Patent Publication Number: US-2018042399-A1

Title: High chairs

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a high chair for children. For example, these children may be from six months to three years old, without excluding children of other ages. The high chair is mainly used for feeding children because, as they are raised a distance from the ground, adult assistance is facilitated. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Particularly, a prior art high chair for children comprises a seat for a child. A base, usually comprising two pairs of folding legs, is attached below the seat to keep it raised from the ground. A backrest is connected to the seat, such that the child is supported at the back. 
     A pair of armrests is fixed to the seat and/or the base. These armrests mainly have a retention purpose, i.e. they prevent the child from falling at the sides. 
     A tray is connected to the armrests, to close them at the front. Such tray has both a support purpose, namely supporting the food to be administered to the child, and a retention purpose. Thus, the assembly composed of the tray, the armrests and the backrest entirely encircle the child and limit the possibility that he/she might excessively lean out, and risk to fall. For this purpose, the high chair also has one or more safety straps, which are attached to the seat and/or the backrest. These straps can be adjusted to accommodate the size of the child. 
     Nevertheless, as the child grows up, the retaining function accomplished by the armrests and the tray is increasingly ineffective as these elements have a fixed height relative to the seat and do not prevent a child in a later stage of growth from leaning out. The risk of falling is further exacerbated by the heavier weight of the child at this age. 
     In view of mitigating this risk, a pair of side panels are known in the art to be fixed at the sides of the backrest. These side panels are oriented in planes substantially perpendicular to the backrest, and are attached to the outer edges. Usually, such side panels are formed of one piece with the backrest. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A drawback of this arrangement is that the side panels make the high chair uncomfortable at the later stages of growth of the child, as they limit the available space. Nevertheless, they cannot and should not be removed, as the risk that the child may fall would considerably increase. 
     Therefore, the technical purpose of the present invention is to provide a high chair that can obviate the above mentioned prior art drawbacks. 
     Namely, the object of the present invention is to provide a high chair that is more comfortable for children at a later stage of growth, whole ensuring a higher safety by limiting the risk of falling. 
     The aforementioned technical purpose and objects are substantially fulfilled by a high chair that comprises the technical features as disclosed in one or more of the accompanying claims. 
     Particularly, a high chair of the present invention comprises a seat and support means for such seat. A pair of armrests is connected to the seat. Namely, each arm rest is placed on a respective side of the seat. A backrest is connected to the seat. 
     A pair of side panels are connected to the backrest. Each side panel is located on a respective side of the backrest to prevent a child on the seat from falling. These side panels may be opened apart or closed together relative to the backrest to adapt to the size of the child. 
     This device solves the technical problem as it allows the side panels to be opened apart and/or closed together and hence allows the high chair to adapt to the size of the child at any stage of growth, without giving up the additional safety provided by the side panels. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features and advantages of the present invention will result more clearly from the illustrative, non-limiting description of a preferred, non-exclusive embodiment of a high chair as shown in the annexed drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a high chair of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of a detail of the high chair of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an rear view of the detail of  FIG. 2 , with certain parts omitted to better show other parts; and 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the detail of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIGS. 5-8  are respective detail views of the high chair of  FIG. 1 , with certain parts omitted to better show other parts. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the annexed figures, numeral  1  designates a high char for children of the present invention. 
     Such high chair  1  comprises a seat  2  for a child. Support means  3  support the seat. Referring to  FIG. 1 , such support means  3  comprise, for instance, two pairs of legs  4 . The legs  4  of each pair are connected together by a bearing member  5 . Also, the two pairs of legs  4  are hinged together at a hinge  6 , allowing the high chair  1  to be collapsed and stored when not in use. Advantageously, the seat  2  is hinged to the hinge  6 . 
     A pair of armrests  7  is connected to the seat  2 . The armrests  7  are located at the sides of the seat  2 . These armrests  7  may be at least partially formed of one piece with the seat  2 . 
     A backrest  8  is connected to the seat  2 . Particularly, the backrest  8  is at least partially formed of one piece with the seat  2 . More in detail, the backrest  8  has a pair of side edges  8   a.  Each edge  8   a  defines a respective side of the backrest  8 . The backrest  8  also has a front surface  8   b  which supports, in operation, the back of the child. The backrest  8  also has a rear surface  8   c,  opposite to the front surface  8 . Further details about the backrest  8  will be provided hereinbelow. 
     A tray (not shown) is adapted to be connected to the armrests  7 . In use, the tray lies in a substantially horizontal position, and objects can be laid thereon. Advantageously, the tray restrains the child on the seat  2 , limits his/her movements and prevents him/her from falling forward. 
     A footrest  10  is fixed to the seat  2 . Advantageously, the footrest  10  is adjustable to adapt to the child&#39;s growth. 
     According to the present invention, a pair of side panels  11  are connected to the backrest  8 . These side panels  11  are placed at the sides of the backrest  8  to prevent the child on the seat  2  from falling sideways. Advantageously, the side panels  11  may be opened apart and/or closed together relative to the backrest  8  to adapt to the sizes of the child. In the embodiment as described and shown in the annexed figures, the side panels  11  have a planar conformation. In other terms, the side panels  11  are substantially flat. In alternative embodiments, not shown, the side panels  11  may have any conformation whatever, i.e. a concave, convex or any other conformation. 
     More in detail, each side panel  11  is hinged to a respective edge  8   a  of the backrest  8 , to pivot relative to the backrest  8 . Particularly, the side panels  11  are designed to be opened apart/closed together symmetrically with respect to a center plane of the high chair  1 . In other words, the side panels  11  pivot substantially like doors relative to the backrest  8 . 
