Patent Publication Number: US-7591506-B2

Title: Child booster seat tuckable under the table

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a child booster seat, particularly to a child booster seat that is engageable to a table, and specifically to such a child booster seat that can be tucked to an out-of-the-way position underneath the table. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A child booster seat can take several forms. For example, a child booster seat can be in the nature of a box that is placed on an adult chair. Or a child booster seat can be in the nature of a seat that is engaged to an edge portion of a table. 
     When the child booster seat is of the type that is engaged to an edge portion of a table, it may be relatively difficult to fix the seat to the edge portion of the table. The connections for such a fixing may be such that a caregiver must drop down to his or her knees and then twist his or her back to get his or head into a location where he or she can look at the connection that he or she is manipulating under the table. Such a task is also undertaken when the child booster seat is removed from the table. The double tasks of fixing and removing the child booster seat may be done at breakfast, lunch and again at dinner. 
     If the caregiver decides to keep the child booster seat engaged to the table throughout the day or for extended periods of time, then mobility about the table is reduced. Kitchens and dining rooms and their tables and chairs are likely never designed or selected with the possibility of the kitchen or dining room table having an odd protruding portion. Such exactly comes into play when babies are born. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A feature of the present invention is child booster seat that includes an upright and operating position at an edge of a table and an out-of-the-way position underneath the table. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a child booster seat having a base frame portion and a seat support frame portion, of a slide between the base frame portion and seat support frame portion. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a child booster seat having a base frame portion and a seat support frame portion, of a pivot between the base frame portion and seat support frame portion. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a child booster seat having a base frame portion and a seat support frame portion, of a linear portion of the seat support frame portion being in line with a frame section of the base frame portion when the child booster seat is in an upright and operating position, and of the linear portion of the seat support frame portion being fixed in at an acute angle relative to such frame section of the base frame portion when the child booster seat is in an out-of-the-way position underneath the table. 
     Another feature of the present invention is the provision in such a child booster seat having a base frame portion and a seat support frame portion, of a method for swinging the seat support frame portion relative to the base frame portion, wherein the seat support frame portion can be swung downwardly to a bottommost point and then, in the same motion, be swung upwardly to an out-of-the-way position underneath the table. 
     An advantage of the present invention is child safety. The base frame portion of the frame is fixed just once to a table. Thus, chances are maximized that a caregiver will take his or her time to fix the base frame portion to the table and that thus the base frame portion will be fixed well to the table. Such is in contrast to fixing and removing a child booster seat to a table three times a day, whereupon chances are maximized that a caregiver will quickly tire of such a task. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is convenience. The present child booster seat is available to be swung up to an upright and operating position not just for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but for snacks and playtime as well. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is mobility. The present child booster seat in its out-of-the-way position is swung beyond a vertical plane that almost tangentially intersects the table, where only frame portions of the present child booster seat protrude from the edge of the table. This provides a clear path for a caregiver who makes multiple trips about the kitchen or dining rooms even between breakfast, lunch and dinner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present child booster seat apparatus where the child seat and its underlying seat support frame portion are in an upright and operating position and where a child in the booster seat apparatus is seated at an edge of a table. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the child booster seat apparatus of  FIG. 1  where the child seat and its underlying seat support frame portion are tucked in an out-of-the-way position underneath the table. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the frame of the child booster seat apparatus of  FIG. 1  when the child seat and its underlying seat support frame portion are in the upright and operating position of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective detail view of a slide and pivot mechanism of the child booster seat apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a portion of the frame of  FIG. 3  showing the seat support frame portion in the upright and operating position and having been fully slid into position in the base frame portion. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of a portion of the frame of  FIG. 3  showing the seat support frame portion having been slid out and down to a pivot position relative to the base frame portion. