Crib

Details Crib Crib

2001-07-03

2004-03-16

Shackelford, Heather (Department: 3673)

Beds

Crib

Movable guards

C005S093100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06704951

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a crib or child's bed with high sides of which at least one is adjustable, and with a vertically adjustable mattress platform, and more particularly, to a crib or child's bed wherein an adjustable high side may have its top or upper portion lowered without adjustment of its bottom, and wherein the lowerable top may be secured in place by a child-proof double-action latch mechanism, and wherein the height of the mattress platform may be secured in place with a child-proof latch mechanism.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cribs with vertically adjustable sides to enable convenient servicing of a child in the crib, and with an adjustable raised mattress platform to accommodate children of different ages, are well known. The raised mattress platform provides storage space beneath the crib. Usually the whole adjustable side, formed with top and bottom railings interconnected with stiles or other barriers, translates vertically, with the result that in the lowered position permitting ready access to the child, access to the storage place below the raised mattress platform is blocked and precludes reaching articles commonly used during when the drop side is lowered.
Community Playthings, doing business of Community Products, LLC, already markets a crib “WAS G10 Small Crib”. It has two end panels each constituted alternatively of either clear plastic or wooden stiles mounted at its side edges in crib corner posts. Respective ones of the end panel posts are pivotally interconnected by side panels having appropriately-spaced wooden stiles between upper and lower railings. The bottom railings are a distance above the room floor, permitting the storage of baby materials below the crib. A mattress support is adjustably mounted in the crib between the side panels.
The pivotal interconnections of the end panels with the side panels enable sidewise collapse of the crib upon itself (after removal of the mattress support, and of course the mattress), and are achieved by pivotally mounting the ends of the railings in delrin plastic cups having upper and lower leaves formed internally of the cup with facing embossments co-acting with recesses formed in the upper and lower sides of each railing end, the ends of the leaves being urged together spring-like. The spring-like leaves also permit ready assembly and disassembly of the crib by enabling forceful insertion and removal of the railing ends therein. The present crib does not have a drop side.
PRIOR ART
Patents showing cribs with vertically translatable sides include U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,282 issued Jan. 27, 1976 to Bryant; U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,312 issued Nov. 17, 1987 to Shamie; U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,539 issued May 15, 1990 to Benoit; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,580 issued Jan. 2, 2001 to Draheim et al. In Bryant, the vertically translatable side slides on rods mounted on crib end posts. In Shamie, elements on the drop side extend into vertical slots in the crib end posts. In Benoit, special drop side guides and a double action device are built in and operate the slidable-up and -down drop side according to regulations. In Draheim et al, the vertically translatable drop side is secured to opposing pairs of tracks.
Recent patents showing cribs with high sides include the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,539 issued May 15, 1990 to Benoit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,452 issued Oct. 7, 1980 to Hoffman et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,493 issued Aug. 20, 1985 to Guillot; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,464 issued Dec. 17, 1991 to Draheim et al.
Recent patents showing cribs with adjustable mattress platforms include U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,482 issued May 2, 1989 to Paris; U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,880 issued Oct. 20,1992 to Schoonover et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,808 issued Jun. 1, 1993 to Schoonover et al.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to improve care for infants by facilitating access to the bottom of the Community Playthings crib “WAS G10 Small Crib” by their caregivers.
A particular object of the invention is to enhance gently easing a sleeping infant into the Community Playthings crib “WAS G10 Small Crib”, by the ability to temporarily reduce the reach necessitated by the operation.
A specific object of the invention to provide the Community Playthings crib “WAS G10 Small Crib” with a drop side.
Another object of the invention is to provide a crib wherein the storage space beneath a drop-side crib remains accessible while a child in the crib is being conveniently serviced therein.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a crib drop side which can not be lowered by a child inadvertently or intentionally.
A further object of the invention is to provide a crib drop side which can be easily lowered by the free hand of the mother holding the child with the arm of the other hand.
Another object of the invention is to provide a drop-side crib which is collapsible sideways upon itself for storage after removable of the mattress support.
A further object of the invention is to provide a crib having a removable mattress support with protection against inadvertent or intentional dislocation by a child.
A related object of the invention is the provision of a mattress support latch that cannot be operated by a child.
An object of the invention is to provide such a crib that complies with all safety regulations of the United States and the United Kingdom Still another object of the invention is to provide such a crib which is easy to use.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a drop-side crib which is still easy to assemble and disassemble.
A further object of the invention is to provide a drop-side crib which is still simple of construction and easy and inexpensive of manufacture.
The objects of the invention are achieved by providing the drop side of a crib with a top or upper portion which can be lowered with respect to its bottom portion Specifically, the top railing of the drop side is vertically translatable with respect to the bottom railing which is operationally fixed with respect to the crib. Vertical translation of the drop-side top or upper railing is accomplished by employing stiles having telescoping sections between the drop-side top and bottom railings: when the top railing is unlatched, the telescoping sections attached to it slide down in or on their complementary sections affixed to the bottom rail to rest thereon; when the top railing is raised again to its latching position, the telescoping rod sections attached to it slide up in or on their complementary sections affixed to the bottom rail to form the drop side constituting a full barrier to a child on the mattress support in the crib. In the preferred embodiment, a hollow cylindrical telescoping section is affixed at its upper end to the drop side upper railing, whereas the complementary rod or interior telescoping section is affixed at its lower end to the lower railing.
A feature of the invention is that the rod or interior or lower telescoping sections of the stiles are formed of wood encased in plastic. This prevents the expansion of the wood from the absorption of moisture and hence minimizes the danger of the telescoping sections binding; this in turn enables a closer fit between the telescoping sections of the respective stiles in order to eliminate a child's exposure to any pinching by the relatively movable sections of a stile.
The drop side is secured in a vertical disposition and guided in its movements between raised and lowered positions by latch brackets mounted on the faces of the end-panel corner posts facing it, and by slides pivotally mounted on, the top-railing adjacent ends. The brackets extend vertically along the posts and have sidewise projections which are embraced by complementary grooves in the outer face of the slides. Thus the upper railing cannot be pulled inward or pushed outward by a child.
The drop side is rendered safe against operation by a child by employing double-action latch mechanisms. Two double-action latch mechanisms are used: one for each end of the drop si

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