AU769609B2 - Frame of a foldable baby bed - Google Patents

Description

S F Ref: 474516

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICAION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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5555 Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Top Fortune Ltd.

No. 7815, Silverton Avenue San Diego California 92126 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Ying-Hsiung Cheng Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Invention Title: Frame of a Foldable Baby Bed The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- I All &Ocul \l 5845 ~Io~i~ ZJC2 .~2Ir~!CN'y'r~vJ~. ~7~V FRAME OF A FOLDABLE BABY BED BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a frame of a foldable baby bed, which can be folded to a smaller size for storage.

Referring to Fig. 15, a heretofore known frame of a foldable bed comprises an upper frame 10, four supporting rods 30 and a base 90 as the main parts.

oo The upper frame 10 consists of lateral rods 101 connected with corner :i connectors 20 and joints Referring to Figs. 18 and 19, each of the joints 80 comprises a main body 801, auxiliary parts 802, a pressing part 803 and two confining plates *.804 as the main parts.

The main body 801 has two side plates 8011 and an intermediate portion S. 8014. Each of the side plates 8011 has an upper and a lower locating holes 8012 and 8013. The intermediate portion 8014 has an engaging hole 8015 having engaging edges 8016 protruding downwards therefrom. A spring 8017 is connected to the engaging edges 8016.

The auxiliary parts 802 each has holes 8021 and a locating hole 8023.

Lateral rods 101 of the foldable bed are coupled to the auxiliary parts 802 with locating pins 8022 inserted into the lateral rods 101 and the holes 8021. The locating pins 8022, as shown in Fig. 18, are also inserted through the upper locating holes 8012 of the main body 801 such that the lateral rods 101 and the auxiliary parts 802 can pivot on the main body 801. The 'U~?lh r'l~~~r~ur w~~~:~"'W1011u locating holes 8023 of the auxiliary parts 802 are each connected with a locating pin 8024.

The pressing part 803 has two guide channels 8031, two tecesses 8032, a through hole 8033 and a holding hole 8034.

Confining plates 804 each has curved guide portions 8041, hooked portions 8042 and a hole 8043. The confining plates 804 are held by the recesses 8032 of the pressing part 803; a fixing pin 8044 is inserted into the holes 8043 and 8033 to fix the confining plates 804 to the pressing part 803.

10 The pressing part 803 is movable fitted to the main body 801 with locating pins 8018 passed through the guide channels 8031, and the lower locating holes 8013. The holding hole 8034 holds a lower end of the spring 8017 when the pressing part 803 is fitted to the main body 801.

Furthermore, each of the locating holes 8023 of the auxiliary parts 802 has a locating pin 8024 inserted therein.

Whereby, the auxiliary parts 802 can pivot on the main body 801 for the bed to be folded when the pressing part 803 is pressed upwards to disengage the locating pins 8024 from the hooked portions 8042 of the confining plates 804.

Referring to Figs. 15, 16 and 17, the base 90 comprises a connecting rod combination 50, supporting members 60 and movable members 70 as the main parts.

The connecting rod combination 50 consists of straight rods 501 and bent rods 502. The straight rods 501 are respectively pivoted to the bent rods 502. The rods 501 and 502 each has an elongated hole 5011, 5021 at ~ruuaw n st uio~I'll I IMAMWAu~~~ inner ends thereof. Stationary supports 504 are connected to the rods 501 and 502 for supporting them at the position where the rods 501 and 502 are pivoted to each other. The stationary supports 504 each has a curved recess 5041 for the corresponding bent rod 502 to be located thereon, and a through hole 5042 for receiving a bolt used to pivot the rods 501 to the corresponding rod 502. Each of the stationary supports 504 further has a supporting leg 5043.

Each of inner ends of the rods 501 and 502 is connected with a connecting member 503; the connecting members 503 each has a tube part 5031 having 10 a through hole 5032, and a connecting tube 5033 having a sloped locating surface 5034 and a through hole 5035.

The supporting members 60 each has two opposing gaps 601, a hole 602, a supporting leg 605 and a locating trench 606. The supporting legs 605 are arranged under transverse rods 604; holes 607 are provided on the transverse rods 604 into order for a bolt 608 to pass therethrough to pivot one of the transverse rods 604 to the other.

The movable members 70 each has a C-shaped gap 701 at one end, and a platform portion 702 at the opposing end; the platform portions 702 each has a supporting leg 703 thereunder.

