Portable Combination Bedside Co-Sleeper

Abstract

Disclosed is a first playpen enclosure that converts easily to a bassinet, changing table or bed-side crib or “co-sleeper” that attaches securely to the parents' bed. A second enclosure support system maintains a padded enclosure and rigid floor panel at one or more predetermined levels below the top of the playpen to form the bassinet and co-sleeper. The second enclosure has a back, two sides, a bottom and a front flap that converts into a front wall for use in the bassinet mode and overhangs the front horizontal rail for use in the co-sleeper mode. The upper front corners are segmented into a movable section and a fixed section to facilitate lowering the front horizontal rail to at least one lower second position to accommodate various parental bed heights. Extensions of the fixed section are affixed to the front vertical rails and accept the movable sections in several positions to secure the rail in the second positions. The support means, padded enclosure and rigid floor panel complete the changing table with the edges of the front flap secured to the edges of the side walls. The playpen is placed adjacent the parents' bed with the front flap extended over the bed for use as a co-sleeper. Means are provided to secure loose flap material to the front of the co-sleeper. For co-sleeper use, reinforcing straps secure the unit to the parents' bed and prevent movement. The unit is easily folded with its components into a compact carrying case for transport or storage.

1 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, comprising: 
 an enclosure having an open top, a floor, a mattress support panel, a front wall, and at least one surrounding wall connected to the front wall;    said floor having a top surface, a bottom surface and surrounding side edges and being attached to said front wall and said at least one surrounding wall at said surrounding side edges;    said mattress support panel having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer perimeter and being removably attached to said front wall and said at least one surrounding wall at said outer perimeter and being spaced upwardly from said floor;    a mattress pad, said mattress pad having an upper surface, a lower surface and being sized and shaped to fit slidably between said front wall and said at least one surrounding wall;    means for reversibly lowering a height of at least a portion of said front wall, from a first position at said top to at least one second position below said top;    a securing strap assembly for securing the co-sleeper to a parental bed;    and whereby, when the front wall is raised to the first position, the co-sleeper is usable as a bassinet; and wherein, when the front wall is then lowered to one of its second positions, the co-sleeper is usable as a changing table; and further, when the securing strap assembly is properly positioned and the co-sleeper is secured to the parental bed it will serve as a co-sleeper.    
   
   
       2 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein spacing of said mattress support panel upwardly from said floor is adjustable between a first, lower position to at least one second higher position, thereby permitting said mattress pad to be maintained at at least two different heights relative to an upper mattress surface of said parental bed.  
   
   
       3 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said mattress support panel further comprises means for removably securing said lower surface of said mattress pad to said upper surface of said mattress support panel.  
   
   
       4 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said mattress pad further comprises means for removably securing said lower surface of said mattress pad to either of said upper surface of said mattress support panel and said top surface of said floor.  
   
   
       5 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said mattress pad further comprises: a washable cover, said washable cover being sized and shaped to fit over said mattress pad; means for removably securing said washable cover to said lower surface of said mattress pad; and said washable cover having means for being removably secured to either of said upper surface of said mattress support panel and said floor.  
   
   
       6 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said mattress pad further comprises: at least three portions, each of said portions having a rigid bottom section and a padded top section; said portions being hingedly attached to each other; means for removably attaching outer edges of said mattress pad together; and whereby, said mattress pad serves as an enclosure for the co-sleeper when folded for transport and storage.  
   
   
       7 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said at least one surrounding wall is formed of mesh material.  
   
   
       8 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one surrounding wall includes a reclosable opening, said opening providing access to a space between said floor and said mattress support panel.  
   
   
       9 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , further comprising height adjusting means for changing a height of the co-sleeper such that said upper surface of said mattress support panel is disposed at a level below an upper surface of a mattress of said parental bed.  
   
   
       10 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 9 , wherein said height adjusting means comprises extensions that attach to lower edges of said enclosure.  
   
