GB2596272A - A hammock assembly and a cot incorporating such an assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A hammock assembly 44, in particular for infants, comprises a wall component 54 defining a hollow interior. Multiple fixing means 58 at a continuous upper edge 56 of the wall 54 are connectible to the support 42 for suspension therefrom. The cradle 44 includes a mattress base 52 with the same plan-view shape as the wall 54 and a peripheral edge matching a lower edge 62 of the wall 54. Cooperating quick release means, such as zip components, are provided around the lower boundary 62 and the periphery of the mattress 52 such that the base 52 can be releasably attached to the wall 54. The mattress 52 may include several layers. Also disclosed is a cot 40 including the bassinet 44 and the support structure 42. The support 42 may include upright stanchions 48, 50 from which the ghodiyu 44 is suspended via short flexible ropes.

Description

A Hammock Assembly and a Cot incorporating such an Assembly

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hammock assembly, and more specifically a hammock assembly adapted to receive an infant and form part of a portable swinging infant cot capable of being swiftly, easily and simply erected. The present invention further relates to a swinging infant cot incorporating such a hammock assembly. The present invention is most particularly concerned with swinging infant cots which consist essentially of a portable, manually erectable, floor-standing structure which provides at least a pair of spaced apart mounting points sufficiently elevated above the floor such that respective ends of a cloth or other soft fabric hammock of appropriate length and depth can be affixed thereto and such that when the cot assembled, and the hammock is occupied, there remains a clearance between the nadir of the hammock at its mid-point and the floor which supports the assembly so that the hammock can laterally swing gently between and beneath the mounting points. In most cases, swinging infant cots of this type are adapted specifically for infants aged between 0-9/12 months depending on how the infant develops regular sleep patterns, but of course the skilled reader should understand that the age of the infant is not a limiting factor as regards the scope of protection provided hereby.

Although the following description is provided with reference to swinging infant cots of the general type mentioned above, the skilled reader should understand that it is the hammock assembly which is of primary importance as regards to the scope of protection provided hereby, and said hammock assembly should therefore be regarded, at least in certain aspects and embodiments, as somewhat if not completely independent of the swinging cot of which it is adapted to form part.

Background to the Invention

Swinging infant cradles and cribs are already well-known, in particular in the state of Gujarat in India where they are known as "Ghodiyu[s]" and from where it is believed such devices originated. The fundamental underlying principle behind swinging infant cradles or Ghodiyu[s] is that the gentle lateral swinging motion of the hammock component, whether induced solely as a result of the infant's movement within the hammock or as a result of external influences, such as a parent gently pushing and/or pulling the hammock to induce a decaying or forced periodic swinging motion, is conducive to sleep in the infant, particularly in very young infants. There are various hypotheses as to why this might be the case, but one is that the partial encasement of the infant within a gently swinging hammock at least partially replicates the comfort and security of the womb, and the motions experienced by the pre-natal infant therein when its mother walks. Some Indian mothers also believe that the gentle lateral swinging motion of the hammock can have other therapeutic effects, such as alleviating colic. Various different types of Ghodiyu are already available for sale from many different retailers, predominantly in India, most notably Amazon (see, for example, https://www.arnazonin/Multioro1ndian-Stvle-Chodiyu-CradleidQ/BOOV5TIERK).

As briefly described above, modern Ghodiyu are relatively simple structures which are designed to be easily and quickly manually assembled and dismantled wherever and whenever required, with their various parts, when disassembled, being contained in a convenient carry case so as to be portable.

Each Ghodiyu consists of two fundamental components. The first component is a support structure akin to a standard A-frame and having two A-shaped end members between which is connected an intervening crossbar which lies perpendicular to the plane of the A-shaped end members and thus separates them by a predetermined distance approximately equal to the length of the crossbar. Each A-shaped end member is also usually constituted of multiple parts, the first of which will be a vertex member top piece to which is connected extension members to complete the inclined sides of the "A" shape and elevate the vertex thereof to the desired height above the ground. A horizontal bracing member, or alternatively a limiting strap, may be provided between the inclined members to increase the overall rigidity of the A-shaped end member and/or to prevent the inclined members from splaying further apart. The second component is the cloth or other fabric hammock which will have a shallow U-shaped cross-section, at least at its mid-point, and its remote ends may converge or be otherwise bunched so that when suspended at those ends, a cavity is formed inside the hammock which can receive an infant, most usually horizontally and lain on its back. In order that the hammock ends may be quickly, simply and releasably supported from the vertices of the A-shaped members (or in some cases, a respective pair of support points on the crossbar proximate the remote free ends thereof), one or other or both of the hammock ends and the vertices (or the crossbar support points) may be provided with hook-and-chain type couplers which can simply be releasably clipped together or interlinked thus securely affixing the hammock ends to the A-frame support structure and completing the assembly. Naturally, the connection of the hammock ends to the A-frame support structure in this manner ensures that said hammock ends are disposed beneath both the vertices of the A-shaped end members and the crossbar that joins them, and also within the space defined between the A-shaped support members. Furthermore, the fact that the hammock is suspended beneath and within the A-frame support structure in this manner allows the hammock to swing laterally beneath the crossbar, to any extent desired.

Although Ghodiyu[s] are popular in India, and certain other parts of the world, they do nevertheless suffer from a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the A-frame support structure must of course be sufficiently structurally robust to bear the loads capable of being exerted thereon by an infant when accommodated within the hammock, both when stationary and when laterally swinging, both gently and abnormally. Hitherto, therefore, the A-frame structure has tended to be manufactured predominantly from steel or aluminium tubing which, although structurally strong, is heavy, which necessarily compromises the portability of the Ghodiyu as a whole. Secondly, the cloth or other fabric hammocks have heretofore been of simple construction in that they are manufactured from a single piece of cloth or fabric cut and or formed into a desired shape, possibly covered on an outer facing surface with a printed canvas or other protective material permanently stitched to the cloth or fabric inner around their respective peripheries. Of course, there is the requirement that the cloth or fabric inner material be soft, and relatively hypoallergenic as it is this layer with which the infant's skin will come into contact. Common cloths and/or fabrics used are either synthetic or natural, and most commonly either polyester or cotton are used. In the region of the ends of the hammock, on both sides thereof, one common approach to the attachment of the hammock to the cradle support frame is to provide reinforced, doubly-or triply-stitched support loops through which respective hooks can pass and which are in turn releasably connected to the A-frame support structure as previously described, for example by flexible chains, ropes, or other suitable means.

