GB2343623A - Convertible swing/high chair - Google Patents

Abstract

A secondary frame (12) is swingably mounted on a stationary frame (10), and is capable of being secured thereto. A seat (14) is mounted onto the secondary frame (12) in a height adjustable manners. By securing the secondary frame (12) to the stationary frame (10) and raising the position of the seat (14) on the secondary frame, the swing can be converted to a high chair, if desired while an infant is sitting in the seat. Conversion from high chair to swing can be accomplished in the opposite manner.

Description

CONVERTIBLE SWINGIHXGH CHAIR This invention concerns a child's swing which is convertible to a high chair (and vice versa).

Multi-purpose infant seats are well known-for example car seats which also serve as carriers and rockable seats. A five in one system is available on the market which comprises an infant seat and frame, which are usable separately as a rocking seat or low seat and as the basis of a"baby gym", respectively, and are combinable in two different ways as a swing and a high chair.

However, in converting between a high chair and a swing, the seat has to be detached from the frame and additional supporting elements have to be attached to the seat and then swingably suspended from the frame.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved convertible high chair/swing in which the conversion between the two is more readily accomplished than in the known device.

With this object in view the present invention provides a child's swing comprising a stationary frame, secondary frame means which is swingably mounted on the stationary frame, yet capable of being secured thereto, and a seat which is mounted onto the secondary frame means in a height adjustable manner such that by securing the secondary frame to the stationary frame and raising the position of the seat on the secondary frame, the swing can be converted to a high chair, with an infant sitting in the seat (if so desired), and conversion from high chair to swing can be accomplished in the opposite manner.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a practical embodiment of a convertible swing/high chair in accordance with the present invention when configured as a swing; Figure 2 is a similar view of the same embodiment when configured as a high chair; and Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of a modified embodiment of a convertible swing/high chair in accordance with the invention when configured as a high chair.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 the basic convertible assembly comprises a main, upright stationary"A"frame (10), a secondary, swingable frame (12) and a seat (14).

The main frame (10) consists of a rear U-shaped tubular member (20) with a cross-piece (22) extending between respective limbs (23) of the member, substantially parallel to a central lower section thereof, a front U-shaped tubular member (25) having a pair of corner supports (26), and a pair of top connectors (28).

These parts are interconnected as shown, with upper ends of respective rear U-shaped member limbs (23) joined to upper ends of respective front U-shaped member limbs (24) by means of the connectors (28). The corner supports (26) enhance the stability of the overall"A"frame (10). Comparable corner supports (not shown) may be provided on the rear U-shaped member (20), too.

The secondary, swingable frame (12) is also U-shaped in form and has the upper ends of its limbs swingably connected to the respective connectors (28) at pivot points (16). As illustrated, the secondary frame (12) is slightly narrower than the rear member (20) of the main frame (10), so as to be swingably mounted inside the latter. Moreover, its limbs are shorter than the limbs (23) of the rear member (20) such that when the secondary frame (12) is swung into adjacency with the rear member, the central section of the secondary frame (12) lies side by side with the cross-piece (22) and can be secured thereto by a clip or catch (30) (See Figure 2).

The seat (14) is mounted on a carriage (34), which is slidably adjustable on the limbs of the secondary frame (12). The carriage (34) is formed as a bar or cross-piece (36) extending between respective sleeve members (38) which are slidably mounted on the limbs of the secondary frame (12) and may be releasably secured thereto at any position therealong, i. e. at any selected height. This may be accomplished by any conventional means, such as one of more spring-loaded bolts engaging in apertures in the or one of the limbs of the secondary frame (12). One particular mechanism for height adjustment of the carriage is shown in Figure 3 and will be described further later.

The carriage (34) is also provided with means for mounting the seat (14) and additional tubular members (39) connect the seat (14) thereto.

The seat (14) may be adjusted in inclination relative to the carriage (34) by an adjustable pivotal connection-again, one particular mechanism for this is shown in Fig. 3 and will be described later.

The seat (14) may also be completely detached from the carriage (34) and from intermediate connector means (39) for use as a table seat. In this respect, the seat (14) in this embodiment has clamping means (40) provided on each arm whereby it may be clamped to a table and used for this other purpose.

The particular design of the seat, i. e its precise shape, is not relevant to the invention. It should be noted, however, that it may be moulded of plastics material in its entirety, or part only may be moulded (e. g the upper part) the remainder being of fabric. The latter arrangement would allow the seat to be more easily stored and transported.

A tray (42) is provided and is attachable to the arms of the seat (14). This will usually be done in the high chair (or low chair) configuration of the assembly.

Conversion from the swing configuration (Figure 1) to the high chair configuration (Figure 2) is readily accomplished by securing the hitherto swingable secondary frame (12) to the cross-piece (22), by means of the catch or clip (30), and raising the seat (14) to a higher position on the secondary frame (12), by sliding the carriage (34) up the limbs of the secondary frame.

