[0001] The present invention relates to a child's folding cot.
[0002] Various models of folding cots are available on the market for people who have to
travel with young children. Some are more complete than others and some are more complex
than others, both in structure and in the folding means.
[0003] Among the types of simple easily manegeajable folding cots there are those comprising
an upper frame and a substructure for the mattress which are hingedly split crosswise
in the middle. These cots also have telescopic legs for greater folding capacity.
The same applicant is owner of ES 9100484 the object of which is a folding cot of
this type and wherewith there is achieved a more compact and low volume folding of
the cot, for which purpose the upper frame, the legs and the mattress substructure
are provided with hingedly divided end portions to allow the cot to be folded down
to approximately 1/3 of the volume achieved up to now.
[0004] It is an object of the invention also to achieve a reduced volume in the folded state
of the cot but providing the latter with a more simplified structure whereby its manufacture
will be cheaper and in turn the cot folding operation will be easier.
[0005] A further object of the invention is to achieve a better mattress support on the
substructure to reduce the transverse flexing of the mattress in the cot.
[0006] To simplify the folding, the telescopic U-shaped legs are being replaced by normal
integral U-shaped legs and characteristically the hinged divisions in the end portions
of the two U-shaped members forming the upper cot frame, which are two in number for
each of these members, are situated at the end portions of the transverse portion
thereof, so that when the legs and the halves of the upper frame are folded together,
the length equivalence of the arms of said U-shaped elements and of the upper portions
of the hingedly divided legs allow said arms and said portions to be folded inwardly
by approximately 90° which places them one on top of the other.
[0007] The improved mattress support is achieved with a substructure wherein the central
portion of the stringers is provided with inwardly bent portions to bring the stringers
closer together at said portions so as to reduce the sag or flexing of the mattress.
[0008] It is also contemplated that the central portion of the support substructure stringers
are straight, without said inwardly bent portions, mainly where a mattress must bear
weight and pressure during the use of the cot which could even bent said central portions
downwardly with the consequent unreliable stability of the mattress, with danger for
the child.
[0009] The said central portion is hingedly attached to the U-shaped end members of the
substructure by clamps situating said substructure central portions slightly closer
together than the rest of the stringers.
[0010] These and other features will be better understood from the following detailed description,
to facilitate which there are provided sheets of drawings in which some embodiments
cited only as a non limiting example of the scope of the invention have been ilustrated.
[0011] In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the overall cot framework,
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the hinging of the end portions of the
legs, and of the connection of the mattress support substructure to the legs,
Figure 3 is a front elevation view of a first stage of folding of said framework,
Figure 4 is a side elevation view of the second stage of folding of the framework,
Figure 5 is a front elevation view of the fully folded framework,
Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views, respectively, of the unfolded and folded cot,
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the overall cot framework with the central portions
of the mattress support substructure straight, and
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a detail of the hinged connection of the mattress
support substructure stringers and of the coupling of said substructure to the cot
legs, as seen in figure 8.
[0012] As shown in the drawings, the child's folding cot of the invention comprises an upper
frame formed by two twin rectangular U-shaped members 1 and 1' hinged together through
the corresponding pins 2 to a block 3 to which the rectangular U-shaped cot legs 5
and 5' are also pivotably connected by pins 4, there being hingedly inserted between
the frame and legs corresponding struts 6 which pivot at a central point 7 around
respective bushings 8 which slide along the legs. These struts allow the first stage
of folding of the cot (figure 3) where the U-shaped members forming the halves of
the upper frame become juxtaposed to the legs which are moved together.
[0013] Said U-shaped members 1 and 1' are provided at the end regions of the transverse
portions 9 and 9', respectively, with respective hinged divisions 10 with an internal
pin and the legs 5 and 5' are also hingedly divided at the end region by corresponding
clamps 11 forming respective U-shaped end members 12 and 13. This allows the arms
14 of the U-shaped members 1 and 1' to be folded inwardly, together with the struts
6 and with the resulting upper portions 15 of the legs 5 and 5', rotating approximately
in 90° until said portions and arms are mutually juxtaposed one on the other.
[0014] To the cross members 16 of the lower region of the legs there is releasably coupled
the substructure 17 for the board forming the mattress. This substructure is provided
with split stringers 18 hingedly connected to a box 19 which is provided on the lower
side thereof with a support leg 20. The said stringers are divided in 21 at the end
region thereof (figure 2) and hingedly connected by a clamp 22 forming U-shaped end
members 23, which allows the upper portions of said stringers 18 to be folded inwardly
(figure 4) in about 90° during the second stage. These portions are juxtaposed and
are below the upper portions 15 of the legs and of the arms 14 of the U-shaped members
of the upper frame.
[0015] The mattress support substructure stringers 18 are provided at the central portion
24 thereof with inwardly diverted portions which bring said stringers closer together,
thereby reducing the transverse mattress support distance (not shown) on said substructure.
[0016] The cot is completed with a flexible container 25 forming a large padded hem 26 which
is cut in the portions coinciding with the hinged blocks 3 to facilitate folding.
This part is provided with a flap 27 concealing said cut and the block 3 with its
hinged connections. Openings have been provided at the bottom of said container for
the passage of the support legs 20 and for the grippers 28 (figure 2) for removable
attachment of the substructure 17 to the cross members 23. These grippers are integral
with the substructure stringer 18 hinge clamps 22.
[0017] Once the board forming the mattress or, where it is formed by three portions of which
the end two will be attached to the U-shaped end members 23 of the substructure and
the central portion may in turn be subdivided, at least the central portion thereof
has been removed, the cot will be folded and will be reduced to a minimum volume as
may be seen in figure 7.
[0018] To improve the stability of the unfolded cot, the base portion of the legs is provided
at points on the end regions thereof with respective feet 29 which in the unfolded
position thereof extend from the U-shaped arms widening the cot support base.
[0019] In the embodiment of figure 8, the stringers 18' of the mattress support substructure
are provided with a straight central portion and at the free ends are hingedly connected
to the half round cavity 22' of the corresponding clamp 22, which is provided parallel
to said cavity with a longitudinal blind hole 22'' where the corresponding end of
the U-shaped element 23 of the substructure is fixed, the ends of the central portions
of the stringers of the substructure being parallel and internally co-planar relative
to the ends of said members 23.
1. A child's folding cot, of the type comprising an upper frame formed by two U-shaped
members (1 and 1') hingedly attached to a block (3) to which there are also hingedly
attached (4) the also U-shaped legs (5 and 5') supporting the mattress support substructure
17, said U-shaped members (1 and 1') of the frame, the legs (5, 5') and the stringers
(18) of said substructure being hingedly divided, characterized in that the hinged
divisions (10) of the U-shaped members (1 and 1') of the upper frame are two in number
and are situated in end regions of the transverse portion (9, 9') of said members
(1, 1'), so that when the legs (5, 5') and the halves (1, 1') of the upper frame are
folded together, the length equivalence of the arms (14) of the U-shaped members (1,
1') of the upper frame and of the upper portions (15) of the hingedly divided (11)
legs (5, 5'), allow said arms (14) and said portions (15) to be folded inwardly in
approximately 90°.
2. The child's folding cot of claim 1, characterized in that the stringers (18) of the
mattress support substructure (17) have the central portion thereof (24) provided
with inwardly directed portions shortening the distance between the stringers (18)
in said portions (24) so as to reduce the transverse distance in the mattress support
on said frame (17).
3. The child's folding cot of claim 1, in which the stringers (18') of the mattress support
substructure (17) are provided with straight central portion, which portions are hingedly
connected at the end thereof by clamp (22) to the U-shaped end members (23) of said
substructure (17).