As will be appreciated by the skilled reader, infants, particularly relatively new born infants, have little control of their bodily functions and are also prone to a variety of infant ailments, upsets, and sicknesses, and therefore if swinging cradles of the type described are used predominantly in the first 6-12 months of the infant's life, the hammock, particularly its interior fabric lining, will inevitably be frequently soiled and require washing. The 113 fundamental disadvantages of the fabrics currently used is that they are generally absorbent to liquids, and generally lack any breathable characteristic, especially when wet as a result of any liquid having been absorbed therein. A yet further disadvantage of the hammock construction described above is that they are intrinsically uncomfortable because the hammock is an essentially purely laminar structure consisting essentially of only a single layer (or of two layers which are directly stitched to one another to form a structure which behaves and performs as if it were a single layer). Thus, when an infant is placed within the hammock, the reaction forces exerted on the infant are practically almost exactly equal and opposite to the force exerted on the hammock surface by the infant, and highly localised. This may be satisfactory when the infant is lying in a conventional or initial position with its back, and thus the majority of its entire weight, is relatively evenly spread over a corresponding area of the hammock, but of course young infants move around, often quite vigorously, within their cradles. Furthermore, infants can sometimes adopt unusual positions both while awake and during sleep, and as a result, when disposed within hammocks of the type described above, different areas of their bodies may experience different and often significantly greater, highly localised reaction forces, possibly for extended periods of time. When it is considered that the skin of infants, particularly immediately post-natal infants, is particularly delicate, the uneven, prolonged and possibly excessive forces to which that skin may be subjected while the infant is disposed and moves around within a hammock can lead to skin irritations, rashes and other blemishes. This problem is considerably exacerbated when the cloth or fabric material of the hammock interior is wet to any extent.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a hammock assembly for a swinging cradle, and a swinging cradle incorporating such a hammock assembly which overcomes these various disadvantages.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a hammock assembly for a swinging cradle and capable of safely accommodating an infant aged between 0-9 months wherein both the configuration of the hammock assembly and certain component parts thereof can be readily and rapidly exchanged, inserted or removed, depending on requirements and if and when required, for example if they become dampened, or wet.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a hammock assembly adapted to be suspended from extraneous support means, said hammock assembly comprising a wall component defining a hollow interior and having substantially continuous upper and lower peripheral edges, a plurality of fixing means being provided proximate said upper peripheral edge whereby said wall component may be connected to said extraneous support means so as to be suspended therefrom, Characterised in that said hammock assembly further comprises a mattress base component having a substantially identical plan-view shape to that of the wall component and having a substantially continuous peripheral edge which is thus similarly substantially identical in shape and dimension to the lower peripheral edge of said wall component, cooperating quick release means being provided around, on or proximate both of said lower peripheral edge of said wall component and said peripheral edge of said mattress base component whereby the latter may be releasably attached to the former.

Preferably the cooperating quick-release means take the form of a single zip being of a length substantially equal to or marginally less than the total length of the respective peripheral edges of both the wall component and the base component to and around which respective halves of the zip are secured, preferably by stitching, such that the initial and terminal stops of the zip halves are disposed adjacent one another and in the same general position around the respective peripheral edges of said wall component and said mattress base component.

Preferably, the mattress base component is multi-laminar, and preferably comprises at least one layer formed substantially of a synthetic spacer fabric, said layer being topmost in the multi-laminar structure such that, in use, it is this layer with which a human comes into contact. Preferably, each layer within the multi-laminar mattress base component is of substantially identical plan-view shape to the wall component.

Most preferably, the mattress base component comprises at least three separate layers, each of substantially identical plan-view shape to the wall component, a first topmost layer being formed substantially of a synthetic spacer fabric, a second intermediate layer being a support layer, and a third bottommost spill sheet layer, the arrangement of layers being effectively a sandwich in that the second layer is sandwiched between the first and the third layers. Preferably, said support layer is constituted of a comparatively rigid peripheral frame structure having a depth and width comparatively significantly (1-2 orders of magnitude) less than a maximum dimension of its overall plan-view shape, said frame structure defining a substantially hollow interior over and around which an elastically deformable, preferably plastics material, mesh is provided under tension which provides support layer with elastic resiliency across substantially its entire surface area. Yet further preferably, in one embodiment, both of the first and third layers of the mattress base component may be provided with respective halves of a zip substantially around their entire peripheral edges such that they may be zippingly connected to one another over and around the second layer thus encasing it therebetween.

Most preferably, one or more of: -the shape and/or dimensions of the plan-view shape of the second layer, - the shape and/or dimensions of the respective first and third layers between which it is to be encased, -the depth of the second layer, - the width dimensions of the zip halves, - the proximity of the attachment line of the zip halves to the outermost peripheral edges of the first and third layers (e.g. the zip halves may be set back a little from the absolute perimeters first and third layers), are precisely selected such that as the zip halves of the first and third layers respectively are progressively and ultimately substantially completely zipped together over and around the second layer, one or both of said first and third layers is progressively stretched and thus placed under some degree of tension as a result of said first and third layers and their respective zip halves being (at least in a loose, unstretched condition), dimensionally insufficient to accommodate and ultimately substantially completely encase the second layer therebetween.

In a most preferred embodiment, one or other of the first and third layer of the mattress base component is provided with two halves of the two different zips required, one half of one zip being used to facilitate releasable connection of the respective other (third or first) layer of the mattress base component thereto, and one half of the other zip, preferably provided adjacent the one half of the said one zip, and most preferably in conjoined and/or juxtaposed fashion, being used as the means whereby the assembled mattress base component (and all layers thereof) is releasably attached to the wall component of the hammock assembly. Most preferably, the spill sheet layer is that layer of the mattress base component which provided with two zip halves, and the spacer fabric layer is provided only with a single zip half to facilitate releasable connection of that layer to the spill sheet layer with the second elastic support layer being entirely sandwiched and encased therebetween. Yet further preferably, the zip half attached to the spacer fabric layer of the mattress base component is so attached in a manner whereby the zip half forms a skirt which depends from the peripheral edge of the spacer fabric layer in a direction away from that surface area of the spacer fabric layer which, in use, will ultimately form the base of the hammock assembly and thus be that surface with which a human, normally an infant, will come into contact when disposed within the hammock assembly.

