Inflatable Crib

Abstract

A collapsible crib for children, comprising a member inflatable to form a body having a floor and a circumscribing wall. The body is adapted to receive a plurality of rigid rods extending outwardly from the periphery of the body whereby the body is stabilized against overturning.

Description

The present invention relates to a baby's crib and more particularly to a collapsible crib.

Collapsible baby's cribs are well known but they suffer from the disadvantage that in their collapsed state they are bulky and cannot readily be stored in a small space except by a time consuming dismantling procedure.

The present invention overcomes this disadvantage by providing a crib which is stable and yet is readily collapsible in all dimensions. This is achieved by a structure comprising an inflatable body having a circumscribing wall and a floor, and rigid rod means adapted to extend outwardly from the body on each side thereof whereby the body is stabilized against overturning.

An example embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crib;

FIG. 2 is a view in cross-section taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a crib.

The example embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings consists of a member inflatable to form a body 10 having a circumscribing wall 11 and a floor 12. Wall 11 defines a rectangular well 11a but other constructions such as a hexagonal well would be suitable, as long as the lower portion of body 10 is adapted to receive stabilizing means to be described. Body 10 may be constructed of any suitable material which is impermeable to air and flexible, such as sheets of thermoplastic material bonded together at the seams. An example material which may be used is polyvinyl chloride in sheets preferably of a thickness between 0.006 and 0.010 inch. Wall 11 may be slotted vertically to provide apertures 13 which give the structure more the appearance of a conventional baby's crib and provide air circulation within well 11a. A valve 14 of conventional construction, conveniently located in body 10, preferably in the outside surface area of the body and adjacent floor 12, allows the member to be inflated. Suitable webs 12a may be located within floor 12 of body 10 to allow the floor to maintain a flat configuration when inflated.

Located along linear surfaces of wall 11 adjacent the bottom portion of body 10 are a pair of tubular sleeves 15, one on each end of the body, which may be formed of extra sheet material bonded to the outer surface of walls 11. Each sleeve 15 is adapted to receive and retain a rigid rod 16, preferably sectional and telescopic, which when extended and releasably locked projects beyond the sleeve outwardly in opposite directions from the periphery of body 10. By locating an extended rod 16 at both ends of body 10, the body is prevented from tipping by a child's weight applied against the upper portion of wall 11 in the direction of the rods.

To stabilize body 10 in a direction transverse to the alignment of rods 16, further sleeves 17 and rigid, preferably sectional or telescopic, rods 18 may be provided. Rods 18 should preferably lie in the plane of rods 16 and for this purpose each rod 18 is sectional with a central section 19 and a pair of detachable end sections 20 each having a hump 21 intermediate its ends.

For use, the member forming body 10 is inflated through valve 14 by suitable air pressure means. The circumscribing nature of wall 11 enables the structure to keep its crib-like shape when inflated. Either before or after the member has been inflated, each rod 18 is placed in a pocket 17 by first placing central section 19 in the pocket and then snapping or otherwise connecting end sections 20 to the central section. Each rod 16 is then connected or extended (depending on whether it is sectional or telescopic) and inserted into pocket 15 to extend outwardly from each end of the pocket. The crib is now ready for use.

To collapse the crib, rods 16 and 18 are removed from pockets 15 and 17 and valve 14 is opened. By disconnecting or telescoping rods 16 and 18, and by folding the deflated member, these units may be stored in a space of dimensions smaller than any dimension of the crib when erected, which is another very important consideration especially when travelling. It will be seen that the ease in constructing and dismantling the device is also an important advantage.

In the alternate embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings a skirt or apron 30 replaces sleeves 15 and extends laterally from the bottom of floor 12, circumscribing body 10. Pockets 32 are located along the upper edge of wall 11 adjacent each vertical edge of the wall and open downwardly. Further pockets 34 are located adjacent the outer edge of apron 30 to face pockets 32, forming pairs of opposed pockets. Each pair of opposed pockets 32, 34 are adapted to receive the ends of a sectional rod 36 whereby the rods extend outwardly and downwardly from the upper corners of wall 11 to the outer edge of apron 30. In this manner wall 11 is braced laterally to prevent the overturning of body 10 by a child's weight bearing against the inner surface of the wall. Rods 36 are preferably telescopically collapsible and located in pairs at each vertical edge of wall 11, the rods of each pair being positioned approximately at right angles one to the other.

Claims

I claim:

1. A crib comprising a member inflatable to form a body having a rectangular floor and four planar sides forming a circumscribing wall of even height, a horizontally disposed sleeve on each of the four sides of the wall in the plane of said floor, and four sectional, cooperative rigid rods one receivable in each of said sleeves for removable retention in the plane of said floor and projecting from each end of the sleeve whereby said body is stabilized against overturning.

2. A crib comprising a member inflatable to form a body having a rectangular floor and four planar sides forming a circumscribing wall of even height, a circumscribing apron extending outward laterally from the floor in the plane thereof, a plurality of first pockets laterally spaced about the circumference of the wall adjacent the upper edge at the corners thereof and opening towards said apron a plurality of second pockets laterally spaced about the circumference of the apron adjacent the outer end thereof and opening towards said first pockets said first and second pockets forming opposed pairs, and eight sectional rods each being receivable at its ends in a separate pair of said opposed pockets to lie in the planes of the sides of the wall whereby said body is stabilized against overturning.

3. A crib as claimed in claim 1 in which the rods are telescopic and releasably lockable in their extended position.

4. A crib as claimed in claim 2 in which the rods are telescopic and releasably lockable in their extended position.