Abstract:
The invention relates to a mobile feeding table providing varied inclination angles to facilitate the secured feeding of one or more infants and providing ease of use for a parent or caregiver. The invention provides a moveable base frame, a body support frame supporting an infant and providing a variably inclined surface, and a sliding drawer supporting the support frame that promotes ease of use for a parent or caregiver when, for example, in a seated position.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/512,059, filed Jul. 27, 2011, in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This application incorporates the earlier provisional application by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of feeding and changing tables for infants and, in particular, a mobile feeding table providing varied inclination angles to facilitate the secured feeding of one or more infants and providing ease of use for a parent or caregiver. 
     Various devices have been developed for supporting infants and small children during feeding times and diaper changing sessions. Known devices include infant sleepers having a base frame and a planar surface whose angle of inclination can be varied. Other devices include infant sleepers having a base frame and a support frame wherein the support frame includes an opening and a holder (e.g., mesh or straps) for supporting the child. 
     That said, known devices are limited for use on a flat surface (e.g., floor or table) and require that the parent extend their arms over the flat surface to reach the infant. These known devices often require that a parent sit on the floor in an uncomfortable position or lean over a table. Moreover, the known devices require that a parent collect and carry the known devices to and from various surfaces. Therefore, a need exists for an improved feeding and changing table that provides an adjustably inclined framework for holding the infant, a mobile framework for moving the table, and an adjustable drawer that permits a parent to pull the supported infant over their lap for easy access to the infant. 
     Advantageously, the present invention provides a drawer base frame having coasters or wheels for moving the base frame, a drawer connected to the drawer base frame via a slide mechanism which moves the drawer towards and away from the parent, and a body support frame for supporting the infant, wherein the inclination of the body support frame is adjustable and wherein the drawer base frame is weighted to avoid tipping when the drawer is extended from the drawer base frame. Moreover, the present invention is extremely suitable for twins or infants of similar size, thereby permitting one parent to feed more than one child at a time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, the present invention embraces a mobile feeding and changing table having a drawer base frame, a plurality of legs attached to the drawer base frame, a drawer connected to the drawer base frame via a slide mechanism such that the drawer extends from and retracts into the drawer base frame, a body support frame for supporting a body of a child, and a support hinge for adjusting an angle between the plane in which the drawer slides and the plane passing through ends of the body support frame, thereby adjusting the inclination of the small child&#39;s body. 
     In another embodiment, the invention may include a weight or weighted frame members towards the bottom of the table to prevent the table from tipping when the drawer is extended from the table. 
     In yet another embodiment, the invention may include locking coasters or wheels to prevent the table from shifting once the table is located in a desired position. 
     During use, a parent or caregiver may roll the table to a desired position, for example, in front of a chair, lock the coasters or wheels, place the infant in the body restraint supported by the body support frame, sit in the chair, and then pull the drawer supporting the body support frame and child over their lap, and adjustably incline the infant at a desired position. A locking means is provided to maintain the desired inclination. The functionality and ease-of-use of the subject invention is novel as compared to known feeding and changing tables. It will be understood that the body support frame may include one or more body holders for supporting one or more infants. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention and the manner in which the same are accomplished will become clearer based on the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the subject invention depicting the body support frame and a parallel position relative to a floor surface; and 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the subject invention depicting the body support frame at an inclined position and the drawer extended from the drawer base frame. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective side view of one embodiment of the subject invention depicting the body support frame at an inclined position and the drawer extended from the drawer base frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which multiple embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Further, like numbers with the prime notation refer to like or similar elements of the structure. 
     The present invention embraces a table  10  for supporting a small child&#39;s body having drawer base frame  12 , a plurality of legs  21 - 24  fixedly attached to the drawer base frame  12 , a drawer  40  connected to the drawer base frame  12  via a slide mechanism  37 - 38  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ), a body support frame  30  adjustably connected to the drawer  40 , and a support hinge  47 - 48  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) connected to the drawer  40  and body support frame  30  that permits adjustable inclination of the body support frame  30 . As constructed, the present invention may support one or more infants. 
     In one embodiment the drawer base frame  12  is substantially rectangular. The legs  21 - 24  attached to the drawer base frame  12  extend downward (or perpendicularly) from the drawer base frame  12  to support and elevate the drawer base frame  12  above a floor surface. The legs  21 - 24  may include a foot-end left leg  21  fixedly attached to the foot-end left corner of the drawer base frame  12 , a foot-end right leg  22  fixedly attached to the foot-end right corner of the drawer base frame  12 , a head-end left leg  23  (not shown) fixedly attached to the head-end left corner of the drawer base frame  12 , and a head-end right leg  24  fixedly attached to the head-end right corner of the drawer base frame  12 . 
