Abstract:
A booster seat comprises a base having a lower surface sized to rest upon a chair seat and an upper surface generally parallel to the lower surface, a seat back hinged connected to the base at a rearward portion of the booster seat and constructed to be folded toward and secured against the base for storage, an adjustable strap extending from the booster seat a length sufficient to secure the booster seat upon a chair, wherein the upper surface and the lower surface are spaced apart by at least about 1 inch when supporting a child weighing about 20 pounds thereupon to provide an elevated seating position, and wherein, with the seat back folded against the upper surface of the base for storage, the booster seat has an overall thickness, measured perpendicularly to the lower surface of the base, of less than about 3 inches.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to booster seats. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Typically, a small child is not able to sit at an adult-sized table in an adult sized chair because a child seated in the chair is positioned too low to use the table comfortably. A booster seat, placed on the seat of the adult-sized chair, provides additional seating height for the small child and positions the child to use the adult-sized table. 
     SUMMARY 
     This invention features a booster seat including a base having a lower surface sized to rest upon a chair seat and an upper surface generally parallel to the lower surface. A seat back is hingedly connected to the base at a rearward portion of the booster seat and constructed to be folded toward and secured against the base for storage. An adjustable strap extends from the booster seat a length sufficient to secure the booster seat upon a chair. 
     In one aspect, the invention features a booster seat including a base having an upper surface and the lower surface are spaced apart by at least about 1 inch when supporting a child weighing about 20 pounds thereupon to provide an elevated seating position. However, with the seat back folded against the upper surface of the base for storage, the booster seat has an overall thickness, measured perpendicularly to the lower surface of the base, of less than about 3.5 inches (preferably less than about 3 inches and more preferably less than about 2.5 inches). 
     In another aspect, the invention features a booster seat having a base that is expandable in thickness between a collapsed condition and an expanded condition to provide a range of seating elevations. The booster seat has a total weight of less than about 2.5 pounds. 
     Various embodiments of either aspect include one or more additional features. 
     The booster seat has an adjustable safety belt connected to the seat back and to the base. In some examples, the safety belt has a length sufficient to wrap around the front of a small child seated in-between the safety strap and the seat back, thereby preventing the small child from exiting the seat. 
     The adjustable strap includes a first adjustable strap extending from the seat back of the booster seat a sufficient length to secure the booster seat to a chair back and a second adjustable strap extending from the base of the booster seat a sufficient length to secure the booster seat to a chair base. The first and second adjustable straps have quick release buckles. 
     The base is expandable in thickness between a collapsed condition and an expanded condition and defines an inflatable bladder volume. The base includes a sealable valve for hydraulic communication between the bladder volume and atmosphere. A spring member is contained within the bladder volume to bias the base toward its expanded condition. The spring member is adapted to provide sufficient expansion force, with the base in its collapsed condition, to expand the base upon opening of the valve. The spring member is a resilient foam. 
     The upper surface comprises a soft washable nylon material. 
     A zipper is disposed on a perimeter of the upper surface and a perimeter of the lower surface such that when the zipper is closed it retains the base in its collapsed condition. 
     A side web is connected to an edge of the seat back and to an edge of the base for limiting the rotation of the seat back about its hinged connection to the base. In some examples, the side web includes a first side web disposed on a first side of the booster seat and a second side web disposed on a second side of the booster seat. 
     The seat back has a touch fastener strip for securing the seat back to the lower surface of the base. 
     Embodiments may have one or more of the following advantages. In one aspect, the invention features a readily transportable folding booster seat that provides a significant amount of boost (i.e., more than one inch for a child of about 20 pounds), yet of a limited thickness, as folded, that enables storage of the seat within a three-inch wide space, such as in a diaper bag, or under a car seat, for example. By employing a self-inflating foam, for example. By employing a self-inflating foam, for example, some embodiments can actually provide greater boost than their overall folded thickness. 
     In another aspect, this invention features an adjustable-height booster seat that has a total weight of less than about 2 pounds so as to be easily carried by a toddler. As configured, the booster seat can also provide the advantage of being foldable into a soft, suitcase-like package with a handle for carrying. 
     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a booster seat. 
     FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the booster seat. 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross section of the booster seat base. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the booster seat disposed on a chair. 
