Apparatus and method for a foldable child containment system

Abstract

An apparatus and method for a foldable child containment system can include an infant or child's playard. The playard can include a top rail support assembly and a bottom rail support assembly defining the top and bottom of a playard enclosure. A hub assembly can be coupled to the bottom rail support assembly. Corner posts can operably couple the top rail support assembly to the bottom rail support assembly. The top rail support assembly can include one or more rail locking mechanisms to lock and unlock a pair of top rail members from folding. Release mechanisms can be coupled to a rail locking mechanism and to the bottom rail support assembly. When the hub is lifted, the bottom rail support assembly rotates with respect to the corner posts and creates a tension in the release mechanisms that adjusts the rail locking mechanism from locked to unlocked configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A playard configured to be foldable from a use configuration to a folded configuration, the playard comprising:
 a foldable playard frame comprising:
 a bottom rail support assembly comprising a first bottom support rail, a second bottom support rail and a hub assembly coupled to the first bottom support rail and the second bottom support rail; 
 a top rail support assembly comprising a first top rail member and a second top rail member; 
 a plurality of corner post members comprising a first corner post member and a second corner post member, each of the plurality of corner post members operatively coupling a portion of the top rail support assembly to a portion of the bottom rail support assembly; 
 a plurality of feet comprising:
 a first foot coupled to the first bottom support rail and pivotably coupled to the first corner post member; 
 a second foot coupled to the second bottom support rail and pivotably coupled to the second corner post member; 
 
 a rail locking mechanism pivotably coupled to the first top rail member and the second top rail member, wherein the rail locking mechanism is adjustable from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration; 
 a release mechanism having a first end coupled to the rail locking mechanism and a distal second end coupled to first bottom support rail wherein release mechanism is configured to move the rail locking mechanism from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration when the first foot is pivoted in a first direction about the first corner post member. 
   
     
     
         2 . The playard of  claim 1 , wherein the first top rail member is pivotable about a first axis with respect to the first corner post member and the second top rail member is pivotable about a second axis with respect to the second corner post member. 
     
     
         3 . The playard of  claim 2 , wherein the first axis is parallel to the second axis. 
     
     
         4 . The playard of  claim 1 , wherein the release mechanism comprises a cable. 
     
     
         5 . The playard of  claim 1 , wherein the first top rail member comprises a first channel extending though the first top rail member along a longitudinal axis of the first top rail member and wherein the first corner post member comprises a second channel extending through the first corner post member along a second longitudinal axis of the first corner post; and wherein the release mechanism extends from the rail locking mechanism through the first channel of the first top rail member and the second channel of the first corner post to the first bottom support rail. 
     
     
         6 . The playard of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom rail support assembly further comprises a third bottom rail support coupled to the hub assembly and a fourth bottom rail support coupled to the hub assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The playard of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the top rail support assembly further comprises a third top rail member and a fourth top rail member;   wherein the plurality of corner posts further comprises a third corner post member and a fourth corner post member;   wherein the plurality of feet further comprises:
 a third foot coupled to third bottom support rail and pivotably coupled to the third corner post member; and 
 a fourth foot coupled to the fourth bottom support rail and pivotably coupled to the fourth corner post member; 
   a second rail locking mechanism pivotably coupled to the third top rail member and the fourth top rail member, wherein the second rail locking mechanism is adjustable from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration;   a second release mechanism having a first end coupled to the second rail locking mechanism and a distal second end coupled to third bottom support rail, wherein the second release mechanism is configured to move the second rail locking mechanism from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration when the third foot is pivoted in a second direction about the third corner post member.   
     
     
         8 . The playard of  claim 7 , wherein the hub assembly comprises:
 a central hub member;   a first coupling rod pivotably coupled to the central hub member and extending from the central hub member in a first direction, wherein the first coupling rod is coupled to the first bottom support rail and the third bottom support rail;   a second coupling rod pivotably coupled to the central hub member and extending from the central hub member in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the second coupling rod is coupled to the second bottom support rail and the fourth bottom support rail.   
     
     
         9 . The playard of  claim 6 , wherein each of the first bottom rail support, second bottom rail support, third bottom rail support, and fourth bottom rail support are pivotably coupled to the hub assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The playard of  claim 1 , wherein the first top rail member further comprises a first cam follower coupled to the first top rail member, wherein the second top rail member comprises a second cam follower, coupled to the second top rail member, and wherein the rail locking mechanism comprises a latch plate coupled to the release mechanism, the latch plate comprising:
 a first cam path configured to receive the first cam, wherein at least a portion of the first cam path has a first arcuate shape;   a second cam path configured to receive the second cam follower, wherein at least a portion of the second cam path has a second arcuate shape.   
     
