Highchair having features for enhanced safety and useability

Abstract

Highchairs having enhanced safety and ease of use features are disclosed, thus allowing the highchairs to be particularly well-suited, for example, for use in a hospital or similar facility. The features make it easy to consistently place a child in the highchair in the exact same position, removing a variable such as the person putting the child in the highchair or using a haphazard approach of stuffing pillows, blankets, etc. around the child to achieve a desired position. The disclosed features include deployable cushions, multi -degree of freedom adjuster having programmable and / or programmed settings, seat bases that can be both slid and rotated, easily adjustable straps, headrests, footrests, and trays, and configurations that enable multiple highchairs to be nested together for compact storage.

Description

Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904HIGHCHAIR HAVING FEATURES FOR ENHANCED SAFETY AND USEABILITYCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present disclosure claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 734,611, entitled “HIGHCHAIR HAVING FEATURES FOR ENHANCED SAFETY AND USEABILITY,’’ filed on December 16, 2024, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to features that provide enhanced safety and useability features for seats, and more particularly relates to highchairs that include features that enable the highchair to be configured for use with each individual baby, toddler, and / or child across a wide population of children without having to use outside components (e.g., pillows) to provide a desired seating position for the individual child.BACKGROUND

[0003] Highchairs are commonplace for households that include babies and toddlers, as well as for other places where young children are fed, such as hospitals and restaurants. In hospitals, highchairs are primarily used in pediatric care settings, particularly for infants, toddlers, and / or children who are undergoing treatment or recovery. They are intended to provide a safe, stable seating option for young children during mealtimes and / or when interacting with family members, friends, and / or hospital staff. Highchairs in hospital settings can be a critical tool in promoting normalcy and supporting the developmental needs of children who may be dealing with illness or injury.

[0004] For children who are well enough to sit up and eat, highchairs are used to facilitate feeding in a comfortable and upright position, ensuring that they can eat safely while minimizing the risk of aspiration. Further, highchairs in hospitals also serve as a way to engage children and provide opportunities for socialization. For example, a child may sit in a highchair while interacting with family members during visits and / or while participating in therapeutic activities. The foregoing notwithstanding, the development and adaptability of highchairs for use across all populations of children are limited.Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904

[0005] Highchairs are typically designed to accommodate what is considered to be a standard range of body sizes. However, babies, toddlers, and / or children develop at different rates, and particularly in a hospital setting, there can be more advanced and / or complicated needs that require certain positioning for a child that is not accounted for by the more standard positioning options afforded by highchairs directed towards a standard range of body sizes. The advanced and / or complicated needs may be during therapeutic activities, eating, socialization, or otherwise, as dictated at least by the type of activity being performed in conjunction with the child and their individual body size and health when seated in the highchair. The physical characteristics of young children are wide-ranging, as is the range of mobility and independence. Some children, particularly those with physical and / or developmental delays, may require specialized seating systems that support them more thoroughly than traditional highchairs. In practice, such specialized seating systems can be stuffing towels or whatever else is easily accessible by a provider to stabilize a child in a desired position. There is no exactness or consistency to such methods, as the provider situates the child for that particular session using whatever is most convenient.

[0006] Even to the extent providers track what they did to seat a child in a particular way — for example, recording that a particular child has two small washcloths stuffed on a lower-left side of the child and a towel folded over once placed on an upper-right side of the child during a particular therapeutic activity session — there is not a highchair that allows for consistent placement of the child in a particular position across a range of physical and therapeutic needs of an entire population of children without having to use outside adjustment mechanisms (e.g., towels, washcloths, blankets, linens, pillows, etc.) to try and achieve the same positioning for one particular child across multiple sessions of using the highchair. Expecting providers, who may be a different person(s) across treatment sessions, to record such intricate usage of outside adjustment mechanisms, and place such outside adjustment mechanisms consistently across treatment sessions, is not a good or sustainable practice.

[0007] Other considerations that should be accounted for in trying to design improved highchairs that can be used adaptable for individual use by a child regardless of the child’s physical and / or developmental needs, particularly for places like a hospital where many highchairs are needed for treating many patients, is the ability for the highchair to be easily stored, cleaned, and kept safe for use. Existing highchairs used by hospitals are not suitable to sustain a high volume of use while meeting thorough infection control standards requiredAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 within a hospital setting, and allowing those highchairs to be stored neatly and conveniently with other highchairs when not in use. It has been found that commercially available highchairs tend to break down quickly in a hospital setting due to, at least in part, the use of chemicals to ensure infection control. It is also important that features intended to improve the safety experience of the patient also provide features that are easy to use by the provider or person seating the child in the highchair so that the person seating the child uses the features rather than resorting to the current practice of using outside adjustment mechanisms until it looks or feels right.

[0008] Accordingly, there is a need for improved highchairs that can be used for any baby, toddler, and / or child, regardless of size, shape, and / or developmental needs without needing to deploy outside adjustment mechanisms and that provide for easy use, cleaning, and storage of the highchairs.SUMMARY

[0009] The present disclosure provides enhanced safety and ease of use features for a highchair, such features being particularly useful in the context of hospital facilities. The features provide support for patients, i.e., babies, toddlers, and / or other children, who need it and where more standard highchair designs are not suitable for the patient’s physical and / or developmental needs. The provided for highchairs provide the ability to customize the settings for each individual patient without having to rely on outside adjustment mechanisms that are not a part of or included with the highchair (e.g., towels, washcloths, blankets, linens, pillows, etc.) to provide the customized patient set-up. The highchairs disclosed herein provide for a single chair that includes built-in features that allow the chair to be adaptable for all patients, as well as provide ease of use for the person placing the patient in the chair. These features include: deployable cushions; features for easily adjusting seat positioning, including the ability to slide the seat and / or rotate the seat, in at least some instances simultaneously; features for easily adjusting other aspects of the seat, such as height and / or tilt of the seat back and / or seat; features for easily adjusting a tray; features that allow for easy cleaning; and / or features that allow for easy storage of multiple highchairs in a confined space. While the present disclosure generally provides these features in the context of a highchair, a person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosures, will understand that one or more these features can be used in conjunction with seats more generally, and thus the implementation of these features is not limited to use in highchairs, but rather, across allAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 seating apparatuses. By way of non-limiting example, one or more of the features provided for herein can be implemented for use with adults. This may include, for instance, adults with physical limitations, motor skills challenges, etc., such as a person who suffered from a stroke or injuries from an accident, and / or a person who may have core support challenges.

[0010] In some embodiments, the highchair includes a base portion and a seat portion that is configured to be coupled to the base portion. The seat portion includes a seat having one or more deployable cushions, with deployable cushions being configured to have a deployed configuration in which the one or more deployable cushions is inflated to better secure a position of a child seated on the seat with respect to the seat.

