CA2662336A1 - Infant seat - Google Patents

Abstract

An infant seat comprising a seat rest, back rest and two side supports and a front post. The front post and the two side supports define grooves for receiving legs of an infant when seated in the infant seat. Bottom surfaces of the groove is elevationally higher than a back portion of the seat rest for leaning the infant against the back rest when placed in the infant seat. Moreover, a pommel or tray may be removably attachable to the front post for further retaining an infant in the infant seat by blocking or preventing the infant from lifting himself or herself out of the infant seat.

Description

INFANT SEAT

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefits of registered community design no.
000442876-0001, issued by the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market of the European Union, filed on December 5, 2005.

STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to an infant seat for retaining an infant in an infant seat at a seated position.
Infants do not have the necessary muscles or physical coordination to remain at a seated position. As such, the infant requires support from all sides when being seated. Otherwise, the infant may fall rearward hitting his/her head on the ground or fall sideways hitting his/her head on the ground. Furthermore, in certain circumstances, the infant may also fall forward thereby possibly hitting his or her face on the ground. Prior art infant seats have been developed to support the infant at the seated position which may be the preferable orientation during certain activities such as feeding.
One such prior art infant seat is disclosed in W000/65965 ('965 application) which is an international application published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
The `965 application discloses a prior art infant seat having a back rest, two side supports, a front post and a tray which is removably attachable to the two side supports and the front post. The prior art infant seat supports the infant at the seated position. Unfortunately, the prior art infant seat suffers from many deficiencies. For example, the tray is attached to the infant seat based upon a three point attachment system. In particular, lateral protuberances are formed on lateral sides of the tray and a front protuberance is formed on a forward portion of the tray. These protuberances are inserted into recesses formed on the two side supports and the front post of the prior art infant seat. The tray may be attached to the prior art infant seat by inserting the protuberances into the recesses and may be retained therein despite the infant's efforts to remove the tray. Unfortunately, the three point attachment system is unreliable because infants are strong enough to dislodge the protuberances from the recesses as the protuberances and recesses are fabricated from soft, flexible foam. As such, the child may unexpectedly remove the tray from the infant seat and fall forward hitting his/her head or escape out of the prior art infant seat.

BRIEF SUMMARY
An infant seat discussed herein addresses the needs discussed above, below and those known in the art. The infant seat may have a seat rest, back rest, two side supports and a front post. The two side supports, back rest and seat rest define a receiving cavity sized and configured to comfortably receive an infant therein. The front post and two side supports define two grooves which are sized and configured to receive the legs of the infant. An entrance or upper opening of the grooves is sufficiently large to allow a parent to place the infant in the infant seat or remove the infant from the infant seat easily. Bottom surfaces of the grooves are elevationally higher than a rear portion of the seat rest. As such, when the infant is place in the infant seat, the infant is leaned backwards onto the back rest providing support to the child to support the child in the seated position. The rearward angle of the seat rest retains the child or infant in the infant seat due to the infant's inability to lift himself or herself out of the infant seat.
A pommel or tray may be selectively and removably attachable to the front post. Various structures are disclosed herein for removably attaching the pommel or tray to the front post. Generally, a male member is fixedly attached to the pommel or tray. Also, a female member is fixedly attached to the front post of the infant seat.
The male and female members have interlocking parts that allow the male and female parts to be engaged or disengaged. When the tray or pommel is attached to the front post, the infant is retained in the infant seat because the tray or pommel blocks the infant from lifting himself or herself out the infant seat. To remove the infant from the infant seat, the tray or pommel may first be disengaged from the front post. The discussion of the infant seat herein may describe the tray and pommel as blocking or preventing the infant from being removed from the infant seat or lifting himself or herself out of the infant seat when the tray or pommel is attached to the front post of the infant seat. However, such condition is not necessary. It is contemplated that the infant may be removed from the infant seat when the tray or pommel is still attached to the front post. In this case, it may just be easier to remove the infant from the infant seat with the pommel and tray attached to the front post.
In an aspect of the infant seat, a toy may be removably attachable to an upper surface of the tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an infant seat for supporting an infant at a seated position and a tray which is removably attachable to a front post of the infant seat illustrating a first embodiment;
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 1 with the tray removed from the front post of the infant seat;
Figure 3 is a front view of the infant seat shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a top view of the front post shown in Figure 2 illustrating a female member with rows of teeth;
Figure 5 is a bottom view of the tray shown in Figure 2;
Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a male member with levers having teeth, the teeth of the levers being engageable with the teeth of the female member;
Figure 7 is a bottom view of the infant seat shown in Figure 1;
Figure 8 is a second embodiment of removably attaching a pommel to the front post of the infant seat;
Figure 9 is a cross sectional perspective view of the pommel of a third embodiment;
Figure 10 is a fourth embodiment of removably attaching the pommel to the front post of the infant seat;
Figure 11 is a cross sectional perspective view of the pommel shown in Figure 10;
Figure 12 is a fifth embodiment of removably attaching the pommel to the front post of the infant seat;

Figure 13 is a top perspective view of the fifth embodiment shown in Figure 12;
Figure 14 is a bottom perspective view of the fifth embodiment 'shown in Figure 12 with a flange of a male member inserted into an aperture of the female member;
Figure 15 is a top perspective view of the pommel shown in Figure 14;
Figure 16 is a bottom view of the female member with the male member engaged thereto;
Figure 17 is a top perspective view of the infant seat illustrating a sixth embodiment of removably attaching a tray to the infant seat;
Figure 18 is a side cross sectional view of the infant seat shown in Figure 17;
Figure 19 is a side cross sectional view of an infant seat illustrating a seventh embodiment of removably attaching a tray to the infant seat;
Figure 20 is a side cross sectional view of an infant seat illustrating an eiglith embodiment of removably attaching a tray to the infant seat;
Figure 21 is a perspective view of a ninth embodiment of removably attaching a pommel to the front post of the infant seat;
Figure 21 a is an exploded view of the infant seat shown in Figure 21;
Figure 21b is a bottom view of the pommel shown in Figure 21a;
Figure 22a is an illustration of a user pressing downwardly on the pommel to remove the pommel from the front post of the infant seat;
Figure 22b is an illustration of a user rotating the pommel to remove the pommel from the front post of the infant seat;
Figure 23 is an exploded perspective view of a male member attached to the pommel and a female member attached to the front post;
Figure 23a is an alternative embodiment of a lower portion of the male member shown in Figure 23;
Figure 24 is a top perspective view of the female member shown in Figure 23;
Figure 25 is a cross-sectional side view of an upwardly angled upper surface of a hook and an upwardly angled lower surface of a protrusion;
Figure 26 is a bottom perspective view of a locking ring shown in Figure 23;
Figure 27 is a side exploded view of the female member and the locking ring;
Figure 28 is a bottom perspective view of the female member;

