GB2356558A

GB2356558A - Locking device that prevents baby equipment from swinging

Info

Publication number: GB2356558A
Application number: GB0008699A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Boney
Original assignee: East Coast Nursery Products Ltd
Current assignee: East Coast Nursery Products Ltd
Priority date: 1999-11-25
Filing date: 2000-04-07
Publication date: 2001-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-07
Also published as: GB9927884D0; GB0008699D0; GB2356558B

Description

2356558 0:\SPECSUMND\East543.1wp A LOCKING DEVICE FOR SWINGABLE BABY

EQUIPMENT The present invention relates to a locking device for swingable baby equipment. The locking device is primarily for a swingable baby crib.

It is known for a swingable baby crib to have a locking device thereon to prevent swinging of the crib with respect to the crib stand. One known locking device for a swingable baby crib uses a hook pivotally mounted on the crib stand and which locates in an eye on the crib so as to prevent swinging thereof Such a locking device is somewhat crude and gives rise to safety concerns. Firstly, babies and young children can tamper with the hook causing the hook to unhook and the crib to destabalise. Secondly, the hook itself can be dangerous in that its often sharp surfaces can catch fingers or other delicate parts of a baby or child causing injury to them.

It is an aim of the invention to provide a locking device for swingable baby equipment which shields some or all of its dangerous parts from the baby.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a locking device for swingable baby equipment, the device comprising a housing for mounting on the swingable baby equipment, the housing defining a space, the device comprising a member for mounting in the space and the device comprising a biasing means arranged in the space to bias the member out of the housing into a use position to lock the baby equipment against swinging in use, the device being arranged such that the biasing means is inaccessible to a baby in use.

In that way, the biasing means cannot cause any harm to a baby.

The biasing means may take any suitable form and preferably comprises a spring. The member may be arranged to move in any desired path but preferably is arranged to 2 move in a straight path. Preferably the member passes through an opening that leads to the space and that part of the member which passes through the opening in use is a close sliding fit in the opening to the space in the housing and is of constant cross-section so that access past the member into the space occupied by the biasing means is not possible. Preferably the housing has only two openings thereinto, a first opening through which the member can extend and a second opening through which operating means extends by which the member is movable out of the use position against the bias of the biasing means. The housing may take the form of a tube with the member extending out of an opening at one end of the housing to lock the baby equipment against swinging and the operating means, which may be an extension of the member and may terminate in a handle, extending out of an opening at the opposite end of the housing.

Preferably, means is provided to retain the member against the bias of the biasing means in a position so that the baby equipment is not locked and can swing.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a locking device for swingable equipment, the device comprising a housing for mounting on swingable baby equipment, the housing defining a space, the device comprising a member mounted in the space, the member being movable between a use position in which at least part of the member extends out of the housing to lock the baby equipment against swinging in use, and a non-use position in which the member is retracted with respect to the housing relative to the use position and the baby equipment is not locked against swinging, the device further comprising retaining means for retaining the member in the use position, the retaining means being located within the space, so that the retaining means is inaccessible.

In that way, the retaining means cannot cause any harm to a baby and furthermore the baby cannot directly interfere with the retaining means to take it out of the use position.

In either the first or the second aspect of the invention the retaining means may comprise surfaces on the member and the housing which are brought into abutment in 3 one relative orientation to retain the member and which can move past one another in another relative orientation. The retaining surface on the member may be defined by a projection on the member and in a preferred embodiment is defined by opposed projections on the member which may conveniently be the opposite ends of a pin 5 extending transversely through the member.

Preferably, the housing is made from plastics material. Preferably, the member is made from plastics material. The plastics material is preferably reinforced for example with fibres such as glass fibres.

The member may have an engaging part for engagement with part of the crib and the engaging part preferably has a blunt free end surface. In that way, as the baby may be exposed to the engaging part, the possibility of injury is reduced.

The device may comprise a handle to move the member. In that way, the device is easier to operate.

Preferably the handle has a blunt free end surface. Again as the baby is exposed to the handle it reduces the risk of injury.

The handle may be mounted on the member by pushing an oversized part of the member through a bore in the handle.