[0011] In at least some embodiments, the deployable cushion(s) includes at least two such cushions. The deployable cushion(s) can be configured to be selectively inflated and deflated such that it has one or more intermediate deployable configurations between an undeployed configuration and the deployed configuration. The highchair can further include, by way of example, one or more pump systems. The system(s) can be in fluid communication with the deployable cushion(s), and further, the system(s) can be configured to deploy the deployable cushion(s) in the deployed configuration. Further, in instances in which there is one or more intermediate deployable configurations, the system(s) can be configured to deploy the deployable cushion(s) in the intermediate deployable configuration(s) as well.

[0012] The seat base can be configured to have the seat coupled to it. In such configurations, a combination of the seat base and the seat can be moveable across at least two degrees of freedom. For example, such degrees of freedom can include: (1) moving forward and backwards with respect to the base portion; and / or (2) adjusting a pitch with respect to the base portion. In at least some embodiments, the highchair can include a degree of freedom adjuster that is configured to have preset configurations. Such an adjuster can be programmable by a user to include one or more preset configurations. The seat can be removably and replaceably coupled to the seat base. In at least some such embodiments, the seat can be configured to slide forward and backwards with respect to the seat base.

[0013] The highchair can include at least one rotating knob that can be configured to loosen and tighten straps of the seat. In at least some embodiments, the knob(s) can include a quick release button that is configured to separate the straps to allow for quick removal of the child from the seat.Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904

[0014] The base portion can be configured to allow a second highchair to nest with respect to the highchair. More particularly, in at least some embodiments, a first leg of the base portion can be disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the first leg and a second leg of the base portion, which is opposed to the first leg, can be disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the second leg.

[0015] Other embodiments of a highchair include a base portion, a seat base, and a seat that is configured to be coupled to the seat. A combination of the seat base and the seat are moveable across at least two degrees of freedom.

[0016] The at least two degrees of freedom of the highchair can include: (1) moving forwards and backwards with respect to the base portion; and (2) adjusting a pitch with respect to the base portion. In at least some embodiments, the highchair can include a degree of freedom adjuster that is configured to have preset configurations. Such an adjuster can be programmable by a user to include one or more preset configurations. The seat can be removably and replaceably coupled to the seat base. In at least some such embodiments, the seat can be configured to slide forward and backwards with respect to the seat base.

[0017] In at least some embodiments, the highchair can include one or more deployable cushions. The deployable cushion(s) can be configured to have a deployed configuration in which the deployable cushion(s) is inflated to better secure a position of a child seated on the seat with respect to the seat. In at least some embodiments, the deployable cushion(s) can include at least two such cushions. The one or more deployable cushion(s) can be configured to be selectively inflated and deflated such that it has one or more intermediate deployable configurations between an undeployed configuration and the deployed configuration.

[0018] The highchair can further include, by way of example, one or more pump systems. The system(s) can be in fluid communication with the deployable cushion(s), and further, the system(s) can be configured to deploy the deployable cushion(s) in the deployed configuration. Further, in instances in which there is one or more intermediate deployable configurations, the system(s) can be configured to deploy the deployable cushion(s) in the intermediate deployable configuration(s) as well.

[0019] The highchair can include at least one rotating knob that can be configured to loosen and tighten straps of the seat. In at least some embodiments, the knob(s) can include a quickAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 release button that is configured to separate the straps to allow for quick removal of the child from the seat.

[0020] The base portion can be configured to allow a second highchair to nest with respect to the highchair. More particularly, in at least some embodiments, a first leg of the base portion can be disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the first leg and a second leg of the base portion, which is opposed to the first leg, can be disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the second leg.[0021 J Methods of using a highchair are also provided. Some such methods include placing a child in a highchair and performing, or causing to perform, one or both of the following actions: (1) deploying one or more deployable cushions associated with a seat of the highchair to better secure a position of the child with respect to the seat; and / or (2) adjusting the seat across at least two degrees of freedom.

[0022] The at least two degrees of freedom can include moving the seat forward and backwards and adjusting a pitch of the seat. The method can further include operating a degree of freedom adjuster to set a preset configuration. Setting a preset configuration can result in moving the seat across at least one degree of freedom of the at least two degrees of freedom. In at least some such embodiments, setting the preset configuration can result in moving the seat across the at least two degrees of freedom. The at least two degrees of freedom can include, for example, sliding the at least one of forwards or backwards with respect to a seat base. The action of adjusting the seat across at least two degrees of freedom can include, for example, rotating a seat base coupled to the seat to adjust its pitch with respect to a base portion of the highchair.

[0023] The method can include one or more of the following actions: (1) detaching the seat from a seat base; (2) rotating a knob to at least one of loosen or tighten straps of the seat; (3) operating a quick release button to separate straps to allow for quick removal of the child from the seat; and / or (4) nesting the higher chair with respect to a second highchair. The action of deploying one or more deployable cushions can further include operating one or more pump systems to deploy the deployable cushion(s). In at least some embodiments, deploying one or more deployable cushions can include selectively inflating the deployableAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 cushion(s) to an intermediate configuration between a fully deployed configuration and an undeployed configuration.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] This disclosure will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 A is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a highchair of the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG. IB is the front perspective view of FIG. 1 A illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included;100271 FIG. 1C is a back perspective view of the highchair of FIG. 1 A;

[0028] FIG. ID is the back perspective view of FIG. 1C illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included;

[0029] FIG. 2A is a front perspective view of a seat of the highchair of FIG. 1 A;

[0030] FIG. 2B is the front perspective view of FIG. 2A illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included;

[0031] FIG. 3 A is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a seat of a highchair, the seat including deployable cushions, the cushions being in an undeployed state;

[0032] FIG. 3B is the front perspective view of the seat of FIG. 3 A with the cushions in a deployed state;100331 FIG. 3C is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of how a deployable cushion, like the deployable cushions of FIGs. 3A-3B, can be operated, as well as two insets (i and ii) illustrating components of a pump system that can be used in conjunction with the same;

[0034] FIG. 4A is a back perspective view of another embodiment of a seat of a highchair, the seat including a first adjustable knob for straps of the highchair and a second adjustable knob for a headrest of the highchair, the figure further illustrating operation of the first adjustable knob to adjust the straps;Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904

[0035] FIG. 4B is the back perspective view of the seat of FIG. 4A, the figure illustrating operation of the second adjustable knob to adjust the headrest;

[0036] FIG. 4C is a schematic illustration of how the first adjustable knob of FIGs. 4A-4B can be operated;

[0037] FIG. 4D is a schematic illustration of how the second adjustable knob of FIGs. 4A- 4B can be operated;

