Child chair

• US 20110062753A1
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Original Assignee: Helen of Troy Limited
• Inventors: Kelly, Colin, Vernon, Ryan, Cedar, Jonathan, Freitag, Eric, Kennedy, Brook, Oxley, Nicholas, Phipps, Troy
• Granted Patent: US 8,240,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/170
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 1/002 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 1/004 in height
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 1/0085 removable
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 1/103 attachable to adult's chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47D 15/006 in chairs

Abstract

A child'"'"'s chair is disclosed having, in its most basic form, a frame having four legs, a seat having a bottom support and a back support, and a tray. To these basic components, numerous modifications can be made to customize features of the chair for enhancing safety and convenience, and/or adapting to additional possible uses. Each of the disclosed embodiments includes at least one of either an adjustable seat, an adjustable footrest, a center post mounted tray, a multiple position, single-hand adjustable tray, a concealed release button, and any combination of such features.

Claims

1. A highchair for seating a child, the highchair comprising:

a seat having a bottom support and a back support, the bottom support including a fixed center post extending there from;

a frame attached to and supporting the seat at a height, the bottom support of the seat being adjustable between a plurality of fixed positions channels on the frame; and

a tray detachably coupled only to the center post of the seat.

2. The highchair of claim 1, wherein the center post is detachable from the bottom support.

3. The highchair of claim 1, further comprising a tray latching mechanism for connecting the tray to the center post and capable of retaining the tray in one of a plurality of attached positions and a release position.

4. The highchair of claim 3, wherein the tray latching mechanism comprises a single actuator for adjusting the latching mechanism between three settings including:

a locked setting where the tray is secured to the center post and prevented from movement;

an adjust setting where the tray is secured to the center post and capable of sliding movement between a plurality of latching points; and

a release setting where the tray is released from attachment to the center post.

5. The highchair of claim 1, further comprising a harness for securing a child positioned in the seat, the harness being secured to the seat and adjustable for various sizes at a position adjacent a rear surface of the back support.

6. The highchair of claim 5, wherein the harness is attached to the center post.

7. The highchair of claim 1, further comprising a seat latching mechanism for retaining the seat at any of the fixed seat position channels.

8. The highchair of claim 7, wherein the seat latching mechanism comprises:

a slide bar positioned to intersect each of the fixed seat position channels and capable of movement along an axis between a lock position and a release position, wherein the seat is locked in a channel when the slide bar is at the lock position and the seat is removable from a channel when the slide bar is at the release position; and

a button attached to an end of the slide bar and which moves along an axis, transverse to the axis of the slide bar, between a first and second position, wherein the slide bar is prevented from movement when the button is in the first position and is slidable between the slide bar lock and release positions when the button is in the second position.

9. The highchair of claim 1, further comprising a footrest supported at a second position on the frame, wherein the footrest is adjustable between a plurality of fixed footrest position channels on the frame.

10. The highchair of claim 9, wherein the footrest and seat are independently adjustable.

11. A highchair for seating a child, the highchair comprising:

a seat having a bottom support and a back support, the bottom support including a fixed center post extending there from;

a frame attached to and supporting the seat at a height; and

a tray having a locking mechanism on a bottom surface for adjustably coupling at a position to the center post of the seat, wherein the position, including removal of the tray, on the center post is adjustable via manipulation of a single release mechanism fixed to the tray and coupled to the locking mechanism.

12. The highchair of claim 11, further comprising a seat latching mechanism for retaining the seat at any of a plurality of fixed seat position channels on the frame.

13. The highchair of claim 12, wherein the seat latching mechanism comprises:

a slide bar positioned to intersect each of the fixed seat position channels and capable of movement along an axis between a lock position and a release position, wherein the seat is locked in a channel when the slide bar is at the lock position and the seat is removable from a channel when the slide bar is at the release position; and

a button attached to an end of the slide bar and which moves along an axis, transverse to the axis of the slide bar, between a first and second position, wherein the slide bar is prevented from movement when the button is in the first position and is slidable between the slide bar lock and release positions when the button is in the second position.

14. The highchair of claim 11, further comprising a footrest supported at a second position on the frame, wherein the footrest is adjustable between a plurality of fixed footrest position channels on the frame.

15. The highchair of claim 14, wherein the footrest and seat are independently adjustable.

16. The highchair of claim 11, further comprising a harness for securing a child positioned in the seat, the harness being secured to the seat and adjustable for various sizes at a position adjacent a rear surface of the back support.

17. The highchair of claim 11, wherein the tray latching mechanism for connecting the tray to the center post comprises a first connecting position, a second connecting position and a release position.

