Patent Publication Number: US-2015076873-A1

Title: Booster seat

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a booster seat for raising the seat height of a chair or similar. 
     More specifically, the invention is intended for raising the seating height of a chair so that the chair is suitable for use as a baby chair in which a child can safely sit. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Baby chairs are already known that are adapted and designed so that children, such as toddlers or infants for example, can use them safely to sit at a table or similar. 
     Such baby chairs have the disadvantage that these baby chairs are only suitable for children and consequently occupy unnecessary space when they are not used. 
     Moreover, these baby chairs are not suitable for being carried, for example when going to a restaurant or similar, such that a person is dependent on the availability of the baby chairs present there, if they are on hand. 
     Likewise ‘booster seats’ are already known in the form of a hassock or similar that can be placed on the seat of an ordinary chair to adjust this chair so that it is suitable for children. 
     Such booster seats make it unnecessary to provide a separate extra baby chair, as a chair already present can be adapted. 
     The known booster seats present the disadvantage that they are often bulky, such that it is difficult to carry such booster seats. 
     Moreover, the known booster seats are not adjustable, such that it is not possible to adjust the seat height for example. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution to at least one of the aforementioned and other disadvantages. 
     To this end the invention concerns a booster seat for raising the seat height of a chair or similar, whereby the booster seat essentially comprises an extendable frame with a seat and backrest attached thereto, whereby at least one handle, handgrip or similar is provided on the frame that can be placed over the backrest of the chair, whereby the frame is formed by two telescopic tubes that are each formed by at least two telescopic elements that slide into one another, respectively an inner and outer element, and whereby a brake is provided to fasten the telescopic elements in a certain position with respect one another that is continuously adjustable. 
     An advantage is that a booster seat according to the invention can be constructed compactly. 
     An additional advantage is that the booster seat can be adjusted to the chair for which it is used. 
     Because the height of the frame is continuously adjustable, the booster seat can be used with practically all dimensions of chairs. 
     According to the invention at least two elements have an asymmetric cross-section with a smaller width than length measured in two directions transverse to one another, and the brake as constructed as a stop that is rotatably affixed to one end of the inner element, but which is axially locked with respect to this element and whereby the dimensions are such that it is rotatable between a position in which it is clamped in the outer element and a position in which it is separate from the outer element and thus together with the inner element can be slid into the outer element. 
     Such an embodiment of the brake has the advantage that it can be easily realised. 
     An additional advantage is that the brake is protected from possible damage from outside influences as the brake is in the telescopic tube. 
     Another advantage of this is that a child sitting on the booster seat cannot injure himself on the brake or damage it. 
     In a practical embodiment the seat and/or the backrest are fastened to the outer element by means of two supports that are slidably affixed over the telescopic tubes of the frame, whereby the supports are provided with means to be able to lock the supports in a certain position with respect to the frame. 
     This has the advantage that the seat height or the height of the backrest with respect to the frame can be adjusted. 
     As a result it will be possible to adjust the seat height and backrest to the child using the booster seat, to the seat height of the chair on which the booster seat is placed, or to the height of a table or similar for example where the chair is placed. 
     In a preferred embodiment the seat, and if need be the backrest, can be folded up so that it is in or approximately in the plane of the adjustable frame by being fastened in a hingeable way to the frame and/or the inner tube can be completely or practically completely slid into the outer tube. 
     This has the advantage that the booster seat can be made compact so that it takes up little space or so that it can easily be carried for use when travelling. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a few preferred embodiments of a booster seat according to the invention are described hereinafter by way of an example, without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  schematically shows a perspective view of a booster seat according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a view of  FIG. 1  according to the arrow F 2 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a view of  FIG. 2 , but partially cut away; 
         FIG. 4  shows a view of  FIG. 1  according to the arrow F 4 , but partially cut away; 
         FIG. 5  shows a view of  FIG. 1  according to the arrow F 5 , but partially cut away; 
         FIG. 6  schematically shows the section F 6  of  FIG. 3  in more detail. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The booster seat  1  schematically shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3  essentially comprises an extendable frame  2  with a seat  3  and backrest  4  fastened therein. 