Figure 29 is a bottom perspective view of the female member engaged to the locking ring;
Figure 30 is an exploded perspective view of the a tenth embodiment of removably attaching a tray to the front post of the infant seat;
5 Figure 31 is an enlarged perspective view of the front post and a female member shown in Figure 30;
Figure 32 -is a bottom perspective view of the tray shown in Figure 30 illustrating a male member;
Figure 32A is a cross sectional view of 32;
Figure 33 illustrates a lever pivotable witli respect to a base portion;
Figure 34 is an exploded perspective view of a toy removably attachable to the tray;
Figure 35 is an exploded perspective view of the tray with inserts;
Figure 36 is a perspective view of toys attached to the tray; and Figure 37 is a perspective view attaching the toy to the tray via a suction cup.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings which are for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments of the infant seat and not for the purpose of limiting the same, Figure 1 illustrates an infant seat 10 for supporting an infant 12 at the seated position and for retaining the infant 12 in the infant seat 10. Infants 12 do not have developed muscles and have not yet learned how to stabilize themselves in the seated position (see Figure 1). Rather, infants 12 when placed in the seated position tend to fall over to their sides or backwards onto their head. In certain circumstances, it is desirable for the infants 12 to be supported at the seated position. By way of example and not limitation, the seated position is the preferred orientation when the parent is feeding the infant 12. Moreover, due to the short attention span of the infant 12, it is also desirable to retain the infant 12 in the infant seat 10 in the seated position to focus the infant's attention at certain times such as during the feeding process. The infant 12 may move around and may be distracted from other objects and events occurring around the infant 12. Nonetheless, the parent must feed the infant 12 and attempt to maintain the attention of the infant 12 during the feeding process.
Beneficially, the infant seat 10 may support the infant 12 in the seated position and retain the infant 12 in the infant seat 10 at the seated position.
By way of example and not limitation, as shown in Figure 2, the infant seat 10 may comprise a seat rest 14, back rest 16, two side supports 18 and a front post 20.
The seat rest 14 may provide an upper surface 22 upon which the infant 12 may be seated. The upper surface 22 of the seat rest 14 may be sized and configured to receive the buttocks of the infant 12. Preferably the upper surface 22 of the seat rest 14 may have a curvilinear configuration so as to comfortably receive the buttocks of the infant 12. In this manner, the infant 12 will not be distracted while seated in the infant seat 10 due to the comfort level of the infant seat 10. The back rest 16 may be attached to the seat rest 14 and extend vertically upward so as to support the lower back and/or, preferably, the upper back of the infant 12. The front surface 24 of the back rest 16 may be curvilinearly joined to the seat rest 14 and extend substantially vertically upward so as to support the infant 12 to the seated position.
The two side supports 18 may be attached to the seat rest 14 and also the back rest 16 on lateral sides tliereof. The side supports 18 may also be joined to the seat rest 14 in a curvilinear fashion and extend vertically upward. The two side supports 18 may also be curvilinearly joined to the back rest 16. The front post 20 may extend vertically upward from a front portion 26 (see Figure 3) of the seat rest 14 and may be joined in a curvilinear fashion to the seat rest 14. As shown in Figure 3, the front portion 26 of the seat rest 14, front post 20 and the two side supports 18 define two grooves 28 which may be sized and configured to comfortably receive legs 30 (see Figure 1) of the infant 12 when the infant 12 is seated in the infant seat 10.
The seat rest 14, back rest 16, two side supports 18 may define a cavity having a bulbous configuration which cooperates with each other so as to comfortably receive the buttocks, legs 30 and back of the infant 12. As shown in Figure 2, the upper surfaces 32, 34 of the back rest 16 and two side supports 18 may have a sloping configuration with an apex 36 terminating at a medial portion of the back rest 16.
Upper surfaces 34 of the two side supports 18 are preferably sized, configured and positioned so as to support the infant's elbows and arms when the infant 12 is seated in the infant seat 10, as shown in Figure 1.
The front portion 26 (see Figure 3) of the seat rest 14 may be elevationally higher than a rear portion 38 (see Figure 2) of the seat rest 14. Accordingly, when the infant 12 is seated in the infant seat 10, the infant 12 is leaned backwards with his/her thighs raised upwards above the infant's buttocks. Due to the undeveloped muscles of the infant 12 and the infant's inability to coordinate his/her movements, the infant 12 will have a difficult time raising himself or herself out of the infant seat 10. As such, the infant 12 is retained in the infant seat 10. Preferably, the seat rest 14 is angled between about fifteen degrees and forty five degrees and is preferably angled at about a thirty three degree slope.
The seat rest 14, back rest 16, two side supports 18 and front post 20 may be fabricated from a soft material such as polyurethane, rubber or other compliant material. The seat rest 14, back rest 16, two side supports 18 and front post 20 may collectively define a base 40 (see Figure 1) of the infant seat 10. The base 40 of the infant seat 10, as shown in Figures 7, 18, 19 and 20, may have a hollow cavity 42 with an outer peripheral support member 44. The outer peripheral support member 44 may have a plurality of webs 46 (see Figure 7) which interconnect the outer peripheral support member 44 and the seat rest 14. The webs 46 may extend to a lower surface 48 (see Figures 1 and 18) of the outer peripheral support member 44 so as to provide additional support to the infant seat 10.
The infant seat 10 may have a tray 50 (see Figure 1) or pommel 52 (see Figure 8) which is removably attachable to the front post 20 (see Figure 2). The tray 50 or pommel 52 at least partially extends over the infant's leg when the tray 50 or pommel 52 is attached to the front post 20 and the infant 12 is seated in the infant seat 10. In this manner, the infant 12 is retained in the infant seat 10 because the tray 50 or pommel 52 blocks the infant's access out of the infant seat 10.
As shown in Figures 1-6, a tray 50 may be removably attachable to the front post 20. When the tray 50 is attached to the front post 20, the lateral portions 54 (see Figure 5) of the tray 50 may extend over the grooves 28 and the side supports 18. As such, the tray 50 and the grooves 28 provide an aperture through which the infant's legs 30 are locked in place to retain the infant 12 in the infant seat 10 at the seated position. The tray 50 may have a flat upper surface 56 with a ridge 58 formed around the upper surface 56, a shown in Figure 1. The upper surface 56 may be substantially level with the ground so as to allow the parent to rest food and other items on the upper surface 56 when feeding the infant 12. If liquid is spilled on the upper surface 56 of the tray 50, the ridge 58 holds the fluid and prevents the fluid from spilling onto the ground or off of the upper surface 56.
The tray 50 may be removably attached to the front post 20 via mating male and female members 60, 62 (see Figures 4 and 5) of a first embodiment, as shown in Figures 2-6. The male member 60 may be secured to the underside 64 of the tray witli screws 66, as shown in Figure 5. The male member 60 may have two outwardly biased flexible levers 68. Lateral sides of the levers 68 may have at least one tooth 70 which is engageable with a toothed slot 71 of the female member 62. The levers may be squeezed inwardly by depressing distal portions 72 (see Figure 5) of the lever 68, as shown in Figure 6. By depressing the levers 68, the teeth 70 of the levers 68 are also inwardly displaced. When the distal ends of the levers 68 are released, the teeth 70 and the levers 68 are outwardly displaced.
The male member 60 may have inwardly directed flanges 74 (see Figures 3 and 5) which are mateable with outwardly directed flanges 76 (see Figures 3 and 4) of the female member 62. The outwardly directed flanges 76 of the female member may be disposed above an upper surface 78 of the front post 20. The flanges 76 of the female member 62 and the upper surface 78 (see Figure 4) of the front post 20 form slots which may receive the flanges 74 of the male member 60 when attaching the tray 50 to the infant seat 10, and more particularly, the front post 20, as shown in Figure 3. When the flange 74 of the male member 60 is inserted into the slot, the tray 50 may not be lifted upward due to the interference between the mating flanges 74, 76. The female member 62 may be molded into the front post 20, glued to the front post 20 or otherwise attached to the front post via any method discussed herein or known in the art. The female member 62 may be fabricated from a hard material (e.g., plastic).
Also, the female member 62 may have first and second rows of toothed slot 71 which are inwardly oriented toward each other, as shown in Figure 4. The toothed slot 71 of the first and second rows may be sized and configured to engage the teeth 70 of the male member levers 68. In particular, when the tray 50 is attached to the front post 20, the parent may squeeze the distal portions 72 of the levers 68 thereby displacing the levers 68 and the respective teeth 70 inwardly. A width of the male member teeth 70 is now narrower compared to the teeth of the toothed slot 71 of the female member 62. The teeth 70 of the male member 60 levers 68 clear the teeth of the toothed slot 71 of the female member 62 thereby allowing the flange 74 of the male member 60 to be inserted into the slot formed by the flange 76 of the female member 62 and the upper surface 78 of the front post 20. Once the tray 50 is positioned, the distal portions 72 of the levers 68 may be released so as to displace the teeth 70 of the levers 68 outward and into engagement with the toothed slot 71 of the female member 62. In this manner, the tray 50 is selectively positioned and may not be pushed forward, away from the infant 12 or pushed rearward, toward the infant 12.
The forward/rearward position of the tray 50 may be adjusted by disengaging the teeth 70, 71 of the male and female members 60, 62 by depressing the distal portions 72 of the levers 68 and subsequently engaging the teeth 70 of the levers 68 to corresponding toothed slot 71 of the female member 62 by releasing the levers 68.
In use, the tray 50 may be removed from the front post 20 of the infant seat to allow easy removal of the infant 12 from the infant seat 10. The reason is that when the tray 50 is attached to the front post 20, the parent may not simply lift the infant 12 upward to remove the infant 12 from the infant seat 10. Rather, the parent must slide the legs 30 of the infant 12 out of the aperture formed by the grooves 28 and the tray 50 to remove the infant 12 from the infant seat 10. Since the tray 50 is removably attachable from the front post 20, the parent may remove the tray 50 from the front post 20 to facilitate removal of the infant 12 from the infant seat 10. After the tray 50 is removed, the infant 12 may be lifted upward for removal from the infant seat 10. In a similar manner, the tray 50 may be removed from the front post 20 for facilitating seating of the infant 12 in the infant seat 10.
The infant 12 is retained in the infant seat 10 due to the rearward angle of the seat rest 14 thereby leaning the infant 12 back onto the back rest 16.
Moreover, the infant 12 may be retained in the infant seat 10 by attaching the tray 50 to the front post 20. When the tray 50 is attached to the front post 20, the tray 50 extends over the grooves 28. The grooves 28 and the tray 50 form apertures through which the legs 30 of the infant 12 are disposed. When the legs 30 of the infant 12 are disposed in the apertures, the infant 12 may not simply lift himself or herself out of the infant seat 10.
In another aspect, the tray 50 may be replaced with a pomme152, as shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 illustrates a second embodiment of the infant seat 10. The pommel 52 may have a bulbous configuration and a soft exterior surface to prevent the infant 12 from hurting himself or herself when grabbing the pommel 52. The pommel 52 may extend laterally outward from the front post 20 and be disposed at least partially over the grooves 28 formed by the front post 20, seat rest 14 and the two side supports 18. In this manner, the baby when seated in the infant seat 10 may find it difficult to lift himself or herself out of the infant seat 10 because the space between the pommel 5 52 and the side supports 18 may be less than an outer diameter of the infant's legs 30.