18. A highchair for seating a child, the highchair comprising:

a seat having a bottom support and a back support, the bottom support including a fixed center post extending there from;

a frame comprising a plurality of fixed seat position channels and a plurality of fixed footrest position channels, wherein the frame supports the bottom support in a first seat position channel and a footrest is a first footrest position channel and the bottom support of the seat and the footrest are independently adjustable between the seat position channels and the footrest position channels, respectively; and

a tray detachably coupled to the center post of the seat.

19. The highchair of claim 18, further comprising a tray latching mechanism for connecting the tray to the center post, the latching mechanism comprising a first connecting position, a second connecting position and a release position.

20. The highchair of claim 18, wherein the tray latching mechanism further comprises a single actuator for moving the tray between the first connecting position, the second connecting position and the release position.

21. The highchair of claim 18, further comprising a seat latching mechanism for retaining the seat at any of a plurality of fixed seat position channels on the frame.

22. The highchair of claim 21, wherein the seat latching mechanism comprises:

a slide bar positioned to intersect each of the fixed seat position channels and capable of movement along an axis between a lock position and a release position, wherein the seat is locked in a channel when the slide bar is at the lock position and the seat is removable from a channel when the slide bar is at the release position; and

a button attached to an end of the slide bar and which moves along an axis, transverse to the axis of the slide bar, between a first and second position, wherein the slide bar is prevented from movement when the button is in the first position and is slidable between the slide bar lock and release positions when the button is in the second position.

23. The highchair of claim 18, further comprising a harness for securing a child positioned in the seat, the harness being secured to the seat and adjustable for various sizes at a position adjacent a rear surface of the back support.

24. A highchair for seating a child, the highchair comprising:

a seat having a bottom support and a back support, the bottom support including a fixed center post extending there from;

a frame attached to and supporting the seat at a height;

a harness for securing a child positioned in the seat, the harness being secured to the seat and adjustable for various sizes at a position adjacent a rear surface of the back support;

a tray detachably coupled to the center post of the seat.

25. The highchair of claim 24, further comprising a tray latching mechanism for connecting the tray to the center post, the latching mechanism comprising a first connecting position, a second connecting position and a release position.

26. The highchair of claim 24, wherein the tray latching mechanism further comprises a single actuator for moving the tray between the first connecting position, the second connecting position and the release position.

27. The highchair of claim 24, wherein the height of the seat is adjustable within the frame.

28. The highchair of claim 27, further comprising a seat latching mechanism for retaining the seat at any of a plurality of fixed seat position channels on the frame.

29. The highchair of claim 28, wherein the seat latching mechanism comprises:

a slide bar positioned to intersect each of the fixed seat position channels and capable of movement along an axis between a lock position and a release position, wherein the seat is locked in a channel when the slide bar is at the lock position and the seat is removable from a channel when the slide bar is at the release position; and

a button attached to an end of the slide bar and which moves along an axis, transverse to the axis of the slide bar, between a first and second position, wherein the slide bar is prevented from movement when the button is in the first position and is slidable between the slide bar lock and release positions when the button is in the second position.

30. The highchair of claim 27, further comprising a footrest supported at a height by the frame, wherein the height of the footrest is adjustable by moving the footrest between a plurality of fixed footrest position channels on the frame.

31. The highchair of claim 30, wherein the footrest and seat are independently adjustable.

32. A highchair comprising:

a seat having a bottom support and a back support, the bottom support including a fixed center post extending there from;

a tray detachably coupled to the center post of the seat;

a tray latching mechanism for connecting the tray to the center post and capable of movement between a first connecting position, a second connecting position and a release position;

a frame supporting the seat at a first position and having a footrest supported at a second position on the frame, wherein the bottom support of the seat and the footrest are independently adjustable between a plurality of fixed seat position channels on the frame and a plurality of fixed footrest position channels on the frame, respectively; and

a harness for securing a child positioned in the seat, the harness being secured to the seat and adjustable for various sizes at a position adjacent a rear surface of the back support.

33. The highchair of claim 32, wherein the tray latching mechanism further comprises a single actuator for moving the tray between the first connecting position, the second connecting position and the release position.

34. The highchair of claim 32, further comprising a seat latching mechanism for retaining the seat at any of a plurality of fixed seat position channels on the frame.

35. The highchair of claim 34, wherein the seat latching mechanism comprises:

a slide bar positioned to intersect each of the fixed seat position channels and capable of movement along an axis between a lock position and a release position, wherein the seat is locked in a channel when the slide bar is at the lock position and the seat is removable from a channel when the slide bar is at the release position; and

a button attached to an end of the slide bar and which moves along an axis, transverse to the axis of the slide bar, between a first and second position, wherein the slide bar is prevented from movement when the button is in the first position and is slidable between the slide bar lock and release positions when the button is in the second position.

