GB2340032A

GB2340032A - A high chair

Info

Publication number: GB2340032A
Application number: GB9915017A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Boney
Original assignee: East Coast Nursery Products Ltd
Current assignee: East Coast Nursery Products Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-30
Filing date: 1999-06-29
Publication date: 2000-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2019-06-29
Also published as: GB2340032B; GB2368274A; GB9915017D0; GB0200749D0; GB2368274B

Description

2340032 A HIGH CHAIR The invention relates to a high chair.

A folding.high chair is known which c omprises a wooden frame in two parts, the two frame parts being connected together in scissor fashion. The high chair also includes a seat for a child and a tray for a child in the seat to eat from. The tray is made of plastic and is connected to the frame through two wooden, rearwardly extending limbs which are pivotally 10 connected to the frame, and which act as arm rests for a child in the chair. The known high chair can be folded flat for storage, but it is not always desirable for the high chair to be completely collapsed. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a high chair 15 comprising a frame and a tray, the tray being connected to the frame to permit movement of- the tray with respect to the frame between a use position in which the tray is substantially horizontal, and a storage position, the tray being manually releasably held to the frame. Thus, the tray can be completely removed from the frame by a manual operation so that for example it can be cleaned separately or stored 2 separately, while, when connected to the frame, the tray can conveniently be moved out of the use position.

Preferably, in the storage position, the position of the tray reduces the depth of the chair. In this case, when the high chair is not in use, the tray can be moved into the storage position to make the chair more compact.

The chair may be a collapsible chair, such as a scissors foldable chair and in that case the chair need not be completely collapsed in order to reduce its overall dimensions when it is not in use.

Alternatively, in the storage position, the tray may lie behind and/or underneath the seat of the. chair. In this case again, the tray can be moved from the use position into the storage position to make the chair more compact. Furthermore, as the tray is behind and/or beneath the seat of the chair, the chair can be used at a table or in other situations where the tray is not required.

The tray may be connected to the frame in any suitable manner.

Preferably, the tray is pivotally connected to the frame. Preferably, one of the frame and tray includes a pin which is received in an aperture defined - in the other of the frame and tray, the pin and aperture being relatively 3 movable such that the pin can be relatively moved out of the aperture.

Preferably, the pin and aperture are relatively urged together and they may be so urged together by spring means. While either the pin or aperture may be movable, preferably the aperture is fixed and the pin is movable.

The pin may be provided on the tray or on the frame but preferably is provided on the tray.

Preferably two said pins and apertures are provided. One pin and aperture may then be provided and to each side of the frame. Preferably, where the tray is pivotable, the tray pivots on the pins.

The or each aperture or pin of the tray is preferably provided on a rearwardly extending limb of the tray. The main part of the tray may be releasably held to theframe at least in the use position and may be releasably held by any suitable means which may comprise at least one spring clip such as a sprung R or 92 clip. The or each clip may be provided on either the tray or the frame but preferably is provided on the tray when it may engage a bar of the frame.

The frame may be made out of any suitable material. Thus in one 4 embodiment the frame is wholly or principally made of wood, while in another the frame is wholly or principally mad e of metal.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a tray for a high chair, the tray comprising a main part and two rearwardly extending limbs, the main part of the tray and each rearwardly extending limb including manually releasable means for connection to a high chair frame.

At least one of the means may comprise at least one Qor R clip. The tray may be made of plastics material and the or each clip then preferably is integral with the tray. The or each clip may be on the main part and each rearwardly extending limb may include a spring loaded. pin as manually releasable connection means The limbs are preferably arranged to act as arm rests.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a high chair comprising a frame, a tray and a seat, the tray being pivotally connected to the frame to permit movement of the tray with respect to the frame between a use position, in which the tray is substantially horizontal in front of a child in the seat, and a storage position., the tray comprising a main part and two rearwardly extending limbs, the limbs being made of plastics material and being supported by the frame only at the pivotal connection thereto.

In this way the wooden limbs of the known chair are not required.

Preferably the main part of the tray is also made of plastics material and the limbs and main part of the tray are preferably integral. This simplifies manufacture and the step of assembly of three components to make the tray of the known chair is no longer required. The main part of the tray and/or each limb may include manually releasable means for connection to the high chair frame.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. I is a front perspective view of the high chair of the embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is the view of Fig. I with the tray of the high chair pivoted backwards; Fig. 3 is the view of Fig. I with the tray separated from the rest of 6 the chair; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the tray of the high chair of Fig. I alone; Fig. 5 is a side, elevation of. the tray of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional detail view of the tray at A-A in Fig 4; and, Fig. 7 is a detail underneath plan view of part of the tray of Fig. 4.

