Collapsible infant playpen

Abstract

An infant playpen includes an upper frame portion having a pivot joint and two side segments, a latching device disposed adjacent to the pivot joint, a standing post connected with the upper frame portion and carrying a cable actuator and a resilient part, a cable assembly respectively connected with the latching device and the cable actuator, and a bottom linkage portion including a bar segment pivotally connected with a foot portion of the standing post. The latching device has a locking state for locking the two side segments in an unfolded state, and an unlocking state for rotation of the two side segments between the unfolded state and a folded state. The resilient part can bias the cable actuator toward an initial position, and the bar segment is rotatable to urge the cable actuator in movement away from the initial position for switching the latching device to the unlocking state.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An infant playpen comprising:
 an upper frame portion including a first side segment and a second side segment pivotally connected to a pivot joint, the first side segment and the second side segment being rotatable about the pivot joint between an unfolded state and a folded state;   a bottom linkage portion, and a standing post connected to both the upper frame portion and the bottom linkage portion, the bottom linkage portion being movable along with the first side segment and the second side segment between the unfolded state and the folded state;   a latching device having a locking state for locking the first side segment and the second side segment in the unfolded state, and an unlocking state for rotation of the first side segment and the second side segment, wherein the latching device includes a first latch and a second latch connected to the pivot joint, the first latch being engaged with the first side segment and the second latch engaged with the second side segment in the locking state, and the first latch being disengaged from the first side segment and the second latch disengaged from the second side segment in the unlocking state; and   a cable assembly coupling the first latch and the second latch of the latching device to a cable actuator provided on the standing post, the cable actuator being movable to cause the latching device to switch from the locking state to the unlocking state, wherein the cable assembly has a first portion connected to the first latch and a second portion connected to the second latch, the first portion of the cable assembly extending from the first latch toward the second portion of the cable assembly inside the pivot joint.   
     
     
         2 . The infant playpen according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the cable assembly extends across a gap between the first latch and the second latch. 
     
     
         3 . The infant playpen according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the cable assembly extends from a location where the first portion connects to the first latch to a location where the second portion of the cable assembly connects to the second latch. 
     
     
         4 . The infant playpen according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the cable assembly includes a cable and the second portion of the cable assembly includes a conduit, the cable extending through an interior of the conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The infant playpen according to  claim 4 , wherein the cable has two opposite ends respectively anchored to the first latch and the cable actuator, and the conduit has two opposite ends respectively anchored to the second latch and the standing post. 
     
     
         6 . The infant playpen according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom linkage portion includes a bar segment pivotally connected to the standing post, the bar segment being rotatable to urge the cable actuator in movement and cause the first latch to disengage from the first side segment and the second latch to disengage from the second side segment. 
     
     
         7 . The infant playpen according to  claim 6 , wherein an end of the bar segment is provided with a retractable part that is connected with a spring, the retractable part being movable relative to the bar segment to retract toward the bar segment or extend outward from the bar segment, the bar segment being rotatable relative to the standing post so that the retractable part contacts and urges the cable actuator in movement. 
     
     
         8 . The infant playpen according to  claim 7 , wherein the retractable part is slidably connected with the bar segment. 
     
     
         9 . The infant playpen according to  claim 7 , wherein the retractable part is out of contact with the cable actuator when the infant playpen is fully folded. 
     
     
         10 . The infant playpen according to  claim 6 , wherein the bottom linkage portion includes a central hub pivotally connected with the bar segment. 
     
     
         11 . The infant playpen according to  claim 1 , wherein the latching device further includes a spring having two ends respectively connected to the first latch and the second latch, the spring biasing the first latch and the second latch to respectively engage with the first side segment and the second side segment. 
     
     
         12 . The infant playpen according to  claim 1 , wherein the first side segment and the second side segment are respectively connected pivotally to the pivot joint about two spaced-apart first pivot axes, and the first latch and the second latch are respectively connected pivotally to the pivot joint about two spaced-apart second pivot axes that are located below the two first pivot axes. 
     
     
         13 . An infant playpen comprising:
 an upper frame portion including a first side segment and a second side segment pivotally connected to a pivot joint, the first side segment and the second side segment being rotatable about the pivot joint between an unfolded state and a folded state;   a bottom linkage portion, and a standing post connected to both the upper frame portion and the bottom linkage portion, the bottom linkage portion being movable along with the first side segment and the second side segment between the unfolded state and the folded state;   a latching device having a locking state for locking the first side segment and the second side segment in the unfolded state, and an unlocking state for rotation of the first side segment and the second side segment, wherein the latching device includes a first latch and a second latch connected to the pivot joint, the first latch being engaged with the first side segment and the second latch engaged with the second side segment in the locking state, and the first latch being disengaged from the first side segment and the second latch disengaged from the second side segment in the unlocking state; and   a cable assembly coupling the first latch and the second latch of the latching device to a cable actuator provided on the standing post, the cable actuator being movable to cause the latching device to switch from the locking state to the unlocking state, wherein the cable assembly has a first portion connected to the first latch and a second portion connected to the second latch, the first portion and the second portion of the cable assembly being routed along a same path between the pivot joint and the cable actuator.   
     
     
         14 . The infant playpen according to  claim 13 , wherein the upper frame portion includes a corner bracket that is connected to the second side segment and the standing post, and the path along which the first portion and the second portion of the cable assembly are routed extends along the second side segment and the standing post. 
     
     
         15 . The infant playpen according to  claim 13 , wherein the first portion of the cable assembly includes a cable and the second portion of the cable assembly includes a conduit, the cable extending through an interior of the conduit. 
     
     
         16 . The infant playpen according to  claim 15 , wherein the cable has two opposite ends respectively anchored to the first latch and the cable actuator, and the conduit has two opposite ends respectively anchored to the second latch and the standing post. 
     
     
         17 . The infant playpen according to  claim 15 , wherein the cable extends across a gap between the first latch and the second latch. 
     
     
         18 . The infant playpen according to  claim 13 , wherein the bottom linkage portion includes a bar segment pivotally connected to the standing post, the bar segment being rotatable to urge the cable actuator in movement and cause the first latch to disengage from the first side segment and the second latch to disengage from the second side segment. 
     
     
         19 . The infant playpen according to  claim 13 , wherein the latching device further includes a spring having two ends respectively connected to the first latch and the second latch, the spring biasing the first latch and the second latch to respectively engage with the first side segment and the second side segment. 
     
     
         20 . The infant playpen according to  claim 13 , wherein the first side segment and the second side segment are respectively connected pivotally to the pivot joint about two spaced-apart first pivot axes, and the first latch and the second latch are respectively connected pivotally to the pivot joint about two spaced-apart second pivot axes that are located below the two first pivot axes.