Preferably, the wall component of the hammock assembly is further provided, substantially entirely around and proximate the upper peripheral edge thereof, with further quick-release fastening means, most preferably one half of a zip, whereby a mesh panel, again having a substantially identical plan-view shape to that of said wall component but being marginally smaller dimensionally may be zippingly releasably attached to said wall component in the upper reaches thereof. Most preferably the mesh is sufficiently fine to render it impermeable to flying insects, in particular mosquitoes, gnats, animal fleas, ants, and the like. Preferably, the hammock assembly, and thus the various components within said hammock assembly, are oval in plan-view shape, specifically the wall component, the mattress base component and the respective different layers thereof. Most preferably, at least one portion of one or more of the vertical walls of said wall component are provided with one or more translucent panels, preferably of a fine, insect impermeable mesh, whereby, in the particular case where the hammock assembly is adapted for infant use, a parent can see their infant easily through said one or more panels. Ideally two such panels are provided, one in either of the larger non-arcuate side walls of the wall component, and most preferably said panels form the most substantial part of those side walls.

Most preferably the "spacer fabric" of which the first of the mattress base component is primarily and substantially if not entirely constituted is itself multilaminar in its construction, being essentially a 3-dimensional knitted fabric whereby a pair of spaced apart layers of usually synthetic material layers (using different materials for each layer is possible) are knitted together, using either synthetic or natural filaments, so that not only are the upper and lower layers robustly connected together and spaced from one another (thus promoting insulation, if required), the entire fabric assembly is highly permeable to air and liquid without its strength being significantly compromised, while nevertheless retaining an excellent degree of pressure and force redistribution and dissipation over the surface area of the fabric. Such 3D spacer fabric materials are already well known and are available from manufacturers such as W Ball 81. Son Limited under the tradename "Baltex", and Springs Creative Products Group LLC under the "AirSkin" tradename. The advantages of such fabrics are manifold, but in summary, they include the following: high air permeability, insulation, cost-efficiency, strength in compression, durability, recyclability, pressure redistribution, fire retardancy, and anti-bacteriality.

In one embodiment, the wall component is of unitary construction in that it is a one-piece article, and in another particularly preferred embodiment, the wall component is provided as a two piece component where by the depth of the wall can be extended or shortened as desired. In this latter embodiment, the wall component consists of an upper wall component part and a lower wall component part, each of said upper and lower parts being provided substantially entirely around their respective lower and upper peripheral edges with quick-releasing cooperating attachment means, typically one each of the two halves of a zip, whereby the lower wall component part can be quickly attached to and detached from the upper wall component part around said peripheral edges. In this embodiment, the lower wall component part is additionally provided with quick-release attachment means, identical in position, length and handedness, to the quick-release attachment means provided around the lower peripheral edge of the upper wall component part, thereby facilitating the attachment of the mattress base component to either the upper wall component part if only a shallow hammock assembly is desired (for example for very young infants), or to the lower wall component part, such having already been attached to the upper wall component part, if a deeper hammock assembly is desired (for example for infants aged between 6-9months, who may occasionally stand up within the hammock assembly).

The skilled reader should understand that any and all features described above in relation to a wall component of unitary construction apply equally to this latter embodiment, and to each of the upper and lower parts of the wall component, as the case may be and where context allows. Furthermore the skilled reader will also readily understand that this latter embodiment, wherein the wall component is modular and can be easily extended and thus deepened, is particularly advantageous because it extends the life and utility of the apparatus as a whole, and allows the hammock assembly to be used for all infants regardless of the development of their sleep patterns, before of course they graduate to more conventional sleeping arrangements.

Most preferably, the plurality of fixing means provided around the upper peripheral edge of the wall component or the upper part thereof as the case may be consists of two pairs of studs, one of each pair thereof being provided on one side wall proximate a respective one of the ends thereof, and one each of the other pair thereof being identically disposed and positioned on an alternative and opposite side wall of the wall component or its upper part. Utilising studs so positioned allows the wall component and thus the hammock assembly as a whole to be very easily connected to an extraneous support structure provided with suspended ropes at the end of which are provided appropriately recessed connectors within which the studs can be quickly and slidingly received so as to be secured therein, as will become apparent from the specific description hereof further provided below.

The present invention provides many advantages over existing hammock assemblies, particularly those used in infant cots, but most importantly, the modular natures of the hammock assembly of the present invention not only provides much greater support and comfort to an infant, but furthermore, because the mattress assembly is not only significantly more breathable and generally much more air-and fluid-permeable than other fabrics, particularly the one-or two-piece cloth or fabric hammocks conventionally used, that support and comfort can even continue to be provided to the infant in the event that the mattress base component becomes moist, damp or wet for any reason. This advantage arises specifically because fluids can drain much easier and more quickly through the spacer fabric layer of the mattress base component to the spill sheet layer underneath it. In this regard, one surprising and useful aspect of spacer fabrics is that their construction can (and indeed for the present invention, preferably does) result in a fabric which is significantly more permeable to both air and fluid than it is absorbent to the latter.

A further advantage of the mattress construction proposed hereby is that, even when there has been some infant soiling of the mattress, not only can the mattress base component be very quickly detached from the hammock assembly, but the individual (first and third) spacer fabric and spill sheet layers can be equally quickly separated and exchanged for fresh, clean identical layers, which can be provided as spares. The second (elastic support layer), being constituted solely of fluid-impermeable plastics wrapped around an ideally metal or plastics composite material frame can simply be wiped clean as any fluid which might exist thereon cannot impregnate either the plastics or the metal/plastics composite material frame -this renders the internal elastic support layer part of the mattress base component entirely reusable. Yet further, the other layers are relatively inexpensive, and thus it may be possible to provide multiple such layers, e.g. as spares, when a hammock assembly of the present invention is packaged for sale. Naturally, the spacer fabric and spill sheet layers can very easily and quickly be washed and dried ready for their next use while their replacements are in use within the reassembled hammock assembly.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an infant cot incorporating a hammock assembly as described herein, and further comprising a support structure consisting essentially of at least a pair of spaced-apart substantially upright stanchions which extend upwardly from and are removably connected to a base frame comprising stabilising feet portions which extend generally laterally in the same direction as the width dimension of the hammock and between which is removably connected an elongate 113 joining member which thus extends generally in the same direction as the length dimension of the hammock directly underneath it, the upper free ends of said stanchions being provided with a pair of flexible short ropes (compared to the length of the stanchion), each of said ropes being provided at a remote free end thereof with connection means complementary in shape and configuration to each of the plurality of fixing means provided on the hammock proximate an upper peripheral edge thereof such that one can interengage with the other and thereby connect the hammock to the cot such that it is suspended between the stanchions above the cot base frame, characterised in that the cot further includes a bracing member which is removably connectable at either end thereof to the stanchions in the lower reaches thereof such that said bracing member is also disposed directly beneath the hammock, and the length of the ropes and the position of the plurality of fixing means provided on the hammock are such that, upon connection of the hammock within the cot, a bending moment is exerted by the hammock upon the stanchions about their connection to the base frame to which resistance is provided by the bracing member which is thus compressed slightly between the stanchions leading to a more structurally robust hammock and cot assembly.

