US3173155A

US3173155A - Collapsible play pen

Info

Publication number: US3173155A
Application number: US296967A
Authority: US
Inventors: Schweikert Nancy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-07-23
Filing date: 1963-07-23
Publication date: 1965-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1982-03-16

Description

March 1965 N. SCHWEIKERT 3,173,155

COLLAPSIBLE PLAY PEN Filed July 23, 1963 F I G .3 0 INVENTOR Nancy Schweikert BY ZZW 3% 5M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,173,155 QGLLAPSIBLE PLAY PEN Nancy Sehweilrert, 3 Raul Revere Lane, Northport, N.Y. Filed July 23, 1963, Ser. No. 296,967 7 Q'Jiairns. (Cl. -98) This invention relates generally to play pen structures for infants and young children and more particularly to a novel construction for devices of the foregoing character whereby the entire play pen may be rolled into compact form and conventionally carried, and readily erected for use at the beach or elsewhere whenever a temporary confining area for the child is required.

Whereas play pens have heretofore been fabricated with the inclusion of collapsible features, relatively complex configurations have, however, been utilized to effectuate the desideratum of portability, with the attendant disadvantages of high cost and involved assembly and disassembly procedures.

To the end of obviating the inherent shortcomings of devices known to the prior art, the primary object of the instant invention resides in the provision of a collapsible play pen essentially comprised of a flexible confining member and a plurality of support posts cooperatively associated therewith.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of the instant character wherein the corner posts include extensible stake sections adapted for retraction thus minimizing the length of the posts for convenience of storage.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel corner post which is telescopically extensible, and means for retaining the corner post in extended or retracted position, said means being further adapted to facilitate driving the post into the ground.

A still further object of the instant invention is the provision of a device of the foregoing character which includes a floor member which is held in alignment with respect to the peripheral confining member by the extensible stake sections of the corner posts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice of the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the structure defined and pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described. The accompanying drawings referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of the collapsible play pen, the utility of the step portion being shown as facilitating the operation of driving the post into the ground;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the assembled collapsible play pen;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a corner post taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 5, the upper tubular and stake sections thereof being shown in coacting relation with respect to the L-shaped angle plate;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a typical corner post;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the L-shaped angle plate; and

FIGURE 7 illustrates a carrying bag having the rolled up peripheral confining member, the floor member and the corner posts contained therewithin.

It will be understood that the foregoing general objectives and the following detailed description as well are 3,173,155 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 ice exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of the invention.

eferring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 shows the collapsible play pen in exploded disassembled form, said play pen being comprised of a peripheral confining member designated generally by numeral 1, support or corner posts 2 and floor member 4, said elements as assembled being disclosed in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The peripheral confining member 1 is formed of flexible fabric 6, preferably nylon mesh or other suitable material, and when supported by corner posts 2, will assume a substantially rectangular position as shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3 having corners d and open top and bottom regions 10 and 12, respectively. Eyeletted dowlreceiving-openings 14 are provided to function as postfastening means arranged to cooperate with corresponding confining-member-fastening means to be described hereinbelow, their purpose being to support said confining member 1 with respect to said posts 2.

It will be appreciated that the confining member may be designed to assume a circular or other suitable shape where corner posts are suitably provided to permit such other configurations.

Referring now to the detail shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, it will be seen that the corner posts include upper tubular section 16 and lower stake section 18, said sec tions being telescopically related. That is, lower stake section 18 being of slightly smaller diameter than the inside diameter of upper tubular section 16, is coaxially slidable therein and is outwardly extensible with respect to the upper section through open end 20 thereof.

Said upper tubular section 16 is preferably closed at the upper end 22 thereof and is provided with a plurality of dowls 24 extending normally of the outside surface thereof, said dowls being provided to function as confining member-fastening means arranged to cooperate with corresponding aforesaid dowl-receiving openings 14 to support said confining member as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings. A passage 26 is disposed through the wall of said tubular section 16 adjacent said lower end 20 thereof, said passage being purposeful in coacting with the retention means to be described hereinbelow following, whereby said upper and lower sections may be selectively secured in extended or retracted relation.

