Collapsible play yard

Abstract

A locking mechanism comprises: a hub movable between a raised and a lowered position and a pair of structures, pivotally mounted to a common bracket. Sector gears engage each other rotate in unison. A locking assembly mounted upon the common bracket moves between a locked position preventing rotation of said structures and a released position allows rotating of said structures. At least two rods are pivotally joined to one of said structures. When the lock button is unlocked, and the hub is lifted, the rods are moved together to be substantially parallel, and when the hub is lowered, the gears rotate and the rods are pushed away from each other until the rods lie substantially in a common plane, enabling, the locking button to be moved to its locked position to prevent movement of the hub from the lowered position.

1 . A locking mechanism for foldable enclosure, comprising: 
 a) a hub movable between a raised position and a lowered position, comprising: 
 i) a pair of structures, each pivotally mounted to a common bracket wherein sector gears of each structure engage each other causing the structures to rotate in unison about their respective axes; and  
 ii) a locking assembly movably mounted upon the common bracket between a locked position that prevents rotation of said structures about their respective axes and an unlocked position that allows rotation of said structures about their respective axes;  
 iii) at least two rods each pivotally joined to an associated one of said structures;  
   b) wherein when a button of the locking assembly is operated to move the locking assembly to the unlocked position, the structures are released, enabling the hub to be lifted toward the raised position, and outer ends of the rods to move together so as to be substantially parallel, and when the hub, when unlocked, is pushed toward the lowered position from the raised position, said structures rotate about their axes and the outer ends of the rods are pushed away from each other until the rods lie substantially in a common plane; and    c) wherein when the rods lie in said common plane, the locking button is moved to its locked position which prevents accidental movement of the hub from the lowered position to the raised position.    
   
   
       2 . The locking mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 d) an upper frame having an open position wherein the upper frame forms a rigid perimeter around a first area and a collapsed position wherein the upper frame forms a perimeter around a second area;    e) vertical rails joining the upper frame and the rods; and    f) a flexible enclosure joined to the upper frame and vertical rails;    g) wherein when the hub is in the lowered position and the upper frame is in the open position, the flexible enclosure forms a flexible wall and floor that encloses and defines a volume with an open top.    
   
   
       3 . The locking mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a mattress that rests on the rods when the hub is in the lowered position.  
   
   
       4 . The locking mechanism of  claim 1  wherein the locking button is rotatable between the unlocked position and the locked position in which a tab on the locking button engages first shoulders on each of said structures to retain said tab in a locked position.  
   
   
       5 . The locking mechanism of  claim 1  wherein the locking button is rotatable between the unlocked position and the locked position in which a tab on the locking button engages second shoulders on each of said structures to retain said structures in a locked position.  
   
   
       6 . The locking mechanism of  claim 1  wherein the hub further comprises a foot that engages a planar surface when the center hub is in the lowered position.  
   
   
       7 . The locking mechanism of  claim 6  further comprising a plurality of feet connected to the rods that engage a planar surface when the center hub is in the lowered position.  
   
   
       8 . The locking mechanism of  claim 2  wherein the upper frame further comprises 
 four collapsible sides, each side including two upper frame rods hingedly joined at one end to an upper corner piece and hingedly joined at an opposite end to a releasable locking mechanism that releaseably secures the two upper frame rods so that the two upper frame rods are aligned along a substantially straight line.    
   
   
       9 . The locking mechanism of  claim 8  wherein when each of the two upper frame rods on each of the four collapsible sides is aligned along its respective straight line, the upper frame is in the open position.  
   
   
       10 . The locking mechanism of  claim 8  wherein the relasable locking mechanism comprises a means for releasably locking the two frame rods.  
   
   
       11 . The locking mechanism of  claim 2  wherein the upper frame has four upper corner members that form substantially square corners for the upper frame when the upper frame is in the open position.  
   
   
       12 . The locking mechanism of  claim 1  wherein the rods are hingedly connected at their second end to lower corner members that form substantially square corners when the hub is in the lowered position.  
   
