1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a crib and, more particularly, to a crib equipped with a reversible changing table. Specifically, the changing table can be attached to or detached from a crib frame of the crib easily.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The structure of a current crib mainly comprises a crib frame and a cover, wherein the crib frame is used for supporting the crib and the cover is disposed on the crib frame for protection purpose. Accordingly, the crib can provide a comfortable sleeping or activity space for a baby. In general, the crib frame essentially consists of metal tubes and plastic members for connecting the metal tubes and the cover is usually made of fabric. Furthermore, in order to satisfy various requirements of consumers on the crib, there are usually a lot of additional accessories installed on the crib, such as a sleeping apparatus, a changing table, and so on.
However, the sleeping apparatus, which provides space for the baby to rest, and the changing table, which is used for diapering the baby, are arranged side by side on the crib frame of the current crib. The aforesaid arrangement occupies more space of the crib such that the space of the crib cannot be used efficiently. Moreover, the sleeping apparatus and the changing table are installed on the crib through other components such that the structure of the crib becomes more complicated due to the components.
Still further, a bracket of the changing table of the current crib is usually made of one single metal tube, i.e. the volume of the bracket is fixed. However, the volume of the bracket is usually larger than others such that the bracket of the changing table has to be packaged with much more package materials. Consequently, the volume of the bracket after package will get large and it is inconvenient for packaging and transporting the changing table.
An objective of the invention is to provide a reversible changing table installed on a crib, wherein the reversible changing table occupies less space and has simple structure.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a crib equipped with a reversible changing table, which occupies less space and has simple structure.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a reversible changing table, which can reduce package materials of a bracket of the changing table so as to package and transport the changing table more easily and conveniently.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a reversible changing table installed on a crib frame of a crib comprises a bracket and a pivoting mechanism. The pivoting mechanism is disposed on at least one corner of the bracket and has a locking mechanism. The bracket is installed on the crib frame through the pivoting mechanism such that the bracket is capable of being rotated with respect to the crib frame, and the locking mechanism is used for preventing the bracket from being rotated with respect to the crib frame.
Preferably, the bracket comprises an outer tube and an inner tube, wherein the outer tube is slidably connected to the inner tube so as to form the bracket.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a crib comprises a crib frame and a reversible changing table. The reversible changing table is installed on the crib frame and comprises a bracket and a pivoting mechanism. The pivoting mechanism is disposed on at least one corner of the bracket and has a locking mechanism. The bracket is installed on the crib frame through the pivoting mechanism such that the bracket is capable of being rotated with respect to the crib frame, and the locking mechanism is used for preventing the bracket from being rotated with respect to the crib frame.
Preferably, the bracket comprises an outer tube and an inner tube, wherein the outer tube is slidably connected to the inner tube so as to form the bracket.
As mentioned in the above, since the reversible changing table of the invention comprises the pivoting mechanism and the bracket, which is installed on the crib frame through the pivoting mechanism, the bracket is capable of being rotated with respect to the crib frame. Furthermore, the locking mechanism of the pivoting mechanism can be used for preventing the bracket from being rotated with respect to the crib frame. Therefore, a first surface and a second surface with different functions can be arranged on opposite sides of the bracket and the bracket can be rotated with respect to the crib frame so as to use the first surface or the second surface selectively. Accordingly, the reversible changing table of the invention occupies less space of the crib such that the space of the crib can be used efficiently. Still further, the reversible changing table of the invention has simple structure and can be used conveniently.
Moreover, if the bracket comprises an outer tube and an inner tube and the outer tube is slidably connected to the inner tube so as to form the bracket, the inner tube can slide into the outer tube when packaging the bracket so as to reduce the volume of the bracket and reduce package materials of the bracket. Accordingly, the changing table can be packaged and transported more easily and conveniently.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
Please refer to the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the figures, wherein the same elements in the figures are represented by the same numerals.