In a preferred arrangement, a pair of adapter assemblies are removably connected to the free ends of the stanchions, said adapter assemblies comprising of a hollow cylindrical skirt being closed at one end and being circumferentially substantially continuous and corresponding in cross-sectional shape to the stanchion so as to be capable of being slid over the free end thereof and releasably connected thereto, and a substantially hemispherical dome provided atop the closed end of said skirt and from which a pair of short flexible ropes emerge (possibly being alternate ends of a single rope passing within and through said dome), the free ends of which are provided with connection means as previously described. The primary advantage of such adapter assemblies, and in particular the provision of a hemispherical dome with the ropes emerging from, most preferably, diametrically opposing sides thereof, is that this arrangement easily passes the snagging or catching test prescribed in British Standard EN716 (covering infant cots), which is a legal safety requirement in the UK. Other similar standards in other countries also exist. Furthermore, by providing releasably and removably connected adapter assemblies of this type further enhances the ease and speed with which an infant cot of the present invention may be assembled and dismantled and packed away for carriage.

Preferably, the bracing member of the support structure is in the form ironing board-like in appearance and thickness in that it is essentially oval in shape and has a thickness of between 8-40mm, and is most preferably fitted between arcuately shaped recess connectors provided on the stanchions in the lower reaches thereof, so that the bracing member can not only perform its bracing function for the hammock support structure as a whole, but also function as a table beneath the hammock on which commonly used infant products, e.g. nappies, towels, wipes etc., can be placed when an hammock and cot assembly is in use and an infant is occupying the hammock. The use of arcuate recessed connectors, as will be more fully described below also allows for the bracing member to be easily slid laterally into position beneath the hammock, and equally easily removed from the support structure during disassembly, and without the need for any tools. Most preferably, the bracing member is disposed directly and immediately above the elongate joining member of the base frame at a vertical position which does not interfere with the base of the hammock, whether during swinging or stationery, and regardless of the overall depth of the hammock, whether having been deepened by extension or not.

In a yet further aspect of the invention there is provided a method of assembly of a hammock and cot assembly, as described above and further described below.

A specific embodiment of the invention is now described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an infant cot and hammock assembly of prior art construction, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an infant cot and hammock assembly including a mattress base component secured to the hammock assembly and forming a base therefor and according to one aspect of the present invention, Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the hammock assembly with mattress base component secured thereto depicted in Figure 2, Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an infant cot and extended hammock assembly including a mattress base component secured to the hammock assembly and forming a base therefor and according to a further aspect of the present invention, Figures 5, 6 and 7 show, respectively, -a perspective view of a base frame of a support structure, - a plan view of a pair of stanchions adapted to be removably connectable to the base frame of Figure 5, and which, together with said base frame, form a support structure for a hammock assembly in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, and - an enlarged perspective view of the lower reaches of one of the stanchions of Figure 6 on which is provided an arcuately shaped recess connector adapted to receive an edge of an oval-shaped bracing member in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, Figure 8 shows an exploded perspective view of three separate parts of the mattress base component which, when assembled, is adapted to be secured to and form part of the hammock assembly in accordance with the present invention, and Figure 9 shows an exploded perspective view of both the hammock and the mattress base component prior to the connection of the latter to the former and which together form the mattress assembly of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown a prior art infant cot and hammock assembly indicated generally at 2. As can be seen from the Figure, the assembly comprises a support structure consisting essentially of two pairs of supporting legs indicated generally at 4, 6, with each leg 4A, 4B, 6A, 6B in the pair being acutely angled with respect to the other as dictated by a pair of hard plastics material adapters 8, 10, each of which is provided internally with a pair of cylindrical sockets (not referenced) into which ends of the legs 4A, 4B, 6k 6B are slotted during assembly of the support structure. Once said leg ends are fully inserted in the adapter sockets, they are lockingly secured therein by means of simple nuts and bolts, generally referenced at 12. In order to prevent each pair of legs 4A, 4B, 6A, 6B from splaying outwardly when the cot and hammock assembly is in use, a pair of limiting straps 4C, 6C are attached between the legs in substantially horizontal fashion and at some suitable vertical position below the adapters 8, 10, again, for example, using simples nuts and bolts indicated generally at 14. The ends of each leg remote from its connection to and within the adapters 8, 10 is provided with a rubber or other suitable material foot 4D, 4E, 6D, 6E which of course rest on and are supported by the floor or ground on which the cot and hammock is disposed. Naturally, the legs are identical in length, and ideally the floor or ground is substantially horizontal so that the height of each of the adapters 8, 10 above the floor or ground is identical. The support structure is completed by a cylindrical support pole 16, the free ends of which are also received in further cylindrically shaped sockets (not referenced) provided in the adapters 8, 10 and locking secured therein by means of releasable screw means, the manually actuable nut ends of which are referenced at 18, 20.

Once the support structure has been erected as depicted in the Figure, a conventional hammock indicated generally at 22 having a soft fabric or cloth interior 24 and a canvas or similar fluid impermeable exterior covering 26 and being provided with reinforced support loops 28A, 28B, 30A, 30B, can be suspended from the support structure in conventional fashion. This is most commonly achieved by means of a pair of coat hanger-like, symmetrical steel supports 32, 34 of unitary construction and having arm portions provided with hook formations at their remote ends (not referenced) which pass through the various support loops 28A, 28B, 30A, 30B of the hammock thus connecting the latter to the former.