In combination, the connecting plate parts 5033 of the connecting members 503 are passed into and, by means of a bolt, pivoted to a respective one of the gaps 601 of the supporting members 60. The inner ends of the rods 501, 502 are each passed into a respective one of the connecting members 503. A bolt for a pivotal connection pivots the through hole 5032 and an elongated hole 5021.

A bolt 608 is passed through the through holes 607 of the transverse rods 604 for pivotally connecting the transverse rods 604; washers 609, 600 are used on the holes 607 before the bolt 608 is passed into the holes 607. Furthermore, the movable members 70 are pivoted to the supporting members 60 by connecting the C-shaped gaps 701 to a respective one of the annular recesses 603 of the supporting members It is found that the prior art frame of a foldable bed has undesirable features as follows.

1. The base has a relatively complicated structure, costing relatively 10 much time and labor in assembling and manufacturing. Consequently, the cost of the frame is very high.

2. The joint has relatively many components. And, in assembling the joint, the lateral rods have to be coupled to the auxiliary parts, and the confining plates have to be coupled to the pressing parts before same are fitted to the main body, costing relatively much time and labor.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a frame of a foldable body bed which has relatively uncomplicated structure, and can be assembled easily.

The frame of a foldable bed of the present invention comprises an upper frame, four supporting rods and a base as the main parts.

The upper frame consists of lateral rods connected with corner W^VW!BSSS''Wii^WmaiaaW SttmaWnW~iSS~i connectors and joints.

Each of the joints comprises: a main body having two sides plates and an intermediate curved portion connecting the side plates the intermediate portion having two downwardly extending stopping plates; a pressing block slidably fitted to the main body between the side plates; the pressing block having a round hole on a top receiving a spring for biasing the pressing block downwards, the pressing block having two .i engaging trenches on two sides thereof; 10 two supporting members respectively have a curved portion, an elastic o• plate, and an engaging protrusion; the supporting members being pivoted to the main body with the elastic plates located between the stopping plates of the main body, the engaging protrusions being capable of engaging a respective one of the engaging trenches for locating the supporting members at a first position; two lateral rods of the foldable bed being pivoted to the main body with inner ends contacting a respective curved portions of the supporting members when the supporting members are located at the first position; the pressing block being pressed upwards to disengage the engaging trenches from the engaging protrusions for the supporting members to become pivotable on the main body; Whereby the inner ends of the lateral rods can move away from the curved portions and the lateral rods can pivot on the main body for the upper frame to be folded.

The joints of a foldable bed of the present invention has only four ~r-?ij~iA h niw:ii r~ ir1, A'~J ff~ main components, i.e. the main body, the supporting members and the pressing block, so it can be assembled relatively easily.

The base comprises: a connecting rod combination consisting of four connecting rods; a middle member having a supporting pole, two hollows at two sides of the supporting pole, second connecting protrusions at two ends of the middle member, and first connecting protrusions between the hollows and the second connecting protrusions; springs being received in the hollow; i a first pivotal rod having a curved recess at an outer end thereof; the first pivotal rod being pivoted to one of the first connecting protrusions from a middle part thereof; the first pivotal rod further having a locating block at an inner end, passed into the corresponding one of springs in the hollows; ha second pivotal rod having a curved recess at an outer end thereof; the second pivotal rod being pivoted to the other first connecting protrusions from a middle part, and being biased downwards by the other spring of the hollow at an inner end; the inner end of the first pivotal rod being pivoted to the inner end of the second pivotal rod, and connected with a belt such that the inner end of the rods can be lifted to pivot the rods by pulling the belt; two turning members each having a rod part pivot a respective one of the second connecting protrusions; the connecting rods being pivoted to the turning members; the rod parts each having two stopping elements opposing each other; the upper ones of the stopping elements are located adjacent to a wall of the middle member between the second connecting protrusions to stop the rod parts from turning inwardly; the lower ones of the stopping elements being each located in a respective one of curved recesses on the outer ends of the first and the second rods when the belt is not pulled, stopping the rod parts of the turning members from turning when the foldable bed is stretched to an in-use position.

The base has fewer components than the prior art one. Therefore, the manufacturing cost is lower, and the assembling labor is less.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a view of a frame of a foldable baby bed of the present invention.

15 Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a joint of the frame in Fig.

1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the joint in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a base of the frame in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the base of the frame in Fig.

1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the base in Fig. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the base in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is another cross-sectional view of the base in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the joint of the present invention under a ul ri r~il"I 1 U first step of folding movement.

Fig. 10 is a view showing the joint of the present invention under a second step of folding movement.

Fig. 11 is a view showing the joint of third step of folding movement.

Fig. 12 is a view showing the joint of t folding action is completed.

