TW202510774A - Child support assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a child support assembly including a frame assembly and a soft goods assembly. The child support assembly may provide one or more additional modes, such as a bassinet mode or a mattress-only mode, and the child support assembly is foldable into a collapsed configuration for transport and storage. The child support assembly can include a plurality of wooden legs, with each leg including an attachable upper corner and lower foot for supporting components of the child support assembly. The present disclosure also relates to a method of producing the plurality of wooden legs, and a method of attaching the upper corners and lower feet to the plurality of wooden legs.

Description

Child support kit

The present invention relates generally to a child support assembly, and more particularly to a convertible child support assembly including a wooden leg frame and an improved textile component.

A playard is a frame enclosure that provides a safe and comfortable space for an infant or young child (hereinafter referred to as a "child") to sleep and play. A cradle is a frame enclosure that is generally configured to provide a safe and comfortable space for a child and to support the user when sleeping or lying down. A playard typically has a greater depth or higher side walls than a cradle. Playards and cradles typically have a mattress to provide a support surface for the child. Textile components such as fabric, mesh, or other materials may be used to enclose the interior space in a cradle or playard. Textile components may include side walls with a degree of transparency so that a caregiver can observe the child inside the cradle or playard.

It is ideal to provide a child support assembly that can be converted between a cradle mode and a play yard mode, and can also be folded for storage and transportation, which is aesthetically pleasing and practical.

This application claims the rights of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/656,399 filed on June 5, 2024, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/570,190 filed on March 26, 2024, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/561,789 filed on March 6, 2024, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/557,984 filed on February 26, 2024, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/620,287 filed on January 12, 2024, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/613,030 filed on December 20, 2023, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/580,866 filed on September 6, 2023, etc., which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.

According to one aspect, a playbed for children is disclosed. The playbed may include a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly. The frame assembly may include a plurality of legs, each leg extending from a support surface to a plurality of top rails of the frame assembly, each leg formed of a wood material. A bottom X-shaped frame may be disposed adjacent to the support surface below the textile assembly, and the bottom X-shaped frame may be connected to the plurality of legs. The bottom X-shaped frame may include a wheel hub positioned at a central position below the textile assembly, a plurality of tubes rotationally coupled to the wheel hub, and a release mechanism including a wheel hub lock coupled to the wheel hub. The hub lock is configured to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state to respectively secure and release the plurality of tubes for rotation.

According to another aspect, a child support assembly is disclosed. The child support assembly may include a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly, and the frame assembly may include a plurality of wooden legs. A cradle may be removably connected to at least one of the frame assembly and the textile assembly. The cradle may include a mattress configured to be mounted in the cradle, and the mattress may be removed from the cradle. A toy bar is configured to be selectively connected to a top rail of the frame assembly or the mattress, and the toy bar may be attached to the mattress when the mattress is removed from the cradle.

According to another aspect, a child support assembly is disclosed. The child support assembly may include a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly, and the frame assembly may include a plurality of legs. A bassinet may be removably connected to at least one of the frame assembly and the textile assembly. The bassinet may include an upper bassinet panel extending around an upper periphery of the bassinet. A bassinet clip may be coupled to the upper bassinet panel at each corner of the bassinet. The bassinet clip may include a fastener portion sized to receive and removably lock to one of the plurality of legs to couple the upper bassinet panel to the plurality of legs.

According to another aspect, a playbed for children is disclosed. The playbed may include a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly, the textile assembly defining an interior space. The frame assembly may include a plurality of legs, each leg extending from a support surface to a plurality of top rails of the frame assembly, and each leg may be formed of a wood material. In addition, each leg may extend outward from the plurality of top rails to the support surface at an angle away from the center of the frame assembly. The cross-sectional area of the interior space may be constant from the plurality of top rails to the base of the textile assembly.

According to another aspect, a method of making a playpen having a wooden frame for supporting a textile assembly is disclosed. The method may include providing a textile assembly having a narrow portion and a wide portion extending from the narrow portion. Using a cutting utensil, a first longitudinal cut is made with a cutting tool along the wooden frame, the first longitudinal cut forming a groove in the wooden frame. Using a cutting utensil, a second longitudinal cut is made with a cutting tool along the wooden frame, the second longitudinal cut widening an inner portion of the groove. The textile assembly is connected to the wooden frame by sliding the wide portion of the textile assembly into the inner portion of the groove.

According to another aspect, a playbed for children is disclosed. The playbed may include a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly. The frame assembly may include a plurality of legs, each leg extending from a support surface to a plurality of top rails of the frame assembly, and at least some of the plurality of legs being formed of a wood material. A bottom X-shaped frame may be disposed adjacent to the support surface below the textile assembly. An upper corner may be coupled to each leg at an upper end of each leg, and each upper corner may be configured to couple to two of the plurality of top rails. A lower foot may be coupled to each leg at a lower end of each leg, and each lower foot may be configured to couple to at least a portion of the bottom X-shaped frame.

Certain terms are used in the following description for convenience only and are not limiting. The words "front," "rear," "upper," and "lower" refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words "inwardly" and "outwardly" refer to directions toward and away from the portion to which reference is made in the drawings. "Axial" refers to directions along the axis of an axis (or shaft-like structure), or along an axis of rotation. A reference to a list of items cited as "at least one of a, b, or c" (where a, b, and c represent listed items) refers to any one of items a, b, or c, or a combination thereof. The terms "about" and "approximately" should be interpreted as within 10% of the specified value or ratio. This term includes the words specifically noted above, their derivatives, and words of similar meaning.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a child support assembly 10 is disclosed herein, which may also be referred to as a playard. Therefore, it should be understood that "child support assembly 10" and "playard 10" may be used interchangeably. The child support assembly 10 generally includes a frame assembly 12 and a textile assembly 14 connected to the frame assembly 12. The combined frame assembly 12 and textile assembly 14 (i.e., the child support assembly 10) are configured to define an interior space 16 for supporting a child therein. The term interior space 16 may generally refer to an enclosed perimeter within the textile assembly 14. The upper portion of the interior space 16 may be open or closed, such as by a top cover. A mattress (not shown) may be disposed within the textile component 14 near the lower surface or bottom surface to provide a support surface for the child. In an embodiment, the mattress is removable.

The frame assembly 12 may include a plurality of legs 18, each leg 18 extending from a support surface (e.g., the ground) to a plurality of top rails 20 of the frame assembly 12. The plurality of legs 18 may be constructed of a solid wood material, and the plurality of legs 18 may be configured to support the child support assembly 10 in a standing configuration. A lower foot 22 may be connected to a lower or bottom end of each leg 18, positioned proximate to and contacting the support surface. An upper corner 24 may be connected to an upper end of each leg 18, and the upper corner 24 is configured to couple to the plurality of top rails 20. Thus, the upper corners 24 interconnect the plurality of legs 18 to the plurality of top rails 20. In some examples, as shown, the child support assembly 10 can include four of each leg 18, each top rail 20, each lower foot 22, and each upper corner 24.