The arm portions of the steel supports 32, 34 extend both laterally away from and vertically downwardly from a central U-shaped formation (not referenced) at which is provided a ringed connector 36, 38 which is, usually prior to attachment of the hammock to the steel supports, boltingly secured to the cylindrical support pole 16 as shown, each of the steel supports thus being secured thereto proximate the free ends thereof and being thus sufficiently spaced apart to allow for the hammock, when attached thereto, to be suspended from the support pole so that it sags slightly beneath it, and can thus swing laterally underneath the support pole about a notional offset axis of rotation (see dotted line 39) dictated by the points at which the steel supports are connected to the ringed connecters.

Although the hammock depicted in Figure 1 can of course swing gently underneath the support pole from which it is suspended, one of the primary disadvantages of the assembly of Figure 1, when it comes to accommodating an infant for the purposes of rest and sleep, is that when an infant is placed within the hammock, the side walls thereof have a tendency to wrap around the infant somewhat, particularly in the middle region of the hammock. This tendency arises from the fact that the hammock, like any conventional hammock, is essentially a one-piece cloth or fabric structure possessing little or no structural support or stiffness, and the mere weight of the infant naturally distorts and distends the hammock as compared to its relatively open condition when unoccupied. Thus the infant becomes somewhat encased and surrounded, at least pa rtially,by the hammock side walls. Although the infant may find such enclosure comforting as it may be loosely similar that experienced in the womb, it does not meet the modern infant cot standards as regards what is known as "safe sleeping", which clearly require a flat and firm mattress on which an infant can lie entirely on its back.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, there is shown a modified infant cot and hammock assembly indicated generally at 40 and according to one aspect of the present invention. The cot or support structure indicated generally at 42 for the hammock 44 consists fundamentally of a base frame 46 to which are releasably attached a pair of upwardly, slightly outwardly disposed stanchions 48, 50, remote ends of which are topped with adapter assemblies indicated generally at 48A, 50A from each of which extends, laterally outwardly and downwardly, and at diametrically opposed sides thereof, a pair of flexible ropes, one each of which is referenced at 48B, 50B and each of which are provided with connectors 48C, 50C at their terminal ends. Although the specific nature and configuration of the connectors 48C, 50C may vary, in a most preferred arrangements (and as will be briefly further described below) connectors 48C, 50C are provided on one face (opposite to that visible in Figure 2) with a keyhole-like slot into which a suitably sized stud can be initially inserted and subsequently be slid into the slot behind the narrower portion of the keyhole opening so as to be secured therein but in easily detachable fashion (see Figure 6 and the description pertaining thereto). The base frame 46 consists simply of an elongate joining member 46A at the remote ends of which are provided, preferably manually detachable, stabilising feet portions 46B which extend arcuately and laterally away from the joining member 46A thus providing lateral support for the support structure as a whole, when assembled as illustrated.

As will become immediately apparent from other Figures hereof, in particular Figure 9, discussed further below, the hammock 44 is essentially tub-shaped in that it possesses an essentially flat, planar horizontally disposed oval base (horizontal at least when unoccupied) which is provided entirely by a mattress base component 52 which is releasably and detachably secured around its perimeter to an essentially vertically disposed, continuous side wall 54, which is of correspondingly oval shape (when viewed from above). Hammock side wall 56 has an upper free peripheral edge 56 proximate or adjacent which two pairs of connectors are provided on the exterior surfaced of the side wall, one of each pair being provided on either side thereof, most preferably taking the form of studs, one of each of said pairs being shown clearly at 58 in Figure 3. As can be seen from this Figure, the studs 58 are disposed proximate opposite ends (longitudinally speaking) of the side wall to allow for easy attachment of the connectors 48C, 50C thereto as shown in Figure 2. Finally, as can be seen in both Figures 2 and 3, the longest substantially parallel side wall portions (as opposed to the end wall portions of the side wall as a whole) are provided with substantially translucent, elastically resilient mesh panels 60 so that the interior cavity defined by the side wall of the hammock which can be viewed from the either side. Other parts of the side wall portions and the end wall portions are ideally fabric in nature but provided with a degree of internal stiffness so that the hammock structure as a whole is flexible andresilient, but not so much that it can't be easily folded down and packed for transport. tr.,*elf supporting in its own right. Note from the Figures that both the mattress base component 52 (shown hatched in the Figures), and an identical mesh panel (referenced at 60 but illustrated and identified by dotted lines) can be seen through that mesh panel 60 provided in the most proximate side wall portion illustrated.

As can be seen in Figures 2 & 3, the hammock 44, in particular around a lower peripheral edge 62 thereof, is provided with a substantially continuous fabric skirt 64 comprising adjoined upper and lower parts 64A, 64B respectively, the latter of which 64B which depends slightly beneath the lowermost surface of the mattress base component. One or both other of said upper and lower skirt parts 64A, 64B and acts to conceal a releasable fastening means (hidden/not shown), typically one half of a zip which is attached to, and extends substantially around the entirety of, the inwardly facing surface of said skirt 64, most preferably at its mid-point where the upper skirt part 64A meets the lower skirt part 64B. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, this zip half is used as a means of releasably attaching the mattress base component which is correspondingly provided with the alternate zip around substantially its entire periphery so that the latter can be easily, simply and quickly zippingly connected to the former. In this particular embodiment, the lower skirt part 64B conceals this zipped connection of these parts from normal view.

In the assembled condition illustrated in Figure 2, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the weight of the hammock assembly, especially when an infant in placed therein, and the nature of is suspensive connection to the adapter assemblies 48A, 50A will tend not only to exert a compressive force on the stanchions from which the hammock is suspended, but also (more importantly) to exert a bending moment thereon about the point where the stanchions are connected to the base frame. As a means of resisting the action of this bending moment, and any displacement of the stanchions which might be caused thereby, a bracing member 70, in the form of an oval "ironing-board" structure, is connected between the stanchions in their lower reaches at some vertical position above the elongate joining member 46A of the base frame. Although the bracing member 70 will of course be naturally mechanically be firmly clamped between the stanchions when an infant is disposed within the hammock, to ensure that the bracing member is retained in its desired generally horizontal position when the hammock assembly is unoccupied, stanchions 50 are each provided with an arcuately shaped recessed connector 48B, 50B (see Figures 6 and 7 in particular) which is appropriately sized and shaped to snugly receive a narrow end section of the oval-shaped bracing member. Naturally, the overall length and depth (typically respectively between about 700-1500mm and 8-20mm respectively) of the bracing member are appropriately selected and in correspondence with the separation distance between the stanchions in the lower reaches thereof so that end sections of the bracing member can be relatively easily manually slid into said arcuately shaped recess connectors, whereby the bracing member 70 is adequately both supported thereby and retained in the position illustrated, in which (notably) it can function as a table on which common infant products can be placed.

