Bassinet selectively rockable when mounted upon a support as well as being displaced therefrom

Abstract

A bassinet is releasably mounted upon a support frame which is capable of being selectively rocked or locked against rocking and having locking casters which are releasable to selectively rollingly move the support frame. The bassinet when released from the support frame may be rocked by rocking members provided along the underside. Anti-rocking assemblies provided at opposite ends of each rocking member may be moved to and locked in an anti-rocking position to prevent rocking. Mounting members are provided along the underside of the bassinet and preferably joined to the rocking members releasably locking the bassinet into place upon the support frame.

Description

CLAIM FOR PRIORITY

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/474,275 filed on May 29, 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to bassinets and more particularly to bassinets which are selectively rockable.

BACKGROUND

Applicant's co-pending application, Ser. No. 10/103,580 filed Mar. 21, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth, discloses a bassinet mounted upon a selectively rockable support. The support includes rockable caster assemblies that may be lowered and locked into place for rolling movement to any desired location. The caster assemblies are selectively lockable to prevent movement of the support and to prevent rocking.

The support with the bassinet mounted thereon may further be attached to an adult bed to convert the bassinet into a bedside sleeper. The bassinet of Applicant's earlier application, is not rockable when separated from its support. It is desired to provide a bassinet that is a separate, independent and rockable bassinet when separated from its support.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides an infant enclosure having an infant support of a size sufficient to accommodate and support an infant. The enclosure also having a support frame having rails for supporting the infant support. The infant support also having mounting brackets sized and positioned on one side of the infant support to be affixed to an associated one of the rails. The enclosure also having spaced apart rocking assemblies mounted to the same side as the mounting brackets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention will be understood from a consideration of the accompanying figures in which like elements are designated by like numerals and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates the support and bassinet's frame embodying the principles of the present invention in a fully assembled condition.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the support frame.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rocker mounted to the underside of the bassinet having a pair of fixed bifurcated arms.

FIG. 4 is a perspective of another view of the rocker of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a bifurcated arm shown in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views showing the pivotally mounted members provided at the ends of each rocker and FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the components making up the pivotally mounted assembly shown in 6 and 7.

FIG. 9 shows one of the pivotally mounted members in the erect position and is useful in explaining the rocking/anti-rocking operation.

FIG. 10 shows an alternative embodiment for an anti-rocking assembly.

FIGS. 11 through 14 are perspective views showing another alternative embodiment of the present invention and showing the rocker members in the rocking position and the folded down position, as well as the details of a locking member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a bassinet assembly 10 comprised of a support frame 20 and a bassinet 50. The support frame 20 comprises a pair of arcuate, members 21, 22 having respective caster housings 23-26 secured at their ends. Each housing has mounted therein a caster assembly moveable between a first position totally enclosed within the housing, enabling the support frame to rock, and a second extended position that permits rolling movement.

The caster assemblies and the mechanism for raising and lowering them as described in the aforementioned co-pending application, Ser. No. 10/103,580 are suitable for use in the present invention. However, other casters with locking and raising/lowering mechanism may be employed.

The housings 23-26 preferably extend beyond the ends of the arcuate tubular members to limit the degree to which the support frame may be tilted, thereby increasing the stability of the support frame.

The support frame has four uprights 27, 28, 29 and 30 that are preferably joined at their upper ends with the central portion CP to form inverted U-shaped members. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, uprights 27-30 respectively may terminate in upper ends that are received within tubular openings 31a through 34a whereas the lower ends are telescoped into hollow cylindrical portions 23a, 24a, 25a and 26a of housing 23, 24, 25 and 26 respectively, as shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2. In place of the central portions CP of FIG. 1, the embodiment of FIG. 2 employs a pair of rails 35 and 36 that are secured within openings 31b-34b and vertically aligned openings 31b-34b of brackets 31-34. The cross rails 37 and 38 are each secured within horizontally aligned openings 31c-32c and 33c-34c. The rails 35, 36, 37 and 38 provide structural strength and rigidity to the support frame.

