GB2489098A

GB2489098A - Height adjustable footrest device for a child's seat

Info

Publication number: GB2489098A
Application number: GB201204467A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hu Jun-Jie
Original assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Co Ltd Hong Kong
Current assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Co Ltd Hong Kong
Priority date: 2011-03-15
Filing date: 2012-03-14
Publication date: 2012-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 2032-03-14
Also published as: CN102669994A; GB2489098B; DE102012203967A1; DE102012203967B4; GB201204467D0

Abstract

A footrest device able to be connected to the seat unit of a childâ s seat and a childâ s seat with the foot rest device, the footrest device comprising of a leg support member 210 connected to the seat unit having at least two first engaging portions 212, a footrest member 220 mounted slidably on the leg support member, and an adjustment member 230 mounted to the footrest member, having a second engaging portion 231 that engages removably a selected one of the said first engaging portions to restrain sliding movement of the footrest member relative to the leg support member. Optionally, the first and second engagement members may comprise of recesses and a corresponding projection feature, the footrest may incorporate a resilient member and the adjustment member may move between a locked and unlocked position.

Description

I

CHILD SEAT AND FOOTREST DEVICE THREROF

The present invention relates to a child care facility, and more particularly to a child seat and a footrest device thereof, For parents who have children, it is common and convenient to use a child seat for the children to be fed, pacified, or to play thereon. With the widespread use of the child seat, the child seat is required to be not only comfortable for the child to sit on, but also convenient and flexible in operation. Accordingly, a footrest is generally disposed on the child seat as an attachment, so that a child can rest his/her feet on the footrest to permit the child to sit more comfortably and stably and to prevent the child from falling down to the ground1 thereby resulting in enhanced safety.

Conventionally, a footrest is mounted on.a child seat in the following two ways. First, the footrest may be formed from a forward extension from a leg support member (a part on which the child's lower legs rest), that is, the footrest is integrally formed with the leg support member into a one-piece structure, which however occupies a relatively large space when the child seat is folded, thereby resulting in inconvenience in storage. Second, to overcome the abovementioned drawback, the footrest may be mounted detachably on the leg support member. An engaging member is formed on a fixed position of one of the footrest and the leg support member, and a hook member is formed correspondingly on the other one of the footrest and the leg support member for engaging S detachably the footrest to the leg support member.

Therefore, the footrest can be mounted on or detached from the leg support member as required, thereby resulting in an improved convenience in use.

In the latter one of the mounting manners, after the footrest is mounted to the leg support member, the position of the footrest relative to the leg support member is generally unchangeable. As is well known, different children have different body sizes, and a child has different body sizes at different life stages.

Therefore, such unadjustable footrest presonts a relatively large limitation in use. For example, when the childs lower legs are shorter than the length from the seat portion to the footrest, the child's feet are unable to reach to the footrest when the child is seated on the childseat. Inthis case, the footrest isuseless.

On the other hand, when the child's lower legs are longer than the length from the seat portion to the footrest, the child has to bend his/her legs unnaturally to rest his/her foot on the footrest, which may not only affect adversely the growth of the child, but also reduce the comfortability when the child is seated.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a footrest device for a child seat, which includes a height-adjustable footrest member for different children at different life stages, which greatly enhances the flexibility of the child seat in use.

Accordingly, a footrest device of the present invention is adapted to be mounted on a seat unit of a child seat. The footrest device comprises a leg support member adapted to be connected to the seat unit of the child seat and having at least two first engaging portions, a footrest member mounted slidably on the leg support member, and an adjustment member mounted to the footrest member, having a second engaging portion that engages removably a selected one of the first engaging H IS portions for restraining the slide movement of the footrest member relative to the leg support member.