The high chair 10 of the embodiment of the invention comprises a frame 12 and a tray 14.

The frame 12 comprises two parts 16,18 which are connected in scissors fashion at pivot points 19. Brackets (not shown) are provided just above each pivot point 19. The brackets pivot with the frame parts 16,18 but act to limit the scissor travel off the frame parts 16,18. Each part 16,18 of the frame 12 comprises two round section elongate members 20 connected by cross pieces 22. A seat 24 of fabric material is slung on the frame 12.

The back 26 of the seat 24 is connected to an upper cross piece 22 of the taller frame part 16 and to a cross piece of the frame part 16 which is just above the pivot point 19 of the scissors connection between the frame O parts 16,18. The seat base 28 extends between the lower cross piece 22 mounting the seat back 26 and a horizontally opposed cross piece 22 of 7 the shorter frame part 18. The seat base 28 is affixed to the two pivot brackets (not shown) and is substantially horizontal. The side edges of the seat back 26 and seat base 28 are connected by triangular portions 30 of the seat 24. 5 The uppermost cross piece 22 of the shorter frame part 18 mounts a fabric member 32 centrally thereof which extends to the same cross piece 22 which mounts the front edge of the seat base 28.

The tray 14 is injection moulded from plastics material. The tray 14 is symmetrical about a vertical, front to rear mirror plane. The tray 14 comprises a crescent shaped main part 34 and two limbs 36 which extend rearwardly therefrom. The crescent shaped part 34 defines a shallow crescent shaped rebate 38 which faces upwardly. Each limb 36 is 15 generally in the form of an upturned U-shape in cross-section but includes cross walls 38 extending from one side 39 of the U-shape to the other to strengthen the limbs 36. At the end of each limb 36 is provided a pin 40. The pin 40 extends horizontally through the sides 39 of the limb 36 such that the head 42 of the pin extends outwardly and the end 44 of the shaft 20 46 of the pin 40 protrudes inwardly from the limb 36. A helical compression spring 48 surrounds the shaft 46 of the pin 40 and is captive 8 inside the linib 36 between the outer side wall 39 of the limb 36 and a washer 50 fast on the pin shaft 46 adjacent the inner side wall 39 of the limb 36.

The pins 40 on the two limbs 36 have parallel, co-linear axes.

A bracket 52 is attached to each elongate member 20 of the taller frame part 16 and defines an aperture 54 to receive the end 44 of the pin 40.

At the front of the tray 14, two downwardly facing clips are provided which are integral with the plastics tray 14. Each clip 54 is resiliently flexible and defines a downwardly facing open channel to receive the upper cross piece 22 of the second frame part 18.

In use, with the high chair erected and the tray in place for use, a child can be placed in the seat 24 to be supported by the frame 12 so that they can eat off the tray 14. By pulling the front edge of the tray 14 upwardly, the clips 54 will release from the upper cross piece 22 of the shorter frame part 18. The pins'40 are pivotally received in the apertures 52 of the O brackets 50 and the tray 14 can thus pivot upwardly. The limbs 36 are sufficiently long that the main part 34 of the tray 14 will pass over the top 9 of the first frame part 16 to lie behind the seat 24.

The tray 14, as shown in Fig. 2, thus hangs vertically downwards from the brackets 50. The chair 10 can then be collapsed by scissor folding the frame parts 16,18 together. Alternatively it will be seen that pivoting of the tray 14 to the storage position shown in Fig. 2 reduces the depth of the chair so that it is more compact for upright storage. Alternatively, if it is desired to use the high chair at an ordinary table, the tray 14 is thus out of the way of the child, so the chair 10 can be moved right up to the table.

As a further alternative, the tray 14 can be removed from the frame 12.

Once the clips 54 have been released from the cross piece 22, the pins 40 are grasped and pulled outwardly against the bias of the springs 48. This will retract the ends 44 of the pins 40 from the apertures 52 such that the tray 14 can be pulled forwards away from the frame 12 as shown in Fig.

3.

It is therefore seen that the chair is highly versatile. The use of plastics for the entirety of the tray simplifies manufacture and reduces cost. The dual role of the retractable pins 40 in providing pivoting and a simple manual release to permit removal of the tray is an important advantage of the invention.