In an alternative embodiment, illustrated in Figure 4, in which Figure like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts appearing in Figures 2 and 3, the hammock 44 is identical to that described above in relation to earlier Figures, but in Figure 4, hammock 44 is of significantly greater (approximately double) depth by means as a result of an extension 44B, broadly identical in shape, size and configuration to the hollow tub-shaped hammock 44 but inverted, having been attached to that part instead of the mattress base component as previously described. In this embodiment, hammock extension 44B is provided firstly with a zip half (not shown) around substantially the entirety of the inside of its upper perimetral edge, said zip half corresponding exactly to the zip half provided on the inside face of the skirt 64 of hammock 44, thus allowing the former to be easily zippingly connected to the latter as shown. Note also from Figure 4 that this zipped connection between parts 44 and 44B is now referenced at 44C and is visible through the translucent mesh panel 60, and as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art would naturally be the case.

To complete the extended hammock assembly, 44, 44B, the latter component is also provided with a substantially continuous fabric skirt 64B which acts to conceal a zip half identical to that provided within and behind the skirt 64 of hammock 44, and in identical fashion. Thus the zip half provided on extension 44B can be used in identical fashion to releasably attach the mattress base component 52 thereto, and the zipped connection betweixt the two can again be aesthetically concealed behind skirt 64B.

Referring briefly to Figures 5, 6, 7, Figure 5 shows a plan view of the base frame 46 prior to connection of stanchions 48, 50 thereto. Figure 6 shows a plan view of a pair of stanchions 48,50 adapted to be connected to the base frame 46 of Figure 5. Most preferably, the stanchions 48, 50 are substantially hollow and substantially open at their ends opposite those at which the adapter assemblies 48A, 50A are provided so they can be slid over mounting bosses 46C (see Figure 5) provided on the base frame where respective oppositely disposed feet portions 46B meet. Most preferably the connection of stanchions to the base frame involves cooperating spring-loaded snap-fit means whereby a positive click is heard when the stanchion is correctly connected to the base frame bosses 46C, in particular means (e.g. spring-loaded pin and corresponding aperture provided on the parts to be connected) which ensures the correct orientation of said stanchion, that is with the arcuately shaped recessed connectors 48B, SOB being exactly orthogonal to the axis of the elongate joining member 46A and directed towards the other connection boss 46C or stanchion connected thereto.

In Figure 6, stanchions 48, 50 are further provided, in their lower reaches, with quick-release buckle halves 48C, SOC (not illustrated in earlier Figures), each being one half of a quick-release buckle similar in configuration to the quick release buckles commonly found on rucksacks and other sporting equipment. These buckle halves are provided to allow for snap-fit connection therein of the corresponding other buckle halves provided, in some embodiments, in appropriate positions on the underside of the mattress component to provide a physical limiting constraint on the extent to which the entire hammock assemble can swing. In some particularly preferred embodiments, one or both of the said buckle halves are provided the ends of straps whose length can be manually adjusted so that the extent to which the hammock assembly can swing can also be similarly manually adjusted.

Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown an exploded perspective view of the various component parts which together constitute the mattress base component 52 as a whole when assembled together. In particular, there is provided a first "spacer fabric" layer 52A, a second intermediate support layer 52B, and a third bottommost spill sheet layer 52C, the arrangement of layers being effectively a sandwich in that the second layer is sandwiched between the first and the third layers which are releasably secured to one another around substantially the entirety of their peripheries completely encasing the second layer.

Furthermore, and most preferably, although it may not be immediately apparent from or clearly depicted in Figure 8, although the cross-sectional shapes (in plan view) of the three layers is identical, i.e. oval, the dimensions of the first and third layers, or the cooperating parts thereof, may be selected so that when complete connection between the two is achieved and the second layer is completely encased thereby, the first and third layers are stretched slightly and thus placed under slight tension to add to the overall resiliency of the construction, as this can aid support for, and thus comfort of, an infant disposed on the assembled mattress base component when forming part of a hammock assembly as previously described.

In one particular embodiment, and as can be seen in Figure 8, first spacer fabric layer 52A may be provided around its periphery with a fabric material skirt 52A-1 which extends vertically both upwardly above and downwardly below a preferably multi-ply sheet of spacer fabric material 52A-2 around which is provided a peripheral seam region 52A-3 to which said skirt is joined. Most preferably the spacer fabric material is stitched into the peripheral seam region and the fabric skirt is then stitched around the perimeter of the seam region. Around substantially the entirety of the length of the upper and lower extremities of the fabric skirt 52A-1 are provided first and second zip halves 52A-4 and 52A-5 respectively (which may be joined together in unitary fashion and essentially constitute the skirt). Indeed, in another possible embodiment, zip halves may be stitched directly to and around the periphery of the spacer fabric layer in a manner whereby the fabric portions of such zip halves essentially define an upwardly and downwardly projecting skirt, along edges of which are provided the teeth of the respective zip half. In any event, the provision of the zip halves around the periphery of the spacer fabric layer is such that (a) at least one, or preferably each, of the zip halves is readily manually accessible and manoeuverable as a result of being disposed respectively above and below the plane of the spacer fabric layer, and (b) there is some lateral play in both zip halves as a result of the fact that each zip half (or both) includes (or is separated by) a narrow strip of fabric along one (or both) edges of which is (are) provided the teeth of the zip half (halves) and which is stitched or otherwise securely connected to the spacer fabric layer along its laterally opposite edge (or at its mid-point).