     
         11 . The playard of  claim 10 , wherein each of the first cam follower and the second cam follower is one of a rivet, pin, post, or cam follower. 
     
     
         12 . The playard of  claim 10 , wherein the rail locking mechanism further comprises a spring, wherein the spring biases the rail locking mechanism into the locked configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The playard of  claim 1 , wherein the playard remains upright when the playard is in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         14 . A playard configured to be foldable from a use configuration to a folded configuration, the playard comprising:
 a foldable playard frame comprising:
 a top rail support assembly comprising a first top rail member and a second top rail member, the top rail support assembly forming an upper portion of an enclosure of the playard; 
 a bottom rail support assembly forming a lower portion of the enclosure; 
 a hub assembly coupled to the bottom rail support assembly and adjustable along an axis; 
 a plurality of corner post members, each of the plurality of corner post members operatively coupling a portion of the top rail support assembly to a portion of the bottom rail support assembly; 
 a rail locking mechanism pivotably coupled to a first top rail member and the second top rail member, wherein the rail locking mechanism is adjustable from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration; 
   wherein in the use configuration, the adjustment of the hub assembly vertically upward along the axis causes a pivoting of the bottom rail support assembly with respect to the plurality of corner posts and
 wherein pivoting of the bottom rail support assembly with respect to the plurality of corner posts adjusts the rail locking mechanism from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration and permits each of the first top rail member and the second top rail member to pivot with respect to the rail locking mechanism. 
   
     
     
         15 . The playard of  claim 14 , further comprising a release cable, having a first end coupled to the rail locking mechanism, a distal second end coupled to bottom rail support assembly, and extending through the first top rail member and a first corner post member of the plurality of the corner post members. 
     
     
         16 . The playard of  claim 15 , wherein the first corner post member comprises a first end disposed adjacent the first top rail member and a distal second end disposed adjacent the bottom rail support assembly, wherein the first corner post member further comprises a pulley coupled to the second end and configured to receive at least a portion of the release cable thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The playard of  claim 14 , wherein the bottom rail support assembly comprises a plurality of curved members, each of the plurality of curved members comprising at least a first curved portion and a second curved portion, wherein a first curved portion is separated from the second curved portion by a straight portion and wherein the first curved portion is curved in a direction opposite that of a direction of curvature for the second curved portion. 
     
     
         18 . The playard of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of feet, wherein each of the plurality of feet is fixedly coupled to the bottom rail support assembly and pivotably coupled to a respective one of the plurality of corner post members. 
     
     
         19 . The playard of  claim 14 , wherein the playard remains upright when the playard is in the folded configuration. 
     
     
         20 . A method of adjusting a foldable playard from a use configuration to a folded configuration comprising:
 providing a foldable playard frame in the use configuration, the frame comprising:
 a bottom rail support assembly comprising at least one bottom support rail; 
 a hub assembly coupled to the bottom rail support assembly; 
 a top rail support assembly comprising a first top rail member, a second top rail member, a third top rail member, and a fourth top rail member; 
 a plurality of corner post members comprising a first corner post member and a second corner post member, each of the plurality of corner post members operatively coupling a portion of the top rail support assembly to a portion of the bottom rail support assembly; 
 a first rail locking mechanism pivotably coupled to the first top rail member and the second top rail member, wherein the first rail locking mechanism is adjustable from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration; 
 a second rail locking mechanism pivotably coupled to the third top rail member and the fourth top rail member, wherein the second rail locking mechanism is adjustable from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration 
 a first release mechanism having a first end coupled to the first rail locking mechanism and a distal second end coupled to bottom rail support assembly; and 
 a second release mechanism having a first end coupled to the second rail locking mechanism and a distal second end coupled to the bottom rail support assembly; 
   adjusting the hub assembly in a first direction, wherein movement of the hub assembly in the first direction causes a corresponding movement of the bottom rail support assembly,   wherein the bottom rail support assembly pivots with respect to each of the plurality of corner post members;   wherein pivoting of the bottom rail support assembly with respect to the first corner post member generates a first tension in the first release mechanism;   wherein pivoting of the bottom rail support assembly with respect to the second corner post member generates a second tension in the second release mechanism;   wherein the first tension adjusts the first rail locking mechanism from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration;   wherein the second tension adjusts the second rail locking mechanism from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration;   wherein each of the first top rail member and the second top rail member pivot with respect to the first rail locking mechanism in the unlocked configuration; and   wherein each of the third top rail member and the fourth top rail member pivot with respect to the second rail locking mechanism in the unlocked configuration.   wherein release mechanism is configured to move the rail locking mechanism from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration when the first foot is pivoted in a first direction about the first corner post member.