Another obiection of the present invention is to provide a child seat that comprises a support frame, a seat unit, a backrest unit and a footrest device. The seat unit is connected to the backrest unit and supported by the support frame. The footrest device includes a leg support member connected to the seat unit and having at least two first engaging portions, a footrest member mounted slidably on the leg support :1 25 member, and an adjustment member mounted to the footrest member, having a second engaging portion that engages removably a selected one of the first engaging portions for restraining slide movement of the footrest member relative to the leg support member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present 1: 5 invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a footrest device according to the present invention mounted on a child seat; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a footrest member and an adjustment member of the preferred embodiment; Figure 5 is a front view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Figure 5 when the adjustment member is at a locked position; Figure 7A is a sectional view taken along line Vu-Vu in Figure 5 when the adjustment member is at the locked position; Figure 713 is another sectional view taken along line Vu-Vu in Figure 5 when the adjustment member is at an unlocked position; Figure 8A is a sectional view taken along line Vill-VITI in Figure 5 when the adjustment member Is at the locked position; and Figure 8B is another sectional view taken along line Vill-Vill in Figure 5 when the adjustment member is at the unlocked position.

Referring to Figure 1, a preferred embodiment of a footrest device 200 is adapted to be mounted on a child seat 100. The chiid seat 100 may be configured as a part of a high chair1 a stroller, or other similar child care to facilities. The child seat 100 includes a support frame 101, a seat unit 102, a backrest unit 103, and a plurality of casters 104. The seat unit 102 is connected to the backrest unit 103. The combination of the seat unit 102 and the backrest unit 103 is mounted on the support frame 101. The footrest device 200 is adapted to be mounted on the seat unit 102 for supporting feet of a child seated on the child seat 100. The casters 104 are mounted on the lower end of the support frame 101 for enhancing the mobility of the child seat 100.

Referring further to Figures 2 and 3, the footrest device 200 includes a leg supportraernber 210, a footrest member 220, an adjustment member 230 and a resilient member 240. The leg support member 210 extends vertically and has a top end connected to the seat unit 102. The footrest member 220 is mounted slidably on the leg support member 210 and extends horizontally. The leg support member 210 and footrest member 220 cooperate with each other to support respectively the lower legs and the feet of the child seated on the child seat 100. The adjustment member 230 is mounted in the footrest member 220 and is slidable to control the vertical movement of the footrest member 220 to thereby enable the adjustment of the height position of the footrest 220 relative to the leg support member 210.

Specifically, referring further to Figures 4-85, the leg support member 210 has a front surface formed with at least one rail member 211 and at least two vertically spaced-apart first engaging portions 212.

In this embodiment, each of the first engaging portions 212 is a recess. In this embodiment, the leg support member 210 has two of the rail members 211, and six of the first engaging portions 212. Each of the rail members 211 is formed with three of the first engaging portions 212. But the numbers of the rail member 211 and the first engaging portions 212 and the configuration of the first engaging portions 212 are not limited to the abovementioned disclosure. In this embodiment, each of the rail members 211 is embedded in the leg support member 210. The leg support member 210 further has a pair of stop waIls 213, each extending from a lateral end of a respective one of the rail members 211 toward an opposite lateral end of the corresponding one of the rail members 211 (see Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 5)to form a vertical groove 214 2-i 0 0 t U) U) it E 0 it Cf s Cf rn 0 E'i Z o:3 H U) o C' Cf CD H it U) Y Cf 0 Cf w o it H -i N) w o it CD o it N Q. a U) H-Cf -< CD U) H CD U) 0 0 H-a N) H it it Cf as it CD CDt Q H U) Cf S U) it H-H CD U) Cf N Cf U) it Cf U) C' CI) o Cf U) N Cf CD CD H U) 0:3 U) CD H-N ç CD i U) N H N N) 0 H-U) LQ C' H a H it CD N) -t - CD N) it ° H a U) U a 0 it N tQ H Q H W H-CI) 0 0 a o H N H-H o CD CD N U) H-C' H-0 N g CD C' 0 0 0 CD a U) it 0 Cf C' ft CD Lo o N C' it H- t U) CD Cf N o o it it a E a C' < H ci U) Cf CD 0 U) H :3 U) C' H-U) Cf Cf:3 CD C' H- CD N H C' H 0 C a it U) U) h< p it o it a C' H C' a N) N CfC' a C' U) C' C' it Z C U) U) 0 N