FIG. 1 illustrates only the bottom board 51 and framework 70 of the infant enclosure 20 (a bassinet in this illustrative embodiment) in order to better understand the features of the present invention. The bottom board 51 is a flat, sturdy board made of a suitable material for supporting an infant, such as plastic, wood or a composition board, for example. The frame 70 is comprised of supports 72 mounted upon board 51 and supporting loop-like rail 71 above the board 51. The swingably mounted curved struts support a hood (not shown). The rail 71 supports a fabric that surrounds the board 51. As shown in FIGS. 2 through 10, the underside of the board is provided with a pair of spaced, substantially parallel rocking members 52, 52 secured to the underside of board 51 by suitable fastening means, such as rivets or bolts, not shown for purposes of simplicity. Since the rocking members 52 are substantially identical in both design and function, only one of them will be described in detail. Making reference to FIG. 3, rocking member 52 has an upper surface 52a which is substantially flat and a bottom surface 52b which is arcuate at the intermediate portion between its end portions 52c, 52d, which are substantially parallel to bottom surface 52a. This parallel arrangement is preferred but not required to obtain the advantages of the invention. Arcuate surface 52b is configured to engage a support surface, such as a floor, and permit rocking when the anti-rocking assemblies 53 are collapsed into the rocking member as will now be described.

Each end 52c, 52d of rocking member 52 defines a hollow recess for respectively receiving a pivotally mounted anti-rocking assembly 53. Anti-rocking assembly 53 is comprised of a hollow rectangular shaped housing 53a having an open side. A pushbutton 53d having a substantially U-shaped cross section is slideably mounted within the opening of housing 53a. A spring (not shown) has one end thereof secured within the hollow interior of push button 53d and the opposite end thereof pressing against the interior surface of housing 53a when pushbutton 53d is mounted therein. Preferably, the spring is normally under compression. Pushbutton 53d has a pair of circular-shaped projections 53e-53f extending outwardly from side 53d-1 and a similar pair of projections 53g-53h extending outwardly from side 53d-2. Projections 53e and 53f are slideably received within a pair of elongated slots 53a-1 and 53a-2 provided in a sidewall of housing 53a and a similar pair of slots 53a-1 and 53a-2 in another sidewall of housing 53a. The projections in pushbutton 53d cooperate with the slots 53a-1 and 53a-2 to limit the range of movement of pushbutton 53d. A pin P or other suitable fastener extends through an opening (not shown) in the rear wall of housing 53a as well as extending through the openings 52e-52f provided in the sidewalls forming the recess 52d to pivotally mount the anti-rocking assembly within the rocking member 52.

The operation of the anti-rocking assembly 53 is as follows:

With the anti-rocking assembly in the erect position shown in FIGS. 3, 6, 7, and 9 the aforementioned coil spring urges push button 53d to extend outwardly and away from the housing 53a and into notch 52g of rocking member 52 to prevent rocking. The free end surfaces S of the anti-rocking assemblies 53 are spaced a distance D (FIGS. 6 and 9) from the underside of support board 51 which is substantially equal to the distance of the center point Cp of arcuate surface 52b from the underside of board 51 so that when the anti-rocking members are in the position shown in FIG. 3 the board 51 is prevented from rocking by making the line L extending between the surfaces S substantially tangential to the center point Cp of arcuate surface 52b. The board 51 is thus prevented from rocking while the rocking member nevertheless provides support at the center point Cp, together with the anti-rocking assemblies, which serve as support legs.

By pressing the button 53d inwardly by a distance sufficient to clear the notch 52g, the anti-rocking assemblies may be pivoted within the recess 52d, as shown in FIG. 9, thereby enabling the support board 51 to be rocked.

If desired, a “half-rocking” condition may be achieved by folding the assemblies 53 on only one side.

The anti-rocking assemblies are moved from the collapsed position to the extended position by applying a downward force (such as finger pressure) in the region R as shown in FIG. 7.

An alternative anti-rocking assembly is shown in FIG. 10 wherein a toggle switch locking device 100, similar to that employed for raising and lowering the casters and shown in detail in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/103,580, may be employed to raise and lower the anti-rocking assemblies.

