WO1992008396A1

WO1992008396A1 - High chair for newborns

Info

Publication number: WO1992008396A1
Application number: PCT/US1991/002307
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jerry W. Wood; Gary M. Wood
Original assignee: Smart Products
Priority date: 1990-11-09
Filing date: 1991-04-03
Publication date: 1992-05-29
Also published as: AU7876291A

Abstract

The invention provides means for supporting limp individuals in a semi-sitting position for their comfort, safety and for the convenience of the caretaker. The limp individual is positioned in a seat structure (11) and restrained by suitable belts (30, 32). A frame structure including casters supports (20, 22, 24, 26) the seat structure (11) at a convenient height.

Description

SPECIFICATION TITLE: High Chair for Newborns

References To Prior Patents

This is a continuation in part of U. Ξ. Patent Application , Serial No 07/369,297 filed 06/21/89.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to furniture and more specifically to chairs for limp individuals such as newborn infants.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Supporting and/or restraining limp individuals who are incapable of caring for themselves involves many complicated problems. Among the factors to be considered in designing equipment for such uses are the comfort of the limp individual, the safety of the limp individual, and the convenience of the caretaker.

Prior art equipment and furniture for aiding in the care of individuals having varying degrees of disability or incapacity to care for themselves include wheelchairs, high chairs for infants, car seats for infants and infant seats attachable to shopping carts. None of the prior art equipment currently available is specifically adapted to support totally limp individuals, such as new born infants, in a semi-sitting position so they may be conveniently cared for in establishments such as restaurants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention which is the subject of this application was specifically developed as an aid for caring for newborn infants. However, the concept is applicable to

•*_* limp individuals of all ages. For purposes of convenience and to illustrate what is believed to be the principal use of the invention, the invention is referred to as a "High Chair for Newborns". However, as discussed herein, the invention may be used for other purposes.

Prior to the current invention there was no convenient equipment available for aiding the caretaker in the care of such infants in public places such as restaurants. The lack of such equipment was a great inconvenience to the caretaker and resulted in an economic loss to such establishments in that caretakers frequently declined to utilize the services of such establishments due to the inconvenience associated with the care of such infants. Similar concerns were also encountered with caretakers during shopping. A support seat for newborn infants attachable to a shopping cart is illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 4,834,404, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present patent application.

The present invention provides a convenient means for supporting limp individuals, such as new born infants, permitting them to be conveniently cared for in establishments such as restaurants. Additionally, convenient storage space is provided for articles, like diapers. More specifically, the invention provides a seating apparatus (chair) which include a seat for supporting the limp individual and a semi-seating position including restraining means to assure that the individual does not accidentally fall from the chair. The seating apparatus also includes a detachable storage basket positioned underneath the seat and supported by the legs of the chair. The individual is supported by the chair at a convenient level to the caretaker. The chair includes castors permitting the chair to be conveniently moved from one location to another.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a pictorial illustration of the invention.

Figure 2 is a pictorial drawing illustrating the use of the invention.

Figure 3 is a pictorial view illustrating various structural features of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 is a pictorial view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. More specifically, the invention includes a seat 11 for supporting the limp individual in a semi-sitting position. Any convenient design for the seat 11 may be utilized so long as suitable support and restraint for the limp individual is provided. Specifically the bottom of the seat 11 should be contoured to aid in supporting the individual in a semi-sitting position. Suitable padding is provided to assure that the supported individual is comfortable. Additionally the entire structure should be designed to facilitate easy cleaning since it is contemplated the chair will be used in a public facility and by many different individuals. These structural requirements can be provided by constructing all portions of the seating structure of suitable plastics.

The seat structure 11 is attached to a support frame which includes four legs, 12, 14, 16, and 18. Attached to the lower ends of the legs, 12, 14, 16, and 18, are casters, 20, 22, 24, 26. The primary function of the support frame is to support the seat structure 11 in a convenient position and to assure adequate stability to protect the chair from tipping over due to accidental impact with other objects. To meet these requirements the frame must be rigid, have an adequate "footprint," and be designed such that the chair tends to move rather than tip when impacted by an object. Additional details and further structural features of the invention are discussed in more detail below.

More specifically, legs 12, 14, 16 and 18 each comprise a pair of legs. These pairs of legs can be conveniently formed by bending an elongated member to produce a structure including first and second spaced apart portions which are rigidly held in a fixed spatial relationship to each other by an end portion. In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention, the elongated member is square steel tubing bent near its center into a generally "u" shaped structure. The end portion of this structure serves as the bottom end of the legs. Suitable means is required to hold the pairs of legs in a fixed relationship to each other and to provide means for attaching and supporting the seat structure 11. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, this function is performed by first and second spacers, 30 and 32, attached to and extending between the pairs of legs. Additionally, these spacers are utilized as means for attaching the seat structure 11 to the support frame. The spacers, 30 and 32, may be attached to the legs 12, 14, 16 and 18 by welding, for example. Additionally, third and fourth spacers, 21 and 23, extend between the first and second pairs of legs, the first pair illustrated at reference numeral 12 and 14 and the second pair illustrated at reference numerals 16 and 18. These spacers support an attachable basket 27 which is usable to store supplies needed to care for the individual supported in the seat 11.

