WO2008022643A1

WO2008022643A1 - High chair

Info

Publication number: WO2008022643A1
Application number: PCT/DK2007/000384
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stig Leander Nielsen
Original assignee: Leanderform Aps
Priority date: 2006-08-24
Filing date: 2007-08-24
Publication date: 2008-02-28

Abstract

There is disclosed a chair (1) preferably a high chair, including two side members (8) which during use rest on a base and extend from the base and upwards. The chair (1) furthermore includes a seat (5) which is fastened to and between the side members (8). The chair (2) furthermore includes a back rest (2) disposed above the seat (5), the back rest being fastened to and between the side members (8). hi the back rest (2) there is a slot (3) for fixing a brace (4).

Description

High Chair

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a chair, preferably a high chair, including two side members which during use rest on a base and extend from the base and upwards, a seat fastened to the side members, a back rest disposed above the seat and fastened to and between the side members, and a brace which is largely U-shaped and extends in front of the chair.

Background of the Invention

There exist several high chairs for children that include side members which during use rest on a base and extend from the base and upwards, a seat fastened to and between the side members, a back rest disposed above the seat and fastened to and between the side members, and a brace extending in front of the chair. However, these chairs are designed in a way wherein the mounting of a brace to a high degree limits the design options as well as the possibilities of adjusting the brace.

With their Tripp Trapp chair, the firm Stokke Gruppen AS has attempted to provide a safe chair, where mounting of the seat and the plate for foot rest is effected by using very wide side members (as seen from the side), in which deep grooves are provided. I these wide side members, recesses for accommodating a safety brace are also arranged, which by compression can be placed in the recesses. However, this solution has the limitation that the brace may only be fastened in the specific position in height as well as regarding the distance to the back rest.

Object of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a high chair where the seat and a possible foot rest are adjustable, but where a safety brace - called the brace in the following text - is fastened to the chair in a way that enables a rapid and simple adjusting of the brace and simultaneously increases the possibilities of aesthetically attractive embodiments.

Description of the Invention According to the present invention, this is achieved by a chair, preferably a high chair, including two side members which during use rest on a base and extend from the base and upwards, a seat fastened to the side members, a back rest disposed above the seat and fastened to and between the side members, and where also a brace which is largely U-shaped and extends in front of the chair, and where the brace is only fastened to the back rest and is preferably pre-stressed.

By such a chair is achieved the advantage that the brace and the back rest are always in the right mutual position, as the back rest can be adjusted without requiring subsequent adjusting of the brace. This will be very advantageous in situations where there are several users of the chair. In care institutions as well as in homes with several users, time may thus be saved in connection with adjusting chairs. At the same time is furthermore achieved the advantage that the brace is always correctly disposed in height in relation to the back rest. Since the brace is fastened to the back rest, far easier adjusting possibilities are achieved than by using other kinds of children's chairs. Simultaneously, more options for varying the design are achieved as the disposition of the brace is not limited to a certain point at the side members.

According to an embodiment, the chair according to the invention is peculiar in that the chair includes a brace which is largely U-shaped and extends in front of the chair, where the brace is provided with one or more first grooves and first projections, respectively, at each side of the brace, that the back rest or the side members or both back rest and side members are provided with other projections and other grooves, respectively, for interacting fixing engagement with the first grooves or projections, respectively, where the brace is pre-stressed to press the first and the other grooves and projections, respectively, together. By such a design is achieved a secure and solid fastening of the brace to the back rest or the side members.

By the term pre-stressed as used in the present application is meant that the brace has outwards or inwards directed sides in unloaded condition. There is opened for many different design options while at the same time the fastening is very reliable and secure. This is of importance when the chair is used by children. The grooves and the projections may advantageously be designed so that they fit into each other. Hereby is meant that there is provided an interacting engagement between grooves and projections which is stable and ensures a suitable fixing. The brace may e.g. be pre- stressed outwards or inwards, depending on the chosen form of design. A U-shape is advantageous as it fits to the shape of the body (belly). Hereby, good sitting comfort is achieved.

According to yet an embodiment, the chair according to the invention is peculiar in that at least one slot is provided in the back rest, in which the brace fits so that grooves in the side of the brace accommodate an edge of the at least one slot. This is very expedient since a slot ensures rapid access to the brace when it is to be adjusted. Furthermore, it is easy to keep clean the area around the engagement of the brace in the back rest because ample space is provided due to the provision of the slot. It is possible to remove the brace and use the chair without brace. In situations where the brace is desired to be removed, the slot is advantageous since there is ample space to remove the brace. In addition, the brace may be fitted and removed without using tools.

According to a further embodiment, the chair according to the invention is peculiar in that several grooves or projections are provided in the brace for engaging the back rest and/or the side members in order thereby to provide adjusting possibilities so that the brace can be displaced back and forth in sagital direction. By grooves is preferably meant concave grooves in the form of various shapes of notches. The grooves ensure that the brace is fastened to the back rest and/or the side members. Thus it is safe to sit in the chair with the brace fastened to the back rest and/or the side members. The grooves and the projections ensure that a rapid, efficient and secure adjusting of the position of the brace can be performed. The brace may thus be displaced back and forth in sagital direction. The brace may moreover be removed in connection with cleaning the chair. A plurality of grooves may advantageously be used, as this will enable many adjusting possibilities. Hereby it is possible to provide many different displacements of the brace back and forth in sagital direction without using any tool. It is possible to adapt the brace to different users of the chair, hi that way the chair will get more potential users. If the brace is fitted to the back rest or to the side members, the chair becomes very safe in use, as it is possible to provide an optimally safe setting of the brace.

