Patent Application
20250151926
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The disclosure relates to changing tables and more particularly pertains to a new changing table for folding and porting, allowing a user to transport items within the changing table while folded.
The prior art relates to changing tables. Parents of infants and toddlers use changing tables regularly. The prior art discloses changing tables for use in a stationary location, such as in the home or in a public restroom. For example, some changing tables for use in the home include padded surfaces so that the table can be used as a crib when the child is napping. Other changing tables have collapsible frames that hold a pad or sheet on which the child is placed while the child is being changed. Portability of infant care accessories is an increasingly important consideration among consumers. When the parent is not at home, it is important to have a safe, clean area to change the diaper of the infant or toddler. Such parents typically carry numerous items with them for the child, including extra diapers, toys, clothes, wipes, bottles, and other accessories. Thus, there is a need in the art for a changing table that can be easily transported, along with all of the other items and accessories, when the parent and child are outside of the home.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a platform having a base wall and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the base wall. The base wall has a top side and a bottom side. The platform includes a first section that is pivotably coupled to a second section. The first and second sections pivot together into a folded configuration wherein the peripheral wall on the first section contacts the peripheral wall on the second section. A central hinge pivotably couples the first section to the second section. The central hinge is positioned at a junction between the first section and the second section. A plurality of legs is removably coupled to the platform. The plurality of legs is configured to support the platform above a ground surface. Each leg of the plurality of legs is pivotably coupled to the bottom side of the base wall whereby each of the plurality of legs pivots upwardly toward the bottom side of the base wall.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The platform 12 generally also includes a first section 30 that is pivotably coupled to a second section 32. The first 30 and second 32 sections pivot together into a folded configuration wherein an upper edge of the peripheral wall 16 on the first section 30 contacts an upper edge of the peripheral wall 16 on the second section 32 to define an interior area. The interior area is configured to provide storage when the platform 12 is in the folded configuration, for example for storage and transport of diapers, wipes, toys, or other items that a user and their child may need.
A central hinge 34 pivotably couples the first section 30 to the second section 32. The central hinge 34 is positioned at a junction between the first section 30 and the second section 34. For example the central hinge 34 may comprise a first hinge portion 36 that is positioned on an upper edge of the first lateral side 26 and a second hinge portion 38 that is positioned on an upper edge of the second lateral side 38.
A plurality of legs 40 are coupled to the platform 12. The plurality of legs 40 is configured to support the platform 12 above a ground surface when a child 90 is resting on the platform 12, as shown in
Each leg of the plurality of legs 40 may include a first shaft 42 that is telescopically coupled to a second shaft 44. The second shaft 44 is nested within the first shaft 42 such that the second shaft 44 is extendable relative to the first shaft 42. A foot 46 is coupled to the second shaft 44. The foot 46 is configured to stabilize a respective one of the plurality of legs 40 on the ground surface. A retainer 48 is engaged with the first 42 and second 44 shafts to releasably secure the first 42 and second 44 shafts at a selected position relative to each other. For example, the retainer 48 may comprise a detent 50 mounted on the first shaft 42 and extending through one of a plurality of aligned apertures 52 extending through the second shaft 44.
Each of the plurality of legs 40 may be pivotably coupled to the bottom side 20 of the base wall 14 whereby each of the plurality of legs 40 pivots upwardly toward the bottom side 20 of the base wall 14. Each leg of the plurality of legs 40 may thus include a pair of arms 70 is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of legs 40. The pair of arms 70 may be spaced from each other defining a channel 74. A leg fastener 76 may be coupled to the pair of arms 70 that extends through the channel 74. The pair of arms 72 pivots around the leg fastener 76 whereby the respective one of the plurality of legs 40 pivots upwardly toward the platform 12.
In some embodiments, the plurality of legs 40 may be removably coupled to the platform 12. Such embodiments include a plurality of couplers 54. Each of the plurality of couplers 54 releasably couples an associated one of the plurality of legs 40 to the platform 12.
For example, each of the plurality of couplers 54 may comprise a receiver 56 that is coupled to a top end of each of the plurality of legs 40. The receiver 56 has a first lateral wall 58 and a second lateral wall 60 defining an inner space. A catch 64 is coupled to the receiver 56 and positioned within the inner space 62. The catch 64 is retractable into the inner space 62 of the receiver 56 to release the associated one of the plurality of legs 40 from the platform 12. The receiver 56 has a receiver hole 66 therein. The catch 64 extends through the receiver hole 66 from the inner space 62 to engage the associated one of the plurality of legs 40 with the platform 12. The catch 64 is retractable to be positioned within the inner space 62 and outside the receiver hole 66 whereby the associated one of the plurality of legs 40 is movable relative to the receiver 56. An attachment 68 is configured to releasably engage the receiver 56. The attachment 68 may be coupled to the bottom side 20 of the base wall 14. The attachment 68 has an attachment hole 70 therein. The receiver 56 slidably engages the attachment 68 such that the receiver hole 66 is aligned with the attachment hole 70 when the associated one of the plurality of legs 40 is coupled to the platform 12, the catch 64 extending outwardly from the receiver hole 66 and the attachment hole 70 thereby coupling the associated one of the plurality of legs 40 to the platform 12.
A grip 78 may be coupled to an exterior surface of the peripheral wall 16. The grip 78 is configured to facilitate a user in carrying the platform 12 by hand when the platform 12 is in the folded configuration. The grip 78 may be positioned on the front side 22 of the peripheral wall 16.
A shoulder strap 80 may be coupled to the exterior surface of the peripheral wall 16. The shoulder strap 80 is configured to facilitate the user in carrying the platform 12 over a shoulder when the platform 12 is in the folded configuration. The shoulder strap 80 may be coupled to each of the first 26 and second 28 lateral sides of the peripheral wall 16 and may extend over the front side 22 of the peripheral wall 16.
A safety strap 82 may be coupled to the platform 12. The safety strap 82 extends across the top side 18 of the base wall 14. The safety strap 82 may have a break therein to define a first end 84 and a second end 86. The safety strap 82 may comprise a flexible material. The safety strap 82 may be coupled to an interior surface of the first 26 and second 28 lateral sides of the peripheral wall 16. A strap fastener 88 may be attached to the safety strap 82 that is configured to releasably secure the first end 84 to the second end 86.
In use, the child 90 can be positioned on the platform 12 and secured with the safety strap 82 for changing. When finished, the child 90 can be removed from the platform 12 by disconnecting the strap fastener 88. The platform 12 can then be folded by pivoting the first 30 and second 32 sections together. This folded configuration is shown in
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
