Abstract:
A high chair is convertible into multiple operative configurations to provide flexibility in utilization. The high chair includes a youth chair having a seat member affixed to a Z-shaped frame. A booster seat including a reclining seat back is mountable on the seat member such that the seat member is nested within the booster seat. A latch mechanism carried by the booster seat secures the booster seat to the seat member. A separate base member can also be nested into the bottom of the booster seat so that the booster seat can be utilized on a standard chair. The tray is mountable into the booster seat so that the tray can be utilized therewith irrespective of whether the booster seat is used in a high chair configuration or a booster seat configuration. The Z-frame incorporates telescopic support legs to define height adjustment for the high chair.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/937,175, filed on Jun. 26, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to a child&#39;s high chair and, more particularly, to a high chair configuration that can be used in multiple stages of a child&#39;s life. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Different products are used by parents to aid in the positioning of their children to facilitate feeding them from the time the child is an infant until the child is old enough and large enough to sit at a table properly. One such product is a high chair, which is typically used to support infants and small toddlers at an elevated position so that the caregiver can easily feed the child. Another such product is a booster seat that is typically attached in a detachable manner to a standard chair so that the child is elevated on the chair to reach a normal table. Booster seats are typically used with older toddlers. 
   The high chair is a self-standing unit that provides a safe and secure seating area with a feeding tray that is removable from the high chair to facilitate the placement of the child on the high chair and to facilitate the cleaning of the tray and high chair structure. High chairs can incorporate height adjustment mechanism so that the seat can be vertically positioned to fit various table heights so that the tray mechanism could be removed from the high chair and the child positioned on the high chair be pushed up to a table. The booster seats typically attach to the standard chair with one or two adjustable straps so that the booster seat can be removed when no longer in use. The typical booster seat positions the child about three or four inches above the chair seat to locate the child at the table. Some booster seats are provided with height adjustment to fit various table heights. Some booster seats are adapted to receive a tray mechanism so that the booster seat can be utilized away from the table. 
   The product to be used at meal time to seat a child will depend on the time of day and the family circumstances. For example, if a single caregiver is at home, a self-standing high chair moved to a medium height position may be the product of choice at mid-day to locate the child facing the caregiver while the caregiver is seated nearby. The high chair could be moved to a highest height if the caregiver is standing nearby, such as in the process of preparing a meal for the rest of the family. At the evening meal, the booster seat or the high chair in the lowest position may be chosen so that the child could be seated at the family table. Traveling presents additional problems that can be solved through the use of a portable booster seat. 
   The age of the child will influence the product selected for use in seating the child to eat. Typically, smaller, younger children use high chairs because the high chair provides a higher seated position for the child and the child is light enough for the caregiver to pick up and place into the elevated high chair seat. As the child grows, the child no longer needs the extra seated height and is normally heavier, and thus more difficult to pick up. In such cases, the booster seat is usually the product of choice. 
   The high chair disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,755, granted to Angelo Rho on Nov. 24, 1992, includes a base stand constituted by two foldable arms on which is mounted a chair that slides on top of and is supported by the foldable arms. The Rho high chair structure can be disassembled and the base stand folded to reduce space required for storage. Similarly, the child&#39;s chair disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,371, granted on Apr. 13, 2004, to Toshiro Yoshie includes a removable seat apparatus that attaches to a mounting structure affixed to a foldable support base. The Yoshie child&#39;s chair provides a height adjustable chair mechanism that includes a compact folded storage configuration. 
   A convertible high chair, including a base and a chair attachable to the base by means of mechanical fasteners, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,922, granted on Sep. 15, 1998, to Israel Mendelovich, in which the support base can be disassembled to define a youth chair that has a lower seating surface than the high chair configuration that uses the full support base structure. The base and the chair in the Mendelovich patent are adapted to be assembled separately, such that the base and the chair may be much more compactly stored than previous convertible high chairs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,102, issued on Sep. 14, 1999, to Keith Poulson provides a high chair that is convertible to a booster seat. The booster seat has an attachment mechanism that engages tubes of the support frame at the seat bottom and seat back to convert the booster seat into a high chair. The seat position relative to the frame of the high chair is adjustable between an upright position and a reclined position. Similarly, the juvenile chair in U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,643, issued to James Kain on Apr. 18, 2000, can be separated from the support stand and utilized as a booster seat. 
   It would be desirable to provide a high chair structure that will provide greater flexibility in utilization in high chair and in booster chair configurations. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of this invention to provide a high chair that can be alternatively used as a booster seat and as a youth chair in different configurations. 