[0038] FIG. 4E is a back perspective view of still another embodiment of a seat of a highchair, the seat including an adjustable back tile mechanism;

[0039] FIG. 5A is a top perspective view of a slidable seat base of the highchair of FIG. 1A;

[0040] FIG. 5B is the top perspective view of FIG. 5A illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included;

[0041] FIG. 5C is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of how the slidable seat base can be operated;

[0042] FIG. 5D is a perspective view of one embodiment of how the seat of the highchair can be moved relative to the seat base of FIG. 5C;

[0043] FIG. 6A is a side perspective view of a seat adjustment joint configured to adjust a pitch of the seat base of FIG. 5A;

[0044] FIG. 6B is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of how the seat adjustment joint can be operated;

[0045] FIG. 7A is a top perspective view of a hinge assembly of the highchair of FIG. 1 A;

[0046] FIG. 7B is the top perspective view of FIG. 7 A illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included;

[0047] FIG. 7C is a back perspective view of the hinge assembly of FIG. 7A;

[0048] FIG. 7D is the back perspective view of FIG. 7C illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included;Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904

[0049] FIG. 8A is a top perspective view of a hinge plate of the hinge assembly of FIG. 7A;

[0050] FIG. 8B is the top perspective view of FIG. 8A illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included;

[0051] FIG. 8C is a back perspective view of the hinge plate of FIG. 8A;

[0052] FIG. 8D is the back perspective view of FIG. 8C illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included;

[0053] FIG. 9A is a front perspective view of a tray of the highchair of FIG. 1 A;

[0054] FIG. 9B is a front perspective view of an arm and associated features that enable the tray to move with respect to the highchair of FIG. 9A;

[0055] FIG. 9C is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of how the tray of FIG. 9 A can be operated;

[0056] FIG. 10A is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a plurality of highchairs nested together;

[0057] FIG. 10B is a top perspective view of opposed legs of the highchair of FIG. 1 A; and

[0058] FIG. 10C is the top perspective view of FIG. 10B illustrated as a line drawing with hidden lines included.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] Certain exemplary embodiments will now be described to provide an overall understanding of the principles of the chair features disclosed herein. One or more examples of those features, and implementation options related to the same, are described and / or illustrated in various embodiments provided for herein and / or shown in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the features specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting embodiments and the scope of the present disclosure is defined solely by the claims. The features illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, like -numbered components ofAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 various embodiments generally have similar features when those components are of a similar nature and / or serve a similar purpose, unless otherwise noted or otherwise understood by a person skilled in the art.

[0060] To the extent features or other aspects of the present disclosure are described as being “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., and / or “lower,” “upper,” “middle,” etc., such numerical and / or location ordering / identification is generally arbitrary, and thus such numbering can be interchangeable unless indicated or otherwise understood by those skilled in the art to not be interchangeable. To the extent that the instant disclosure includes various terms for components and / or features, and / or ways of actuating a particular component and / or feature, one skilled in the art, in view of the claims, present disclosure, and knowledge of the skilled person, will understand such terms and / or ways of actuating are merely examples of such components, features, and / or ways of actuating and other components, features, and / or ways of actuating are possible. Further, to the extent that linear or circular dimensions or shapes are used or described herein, such dimensions are not intended to limit the types of shapes or sizes of such devices, components, etc. A person skilled in the art will recognize that an equivalent to such linear and circular dimensions or shapes can be easily determined for any geometric shape e.g., references to widths and diameters being easily adaptable for circular and linear dimensions, respectively, by a person skilled in the art). The present disclosure refers to a user in various contexts. That user can be a patient seated in the various embodiments of a chair provided for herein and / or a person who is placing the patient in the chair. The context of use of the word user will be understood by a person skilled in the art.

[0061] The present disclosure provides for features that can be incorporated into a chair, such as highchair, that provide enhanced safety and ease of use. The features enable a chair to be consistently adapted for each individual user, while also allowing the chair to be able to be used with persons of all shapes, sizes, and needs. The chairs of the present disclosure also include features that enable the chair to be easily cleaned and stored in a compact manner, making them ideal for use in a hospital setting.

[0062] FIGs. 1A-1D illustrate one embodiment of a highchair 10 that includes enhanced safety and useability features and / or can be easily adapted to include the safety and useability features provided for herein. As shown, the highchair 10 has a base portion 20 that includes opposed legs 30, 32 and an adjustable footrest 40, and a seat portion 50 that includes a seat base 60, a seat 70, and a tray 100. Details about these components, as well as the enhancedAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 safety and useability features associated with the same, are described below, illustrated in further figures, and / or are discernable from the description and / or figures. Accordingly, for the sake of brevity and clarity, each such detail and / or feature is not labeled and described with respect to FIGs. 1 A-1D. However, a person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosures and figures, will understand what these details and features are and how the operate. Further, to the extent one detail and / or feature is described as part of a base portion 20 or a seat portion 50, in other embodiments it could be part of another portion. For example, the seat portion 50 may be considered part of the base portion 20.

[0063] FIGs. 2A-2B illustrate the seat 70 of the seat portion 50 of the highchair 10. The seat 70 includes a bottom portion 72, a backrest 74, and a headrest 76. A person skilled in the art will appreciate various comfort features that can be included as part of the seat 70. For example, the bottom portion 72 is molded or otherwise formed to provide contoured locations for each leg of a user. The backrest 74 and / or the headrest 76 can likewise be molded or otherwise formed to provide contoured locations for other aspects of a user’s anatomy. As shown, the backrest 74 and the headrest 76 are of a unitary construction (sometimes referred to as being integrally formed). As provided for in other embodiments, the backrest 74 and headrest 76 can be separate components that are coupled together. Alternatively, or additionally, cushions can be provided in conjunction with the same on the illustrated backrest 74 and headrest 76 to provide a more delineated backrest and headrest. The backrest 74 and headrest 76 can be moveable together or independently. Further, the backrest 74 can be adjustable with respect to the bottom portion 72.

[0064] Notably, the seat 70 of FIGs. 2A-2B is provided to illustrate a foundational aspect of the highchair 10 into which the enhanced safety and useability features are incorporated. Features such as deployable cushions, adjustability of positioning of the seat 70, and adjustability of features of the seat 70, such as straps, are described below and / or with respect to other embodiments and illustrations. A person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosures, will understand how such features are and / or can be incorporated into the seat 70 of FIGs. 2A-2B.

[0065] An embodiment of a seat 170 having enhanced safety and useability features is illustrated in FIGs. 3A-3B. As shown, the seat 170 includes a bottom portion 172, a backrest 174, and a headrest 176, the backrest 174 and the headrest 176 being integrally formed. The bottom portion 172 can be contoured, similar to the bottom portion 72, or as otherwiseAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 appreciated by those skilled in the art. As shown, the bottom portion 172 includes an opening 178 formed therein for receiving a rod on which a tray, such as the tray 100, can be mounted.

