ADJUSTABLE BABY CRIBS

Abstract

An adjustable baby crib, which adapts to the growth of the baby by being switched, for instance, into a baby bed, comprises a frame and an enclosing element, which comprises a bottom wall, and side walls. The side walls are made of a flexible material and delimit, with the bottom wall, a cavity configured for receiving the baby. The frame comprises an upper portion for supporting the side walls, and support members which are configured to rest on the ground and support the upper portion of the frame. The crib comprises a zipper, associated with the side walls, and adapted to be manually actuated to switch the crib between a first configuration and a second configuration, in which the distance D1 in the longitudinal direction between the bottom wall and the top edge of the side walls in the first configuration is smaller than the distance D2 in the second configuration.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an adjustable baby crib.

During the first stages of development, the babies grow quickly. Newborns use bassinets or baby carriages, with the baby being placed in small spaces, whereas, at the age of a few months to a few years, baby beds are used, having higher and safer edges, to prevent the baby from falling out.

Therefore, both a bassinet and a baby bed are necessary for a single baby.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Adjustable cribs are known in the art, which adapt to the age of the baby by the possibility of conversion from a bassinet to a baby bed, thereby acting as both products. Such cribs are usually formed with a frame of vertical wooden bars, whereas a wooden bottom wall, which is configured to receive a mattress, is adapted to be mechanically connected to the frame at two possible different heights. As the baby grows, there is the option of lowering the bottom wall toward the ground, to thereby obtain a baby bed.

Such prior art adjustable cribs have a heavy weight and a high cost. Furthermore, a complex mechanism is used to change the height of the bottom, often requiring the bottom wall to be accessed from the interior of the crib. Therefore, an adult shall bend above the rigid edge of the crib, to a position that may cause back pain. During such operations the heavy bottom may suddenly fall, or may not be easily relocated to the new horizontal position due to its large size and the rigidity of the side bars.

Furthermore, it may be dangerous for the baby to impact the wooden bars.

Cribs having a lighter weight and a lower cost are also known in the art, such cribs being made, for instance, of textile materials, and possibly being collapsible to a reduced volume for easy transport. Nevertheless, cribs of these types cannot be switched into baby beds.

The object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable crib that can adapt to the age of the baby, using a simple adjustment mechanism which can be used in cribs made of light and inexpensive materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects, as better explained hereafter, are fulfilled by an adjustable baby crib as defined in one or more of the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will be now described in greater detail with reference to the annexed drawings, which show a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of illustration and without limitation, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a crib of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows the crib of FIG. 1 in a different operating configuration; and

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the crib of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the crib of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a different embodiment of a crib of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 shows the crib of FIG. 5 in a different operating configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the accompanying figures, an adjustable baby crib according to the present invention has been generally designated by numeral 1. The crib 1 comprises an enclosing element 7, which is attached to the frame 2 and is configured to receive a baby.

The enclosing element 7 comprises a bottom wall 3 and side walls 4.

The side walls 4 extend between a top edge 41 attached to the frame 2 and a bottom edge 42 connected to the bottom wall 3, to thereby delimit, with the bottom wall 3, a cavity configured to receive a baby. The top edge 41 of the side walls 4 defines an opening of the cavity and is spaced from the bottom wall 3 in a longitudinal direction X-X. Preferably, the side walls 4 are mechanically connected to the frame 2 only at the top edge 41 of the side walls 4.

Preferably, the crib 1 comprises a mattress (not shown), which rests on the bottom wall 3.

In one embodiment, the bottom wall 3 has a rectangular shape, there are four side walls 4, and the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 has a rectangular shape, and the same size as the bottom wall 3. Preferably, when the crib is being used, the longitudinal direction X-X coincides with a vertical direction, and the bottom surface 3 extends on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X-X.

The side walls 4 comprise at least one portion made of a flexible material, preferably of a textile material. Preferably, the enclosing element 7 is entirely made of a textile material. In this case, the bottom edge 42 of the side walls 4 is connected to the bottom wall 3 by textile continuity. The side walls 4 may comprise transparent or semi-transparent portions, e.g. mesh portions, such that the baby inside may be seen, and that the passage of air into the crib 1 may be facilitated.

According to an alternative embodiment, the side walls 4 are made of a textile material, whereas the bottom wall 3 is made of a rigid material, providing stronger support to the mattress and a baby thereupon. Alternatively, the bottom wall 3 may be entirely made of fabric, e.g. a two-layer fabric, with a wooden insert between the two layers for supporting the mattress.

The frame 2 comprises an upper portion 21 and support members 22. The support members 22 are configured to rest on the ground, and are fixed to the upper portion 21 of the frame 2 for supporting the upper portion 21 of the frame 2. The upper portion 21 of the frame 2 is attached to the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 for supporting the enclosing element 7.