   It is another object of this invention to provide a high chair that includes a youth chair on which is mounted a booster seat to define a high chair configuration. 
   It is a feature of this invention that the booster seat can be removed from the youth chair to convert the high chair into a youth chair and a separate booster seat. 
   It is another feature of this invention that the seating member of the youth chair will nest into the underside of the booster seat. 
   It is still another feature of this invention that the booster seat incorporates a latch mechanism to selectively engage the nested youth chair seat member. 
   It is an advantage of this invention that the latch mechanism is spring-loaded and operable from outside the booster seat structure. 
   It is another advantage of this invention that the high chair can be utilized in several different configurations to provide flexibility in use. 
   It is still another advantage of this invention that the booster seat can be selectively mounted on the youth chair seat member or on a similarly configured base member that can be attached to a standard chair. 
   It is a further feature of this invention that the tray for the high chair is mounted into the booster seat. 
   It is a further advantage of this invention that the tray can be utilized with the booster seat irrespective of whether the booster seat is mounted on the youth chair or on a separate base member. 
   It is still another object of this invention to provide a booster seat with a recline mechanism that can be moved from a high chair frame to a separate base member that is detachably supported on a standard chair. 
   It is yet another feature of this invention that the infant booster seat having a recline mechanism built into the booster seat can be moved from a high chair frame to a separate base member. 
   It is yet another object of this invention to provide a juvenile chair apparatus that provides an infant seat booster seat that can be slectively detachably connected to a high chair frame support or, respectively, to a remote base member that is detachably connected to a chair or other remote support base. 
   It is yet another advantage of this invention that the high chair frame incorporates a height adjustment mechanism to permit a vertical positioning of the high chair. 
   It is still another feature of this invention that the high chair frame is configured into a Z-shape to define a pair of telescopic support legs that provide a height adjustment capability. 
   It is a further object of this invention to provide a high chair that is convertible into a youth chair and into a booster seat through a simple manipulation of a latch apparatus. 
   It is a further advantage of this invention that the high chair can be converted with a minimum of effort. 
   It is yet another object of this invention to provide a convertible high chair structure that is durable in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, carefree of maintenance, facile in assemblage, and simple and effective in use. 
   These and other objects, features and advantages are accomplished according to the instant invention by providing a high chair that is convertible into multiple operative configurations to provide flexibility in utilization. The high chair includes a youth chair having a seat member affixed to a Z-shaped frame. A booster seat including a reclining seat back is mountable on the seat member such that the seat member is nested within the booster seat. A latch mechanism carried by the booster seat secures the booster seat to the seat member. A separate base member can also be nested into the bottom of the booster seat so that the booster seat can be utilized on a standard chair. The tray is mountable into the booster seat so that the tray can be utilized therewith irrespective of whether the booster seat is used in a high chair configuration or a booster seat configuration. The Z-frame incorporates telescopic support legs to define height adjustment for the high chair. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure of the invention, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a high chair incorporating the principles of the instant invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded left side elevational view of the high chair shown in  FIG. 1 , the infant booster seat being separated from the youth chair seat member; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded front perspective view of the high chair shown in  FIG. 2  with the tray removed for purposes of clarity; 
       FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a separate base member detachable supported on a standard chair, the base member being configured similarly to the youth chair seat member to nest inside the bottom of the booster seat; 
       FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the base member shown in  FIG. 4  with the booster seat mounted thereon, the tray being mounted in the booster seat; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the booster seat; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the booster seat taken along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6  to shown the nesting configuration of the booster seat and an elevational view of the latch mechanism; 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the booster seat showing the latch mechanism and the tray support sleeve as mounted in the booster seat; 
       FIG. 8A  is an enlarged front elevational view of the latch mechanism mounted within the left arm rest of the infant booster seat, adjacent structure of the left arm rest being shown in phantom; 
       FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of the infant booster seat; 
       FIG. 10  is a partial cross-sectional view taken through the right arm rest of the infant booster seat to depict the recline latch mechanism for the seat back of the infant booster seat; 
       FIG. 11  is a partial cross-sectional view of the high chair taken along the longitudinal centerline of the high chair to show the recline movement of the seat back of the infant booster seat, the two recline positions of the seat back being shown in phantom; and 
       FIG. 12  is a partial left side elevational view of the high chair to show the movement of the seat back of the infant booster seat, the recline positions of the seat back being shown in phantom. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to the drawings, a convertible high chair incorporating the principles of the instant invention can best be seen. In terms of general structure, the high chair  10  includes a Z-shaped frame II that has a base portion  12  and a generally vertically extending upright portion  13  that meets the base portion  12  at an acute angle. The upright portion  13  includes a pair of laterally spaced base legs  17  that receive respective telescopic legs  14  that can be optionally spring-biased to an extended position to offset the weight of the booster seat  30  and a child that can be seated in the booster seat  30 . The position of the telescopic legs  14  relative to the base legs  17  is controlled by a height adjustment latch mechanism  15  having an actuator  16  supported on each of the telescopic legs  14 . The base portion  12  is preferably equipped with a set of fixed wheels  19  at the joint between the base portion  12  and the base legs  17  of the upright portion  13 , and a pair of caster wheels  18  to provide mobility to the Z-frame  11 . 