[0066] Incorporated as part of the seat 170 are deployable cushions 180. As shown, there are two deploy able cushions 180, one each on opposed sides of the seat 170. The deployable cushions 180 can be incorporated as part of the bottom portion 172, the backrest 174, and / or both the bottom portion 172 and the backrest 174. In an undeployed configuration or state, shown in FIG. 3 A, the deployable cushions 180 can be nearly indiscernible to the user, taking up little room and generally not interfering with comfort or use of the seat 170. In a deployed configuration or state, shown in FIG. 3B, the deploy able cushions 180 can expand, providing additional securement of a user seated in the seat 170 and / or helping to place the user in a desired, seated position. The desired, seated position can be any seated position, and thus there are multiple desired, seated positions made possible by the present disclosure. Further, any number of deployable cushions 180 can be used, including one or more than the two that are illustrated. Likewise, the deployable cushions 180 can be positioned at any location with respect to the seat 170 and can be part of, coupled to, and / or otherwise associated with one or more of the bottom portion 172, backrest 174, and / or headrest 176. In some embodiments, the deployable cushions 180 can have two settings — an undeployed configuration and a fully deployed configuration — while in other embodiments the deployable cushions can have any number of intermediate settings in between an undeployed and a fully deployed configuration, sometimes referred to as one or more intermediate deployable configurations. The intermediate deployable configurations can be set, programmed configurations that are in between undeployed and fully deployed configurations, or they can be any configuration that results from deploying (e.g., inflating) or “undeploying” (e.g., deflating) the cushion(s) 180 between the undeployed and fully deployed configurations. The deployable cushions 180 can be selectively expanded and / or contracted to achieve desired positioning of the user with respect to the seat 170.

[0067] Air into and out of the cushions 180 can be controlled by one or more valves. Desired positioning can include providing desired muscle tone support, positioning for the user to receive a particular therapy, positioning for eating, and / or positioning for engaging or otherwise interacting with others, among other reasons for securing users in a particular position with respect to the seat 170. For example, the deployable cushions 180, inAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 conjunction with the rest of the seat 170, can help align and support a user upright, providing focus by narrowing the user’s focus to directly in front of them.

[0068] FIG. 3C illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of a deployment device or system 190 that can be used to control deployment of deployable cushions, like the cushions 180 of FIGs. 3A-3B. As shown in FIGs. 3A-3B, the cushions 180 can be expandable and contractable air bladders that expand and contract as air is added and removed from the cushions 180. FIG. 3C illustrates the pump system 190 having a pump button 192 that can input air into a deployable cushion 180' and a release button 194 that can remove air from a deployable cushion 180' of a seat 170' due to the pump system 190 being in fluid communication with the deployable cushion 180', as illustrated by way of tubing 196 and diversion valve 198. The portion of the system 190 that includes the pump button 192 is further illustrated in inset i and the portion of the system 190 that includes the release button 194 is further illustrated in inset ii. More specifically, pushing the button 192 can cause air to pass through the tubing 196 and diversion valve 198 into a bladder 182' of the cushion 180'. Likewise, rotating the button 194 can cause air to be released from the bladder 182' of the cushion 180', and through the tubing 196 and diversion valve. A person skilled in the art will understand other ways by which air can be added and removed from bladders 182' of the cushion 180', including swapping buttons 192, 194, using the same kind of buttons for both inflating and deflating, using a single button to control inflating and deflating, among other options. The buttons 192, 194 can be incorporated into sidewalls and / or other parts of the seat 170'. In some embodiments, each deployable cushion can have its own pump system associated therewith, while in other embodiments a pump system may control multiple deploy able cushions (some and / or all deploy able cushions) simultaneously. Further, the present disclosure provides for programmable settings for setting particular seat configurations. A person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosures, will understand how particular deployment configurations of deployable cushions can be incorporated as part of one or more particular seat configurations.

[0069] Further, while the illustrated embodiments of FIGs. 3A-3C provide for air to be used to selectively inflate and deflate the cushions 180, 180', a person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosures, will appreciate other configurations and / or mechanisms involving the use of air to inflate / deflate cushions, as well as other mediums and / or mechanisms that can be used to selectively deploy cushions like the cushions 180, 180'. ForAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 example, various systems in which an actuator can be operated to move air into and / or out of an air chamber can be employed to operate selectively deployable cushions as provided for herein. In still other embodiments, rather than inflating and deflating cushions, cushions or other structures capable of performing similar functions as the cushions disclosed herein (i.e., any surface that can be adjusted to be stationary to support a seated individual in multiple positions) can be mechanically or otherwise moved to create the equivalent of one or more intermediate deployable configurations and the fully deployed configuration.

[0070] Another enhanced safety and useability feature is illustrated with respect to FIG. 4A. As shown, a seat 270 can include a knob 284 incorporated into a backrest 274 of the seat 270, the knob 284 being configured to selectively tighten and loosen straps 282 of the seat 270. The straps 282 can provide a five-point harness for the user, and rotation of the knob 284 can cause both straps 282 to lighten and loosen as desired. In other embodiments, each strap of the straps 282 can be selectively tightened by its own knob. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more knobs can be used to tighten one or more straps that are designed to be disposed over and / or between legs and / or over a mid-section (e.g., a torso) of a seated person in conjunction with an understood five -point harness design. Further, the knob 284 can include a quick-release feature, such as the illustrated quick-release button 285, that enables the straps to be quickly loosened and / or separated to provide the ability to remove a user from the seat expeditiously, for example if needed in an emergency situation. As shown, the quick release button 285 can be pressed to release the straps 282 from the knob 284 such that the straps 282 do not restrict the seated person from being removed from the seat 270.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 4B, a knob 286 can also be incorporated into a headrest 276 of the seat 270 to provide for controlled movement and / or adjustment of the headrest 276 with respect to the backrest 274. In the illustrated embodiment, the knob 286 can move the headrest 276 side-to-side, in a similar path of travel as illustrated for turning of the knob 286, i.e., rotating clockwise or counterclockwise, though a person skilled in the art will appreciate other movements of the headrest that can be engineered to be provided, such as tilting a bottom of the headrest 276 towards and away from the backrest 274 and / or raising or lowering the headrest 276 with respect to the backrest 274. The adjustable headrest 276 can provide tailored support to accommodate diverse user needs. As noted with respect to deployable cushions 180, 180', the present disclosure provides for programmable settings for setting particular seat configurations. A person skilled in the art, in view of the presentAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 disclosures, will understand how particular deployment configurations of a headrest, like the headrest 276, can be incorporated as part of one or more particular seat configurations.

