This invention relates to a collapsible carry cot. It more particular relates to such a cot for use with a suitcase in which the cot can be carried in the collapsed state.

The number and different shapes and sizes of items that need to be taken along when travelling with a baby or small child can make travelling difficult. These items often include a carry cot which is required by a baby or small child before they are old enough to sleep safely in a conventional bed. Such cots generally have side walls sufficiently high to prevent the occupant from falling out.

A number of different types of carry cots are known. One prior art arrangement disclosed in European patent application EP0473634 A provides a carry cot which is incorporated into a suitcase. Telescopic legs are provided at the corners of the suitcase, the ends of the legs supporting a rectangular frame arranged to lie at the edge of the bottom half of the case in the collapsed state, the frame being raised into the deployed state by extending the legs, the side walls of the cot being a flexible sheet material supported by the frame. The present invention seeks to provide an improved carry cot of this type.

The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in the collapsed state;

Figure 2 shows the arrangement of Figure 1 in the deployed state; Figure 3 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 in the collapsed state installed within a suitcase;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of one of the corner assemblies of Figure 1 in the extended state;

Figure 5 shows part of Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows part of Figure 4 illustrating the mode of releasing and collapsing the corner assembly;

Figure 7 shows an elevation view of one of the corner assemblies;

Figure 8 shows a section view of Figure 7;

Figure 9 shows an exploded view of one of the upper sections of a corner assembly; Figure 10 shows a sectioned view of Figure 9;

Figure 11 shows a perspective view of a corner assembly as seen from inside the carry cot; and

Figure 12 shows on an enlarged scale a perspective view of a portion of Figure

11.

Turning now to Figure 1, the cot frame consists of an upper perimeter frame 1, a lower perimeter frame 2 and four telescopic corner assemblies 3 shown in the collapsed state. As shown in Figure 2, in the collapsed state cot frame is arranged to lie within the lower part 4 of a suitcase such that the upper perimeter frame 1 does not impede closing of the lid of the suitcase 5.

Referring now to Figure 3, in the deployed state the telescopic corner members 3 are fully extended thereby raising the upper perimeter frame 1 relative to the lower perimeter frame 2 and tensioning the flexible side walls 8 of the cot. The suitcase 4, 5 has been omitted from Figures 1 and 3 for clarity. The base and sidewalls 8 have been omitted from Figures 1 and 2 for clarity. To pack the cot away after use it is only necessary to collapse the telescopic corner members 3 as will be described later. This will cause the perimeter frame 1 to attain its original position in which the lid 5 of the suitcase can be closed.

A more detailed description of the comer members will now be made.

Each corner assembly 3 consists of a base member 32 connected to a respective corner of the lower perimeter frame 2, an intermediate member 34 and an upper member 36 terminating in a ball joint assembly 38 by which the upper perimeter frame 1 is secured to the coil assembly 3. The intermediate member 34 is provided with a number of ribs 342. A release button 362 which forms part of the upper member 336 extends through an aperture in intermediate member 34 as will be described later. The ribs 342 are arranged to pass freely through keyways 322 in the upper surface of the lower member 32. The upper member 36 passes freely through an aperture in the top end of intermediate member 34. As will be described later, the ball joint assembly 38 is designed to provide only a limited amount of movement such that the sides of the upper frame 1 can undergo a certain amount of angular translation relative to the base frame 2 in their passage between the collapsed and deployed positions as indicated by arrows 6 of Figure 5 while at the same time constraining the upper section 36, 38 to move only in a vertical direction without rotation.

The mode of use will now be described. In the collapsed position as Figure 1, the corner sections are completely collapsed such that upper section 36 lies within intermediate section 34 and the intermediate section 34 lies within lower section 32. To raise the upper frame 1 it is simply necessary to pull it upwardly. The ribs 342 slide freely through keyways 322 and upper arm 36 slides through the hole in intermediate section 34. When the intermediate section 35 has risen to its fullest extent, the lower ends of ribs 342 leave their respective keyways 322. A leaf spring 324 exerts force against a stop 344 which forms part of a retaining shoulder 342 at the lower end of intermediate arm 34 so as to provide a rotationally clockwise biasing force on intermediate

