Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a booster seat and feeding tray for supporting infants, toddlers or children and more particularly to a new and improved booster seat and swiveling feeding tray which swivels along two independent axes on either side of the booster seat. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A number of improvements have been made in the booster seat art in recent years. More recently, improvements and modifications have been made to booster seats and feeding seats with feeding trays which allow a child to enter horizontally rather than vertically. Some of these booster chairs allow for complete removal of the feeding tray, only to reinsert the tray once the child was in their desired position. Other designs hinged the feeding tray with a single swivel only at one end and allow the rotation of the tray such that the child could enter the seating area, and the tray subsequently rotated back to its original position to lock into position and contain the child. These single swivel trays have been temporarily fixed at one end and hinged at the other allowing for little adjustability beyond the ability to rotate the feeding tray about a single axis. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,209 (hereinafter Quinlan &#39;209) shows such technology in a portable baby carrier arrangement wherein a feeding tray is adapted to be removably attached at one end and hinged about an axis at the other. The tray opens vertically, that is, up and to the side relative to a seated child, and cannot be adjusted to account for the different size of potential child occupants. A rotating bar defines the rotation axis and also functions as a handle mechanism or as a brace. Importantly, Quinlan &#39;209 can open only along the side opposite to the rotation axis and does not permit the adjustability of a multi-position tray. 
   Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 451,058 (hereinafter Koeser &#39;058) discloses a single swivel design that may be rotated along the horizontal or vertical axes only on one side of the chair. The free end of the tray is attachable at the respective opposing arm of the chair, but in no manner does Koeser &#39;058 teach the ability to rotate the tray either vertically or horizontally along that arm to which the free end is attached. 
   That arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 113,402 (hereinafter Crandall &#39;402). Crandall &#39;402 discloses a baby carriage in which a barrier is hinged at both ends by a shaft and slot design. A shaft is shown extending upwards from both arms of the carriage and the barrier contains slots or bores configured to receive the vertically extending shafts, such that hinging is not possible when both shafts are engaged in their respective slots. For the barrier to swivel at either end, the barrier must be removed from both shafts, and only one shaft subsequently engaged into its respective slot. The barrier cannot be re-engaged without inserting both shafts into their respective slots either simultaneously or with significant deformation to one of the shafts. Further, Crandall &#39;402 cannot adjust the horizontal placement of the barrier relative to a child occupant of the seat. 
   A similar design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,140,211 (hereinafter Thomas &#39;211) wherein a swing contains a tray pivotably connected at one end and configured to be attached at the other. The removably attached end contains a slot and shaft-like arrangement, but similar to Crandall &#39;402, cannot independently rotate at either end and does not provide adjustability to account for a different sized occupant. 
   Several prior art patents have disclosed a single-swivel tray adapted to be attached to the arm of a chair, table or other base member. U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,526 discloses a single-swivel tray removably attached to an arm member for the purposes of providing health care. U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,737 discloses a similar single-swivel tray wherein the tray can be detached from a base member by the simple removal of two clips. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 1,324,503 discloses a single-swivel tray which can rotate away from the chair&#39;s occupant such that the occupant may place food on the tray and sit in the chair. The tray is subsequently rotated toward the occupant so the food may be accessed in a more comfortable dining fashion. U.S. Pat. No. 686,914 discloses a combination seat wherein single-swivel trays horizontally swing away from one fixed hinge. The seats contain book holders and other scholarly conveniences and are supported by a single post member. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned shortcomings and drawbacks associated with the prior art. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a dual swivel system in a booster chair such that the feeding tray may rotate about a connection with either of the opposing arms of the booster chair. 
   Another important object of the present invention is to provide a connection with both of the opposing arms of the booster chair which enables a symmetrical adjustment the feeding tray relative to a child occupant of the booster seat. 
   A still further object of the invention is to provide a connection with both of the opposing arms of the booster chair wherein the connection enables both the action of sliding adjustment along the arms of the feeding tray and swiveling of the feeding tray about either of the opposing arms. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a feeding seat and dual sided swinging feeding tray that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which, therefore, may be sold for a modest price while providing maximum convenience and versatility to its owner. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a booster seat for facilitating the feeding of an infant or child comprising a seat portion, a back support portion, a pair of arm rests and a tray having a first and a second spaced apart swivel joints wherein the first and second swivel joints are pivotally and releasably engaged with a respective opposing arm rest of the booster seat to permit rotation of the tray about either of the pair of arm rests. 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide a swivel joint for attaching a tray to a support member, the swivel joint comprising an engagement member, an engagement member receiver formed in the tray, a first rotational axis defined by a rotational engagement between the engagement member and receiver in the tray and wherein the engagement member comprises a first and a second relatively movable attachment portions to facilitate engagement and disengagement with the support member. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of attaching a tray to a support member via a swivel joint, the method comprising the steps of forming an engagement member, engaging the engagement member in an engagement member receiver formed in the tray to define the swivel joint, providing a first rotational axis defined by a rotational engagement between the engagement member and receiver in the tray to permit relative rotation between the engagement member and the receiver and forming the engagement member comprised of a first and a second relatively movable attachment portions to facilitate engagement and disengagement with the support member. 
   To accomplish these and other objects, the feeding seat of the present invention is made up of three major components, including the seat itself, the feeding tray, and the connections whereby the feeding tray is releasably coupled on both arm of the booster seat. 