[0072] FIG. 4C illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of the knob 284 for use with the straps 282, while FIG. 4D illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of the knob 286 for use with the headrest 276. As shown in FIG. 4C, the knob 284 can include a plurality of complementary teeth 281 and 283 to allow for selective tightening and loosening of the straps 282, as well as a quick release button 285 for quick release of the straps 282 as described above. More particularly, the teeth 281 on a planar side of the quick release button 285 can be used to engage the opposed teeth 283 on a hub 284h of the knob 284 such that rotation of the quick release button 285 can, in turn, cause the hub 284h to rotate and the straps 282 to be wound up or released, depending on the direction of rotation. In some embodiments, clockwise rotation can result in the straps 282 being wound up and thus tightened and counterclockwise rotation can result in the straps 282 being released and thus loosened. Depressing the quick release button 285 can disengage the straps 282 from the knob 284 and its associated mechanisms that manipulate the straps 282, thus allowing an individual to be removed from the seat 270 without being restricted by the straps 282, such as if an emergency arises and removal from the seat 270 is necessary.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 4D, the knob 286 can be used with the illustrated toothed track 287 such that turning the knob 286 causes the headrest 276 to move up and down the track 287. For example, complimentary teeth (not visible, but can be akin to the teeth 281, 283, or as otherwise appreciated and known by those skilled in the art) can be included within the knob 286 that engage with the toothed track 287 to move the headrest 276 along the track 287.

[0074] FIG. 4E illustrates another embodiment of a seat 370 having a bottom portion 372 and a backrest 374, with the backrest 374 being able to have its position with respect to the bottom portion 372 adjusted. As shown, a latch or button 384 can be operated (e.g., pushed in or depressed) to allow for a tilt of the backrest 374 with respect to the bottom portion 372 to be changed. The button 384 can be able to be pushed and / or pulled, thus allowing a total angle of the seat 370 to be adjusted, which can help properly position patients with lower tonality. A person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosure, will appreciate a variety of ways by which this can be achieved. By way of non-limiting example, ratcheting teeth, detent mechanisms (e.g., ball-and-groove detents, spring plunger and hole patterns,Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 star- wheel detents, ratchet-and-pawl mechanisms), gears (e.g., step gears, rack-and-pinion set-ups), cam-based mechanisms, sliding and latching mechanisms, friction-based systems, and various female-male locking mechanisms can all be used to create selective movement and stopping across multiple positions between the backrest 374 and the bottom portion 372.

[0075] Further, while the illustrated embodiments of FIGs. 4A-4E provide for knobs 284, 286 and / or latches 374 to adjust straps 282, headrests 276, and backrests 274, 374, a person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosures, will appreciate other configurations and / or mechanisms that can be used to effect similar movements. For example, various systems involving a ratchet or other mechanical turn-dials like knobs can be operated to make the illustrated and / or described adjustments, as well as the many other examples provided for above or otherwise known to those skilled in the art. Just because one mechanism was shown in one embodiment does not limit that mechanism from being used in another embodiment herein. This is true across all of FIGs. 4A-4E, but also more generally across all the figures and descriptions provided for herein. A person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosures, will be able to incorporate movement features from one embodiment, and / or movement features more generally known to those skilled in the art, and incorporate those into other features of the highchairs provided for herein or otherwise derivable from the present disclosure.

[0076] The seat portion 50 of the highchair 10 can be moved with respect to the base portion 20 to provide further enhanced safety and useability. One way of achieving this is by movement of the seat 70 with respect to the seat base 60. FIGs. 5A-5B illustrate one embodiment of the seat base 60 having features allowing for such movement, as well as full detachment of the seat 70 (not shown in FIGs. 5A-5B) from the base 60. More particularly, the seat base 60, which can sometimes be referred to as a seat tray, is configured to allow a position of the seat 70 to be adjusted along a length L of the seat base 60 by allowing the seat 70 to be attached at a variety of locations along the length L of the seat base 60. As shown, the seat base 60 includes a plurality of openings 62 formed in opposed linear rails 64. One or more locking pins 66, as illustrated in FIG. 5C, can be selectively moved into and out of respective openings of the plurality of openings 62 to lock a position of the seat 70 with respect to the seat base 60. When in an unlocked configuration, the seat 70 can be moved to various locations with respect to the base 60, and further, can be removed altogether from the highchair assembly. Detachment of the seat 70 from the seat base 60 can allow seat sizesAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 and / or seats of various shapes and / or configurations to be interchanged. Further, it also allows the seat 70 to be used by itself, such as placing the seat 70 on a table, floor, or elsewhere, for example if space is limited. In other embodiments, the seat base 60 can be configured to be selectively attached, detached, and / or moved with respect to the base portion 20.

[0077] FIGs. 5C and 5D illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of how the seat 70 can be moved with respect to the seat base 60, and how one or more locking pins 66 can be used in conjunction with the same. More particularly, when the seat 70 is positioned at a desired location along the length of the seat base 60, the locking pin(s) 66 can be inserted through corresponding openings (not shown) formed in a base of the seat 70 and into the openings 62 formed in the respective linear rail 64, thus securing a location of the seat 70 with respect to the seat base 60. Accordingly, the seat can be slid forward and backwards along the length L of the seat base 60 and secured at desired locations along the length L, and the seat 70 can be detached from the seat base 60 as desired. While the illustrated embodiment uses one or more manually controlled locking pins 66 moved into and out of communication with the openings 62 of the linear rails 64 to selectively secure the seat 70 to the seat base 60, a person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosure, will understand other ways by which the selective locking and unlocking of the seat 70 with respect to the seat base 60 can be achieved. For example, the locking pins 66 can be part of a structure that allows the pins 66 to be slid along the rail 64 to selective engaged and disengage from the openings 62 in a more automatic manner, as well as the many other examples of mechanical mechanisms for providing selective unlocking and locking disclosed herein (see, e.g., various examples provided three paragraphs above) or otherwise known to those skilled in the art.