The use of the chair is further illustrated in Figure 2. For comfort of the individual using the chair, a comfort pad 26 is positioned inside the support structure 11 and extend to substantially cover the entire bottom of the seat 11. Additionally the comfort pad 26 should be soft, flexible and easy to clean as described above.

In use,' an individual such as the newborn baby illustrated at reference numeral 28, is positioned on the comfort pad 26 and restrained by suitable belts 31 and 33, which extend generally from between the legs of the limp individual and up over the shoulders. Special care must be exercised in selecting the restraing belts in that they will be subjected to heavy use and low maintenance. The invention is illustrated in additional detail in Figure 3. In this figure, the seat 11 is partially cut away, as are portions of the frame structure to further illustrate details of these components. More specifically, the frame includes upper spacers, 30 and 32, which extend between the leg members 14, 18, 12, and 16. The leg members may be formed of square tubing suitably bent and welded together. Other structural materials may also be used. Positioned above the spacers, 30 and 32, is a plate 33, which supports the seat 11. Convenient means for securing the seat 11 to the plate 33 is provided by 4 screws with a typical screw illustrated at reference numeral 36.

Although the basic structure and features of the chair are described above, other features add to its usefulness. Specifically, the seat 11 may be conveniently made of molded plastic. When so made, the bottom portion of the seating structure may be contoured, as illustrated, to aid in supporting the individual in a semi-sitting position. Additionally, the edge portion of the seat should extend upward sufficiently to provide protection for the individual in case the chair is tipped over. That is to say, if the upward extending edge portion of the seat structure 11 extends upward above all or most of the body portions of the individual, it serves to protect the individual if the chair is tipped over.

As described above, a specific goal in developing the chair was to provide an aid to caretakers in caring for infants as they dined, particularly in public restaurants. As is well known, such establishments are often crowded and have considerable movement of people. Support chairs for infants often extend into aisles and are subject to unintentional impacts with individuals moving about.

Unintentional impact with the chair tends to tip it over, potentially injuring the individual. The tendency to tip over is reduced by assuring adequate spacing (footprint) between the legs. Casters attached to the bottom end of each of the legs further increase the resistance to tipping over because unintentional impact tends to cause the chair to move rather than tip over. Additionally, casters specifically designed for use on soft surfaces, such as carpet, should be selected. Such casters are preferred because the decrease in rolling resistance provides additional protection against tipping over.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above with reference to a high chair for infants. However, the concept can be applied to equipment for supporting limp individuals of all ages. Additionally, many modifications can be made all of which are within the basic concept of the invention. For example, many modifications to the contour of the seat structure may be made. These include changes in the contour of the structure, modification of the comfort pad, changes in the restraining belts and changes in materials. Modification of the frame structure are also possible, the basic requirement being that the frame structure provide the proper support for the seat. Changes could include a different number of legs, different materials, modifications of the casters.

Claims

1 CLAIMS 02

03 1) A chair for supporting a limp individual at a

04 convenient height above a surface, comprising in 05. combination:

06

07 a) seat means including a contoured bottom portion for

08 supporting said individual in a semi-sitting position; 09

10 b) first and second elongated members each including a

11 curved central^" portion and first and second space apart

12 end portions, said end portions comprising two pairs of

13 legs; 14

15 c) first and second pairs of casters respectively

16 attached to said end portions comprising two pairs of

17 legs; 18

19 d) spacer means extending between and attached to said

20 first and second elongated members thereby positioning

21 said legs in a fixed relationship to each other and to

22 extend from said spacer means in a substantially common

23 direction to contact said surface and support said

24 chair; 25

26 e) storage means positioned below said seat means and

27 supported byto said legs; and 28

29 g) attachment means for attaching said seat means to

30 said spacer means, such that said seat means is

31 positioned between said curved portions of said first

32 and second elongated members. 33

34 2. Chair apparatus supporting a limp individual comprising in combination:

a) seat means for supporting said limp individual in a semi-sitting position:

b) support means adapted to position said seat means at a convenient height and between first and second curved elongated members, the ends of said curved elongated members comprising legs, said support means also including spacer means extending between and attached to said legs such that said legs are supported in a fixed relationship to each other and extend on a generally common direction;

c) casters affixed to the ends of said legs;

d) storage means positioned below said seat means; and

e) restraining means for securing said limp individual in said seat.

3. A high chair for a newborn infant, comprising in combination:

a) seat means including a contoured bottom portion for supporting said infant in a semi-sitting position;

b) first and second pairs of legs each comprising an elongated member curved to produce first and second spaced apart portion, said spaced apart portions comprising a pair of legs;

c) seat support means comprising at least first and second structural members each attached to and holding said first and second elongated members in a fixed position with respect to each other; and

d) storage means positioned below said seat; and

e) attachment means for attaching said seat means to said support means.