I Preferably, a non-circular section such as a square section recess forms part of the bore in the handle and cooperates with a non-circular section such as a square section of the member to prevent turning of the handle relative to the member.

Preferably, the handle is made of plastics material.

Preferably, the handle is moulded with a contoured gripping surface and a bore for the member using a two part mould.

4 Preferably, all of the parts of the locking device are intended to be inseparable from each other during ordinary working use when the device is assembled, in other words the parts are assembled in non-return fashion.

Preferably, the swingable baby equipment is a swingable baby crib.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided swingable equipment intended to be occupied by a baby and having a locking device fitted thereto according to the first aspect or the second aspect of the invention and any or none of the 10 consistory clauses relating thereto.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a swingable equipment in the form of a swingable baby crib having a locking device fitted thereto according to the first aspect or the second aspect of the invention and any or none of the consistory 15 clauses relating thereto.

Preferably the operating means extends through and is a close fit in a passage in the equipment such that a baby cannot access the space within the housing past the operating means.

Preferably, the locking device is mounted on the stand for the crib.

Where a pivot arrangement provides for the swinging of the crib, preferably the locking device is mounted on a part of the crib remote from the pivot arrangement.

Embodiments of a swingable baby crib in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig 1 is a side view of a swingable baby crib having a locking device in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention fitted thereon, Fig 2 is a view from the opposite side of the locking device of Fig I in an engaged position, Fig 3 is a view similar to that of Fig 2 showing the locking device in a disengaged 5 position, Fig 4 is a side view of an elongate member for use in the construction of the locking device of Fig 1, Fig 5 is a side view of a handle for use in the construction of the locking device of Fig I, Fig 6 is a side view of a housing for use in the construction of the locking device of Fig Fig 7 is an end view of the housing of Fig 6 along line VIINH, and, Fig 8 is a side view in cross-section of a locking device in a second embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Fig 1, a swingable baby crib 10 has a locking device 12 mounted thereon.

The swingable baby crib 10 comprises a crib 14 and a stand 16, and, The locking device 12 is mounted on the stand 16 so as to engage a lower part 18 of the crib 14. It will be noted that the locking device 12 is positioned remote from the connection between the crib 14 and the stand 16.

Referring to Figs 2 and 3, the stand 16 has a passage 20 therethrough. The passage 20 30. has a first part bore 21 and a second part bore 22, the second part bore being formed in the crib-facing surface of the stand 16 opposite the lower part 18 of the crib 14.

6 The locking device 12 comprises a housing 24, an elongate member 26 and a handle 28.

The housing 24, the member 26, the handle 28 and their interrelationship are described below in more detail.

Referring to Figs 6 and 7, the housing 24 comprises a cylindrical part 30 which has a radial flange 32 at a point along the length thereof thereby dividing the cylindrical part into a first cylinder section 34 and a second cylinder section 36. A first cylindrical passage 38 extends from a free end 39 of the first cylinder section 34 as far as the radial flange 32. A second cylindrical passage 40 of smaller diameter than the first cylindrical passage 38 extends from a free end 41 of the second cylinder section 36 almost as far as the first cylindrical passage 38. The passages 38, 40 have the same cylindrical axis A. The passages 3 8, 40 are separated by a section 42 of the housing 24. The section 42 has a central bore 44 of diameter smaller than the passages 38, 40 and defines an abutment surface 46 around the central bore 44 and at the inner end of the second cylindrical passage 40. The section 42 of the housing 24 defines two radial grooves 48, which oppose each other and interrupt the abutment surface 46. Two countersunk apertures 50 are drilled through the flange 32 approximately 180 degrees apart. Wood screws or the like (not shown) are located in the apertures 50 to mount the device 12 on the stand 16 of the crib 10.

Referring to Fig 4, the elongate member 26 has, at a first end, a section of increased diameter 52 which defines an abutment surface 54 where the elongate member reduces in cross section to a coaxial intermediate section 55. A square section 56 of decreased diameter extends from the intermediate section 55, the intermediate section defining an abutment surface 58. The square section 56 continues into a circular section 60 which has an annular raised bead 62. The end of the circular section 60 which forms a second end of the member 26 remote from the first end is rounded. The member 26 has an aperture 64 approximately midway along its length, the aperture 64 passing through the longitudinal axis B. A pin 66 is arranged to pass through the aperture 64.