Rocking members 52 and 54 are each further provided with a pair of mounting members for releasably mounting the bassinet to the support frame. These members are, in one embodiment, identical in design and function. For purposes of simplicity, one such pair of mounting members will be described. Rocking member 52 shown in FIG. 4 is provided with a pair of mounting brackets B1 and B2 integrally joined thereto. The brackets are substantially U-shaped and are each comprised of arms A1 and A2 joined to one another by a center portion C. Arms A1 are integrally joined to the rocking member 52. Making reference to FIG. 5, the inner surfaces of arms A1 and A2 are provided with projections which extend toward one another and are defined by two arcuate concave surfaces S1, S2 which meet at a mid-point P1. Sides A2 have similar concave surfaces S3 and S4 which meet at a mid-point P2.

Brackets B1 and B2, for example, are mounted upon cross-piece 37 by placing the open ends of the U-shaped brackets above cross piece 37 as shown in FIG. 5. As the board 51 is pressed downwardly, arm A2, which is flexible, moves away from arm A1 as the cross rail 37 moves between the points P1 and P2. When the cross piece 37 clears points P1 and P2, arm A2 snaps inwardly, securing the brackets B1 and B2 to the cross rail. Preferably, the brackets of one of the rocker members are inserted onto one of the cross rails and thereafter the second member is mounted in a similar fashion, using the mounted set as a pivot about which the board 51 is swung. The length of the rocking members 52-53 is slightly less than the distance between the inner surfaces of the brackets 31 and 32, enabling the rocker members to fit therebetween.

As an alternative to the mounting brackets described hereinabove, one set of the mounting brackets may be aligned so that their arms extend horizontally and so that the center piece C is integrally joined to the rocker member. The rocker member having these horizontally oriented arms is then mounted first by tilting the support board 52 by an amount sufficient to align the open ends of the brackets having the horizontally aligned arms with the cross rail, such as cross rail 37. When these brackets are snapped into place, the support board may then be swung downwardly using the connected end as a pivot to lock the vertically aligned arms of the remaining rocker member with the remaining cross rail 38.

As a further alternative, a pair of spaced mounting brackets B1′ and B2′ may be pivotally mounted to one of the rocker members. The brackets in the remaining rocker member, which may be similar to the brackets described hereinabove, are integrally joined to the rocker arm and have either horizontally or vertically extending sidewalls. These brackets are mounted first to one of the cross rails and the support board is then swung downwardly using the mounting cross rail of pivot, whereupon the pivotally mounted brackets swing to a vertical position to lock the bassinet to the support frame.

FIGS. 11 through 14 show another alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the bassinet 50, shown mounted to the frame 20, is provided with a pair of rocking members 60 and 62 which are preferably hollow tubular members formed either of metal or plastic. The intermediate portions of the members 60 and 62 are smoothly arcuate. The ends are bent substantially at a right angle and are pivotally mounted within brackets 61a, 61b and 63a, and 63b. The brackets are provided with a snap-fitting arrangement which locks the rocker members 60 and 62 in the upright or rocking position shown in FIG. 6, as well as the folded down position, shown in FIG. 12.

The underside of board 51 is further provided with two pairs of mounting brackets B1 and B2 having bifurcated arms which extend in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of board 51 and are configured in a manner similar to those shown in FIG. 5 for snap-fittingly locking the bassinet 50 to cross-piece 38.

A bracket 64 is provided with an elongated recess 64a having a curved bottom which conforms to the shape of tubular member 37. A locking member 65 is pivotally mounted to bracket 64 by a suitable pivot pin and is movable between a locking position shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 and an open position which, though not shown, it should be understood that locking arm 65 is rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise through a one-quarter turn so as to be displaced from the elongated groove 64a.

The bassinet 50 is mounted in a manner similar to that described hereinabove, namely the brackets B1 and B2 are aligned with cross-piece 38 and snap-fitted thereto. The bassinet is then swung down to a position where it receives cross rail 37 within groove 64a. The locking arm 65 is then rotated from the open position through a quarter turn to cooperate with recess 64a to embrace tubular member 37.

When the bassinet 50 of FIG. 11 is removed from the support frame 20 and the rocking members, 60, 62 are moved to the upright position shown in FIG. 11, the bassinet may be rocked.