The connection between each leg 18, each top rail 20, each lower foot 22, and each upper corner 24 forms a frame assembly 12, which may generally define a support frame or structure for supporting the textile assembly 14. A bassinet 26 may be positioned within and coupled to the textile assembly 14 or the frame assembly 12. In some examples, the bassinet 26 may be coupled to the textile assembly 14 via a zipper connection between the bassinet 26 and the textile assembly 14 such that the bassinet 26 is vertically offset from a lower or bottom surface of the textile assembly 14, as discussed further below. The bassinet 26 may include an upper bassinet panel 28 that surrounds the plurality of top rails 20 and upper corners 24 to help secure the bassinet 26 as well as to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

5-6, in some embodiments, each scaffold 18 may be formed of solid wood (i.e., completely or substantially formed of wood throughout the thickness and height). In addition, each scaffold 18 may include a channel 30 extending radially from the outer periphery to the central axis of the scaffold 18 to the scaffold 18. In addition, the channel 30 extends from one end of the scaffold 18 to the other end in the height direction. The channel 30 in each scaffold 18 is configured to receive a portion of the textile assembly 14. Specifically, the textile assembly 14 may include a textile sheath 32 positioned at each corner of the textile assembly 14. The size and configuration of the textile sheath 32 are designed to accommodate a reinforcement 34, which can be a plastic or metal rod, in addition to other options not specifically listed, within each textile sheath 32. In this way, the reinforcement 34 can be inserted into each textile sheath 32 of the textile assembly 14, and then each scaffold 18 can be inserted through the channel 30 in each scaffold 18 and coupled to the textile sheath 32 and the reinforcement 34. Therefore, each scaffold 18 can be coupled to the textile assembly 14 through the connection of the textile sheath 32 and the reinforcement 34, which will be discussed in detail in the following disclosure.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 , the frame assembly 12 may also include a bottom X-frame 36, and at least one outrigger 38 may be connected to the underside of the lower surface of the textile assembly 14, adjacent the support surface. The outrigger 38 may be an additional support member that is used to further stabilize the child support assembly 10 when in use. The bottom X-frame 36 may be positioned adjacent the support surface and below or to the underside of the textile assembly 14. The bottom X-frame 36 may be connected to each leg 18 via a lower foot 22, thereby adding further support and stability to the frame assembly 12 and the entire child support assembly 10. The bottom X-frame 36 includes a wheel hub 40, a plurality of tubes 42, and a release mechanism 44.

The wheel hub 40 is positioned at a central position below the textile assembly 14 relative to the width direction and the length direction. The wheel hub 40 includes a height in the vertical direction relative to the orientation of the wheel hub 40 when the child support assembly 10 is in the upright use position (Figure 4). Each tube 42 is rotatably connected to the wheel hub 40, for example, via a pin or other pivot connection. In addition, each tube 42 extends outwardly away from the wheel hub 40 to form an X-shaped configuration. The multiple tubes 42 include at least one locking tube 42A and at least one non-locking tube 42B. At least one locking tube 42A is configured to be locked in an expanded configuration via a wheel hub lock 46, as shown in Figure 7. Therefore, the bottom X-shaped frame 36 is configured to help maintain the child support assembly 10 in a standing, expanded configuration during use. In addition, the user can pull up the release mechanism 44 to release the wheel hub lock 46 from the locked state, thereby allowing the bottom X-shaped frame 36 to be folded into a folded configuration for transportation and storage.

8A-11B , the child support assembly 10 may be provided with a toy bar 48. The toy bar 48 may be selectively connected to the child support assembly 10 in various positions and in various modes. More specifically, the toy bar 48 is configured to be selectively attached to the top rail 20 of the frame assembly 12 or the mattress 50 from the rocker 26 when the mattress 50 is removed from the rocker 26. Referring to FIGS. 8A-8B , the toy bar 48 is illustrated as being clipped to the top rail 20 by a clip 52. Referring to FIGS. 9A-9B , various embodiments of the toy bar 48 are shown clipped to the mattress 50 by a clip 52 for use in a play mat mode (also referred to as a toy gym or activity mat). 10A-10B show the clip 52 oriented generally downward in the cradle mode or playard mode for mounting to the top rail 20. FIGS. 11A-11B show the clip 52 pivoted inwardly to the configuration of FIG. 9A, oriented generally inwardly for mounting to the mattress 50.

The toy pole 48 includes a toy pole handle 54 with a clamp 52 disposed at each end of the toy pole handle 54. The clamp 52 includes a main clamp 56 and a pivot clamp 58, the pivot clamp 58 pivoting about a pivot clamp pivot 62 relative to the main clamp 56. The main clamp 56 and the pivot clamp 58 are configured to be connected to the top track 20 or the mattress 50 to couple the toy pole 48 to the corresponding parts. As best shown in FIG. 11B, the main clamp 56 can pivot about the main clamp pivot 60 so that the clamp 52 pivots inwardly to connect to the mattress 50. The toy bar handle 54 includes a cam surface 64 that pushes the pivot clip 58 downward so that it can be clipped onto the side of the mattress 50. Once the clip 52 is rotated inward, it is ready to be attached to the mattress 50 for use as a playmat. The toy bar 48 is a device or part in which a toy can be hung or attached for the entertainment of a child. As discussed, the toy bar 48 can be connected to the child support assembly 10 or the mattress 50, thereby providing a multifunctional part.

FIG. 12A is an enlarged view of the support leg 18 of the child support assembly 10. FIG. 12B is a perspective view of the child support assembly 10 in the play yard mode. FIG. 12C is a perspective view of the child support assembly 10 in the cradle mode. FIG. 12A through FIG. 12C will be discussed together.

When the child support assembly 10 is in the cradle mode ( FIG. 12C ), the cradle 26 provides a raised floor or surface to conveniently place an occupant at a higher height above the support surface, thereby making it easier to enter and exit the child support assembly 10. As shown in FIGS. 12B-12C , the cradle 26 can be connected to the child support assembly 10 via a zipper connector 66 that is coupled to or integrated into the textile assembly 14. In some examples, the zipper connector 66 can be sewn into an upper web of the textile assembly 14 around its upper inner periphery. Thus, the cradle 26 includes a zipper connector that mates with the zipper connector 66, thereby allowing the cradle 26 to be coupled to the textile assembly 14. The zipper connector 66 provides an aesthetically pleasing, clean, and cost-effective solution.

The bassinet 26 also includes a bassinet upper panel 28 that surrounds and extends outwardly from the periphery of the bassinet 26. The bassinet upper panel 28 can be constructed of a material similar to the textile assembly 14 that is soft to the touch and comfortable for a child placed in the bassinet 26. The bassinet upper panel 28 is configured as a surrounding panel covering the upper portions of the legs 18 and the top rails 20 of the frame assembly 12, and also covers the upper corners 24 connected to the top of each leg 18. In this way, the upper panel 28 of the cradle covers the upper periphery of the child support assembly 10, and the child support assembly 10 is used to cover the upper corners 24 and the top rails 20, making the appearance of the final assembly more beautiful.

For additional stability of the child support assembly 10, each leg 18 is angled outward from the center of the child support assembly 10. The outwardly angled legs 18 form a pyramidal shape within the assembly 10 (i.e., the width and length of the interior of the assembly 10 increases from the top in a direction toward the bottom). If the shape change is not mitigated, it would prevent the user from using the same mattress 50 in the base or bottom surface of the textile assembly 14 and the bassinet 26. In order to maintain the same width and length along the entire interior of the assembly 10, the textile assembly 14 includes additional triangular fabric extensions 68. A triangular fabric extension 68 is positioned at each corner of the textile assembly 14, between the corresponding corner and the legs 18 positioned at each corner, and extends the height of the legs 18. In some embodiments, the triangular fabric extensions 68 may be formed from the textile cover 32 of the textile assembly 14. By establishing a constant interior shape and size for placing the mattress 50, the triangular fabric extensions 68 allow the user to use the same mattress 50 for both the cradle and playard modes.

13A to 13C are perspective views showing the attachment of the cradle 26 to the frame assembly 12. FIGS. 14A to 14C are enlarged perspective views showing the attachment of the cradle 26 to the frame assembly 12 using the cradle clip 70. FIGS. 15A to 15B show the cradle 26 connected to the frame assembly 12 without and with the cradle clip 70, respectively.

