Top rail latch for folding playard

Abstract

A latch arrangement for a foldable playard has a top rail comprised of first and second tubular members, a bracket to which the first and second tubular members are pivotally supported, and a latch mechanism operatively interconnecting opposed ends of the first and second tubular members. The latch mechanism includes first and second pivotal pawls. which are pivotally supported on the bracket. The pawls can have cam followers that extend inwardly toward each other, as well as engagement end portions which engage end portions of the first and second tubular members. The latch mechanism also includes a cam supported on the bracket so as to be displaceable in a direction essentially parallel with axes about which the pawls pivot. The latch mechanism further includes a spring biasing the pawls in contra-rotating directions to cause the cam followers to engage the cam. In such a latch, a button can be formed integral with the cam, and a layer of fabric can overlay the bracket. This layer can either cover the button or can be clamped to the bracket to expose the button.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A latch arrangement for a foldable playard comprising: 
 a bracket;    a top rail including first and second tubular members pivotally connected to the bracket, each of the tubular members having an end portion extending into the bracket and in which an annular groove is formed; and    first and second pawl members pivotally mounted within the bracket for releasable engagement with the first and second tubular members, respectively, and the first and second pawl members each including an engagement end having a ridge releasably engageable in the annular groove of the respective tubular member.    
     
     
         2 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the end portions of the tubular members terminate at an end which is spun down to form a unitary reinforced end portion.  
     
     
         3 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a layer of fabric which overlays and conceals the bracket.  
     
     
         4 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a button having a cam and being movably supported in the bracket;    a back plate secured to the bracket, the back plate having a first opening through which the button slidably extends;    a layer of fabric overlaying the back plate and having a second opening through which the button slidably extends; and    a cover connected to the back plate, the cover immovably sandwiching the layer of fabric against back plate, the cover having a third opening through which the button slidably extends.    
     
     
         5 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second pawls are independently pivotal about respective first and second axes and are biased to rotate in contra-rotating directions about the first and second axes, the latch arrangement further comprising: 
 first and second outboard cam followers formed on outboard surfaces of the first and second pawls and engageable with the ends of the first and second tubular members, respectively, to induce rotation of the first and second pawls in first and second rotational directions in which the engagement ends of the first and second pawls approach each other;    first and second locking recesses formed on the engagement ends of the first and second pawls, respectively, to engage and prevent rotation of the first and second tubular members from their respective use positions to their respective folded positions;    first and second inboard cam followers respectively provided on opposed inboard first surfaces of the first and second pawls; and    a cam slidably supported in the bracket for engagement with the first and second inboard cam followers to induce an amount of rotation of the first and second pawls in the respective first and second rotational directions to produce clearance sufficient to allow pivotal movement of the first and second tubular members.    
     
     
         6 . A latch arrangement for a foldable playard having a top rail, comprising: 
 a bracket;    a button having a cam which is reciprocally supported on the bracket;    a back plate having a first opening through which the button slidably extends, the back plate being secured to the bracket;    a layer of fabric overlaying the back plate, the layer of fabric having a second opening through which the button slidably extends; and    a cover connected to the back plate, the cover immovably sandwiching the layer of fabric against the back plate, the cover having a third opening through which the button slidably extends.    
     
     
         7 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the bracket has a front wall, and the back plate is secured to the front wall.  
     
     
         8 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the top rail comprises two tubular members, each of the tubular members being pivotally supported on the bracket and having an end spun down to form reinforced end portions; and 
 first and second pawls pivotally supported within the bracket, each of the pawls having an engagement end configured to engage a reinforced end portion of a respective one of the two tubular members, the first and second pawls being operatively engaged with the cam.    
     
     
         9 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising a compression spring disposed between the engagement ends of the first and second pawls.  
     
     
         10 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the first and second pawls are pivotally supported within the bracket at pivot ends, opposite their engagement ends, and wherein the first and second pawls are biased to pivot at their pivot ends in contra-rotating directions.  
     
     
         11 . A latch arrangement for a foldable playard comprising: 
 a generally U-shaped bracket having a front panel and a cutout on the front panel; and    a generally U-shaped resilient member fitted into the bracket, the resilient member having a first end disposed in the cut-out, the first end having a pawl-operating cam integrally formed thereon.    
     
     
         12 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the cam extends into an interior of the bracket,    the first end of the resilient member has a button integral with the cam and extending through the cut-out beyond the front wall of the bracket; and    the latch arrangement further comprises a layer of fabric overlaying the button.    
     
     
         13 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a top rail comprising two tubular members, each of the tubular members being pivotally supported on the bracket, and each of the tubular members having an end that is spun down to form a reinforced unitary end portion.    
     
     
         14 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 first and second pawls pivotally supported on the bracket, the first and second pawls each having an engagement end for engagement with the end portions of the first and second tubular members, respectively, and each having a cam follower driven by the cam to rotate so that the engagement end is moved out of engagement with the respective end portion.    
     