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of a portion of the frame of  FIG. 3  showing the seat support frame portion in the pivot position and in the process of swinging to the out-of-the-way position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the present child booster seat apparatus is indicated in general by the reference numeral  10 . Child booster seat apparatus  10  generally includes a frame  12  and a child seat  14 . Frame  12  includes a base frame portion  16  and a seat support frame portion  18 . Base frame portion  16  engages a table  20  (or table edge or table top) and seat support frame portion  18  engages the child seat  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the seat support frame portion  18  is swingable relative to the base frame portion  16  to an out-of-the-way position generally underneath table  20  and generally within or beyond a vertical plane defined generally by an edge of the table, generally by an outermost portion of frame portion  16 , and specifically by slot  58 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , base frame portion  16  includes a square tube or frame section  22  opposing and running generally parallel to a circular tube  24 . Table  20  or an edge portion of the table or the table top is received between the square tube  22  and the circular tube  24 . Square tube  22  is generally square in lateral cross section. Square tube  22  includes a first end portion  26  and circular tube  24  includes a first end portion  28  and the end portions  26  and  28  are interconnected or engaged to each other, such as by welding, via an intermediate post  30  that may confront or abut an edge of table  20 . Square tube  22  includes a second end portion  32  and circular tube  24  includes a second end portion  34 . Threadably connected to the second end portion  32  is a first jaw  36 . Slideably and frictionally fit on the second end portion  34  is a second jaw  38 . First jaw  36  is generally shaped in the form of a disk having an upwardly extending annular rim with a flat face and is affixed to second end portion  32  via a pin connector  40  that is threadingly engaged with second end portion  32  of first jaw  36 . First jaw  36  is fixed to the upper end of pin connector  40  such that turning of the first jaw  36  (and or fin  42 ) also turns or rotates the pin connector  40  to raise or lower first jaw  36  relative to square tube  22 . First jaw  36  is turned up and down to move jaws  36  and  38  relatively to and away from each other and to fix the table  20  therebetween via a handle or finger piece  42  engaged to the underside of the disk shaped jaw  36 . Handle or finger piece  42  may be formed in the shape of a fin extending diametrically relative to the first jaw  36  to aid in turning the first jaw  36  up and down relative to the square tube  22  and relative to the second jaw  38 . Fin  42  and first jaw  36  may be integral and one-piece. 
     Second jaw  38  includes a disk shaped portion  44  and a tube section  46 . Disk shaped portion  44  opposes first jaw  36 . Tube section  46  slideably and frictionally engages second end  34  of tube  24 . The under face of disk shaped portion  44  may be roughened to somewhat frictionally engage a table top. The upper face of the annular rim of jaw  36  may be roughened to somewhat frictionally engage an underside of a table top, or the upper face of the annular rim of jaw  36  may be relatively smooth to maximize the force with which jaw  36  may be hand turned to maximize the tightness of the bite between jaws  36  and  38 . 
     Each of the jaws  36  and  38  may be formed of a resilient plastic or elastomer to provide a give thereto. If desired, jaw  36  may be formed of a plastic piece with no give such that jaw  36  is formed of a relatively hard plastic piece, which jaw  36  can oppose jaw  38  formed of a resilient plastic. Instead of a rim, the lower face of disk portion  44  of upper jaw  38  can extend generally continuously diametrically and, at the same time, be generally roughened. 
     The second end portion  32  of square tube  22  may be closed or open. The first end portion  26  of square tube  22  is open so as to receive linear portion  64  of seat support frame portion  18 . The first end portion  26  further includes an open ended slot  48  running longitudinally of the square tube  22 . Slot  48  includes a closed end or stop  50  and an open end  52  situated exactly at the absolute end of second end portion  32  of square tube  22 . Slot  48  is formed in the inner longitudinal plate portion of the square tube  22 , where square tube  22  has upper, lower, outer and inner longitudinal plate portions, each of which makes up one side of the square tube  22 . Closed end  50  is referred to as a stop because abutment of closed end  50  by button  70  acts to stop an inwardly sliding of the linear portions  64  relative to the square tubes  22 , which may occur when button  74  is depressed and the seat support frame portion  18  is pushed into base frame portion  16 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , base frame portion  16  includes a metal plate  54  fixed, such as by welding, to the post  30  and square tube  22 . Metal plate  54  is positioned at the face of the longitudinal inner plate portion of square tube  22 . Metal plate  54  includes a horizontal slot portion  56  and a vertical slot portion  58  that communicate with each other. Horizontal slot portion  56  also communicates with slot  48  and is aligned with slot  48  in the horizontal direction or longitudinal direction of square tube  22 . Vertical slot portion  58  is oriented at a right angle to slot  48  and to slot  56 . Vertical slot portion  58  includes a pivot location  59  at the bottommost end of slot portion  58 . Metal plate  54  further includes a hole or through opening  60  that is horizontally aligned with slot portion  56  and slot  48 . 
     If desired, it should be noted that the structural components of base frame portion  16  can be integral and formed of one-piece. That is, square tube  22 , post  30 , circular tube  24  and metal plate  54  can be integral and formed of one-piece via a molding process, a welding process, or other process. 