Retention means 28, illustrated operatively in crosssection and in plan elevation in FIGURES 4 and 5, respectively, and in isolated plan elevation in FIGURE 6, is seen comprised of an L-shaped angle plate having one leg 30 thereof, pivotally attached to said tubular section 16 by elongate hinge 32, said hinge being secured to said tubular section 16 by welding as shown or by any suitable attaching means. The other leg 34, thereof, provides a step portion extending outwardly with respect to said tubular section, a peg member 36 extending integrally and rearwardly thereof, said peg member being aligned with said passage 26 disposed through the wall of said tubular section and removably receivable therewithin.

Upper and lower detents 38 and 49, respectively, disposed in linear, spaced relation within the surface of said lower stake section 18 may be selectively aligned with said passage 26 to thus register therewith; detent 33 being in registry when said stake section is in the extended position shown in broken line designation 18', detent 40 being in registry therewith when said stake section 18 is in the retracted position as shown in solid line designation.

Thus it will be appreciated that when section 18 is extended or retracted in the direction of arrow 42, retention means 28 will function to secure said lower stake section 18 in the desired telescoping position with respect to the upper tubular section 16. Accordingly, peg member 36 which accomplishes such securement may be removed or received within passage 26 depending upon the position of hinged retention means 28. Thus, release of said lower stake section will be effectuated by swinging said retention means to the broken line position designated by numeral 28', or securement of said lower section in either of the aforedescribed alternate positions will be realized by swinging said retention means to the downward solid line position. Once in the downward position, said step portion 3 which extends perpendicularly to the tubular section may be depressed as shown in FIGURE 1 by the foot of the user, thereby facilitating driving the stake section into the ground, while simultaneously maintaining said stake section in extended relation with respect to the upper tubular section.

Floor member 4, formed of flexible fabric 44, is of substantially rectangular configuration, although other suitable configurations may be employed. Said floor member is slightly larger of length and width than is the projected area of the erected peripheral confining memher 1 to thereby overlap the bottom edge of said confining member as shown in FIGURE 3. Eyeletted openings 46 provided at each corner of fioor member 4 are adapted to receive the lower stake sections 18 of corner posts 2, said post-fastening means 14 and said confining memberfastening means being cooperative to retain said peripheral confining member about said corner posts in upright relation with respect to said floor member.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the confining and floor members may be rolled up and carried within carrying bag 48, the corner posts being telescopically collapsible and also carryable therewithin.

In assembling the play pen after removal of the component parts thereof from the carrying bag, the floor member 4 is spread upon the ground, e.g., sand if at a beach area, and the stake sections, after being extended as aforedescribed, are then driven into the sand by utilization of the step portion integral with the retention means. The peripheral confining member is then simply placed about the upright corner posts, the dowls 24 of said posts being inserted through the eyeletted openings 14 provided at the corners of said confining peripheral members to thus secure said member with respect to said upright corner posts. Cut away portions 5% are provided at the corners of the confining member adjacently of the bottom edge thereof to preclude interference of the fabric with the step portion of the retention member 28.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the forms, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible playpen, comprising in combination, a peripheral confining member, four corner posts and a fioor member, said peripheral confining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume a substantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts, said confining member having four corners and open top and bottom regions, a plurality of spaced doWl-receivingopenings provided through the corners thereof, portions of said corners being cut away adjacent the bottom edges thereof, said corner posts including an upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections being telescopically related, said stake section having a plurality of linearly spaced detents disposed within the surface thereof, said tubular section being closed at one end and open at the other end, a passage being disposed through the wall of said tubular section adjacent said other end thereof, an L-shaped angle plate one leg thereof being pivotally attached to said tubular section,

the other leg thereof providing a step portion extending outwardly with respectto said tubular section and a peg member extending rearwardly of said other leg, said peg member being removably receivable within said passage disposed through the wall of said tubular section, said peg member being arranged for removable registry with respect to the detents provided within said stake section, a plurality of dowls extending normally of said tubular section, said dowls being receivable within said spaced dowl-receiving-openings provided through the corners of said confining member, said floor member being formed of flexible fabric of substantially rectangular configuration, an eyeletted opening provided at each corner of said floor member, said stake sections being removably receivable through said openings to thereby retain said peripheral confining member in upright relation with respect to said floor member.

