Play Yard Folding Mechanism with Self-Locking Engaging Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional play yards require multiple steps for folding and unfolding, making the process inconvenient for parents or caregivers.
Innovation Solution
A play yard design featuring pivotally connected rail members, support frames, engaging members, and a latch mechanism that allows for secure retention in a folded position, enabling minimal steps for folding and unfolding by rotating components towards the center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional play yard folding mechanisms are used, then the play yard can be folded for storage or shipment, but the folding and unfolding process requires multiple steps which brings inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the locking and folding functions into a single integrated mechanism. The engaging members are disposed on the rail members and automatically engage with the support frames during the folding motion, eliminating the need for separate locking steps. This merging of functions reduces the number of operational steps while maintaining secure folding retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism is designed to be self-locking through the engaging members that automatically engage with the support frames when the rail members are folded. The system uses its own structural components to secure itself during folding without requiring external locking devices or multiple manual operations, thereby simplifying the user interaction to a single folding motion.
2Volume of moving object
If the play yard is designed to be foldable for reduced storage space, then space occupation is reduced, but the folding process becomes more complex with multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The play yard structure is divided into modular components including rail members, support frames, and engaging members that can independently move and fold relative to each other. This segmentation allows each component to contribute to the overall folding motion, enabling compact storage volume while using a relatively simple folding mechanism where components naturally nest together through their individual folding paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates easy and rapid folding and unfolding of the play yard, reducing the operational complexity and convenience for users.
Implementation Method 1
The rail members are pivotally connected to the brackets
Implementation Method 2
The upper support members are pivotally connected to the brackets and the lower support member is pivotally connected to the upper support members
Implementation Method 3
the two engaging members respectively engage with at least one of the brackets and the two rail members are retained folded with respect to the brackets
Data Source
AI summary
A play yard can be locked in an unfolded position via a latch mechanism or unlocked by the latch mechanism to fold to a folded position, by means of lifting a central member and bringing the rail members, the upper support members, the lower support members, and the connecting members to rotate toward the center of the play yard. A spring-loaded engaging member disposed on the rail member can have engagement with the bracket so that the play yard can be stably retained in the folded position. When the engaging member is operated to disengage from the bracket, the rail members, the upper support members, the lower support members, and the connecting members rotate away from the center of the play yard all the way to the unfolded position until the connecting members can be locked by the latch mechanism, which retains the play yard in the unfolded position.