High chair

Abstract

A high chair features various modes of adjustability and enhanced utility. The height of the chair can be adjusted using a single hand that engages a rear handle. The height of a seat platform of the chair can be adjusted separately relative to the tray. The tray itself is ergonomically designed for the benefit of the caregiver. A removable tray liner facilitates after-meal clean-up. Wheels on the underside of the tray ease fore / aft adjustment. A pivoting back rest of the chair minimizes rearward shift of the center of gravity of the occupied chair, thus requiring a smaller chair footprint. Further, an accessory bar pivoted to a seat back portion of the chair provides readily accessible entertainment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 60 / 457,325, filed Mar. 26, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to seating for children and, in particular, to high chairs. [0003] High chairs have been provided with a myriad of features designed to enhance their comfort, safety and convenience. There is room for improvement, however, as to several aspects of high chair design. This invention addresses these needs. [0004] During the course of attending to a child in a highchair, it is common practice for the caregiver to sit in front of the highchair and rest his or her arms on the high chair tray. High chair trays typically are made of a relatively hard, unforgiving material and do not provide a comfortable resting place for the caregiver's arms. [0005] The tray of a high chair can become extremely soiled by an infan...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention relates to a chair with a tray that is ergonomically designed for the caregiver. The tray has a rim portion with a undulate height profile that is flanked by two rest portions that are lower than the rim portion. The tray can also have a raised rim to cover the rim portion. The chair has removable inserts for easy clean-up and a one-handed height adjustment. The chair also has a seat that is pivotally mounted to adjust the position of the seat back relative to the seat bottom portion. The chair can also have a seat back that can be adjusted in height to achieve the proper seat-to-tray distance.

Problems solved by technology

High chair trays typically are made of a relatively hard, unforgiving material and do not provide a comfortable resting place for the caregiver's arms.

The tray of a high chair can become extremely soiled by an infant while eating.

The effective and controlled removal of this debris is not adequately addressed in the prior art.

Often the tray sticks, or does not slide easily on the surface of the highchair on which it bears.

Busy caregivers often find that only one hand is free for making a height adjustment.

Stringent stability (tipping) regulations have a direct impact on the footprint geometry of a high chair.

The wide range of physical development that a child undergoes during this time presents a formidable challenge to designing a high chair that ideally accommodates all of the physical needs of the child.

One aspect of available high chairs that does not adequately address this need is the seat height relative to the tray.

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