Child sleeping apparatus with adjustable sleep angle

Abstract

A sleeping apparatus for infants and children, such as a bassinet, includes a child-receiving sleep receptacle and a frame assembly attached to and supporting the child-receiving sleep receptacle. The child-receiving sleep receptacle includes sidewalls extending between a head end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle and a foot end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle. One or more fasteners extend along one or more of the sidewalls and are operable for opening and closing and thereby lengthening and shortening a height of the one or more sidewalls so as to change an inclination of the foot end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle or of the head end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle, or both.

1 . A sleeping apparatus for infants and children comprising:
 a child-receiving sleep receptacle;   a frame assembly attached to and supporting the child-receiving sleep receptacle;   wherein the child-receiving sleep receptacle includes sidewalls extending between a head end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle and a foot end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle; and   one or more fasteners extending along one or more of the sidewalls and operable for lengthening and shortening a height of the one or more sidewalls so as to change an inclination of the foot end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle or of the head end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the one or more fasteners is associated with the head end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle to raise and lower the head end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle by operation of the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         3 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the one or more fasteners extends at least partially along one sidewall and at least partially along the other sidewall. 
     
     
         4 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the one or more fasteners raises and lowers the head end or the foot end by more than 5 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the one or more fasteners is associated with the foot end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle to raise and lower the foot end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle by operation of the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         6 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the one or more fasteners extends at least partially along one sidewall and at least partially along the other sidewall. 
     
     
         7 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the one or more fasteners comprises at least two fasteners, with at least one fastener operable for raising and lowering the head end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle and with at least another fastener operable for raising and lowering the foot end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the inclination of the foot end or of the head end of the child-receiving sleep receptacle is varied by the at least one or more fasteners from about 20 degrees above horizontal to more than 25 degrees above horizontal by operation of the one or more fasteners. 
     
     
         9 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the one or more fasteners comprise zippers for opening and closing to lengthen or shorten the height of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         10 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls are fabric. 
     
     
         11 . A sleeping apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly is convertible between an erect configuration and a collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         12 . A bassinet comprising a frame assembly, a child-receiving receptacle attached to the frame assembly, the child-receiving receptacle comprising sidewalls at least partially formed of a flexible material, and at least one fastener extending along at least a portion of the sidewalls of the child-receiving receptacle, the at least one fastener operable to change an inclination of at least a portion of the child-receiving receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . The bassinet of  claim 12 , wherein the frame assembly is convertible between an extended configuration and a compact folded configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The bassinet of  claim 12 , wherein the flexible material of the sidewalls comprises fabric. 
     
     
         15 . The bassinet of  claim 12 , wherein the fastener comprises a zipper operable to lengthen or shorten a height of at least a portion of the sidewalls to change the inclination of the child-receiving receptacle. 
     
     
         16 . The bassinet of  claim 12 , wherein the child-receiving receptacle defines a head end and a foot end, and wherein operation of the fastener changes the inclination of the head end of the child-receiving receptacle. 
     
     
         17 . The bassinet of  claim 12 , wherein the child-receiving receptacle defines a head end and a foot end, and wherein two fasteners are provided, operation of a first fastener changing the inclination of the head end of the child-receiving receptacle, and operation of a second fastener changing the inclination of the foot end of the child-receiving receptacle. 
     
     
         18 . The bassinet of  claim 12 , wherein the change of inclination of at least a portion of the child-receiving receptacle comprises a change of inclination of at least 5°. 
     
     
         19 . A sleeping apparatus for infants and children comprising:
 a collapsible frame assembly convertible between an erect configuration and a collapsed configuration;   a child-receiving receptacle supported by the frame assembly and comprising sidewalls at least partially formed of a flexible material, the child-receiving receptacle defining a head end and a foot end; and   a fastener operable between a fastened state wherein the head end of the child-receiving receptacle is oriented at a first inclination and an unfastened state wherein the head end of the child-receiving receptacle is oriented at a second inclination, the first and second inclinations being offset from one another by at least 5°.   
     
     
         20 . The sleeping apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the fastener comprises a zipper.