In another embodiment, the chair 10 is simplified in that- the pins 40 are not retractable. Thus they permanently connect the tray 14 to the frame 12.

Claims

1. A high chair comprising a frame, a tray and a seat, the tray being pivotally connected to the frame to permit movement of the tray with respect to.the frame between a use position, in which the tray is substantially horizontal in front of a child in the seat, and a storage position, the tray comprising a main part and two rearwardly extending limbs, the limbs being made of plastics material.

2. A high chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the limbs are supported by the frame only at the pivotal connection thereto.

3. A high chair as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the main part of the tray is also made of plastics material.

4. A high chair as claimed in claim 3, wherein the limbs and main part of the tray are integral.

5. A high chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the main O part of the tray and/or each limb includes manually releasable means for connection to the high chair frame and so that the tray can be completely 12 removed from the frame.

6. A high chair comprising a frame and a tray, the tray being connected to the frame to permit movement of the tray with respect to the frame between a use position in which the tray is substantially horizontal, and a storage position, the tray being manually releasably held to the frame so that the tray can be completely removed from the frame.

7. A high chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, in the storage position, the position of the tray reduces the depth of the chair.

8. A high chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chair is a collapsible chair.

15.

9. - A high chair as claimed in claim 8, wherein the chair is a scissors foldable chair.

10. A high chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein in the storage position, the tray lies behind and/or underneath the seat of the 20 chair.

13

11. A high chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the tray is 4D pivotally connected to the frame.

12. A high chair as claimed in claim 11, wherein one of the frame and tray includes a pin which is received in an aperture defined in the other of the frame and tray, the pin and aperture being relatively movable such that the pin can be relatively moved out of the aperture.

13. A high chair as claimed in claim 12, wherein the pin and aperture are relatively urged together.

14. A high chair as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pin and aperture are relatively urged together by spring means.

15.15. - A high chair as- claimed in claim 12, 13 or 14, wherein the aperture is fixed and the pin is movable.

16. A high chair as claimed in any of claims 12 to 15, wherein the pin is provided on the -tray. O

17. A high chair as claimed in any of claims 12 to 16, wherein two 14 said pins and apertures are provided.

18. A high chair as claimed in claim 17, wherein one pin and aperture is provided to each side of the frame. 5

19. A high chair as claimed in any of claims 12 to 18, wherein where the tray is pivotable between the use and storage positions, the tray pivots on the pins.

20. A high chair as claimed in any of claims 12 to 19, wherein the or each aperture or pin of the tray is provided on a limb which extends rearwardly from the main part of the tray.

21. A high chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the main 15 part of the tray is releasably held to the frame at least in the use position.

22. A high chair as claimed in claim 21, wherein the main part of the tray is releasably held by at least one clip.

23. A high chair as claimed in claim 22, wherein the or each clip is an R or 0 clip.

24. A high cuair as claimed in claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the or each clip is provided on the tray.

25. A high chair as claimed in claim 24, wherein the or each clip is integral with the tray.

26. A high chair as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25, wherein the or each clip engages a bar of the frame.

27. A high chair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the limbs are arranged to act as arm rests.

28. A tray for a high chair, the tray comprising a main part and two rearwardly extending limbs, the main part of the tray and each rearwardly 15 extending limb including manually releasable means for releasable connection of the tray to a high chair frame.

29. A tray as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least one of the means comprises at least one clip. O

30. A tray as claimed in claim 29, wherein the or at least one clip is an 16 0 or R clip.

31. A tray as claimed in claim 29 or claim 30, wherein the or at least one clip is integral with the part of the tray to which it is connected. 5

32. A tray as claimed in any of claims 29, 30 and 31, wherein the or at least one clip is provided on the main part of the tray.

33. A tray as claimed in any of claims 28 to 32, wherein the main part of the tray is made of plastics material.

34. A tray as claimed in any of claims 28 to 33, wherein the limbs of the tray are made of plastics materiaL 15.

35. A tray as claimed in any of claims 28 to 34, wherein the limbs and main part of the tray are integral.

36. A tray as claimed in any of claims 28 to 35, wherein at least one of the means comprises a spring loaded pin. 20

37. A tray as claimed in claim 36, wherein the or at least one spring I 17 loaded pin is provided on a limb of the tray.

38. A tray as claimed in claim 37, wherein a single spring loaded pin is provided on each limb of the tray. 5

39. A tray substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

40. A high chair comprising a frame, a seat and a tray, the tray being a tray as claimed in any of claims 28 to 39.

41. A high chair substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.