Folding bassinet

Abstract

A bassinet including a frame that allows facile folding to a compact size for transport. The frame may include four legs, each with a lower portion coupled to an upper portion by an associated pivot joint, a bed frame including left and right sides for supporting a bed, and front and rear couplers. The upper portions of the legs are pivotally coupled to the front or rear coupler and the ends of the left and right sides of the bed frame are pivotally coupled to the front or rear coupler.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bassinet comprising: 
 a frame having an open position for supporting a bed above a surface and a folded position, the frame comprising: 
 a right front leg comprising a right front lower leg pivotally coupled to a right front upper leg by first pivot joint; 
 a right rear leg comprising a right rear lower leg pivotally coupled to a right rear upper leg by a second pivot joint; 
 a left front leg comprising a left front lower leg pivotally coupled to a left front upper leg by a third pivot joint; 
 a left rear leg comprising a left rear lower leg pivotally coupled to a left rear upper leg by a fourth pivot joint; 
 a bed frame having a right side and a left side;  
 a front coupler, the right front upper leg, the left front upper leg, a front end of the right side of the bed frame, and a front end of a left side of the bed frame being pivotally coupled to the front coupler; and 
 a rear coupler, the right rear upper leg, the left rear upper leg, a rear end of the right side of the bed frame, and a rear end of a left side of the bed frame being pivotally coupled to the rear coupler. 
   
     
     
         2 . A bassinet according to  claim 1  wherein 
       the front coupler comprises a front coupler right end and a front coupler left end, and wherein the front end of the right side of the bed frame and the front end of the left side of the bed frame are pivotally coupled to the front coupler right end and the front coupler left end, respectively, and  
       the rear coupler comprises a rear coupler right end and a rear coupler left end, and wherein the rear end of the right side of the bed frame and the rear end of the left side of the bed frame are pivotally coupled to the rear coupler right end and the rear coupler left end, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . A bassinet according to  claim 2  wherein the front coupler comprises a first detent at the front coupler right end for releasably engaging the front end of the right side of the bed frame, and a second detent at the front coupler left end for releasably engaging the front end of the left side of the bed frame. 
     
     
         4 . A bassinet according to  claim 3  wherein the rear coupler comprises a third detent at the rear coupler right end for releasably engaging the rear end of the right side of the bed frame, and a fourth detent at the rear coupler left end for releasably engaging the rear end of the left side of the bed frame. 
     
     
         5 . A bassinet according to  claim 1  wherein 
       the front coupler comprises front coupler first and second receptacles at a bottom thereof for receiving the right front upper leg and the left front upper leg, respectively, and  
       the rear coupler comprises rear coupler first and second receptacles at a bottom thereof for receiving the right rear upper leg and the left rear upper leg, respectively. 
     
     
         6 . A bassinet according to  claim 1  wherein 
       the right front upper leg, the left front upper leg, the right rear upper leg, and the left rear upper leg each has an associated spring plunger extending outwardly from a top end thereof,  
       and wherein each spring biased plunger is configured to extend into an associated opening in the front coupler or the rear coupler for releasably locking the right front upper leg and the left front upper leg to the front coupler, and releasably locking the right rear upper leg and the left rear upper leg to the rear coupler.  
     
     
         7 . A bassinet according to  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a first support coupled between the right side of the bed frame and the right front upper leg; 
 a second support coupled between the right side of bed frame and the right rear upper leg; 
 a third support coupled between the left side of the bed frame and the left front upper leg; and 
 a fourth support coupled between the left side of bed frame and the left rear upper leg. 
 
     
     
         8 . A bassinet according to  claim 1  wherein  
       when the frame is in the open position,  
       the right front lower leg, right front upper leg, the right rear lower leg, the right rear upper leg, the left front lower leg, the left front upper leg, the left rear lower leg, and the left rear upper leg, each has an associated outer side and an associated inner side, and  
       the left and right sides of the bed frame are positioned substantially horizontally to the floor surface, and wherein 
       when the frame is in the folded position,  
       the associated outer sides of the right front lower leg, the right rear lower leg, the left front lower leg, the left rear lower legs are positioned adjacent the associated outer sides of the right front upper leg, the right rear upper leg, the left front upper leg, and the left rear upper leg, respectively, and 
       the left and right sides of the bed frame are pivoted downwardly toward the surface.  
     
     
         9 . A bassinet according to  claim 8  wherein  
       when the frame is in the folded position,  
       the left side of the bed frame is at least partially disposed between the left front lower leg and the left rear lower leg, and  
       the right side of the bed frame is at least partially disposed between the right front lower leg and the right rear lower leg.  
     
     
         10 . A bassinet according to  claim 8  wherein  
       when the frame is in the folded position,  
       the left front lower leg and the left rear lower leg restrict the left side of the bed frame from pivoting to substantially horizontal to the floor surface, and 
       the right front lower leg and the right rear lower leg restrict the right side of the bed frame from pivoting to substantially horizontal with the floor surface. 
     
