Patent Application
20240156181
The present invention generally relates to apparatus and means for attaching a bib to a highchair tray, table or countertop.
Children are notoriously messy eaters since they lack the developmental skills and practice needed to become proficient in eating and drinking without spilling. There is ample opportunity for spills when kids are eating three meals a day and have snacks throughout.
Caregivers are constantly cleaning up by wiping down hands and faces, highchair trays, seats and floors not to mention the laundry involved with keeping clothes clean. Add another young child or two to the mix and one can easily spend hours of time and energy cleaning and doing laundry.
A number of attempts have been made to reduce the amount of mess that ends up on the child's lap, seat and floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,521 (Feb. 8, 2000) describes a bib used for directing food or drink onto a tray. The bib includes various fasteners that attach to the tray such that the bib extends to the inside of the tray. A further embodiment includes a tray and bib combination wherein the tray includes an attachment site for the bib. Both of these inventions require a customized bib and/or highchair tray to function and do not work with existing bibs or highchair trays. Further, the fasteners for the bib consists of snaps, buttons, ties, strings, snap buttons, attached strings, hooks, magnets and hook and loop fasteners. Other means such as suction cups are not included.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,558 (Nov. 5, 1991) describes a food tray and bib combination that captures and contains falling food. The combination can be used independently of a highchair or table as it is supported around the users neck. This is not ideal for children as it requires them to support the food on the tray by their neck.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,820 (Oct. 17, 1995) describes an attachable bib that extends across the lap of an individual that catches food. The bib is designed to wrap around a stroller tray in front of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,390,570 (Aug. 27, 2019) describes a portable bib and bowl combination with the purpose of holding food so that the user may feed themselves out of the bowl. The bib features a variety of fasteners allowing the bib to be unfolded and cleaned.
There are various other apparatuses that seek to solve this problem. One product is a fabric bib with a pouch on the bottom of it to capture spills. This pouch tends to flatten as the child leans against a table or highchair tray and any spills that are captured are difficult to clean out of the pouch. A silicone bib with a pouch improves upon the fabric bib such that the pouch is more rigid and less prone to collapse. However, if a child is leaning against a table or highchair tray the pouch will still close and food can still slip by on to their lap, the highchair seat and floor.
Other apparatuses include various large bibs and trays that extend past the highchair tray and capture spills. However, these products are often cumbersome and unsightly such that the effort to set them up and clean them is an inconvenience for sustained use. Another apparatus includes placing a floor mat underneath the highchair. This may protect the floor but does not prevent food and drink from spilling onto the child's lap and seat.
What is needed in the art are apparatuses or devices that can function with a variety of existing bibs, highchairs, tables and countertops such that they are effective and simple to use. A preferred apparatus comprises a means for fastening a variety of bibs to a variety of highchair trays, tables or countertops such that spills are directed to and contained on the tray, table or countertop. The apparatus will prevent spills from ending up on the users lap and chair thereby reducing the amount of food waste and the amount of effort and time needed to clean up.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art, as will now be summarized and then further described in detail below.
One embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus that secures a bib to a highchair tray, table or countertop. The invention is comprised of a means for attaching a base to a tray and a means for securing a bib in place with a clip such that any food or drink that drops on the bib will be caught and directed to the tray. The apparatus acts as an adapter connecting both to the bib and the highchair tray.
In one embodiment the present invention includes an apparatus for fastening a bib to a highchair tray, table or countertop comprising a material that can adapt to various surface contours, a means for attaching the apparatus to the highchair tray, table or countertop, and a means for fastening the bib to the apparatus.
In one embodiment the material is selected from the group consisting of silicone, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, polycarbonate, low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber (TPR), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and combinations thereof.
In one embodiment the material has a Shore A durometer hardness between 70 and 100.
In one embodiment the means for attaching the apparatus to the highchair tray, table or countertop is selected from the group consisting of hook and loop fasteners, adhesive, glue, magnets, suction cups, straps, latches, mechanical fasteners, and combinations thereof.
In one embodiment the means for fastening the bib to the apparatus is selected from the group consisting of clamps, clips, hook and loop fasteners, adhesive, glue, magnets, suction cups, straps, latches, mechanical fasteners, and combinations thereof.
In another embodiment of the invention, the highchair tray comprises a means for fastening a bib. Various means for fastening a bib may be selected from the group comprising but not limited to clips, hook and loop fasteners, adhesive, glue, magnets, suction cups, straps, latches and mechanical fasteners such as rivets or screws. Further, the clip can use various means for fastening the bib including but not limited to the natural tension of the apparatus itself when stretched into place, springs, torsion or clips. In a preferred embodiment a means is selected that is simple, robust, easy to use and clean and will not damage the bib.
In one embodiment the present invention includes a highchair tray comprising a means for fastening a bib, and a means for directing spills to the inside of the highchair tray when the bib is fastened.
In one embodiment the highchair tray comprises a means for fastening the bib is selected from the group consisting of clamps, clips, hook and loop fasteners, adhesive, glue, magnets, suction cups, straps, latches and mechanical fasteners.