   
       11 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 9 , further comprising removable wheels, said wheels attaching to either of said lower edges of said enclosure and said extensions.  
   
   
       12 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , further comprising: at least one pair of alignment means through which said securing strap assembly is directed for maintaining said securing strap assembly in horizontal orientation and preventing lifting or bucking of said co-sleeper when secured to said parental bed; and at least one pair of securing strap attachment means for fastening said securing strap assembly to said co-sleeper.  
   
   
       13 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said securing strap assembly further comprises: a strap member having a first end and a second end; a resistance plate member having at least two slots vertically aligned and centrally disposed at which said strap member is attached such that said first end and said second end are equidistant from said plate member; attachment cooperation means disposed at said first end and said second end of said strap member for reversible connection to one of said pairs of securing strap attachment means; and adjusting means for adjusting a length of said strap member and tightening same after connecting said attachment cooperation means to one of said pairs of securing strap attachment means; wherein, said strap member is properly positioned when disposed under a mattress and above a surface on which said mattress rests on said parental bed and held in place by said resistance plate member disposed vertically at a side of said parental bed opposite placement of said co-sleeper and said strap member is tightened so said co-sleeper is held fast to said parental bed.  
   
   
       14 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said front wall is comprised of flexible material and means for supporting said flexible material.  
   
   
       15 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 14 , further comprising means for constraining a portion of said flexible material when said front wall is lowered from said first position at said top to one of said second positions below said top.  
   
   
       16 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said front wall is formed of mesh material.  
   
   
       17 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein the means for reversibly lowering the height of at least a portion of said front wall further comprises: a first set of reversibly separable fasteners disposed adjacent a top edge of said front wall adjacent a first side edge of said front wall; a second set of reversibly separable fasteners disposed adjacent a top edge of said front wall adjacent a second side edge of said front wall; whereby, when said front wall is lowered from said first, upper position to one of said second lower positions, said reversibly separable fasteners are opened to permit said front wall to be lowered while securing any excessive flexible material when said front wall is in said first upper position.  
   
   
       18 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , further comprising: at least one upper mattress control slit, said upper mattress control slit penetrating said mattress support panel; at least one upper releasable attachment means, said upper releasable attachment means disposed upon said lower surface of said mattress support panel adjacent said mattress control slit; at least one attachment strip, said attachment strip being attached to said lower surface of said mattress pad, being sized and shaped to fit slidably through said mattress control slit and having means for attaching to said releasable attachment means; and whereby, when said mattress pad is disposed upon said mattress support panel, said attachment strip is disposed through said upper mattress control slit and attached to said upper releasable attachment means, said mattress pad will be removably secured to said mattress support panel.  
   
   
       19 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper comprising: a rigid enclosure having an open top, a floor, a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, a second side wall and a mattress support panel; said floor having a top surface, a bottom surface and surrounding side edges and being attached to said front wall, back wall, first side wall and second side wall at said surrounding side edges; said mattress support panel having an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer perimeter and being removably attached to said front wall, back wall, first side wall and second side wall at said outer perimeter and being spaced upwardly from said floor; a mattress pad, said mattress pad having an upper surface, a lower surface and being sized and shaped to fit slidably between said front wall, back wall, first side wall and second side wall; a rigid frame, said frame being formed at the top by front and rear upper parallel horizontal rails and first and second upper side horizontal rails and two upper front corner members and two upper rear corner members in cooperation therewith, and being formed adjacent said floor by front and rear lower parallel horizontal rails and first side and second side lower parallel horizontal rails and in cooperation therewith, and a pair of front vertical rails and a pair of rear vertical rails in further cooperation with said two upper front corner members and said two upper rear corner members and said four lower corner leg members; said rigid frame supporting said floor, said front wall, said back wall, said first side wall and said second side wall; each upper front corner member being constructed of two reversibly separable complementary sections, the first of said sections being fixedly attached to an end of said front upper horizontal rail and the second of said sections being fixedly attached to an upper end of one of said front vertical rails, said upper front corner members supporting said upper front horizontal rail in a first position; receiving means fixedly attached to each front vertical rail for receiving said first section of an upper front corner member and reversibly maintaining said upper front horizontal rail in at least one lower second position, thereby lowering said front wall and maintaining structural rigidity of the co-sleeper when said upper front horizontal rail is in one of said second positions; a securing strap assembly for securing the co-sleeper to a parental bed; and whereby, when said upper front horizontal rail and said front wall are in the raised first position, the co-sleeper is usable as a bassinet; and wherein, when said upper front horizontal rail and said front wall are then lowered to one of said second positions, the co-sleeper is usable as a changing table; and further, when the securing strap assembly is properly positioned and the co-sleeper is secured to the parental bed it will serve as a co-sleeper.  
   
