WO2012148345A1

WO2012148345A1 - Booster seat having adjustable attachment

Info

Publication number: WO2012148345A1
Application number: PCT/SE2012/050411
Authority: WO
Inventors: Håkan BERGKVIST
Original assignee: BabyBjörn AB
Priority date: 2011-04-28
Filing date: 2012-04-17
Publication date: 2012-11-01
Also published as: SE1150370A1; SE535769C2

Abstract

Booster seat (1) comprising a frame (2) having an upper side (3), which is provided with a sitting surface (10), an under side (4) intended to be placed on a substrate for supporting the booster seat, as well as side edges. The booster seat is provided with a locking mechanism (20) comprising a shaft (21) having a first end (22), which is provided with a knob (23), which is rotationally fixedly connected to the shaft, and a second end (24), which, together with the first end, is rotatably attached to the frame (2), an elastic member (25) that is arranged to push the knob into rotationally fixed abutment against the frame (2), and means (42, 46) for the adjustable attachment of the booster seat to the substrate upon rotation of the knob.

Description

BOOSTER SEAT HAVING ADJUSTABLE ATTACHMENT

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a booster seat of the type disclosed in the preamble of claim 1. Background of the Invention

For small children, e.g., within the age group from three to five years, to be able to utilize a usual chair to sit at, e.g., a table, it is usual to provide the seat with an

elevation in the form of booster seat. This booster seat is usually strapped to the chair. This may take place in various ways .

By WO 03024282, it is known a booster seat intended to be placed on the seat of a chair and be attached to the chair. The attachment of the booster seat takes place by straps provided with partible buckles of male and female type, by means of which the length of the straps can be adjusted. When the booster seat should be removed from the seat of the chair, the buckles are opened and the male parts of the buckles are drawn to the end of the straps whereupon the straps can be wound onto coils.

Thus, to facilitate the attachment of a booster seat to a chair it would be desirable if the adjustment of the length of the straps as well as tightening of the same around the chair can take place in one and the same operation. It would also be desirable if the winding of the straps in storage of the booster seat, i.e., when it is not used, can take place by the same mechanism as utilized for the

adjustment of the length of the straps as well as the

tightening of the same around, e.g., a chair. Furthermore, at least the tightening of the straps should be effected in such a way that two consecutive movements have to be carried out, wherein the first has to be sustained while the second is made. It would also be desirable that the under side of the booster seat is provided with a suitable groove for the accommodation of the straps as well as that the ends of the straps can be detachably attached to each other, so that the straps after that can be tightened to facilitate the storage of the booster seat in such a way that no loose straps are present that may form possible snares.

It would in addition be desirable if the mechanism that is utilized for the adjustment of the length of the straps as well as tightening/releasing of the same comprises a biased knob that is automatically locked when the same is no longer actuated .

Summary of the Invention

Thus, an object of the invention is to provide an improved attachment of a booster seat to a substrate by the fact that the length of the strap or straps can be adjusted and

tightened in one operation.

An additional object is to provide a tamper-safe attachment of the booster seat.

Still another object is to provide an improved winding of the strap or straps to facilitate the storage of the booster seat.

Said objects are achieved by a booster seat according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the booster seat are defined in the dependent claims .

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is described in more detail below in the form of non-limiting examples, reference being made to the appended drawings, in which

- Fig. 1 is a view obliquely from above of a booster seat according to the invention,

- Fig. 2 is a view obliquely from below of the booster seat, - Fig. 3 is a partial sectioned view obliquely from above of the booster seat,

- Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the part within the ring in Fig. 3,

- Fig. 5 is a sectioned side view of the booster seat, and - Fig. 6 is a view from below of the booster seat.

Description of Preferred Embodiments

In the description and the claims below, the expression booster seat is utilized, and it is evident that, with booster seat, reference is made to at least partially soft as well as hard products.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, a booster seat 1 according to the invention comprises a frame 2, which in a preferred embodiment consists of two parts, an upper part 2a and a bottom part 2b, which are attached to each other by means of, e.g., screws 9 (Fig. 6) . The frame has an upper side 3 having a partly lowered sitting surface 10 for the formation of a backrest, an under side 4 intended to be placed on a substrate (not shown) for supporting the booster seat, as well as sides 5-8.

For releasable attachment of the booster seat to a substrate, such as, e.g., a chair, it is provided with a locking mechanism 20, see Figs. 3-6, which comprises a shaft 21 having a first end 22 that has a biased knob 23, which is

displaceable and rotationally fixedly connected to the shaft, and a second end 24, the two ends being rotatably attached to the frame. A spring 25, preferably a compression spring, is arranged around the shaft 21, which spring is arranged to push the knob into rotationally fixed abutment against the frame 2. It is evident to a person skilled in the art that the spring 25 can be replaced by some other elastic member 25 as long as the knob is biased against the frame, as described in more detail below. The knob is preferably placed in a recess 11 that is located at one of the sides, preferably the side 8 that has the backrest, and approximately at the middle of the side, as seen in the vertical direction. In this way, the shaft gets a certain inclination in relation to the under side 4.

More precisely, as seen in Fig. 4, the knob 23 comprises a portion 30 having a circular shape and provided with a stop device 32 extending in the circumferential direction and having teeth 33 as well as a stop ring 34. Furthermore, the frame 2 has a corresponding portion 35 having a circular shape and provided with a stop device 36 extending in the

circumferential direction and having recesses 37 as well as a stop edge 38, wherein, in the rotationally fixed abutment of the knob against the frame, the teeth 33 are in engagement with the recesses 37 and the stop ring 34 abuts against the stop edge 38.

