GB2122075A - Convertible chair - Google Patents

Abstract

A convertible chair, particularly for use as a selectively interchangeable infant's high chair for feeding and an infant's push chair, has an angularly movable portion 2, which has a first member 10 substantially perpendicular to a second member 11 and is pivotable (12) clockwise through 90 DEG relative to a member 4 of a support portion 1 from a first position, Fig. 1, in which the first member 10 defines a seat area and the second member 11 defines a back rest area to a second position, Fig. 4, in which the first member 10 defines a back rest area and the second member 11 defines a seat area. In each position, the angularly movable portion 2 is securable to the support portion 1. In the first position, slots (18) in member 10 and slots (17) in arms 15 pivoted (16) to portion 2 engage over a support cross piece 22. In the second position, further slots (21) in arms 15 engage over the cross piece 22. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Convertible chairs This invention relates to convertible chairs, for instance chairs for infants, invalids and other people with restricted mobility.

It is an object of this invention to have a versatile chair which may be usefully adapted to different circumstances.

According to this invention, I propose a convertible chair comprising an angularly movable portion having a first member and a second member securable in a substantially mutually perpendicular relationship, and pivotable from a first portion in which the first member defines a seat area and the second member defines a back rest area to a second position in which the first member defines a back rest area and the second member defines a seat area, a support portion for supporting the angularly movable portion in the first and second positions and means for fastening the angularly movable portion to the support portion in the first and second positions.

In the preferred embodiment, the fastening means comprises a primary support member pivotally connected to the junction between the first and second members of the angularly movable portion and which can lie alongside or below the first member and link with a supporting cross-piece member of the support portion when the angularly movable portion is in the low position, and act as a support strut below the chair back of the angularly movable portion in the alternative high position and when linked with another or the same connecting member on the support portion.

Further preferably, the support portion includes an upstanding member which in the low position stands alongside the back of the chair and in the high position supports the front of the seat and is parallel to and spaced apart from the primary support member.

The support portion may advantageously be mounted on wheels so that the chair may be used as a push chair. The chair can include one or more releasable brakes for preventing one or more of the wheels turning.

It is also of advantage, particularly for a push chair, for the child's chair to include means for pushing the chair attached to the second member of the angular movable portion. Means may be provided on the support for supporting the pushing means when the angularly movable portion is in the high position.

The chair may further include holders for supporting a removable table top. The holders are provided on the support portion and/or angularly movable portion. These holders may be sleeve members for receiving tube members extending from the table top.

Whilst the first and second members may include rigid surfaces to serve as the interchangeable seat and back rest, it is preferred to use a sheet of canvas or other flexible material for the seat and back rest.

The support portion of the chair may be provided with a footrest. The framework of the chair may be collapsible for storage convenience.

An embodiment of the invention is described by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a chair of this invention in a high position; Figure 2 is a rear view of the chair shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a support arm forming part of the chair shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 illustrates the chair of Figure 1 set up in a low alternative position; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the chair in the alternative position shown in Figure 4.

A chair according to this invention comprises a support portion 1 and an angularly movable portion 2. The support 1 has two parallel, spaced apart triangular frames comprising a lower, substantially horizontal strut 3, an upstanding strut 4 and an inclined strut 5 and the corresponding corners of the triangular frames are joined by cross-piece members. The inclined struts 5 are also joined by a second cross-piece member 22 upon which the angular movable portion 2 is supported.

The lower struts 3 include a pivot unit 6 enabling the support frame to be collapsed into compact form for storage. The inclined struts 5 and the upstanding struts 4 are each mounted on a wheel and a spring-loaded releasable brake 8 is provided for one of the wheels to selectively prevent movement of the chair on the wheels. A pivotally mounted footrest is disposed at the other end of the lower struts 3 to the brake 8.

The angularly movable portion 2 comprises a first member 10 and a second member 11 in a fixed, substantially mutually perpendicular relationship and the second member is pivotally mounted at the other end of the upright struts 4 to the brake 8 by the pivot 12.

A push bar 14 for use in the lower position of the chair has side members 13 rigidly secured to the pivotable end of the second member 11.

A pair of parallel support arms 1 5 (shown in more detail in Figure 3) is mounted by pivots 16, to the ends of the edge joining the members 10 and 11. A slot 17 is formed near the lower end of the support arm 1 5 in a corresponding position to a similar slot 18 formed near the top of the first member 10.

The slots 1 7 and 1 8 are both located over the cross-piece 22 when the chair is in the low position, as illustrated in Figure 1. A sheet of canvas material 20 supported between the outer ends of the two members 10 and 11 forms a low seat within the chair, with the second member 11 forming the back and the first member 10 forming the seat with the fastening members 1 5.

A high seat can be created by removing the slots 17 and 18 from the cross-piece 22 and turning the angularly movable portion 2 about pivot 12 clockwise through approximately 900, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, so that the first portion 10 now defines a backrest and the second portion 11 defines a seat.

The angularly movable portion 2 can be fixed in this position firstly by suitable securing means fixing the side members 13 of the push bar 14 to the upright struts 4 and by turning the support arms 1 5 into a pbsition where a further slot 21 perpendicular.to the other slot 1 7 in the extreme end of the fastening bars can be located over cross-piece member 22 on the support portion.

The support portion 1 and the angularly movable portion 2 both carry pairs of sleeve members which can receive the ends of tubular members 23 extending below a removable table top 24. Thus, a first pair of sleeve members 25 allows for the table 24 to be positioned in front of the seat in its low position as illustrated in Figure 1. Alternatively the table could be located within a pair of sleeve members 26 to act as a sunshade when the seat is in the low position. When the table is not required for either of these purposes, or when the chair is to be collapsed and stored, the table can be fitted into a third pair of sleeve members 27 so that it lies to the rear of the seat (as shown in Figure 2). The pair of sleeve members 27 can also be used, when the child's chair is converted to a high-chair condition as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, to receive the table 24 to serve as a feeding tray.

This chair is especially useful as a selectively interchangeable infant's high chair for feeding and an infant's push chair.

The chair can be fixed in the two positions by any suitable means such as bolts and/or screws.

Claims (10)

1. A convertible chair comprising an angularly movable portion having a first member and a second member securable in a substantially mutually perpendicular relationship, and pivotable from a first position in which the first member defines a seat area and the second member defines a back rest area to a second position in which the first member defines a back rest area and the second member defines a seat area, a support portion for supporting the angularly movable portion in the first and second positions and means for fastening the angularly movable portion to the support portion in the first and second position.

2. A convertible chair according to claim 1, wherein the support portion includes a påir of parallel, spaced apart arms each pivotable on or - adjacent the line between the first and second members and including slots at the non-pivotable end which are fastenable on a cross-piece member on the support portion.

3. A convertible chair according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support portion further includes an upstanding portion and the angularly movable portion is pivotable at or adjacent the edge of the second member opposite the line between the first and second members.

4. A convertible chair according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first and second members are in the form of frames to which flexible material may be attached to provide a back rest and seat.

5. A convertible chair according to any preceding claims, wherein the support portion is mounted on wheels.

6. A convertible chair according to claim 5, including one or more releasable braking means.

7. A convertible chair according to any preceding claim, including means for pushing the chair attached to the second member.

8. A convertible chair according to any preceding claim, including means for supporting a removable table top on one or both of the first and second members.

9. A convertible chair according to any preceding claim, wherein the framework of the chair is collapsible into a compact form.

10. A convertible chair constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to any of the Figures of the drawings.