More particularly, the pommel 52 may extend laterally outward such that an outer periphery 80 of the pommel 52 and the two side supports 18 define a distance which is less than the outer diameter of the infant's leg. In this manner, the pommel 52 creates an additional retaining force when the infant 12 attempts to raise himself or 10 herself out of the infant seat 10. The infant's leg simultaneously contacts the pommel 52 and the two side supports 18. Since the space between the pommel 52 and the two side supports 18 is less than the outer diameter of the infant's leg, the infant 12 is prevented from escaping out of the infant seat 10.
When the parent desires to remove the infant 12 from the infant seat 10, the pommel 52 may be removed from the front post 20 thereby enlarging the space between the front post 20 and the two side supports 18. The parent or caretaker may lift the infant 12 out of the infant seat 10 at this moment. The pommel 52 shown in Figure 8 may be removably attachable to the front post 20 in a similar fashion as described in Figures 1-6 with mating male and female members 60, 62. The female member 62 may be molded into the front post 20 as described in relation to Figures 1-6. Also, the male member 60 may be molded into the pomme152.
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a pommel 52 removably attachable to the front post 20 illustrating a third embodiment. The pommel 52 is removably attachable to the front post 20 via a male member 82 attached to the pommel 52 and a female member 86 attached to the front post 20. The male meinber 82 may comprise a left lever 84a and a right lever 84b which are traversable between a relaxed position and a depressed position. Preferably, the left lever 84a may have a mirror configuration compared to the right lever 84b. The left and riglit levers 84a, 84b may be outwardly biased and inwardly displaceable by depressing finger receiving surfaces 88 of the left and right levers 84a, 84b. Distal ends of the left and right levers 84a, 84b may have pawls 90 attached thereto. The pawls 90 may have a beveled surface 92 which cooperates with the female member 86 to inwardly displace the left and right levers 84a, 84b when attaching the pommel 52 to the front post 20. The pawls 90 may be removably engageable to the female member 86.
The female member 86 may have an inverted hat configuration. A cavity 100 may be formed at a central portion of the female member 86 which is sized and configured to receive the pawls 90 of the left and right levers 84a, 84b. More particularly, a leading edge 102 of the aperture may be sized and configured to mate with the beveled surfaces 92 of the left and right lever 84a, 84b pawls 90 when the pommel 52 is being attached to the female member 86. In the relaxed position, the pawls 90 are aligned to the leading edge 102 of the female member 86 aperture.
Due to the angle of the beveled surface 92, the levers 84 are inwardly displaced when the beveled surfaces 92 contact the leading edge 102 of the aperture and the pommel 52 is engaged to the front post 20. As the pommel 52 is pushed into engagement with the front post 20, the pawls 90 are contained within the cylindrical portion of the female member 86. As the pawls 90 are further inserted into the aperture of the female member 86, the lower distal ends 98 of the finger receiving surfaces 88 contacts a rim 96 of the female member 86 preventing further insertion of the pawls 90 into the aperture. At about this moment, the pawls 90 are displaced outwardly and received into openings defining cam surfaces 104. The cam surfaces 104 engage the pawls and the pomme152 is locked to the front post 20.
To remove the pommel 52 from the front post 20, the parent may inwardly depress the finger receiving surfaces 88 which disengage the pawls 90 from the cam surfaces 104. At this point, the pommel 52 may be lifted out of the apei-ture of the female member 86 and the pomme152 is disengaged and removed from the front post 20.
The parent may place the infant 12 into the infant seat 10 by first removing the pommel 52 from the front post 20 by depressing the finger receiving surfaces 88 and pulling upward on the pommel 52. Thereafter, the infant 12 is placed in the infant seat 10 and leaned against the back rest 16 in the seated position. Once the infant 12 is in the seated position, the parent may attach the pommel 52 to the front post 20.
The distance between the outer periphery 80 of the pommel 52 and the two side supports 18 may be less than an outer diameter of the infant's leg 30 thereby preventing the infant 12 from pushing himself or herself up out of the infant seat 10 due to the interference between the legs 30 of the infant 12 and the pomme152.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate a fourth embodiment. In particular, a male member, 110 may be fixedly attached to the pommel 112 and may be removably engageable to a female member 114 fixedly attached to the front post 20 (see Figure 2). The male member 110 may have a downwardly protruding post 116 (see Figures 10 and 11) with a hollow lower cavity 118 (see Figure 11). The downwardly protruding post 116 may have a cylindrical configuration and may define a circular wall and a lower distal end 120 (see Figure 11). The hollow lower cavity 118 may define an upper surface 122. A compression spring 124 may be fixedly attached to the upper surface 122 of the hollow lower cavity 118. The downwardly protruding post 116 may have at least one tab 126 which extends radially outward from post 116.
Preferably, the post 116 may have two tabs 126 on opposing sides thereof.
The female member 114 may have an aperture. The aperture may be defined by a cylindrical wall 127 (see Figure 11). The cylindrical wall 127 may have a slot 128 (see Figure 10) having a J-configuration. The slot 128 may have an entrance portion 130 which extends from a leading edge 132 (see Figure 11) of the aperture and a locking portion 134 which hooks upward. The rim 136 of the female member 114 may have a cut out 138 aligned to the entrance portion 130 of the slot 128 for allowing the tab 126 to enter the entrance portion 130 of the J-configured slot 128.
The center of the aperture may have a raised portion 140 which may be sized and configured to receive the spring 124.
To attach the pommel 112 to the front post 20, the post 116 is inserted into the aperture of the female member 114. The tab 126 is received into the entrance portion 130 of the slot 128 of the female member 114 via the cut-out 138 and the spring 124 may press against the raised portion 140 of the female member 114. The post 116 is inserted fully into the aperture of the female member 114 then rotated counterclockwise to align the tab 126 to locking portion 134 of the slot 128.
The spring 124 lifts the tab 126 into the locking portion 134 of the J-configured slot 128 such that the child or infant 12 may not remove the pommel 1,12 from the front post 20. To remove the pommel 112 from the front post 20, the parent may push down on the pommel 112 until the tab 126 is released from the locking portion 134 of the J-configured slot 128. The pommel 112 is rotated in the clockwise direction and the tab 126 is aligned to the entrance portion 130 of the slot 128. The tab 126 traverses through and out of the entrance portion 130 via the cut out 138 and the post 116 is lifted out of the aperture of the female member 114. In this manner, the pommel 112 is removed from the front post 20.
The pommel 112 shown in Figures 10 and 11 may extend outward over the grooves 28 when the pommel 112 is attached to the front post 20 to block the infant 12 from standing up out of the infant seat 10. The pommel 112 blocks the infant 12 from standing up because a distance between the outer periphery of the pommel and the two side supports 18 may be less than an outer diameter of the legs 30 of the infant 12.
The fourth embodiment of the infant seat 10 was described in a manner that counter clockwise rotation of the pommel 112 engaged the pommel 112 to the front post 20 and cloclcwise rotation of the pommel 112 disengaged the pommel 112 from the front post 20. However, it is also contemplated that the structure of the male and female members 110, 114 may be reversed such that the pommel 112 is engageable to the front post 20 via a clockwise rotation of the pommel 112 and the pommel 112 is disengageable from the front post 20 via a counter clockwise rotation of the pommel 112.
Figures 12-16 illustrate a fifth embodiment of removably attaching a pommel 154 to the front post 20. As shown, the pommel 154 may be removably attachable to the front post 20 via mating male and female members 150, 152. The male member 150 may be embedded into the pommel 154. Likewise, the female member 152 may be embedded into the front post 20. The male member 150 may comprise a plurality of flanges 156 vertically and perpendicularly aligned to each other. For example, as shown in Figure 12, four flanges 156 are perpendicularly aligned to each other forming a cross configuration. Other angular orientations of the flanges 156 are also contemplated such as eight flanges 156 at forty five degrees with respect to each other. Additionally, it is also contemplated that there may be more than four flanges 156 or less than four flanges 156. A proximal portion of the flanges 156 may be attached to the pommel 154 by molding the pommel 154 over the proximal portion of the flanges 156. Distal portions of the flanges 156 may have a notch 158 and a stop 160. In particular, at least one of the flanges 156 may have a notch 158 formed at a distal portion thereof. Also, at least one of the flanges 156 may have a stop formed at a distal portion thereof. Preferably, opposing flanges 156 have notches 158 formed at distal portions thereof, and the second set of opposing flanges 156 have stops 160 formed at distal portions thereof. The notches 158 are removably engageable to a lower plate 162 of the female member 152.
The female member 152 may have a central aperture 164 (see Figure 13) in which the flanges 156 may be inserted. The lower plate 162 may be attached to the distal portion of the central aperture 164. The lower plate 162 may have a notch 168 for receiving the flange 156 of the male member 150. To attach the pommel 154 to the front post 20, the distal ends of the flanges 156 extend past the lower plate 162 through the notch 168 of the lower plate 162 until the stop 160 contacts the lower plate 162 (see Figure 14). The notches 158 of the flanges 156 are aligned to the lower plate 162. Once the flange notches 158 are aligned to the lower plate 162, the pommel 154 is rotated (see Figures 14 and 15) to lock the pommel 154 to the front post 20, as shown in Figures 14-15. The lower plate 162 is received into the notches 158 of the male member 150 (see Figure 16). In this manner, the pommel 154 may not be removed from the front post 20. The lower plate 162 may have an enlarging thickness defining a cam surface wherein the thinnest portion of the lower plate 162 is adjacent the notch 158 of the lower plate 162. As the pommel 154 is rotated (see Figure 15), the cam surface frictionally engages the notch 158 of the male member 150 (see Figure 16). Preferably, the notch 158 frictionally engages the cam surface when the pommel 154 is rotated about 40 degrees, as shown by reference numeral in Figure 16.
To remove the pommel 154 from the front post 20, the pommel 154 is rotated in the opposite direction. The flange 156 of the male member 150 is then aligned to the notch 168 of the lower plate 162. Also, the notch 158 of the flange 156 releases the cam surface or the lower plate 162. The male member 150 may now be removed from the female member 152 and the pommel 154 released from the front post 20.
Figures 17 and 18 illustrate a sixth embodiment of removably attaching a tray 50 to the infant seat 10. In particular, the tray 50 may have a mushroom head type protuberance 170 with a bulbous distal portion 172 attached to an underside of the tray 50. As used herein, bulbous may mean round balloon configuration, star shape, box shape or any other enlarged shaped. The protuberance 170 is receivable into a corresponding cavity 173 formed in the front post 20. The mushroom head type protuberance 170 may be compressed such that the mushroom head type protuberance 170 may slide into the cavity 173 of the front post 20 and be engaged thereto.
A