     Seat support frame portion  18  is generally U-shaped, is round or circular in cross section, and is a tube. Seat support frame portion  18  includes a pair of L-shaped end sections  62 . Each of the L-shaped end sections  62  includes a linear portion  64 . Linear portion  64  slides into and out of the square tube  22 . Each of the L-shaped end sections  62  further includes a rounded portion  66  extending upwardly and away from base frame portion  16 . Engaged in open ends of rounded portions  66  is a U-shaped piece or medial or intermediate section  68  that interconnects the two L-shaped end sections  62 . 
     Linear portion or linear tube portion  64  includes a set of three buttons or pins  70 ,  72  and  74 . It is preferred that all three buttons  70 ,  72  and  74  are resiliently depressible into linear tube portion  64  such that linear tube portion  64  is disengageable from base frame portion  16 . Button  70  is disposed near the absolute end of linear tube portion  64  such that linear tube portion  64  is completely slideable out of square tube  22 . Button  70  rides or slides in slot  48  of square tube  22 , and also rides or slides in slots or slot portions  56  and  58 , such that button  70  can slide from slot  48  to slot  56  to slot  58  to pivot location  59 . Upon reaching pivot location  59 , button  70  along with its respective button  70  on the other linear tube portion  64 , provide for a pivoting or swinging of the seat support frame portion  18  and child seat  14  relative to base frame portion  16 . Button  70  and its paired button  70  are of sufficient strength to hold seat support frame portion  18  and the child seat  14  in the depending out-of-the-way position along with hanger  76 . 
     Each of buttons  72  and  74  is engageable in hole  60 . When so engaged, button  72  or  74  prevents an inadvertent sliding out and dropping of the seat support frame portion  18  and its child seat  14  relative to the base frame portion  16 . Whereas button  70  operates as a pivot point for the seat support frame portion  18 , buttons  72  and  74  operate in the nature of locks to prevent such an inadvertent sliding out and dropping, and its should be noted that each of the buttons  72  (or  74 ) on each of the linear tube portions  64  must be disengaged before the seat support frame portion  18  can be slid out to the pivoting location  59 . It should be noted that two spaced apart buttons  72  and  74  are provided such that the distance of the child seat  14  relative to the edge of the table  20  may be adjusted. More buttons, spaced apart in the linear or longitudinal direction, may be provided if desired to provide a greater degree of adjustment. 
     The combination of one or more of the square tube  22 , the linear portion  64  that slides therein, slots  48 ,  56  and  58 , and buttons  70 ,  72  and  74  can be referred to as a slide or slide mechanism. The structural interaction between square tube  22  and linear portion  64  provides the strength needed to support a child in the child seat  14  and such portions, it should be noted, alone make up the definition of a slide or slide mechanism. The combination of one or more of the pivot location  59  and button or pin  70  can be referred to as a pivot or pivot mechanism. The structural interaction between such provides the strength needed to, along with hanger  76 , hang the child seat  14  and its underlying seat support frame portion  18  underneath the table  20 . 
     Child booster seat apparatus  10  further includes a hanger  76 . Hanger  76  extends between and is engaged to and between seat support frame portion  18  and base frame portion  16  when the child seat  14  and the seat support frame portion  18  is in the out-of-the-way position shown in  FIG. 2 . Hanger  76  is shown in the form of a strap affixed to L-shaped portion  62  when the seat support frame portion  18  is in the upright and operating position shown in  FIG. 1 . However, the strap may be affixed to the base frame portion  16  when the seat support frame portion  18  is in the upright and operating position shown in  FIG. 1 . Hanger  76 , instead of being in strap form, may take the form of a plastic hook that depends from, for example, base frame portion  16  when the child seat  14  is in the upright and operating position and that hooks onto the seat support frame portion  18  when the seat support frame portion  18  is in the out-of-the-way position. Regardless of the form that hanger  76  takes, it should be noted that linear tube portion  64  is aligned with square tube  22  and slot  48  when the child seat  14  is in the upright and operating position. When the child seat  14  is in the tucked position or out-of-the-way position shown in  FIG. 2 , the linear tube portion  64  is disposed at an acute angle relative to square tube  22  and its slot  48  and is disposed generally within or beyond a vertical plane defined by vertical slot  58  such that generally the child seat  14  is tucked within or beyond a vertical plane that intersects the edge of table  20 . Hanger  76  can loop around the second end portion of square tube  22  and extend back to L-shaped section  62 . One or two hangers  76  can be provided for a single child booster seat apparatus  10 . 