     A base  20  connects the lower portions of the legs  21 - 24 . The base  20  is comprised of a foot-end base member  25  connecting the foot-end left leg  21  and foot-end right leg  22 , a head-end base member  26  connecting the head-end left leg  23  (not shown) and the head-end right leg  24 , a left side base member  27  connecting the foot-end left leg  21  and the head-end left leg  23 , and a right side base member  28  connecting the foot-end right leg  22  and the head-end right leg  24 . The base  20  may also include a base crossbar  29  connecting the foot-end base member  25  and head-end base member  26 . 
     The drawer  40  is connected to the drawer base frame  12  via a slide mechanism  37  or  38  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) such that the drawer  40  slides in a plane substantially parallel to a plane formed by the drawer base frame  12 . The body support frame  30  supports a body of a child and includes a foot-end  31  and a head-end  32 . The support hinge  47 - 48  adjusts an angle between the plane in which the drawer  40  slides and the plane passing through the body support frame&#39;s foot-end  31  and head-end  32 . Accordingly, the hinge adjusts the inclination of the child&#39;s body. 
     The drawer  40  and body support frame  30  each include a foot-end edge connected by a continuous hinge  18  such that the body support frame  30  rotates about an axis defined by the continuous hinge  18  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
     The invention also includes left side and right side panels  34 - 35  that extend across the left and right side of the drawer base frame  12 , respectively. The left side and right side panels  34 - 35  extend upward perpendicularly from the drawer base frame  12  and have vertical interior faces generally oriented toward the interior of the drawer base frame  12 . 
     The invention also provides left and right slide mechanisms  37 - 38  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3  for right slide mechanism  38 ; left slide mechanism  37  not shown). The left and right slide mechanisms  37 - 38  are positioned on the interior faces of the left and right side panels  34 - 35 , respectively, and connect the drawer  40  to the drawer base frame  12 . 
     The drawer  40  defines a drawer face  41  having an upper edge, a left end, and a right end. The drawer  40  further includes a rear drawer panel  42  (see  FIG. 2 ) positioned substantially parallel to the drawer face  41 , wherein the rear drawer panel  42  has a left end and a right end. The drawer  40  may also include a left and right drawer side  43 - 44  (see  FIG. 2 ). The left drawer side  43  has a proximal end connected to the drawer face&#39;s left end and a distal end connected to the rear drawer panel&#39;s left end. In similar fashion, the right drawer side  44  has a proximal end connected to the drawer face&#39;s right end and a distal end connected to the rear drawer panel&#39;s right end. Still further, the drawer  40  includes left and right hinge base rails  45 - 46  (see  FIG. 2  for left hinge base rail  45 ; right hinge base rail  46  not shown). The left hinge base rail  45  has a proximal end connected to the drawer face  41  approximate the drawer face&#39;s left end and a distal end connected to the rear drawer panel  42  approximate the rear drawer panel&#39;s left end. The right hinge base rail  46  has a proximal end connected to the drawer face  41  approximate the drawer face&#39;s right end and a distal end connected to the rear drawer panel  42  approximate the rear drawer panel&#39;s right end. 
     The drawer  40  also provides left and right support hinges  47 - 48  (see  FIG. 2 ). Specifically, the left support hinge  47  is connected to the left hinge base rail  45  and the body support frame  30 . The right support hinge  48  is connected to the right hinge base rail  46  and the body support frame  30 . 
     A continuous hinge  18  is provided which connects the upper edge of the drawer face  41  and a foot-end edge  31  of the body support frame  30  such that the body support frame  30  rotates about an axis defined by the continuous hinge  18 . 
     Casters or wheels  11  are provided at a lower end of the legs  21 - 24  to promote mobility of the table  10  along a floor surface. The casters  11  may include a locking mechanism for preventing motion of the table  10  when secured at a desired location. 
     The invention further includes at least one flexible body holder  50  for supporting the body of the child. The body holder  50  is removably secured to the body support frame  30  and may be formed of mesh or similar flexible material. At least one body restraint  51  may also be provided for retaining the body of the child in a safe manner during feeding. 
     In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms have been employed, they have been used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.