   
       20 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , further comprising: first and second padded covers, each of said padded covers being sized and shaped to fit over one of said two upper front corner members; means for attaching said first and second padded covers to said first and second side walls; and whereby, when said upper front horizontal rail is in said second position and said first and second padded covers are installed over said upper front corner members, openings in said corner members will be covered and thus protected from entry by fingers of infants or small children  
   
   
       21 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said front and rear upper parallel horizontal rails and first and second upper side horizontal rails are padded.  
   
   
       22 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said floor further comprises: a series of first reinforcing straps, said first reinforcing straps being disposed upon said bottom surface of said floor; and at least two of said first reinforcing straps being attached to said rigid frame.  
   
   
       23 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 22 , wherein said floor further comprises: at least two fastening portions extending outwardly from said first reinforcing straps and attaching to said rigid frame; and at least two securing portions, said securing portions attaching said fastening portions to lower edges of said front wall, said back wall, said first side wall and said second side wall.  
   
   
       24 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said floor further comprises means for removably securing said lower surface of said mattress pad to said top surface of said floor.  
   
   
       25 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said mattress support panel is formed of mesh material.  
   
   
       26 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein spacing of said mattress support panel upwardly from said floor is adjustable between a first, lower position to at least one second higher position, thereby permitting said mattress pad to be maintained at at least two different heights relative to an upper mattress surface of said parental bed.  
   
   
       27 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said mattress support panel further comprises means for removably securing said lower surface of said mattress pad to said upper surface of said mattress support panel.  
   
   
       28 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said mattress pad further comprises means for removably securing said lower surface of said mattress pad to either of said upper surface of said mattress support panel and said top surface of said floor.  
   
   
       29 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said mattress pad further comprises: a washable cover, said washable cover being sized and shaped to fit over said mattress pad; means for removably securing said washable cover to said lower surface of said mattress pad; and said washable cover having means for being removably secured to said lower surface of said mattress pad and means for being removably secured to said upper surface of said mattress support panel.  
   
   
       30 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of either of said back wall, said first side wall and said second side wall is formed of mesh material.  
   
   
       31 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said back wall includes a reclosable opening, said reclosable opening providing access to a space between said floor and said mattress support panel.  
   
   
       32 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , further comprising height adjusting means for changing a height of the co-sleeper such that said upper surface of said mattress support panel is disposed at a level below an upper surface of a mattress of said parental bed.  
   
   
       33 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 32 , wherein said height adjusting means comprises extensions that attach to said four lower corner leg members.  
   
   
       34 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 32 , further comprising removable wheels, said wheels attaching to either of four lower corner leg members and said extensions.  
   
   
       35 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , further comprising: at least one pair of alignment means through which said securing strap assembly is directed for maintaining said securing strap assembly in horizontal orientation and preventing lifting or bucking of said co-sleeper when secured to said parental bed; and at least one pair of securing strap attachment means for fastening said securing strap assembly to said co-sleeper.  
   