[0078] Another way in which the seat portion 50 of the highchair 10 can be moved with respect to the base portion 20 to provide further enhanced safety and useability is by rotating a location of the seat base 60, and thus the seat 70 attached to the seat base 60, with respect to the base portion 20. FIG. 6A illustrates one embodiment of the base portion 20 having features incorporated into or otherwise associated with the legs 30, 32 to adjust a degree of tilt of the seat base 60 with respect to the base portion 20. The illustrated feature includes an indexing joint 34. As shown, the seat base 60 can rotate with respect to the legs 30, 32. FIG. 6B illustrates one non-limiting embodiment of such features of the base portion 20. As shown, the indexing joint 34 having a plurality of openings 36 formed therein can be used toAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 set different title angles of the seat base 60. Each opening 36 can correspond to a different seat angle. A spring-loaded pin or the like (not shown) can be used to engage the respective opening 36 to lock the respective tilt angle of the indexing joint 34, and thus the seat base 60.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 6A, each respective tilt angle can be defined by a particular configuration number — as shown, 20 — that a user will know defines a particularly desired position for the patient. A user can easily measure each child and set positioning to numbers, and recline the patient while keeping the patient upper and lower body at a 90 degree alignment. The configuration number can be visible through a window 38 associated with at least one of the legs 30, 32. Alternatively, the displayed number can be a tilt angle. In some embodiments, this configuration number can be tied to more than just the tilt angle. For example, it may also be tied to other movements of the seat base 60 with respect to the base portion 20, allowing a user to associate different patient set-ups with different configuration numbers. Accordingly, the present disclosure allows for sliding movements, like those described with respect to FIGs. 5A-5C, and rotational movements, like those described with respect to FIGs. 6A-6B, to be pre-programmed or set and / or otherwise associated with certain configurations numbers such that each configuration number sets particular locations of the sliding and rotational movement related to the seat base 60. A configuration number can be tied to a particular patient such that any user of the highchair can set the configuration number to provide a consistent set-up for the patient.

[0080] FIGs. 7A-7D illustrate one embodiment of a hinge assembly 434 that can be used in conjunction with achieving the configurations and capabilities described above with respect to FIGs. 6A-6B. That is, the hinge assembly 434 can be used as the indexing joint 34, though it illustrates just one non-limiting embodiment of such an indexing joint. The hinge assembly includes both a hinge plate 435, illustrated in greater detail with respect to FIGs. 8A-8B, and a hinge receiver 437, illustrated in greater detail in FIGs. 8C-8D. The hinge plate 435 and hinge receiver 437 are designed to be complementary to each other. An opening 434s can be provided for as part of the hinge assembly 434, the opening 434s being configured to receive a complementary male mating member to mate the hinge assembly 434 to other components of the highchair, such as legs 30, 32.

[0081] More particularly, as shown, the hinge plate 435 nests with the hinge receiver 437, and one can rotate with respect to the other. The hinge plate 435 can include a plurality of openings 435o formed therein. In the illustrated embodiment the openings 435o extend anAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 entire 360 degrees around the hinge plate 435, although in other embodiments they may only extend across a subset of the 360 degrees (e.g., 270 degrees, 180 degrees, etc.; it does not have to be a three-quarters, one-half, or one-quarter subset). Engagement protrusions 437p that are complementary in shape to the openings 435o can be formed on the hinge receiver 437. Similar to the openings 435o, while in the illustrated embodiment the protrusions 437p extend an entire 360 degrees around the hinge receiver 437, in other embodiments they may only extend across a subset of the 360 degrees (e.g., 270 degrees, 180 degrees, etc.; it does not have to be a three-quarters, one-half, or one-quarter subset). Further, openings 435c and 437c of the hinge plate 435 and hinge receiver 437, respectively, can extend on respective amis 435a and 437a, for use in mating the hinge plate 435 and hinge receiver 437 to the components of the highchair being moved with respect to each other. For example, the ami 435a may mate to the seat base 60 and the arm 437a to one of the legs 30, 32, so that movement of the hinge plate 435 relative to the hinge receiver 437 can likewise move the seat base 60 with respect to the legs 30, 32. As that movement occurs, the setting for a particular position defined by the protrusions 437p and the openings 435o can be visible through a window 38 (see, e.g., FIG. 6A).

[0082] The description of FIGs. 6A-8D relate to only one non-limiting way by which this type of movement can be achieved, and a person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosures, will understand other ways such movement can be achieved. Further, to the extent the descriptions herein lack specificity and / or precise accuracy, a person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosure, will understand how to make the various features and capabilities of the illustrated hinge assembly and hinge plate operate. Still further, while the illustrated embodiments use indexing joints and hinge assemblies, a person skilled in the art will appreciate a variety of other rotating joint mechanisms that can be used to achieve selective rotational locking.

[0083] As provided for herein, the seating portions (e.g., the seating portion 50) and the associated components thereof, like seat bases (e.g., the seat base 60) and seats (e.g., the seats 70, 170, 270, 370), among others, can enable the seat to be moved across multiple degrees of freedom. These include, as described herein, forward / back by way of the seat base 60 and seat 70 / 170 and pitch, by way of the seat base 60 and indexing joint 34 (and / or the hinge assembly 434). The indexing joint 34 and / or the hinge assembly 434 can be considered a degree of freedom adjuster. Other degrees of freedom that can be adjusted in conjunctionAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 with the illustrated embodiments include up / down (for example, by moving the seat base 60 up or down with respect to the bottom portion 20 and / or by moving the seat 70 up or down with respect to the seat base 60), left / right (also by movement of the seat base 60 with respect to the bottom portion and / or by movement of the seat 70 with respect to the seat base 60), roll (for example, rotating by similar manners as provided for to achieve pitch adjustment), and / or yaw (for example, by spinning the seat base 60 around a central axis of the seat base). The combination of the joint 34 and / or hinge assembly 434 with other features provided for herein provide for a more adjustable and / or customizable chair than existed prior to the present disclosure.

[0084] FIGs. 9A-9B illustrates the adjustable nature of the tray 90 with respect to the seat 170. The illustrated tray 90 includes a telescoping configuration, sometimes referred to as a tray pommel, to allow its sliding movement, as shown up and down. A spring-loaded pin 94 can operate in conjunction with a plurality of openings 96 formed in an arm 93 of the tray to allow the tray 90 to be moved up and down, as illustrated by an arrow V in FIG. 9B. More particularly, a force in a direction P can be applied to the pin 94 to cause it to disengage from one of the openings 96, and the tray 90 can, in turn, be slid up or down until the spring-loaded pin 94 engages with one of the openings 96 to set a location of the tray 90. The spring-loaded nature of the pin 94 causes it to default by pushing back into an opening of the openings 96 to set a location of the tray 90 with respect to the seat 170. Further details about how a spring- loaded pin like the pin 94 can be operated are known to those skilled in the art, and thus further details are unnecessary.