According to an embodiment, the chair according to the invention is peculiar in that the brace is pre-stressed and thus is pressing outwards (in lateral direction) during use. Hereby is achieved that the brace will press against the back rest and/or the side members in lateral direction, so that the engagement of the brace with the back rest and/or the side members is further enhanced. This ensures that the brace is fastened in a very expedient and safe way.

Alternatively, the brace may be designed complementary so that the grooves are disposed at the inner side of the U-shaped brace and the pre-stressed force acts inwards against the inner side of the U-shape in order thereby to press the grooves or projections of the brace inwards against corresponding grooves in the back rest or the side members.

The back rest is suitably provided with a number of bushings and the side member with a number of holes so that the back rest can be screwed onto the side member with screws through the holes and into the bushings. By displacing the bushings of the back rest up or down in relation to the holes, a possibility of height adjustment of the back rest is provided. Li practice it has appeared sufficient to provide two adjusting possibilities for the back rest, namely by providing the back rest with three bushings and the side member at the back rest with two holes so that for the back rest is used either the upper and the middle bushing or the lower and the middle bushing together with the two holes. However, it is also possible to achieve more adjustment options by providing the side member with more holes and/or the back rest with more bushings.

Description of the Drawing

The invention will in the following be explained more closely with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a chair according to the invention, as seen obliquely from the side; Fig. 2 shows the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 as seen from above; Fig. 3 shows a back rest;

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a brace;

Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the brace.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In the following, identical or corresponding elements in the various embodiments will be provided with the same designations.

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a chair 1 according to the invention as seen obliquely from the side. The chair 1 includes a back rest 2 with a slot 3, a brace 4, a seat 5 to sit on, a plate 6 for resting the feet on, four fittings 7 for supporting the seat 5 and the plate 6, and furthermore two upright and largely L-shaped side members 8 which are interconnected with a connecting member 9 near the base. The brace 4 is fastened to the back rest 2 which is provided near the upper free ends of the side members 8. The fittings 7 are fastened to the side members 8 by using screws (not shown) that go through the holes 10 of the side members and are fastened in the fittings 7 in threaded holes. The seat 5 and the plate 6 rest on and are fastened to the fittings 7. There is provided a slot 3 in the back rest 2,. and in the brace 4 grooves 11 are provided for engaging the back rest 2.

Fig. 2 shows the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 as seen from above.

In Fig. 3 appears a back rest 2 with a slot 3 and with holes 12 for securing the back rest 2 to the not shown side members 8. The not shown brace 4 is fixed at the side edges 13 of the slot.

In Fig. 4 appears the brace 4 with two grooves 11 at each end 12. As it appears from the Figure, the ends 12 are bent outwards in relation to the general shape of the brace, ensuring that the brace 4 cannot inadvertently be pressed out of the slot 3 in the back rest 2. The only way out of the slot 3 is rearwards, which obviously cannot occur when the chair is in use. Thus there is achieved an uncommonly great safety against the brace 4 falling out during use of the chair 1. Fig. 5 shows a chair 1 as seen from above in Fig. 2, but here with a brace 4 as shown in Fig. 4, where the ends are bent outwards in order to secure the brace in the slot 3 of the back rest.

Claims

1. A chair (1), preferably a high chair, including two side members (8) which during use rest on a base and extend from the base and upwards, a seat (5) fastened to the side members (8), a back rest (2) disposed above the seat (5) and fastened to and between the side members (8), a brace (4) which is largely U-shaped and extends in front of the chair, characterised in that the brace (4) is fastened to the back rest (2) and is preferably pre-stressed.

2. Chair (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one slot (3) is provided in the back rest (2) in which the brace (4) fits so that grooves (11) and projections (11), respectively, at the ends (12) of the brace receive an edge (13) of the at least one slot (13).

3. Chair (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the first groove or grooves (11) and the first projection (11), respectively, at each end (12) of the brace (4) are provided at the outer side of the U-shaped brace.

4. Chair (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the first groove or grooves (11) and the first projection (11), respectively, at each end (12) of the brace (4) are provided at the inner side of the U-shaped brace.

5. Chair (1) according to any of claims 1 - 4, characterised in that several grooves (11) or projections (11) are provided in the brace (4) for engaging the back rest (2) in order thereby to provide adjusting possibilities so that the brace (4) can be displaced back and forth in sagital direction.

6. Chair (1) according to any of claims 1 - 5, characterised in that the ends of the brace (4) are with securing means for securing against unsuitable release of the brace (4) from engagement with the back rest (2).

7. Chair (2) according to claim 6, characterised in that the securing means are constituted by the ends (12) of the brace being angular in relation to the brace (4), preferably by bending the ends (12).