7 A biasing means such as a compression spring 84 is arranged on the elongate member 26 adjacent the abutment surface 54.

Referring to Fig 5, the handle 28 is generally cylindrical with a gripping part 68 in the form of an annulus of semicircular cross section. The handle 28 has an annular hollow defined therein and a central part 72. The central part 72 has a passage 73. The passage 73 has a first part bore 74 and a second part bore 75, and a square section part 76. The second part bore 75 is of a diameter larger than the first part bore 74 and the square section part 76 is of a diameter similar to the first part bore 74. The square section part 76 has a diameter corresponding to the square section 56 of the member 26.

The second part bore 75 defines a shoulder 80.

In assembly of the device 12, the housing 24 of the locking device 12 is mounted on the stand 16 of the crib 10 as shown in Fig 1 by means of screws through the apertures 50.

Thus, the second cylindrical section 36 is received in the second part bore 22.

The member 26 is passed through, sequentially, the first cylindrical passage 38, the section 42, the second cylindrical passage 40 of the housing 26 and the passage 20 leaving the spring 84 mounted between the abutment surface 54 and the section 42 of the housing 24. The end of the member 26 will pass through the first part bore 21 and out of the crib stand 16. The handle 28 is offered up to the end of the member 26 and the two are pressed together until the raised bead portion 62 snaps over the shoulder 80.

The distance between the abutment surface 58 and the raised bead portion 62 corresponds to the distance between an inner surface 82 of the handle 28 and the shoulder 80 to substantially prevent axial movement of the handle 28 relative to the member 26. The square section 56 and the square section recess 76 cooperate to prevent turning of the handle 28 relative to the member 26.

A further bore (not shown) is formed in the lower part 18 of the crib 14.

In use, to engage the locking device 12 the handle 28 is turned so that the pin 66 is aligned with the radial grooves 48. The spring 84 will then urge the member 26 so that 8 the exposed ends of the pin 66 will pass through the radial grooves 48. The first section 52 of the member 26 will emerge from the end of the first cylinder section 34 and if the crib is appropriately aligned will enter the bore (not shown) in the lower part 18 of the crib 14. The crib 14 is thus locked from swinging. The locking device 12 is then disengaged by pulling the handle 28 away from the housing 24 to the full extent against the bias of the spring 84 and turning the handle 28 so that the exposed ends of the pin 66 locate against the free end 41 of the second cylinder section 36. In that position, the end of the first section 52 of the member 26 is removed from the bore (not shown) in the crib 14 and is substantially flush with the end of the first cylinder section 34 so that the crib 14 is free to swing relative to the stand 16.

In both the locked and unlocked positions the spring 84 is inaccessible within the housing 24. As the first section 52 of the member 26 is a close sliding fit in the first cylinder section 34 of the housing 24 a baby in the crib cannot access the spring 84. The pin 66 and abutment surface 46 which act to retain the locking member 26 when not in the use position are also inaccessible within the housing 24 behind the spring 84. Indeed, all of the parts of the locking device 12 which exhibit relative movement are within the housing 24 and inaccessible except for the handle 28 which obviously must be accessible to operate the device 12. 20 All of the parts of the locking device 12 are made of glass fibre reinforced plastics material except for the pin 66 and the spring 84 which are made of metal. The parts consisting of the housing 24, the member 26 and handle 28 which are made of glass fibre reinforced plastics material can all be made in simple two part moulds so that the 25 manufacture of these parts 24, 26, 28 is simple and inexpensive.

Fig 8 shows the locking device of the second embodiment of the invention, which is similar to the locking device 10 of the first embodiment. Only the differences between the first and second embodiments will be described. The same reference numerals will 3 be used for equivalent features.

