GB2445185A

GB2445185A - Highchair comprising additional uprights

Info

Publication number: GB2445185A
Application number: GB0625947A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tim Inder-Gray
Original assignee: EAST COAST NURSERY Ltd
Current assignee: EAST COAST NURSERY Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-27
Filing date: 2006-12-27
Publication date: 2008-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2026-12-27
Also published as: GB2445185B; GB0625947D0

Abstract

A highchair 10 comprises a frame and a chair seat 16, the frame comprising a back upright 22 forming a chair back, and two side uprights 34. The highchair further includes two additional uprights 44, each additional upright being between a side upright and the back upright. The frame defines a plurality of fixing locations (24, Fig. 2, 42, Fig. 3) at different heights for attachment of the chair seat 16 of the highchair. The highchair may further include armrests 36, a footrest (18, Fig. 3), a tray 14 and a harness 20. The additional uprights may serve to prevent a child from falling through a gap between a side upright and the back upright before they have been secured with the harness. The height of the chair seat may be lowered so that the highchair can serve as a standard chair for a child.

Description

A Highchair The invention relates to a highchair.

A known highchair is made of wood. The highchair comprises a frame, which mounts a tray, a chair seat and a footrest. The frame comprises a back upright and two side uprights. Each side upright is curved over at its upper end to extend rearwardly where it is connected to the side of the back upright, thus forming an armrest. At its lower end, each side upright is connected to a base member which extends rearwardly and is connected to a lower part of the back upright. Each base member carries two ground engaging feet. The upper part of the back upright forms a chair back. The chair seat is attached to the frame by means of bolts through the side uprights and the back upright which are received in nuts embedded in the edge of the chair seat. The footrest is secured below the chair seat by bolts in the same way. The tray is attached to the top of the frame to lie in front of a baby sitting on the chair seat. A series of bolt holes is provided along each side upright and in the back upright so that the chair seat and footrest can be mounted at any desired height on the frame. Each side upright connects near the front edge of the chair seat for optimum stability in three point mounting of the chair seat.

The highchair is made of wood, and to minimise the use of material, the side uprights are slim, and the back upright reduced in width below the chair back.

In particular if the chair seat is mounted relatively low in the frame, there is a gap formed to each side of a baby sitting in the seat between the side upright on that side and the back upright. When a baby is placed in the highchair, there is a period and before the harness has been secured in which the baby might fall through one of those gaps.

According to the invention there is provided a highchair comprising a frame and a chair seat, the frame comprising a back upright forming a chair back, and two side uprights, the highchair further including two additional uprights, each additional upright being between a side upright arid the back upright, the frame defining a plurality of fixing means at different heights for attachment of the chair seat of the highchair. Ic

In this way, the additional uprights block the gaps between the side uprights and the back upright to prevent a baby from being able to fall through the gaps.

The chair seat may be attachable to at least two uprights of the frame at a plurality of different heights. The chair seat is preferably attachable to at least the two side uprights at a plurality of different heights. The chair seat is preferably attachable to the back upright at a plurality of different heights. When the chair seat is attachable to the back upright at a plurality of heights, the chair seat is preferably attachable to at least two further uprights at a plurality of different heights. The two further uprights are preferably the side uprights.

The width of any gap between two adjacent uprights is preferably 25Onun or less, more preferably 200mm or less and may be 150mm or less.

The uprights may be connected to a common base.

The highchair preferably includes a tray.

The highchair may include armrests. Each side upright may be connected to an armrest and each additional upright may be connected to an armrest. Each armrest may be connected to the chair back. In a preferred embodiment, each armrest is integral with a side upright.

The uprights may be made of any suitable material and preferably are made of wood. Wood is an attractive material, in particular in a home.

The highchair may include a footrest which may be attachable to at least two uprights at a plurality of different heights. The footrest is preferably attachable to the two side uprights at a plurality of different heights. The footrest may be attachable to at least three uprights, and one of the uprights to which the footrest is attachable may be the back upright.

Each additional upright may be of any suitable width and preferably is at least 50mm wide.

