Beds – Crib – Folding
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-02
2001-10-23
Grosz, Alexander (Department: 3628)
Beds
Crib
Folding
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305037
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a foldable playyard and more particularly, to an improved lower frame structure of a foldable playyard.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An easily transportable playyard of a simplified structure having upper and lower frame structure and a hub system, which is easily erectable and collapsible without re-assembly or disassembly of any parts is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,342, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In the '342 patent, the lower frame assembly includes a hub, a plurality of corner leg connecting members and a plurality of hub legs, one end portion of each hub legs is pivotally coupled to the hub and the other end of each of the hub legs is pivotally coupled to one of the corner leg connecting members. The hub includes a hub body for pivotally coupling to one end portion of at least one leg, a locking member on the hub body, an engaging portion on at least one leg and adjacent to the locking member for cooperating with the locking member. FIG. 2 in the '342 patent depicts that the hub system is composed of a number of complicated configuration components and thus has a relatively high manufacturing cost. In addition, the bottom of the playyard disclosed in the '342 patent is supported only by the hub legs which are unable to provide sufficient support to the bottom of the playyard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a lower frame structure of a foldable playyard and improved hub system that can substantially obviate one or more problems associated with prior art foldable playyards.
One object of the present invention is the provision of a lower frame structure of foldable playyard which can provide a sufficient support at the bottom thereof.
Another object of the present application is the provision of an improved hub system of a lower frame structure of a foldable playyard which is easy to operate, is compact in structure, and has low manufacturing cost.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and according to the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the lower frame structure of a foldable playyard includes a hub which is operable to lock the lower frame structure at an erected state and to unlock the lower frame structure to allow it to collapse to a collapsed state; four hub legs, one end portion of each of the hub legs being pivotally coupled to the hub such that the hub legs can pivot in a vertical direction from a erected position to a collapsed position; first and second auxiliary supporting units are disposed between a first and second hub leg, and between a third and fourth hub leg respectively. Each auxiliary supporting member comprises a first tube having a first end pivotally coupled to a hub leg, a second tube having a first end pivotally coupled to another hub leg, and an elbow joint member pivotally coupling a second end of each of the first and second tube. The pivotal coupling is such that as the lower frame structure is extended to an erected state, the hub legs and first and second auxiliary supporting units form a substantially horizontal co-planar spread-out configuration. Further, pivotal coupling is such that as the lower frame structure is collapsed to a collapsed state, the hub leg and the tubes of the auxiliary supporting units are substantially parallel with each other.
The hub includes a hollow hub body, four coupling portions non-axially extending outwardly from an outer periphery of a upper portion of the hub body, and locking means rotatably coupled to the hub body for operably cooperating with the coupling portions to lock the hub legs in the erected position, wherein each coupling portion has a reversed U-shaped cross-section with an elongated slot formed in each of two side walls of the coupling portion and an opening formed in a top wall of the coupling portion.
The locking means comprises a bias spring disposed in hub body, a latch member rotatably coupled to the hub body and arranged such that it is biased toward a lock position by the bias spring, wherein the latch member has two substantially L-shaped arms formed at two substantially positions of a lower face of a periphery portion thereof. Each of the L-shaped arm has a vertical portion and a horizontal portion which will be inserted into the slots of corresponding coupling portion of the hub body as the latch member is biased toward the lock position by the bias spring to lock the hub legs in the erected position. A knob is coupled to the latch member to turn the latch member toward an unlock position such that the horizontal portion of the L-shaped arm is withdrawn from the slot and the hub legs may pivot from the erected position to the collapsed position.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5497517 (1996-03-01), Wang
patent: 5697111 (1997-12-01), Dillner et al.
patent: 5699997 (1997-12-01), Huang
patent: 5819342 (1998-10-01), Williams
patent: 5890263 (1999-04-01), Wu
Flehr Hohbach Test Albritton & Herbert LLP
Grosz Alexander
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