EP2023778B1 - Secure stand for baby changing mat - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a secure support for changing mat and more generally a support for changing mat can be used in childcare as in the veterinary field.

Several types of support or changing furniture are currently known on the market. For example, the changing mat on a dresser or the traditional changing table that has a bath and placed on a foot. These devices offer no protection against the risk of falling from the child who can move to the edges of the table, or the mattress support and fall.

The patent WO 97/39661 proposes a so-called safety changing table which has two lower rigid frames and upper, spaced by braces, and whose upper frame, which can be retracted downwards, is a seat belt. This device has a major flaw that is that the assembly as designed is not an effective protection because of the lack of rigidity of the safety barrier relative to the base of the table.

Licences FR 2 803 733 and FR 2,732,570 propose changing table devices with folding side and rear walls which have the disadvantage of always leaving free the front edge of the changing table which does not prevent a possible fall of the baby from that side. In addition, such devices are inconvenient to use because of the different operations to practice to fold the walls.

In the patent FR 2 841 113 a fall protection device has been proposed comprising a support and a peripheral safety belt connected at one of its ends in a rigid manner and articulated to the support by means of a rigid arch connecting the end of the support to said belt, on which are rotated rings integral with the peripheral safety belt, the other end of the belt being connected to a control device for moving down the end of said belt and its automatic ascent. The control device allowing the downward movement of said safety belt, and thus the release of the front face, is actuated in a manual mode by a lever and the return to the active safety position is performed automatically using at least one spring mechanical or gas positioned between the support and a cradle hinged to the support. The gas spring allows, in particular to control the lifting movement of the seat belt.

The proposed device provides an effective protection against falls especially by allowing the blocking of the front face of the support to change, but is nevertheless not easy and expensive in its implementation in particular because of the use of a complex motion device. On the other hand, the arrangement of the springs is such that there is a risk that, during the lowering of the seat belt, the child pinches or injures himself.

It was also proposed in the document FR 2,772,577 a guardrail device for infants comprising an upper frame and a lower frame, the upper frame being movable relative to said lower frame in a substantially rotational movement about an axis passing through one of said walls said rotational wall; . The frame can thus take two stable positions one care where the wall opposite the wall of rotation called access wall is retracted, the portion of said upper frame corresponding to said access wall being brought to the vicinity of the corresponding portion of said frame lower to facilitate handling and a security where said access wall is deployed and has a surface similar to the rotation wall. Thus, two rods formed at the so-called rotational wall maintain the upper frame spaced from the lower frame while a holding element slidably engaged in a slide plays the same role on the safety side wall. In the safety position, the upper frame is thus kept away from the lower frame by the rods and the retaining element locked in the slide. To move to the care position, the holding element is unlocked in the slide so that the front part of the upper frame can be lowered towards the front part of the lower frame, the rods of the so-called rotation wall being sufficiently flexible to do not prevent this lowering. When raising the frame in the safety position, the rods play a role of elastic return favoring the return to safety position of the upper frame. There is therefore no real rotation at the so-called wall rotation but bending of the rods, the rise of the upper frame, under the effect of the rods is difficult to control. By elsewhere, the flexion provided to the rods during incessant lowering and raising of the upper frame causes a fragility at the level thereof which may cause breakage of these rods.

The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above and to provide a secure support for changing fall protection mattresses and easy to use by providing a support for changing mat easy to install and a cost economically advantageous manufacturing.

• une position haute dite de sécurité dans laquelle ledit cadre supérieur est situé dans un plan sensiblement parallèle au plan du fond du support
• une position basse dite d'utilisation, dans laquelle la partie avant dudit cadre supérieur est amenée au voisinage de la partie avant correspondante dudit support, laissant libre l'accès pour prodiguer des soins à l'enfant par la face avant dudit support

ledit support comprenant également un dispositif de commande permettant d'abaisser ledit cadre supérieur depuis sa position de sécurité vers sa position de soins ainsi que des moyens de rappel élastique dudit cadre supérieur en position de sécurité dès que le dispositif de commande cesse ses effets, caractérisé en ce que lesdits moyens de rappel élastique sont constitués par le montant arrière du cadre supérieur réalisé en un matériau élastique, ledit montant étant monté fixe en rotation, à l'exception de ses extrémités agencées pour être reliées aux montants latéraux du cadre, entraînables en rotation par lesdits montants latéraux, lors de l'abaissement et de la remontée dudit cadre supérieur.For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a secure support for a changing mat comprising a bottom for receiving the changing mat, side walls, a rear wall, a safety net and an upper frame, said upper frame being mounted pivoting relative to the support, between two stable positions:

• a so-called high security position in which said upper frame is located in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom of the support
• a low position said use, wherein the front portion of said upper frame is brought into the vicinity of the corresponding front portion of said support, leaving free access to provide care to the child by the front face of said support

said support also comprising a control device for lowering said upper frame from its safety position to its care position and elastic return means of said upper frame in the safety position as soon as the control device ceases its effects, characterized in that said elastic return means are constituted by the rear upright of the upper frame made of an elastic material, said upright being mounted fixed in rotation, with the exception of its ends arranged to be connected to the lateral uprights of the frame, drivable in rotation by said lateral uprights, during the lowering and raising said upper frame.