   The Z-frame  11  supports a seat member  20  at an upper portion thereof. The seat member  20 , as best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , is formed with a generally horizontal seat portion  22 , which is surrounded on the two lateral sides and the back by an upright side wall  23 . The front of the seat member  20  is open to accommodate the legs of a child seated on the seat portion  22 , but is formed with a foot rest support  24  that extends downwardly from the forward edge of the seat portion  22 . The foot rest support  24  is preferably formed with a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of horizontally oriented mounting slots  26  into which a foot rest  25  can be inserted for selective positioning according to the size of the child being supported on the seat member  20 , either directly or via the infant booster seat  30 , as is described in greater detail below. The seat member  20  is supported on the Z-frame  11 , but positioned such that the side wall  23 , particularly along the back portion of the seat member  20 , is spaced from the Z-frame  11 , which preferably curves from one telescopic leg  14  to the other. 
   In the form shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , with the infant booster seat  30  being removed from the seat member  20 , the seat member  20  and Z-frame  11  form a youth chair  29  that will provide a vertically adjustable seat for a young child to sit at the family table. Since the height adjustment latch  15  is mounted within the telescopic legs  14  of the Z-frame  11 , the height of the seat member  20  relative to any fixed object, such as the family table (not shown), can be positionally adjusted to the comfort of the child supported thereon. If the child&#39;s legs are too long to be supported on the foot rest  25 , the foot rest  25  can be removed from the seat member  20 . 
   As can be seen in  FIGS. 1-3 , the infant booster seat  30  is mounted on the seat member  20  to provide a high chair  10  configuration. The infant booster seat  30  is formed in a mating configuration to the seat member  20  and includes a seat portion  32  and vertical arm rests  34  on opposing lateral sides of the seat portion  32 . The front edge of the seat portion  32  is formed with a curved return  33 . A back rest  35  extends upwardly from the rearward edge of the seat portion  32  to provide a back support for a child seated on the seat portion  32  of the infant booster seat  30 . The back rest  35  includes slots  38  for the insertion of harness members (not shown) to secure the child in the booster seat  30 . As is best seen in  FIG. 2 , the structure of the side arm rests  34  curves behind the back rest  35  to define a rear curved support  36 . 
   The structure of the arm rests  34 , the front return  33  and the rear curved support  36  defines a hollow receptacle that is shaped and sized to mate with the side wall  23  of the seat member  20 . When the infant booster seat  30  is mounted on the seat member  20 , the side wall  23  is nested into the arm rests  34  and the rear curved support  36  with the seat portion  32  of the infant booster seat  30  being positioned on top of the seat portion  22  of the seat member  20 . The curved front return  33  of the infant booster seat  30  curves down over the front edge of the seat portion  22  of the seat member  20 . 
   Each of the arm rests  34  is provided with a latch mechanism  40 , best seen in  FIGS. 6-8A . The latch mechanism  40  includes an actuator button  45  that protrudes horizontally from a trim piece  45 a mounted on the outside of each of the arm rests  34 . The latch mechanism  40  includes a latch member  42  that can be integrally molded with the actuator button  45  and includes a pivot  43  supported on the respective arm rest  34 . Below the pivot  43  is a latch hook  44  that is oriented to be engagable with the latch keeper slot  27  formed in each of the side walls  23 . The latch member is biased by a spring  46  supported in the arm rests  34  above the pivot to urge the lower latch hook  44  into engagement with the latch keeper slots  27 . When the actuator button  45 , which is located above the pivot  43  in opposition to the spring  46 , is depressed into the arm rest  34 , the biasing force exerted by the spring  46  is overcome, the spring is compressed and the latch hook is released from the latch keeper slots  27 , thus allowing the infant booster seat  30  to be lifted off of the seat member  20 , as is depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
   As can be seen best in  FIG. 7 , the latch hook  44  is shaped to define a lower cam surface that will ride over the side wall  23  urging the latch hook  44  outwardly and compressing the spring  46  and increasing the biasing force exerted thereby. When the infant booster seat  30  is slid over top of the seat member  20 , the latch hooks  44  are deflected outwardly automatically until aligned with the latch keeper slot  27 , at which time the force of the spring  46  snaps the latch hook  44  into the latch keeper slot  27  to secure the infant booster seat  30  onto the seat member  20 . Depressing the actuator buttons  45  allows the latch hooks  44  to release from the latch keeper slots  27  and permits the infant booster seat  30  to be lifted off the seat member  20 . 