distal or lower surface of the cavity 173 may have a through hole 174 to allow air to be ejected out of the cavity 42 or introduced into the cavity 173 when the mushroom head type protuberance 170 is inserted into or removed from the cavity 173. In this manner, the cavity 173 does not create any pressure or vacuum when the mushroom 5 head type protuberance 170 is inserted into or removed from the cavity 173.
The protuberance 170 may optionally have a vertical slit 176 which extends from a distal end of the protuberance 170 and extend upward to assist in inserting and removing the protuberance 170 from the cavity 173.
More particularly, the protuberance 170 may be attached to an underside of 10 the tray 50 or pommel. The protuberance 170 may be sized and configured to be mateable with a cavity 173 formed in the front post 20 of the infant seat 10.
By way of example and not limitation, the protuberance 170 may have an elongate structure.
A distal portion 172 of the protuberance 170 may have a bulbous configuration.
Similarly, the cavity 173 formed in the front post 20 may have an elongate 15 configuration. A distal portion 178 of the cavity 173 may have a mating bulbous configuration. For example, if the bulbous distal portion 172 has a box configuration, then the distal portion 178 of the cavity 173 may also have a box configuration. To attach the tray 50 to the front post 20, the distal portion 172 of the protuberance 170 is aligned to an entrance of the cavity 173. The tray 50 is pushed downward until inner side walls of the cavity 173 apply radial inward forces to the bulbous distal portion 172 of the protuberance 170. Such radial inward forces reduce the diameter of the bulbous portion 172 such that the bulbous portion 172 may slide past a neck 180 of the cavity 42. Once the bulbous portion 172 traverses downward past the neck 180 of the cavity 42, the bulbous portion 172 expands to fill the bulbous configured portion 184 of the cavity 173.
To remove the tray 50 from the front post 20, the protuberance 170 is removed from the cavity 173. In particular, the parent may lift the tray 50 upward which urges the bulbous distal portion 172 of the protuberance 170 upward. The neck 180 of the cavity 173 applies radial inward forces which reduces the diameter of the bulbous portion 172 such that the bulbous portion 172 may slide past the neck 180 of the cavity 42. Once the bulbous portion 172 traverses upward past the neck 180 of the cavity 173, the protuberance 170 may easily be removed from the cavity 173 and the tray 50 is disengaged from the front post 20.