In one embodiment the highchair tray means for fastening the bib comprises a means for directing spills to the inside of the highchair tray when the bib is fastened.
In another embodiment of the invention the bib comprises a means for attaching directly to a highchair tray, table or countertop. In one embodiment the means for attaching the bib to a highchair tray is selected from the group comprising suction cups, adhesive, glue, and stitching. In one embodiment the bib comprises a means for directing spills to the inside of the highchair tray when the bib is fastened to the highchair tray. Spills are thereby prevented from falling or leaking between the bib and the tray onto the users lap and seat below. The bib itself may droop between the user and the tray, table or countertop such that it is lower than the surface on which the food and drink are placed. The bib itself may capture food and drink that are spilled.
In one embodiment of the invention the bib comprises a means for attaching the bib to the outside edge of a highchair tray, a profile such that a portion of the bib is positioned over the inside edge of the highchair tray, and a material having a Shore A durometer hardness between 50 and 70.
In one embodiment the bib means for attaching the bib directly to a highchair tray comprises a suction cup or suction cups.
In one embodiment the suction cup comprises a material having a Shore A durometer hardness between 55 and 65.
The advantages of the invention described may be better understood by referring to the descriptions below with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not to scale and represent exemplary configurations that depict general principles of the invention.
The apparatus, means, and methods of the present invention will now be described in detail by reference to various non-limiting embodiments, including the figures which are exemplary only.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing dimensions, capacities, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Without limiting the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The transitional phrases “comprising,” “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of” define the scope of a claim with respect to what unrecited additional components or steps, if any, are excluded from the scope of the claim. The transitional term “comprising,” which is synonymous with “including” or “containing” is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. The transitional phrase “consisting essentially of” limits the scope of a claim to the specified materials or steps and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention.
Any reference herein to a “highchair tray,” “table,” or “countertop,” should be broadly construed to include any such surface on which one would set their food and drink while eating and drinking.
Any reference herein to “secure,” “fasten,” “affix,” “hold,” “clamp,” “clip,” “connect,” “attach,” and the like should be broadly construed to include any means to connect one item to the next.
“Bib” for the purpose of this invention, is thin piece of material that is worn by the user to prevent food and drink from contacting the users chest and mid-section. Various sizes, materials and thickness of bibs are included. Further, various means for securing the bib to the users neck or body can be incorporated.
With reference to exemplary
In one embodiment the base 102 and clip 105 are made of a material that can adapt to various surface contours including flat and curved surfaces. Further the base 102 and clip 105 do not require the highchair tray to be modified in any fashion to function. The base 102 and clip 105 may be made from materials selected from the group comprising but not limited to silicone, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, polycarbonate, low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber (TPR) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and combinations thereof.
The base 102 and clip 105 may be made from materials having a Shore A durometer hardness between 70 and 100. In a preferred embodiment the base 102 and clip 105 may each have a Shore A durometer hardness between 80 and 90. The base 102 and clip 105 may have different hardness properties such that the base 102 has a Shore A durometer hardness between 70 and 80 while the clip 105 has a Shore A durometer hardness between 80 and 90, for example.
In one embodiment the base 102 comprises a means 103 for attaching to a highchair tray 101. Various means 103 of attaching the apparatus to the tray, table or countertop 101 may selected from the group comprising but not limited to clamps, clips, hook and loop fasteners, adhesive, glue, magnets, suction cups, straps, latches and mechanical fasteners such as rivets or screws. In a preferred embodiment adhesive 103 is used since it can be applied and removed without altering or damaging the highchair tray.
In one embodiment, the means 103 for attaching to a highchair tray 101 may be made from materials selected from the group comprising but not limited to adhesive, glue, silicone, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, polycarbonate, low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber (TPR) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and combinations thereof. The base 102 and the means 103 for attaching to a highchair tray 101 may be made from different materials.
In one embodiment the base 102 profile comprises a means allowing the clip 105 to be retained by the base 102. Various means may be selected from the group comprising but not limited to an indentation, protrusion, hinge or other such means that allows the clip 105 to be retained by the base 102.
In one embodiment the bib 104 is positioned over the edge of the highchair tray 101 before the clip 105 is installed and the bib 104 is attached to the highchair tray 101.
In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a clip 105 fastener to secure the bib 104 in place. The fastening means comprises but is not limited to the natural tension of the material itself when stretched into place, springs, torsion, hinges or clips.
With reference to exemplary
In one embodiment the clip 205 is stretched over the highchair tray 201 edge and the base 202. Each end of the clip 205 is retained by the edge of the highchair tray 201 and the indentation of the base 202, respectively. The resulting tension of the clip 205 secures the bib 204 between the base 202 and the clip 205. This means for fastening is simple, robust, easy to use and clean and will not damage the bib or alter the tray.
