Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/989,604, filed on Nov. 21, 2007, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to high chair devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to accessories for a high chair. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    As most parents of small children are aware, it is a common occurrence for children and toddlers seated at high chairs to drop food, utensils, toys, and other articles to the floor. Moreover, when a small child is seated at a high chair which is positioned with a table in front of it, the child will most often drop or toss the food or other articles off the side or rear of the high chair. For reasons of cleanliness and prevention of illness, most parents and guardians will not give a utensil or toy, and certainly not a child&#39;s food, back to the child after it has fallen onto the floor without having first cleaned the article. This is especially true in a restaurant, where a floor surface is less likely to be clean because of the large amount of foot traffic and potential dirt and bacteria. Furthermore, it may be more difficult to sanitize or replace a child&#39;s utensil or other article when in a restaurant. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, it may be desirable to prevent a child&#39;s food, utensils, toys, or other articles from falling to the floor when the child is seated in a high chair. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Aspects of embodiments of the present invention include a high chair net assembly for preventing a child&#39;s food, utensils, toys, or other articles from falling to the floor and holding such articles at a height where the child can recover them. Another aspect of embodiments of the present invention is a high chair net assembly constructed from a safe, durable, and washable material. Yet another aspect of embodiments of the present invention is a high chair net assembly that is lightweight and portable so that it can easily be carried to and used at a restaurant. Still another aspect of embodiments of the present invention is a high chair net assembly that is configured to be attached to a high chair of a type commonly found in a restaurants. 
         [0006]    According to one embodiment, the above and other desirable aspects of the present invention may be carried out by a high chair net assembly including a net, and at least one coupling device configured to couple the net to a high chair. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the high chair net assembly further includes at least one folding mechanism. In one embodiment, the at least one folding mechanism is moveable from a folded position to an unfolded position, and the net surrounds at least a portion of a periphery of the high chair when the at least one folding mechanism is in the unfolded position. 
         [0008]    According to another embodiment, a high chair net assembly includes: a net configured to surround at least a portion of a periphery of a high chair; at least one panel configured to at least partially cover at least one side or back of the high chair; and at least one hinge assembly including a first arm and a second arm pivotably coupled to the first arm, the first arm configured to support the at least one panel and having a mechanism for attaching the at least one panel to the high chair, and the second arm configured to support the net. 
         [0009]    According to another embodiment, a method of utilizing a high chair net assembly having a net, at least one coupling device, and at least one folding mechanism includes coupling the net to a high chair via the at least one coupling device, and unfolding the at least one folding mechanism to open the net around the high chair. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The above aspects, and other features and aspects, of embodiments of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a high chair net assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the high chair net assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the high chair net assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the high chair net assembly of  FIG. 1 , the high chair net assembly shown in a folded position; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a hinge of a high chair net assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, the hinge shown in an unfolded position; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the hinge of  FIG. 5 , the hinge shown in a folded position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    In the following detailed description, certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, by way of illustration. As those skilled in the art would recognize, the described exemplary embodiments may be modified in various ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, rather than restrictive. 
         [0018]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , a high chair net assembly  100  includes a net  102 . In one embodiment, the net  102  is constructed from a nylon mesh material. This material is advantageous because it is durable, lightweight, collapsible, and easily cleaned. Alternatively, the net  102  may be constructed of any other suitable material, such as cloth, cotton, or any material which is flexible and washable. Further, the net  102  may be formed from a single piece of material or from several pieces of material sewn or otherwise joined to one another. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment, the net  102  has a substantially semi-circular outer shape and an inner rectangular cut-out sized to match the dimensions of a high chair. The diameter  104  of the substantially semi-circular outer edge is approximately 40 inches (102 centimeters). The substantially rectangular cutout has a width  106  of approximately 15 inches (38.1 centimeters) and a depth  108  of approximately 12 inches (30.5 centimeters). Alternatively, the net  102  may have three substantially rectangular sides joined by two substantially triangular portions, or any other suitable shape. The dimensions of the net  102  may be varied, of course, without departing from the present invention. A large net  102  will prevent more articles from falling to the floor. However, a small net  102  may be more easily used in small spaces and may be more portable. 
         [0020]    With further reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , the high chair net assembly  100 , in one embodiment, also includes three vertical panels  110 . In one embodiment, the vertical panels  110  are formed from cloth. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and other suitable materials, including fiberglass, aluminum, wood, nylon mesh, and/or a plastic, may be used to form the vertical panels  110 . While the embodiment shown includes three vertical panels  110 , the high chair net assembly may alternatively include any other desired number of vertical panels  110 , such as one or two. Additionally, a single vertical panel  110  having more than one side may be used instead of three separate vertical panels  110 . 