Regardless of the particular configuration and attachment of the zip halves to the spaer fabric layer, the first zip half 52A-4 facilitates connection of the first layer 52A, and indeed the assembled mattress base component, to and within the hammock as previously described, and the other zip half 52A-5 is used during assembly of the mattress base component itself, as will be described further below. Each zip half 52A-4, 52A-5 is provided with conventional zip parts, namely zip slides 52A-6, 52A-7, and terminating zip stops 52A8, 52A-9 respectively, which are most preferably offset from one another to facilitate easy connection to respective other zip halves provided on other components, and to ensure that the zip slides do not occupy the same position around the perimeter of layer 52A when completely zipped to said respective other zip halves.

The intermediate support layer 52B is constituted essentially of a continuous tubular, lightweight composite material or aluminium frame 52B-1, oval in shape, around which a fine filamental plastics material mesh 52B-2 is provided so that both the large upper and lower surfaces of the mesh are taut, i.e. the filaments thereof are under tension, and thus provide some elastic support for the spacer fabric layer disposed immediately above it in when the mattress component is fully assembled. More particularly, the mesh 52B-2 is provided in the form of a pouch, provided with a zipped opening indicated generally at 528-3, and most preferably one or more of the transverse, longitudinal and depth dimensions of the mesh pouch are selected so as to be marginally less than the corresponding dimensions of the tubular frame 528-1 so that when the latter is inserted into the former, the mesh is elastically stretched and the upper and lower mesh panels are therefore taut.

The third layer, spill sheet layer 52C, is again a fabric layer, ideally a fabric possessing some degree of fluid resistance or impermeability but which can nevertheless be washed and dried quickly (like modern spacer fabrics, and thus layer 52A). Indeed, layer 52C is almost entirely constituted of a single oval-shaped piece of fabric 52C-1 around the perimeter of which, in similar fashion to layer 52A, is provided an upwardly extending fabric material skirt 52C-2 around the free edge of which is provided a zip half 52C-3 with initial and terminal stops 52C-4, 52C-5 respectively and adapted to be zippingly joined together with corresponding and respective zip half 52A-5 of the first layer. In conjunction with the elastic support provided by layer 52B, it is most preferred that the dimensions (but generally not the shape) of either or both of the first and third layers, and their respective downwardly and upwardly extending fabric skirts, are selected such that there is some elastic stretching, in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, of said layers 52A and 52B so that all three layers of the mattress component when ultimately assembled are under at least some tension. Not only does such an arrangement provide the assembled mattress component with a degree of solidity and robustness, but it also provides, an increased degree of comfort for an infant disposed on the mattress component once connected to the hammock. Thus, the mattress component is provided with an intrinsic spring, and in this regard at least is similar to a conventional adult pocket-spring mattress. On the underside of spill sheet layer 52C (in dotted lines) is shown a pair of quick-release buckle halves 52C6, 52C-7 mounted on adjustable length straps 52C-8, 52C-9 stitched to said layer underside substantially longitudinally axially centrally thereof and relatively proximate the perimeter.

As previously mentioned, such quick-release buckle halves are the counterparts to buckle halves 48C, SOC (if provided) on the lower reaches of the stanchions 48, 50 and are adapted to be received therein and thus be connected thereto. Although this additional connection between hammock and cot will not, under normal circumstances be loadbearing, it finds utility where it is required or desired to provide some means of limiting the extent to which the hammock can swing laterally beneath its suspensive connection to the cot.

Referring finally to Figure 9, once the various layers 52A, 52B, 52C have been manually zipped together, the completely assembled mattress component 52 is then zipped to the hammock 44 to form the base thereof. In particular, the zip half 44C provided on the inwardly facing surface of skirt 64 and thus concealed behind it is zippingly connected to corresponding zip half 52A-4 which stands proud of, and around the perimeter of, the spacer fabric panel 52A-2, and the hammock and mattress assembly is thus completed and ready for connection to the cot as previously described with reference to Figures 2, 3, 4, 5. Of course, in Figure 9, the mattress component 52 is shown immediately prior to connection with hammock 44, but the skilled reader will immediately understand that the completed assembly is as illustrated in Figure 2. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the mattress component 52 can equally and identically be connected to and within the hammock extension 44C as shown in Figure 4 -physically and functionally, the mattress component in either embodiment is, and performs identically.

Claims (22)