Fig. 13 is a view showing the base of t first step of the folding movement.

.0 Fig. 14 is a view showing the base of t second step of the folding movement.

the present invention under a :he present invention when the he present invention, under a he present invention, under a Fig. 15 Background.

is a prior art frame of a foldable bed according to the Fig. 16 is an exploded view of a base of the foldable bed in Fig. Fig. 17 is a top view of the base in Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a joint of the foldable bed in Fig. Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the joint in Fig. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fig. 1, a frame of a foldable bed of the present invention comprises an upper frame 1, four supporting rods 31 and a base 4 as the main parts.

The upper frame 1 consists of four lateral rods 11 connected with corner Ai ~N r uIrthi u 1. wlu Y gNiiiJ~! i ~W" connectors 3 and joints 2 fitted to the middle portion of a respective one of lateral rods 11.

The joints 2 each comprises a main body 21, a pressing block 22 and two supporting members 23.

The main body 21 has two side plates 211, 212 and a curved intermediate portion 213. The side plates 211, 212 each has two locating holes 2111, 2121 and two connecting holes 2112, 2122. The connecting holes 2112 are arranged at two sides of the upper one of the locating hole 2111. The connecting holes 2122 are higher than the locating holes 2111. The 10 connecting holes 2122 are also arranged on two sides of the upper one of the locating hole 2121 at a higher position than same.

The intermediate portion 213 has two stopping plates 2132 extending downwards.

a Each of the side plates 211, 212 further has pivotal holes 2113, 2123.

The pressing block 22 has an elongated hole 221, two engaging trenches 222 and a round hole 223. A spring 224 is mounted on the round hole 223 at a lower end thereof.

The supporting members 23 each has a through hole 231, an engaging protrusion 232, an elastic plate 233 and a curved portion 234.

In combination, the pressing block 22 is movably received within the main body 21 with two locating rivets passed through the elongated hole 221 of the block 22, and the locating holes 2111, 2121 of the main body 21. The spring 224 is positioned between the stopping plates 2132 under the intermediate portion 213 such that the pressing block 22 is biased upwards by the same.

n Wr~iY~n12nh.~ '~2 The supporting members 23 are eachpivoted to the connecting holes 2112, 2122 of the main body 21 by a connecting pin 215; the connecting pin 215 is passed through the through hole 231 of the supporting members 23, and the connecting holes 2112, 2122. The engaging protrusions 232 of the supporting members 23 will each disengagably engage a respective one of the engaging trenches 222 of the pressing block 22 to locate the supporting members 23 at a first position. And, the elastic plates 233 of the supporting members 23 will be located between the stopping plates 2132 of go the main body 21.

S. 10 The main body 21 is further connected to lateral rods 11 of the frame of the foldable bed by using pivoting pins 216 on the pivotal holes 2113, 2123, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus, the lateral rods 11 can pivot on the main body 21. The lateral rods 11 will each contact and depress a respective ."one of the curved portions 234 of the supporting members 23 at inner ends thereof due to gravity when the supporting members 23 are located at the first position.

To fold the upper frame, the joint is lifted upwards, as shown in Fig.

9, for the inner ends of the lateral rods 11 to move away from the curved portions 234 of the supporting members 23. Thus, the pressing block 22 can be pressed upwards. Referring to Fig. 10, when the pressing block 22 is pressed upwards, the supporting members 23 are pivoted, and finally the engaging protrusions 232 will be disengaged from the engaging trenches 222 of the pressing block 22. The elastic plates 233 are stopped by the stopping plates 2132 of the main body 21 to confine the pivotal movement of the supporting members 23. Thus, the joint can be depressed fro the i*i'CILlauuiU I-rrjp~l lateral rods 11 of the foldable bed to be pivoted on the main body 21 as shown in Fig. 11.

When the pressing block 22 is released, it will be biased downwards by the spring 224 to move to the original position as shown in Fig. 12.

To stretch the upper frame, the joint is lifted upwards for the inner ends of the lateral rods 11 to move over the supporting members 23, and rest on the curved portions 234 of the supporting members 23.

S. When the inner ends of the lateral rods 11 press the curved portions ee 234 of the supporting members 23 due to gravity, the engaging protrusions S7. 10 232 will engage the engaging trenches 222 firmly, and cannot separate from the same, preventing the bed from being unwarily folded in case the pressing block 22 is pressed accidentally.

The base 4 comprises a connecting rod combination 41, a middle member 42, a first pivotal rod 43, a second pivotal rod 44 and two turning members 45 as the main parts.