Some adjustment of the inclination of the seat may also be necessary, and the tray (42) may be attached. If an infant is sitting in the seat (14) in the swing configuration, these operations can safely be effected without removing it from the seat.

Conversion from high chair to swing is readily accomplished by reversing these operations i. e. lowering the seat (14) and releasing the catch (30), again with an infant in situ, if so desired. Intermediate the two illustrated configurations, there is also a f ixed low chair option, which may also be useful on occasions.

For storage, the main"A"frame may be folded flat. In this respect, either the front U-shaped member (25) or the rear Ushaped member (20), or both, may be pivotally mounted in the respective connectors (28) and be released from a normal locked open condition, wherein the members diverge to provide a sturdy frame, as shown, so as to swing into a closed, generally flat non-operative condition.

Turning now to Figure 3, this shows a modified version of convertible swing/high chair, but, for ease of reference, all directly comparable parts will be allocated the same reference numerals and, to avoid unnecessary repetition, their description will not be reiterated. It will be noted that corner supports (26) are provided, in this version, on both the front and rear Ushaped members (25,20). Also, the connectors (28) are of different, somewhat larger, form than in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. In this respect, the connectors (28) are large enough to house a battery powered or clockwork mechanism for swinging the secondary frame (12).

In respect of the clip or catch (30), which secures the secondary frame (12) to the cross piece (22) in this high chair configuration, a button (31) is visible, depression of which releases the clip (30) so that it can be swung upwards, free of the secondary frame (12) releasing the latter for swinging. This is indicated by arrows B.

For height adjustment of the seat (14), a series of corresponding apertures (13) are shown in the respective limbs of the secondary frame member (12). These apertures (13) are selectively engagable by spring loaded locking pins (not shown) which are housed in wedge shaped extensions (37) of the sleeves (38) of the carriage (34) whereby the latter is slidable up and down the secondary frame (12), as indicated by arrow C. The spring means which normally urge the locking pins into engagement with the apertures (13) are counteracted by actuation of a cross bar (15) which extends between the wedge shaped extensions (37) adjacent the cross piece (36) of the carriage (34). When the cross bar (15) is pulled or squeezed closer to the cross piece (36), as indicated by arrows D, the locking pins disengage from the apertures (13) and the carriage (34) can be slid up or down from the secondary frame (12) (arrows C). Subsequent release of pressure on the cross bar (15) enables the locking pins to slip back into engagement with the next apertures (13) encountered as the carriage (34) is moved up or down. Thus the carriage (34), and the seat (14) mounted thereon, are locked in a new height position on the frame (12). It will be appreciated that with the mechanism just described this height adjustment can be achieved using only one hand, i. e the cross piece (36) and the cross bar (15) can be grasped and squeezed together using only one hand.

This is useful in a nursery environment, where an operator may need, for example, to hold an infant with the other hand.

A mechanism for adjustment of the inclination of the seat (14) is also shown in Fig. 3. Each arm of the seat (14) is pivotally mounted onto the tubular member (39), which extends around the rear of the seat (14), as shown, and is fastened to the carriage (34) at each side. On the rear of the seat (14) there is a rack (42), with a series of pairs of vertical notches. A spring steel loop (44) connects between a mid point of the tubular member (39) and the rack (44). In order to change the inclination of the seat (14), as indicated by arrow E, the steel loop (44) has to be squeezed as indicated by arrows F, to release it from the current rack notches with which it is engaged, the seat (14) can then be pivoted, and the loop (44) then released to re-engage in the appropriate rack notches to hold the seat in the newly selected position.

The foregoing is, of course, only illustrative, not limitative of the scope of the invention and many variations in design detail are possible. In particular, the configuration of the main frame may take many forms. For example, four separate elongate frame members may be provided or two such members and one U-shaped members and some or all of these may be fastenable to an enlarged base. Also, the secondary frame may take a different form and may be securable to the main frame in a different manner in other embodiments of the invention. The mechanism for height adjustment and for seat indication may also differ from those described and illustrated.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. A child's swing comprising a stationary frame, secondary frame means which is swingably mounted on the stationary frame, yet capable of being secured thereto, and a seat which is mounted onto the secondary frame means in a height adjustable manner such that by securing the secondary frame to the stationary frame and raising the position of the seat on the secondary frame, the swing can be converted to a high chair, with an infant sitting in the seat (if so desired), and conversion from high chair to swing can be accomplished in the opposite manner.
2. 2. A swing convertible to high chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seat is slidably adjustable relative to the secondary frame means.
3. 3. A swing convertible to high chair as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the seat is releasably mounted on the secondary frame means.
4. 4. A swing convertible to high chair as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the seat is adjustable in inclination relative to the secondary frame means.
5. 5. A swing convertible to high chair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.