36. A highchair comprising:

a seat having a bottom support and a back support;

a frame supporting the seat at a first position and having a footrest supported at a second position on the frame, wherein the bottom support of the seat and the footrest are independently adjustable between a plurality of fixed seat position channels on the frame and a plurality of footrest position channels on the frame, respectively;

a tray detachably coupled to the seat;

a tray latching mechanism for connecting the tray to the seat and capable of movement between a first connecting position, a second connecting position and a release position; and

a harness for securing a child positioned in the seat, the harness being secured to the seat and adjustable for various sizes at a position adjacent a rear surface of the back support.

37. The highchair of claim 36, further comprising a fixed center post extending from the seat, wherein the tray detachably couples to the center post.

38. The highchair of claim 36, wherein the tray latching mechanism further comprises a single actuator for moving the tray between the first connecting position, the second connecting position and the release position.

39. The highchair of claim 36, further comprising a seat latching mechanism for retaining the seat at any of the plurality of fixed seat position channels on the frame.

40. The highchair of claim 39, wherein the seat latching mechanism comprises:

a slide bar positioned to intersect each of the fixed seat position channels and capable of movement along an axis between a lock position and a release position, wherein the seat is locked in a channel when the slide bar is at the lock position and the seat is removable from a channel when the slide bar is at the release position; and

a button attached to an end of the slide bar and which moves along an axis, transverse to the axis of the slide bar, between a first and second position, wherein the slide bar is prevented from movement when the button is in the first position and is slidable between the slide bar lock and release positions when the button is in the second position.

41. A child seat comprising:

a seat having a bottom support and a back support;

a frame having a plurality of fixed seat position channels each configured to retain the bottom support therein, wherein the bottom support of the seat is vertically adjustable relative to the back support via the seat position channels; and

a seat latching mechanism for retaining the seat at any of the fixed seat position channels, the seat latching mechanism comprising;

a slide bar positioned to intersect each of the fixed seat position channels and capable of movement along an axis between a lock position and a release position, wherein the seat is locked in a channel when the slide bar is at the lock position and the seat is removable from a channel when the slide bar is at the release position; and

a button attached to an end of the slide bar and which moves along an axis, transverse to the axis of the slide bar, between a first and second position, wherein the slide bar is prevented from movement when the button is in the first position and is slidable between the slide bar lock and release positions when the button is in the second position.

42. The child seat of claim 41, wherein the button is flush with a surface of the frame when in the first position.

43. The child seat of claim 42, wherein the button is extended from the surface of the frame when in the second position.

44. The child seat of claim 41, wherein the slide bar comprises a number of stops corresponding to a number of the plurality of seat position channels and for engaging and retaining the seat in a seat position channel.

45. The child seat of claim 41, wherein the frame further comprises a slide bar channel transverse to the plurality of seat position channels and into which the slide bar is retained for movement.

46. The child seat of claim 41, further comprising a fixed center post extending from the seat.

47. The child seat of claim 46, further comprising a tray detachably coupled to the center post.

48. The child seat of claim 47, wherein the tray comprises a latching mechanism for connecting the tray to the seat and capable of movement between a first connecting position, a second connecting position and a release position.

49. The child seat of claim 48, wherein the tray latching mechanism comprises a single actuator for moving the tray between the first connecting position, the second connecting position and the release position.

50. The child seat of claim 41, further comprising a footrest supported at a position on the frame, wherein the footrest is adjustable between a plurality of fixed footrest position channels on the frame.

51. The child seat of claim 50, wherein the footrest and seat are independently adjustable.

52. The child seat of claim 46, further comprising a harness for securing a child positioned in the seat, the harness being secured to the center post and the back support and the harness being adjustable for various sizes at a position adjacent a rear surface of the back support.

54. A chair comprising:

a seat having a bottom support and a back support;

a frame supporting the seat;

a tray detachably coupled to the seat;

a tray latching mechanism for connecting the tray at a latching point to one of either the seat and the frame and the latching mechanism being adjustable between three settings.

55. The chair of claim 54, further comprising a fixed center post extending from the seat, wherein the tray latching mechanism detachably couples the tray to the center post at a latching point.

56. The chair of claim 54, wherein the three settings of the tray latching mechanism comprises:

a locked setting where the tray is secured at the latching point and prevented from movement;

an adjust setting where the tray is secured and capable of sliding movement between a plurality of latching points; and

a release setting where the tray is released from attachment.

57. The chair of claim 56, wherein the tray latching mechanism comprises an actuator for moving the latching mechanism between the three settings.

58. The chair of claim 57, wherein the actuator is a single handle attached to the tray.

59. A tray latching mechanism for attaching a tray to a chair at a latching point, comprising:

a locked setting wherein the tray is secured at the latching point and prevented from movement;

an adjust setting wherein the tray is secured and capable of slidable movement between a plurality of latching points; and

a release setting wherein the tray is released from the latching point.

60. The chair of claim 59, wherein the tray latching mechanism comprises an actuator for moving the latching mechanism between the settings.

61. The chair of claim 60, wherein the actuator is a handle coupled to the tray.