Under normal usage, the infant 12 should not be able to create sufficient upward force to remove the protuberance 170 from the cavity 42 formed in the front post 20. Also, the parent should be able to easily lift the tray 50 so as to disengage the tray 50 from the infant seat 10.
The amount of force required to insert the protuberance 170 into the cavity 173 and remove the protuberance 170 from the cavity 173 may be increased or decreased by altering the surface texture, surface treatment and type of material for the protuberance 170 and the front post 20.
Figure 19 illustrates a seventh embodiment wherein a tray 50 is removably attachable to an infant seat 10. In particular, a tapered shaft 190 is frictionally engageable to a corresponding tapered cavity 192 formed in the front post 20 to attach the tray 50 to the infant seat 10. The shaft 190 may have a reducing diameter starting from a proximal portion of the shaft 190 and ending at a distal portion of the shaft 190. The cavity 192 formed in the front post 20 may have an identical configuration compared to the shaft 190.
To engage the tray 50 to the infant seat 10, the shaft 190 is inserted into the cavity 192. The outer surface of the shaft 190 begins to engage the inner surface of the cavity 192. The shaft 190 is fully inserted when a stop 194 contacts the upper surface 78 of the front post 20. When the shaft 190 is fully inserted into the cavity 192, the shaft 190 is frictionally engaged to the cavity 192. An infant 12 seated in the infant seat 10 is not able to lift the tray 50 up because of the frictional engagement between the shaft 190 and the cavity 192. Moreover, the infant 12 is not able to push the tray 50 forward or pull the tray 50 backward because the shaft 190 is fixedly engaged to the tray 50 and frictionally engaged to the cavity 192.
The tray 50 may be removed from the infant seat 10 to assist in the removal or seating of the infant 12 in the infant seat 10. In particular, the parent may lift up the tray 50 overcoming the frictional engagement between the shaft 190 and the cavity 192. After the frictional engagement between the shaft 190 and cavity 192 has been overcome, the parent may remove the tray 50 from the infant seat 10. Although Figure 19 illustrates a tray 50 which is removably attachable to the infant seat 10, it is also contemplated that a pommel may be removably attachable to the infant seat via the structure shown in Figure 19.

