Methods of adapting an easy-access bassinet

Abstract

An adapter for and method for converting a bassinet that enables a mother to easily access an infant therein and provides a safety feature to prevent the infant from falling out. The bassinet has a plurality of enclosure walls surrounding a floor, and one of the walls is convertible between the raised configuration and a lowered configuration. The bassinet adapter has a generally planar main platform that fits within the bassinet walls and is supported by a floor of the bassinet. A partial barrier wall extends vertically upward from a front edge of the main platform which is located just inside the convertible wall. The partial barrier wall projects upward from the lowered convertible wall to present a barrier to the infant rolling out of the bassinet. The bassinet adapter may be clipped onto a fixed front lip of the bassinet extending parallel to the convertible wall and lower than the convertible wall in the raised position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of improving the safety of an easy-access bassinet having a plurality of enclosure walls mounted around a periphery of a floor defining a horizontal plane for supporting a mattress, the enclosure walls presenting a barrier to a baby rolling off the mattress extending around the periphery, a first enclosure wall on a first side of the bassinet being a convertible wall configured to be moved down from a raised position to a lowered position at or below the level of the mattress thus lowering the barrier on the first side, the method comprising:
 adding a removable bassinet adapter to the bassinet, the adapter having a partial barrier wall between the convertible wall and the mattress on the first side, the partial barrier wall extending upward about 90° relative to the plane of the floor above the convertible wall when the convertible wall is in the lowered position and presenting a partial barrier to a baby rolling off the mattress on the first side, the partial barrier wall having an upper edge with gentle curves and no sharp edges.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the partial barrier wall is centered along the first side and has a length of between about 20-50% of the first side. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the upper edge of the partial barrier wall is padded. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the partial barrier wall has a convex curved upper edge. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the convex curved upper edge is padded. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adapter further includes a generally planar main platform that sits flush horizontally on the floor and closely within the enclosure walls define by the bassinet and is connected at a first edge to the partial barrier wall. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the partial barrier wall is fixed in a 90° orientation relative to the main platform. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the partial barrier wall is pivotably connected to the first edge of the main platform so as to be configured to pivot at least 270° from an upright position extending upward from the front edge to a retracted position lying parallel to the main platform. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the adapter further includes a pair of legs extending downward from the main platform for spacing the main platform up above the floor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second enclosure wall on a second side of the bassinet is a second convertible wall configured to be moved down from a raised position to a lowered position at or below the level of the mattress thus lowering the barrier on the second side, wherein the adapter has a second partial barrier wall between the second convertible wall and the mattress on the second side, the second partial barrier wall extending upward about 90° relative to the plane of the floor above the second convertible wall when the second convertible wall is in the lowered position and presenting a second partial barrier to a baby rolling off the mattress on the second side, the second partial barrier wall having an upper edge with gentle curves and no sharp edges. 
     
     
         11 . A method of improving the safety of an easy-access bassinet having a plurality of enclosure walls mounted around a periphery of a floor defining a horizontal plane for supporting a mattress, the enclosure walls presenting a barrier to a baby rolling off the mattress extending around the periphery, a first enclosure wall on a first side of the bassinet being a convertible wall configured to be moved down from a raised position to a lowered position at or below the level of the mattress thus lowering the barrier on the first side, the method comprising:
 adding a removable bassinet adapter to the bassinet, the adapter having a generally planar main platform that sits flush horizontally and closely within the enclosure walls define by the bassinet, the adapter having a partial barrier wall extending upward about 90° relative to the plane of the floor from a first edge of the main platform so as to be positioned within the convertible wall, the partial barrier wall extending upward above the convertible wall when the convertible wall is in the lowered position and presenting a partial barrier to a baby rolling off the mattress on the first side, the partial barrier wall having a length of between about 20-50% of the length of the first side and being centered along the first side.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the upper edge of the partial barrier wall is padded. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the partial barrier wall has a convex curved upper edge. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the convex curved upper edge is padded. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the partial barrier wall is fixedly connected to the first edge in a 90° orientation relative to the first edge. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the partial barrier wall is pivotably connected to the first edge of the main platform so as to be configured to pivot at least 270° from an upright position extending upward from the front edge to a retracted position lying parallel to the main platform. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the adapter further includes a pair of legs extending downward from the main platform for spacing the main platform up above the floor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the legs are pivotable relative to the main platform so as to be pivoted parallel to the main platform. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the main platform and partial barrier wall are molded together as one plastic element. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the adapter further includes a pair of legs extending downward from the main platform for spacing the main platform up above the floor.