     FIG. 5 is an illustration of a child sitting on the booster seat. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the booster seat being collapsed. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the booster seat being stored. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second booster seat. 
     FIG. 9 is an illustration of the second booster seat being carried. 
     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, one example of a booster seat  10  includes a seat base  12  and a seat back  14  attached to seat base  12 . Side panels  16 ,  18  are disposed on the sides of seat  10  and each are attached to seat base  12  and to seat back  14 . Base strap  20  is attached to seat base  12  and secures booster seat  10  to a chair seat as described below. Back strap  22  is attached to seat back  14  and secures booster seat  10  to a chair back as described below. Booster seat  10  also includes a safety belt  24  attached to both seat base  12  and seat back  14  for preventing a small child sitting in booster seat  10  from moving or falling from seat  10 . Preferably, booster seat  10  has a weight of less than about 2.5 pounds. More preferably, booster seat  10  has a weight of less than about 2 pounds. 
     Seat base  12  is configured in the shape of a rectangular block having a top portion  28 , bottom portion  30 , side portions  32 ,  34 , a front portion  36 , and a rear portion  38  and has a length of about 11.5 inches and a width of about 9.25 inches. Seat base  12  has a maximum nominal thickness of about 4 inches, which sets an upper limit for the seating height provided by booster seat  10 . While in use, seat base  12  may be compressed, as described in more detail below, to a nominal thickness of at least about one inch. Top portion  28 , bottom portion  30 , side portions  32 ,  34 , front portion  36 , and rear portion  38  all comprise a soft, washable material that resists tearing and scuffing. In one example, the material is a  420  dernier woven nylon fabric with a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) backing. 
     Top portion  28  has a perimeter  40  and bottom portion  30  has a perimeter  42 . Disposed on perimeters  40 ,  42  is outer zipper  44  having a first zipper panel  46  disposed on perimeter  40  and a second zipper panel  48  disposed on perimeter  42 . Outer zipper  44  has a first end  50  and a second end  52 . First end  50  is disposed on rear panel  38  and outer zipper  44  follows perimeters  40 ,  42  around seat base  12  and past first end  50  so that second end  52  of outer zipper  44  overlaps first end  50  by about 4 inches. Closing outer zipper  50  maintains seat base  12  in a collapsed configuration as described in more detail below. 
     Seat base  12  also includes inner zipper  54  disposed on and bisecting side portion  32 , front portion  36  and side portion  34 . Inner zipper  54  provides access to the interior of seat base  12  as described in more detail below. 
     Valve  56  is disposed on rear portion  38  of seat base  12  and may be configured in either an open or a closed position. When in a closed position, as shown in FIG. 2, valve  56  prevents communication of air between the exterior and interior of seat base  12 . When in an open position, valve  56  permits communication of air between the interior and exterior of seat base  12  as described in more detail below. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, seat base  12  includes member  60 , which provides support and cushioning for an occupant of booster seat  10 . In one example, member  60  is a polyurethane foam available from New Prokin International, Ltd., China, and has a length of about 11 inches, a depth of about 9 inches, and a thickness of about 2.25 inches. Member  60  may be a resilient foam such as is commonly employed in self-inflating camping mattress pads, for example. Member  60  is enclosed by bladder  62  made from PVC having a thickness of about 0.100 inches. Bladder  62  is connected to valve  56  (FIG. 2) but otherwise forms an airtight barrier enclosing member  60 . By expelling air from or drawing air into bladder  62 , the thickness of seat base  12  and seating height added to a chair by booster seat  10  may be reduced or increased, respectively. 
     Seat base  12  also includes panel  64  disposed within seat base  12  and below member  60 . Panel  64  is relatively rigid in comparison to member  60  and has a length of about 11 inches, a width of about 9 inches, and a thickness of about 0.13 inches. In one example, panel  64  is formed from polyethylene board having a thickness of about 0.08 inches 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, seat back  14  is disposed on the rear edge  66  of top portion  28  and is hinged to seat base  12  so that seat back  14  may fold onto seat base  12  for storage, as described below. Accordingly, seat back  14  has a length of about 11.5 inches and a width of about 9.25 inches. Seat back  14  has a soft, washable exterior  68  that resists tearing and scuffing. In one example, exterior  68  includes a  420 D woven nylon fabric with a PVC backing. The seat back  14  also includes a rigid panel (not shown) disposed on the interior of seat back  14 . The rigid panel (not shown) could be a polyethylene board having a thickness of about 0.08 inches, for example. Side panels  16 ,  18 , attached to side portions  70 ,  72  of seat back  14 , respectively, retain seat back  14  in an open position at an angle “a”. In one example, angle “a” is about 100 degrees. Mesh  74  is disposed on rear portion  76  of seat back  14  and attached at edges  78 ,  80 , and  82  to form pocket  84 . In one example, pocket  84  is about 6.5 inches long and 8 inches deep. 
