US 12,502,010 B1Granted

Playyard

AssigneeRegalo International, LLC

InventorsShannon R. Bickel, Timothy C. Daggy

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

The present playyard includes relatively short vertical corner posts and relatively long horizontal support members. The preferred ratio of the length of a relatively long horizontal support member, or length of a playyard side, to the height of a relatively short vertical post, or height of a playyard side, is about two to one. The relatively long horizontal support member extends directly from one relatively short vertical corner post to the next relatively short vertical corner post. The relatively short vertical corner post is one-piece. The relatively long horizontal support member is no more and no less than two pieces.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A playyard comprising:

a) a frame comprising:
i) no more and no less than first, second, third, and fourth corner posts such that the playyard includes no more and no less than four corner posts, each of the first, second, third, and fourth corner posts being one-piece;
ii) no more and no less than a pair of first uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members extending between the first and second corner posts;
iii) no more and no less than a pair of second uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members extending between the second and third corner posts;
iv) no more and no less than a pair of third uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members extending between the third and fourth corner posts;
v) no more and no less than a pair of fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members extending between the fourth and first corner posts;
vi) each of said first, second, third, and fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members being no more and no less than two pieces such that each of said first, second, third, and fourth uppermost and lowermost support members include first and second horizontal pieces, the first and second horizontal pieces being engaged to each other by a male/female connection at inner ends of the first and second horizontal pieces;
vii) each of said first, second, third, and fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members having outer ends and extending directly from a corner post to a corner post such that said first, second, third, and fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support member derive sole hardware support from said outer ends engaging respective corner posts;
viii) no more and no less than first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth corner connections, each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth corner connections being one-piece;
ix) the first and second corner connections engaging respective upper and lower ends of the first corner post and further engaging, respectively, the first and fourth uppermost horizontal support members and first and fourth lowermost horizontal support members;
x) the third and fourth corner connections engaging respective upper and lower ends of the second corner post and further engaging, respectively, the first and second uppermost horizontal support members and first and second lowermost horizontal support members;
xi) the fifth and sixth corner connections engaging respective upper and lower ends of the third corner post and further engaging, respectively, the second and third uppermost horizontal support members and second and third lowermost horizontal support members;
xi) the seventh and eighth corner connections engaging respective upper and lower ends of the fourth corner post and further engaging, respectively, the third and fourth uppermost horizontal support members and the third and fourth lowermost horizontal support members;
b) sheeting comprising:
i) a first sheeting portion extending to and between the first uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members, the first sheeting portion having a first uppermost sleeve for the first uppermost horizontal support member and a first lowermost sleeve for the first lowermost horizontal support member, the first sheeting portion further extending to and between the first and second corner posts, the first sheeting portion having a first sleeve portion engaging the first corner post and a second sleeve portion engaging the second corner post;
ii) a second sheeting portion extending to and between the second uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members, the second sheeting portion having a second uppermost sleeve for the second uppermost horizontal support member and a second lowermost sleeve for the second lowermost horizontal support member, the second sheeting portion further extending to and between the second and third corner posts, the second sheeting portion having the second sleeve portion engaging the second corner post and further having a third sleeve portion engaging the third corner post;
iii) a third sheeting portion extending to and between the third uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members, the third sheeting portion having a third uppermost sleeve for the third uppermost horizontal support member and a third lowermost sleeve for the third lowermost horizontal support member, the third sheeting portion further extending to and between the third and fourth corner posts, the third sheeting portion having the third sleeve portion engaging the third corner post and further having a fourth sleeve portion engaging the fourth corner post;
iv) a fourth sheeting portion extending to and between the fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members, the fourth sheeting portion having a fourth uppermost sleeve for the fourth uppermost horizontal support member and a fourth lowermost sleeve for the fourth lowermost horizontal support member, the fourth sheeting portion further extending to and between the fourth and first corner posts, the fourth sheeting portion having the fourth sleeve portion engaging the fourth corner post and the first sleeve portion engaging the first corner post;
c) the first uppermost horizontal support member engaging the first and third corner connections and in combination therewith defining a first sidewall length, the first lowermost horizontal support member engaging the second and fourth corner connections and in combination therewith defining the first sidewall length, the first corner post engaging the first and second corner connections and in combination therewith defining a first corner height;
d) the second uppermost horizontal support member engaging the third and fifth corner connections and in combination therewith defining a second sidewall length, the second lowermost horizontal support member engaging the fourth and sixth corner connections and in combination therewith defining the second sidewall length, the second corner post engaging the third and fourth corner connections and in combination therewith defining a second corner height;
e) the third uppermost horizontal support member engaging the fifth and seventh corner connections and in combination therewith defining a third sidewall length, the third lowermost horizontal support member engaging the sixth and eighth corner connections and in combination therewith defining the third sidewall length, the third corner post engaging the fifth and sixth corner connections and in combination therewith defining a third corner height;
f) the fourth uppermost horizontal support member engaging the seventh and first corner connections and in combination therewith defining a fourth sidewall length, the fourth lowermost horizontal support member engaging the eighth and second corner connections and in combination therewith defining the fourth sidewall length, the fourth corner post engaging the seventh and eighth corner connections and in combination therewith defining a fourth corner height;
and
g) a ratio of the first sidewall length to the first corner height being about two to one, a ratio of the second sidewall length to the second corner height being about two to one, a ratio of the third sidewall length to the third corner height being about two to one, and a ratio of the fourth sidewall length to the fourth corner height being about two to one.