   
       13 . The locking mechanism of  claim 1  further including base support rods rotatably joined to the rods at a first end thereof and a supplemental foot at a second end thereof.  
   
   
       14 . A center hub for a collapsible play yard comprising: 
 a) a pair of geared structures, each pivotally mounted on a common support member and spaced apart so that the geared structures engage each other; and    b) a locking button attached to the center piece movable between a locked position that prevents rotation of the toothed structures about their axes and a released position that allows rotation of the geared structures.    
   
   
       15 . An upper rail of a play yard comprising two upper frame rods hingedly joined at one end to an upper corner piece and hingedly joined at an opposite end to a releasable locking mechanism that releasably secures the two frame rods so that the two frame rods are aligned along a substantially straight line, the locking mechanism comprising a spring-biased button attached to a wedge that engages cutouts in the opposite ends of the upper frame rods.  
   
   
       16 . The upper rail of  claim 15  wherein the wedge has a groove therein and the cutout has a protrusion thereon, wherein the protrusion and the groove matingly engage to prevent disengagement of the cutout and wedge.  
   
   
       17 . The upper rail of  claim 15  wherein raising the locking mechanism disengages the protrusion from the groove, thus allowing the cutout and wedge to also disengage.  
   
   
       18 . An upper corner piece for a play yard comprising a slot for receiving a tapered end of a support rail and a pivot point around which said rail rotates within said slot.  
   
   
       19 . A gear mechanism for a play yard comprising 
 i) a pair of structures, each pivotally mounted to a common bracket wherein sector gears of each structure engage each other causing the structures to rotate in unison about their respective axes; and    b) wherein when the hub is lifted toward the raised position, the structures rotate about their axes and each sector gear engages the other.    
   
   
       20 . A gear mechanism for a play yard comprising 
 i) a pair of structures, each rotatably mounted upon pivots extending through a common bracket wherein two spaced apart pairs of sector gears of each structure engage each other causing the structures to rotate in unison about their respective axes; and    b) wherein when the hub is lifted toward the raised position, the structures rotate about their axes and each sector gear engages the other.    
   
   
       21 . A foldable enclosure, comprising: 
 a) a hub movable between a raised position and a lowered position, comprising: 
 i) a pair of structures, each rotatably mounted upon pivots extending through a common bracket wherein sector gears of each structure engage each other causing the structures to rotate in unison about their respective axes; and  
 ii) a means for locking mounted upon the common bracket that moves between a locked position that prevents rotation of said structures about their respective axes and a released position that allows rotation of said structures their respective axes;  
 iii) at least two rods each pivotally joined to an associated one of said structures;  
   b) an upper frame having an open position wherein the upper frame forms a rigid perimeter around a first area and a collapsed position wherein the upper frame forms a perimeter around a second area;    c) vertical rails joining the upper frame and the rods; and    d) a flexible enclosure joined to the upper frame and vertical rails;    e) wherein when the lock button is moved to an upper unlocked position, and the hub is lifted toward the raised position, the rods are moved together to be substantially parallel, and when the hub is pushed into the lowered position from the raised position, the toothed structures rotate about their axes and the rods are pushed away from each other until the rods are substantially in planar alignment; and    f) wherein when the rods are in planar alignment, the locking button can be moved to its locked position which prevents accidental movement of the hub from the lowered position to the raised position.    g) wherein when the hub is in the lowered position and the upper frame is in the open position, the flexible enclosure forms a flexible wall and floor that encloses and defines a volume with an open top.    
   
   
       22 . A hub assembly for selectively erecting and collapsing a structure for enclosing a child comprising: 
 a common member having a grip for lifting and lowering the common member;    first and second geared members pivotally mounted to said common member so that said gears meshingly engage one another;    each gear member respectively pivotally supporting one of first and second pairs of support rods whereby, when the hub assembly is lifted, free ends of said first and second pairs of support rods move toward one another through substantially equal angles due to the meshing engagement of said first and second geared members.    
   
   
       23 . The assembly of  claim 22  wherein, when said common member is lowered, the first and second pairs of support rods move away from one another and lie in a common plane.  
   