The width of the back upright at the positions below the chair back may be 200mm or more in width and preferably is 300mm or more in width.

The high chair preferably can also serve as a child's or adult's chair by lowering the height of the chair seat. Where a tray is provided, the tray is then suitably removable.

Where a footrest is provided, the footrest is preferably removable.

The highchair preferably includes a harness which may be carried by the chair seat.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. lisa front elevation of the highchair of the embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the highchair of FIG. I; FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the highchair of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the highchair of FIG. 1; and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the highchair of FIG. 1.

The highchair 10 of the embodiment of the invention comprises a frame 12, a tray 14, a chair seat 16, a footrest 18 and a harness 20.

The frame 12 includes a back upright 22 which is generally I shaped and has a series often equally spaced apertures 24 at different heights along the central longitudinal axis of the back upright 22. The I shaped back upright 22 thus includes upper outwardly extending arms 26 and lower outwardly extending arms 28 extending from an elongate main part 30. The width of the main part 30 is 300mm.

The frame also includes on each side a C shaped element 32. The C shaped element 32 comprises a side upright 34 which curves over at its top end into a horizontal armrest 36 and is connected at its lower end to a horizontal base part 38. Connected to the underside of the base part 38 at the front and rear is a ground engaging foot 40. A series of apertures 42 are provided in the side upright 34 at the same height as the apertures 24 in the back upright 22.

The side uprights 34 and back upright 22 lean backwards at an angle of about 100 to the vertical. The base parts 38 extend further backwards than the top of the side uprights 34 and back upright 22.

The ends of the upper arms 26 of the back upright 22 are bolted to the ends of the arm rests 36. The ends of the lower arms 28 of the back upright 22 are bolted to the base part 38 about halfway along its length.

The frame also includes an additional upright 44 on each side extending between and connected to the armrest 36 and the base part 38 of the C shaped element 32. Each additional upright 44 is arranged at the same 100 angle as the side uprights 34 and back upright 22 and is just forwards of the position of the back upright 22.

The tray 14 comprises a main tray part 46 which is slightly recessed 48 in its upper surface and two arms 50 extending rearwardly from the main tray part at each side and each connected to the inner side of the adjacent armrest 36 in pivoting fashion by a bolt 52 through the armrest 36. Each arm 50 includes an outwardly projecting shoulder 54 just before it reaches the main part 46 of the tray 14. The shoulder 54 rests on the upper surface of the armrest 36 so that the tray 14 rests in a horizontal position.

The chair seat 16 is generally rectangular in plan but having rounded rear corners 56. To attach the chair seat 16 to the frame 12, the chair seat 16 is offered up to the frame 12 in a horizontal position and is secured by bolts through an aperture 24 in the back upright 22 and by a bolt through an aperture 42 in each side upright 34. The front *1 edge 58 of the chair seat 16 is substantially at the same forward position as the forward edge of each side upright 34 when the chair seat 16 is mounted in position.

The footrest 18 is generally in a broad pear shape. Nuts (not shown) are sunk into the edges of the footrest 18 at positions 60 at the broadest extent of the pear shape to receive a bolt through an aperture 42 in each side upright 34. A nut (not shown) is also sunk into the end surface of the narrow end of the pear shaped footrest 18 to receive the bolt through an aperture 24 in the back upright 22. The wide end 62 of the pear shaped footrest 18 extends forwards of the side uprights 34 and hence also forwards of the front edge 58 of the chair seat 16 so that it is in a comfortable position for the feet of a baby sitting on the chair seat 16.

The harness 20 is made of fabric with a plastic fastener and is detachably attached to the chair seat 16 at one point in the middle of the front of the chair seat 16 and two points at the back thereof.

Each element of the highchair except for the harness 20 is made of wood. Except for the tray 14, the other parts of the highchair are generally flat and about 20mm in thickness.