When it is desired to use the bassinet without the rocking feature, the rocker members 60 and 62 are swung to their fold-down positions shown in FIG. 12 whereupon the bassinet is supported by brackets B1 and B2 and locking bracket 64. The length of locking bracket 64 may be increased, if desired, in order to increase the stability of the bassinet when supported by the brackets B1, B2 and 64. Alternatively a pair of legs L1 and L2 may be fixably mounted to the underside of board 51 to further enhance the stability of the bassinet when it is separated from the support frame 20 and is being used with the rocking members folded down.

It should be understood that the infant receiving portion may take any desired form so long it has a bottom or support board, such as a board 51 shown in FIGS. 1 and 11, which will support the weight of the infant and the desired supports.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show one form of bassinet structure which may include a substantially oval shaped frame 70 supported on opposite longitudinal sides of the board 51 by supports S mounted at one end to opposite longitudinal sides of the board and at their opposite ends to the oval-shaped frame 70. A pair of canopy brackets CB are mounted on opposite sides of frame 70 (only one being shown in FIG. 12) to support and swingably mount a pair of gussets G1, G2 which are typically covered with a fabric (not shown) serving as a canopy which may either be set up or folded down. The oval-shaped frame 70 is likewise covered in a suitable fabric (not shown) in a similar fashion, one example being shown in the aforementioned co-pending application Ser. No. 10/103,580.

Claims

1. An infant enclosure, comprising:

an infant support of a size sufficient to accommodate and support an infant;

a support frame having spaced apart cross rails for supporting said infant support;

said infant support having mounting brackets sized and positioned on a side of said infant support to be affixed to an associated one of said rails; and

spaced apart rocking assemblies mounted on the same side of said infant support as the mounting brackets.

2. The infant enclosure of claim 1 wherein end portions of said rocking assemblies each having retractable anti-rocking assemblies movable between an extended state and a collapsed state; and

said extended state preventing said infant support from being rocked and said collapsed state enabling the infant support to rock.

3. The infant enclosure of claim 1 wherein the rocking assemblies are swingably mounted upon said infant support and swingable between an extended, upright state and a folded down, collapsed state.

4. The infant enclosure of claim 1 wherein said support frame has a pair of caster assemblies and a pair of spaced apart arcuate members positioned therebetween;

said caster assemblies being movable between a collapsed position enabling said frame to be rocked and an extended position preventing the frame from being rocked and rollingly supporting said frame on a support surface.

5. The infant enclosure of claim 4 wherein said caster assemblies are provided with mechanisms for releasably locking the caster assemblies to prevent the caster assemblies from rolling.

6. The infant enclosure of claim 4 wherein said arcuate members are hollow, lightweight, tubular members providing an arcuate convex surface for engaging the support surface to enable the apparatus to be rocked when the caster assemblies are in the collapsed position.

7. The infant enclosure of claim 3 wherein the opposed ends of the rocking members each provided with a recess for pivotally mounting an anti-rocking member and to receive the anti-rocking member when in the collapsed position.

8. The infant enclosure of claim 7 wherein each anti-rocking assembly includes a spring-biased pushbutton urged toward a side wall of its associated recess;

said sidewall having a slot for receiving a portion of said pushbutton when the anti-rocking assembly is in the extended position thereby maintaining the anti-rocking assembly in the extended position.

9. The infant enclosure of claim 8 wherein said pushbutton is telescopingly mounted within a cooperating housing enabling the pushbutton to be depressed to clear said slot enabling the pivotally mounted anti rocking assembly to be pivoted to the collapsed position.

10. The infant enclosure of claim 9 wherein said pushbutton is an elongated member having a longitudinal axis wherein, when the cooperating housing is pivoted to the collapsed position, the longitudinal axis of the pushbutton is transverse to said slot and wherein rotation of the cooperating housing to the extended position moves the longitudinal axis of the pushbutton into alignment with the slot enabling the pushbutton to be snap-fitted into the slot.

11. The infant enclosure of claim 8 wherein each pushbutton has guide pins on opposing sidewalls and each housing has guide slots on opposing sidewalls receiving associated ones of the guide pins to limit movement of the pushbutton within a given range.

12. The infant enclosure of claim 1 wherein the mounting brackets for mounting the infant support upon said cross pieces comprise two pairs of bifurcated arms on each rocking member for embracing the associated cross rail.