     
         11 . A bassinet according to  claim 1  wherein each of the front coupler and the rear coupler comprises an associated opening therein and an associated left latch and an associated right latch disposed in the associated opening. 
     
     
         12 . A bassinet comprising: 
 a frame having an open position for supporting a bed above a surface and a folded position, the frame comprising: 
 a right front leg comprising a right front lower leg pivotally coupled to a right front upper leg by first pivot joint; 
 a right rear leg comprising a right rear lower leg pivotally coupled to a right rear upper leg by a second pivot joint; 
 a left front leg comprising a left front lower leg pivotally coupled to a left front upper leg by a third pivot joint; 
 a left rear leg comprising a left rear lower leg pivotally coupled to a left rear upper leg by a fourth pivot joint; 
 a bed frame having a right side and a left side;  
 a front coupler, the right front upper leg, the left front upper leg, a front end of the right side of the bed frame, and a front end of a left side of the bed frame being pivotally coupled to the front coupler; and 
 a rear coupler, the right rear upper leg, the left rear upper leg, a rear end of the right side of the bed frame, and a rear end of a left side of the bed frame being pivotally coupled to the rear coupler,  
 wherein the front coupler comprises a front coupler right end and a front coupler left end, and wherein the front end of the right side of the bed frame and the front end of the left side of the bed frame are pivotally coupled to the front coupler right end and the front coupler left end, respectively,  
 the rear coupler comprises a rear coupler right end and a rear coupler left end, and wherein the rear end of the right side of the bed frame and the rear end of the left side of the bed frame are pivotally coupled to the rear coupler right end and the rear coupler left end, respectively, 
 the front coupler comprises front coupler first and second receptacles at a bottom thereof for receiving the right front upper leg and the left front upper leg, respectively, and  
 the rear coupler comprises rear coupler first and second receptacles at a bottom thereof for receiving the right rear upper leg and the left rear upper leg, respectively. 
   
     
     
         13 . A bassinet according to  claim 12  wherein the front coupler comprises a first detent at the front coupler right end for releasably engaging the front end of the right side of the bed frame, and a second detent at the front coupler left end for releasably engaging the front end of the left side of the bed frame. 
     
     
         14 . A bassinet according to  claim 13  wherein the rear coupler comprises a third detent at the rear coupler right end for releasably engaging the rear end of the right side of the bed frame, and a fourth detent at the rear coupler left end for releasably engaging the rear end of the left side of the bed frame. 
     
     
         15 . A bassinet according to  claim 12  wherein 
       the right front upper leg, the left front upper leg, the right rear upper leg, and the left rear upper leg each has an associated spring plunger extending outwardly from a top end thereof,  
       and wherein each spring biased plunger is configured to extend into an associated opening in the front coupler or the rear coupler for releasably locking the right front upper leg and the left front upper leg to the front coupler, and releasably locking the right rear upper leg and the left rear upper leg to the rear coupler.  
     
     
         16 . A bassinet according to  claim 12  further comprising: 
  a first support coupled between the right side of the bed frame and the right front upper leg;  
 a second support coupled between the right side of bed frame and the right rear upper leg;  
 a third support coupled between the left side of the bed frame and the left front upper leg; and  
 a fourth support coupled between the left side of bed frame and the left rear upper leg. 
 
     
     
         17 . A bassinet according to  claim 12  wherein 
 when the frame is in the open position, 
  the right front lower leg, right front upper leg, the right rear lower leg, the right rear upper leg, the left front lower leg, the left front upper leg, the left rear lower leg, and the left rear upper leg, each has an associated outer side and an associated inner side, and  
 the left and right sides of the bed frame are positioned substantially horizontally to the floor surface, and  
 
 when the frame is in the folded position, 
 the associated outer sides of the right front lower leg, the right rear lower leg, the left front lower leg, the left rear lower legs are positioned adjacent the associated outer sides of the right front upper leg, the right rear upper leg,  
 the left front upper leg, and the left rear upper leg, respectively, and the left and right sides of the bed frame are pivoted downwardly toward the surface. 
 
 
     
     
         18 . A bassinet according to  claim 17  wherein  
       when the frame is in the folded position,  
       the left side of the bed frame is at least partially disposed between the left front lower leg and the left rear lower leg, and  
       the right side of the bed frame is at least partially disposed between the right front lower leg and the right rear lower leg.  
     
     
         19 . A bassinet according to  claim 17  wherein 
       when the frame is in the folded position,  
       the left front lower leg and the left rear lower leg restrict the left side of the bed frame from pivoting to substantially horizontal to the floor surface, and 
       the right front lower leg and the right rear lower leg restrict the right side of the bed frame from pivoting to substantially horizontal with the floor surface. 
     
     
         20 . A bassinet according to  claim 12  wherein each of the front coupler and the rear coupler comprises an associated opening therein and an associated left latch and an associated right latch disposed in the associated opening.