US20050246835A1

US20050246835A1 - Adjustable cribs

Info

Publication number: US20050246835A1
Application number: US10/841,495
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin-Chuan Tu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-05-10
Filing date: 2004-05-10
Publication date: 2005-11-10

Abstract

An adjustable crib includes a base and a bed frame which is connected to the base. A tilting device is connected to the base and able to title the head end of the bed frame so that the head of the baby can be located slight higher than the stomach. A rotating device is connected to the base and able to rotate the bed frame, such that the left side of the baby's body is higher than the right side of the body. The specific adjustment of the crib effectively prevents the baby from throwing up after having milk.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a crib including a tilting device and a rotating device for respectively tilting and rotating the bed frame such that the baby can be arranged in a specific pose for avoiding from throwing up.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional baby bed simply includes a headboard, a footboard, two rails and a bed frame which connected between the headboard and the footboard. The two rails prevent the baby from dropping from the crib. A pad or a mattress is put on the bed frame which is arranged horizontally and the baby lies on the pad with a pillow for supporting the baby's head. Applicant's former invention for supporting baby's head is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,526 which discloses a head forming cot. However, the former invention only provide an ideal support to the head, after the baby had milk, the parents usually pet the back of the baby and try to release the air in the stomach. The purpose of petting is to reduce the possibility of throwing up of the milk. Nevertheless, because the milk is liquid and the baby cannot sit or stand so that the liquid food tends to flow back through the esophagus and this sometimes is dangerous for the baby. A lot of air enters the stomach during having milk so that the pressure in the stomach is increased and the baby's cardiac sphincter is not strong enough to prevent the flowing of the milk from the stomach. Therefore, the baby is suffered by the throwing of milk when the baby lies horizontally in the crib. Ideally, if the head of the baby is arranged to be slightly higher than the stomach, and because the stomach is located at the left side of the baby's body, so that if the left side of the baby lies slightly higher than the right side of the baby, the food in the stomach easily enters the duodenum which is located at the right side of the baby.
The present invention intends to provide an adjustable crib which includes a tilting device for raising the head end of the bed frame and a rotating device which rotates the left side of bed frame to be higher than the right side.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adjustable crib that comprises a base and a bed frame connected to the base. A tilting device is connected to the base so as to raise an end of the bed frame. A rotating device is connected to the base and rotates the bed frame. So as to prevents the baby from throwing up after having milk.
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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front side view to show the adjustable crib of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a rear side view of the adjustable crib of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an end view the adjustable crib of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an illustrative view to show the control circuit for the electric motor used in the adjustable crib of the present invention, and
FIG. 5 shows that one end of the bed frame is raised by the titling device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the adjustable crib of the present invention comprises a base 10 and a bed frame 20 which is connected to the base 10 and can be rotatable about an axle 11 relative to the base 10. The bed frame 20 may include fastening members 70 connected to two sides of the bed frame 20. The fastening members 70 can be belts so as to position baby in the bed frame 20.
A tilting device 30 includes a titling mechanism 31 and is connected to an end of the base 10 and able to pitch the bed frame 20, i.e. able to raise the front end of the bed frame 20. The tilting device 30 maybe has many embodiments for raising the bed frame 20, and may be manual or automatic. In an embodiment of the present invention for an automatic way, the tilting mechanism 31 includes an electric motor 32 which is fixed to the base 10 and drives first and second pushing rods 33, 330 to extend relative to the base 10 so as to raise an end of the bed frame 20. The first and second pushing rods 33, 330 are located at two sides of the end of the bed frame 20 and are respectively and movably guided by first and second rails 35, 350 which ensure the first and second pushing rods 33, 330 to extend smoothly. The first and second pushing rods 35, 350 have first and second racks 36, 360 respectively connected thereto. A first passive gear 37 and a second passive gear 370 are respectively connected to the base 10 and engaged with the first and second racks 36, 360. A shaft 38 is connected between the first and second passive gears 37, 370. The electric motor 32 has an output shaft 320 and an active gear 34 is connected to the output shaft 320. The active gear 34 is engaged with the first passive gear 37 so that the electric motor 32 drives first passive gear 37 directly and the second passive gear 370 indirectly via the shaft 38. The first and second passive gears 37, 370 are rotated so as to move the first and second racks 36, 360 which extend the first and second pushing rods 33 330 so that an end of the bed frame 20 can be raised as shown in FIG. 5. Two casters 39, 390 (FIG. 3) are respectively connected to the first and second pushing rods 33, 330 for convenience of moving the crib.
Further referring to FIG. 4, the electric motor 32 is connected to a control device 50 which includes a motor driving control unit 51, a signal input device 53 having a signal input unit 52, and a signal processing unit 54. A further embodiment of the present invention for a remote controlling way, the signal input device 53 includes a signal emitting device 56 such as a remote controller and a signal receiving device 55 which receives signals sent from the signal emitting device 56 and passes the signals to the signal input unit 52 of the signal input device 53.
Referring to FIG. 3, a rotating device 40 is connected to the base 10 and able to roll the bed frame 20, i.e. to rotate the bed frame 20 about a central axle 11 of the bed frame 20 so that the left side of the baby's body can be arranged to be slightly higher than the right side. The rotating 40 maybe has many embodiments for automatic rotating the bed frame 20, In an embodiment of the present invention, the rotating device 40 includes a transmission device 41 which includes an electric motor 42 so as to rotate the bed frame 20 relative to the base 10. A plurality of passive wheels 22 is connected along a circular periphery at an end of the bed frame 20 and rotatable about the central axle 11 of the bed frame 20. The electric motor 42 has an active wheel 420 engaged with the passive wheels 22 so that the bed frame 20 is rotated about the axle 11 when activating the electric motor 42.
The electric motor 42 is connected to a control device 60 which includes a motor driving control unit 61, a signal input device 63 having a signal input unit 62, and a signal processing unit 64. A further embodiment of the present invention for a remote controlling way, the signal input device 63 includes a signal emitting device 66 such as a remote controller and a signal receiving device 65 which receives signals sent from the signal emitting device 66 and passes the signals to the signal input unit 62 of the signal input device 63.
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.