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In the receiving cavity 225, the footrest 220 further has a first protrusion 226 that extends inwardly toward the adjustment member 230, and the adjustment member 230 further has a second protrusion 234 that extends toward the footrest member 220, such that the first protrusion 226 and the second protrusion 234 define cooperatively a receiving space 201. The resilient member 240 is received in the receiving space 201, and has opposite ends abutting against respectively the first protrusion 226 and the second protrusions 234 (see Figure 72k and Figure 78) The adjustment member 230 is movable relative to the footrest member 220 between an unlocked position (see Figures 78 and 88), where the vertical slide movement of the footrest member 220 relative to the leg support member 210 is allowed, and a locked position (see Figures 6, 72k and BA), where the second engaging portions 231 engage removably a selected pair of the first engaging portions 212 to restrain the slide movement the footrest member 220 relative to the leg support member 210. The resilient member 240 is disposed to bias the adjustment member 230 toward the S locked position. In this embodiment, the resilient member 240 is configured as a compression spring.

The operation process for adjusting the height position of the footrest member 220 after the footrest device 200 of the present invention is mounted on leg support member 210 is described in the following with reference to Figures l-8B.

Before the adjustment of the footrest member 220, as illustrated in Figure 8PL, the adjustment member 230 is at the locked position and biased by the resilient member 240 to engage the second engaging portions 231 of the with one pair of the first engaging portions 212 and be positioned at a given height position. When the height of the footrest 220 is desired to be adjusted, a force is exerted on the operation portion 232 to move the adjustment member 230 to the unlocked position, so that the resilient member 240 is compressed by the second protrusion 234 and the second engaging portions 231 are moved in a direction away from the leg support member 210 until the second engaging portions 231 are disengaged completely from the one pair of the first engaging portions 212 (see Figures TB and 88) Thereafter, the slide blocks 222 of the footrest 220 are allowed to move respectively along the sliding grooves 214 to adjust the height of the footrest member 220 until a desired height position of the footrest member 220 is reached! Finally, the force exerted on the operation portion 232 is removed, and the resilient member 240 extends to restore to its original state (see Figuro 7A), so that the adjustment member 230 are moved back to the locked position through a restoring force of the resilient member 240 until the second engaging portions 231 engage another one pair of the first engaging portions 212 corresponding to the desired height position (see Figure 81k) . Thus, the height adjustment operation for the footrest 220 of the footrest device 200 is completed. A user may repeat the aforementioned adjustment process for different children with different sizes.

It is worth noting that the first engaging portions 212 may be configured as projections while the second engaging portions 231 are formed as recesses in other embodiments of this invention.

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A footrest device adapted to be mounted to a seat unit of a child seat, comprising a leg support member adapted to be connected to the seat unit of the child seat and having at least two first engaging portions, a footrest member mounted slidably on said leg support member, and an adjustment member mounted to said footrest member, having a second engaging portion that engages removably a selected one of said first engaging portions for restraining slide movement of said footrest member relative to said leg support member.

2. The footrest device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first engaging portions are recesses, and said second engaging portion is a projection.

3. The footrest device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first engaging portions are projections, and said second engaging portion is a recess.

4, The footrest device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said adjustment member is movable relative to said footrest member between an unlocked position, where the slide movement of said footrest member relative to said leg support member is allowed, and a locked position, where said second engaging portion engages removably the selected one of said first engaging portions.

5. The footrest device as claimed in any one of claims I to 3, wherein said leg support member further has a rail member disposed thereon, said footrest member has a mounting portion engaging slidably said rail member, so that said footrest member is mounted slidably on said leg support member when said second engaging portion is disengaged from said the selected one of said first engaging portions.

6. The footrest device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said footrest member extends horizontally, and said mounting portion is slidable vertically along said rail member when said second engaging portion is disengaged from said the selected one of said first engaging portions.