13. The infant enclosure of claim 12 wherein one pair of said mounting brackets is fixedly secured to the underside of the infant support and another pair of the mounting brackets is pivotally secured to the underside of the infant support.

14. The infant enclosure of claim 12 wherein both pairs of said mounting brackets are fixedly secured to the underside of the infant support.

15. The infant enclosure of claim 14 wherein one set of mounting brackets has aligned arms transverse to the arms of the other set of mounting brackets.

16. The infant enclosure of claim 14 wherein both sets of mounting brackets have support arms which are aligned in a given direction.

17. The infant enclosure of claim 12 wherein said mounting brackets each have at least one flexible arm and include means for snap-fittingly receiving a cross rail therebetween.

18. An infant support of a size sufficient to accommodate and support an infant; comprising:

a pair of rocking assemblies mounted on an underside of said infant support in spaced apart fashion, said rocking assemblies each having an arcuate convex central portion, said assemblies being movable between a first position enabling the support to rock and a second position preventing rocking of the support.

19. The support of claim 18 wherein said rocking assemblies each have a pair of retractable anti-rocking assemblies arranged at ends of said rocking assemblies and movable between an extended state and a collapsed state, respectively corresponding to said first and second positions; and

said extended state preventing said infant support from being rocked and said collapsed state enabling the infant support to rocked.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein end portions of said rocking assemblies each having retractable anti-rocking assemblies movable between an extended state and a collapsed state respectively corresponding to said first and second positions; and

said extended state preventing said infant support from being rocked and said collapsed state enabling the infant support to rock.

21. The infant support of claim 18 wherein the opposed ends of the rocking members each provided with a recess for pivotally mounting an anti-rocking member and to receive the anti-rocking member when in the collapsed position.

22. The infant support of claim 21 wherein each anti-rocking assembly includes a spring-biased pushbutton urged toward a side wall of its associated recess;

said sidewall having a slot for receiving a portion of said pushbutton when the anti-rocking assembly is in the extended position thereby maintaining the anti-rocking assembly in the extended position.

23. The infant support of claim 22 wherein said pushbutton is telescopingly mounted within a cooperating housing enabling the pushbutton to be depressed to clear said slot enabling the pivotally mounted anti rocking assembly to be pivoted to the collapsed position.

24. The infant support of claim 23 wherein said pushbutton is an elongated member having a longitudinal axis wherein, when the cooperating housing is pivoted to the collapsed position, the longitudinal axis of the pushbutton is transverse to said slot and wherein rotation of the cooperating housing to the extended position moves the longitudinal axis of the pushbutton into alignment with the slot enabling the pushbutton to be snap fitted into the slot.

25. The infant support of claim 22 wherein each pushbutton has guide pins on opposing sidewalls and each housing has guide slots on opposing sidewalls each receiving associated ones of said guide pins to limit movement of the pushbutton within a given range.

26. The infant support of claim 18 further comprising members fixedly mounted to the underside of the support for supporting the infant support on a support surface when the rocking assemblies are in the collapsed, folded-down position.

27. The infant support of claim 18 wherein each of the rocking assemblies comprises mounting brackets for swingably mounting an arcuate rocking member, said brackets respectively locking the rocking member in the extended, upright and collapsed, folded-down positions.

28. The infant enclosure of claim 1 wherein one of said mounting bracket assemblies comprises a member having a recess for receiving one of said cross-rails and a pivotally mounted arm movable between a locked position over said recess to embrace and lock a cross-rail in said recess and an open position displaced from said recess to remove/replace said cross-rail.

29. A selectively rockable infant enclosure comprising:

an infant support platform having an infant support side and an opposite side; and,

spaced apart rockable assemblies mounted on said opposite side of said infant support platform, each of said rockable assemblies having an arcute portion which engages a support surface for rocking and a means for selectively preventing the arcute portion from rocking engagement with the support surface.

30. The enclosure of claim 29 wherein the means for selectively preventing the arcute portion from rocking engagement with said support surface are stops located adjacent to said arcute portions.

31. The enclosure of claim 29 wherein the means for selectively preventing said arcute portion from rocking engagement with said support surface are pivots for moving said arcute portions adjacent to said opposite side of said infant support platform.

32. The enclosure of claim 29, further comprising means for mounting said enclosure on a supporting frame.