Hub lock for playard

Abstract

A playard including a frame and a hub. The frame includes first and second legs configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position. The hub includes a hub body, at least one locking arm operably coupled to the hub body, and a user interface. Each locking arm includes a socket and is configured to releasably couple to a leg when in the deployed position. An end of the leg extends through a passage in the hub body so that an outer surface of the end of the leg is captured within the socket. The legs are coupled to the hub body by a ring that is captured by at least one retention member in a snap fit engagement. The user interface is configured to release the locking arms and includes a strap with a pleat to prohibit the strap from passing through the aperture.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A playard comprising: 
 a frame including a leg configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position;    a hub including a hub body and at least one locking arm coupled to the hub body, each locking arm including a socket configured to releasably capture an end of the first leg when in the deployed position.    
     
     
         2 . The playard of  claim 1  wherein the socket is defined by an upper wall, a lower wall, and a pair of side walls, the upper and lower walls being configured to inhibit pivotal movement of the leg, and the pair of side walls being configured to inhibit lateral movement thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The playard of  claim 1  wherein the hub includes two locking arms configured to releasably capture two opposed legs.  
     
     
         4 . The playard of  claim 3  wherein the locking arms are biased away from each other.  
     
     
         5 . The playard of  claim 4 , further including a user interface coupled to the locking arms and operable to pivot the locking arms towards each other to release the opposed legs.  
     
     
         6 . The playard of  claim 5  wherein the user interface includes a strap and a cord.  
     
     
         7 . The playard of  claim 6  wherein the cord includes a loop coupled to the locking arms and orientated generally perpendicular to the locking arms so that movement of the strap away from the hub reduces the loop and pivots the locking arms toward one another.  
     
     
         8 . The playard of  claim 4  wherein the locking arms each include a pair of alternating flanges.  
     
     
         9 . The playard of  claim 2  wherein the hub includes a ring configured to engage the legs, the ring being releasably coupled to a plurality of retention members on the hub body.  
     
     
         10 . The playard of  claim 2  wherein the locking arms are pivotably coupled to the hub body.  
     
     
         11 . A playard comprising: 
 a frame including a plurality of legs;    a ring configured to engage ends of the plurality of legs; and    a hub, wherein the ring is coupled to the hub by at least one retention member.    
     
     
         12 . The playard of  claim 11  wherein the ring includes a gap for engaging the plurality of legs.  
     
     
         13 . The playard of  claim 12  wherein the at least one retention member includes a ramped surface and a notch configured to secure the ring in a snap fit engagement.  
     
     
         14 . The playard of  claim 11  wherein the ring is removable from the hub.  
     
     
         15 . The playard of  claim 11  wherein the retention members are integrally molded with the hub.  
     
     
         16 . A playard comprising: 
 a frame including legs configured to move between a deployed position and a stowed position;    a floor panel coupled to the frame and including an aperture;    a hub releasably coupled to the legs;    a user interface configured to release the legs to allow them to move from the deployed position to the stowed position, the user interface including a strap connected to a cord extending through the aperture and coupled to the hub, the strap includes a pleat to prohibit the strap from passing through the aperture.    
     
     
         17 . The playard of  claim 16  wherein the pleat includes a pair of folds at an end of the strap.  
     
     
         18 . The playard of  claim 17  wherein the cord is connected to the pleat of the strap.  
     
     
         19 . The playard of  claim 16  wherein the pleat has a thickness greater than a width of the aperture.  
     
     
         20 . The playard of  claim 16  wherein the aperture is a slit in the floor panel.  
     
     
         21 . A method of assembling a frame system for a playard, the method comprising: 
 providing a plurality of legs, a ring and a hub including a plurality of retention members;    coupling the plurality of legs to the ring;    pressing the ring into engagement with the retention members.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the ring is pressed into a snap fit engagement with the retention members.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  further including inserting the plurality of legs through a plurality of passages.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  further including flexing the retention members by sliding the ring across ramped surfaces on the plurality of retention members.  
     
     
         25 . A method of erecting a playard comprising: 
 providing a frame and a hub, the frame having a pair of legs and the hub having a pair of locking arms;    pivoting the pair of legs toward a generally horizontal position;    capturing ends of the legs within the locking arms.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the locking arms each include a socket configured to receive the ends of the legs.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  further including biasing the locking arms towards the ends of the legs.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein capturing the ends of the legs includes pivoting the locking arms until the ends of the legs are pivoted past the edge of the socket.  
     
     
         29 . A hub for a collapsing apparatus including a first and second frame members configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position, the hub comprising: 
 a hub body including a pair of passages configured to receive the first and second frame members;    a first locking arm operably coupled to the hub body and including a socket, the first locking arm being configured to releasably couple to the first frame member when in the deployed position wherein an end of the first frame member extends through the passage so that an outer surface of the first frame member is captured within the socket.    
     
     
         30 . The hub of  claim 29  wherein the hub includes a second locking arm configured to releasably couple to the second frame member.  
     
     
         31 . The hub of  claim 29  wherein the socket is defined by a first wall, which is configured to inhibit pivotal movement of the first frame member, and a second wall configured to inhibit lateral movement of the first frame member.  
     
     
         32 . The hub of  claim 31  wherein the first and second locking arms are biased away from each other.  
     
     
         33 . The hub of  claim 32 , further including a user interface coupled to the first and second locking arms and operable to pivot the first and second locking arms towards each other to release the first and second frame members.  
     
     
         34 . The hub of  claim 33  wherein the user interface includes a strap and a cord coupled to the strap, the cord includes a loop coupled to first and second locking arms and orientated generally perpendicular to the first and second locking arms so that movement of the strap away from hub reduces the loop and pivots first and second locking arms.  
     
     
         35 . The hub of  claim 31  wherein the hub includes a ring configured to engage the first and second frame members, and configured to releasably couple to a plurality of retention members on the hub body.  
     
     
         36 . A hub for a collapsing apparatus including a pair of frame members configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position, the hub comprising: 
 a hub body configured to receive the frame members;    first and second locking arms coupled to the hub body and configured to releasably couple the frame members when in the deployed position, each of the locking arms including a first and second flange extending therefrom.    
     
     
         37 . The hub of  claim 36  wherein the first and second flanges of the first locking arm are configured to mesh with the first and second flanges of the second locking arms.  
     
     
         38 . The hub of  claim 37  wherein the first flange projects in a different direction than the second flange.  
     
     
         39 . The hub of  claim 38  wherein the first flange projects slightly downward and the second flange projects slightly upward.  
     
     
         40 . The hub of  claim 39  wherein the first flange of the first locking arm overlaps the second flange of the second locking arm, and the first flange of the second locking arm overlaps the second flange of the first locking arm.  
     
     
         41 . The hub of  claim 37  wherein the meshing of the first and second flanges of the first and second locking arms acts as a hinge to provide a bearing surface and a biasing engagement between the first and second locking arm.  
     
     
         42 . The hub of  claim 36  wherein the first and second locking arms are biased away from each other.  
     
     
         43 . The playard of  claim 1  wherein the end of the first leg is a spun end.  
     
     
         44 . The playard of  claim 11 , wherein the ends of the plurality of legs are spun ends.  
     
     
         45 . The playard of  claim 16  wherein the legs each have a spun end.