Claims

1. An adjustable crib comprising:

a base (10);

a bed frame (20) connected to the base (10);

a tilting device (30) connected to the base (10) and pitching the bed frame (20), the tilting device (30) driven by an electric motor (32) so as to raise an end of the bed frame (20);

a rotating device (40) connected to the base (10) and rolling the bed frame (20), the rotating device (40) including a transmission device (41) which includes an electric motor (42) so as to rotate the bed frame (20);

at least one control device (50/60) connecting to at least one of the electric motor (42) and the electric motor (32), including a motor driving control unit (51/61), a signal input device (53/63) having a signal input unit (52/62) and a signal processing unit (54/64).

2. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tilting device (30) is connected to an end of the base (10) and includes an electric motor (32) which is fixed to the base (10) and drives a first pushing rod (33) and a second pushing rod (330) to extend relative to the base (10) so as to raise an end of the bed frame (20).

3. (canceled)

4. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 2 further comprising first and second rails (35, 350) and the first and second pushing rods (33, 330) respectively and movably guided by the first and second rails (35, 350), first and second racks (36, 360) respectively connected to the first and second pushing rods (35, 350), first and second passive gears (37, 370) connected to the base (10) and engaged with the first and second racks (36, 360), a shaft (38) connected between the first and second passive gears (37, 370) and the electric motor (32) driving the shaft (38).

5. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electric motor (32) has an output shaft (320) and an active gear (34) connected to the output shaft (320), the active gear (34) engaged with the first passive gear (37).

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal input device (53) includes a signal emitting device (56) and signal receiving device (55) which is adapted to receive signals sent from the signal emitting device (56) and to pass the signals to the signal input unit (52) of the signal input device (63).

9. (canceled)

10. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1 further comprising passive wheels (22) connected to the bed frame (20) and the passive wheels (22) rotatable about the central axis of the bed frame (20), the electric motor (42) having an active wheel (420) which drives the passive wheels (22).

11. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 10, wherein the passive wheels (22) are arranged along a circular periphery at an end of the bed frame (20).

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal input device (63) includes a signal emitting device (66) and signal receiving device (65) which is adapted to receive signals sent from the signal emitting device (66) and to pass the signals to the signal input unit (62) of the signal input device (63).

15. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 1 further comprising fastening members (70) respectively connected to two sides of the bed frame (20) and being adapted to position baby in the bed frame (20).

16. The adjustable crib as claimed in claim 15, wherein the fastening members (70) are belts.