Collapsible crib frame

Abstract

A foldable frame for use as an infant crib or child play yard comprising a generally planar, rectangular upper frame supported by a plurality of upstanding leg members preferably extending from respective corners of the rectangular upper frame, each leg member being connected to the upper frame by a respective hinge connection configured to permit movement of respective leg members between upstanding deployed positions for use and folded positions for stowing the frame, a pair of folding hinges disposed in opposing portions of the upper frame that permit folding of the upper frame, preferably once the legs have been folded, wherein the hinge connections further include latching mechanisms to maintain the leg members in at least the folded position and to prevent inadvertent movement therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A folding crib frame comprising:
 a top frame defining a perimeter;   a folding hinge connecting a support leg to the top frame long the perimeter and enabling pivoting movement of the support leg about a hinge axis in a range between generally opposing folded and unfolded positions;   a leg biasing mechanism acting on the support leg and urge movement of the support leg toward the folded or unfolded position from an intermediate position within the range; and   a latching mechanism to releasably retain the support leg in the unfolded position.   
     
     
         2 . The folding crib frame of  claim 1 , further comprising a folding mechanism disposed in the top frame moveably connecting a first portion and a second portion of the top frame, the folding mechanism having a generally planar ring connected to the first top frame portion, an end connector connected to the second top frame portion, and a movable lock bar with an actuator, the ring encircling an open portion and restrained for rotational movement about a folding axis transverse to and generally centered in the opening by a ring guide affixed to the end connector, the ring further having an exterior perimeter edge with an inwardly disposed first detent therein, the end connector further having a second detent therein, the lock bar being movable along an axis extending radially from the folding axis between opposing locked and unlocked positions controllable by the actuator and having a resilient member biasing the lock bar toward the locked position, the lock bar when in the locked position being positioned to simultaneously engage the first and second detents thereby preventing relative rotation of the ring and the end connector, the lock bar being moved to the unlocked position by movement of the actuator, disengaging the lock bar from the detents and held in the unlocked position by rotating the ring to misalign the detents wherein interaction between the lock bar and the exterior perimeter edge maintains the lock bar in the unlocked position thereby enabling rotation of the rings until the detents are mutually aligned with the lock bar. 
     
     
         3 . The folding crib of  claim 2 , wherein the actuator is disposed within the opening. 
     
     
         4 . The folding crib of  claim 1 , wherein the leg biasing mechanism comprises a spring element acting between a first mount disposed on the top frame and a second mount and connected to the support leg in an over-center arrangement wherein the maximum compression of the spring element occurs when the support leg is intermediately positioned between the folded and unfolded positions. 
     
     
         5 . The folding crib of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second mounts and the folding hinge pivot axis are linearly aligned when the support leg is in the intermediate position. 
     
     
         6 . The folding crib of  claim 1 , wherein the latching mechanism further comprises a locking structure fixed on the top frame and a moveable locking pin connected to the support leg, the locking pin being selectively engageable with the locking structure when the support leg is in the unfolded position and, when engaged therein, preventing movement of the support leg from the unfolded position. 
     
     
         7 . The folding crib of  claim 6 , further comprising an interlock mechanism having a moveable block and an actuator, the block when in a first position engaging the locking pin to prevent disengagement of the locking pin from the locking structure, movement of the block by the actuator to a second position permitting disengagement of the locking pin from the locking structure. 
     
     
         8 . The folding crib of  claim 6 , further comprising a travel limiter operably connected to the folding hinge to limit movement of the support leg to movement between the folded and unfolded positions, the travel limiter being operably separate from the latching mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The folding crib of  claim 8 , wherein the travel limiter comprises a limiter pin connected for movement with the support leg and a guide structure connected for movement with the top frame as the support leg moves between the folded and unfolded positions, the limiter pin engaging the guide structure and the guide structure being configured to constrain movement of the limiter pin corresponding to support leg movement between the folded and unfolded positions. 
     
     
         10 . A folding crib frame comprising:
 a perimeter frame portion;   a support leg;   a folding hinge connecting the support leg to the perimeter frame portion and enabling pivoting movement of the support leg about a hinge axis between generally opposing folded and unfolded positions; and   a spring element acting between a first mount disposed on the perimeter frame portion and a second mount connected for movement with the support leg, the spring element configured in an over-center alignment between the mounts wherein the maximum compression of the spring element occurs when the first and second mounts are linearly aligned with the hinge axis thereby biasing movement of the support leg toward the folded or unfolded position from an intermediate position.   
     
     
         11 . The crib frame of  claim 10 , further comprising a travel limiter operably connected to the folding hinge to limit movement of the support leg to movement between the folded and unfolded positions. 
     
     
         12 . The crib frame of  claim 11 , wherein the travel limiter comprises a limiter pin connected for movement with the support leg and a limiter guide structure connected for movement with the perimeter frame portion as the support leg moves between the folded and unfolded positions, the limiter pin engaging the limiter guide structure and the guide structure being configured to constrain movement of the limiter pin corresponding to support leg movement between the folded and unfolded positions. 
     
     
         13 . The crib frame of  claim 12 , wherein the limiter guide structure is generally radially arranged relative to the hinge axis and the limiter pin is the second mount. 
     
     
         14 . The crib frame of  claim 13 , wherein the limiter guide structure is a slot-like opening in a generally planar structure and the limiter pin extends at least partially though the slot-like opening. 
     
     
         15 . The crib frame of  claim 10 , wherein the folding hinge further comprises a locking mechanism having a locking structure fixed on the perimeter frame portion and a moveable locking pin connected to the support leg and selectively engageable with the locking structure when the support leg is in the unfolded position and, when engaged therein, preventing movement of the support leg from the unfolded position. 
     
     
         16 . The crib frame of  claim 15 , further comprising an interlock mechanism having a moveable block and an actuator, the block when in a first position engaging the locking pin to prevent disengagement of the locking pin from the locking structure, movement of the block by the actuator to a second position permitting disengagement of the locking pin from the locking structure. 
     
     
         17 . The folding crib frame of  claim 10 , further comprising a folding mechanism disposed in the top frame moveably connecting a first portion and a second portion of the top frame, the folding mechanism having a generally planar ring connected to the first top frame portion, an end connector connected to the second top frame portion, and a movable lock bar with an actuator, the ring encircling an open portion and restrained for rotational movement about a folding axis transverse to and generally centered in the opening by a ring guide affixed to the end connector, the ring further having an exterior perimeter edge with an inwardly disposed first detent therein, the end connector further having a second detent therein, the lock bar being movable along an axis extending radially from the folding axis between opposing locked and unlocked positions controllable by the actuator and having a resilient member biasing the lock bar toward the locked position, the lock bar when in the locked position being positioned to simultaneously engage the first and second detents thereby preventing relative rotation of the ring and the end connector, the lock bar being moved to the unlocked position by movement of the actuator, disengaging the lock bar from the detents and held in the unlocked position by rotating the ring to misalign the detents wherein interaction between the lock bar and the exterior perimeter edge maintains the lock bar in the unlocked position thereby enabling rotation of the rings until the detents are mutually aligned with the lock bar. 
     
     
         18 . The folding crib of  claim 17 , wherein the actuator is disposed within the opening.