Thus, advantageously, during the pivoting drive of the frame towards the position of use, the ends are also driven in pivoting and the rear post being fixed in rotation, a torsion of said amount at the ends is induced. When releasing the effect of the lowering control device, the ends of the rear pillar no longer under torsional stress, resume their original shape, thus automatically recalling the frame in the safety position.

The secure support for changing mat according to the invention can therefore be used by placing it directly on a piece of furniture serving as a support, such as a table, a dresser, a bed, etc., or be provided with a suitable base, fixed or removable way.

• une position haute dite position de sécurité dans laquelle le cadre supérieur s'étend dans un plan sensiblement parallèle au plan du support, l'enfant se trouvant sur le matelas à langer, étant alors entouré par les trois parois ainsi que par le filet de sécurité sur la face avant, ce qui garantit qu'il ne puisse pas tomber du support,
• une position basse ou position d'utilisation dans laquelle le montant avant du cadre supérieur est amené au voisinage de la partie avant correspondante du support, libérant ainsi cette partie avant du support, face à l'utilisateur, afin que des soins puissent être aisément prodigués à l'enfant.

Thus, advantageously, the support for changing mat can thus adopt the following two stable positions:

• a high position called safety position in which the upper frame extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the support, the child being on the changing mat, being then surrounded by the three walls and by the safety net on the front side, which guarantees that it can not fall from the support,
• a low position or use position in which the front upright of the upper frame is brought in the vicinity of the corresponding front part of the support, thus releasing this front part of the support, facing the user, so that care can easily be provided to the child.

To ensure the passage of the upper frame from the safety position to the position of use, there is provided a control device, which may consist of a connecting member such as a flexible or rigid rope and a lever, said connecting member being connected firstly to the front pillar of the upper frame and secondly to said lever, for example in the form of a pedal. Thus, as soon as the user wishing to provide care to the child will exert pressure on the lever, for example by pressing with his foot, the upper frame will lower releasing access to the mattress on which the child rests.

Very advantageously, as soon as one moves away from the support according to the invention, it stops its action on the control device and the frame is automatically recalled in the safety position by the elastic return means according to the invention.

The support is designed so that it can receive a mattress on which the child is placed. The bottom can be full, or even simply materialized by two bars between the transverse walls to accommodate the changing mat. A safety net connected to the frame and the support, or even the frame and the walls, and surrounding all or part of the support is installed. It can also be envisaged that the rear wall is not materialized only by two rigid vertical uprights on either side of the rear part of the support, a net being stretched to form said wall.

Similarly, the side walls can be materialized only by a net.

It is also possible to provide a locking bar fixed on the front face of the support between the side walls and above the bottom of said support, so as to limit the lowering of the upper frame to a certain height, for example the height of the mattress. langer on the bottom.

Finally, the device according to the invention has the advantage that all of the return means are located at the upper frame, which allows a facilitated manufacture and assembly.

Particularly advantageously, the secure support for changing mat is further provided with a locking device of the upper frame in the unlocked safety position only by the control device, which further increases the security of the support by preventing a lowering of the frame not caused by the control device.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective latérale du dessus d'un support pour matelas à langer sécurisé selon l'invention en position de sécurité ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective latérale du dessus du support de la figure 1 en position de soins ;
• la figure 3 est une vue agrandie partiellement éclatée du montant latéral du cadre supérieur du support pour matelas à langer de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 4 est une coupe transversale d'un montant latéral comprenant le dispositif de verrouillage du cadre supérieur, lorsque le cadre supérieur est en position de sécurité ;
• la figure 5 est une coupe transversale d'un montant latéral comprenant le dispositif de verrouillage du cadre supérieur, lorsque le cadre supérieur est en position de soins.

The present invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment in which:

• the figure 1 is a lateral perspective view of the top of a support for secure changing mat according to the invention in the safety position;
• the figure 2 is a side perspective view of the top of the bracket of the figure 1 in care position;
• the figure 3 is an enlarged partially exploded view of the lateral upright of the upper frame of the changing mat support of the figure 1 ;
• the figure 4 is a cross-section of a lateral upright comprising the locking device of the upper frame, when the upper frame is in the safety position;
• the figure 5 is a cross section of a lateral upright comprising the locking device of the upper frame, when the upper frame is in the care position.

