the connecting members to rotate toward the center of the play yard. A spring-loaded engaging member disposed on the rail member can have engagement with the bracket so that the play yard can be stably retained in the folded position. When the engaging member is operated to disengage from the bracket, the rail members, the upper support members, the lower support members, and the connecting members rotate away from the center of the play yard all the way to the unfolded position until the connecting members can be locked by the latch mechanism, which retains the play yard in the unfolded position. Accordingly, the folding and unfolding process of the play yard of the invention can be performed with minimal steps, such that the operation is very convenient for the user.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.