NZ331069A - Seat, typically for infants, secured to frame by sliding lockable mounts, enabling angular adjustment - Google Patents

Abstract

Seat assembly 1 is slidable relative to support frame 9 via mounts 7, 10 to enable angular adjustment of the assembly 1. The assembly may be used for a stroller with adjustment stated to allow for growth of infant.

Description

Patents Form No. 5< THE PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION No. 331069 A SEATING MEANS I, ROGER THOMAS MASCULL, a New Zealand citizen, of 21 Fairholme Avenue, Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand, hereby declare this invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: intellectual property OFFICE "I" 0 2 1 JUL 1999 RECEIVED This invention relates to a seating means.

Many known seats have only minimal capacity for adjustment, and as such can be unsuitable for children or adults with special seating needs. Also, most known seats have little or no capacity for adjustment to accommodate a child as he or she grows. It is accordingly an object of at least one form of the present invention to provide a seating means which goes at least some way towards addressing the above disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided seating means, comprising a base for receiving the posterior of a person and a back rest for supporting the back of the person, the seating means having mounts for securing the seating means to a support frame when the seating means is in use, at least one of the mounts being capable of sliding movement along or alongside the support frame to enable angular adjustment and locking of the seating means with respect to the frame.

Preferably the angular adjustment comprises tilting the base and the back rest collectively with respect to the frame.

Optionally the angular adjustment may involve tilting the back rest, but not the base, with respect to the frame.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided seating means, comprising a base and a back rest, the base having an area available for receiving the posterior of a person when seated, and the back rest having an area available for receiving and supporting the back of the person when seated, the back rest being capable of forwards or backwards movement with respect to the base to significantly reduce or increase the area available for receiving the posterior of the person. In this aspect of the invention the seating means may or may not form a seat in its own right.

Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: FIGURE 1 is a side view of an adjustable seating means demonstrating possible movement of its component parts, FIGURE 2 is also a side view of the seating means demonstrating alternative movement of its component parts, and FIGURES 3 & 4 show the seating means in combination with a support frame.

With reference to figure 1, the seating means 1 comprises a base 2 and a back rest 3. The base is arranged to receive the posterior (ie buttocks) of a seated person while the back rest supports the person's back. As demonstrated by the dotted lines 4, the back rest 3 is capable of forward and backward movement with respect to the base 2 so as to decrease or increase the area of the base 2 which is available for receiving the person's posterior. The seating means 1 is formed so that the back rest 3 can be locked with respect to the base 2 when the desired relationship between the base and the back rest is reached. Such locking may be achieved by way of a series of apertures 5 and associated screws, bolts, knobs, or the like.

With reference to figure 2, the back rest 3 is also capable of pivoting or reclining movement with respect to the base 2 by way of a pivot connection 3a. This is demonstrated by the various positions indicated by the dotted lines 6. When the desired angle of the back rest 2 with respect to the base is achieved the back rest can be locked in place as described above.

With reference to figure 3, the seating means 1 has base mounts 7 and back rest mounts 8 to enable it to be secured to a support frame 9. Preferably there are two base mounts and two back rest mounts, although in some cases there may be only one of each. In the embodiment of the invention shown in figure 3, two base mounts 7 are attached to opposite sides of the base 2, and two back rest mounts 8 are attached to opposite sides of the back rest 3. The back rest mounts 8 incorporate, or can receive, couplings 10 which can slide along the support frame 9 and then be locked in place to regulate the angle of the seating means 1 with respect to the frame 9. If the back rest mounts 8 do not incorporate the couplings 10 then the couplings 10 may form part of the frame 9, and the back rest mounts 8 can slide alongside the frame 9 by way of the couplings 10. The base mounts 7 may or may not be capable of sliding along the bottom of the base so that they can be set in the desired position on the support frame 9.

The support frame 9 may form at least part of a child's stroller or perambulator, or at least part of a stationary frame, etc. When the seating means 1 is in use it can be swapped between different support frames 9 forming part of the stroller/perambulator and the stationary frame.

Referring to figure 4, the base 2 may have a series of base mounts 7a spaced from one another instead of a sliding base mount 7 as described above. By selecting from the series of mounts 7a, for use in securing the base 2 to the frame 9, the angle of the seating means 1 with respect to the frame 9 can be enhanced.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the seating means can be adjusted within the frame 9 to provide for varying leg lengths to a footrest position. More particularly, the depth of the seating means 1 can be adjusted as shown in figure 1 to accommodate a particular child's leg length, and also to accommodate the child as he or she grows. Preferably the base 2 and the back rest 3 have rigid side parts which support upholstery, lateral support wedges, and other orthopedic positioning wedges and shapes which may be prescribed by a therapist.

While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example, it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (19)

. ••• - vw,y,,,, -6- WHAT I CLAIM IS

1. Seating means, comprising a base for receiving the posterior of a person and a back rest for supporting the back of the person, the seating means having mounts for securing the seating means to a support frame when the seating means is in use, at least one of the mounts being capable of sliding movement along or alongside the support frame to enable angular adjustment and locking of the seating means with respect to the frame.

2. Seating means according to claim 1, formed to enable the angular adjustment when the angular adjustment comprises tilting the base and the back rest collectively with respect to the frame.

3. Seating means according to claim 1, formed to enable the angular adjustment when the angular adjustment comprises tilting the back rest, but not the base, with respect to the frame.

4. Seating means according to claim 1, 2 or 3, adapted for use when the support frame is part of a child's stroller or perambulator.

5. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the mounts is capable of sliding along the back rest.

6. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the mounts is capable of sliding along the base.

7. Seating means according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a number of the mounts are spaced across the base. !. * , "7-

8. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the back rest can move forwards and/or backwards with respect to the base to decrease or increase an area of the base for receiving the posterior of the person.

9. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the back rest is secured to the base by way of a pivot connection.

10. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the mounts comprises a coupling for contacting the frame to enable said mount to slide along the frame.

11. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two of the mounts each comprise a coupling for contacting the frame to enable said two mounts to slide along the frame.

12. Seating means according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the frame comprises a coupling for attachment to one of the mounts to enable said mount to slide alongside the frame.

13. Seating means according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the frame comprises two couplings for respective attachment to two of the mounts to enable the two mounts to slide alongside the frame.

14. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, formed to be readily detachable from the frame when in use.

15. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support frame comprises an elongate member, the elongate member being adjacent a side of the seating means, the elongate member being angled and extending from adjacent the base to adjacent the back rest.

16. Seating means according to any one of the preceding claims, in combination with the support frame.

17. A child's stroller or perambulator comprising a detachable seating means, wherein the seating means is according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

18. A child's stroller or perambulator comprising a detachable seating means, wherein the seating means is according to any one of claims 1 to 15, and the support frame forms part of the stroller or perambulator.

19. A seating means according to any one of claims 1-16, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. ROGER THOMAS MASCULL By His Authorised Attorney A.J. Pietras & Associates inlellectual property officH of n.z. I -8 NOV 1999