Figure 20 illustrates an eighth embodiment wherein a tray 50 is removably attachable via a push button locking mechanism 200. In particular, the tray 50 may be attached to an elongate shaft 202. The elongate shaft 202 may have a cam surface 204 positionable adjacent to a push button 206. The push button 206 may comprise a button, spring 208 and a latch 210. The latch 210 is traversable from a retracted position (see Figure 20) to a release position by depressing the button. When the button is released, the latch 210 is traversed from the release position to the retracted position. The latch 210 may be biased toward the retracted position.
The latch 210 may have a hook configuration. The latch 210 may engage the cam surface 204 of the elongate shaft 202 when the elongate shaft 202 is inserted into a cavity of the front post 20 and the latch 210 is traversed to the retracted position.
When the latch 210 engages the cam surface 204, the tray 50 is engaged to the front post 20 and may not be removed by the infant 12. To remove the tray 50 from the infant seat 10, the parent may depress the button which is preferably positioned out of the reach of the infant 12 when the infant 12 is seated in the infant seat 10.
For example, the button may be positioned at a lower central portion of the front post 20.
When the button is depressed, the latch 210 is traversed to the released position. The parent may lift the tray 50 upward and remove the shaft 202 out of the cavity and the tray 50 from the infant seat 10. Although Figure 20 illustrates a tray 50 which is removably attachable to the infant seat 10, it is also contemplated that a pommel may be removably attachable via the method shown in Figure 20. Preferably, it is contemplated that the button may be located at any position on the infant seat 10 so long as the infant 12 is not able to reach the button when seated in the infant seat 10.
Figures 21-29 illustrate a ninth embodiment of releasably attaching the pommel 220 to the front post 20. To engage the pommel 220 to the front post 20, the pommel 220 may be molded with a male member 222 (see Figure 21 a) such that the male member 222 is fixedly attached to the pommel 220 (see Figures 21a and 23).
Also, the front post 20 may be fixedly attached to a female member 224 (see Figures 21 a and 23). The female and male members 224, 222 may be fixedly attached to the front post 20 and pommel 220 via any method known in the art such as molding, adhesive connections, etc. To engage the pommel 220 to the front post 20, the male member 222 may be inserted into the female member 224 (see Figures 21a and 23) and pushed downwardly. To disengage the pommel 220 from the front post 20, the male and female members 222, 224 may be fabricated so as to require one or two motions. By way of example and not limitation, the pommel 220 may be removed from the front post 20 by rotating the pommel 220 counterclockwise (see Figure 22b).
Alternatively, the male and female members 222, 224 may be fabricated so as to require that the parent push down (see Figure 22a) and rotate (see Figure 22b) the pommel 220 countercloclcwise to disengage the pommel 220 from the front post 20.
The male member 222 may have an upper portion 226 and a lower portion 228, as shown in Figure 23. The upper portion 226 of the male member 222 may be fixedly attached to the pommel 220. By way of example and not limitation, the pommel 220 may be molded over the upper portion 226. The upper portion 226 may have a plurality of apertures 230 such that the pommel material is interlocked into the upper portion 226 when the pommel 220 is molded over the upper portion 226.
The bottom surface 232 of the pommel 220 may have a skirt 234 which may be sized and configured to receive the front post 20, as shown in Figures 21-21b. The lower portion 228 of the male member 222 may have a cylindrical configuration (see Figure 23). The lower portion 228 may comprise opposed inwardly displaceable tangs 236.
These tangs 236 may be sized and configured to be insertable into the female member 224 and be engageably removable from the female member 224. More particularly, each tang 236 may have a base portion 238 which is attached to the upper portion 226. The tang 236 may also define a distal hook 240 having at least one nub directed outwardly. Above the hook 240, a neck portion 244 may define a receiving area 246 for receiving a beveled protrusion 248 (Figure 24) of the female member 224 to interlock the male and female members 222, 224.
Referring to Figures 23 and 24, the female member 224 may have a central aperture 250 through which the lower portion 228 of the male member 222 may be inserted. The central aperture 250 of the female member 224 may have a cylindrical configuration. The beveled protrusion 248 with an angled upper surface 252 may be formed along the inner surface of the central aperture 250. The beveled protrusion 248 may be alignable to the tangs 236 when the pommel 220 is being engaged to the front post 20. As discussed above, the pommel bottom surface 232 may have a skirt 234 which is formed to have a close fit with the front post 20. If the pommel skirt 234 is angularly misaligned to the front post 20, the tangs 236 are not aligned to the beveled protrusion 248. Moreover, the pommel 220 would not be engageable with the front post 20 based on a view that the skirt 234 of the pommel 220 would interfere with the front post 20. When the skirt 234 of the pomme1220 is aligned to the front post 20 would the tangs 236 be aligned to the beveled protrusions 248.
To engage the pommel 220 to the front post 20, the lower portion 228 of the male member 222 is inserted into the aperture 250 of the female member 226.
(See Figure 23). The skirt 234 of the pommel 220 is aligned to the front post 20 thereby aligning the tangs 236 to the beveled protrusions 248. The pommel 220 is then pushed downwardly such that the hooks 240 or distal ends of the tangs 236 (see Figure 23) would contact the beveled surface 252 (see Figure 24) of the beveled protrusion 248. As the pommel 220 is further pushed downwardly, the beveled surface 252 inwardly displaces the tangs 236 thereby moving the hooks 240 or nubs 242 out of the way of the beveled protrusions 248. Before the hooks 240 engage the beveled protrusion 248, the bottom surface 232 of the pommel 220 may contact the upper surface 78 of the front post 20. To engage the hook 240 to the beveled protrusion 248, it is preferable that the parent or user provide an increased downward push or downward force to engage the hook 240 to the beveled protrusion 248.
When the pommel 220 is engaged to the front post 20, the beveled protrusion 248 may be positioned within the neck portion 244 of the tang 236. Preferably, an upper surface 254 (see Figure 23) of the hook 240 and a bottom surface 256 (see Figure 24) of the beveled protrusion 248 have interlocking mating surfaces or interlocking configurations. For example, the upper surface 254 of the hook 240 may be parallel with a transverse plane to a central axis 258 (see Figure 23) of the male member 222.
Also, the bottom surface 256 of the beveled protrusion 248 may be parallel with a transverse plane to a central axis 260 (see Figure 23) of the female member 224. In this manner, even though the pommel 220 may be pulled upwardly, the beveled protrusions 248 do not inwardly displace the tangs 236 so as to release the pommel 220 from the front post 20. More preferably, the upper surface 254 of the hook and the bottom surface 256 of the beveled protrusion 248 may have interlocking upward configurations as shown in Figure 25. As such, when the hook 240 is mated to the beveled protrusion 248, the respective surfaces 254, 256 would interlock. Any upward force applied to the pommel 220 would force the hook 240 further into the beveled protrusion 248 thereby ensuring engagement between the pommel 220 and the front post 20. When the pommel 220 is engaged to the front post 20, the beveled protrusion 248 may be positioned within the neclc portion 244 of the tang 236.
The pommel 220 may be removed from the front post 20 by rotating the pommel 220 (e.g., 45 degree) with respect to the front post 20, as shown in Figure 5 22b. As discussed above, the skirt 234 of the pommel 220 is generally configured to the front post 20. As such, any rotation of the pommel 220 would be resisted by the skirt 234 of the pommel 220. However, the pommel 220 may be manufactured or fabricated from a generally flexible and resilient material. As such, under sufficient rotational force, the skirt 234 would flex and the pommel 220 may be rotated with 10 respect to the front post 20. When the pomme1220 is rotated with respect to the front post 20, the beveled protrusion 248 (see Figure 24) slides or rotates away from the tang 236 (i.e., neck portion 244) (see Figure 23) and into a slotted portion 262 (see Figure 23) of the lower portion 228 of the male member 222. The pommel 220 may be lifted up so as to slide the beveled protrusion 248 through the slotted portion 262 of 15 the lower portion 228 of the male member 222. The pommel 220 is now disengaged from the front post 20. Such disengagement occurred by the motion of twisting the pommel 220.
Alternatively, the pommel 220 may be removable from the front post 20 via two motions, namely, a downward force (see Figure 22a) and twisting action (see 20 Figure 22b). For example, the tang 236 may also have a lip 264 (see Figure 23a) which joins the hook 240 and the neck portion 244, as shown in Figure 23a. The lip 264 would interfere with the beveled protrusion 248 if the pommel 220 was only rotated thus preventing the beveled protrusion 248 from being aligned to the slotted portion 262 of the lower portion 228 of the male member 222. To align the beveled protrusion 248 to the slotted portion 262, the user must push downwardly on the pommel 220 such that the beveled protrusion 248 clears the lip 264 of the tang 236, as shown by arrow 266 in Figure 23a. Now the user or parent may rotate the pommel 220 to align the beveled protrusion 248 to the slotted portion 262. The pommel may be raised, the beveled protrusion 248 slid through the slotted portion 262 and the pomme1220 is now disengaged from the front post 20.
As discussed above, the female member 224 may be fixedly engaged to the front post 20 via adhesive, molding or any other method known in the art. One method not known in the art will be described below. By way of example and not limitation, the female member 224 may be selectively engageable to a locking ring 268 (see Figure 26). The locking ring 268 may be molded into the front post 20 and an aperture 270 may be formed through the front post 20 extending between the upper surface 78 of the front post 20 to the locking ring 268, as shown in Figure 27. The female member 224 may have a plurality of flanges 272, as shown in Figure 28.
These flanges 272 may be inserted into the aperture 270 of the front post 20.
Distal ends 274 of the flanges 272 may have notches 276 formed therein, as shown in Figure 28. The notches 276 may be horizontally aligned to each other.
The locking ring 268 may have a corresponding number of apertures 278 as there are flanges 272 as shown in Figure 26. The apertures 278 of the loclcing ring 268 may be sized and configured to receive the distal ends 274 of the flanges 272. In particular, each aperture 278 may have a first longer slot 280 which is sized and configured to receive a distal end 274 of the flange 272. As such, the flanges may be aligned and inserted into the first longer slots 280. The flange 272 may also have a stop surface 282 (see Figure 28) which contacts an upper surface 284 (see Figure 27) of the locking ring 268. When the stop surface 282 contacts the upper surface 284 of the locking ring 268, the flange 272 is fully inserted into the first longer slot 280. A lower surface 286 of the locking ring 268 may have locking tabs 288 and biasing tabs 290, as shown in Figure 26. Preferably, as shown in Figure 26, opposed apertures 278 may have the locking tabs 288 attached to a periphery of the first longer slot 280. Also, the second set of opposed apertures 278 may have the biasing tabs 290 which urge the flanges 272 from the first slot 280 to the second slot 292.
After the flanges 272 are fully inserted into the first slot 280 of the aperture 278, the biasing tabs 290 and locking tabs 288 are flexed upwardly. The female member 224 may be subsequently rotated so as to align the flange 272 to a second smaller slot 292 (see Figure 26) via the biasing tabs 290 or by physically rotating the female member 224. At this position, the locking ring 268 is received into notches 276. Also, the female member 224 may not be lifted out of the locking ring 268.
Moreover, the locking tabs 288 flex forward (see Figure 29) so as to prevent the flange 272 from being re-alignable to the first longer slot 280. More particularly, the biasing tab 290 may be attached to the locking ring 268 at a periphery of the first slot 280. When the female member 224 is fully engaged to the locking ring 268 and the flanges 272 are aligned to the second slot 292, the female member 224 may be squared to the front post 20 and the infant seat 10.
Referring now to Figures 30-33, a tenth embodiment of removably attaching a tray 294 to a front post 296 of an infant seat 298 is illustrated. The.tray 294, and more particularly, the underside surface 300 (see Figure 32) of the tray 294 may be attached a male member 302 via any method lcnown in the art (e.g., adhesive, screws, etc.). A
mating female member 304 (see Figure 31) may be fixedly attached to the front post 296 of the infant seat 298 via any method known in the art or described herein. The male and female members 302, 304 may have inter locking slots 306 a, b and flanges 308 a, b (see Figures 31 and 32) such that the tray 294 may not be lifted upward once the tray 294 is engaged to the front post 296. Additionally, the male and female members 302 and 304 may have mating ridges 310 a, b (see Figures 31, 32, and 32A) to prevent or resist forward/backward movement of the tray 294 with respect to the front post 296. To engage the tray 294 to the front post 296, the flange of 308b male member 302 is aligned to the slot 306a formed by the female member 304 and the front post 296. The flange 308b of the male member 302 is received into the slot 306a of the female member 304 and the tray 294 is pushed rearward toward the infant.
The ridges 310b of the male member 302 may flex upward and engage the ridges 310a of the female member 304. The tray 294 may be positionable in a forward rearward direction by engaging the ridges 310 of the male member 302 deeper into the ridges 310a of the female member 304. The ridges 310a of the female member 304 push the male member 302 upward, as shown by force 312 in Figure 32A, such that the ridges 310b of the male member 302 clear the ridges of the female member 304when the tray 294 is pushed rearwardly.
Conversely, to remove the tray 294 from the front post 296, the tray 294 is urged forward. As the tray 294 is pushed forwardly, the ridges 310b of the male member 302 slide over the ridges 310a of the female member 304 until the ridges 310b of the male member 302 entirely or completely disengage the ridges 310a of the female member 304. The flange 308b of the male member 302 is removed from the slot 306a of the female member 304, and thus, the tray 294 is removed from the front post 296.
More particularly, as shown in Figure 30 and 31, the female member 304 and the front post 296 may form slots 306a which are opened outwardly. The female member 304 may also include a plurality of ridges 310a interposed between the slots 306a. The ridges 310a of the female member 304 may comprise at least one, and preferably three resisting ridges 314 and one enlarged stopping ridge 316. The resisting ridges 314 are positioned in front of the stopping ridge 316. When the tray 294 is engaged to the front post 296, the ridges 310b of the male member 302 may slide over the resisting ridges 314. However, when the ridges 310b of the male member 302 contact the stopping ridge 316, the tray 294 stops moving rearwardly because the ridges 310b of the male member 302 may not slide over the stopping ridge 316. Accordingly, the tray 294 may not be positioned beyond the stopping ridge 316.
The male member 302 may be attached to the underside surface 300 of the tray 294 via any method known in the art. The male member 302 may comprise a base portion 318 which is attached to the tray 294 and a lever 320 pivotable with respect to the base portion 318. The lever 320 may be engaged to the base portion 318 with interlocking hooks 322. When the lever 320 is engaged to the base portion 318, the ridges 310b or the lever portion 320 is flexed upwardly, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 32A. As such, when the ridges 310b of the male member initially contact the ridges 310a of the female member 304, the ridges 310a of the female member 304 push the ridges 310b of the male member 302 upwardly. As such, the ridges 310b of the male member 302 may slide over the resisting ridges 314 of the female member 304 until the ridges 310b of the male member 302 contacts the stopping ridge 316.
The lever 320 is flexed upwardly in a bow configuration. The junction 324 (see Figure 32A) of the base portion 318 and the lever 320 may be sized and configured so as to have gap 326 between the ridges of the male member 310b and the base portion 318. Additionally, on the proximal portion of the lever 320, a support member 328 may be formed. The support member 328 may contact the base portion 318 when the lever 320 is engaged to the base portion 318. As can be seen in Figure 32A, the support member 328 and the junction 324 between the base portion 318 and the lever 320 separate the ridges of the male member 310b from the base portion 318.
The male member 302, and more particularly, the lever 320 may be fabricated from a bendable material. As such, when the ridges of the female member 3 10a push the ridges of the male member 310b upward, the lever 320 is bowed such that the ridges of the male member 310b may clear the ridges of the female resisting ridges 314.
In an aspect of the infant seat 10, the same may be formed with at least one suction cup 420 (see Figure 18) for securing the infant seat 10 onto a support member (e.g., table top). In particular, a bottom surface of the seat rest 14 may extend to the lower distal end 48 of the outer peripheral member 44 of the base 40. The bottom surface may be formed with a suction cup 420, as shown in Figure 18. In use, the parent may place the infant seat 10 on a smooth table top. The parent pushes down in the direction of arrow "A" (see Figure 18) on the seat rest 14 which pushes the suction cup 420 against the smooth table top. The suction cup 420 creates a suction force with the table top. In this manner, the infant seat 10 is securable to a support member such as a table top.
In an. aspect of the infant seat 10, a toy 422 may be removably attachable to the tray 50, as shown in Figures 34-37. As shown in Figure 34, an upper surface 56 of the tray 50 may be formed with at least one depression 424. Preferably, the upper surface 56 of the tray 50 is formed with two depressions 424. These depressions 424 may have a semi-circular bottom surface and opposing vertical side wall surfaces 434 (see Figures 34 and 35). Nubs 426 are formed in the vertical opposing side wall surfaces 434 and oriented toward each other. The depressions 424 may be formed at a central location of the tray 50, or at any other convenient location.
An elongate member 428 may be removably engageable to the tray 50 via the depressions 424. In particular, the elongate member 428 may have a rod like configuration. The elongate member 428 may be bendable and flexible and may also hold its shape once it is bent or shaped. For example, the elongate member 428 shown in Figure 34 may initially be provided to the parent in a straight configuration.
The parent may bend the elongate member 428 in the W-configuration shown in Figure 34. Once the parent releases the elongate member 428, the elongate member 428 may retain its shape. The elongate member 428 may have alternating large and small diameters throughout the entire length of the elongate member 428.
Distal portions of the elongate member 428 may have a post 430 and a retaining ring 432 set back from the distal end of the post 430.
In use, the elongate member 428 may be engaged to the tray 50 via the depressions 424. In particular, an outer diameter 436 of the elongate member may be slightly greater than a distance between tips of the nubs 426 formed on opposing vertical side wall surfaces 434 of the depressions 424. To engage the elongate member 428 to the depressions 424, the elongate member 428 is bent, as shown in Figure 34. A first portion of the elongate member 428 is pushed into the 5 first depression 424. The outer diameter of the elongate member 428 pushes the nubs 426 away from each other making room for the elongate member 428 to be inserted into the depression 424 below the nubs 426. Once the elongate meinber 428 traverses past the nubs 426, the nubs 426 close in above the elongate member 428 thereby holding the elongate member 428 within the depression 424. Lilcewise, a second 10 portion of the elongate member 428 is pushed into the second depression 424 to engage the elongate member 428 to the tray 50 in a similar manner that the first portion was pushed into the first depression 424.
The toy 422 may have apertures 438 which are sized and configured to receive the post 430 of the elongate member 428. After the elongate member 428 is attached 15 to the tray 50, the posts 430 are inserted into the apertures 438 of the toy 422 and further insertion of the post 430 into the apertures 438 of the toy 422 is prevented by the retaining ring 432.
Figure 35 illustrates first and second depressions 424 being formed in the tray 50 via inserts 440. The inserts 440 may have an inner surface having the 20 configuration of the depression 424. The inserts 440 are inserted into a receptacle 442 formed in the tray 50. The insert 440 may be secured or fixedly attached to the tray 50 via any method known in the art such as sonic welding, adhering and the like.
Alternatively, Figures 35 and 36 illustrate a second method of engaging a toy 422 to the tray 50. In particular, the tray 50 may be formed with first and second 25 receiving cavities 444. These cavities 444 are formed by inserts 446 having an inverted hat configuration. The cavities 444 are sized and configured to receive (i.e., frictionally engage) the post 430 of the elongate member 428. As such, the elongate member 428 may be bent or configured or shaped into the configuration as shown in Figure 36. The posts 430 of the elongate member 428 are inserted into the receiving cavities 444 of the inserts 440 shown in Figure 34. Small toys 422 may be slid through the elongate member 428 prior to engaging the elongate member 428 to the tray 50.