With the textile assembly 14 connected to the bassinet 26 via the zipper connection 66, there is some room for the textile of the bassinet 26 to move downward toward the support surface when weight is applied to the mattress 50 within the bassinet 26. While this is not usually a problem from a structural standpoint, it can cause the upper bassinet panel 28 to move upward away from the support surface and away from the upper corner 24, as shown in FIG15A. This results in the final assembly 10 not having the desired aesthetics and can result in a perceived lack of strength.

To address the above problem, the cradle 26 includes a cradle clip 70 that is coupled to the cradle upper panel 28 at each corner of the cradle 26. When the cradle upper panel 28 is attached to the frame assembly 12, the user pulls the cradle upper panel 28 around the upper corner 24 (see FIG. 13A) and then down over the upper corner 24 so that the cradle clip 70 is aligned with the stand 18 (see FIG. 13B). The user can then snap-fit the cradle clip 70 onto the stand 18 to secure the cradle clip 70 and the cradle upper panel 28 in place on the frame assembly 12 (see FIG. 13C).

14B to 14C , the cradle clip 70 includes an alignment pad 70A and a fastener portion 70B that is axially offset from the alignment pad 70A along the axis of the cradle clip 70. The cradle clip 70 can be coupled (e.g., sewn) to the inner surface of the corner of the cradle upper panel 28 via a tab or other similar feature located near the fastener portion 70B of the cradle clip 70. 14C, when the cradle clip 70 is connected to the leg 18, the alignment pad 70A contacts the bottom or lower side of the upper corner 24 (indicated by the dotted line). This prevents the cradle upper panel 28 from moving upward due to the weight applied to the mattress 50 within the cradle 26. In addition, when the cradle clip 70 is coupled to the leg 18, the fastener portion 70B snaps around and couples to at least a portion of the perimeter of the leg 18. 15A-15B, the cradle clip 70 prevents the cradle upper panel 28 from moving upward away from the leg 18 (see FIG. 15A) and holds the cradle upper panel 28 in the correct position in a tight and fixed configuration (see FIG. 15B).

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the textile assembly 14A. FIGS. 17A to 17C illustrate details of an alternative embodiment of the textile assembly 14A in FIG. 16. FIGS. 16 to 17C will be discussed together. In the textile assembly 14, a triangular fabric extension 68 is included to maintain the correct size and shape of the mattress 50 installed therein. In the textile assembly 14A, parallel fabric extensions 72 and other features are included to maintain the correct size and shape of the mattress 50 installed therein. The parallel fabric extensions 72 are oriented at an angle that is approximately parallel to the footrest 18, and the parallel fabric extensions 72 can be formed as part of the textile cover 30.

17A to 17C , the textile assembly 14A may also include a diagonal panel 74 that is coupled at one end to an upper seam of a windshield 76 (which is a surface or sidewall of the textile assembly 14A). And coupled at the other end to a bottom panel 78 of the textile assembly 14A. The diagonal panel 74 is configured to provide a side support surface for the mattress 50, and the diagonal panel 74 is configured to fill the additional space around the bottom inner periphery of the textile assembly 14A, which is formed based on the angled orientation of the leg frame 18. The textile component 14A including the diagonal panels 74, the draft shield 76, and the bottom panel 78 provides an alternative method for allowing a user to use the same mattress 50 for both the cradle and playard modes by creating a constant interior shape and size for placing the mattress 50. It should be understood that the diagonal panels 74, the draft shield 76, and the bottom panel 78 can be positioned at each corner of the textile component 14A of the child support assembly 10.

18A to 24C illustrate various manufacturing methods for cutting a groove in a (wooden) leg 18 of a child support assembly 10 by using a clamp to hold the leg 18 and various sawing/cutting techniques to achieve the desired channel 30. The disclosed methods simplify the process of cutting an undercut channel 30 in the leg 18 by: reducing machine time and number of operations; reducing operation complexity and operation time; simplifying the clamping of the leg 18 to and removal of the leg 18 from the clamp for the cutting process; and using the clamp to protect the operator's hands from the cutting tool.

18A-18G illustrate a method of cutting a channel 30 in the leg 18 of the child support assembly 10. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 18A-18G, the channel 30 can be described as having a "lollipop" shape, based on the cutting tool used. As shown in FIG. 18A, initially, the leg 18 is a solid wood leg 18 from one end of the leg 18 to the other end (lengthwise). Then, a straight cylindrical cutting piece 80 (see FIGS. 18D and 18F) connected to a spindle can be used to cut a straight channel 30 in the leg 18 along the entire length of the leg 18 (see FIG. 18B). Then, after cutting the straight channel 30, the spherical cutting member 82 is connected to the spindle (see Figures 18E and 18G), which is used to cut undercuts in the channel 30 along the entire length of the bracket 18 to produce a "lollipop" shaped channel 30 (see Figure 18C).

FIG. 19A is a perspective view of a stand 18 including a channel 30 having a "lollipop" shape as described thus far. FIG. 19B is a perspective end view of a stand 18 including a channel 30' having a second shape, which channel 30' may be described as a "dovetail" shaped channel 30'. Channel 30' is an alternative to channel 30, but either configuration may be used with the stand 18 of the child support assembly 10. FIGS. 19C-19D illustrate a clamp 84 that may be used to create a channel 30' having a "dovetail" shape, as shown in FIG. 19B. FIGS. 19A-19D will be discussed together.

The clamp 84 includes a clamp upper end 84A, a clamp lower end 84B, a fixing screw 86, and a gasket 88. To use the clamp 84, the user removes the gasket 88 from the lower end 84B and then inserts the first end of the tripod 18 into the hole in the lower end 84B of the clamp 84 (see FIG. 19C ). The user guides the tripod 18 to the upper end 84A of the clamp 84, and the first end of the tripod 18 is fixed in the upper end 84A of the clamp 84 by the fixing screw 86, which is fastened to the first end of the support tripod 18 to prevent the support tripod 18 from rotating relative to the clamp 84. The user then reinserts and attaches the gasket 88 to the lower end 84B of the clamp 84 to secure and tighten the tripod 18 within the clamp 84 (see FIG. 19D ). The user can then grasp any of the upper end 84A, lower end 84B, or side surfaces of the clamp 84 to pass the tripod 18 and clamp 84 through the saw blade or other cutting piece while keeping the user's hands at a safe distance from the saw blade or other cutting piece. Specifically, the user can pass the tripod 18 and clamp 84 through the saw blade or other cutting piece to make a first cut, wherein the upper end 84A first contacts the cutting piece, and then the user rotates the connected tripod 18 and clamp 84 so that the lower end 84B first contacts the cutting piece during the second pass. In other words, in some embodiments, two cutting passes are required to cut the channel 30', and the assembly is rotated 180 degrees between each cutting pass, as discussed further below.

Figures 20A to 20D illustrate a method of cutting the channel 30' of Figure 19B in the tripod 18 of the child support assembly 10. In the embodiment shown in Figures 20A to 20D, the channel 30' can be described as having a "dovetail" shape based on the cutting tool used. As shown in Figure 20B, initially, the tripod 18 is a solid wood tripod 18 from one end to the other end (lengthwise) of the tripod 18. A bench saw (not shown) with a circular blade 90 is then used to make the channel 30'. Specifically, when the tripod 18 is mounted to the clamp 84 (not shown), the channel 30' is cut with the circular blade 90 set to the appropriate height (depth) and tilted to an angle of approximately 8°. The jig 84 and the scaffold 18 are passed through the saw once, causing the circular blade 90 to make a first cut (see FIG. 20C ). The jig 84 and the scaffold 18 are then rotated 180° and passed through the saw again, causing the circular blade 90 to make a second cut to produce a channel 30′ having a “dovetail” shape (see FIG. 20D ). It should be understood that in other embodiments, the bevel angle can be varied from about 8° to any desired bevel angle, depending on the desired shape of the channel 30′.

