Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CHANGE TABLE
This invention is in the field of changing table attachments for infants and
more
particularly for a changing table that is attachable to an infant's crib.
BACKGROUND
Changing tables for infants are common pieces of furniture for people with
infants. They
are commonly stand-alone pieces of furniture designed especially to allow a
parent to
change an infant's diaper. They typically consist of a flat platform that is
positioned
above the floor at such a height that changing an infant's diaper using the
changing table
is fairly comfortable, without requiring the person doing the changing to bend
over too
much. They are often solidly built to provide a safe and secure platform to
place an
infant on and it is typical for soine people to use the changing tables well
into a child's
second year. Although the exact designs vary, often these changing tables have
a
number of shelves for storage and a relatively thin waterproof pad that is
used to cover
the platform and give the infant something to lie on.
Although stand-alone changing tables are common, many people do not have the
room in
the child's room for another piece of stand alone furniture or even if they
might have the
room, do not want to use the room for such a large piece of furniture with
such a limited
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use. To address this there are now a number of changing table attachments or
combinations that do not take up the room of a stand-alone changing table or
allow the
changing table to also function as some other type of funiiture. An ezaniple
of one of
these combination/attachment changing tables is shown in US Pat. No. 6,543,070
to
Longenecker et al.
However, while it is usually pretty easy to make a solid stand-alone changing
table, these
combinations often suffer from not being as sturdy or secure as their stand-
alone
counterparts. One popular combination is the combination dresser/changing
table where
the top of the changing table folds out to provide a surface to change an
infant on.
However, these are often not as stable as a purpose built changing table
because when the
top is flipped out the dresser can be unbalanced if the weight of the infant
is placed on the
outer edge of the fold down top.
Additionally, the changing table attachments are designed to attach to another
piece of
furniture a person may not have.
Not only must an attachment/combination changing table be space efficient,
easy to
attach and use and attachable to some other piece of furniture a parent has,
but it must be
sufficiently stable and secure to allow an infant to be safely placed on it.
There is
therefore a need to provide a baby changing table that does not take up the
space of a
stand alone changing table yet is still sufficiently stutrly to be safely
used.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a changing tabte
attachment for a crib
that addresses problems in the prior art.
A changing table attachment for a crib is provided. The changing table has a
near end, a
far end and a top surface suitable for placing an infant in order to change
the infant's
diaper. A pair of rails are provided on the bottom surface of the changing
table and are
placed in rail guides in a rail connection assembly that is made to be
securely attachable
lo to a first rail of a crib. The changuig table can slide along the rails
relative to the rail
connection assembly as well as pivoting relative to the rail connection
assembly. A
flange is provided on the far end of the changing table to connect to a second
rail of the
crib.
The rail conncction assembly is securely attachable to the first rail, so lhat
the rail
connection assembly can not be removed from the first rail unless it is
purposely
unfastened from the first rail.
The changing table, once the rail connection assembly is fastened to the first
rail, can be
placed in either a changing position or a storage position. In the changing
position, the
changing table is slid along the rails until the rail connection assembly is
positioned close
to the near end of the changing table and the other or far end of the changing
table is
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positioned near enough to the second rail of the crib that the second rail of
the crib can be
placed in the connection flange on the far side of the changing table. With
the changing
table is in the changing position, the rail connection assembly prevents the
changing table
from moving from side to side, preventing the changing table from falling off
of the rails
of the crib.
In the storage position, the connection flange is pivoted off the second rail
of the crib and
the changing table is slid by the rails relative to the rail connection
assembly until the far
end of the changing table is positioned near the rail connection assembly. The
changing
table is then pivoted relative to the rail connection assembly until it rests
with the near
end of the changing station positioned towards the floor with the changing
table
positioned substantially parallel to the side of the crib.
In this manner, the changing table can be put into a changing position in
order to change
and infant. When the infant has been changed, the changing table can then be
placed in a
storage position substantially reducing the amount of space it takes up until
it is needed
for changing an iuifant agaul.
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DESCRII'TION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred
cmbodimcnts
are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best
understood in
conjunction with the accompanying diagrams wherc likc parts in each of the
several
diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
Fig. 1 is a perspeetive view of a changing table;
Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the changing table of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a side view of a changing table with a rail connecting flange in a
second
aspect;
Fig. 4 is an end view of the changing table of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the changing table of Fig. 1 attached to a
crib and
in a changing position; and
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the changing table of Fig. I attached to a
crib and
in a storage position.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 is perspective illustration of a changing table 10. The changing table
10 has a
proximate end 12, a distai end 14 and a top surface 15. The top surface 15 is
used to hold
the infant while the infant is being changed. In one aspcct, the top surface
15 has curved
edges 16, 1S to lessen the chance that an infant, placed on the top surface 15
of the
changing table 10, can roll off. In an aspect, straps 20 are pmvided to secure
an infant in
place when he or she is placed on the top surface 15 of the changing table 10.