In use, the tray 14, chair seat 16 and footrest 18 are bolted into position with the footrest 18 below the chair seat 20. A baby is then placed in the high chair through the aperture 70 defined between the tray 14 and the upper part 72 of the back upright 22 so that the baby sits on the chair seat 16. The harness 20 is a five point harness. Each of the baby's arms must thus be put through the appropriate loop of the harness and it must be ensured that the baby's legs are through the appropriate loops of the harness, and the harness must then be fastened at the front of the baby. While this is taking place, the baby is not secured by the harness. However, the gap 74 between the main part 30 of the back upright 22 and the additional strut 44 is so narrow that a baby could not fall through it. Also, the gap 76 between the C shaped element 32, principally the side upright 34, and the additional upright 44, is also so narrow that a baby could not fall through it. The baby is therefore safe in the highchair. In addition, as the baby grows, the height of the l1 chair seat 16 and footrest 18 can be lowered by bolting them through lower apertures 42, 24 in the frame 12 and, in due course the tray 14 can be removed so that the child can sit at a normal table, and the harness 20 may be removed if not required. As the child grows older and taller, the footrest 18 may also be removed, and in this way the chair may be used by a child right through to teenage years.

Claims

I. A highchair comprising a frame and a chair seat, the frame comprising a back upright forming a chair back, and two side uprights, the highchair further including two additional uprights, each additional upright being between a side upright and the back upright, the frame defining a plurality of fixing means at different heights for attachment of the chair seat of the highchair.
2. A highchair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chair seat is attachable to at least two uprights of the frame at a plurality of different heights.
3. A highchair as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the chair seat is attachable to at least the two side uprights at a plurality of different heights. * S * S.. *..*
4. A highchair as claimed in claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein the chair seat is attachable to the back upright at a plurality of different heights.

S..... * .
5. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the chair seat is attachable *.. to at least three uprights at a plurality of different heights.
6. A highchair as claimed in claim 5, wherein the chair seat is attachable to the back and the two side uprights at a plurality of different heights.
7. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the width of the gap between any two adjacent uprights is 250mm or less.
8. A highchair as claimed in claim 7, wherein the width of the gap between any two adjacent uprights is 200mm or less.
9. A highchair as claimed in claim 8, wherein the width of the gap between any two adjacent uprights is 150mm or less.
10. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the uprights are connected to a common base.
11. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the highchair includes arm rests.
12. A highchair as claimed in claim II, wherein each armrest is connected to the chair back. S... * *
13. A highchair as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12 wherein each additional upright is **..** * * connected to an armrest. **.S S...

*:.
14. A highchair as claimed in claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein each side upright is connected to an armrest.
15. A highchair as claimed in claim 14, wherein each armrest is integral with a side upright.
16. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the uprights are made of
17. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the highchair includes a footrest.
18. A highchair as claimed in claim 17, wherein the footrest is removable.
19. A highchair as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the footrest is attachable to at least two uprights at a plurality of different heights.
20. A highchair as claimed in claim 1 8, wherein the footrest is attachable to at least the two side uprights at a plurality of different heights. * * * *** ****
21. A highchair as claimed in any of claims 17 to 20, wherein the footrest is attachable to the back upright at a plurality of different heights.

I

III.I' * I
22. A highchair as claimed in any of claims 17 to 21, wherein the footrest is I...

*..: attachable to at least three uprights at a plurality of different heights.
23. A highchair as claimed in claim 22, wherein the footrest is attachable to the back upright and the two side uprights at a plurality of different heights.
24. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each additional upright is at least 50mm wide.
25. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the width of the back upright at the positions below the chair back is 200mm or more in width.
26. A highchair as claimed in claim 24, wherein the width of the back upright at the positions below the chair back is 300mm or more in width.
27. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the high chair is arranged to serve as a child's chair up to teenage years by lowering the height of the chair seat.
28. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the highchair includes a tray.
29. A highchair as claimed in claim 28, wherein the tray is removable. * * * ***
30. A highchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the highchair includes a *:*. harness. * *

**
31. A highchair as claimed in claim 30, wherein the harness is carried by the chair ** * * * * * * seat.
32. A highchair substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.