Connection structure for the frames of a playpen

Abstract

A connection structure for the frames of a playpen including an upper frame, a lower frame and four corner posts. The upper frame is composed of four collapsible rails each having a pair of flat end portions respectively pivoted to the upper portion of the posts, each post being covered by one of four corner members. Four foot members are secured to the lower end of the posts respectively. The lower frame is of a conventional structure which has an octagonal hub at the lower center of the playpen, four elongate rods, each respectively pivoted between the hub and one of the four foot members to make a cross configuration, a pair of collapsible transverse rods spacedly pivoted between the adjacent elongate rods parallel to each other, and a strap connecting the transverse rods through the top of the octagonal hub. When the hub is pulled upward the rails are pushed downward, the four corner posts are forced to move inward so as to collapse the playpen into a compact rectangular configuration.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A connection structure for the frames of a playpen comprising: 
 four corner posts each having an upper end, a lower end a pair of aligned thru holes perpendicularly formed at different height adjacent the upper end, a thru hole in a periphery beneath the aligned thru holes for securing a positioning block by a connector, said positioning block having an arcuate surface engaged with an outer periphery of the post, a recess in top and a thru hole engaged with the thru hole of the post;    a pair of long rails and a pair short rail pivotably and perpendicularly connected to aligned thru holes of the four corner posts respectively by a connector, said rails each having medial connecting means enabling the rails to be collapsed into a V-shaped configuration when the playpen is collapsed and two flat end portions;    four hollow interior L-shaped corner members respectively covering the upper end of the four corner posts, said corner members each having a socket inside an upper corner engaged with the upper end of the posts, an elongate projection inside a corner abutting the socket including a lower end inserted into the recess of the positioning block, a narrow gap in upper portion of each end engaged with the flat end portions of the rails and a pair of side walls formed in lateral edges of each of the gaps; each of the four foot members fixedly secured to the lower end of the its respective corner post by a connector;    a lower frame having a octagonal hub at the lower center of the playpen, four elongate rods each respectively and pivotably connected between hub and one of the four foot members to make a cross configuration, a pair transverse rods spacedly pivoted to the elongate rods each having medial connecting means enabling the transverse rod to be laterally collapsed into a V-shaped configuration when the playpen is collapsed and strap connecting the medial connecting means through top of the octagonal hub;    whereby, when the octagonal hub is pulled upward and the respective sets of rails are pushed downward, the corner posts are forced to move inward so as to collapse the playpen and making it a compact rectangular configuration.