Claims
- 1. A portable activity center, supportable on a support surface and configurable between use and stowed positions, comprising:
a support frame extending vertically upwards from a lower end proximate to the support surface and terminating at an upper end; a seat supporting portion coupled to the support frame upper end; and a seat rotatably coupled to the seat supporting portion such that the seat is rotatable about a first rotational axis relative to the support frame; wherein when the activity center is in the use position, the seat supporting portion is orientated in a first position relative to the support frame, the first position being appropriate for placing a child in the seat; and wherein when the activity center is in the stowed position, the seat supporting portion is oriented in a second position relative to the support frame, the second position being rotationally offset from the first position, wherein the rotational offset between the first and second positions results from a rotation of the seat supporting portion about a second rotational axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.
- 2. The portable activity center of claim 1, wherein the seat supporting portion is coupled to the support frame upper end through a coupling assembly configurable between an open and closed position,
wherein when the coupling assembly is in the closed position, the coupling assembly fixes the seat supporting portion relative to the support frame and the activity center is configured in the use position, and wherein when the coupling assembly is in the open position, the seat supporting portion is rotatably decoupled from the support frame so as to enable rotation of the seat supporting portion about the second rotational axis.
- 3. The portable activity center of claim 1, wherein the second position is rotationally offset from the first position by approximately 90 degrees.
- 4. The portable activity center of claim 1, wherein the support frame includes a first and second upstanding post each having an upper end coupled to the seat supporting portion.
- 5. The portable activity center of claim 1, wherein the seat supporting portion includes an upper surface generally defining an activity area for a child placed in the seat,
- 6. The portable activity center of claim 5, wherein the upper surface extends around a periphery of the seat.
- 7. The portable activity center of claim 1, wherein the seat supporting portion defines a generally circular support area including a race for permitting rotation of the seat relative to the seat supporting portion.
- 8. The portable activity center of claim 1, wherein the support frame upper end is slidably positionable relative to the support frame lower end so as to provide selective height adjustment of the seat relative to the support surface.
- 9. The portable activity center of claim 1, wherein the rotational offset between the first and second positions corresponds to a rotation of both the seat supporting portion and the seat about the second rotational axis.
- 10. The portable activity center of claim 1, wherein the support surface defines a plane and the first axis extends perpendicular to the plane.
- 11. The portable activity center of claim 1, further including a connector rotatably connecting the support frame to the seat supporting portion,
wherein one of the seat supporting portion and support frame are rotated about the connector when the seat supporting portion is rotated from the first position to the second position.
- 12. A method for configuring a child support from a deployed position to a folded position, the child support including a seat and tray, a vertically extending support frame coupled to the seat and tray, and a base support supporting the support frame, wherein when the child support is configured in the deployed position, a first connector is engaged so as to fix the tray and seat to the support frame, the method of configuring the child support from the deployed to folded positions comprising the steps of:
releasing the first connector so as to permit rotational motion of the seat and tray relative to the support frame; rotating the seat and tray about a first axis so as to position the seat and tray from a generally horizontal, deployed position to a generally vertical, folded position; and fixing the seat and tray in the folded position by re-engaging the first connector with the support frame.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the releasing the first connector and re-engaging the first connector steps includes the steps of releasing and re-engaging, respectively, an actuator disposed on one of the base support and tray and seat with the other of the base support and tray and seat.
- 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the actuator is a spring-biased button.
- 15. The method of claim 13, further including the step of disposing the actuator on the tray.
- 16. The method of claim 12, further including the steps of forming a support frame housing coupler on the tray.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the rotating the seat and tray about a first axis step further includes the step of rotating the housing coupler relative to the support frame.
- 18. A foldable child support supportable on a support surface and configurable between a use and stowed position, comprising:
a support frame; and a supporting portion coupled to the support frame, the supporting portion including a seat and an upper surface defining an activity area for a child placed in the seat, the upper surface defining a first plane; wherein when the child support is in the use position, the supporting portion is orientated in a first position relative to the support frame and the first plane is generally parallel to the support surface; and wherein when the child support is in the stowed position, the supporting portion is oriented in a second position relative to the support frame, the second position being rotationally offset from the first position, wherein the rotational offset between the first and second positions results from a rotation of the supporting portion within a second plane that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane.
- 19. The foldable child support of claim 18, wherein the supporting portion includes a tray and the tray includes the upper surface, wherein the supporting portion is coupled to the support frame through the tray.
- 20. The foldable child support of claim 18, wherein the supporting portion second position corresponds to the first plane being substantially perpendicular to the support surface.
- 21. The foldable child support of claim 18, further including
a generally circular engagement housing formed on the supporting portion, and a generally circular mating housing formed on the support frame, wherein the mating housing is rotatably coupled to the engagement housing by a bolt.
- 22. The foldable child support of claim 18, further including a base support coupled to the support frame and including a ground engaging end, wherein when the child support is configured in the use position, the base support suspends the support frame and supporting portion above the ground engaging end.
- 23. The foldable child support of claim 22, further including a ground engagement portion of the support frame,
wherein when the child support is in the stowed position, the child support and base support are supported by the support frame ground engagement portion.
- 24. The foldable child support of claim 18, wherein the rotational offset between the first and second positions corresponds to an angle of approximately 90 degrees.
- 25. A method for configuring a child's activity seat from a deployed position to a folded position, the child's activity seat including a seat coupled to a tray, a housing coupling the seat and tray to the base support, a base support having an upper end and a lower end and a support frame supporting the activity seat in the deployed position, wherein when the activity seat is configured in the deployed position, a first connector fixes the tray to the base support and a second connector fixes the support frame to the base support, said method of configuring the activity seat from the deployed to folded positions comprising the steps of:
releasing the first connector so as to permit rotational motion of the seat and tray relative to the base support; and rotating the seat and tray about a first axis so as to position the seat and tray from a generally horizontal, deployed position to a generally vertically, folded position; wherein the releasing the first connector step further includes the step of depressing a biasing portion blocking rotational motion of the housing relative to the base support so as to permit rotational motion of the housing relative to the base support.
- 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the rotating step includes the step of rotating the seat and tray through an angle of approximately ninety degrees.
- 27. The method of claim 25, wherein the depressing a biasing portion step includes the step of depressing at least one button.
- 28. The method of claim 25, further including the step of releasing the second connector so as to permit rotational motion of the base support relative to the support frame.
- 29. The method of claim 25, wherein the releasing the first connector step includes the step of releasing the tray from the base support.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority to allowed U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/654,917 and pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/653,008, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The invention relates broadly to a child supporting activity device and more specifically, the invention relates to a child supporting activity device for entertaining and promoting activity in a young child.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09654917 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
Child |
10116063 |
Apr 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09653008 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Child |
09654917 |
Sep 2000 |
US |