Figures 21A to 22C illustrate another method of cutting the channel 30' of Figure 19B in the tripod 18 of the child support assembly 10. In the embodiment shown in Figures 21A to 22C, the channel 30' can be described as having a "dovetail" shape based on the cutting tool used. As shown in Figure 22A, initially, the tripod 18 is a solid wood tripod 18 from one end of the tripod 18 to the other end (lengthwise). A bench saw (not shown) having a circular blade 90 and a spherical cutting piece 82 is then used to make the channel 30'. Specifically, when the tripod 18 is mounted to the clamp 84 (not shown), the channel 30' is first cut with the circular blade 90 set to the appropriate height (depth) and oriented vertically. The fixture 84 and the scaffold 18 are passed through the bench saw once, causing the circular blade 90 to make a first cut (see FIG. 22B ). Then, during a second pass, the fixture 84 and the scaffold 18 are passed through a tabletop processing machine with a dovetail or ball cutter 82, causing the ball cutter 82 to make a second cut to produce a channel 30 'having a "dovetail" shape (see FIG. 22C ).

Figures 23A to 23E illustrate a method of cutting the channel 30' of Figure 19B in the tripod 18 of the child support assembly 10. In the embodiment shown in Figures 23A to 23E, the channel 30' can be described as having a "dovetail" shape based on the cutting tool used. As shown in Figure 23C, initially, the tripod 18 is a solid wood tripod 18 from one end to the other end (lengthwise) of the tripod 18. A desktop processing machine (not shown) with a straight cylindrical cutting piece 80 is then used to make the channel 30'. Specifically, when the tripod 18 is mounted to a fixture 84 (not shown), the channel 30' is cut using the straight cylindrical cutting piece 80 set to the appropriate height (depth) and tilted to an angle of approximately 8°. The fixture 84 and the scaffold 18 are passed through the desktop processing machine once, so that the straight cylindrical cutting piece 80 is cut first (see Figures 23A and 23D). Then, the fixture 84 and the scaffold 18 are rotated 180° and passed through the desktop processing machine again, so that the straight cylindrical cutting piece 80 is cut second to produce a channel 30' having a "dovetail" shape (see Figures 23B and 23E). It should be understood that in other embodiments, the bevel angle can be changed from about 8° to any desired bevel angle, depending on the desired shape of the channel 30'.

Figures 24A to 24C illustrate another method of cutting the channel 30' of Figure 19B in the tripod 18 of the child support assembly 10. In the embodiment shown in Figures 24A to 24C, the channel 30' can be described as having a "dovetail" shape based on the cutting tool used. As shown in Figure 24B, initially, the tripod 18 is a solid wood tripod 18 from one end of the tripod 18 to the other end (lengthwise). A desktop processing machine (not shown) with a spherical cutting piece 82 is then used to make the channel 30'. Specifically, when the tripod 18 is mounted to the clamp 84 (not shown), only a single pass through the spherical cutting piece 82 is used to cut the channel 30' to produce the "dovetail" shape of the channel 30' (see Figure 24C).

25A to 45B illustrate various embodiments of the legs 18, lower legs 22, and/or upper corners 24 of the frame assembly 12 of the child support assembly 10. The various embodiments are intended to simplify the structure, assembly, and number of parts of the legs 18, lower legs 22, and/or upper corners 24. More specifically, in order to save costs and simplify the assembly 10, various embodiments of the following elements have been developed: the upper corners 24 disclose dimensions, shapes, fastening hardware, and other features; the legs 18 disclose methods that save materials and work, simplify the legs and corner connections; and the lower legs 22 disclose dimensions, shapes, fastening hardware, and other features.

Figures 25A to 25G show various views of the base or original embodiment of the footrest 18, lower foot 22 and upper corner 24 of the child support assembly 10 shown in Figures 1 to 6 of the present application. In the illustrated embodiment, the footrest 18 includes an upper end 19A and a lower end 19B. Both the upper end 19A and the lower end 19B can be formed as a tenon, and the tenon is configured to be inserted into other small holes or cavities. Specifically, the upper end 19A is configured to be inserted into a small hole or cavity having the upper corner 24. In addition, a fastener (not shown) extends through the fastener hole in the upper corner 24 so that the fastener is screwed into the small hole 92A located in the upper end 19A of the footrest 18 (see Figure 25E). In some examples, the upper end 19A of the stand 18 may include two apertures 92A, and two fasteners may be used to couple the upper corner 24 to the stand 18. The lower end 19B is configured to be inserted into an aperture or cavity with the lower foot 22. In addition, a fastener (not shown) extends through the fastener aperture in the lower foot 22 so that the fastener is screwed into the aperture 92B located in the channel 30 in the lower end 19B of the stand 18 (see FIG. 25F). In addition, as previously disclosed, the reinforcement 34 may be used to secure the textile assembly 14 to the stand 18.

Figures 26A to 26I show various views of another embodiment of the footrest 18A, lower foot 22A and upper corner 24A of the child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the footrest 18A includes an upper end 19A and a lower end 19B. The upper end 19A is formed as a tenon, which is configured to be inserted into other small holes or cavities. The lower end 19B of the footrest 18A does not include a tenon, but rather includes a constant tapered diameter to the end. The upper end 19A of the footrest 18A is configured to be inserted into a small hole or cavity having the upper corner 24A. In this embodiment, a snap ring 94 is fixed in the upper corner 24A, and the snap ring 94 is configured to couple with a radial groove 96 cut into the tenon of the upper end 19A of the footrest 18A. Thus, when the upper corner 24A is inserted and pressed onto the upper end 19A of the leg 18A, the collar 94 engages and couples with the radial groove 96 to secure the upper corner 24A to the upper end 19A of the leg 18A. The lower end 19B is configured to be inserted into the aperture or cavity with the lower foot 22A. In addition, a fastener (not shown) extends through the fastener aperture in the lower foot 22A so that the fastener is screwed into the aperture 92B located in the channel 30 in the lower end 19B of the leg 18A (see FIG. 26F ).

Figures 27A to 27G show various views of another embodiment of the footrest 18B, lower foot 22B and upper corner 24B of the child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the footrest 18B includes an upper end 19A and a lower end 19B. The upper end 19A is formed as a tenon, which is configured to be inserted into other small holes or cavities. The lower end 19B of the footrest 18B does not include a tenon, but rather includes a constant tapered diameter to the end. The upper end 19A of the footrest 18B is configured to be inserted into a small hole or cavity having an upper corner 24B. In this embodiment, the small hole 24B' extends axially through the upper corner 24B so that a fastener (not shown) can be inserted into the small hole 24B'. In addition, the tenon of the upper end 19A of the scaffold 18B includes an axially extending small hole 98A, which extends into the scaffold 18B and is configured to receive a fastener to fix the upper corner 24B to the scaffold 18B. Similarly, in this embodiment, the small hole 22B' extends axially through the lower foot 22B so that a fastener (not shown) can be inserted into the small hole 22B'. In addition, the lower end 19B of the scaffold 18B includes an axially extending small hole 98B, which extends into the scaffold 18B and is configured to receive a fastener to fix the lower foot 22B to the scaffold 18B. In this embodiment, a cap 100 can also be provided, which can be fixed to the lower foot 22B to cover the fastener and the small hole 22B'.

