Exemplary embodiments relate to the field of children's furniture. Exemplary embodiments further relate to a height adjustable child seat.
Child seats have many drawbacks. Children often quickly outgrow them. Children can cause the seats to flip or may fall out of them. Child seats can become soiled with food or other material. Child seats and similar items may benefit from improvements.
It is an object of the exemplary embodiments to provide a child seat that is height adjustable and with improved features and functions.
Referring now to the drawings and particularly to
Child seat 10 includes four outwardly and downwardly extending legs 24. Each leg is configured to extend outwardly at an angle from a respective corner area of body 12. Each leg 24 includes an upper leg 26. Each upper leg 26 extends vertically in close-fitting relation within a respective cylindrical body recess 16. Each upper leg 26 includes an outwardly extending body engaging projection 28. In the exemplary embodiment each body engaging projection comprises an outwardly biased button projection that engages a body engaging aperture 30 that extends through the respective cylindrical body recess 16. In the exemplary embodiment the engagement of the body engaging projection 28 and the body engaging aperture 30 releasably holds the upper leg in engagement with the body and in the cylindrical body recess 16. This exemplary configuration also enables each leg to be engaged and disengaged from the body 12 for purposes of assembly, disassembly, transport or cleaning.
Each leg of the exemplary child seat further includes a lower leg 32. Each lower leg is engaged with a corresponding upper leg in telescoping relation. In the exemplary arrangement the lower leg extends within the upper leg so as to enable varying the vertical height of each leg. Each upper and lower leg includes a releasable latch 34 in operative connection therewith. In exemplary embodiments the releasable latch is operatively connected with the upper and lower leg and is operative to releasably selectively hold the upper and lower leg in a plurality of telescoping positions.
In the exemplary embodiment the releasable latch 34 associated with each of the legs 24 includes a positioning projection 36. Each positioning projection is radially outwardly biased from the lower leg 32. The positioning projection 36 is selectively engageable in a plurality of axially disposed positioning apertures 38 which extend in the upper leg 26.
In the exemplary arrangement an annular bushing 40 of unitary plastic construction is positioned between the upper and lower legs. In the exemplary arrangement the bushing 40 in transverse cross-section as shown in
As can be appreciated in the exemplary arrangement the user is enabled to vary the axial length of the engaged upper leg and lower leg by changing the respective positioning aperture in which the respective positioning projection is engaged. The child seat of the exemplary embodiment is enabled to selectively change the height of a bottom 92 of the seat recess 18 to be at 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13 inches from a horizontal floor 90. This enables the height of the exemplary child seat to be changed in accordance with the size and growth of the child, adjusted for greater structural stability, as well as conforming to various table heights. Of course, it should be understood that these height dimensions are exemplary and in other embodiments other approaches may be used.
In an exemplary arrangement the rectangular body has a width distance in a direction perpendicular to direction line 44. The width distance is across the widest area of the body. In exemplary embodiments, the width distance is about 20 inches. Of course, it should be understood that the width dimension is exemplary and in other embodiments other approaches may be used.
In exemplary arrangements the ratio between the width distance of the rectangular body compared to the distance to the floor 90 from the seat body bottom 92 is in the range of about 4:1 to about 1.5:1.
In the exemplary arrangement the legs are configured so that the upper leg is the outside leg of the telescoping pair while the lower leg is the inside leg. In other arrangements this configuration may be reversed so that the lower leg extends outside the upper leg in telescoping relation. In such arrangements the positioning projection may extend from the upper leg while the lower leg may have the positioning apertures disposed therein. Further it should be understood that in the exemplary arrangement the bushing is configured to facilitate the relative movement of the upper leg and the lower leg in telescoping relation without significant transverse play between the two legs. This provides a stable platform for the exemplary child seat. Further in the event that the plastic bushing should fracture or become displaced from its operative position, the bushing will tend to move downward on the lower leg 32. The displaced bushing will not become a loose item that may be swallowed or otherwise cause harm to a child. Of course, it should be understood that this approach is exemplary and in other embodiments other approaches may be used.
In the exemplary arrangement when in use a child that is seated in the body recess 16 faces along a direction line indicated 44 in
In the exemplary arrangement each of the rear legs of the child seat have the semi annular outward facing half extending rearward relative to the seat recess 16. Each back half of the rear legs which includes the positioning apertures 36 therein, is positioned generally facing the back half of a respective leg on the same side of the body that extends in a forward direction.
In this exemplary arrangement because the positioning apertures for each of the legs 24 are positioned inwardly relative to the annular outward facing half 46 of each of the legs, it is less likely that a child will catch its fingers or other articles in the positioning apertures. In the exemplary arrangement this reduces the risk of cuts or injury to the child. Of course it should be understood that this approach is exemplary and in other embodiments other approaches may be used.