2. A collapsible playpen, comprising in combination, a peripheral confining member, four corner posts and a floor member, said peripheral confining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume a substantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts, said confining member having four corners and open top and bottom regions, post-fastening means provided at the respective corners of said confining member, portions of said corners being cut away adjacent the bottom edges thereof, said corner posts including an upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections being telescopically related, said stake section having a plurality of linearly spaced detents dis posed within the surface thereof, the wall of said tubular section having a passage disposed therethrough, said passage being positioned adjacent one end of said tubular section, confining member-fastening means provided surfacedly of said tubular sections, an L-shaped angle plate one leg thereof being hingedly attached to said tubular section, the other leg thereof providing a step portion extending outwardly with respect to said tubular section and a peg member extending rearwardly of said other leg, said peg member being removably receivable within said passage disposed through the wall of said tubular section, said peg member being arranged in removable registry with respect to the detents provided within said stake section, said floor member being formed of flexible fabric of substantially rectangular configuration, said fioor member being of greater area than the area confined by said confining member, an eyeletted opening provided at each corner of said fioor member, said stake sections being removably receivable through said openings, said post-fastening means and said confining memher-fastening means being cooperative to retain said peripheral confining member about said corner posts in upright relation with respect to said floor member.

3. .A collapsible playpen, comprising in combination, a peripheral confining member, four corner posts and a floor member, said peripheral confining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume a substantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts, said confining member having four corners and open top and bottom regions, post-fastening means provided at the respective corners of said confining member, said corner posts including an upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections being telescopically related, confining member-fastening means provided surfacedly of said tubular sections, retention means adapted to selectively secure said sections in extended or retracted relation, said retention means including a step portion upon which external force may be exerted in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axes of said posts, said floor member being formed of a flexible fabric having an area greater than the area confined by said confining member, an eyeletted opening provided at each corner of said floor member, said stake sections being receivable through said openings, said post-fastening means and said confining member-fastening means being cooperative to retain said peripheral confining mem her about said corner posts in upright relation With respect to said floor member.

4. A collapsible playpen, comprising in combination, a peripheral confining member, four corner posts and a door member, said peripheral confining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume a substantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts, said confining member having four corners and top and bottom regions, post-fastening means provided at the respective corners of said confining member, said corner posts including an upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections being telescopically related, confining member-fastening means provided surfacedly of said tubular sections, retention means adapted to selectively Rcure said sections in extended or retracted relation, said floor member being formed of a flexible fabric having an area greater than the area confined by said confining member, an eyeletted opening provided at each corner of said floor member, said stake sections being receivable through said openings, said postfastening and confining member-fastening means being cooperative to retain said peripheral confining member about said corner posts in upright relation with respect to said floor member.

5. In a collapsible playpen including corner posts for supporting a peripheral confining member, said corner posts each being comprised of an upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections being telescopicaly related, said stake section having a plurality of linearly spaced detents disposed Within the surface thereof, said tubular section being closed at one end and open at the other end, a passage being disposed through the wall of said tubular section adjacent said other end thereof, an L-shaped angle plate one leg there of being pivotally attached to said tubular section, the other leg thereof providing a step portion extending outwardly with respect to said tubular section, and a peg member extending rearwardly of said other leg, said peg member being removably receivable within said passage disposed through the wall of said tubular section, said peg member being arranged for removable registry with respect to the detents provided within said stake section.

6. In a collapsible playpen including corner posts for supporting a peripheral confining member, each said corner posts being comprised of an upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections being telescopically related, said stake section having a plurality of linearly spaced detents disposed Within the surface thereof, the Wall of said tubular section having a passage disposed therethrough, said passage being positioned adjacent an end of said tubular section, fastening means provided surfacedly of said tubular section, said fastening means being adapted for connecting said corner posts to said confining member, an L-shaped angle plate, one leg thereof being hingedly attached to said tubular section, the other leg thereof providing a step portion extending outwardly With respect to said tubular section and a peg member extending rearwardly of said other leg, said peg member being removably receivable within said passage disposed through the Wall of said tubular section, said peg member being arranged in removable registry with respect to the detents provided Within said stake section.