section 34 as it reaches the upper part of its travel. This ensures that when the respective lower ends 343 of the ribs 342 leave their respective keyways 322 they are caused to rotate in a clockwise direction such that they rest against the upper surface adjacent the keyways and are thereafter no longer free to fall back through the keyways 322. In this position the respective buttons 362 of the upper sections 36 are placed in alignment with the holes 346 in intermediate sections 34 such that when the upper portions 36 attain their uppermost positions, the resiliently biased buttons 346 emerge through holes 346, thereby locking the upper portions 36 in position relative to the intermediate portions 34. In this condition, it will be seen that the upper portion 36 is locked in position with intermediate position 34 and the intermediate position 34 is locked in position relative to the lower position 32. Because of the limited amount of movement of the ball joint assembly 38, the assembly will therefore be locked into position until released as will be described later. Thus the upper frame can be deployed by simply lifting it up, no action being required by the user to positively lock it into the deployed state.

As can be seen with reference to Figure 9 and 10 the ball joint assembly 38 includes a housing 382 arranged to accommodate and retain a ball 384 having a first bore 385 to accommodate the upper perimeter frame 1, the ball being retained within housing 382 by closure member 386. The closure member 386 has a plurality of arms terminating in the resiliently arranged protrusions which engage corresponding detents within housing 382. Pin 386 extends through a second bore in ball 384 and a corresponding bore in the perimeter frame 1, thereby securely fixing the ball 384 relative to the frame 1. The ends of the pin 386 extend beyond the surface of the ball 384 on either side thereof and the pin has a length such that, in the assembled condition, the ends are free to move within a generally annular space defined within the housing 382 between the wall interior thereof and the closure member 386. This clearance is such as to

allow the frame 21 to freely rotate relative to housing 38 as shown in Figure 5, but to allow practically no rotational movement of upper arm 38 about its longitudinal axis. The ball joint connection between the upper perimeter frame 1 and the corner assembly 3 allows for a certain amount of play during assembly, meaning that when, as will be generally the case, all four assemblies are not extended in synchronism, the relative movement allowed by the ball joint assembly prevents the occurrence of bending forces which would otherwise tend to give rise to breakage at the corners if a rigid connection were to be provided.

In a modification, not shown, only one end of the pin 386 extends beyond the surface of the ball 384.

Figures 9 and 10 also depict the exemplary method used to connect the ball joint arm 38 to the upper arm 36, whereby a further detent 383 is provided in the ball assembly 38 to accommodate a resilient corresponding protrusion at the end of resilient fingers 364 at the upper end of arm 36 such that the top portion 36 is fixedly attached to the assembly 38 by simply pushing the two items together until they lock into place.

To release the arms it is necessary to perform two acts simultaneously so as to prevent inadvertent collapsing of the cot. The button 362 must first be pushed into its bore as far as possible and held whilst simultaneously rotating the intermediate portion 34 in an anticlockwise direction as seen from above against the biasing force of the spring 324. This allows the button to disengage from its bore and the ribs 342 to once again be aligned with their respective keyways 322. Having once been released, further downward pressure causes the telescopic arms to start to collapse. Once the ends 343 of the ribs 342 have started to enter their respective keyways 322, the force exerted by the spring

324 will tend to retain the arm in position rather than dropping freely under its own weight while the other arms are being released. When all four arms have been released, further pressure on the frame 1 will cause progressive telescoping of all four arms and once the step 344 is clear of the spring 324 the lower arms are now no longer under the influence of spring 324 and can fall freely.

As can be seen in Figures 11 and 12, the lower perimeter frame 2 is held in the position by suitable moulded detent 328 in the base of lower member 32.

A number of modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. The frame assembly as shown may be permanently or removably attached to the suitcase or other container within which it will be carried. Various methods of attachments are known to those skilled in the art and will not be discussed further. Alternatively the device can be simply positioned and used within a suitcase or other container without any positive mechanical attachment between the frame and the case. Attachment means other than the specific arrangement shown in the exemplary embodiments may be employed to fasten various components together. Thus, for example, whilst items 36 and 38 are shown as being snapped together, they may alternatively attach by any other suitable means such as screwing or gluing, welding etc. Details of the base and sidewalls 8 of the cot have not been shown since they are well known to those skilled in the art. Likewise, alternative movement restricting means other than pins and groves, and other ways of attaching the lower perimeter frame to the lower member, may be employed.