28A-28B illustrate a method of producing the leg 18 of the child support assembly 10. Specifically, referring to FIG. 28A, two square wooden blocks 181, 182 may be fixed together, and then these blocks may be turned on a lathe or other similar device to produce a generally cylindrical leg 18. More specifically, the two square wooden blocks 181, 182 may be glued together along their long sides. Then, the glued blocks may be turned on a lathe or other similar device to produce a generally cylindrical leg 18.

29A to 29C show another method of producing the support frame 18 of the child support assembly 10. In this embodiment, the wooden frame 18 can be constructed from two shorter wooden sections 183, 184, and a hole 185 is drilled at one end of each shorter frame section 183, 184. In addition, a wooden dowel pin 186 can be inserted into the hole 185 of each shorter frame section 183, 184, and the two wooden sections 183, 184 can be combined and fixed together. The joint and/or dowel pin 186 can also be glued to obtain additional strength and prevent the parts from separating.

Figures 30A to 30D show another method of producing a stand for a child support assembly. In this embodiment, a wooden stand 18 can be constructed from two shorter wooden sections 183, 184, and a hole 185 is drilled at one end of each shorter stand section 183, 184. In addition, a threaded insert 187 can be inserted/screwed into the hole 185 of each shorter stand section 183, 184, and the two wooden sections 183, 184 can be combined and fixed together. The joint and/or threaded insert 187 can also be glued to obtain additional strength and prevent the parts from separating.

Figures 31A-31B illustrate another method of producing a footrest for a child support assembly. The embodiment of Figures 31A-31B is substantially similar to the embodiment of Figures 30A-30D, with the only difference being that the embodiment of Figures 31A-31B includes a disc 188. Therefore, the disclosures regarding the embodiment of Figures 30A-30D should be understood to be equally applicable to the embodiment of Figures 31A-31B. In the embodiment of Figures 31A-31B, a disc 188 is added and positioned between the joints or connection locations of the shorter sections 183, 184. The disc 188 includes a central aperture so that the threaded insert 187 can extend through the disc 188. The disc 188 is added between the shorter sections 183, 184 to soften the visual impact of a joint which would otherwise emphasize the different colors and textures between the two scaffold sections, provide a margin of error in the event of slight axial misalignment, and provide an aesthetic appearance similar to other products in the "family" of products sold under the same brand/series.

Figures 32A to 32E show various views of another embodiment of coupling the upper corner 24C to the leg 18C of the child support assembly 10. In the embodiment shown, the leg 18C includes a radial groove 96C located in the upper end of the leg 18C. The upper corner 24C includes a socket 102, a window 104 located on the radial side walls of the socket 102 and the upper corner 24C, and a rib 106. The socket 102 is a small hole configured to receive the upper end of the leg 18C. The window 104 is an opening positioned within and extending through the radial side walls of the socket 102, and the socket 102 may include at least one window 104. The leg 18C may have a radial groove 96C cut near the top of the leg 18C, and a C-clip 108 may be assembled and coupled to the radial groove 96C. The diameter of the C-clip 108 is wider than the diameter of the radial groove 96C so that the C-clip 108 can bend radially in and out when squeezed.

The leg 18C is assembled to the upper corner 24C by squeezing the C-clip 108 and inserting the top end of the leg 18C into the socket 102 until the C-clip 108 expands into the window 104. Once assembled, the upper corner 24C cannot be removed unless a tool is inserted into the window 104 to depress and release the C-clip 108 and thereby remove the leg 18C. In addition, the rib 106 is a protrusion positioned within the inner radial surface of the socket 102 and extending inwardly toward the center of the socket 102. The rib 106 aligns with the channels 30, 30' in the leg 18C to correctly position the upper corner 24C relative to the leg 18C and prevent relative rotation between the parts.

Figures 33A to 33D show various views of another embodiment of a tripod 18D that connects an upper corner 24D to a child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the tripod 18D includes a radial groove 96D in the upper end of the tripod 18D. The upper corner 24D includes a socket 102D, a bent finger 110, and a rib 106D. The socket 102D is a small hole configured to receive the upper end of the tripod 18D. The bent finger 110 is positioned in and integrally formed with the radial side walls of the socket 102D and the upper corner 24D. The bent finger 110 is configured to bend radially inward and outward relative to the radial side walls of the socket 102D. In addition, rib 106D is a protrusion positioned within the inner radial surface of the socket 102D and extending inwardly toward the center of the socket 102D. Rib 106D aligns with channels 30, 30' in the bracket 18D to properly position the upper corner 24D relative to the bracket 18D and prevent relative rotation between the parts.

The stand 18D may have a radial groove 96D cut near the top of the stand 18D, and the bent finger 100 may be assembled and connected to the radial groove 96D. Specifically, the stand 18D having the radial groove 96D near the top is assembled to the upper corner 24D by inserting the top end of the stand 18D into the socket 102D. The bent finger 110 bends during insertion and then snaps into place and remains in the radial groove 96D. Once assembled, the upper corner 24D cannot be removed unless a tool is used to pry back the bent finger 110 and thus remove the stand 18D.

34A-34B show various views of another embodiment of coupling an upper corner 24E to a leg 18E of a child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper end of the leg 18E includes a channel 30' and a shoulder screw 112 connected to the upper end of the leg 18E within the channel 30'. The upper corner 24E includes a socket 102E for receiving the upper end of the leg 18E and a hollow rivet hole 114 for receiving a hollow rivet 116. The upper end of the leg 18E is inserted into the socket 102E, the leg 18E is assembled to the upper corner 24E, and the hollow rivet 116 is then secured within the hollow rivet hole 114. The engagement of the shoulder screw 112 and the hollow rivet 116 prevents the bracket 18E from being pulled out of the socket 102E in the upper corner 24E.

35A-35D show various views of another embodiment of coupling an upper corner 24F to a leg 18F of a child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, an axial end of the leg 18F includes a hole (not shown) configured to receive and secure a metal post 118. As shown, the metal post 118 includes a groove 118A, which is a radial groove cut into the metal post 118 near the axial end of the metal post 118. The upper corner 24F includes a socket 102F configured to receive the metal post 118. The upper corner 24F also includes a window 104F extending through a radial side wall of the upper corner 24F. For assembly, the stand 18F with the attached metal post 118 is inserted into the upper corner 24F so that the metal post 118 is inserted into the socket 102F. When the metal post 118 is positioned within the socket 102F and the upper corner 24F is positioned adjacent to the upper end of the stand 18F, the split pin 120A or the clip 120B is used to connect the upper corner 24F to the stand 18F. Specifically, the split pin 120A or the clip 120B is assembled through the window 104F on one side of the upper corner 24F so that the split pin 120A or the clip 120B engages with the groove 118A in the metal post 118, thereby preventing the upper corner 24F and the stand 18F from separating. Alignment ribs 106F may also be provided in upper corners 24F which engage channels 30' to prevent rotation.

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of another embodiment of connecting an upper corner 24G to a leg 18G of a child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the leg 18G includes a channel 30' and a channel cutout 122 positioned at a distal end of the channel 30' at an upper end of the leg 18G. The channel cutout 122 may be circular in shape and may extend partially into the leg 18G, but not completely through the leg 18G. The upper corner 24G includes a socket 102G for receiving the leg 18G and a hollow rivet hole 114G for receiving a hollow rivet (not shown) or other fastener. The leg 18G is assembled to the upper corner 24G by inserting the upper end of the leg 18G into the socket 102G and then tightening the hollow rivet into the hollow rivet hole 114G to prevent the leg 18G from rotating and being pulled out of the upper corner 24G.

