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A folding playpen or play yard frame and/or a locking hinge mechanism for a folding playpen or play yard frame of the type having tubular rails for supporting sides and a floor of the playpen or play yard. The locking hinge mechanism includes a housing and a lock assembly movably mounted to the hous

A folding playpen or play yard frame and/or a locking hinge mechanism for a folding playpen or play yard frame of the type having tubular rails for supporting sides and a floor of the playpen or play yard. The locking hinge mechanism includes a housing and a lock assembly movably mounted to the housing. The lock assembly is pivotally attached to proximal portions of the tubular rails for locking and unlocking the rails relative to the housing. The lock assembly and housing are configured and adapted to require the locking hinge assembly to be lifted to effect limited relative motion between the housing and the proximal portions of the tubular rails prior to unlocking the lock assembly and permitting greater relative motion between the housing and proximal portions of the tubular rails. This provides greater safety against the hinge accidentally being folded or being folded by a child.

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1. A locking hinge mechanism for a folding playpen or play yard frame having rails for supporting sides and a floor of the playpen or play yard, the locking hinge mechanism comprising: a housing pivotally connected to the rails adjacent proximal portions thereof, wherein lifting the housing lifts th

1. A locking hinge mechanism for a folding playpen or play yard frame having rails for supporting sides and a floor of the playpen or play yard, the locking hinge mechanism comprising: a housing pivotally connected to the rails adjacent proximal portions thereof, wherein lifting the housing lifts the rails and induces the proximal portions of the rails to pivot upward relative to the housing; anda lock assembly movable relative to the housing to engage the proximal portions of the rails, the lock assembly configured and adapted for locking and unlocking the rails relative to the housing, wherein the lock assembly and the housing are configured and adapted to require the locking hinge mechanism to be lifted to effect a limited pivotally upward motion of the proximal portions of the rails relative to the housing prior to unlocking the lock assembly, the lock assembly comprising first and second movable portions that are movable relative to the housing to lock and unlock the rails, that when locked prevent the proximal portions of the rails from pivoting downward relative to the housing, that when unlocked permit the proximal portions of the rails to pivot downward relative to the housing, and that when locked are positioned relative to the housing to define an oversized gap that permits the limited pivotally upward motion of the proximal portions of the rails relative to the housing into the gap to provide a clearance between the movable portions and the proximal portions of the rails, the first and second movable portions being coupled to the housing by a pair of lock pins, the lock pins movable along a pair of angularly inclined slots in the housing, the lock assembly further comprising a lock actuator which is operable to unlock the lock assembly only after the locking hinge mechanism is first lifted to effect the limited pivotally upward motion of the proximal portions of the rails relative to the housing to free the lock actuator to unlock the lock assembly and is prevented from unlocking the lock assembly when the locking hinge mechanism is not so lifted. 2. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein movements of the first and second movable portions of the lock assembly are constrained by first and second slots formed in the housing. 3. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second slots formed in the housing are each positioned at a non-zero angle relative to a horizontal axis of the housing. 4. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second slots formed in the housing are each positioned at an angle of between about 5 and 20 degrees relative to a horizontal axis of the housing. 5. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1 further comprising rail inserts inserted into the proximal ends of the rails and wherein the rail inserts each include a pawl, and wherein the lock assembly includes recesses for releasably capturing the pawls when the lock assembly is locked. 6. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein when unlocked the lock assembly permits the proximal portions of the rails to rotate downward relative to the housing to fold the playpen or play yard frame. 7. The folding playpen or play yard of claim 1 wherein the housing is pivotally connected to the rails closer to the proximal portions thereof than distal portions thereof, wherein lifting the housing lifts the rails and the effect of gravity on the rail distal portions causes the rail proximal portions to pivot upward. 8. The folding playpen or play yard of claim 1 wherein lifting the rails, by lifting the housing, in turn lifts portions of the rail-supported sides and floor of the playpen or play yard. 9. The folding playpen or play yard of claim 1 wherein when locked the first and second movable portions are positioned under the proximal portions of the rails. 10. The folding playpen or play yard of claim 1 wherein when locked the proximal portions of the rails engage the first and second movable portions and thereby prevent the first and second movable portions from moving to unlock the rails. 