   The seat back  35  is preferably formed to be reclined from a vertical orientation throughout a range of reclined positions. As can be seen in  FIGS. 9-12 , the recline mechanism  50  includes an actuator handle  51  located on the rear side of the seat back  35 . The actuator handle  51  is coupled to an elongated locking pin  52  that extends from the actuator handle  51  within the structure of the seat back  35  to engage latch openings  53  formed in the rearward part of the seat portion  32  to lock the seat back in a selected recline position, as shown in phantom and solid lines in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . To operate, the actuator handle  51  is lifted to disengage the locking pin  52  from the engaged latch opening  53 . The seat back  35  is then moved to the desired position about the pivot  54  mounted between the opposing arm rests  34 , and the actuator handle  51  can be returned to the latching position to re-engage the locking pin  52  with the corresponding latch opening  53 . 
   The infant booster seat  30  is also provided with receptacles  37  in the arm rests  34  to receive the mounting supports (not shown) of the tray  55 . A mounting sleeve  58  can be inserted into the receptacles  37  to engage the mounting supports and provide a stronger support than the molded plastic arm rest  34  can provide to resist the forces exerted on the cantilevered tray mechanism  55 . Furthermore, the mounting sleeve  58  can be slotted to provide a latch keeper (not shown) for the retention of the tray  55  within the mounting sleeve  58 . 
   Once the infant booster seat  30  is removed from the seat member  20 , the seat member  20  and the attached Z-frame II becomes a youth seat, as noted above. The infant booster seat  30  can be mounted on a remote base member  60  that is configured substantially identically to the seat member  20 , with a seat portion  62  and upright side wall  63 . The side walls  63  are also formed with latch keeper slots  64  that are positioned for engagement with the latch look  44  of the latch mechanism  40 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the mounting of the infant booster seat  30  on the base member  60 , which is detachably connected to a standard chair  5  via conventional connecting straps (not shown), provides an elevated booster seat configuration. Since the tray mechanism  55  is mounted on the infant booster seat  30 , the tray  55  can be selectively deployed when the infant booster seat  30  is on the base member  60 . 
   Preferably, as is depicted in  FIG. 4 , the base member  60  can be used independently as a child booster seat without the infant booster seat  30  being mounted thereon. The seat portion  62  of the base member  60  is preferably formed with a plurality of vertically oriented slots (not shown) to receive a variably positionable low seat back member  65 . The low seat back member  65  is located inside the side wall  63  and can be selectively located in fore-and aft spaced slots (not shown) to provide appropriate support for a child seated on the base member  60 . If the infant booster seat  30  is to be mounted on the base member  60 , the low seat back  65  is removed from the base member  60  so that the side wall  63  can be nested within the hollow arm rests  34  and curved rear support  36  of the infant booster seat  30 . 
   Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the high chair  10  incorporating the principles of the instant invention can be quite flexible in utilization thereof. The high chair configuration with the infant booster seat  30  mounted on the seat member  20  provides a vertically positionable high chair for an infant or a toddler. Once the infant booster seat  30  is removed from the seat member  20 , the seat member  20  and Z-frame  11  define a youth chair  29 . As with the base member  60  described above, the provision of appropriate generally vertical mounting slots (not shown) would enable the use of a low seat back  65  on the seat member  20 . The infant booster seat  30  can alternatively be mounted on the base member  60  that is detachably connected to a standard chair  5  to provide a child booster seat with a removable tray apparatus  55 . Independently, the base member  60  can be utilized as a child booster seat for a child that is larger than one needing the extra height provided by the mounted infant booster seat  30 . 
   It will be understood that changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention. The foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention; however, concepts, as based upon the description, may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. 
   For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the seat member  20  could be formed to be selectively removable from the Z-frame  11  to provide the independent base member  60 . While such a configuration of the invention would prevent multiple simultaneous uses of the youth chair  29  and the youth booster seat  60 , such a configuration would eliminate the need for an independent base member.