7. The footrest device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first engaging portions are formed in said rail member.

B. The footrest device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a resilient member having opposite ends that abut against said footrest member and said adjustment member, respectively.

:1 20 9. The footrest device as claimed in claim 4, wherein H said footrest member has a receiving cavity, said H: adjustment member is generally received slidably in said receiving cavity with said second engaging portion extending outwardly of said receiving cavity.

10. The footrest device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said rail member is configured as a grcove, said leg support member further having a stop wall that extends from a lateral end toward an opposite lateral end of said rail member, said mounting portion of said footrest member is configured as a slide block located in an inner side of said stop wall.

5] The footrest device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said footrest member further has a first protrusion that extends inwardly toward said adjustment member, said adjustment member further has a second protrusion that extends toward said footrest member, said first protrusion and said second protrusion defining cooperatively a receiving space, said footrest device further including a resilient member received in said receiving space and having opposite ends that abut respectively against said first protrusion and said second protrusion.

12. The footrest device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said footrest member further has an operation opening that is in spatial communication with said receiving cavity, said adjustment member further having an accessible operation portion that is exposed from said operation opening.

13. The footrest device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said footrest member further has a limiting hole that is in spatial communication with said receiving cavity, said adjustment member further having a limiting block that engages slidably said limiting hole, so that said adjustment member is held in said footrest member.

14. A child seat comprising a support frame, a seat unit, a backrest unit and a footrest device, said seat unit being connected to said backrest unit and supported by said support frame, wherein: said footrest device includes a leg support member connected to said seat unit and having at least two first engaging portions, a footrest nember mounted slidably on said leg support member, and an adjustment member mounted to said footrest member, having a second engaging portion that engages removably a selected one of said first engaging portions for restraining slide movement of said footrest member relative to said leg support member.

15. The child seat as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first engaging portions are recesses, and said second engaging portion is a projection.

16. The child seat as claimed in any one of claims 14 and 15, wherein said adjustment member is movable relative to said footrest member between an unlocked position, where the slide movement of said footrest H member relative to said leg support member is allowed, and a locked position, where said second engaging portion engages removably the selected one of said H first engaging portions.

17. The child seat as claimed in any one of claims 14 and 15, wherein said leg support member further has rail member disposed thereon, said footrest member has a mounting portion engaging slidably said rail member, so that said footrest member is mounted slidably on said leg support member when said second engaging portion is disengaged from said the selected one of said first engaging portions.

18. The child seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein said footrest member extends horizontally, and said mounting portion is slidable vertically along said rail member when said second engaging portion is disengaged from said the selected one of said first engaging portions.

19. The child seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein said first engaging portions are formed in said rail member.

20. The child seat as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a resilient member having opposite ends that abut against said footrest member and said adjustment member, respectively.

21, The child seat as claimed in claim 16, wherein said footrest member has a receiving cavity, said adjustment member is generally received slidably in said receiving cavity with said second engaging portion extending outwardly of said receiving cavity.

22. The child seat as claimed in claim 21, wherein said footrest member has an operation opening that is in spatial communication with said receiving cavity, said adjustment member further having an accessible operation portion that is exposed from said operation 0 VI i a a C H-CD Is H-CD Ld tLQ CD CO CDc a c aN I-I N N H-CD H-s CD H-Dl tY' CO b' CDCD CDH a a o it t it o H-H- H-N çt H it CD cc ace -W çt o a N a H1 H CD CD it CDN NCD CD CD ID° Di Dl o CD CD C o it a 0" o it C) it Dl 0 j a it t itt Dl Qi H-Dl Dl o t < a F-' L< a H H H H-Dl 0 i< i H Dl Dl H U) CD a Dl a N H-CO N H-Dl Dl H Dl H H HH C CD H C CD CO N U) N LCD CD ci-CD CD N. CD N H Dl 0 ito" CD m CD CD a Ff, a 0 0H-N H-N::i CD 0 CD