Patent Application
20140047639
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a crib, and more particularly, to a crib which is foldable and expandable by one hand only.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
The conventional crib is disclosed in Taiwan Utility Model No. M382780 and comprises a joint connected at the center of each side of the top frame, and the joints allow the crib to be folded.
Another conventional crib is disclosed in Taiwan Utility Model No. M345539 which is similar to the above mentioned crib and comprises a joint connected at the center of each side of the top frame, and the joints allow the crib to be folded.
However, because the cribs are folded by pulling the bottom unit upward to fold the bottom frame, and then the four sides of the top frame are folded and moved toward each other. The pad put on the bottom frame has to be removed before folding the crib. When the crib is expanded again, the pad is put on the bottom frame, and this is inconvenient for the users. Furthermore, the joints have to be unlocked one by one when folding the crib and the folding action cannot be completed by single hand.
The present invention intends to provide a crib which can be folded by using one hand.
The present invention relates to a crib and comprises two side frames and each side frame has two parallel transverse tubes and two connection tubes are connected to two respective first ends of the two transverse tubes. Two parallel upright tubes support the transverse tubes and the connection tubes. Two respective second ends of the two transverse tubes of the two side frames are connected with two respective joints. A folding unit is connected to one of the side frames and the folding unit is connected to the two joints by two links.
Preferably, the two transverse tubes and the connection tube of each of the two side frames form a U-shaped top portion. The two upright tubes are pivotably and respectively connected to two ends of the connection tube of the top portion.
Preferably, the two transverse tubes and the connection tube of one of the two side frames form a U-shaped top portion. The two upright tubes are pivotably and respectively connected to two ends of the connection tube of the top portion. The two transverse tubes and the connection tube of the other one of the two side frames form a U-shaped side portion. The two transverse tubes are pivotably and respectively connected to two ends of the connection tube of the side portion.
Preferably, each of the joints comprises a base having a connection section, and two side panels extend from two ends of the connection section. A space is defined between the two side panels. Two operation units are located in the space and are respectively and pivotably connected to the two side panels by two first pins. The operation units each have a support section extending from a first direction. The operation units each have a contact section extending from a second direction. The two contact sections are engaged with each other. A pivot is connected to the contact section of one of the operation units. An elongate hole is defined through the contact section of the other one of the operation units. The pivot pivotably extends through the elongate hole. A pressing section extends from a third direction of each of the two operation units. A resilient member is connected between the two support sections of the two operation units. Two end members are respectively connected to two respective second ends of the two transverse tubes. Each end member has a slot which is engaged with the support section of the operation unit corresponding thereto. A second pin extends through the side panels, the second ends of the transverse tubes and the end member.
Preferably, the folding unit comprises an end bar and two plates are pivotably connected to the end bar. The two links are pivotably connected to the two plates. The end bar has a button which is located at lower ends of the two plates. When pressing the folding unit, the joints are unlocked by the links so as to move the two side frames toward each other.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
Each of the side frames 1 has two parallel transverse tubes 11 and two connection tubes 12 are connected to two respective first ends 111 of the two transverse tubes 11. Two parallel upright tubes 13 support the transverse, tubes 11 and the connection tubes 12. Two respective second ends 112 of the two transverse tubes 11 of the two side frames 1 are connected with the two respective joints 2. The folding unit 3 is connected to one of the side frames 1 and the folding unit 3 is connected to the two joints 2 by two links 4. The crib can be folded, as shown in
The two transverse tubes 11 and the connection tube 12 of each of the two side frames 1 form a U-shaped top portion “A”. The two upright tubes 13 are pivotably and respectively connected to two ends of the connection tube 12 of the top portion “A”. A restriction unit 14 is connected between the transverse tube 11 and the upright tube 13 as shown in
As shown in
In the embodiment as shown in
A bottom frame 5 is connected between the upright tubes 13 and comprises multiple U-shaped tubes 51. Each of the U-shaped tubes 51 has outer ends 511 connected to the upright tubes 13, and each of the U-shaped tubes 51 has an inner end 512 connected to a bottom unit 52.
As shown in
The two operation units 22 are located in the space 213 and are respectively and pivotably connected to the two side panels 212 by two first pins 221. The operation units 22 each have a support section 222 extending from the first direction “M”. A protrusion 223 extends from the top end of the support section 222. The support section 222 has a boss 224 extending from the top end thereof and the boss 224 extends toward the second direction “N”. The operation units 22 each have a contact section 225 extending from the second direction “N”. The two contact sections 225 are engaged with each other. A pivot 226 is connected to the contact section 225 of one of the operation units 22, and an elongate hole 227 is defined through the contact section 225 of the other one of the operation units 22. The pivot 226 pivotably extends through the elongate hole 227. A pressing section 228 extends from the third direction “O” of each of the two operation units 22. The resilient member 23 is connected between the two support sections 222 of the two operation units 22. The two end members 24 are respectively connected to two respective second ends 112 of the two transverse tubes 11. Each end member 24 has a slot 241 which is engaged with the support section 222 of the operation unit 22 corresponding thereto. Furthermore a groove 242 is concavely formed on the slot 241 to be engaged with the protrusion 223. A second pin 243 extends through the side panels 212, the second ends 112 of the transverse tubes 11 and the end member 24. The base 21 is pivotably connected to the transverse tubes 11 and the end member 24 is secured in the second end 112 of the transverse tube 11.
As shown in
When folding the crib, by pressing the button 33 which pushes the lower ends of the two plates 32 so that the two plates 32 are pivoted toward each other about the end bars 31. The links 4 drive the operation unit 22 located at the joint 2 so that the operation unit 22 is pivoted toward the first direction “M” about the first pin 221 and the other operation unit 22 is driven by the contact section 225 and also pivoted about the first pin 221 and toward the first direction “M”. The two support sections 222 of the operation unit 22 do not support the second ends 112 of the transverse tubes 11 so that the joints 2 are unlocked.
Preferably, the pressing section 228 of each of the operation units 22 has a hook 229 formed in the first direction “M” as shown in
While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