[0085] A button 92 can be disposed on the arm 93 and can be used in conjunction with a quick release feature, which can be desirable, for example, in an emergency situation. With reference to FIG. 9C, depressing the button 92 in a direction Q, into the arm 93, can cause a mating feature 99 located at a distal end 98d of the rod 98 to release, in turn allowing the rod 98 to be more easily be removed from the opening 178, as illustrated by arrows R. The dotted lines illustrate in FIG. 9C represent some mechanical connection between the button 92 and the mating feature 99 that causes the mating feature 99 to release. An alternative quick release tray feature is illustrated in an inset i of FIG. 9C. In this configuration, the button 92' can be depressed in a direction Q', into the arm 93', in turn causing a mating feature 99' located at a distal end 98d' of the rod 98' to release. The dotted lines illustrate in inset i of FIG. 9C represent some mechanical connection between the button 92 ' and theAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 mating feature 99 ' that causes the mating feature 99 ' to release. As a result, the rod 98' can be more easily removed from the opening 178, such as in an emergency situation. A person skilled in the art, in view of the present disclosure, will understand the movement and quick release features of trays like the tray 90 as illustrated and described with respect to FIGs. 9A- 9C, and further, will understand other mechanical ways (e.g., locking mechanisms) and the like by which the tray can be moved to multiple set locations, as well as quickly released.

[0086] Although not separately illustrated, it is noted that the adjustable footrest 40 can also be adjustable in the same manner as described with respect to the tray 90, or using other techniques for providing adjustability described herein and / or known to those skilled in the art.

[0087] A further enhanced useability feature is illustrated with respect to FIGs. 10A-10C. More particularly, multiple highchairs 510 can be placed in a nested configuration, as shown in FIG. 10 A, due to the configuration of the highchairs. In FIG. 10 A, four highchairs 510 are shown, though any number of highchairs can be placed into the nested configuration. The nested configuration is made possible, at least in part, by the formation of the bottom portions 520, including the legs 530, 532. As shown, a first terminal portion 530a, 532a of the legs 530, 532 are disposed closer together, illustrated by a distance C shown in FIGs. 10B-10C, than a second terminal portion 530b, 532b of the legs 530, 532, illustrated by a distance D shown in FIGs. 10B-10C. An angle a, a' can be formed by an axis A, A' running through the first terminal portions 530a, 532a, respectively, and the legs 530, 532, respectively, with the axis A, A' representing the respective leg 530, 532 if it was disposed in a straight configuration such that the distances C and D were equal. As shown, the other portions of the legs 530, 532 are also, in turn, angularly disposed with respect to each other and / or a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the respective axis A, A'. The angle a, a' can be approximately in the range of about 5 degrees to about 15 degrees, and in some embodiments it can be about 8 degrees to provide desired stability.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 10A, the seat portions 550 can also be formed in a manner that allows nesting. Still further, in some embodiments, the bottom portions 520 may be nested separately from the seat portions 550, and likewise, the seat portions 550 may be nested separately from the bottom portions 520. In use, to provide for the nested configuration, it may be necessary to remove one or more detachable portions, such as a tray 590, a footrest 540, and / or a seat 570, from one or more of the highchairs 510. It may also be possible thatAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 no such disassembly is necessary. In the illustrated embodiment, the tray 590 is removed from all but the front-most highchair 510.

[0089] The present illustrations are merely examples intended to illustrate the various enhanced safety and ease of use features provided for in the highchairs disclosed herein. Additional features are illustrated or may otherwise be discernible from the present disclosure. For example, not only do the various features provide for enhanced safety and ease of use, they can also provide for easy cleaning, which is another “ease of use” feature. This may include, for example, using silicone and easy to clean materials. Still further, certain features that constitute touch points for a user may be colored blue, such as the footrest 40, the tray 90, and / or other components that are adjustable, as well as their related components. Various features can also be incorporated as part of the disclosed highchairs to provide for enhanced safety, such as using particular medical-grade coatings that are sometimes used in a hospital setting, in turn making the disclosed highchairs hospital-grade.

[0090] Examples of the above-described embodiments can include the following:1. A highchair, comprising : a base portion; a seat portion configured to be coupled to the base portion, the seat portion including a seat having one or more deployable cushions, the deployable cushions being configured to have a deployed configuration in which the one or more deployable cushions is inflated to better secure a position of a child seated on the seat with respect to the seat.2. The highchair of example 1 , wherein the one or more deployable cushions comprises at least two deployable cushions.3. The highchair of example 1 or example 2, wherein the one or more deploy able cushions is configured to be selectively inflated and deflated such that it has one or more intermediate deployable configurations between an undeployed configuration and the deployed configuration.4. The highchair of any of examples 1 to 3, further comprising one or more pump systems in fluid communication with the one or more deployable cushions, the one or more pump systems being configured to deploy the one or more deployable cushions in the deployed configuration and the one or more intermediate deployable configurations.Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-4299045. The highchair of any of examples 1 to 3, further comprising one or more pump systems in fluid communication with the one or more deployable cushions, the one or more pump systems being configured to deploy the one or more deployable cushions in the deployed configuration.6. The highchair of any of examples 1 to 5, further comprising a seat base configured to have the seat coupled thereto, a combination of the seat base and the seat being moveable across at least two degrees of freedom.7. The highchair of example 6, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include moving forwards and backwards with respect to the base portion and adjusting a pitch with respect to the base portion.8. The highchair of example 6 or example 7, further comprising a degree of freedom adjuster configured to have preset configurations.9. The highchair of example 8, wherein the degree of freedom adjuster is programmable by a user to include one or more preset configurations.10. The highchair of any of examples 6 to 9, wherein the seat is removably and replaceably coupled to the seat base.11. The highchair of example 10, wherein the seat is configured to slide forwards and backwards with respect to the seat base.12. The highchair of any of examples 1 to 11 , further comprising at least one rotating knob configured to loosen and tighten straps of the seat.13. The highchair of example 12, wherein the at least one rotating knob comprises a quick release button configured to separate the straps to allow for quick removal of the child from the seat.14. The highchair of any of examples 1 to 13, wherein the base portion is configured to allow a second highchair to nest with respect to the highchair.15. The highchair of example 14, wherein a first leg of the base portion is disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the first leg and aAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 second leg of the base portion, which is opposed to the first leg, is disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the second leg.16. A highchair, comprising: a base portion; a seat base; and a seat configured to be coupled to the seat, wherein a combination of the seat base and the seat are moveable across at least two degrees of freedom.17. The highchair of example 16, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include moving forwards and backwards with respect to the base portion and adjusting a pitch with respect to the base portion.18. The highchair of example 16 or example 17, further comprising a degree of freedom adjuster configured to have preset configurations.19. The highchair of example 18, wherein the degree of freedom adjuster is programmable by a user to include one or more preset configurations.20. The highchair of any of examples 16 to 19, wherein the seat is removably and replaceably coupled to the seat base.21 . The highchair of example 20, wherein the seat is configured to slide forwards and backwards with respect to the seat base.22. The highchair of any of examples 16 to 21, wherein the seat further comprises one or more deployable cushions, the deployable cushions being configured to have a deployed configuration in which the one or more deployable cushions is inflated to better secure a position of a child seated on the seat with respect to the seat.23. The highchair of example 22, wherein the one or more deployable cushions comprises at least two deployable cushions.24. The highchair of example 22 or example 23, wherein the one or more deploy able cushions is configured to be selectively inflated and deflated such that it has one or moreAttorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904 intermediate deployable configurations between an undeployed configuration and the deployed configuration.25. The highchair of example 24, further comprising one or more pump systems in fluid communication with the one or more deployable cushions, the one or more pump systems being configured to deploy the one or more deployable cushions in the deployed configuration and the one or more intermediate deployable configurations.26. The highchair of any of examples 22 to 24, further comprising one or more pump systems in fluid communication with the one or more deployable cushions, the one or more pump systems being configured to deploy the one or more deployable cushions in the deployed configuration.27. The highchair of any of examples 16 to 26, further comprising at least one rotating knob configured to loosen and tighten straps of the seat.28. The highchair of example 27, wherein the at least one rotating knob comprises a quick release button configured to separate the straps to allow for quick removal of the child from the seat.29. The highchair of any of examples 16 to 28, wherein the base portion is configured to allow a second highchair to nest with respect to the highchair.30. The highchair of example 29, wherein a first leg of the base portion is disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the first leg and a second leg of the base portion, which is opposed to the first leg, is disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the second leg.31. A method of using a highchair, comprising: placing a child in a highchair; and at least one of: deploying one or more deployable cushions associated with a seat of the highchair to better secure a position of the child with respect to the seat; or adjusting the seat across at least two degrees of freedom.32. The method of example 31 , wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include moving the seat forwards and backwards and adjusting a pitch of the seat.Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-42990433. The method of example 31 or example 32, further comprising operating a degree of freedom adjuster to set a preset configuration that results in moving the seat across at least one degree of freedom of the at least two degrees of freedom.34. The method of example 33, wherein the preset configuration results in moving the seat across the at least two degrees of freedom.35. The method of any of examples 31 to 34, further comprising setting at least one preset configuration that controls at least one degree of freedom of the at least two degrees of freedom.36. The method of any of examples 31 to 35, wherein adjusting the seat across at least two degrees of freedom further comprises sliding the seat at least one of forwards or backwards with respect to a seat base.37. The method of any of examples 31 to 36, wherein adjusting the seat across at least two degrees of freedom further comprises rotating a seat base coupled to the seat to adjust its pitch with respect to a base portion of the highchair.38. The method of any of examples 31 to 37, further comprising detaching the seat from a seat base.39. The method of any of examples 31 to 38, further comprising rotating a knob to at least one of loosen or tighten straps of the seat.40. The method of any of examples 31 to 39, further comprising operating a quick release button to separate straps to allow for quick removal of the child from the seat.41. The method of any of examples 31 to 40, wherein deploying one or more deployable cushions further comprises operating one or more pump systems to deploy the one or more deployable cushions.42. The method of any of examples 31 to 41, wherein deploying one or more deployable cushions further comprises selectively inflating the one or more deployable cushions to an intermediate configuration between a fully deployed configuration and an undeployed configuration.Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-42990443. The method of any of examples 31 to 42, further comprising nesting the highchair with respect to a second highchair.