11. A locking hinge mechanism for a folding playpen or play yard frame having rails for supporting sides and a floor of the playpen or play yard, the locking hinge mechanism comprising: a housing pivotally connected to the rails adjacent proximal portions thereof, wherein lifting the housing lifts the rails and induces the proximal portions of the rails to rotate upward relative to the housing; anda lock assembly movable relative to the housing to engage the proximal portions of the rails, the lock assembly for locking and unlocking the rails relative to the housing, the lock assembly including a lock release and first and second movable portions movable between a locked position in which the movable portions are positioned under the proximal portions of the rails preventing the proximal portions of the rails from downward rotation relative to the housing and an unlocked position in which the movable portions are not under the proximal portions of the rails, the first and second movable portions movably mounted to the housing by a pair of lock pins that ride along a pair of generally inwardly and upwardly inclined slots formed in the housing, the lock assembly including a biasing element for biasing the first and second movable portions toward the locked position, wherein in the locked position the movable portions are positioned relative to the housing to define a gap that permits a limited rotationally upward motion of the proximal portions of the rails relative to the housing, and wherein the lock assembly movable portions and the housing are configured and adapted to require the locking hinge mechanism to be lifted to induce the limited rotationally upward motion of the proximal portions of the rails relative to the housing and into the gap to provide a clearance between the movable portions and the proximal portions of the rails to only then permit the first and second movable portions to be moved from the locked position in which the movable portions are positioned under the proximal portions of the rails to the unlocked position in which the movable portions are not positioned under the proximal portions of the rails. 12. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 11 further comprising rail inserts inserted into the proximal ends of the rails and wherein the rail inserts each include a pawl, and wherein the lock assembly includes recesses for releasably capturing the pawls when the lock assembly is locked. 13. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 11 wherein movements of the first and second movable portions of the lock assembly are constrained by first and second slots formed in the housing. 14. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 13 wherein the first and second slots formed in the housing are each positioned at a non-zero angle relative to a horizontal axis of the housing. 15. A locking hinge mechanism as claimed in claim 13 wherein the first and second slots formed in the housing are each positioned at an angle of between about 5 and 20 degrees relative to the horizontal axis of the housing. 16. A folding playpen or play yard comprising: a plurality of rails;side panels and a floor supported by the plurality of rails; anda locking hinge mechanism including a housing and a locking assembly,wherein the housing is pivotally connected to two of the rails adjacent proximal portions thereof, wherein actuating the housing lifts the two pivotally connected rails and induces the respective rail proximal portions to pivot upward relative to the housing,wherein the lock assembly includes two movable portions that are movable relative to the housing between a locked position and an unlocked position, that in the locked position prevent the rail proximal portions from pivoting downward relative to the housing, and that in the unlocked position permit the rail proximal portions to pivot downward relative to the housing, the two movable portions being movably connected to the housing by a pair of lock pins, the lock pins riding within a pair of inwardly and upwardly angled slots to constrain the movement of the lock pins to an angled translation motion,wherein in the locked position the relative position of the lock movable portions and the housing defines a gap that permits a limited pivotally upward motion of the rail proximal portions relative to the housing into the gap to provide a clearance between the lock movable portions and the rail proximal portions, andwherein the lock assembly includes a lock actuator that is operable to move the lock movable portions from the locked position to the unlocked position but only after the housing is first actuated to effect the limited pivotally upward motion of the rail proximal portions relative to the housing into the gap to provide the clearance to unlock the lock assembly and that is prevented from moving the lock movable portions from the locked position to the unlocked position when the housing is not so lifted. 17. The folding playpen or play yard of claim 16 wherein the housing is pivotally connected to the rails closer to the proximal portions thereof than distal portions thereof, wherein lifting the housing lifts the rails and the effect of gravity on the rail distal portions causes the rail proximal portions to pivot upward. 18. The folding playpen or play yard of claim 16 wherein lifting the rails, by lifting the housing, in turn lifts portions of the rail-supported sides and floor of the playpen or play yard. 19. The folding playpen or play yard of claim 16 wherein in the locked position the lock movable portions are positioned under the rail proximal portions. 20. The folding playpen or play yard of claim 16 wherein in the locked position the rail proximal portions engage the lock movable portions and thereby prevent the lock movable portions from moving from the locked position to the unlocked position.