     More in detail, the side panels  11  can move between a minimum opening configuration and a maximum opening configuration. In the maximum opening configuration the side panels  11  are arranged substantially perpendicular to the backrest  8 . In the maximum opening configuration, the side panels  11  have an opening of more than 90° relative to the backrest  8 , e.g. 130°. It shall be noted that, in the preferred embodiment, the side panels  11  may be arranged in a discrete, i.e. non-continuous number of intermediate configurations between minimum opening and maximum opening. Further details will be provided hereinbelow. It shall be noted that, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, not shown, any number of configurations may be selected between minimum opening and maximum opening, i.e. the side panels  11  are adapted to continuously move between the minimum opening configuration and the maximum opening configuration. 
     According to the present invention, the high chair  1  comprises adjustment means  12  for the side panels  11 . These adjustment means  12  are configured to open apart the side panels  11  and/or bring them close together. In other words, the adjustment means  11  allow the user to select the configuration of the side panels  11  from those as discussed above. More particularly, the adjustment means  12  are fixed to the rear surface  8   c  of the backrest  8 . 
     More in detail, the adjustment means  12  comprise a pair of tie rods  13 . Each tie rod  13  is operable on a respective side panel  11 , to pivot it relative to the backrest  8 . In the embodiment as described and illustrated herein, the tie rods  13  are preferably rigid bars, more preferably made of metal. In alternative embodiments, the tie rods  13  may be of any type. As it can be noted from  FIG. 2 , the tie rods  13  are disposed in a substantially horizontal position along the rear surface  8   c  of the backrest  8  and slide, in operation, relative to such rear surface  8   c,  as more clearly shown hereinafter. 
     Particularly, each tie rod  13  has a first end  13   a  and a second end  13   b.  The first ends  13   a  of the tie rods  13  are connected each to a respective side panel  11 . Namely, each side panel  11  has a seat  18  for receiving the first end  13   a  of the respective tie rod  13 . 
     The adjustment means  12  further comprise a plate  14 . Such plate  14  has a center of symmetry. More particularly, the plate  14  has a substantially circular shape. 
     The plate  14  is rotatably connected to the backrest  8 , particularly to its rear surface  8   c,  to rotate relative to the backrest  8 . More in detail, the plate  16  fits into a seat  19  formed on the backrest  8 . 
     It shall be noted that the plate  14  may rotate about its own axis of rotation “C”, particularly within the seat  19 . The second ends  13   b  of the tie rods  13  are connected to the plate  14 , such that they may move close to and/or away from each other upon rotation of the plate  14  to open apart the side panels  11  and/or bring them close together. 
     More in detail, a pair of guides  15  are formed on the plate  14 . It shall be noted that the second ends  13   b  of the tie rods  13  are each slidably associated with a respective guide  15 . 
     More in detail, each guide  15  is defined by a groove  16  formed on the plate  14 . The groove  16  has first  16   a  and second  16   b  ends, at different distances from the axis of rotation “C” of the plate  14  and angularly offset from each other. Particularly, the first end  16   a  is at a greater distance from the axis of rotation “C” of the plate  14  than the second end  16   b.  The groove is formed such that the distance of the points between the ends  16   a,    16   b  seamlessly changes between the distance of the first  16   a  and the second  16   b  end. Thus, as the second end  15   b  of the tie rod  13  engages the groove  16  it can change its distance from the axis of rotation “C” by rotation of the plate  14 . In other words, the groove  16  has an eccentric profile, such that it may act like a cam. It shall be finally noted that, when the second end  13   b  of the tie rod  13  engages the first end  16   a  of the groove  16 , the side panels  11  are in the minimum opening configuration. Likewise, when the second end  13   b  of the tie rod  13  engages the second end  16   b  of the groove  16 , the side panels  11  are in the maximum opening configuration. 
     It shall be further noted that the guides  15 , and hence the grooves  16  are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation “C” of the plate  14 . Thus, two diametrically opposite points of the guides  15  will be at the same distance from the axis of rotation “C” of the plate  14  thereby causing the two side panels  11  to open symmetrically. 
     The high chair  1  further comprises locking means  17  for the plate  14 , which are designed to lock the rotation of the plate  14  relative to the backplate  8 . Particularly, the locking means  17  comprise a rack  20  attached to the backrest  8 . A slider  21  is connected to the plate  14  to be able to rotate therewith. The slider  21  has an engagement area  22  which is configured to come to interference with the rack  20 . More particularly, the engagement area  22  has at least one tooth  26  which is configured to come to interference with the rack  20 , to thereby lock the rotation of the plate  14 . 
     More in detail, the rack  20  is formed as a circular arc, and is preferably manufactured of one piece with the backrest  8 . The rack  20  has an angular width that covers the rotation range of the plate  14  thereby ensuring that the engagement area  22  will face the rack  20 . 
     It shall be noted that the slider  21  may be switched between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the engagement area  22  comes to interference with the rack  20  to lock the rotation of the plate  14  In the second position, the engagement area  22  is spaced from the rack  20  to allow rotation of the plate  14 . 
     The locking means  17  further comprise elastic means  23  between the slider  21  and the plate  14 , to urge the slider  21  from the second position to the first position. These means  23  particularly comprise a spring  24  which is pressed by the displacement of the slider  21  from the first position to the second position, and is actuated by the user using a knob  25  on the slider  21 . 
     Thus, when the user wants to change the position of the side panels  11 , he/she acts upon the slider  21  trough the knob  25 . Then, the slider  21  is displaced from the first position to the second position. Now the user may rotate the plate  14  to select the opening degree of the side panels  11 . Then, the user releases the knob  25  and the spring  24  pushes the slider  21  against the rack  20 .