37A-37B show various views of another embodiment of coupling the upper corner 24H of the child support assembly 10 to the tripod 18H. In the illustrated embodiment, the tripod 18H includes a channel 30' and a radial groove 96H positioned near the distal end of the upper end of the tripod 18H. The upper corner 24H includes a socket 102H for receiving the tripod 18H, and two hollow rivet holes 114H for receiving hollow rivets (not shown), push-in fasteners or screws, and other options not specifically listed. The leg 18H is assembled to the upper corner 24H by inserting the upper end of the leg 18H into the socket 102H, and then a hollow rivet, push fastener, screw, etc. is fastened into the hollow rivet hole 114H to prevent the leg 18H from rotating and being pulled out of the upper corner 24H. It should be understood that the hollow rivet, push fastener or screw does not have to penetrate the wooden leg 18H. In addition, the upper corner 24H may include a rib 106H aligned with the channel 30' to prevent rotation between the leg 18H and the upper corner 24H.

38A-38B show various views of another embodiment of coupling the upper corner 24I of the child support assembly 10 to the tripod 18I. In the illustrated embodiment, the tripod 18I includes a channel 30' and a small hole 98I in the end extending to the upper end of the tripod 18I. The small hole 98I is axially offset from the center axis of the tripod 18I, and the small hole 98I is parallel to the center axis of the tripod 18I. The upper corner 24I includes a metal column 118I, which is squeezed into a small hole (not shown) in the upper corner 24I so that the metal column 118I is fixed to the upper corner 24I. The tripod 18I is assembled to the upper corner 24I by inserting the metal column 118I coupled to the upper corner 24I into the small hole 98I of the tripod 18I. The metal post 118I and the biasing axis of the leg 18I prevent the leg 18I from rotating relative to the upper corner 24I.

39A-39C show various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower foot 22C to the stand 18C of the child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower foot 22C includes a socket 124 for receiving the lower end of the wooden stand 18C. The wooden stand 18C has a channel 30' cut into it, and the lower foot 22C has a vertical post 126 protruding upward from the center of the socket 124. The vertical post 126 has an alignment rib 128 and a hole 130 for a screw assembly. The lower foot 22C is assembled to the lower end of the stand 18C, wherein the vertical post 126 and the alignment rib 128 are aligned and positioned within the channel 30'. Screws 132 (or other fasteners) are inserted into holes 130 in vertical posts 126 to secure lower foot 22C to stand 18C, thereby preventing stand 18C from being pulled out of lower foot 22C. Screws 132 and vertical posts 126 are hidden behind the textile assembly, which is assembled in a subsequent step.

40A-40E show various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower foot 22D to the leg 18D of the child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower foot 22D includes a metal bracket 134 having two interlocking tabs 136 with screw holes 136A therein. The metal bracket 134 wraps around the lower end of the leg 18D until the interlocking tabs 136 overlap, thereby allowing the screw 132 to be assembled through the tabs 136 to the lower end of the leg 18D. The plastic anti-scratch foot (i.e., lower foot 22D) is squeezed onto the end of the metal bracket 134 and the leg 18 until the rivet hole 138 of the lower foot 22D is aligned with the metal bracket 134. The plastic foot is fixed by rivets (not shown) and prevented from falling off.

41A to 41D show various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower foot 22E to the foot 18E of the child support assembly 10. The lower foot 22E includes a socket 124E for receiving the lower end of the wooden foot 18E. The wooden foot 18E has a channel 30' cut into it from top to bottom, but the channel 30' ends before interfering with the lower end of the wooden foot 18E. The lower end of the foot 18E also has a radial groove 138 and a flat section 140 cut into the lower end of the foot 18E. The flat metal ring 142 is embedded in the lower foot 22E by squeezing the flat metal ring 142 with resilient fingers over the undercut 144 on the isolation rib. The lower foot 22E and the flat metal ring 142 are squeezed onto the lower end of the leg 18E until the resilient fingers of the flat metal ring 142 snap into the radial groove 138. The flat section 140 provides an anti-rotation feature to prevent the lower foot 22E from twisting relative to the leg 18E. In a second embodiment (FIG. 41D), the molded bottom cutout 146 within the socket 124E of the lower foot 22E can engage directly with the radial groove 138.

42A to 42C show various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower foot 22F to the foot 18F of the child support assembly 10. The lower foot 22F includes a socket 124F for receiving the lower end of the wooden foot 18F. The wooden foot 18F has a channel 30' cut into it from top to bottom, but the channel 30' terminates before interfering with the lower end of the wooden foot 18F. A hole 130F for a threaded fastener 148 is drilled in the center of the lower end of the foot 18F. The threaded fastener 148 is assembled to the lower end of the foot 18F. The lower foot 22F is then assembled to the threaded fastener 148 by rotating/spinning/threading the socket 124F at high speed to the other end of the threaded fastener 148. The threads on the threaded fastener 148 engage the inner wall of the socket 148 to clamp the lower foot 22F in place on the stand 18F.

Figures 43A to 43D show various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower foot 22G to the foot frame 18G of the child support assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower foot 22G includes a socket 124G for receiving the lower end of the wooden foot frame 18G. The wooden foot frame 18G has a channel 30' cut from top to bottom, and the channel 30' terminates before passing through the lower end of the foot frame 18G, but does not pass through completely. The elastic snap 150 is assembled to the channel 30' and positioned in the channel 30'. The elastic snap 150 is configured to snap into and engage the undercut 152 in the lower foot 22G. The undercut 152 can be a small hole extending through the radial side wall of the lower foot 22G.

Figure 44A to Figure 44C illustrate various views of another embodiment of the tripod of the child support assembly with the lower foot connected to it. Figure 45A to Figure 45B illustrate the cross-sectional view of the lower foot of Figure 44A to Figure 44B. In addition, the lower foot shown in Figure 44A to Figure 45B is identical with the lower foot 22B shown in Figure 27A to Figure 27G. As discussed, the lower foot 22B comprises an eyelet 22B ' extending axially through the lower foot 22B, so that the fastener 132B is inserted into the eyelet 22B '. In addition, the lower end 19B of the tripod 18B comprises an axially extending eyelet 98B, which extends into the tripod 18B and is configured to receive the fastener 132B so that the lower foot 22B is fixed to the tripod 18B. In this embodiment, the cap 100 can also be configured to be fixed to the lower foot 22B to cover the fastener 132B and the small hole 22B'. As shown in the figure, in some embodiments, the lower foot 22B can also include an alignment rib 128B, which is configured to engage with the channel 30' to correctly orient the lower foot 22B on the bracket 18B and prevent rotation between the parts.

Although a series of specific modes and configurations of child support assemblies have been described, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that additional modes are possible.

Thus, having described the illustrated embodiments in detail, it will be understood and apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes may be made, only some of which are exemplified in the detailed description of the invention, without changing the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. It will also be understood that many embodiments are possible that incorporate only a portion of the illustrated embodiments, without changing the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein with respect to these portions.

Therefore, the present embodiments and optional configurations should be considered in all aspects as exemplary and/or illustrative rather than restrictive, and the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Therefore, all alternative embodiments and changes to the embodiments that fall within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included therein.