In one embodiment the profile and orientation of the clip 205 while it is stretched over the highchair tray 201 edge and the base 202 positions the bib 204 at the inside edge of the highchair tray 201. Since the interface of the bib 204 and the highchair tray 201 is on the inside edge of the highchair tray 201 spills are contained by the highchair tray 201 edge. This naturally prevents spills from falling or leaking between the bib and the tray onto the users lap and seat below. Were the interface of the bib 204 and the highchair tray 201 on the outside edge of the highchair tray 201 there would still be an opportunity for liquid spills to leak between the interface and below the highchair tray 201.
In one embodiment the bib 204 itself may droop between the user and the tray such that it is lower than the tray. However, the bottom edge of the bib 204 that is fastened between the base 202 and clip 205 is positioned on the inside edge of the highchair tray 201 or flat surface of a table or countertop such that even liquids cannot leak between the bib 204 and the highchair tray 201.
Preferably the means for securing and holding the bib 204 is able to accommodate various types and styles of bibs without needing modification. The bib 204 may have various thicknesses, textures and material properties that the invention can accommodate and secure.
Preferably the means for securing and holding the bib 204 is able to accommodate various types and styles of highchair trays 201 without needing modification. The highchair tray 201 may have various shapes, profiles and materials of construction that the invention can accommodate and secure.
Preferably the means for securing the bib 204 to the highchair tray 201 is strong enough to withstand the weight of various spills, movement of the user and other forces such that the bib 204 is not easily disengaged from the clip 205 that attaches to the base 202 and highchair tray 201. Preferably the means for securing the bib 204 to the highchair tray 201 is not so secure that the bib 204 is permanently fastened in place or requires an undue amount of force to remove which may pose a safety hazard to the user.
With reference to exemplary
In one embodiment the highchair tray means 302 for fastening a bib 303 further comprises a means for directing spills to the inside of the highchair tray 301 when the bib 303 is fastened. In one embodiment the means for directing the spills to the inside of the highchair tray 301 is integrated into the edge of the highchair tray 301. Spills are thereby prevented from falling or leaking between the bib and the tray onto the users lap and seat below. The bib 303 itself may droop between the user and the tray 301 such that it is lower than the tray 301. However, a portion of the bib 303 that is fastened in the highchair tray is positioned over the inside lip of the highchair tray 301.
Preferably the means 302 for securing the bib 303 to the highchair tray 301 is strong enough to withstand the weight of various spills, movement of the user and other forces such that the bib 303 is not easily disengaged from the highchair tray means 302 for securing the bib 303 but not so secure that the bib 303 is permanently fastened in place or requires an undue amount of force to remove which may pose a safety hazard to the user.
In a preferred embodiment, the highchair tray means 302 for securing and holding the bib 303 is able to accommodate various types and styles of bibs without needing modification. The bib 303 may have various thicknesses, textures and material properties that the invention can accommodate and secure.
With reference to exemplary
In one embodiment of the invention the bib 402 comprises a means for directing spills to the inside of the highchair tray 401 when the bib is fastened to the highchair tray 401. Spills are thereby prevented from falling or leaking between the bib and the tray onto the users lap and seat below.
In a preferred embodiment the bib 402 is shaped such that a portion of the bib 402 is positioned over the inside edge of the highchair tray 402 or surface of a table or countertop so as to direct spills onto the eating surface on which the food and drink are placed. The bib 402 itself may droop between the user and the tray 401, table or countertop such that it is lower than the surface on which the food and drink are placed. The bib 402 itself may capture food and drink that are spilled.
In one embodiment the bib 402 is made of a material that can adapt to various surface contours including flat and curved surfaces. Further the bib 402 does not require the highchair tray 401 or table or countertop to be modified in any fashion to function. The bib 402 may be made from materials selected from the group comprising but not limited to silicone, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), acrylic, polycarbonate, low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, thermoplastic rubber (TPR) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), fabric and combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment the bib 402 is made of silicone.
In a preferred embodiment the bib 402 comprises a suction cup 403 or suction cups 403 that are made from materials having a Shore A durometer hardness between 50 and 70. In a preferred embodiment the suction cups 403 have a Shore A durometer hardness between 55 and 65. In a preferred embodiment the suction cup or cups 403 are made of silicone.
In a preferred embodiment the suction cup or cups 403 are integral to the bib 402 and can attach to the outside edge of the highchair tray 401 while the bib 402 profile is such that a portion of the bib 402 is positioned over the inside edge of the highchair tray 401. In a preferred embodiment the bib 402 comprising a suction cup 403 or suction cups 403 are made from the same material having a Shore A durometer hardness between 50 and 70.
In this description, reference has been made to multiple embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that modifications to the various disclosed embodiments may be made by a skilled artisan.
All publications, Internet sites, patents, and patent applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each publication, patent, or patent application were specifically and individually put forth herein. Any Internet site contents and publications available on the Internet are incorporated herein as of the filing date of this patent application, even if such Internet sites or publications later become unavailable.
The embodiments, variations, and figures described above provide an indication of the utility and versatility of the present invention. Other embodiments that do not provide all of the features and advantages set forth herein may also be utilized, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of the principles of the invention defined by the claims.
This patent application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 63/424,543, filed on Nov. 11, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63424543 | Nov 2022 | US |