In Fig. 5, a sleeve 39 is shown rotationally fixedly connected to the knob 23, which sleeve is displaceably arranged in the axial direction at the second end 24 of the shaft 21. The spring 25 is biased between a shoulder 40 of the shaft 21 and an end 41 of the sleeve, wherein, when exerting a force on the knob against the bias of the spring, it is possible to rotate the knob and thereby the shaft by the teeth 33 then being disengaged from engagement with the recesses 37. When the knob is let go, it returns automatically into a locked position. Preferably, the spring force of the spring 25 or elastic member 25 is selected in such a way that a child cannot overcome the spring force.

For adjustable attachment of the booster seat to a substrate, there are arranged means 42, 46 intended to co-operate with the locking mechanism 20. In a preferred embodiment, the means comprise at least one strap 42 having a first end fixedly connected to the shaft 21. By simultaneously pushing and turning the knob 23, winding on or off of the strap onto the shaft is allowed. A second end of the strap is provided with a first part 46a of a releasable buckle 46 of male and female type, wherein a second part 46b of the buckle may, possibly via a strap, be attached to the frame. The strap 42 is

arranged to run from the shaft 21 via a return roller or return edge 43, which is located at the side edges 5, 7 and arranged parallel to the shaft. As described above, in order to be able to carry out the tightening or releasing of the straps against the substrate, two consecutive movements of the knob have to be carried out, wherein the first has to be sustained while the second is made. More precisely, in the embodiment illustrated, the knob 23 first has to be pushed against the force of the spring 25 to disengage the teeth 33 from engagement with the recesses 37 and be held in this position, whereupon the knob can be rotated for the

tightening/releasing of the strap 42. In the attachment of the booster seat to a substrate, the strap 42 is preferably threaded around the substrate and the two parts 46a, 46b of the buckle 46 are attached to each other and surplus of the strap is wound onto the shaft 21 until the strap is stretched, whereby the booster seat has been attached reliably to the substrate. When the booster seat is not used, the two parts of the buckle can be attached to each other and the strap is wound onto the shaft, the strap 42 and preferably also the buckle 46 becoming placed in a groove 45 of the under side 4 in order to, in such a way, facilitate the storage of the booster seat, as shown in Fig. 6. In this way, storage of the booster seat is enabled without any loose ends of the strap/straps or any undesired loop being formed that possibly may act as a snare.

In another embodiment, the strap 42 may comprise two straps, the first end of the respective strap being attached to the shaft and the second end 42a, 42b of the respective strap being provided with the respective part of the releasable buckle 46.

In order to improve the friction of the under side of the frame against the substrate on which it is intended to be placed, the under side is preferably provided with members 50.

Claims

1. A booster seat (1) comprising a frame (2) having an upper side (3), which is provided with a sitting surface (10), an under side (4) intended to be placed on a substrate for supporting the booster seat, as well as side edges (5-8), characterized in that the booster seat is provided with a locking mechanism (20) comprising a shaft (21) having a first end (22), which is provided with a knob (23), which is rotationally fixedly connected to the shaft, and a second end (24), which, together with the first end, is rotatably attached to the frame (2), an elastic member (25) arranged to push the knob into rotationally fixed abutment against the frame (2), and means (42, 46) for the adjustable

attachment of the booster seat to the substrate upon

rotation of the knob.

2. The booster seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the knob (23) comprises a portion (30) having a

circular shape and provided with a stop device (32)

extending in the circumferential direction and having teeth (33) as well as a stop ring (34), and that the frame (2) has a corresponding portion (35) having a circular shape and provided with a stop device (36) extending in the

circumferential direction and having recesses (37) as well as a stop edge (38), wherein, in the rotationally fixed abutment of the knob against the frame, the teeth (33) are intended to engage with the recesses (37) and the stop ring (34) is intended to abut against the stop edge (38) .

3. The booster seat according to claim 2, characterized in that, when exerting a force on the knob (23) against the force of the elastic member, the teeth (33) are arranged to be disengaged from engagement with the recesses (37) in order to allow turning of the shaft (21) and thereby regulation of the means (42, 46) for the attachment of the booster seat to the substrate.

4. The booster seat according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the elastic member (25) is a spring (25), which is arranged around the shaft (21) .

5. The booster seat according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the means (42, 46) comprise at least one strap (42) having a first end fixedly connected to the shaft (21) for allowing winding on or off of the strap onto the shaft upon rotation of the same, and having a second end provided with a first part (46a) of a releasable buckle (46), that the strap (42) is arranged to run from the shaft (21) via a return edge (43), located at one of the side edges (5, 7) and arranged parallel to the shaft, to a second part (46b) of the releasable buckle (46), which may be fixedly connected to the opposite side edge, wherein the two parts (46a, 46b) of the buckle can be attached to each other, so that, upon winding of the strap onto the shaft, attachment is provided of the booster seat to the substrate or storage is allowed of the booster seat with the strap in wound state.

6. The booster seat according to claim 5, characterized in that said at least one strap (42) comprises two straps, the first end of the respective strap being attached to the shaft (21) and the second end of the respective strap being provided with each part (46a, 46b) of the releasable buckle (46) .

7. The booster seat according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the under side (4) has a groove (45) in which the strap (42) and the releasable buckle (46) can be accommodated in storage of the booster seat with the strap in wound state.

8. The booster seat according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the under side (4) of the frame is provided with members (50) for improving the friction against the substrate on which the seat cushion is placed.