10: Child support assembly 12: Frame assembly 14: Textile assembly 14A: Textile assembly 16: Internal space 18: Frame 18A: Frame 18B: Frame 18C: Frame 18D: Frame 18E: Frame 18G: Frame 18H: Frame 18I: Frame 19A: Upper end 19B: Lower end 20: Top rail 22: Lower foot 22A: Lower foot 22B: Lower foot 22B': Small hole 22C: Lower foot 22D: Lower foot 22E: Lower foot 22F: Lower foot 22G: Lower foot 24: Upper corner 24A: Upper corner 24B: Upper corner 24B': Small hole 24C: Upper corner 24D: Upper corner 24E: Upper corner 24F: Upper corner 24G: Upper corner 24H: Upper corner 24I: Upper corner 26: Cradle 28: Cradle upper panel 30: Channel 30': Channel 32: Textile sheath 34: Reinforcement 36: Bottom X-frame 38: Outrigger 40: Wheel hub 40A: Wheel hub 40B: Wheel hub 40C: Wheel hub 42: Tube 42A: Locking tube 42B: Non-locking tube 44: Release mechanism 46: Hub lock 46A: First wing 46B: Second wing 48: Toy bar 50: Mattress 52: Clip 54: Toy bar handle 56: Main clip 58: Pivot clip 60: Main clip pivot 62: Main clip pivot 64: Cam surface 66: Zipper connector 68: Triangular fabric extension 70: Cradle clip 70A: Alignment pad 70B: Fastener section 72: Parallel fabric extension 74: Diagonal panel 76: Wind shield 78: bottom panel 80: straight cylindrical cutting piece 82: spherical cutting piece 84: clamp 84A: upper end of clamp 84B: lower end of clamp 86: fixing screw 88: gasket 90: circular blade 92A: small hole 92B: small hole 94: buckle ring 96: radial groove 96C: radial groove 96D: radial groove 96H: radial groove 98A: axial extension small hole 98B: axial extension small hole 98I: small hole 100: cap 102: socket 102D: socket 102E: socket 102F: socket 102G: socket 102H: socket 104: window 104F: window 106: rib 106D: rib 106F: rib 106H: rib 108: C-clip 110: bent finger 112: shoulder screw 114: hollow rivet hole 114G: hollow rivet hole 114H: hollow rivet hole 116: hollow rivet 118: metal post 118A: hollow rivet hole 118I: metal post 122: channel cutout 124: socket 126: vertical post 128: alignment rib 130: hole 132: screw 134: metal bracket 136: Slice 138: Radial Groove 140: Flat Section 142: Flat Metal Ring 144: Undercut 146: In-Mold Undercut 148: Threaded Fastener 150: Elastic Snap-On Fastener 152: Undercut 181: Square Wood Block 182: Square Wood Block 183: Shorter Section 184: Shorter Section 185: Hole 186: Wooden Dowel Pin 187: Threaded Insert 188: Disc 120A: Split Pin 120B: Clip 124E: Socket 124F: Socket 124G: Socket 128B: Alignment Rib 130F: Hole 132B: Fastener 136A: Screw hole HH: Wheel hub height

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, will be best understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the child support assembly of the present invention in the cradle mode.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the child support assembly of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the child support assembly of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a front view of the child support assembly of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded view of the child support assembly of FIG. 1 .

6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the child support assembly of FIG. 1 taken along section line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

7 is a bottom perspective view of a bottom X-shaped frame for the child support assembly of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the child support assembly in the cradle mode with certain parts omitted.

FIG. 8B is a partial enlarged view of the assembly of FIG. 13A .

FIG. 9A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a child support assembly in a play mat mode.

FIG. 9B is a partial enlarged view of the assembly of FIG. 14A .

FIG. 10A is a front view of a toy bar for a child support assembly in track mode.

FIG. 10B is a partial enlarged view of the toy pole of FIG. 15A .

11A is a front view of a toy bar of another embodiment of a child support assembly in a play mat mode.

FIG. 11B is a partial enlarged view of the toy pole of FIG. 16A .

FIG. 12A is an enlarged view of the leg of the pediatric support assembly.

12B is a perspective view of the child support assembly in playard mode.

FIG. 12C is a perspective view of the child support assembly in the cradle mode.

13A-13C are perspective views showing the attachment of the cradle to the frame assembly.

14A-14C are enlarged perspective views showing the attachment of the cradle to the frame assembly using cradle clips.

15A-15B show the cradle connected to the frame assembly without and with the cradle clip, respectively.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a textile assembly.

Figures 17A to 17C show details of an alternative embodiment of the textile assembly in Figure 16.

18A to 18G illustrate a method of cutting a channel in a leg of a child support assembly.

Figure 19A is a perspective view of a scaffold including a channel having a first shape.

Figure 19B is a perspective end view of a scaffold including a channel having a second shape.

19C-19D illustrate a fixture that may be used to create a channel having a second shape, as shown in FIG. 19B .

20A to 20D illustrate a method of cutting the channel of FIG. 19B in the leg of the child support assembly.

21A to 22C illustrate another method of cutting the channel of FIG. 19B in the leg of the child support assembly.

23A to 23E illustrate another method of cutting the channel of FIG. 19B in the leg of the child support assembly.

24A to 24C illustrate another method of cutting the channel of FIG. 19B in the leg of the child support assembly.

Figures 25A to 25G show various views of the foot frame, lower base and upper corners of the child support assembly.

26A to 26I show various views of another embodiment of a foot frame, lower base, and upper corner of a child support assembly.

Figures 27A to 27G show various views of another embodiment of the foot frame, lower base and upper corners of the child support assembly.

28A-28B illustrate a method of producing a footrest for a child support assembly.

Figures 29A to 29C illustrate another method of producing a footrest for a child support assembly.

30A to 30D illustrate another method of producing a footrest for a child support assembly.

31A-31B illustrate another method of producing a footrest for a child support assembly.

32A-32E illustrate various views of another embodiment of coupling the upper corners of a child support assembly to a tripod.

33A-33D illustrate various views of another embodiment of coupling the upper corners of a child support assembly to a tripod.

34A-34B show various views of another embodiment of coupling the upper corners of a child support assembly to a tripod.

35A-35D illustrate various views of another embodiment of coupling the upper corners of a child support assembly to a tripod.

36 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a stand with upper corners connected to a child support assembly.

37A-37B show various views of another embodiment of connecting the upper corners of the child support assembly to the tripod.

38A-38B show various views of another embodiment of coupling the upper corners of a child support assembly to a tripod.

39A-39C show various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower base of the child support assembly to the frame.

40A-40E illustrate various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower base of the child support assembly to the frame.

41A-41D illustrate various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower base of the child support assembly to the frame.

42A-42C show various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower base of the child support assembly to the frame.

43A-43D illustrate various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower base of the child support assembly to the frame.

44A-44C show various views of another embodiment of coupling the lower base of the child support assembly to the frame.

45A-45B show cross-sectional views of the lower foot of FIGS. 44A-44B .