   
       36 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said securing strap assembly further comprises: a strap member having a first end and a second end; a resistance plate member having at least two slots vertically aligned and centrally disposed at which said strap member is attached such that said first end and said second end are equidistant from said plate members attachment cooperation means disposed at said first end and said second end of said strap member for reversible connection to one of said pairs of securing strap attachment means; and adjusting means for adjusting a length of said strap member and tightening same after connecting said attachment cooperation means to one of said pairs of security strap attachment means; wherein, said strap member is properly positioned when disposed under a mattress and above a surface on which said mattress rests on said parental bed and held in place by said resistance plate member disposed vertically at a side of said parental bed opposite placement of said co-sleeper and said strap member is tightened so said co-sleeper is held fast to said parental bed.  
   
   
       37 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said front wall is comprised of flexible material and means for supporting said flexible material.  
   
   
       38 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 37 , further comprising means for constraining a portion of said flexible material when said front wall is lowered from said first position at said top to one of said second positions below said top.  
   
   
       39 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein a portion of said front wall is formed of mesh material.  
   
   
       40 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper as in  claim 19 , wherein said rigid frame further comprises: 
 means for pivotally mounting said front and rear upper horizontal rails to said upper front corner members and upper rear corner members, respectively;    frame locking devices positioned at center points of said front and rear upper horizontal rail pivotally mounted thereto and permitting said upper rails to pivot downwardly from said open top of said enclosure;    means for pivotally mounting said first and second upper side horizontal rails to said upper front and rear corner members;    frame locking devices positioned at center points of said first and second upper side horizontal rails being pivotally mounted thereto and permitting each of said rails to pivot downwardly from said open top of said enclosure;    means for pivotally mounting said first side and second side lower horizontal rails to said lower corner members;    frame pivoting devices positioned at center points of said first side and second side lower horizontal rails being pivotally mounted thereto and permitting each of said rails to pivot upwardly;    means for pivotally mounting said front and rear lower horizontal rails to said lower front and rear corner leg members, respectively; and    frame pivoting devices positioned at center points of said front and rear lower horizontal rails being pivotally mounted thereto and permitting each of said rails to pivot upwardly;    wherein said frame may be quickly folded into a compact package for transport and storage by releasing said locking devices positioned on said front and rear upper horizontal rails and first and second upper side horizontal rails depressing said upper horizontal rails downwardly while pulling upwardly on said frame pivoting devices on said lower horizontal rails, thereby causing said upper horizontal rails to bend downwardly, said lower horizontal rails to bend upwardly and said vertical rails to move inwardly.    
   
   
       41 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 27 , wherein said mattress pad further comprises: at least three portions, each of said portions having a rigid bottom section and a padded top section; said portions being hingedly attached to each other; means for removably attaching outer edges of said mattress pad together; and whereby, said mattress pad serves as an enclosure for the co-sleeper when folded for transport and storage.  
   
   
       42 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein the means for reversibly lowering the height of at least a portion of said front wall further comprises: a first set of reversibly separable fasteners disposed adjacent a top edge of said front wall adjacent a first side edge of said front wall; a second set of reversibly separable fasteners disposed adjacent said top edge of said front wall adjacent a second side edge of said front wall; whereby, when the front wall is lowered from said first, upper position to one of said second lower positions, said reversibly separable fasteners are opened to permit said front wall to be lowered while securing any excessive flexible material when said front wall is in said first upper position.  
   
   
       43 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein said first and second sections of said upper front corner members and said receiving means fixedly attached to each front vertical rail for receiving said first section of said upper front corner members and reversibly maintaining said upper front horizontal rail in at least one lower second position further comprise: a T-shaped protrusion extending from a point adjacent a lower end of said first section of said upper front corner members toward an upper end of said first section and terminating in a stop; a securing extension disposed on said first section adjacent and below said T-shaped protrusion, said securing extension being bendable away from said T-shaped protrusion and including a retaining ledge, a first mating T-shaped slot extending from a point adjacent an upper end of said second section of the upper front corner member and terminating above a lower end of said upper front corner member; a second mating T-shaped slot extending from a point adjacent an upper end of said receiving means toward a lower end of said receiving means and terminating above a lower end of said receiving means; and at least two locating features disposed on said second section and said receiving means adjacent and below said first and second T-shaped slots, said locating features sized, shaped and disposed to be removably engaged by said retaining ledge of said securing extension so that said first section of said upper front corner member may be secured to either of said second section and said receiving means.  
   