As shown in
Specifically, the reversible changing table 1 comprises a bracket 10 and a pivoting mechanism which comprising two first pivoting assemblies 20. The bracket 10 essentially consists of two long support tubes 111 and two short support tubes 112 such that the bracket 10 is also rectangular. The long support tubes 111 are corresponding to the short connecting rods 22a of the crib frame 2. The first pivoting assemblies 20 are fixed on opposite corners where both ends of the long support tube 111 connect the two short support tubes 112, respectively. Furthermore, the first pivoting assemblies 20 are fixed on middle portions of the long connecting rods 21a. Accordingly, the bracket 10 can be rotated from one end to the other end of the crib frame 2 so as to use two different surfaces of the bracket 10 selectively. In practical applications, different covers are installed on opposite surfaces of the bracket 10 so as to form a first surface and a second surface with different functions. For example, a fabric, which is waterproof and easily cleaned, may be adapted to the first surface so as to form a changing table for diapering a baby, and another fabric, which is tender and soft, may be adapted to the second surface so as to form a sleeping apparatus for a baby to rest or nap. Accordingly, the bracket 10 can be rotated to use the changing table or the sleeping apparatus selectively and the operation is very easy for a user. It should be noted that the opposite surfaces of the bracket 10 are not limited to form the aforesaid changing table and sleeping apparatus and can be equipped with other devices based on practical applications known by one skilled in the art.
In the following, the reversible changing table 1 installed on the crib of the invention will be depicted by different embodiments along with related drawings.
As shown in
Also referring to
Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
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As shown in
The operation and principle of the reversible changing table 1 of the invention will be depicted with
The reversible changing table 1 is installed on a middle portion of the crib frame 2 through the first and second pivoting assemblies 20 and 30. The reversible changing table 1 is disposed on one end of the crib frame 2 so as to use one surface thereof selectively. When using the reversible changing table 1, the first pivoting assembly 20 is locked, i.e. the button 23 protrudes from the second pivoting portion 222 of the first engaging socket 22 due to the resilient member 24, and the engaging block 233 and the second protruding block 232 of the button 23 are engaged between the protruding ribs 213 of the first pivoting portion 212. Accordingly, the first fixing socket 21 cannot rotate with respect to the first engaging socket 22 and the bracket 10 cannot be rotated with respect to the crib frame 2.
When a user wants to use the other surface of the reversible changing table 1, he or she can press down the button 23 by a force F in a direction indicated by an arrow shown in
Since the reversible changing table 1 of the invention comprises the first and second pivoting assemblies 20, 30 and the bracket 10, which is installed on the crib frame 2 through the first and second pivoting assemblies 20, 30, the bracket 10 is capable of being rotated with respect to the crib frame 2. A first surface and a second surface with different functions can be arranged on opposite sides of the bracket 10 and the bracket 10 can be rotated with respect to the crib frame 2 so as to use the first surface or the second surface selectively. Accordingly, the reversible changing table 1 of the invention occupies less space of the crib such that the space of the crib can be used efficiently. Still further, the reversible changing table 1 of the invention has simple structure and can be used conveniently.
As shown in
The bracket 10 comprises an outer tube 11 and an inner tube 12, wherein the outer tube 11 is slidably connected to the inner tube 12 so as to form the bracket 10. When packaging the bracket 10, the inner tube 12 can slide into the outer tube 11 so as to reduce the volume of the bracket 10. On the other hand, when using the bracket 10 normally, the inner tube 12 can be pulled from the outer tube 11 outwardly.
Specifically, a first connecting end of the inner tube 12 is inserted into a second connecting end of the outer tube 11. In this embodiment, the outer tube 11 is U-shaped and the inner tube 12 is reversed U-shaped such that the outer tube 11 and the inner tube 12 can be connected to each other so as to form the bracket 10. An external diameter of the inner tube 12 is smaller than an internal diameter of the outer tube 11 such that an open side of the inner tube 12 (i.e. both ends of the inner tube 12 due to the reversed U-shape) can be inserted into an open side of the outer tube 11 (i.e. both ends of the outer tube 11 due to the U-shape) and the outer tube 11 and the inner tube 12 can slide with respect to each other.