Preferably, the upper portion 21 of the frame 2 defines a top edge of the crib 1, and the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 is fixed to the top edge of the crib 1. The top edge 1 of the crib is situated at an adequate distance from the bottom wall 3 to prevent a baby from coming or falling out of the crib 1.

Preferably, the support members 22 extend between the upper portion 21 of the frame 2 and respective bearing ends 23, which are spaced from the top edge of the crib 1 in the longitudinal direction X-X.

Advantageously, various frame types may be employed for a crib of the present invention, possibly collapsible types, for the crib to be folded to a smaller volume and be easily transported, particularly when the side walls and the bottom walls are entirely made of a textile material.

For example, the upper portion 21 of the frame 2 may be composed of two tubular members, which are rotatably joined together by means of two junction elements. The support members 22 may be four legs, removably fixed to the support members 21. By this arrangement, the crib 1 may be collapsed by removing the support members 22 from the upper portion of the frame 2 and rotating the two tubular members of the upper portion 22 of the frame 2. Such rotation is facilitated if the enclosing element 7 is entirely made of a textile material. Thus, the upper portion 22 of the frame 2 and the enclosing element 7 may be transported. for instance in a bag.

The crib 1 comprises a zipper 5 associated with the side walls 4. Preferably, the zipper 5 extends around the side walls 4, on the exterior thereof. More preferably, the zipper 5 comprises a slider and two adjacent limit-stop members, and the zipper 5 extends around all the side walls 4.

The zipper 5 is configured to be manually actuated and switched between a closed configuration and an open configuration, to thereby switch the crib 1 between a first configuration and a second configuration, such that the distance D1 in the longitudinal direction X-X between the bottom wall 3 and the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 in the first configuration is smaller than the distance D2 in the longitudinal direction X-X between the bottom wall 3 and the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 in the second configuration.

Advantageously, the crib 1 may be used in the first configuration for a younger baby, and when the baby grows, the crib 2 may be used in the second configuration, which affords a larger space in the longitudinal direction X-X for the baby to stand up.

The distances D1 and D2 may be selected in various manners, depending on the desired functions of the crib 1.

According to one embodiment, as particularly shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the distance D2 is equal to the distance D3, in the longitudinal direction X-X, between the top edge of the crib 1 and the bearing ends 23 of the support members 2. In other words, when the crib 1 is in the second configuration, the bottom wall 3 is close to the ground. According to this embodiment, in the second configuration the crib 1 is comparable to a baby bed.

Here, the crib 1 preferably comprises feet 6 fixed underneath the bottom wall 3 and configured to rest on the ground when the crib 1 is in the second configuration. Therefore, in the second configuration the feet 6 support the bottom wall 3, whereas in the first configuration the side walls 4 support the bottom wall 3.

In this embodiment, the crib may have a height, for instance, of 68 cm, i.e. with the distance D3 of 68 cm; in this case, D2 is also 68 cm, whereas D1 may be 43 cm.

According to a different embodiment, as particularly shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the distance D2 is smaller than the distance D3; for instance D2 is equal to half D3. It shall be intended that D1 is smaller than D2 in any case.

According to this embodiment, the side walls 4 support the bottom wall 3 both in both first and second configurations.

For instance, in this embodiment, if the distance D3 is 68 cm, then the distance D2 may be 33 cm and the distance D1 is 23 cm.

According to one embodiment, the zipper 5 comprises a first part 51 and a second part 52, which are configured to be removably coupled together. Preferably, the second part 52 of the zipper 5 is associated with the bottom edge 42 of the side walls 4, i.e. with an outer edge of the bottom wall 3.

In the first configuration, the first part 51 and the second part 52 of the zipper 5 are stably coupled together, i.e. the zipper 5 is closed. Particularly, when the crib 1 is in the first configuration, the first part 51 and the second part 52 of the zipper must remain coupled together even under the weight of a baby, either still or moving.

In the second configuration, the first part 51 and the second part 52 of the zipper 5 are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction X-X, i.e. the zipper 5 is open.

According to a preferred embodiment, the side walls 4 comprise a first portion 43 and a second portion 44. The first portion 43 of the side walls 4 extends in the longitudinal direction X-X between the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 and the first part 51 of the zipper 5. The second portion 44 of the side walls 4 extends between the first part 51 of the zipper 5 and the second part 52 of the zipper 5.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a detail of the crib, and particularly a detail of the zipper 5 and the side walls 4, during the switch from one configuration to the other.