21 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A playyard comprising:

a) a frame comprising:
i) no more and no less than first, second, third, and fourth corner posts such that the playyard includes no more and no less than four corner posts, each of the first, second, third, and fourth corner posts being one-piece;
ii) no more and no less than a pair of first uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members extending between the first and second corner posts;
iii) no more and no less than a pair of second uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members extending between the second and third corner posts;
iv) no more and no less than a pair of third uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members extending between the third and fourth corner posts;
v) no more and no less than a pair of fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members extending between the fourth and first corner posts;
vi) each of said first, second, third, and fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members being no more and no less than two pieces such that each of said first, second, third, and fourth uppermost and lowermost support members include first and second horizontal pieces, the first and second horizontal pieces being engaged to each other by a male/female connection at inner ends of the first and second horizontal pieces;
vii) each of said first, second, third, and fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members having outer ends and extending directly from a corner post to a corner post such that said first, second, third, and fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support member derive sole hardware support from said outer ends engaging respective corner posts;
viii) no more and no less than first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth corner connections, each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth corner connections being one-piece;
ix) the first and second corner connections engaging respective upper and lower ends of the first corner post and further engaging, respectively, the first and fourth uppermost horizontal support members and first and fourth lowermost horizontal support members;
x) the third and fourth corner connections engaging respective upper and lower ends of the second corner post and further engaging, respectively, the first and second uppermost horizontal support members and first and second lowermost horizontal support members;
xi) the fifth and sixth corner connections engaging respective upper and lower ends of the third corner post and further engaging, respectively, the second and third uppermost horizontal support members and second and third lowermost horizontal support members;
xi) the seventh and eighth corner connections engaging respective upper and lower ends of the fourth corner post and further engaging, respectively, the third and fourth uppermost horizontal support members and the third and fourth lowermost horizontal support members;
b) sheeting comprising:
i) a first sheeting portion extending to and between the first uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members, the first sheeting portion having a first uppermost sleeve for the first uppermost horizontal support member and a first lowermost sleeve for the first lowermost horizontal support member, the first sheeting portion further extending to and between the first and second corner posts, the first sheeting portion having a first sleeve portion engaging the first corner post and a second sleeve portion engaging the second corner post;
ii) a second sheeting portion extending to and between the second uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members, the second sheeting portion having a second uppermost sleeve for the second uppermost horizontal support member and a second lowermost sleeve for the second lowermost horizontal support member, the second sheeting portion further extending to and between the second and third corner posts, the second sheeting portion having the second sleeve portion engaging the second corner post and further having a third sleeve portion engaging the third corner post;
iii) a third sheeting portion extending to and between the third uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members, the third sheeting portion having a third uppermost sleeve for the third uppermost horizontal support member and a third lowermost sleeve for the third lowermost horizontal support member, the third sheeting portion further extending to and between the third and fourth corner posts, the third sheeting portion having the third sleeve portion engaging the third corner post and further having a fourth sleeve portion engaging the fourth corner post;
iv) a fourth sheeting portion extending to and between the fourth uppermost and lowermost horizontal support members, the fourth sheeting portion having a fourth uppermost sleeve for the fourth uppermost horizontal support member and a fourth lowermost sleeve for the fourth lowermost horizontal support member, the fourth sheeting portion further extending to and between the fourth and first corner posts, the fourth sheeting portion having the fourth sleeve portion engaging the fourth corner post and the first sleeve portion engaging the first corner post;
c) the first uppermost horizontal support member engaging the first and third corner connections and in combination therewith defining a first sidewall length, the first lowermost horizontal support member engaging the second and fourth corner connections and in combination therewith defining the first sidewall length, the first corner post engaging the first and second corner connections and in combination therewith defining a first corner height;
d) the second uppermost horizontal support member engaging the third and fifth corner connections and in combination therewith defining a second sidewall length, the second lowermost horizontal support member engaging the fourth and sixth corner connections and in combination therewith defining the second sidewall length, the second corner post engaging the third and fourth corner connections and in combination therewith defining a second corner height;
e) the third uppermost horizontal support member engaging the fifth and seventh corner connections and in combination therewith defining a third sidewall length, the third lowermost horizontal support member engaging the sixth and eighth corner connections and in combination therewith defining the third sidewall length, the third corner post engaging the fifth and sixth corner connections and in combination therewith defining a third corner height;
f) the fourth uppermost horizontal support member engaging the seventh and first corner connections and in combination therewith defining a fourth sidewall length, the fourth lowermost horizontal support member engaging the eighth and second corner connections and in combination therewith defining the fourth sidewall length, the fourth corner post engaging the seventh and eighth corner connections and in combination therewith defining a fourth corner height;
and
g) a ratio of the first sidewall length to the first corner height being about two to one, a ratio of the second sidewall length to the second corner height being about two to one, a ratio of the third sidewall length to the third corner height being about two to one, and a ratio of the fourth sidewall length to the fourth corner height being about two to one.

21 more elements