Preferably, as shown in
For further description, a connecting member 5 is fixed on the second connecting end of the outer tube 11 and comprises a sleeve portion 51, a press portion 52 and a positioning portion 53, wherein the sleeve portion 51 is fixed on an inner wall of the outer tube 11, the inner tube 12 can be inserted into the sleeve portion 51, the press portion 52 is used for pressing the engaging portion 3 so as to disengage the engaging portion 3 from the engaging hole 4, and the positioning portion 53 is used for fixing the connecting member 5 on the outer tube 11. A spring plate 6 is disposed in the first connecting end of the inner tube 12, the engaging portion 3 is located at one end of the spring plate 6 and protrudes from the inner tube 12, and the engaging portion 3 is engaged into the engaging hole 4 by an elastic force generated by the spring plate 6. When the press portion 52 is pressed to disengage the engaging portion 3 form the engaging hole 4, the inner tube 12 can slide into the outer tube 11 rightward, as shown in
Preferably, as shown in
Preferably, the reversible changing table 1 of the invention may further comprise an engaging member 8 fixed on the inner tube 12. A first connecting portion 71 protrudes from the second pivoting assembly 300 (as shown in
Specifically, the engaging member 8 has a sleeve portion 81 and the inner tube 12 can be inserted and fixed into the sleeve portion 81. The second connecting portion 82, which can be engaged with or disengaged from the first connecting portion 71, is formed outside the sleeve portion 81. The first connecting portion 71 can be operated to be engaged with or disengaged from the second connecting portion 82 so as to engage the engaging member 8 with the first and second pivoting assemblies 200, 300 or disengage the engaging member 8 from the first and second pivoting assemblies 200, 300. When the first connecting portion 71 is engaged with the second connecting portion 82 of the engaging member 8, the engaging member 8 is engaged with the first and second pivoting assemblies 200, 300 accordingly. When the first connecting portion 71 is disengaged from the second connecting portion 82 of the engaging member 8, the engaging member 8 is disengaged from the first and second pivoting assemblies 200, 300 accordingly so that the engaging member 8 can be detached from the first and second pivoting assemblies 200, 300. Consequently, the inner tube 12 can be detached from the first and second pivoting assemblies 200, 300 such that the bracket 10 can be detached from the first and second pivoting assemblies 200, 300. In this way, the crib and the reversible changing table thereof can be packaged and transported more conveniently.
In this embodiment, the bracket 10 is rectangular as well as the crib frame 2 such that the outer tube 11 and the inner tube 12 can slide with respect to each other more smoothly. However, the bracket 10 may be formed as other shapes except rectangular in another embodiment.
The structure and arrangement of the reversible changing table 1 of the invention may be also used in other child devices based on practical applications except the crib.
The structure and arrangement of the crib frame 2 of the invention are well known by one skilled in the art and will not be depicted herein.
Compared to the prior art, since the reversible changing table of the invention comprises the pivoting mechanism and the bracket, which is installed on the crib frame through the pivoting mechanism, the bracket is capable of being rotated with respect to the crib frame. Furthermore, the locking mechanism of the pivoting mechanism can be used for preventing the bracket from being rotated with respect to the crib frame. Therefore, a first surface and a second surface with different functions can be arranged on opposite sides of the bracket and the bracket can be rotated with respect to the crib frame so as to use the first surface or the second surface selectively. Accordingly, the reversible changing table of the invention occupies less space of the crib such that the space of the crib can be used efficiently. Still further, the reversible changing table of the invention has simple structure and can be used conveniently.
Moreover, if the bracket comprises an outer tube and an inner tube and the outer tube is slidably connected to the inner tube so as to form the bracket, the inner tube can slide into the outer tube when packaging the bracket so as to reduce the volume of the bracket and reduce package materials of the bracket. Accordingly, the changing table can be packaged and transported more easily and conveniently.
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.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011 2 0320555 U | Aug 2011 | CN | national |
2011 1 0429206 | Dec 2011 | CN | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20130047335 A1 | Feb 2013 | US |