In the exemplary child seat arrangement positioned at the lower end of each of the legs 24 is a foot 50. As shown in
The disc includes a disc top 58 and a disc bottom 59. The disc further includes an annular disc periphery 60. As shown in
The exemplary foot 50 further includes a unitary tread layer 66. The unitary tread layer 66 in an exemplary embodiment is comprised of relatively softer material than the disc 56. In the exemplary arrangement the tread layer extends across the disc bottom 59, around the disc periphery 60 and above the disc top 58 in the area of the recess 62. In the exemplary arrangement the tread layer 66 extends through the plurality of disc apertures 64. In the exemplary foot 50 the tread layer across the bottom of the foot and which comprises the foot bottom that engages the floor, is generally smooth. However in other arrangements the tread layer on the bottom of the foot may include grooves, projections or other structures that facilitate gripping engagement of the foot with the floor or other supporting structure. In the exemplary arrangement the tread layer and the disc are each comprised of plastic materials that are joined in heat fused fixed engagement. This approach reduces the risk that the tread layer will separate from the disc 56. Of course this approach is exemplary and in other embodiments other approaches may be used.
In the exemplary foot construction, the stem 52 extends at an angle relative to the disc 56 so that the leg 24 connected to the foot 50 will extend at an angle of about 70° when the foot is flatly engaged with a floor or other supporting surface. This is represented by Angle A in
The stem 52 of each foot 50 includes a radially extending alignment projection 68. As shown in
Each stem portion 52 of each foot 50 further includes a plurality of angularly spaced and radially extending positioning projections 72. In the exemplary arrangement the positioning projections 72 extend further radially outwardly with increasing proximity to disc top 58. This configuration of the positioning projections 72 facilitates the engagement of such projections with the inner annular surface bounding the interior of the leg lower portion 54. The positioning projections help to hold the stem in solid fixed engagement with the leg lower portion.
The exemplary stem 52 of each foot 50 further includes an outwardly extending locking projection 74. The exemplary locking projection is resilient and radially outwardly biased on the stem 52. The locking projection 74 of the exemplary arrangement further includes an angled upper surface and a generally flat lower catch surface to facilitate the insertion of the stem and the locking projection within the interior of the leg lower portion 54. As shown in
As shown in
In the exemplary arrangement at least one branch of the harness is comprised of at least one nonporous flat band of flexible plastic material. The flat band is comprised of a plastic coating that overlies a woven fabric core or similar internal structure. The exemplary plastic coating layer provides continuous smooth surfaces on all sides of the flat band. In exemplary arrangements because the core material is encapsulated by the overlying plastic layer, the bands which comprise the harness do not fray or tear as often happens with woven fiber or other types of harness material.
Also in exemplary embodiments the harness may include loops comprised of the flat band material so as to engage the harness with buckles, clips or similar structures. Such loops may be formed in exemplary embodiments by engaging portions of the band through heat welding. Such heat welding engagement provides a joint that has no gaps or porous areas in which dirt and contaminants may collect. Further in exemplary embodiments the flat band material which comprises the harness is relatively rigid and has material memory which causes the band to return to its original position after it has been deformed to engage a child or is tucked aside for storage. As a result the exemplary material is less likely to kink and tends to remain tangle free compared to woven harnesses. In addition, the plastic band material tends to be stickier and maintain contact with the child so as to allow less relative movement and hold the child more securely in the child seat.
In exemplary embodiments the flat band material of the harness may be comprised of a thermoplastic such as a polyurethane which overlies a core of woven plastic fibers such as nylon, rayon, polyester or other material. Of course this construction is exemplary and in other embodiments other approaches may be used.
Thus, the exemplary embodiments of the child seat described herein can achieve improved operation and capabilities, eliminate difficulties encountered in the use of prior devices, and attain the useful results and benefits described herein.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity and understanding. However, no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover the descriptions and illustrations herein are by way of examples and the new and useful features are not limited to the exact features shown and described.
Further in the following claims any feature that is described as a means for performing a function shall be construed to encompass any means known to those skilled in the art as being capable of carrying out the recited function and shall not be deemed limited to the particular means shown or described for performing the recited function in the foregoing description, or mere equivalents thereof.
Having described the features, discoveries and principles of the exemplary embodiments, the manner in which they are constructed and operated, and the advantages and useful results attained, the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts, combinations, systems, equipment, operations, methods, processes and relationships are set forth in the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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62504784 | May 2017 | US |