Preferably,
a pad (not shown) is placed on the top surface 15 of the changing table 10 to
cushion the
lo infant when he or she is placed on the top surface 15 of the changing table
10 and a cover
(not show) is used to cover both the top surface 15 and the pad.
Fig 2 illustrates a bottom view of a bottom surface 30 of the changing table
10. A pair of
rails 32, 34 are provided on the bottom surface 30 of the changing table 10.
At the distal
end 14 of the changing table 10 connection flange 35 is provided. The
connection flange
35 in one aspect is a channel 36 attached to a bottom surface 30 of the
changing table 10
with the channe136 being sized to accept a rail of a crib (not shown).
Fig. 3 illustrates a second aspect of changing table 110 having a second
connection flange
135. The second conncction flange 135 has a channel 136 connected to the
distal end 14
of the changing table 10 and sized to accept a rail of a crib (not shown). The
second
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connection flange 135 allows the distal end 14 of the changing table 10 to be
connected
to rail on a crib that is positioned higher than the top surface 15 of the
changing table 10.
Figs. 4 illustrates an end view of the changing table 10 from the proximate
end 12. A rail
connection assembly 50 is provided to securely attach the changing table 10 to
a crib (not
shown). The rail connection assembly 50 comprises a base portion 52, a
clamping
portion 54, fastening devices 56 and a pair of rail guides 62, 64. The
clamping portion 54
uses a pair of fastening device 56 (in this case serews) to clamp the clamping
portion 54
and the base portion 52 against a rail and slats of a crib. The pair of rail
guides 62, 64 are
t0 pivotally attached to the base portion 52 and are adapted so that the rails
32, 34 slide in
the rail guides 62, 64 and the changing table 10 can pivot at the rail guides
62, 64 relative
to the hase portion 52.
Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the changing table 10 attached to a
crib 210 and in
a changing position. The rail comiection assembly 50 attaches the proximate
end 12 of
the changing table 10 securely to a first rail 220 of the crib 210. The
fastening devices
56 are tightened so that the first rail 220 is held securely between the
clamping portion 54
and the base portion 52.
To place the changing table 10 in the changing position, the rails 32, 34 of
the changing
table 10 are slid in the rail guides 62, 64 until the proximate end 12 of the
changing table
10 is positioned in place near the first rai1220 of the crib 210 and then the
distal end 14
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of the changing table 10 is pivoted into place on the second rail 220 so that
the
connection flange 35 of the changing table 10 is placed over a second rail 230
so that the
second rai1230 is placed in the channe136 of the connection flange 35.
In this manner, the changing table 210 is held securely at the proxirnate end
12, firmly
holding the changing table 10 perpendicular to the first rail 220 and
preventing it from
moving from side to side.
Fig. 6 is a side sectional view of the crib 210 with the changing table 10
attached to the
1o crib 210 and in a storage position. The changing table 10 is positioned so
that it is
substantially parallel to t:he first rail 220 and a first side 240 of the crib
210. In the
storage position, rails 32, 34 have been slid in the rail guides 62, 64 until
the connection
assembly 50 is position near the distal end 12 of the changing table 10 and
the changing
table 10 is pivoted relative to the rail connection assembly 50 so that the
proximate end
12 of the changing table 10 is positioned towards a floor.
In this manner, the changing table 10 can be rnoved into a changing positivn
with the
changing table 10 positioned over the crib 210. The infant can then be placed
on the top
surface 15 of the changing table 10 so that the infant can be changed. When
the infant
has been changed and taken off the changing table 10, the distal end 14 of the
changing
table 10 can be pivoted up removing the second rail 230 from the channel 36 of
the
coiuiection flange 35. The rails 32, 34 of the changnig table 10 can then be
slid in the rail
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guides 62, 64 until the distat end 14 of the changing table is positioned near
the rail
cxmnection assembly 50. The changing table 10 is then pivoted around the rail
connection assembly 50 until the changing table 10 is positioned in a storagc
position
substantially parallel to the first rail 220 and first side 240 of the crib
210 and therefore
out of thc way.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
invention.
Furthcr, since numcrous changcs and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction
and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or
niodifications in
structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within
the scope of
the claimed invention.
