Joint assembly for playpen

Abstract

A joint assembly for a playpen includes a base, two support rods each having an end portion pivotally mounted on the base, and a control device mounted on the base and detachably locked on the two support rods to lock the two support rods on the base and unlock the two support rods from the base. Thus, the playpen can be expanded and folded easily and conveniently by operation of the joint assembly, thereby facilitating a user expanding and folding the playpen.

1 . A joint assembly, comprising: 
 a base;    two support rods each having an end portion pivotally mounted on the base;    a control device mounted on the base and detachably locked on the two support rods to lock the two support rods on the base and unlock the two support rods from the base;    wherein the control device includes:    two locking members each pivotally mounted on the base and each having a first end having a first side formed with a locking block detachably locked on a respective one of the two support rods and a second end formed with a driven block;    a press member movably mounted on the base and movable to a position where the press member presses the driven block of each of the two locking members to pivot each of the two locking members relative to the base to detach the locking block of each of the two locking members from the respective support rod.    
   
   
       2 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the base includes two parallel support plates to support the control device, and a semi-cylindrical connecting plate mounted between the support plates to support the two support rods.  
   
   
       3 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the base is substantially C-shaped.  
   
   
       4 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the connecting plate has an inner wall formed with two substantially L-shaped stops each rested on the first end of a respective one of the two locking members to stop an outer movement of the respective locking member.  
   
   
       5 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein each of the support plates has two ends each formed with a fixing hole, the end portion of each of the two support rods is formed with a pivot hole, and the joint assembly further comprises two pivot pins each fixed in the respective fixing hole of each of the support plates and each pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of a respective one of the support rods, so that each of the two support rods is pivotally mounted on the base.  
   
   
       6 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein each of the support plates has a first side formed with two fixing bores, each of the two locking members has a mediate portion formed with a pivot hole, and the joint assembly further comprises two pivot shafts each fixed in a respective one of the fixing bores of each of the support plates and each pivotally mounted in the pivot hole of a respective one of the locking members, so that each of the locking members is pivotally mounted on the base.  
   
   
       7 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each of the two locking members is substantially V-shaped.  
   
   
       8 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the locking block of each of the two locking members is formed with a substantially L-shaped locking recess to lock the respective support rod.  
   
   
       9 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the driven block of each of the two locking members is inclined relative to the locking block.  
   
   
       10 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the press member includes a housing movably mounted between the two locking members, a sleeve mounted in the housing, and two pressing plates each mounted on the sleeve and each rested on the driven block of a respective one of the two locking members.  
   
   
       11 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the driven block of each of the two locking members has an arcuate face, and each of the pressing plates of the press member has a ramp rested on the arcuate face of the driven block of the respective locking member.  
   
   
       12 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the base has a first side formed with a through hole, the housing of the press member  21  has a mediate portion formed with an elongated guide slot, and the joint assembly further comprises a guide pin extended through the through hole of each of the support plates and movably mounted in the guide slot of the press member to guide movement of the press member relative to the base.  
   
   
       13 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the base has a second side formed with an elongated guide slot, the housing of the press member has an end portion formed with a through hole, and the joint assembly further comprises a limit pin movably mounted in the guide slot of each of the support plates and extended through the through hole of the press member to limit a movement space of the press member.  
   
   
       14 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the control device further includes a restoring spring mounted in the sleeve of the press member and biased between the sleeve and the base to push the press member outward relative to the locking members.  
   
   
       15 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the control device further includes a substantially V-shaped torsion spring mounted in the housing of the press member and biased between the press member and the first ends of the locking members to push the first end of each of the locking members toward the respective support rod.  
   
   
       16 . The joint assembly in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the first end of each of the locking members has a second side formed with a limit slot, and the torsion spring has two ends each mounted in the limit slot of the respective locking member.