Wheel chair abstract
A crib is sized to permit the legs of a wheel chair bound care
giver to fit beneath the bed. The access side of the crib is equipped
with at least one laterally opening door which folds out of the
way to provide access to the infant. More preferably, the access
side of the crib is formed by a pair of bi-fold doors which are
secured by a pair of latches which are resistant to operation by
anyone other than the caregiver.
Wheel chair claims
I claim:
1. A wheel chair accessible crib permitting access by a wheel chair
bound care giver, the wheel chair having a conventional maximum
width and seat height, said crib comprising a) at least two end
supports spaced by a width greater than the maximum width of the
wheel chair; b) a central bed extending between said at least two
end supports, said central bed portion having a lowermost extent
which exceeds the seat height of the wheel chair by an amount sufficient
to accommodate a lap of the care giver; c) two side frame members
for restraining an infant; d) at least one of said side frame members
having a pair of bi-fold access doors which pivotally retract out
of the way in opposite lateral directions in a manner to permit
said wheel chair bound care giver to access the infant without interfering
with the approach of the wheel chair; e) latch means securing said
pair of bi-fold doors, said latch means including first and second
vertically aligned, independently operated pivoting latches wherein
each said latch comprises a first portion mounted along a lateral
edge of a first bi-fold door and a second portion mounted along
an end surface of a second bi-fold door, each said second portion
forming a slot, each said first portion having a tang which fit
in said slot in said second portion.
Wheel chair description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to the field of child care. More
particularly, the present invention is directed to a crib that is
wheel chair accessible.
Currently, people who are wheel chair bound cannot effectively
care for an infant who sleeps in a crib. Most cribs have a droppable
side which prevents the wheel chair from approaching the crib to
a proximity where the child may be picked up. Attempts to sidle
up to the crib and reach over the side of the crib, subject both
the care giver and the infant to possible injury.
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a wheel chair
bound care giver with a crib that will afford her/him with a baby
bed that will permit safe access to the infant. The handicapped
accessible crib of the present invention permits access by a wheel
chair bound care giver, the wheel chair having a conventional maximum
width and seat height, said crib comprising at least two end supports
spaced by a width greater than the maximum width of the wheel chair;
a central bed extending between said at least two end supports,
said central bed portion having a lowermost extent which exceeds
the seat height of the wheel chair by an amount sufficient to accommodate
a lap of the care giver; two side frame members for restraining
an infant; at least one of said side frame members having at least
one access door which pivots out of the way in a manner to permit
said wheel chair bound care giver to access the infant without interfering
with the approach of the wheel chair.
Various other features, advantages and characteristics of the present
invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art
after a reading of the following specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention is/are described
in conjunction with the associated drawings in which like features
are indicated with like reference numerals and in which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the handicap
accessible crib of the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail of a latch mechanism which can be
used with the crib of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
A first preferred embodiment of the handicapped accessible crib
of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 generally at 20. Crib
20 comprises first end support 22 and second end support 24 which
are interconnected by a first solid side 26 and access side 28 and
are spaced by a distance greater than the maximum width (typically
the width of the wheels) of a conventional wheel chair. The rectangular
crib 20 has a bottom 30 which will support a mattress, bedding,
etc. The lowest point 33 of access side 28 is higher than the seat
of a conventional wheel chair by an amount sufficient to accommodate
the legs/lap of the chair's occupant permitting a handicapped care
giver to closely approach the crib, to the point of even placing
her/his legs beneath the bottom 30, to permit the infant to be easily
picked up from the crib 20. As is typical with other cribs, the
height of the sides 26 and 28, and bottom 30 can be adjusted to
accommodate differing height wheel chairs.
Access side 28 preferably has at least one door 32 which can be
laterally retracted to permit access to the infant. More preferably,
the doors comprise two bi-fold doors 32, 32' which can be laterally
drawn aside to open the access side 28 for access by the care giver.
Bi-fold doors 32, 32' are latched to the closed position by a pair
of latches 36U, 36L, each having a first portion 38 mounted along
a lateral edge 34 of door 32 and a second portion 38' mounted along
an end surface 34' of door 32'. First latch portions 38 each have
a tang 39 which fit in slots 40 in second portion 38'. Tangs 39
are of sufficient length and girth to prevent bi-fold doors 32,
32' from opening when the latches are in their down or secured position.
First latch portions are not easily turned by an infant but can
be readily operated by the care giver to permit the bi-fold doors
32, 32' to be opened. Alternatively, the latches 36, 36' could have
first latch portions 38 which are spring biased to a closed position.
This style latch would require the care giver to simultaneously
operate the latches 36, 36' to access the infant. This reduces the
possibility that older children outside the crib and more mature
infants inside, could tamper with the latches placing the infant
at risk to fall out of the crib 20.
The crib 20 uses a pair of latches 36, 36' to secure bi-fold doors
32, 32' for the infant's safety. The first (22) and second (24)
end supports are spaced by a distance greater than the maximum width
of a conventional wheel chair and the lowest point 33 of accessible
side 28 is higher than the arm rests on a conventional wheel chair.
The bi-fold doors 32, 32', then, enable a wheel chair bound care
giver to access an infant who is in the crib 20 and to pick her/him
up and replace her/him without awkward bending movements which could
place both the infant and care giver at risk for injury.
Various changes, alternatives and modifications will become apparent
to one of ordinary skill in the art following a reading of the foregoing
specification. It is intended that any such changes, alternatives
and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims
be considered part of the present invention. |