   
       44 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 40  wherein said rigid frame is formed of hollow tubing, said front, rear, first side and second side upper horizontal rails each have a first portion and a second portion, each portion having an inboard end and an outboard end, and said frame locking devices positioned at center points of said upper horizontal rails further comprise: a connecting frame, said frame pivotally mounted to the inboard ends of each of said first and second portions of said upper horizontal rails; said connecting frame including a pair of locking holes; a pair of spring-loaded buttons mounted within said upper horizontal rails, said buttons being sized, shaped and disposed to engage said locking holes in said connecting frame when said first and second portions of said upper horizontal rails are collinear; and means for pushing both buttons inwardly so as to clear said locking holes in said connecting frame simultaneously, thereby permitting said upper horizontal rails to be pivoted downwardly.  
   
   
       45 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 40  wherein the rigid frame is formed of hollow tubing, said front, rear, first side and second side lower horizontal rails each have a first portion and a second portion, each portion having an inboard end and an outboard end, and the frame pivoting devices positioned at center points of said lower horizontal rails further comprise: a spring housing, said spring housing being pivotally mounted upon a pair of mounting pins to the inboard ends of each of the first and second portions of said lower horizontal rails; said spring housing including first and second pairs of arcurate alignment slots and first and second pairs of positioning detents; first and second alignment pins, said pins being mounted parallel to said mounting pins and spaced outwardly from the inboard ends of the first and second portions of said lower horizontal rails; said alignment pins being sized, shaped and disposed to fit slidably within said arcurate alignment slots; each of said pairs of positioning detents being spaced apart by a distance slightly less than a diameter of one of said lower horizontal rails; and whereby, when said first and second portions of said lower horizontal rails are collinear, said rails will be within said spring housing and when said rails are pivoted with respect to one another to fold said co-sleeper, said detents will be urged against the rails by a spring resistance of said housing, causing said housing to spread apart, such resistance serving to maintain collinear alignment of said lower horizontal rails when the co-sleeper is erected.  
   
   
       46 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19  wherein said first section of said front upper corner member is a male section and said second section is a female section, said second section having an opening sufficiently small so as to prevent entry of fingers of small children or infants.  
   
   
       47 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 19 , wherein the receiving means is a female section for association with a male section, said receiving means having an opening sufficiently small so as to prevent the entry of fingers of small children or infants.  
   
   
       48 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said floor further comprises: a series of first reinforcing straps, said first reinforcing straps being disposed upon said bottom surface; and at least two of said first reinforcing straps being attached to said enclosure.  
   
   
       49 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 48 , wherein said floor further comprises: at least two fastening portions extending outwardly from said first reinforcing straps and attaching to said enclosure; and at least two securing portions, said securing portions attaching said fastening portions to a lower edge of said front wall and to a lower edge of said surrounding wall.  
   
   
       50 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said floor further comprises means for removably securing said lower surface of said mattress pad to said top surface of said floor.  
   
   
       51 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, as described in  claim 1 , wherein said mattress support panel is formed of mesh material.  
   
   
       52 . A portable combination bedside co-sleeper, comprising: 
 an enclosure having a base, a surrounding wall and an open top, wherein said base includes a mattress support panel that is removably attached to the surrounding wall, and said surrounding wall includes at least an adjustable front wall portion;    a mattress pad that is sized and shaped to fit within the surrounding wall;    an adjustor that adjusts the height of at least a portion of the front wall portion of the surrounding wall;    a securing strap assembly to enable securing the co-sleeper to a bed;    wherein the co-sleeper is usable as a bassinet and a changing table based on the position of the front wall.