9 The second embodiment has a handle 28 which is of a different shape from the handle 28 of the first embodiment. Thus the handle 28 of the second embodiment has a central part 72 but the outer part defines a surface 90 facing the housing 24 which tapers inwardly towards the housing 24. This makes it easier to grip in order to pull against the bias of the spring 84. Inside the central part 72 of the handle 28, the passage 73 includes a circumferential inwards projection 92, narrowing the passage 73 over part of its length. The elongate member 26 does not have the annular raised bead 62 and instead has a circumferential recess 94 to receive the projection 92. The end 96 of the elongate member 26 tapers in the manner of an arrowhead to enable the elongate member 26 to centre on the aperture 98 defined by the circumferential projection 92.

In this way, the tapered end 96 can be partly received in the aperture 98 defined by the circumferential projection 92. When the elongate member 26 is pushed, the arrowhead shaped end 96 will be forced through the aperture 96 so that the handle 28 will be retained on the elongate member 26 with the projection 92 received in the circumferential recess 94.

Claims

1. A locking device for swingable baby equipment, the device comprising a housing for mounting on the swingable baby equipment, the housing defining a space, the device comprising a member for mounting in the space and the device comprising a biasing means arranged in the space to bias the member out of the housing to lock the baby equipment against swinging in use, the device being arranged such that the biasing means is inaccessible to a baby in use.

2. A locking device according to claim I in which the biasing means comprises a spring.

3. A locking device according to claim I or 2, in which the member is arranged to move in a straight path.

4. A locking device according to claim I or 2 or 3, in which means is provided to retain the member against the bias of the biasing means in a position so that the baby equipment is not locked and can swing.

5. A locking device for swingable equipment, the device comprising a housing for mounting on swingable baby equipment, the housing defining a space, the device comprising a member mounted in the space, the member being movable between a use position in which at least part of the member extends out of the housing to lock the baby equipment against swinging in use, and a non-use position in which the member is retracted with respect to the housing relative to the use position and the baby equipment is not locked against swinging, the device further comprising retaining means for retaining the member in the use position, the retaining means being located within the space, so that the retaining means is inaccessible.

6. A locking device according to claim 4 or 5, in which the retaining means comprises surfaces on the member and the housing which are brought into abutment in one relative orientation to retain the member and which can move past one another in another relative orientation.

7. A locking device according to claim 6, in which the retaining surface on the member is defined by a projection on the member.

8. A locking device according to claim 7, in which the retaining surface is defined by opposed projections on the member.

9. A locking device according to claim 8, in which the opposed projections are opposite ends of a pin extending transversely through the member.

10. A locking device according to any preceding claim, in which the housing is made of plastics material.

11. A locking device according to any preceding claim, in which the member is made from plastics material. 20

12. A locking device according to claim 11 in which the plastics material is reinforced for example with fibres.

13. A locking device according to any preceding claim, in which the member has an 25 engaging part for engagement with part of the crib.

14. A locking device according to claim 13, in which the engaging part has a blunt free end surface.

15. A locking device according to any preceding claim in which the device comprises a handle to move the member.

12

16. A locking device according to claim 15, in which the handle has a blunt free end surface.

17. A locking device according to claim 15 or 16, in which the handle is connected to the member by pushing an oversized part of the member through a bore in the handle.

18. A locking device according to claim 15, 16 or 17, in which a non-circular section such as a square section recess in the handle cooperates with a non-circular section such as a square section of the member to prevent turning of the handle and the member relative to each other.

19. A locking device according to any of claims 15 to 18, in which the handle is made of plastics material.

20. A locking device according to any of claims 15 to 19, in which the handle is moulded with a contoured gripping surface and a bore for the member using a two part mould.

21. A locking device according to any preceding claim in which the parts are intended to be inseparable from each other during ordinary working use when the device is assembled, in other words the parts are assembled in non-return fashion.

22. A locking device according to claim 8 or 9 or 10 in which the swingable baby equipment is a swingable baby crib.

23. Swingable equipment intended to be occupied by a baby and having a locking device fitted thereto according to any of claims I to 22 relating thereto.

24. A swingable baby crib having a locking device fitted thereto according to any of claims I to 22.

13

25. A swingable baby crib according to claim 24, in which the locking device is mounted on the stand for the crib.

26. A swingable baby crib according to claim 24 or 25, in which where a pivot arrangement provides for the swinging of the crib, the locking device is mounted on a part of the crib remote from the pivot arrangement.

27. A swinging crib as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. 10