GB2431869A

GB2431869A - Child's folding high chair

Info

Publication number: GB2431869A
Application number: GB0621525A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Church
Original assignee: Armon Ltd
Current assignee: Armon Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-03
Filing date: 2006-10-30
Publication date: 2007-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2026-10-30
Also published as: GB0621525D0; GB2431869B; WO2007052077A1; GB0522464D0

Abstract

A folding high chair comprises: four legs 10-13; a seat 58; a back 51; and a pair of telescopic side arms 22, 23, each comprising two end elements 40, 41 and an element 42 sliding into the end elements. The legs curve outwardly at their bottom ends, and the rear legs 12, 13 also curve outwardly at their top ends; the legs are coupled together by cross members 17-24 forming Xs. The seat and back are of canvas or like material. The chair also has a footrest 66.

Description

Child's High Chair The present invention relates to high chairs for

children.

High chairs for children are well known. A high chair typically com-prises a chair with a relatively small and high seat; the small size of the seat makes it suitable for children, and its height brings the child up to the typical height of a seated adult. The chair typically has a back and a pair of side arms to keep the child in the seat. There may be a small table attached to the seat.

Traditional high chairs are rigidly constructed of wood. However, such chairs are heavy, and are also bulky, making them difficult to store away or to transport when the child is taken on a trip. Folding chairs, typically of light metal, are therefore also well known. Many folding high chairs fold in a single dimension, so that on folding, typically the side-to-side width of the chair remains unchanged but the chair is collapsed front-to-back. (The height also typically remains unchanged.) Some high chairs, however, fold in 2 dimensions, ie side-to-side as well as front-to-back (an arrangement sometimes termed "umbrella fold").

One of the aspects of the fold mechanism is the way in which the side arms of the chair are dealt with on folding.

There is of course no problem if the chair does not have rigid side arms.

For example, the chair may have a seat of canvas or similar material with side panels which are tensioned to provide side support when the chair is opened, and fold or collapse automatically when the chair is folded. However, a more rigid arm is often required.

Each side arm may be hinged to the remainder of the chair frame at one end and attached at its other end by a releasable attachment, so that it can be released and folded up or down when the chair is to be folded. This makes folding and unfolding the chair more complicated, and is potentially dangerous since the arms may not always be attached correctly when the chair is unfolded.

A further possible technique is for the arms to be hinged at one end and have a sliding engagement with the remainder of the chair frame at the other end. This tends to require a relatively complicated mechanism.

According to the main aspect of the invention there is provided a folding high chair comprising four legs, a seat, a back, and a pair of side arms, each side arm comprising two or more sections, wherein the side arm sections are slidable relative to one another. Preferably the side arms are telescopic, preferably with three sections. Preferably each side arm has sideways extending elements at its ends, to give a slightly greater width. The legs arc preferably coupled together by cross members forming Xs. Preferably the legs are curved outwardly at their bottom ends, and preferably the rear legs are also curved outwardly at their top ends. The seat and back are preferably of canvas or like material. The chair preferably also has a footrest.

A high chair embodying the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. I shows the chair in partially exploded form; and Figs. 2 and 3 show an arm in more detail.

The central part of the thawing shows the mechanical framework of the high chair. The framework comprises four vertical legs 10-13, eight cross-members 14-21, a pair of side arms 22 and 23, and eight hinge members 24-31.

The two legs 10 and 11 form the front legs of the chair, and the two legs 12 and 13 form the rear legs of the chair; the rear legs are longer than the front legs, with their upper ends forming the back part of the chair (ie the part against which the back of the child rests). As shown, the legs 10-13 arc generally vertical, but are curved outwardly to give greater stability, both against the chair tipping over and for the back support.

Each leg has a respective lower hinge member 24-27 and a respective upper hinge member 28-31 mounted on it. The lower hinge members are mounted rigidly on the legs; the upper hinge members are slidable on the legs.

The hinge members are connected together by the cross members 14-21, which form four crossed pairs. Thus cross member 17 is hinged to hinge members 24 and 30 and cross member 16 is hinged to hinge members 26 and 28; these two cross members are also hinged to each other at 32 where they cross. The remaining cross members are hinged in three further pairs between legs 10 and 11, llandl3,andl3andl2.