7. A collapsible playpen, comprising a peripheral in tegral confining member, four corner posts and a floor member, said peripheral confining member being formed of flexible fabric adapted to assume a substantially rectangular configuration when supported by said posts, said confining member having four corners and open top and bottom regions, a plurality of spaced dowel-receivingopenings provided through the corners thereof, said corner posts including an upper tubular section and a lower stake section, said tubular and stake sections being telescopical- 1y related, a plurality of dowels extending normally of said tubular section, said dowels being receivable Within said spaced dowel-receivingopenings provided through the corners of said confining member, said iioor member being formed of flexible fabric of substantially rectangular configuration, an eyeletted opening provided at each corner of said floor member, said stake sections being removably receivable through said openings to thereby retain said peripheral confining member in upright relation With respect to said floor member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,100,310 6/14 Lazarus et al -l5 X 2,134,879 11/38 Levy 13515 X 2,313,115 3/43 Allen et al 248-156 2,643,843 6/53 Brown 248-156 2,797,896 7/57 Cook et al. 25625 2,907,057 10/ 59 Specht 5344 2,95 8,084 11/60 Kenney 598 3,018,493 1/62 Wittbrodt 5-98 X FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A COLLAPSIBLE PLAYPEN, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A PERIPHERAL CONFINING MEMBER, FOUR CORNER POSTS AND A FLOOR MEMBER, SAID PERIPHERAL CONFINING MEMBER BEING FORMED OF FLEXIBLE FABRIC ADAPTED TO ASSUME A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION WHEN SUPPORTED BY SAID POSTS, SAID CONFINING MEMBER HAVING FOUR CORNERS AND OPEN TOP AND BOTTOM REGIONS, A PLURALITY OF SPACED DOWL-RECEIVINGOPENINGS PROVIDED THROUGH THE CORNERS THEREOF, PORTIONS OF SAID CORNERS BEING CUT AWAY ADJACENT THE BOTTOM EDGES THEREOF, SAID CORNER POSTS INCLUDING AN UPPER TUBULAR SECTION AND A LOWER STAKE SECTION, SAID TUBULAR AND STAKE SECTIONS BEING TELESCOPICALLY RELATED, SAID STAKE SECTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF LINEARLY SPACED DETENTS DISPOSED WITHIN THE SURFACE THEREOF, SAID TUBULAR SECTION BEING CLOSED AT ONE END AND OPEN AT THE OTHER END, A PASSAGE BEING DISPOSED THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID TUBULAR SECTION ADJACENT SAID OTHER END THEREOF, AN L-SHAPED ANGLE PLATE ONE LEG THEREOF BEING PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID TUBULAR SECTION, THE OTHER LEG THEREOF PROVIDING A STEP PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID TUBULAR SECTION AND A PEG MEMBER EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF SAID OTHER LEG, SAID PEG MEMBER BEING REMOVABLY RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID PASSAGE DISPOSED THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID TUBULAR SECTION, SAID PEG MEMBER BEING ARRANGED FOR REMOVABLE REGISTRY WITH RESPECT TO THE DETENTS PROVIDED WITHIN SAID STAKE SECTION, A PLURALITY OF DOWLS EXTENDING NORMALLY OF SAID TUBULAR SECTION, SAID DOWLS BEING RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID SPACED DOWL-RECEIVING-OPENINGS PROVIDED THROUGH THE CORNERS OF SAID CONFINING MEMBER, SAID FLOOR MEMBER BEING FORMED OF FLEXIBLE FABRIC OF SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION, AN EYELETTED OPENING PROVIDED AT EACH CORNER OF SAID FLOOR MEMBER, SAID STAKE SECTIONS BEING REMOVABLY RECEIVABLE THROUGH SAID OPENINGS TO THEREBY RETAIN SAID PERIPHERAL CONFINING MEMBER IN UPRIGHT RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLOOR MEMBER.