U.S. patent application number 11/086701 was filed with the patent office on 2006-10-12 for joint assembly for playpen.
Invention is credited to Owen Chen.
Application Number | 20060225208 11/086701 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37081719 |
Filed Date | 2006-10-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060225208 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; Owen |
October 12, 2006 |
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.
Inventors: |
Chen; Owen; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIKOLAI & MERSEREAU, P.A.
900 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH
SUITE 820
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Family ID: |
37081719 |
Appl. No.: |
11/086701 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/99.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47D 13/063
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/099.1 |
International
Class: |
A47D 7/00 20060101
A47D007/00 |
Claims
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.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a joint assembly, and more
particularly to a joint assembly for a playpen.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A conventional joint assembly for a playpen in accordance
with the prior art was disclosed in the Taiwanese Patent
Application No. 88208316 and comprises a base, a press block and
two support seats. The joint assembly is pivotally mounted between
any two support rods of the playpen, so that the playpen can be
expanded and folded by operation of the joint assembly. However,
the folding angle of the support rods is not limited, so that when
the user exerts a force on the support rods to fold the support
rods, the user's fingers are easily clamped and hurt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided
a joint assembly, comprising 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.
[0006] 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, and 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.
[0007] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a joint assembly for a playpen, wherein 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.
[0008] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
joint assembly, wherein the user only needs to push the press
member to fold the support rods so as to fold the playpen without
having to directly touch the connection of the base and the support
rods, thereby preventing the user's fingers from being clamped and
hurt.
[0009] Further benefits and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed
description with appropriate reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a joint assembly
in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a plan cross-sectional assembly view of the joint
assembly as shown in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a schematic operational view of the joint assembly
as shown in FIG. 2;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic operational view of the joint assembly
as shown in FIG. 3; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the joint assembly for a
playpen in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, a
joint assembly for a playpen 5 (see FIG. 5) in accordance with the
preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base 1,
two support rods 3 each having an end portion pivotally mounted on
the base 1, and a control device 2 mounted on the base 1 and
detachably locked on the two support rods 3 to lock the two support
rods 3 on the base 1 and unlock the two support rods 3 from the
base 1.
[0016] The control device 2 includes two locking members 22 each
pivotally mounted on the base 1 and each having a first end having
a first side formed with a locking block 225 detachably locked on a
respective one of the two support rods 3 and a second end formed
with a driven block 221, and a press member 21 movably mounted on
the base 1 and movable to a position where the press member 21
presses the driven block 221 of each of the two locking members 22
to pivot each of the two locking members 22 relative to the base 1
to detach the locking block 225 of each of the two locking members
22 from the respective support rod 3.
[0017] The base 1 is substantially C-shaped and includes two
parallel support plates 11 to support the control device 2, and a
semi-cylindrical connecting plate 12 mounted between the support
plates 11 to support the two support rods 3. The connecting plate
12 has an inner wall formed with two substantially L-shaped stops
121 (see FIG. 2) each rested on the first end of a respective one
of the two locking members 22 to stop an outer movement of the
respective locking member 22. Each of the support plates 11 has two
ends each formed with a fixing hole 13. Each of the support plates
11 has a first side formed with two fixing bores 14 and a through
hole 15 located between the two fixing bores 14 and a second side
formed with an elongated guide slot 16.
[0018] The end portion 31 of each of the two support rods 3 is
formed with a pivot hole 32, and the joint assembly further
comprises two pivot pins 311 each fixed in the respective fixing
hole 13 of each of the support plates 11 and each pivotally mounted
in the pivot hole 32 of a respective one of the support rods 3, so
that each of the two support rods 3 is pivotally mounted on the
base 1.
[0019] Each of the two locking members 22 is substantially
V-shaped. The locking block 225 of each of the two locking members
22 is formed with a substantially L-shaped locking recess 2250 to
lock the respective support rod 3. The driven block 221 of each of
the two locking members 22 is inclined relative to the locking
block 225 and has an arcuate face 222. Each of the two locking
members 22 has a mediate portion formed with a pivot hole 223, and
the joint assembly further comprises two pivot shafts 2231 each
fixed in a respective one of the fixing bores 14 of each of the
support plates 11 and each pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 223
of a respective one of the locking members 22, so that each of the
locking members 22 is pivotally mounted on the base 1.