         [0021]    The vertical panels  110  have lengths that are approximately equal to the dimensions of the three corresponding sides of the substantially rectangular cutout of the net  102 , described above. Further, each of the vertical panels  110 , in the embodiment shown, has a height of approximately nine inches (22.8 centimeters). However, the height of the vertical panels  110  is not crucial to the invention and may be varied as desired. A greater height of the vertical panels  110  will result in the net  102  being closer to the floor. A beneficial height of the vertical panels  110 , according to one embodiment, will allow a child to reach an article resting on the net  102 . Additionally, one or more of the vertical panels  110  may have a different height than one or more other vertical panels  110 . 
         [0022]    As further shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , according to one embodiment, the high chair net assembly  100  includes six sleeves  112 . In one embodiment, the sleeves  112  are formed from cloth. The material of the sleeves  112  should be a flexible material because the sleeves  112  will be folded during use. Alternatively, each sleeve  112  may be formed as two separate segments that are separated near a region where the sleeve  112  is folded. In one embodiment, the sleeves  112  are open on an end nearest the high chair. Alternatively, the sleeves  112  may be open on both ends. Also, each sleeve  112  may be formed from a single layer of material, two stacked layers of material, or a tubular segment of material. 
         [0023]    The sleeves  112 , according to one embodiment, have a length of approximately 24 inches (70 centimeters) and a width of approximately three inches (7.62 centimeters). Alternatively, the length and the width of the sleeves  112  may be varied, so long as a supporting member can be inserted into each sleeve  112 . Also, although the shown embodiment of the high chair net assembly  100  includes six sleeves  112 , the high chair net assembly may include any other suitable number of sleeves  112 . 
         [0024]    With further reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , the high chair net assembly  100  includes one or more attachment members  120  configured to attach the net  102  to a high chair. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the attachment members  120  include six hooks  122 . In one embodiment, the hooks  122  are constructed from a plastic material, providing durability, light weight, and low cost. Further, because the hooks  122  will extend to an inner region of the high chair, a plastic material may also provide for safe handling if a child touches the hooks  122 . The hooks  122  may alternatively be constructed from any other suitable material, such as aluminum, fiberglass, or wood. 
         [0025]    According to one embodiment, a width  124  of each of the hooks  122  (i.e. the distance between the two opposite faces), as shown in  FIG. 3 , is slightly greater than the thickness of a component of a high chair over which the hooks  122  are placed. In one embodiment, the width  124  of the hooks  122  is approximately one inch (2.54 centimeters), such that the hooks fit snugly over a side rail or back of a typical restaurant-style high chair. Additionally, by constructing the hooks  122  from a material with some elasticity, such as a plastic material, the width  124  can be increased during use to fit more snugly over a component of a high chair. 
         [0026]    As an alternative to the hooks  122 , the attachment members  120  may include any other device known in the art that is suitable for attaching a net to a high chair. For example, the attachment members  120  may include straps, which may, in turn, include hook-and-loop fasteners. Alternatively, the attachment members  120  may include clamps, magnets, set screws, and/or any other suitable device or combination thereof. 
         [0027]    With further reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , according to one embodiment, the high chair net assembly  100  also includes one or more folding mechanisms  130 .  FIGS. 1-3  show the high chair net assembly  100  in an unfolded (i.e. opened) position. By contrast,  FIG. 4  shows the high chair net assembly  100  in a folded (i.e. closed) position. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the high chair net assembly  100  includes six folding mechanisms  130 , the six folding mechanisms  130  embodied by six hinges  132 . 
         [0028]    The hinges  132  are shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  FIG. 5  shows one of the hinges  132  in an unfolded position, while  FIG. 6  shows one of the hinges  132  in a folded position. In one embodiment, the hinges  132  are constructed from a plastic material, providing durability, light weight, and low cost. Alternatively, the hinges  132  may be constructed from any other suitable material, such as aluminum, wood, or fiberglass. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , each of the hinges  132  includes a stationary arm  134 , a pivot  135 , and an extending arm  136 . The extending arm  136  is pivotably, or rotatably, coupled to the stationary arm  134  at the pivot  135 . In one embodiment, the stationary arms  134  have a length of approximately 8 inches (20.3 centimeters) and a width of approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters). The extending arms  136 , in one embodiment, have a length of approximately 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) and a width of approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters). The widths of the stationary arms  134  and the extending arms  136  are less than the widths of the sleeves  112 . 
         [0030]    Of course, the lengths of the stationary arms  134  and extending arms  136  may vary in alternative embodiments. In one embodiment, the length of the stationary arms  134  should be approximately equal to the height of the vertical panels  110 . As described above, a greater height of the vertical panels  110  will result in the net  102  being closer to the floor. Also, as described above regarding the heights of the vertical panels  110 , the stationary arms  134  may have lengths that vary from one another. For example, if a back of a high chair is at a higher elevation than are sides of the high chair, stationary arms  134  for use with the back may be longer than stationary arms  134  for use with the sides of the high chair. Longer extending arms  136  will result in the net  102  protruding a greater distance from a high chair. 
