Abstract:
A chair includes a base portion, and a seat portion supported by the base portion. The seat portion is configurable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the seat portion is raised to a highest level and includes a frame that is adapted to arrange the seat portion in an upright position. In the second mode, the seat portion is lowered to a level that is lower than the highest level.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application for Patent No. 61/037,852, which was filed on Mar. 19, 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    The invention relates to chairs for supporting children, and in particular to high chairs. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is well known that as children grow from infants to toddlers, many of their needs change. They grow in size, and their ability to support themselves and control their movements also increases. For example, infants generally require a great deal of support, particularly when in a somewhat upright position, such as when eating. While feeding an infant, a parent typically holds the infant for support, or places the infant in a seat designed for infants that supports the back and head and secures the infant snugly in position, not allowing substantial freedom of movement. In order to place the seated infant at a height that allows for easy feeding, the infant seat is usually placed on a tabletop near where the feeding parent is seated. This arrangement takes up table space and generally doesn&#39;t allow the feeding parent to eat also. 
         [0004]    When the child reaches a more advances stage of development, upright seating is possible with much less support, and better control of movement makes it more appropriate to allow more freedom of movement to the child. At this stage, the child is typically fed while seated in a high chair. The transition from an infant seat that requires placement on a table top to a high chair frees up room on the table, allowing a parent to perform other tasks, such as eating, while feeding the child. It would be beneficial to provide a high chair that also allows feeding of an infant who isn&#39;t ready for a high chair, so that the advantages of highchair use can be realized at an earlier point in the child&#39;s development. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]    A chair includes a base portion, and a seat portion supported by the base portion. The seat portion is configurable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the seat portion is raised to a highest level and includes a frame that is adapted to arrange the seat portion in an upright position. In the second mode, the seat portion is lowered to a level that is lower than the highest level. 
         [0006]    The seat portion can be configurable in a third mode, in which the seat portion is stowed in a non-seating position. 
         [0007]    The seat portion can include a tray on which the frame is disposed in the first mode. 
         [0008]    In the second mode, the seat portion can include a backrest that is adapted to recline. For example, the chair can include a backrest locking mechanism for selectable locking of the backrest in one of a plurality of reclining positions. The backrest locking mechanism can be manipulable to unlock the chair from the second mode for positioning in the first mode. 
         [0009]    The can also include release buttons on the seat portion that are manipulable to enable changing of the chair from the second mode to the first mode. 
         [0010]    The chair can also include a mechanism for changing a height of the seat portion when the seat portion is in the second mode. 
         [0011]    The seat portion can include a tray disposed toward a front of the seat portion in the second mode. The seat portion can include a seat back, and the tray can engage the seat portion in an adjustable manner such that the distance between the seat back and the tray can be adjusted. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the invention in infant mode. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the invention in toddler mode 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  shows a recline feature of the backrest of the toddler seat. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  shows a mechanism for sliding the toddler seat under the tray and into a storage position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  shows a mechanism for rotating the infant seat into a usable position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  shows a mechanism for selecting from among three positions of the chair. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  shows a mechanism for selecting from among three positions of the chair. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  shows a mechanism for switching back to toddler mode from infant mode. 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  shows an embodiment of the chair in toddler mode. 
           [0021]      FIG. 10  shows an embodiment of the chair in a storage configuration. 