     Flap  86  is disposed on front edge  88  of seat back  14 . When seat back  14  is folded on top of seat base  12 , flap  86  secures seat back  14  to seat base  12  by wrapping around front portion  36  of seat base  12  and fastening to bottom portion  30  using a touch fastener strip (not shown). 
     Safety belt  24  is attached to top portion  28  of seat base  12  and to side portions  70 ,  72 . Safety belt  24  includes quick release buckles  90 ,  92  to facilitate placing a child in and removing them from booster seat  10 . Buckles  90 ,  92  are also configured to permit adjustment of straps  94 ,  96  to accommodate children of different sizes. Preferrably, safety belt  24  has a length of about 26 inches. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, booster seat  10  is secured to chair  100  with straps  20 ,  22 . Specifically, strap  20  is a continuous strap that extends through the base and has a total length of about 54 inches. Preferably, the strap extends from side portions  32  and from side portion  34  for a combined exposed length of at least about 18 inches (more preferably, at least about 24 inches) to extend under the seat of a typical dining chair, such as chair  100 . Strap  20  is wrapped around chair base  102  and fastened by locking quick release buckle  106 , which is configured to permit tightening of strap  20  around chair base  106 . 
     Strap  22  extends from side portions  70 ,  72  (FIG. 1) for a preferred combined length of at least about 12 inches (more preferably, at least about 18 inches) and is positioned around chair back  104 . Booster seat  10  is secured to chair  100  by fastening quick release buckle  108  and tightening strap  22 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5., child  200  is seated in booster seat  10  with safety strap  24  between legs  202 ,  204  and around the abdomen  206 . Adjusting straps  92  (not shown) and  94  secures child  200  to booster seat  10  and raises the seating height of child  200  by at least the thickness of seat base  12 . In one example, child  200  weighs about 20 pounds and seat base  12  has a nominal thickness of at least about 1 inch while child  200  is seated thereupon. 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, booster seat  10  is stored by opening valve  56  and folding seat back  14  on top of seat base  12 . Compressing seat base  12  in direction  110  forces air from bladder  62  (not shown) through valve  56  and compresses member  60  (not shown). While seat base  12  is compressed, valve  56  is closed to form an airtight seal and prevent seat base  12  from expanding to its original position. Outer zipper  44  is then zipped closed around seat base  12  to prevent seat base  12  from returning to its expanded condition should air accidentally enter bladder  62 . Flap  86  is then wrapped over front portion  36  and fastened to bottom portion  30  of seat base  12  and permits carrying of booster seat  10  with handle  90 . In one example, flap  86  is fastened with a hook-and-loop touch fastener strip. The nominal thickness of booster seat  10  in this configuration is preferably less than about 3.5 inches and is at least about one inch. In this particular embodiment, the nominal thickness is about 3 inches. In another embodiment, the nominal thickness is about 2.5 inches. 
     Seat base  10  is inflated by opening valve  56 . Member  60 , compressed during storage of booster seat  10 , described above, pushes apart top portion  28  and bottom portion  30  of seat base  12 , thereby drawing air into bladder  62  through valve  54 . After air enters bladder  62 , valve  54  is closed to prevent air from exiting bladder  62  when a child is placed in booster seat  10 . In this manner, booster seat  10  is “self inflating” because air is drawn in automatically by the expansion of member  60 . 
     Referring to FIG. 8, seat  300  includes pocket  304  disposed on seat back  306  and configured to carry bottle  308 . In one example, bottle  308  is a 16 oz. squeeze-type water bottle. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, seat  300  also includes an adjustable shoulder strap  310  for carrying seat  300 . 
     A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.