1. CLAIMS1. A hammock assembly adapted to be suspended from extraneous support means, said hammock assembly comprising a wall component defining a hollow interior and having substantially continuous upper and lower peripheral edges, a plurality of fixing means being provided proximate said upper peripheral edge whereby said wall component may be connected to said extraneous support means so as to be suspended therefrom, characterised in that said hammock assembly further comprises a mattress base component having a substantially identical plan-view shape to that of the wall component and having a substantially continuous peripheral edge which is thus similarly substantially identical in shape and dimension to the lower peripheral edge of said wall component, cooperating quick release means being provided around, on or proximate both of said lower peripheral edge of said wall component and said peripheral edge of said mattress base component whereby the latter may be releasably attached to the former.
2. 2, A hammock assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cooperating quick-release means take the form of a single zip being of a length substantially equal to or marginally less than the total length of the respective peripheral edges of both the wall component and the base component to and around which respective halves of the zip are secured such that the initial and terminal stops of the zip halves are disposed adjacent one another and in the same general position around the respective peripheral edges of said wall component and said mattress base component.
3. 3. A hammock assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the mattress base component is multi-laminar, and comprises at least one layer formed substantially of a synthetic spacer fabric, said layer being topmost in the multi-laminar structure such that, in use, it is this layer with which a human comes into contact.
4. 4. A hammock assembly according to claim 3 wherein each layer within the multi-laminar mattress base component is of substantially identical plan-view shape to the wall component.
5. 5. A hammock assembly according to claim 4 wherein the mattress base component comprises at least three separate layers, being - a first topmost layer being formed substantially of a synthetic spacer fabric, - a second intermediate layer being a support layer, and -a third bottommost spill sheet layer, the arrangement of layers being effectively a sandwich in that the second layer is sandwiched between the first and the third layers.
6. 6. A hammock assembly according to claim 5 wherein the support layer is constituted of a comparatively rigid peripheral frame structure having a depth and width significantly less than a maximum dimension of its overall plan-view shape, said frame structure defining a substantially hollow interior over and around which an elastically deformable material mesh is provided under tension which provides support layer with elastic resiliency across substantially its entire surface area.
7. 7. A hammock assembly according to claim 5 or 6 wherein the first and third layers of the mattress base component may be provided with respective halves of a zip substantially around their entire peripheral edges such that they may be zippingly connected to one another over and around the second layer thus encasing it therebetween.
8. 8. A hammock assembly according to claim 7 wherein one or more of: -the shape and/or dimensions of the plan-view shape of the second layer, - the shape and/or dimensions of the respective first and third layers between which it is to be encased, -the depth of the second layer, - the width dimensions of the zip halves, and - the proximity of the attachment line of the zip halves to the outermost peripheral edges of the first and third layers, are selected such that as the zip halves of the first and third layers respectively are progressively and ultimately substantially completely zipped together over and around the second layer, one or both of said first and third layers is progressively stretched and thus placed under some degree of tension as a result of said first and third layers and their respective zip halves being (at least in a loose, unstretched condition), dimensionally insufficient to accommodate and ultimately substantially completely encase the second layer therebetween.
9. 9. A hammock assembly according to either claim 7 or 8 wherein one or other of the first and third layer of the mattress base component is provided with two halves of the two different zips required, one half of one zip being used to facilitate releasable connection of the respective third or first layer of the mattress base component thereto, and one half of the other zip, being provided adjacent the one half of the said one zip in conjoined and/or juxtaposed fashion, being used as the means whereby the assembled mattress base component with its respective layers is releasably attached to the wall component of the hammock assembly.
10. 10. A hammock assembly according to any of claims 7-9 wherein the spill sheet layer is that layer of the mattress base component which provided with two zip halves, and the spacer fabric layer is provided only with a single zip half to facilitate releasable connection of that layer to the spill sheet layer with the second elastic support layer being entirely sandwiched and encased therebetween.
11. 11. A hammock assembly according to claim 10 wherein the zip half attached to the spacer fabric layer of the mattress base component is attached thereto in a manner whereby the zip half forms a skirt which depends from the peripheral edge of the spacer fabric layer in a direction away from that surface area of the spacer fabric layer which, in use, will ultimately form the base of the hammock assembly.
12. 12. A hammock assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the wall component of the hammock assembly is further provided with quick-release fastening means around and proximate the upper peripheral edge thereof.
13. 13. A hammock assembly according to claim 12 wherein the quick release fastening means take the form of one half of a zip, whereby a mesh panel, again having a substantially identical plan-view shape to that of said wall component but being marginally smaller dimensionally may be zippingly releasably attached to said wall component in the upper reaches thereof.
14. 14. A hammock assembly according to any preceding claim wherein at least one portion of one or more of the vertical walls of the wall component of the assembly is provided with one or more apertures to create one or more windows through said vertical side walls, one or more of said windows being covered with a fine translucent insect impermeable mesh.
15. 15. A hammock assembly according to claim 5 and any claim dependent thereon wherein the spacer fabric of which the first of the mattress base component is primarily constituted comprises at least one layer of a knitted synthetic or natural fibre so as to be permeable to air and liquid
16. 16. A hammock assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the wall component is provided as a two piece component where by the depth of the wall can be extended or shortened as desired, said the wall component consisting of an upper wall component part and a lower wall component part, each of said upper and lower parts being provided, substantially entirely around their respective lower and upper peripheral edges, with quick-releasing cooperating attachment means in the form of each of one of the two halves of a zip, whereby the lower wall component part can be quickly attached to and detached from the upper wall component part around said peripheral edges.
17. 17. A hammock assembly according to claim 16 wherein the lower wall component part is additionally provided with quick-release attachment means, identical in position, length and handedness, to the quick-release attachment means provided around the lower peripheral edge of the upper wall component part, thereby facilitating the attachment of the mattress base component to either the upper wall component part or to the lower wall component part, such having already been attached to the upper wall component part.
18. 18. A hammock assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the plurality of fixing means provided around or proximate the upper peripheral edge of the wall component consists of two pairs of studs, one of each pair thereof being provided on one side wall proximate a respective one of the ends thereof, and one each of the other pair thereof being identically disposed and positioned on an alternative and opposite side wall of the wall component or its upper part.
19. 19. An infant cot incorporating a hammock assembly according to any preceding claim, and further comprising a support structure consisting essentially of at least a pair of spaced-apart substantially upright stanchions which extend upwardly from a base frame to which they are removably connected, said base frame comprising stabilising feet portions which extend generally laterally in the same direction as the width dimension of the hammock and between which is removably connected an elongate joining member which thus extends generally in the same direction as the length dimension of the hammock directly underneath it, the upper free ends of said stanchions being provided with a pair of flexible short ropes (compared to the length of the stanchion), each of said ropes being provided at a remote free end thereof with connection means complementary in shape and configuration to each of the plurality of fixing means provided on the hammock proximate an upper peripheral edge thereof such that one can interengage with the other and thereby connect the hammock to the cot such that it is suspended between the stanchions above the cot base frame, characterised in that the cot further includes a bracing member which is removably connectable at either end thereof to the stanchions in the lower reaches thereof such that said bracing member is also disposed directly beneath the hammock, and the length of the ropes and the position of the plurality of fixing means provided on the hammock are such that, upon connection of the hammock within the cot, a bending moment is exerted by the hammock upon the stanchions about their connection to the base frame to which resistance is provided by the bracing member which is thus compressed slightly between the stanchions leading to a more structurally robust hammock and cot assembly.
20. 20. An infant cot according to claim 19 wherein a pair of adapter assemblies are removably connected to the free ends of the stanchions, said adapter assemblies comprising of a hollow cylindrical skirt being closed at one end and being circumferentially substantially continuous and corresponding in cross-sectional shape to the stanchion so as to be capable of being slid over the free end thereof and releasably connected thereto, and a substantially hemispherical dome provided atop the closed end of said skirt and from which a pair of short flexible ropes emerge (possibly being alternate ends of a single rope passing within and through said dome), the free ends of which are provided with connection means.
21. 21. An infant cot according to either claim 19 or 20 wherein the bracing member of the support structure is of oval shape and has a thickness of between 8-40mm such that the arcuate extremities thereof may be received in correspondingly arcuately shaped recesses in a pair of oppositely disposed connectors provided on the stanchions in the lower reaches thereof, such that the bracing member can not only perform its bracing function for the structure as a whole, but also function as a table beneath the hammock.
22. 22. An infant cot according to claim 21 wherein the bracing member is disposed directly and immediately above the elongate joining member of the base frame at a vertical position which does not interfere with the base of the hammock.