           [0022]      FIG. 11  shows the underside of the tray. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    The invention is a high chair that converts from a configuration suitable for use by an infant to a configuration suitable for use by an older child, such as a toddler. The invention provides an infant seat on a raised surface so that a tabletop footprint is not necessary. The same apparatus can then be converted to a more conventional high chair configuration, allowing for developmental growth of the child without the need to purchase an additional piece of furniture. In either operational mode, the other configuration is stored underneath the seat being used. The chair also has a storage configuration in which both seats are stowed. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows the chair  1  in infant mode. For clarity, only the frame of the infant seat  2  is shown. In normal usage, the frame  2  will be covered with a fabric sling or other seating arrangement to support the infant. As shown, the high chair  1  has a base  3  on which the convertible seat  4  is disposed. The base includes legs  5 , optionally with castors  6  or wheels on the bottom ends, and a convertible seat mechanism  4  at or near the top end of the base  3 . In this configuration, the infant seat  2  is in an elevated position, and the toddler seat  7  is stored beneath the infant seat  2 . The feeding tray  8  used in the toddler configuration preferably is in a raised horizontal position, and provides a platform on which the infant seat  2  at least partially rests. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  shows the chair  1  in toddler mode. In this configuration, the high chair  1  is arranged as a conventional-type high chair, with a seat  9 , tray  8 , and footrest  10  arranged at or near the top of the base  3 . In this configuration, the infant seat  2  is stored beneath the toddler seat  7 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the backrest  11  of the toddler seat  7  can be made to recline. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing, a recline handle rod  12  is disposed behind the back  11  of the toddler seat  7 . Pulling the handle rod  12  upward causes a lock slide  13  in the seat bottom to move backward, disengaging the seat back lock  14  and allowing the seat back  11  to recline. Preferably, a number of recline stops can be engaged by the seat back lock  14  so that different reclining angles can be selected. This locking mechanism  14  is also used to begin to convert the high chair  1  to infant mode, or to allow the high chair  1  to be folded into a storage configuration. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the toddler seat  7  can slide under the tray  8  and down into a storage position when unlocked. 
         [0026]    As also shown in  FIG. 4 , release buttons  15  on either side of the toddler seat  7  track corresponding ramps  16  on either side of the frame of the seating mechanism. When the buttons  15  are depressed, a head loop  17  is sprung open to allow the infant seat  2  to be raised into the use position. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the release button manipulates a torsion spring  18  that is under tension when the infant seat  2  is in a storage position. When the release buttons  15  on either side are depressed, the head loop  17  is sprung into infant position so that the infant seat  2  can be rotated into a usable position. A compression spring forces a release plate  19  into engagement with a lock plate  20 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . This lock plate  20  can be used to select a number of positions. For example, three positions are specified in the exemplary embodiment shown: the storage position, and two different reclining positions in the use configuration. As the release button  15  is depressed, the release plate  19  is disengaged from the lock plate  20  to allow the head loop  17  to spring open or to be moved into a selected one of the three positions, as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , when switching back to toddler mode from infant mode, the release buttons  15  force the ramps  16  out of the way instead of depressing. Therefore, the sprung ramp  16  can rotate forward to allow the release buttons  15  to pass, and the toddler seat  7  is put into the use position.  FIG. 9  shows the chair  1  in the toddler mode once again. While in the toddler mode, the height of the seat can be adjusted to a suitable position. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , the seat is in the lowest position, in contrast to  FIG. 2 , which shows the seat in the highest position. The exemplary embodiment shown in the figures includes stops  21  for four different heights for the seat, but it is contemplated that the high chair can be adapted to include any number of adjustable stops for the height of the seat. 
         [0028]      FIG. 10  shows the chair in a storage configuration. In this mode, both the toddler seat  7  and the infant seat  2  are stowed below the tray  8  and substantially enclosed by the legs  5  of the base  3 . This configuration allows for a compact profile for easy storage. 
         [0029]    The tray  8  is also adjustable to a number of different positions, for ease of entry and exit, and for the comfort and convenience of the child in the seat in toddler mode, as well as to provide a stable and convenient platform for the infant-mode seat. The underside of the tray  8  is shown in  FIG. 11 . As shown, this exemplary embodiment includes a release  22  at the front-center of the underside of the tray  8 . When this release  22  is squeezed to pull the cover forward, flex straps  23  on either side of the tray  8  are moved backward and outward. Movement of the flex straps  23  causes release handles  24  on either side of the tray  8  to spread outward, releasing them from mating connectors on the chair  1 . While in this position, the tray  8  can be slid along the mating connector to a desired position, at which point the front release  22  can be returned to its original, unsqueezed position, preferably by a spring or other biasing means. The return of the release  22  relaxes the flex straps  23 , causing the side handles  24  to engage the mating connectors, securing the tray  8  in the selected position. Preferably, the tray  8  can also be removed completely from the rest of the chair  1  using this mechanism. 
         [0030]    The present invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the present invention is not strictly limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, various modifications, as well as similar arrangements, are included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the appended claims, therefore, should be accorded the broadest possible interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.