.i The connecting rod combination 41 includes four connecting rods 411 and two supporting rods 412 each connected to a connecting rod 411 in an opposite position. Each end of four connecting rods 411 is connected to connecting parts 453 of turning members 45 and has the other end connected to a respective leg 32 at lower end portions of the supporting rods 31.

The supporting rods 412 are provided for supporting the bed base from the ground.

The middle member 42 has a supporting pole 421, two hollows 422 at two sides of the supporting pole 421, first connecting protrusions 424, and second connecting protrusions 425 at outer ends thereof. The hollows 422 Q QJQ J i I I IWOMMMWO I I'll, 11 M, I 1nlNi'li.l i -1 1iirr~ hul~wf l 1. I'll each has a spring 423 received therein. The supporting pole 421 is provided for supporting the bed base from the ground. Each of the first and the second connecting protrusions 424 and 425 has a through hole 4241, 4251.

The middle member 42 further has an elongated hole 427. Gaps 426 are formed between the adjacent ones of the connecting protrusions 425 of the middle part. Each of the gaps 426 has a wall (not numbered).

Referring specifically to Fig. 4, the first pivotal rods 43 has a curved recess 431 at outer end thereof, and has two connecting protrusions 432 0. opposing each other at a middle portion thereof. Each of the connecting 10 protrusions 432 has a through hole 4321. The first pivotal rod 43 further has a locating block 433 at an inner end and a plate part 434 having an elongated hole 4341. A pivotal hole 4342 is provided above the elongated hole 4341 on the plate part 434.

The second pivotal rod44 has a curved recess 441 at an outer end thereof, and has two connecting protrusions 442 opposing each other. Each of the connecting protrusions 442 has a through hole 4421. The second pivotal rod further has a locating block 443 at an inner end, and a plate part 444 having a pivotal hole 4441.

Referring specifically to Fig. 5, the turning members 45 each includes a rod part 451, two connecting parts 453, a stopping block 454 and a stopping element 456. Fixing elements 452 are used to connect two ends of the rod part 451 to the connecting parts 453. The stopping blocks 454 and the stopping elements 456 are fixed on two sides of the rod part 451 by means of fixing elements 455 passed through a hole 4541 of the stopping block 454, a through hole 4511 of the rod part 451 and the stopping element 456.

rru~i*u~Fuil*~ai~ia.~*i~~;l~mi~u~~n*oa~ In combination, the springs 423 are positioned in the hollows 422 of the middle member 42. The first pivotal rod 43 is pivoted to the middle member 42 by inserting a pivotal revet 6 into the through holes 4321 of the first pivotal rods 43 and the through holes 4241 of the first connecting protrusions 424of the middle member 42 with the locating block 433 inserted into a lower end portion of the corresponding spring 423 of the middlemember 42 for the springs 423 to bias the inner ends of the pivotal rods 43,44 downwardly. The second pivotal rod 44 is pivoted to the middle member 42 by inserting another pivotal rivet 6 into the through holes 4421 and 4241 10 with the locating block 443 inserted into a lower end portion of the corresponding spring 423 in the middle member 42. Next, a pivotal rivet 8 is inserted into the pivotal holes 4441 of the first and the second pivotal rods to pivot the second pivotal rod 44 to the first one 43. A belt 7 is passed through the elongated holes 427 and 4341, and connected to the first pivotal rod 43 such that a user can pull the belt 7 to control the position of the first pivotal rod 43. Then, the rod parts 451 of the turning members are inserted into the through holes 4251 of the connecting protrusions 425 of the middle member 42 with the stopping blocks 454, and the stopping elements 456 located adjacent to the walls of the gaps 426 of the middle member 42, and the curved recesses 431, 441 of the pivotal rods 43, 44 respectively. Then, the connecting parts 453 are connected to two ends of the rod parts 451 by means of the fixing elements 452. And, the connecting rods 411 of the connecting rod combination 41 are each pivoted to a corresponding one of the connecting parts 453.

When the foldable baby bed is stretched to an in-use position, the i~ u Ma ~uld r stopping blocks 454 and the stopping elements 456 contact the walls of the gaps 426, and the curved recesses 431, 441 of the pivotal rods 43,44 respectively, prevent the rod parts 451 of the turning members 45 from turning, firmly locating the related parts in an unfolded in-use position.

To fold the base from an in-use position to a folded not-in-use position, referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the belt 7 is pulled upwards to pivot the pivotal rods 43 and 44 on the middle member 42, moving the curved recesses 431, 441 of the pivotal rods away from the stopping elements 456 of the turning members 45. Thus, the rod members 451 of the turning members 45 are no longer stopped from turning. Therefore, a user can turn .the turning members 45, and pivot the connecting rods 411 on the turning members to fold the base.