The support for changing mat according to the invention comprises a bottom 1 of suitable dimensions for receiving the changing mat (not shown), the latter being simply placed on top, an upper frame 2, a rear wall 3 and two side walls 4 rigid. A safety net 5 is fixed to the upper frame 2, along the lateral uprights 7 and the front upright 8 of said frame 2. These lateral uprights 7 and 8 front of the frame 2 are preferably of hollow tubular section.

In addition, there is provided a locking bar or a flange 10 fixed on the front face of the support between the side walls 4 and above the bottom 1 of said support at the height of the changing mat, and to which is fixed the net of security 5.

The rear upright of the upper frame 2 consists of a rod 6 mounted at least partially fixed in rotation relative to the support, made of an elastic flexible material. In the embodiment shown, said rod 6 is housed in a tubular enclosure 9 fixedly mounted between the side walls 4 and to which said rod 6 is fixed at least at a point 12, preferably central, as can be seen in FIG. figure 3 .

The ends 60 of said rod 6 are engaged in rings 11 connected to the lateral uprights 7 of the frame 2. The rod 6 being mounted fixed in rotation in the enclosure 9 and said rings 11 being engaged on the free ends 60 of said rod 6 when the frame 2 is lowered, the rings 11 are pivotally driven by the lateral uprights 7.

Thus, when lowering the upper frame 2 from the safety position to the position of use, the pivoting rings 11 driven in pivoting, cause a torsion at the ends 60 of the rod 6, causing said ends 60 to deform with a twisting moment.

As soon as the user stops operating the control device, and therefore stops applying a force in the direction of lowering the upper frame 2, because of the elastic nature of the rod 6, the ends 60 of said rod 6 tend to recover their original shape causing the pivoting of the pivot rings 11, and thus the raising of the frame 2 in the safety position of the support for changing mat.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the lateral uprights 7 of the upper frame 2 of the changing table, extending, on either side of the rear upright 6, out of the pivoting rings 11, towards the front face of the support for changing mattress, consist of rigid tubes and are connected to the pivoting rings 11, so as to be pivoted thereof. Said pivoting rings 11 are each housed in the tubular enclosure 9 which is provided at its ends with an opening 90 intended to let said lateral uprights 7 pass to connect on said rings 11.

Preferably, said openings 90 have a section greater than the section of said lateral uprights 7 so as to allow the pivoting of the lateral uprights 7 and the lowering of the frame 2 to the position of use.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the support for changing mat comprises a control device for lowering the safety frame 2. This control device may consist of a control member such as a rope 13 flexible or rigid and a lever, said control member being connected on the one hand at least to the front post 8 of the upper frame 2 and secondly to said lever, for example in the form of a pedal. Thus, as soon as the user wishing to provide care to the child on the mattress, will exert pressure on the lever, for example by pressing on it with his foot, the rope 13 will exert traction on the front post 8 of the upper frame 2 which will lower giving access to the support on which the child rests.

Preferably, there is further preferably provided associated with this control device a locking device which is at the level of the connection between the lateral uprights 7 of the upper frame 2 and the pivoting rings 11. This device comprises a locking finger 14 arranged at each lateral upright 7, so that in the safety position the locking finger 14 engages in the corresponding aperture 90 of the enclosure 9. The dimensions of the locking fingers 14 are such that in safety position, that is to say the locking finger 14 engaged in the light 90, the amounts 7 are prevented from pivoting in the opening 90, which prevents the lowering of the frame 2.

For this purpose, each lateral upright 7 of the upper frame 2 has, in its zone near the pivoting rings 11, a slot 15 through which the locking pin which extends along the lateral upright 7 is carried by a cylindrical slider 16 slidably mounted in said lateral upright 7, a rod 17 being fixed at one end to said slider 16 and projecting therefrom through a cylindrical wedge 18 fixedly mounted in the lateral upright 7, free end of the rod 17 being connected to the flexible control member of the lowering control device of the frame 2 such as the rope 13. An elastic return means such as a spring 19 is interposed between the fixed wedge 18 and the slider 16 so that in the rest position of the spring 19, the slider 16 is spaced from the shim 18 and the locking pin 14 is held engaged in the slot 90 with the upright 7 in the locking position of the pivoting Security Framework 2.

When the control device is operated in order to lower the safety frame 2, a pull is drawn on the rope 13 which pulls on the end of the rod 17, the latter drives the slider 16 sliding in the upright 7 to the shim 18, compressing the spring 19. The slide 16 carries with it the locking finger 14 which disengages from the light 90 releasing the lowering of the frame 2.

The stroke of the slide 16 is limited by the spring 19 and / or also by the light 15 against which the locking finger 14 can abut.

When the control device ceases its action, the spring 19 pushes the slide 16 and consequently the locking finger is re-engaged in the light 90 at the same time that the lateral upright 7 pivots in the direction of the raising of the frame 2.

