Portable Play Platform

Abstract

This invention is a portable play platform which may be attached or detached to commercially available children's playpens or cribs, giving the child a playing surface to play upon while the child is standing. In general, the device is comprised of a playing surface member usually mounted on the top of the playpen or crib by a bracket attached to the bottom thereof. An adjustable hook-like compression member attached to the playing surface member clamps the upper portion of the playpen against the bracket and a broad torque reaction bar secured between the brackets adjacent to the playpen bears against the playpen thus securing the device rigidly into position. Bolts with wing nuts may be provided to tighten the compression member so as to hold the bracket, and compression member rigidly against the playing surface member.

Description

This invention relates to portable shelves and in particular to portable shelves which may be secured to a child's playpen or the like.

Children like to stand to play. When children are free to move about in unrestricted areas, little is needed to occupy their attention and interest. However, when in enclosed areas, specifically playpens or cribs, there is no flat surface on which to place toys and play while the child is standing. The only flat surface which is available while in a crib is the mattress, and in a playpen, its floor or pad. To use these surfaces for play, the child must sit. If standing the only surface is the upper railing around the crib or playpen, usually somewhat rounded and only about three-fourths of a inch wide.

This unique invention provides a portable easily yet firmly mounted flat playing surface which can be attached to the crib or playpen. It provides the child with a flat hard surface to place and play with toys while standing. It is provided with a railing so that toys will not easily fall to the floor outside of the crib or playpen. The playing surface is outside of the play area proper and thus can not be bumped into while playing in the playpen. It encourages the child to stand while giving him some support in standing, thus helping to develop balance and standing skills.

Although a child's playpen is referred to throughout this Specification and Claims, it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to a child's crib or any other infant enclosure. Hence the word "playpen" is meant to designate any child enclosure.

An object of this invention is to provide a portable playing surface that can be attached to a child's crib or playpen.

Another object of this invention is to provide a horizontal playing surface having a railing so that the child's toys will not easily fall to the floor.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a play surface which will encourage a child to stand while playing.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a portable platform having suitable dimensions so that it may be clamped upon most existing child playpens or cribs.

It is still another object of this invention to provide for a portable playing surface that may be clamped upon a child's playpen or crib having a net, cloth or other movable slide surface.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a playing surface located outside of the playpen area to avoid bumping by the child.

Another object of this invention is to provide a portable play platform which may be fabricated from wood, metal, plastic or other like materials.

These and other objects of the invention are more fully described and particularly pointed out in the following Specification and Drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a playpen, containing an infant, on which the present invention has been installed;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the invention of FIG. 1 showing each of the component parts of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view taken in the direction of arrows 3--3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view similar to that of FIG. 3 of the present invention modified to fit upon a playpen having sides of flexible netting.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are designated by numerals throughout the several views, 10 represents a conventional child's playpen having vertical rungs 12 comprising the sides thereof, on the top of which is mounted railing 14 which is the uppermost member of the playpen 10. Although the sides of playpen 10 are here shown as being comprised of rungs 12, it may also be comprised of a netting (shown in FIG. 4) cloth material, or other fabrics. In many playpens having yieldable fabrics, the sides there are rigid members which support the upper railing (which supports the netting). In this case the rigid side members may serve the same function as rungs 12 in conventional playpens.

The invention attached to the playpen 10 is comprised of a horizontal playing surface member 16 having vertical back railings 18 and side railings 20 vertically mounted thereon on the edge of the playing surface member 16. A bite railing 19 comprised of plastic-like material is mounted on the front edge of the playing surface member 16 to protect infants' teeth should they bite. These railings 18 and 20 are screwed to playing surface member 16 by means of wood screws 21 to prevent toys or other objects resting on the playing surface member 16 from falling on the floor. Playing surface member 16 rests upon two compression members 22, slots 24 therethrough and a hook-like end portion 26 which bears against the railing 14. Playing surface member 16 has two parallel grooves 25 on the bottom surface, shaped to retain compression member 22 in a sliding relationship. Compression member 22 rests upon brackets 28 which are bent to a right angle. Brackets 28, and compression member 22 are retained to playing surface member 16 by means of bolts 30 which extend through playing surface member 16, slots 24 and brackets 28. Wing nuts 32 which may be hand tightened are screwed onto bolts 30 to clamp playing surface member 16, compression member 22 and bracket 28 together. It should be noted that compression member 22 can slide horizontally within the confines of slots 24 to allow hook-like end 26 to clamp railing 14.