     The frame is made up of two telescopic tubes  5  that are connected together by two transverse links  6 . 
     In this case, the telescopic tubes  5  are formed by two telescopic elements  7  and  8 , i.e. an inner element  7  that can slide with one end in an out of an outer element  8  along the axial direction X-X′. 
     Both elements  7 , respectively  8 , have an approximately rectangular cross-section, such as can be seen in  FIG. 4  for example, with a smaller width A, respectively B, than the length C, respectively D, measured in two radial directions Y-Y′ and Z-Z′ transverse to one another. It is not excluded that the elements  7 ,  8  have an oval-shaped cross-section for example. 
     In the tubes  5 , in this case in the outer elements  8  of the tubes  5 , a number of cutaways  10  are provided that are located at a distance from one another in the axial direction X-X′. 
     In this case two handles  11  are provided on the frame  2  that are at the other end  12  of the inner element  7  and are rotatably affixed thereto. 
     A brake  13  is provided to fasten the telescopic elements  7  and  8  with respect to one another. 
     In this case the brake  13  is constructed as a stop  14  that is rotatably affixed to the end  9  of each inner element  7  so that the stops  14  can rotate around an axis parallel to the axial direction X-X′, whereby the stops  14  are axially locked with respect to the inner element  7 . 
     In this case the stops  14  are made of rubber, but it is clear that another elastically deformable material can also be used. 
     The stops  14  are oval shaped with a minor axis E and a major axis F according to two radial directions Y-Y′ and Z-Z′, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The aforementioned major axis F is at least as large as the width B of the cross-section of the outer element  8  and smaller than the length D. In this case the major axis F is somewhat larger than the width B. 
     Each handle  11  is coupled to an oval shaped stop  14  concerned, in this case by means of a rod  15  that extends in the inner element  7 . 
     The rod  15  is connected to the stop  14  in such a way that a rotation of the handle  11  causes a rotation of the rod  15  and the stop  14 . 
     The seat  4  and the backrest  5  are fastened to the frame by means of two supports  16 , that are affixed in a slidable way over the telescopic tubes  5  of the frame  2 . 
     In this case the seat  4  is affixed movably to the supports  16  by means of a hinge  17  with an operating handle  18 , whereby the seat  4  can rotate between a position in which the seat  4  is approximately in the plane of the frame  2  and a position at an angle G to the plane of the frame  2  by operating the hinge, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     In this case the supports  16  are constructed as a tube that can slide over the telescopic tubes  5  of the frame  2 . 
     Means  19  are provided to lock the supports  16  in certain positions with respect to the frame  2 , which in this case are formed by a movable pin  20  that can move in and out of the aforementioned cutaways  10 . 
     To this end, the pin  20  is provided with a lever  21  that can be operated by means of a button  22 . 
     In this example the lever  21  is a slat that extends along the tube  5  from the pin  20  to the aforementioned button  22 . 
     A housing  23  is provided around the lever  21  in which, in this case, the aforementioned button  22  is integrated, whereby the housing  23  will enable the lever  21  to rotate around a central rotation point  24 . 
     The housing  23  will ensure that the pin  20  and the lever  21  are protected in order to prevent any damage and to prevent a child on the booster seat  1  being able to hurt or injure itself. 
     At the level of the rotation point  24  the slat is provided with a slope discontinuity  25  that is supported by the housing  23  to form this rotation point  24 . 
     This has the advantage that the lever  21  can rotate without a hinge point being required and that the lever  21  cannot block. 
     In this case the lever  21  is constructed elastically. 
     The booster seat  1  is further provided with fastening belts  26  that enable the booster seat  1  to be fastened to the seat of a chair or similar. It is not excluded that fastening belts are also provided, for example on the backrest  4 , that enable the booster seat to be fastened to the seat of a chair or similar. 
     Furthermore, it is also possible that the booster seat  1  is provided with fastening means to secure a person, who is in the booster seat  1 , to the booster seat  1 . These fastening means can be constructed as belts, straps or similar. 
     The booster seat  1  is also provided with two supporting legs  27  on the frame  2 , which are approximately opposite the handles  11 . 
     The operation of the booster seat  1  is very simple and as follows. 