10:Child support assembly

12: Frame assembly

14: Textile components

16: Internal space

18:Tripod

22: Lower the foot

26: Cradle

58: pivot clamp

Claims (46)

A children's playbed, the playbed comprising: a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly; the frame assembly comprising: a plurality of legs, each leg extending from a support surface to a plurality of top rails of the frame assembly, wherein each leg is formed of a wood material; and a bottom X-shaped frame disposed adjacent to the support surface below the textile assembly and connectable to the plurality of legs, the bottom X-shaped frame comprising: a wheel hub centrally located below the textile assembly; a plurality of tubes rotatably connected to the wheel hub; and a release mechanism comprising a wheel hub lock coupled to the wheel hub; Wherein, the hub lock is configured to switch between a locked state and an unlocked state to respectively fix and release the multiple tubes for rotation. A play yard as described in claim 1, wherein each leg comprises a channel. A play yard as described in claim 2, wherein the channel of each leg is configured to receive a portion of the textile assembly. A play yard as described in claim 3, wherein multiple reinforcements are inserted into multiple textile covers of the textile assembly, and the textile covers are configured to be positioned in the channel of each leg so that the reinforcements secure the textile assembly to each leg. A play yard as described in claim 1, wherein the transition of the wheel hub lock between the locked state and the unlocked state includes the wheel hub lock rotating around the center axis of the wheel hub lock. A play yard as described in claim 5, wherein the center axis of the wheel hub lock is axially aligned with the center axis of the wheel hub. A child support assembly includes: a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly, the frame assembly including a plurality of wooden legs; a cradle removably connected to at least one of the frame assembly and the textile assembly, the cradle including a mattress configured to fit in the cradle, wherein the mattress is removable from the cradle; and a toy bar configured to selectively attach to a top rail of the frame assembly or the mattress, wherein the toy bar is attachable to the mattress when the mattress is removed from the cradle. A child support assembly as described in claim 7, wherein the toy bar includes at least one clip configured to couple to the top rail of the frame assembly to secure the toy bar to the frame assembly. A child support assembly as described in claim 8, wherein the at least one clip includes a clip disposed at each end of the toy pole. A child support assembly as described in claim 7, wherein the toy bar includes at least one clip configured to be coupled to the mattress to secure the toy bar to the mattress. A child support assembly as described in claim 10, wherein the at least one clip is pivotable relative to the toy pole handle of the toy pole. The child support assembly of claim 10, wherein the at least one clip comprises a clip disposed at each end of the toy pole. A child support assembly includes: a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly, the frame assembly including a plurality of legs; a cradle removably connected to at least one of the frame assembly and the textile assembly, the cradle including: a cradle top panel extending around an upper periphery of the cradle; and a cradle clip coupled to the cradle top panel at each corner of the cradle, the cradle clip including a fastener portion sized to receive and removably latch to one of the plurality of legs to couple the cradle top panel to the plurality of legs. A child support assembly as described in claim 13, wherein the cradle clip further includes an alignment pad that is axially offset from the fastener portion along the axis of the cradle clip. A child support assembly as described in claim 14, wherein the alignment pad is configured to contact the bottom side of the upper corner of the base or each tripod. A child support assembly as described in claim 13, wherein the cradle clip is coupled to the inner surface of the cradle upper panel located at each corner of the cradle. A child support assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the cradle is stitched into the inner surface of the cradle upper panel. A child support assembly as described in claim 13, wherein the cradle clip is coupled to one of the plurality of legs so that the cradle upper panel extends to cover the upper outer surface of the frame assembly. A children's playbed, the playbed comprising: a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly, the textile assembly defining an interior space, and the frame assembly comprising: a plurality of legs, each leg extending from a support surface to a plurality of top rails of the frame assembly, wherein: each leg is formed of a wood material; each leg extends from the plurality of top rails to the support surface at an angle inclined outwardly away from the center of the frame assembly; and the cross-sectional area of the interior space is constant from the plurality of top rails to the base of the textile assembly. A playard as described in claim 19, wherein the textile assembly further includes triangular fabric extensions positioned at each corner of the textile assembly. A playard as described in claim 20, wherein the triangular fabric extension creates a constant cross-sectional area within the interior space of the textile component. A playard as described in claim 19, wherein the textile assembly further includes a diagonal panel extending between a side wall of the textile assembly and a bottom panel of the textile assembly, the diagonal panel being positioned along an overall inner bottom periphery of the textile assembly. A playard as described in claim 22, wherein the diagonal panels create a constant cross-sectional area within the interior space of the textile component. A method of making a playard having a wooden frame for supporting a textile assembly, the method comprising: Providing a textile assembly having a narrow portion and a wide portion extending from the narrow portion; Using a cutting machine to make a first longitudinal cut with a cutting tool along the wooden frame, the first longitudinal cut forming a groove in the wooden frame; Using the cutting machine to make a second longitudinal cut with the cutting tool along the wooden frame, the second longitudinal cut widening the interior of the groove; and Attaching the textile assembly to the wooden frame by sliding the wide portion of the textile assembly into the interior of the groove. A method as described in claim 24, wherein the inner portion of the groove is positioned radially inwardly of the radial outer periphery of the wooden scaffold. The method of claim 24, wherein after the first longitudinal cut, the wooden scaffold is reoriented by rotating the wooden scaffold 180 degrees. A method as described in claim 24, wherein during the first longitudinal cut, the cutting tool is a saw blade that is inclined at an oblique angle to the long axis of the wooden scaffold. A method as described in claim 27, wherein after the first longitudinal cut, the wooden scaffold is reoriented by rotating the wooden scaffold 180 degrees. A method as described in claim 27, wherein the saw blade is inclined at an angle of 5 to 15 degrees from the vertical direction. A method as described in claim 24, wherein the cutting tool is a spherical cutting element. A children's playbed, the playbed comprising: a frame assembly and a textile assembly connected to the frame assembly, the frame assembly comprising: a plurality of legs, each leg extending from a support surface to a plurality of top rails of the frame assembly, wherein at least one of the plurality of legs is formed of a wood material; a bottom X-shaped frame disposed adjacent the support surface below the textile assembly; an upper corner coupled to each leg at an upper end of each leg, each upper corner being configured to couple to two of the plurality of top rails; and A lower foot is coupled to each leg at a lower end of each leg, each lower foot being configured to couple to at least a portion of the bottom X-shaped frame. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each leg is formed of a wooden material. A playard as described in claim 31, wherein each upper corner is connected to one of the multiple legs by a C-clip, the C-clip engaging in a radial groove of the leg and engaging in a window in the upper corner. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each upper corner is coupled to one of the plurality of legs via a bent finger of the upper corner engaging the radial groove of the leg. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each upper corner is connected to one of the multiple legs by engagement between a shoulder screw connected to the leg within a channel of the leg and a hollow rivet extending through a hollow rivet hole in the upper corner. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each upper corner is coupled to one of the multiple legs via a metal post, the metal post being connected to a small hole in the end of the leg and engaging with a socket in the upper corner. A play yard as described in claim 36, wherein a pin or clip engages a groove in the metal post to prevent the metal post from being removed from the socket. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each upper corner is coupled to one of the multiple legs by at least one hollow rivet, the at least one hollow rivet extending through at least one hollow rivet hole in the upper corners, and the at least one hollow rivet engaging a radial groove of the leg. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each lower foot is coupled to one of the multiple legs by a fastener, and the fastener extends through a small hole in a vertical column, and the vertical column extends upward from the lower foot toward the leg. A play yard as described in claim 39, wherein the vertical column is positioned in the channel of the tripod. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each lower base is connected to one of the multiple legs via a metal bracket that wraps around the lower end of each of the multiple legs, and wherein when secured to the leg, the fastener extends through a plate within the metal bracket into a channel in the leg. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each lower foot is coupled to one of the plurality of foot frames via a metal ring positioned within the lower foot, the metal ring being configured to engage a radial groove within a lower end of each foot frame. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each lower base is connected to one of the multiple bases via a threaded fastener, the threaded fastener is screwed into a small hole in the axial end of the base, and the threaded fastener is screwed into a socket in the lower base. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each lower foot is coupled to one of the plurality of feet via a snap fastener positioned within a channel of the foot, the snap fastener being configured to engage an undercut within the lower foot. A play yard as described in claim 31, wherein each lower foot is coupled to one of the multiple foot frames via the fastener, the fastener extending axially through the lower foot and coupled to the lower foot axially aligned with the center axis of the foot frame. A playard as described in claim 45, wherein a cap is coupled to the lower base to cover the fastener, and the cap is axially aligned with the fastener.

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