From the above description, it can be understood that the frame of a foldable baby bed of the present invention has desirable features as follows.

1. Comprising a main body, a pressing block, two supporting members and a few pins, the joint of the present invention has fewer parts than the prior art one of the Background.

2. The joint can be assembled relatively easily because the lateral rods and the supporting members are directly fitted to the main body by locating pins.

3. The base has fewer components than the prior art one. Therefore, the manufacturing cost is lower and assembling is easiler.

4. The stopping element and the stopping block of the turning member are stopped from moving by the curved recess, and the wall of the I 1 gap of the middle member, preventing the bed, after unfolded, from being unwarily folded.

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Claims (3)

1. A frame of a foldable baby bed, comprising an upper frame having four lateral rods connected by four corner connectors; four joints each having a main body having two side plates connected by an intermediate curved portion thereof, said intermediate portion having two downwardly extending stopping plate; 10 (ii) a pressing block slidably fitted to said main body between said two side plates, said pressing block being biased downwardly by a spring connected to a top portion thereof, said pressing block having two engaging trenches on two sides thereof, (iii) two supporting members each having a curved portion, an elastic plate and an engaging protrusion; said supporting members being pivoted to said main body at two sides of said pressing block, said elastic plates being located between said stopping plates of said main body for fining pivotal movement of said supporting members; said engaging protrusions being capable of moving between a first position where same engages a respective one of said engaging trenches, and a second position where same separates from said engaging trenches on pushing said pressing block upwardly, four supporting rods each connected to a respective one of said ~~or~olmi~~-~wnxl~ns~:~iy~uPu;u~~ur~i~cr corner connectors, said supporting rods each having a leg at a lower end thereof; said lateral rods being each pivoted to a respective one of said joints from a middle portion thereof, said lateral rods having inner ends each engaging a respective one of said curved portions when said engaging protrusions are located on said first position, said curved portions stopping said lateral rods from pivoting on said main bodies of said joints when said upper frame is stretched to an in-use open position, and said curved portions being moved away from said lateral rod inner ends on pushing said o 10 pressing block upwardly, to disengage said engaging protrusions from said trenches, permitting said lateral rods to be pivoted on said joint for folding said upper frame, a base having a connecting rod combination including four connecting rods, said connecting rods being each connected to a respective one of said legs of said supporting rods from outer ends thereof, a middle member having a supporting pole, two hollows at two sides of said supporting pole, first connecting protrusions, and second connecting protrusions; said supporting pole being provided for supporting said base from a ground; said middle member having an elongated hole, a first and a second pivotal rod each having a curved recess at an outer end thereof, said first and said second pivotal rods being pivoted to a respective one of said first connecting protrusions from middle portions thereof; said first pivotal Ka 77'~tk ~AJb rod being pivoted to said second pivotal rod, and connected to a belt passed through said elongated hole of said middle member for pivoting both said first and said second pivotal rods on said first connecting protrusions on pulling said belt; said first and said second pivotal rods each having an inner end biased downwardly by a respective spring received in said hollows of said middle member; two turning members each having a rod past turnably passed into o a respective one of said second connecting protrusions of said 10 middle member; said connecting rods being each pivoted to a respective end of said rod parts; said rod parts each having a first and a second stopping elements opposing each other; said first stopping elements being capable of being located at a first position, adjacent to a respective one of two sides of said middle member with said second stopping elements a.o engaging a respective one of said curved recesses of said first and said second pivotal rods for preventing said rod parts from turning; said second stopping elements being capable of disengaging from said curved recesses, permitting said rod parts to turn in said second connecting protrusions on pulling said belt to pivot said first and said second pivotal rods on said first connecting protrusions for moving said curved recesses; whereby said foldable bed can be folded to not-in-use position by folding said upper frame from said joints, and by folding uum~n~s*lu~ umiiriwhn~~n~, u uni~~rir*~~ik~iu~~%~~~IH~~ild~ 19 said base.

2. The frame of a foldable baby bed as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said connecting rod combination further has supporting rods each connected to a respective one of said connecting rods for supporting same from a ground. o ~~mrr~*vnulnw~i~4irox~~~~l~~,~ur~rlmu~ ~3r~ij~r~~ll .hmrr lun;hlmwl"'.il~ ialgl.:llp.l.

3. A frame of a foldable baby bed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 14 of the accompanying drawings. Dated 2 August, 1999 Top Fortune Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON [R:\LIBLL]08171 Idc MFF