     
         15 . A latch arrangement for a foldable playard having a pivotal top rail portion with an end portion, comprising: 
 a bracket;    a pawl pivotally mounted to the bracket for pivotal movement about an axis at a pivot end thereof, the pawl being biased to rotate in a first rotational direction about the axis;    a first cam follower formed on a first side of the pawl;    a manually manipulable cam disposed on the bracket, adjacent the pawl, and engageable with the first cam follower;    a second cam follower formed on a second side of the pawl opposite the first side, the second cam follower being adapted to engage the end portion of the pivotal top rail portion when the top rail portion is pivoted from a folded position to a use position and being adapted to pivot the pawl in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction;    a locking recess formed on an engagement end of the pawl opposite the pivot end, the locking recess engaging the end portion of the pivotal top rail portion after the top rail portion has been rotated from the folded position to the use position to prevent the top rail portion from pivoting from the use position to the folded position.    
     
     
         16 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the cam has a surface adapted to engage the first cam follower to induce rotation of the pawl in the second rotational direction, which moves the locking recess out of engagement with the end portion of the top rail portion to allow the top rail portion to rotate from the use position to the folded position.  
     
     
         17 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the cam is displaceable in a direction essentially parallel to the axis of the pawl.  
     
     
         18 . A latch arrangement for latching first and second pivotal tubular members comprising: 
 first and second pawls independently pivotal about respective essentially parallel first and second axes and biased to rotate in contra-rotating directions about the first and second axes, the first and second pawls each having an engagement end;    first and second outboard cam followers formed on outboard surfaces of the first and second pawls and engageable with end portions of the first and second tubular members to respectively induce rotation of the first and second pawls in first and second rotational directions, wherein the engagement ends of the first and second pawls approach each other when the first and second tubular members are pivoted from their respective folded positions toward their respective use positions;    first and second locking recesses formed on the engagement ends of the first and second pawls to respectively engage and prevent rotation of the first and second tubular members from their respective use positions toward their respective folded positions;    first and second inboard cam followers respectively provided on opposed inboard surfaces of the first and second pawls; and    a manually manipulable cam engageable with the first and second inboard cam followers of the first and second pawls, the cam inducing, in response to manual manipulation, an amount of rotation of the first and second pawls in respective first and second rotational directions, opposite the contra-rotating directions, to produce clearance sufficient to allow pivotal movement of the first and second tubular members.    
     
     
         19 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the cam is displaceable in a direction which is essentially parallel with the first and second axes.  
     
     
         20 . A latch arrangement for a playard having at least first and second tubular members, comprising: 
 first and second pawls respectively pivotal about first and second axes;    first and second outboard cam followers formed on outboard surfaces of the first and second pawls and respectively engageable with end portions of the first and second tubular members;    first and second locking recesses formed on the first and second pawls, respectively, to engage the first and second tubular members;    first and second inboard cam followers respectively provided on opposed inboard first surfaces of the first and second pawls; and    a cam disposed relative to the first and second pawls so that the first and second inboard cam followers of the first and second pawls are engageable with the cam, the cam being displaceable in a direction which is essentially parallel with the first and second axes.    
     
     
         21 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the first and second tubular members are formed of steel, and the end portions of the tubular members are spun down to reinforce the end portions.  
     
     
         22 . A latch arrangement for a foldable playard, comprising: 
 a top rail comprised of first and second tubular members;    a bracket to which the first and second tubular members are pivotally supported; and    a latch mechanism operatively interconnecting opposed ends of the first and second tubular members comprising: 
 first and second pivotal pawls which are pivotally supported on the bracket so as to be pivotal about first and second axes, respectively, the pawls having cam followers which extend inwardly toward each other and having engagement end portions which engage end portions of the first and second tubular members;  
 a cam supported on the bracket so as to be displaceable in a direction essentially parallel with axes about which the pawls are pivotal;  
 a spring biasing the pawls in contra-rotating directions to cause the cam followers to engage the cam;  
 a button integral with the cam; and  
 a layer of fabric overlaying the bracket and through which the button is manually depressible.  
   
     
     
         23 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the layer of fabric overlays the button to conceal the button.  
     
     
         24 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein the latch mechanism further comprises a back plate that supports the cam and a cover supported on the back plate, and wherein the layer of fabric is sandwiched between the back plate and the cover.  
     
     
         25 . A latch arrangement for a foldable playard, comprising: 
 a bracket;    a tubular member hingedly mounted on the bracket, the tubular member having an end which is spun down and an end portion which has a groove proximate the spun end;    a pawl pivotally mounted on the bracket and formed with a ridge adapted to engage the groove, the pawl having a cam follower surface;    a cam that engages the cam follower surface of the pawl;    a button integral with the cam;    a back plate having a first opening through which the button slidably extends;    a layer of fabric overlaying the back plate, the layer of fabric having a second opening through which the button slidably extends;    a cover connected to the back plate, the cover immovably sandwiching the layer of fabric against the back plate, the cover having a third opening through which the button slidably extends.    
     
     
         26 . A latch arrangement for a foldable playard comprising: 
 a bracket;    a top rail including first and second tubular members pivotally connected to the bracket, each of the tubular members having an end which is spun down to form a unitary reinforced end portion; and    first and second pawl members pivotally mounted within the bracket for releasable engagement with the first and second tubular members, respectively, the first and second pawl members each including an engagement end for releasable engagement with the respective tubular member.    
     
     
         27 . A latch arrangement as set forth in  claim 26 , wherein the tubular members each have an annular groove, and the first and second pawls each have a ridge formed at their respective engagement ends for releasably engaging the annular groove of the respective tubular members.