Preferably, the cylindrical slider 16 is of diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the tube constituting said lateral upright 7, and has, on its face facing the front face of the wedge 18, a cylindrical projection 16a complementary to a recess 18a of the hold 18.

In this way, a device for locking the support for a changing mat is placed in a particularly advantageous safety position, so that it is only while the user is actuating the control device that this locking device of the support is released, allowing the lowering of the frame.

Thus, there are provided elastic return means which allow the automatic return and the maintenance of the upper frame in the safety position as soon as the user stops operating the control device lowering said upper frame in the use position.

Thanks to these return means, it has been made an effective safe changing mattress support having recall means of simple design and inexpensive manufacturing allowing the return of the upper frame in its upper position ensuring the safety of the child, from when the user stops operating the control device. In addition, a preferred embodiment, which provides a locking device, is such that only the actuation of the control device allows the lowering of the frame, which prevents a gesture by which the child would support the amounts side or the front of the frame is not enough to lower it. Such a support can advantageously also be used in the veterinary field.

The invention is of course not limited to the embodiment described but covers all possible variants in the field of protection of the claims.

Claims (11)

1. Secure stand for a baby changing mat comprising a base (1) for receiving the baby changing mat, side walls (4), a rear wall (3), a safety net (5) and an upper frame (2), said upper frame (2) being pivotably mounted relative to the stand, between two stable positions:

   - a high so-called safety position, wherein said upper frame (2) is located in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the base (1) of the stand,

   - a low so-called operational position, wherein the front part of said upper frame (2) in brought proximate the corresponding front part of said stand, leaving free access for providing the child with care via the front surface of said stand,
   said stand further comprising a control device for lowering said upper frame (2) from its safety position towards its care-providing position as well as elastic means for returning said upper frame (2) into its safety position when the control device stops its operation, and said elastic return means are formed by the rear post (6) of the upper frame (2) made of an elastic material,
   characterised in that said post (6) is mounted non-rotatable at the rear wall (3) of the stand, except for its ends (60) designed to be connected to the lateral posts (7) of the frame (2), and rotatable by said lateral posts (7), when said upper frame (2) is lowered or lifted.
2. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to claim 1,
   characterised in that the ends (60) of the rear post (6) of the frame (2) are fixedly engaged in pivot rings (11) connected to the lateral posts (7) of the upper frame (2).
3. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the rear post of the upper frame (2) is constituted of a rod (6) housed in a tubular enclosure (9) mounted fixed between the side walls (4) of the stand and to which said rod (6) is fixed at least at one point (12).
4. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to claim 3,
   characterised in that said pivot rings (11) are each housed in the tubular enclosure (9) which is provided at each of its ends with an opening (90) through which extends a lateral post (7) to link on a ring (11), said openings (90) having a section that is greater than the section of said lateral posts (7) in such a way as to allow for the pivoting of the lateral posts (7) between the safety position and the operational position of the frame (2).
5. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in that the control device is constituted of a control member such as a flexible or rigid line (13) and a lever, said control member being connected on the one hand to at least the front post (8) of the frame (2) and on the other hand to the lever.
6. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to one of claims 1 to 5,
   characterised in that it comprises a device for locking the upper frame (2) of the stand in safety position.
7. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to claim 6,
   characterised in that the lateral (7) and front (8) posts of the frame (2) are more preferably of hollow tubular section, each lateral post (7) of the upper frame (2) has, in its zone in the vicinity of the pivot rings (11), a hole (15) through which a locking finger (14) extending along the lateral post (7) is carried by a cylindrical slide (16) mounted slidingly in said lateral post (7), between a position wherein the locking finger (14) is engaged in the corresponding opening (90), with the lateral posts 7 prevented from pivoting in the opening (90), and a position wherein the locking finger (14) is disengaged from the opening (90).
8. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to claim 6,
   characterised in that said slide (16) may be driven in sliding between the two positions using a rod (17) fixed at one end to said slide (16) and extending protruding from the latter through a cylindrical wedge (18) mounted fixedly in the lateral post (7), with the free end of the rod (17) connected to the flexible control member such as a line (13) extending in the lateral post (7) and outside of the frame (2), an elastic means for returning such as a spring (19) being inserted between the fixed wedge (18) and the slide (16) in such a way that in idle position of the spring (19), the slide (16) is separated from the wedge (18) and the locking finger (14) is maintained engaged in the hole (90) with the post (7) in locking position of the pivoting of the safety frame (2).
9. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to claim 8,
   characterised in that the flexible control member (13) is that of the control device for the lowering of the frame (2).
10. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the rear wall (3) is materialised by two rigid vertical posts on either side of said rear part of the stand, a net being stretched in order to constitute said wall and/or in that the side walls are materialised in entirety by the net.
11. Secure stand for a baby changing mat according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that it comprises a blocking bar (10) fixed onto the front part of the stand between the side walls (4) above the base (1) of said stand.

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