GB2260485A - Child's chair - Google Patents

Abstract

A child's chair having a stand consisting of two side frames each of which comprises first and second legs (12, 18; 14, 20) which are pivotally connected to one another at an intermediate point (26, 28) along their length. A seat (24) is pivotally mounted on the first legs (12, 14) at a position above the intermediate point and is connected to each second leg (14, 20) by a respective sliding coupling. Each sliding connection comprises a flat strip (46, 56) secured parallel to and spaced from the corresponding second leg (18, 20) at each end and a plastics block 42 having a slot through which the strip 46, 56 projects. A rod 40 projects from the seat and is journalled in a hole in the block 42. <IMAGE>

Description

CHILD'S CHAIR This invention relates to a child's chair of the type having a stand consisting of two side frames each of which comprises first and second legs which are pivotally connected to one another at an intermediate point along their length, the legs being angularly movable between a deployed position in which their ends are spaced apart and a folded position in which the first and second legs lie substantially parallel to one another, and a seat which is pivotally mounted on the first legs at a position above said intermediate point and is connected to each second leg by a respective sliding coupling which is movable along the second leg that the seat is substantially horizontal when the legs are in their deployed position, and lies substantially parallel to the first and second legs when the legs are in their folded position.

In a known seat of this type, each sliding coupling comprises a C-shaped member having the ends of its limbs secured to the corresponding second leg so as to form an elongate slot extending longitudinally off the second leg and a rod projecting laterally from the seat portion into the slot. In order to allow the seat to pivot, the rod must be of circular cross-section and the diameter of the rod must be large enough to give the rod sufficient strength to support the seat. The slot must therefore be wide enough to accomodate such a rod, with the result that it is wide enough to allow insertion of a child's finger, with the risk that such a finger could be trapped during folding or unfolding of the chair. The present invention aims to provide a chair which is not subject to this disadvantage.

According to the invention, in a child's chair of the type described above, each sliding connection comprises a flat strip secured parallel to and spaced from the corresponding second leg and a plastics block having a slot through which the strip projects so that the strip is slidably mounted thereon, a rod projecting from the seat being journalled in a hole in the moulding.

The invention accordingly provides a means allowing both pivotal and sliding connection between the seat and each of the second legs without the necessity for providing a slot for the sliding action of sufficient width to allow the pivoting action.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a child's chair in accordance with the invention, in its deployed position; Figure 2 is a side view of the chair shown in Figure 1 in its folded position; Figure 3 is a scrap view on an enlarged scale illustrating the sliding connection between the seat panel and one of the second legs of the chair shown in Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 4 is a scrap cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a child's chair has a frame comprising a first U-shaped member having a horizontal portion 10 and two legs 12 and 14, a second Ushaped member having a central curved portion 16 and legs 18 and 20, and a third U-shaped member 22 supporting a seat panel 24. The three U-shaped members are formed from steel tube.

The legs 12 and 18 of the first two U-shaped members are interconnected by a pivot joint 26 and the legs 14 and 20 on the other side of the seat are similarly interconnected by a pivot joint 28. The third U-shaped member 22 is pivotally connected to the leg 12 by a pivot joint 30 located above the pivot joint 26 and is also connected to the corresponding leg 14 on the other side of the seat by a similar pivot joint (not shown).

A tray 32 is pivotally mounted on legs 18 and 20 by pivot joints 34 and 36 and has clips 38 which are detachably engageable with the horizontal portion 10 of the first U-shaped member. A fabric backrest 38 is fitted over the curved portion 16 of the second U-shaped member and connected to the back of the seat panel 24.

The third tubular member 22 has a stub axle 40 projecting laterally towards the leg 18 and a similar stub axle (not shown) projecting laterally towards the leg 20 on the other side of the seat. As can best be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the stub axle 40 is received in a plastics moulded block 42 which contains a slot 44 through which a flat strip 46 is slidable. The ends of the strip 46 are supported in parallel spaced-apart relation to the leg 18 by spacer washers 48 and 50 and secured in position by rivets 52 and 54. The corresponding stub axle (not shown) on the other side of the third U-shaped member 22 is similarly slidably coupled to a strip 56 mounted on the leg 20.

When the chair is in its deployed position illustrated in Figure 1, the block 42 rests on the spacer 50 at the bottom end of the strip 46 and the slider on the strip 56 is similarly positioned. When the seat is folded, the block 42 and the corresponding block on the strip 56 move upwardly to the position illustrated in Figure 2.

The invention accordingly allows the U-shaped member 22 which supports the seat to be both slidably and pivotally coupled to the legs 18 and 20 without requiring the gap between the strips 46 and 56 and the corresponding legs 18 and 20 to be wide enough to receive the stub axle and the corresponding stub axle on the other side of the seat.

Claims (3)

1. A child's chair having a stand consisting of two side frames each of which comprises first and second legs which are pivotally connected to one another at an intermediate point along their length, the legs being angularly movable between a deployed position in which their ends are spaced apart and a folded position in which the first and second legs lie substantially parallel to one another, and a seat which is pivotally mounted on the first legs at a position above said intermediate point and is connected to each second leg by a respective sliding coupling which is movable along the second leg that the seat is substantially horizontal when the legs are in their deployed position, and lies substantially parallel to the first and second legs when the legs are in their folded position, wherein each sliding connection comprises a flat strip secured parallel to and spaced from the corresponding second leg at each end and a plastics block having a slot through which the strip projects so that the strip is slidably mounted thereon, a rod projecting from the seat being journalled in a hole in the moulding.

2. A child's chair according to claim 1, wherein each flat strip is secured to the corresponding second leg at each end by spacers.

3. A child's chair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3. A child's chair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A child's chair having a stand consisting of two side frames each of which comprises first and second legs which are pivotally connected to one another at an intermediate point along their length, the legs being angularly movable between a deployed position in which their ends are spaced apart and a folded position in which the first and second legs lie substantially parallel to one another, and a seat which is pivotally mounted on the first legs at a position above said intermediate point and is connected to each second leg by a respective sliding coupling which is movable along the second leg so that the seat is substantially horizontal when the legs are in their deployed position, and lies substantially parallel to the first and second legs when the legs are in their folded position, wherein each sliding connection comprises a flat strip secured parallel to and spaced from the corresponding second leg at each end and a plastics block having a slot through which the strip projects so that the strip is slidably mounted thereon, a rod projecting from the seat being journalled in a hole in the block.

2. A child's chair according to claim 1, wherein each flat strip is secured to the corresponding second leg at each end by spacers.