Infant sleeper

Abstract

An infant bed is slidably attachable to a bed frame such that the infant bed can be moved along a length of the bed frame. The infant bed can be readily moved in relation to the bed to maintain infant/adult closeness and facilitate adult ingress/egress from the adult bed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An infant bed for slidable engagement to a bed frame, comprising: 
 a bottom portion;    a top portion disposed over the bottom portion having upwardly extending barriers to form an interior region for confining an infant; and    a coupling mechanism affixed to the bottom portion for securing the infant bed to the bed frame; and    a slidable bracket mechanism coupled to the bottom portion for enabling the infant bed to move from a first position to a second position along a length of the bed frame.    
     
     
         2 . The infant bed according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes at least one mounting rod extending from the bottom portion of the infant bed.  
     
     
         3 . The infant bed according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one rod is insertable within a corresponding structural member secured to the bed frame.  
     
     
         4 . The infant bed according to  claim 1 , further including a locking mechanism for locking a longitudinal position of the infant bed in relation to the bed frame.  
     
     
         5 . The infant bed according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion of the infant bed includes a first channel and in which a portion of bracket mechanism can reciprocate.  
     
     
         6 . The infant bed according to  claim 5 , wherein the bracket mechanism includes a track-rail slider assembly.  
     
     
         7 . The infant bed according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion of the infant bed frame includes opposed first and second channels and the bracket mechanism includes a first member slidably disposed in the first channel and a second member slidably disposed in the second channel.  
     
     
         8 . An infant bed assembly, comprising: 
 a bed frame; and    an infant bed slidably coupled to the bed frame such that the infant bed can be moved from a first position to a second position along a length of the bed frame.    
     
     
         9 . The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the infant bed includes 
 a bottom portion;    a top portion disposed over the bottom portion having upwardly extending barriers to form an interior region for confining an infant; and    a coupling mechanism affixed to the bottom portion for securing the infant bed to the bed frame; and    a slidable bracket mechanism coupled to the bottom portion for allowing the infant bed to move from a first position to a second position along a length of the bed frame.    
     
     
         10  The assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the coupling mechanism includes a mounting rod rigidly extending from the bottom portion of the infant bed.  
     
     
         11 . The assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the bed frame includes a structural member for receiving the mounting rod.  
     
     
         12 . The assembly according to  claim 11 , further including a locking mechanism for securing the infant bed in place.  
     
     
         13 . The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the bottom portion of the infant bed includes at least one channel in which the sliding mechanism can reciprocate.  
     
     
         14 . The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the bracket mechanism includes a track-rail slider assembly.  
     
     
         15 . A method for maintaining closeness between an infant and an adult, comprising: 
 placing an infant in an infant bed that is slidably secured to an adult bed; and    moving the infant bed along a length of the adult bed between first and second positions for maintaining infant/adult closeness and facilitating ingress/egress of the adult from the adult bed.    
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , further including coupling the infant bed to the adult bed with a coupling mechanism.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further including providing a bracket mechanism for enabling the infant bed to move alongside the adult bed.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the bracket mechanism includes a track-rail assembly.