In the first configuration, the bottom wall 3 is directly connected to the first portion 43 of the side walls 4 through the zipper 5, which is closed. The first portion 43 of the side walls 4 extends in the longitudinal direction X-X between the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 and the zipper 5, whereas the second portion 44 of the side walls 4 protrudes inside the cavity, preferably above the bottom wall 3. If the crib 1 comprises a mattress, in the first configuration the second portion 44 of the side walls 4 is preferably disposed between the mattress and the bottom wall 3.

In the first configuration, there is continuity, on the exterior of the cavity, between the first portion 44 of the side walls 4 and the bottom wall 3 through the zipper 5, which is closed.

In the second configuration, the first portion 43 of the side walls 4 extends in the longitudinal direction X-X, between the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 and the first part 51 of the zipper 5, which is open, whereas the second portion 44 of the side walls 4 extends in the longitudinal direction X-X between the bottom wall 3 and the first portion 43 of the side walls 4, i.e. between the first part 51 and the second part 52 of the zipper 5, which is open.

The second portion 44 of the side walls 4 is configured to be folded inside the cavity during the switch from the second configuration to the first configuration. The second portion 44 of the side walls 4 is configured to be deployed, extending in the longitudinal direction X-X, between the first part 51 and the second part 52 of the zipper 5 during the switch from the first configuration to the second configuration.

In order that the operations as described according to the preferred embodiment may be carried out, at least the second portion 44 of the side walls 4 is made of a flexible material, preferably a textile material.

Those skilled in the art will obviously appreciate that a number of changes and variants as described above may be made to fulfill particular requirements, without departure from the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims. For example, the zipper 5 may be located on the interior and not the exterior of the cavity; otherwise, the second part 52 of the zipper 5 may be located at heights other than that of the bottom edge 42 of the side walls 4; otherwise the crib 1 may be switched into more than two configurations, each having different distances between the top edge 41 of the side walls 4 and the bottom wall 3.

Claims

1. An adjustable baby crib, comprising: wherein: wherein

a frame;

an enclosing element, which is attached to the frame and is configured to receive a baby,

the enclosing element comprises a bottom wall and side walls,

the side walls extend between a top edge attached to the frame and a bottom edge connected to the bottom wall, to thereby delimit, with the bottom wall, a cavity configured to receive a baby,

the top edge of the side walls defines an opening of the cavity and is spaced from the bottom wall in a longitudinal direction,

the frame comprises an upper portion, attached to the top edge of the side walls for supporting the enclosing element, and support members, configured to rest on the ground and fixed to the upper portion of the frame to support the upper portion of the frame,

the side walls comprise at least one portion made of a flexible material, and

the crib comprises a zipper, which is associated with the side walls and is configured to be manually actuated to switch the crib between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the distance D1 in the longitudinal direction between the bottom wall and the top edge of the side walls in the first configuration is smaller than the distance D2 in the longitudinal direction between the bottom wall and the top edge of the side walls in the second configuration.

2. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the zipper comprises a first part and a second part, which are configured to be removably coupled together,

in the first configuration, the first part and the second part of the zipper are stably coupled together, and

in the second configuration, the first part and the second part of the zipper are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction.

3. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the side walls comprise a first portion, extending in the longitudinal direction between the top edge of the side walls and the first part of the zipper, and a second portion made of a flexible material, extending between the first part of the zipper and the second part of the zipper,

the second part of the zipper is associated with the bottom edge of the side walls,

in the first configuration, the bottom wall is directly connected to the first portion of the side walls through the zipper.

4. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

in the first configuration the second portion of the side walls protrudes inside the cavity, and

in the second configuration the second portion of the side walls extends in the longitudinal direction between the bottom wall and the first portion of the side walls.

5. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

in the first configuration the second portion of the side walls protrudes inside the cavity above the bottom wall.

6. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the second portion of the side walls is configured to be folded inside the cavity during the switch from the second configuration to the first configuration, and

the second portion of the side walls is configured to be deployed between the first part and the second part of the zipper during the switch from the first configuration to the second configuration.

7. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the crib comprises a mattress, which rests on the bottom wall, and

in the first configuration the second portion of the side walls is disposed between the mattress and the bottom wall.

8. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein the zipper extends around the side walls, on the exterior thereof.

9. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the upper portion of the frame defines a top edge of the crib,

the top edge of the side walls is fixed to the top edge of the crib,

the support members extend between the upper portion of the frame and respective bearing ends, which are spaced from the top edge of the crib in the longitudinal direction.

10. An adjustable crib as claimed in claim 9, wherein the distance D2 is equal to the distance D3, in the longitudinal direction, between the top edge of the crib and the bearing ends of the support members.

11. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the crib comprises feet fixed underneath the bottom wall and configured to rest on the ground when the crib is in the second configuration, and

in the first configuration the side walls support the bottom wall.

12. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein the enclosing element is entirely made of a textile material.