A torque reaction bar 34 is secured to the portion of brackets 28 by means of cap nuts and bolts 36. Cap nuts and bolts 36 are designed to have no sharp edges which might cut infants' hands. Torque reaction bar 34 bears against a rigid side of the playpen, in this case rungs 12 in a horizontal direction to secure brackets 28 in position.

Torque reaction bar 34 is relatively broad and extends and is secured between two brackets 28. The distance between the center line of brackets 28 is critical insofar as the ability of the invention to fit upon the numerous makes and models of commercial playpens. The dimension found most satisfactory was 183/8 inches. Likewise the dimension of the hook-like portion of compression member 22 is critical insofar as attachment is concerned. The inside vertical dimension of this hook most satisfactory was 11/4 inch.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the invention may also be used upon playpens having netting, cloth or yieldable sides. Here netting 40 is attached to tubular railing 42 which serves the same purpose as railing 14. Netting 40 extends completely around the playpen 10 (not shown) and is attached to the floor thereof (not shown) as is well known in the art. It is frequently necessary to bend the portion of brackets 28 having torque reaction bar 34 inwardly toward the netting 40, when the device is mounted on playpens having sides of netting or yieldable fabric. When the invention is mounted upon a playpen with sides of netting 40, the netting 40 is pressed inwardly by the torque reaction bar 34 until sufficient resistance is offered to the torque reaction bar 34 to support the device. The angle that the brackets 28 must be bent depends on the tension of the netting. It has been found that angles from 10.degree. - 60.degree. to the vertical are sufficient for most net playpens. The brackets 28 may be bent by hand or by using a simple tool till the proper angle for the particular net playpen is found so that the playing surface member 16 remains approximately horizontal. As may be seen, torque reaction bar 34 must have a large area to bear against a large area of the flexible netting 40 to seek support.

In operation, wing nuts 32 are loosened so as to allow compression member 22 to slide easily within slot 24 in a horizontal direction. To install the invention upon the playpen 10, compression member 22 is set on top of railing 14 and hook-like end portion 26 pressed inwardly so as to engage and compress railing 14 or netting 40. Torque reaction bar 34 bears horizontally inward against rungs 12 or netting 40 thus supporting the invention in a rigid position with playing surface member 16 parallel to the ground. Wing nut 32 is then tightened to bear against bracket 28 securing compression member 22, bracket 28 and playing surface member 16 rigidly together. Railing 14 is thus securely clamped. As may be noted the invention may be simply and easily removed from playpen 10 and placed upon another crib or playpen by reversing the instructions previously given.

Although the playing surface member 16, side and back railings 18 and 20 and compression member 22 are described and shown as being constructed of wood, it is within the contemplation of this invention that metal, plastic, or other substances may be used and might be molded in a single unit. Likewise the brackets 28 and compression member 22 may be constructed of material other than metal without departing from the invention's contemplation. Although the invention has been described as attachable to a playpen, it is within the contemplation of the invention that it be attached to cribs or any other playing area utilized by children. Thus as may be seen the invention presents a simple, easily mountable and most practical playing surface used by children in their infant years.

Although the invention has been described with specificity, it is understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A portable play platform adapted for attachment to a child's playpen having a railing thereon, comprising in combination:

a playing surface member, having a guidance groove in the lower portion thereof, said guidance groove being approximately perpendicular to said railing;

a compression member positioned within said groove, said compression member having a smooth hook-like end portion thereon adapted to grasp said railing and having longitudinal slots therethrough;

a right angled bracket positioned adjacent to said compression member having holes therethrough, said right angled bracket comprised of a single vertical and single horizontal member and said vertical member being bendably adjustable relative to said playpen at an acute angle to the vertical;

screws extending through said playing surface member, said slots and said holes in said horizontal member;

wing nuts screwably positioned upon said screws adapted to clamp said playing surface member, said compression member and said bracket;

a wide surface torque reaction member attached to the end portion of said bracket vertical member;

whereby said play platform attaches to said playpen.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1, having two brackets and a single wide surface torque reaction member integrally attached to each of said brackets.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2, in which the sides of said play platform are comprised of a yieldable material, said adjustable brackets being bent to force said torque reaction member against said yieldable material, whereby said playing surface member is supported in a horizontal position.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3, in which said yieldable material is netting.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4, in which said brackets bend toward said playpen at an acute angle to the vertical, said angle being between 10.degree. and 60.degree..