The toy 422 may also be removably attachable to the upper surface 56 of the tray 50 via a suction cup 448, as shown in Figure 37. In particular, as shown in Figure 37, a suction cup 448 may be formed with one depression 424. The depression 424 may be sized and configured to receive and secure the elongate member 428 to the suction cup 448. The elongate member 428 may be shaped as shown in Figure 37.
A toy 422 with apertures 438 may subsequently be attached to the elongate member 428 by inserting the posts 430 of the elongate member 428 in the apertures 438 of the toy 422. The suction cup 448 may be removably engageable to the upper surface of the tray 50 during use of the infant seat 10.
In an aspect of the infant seat 10, it is contemplated that the tray 50 or pommel 52 may be removably engageable to the front post 20 via any of the embodiments discussed herein. By way of example and not limitation, although the third embodiment illustrates a pommel 52 being removably engageable to the front post 20, it is also contemplated the tray 50 may be removably engageable to the front post 20 via the same method disclosed in the third embodiment.
In another aspect, it is also contemplated that the infant seat may be removably engageable to both the tray and/or pommel. For example, as shown in Figures 12-illustrating the fifth embodiment, a male member 150 fixedly attached to the pommel 154 may be inserted into the female member 152 and engaged thereto by twisting the pommel 154, the pommel 154 may be engaged or removed from the front post 20.
Also, as shown in Figures 13 and 15, the female member 152, and more particularly, the upper surface of the female member 152 is formed with the first and second rows of toothed slots 71 as described in Figures 2-6 illustrating the first embodiment. In this regard, the tray 50 illustrated in the first embodiment may be removably attachable to the front post 20 via the male member 60 illustrated in relation to the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 5. Accordingly, it is contemplated that the infant seat 10 may be provided to a parent or user as a kit. The kit may comprise the infant seat 10 itself, the tray 50 which is removably attachable with the male and female members 60, 62 shown in the first embodiment and/or a pommel 154 which is removably engageable to the front post 20 via the male and female member 150, as shown in the fifth embodiment. It is contemplated that the pommel 154 and tray 50 may be removably engageable to the front post 20 via any of the methods disclosed herein. As such, the same male and female members 150, 152 may be respectively engaged to the pommel/tray 154, 50 and front post 20 so as to make the pommel/tray 154, 50 removably engageable to the front post 20.
In the various embodiments of the infant seat discussed above, reference may have been made that the tray or ponnmel when attached to the front post prevents the infant from being removed from the infant seat or prevents the infant from lifting himself or herself out of the infant seat. However, such condition is not required.
Rather, when the tray or pommel is attached to the front post, it may be more difficult to remove the infant from the infant seat or the infant may have more difficulty in lifting himself or herself out of the infant seat.
Additionally, the above discussion of the infant seat referenced parts rotating in the counter clockwise or clockwise direction. However, the rotating direction of the parts was made for convenience and is not a requirement. The rotation of the parts may be reversed. By way of example and not limitation, Figure 22b illustrates a user rotating the pommel in a counter clockwise direction to remove the pommel from the front post of the infant seat. It is contemplated that the front post and the pommel structure may be reversed such that pommel is removed from the front post by rotating the pommel in the clockwise direction.
Moreover, the above discussion of the infant seat discussed certain parts as being molded to the infant seat. However, such condition is also not required.
Rather, the parts may be attached to the infant seat in any manner discussed herein or known in the art. By way of example and not limitation, Figure 23 illustrates the male member as being molded into the pommel and the female member molded into the front post. However, it is also contemplated that the male member and female member may be attached to the pommel and front post via glue or any other method known in the art or any method discussed herein.
The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.