As just noted, hinge members 24-27 arc fixed to their respective legs, while hinge members 28-31 are slidable on their respective legs. The chair can therefore be collapsed by moving or pushing the legs together, with the hinge members 28-3 1 sliding upwardly, and opened by moving the legs apart, with the hinge members 28-31 sliding downwardly. The cross members 14-21 constrain the upper hinge members 28-31 to slide in unison and the legs 10-13 to remain in the same relative orientation (ic all vertical).

The cross members are preferably hinged together at their midpoints, but if desired they may be hinged together at points slightly below their midpoints.

This will result in a slight rotation of the legs 10-13 as the chair is folded, drawing the bottom ends of the legs slightly inwards.

The arms 22 and 23 arc mounted between the top ends of the front legs and 11 and to the corresponding points on the back legs 12 and 13 as shown.

Arm 22 comprises two end portions 40 and 41 joined by a front-to-back portion 42. Portion 42 slides or telescopes into portions 40 and 41 when the chair is folded. Portion 42 is shown as a single element, but may in turn comprise two or more telescopic sections. Portions 40 and 41 are rigidly attached to the legs and 11 respectively. Arm 23 is of course similar. Fig. 2 shows the arm 22 in its closed position, and Fig. 3 shows it in its open or extended position.

When the chair is folded, the side arms automatically telescope down to approximately half their extended length; they extend out to their full length when the chair is unfolded.

In a further embodiment each arm comprises two or more sections which are mounted side-by-side or one on top of each other, such that the sections are slidable relative to one another. The sections arc slidably connected by means of a collar. Alternatively the sections are slidably connected via tongue and groove means. It will be appreciated that other slidable connection means may be used.

Fig. I also shows (in exploded form) the canvas 50 forming the parts of the chair which the child comes into contact with. (The term "canvas" is of course used for any suitable form of cloth or other flexible material.) This canvas 50 comprises four major portions, a back 51, two sides 54 and 55, and a seat 58 attached to each other as shown.

The back 51 has its sides formed as a pair of tubes 52 and 53; these tubes fit over the upper ends of the rear vertical legs 12 and 13. These tubes may be closed at their upper ends to maintain the back 51 in position; alternatively, the upper corners of the back 51 may be attached to the legs 12 and 13 at or near their upper ends. Similar tubes 62 and 63 encase the adjacent lower portions of thc legs 12 and 13.

The side panel 55 is formed with a tube 57 along its upper edge; the end element 41 and sliding clement 42 of the chair fit within this tube. This tube serves both to support the side panel and to protect the telescopic mechanism of the side arm. A tube 60 down its front edge encases the upper part of leg 10.

The side panel 54 is similar, with tube 57 and 61 along its top and front edges.

The seat 58 is attached along its back edge to the rear panel 51 and along its side edges to the side panels 54 and 55. The seat panel 58 may have attachment means 59 at its corners by means of which it is attached to the upper sliding hinge members 28-31.

When the chair is folded or collapsed, the material of the canvas auto-matically folds or deforms as the legs 10-14 come together. When the chair is opened up, the canvas automatically unfolds and expands. The attachments 59 ensure that the seat panel is pulled down into position on unfolding so that it will have relatively little "give" when the child is placed in the chair.

The front legs 10 and 11 have a pair of projecting bars 65 attached to the at or close to the lower hinges 24 and 25. A canvas strip 66, with tubes 67 at its ends, fits onto these bars to form a footrest. The footrest, like the main canvas seat, automatically folds and unfolds as the chair is collapsed and ex-panded.

Claims

Claims 1. A folding high chair comprising four legs (10-13), a seat

(58), a back (51), and a pair of side arms (22,23), each side arm comprising two or more sections (40, 41, 42), wherein the side arm sections are slidable relative to one another.

2. A high chair according to claim I wherein the side arms are telescopic.

3. A high chair according to either previous claim wherein each side arm has at least three sections (40, 41, 42).

4. A high chair according to any previous claim wherein the legs are coupled together by cross members (14-21) forming Xs.

5. A high chair according to any previous claim wherein the legs (10-13) are curved outwardly at their bottom ends.

6. A high chair according to claim 5 wherein the rear legs (12,13) are also curved outwardly at their top ends.

7. A high chair according to any previous claim wherein the seat (58) and back (51) are of canvas or like material.

8. A high chair according to any previous claim wherein the chair also has a footrest (66).

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

10. Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features specifically disclosed herein within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Conven-tion (Paris Convention).