[0020] The press member 21 includes a housing 211 movably mounted
between the support plates 11 and the two locking members 22, a
sleeve 212 (see FIG. 2) mounted in the housing 211, and two
pressing plates 213 each mounted on the sleeve 212 and each rested
on the driven block 221 of a respective one of the two locking
members 22. Each of the pressing plates 213 of the press member 21
has a ramp 2130 rested on the arcuate face 222 of the driven block
221 of the respective locking member 22.
[0021] The housing 211 of the press member 21 has a mediate portion
formed with an elongated guide slot 214, and the joint assembly
further comprises a guide pin 2141 extended through the through
hole 15 of each of the support plates 11 and movably mounted in the
guide slot 214 of the press member 21 to guide movement of the
press member 21 relative to the base 1. The housing 211 of the
press member 21 has an end portion formed with a through hole 215,
and the joint assembly further comprises a limit pin 2151 movably
mounted in the guide slot 16 of each of the support plates 11 and
extended through the through hole 215 of the press member 21 to
limit a movement space of the press member 21.
[0022] The control device 2 further includes a restoring spring 24
mounted in the sleeve 212 of the press member 21 and biased between
the sleeve 212 and the base 1 to push the press member 21 outward
relative to the locking members 22, and a substantially V-shaped
torsion spring 23 mounted in the housing 211 of the press member 21
and biased between the press member 21 and the first ends of the
locking members 22 to push the first end of each of the locking
members 22 toward the respective support rod 3. The first end of
each of the locking members 22 has a second side formed with a
limit slot 224, and the torsion spring 23 has two ends each mounted
in the limit slot 224 of the respective locking member 22. In
addition, the guide pin 2141 is extended through the torsion spring
23, so that the torsion spring 23 is limited by the guide pin
2141.
[0023] In assembly, one of the two pivot shafts 2231 is fixed in
the respective fixing bore 14 of each of the support plates 11 and
pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 223 of one of the locking
members 22, so that one of the locking members 22 is pivotally
mounted on the base 1. Then, the restoring spring 24 is mounted in
the sleeve 212, and the torsion spring 23 is mounted in the housing
211 of the press member 21 and rested on a front end of the sleeve
212. Then, the guide pin 2141 is extended through the through hole
15 of each of the support plates 11, the guide slot 214 of the
press member 21 and the torsion spring 23. Then, the limit pin 2151
is extended through the guide slot 16 of each of the support plates
11 and the through hole 215 of the press member 21 to attach the
press member 21 to the base 1. Then, the other one of the two pivot
shafts 2231 is fixed in the respective fixing bore 14 of each of
the support plates 11 and pivotally mounted in the pivot hole 223
of the other one of the locking members 22, so that the other one
of the locking members 22 is pivotally mounted on the base 1,
thereby mounting the control device 2 on the base 1. At this time,
each of the two ends of the torsion spring 23 is mounted in the
limit slot 224 of the respective locking member 22. Finally, each
of the two pivot pins 311 is extended through the respective fixing
hole 13 of each of the support plates 11 and the pivot hole 32 of a
respective one of the support rods 3, so that each of the two
support rods 3 is pivotally mounted on the base 1.
[0024] In operation, referring to FIGS. 1-5, the press member 21 is
pressed to move toward the base 1, so that each of the pressing
plates 213 of the press member 21 is moved from the position as
shown in FIG. 2 to the position as shown in FIG. 3 to press the
driven block 221 of a respective one of the two locking members 22
to pivot each of the two locking members 22 relative to the base 1
to detach the locking block 225 of each of the two locking members
22 from the respective support rod 3, so that the two support rods
3 are pivoted upward and inward relative to the base 1 to move from
the position as shown in FIG. 3 to the position as shown in FIG. 4,
thereby folding the two support rods 3.
[0025] On the contrary, the two support rods 3 are pivoted downward
and outward relative to the base 1 to move from the position as
shown in FIG. 4 through the position as shown in FIG. 3 to the
position as shown in FIG. 2, so that the locking block 225 of each
of the two locking members 22 is locked on the respective support
rod 3, thereby expanding the two support rods 3. Thus, the playpen
5 is fully expanded as shown in FIG. 5 when the support rods 3 are
expanded completely.
[0026] Accordingly, the playpen 5 can be expanded and folded easily
and conveniently, thereby facilitating a user expanding and folding
the playpen 5. In addition, the user only needs to push the press
member 21 to fold the support rods 3 so as to fold the playpen 5
without having to directly touch the connection of the base and the
support rods 3, thereby preventing the user's fingers from being
clamped and hurt.
[0027] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its
preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood
that many other possible modifications and variations can be made
without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is,
therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will
cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true
scope of the invention.
* * * * *