         [0031]    In one embodiment, the end of each extending arm  136  located at the pivot  135  has a stop  138 . Each stop  138  has a face which butts against the side of the stationary arm  134  opposite the pivot  135 . The angle of the face of the stop  138  controls the maximum angle to which the extending arm  136  will open relative to the corresponding stationary arm  134 . In one embodiment, an angle of approximately 75 degrees is used, but any angle of 90 degrees or less may be used. A smaller angle will result in the ends of the extending arms  136  and the net  102  being closer to a high chair. 
         [0032]    The high chair net assembly  100  is configured to be used with a high chair  150 . The high chair  150 , in one embodiment, is of a style commonly used in restaurants for toddlers and small children. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the high chair  150  has a seat  152  and a back  154 . The high chair  150  also has two side rails  156  at or near the top of the high chair  150  which extend from a front to the back  154  of the high chair  150 . Additionally, the high chair  150  has four legs  158  which may be connected by one or more structural beams  160 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the high chair  150  may also include a restraint  162  to keep the child or toddler from falling. The high chair  150  is commonly made from wood, but may also be constructed from aluminum, plastic, or another material or combination thereof. 
         [0033]    In assembly, the components of the high chair net assembly  100  described above and shown in  FIGS. 1-6  may be connected to each other in any suitable manner or combination thereof. In one embodiment, for example, each of the vertical panels  110  is sewn to the net  102 . The seam along which the net  102  and each of the vertical panels  110  is connected should remain flexible because this is the region where the high chair net assembly  100  is folded and unfolded. Also, in one embodiment, each of the sleeves  112  is sewn partially to one of the vertical panels  110  and partially to the net  102 . Two of the sleeves  112  are connected to each of the vertical panels  110 , one of the sleeves  112  being located near each end of each of the vertical panels  110 . The sleeves  112  are folded at an angle where the net  102  is connected to the vertical panels  110 . 
         [0034]    In one embodiment, the stationary arms  134  and the extending arms  136  of the hinges  132  are inserted into the sleeves  112 . As a result of this configuration, the extending arms  136  support the net  102  because the sleeves  112  are connected to the net  102 . Also, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , when the hinges  132  are in an unfolded position, the net  102  will also have an unfolded shape. Furthermore, by inserting the stationary arms  134  into the sleeves  112 , the vertical panels  110 , to which the sleeves  112  are connected, will hold their shape even where formed from a flexible material, such as a cloth. 
         [0035]    Further, in assembly, one or more of the attachment members  120  may be combined with one or more of the folding mechanisms  130 . For example, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , one of the hooks  122  and one of the hinges  132  are constructed as a unitary device by forming the hook  122  at the end of the stationary arm  134  of the hinge  132  opposite the end of the stationary arm  134  connected to the extending arm  136 . Alternatively, two or more of the hooks  122  may be combined with one of the hinges  132 , or vice versa. 
         [0036]    In use, according to one embodiment, the high chair net assembly  100  is first attached to the high chair  150  via the one or more attachment members  120 . With reference to  FIG. 4 , according to one embodiment, the high chair net assembly  100  is attached to the high chair  150  by placing the hooks  122  onto the two side rails  156  and the back  154  of the high chair  150 . In one embodiment, two of the hooks  122  are attached to each side rail  156  and two of the hooks  122  are attached to the back  154  of the high chair  150 . 
         [0037]    After the high chair net assembly  100  has been attached to the high chair  150 , the high chair net assembly  100  may be opened by unfolding the one or more folding mechanisms  130 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , when the hinges  132  are opened by moving the extending arms  136  of the hinges  132  away from the stationary arms  134  via the pivots  135 , the extending arms  136  will also move the sleeves  112  and thereby open the net  102 . Due to the angle of the stops  138 , the extending arms  136 , and therefore the net  102  as well, will open to an angle of approximately 75 degrees relative to the side rails  136  and the back  134  of the high chair  150 . This is beneficial because when the net  102  is supported at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the side rails  136  and the back  134  of the high chair  150 , articles dropped by a child and caught by the net  102  will likely come to rest in an area of the net  102  near the high chair  150 , where the articles will be within the child&#39;s reach. 
         [0038]    Use of the high chair net assembly  100  has been described above by performing the attaching task before the unfolding task. However, the high chair net assembly  100  may also be utilized by first unfolding the high chair net assembly  100 , and subsequently attaching the high chair net assembly  100  to a high chair. 
         [0039]    Although embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to a restaurant-style high chair of a type described above and depicted in  FIGS. 1-4 , it will be appreciated by individuals skilled in the art that the high chair net assembly  100  according to embodiments of the present invention can be used with other types of high chairs that are known in the art. 
         [0040]    Although the present invention has been described in certain specific embodiments, many additional modifications and variations would be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. Thus, the present embodiments of the invention should be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention to be determined by the claims supported by this application and their equivalents, rather than the foregoing description.

Technology Category: 4