Patent Application
20250017393
Conventionally, seats for children are typically high-chairs that are elevated in order for seated children to be present at the same level as adults, for example, at a dinner table. Any lower or floor-based seats are not standalone seats, or provide some ancillary function like rocking.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
A first aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an apparatus having a central structure having a loop portion and a base portion. a pommel coupled to the base portion and positioned within the loop portion. and a cover configured to couple to the loop portion to define a seat, the cover positioned between the base portion and the pommel.
A second aspect of the present disclosure is directed to an activity seat having a loop structure having a top side, a bottom side, a left side, and a right side. and a support bar extending rearwards from the loop structure, the support bar being substantially U-shaped and having a right end, a left end, and a base portion. In this aspect, the right end of the support bar couples to the right side of the loop structure, the left end of the support bar couples to the left side of the loop structure, and the bottom side of the loop and the base portion of the support bar are together configured to rest on a surface to support the activity seat.
A third aspect of the present disclosure is directed to floor-level activity seat having a central structure having a loop portion and a base portion. a support bar extending rearwards from the loop portion, the support bar having a left end coupled to a left side of the loop portion and a right end coupled to a right side of the loop portion. a pommel coupled to the base portion and positioned within the loop portion. and a fabric cover configured to removably couple to the loop portion to define a seat, the fabric cover positioned between the base portion and the pommel.
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While this disclosure includes certain embodiments, it will be understood the disclosure is not intended to limit the claims to these embodiments. On the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the claims. Furthermore, in this detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the subject matter of the present disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present disclosure.
Various embodiments of this disclosure include a low-style activity seat for children and toddlers that is configured to provide a floor-level chair or chair that may rest on any other type of flat surface (e.g., a surface generally normal to the force of gravity). While the embodiments described herein may refer to a floor or a floor seat, it will be understood that the various embodiments herein may rest on any suitable flat surface. The activity seat may be shaped as a substantially-continuous loop that forms the overall structure of the seat, with a rear leg support projecting from a relative middle of the loop. At the center of the loop, the activity seat may include a pommel, which may connect to the loop as part of a central projection. The pommel may include a slot or aperture for receiving one or more accessories that, when in use, would be positioned directly in front of a seated child. The slot or aperture is located at a location on the pommel where it is accessible to receive the one or more accessories while a cover is attached to the activity seat (e.g., to the frame or loop structure of the activity seat, to the pommel of the activity seat). The activity seat may also include a cover that extends across the loop and includes a hole for the pommel. As such, the cover may be held partially in place by attaching the pommel into the loop on top of the cover. In some embodiments, the cover may be monolithically formed with the loop structure, such that the seat may include this monolithic structure with the legs for support.
As shown in
The pommel 120 may include a pommel base 122, an accessory slot 124, and a release mechanism 126. As shown in
As shown in
The rear support 130 may be substantially U-shaped, and may include a pad 134 at both bends (e.g., corners, curves) of the U-shape. In some embodiments, the rear support 130 may include two separate and substantially linear legs, with the pads 134 fixed at the ends of each leg. Each pad 134 may be configured to provide a point of contact for the rear support 130 with the floor or other surface, and may be formed of rubber, silicone, or similarly-composed material that may provide some shock absorption and/or sliding resistance for the floor seat 100. The rear support 130 may connect to the loop structure 110 (and, specifically, the upper portion 114) via right connector 132a and left connector 132b (collectively “connectors 132”) that are configured to fasten to the upper portion 114 and to receive a right end 133a and a left end 133b, respectively, of the rear support 130. This interaction is shown in
The activity floor seat 100, by virtue of the shape of the loop structure 110 and the angle by which the rear support 130 connects to and supports the loop structure 110, may encourage proper posture for a seated child. In particular, the relatively gentle (e.g., not abrupt) side supports keep a seated child safely in the seat but encourage full movement of their arms, and the angle of the seat 100 supports a child's core while playing with the chest-high accessory 128. Furthermore, the slight bend upwards in the seat 100 as the forward portion 112 extends into the base 115 causes a seated child's pelvis into a slight anterior tilt, which facilitates lumbar extension and discourages posterior tilt. This is also assisted by the position of the pommel 120 in the middle of the seat 100—and, therefore, in between a seated child's legs—which prevents the seated child from slouching and enables a more open design, as there is nothing directly covering the entirety of the seated child's lap. Accordingly, the seated child is more freely able to rotate their trunk and move their legs, encouraging muscle growth and flexibility. This support and positioning is shown in
As shown in
The cover 140 may be positioned between the loop structure 110 and the pommel 120, such that the cover 140 may be held in place, at least in part, by the pommel 120. To accomplish this, the base portion 115 may include a protrusion that extends upwards, the cover 140 may have a corresponding hole 142 that enables the protrusion to extend upwards through the cover 140, and the pommel 120 couples to the protrusion (e.g., via a snap-fit, etc.) In some embodiments, the cover 140 may be made of fabric or another suitable soft-goods material, such that the cover 140 provides pliable support for a seated child. In some embodiments, the cover 140 may be molded of a hard plastic or similarly-structured material, such that the cover 140 provides firm support. In either of these embodiments, the cover 140 may be supplemented with foam or similar cushion to increase comfort without sacrificing support.
In some embodiments, the cover 140 may be monolithically formed with the loop structure 110, such that the loop structure 110 and the cover 140 are a single piece that, when coupled to the rear support 130, form the seat 100. In further embodiments, the pommel 120 may also be monolithically formed with the loop structure 110 and cover 140, such that the pommel 120 is fixed in place and not removable.
Thus, various embodiments provide for a floor-level activity seat that may be utilized with multiple accessories to accommodate different children. In particular, the activity floor seat may position the accessories directly in front of a seated child, such that the activity seat provides a dual-function of a chair and a toy. In particular, the positioning of the pommel and attached toy at relative chest height (e.g., elevated 5-7 inches relative to the seat) for a seated child promotes fine motor control and the development of arm and shoulder muscles by encouraging reaching, grasping, and general dimensional exploration. Additionally, the activity floor seat may include a removable cover that improves cleaning and other maintenance of the activity floor seat without sacrificing comfort. The cover may include a hole to accommodate attachment of the pommel even while the cover is in place. As such, the activity floor seat combines the functionality of the pommel with the functionality of the cover without impinging on the utility of either. Furthermore, the activity floor seat may provide an innovative support structure via the substantially-fixed (e.g., not rocking or otherwise moving) connection with a curved rear support bar. By attaching to both sides of the central loop structure, the rear support provides horizontal or rotational (e.g., to prevent side-to-side tipping or movement) support, as well as support preventing the seat from falling backwards. The rear support may accomplish all of this without any sharp corners, which are dangerous for children. In addition, the specific angle provided by the activity floor seat is advantageously designed to promote hip abduction of 15-30° and external rotation of 5-15°, which are both in the healthy range for a growing child.
In addition, and as partially demonstrated by the exploded view of
The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