     Child seat  14  is preferably formed of fabric. Child seat  14  preferably engages only seat support frame portion  18  such that the seat support frame portion  18  can readily slide out and pivot relative to the base frame portion  16 . However, the child seat  14  can include arm rest portions  78  that lead into circular tubes  24  and that have the appearance of mating with, or actually mate with, circular tubes  24 . Child seat  14  further includes a back portion  80 , seat portion  82 , shoulder straps  84  and a lap belt  86 . Child seat  14  may include framing or tubing in addition to seat support frame portion  18 , and such additional framing or tubing may be disposed within the arm rest portions  78  or within other portions of the child seat  14 . 
     In operation, the seat support frame portion  18  and base frame portion  16  may be stored in a disconnected fashion. To set up the child booster seta apparatus  10 , base frame portion  16  can be engaged to the top of table  20  by inserting the base frame portion  16  relatively deeply into the table top until the edge of the table  20  confronts or abuts posts  30 . Then the fins  42  of jaws  36  are turned to turn jaws  36  to raise jaws  36  upwardly and against the lower face of the table top such that each of the pairs of jaws  36  and  38  work against each other and bite the table top therebetween. When the base frame portion  16  is so engaged, the annular rims of jaws  36  bite against the underside of the table top, the disk shaped portions  44  bite against the upperside of the table top, and the lower faces of tube portions  46  may also bite against the upper side of the table top depending upon the resiliency of the disk shaped portions  44 . Further, if abutting the edge of the table, posts  30  also act to minimize movement of the base frame portion  16 . Thus, base frame portion  60  provides a safe and sturdy base for seat support frame portion  18  and its child seat  14 . Then the child seat  14  can be engaged onto the seat support frame portion  18 . Then the seat support frame portion  18  having the child seat  14  is connected to the base frame portion  16 . This is accomplished by pushing in buttons  70  at the same time such that buttons  70  slide against the outer faces of metal plates  54  and by inserting the ends of linear portions  64  into the open ends  26  of the square tubes  22 . Buttons  70  may be maneuvered around holes  60  such that buttons  70  pop out and into slot  56 . Then the linear portions  64  of seat support frame portion  18  having the child seat  14  are further slid into the square tubes  22  of base frame portion  16  until buttons  72  abut the front edges of metal plates  54 , whereupon buttons  72  can be depressed, whereupon the linear portions  64  of seat support frame portion  18  having the child seat  14  are further slid into the square tubes  22  of base frame portion  16  until buttons  72  pop into holes  60 . At this point, the child booster seat apparatus  10  is ready for use such that a child may be lifted and set into the child seat  14 . Then, if desired, the child may be drawn closer to the edge of the table  20  by pressing in buttons  72  with finger tips, sliding the linear portions  64  of seat support frame portion  18  forwardly and further into square tubes  22 , and then depressing buttons  74  such that buttons  74  slide against the outer faces of metal plates  54  until buttons  74  pop out and into holes  60 , whereupon the seat support frame portion  18  is again fixed securely relative to base frame portion  16 . Then, after dinner, buttons  74  are depressed with the finger tips, seat support frame portion  18  is drawn out until buttons  72  are engaged in holes  60 , the child is lifted out of the child seat  14 , the buttons  72  are depressed with the finger tips and the seat support frame portion  18  is drawn outwardly such that buttons  70  slide from slots  48  into slots  56  and further into slots  58 , whereupon the seat support frame portion  18  drops slightly until buttons  70  engage pivot locations  59 , whereupon the seat support frame portion  18  is swung such that linear portion  64  swings from an aligned position with square tube  22  and its slot  48  to an acute position with square tube  22  and its slot  48  as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 , whereupon the hanger or strap  76  is looped about the second end  32  of square tube  22  to fix the seat support frame portion  18  in the tucked and out-of-the-way position. Then, for example at breakfast the next day, the process is reversed such that the strap  76  is disengaged, the seat support frame portion  18  is swung out from underneath the table  20 , the seat support frame portion  18  is slightly lifted to slide the buttons  70  into slots  56 , the seat support frame portion  18  is pushed to slide buttons  70  from slots  56  to slots  48 , buttons  72  are manipulated to fix the child seat  14  securely relative to base frame portion  16 , the child is set into the child seat  14  and then, if desired, the child and seat support frame portion  18  are pushed closer to the edge of the table  20 , whereupon buttons  74  are engaged or locked in holes  60 . 
     Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalents of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.