Apparatus to Convert a Crib to a Bed

This invention relates generally to cribs for infants, and more particularly to conversion of such cribs to beds.

It is well known that, as infants grow, their needs for the restraints imposed by cribs are diminished. For example, very small children eventually become dissatisfied with being kept in cribs, and they may seek to climb over crib walls, leading to dangerous falls to the floor. In the past it was then considered necessary to dispose of the crib and to replace it with a small bed, which is expensive and inconvenient. There is need for apparatus to overcome these problems, and to minimize risk of self-impaired harm to the very small child.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide suitable, effective and low-cost apparatus meeting the above needs. This need is met by the provision of a simple, easy-to-install crib-to-bed conversion kit, or apparatus, which replaces one crib wall or panel with a protective, low-level side rail, and constructed to provide a bed entry-access way or port together with a low level step allowing the small child to climb down off the bed, or enter it, at low safe level and with convenience, whenever desired. Further, the child maintains the compact, familiarity and protective aspects of its "old" crib.

In this regard, a crib to be converted to a bed normally incorporates side walls, one of which is removable vertically relative to a supporting vertical guide rod proximate one end corner of the crib; and the crib also incorporates a pad or mattress and a supporting, horizontal under-frame including a frame member extending beneath a side of the pad. In this environment of an existing crib, the invention comprises:

(a) first arm means having a first section that extends in supported relation with said upright rod, and a second section that extends generally horizontally above the level of said side of the pad,

(b) said arm means also having an associated third section extending downwardly from said second section and in spaced relation to an opposite end corner of the crib, said third section having attachment to said frame member,

(c) and a step at least partly supported by said arm means third section, the step downwardly offset relative to an upper surface defined by the pad.

Typically, a second arm means is also provided to have attachment to the frame member and to extend downwardly in spaced relation to the third section of the first arm, to partly support, i.e. complete the support of, step plates. Such support of the arms to the frame member may include clips allowing for ready attachment to the frame member.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tubular first arm means the upright first section of which receives the crib support rod, the latter extending through the side of the tubing proximate a turn defined by the first arm means and located between said first and second sections. This provides for easy assembly of the first section to the existing crib structure in firmly supported relation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the second arm and the third section of the first arm with lengthwise curved support surfaces, the step including multiple plates fastened to such curved surfaces to define a step which is upwardly concave, at an entry-way to the bed. This also minimizes danger of harmful impact should the small child mis-step as it climbs into or out of the crib. The plates may also be padded.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a converted crib, embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation showing components of the crib conversion apparatus or kit; see also FIG. 2a;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing a section of an arm and its support;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken on lines 4--4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view taken on lines 5--5 of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, a crib includes right end uprights or legs 10 and 11 interconnected by horizontal and lateral beams 12 and 13, and left end uprights or legs 14 and 15 interconnected by horozontal and lateral beams 16 and 17. Each leg or port has a vertical rod associated therewith, as seen at 10a, 11a, 14a and 15a. Lower longitudinal front frame member 20 connects the left and right legs 14 and 10; and a similar rear frame member 21 connects the left and right legs 15 and 11. Normally, crib front and rear panel units are removably connected to the crib structure as via the rods; for example, rear vertical panel unit 22 has end sleeves 23 that fit over rods 15a and 11a, and a front vertical panel unit (not shown) has similar end sleeves that fit on rods 14a and 10a. When the rods are disconnected from the legs, the front and rear panel units are removed. Vertical retention bars 24 are suitably carried by the horizontally elongated members 25 and 26 of the front and rear panels, and similar bars 27 are carried by the members 12 and 13, and by the members 16 and 17.

Normally, the crib also carries a horizontal pad such as a mattress indicated at 28, the frame member 20 extending horizontally herewith the front edge 28a of the pad.

In accordance with the invention, a first arm means, such as an arm 29, is provided to replace the front panel (like panel 22) which is removed. The bar 29 has a front upright section 29a that extends in supported relation with the rod 14a. The arm is typically tubular, and FIG. 3 shows the first section 29a as fitted over the lower extent of rod 14a and as having a lower end terminus 29b seated on a bracket 30 that is attached to leg 14, above the foot 14a of that leg.

The arm 29 is curved at 29c, and a hole 31 drilled in the side of the arm passes the rod. The arm also includes a second section 29d that extends generally horizontally above the level of the front side 28a of the pad, for more than half the length of the crib, and toward leg 10. The arm 29 also has a third section 29f that extends downwardly from a curved part 29e of the arm integral with 29d, as shown. Section 29f is spaced from the opposite end of the crib defined by legs 10 and 11, the section 29f having attachment to the frame member 20 at location 33. The third section projects downwardly below the level of member 20 and curves forwardly, as also indicated in FIG. 4. A step is at least partly supported by the lower extent 29f' of section 29f, the step for example including the three horizontally and longitudinally extending plates 34a, 34b and 34c, as shown. As seen in FIG. 4, those plates may be attached to the forwardly curved extent 29f' by carriage bolts and nuts 35a-c and 36a-c. Such gradual curvature of the step, as afforded by the plates, prevents injury to a toddler descending via the outlet afforded between the arm 29 and the leg 10. The upper end of the curved bar extent 29f' is attached to the frame member 20 as by bracket assembly 38. See also FIG. 5, showing L-shaped clip angle 39 attached to 29f and 29f' as by bolt and nut 40 and 41, and attached to the frame member 20 as by bolt and nut 42 and 43, and clip 44.

A second arm means, such as arm 46, is provided to have attachment to the frame member 20 and to extend downwardly in spaced relation to the arm extent 29f', and in similarly curved relation, to support the opposite ends of the step plates (see FIG. 4). Thus, arm 46 has the same construction as lower curved extent 29f' of arm 29, and has similar attachment to the frame member 20, as is shown in FIG. 5.

The step plates 34a to 34c can be made one single plate, such as molded plastic, and with upward concavity, and the forwardmost edge of the step plate can extend downwardly, close to floor level. Also, a similar apparatus or kit as disclosed herein can be installed at the opposite side of the crib after removal of panel 22, thereby providing two step-entries to the bed.

Finally, the step could be swing-attached to the rod 10a, instead of to frame 20. See FIG. 2a showing step member 46 pivoted to rod 10a, by sleeve 80 and member 81.