[0091] One skilled in the art will appreciate further features and advantages of the disclosures based on the provided for descriptions and embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described, except as indicated by the appended claims. To the extent the present disclosure includes illustrations and descriptions that include prototypes, mock-ups, bench models, or schematic illustrations of set-ups, features, and / or the operation of the same, a person skilled in the art will recognize how to rely upon the present disclosure to integrate the devices and features provided for herein into a viable chair product, such as a hospital-grade highchair. All publications and references cited herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0092] Some non-limiting claims are provided below.

Claims

Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-429904What is claimed is:

1. A highchair, comprising : a base portion; a seat portion configured to be coupled to the base portion, the seat portion including a seat having one or more deployable cushions, the deployable cushions being configured to have a deployed configuration in which the one or more deployable cushions is inflated to better secure a position of a child seated on the seat with respect to the seat.

2. The highchair of claim 1, wherein the one or more deploy able cushions comprises at least two deployable cushions.

3. The highchair of claim 1, wherein the one or more deployable cushions is configured to be selectively inflated and deflated such that it has one or more intermediate deployable configurations between an undeployed configuration and the deployed configuration.

4. The highchair of claim 3, further comprising one or more pump systems in fluid communication with the one or more deployable cushions, the one or more pump systems being configured to deploy the one or more deployable cushions in the deployed configuration and the one or more intermediate deployable configurations.

5. The highchair of claim 1, further comprising one or more pump systems in fluid communication with the one or more deployable cushions, the one or more pump systems being configured to deploy the one or more deployable cushions in the deployed configuration.

6. The highchair of claim 1, further comprising a seat base configured to have the seat coupled thereto, a combination of the seat base and the seat being moveable across at least two degrees of freedom.

7. The highchair of claim 6, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include moving forwards and backwards with respect to the base portion and adjusting a pitch with respect to the base portion.

8. The highchair of claim 6, further comprising a degree of freedom adjuster configured to have preset configurations.Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-4299049. The highchair of claim 8. wherein the degree of freedom adjuster is programmable by a user to include one or more preset configurations.

10. The highchair of claim 6, wherein the seat is removably and replaceably coupled to the seat base.

11. The highchair of claim 10, wherein the seat is configured to slide forwards and backwards with respect to the seat base.

12. The highchair of claim 1, further comprising at least one rotating knob configured to loosen and tighten straps of the seat.

13. The highchair of claim 12, wherein the at least one rotating knob comprises a quick release button configured to separate the straps to allow for quick removal of the child from the seat.

14. The highchair of claim 1, wherein the base portion is configured to allow a second highchair to nest with respect to the highchair.

15. The highchair of claim 14, wherein a first leg of the base portion is disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the first leg and a second leg of the base portion, which is opposed to the first leg, is disposed at an angle with respect to a straight axis passing through a terminal end of the second leg.

16. A highchair, comprising: a base portion; a seat base: and a seat configured to be coupled to the seat, wherein a combination of the seat base and the seat are moveable across at least two degrees of freedom.

17. The highchair of claim 16, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom include moving forwards and backwards with respect to the base portion and adjusting a pitch with respect to the base portion.

18. The highchair of claim 16, further comprising a degree of freedom adjuster configured to have preset configurations.Attorney Docket No.: NCH 2021-045 PCT | 60247-42990419. The highchair of claim 18, wherein the degree of freedom adjuster is programmable by a user to include one or more preset configurations.

20. A method of using a highchair, comprising: placing a child in a highchair; and at least one of: deploying one or more deployable cushions associated with a seat of the highchair to better secure a position of the child with respect to the seat; or adjusting the seat across at least two degrees of freedom.

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