Claims (32)

1. An infant seat for retaining an infant in the infant seat at a seated position, the infant seat comprising:
a seat rest for receiving buttocks of the infant;
a back rest attached to a rear portion of the seat rest for receiving a back of the infant;
left and right side supports attached to left and right sides of the seat rest and attached to lateral sides of the back rest;
a front post attached to a front portion of the seat rest, the front post and the left and right side supports defining grooves; and a tray removeably attachable solely to the front post, the tray extendable laterally over the grooves for blocking the legs of the infant.

2. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising means for removeably attaching the tray to the front post.

3. The infant seat of Claim 2 further comprising a pommel removeably attachable to the front post, the pommel extendable laterally over the grooves for blocking the legs of the infant.

4. The infant seat of Claim 3 further comprising means for removeably attaching the pommel to the front post such that tray or the pommel may be attached to the front post.

5. The infant seat of Claim 1 wherein the tray extends over the two side supports.

6. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:
a male member comprising:
a first flange attached to the tray; and a lever traverseable between a release position and an engaged position, the lever having at least one tooth; and a female member comprising:
a second flange attached to the front post, the second flange and front post defining a slot for receiving the first flange; and at least one toothed slot for engagement with the tooth of the lever.

7. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:

a male member attached to the tray, the male member comprising:
levers having pawls, the levers being traverseable between a release position and a depressed position;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having a cam surface for receiving the pawl to attach the tray to the front post.

8. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:
a male member attached to the tray, the male member having a post with a radially extending tab;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having a J configured slot of receiving the tab;
a spring disposed between the male member and female member for biasing the male member away from the female member.

9. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:
a male member attached to the tray, the male member having vertically oriented flanges, at least one of the flanges having a notch;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having a cam surface with a notch;
wherein the flange is insertable into the notch of the cain surface, and the cam surface is receivable into the notch of the flange for attaching the tray to the front post.

10. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:
a male member attached to the tray, the male member having a bulbous configuration;
wherein the front post has a cavity sized and configured to receive the bulbous configured male member.

11. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:
a male member attached to the tray, the male member having a tapered configuration;
wherein the front post has a cavity sized and configured to frictionally receive the taper configured male member.

12. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:
a male member attached to the tray, the male member having a cam surface;

a latch attached to the front post, the latch traverseable between a depressed position and an engaged position, at the depressed position, the latch clears the cam surface of the mate member, at the engaged position, the latch engages the cam surface so as to secure the tray to the front post.

13. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:
a male member attached to the tray, the male member having an inwardly displaceable tang;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having an aperture sized and configured to receive and engage the tang of the male member.

14. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising:
a male member attached to the tray, the male member having a plurality of ridges;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having a plurality of ridges sized and configured to mate with the ridges of the male member.

15. The infant seat of Claim 1 further comprising a toy removeably attachable to the tray.

16. The infant seat of Claim 15 wherein the toy is removeably attachable to the tray with an elongate member snappable into a depression formed in an upper surface of the tray.

17. The infant seat of Claim 15 wherein the toy is removeably attachable to the tray via a suction cup.

18, An infant seat for retaining an infant in the infant seat at a seated position, the infant seat comprising:
a seat rest for receiving buttocks of the infant;
a back rest attached to a rear portion of the seat rest for receiving a back of the infant;
left and right side supports attached to left and right sides of the seat rest and attached to lateral sides of the back rest;
a front post attached to a front portion of the seat rest, the front post and the left and right side supports defining grooves;

a pommel removeably attachable solely to the front post, the tray extending laterally over the grooves for blocking the legs of the infant.

19. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising means for removeably attaching the pommel to the front post.

20. The infant seat of Claim 17 wherein the pommel extends over the two side supports.

21. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member comprising:
a first flange attached to the pommel; and a lever traverseable between a release position and an engaged position, the lever having at least one tooth; and a female member comprising:
a second flange attached to the front post, the second flange and front post defining a slot for receiving the first flange; and at least one toothed slot for engagement with the tooth of the lever.

22. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member attached to the pommel, the male member comprising:
levers having pawls, the levers being traverseable between a release position and a depressed position;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having a cam surface for receiving the pawl to attach the pommel to the front post.

23. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member attached to the pommel, the male member having a post with a radially extending tab;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having a J configured slot of receiving the tab;
a spring disposed between the male member and female member for biasing the male member away from the female member.

24. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member attached to the pommel, the male member having vertically oriented flanges, at least one of the flanges having a notch;

a female member attached to the front post, the female member having a cam surface with a notch;
wherein the flange is insertable into the notch of the cam surface, and the cam surface is receivable into the notch of the flange for attaching the pommel to the front post.

25. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member attached to the pommel, the male member having a bulbous configuration;
wherein the front post has a cavity sized and configured to receive the bulbous configured male member.

26. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member attached to the pommel, the male member having a tapered configuration;
wherein the front post has a cavity sized and configured to frictionally receive the taper configured male member.

27. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member attached to the pommel, the male member having a cam surface;
a latch attached to the front post, the latch traverseable between an depressed position and an engaged position, at the depressed position, the latch clears the cam surface of the male member, at the engaged position, the latch engages the cam surface so as to secure the pommel to the front post.

28. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member attached to the pommel, the male member having an inwardly displaceable tang;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having an aperture sized and configured to receive and engage the tang of the male member.

29. The infant seat of Claim 27 wherein the tang has a hook and the female member has a protrusion, the hook being removeably engageable to the protrusion of the female member.

30. The infant seat of Claim 28 wherein the protrusion has a beveled surface for inwardly displacing the tang as the tang is being inserted into the aperture of the female member.

31. The infant seat of Claim 29 wherein the male member has a slotted portion adjacent to the hook such that the protrusion may be traversed therethrough to disengage the pommel from the front post.

32. The infant seat of Claim 17 further comprising:
a male member attached to the pommel, the male member having a plurality of ridges;
a female member attached to the front post, the female member having a plurality of ridges sized and configured to mate with the ridges of the male member.