   
       24 . A hub assembly for selectively erecting and collapsing a structure for enclosing a child, comprising: 
 a common member having a grip for lifting and lowering the common member;    a pair of rotatable members pivotally mounted to said common member;    each rotatable member respectively pivotally supporting first and second pairs of support rods;    said rotatable members each further having a blocking shoulder and a clearance shoulder;    said blocking shoulders diagonally aligned and with one another and said clearance shoulders being diagonally aligned with one another; and    a locking tab rotatably mounted upon said common member and being normally urged in a first direction by a biasing force causing opposing sides of said locking tab to engage said tab locking shoulders when said common member is lowered to retain said tab in a locked position; and said tab in the locked position engaging said blocking shoulders to prevent said hub assembly from being lifted.    
   
   
       25 . The hub assembly of  claim 24  wherein said common member is unlocked by rotating said locking tab in a second direction against said biasing force enabling said opposing sides of said locking tab to move away from said locking shoulders to thereby release said common member.  
   
   
       26 . A hub assembly for selectively erecting and collapsing a structure for enclosing a child comprising: 
 a common member having a grip for lifting and lowering the common member;    first and second gear members pivotally mounted upon said common member;    each gear member having a pair of spaced apart gears to provide a gap therebetween;    each gear of one of the gear members meshing with an associated gear of the other one of said gear members;    each gear member respectively pivotally supporting one first and second pairs of support rods whereby, when the hub assembly is lifted, free ends of first and second pairs of support rods move toward one another through substantially equal angles due to the meshing engagement of said first and second geared members; 
 each first gear having a notched portion forming a transversely aligned tab locking shoulder and a blocking shoulder;  
   each second gear having a notched portion forming a transversely aligned tab shoulder and a blocking shoulder; and    a locking tab rotatably mounted upon said common member and being normally urged in a first direction by a biasing force causing opposing sides of said locking tab to engage said tab locking shoulders when said common member is lowered to retain said tab in a locked position; and said tab in the locked position engaging said blocking shoulders to prevent said hub assembly from being lifted.    
   
   
       27 . A hub assembly for selectively erecting and collapsing a structure comprising: 
 a common member having a grip for lifting and lowering the common member;    first and second geared members pivotally mounted upon said common member so that said gears meshingly engage one another;    each gear member respectively pivotally supporting one first and second pairs of support rods whereby, when the hub assembly is lifted free ends of said first and second pairs of support rods move toward one another at a substantially equal amounts due to the meshing engagement of said first and second geared members.    
   
   
       28 . A hub assembly for selectively erecting and collapsing a structure for enclosing a child comprising: 
 a common member having a grip for lifting and lowering the common member;    first and second geared members pivotally mounted upon said common member so that said gears meshingly engage one another;    each gear member respectively pivotally supporting one first and second pairs of support rods whereby, when the hub assembly is lifted free ends of said first and second pairs of support rods move toward one another at a substantially equal amounts due to the meshing engagement of said first and second geared members.    
   
   
       29 . A method for operating a hub assembly of a playard comprised of first and second gear members each comprised of a first and second spaced apart gears pivotally mounted to a common support; 
 The first and second gears of the first member respectively meshing with a first and second gear of said second member; each first gear having a notch defining first and second transversely aligned gear and tab locking surfaces and each second gear having transversely aligned gear locking and tab clearance surfaces; and a locking tab rotatably mounted on said support, said method comprising;    lowering the hub assembly to a first position to move the tab clear of said gear locking and tab clearance surfaces; and    rotating said tab in a first direction to engage said tab locking surfaces and thereby prevent said tab from further rotation in said first direction, whereby said tab engages the gear blocking surfaces of said gear members to prevent lifting of said hub assembly.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  further comprising; 
 rotating said tab in a second direction opposite said first direction, said tab being free to rotate in said second direction past said tab clearance surfaces and is moved to a position spaced from said first and second gears of said first and second members; and    lifting said hub assembly to rotate said gear members to a collapsed position.