     In a first step the length of the frame  2  is adjusted. 
     To this end the handles  11  are turned to a position in which they are in the plane of the frame  2 , such as the left handle  11  in  FIG. 1 . 
     The brake  13  will then be in the loose position as shown in  FIG. 4 , whereby the major axis F of the stops  14  is in the direction of the length D of the cross-section of the outer element  8 . 
     As a result the inner element  7  can be slid out of the outer element  8  until the frame  2  has the desired length. 
     The handles  11  are then turned to a position in which they extend perpendicularly to the plane of the frame  2 , such as the right handle  11  of  FIG. 1 . 
     By means of the rods  15  the stops  14  will rotate around an axis parallel to the axial direction X-X′ until the brakes are in the clamped position, as shown in  FIG. 5 , whereby the major axis F of the stops  14  is in the direction of the width B of the cross-section of the outer element  8 . 
     The brakes  13  will as it were be locked in the outer element  8 , whereby the oval-shaped stops  14  will deform somewhat and thereby prevent the two elements  7  and  8  from being able to move with respect to one another such that the telescopic tubes  5  of the frame  2  are locked. 
     In the next step, the frame  2  can be placed on a chair  28 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The booster seat  1  is placed at an angle H to the seat  29  of the chair  28  by affixing the handles  11 , which are perpendicular to the plane of the frame  2 , over the backrest  30  of the chair  28 . The supporting legs  27  are hereby placed on the seat  29  of the chair  28 . 
     The fastening belts  26  are affixed around the seat  29  and/or the backrest  30  of the chair  28  in order to fasten the booster seat  1  to the chair  28 . 
     In the next step the height of the seat  3  and/or the backrest  4  with respect to the frame  2  is changed, in order to adjust the height of the seat  3  to the chair  28 , the child that will sit in it, or the table at which the chair  28  is located. 
     As a result, by pressing the buttons  22 , the levers  21  are moved such that they will turn around the rotation point  24 , formed by the slope discontinuity  25  that is supported by the housing  23 , so that the pins  20  will be pulled back out of the cutaways  10  concerned. 
     It is now possible to move the supports  16  to a different position corresponding to another cutaway  10 . 
     When the pins  20  are aligned with the other cutaway  10 , they will move until they are held in these cutaways  10 . 
     Because the lever  21  is made elastic, it will as it were behave like a spring that will ensure that the lever  21  is held in this position, in other words the lever  21  will hold the pin  20  in the cutaway  10 . 
     The supports  16  are now locked in a different position. 
     It is clear that it is not excluded that a separate spring is provided that presses the pin  20  in the cutaway  10 , for example by pressing against the lever  21  in a suitable way. In this case it is not necessary for the lever  21  to be constructed elastically. 
     If necessary, and if it has not yet been done, the seat  3  can be folded out to the position in which the seat  3  is at an angle G to the plane of the frame  2  by using the operating handle  18 . 
     Because the frame  2  is placed at an angle H to the seat  29  of the chair  28 , the seat  29  of the chair  28  and the seat of the booster seat  1  will extend in parallel or practically in parallel. 
     Then a child can be sat on the booster seat  1  and the child can be safely secured using the fastening means. 
     It is clear that it is possible to first adjust the position of the supports  16  before placing the booster seat  1  on the chair  28 . 
     When the booster seat  1  is not used, the telescopic tubes  5  can be fully slid in, and the seat  3  folded in again up to or approximately up to the plane of the frame  2 . 
     This has the advantage that the booster seat  1  can be made very compact, such that it can be easily stored, moved or transported. 
     It is clear that although in the example described above, both the seat  3  and the backrest  4  are affixed to the frame  2  by means of the supports  16 , it is possible that only the seat  3  is affixed to the supports  16 . 
     Additionally it is possible that the backrest  4  is affixed to the frame  2  by means of two separate additional supports that can be moved and adjusted independently of the supports  16  of the seat  4 . 
     Furthermore it is also clear that the means  19  for locking the supports  16  can also be implemented in a different way. 
     The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a booster seat  1  according to the invention can be realised in all kinds of forms and dimensions, without departing from the scope of the invention.