   These and other objects and features of the present invention will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, shown in the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the assembled booster chair and swing tray; 
       FIG. 2  is a further perspective view of the booster seat and swing tray in a partially open configuration to one side; 
       FIG. 3  is a still further perspective view of the booster seat and swing tray in a partially open configuration to the opposing side; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of the underside of the swing tray and the biased detent portion of the swivel joint; 
       FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view of the underside of the swing tray and a slide and track portion of the swivel joint; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the underside of the swing tray and swivel joints; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of one of the swivel joints; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the underside of the swing tray and the pivot housing without the swivel joints; and 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an exploded view of an embodiment with a tray and joint combination. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Observing  FIG. 1 , a brief description concerning the various components of the present invention will now be discussed. As can be seen in this embodiment, an child booster seat  1  is comprised of a number of features, in general, a seat member  3  upon which a child would be seated is adjustably connected to a pair of opposing arm rests  5 , and a back member  7  is also adjustably attached to the pair of arms  5  via a pair of opposing hinge points  8  defining an axis of rotation for the back member  7 . A pivotable feeding tray  9  is connected to the arm rests  5  for holding food, utensils, toys, etc., or other items in front of the seated child and for use in feeding the child. 
   By way of general description, the back member  7  of the booster seat  1  is attached via the hinge points  8  to the opposing arm rests  5  and while generally aligned in a relative perpendicular manner to the seat member  3 , the back member  7  can be adjusted in a variety of ways about a hinge axis A defined by the hinge points  8  relative to the seat member  3  and the arm rests  5 . This rotation facilitates alternative positions of the booster and feeding chair  1 . For example, to accommodate collapsing of the booster seat  1  for storage or travel or for attaining a specific position for feeding an infant, the back member  7  can be rotated about the hinge axis A. For storage, the back member  7  can rotate forward about the hinge axis A to rest in a parallel planar relation with the seat member  3  such that the embodiment is compact and easily transportable. 
   While the hinge can be produced in a variety of ways, the present embodiment discloses a protrusion  11  extending from both sides of the back member  7 . The protrusion  11  is engaged with a cavity or passage formed in the respective arm rests  5  so as to captively retain the protrusion  11  therein and permit a desired range of motion of the back member  7  relative to the arm rests  5 , and seat member  3 . The protrusions  11  and the cavity or passage  13  define a hinge axis A about which the back member  7  rotates relative to the seat member  3  and the arm rests  5 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the seat member  3  is also adjustable to account for the changes in a child&#39;s height. A series of parallel and horizontal extending grooves  15  are formed in an inside portion of each of the arm rests  5 , adjacent a lower edge of the arm rests  5 . Any number of the horizontally extending grooves  15  being aligned vertically adjacent one another on each of the arm rests  5 . The seat member  3  has opposing side edges, which are formed to slidably mate with and be supported in relative opposing grooves  15  in each of the arm rests  5 . The height adjustment can be performed by slidably disengaging the seat member  3  from the opposing parallel grooves  15  in which it is currently supported, i.e., sliding the seat member  3  out the front of the booster chair  1  from between the arm rests  5 , and reinserting the seat member  3  by simply pushing it into another desired pair of opposing grooves  15  at a different height. 
   A protruding corner portion  17  of the sides of the seat member  3  are configured to be received in a front slot  19  formed in the arm rests  5 , such that the seat member  3  and arms  5  interlock. The seat member  3  may be provided with a crotch restraint  21  on a forward edge thereof to allow a child&#39;s legs to hang across the forward edge of the booster seat  1  and restrain the child from sliding off and over the forward edge of the seat member  3  and out of the booster seat  1 . The seat member  3  can also contain at least one aperture  23  for the insertion of a retention strap to further secure the child and/or the booster seat  1  to a more stable support such as a chair, table or base structure. 
   As discussed above, the arm rests  5  function as main support components to which the seat member  3 , protrusions  11  and back member  7  engage and interlock. The arm rests  5  also define a top edge which is arranged at a height relative to the bottom edge and the horizontally extending grooves which will assist in retaining a seated child in the booster seat  1 . The top edge of the arm rests  5  serves not only as a support for a child&#39;s arms, but also to support the pivotable feeding tray  9  as discussed in further detail below. Additionally, apertures may be formed in the arm rests  5 , usually near the lower edge thereof, to allow for a strap or plurality of straps to better fasten the booster seat  1  into a more stable position with a supporting chair or other support. 
   An important part of the present invention is the pivotable feeding tray  9  upon which generally the food and utensils or even play toy articles for an infant, toddler or child are supported. The tray  9  has a top surface which can be substantially flat and/or provided with a depression defined by a circuitous raised edge to assist in maintaining such articles on the top surface of the tray  9 . The depression can be formed in a variety of shapes to accommodate particular articles, for example, cups and bowls, and also to provide such space as necessary to accommodate the swing joints  31  as described in further detail below. 
   The tray  9  has an outer edge  25  which may be provided in a variety of shapes. In the described embodiment, the outer edge  25  comprises an arcuate inner edge and a similar arcuate outer edge joined by a hyperbolic, curved edge on each side of the tray  9 . It is to be appreciated that the outer edge  25  could be any number of different and ergonomic shapes and consists of multiple edges, e.g., rectangle or a hexagon. 
   The tray  9  is connected to the booster seat  1 , via a pair of spaced apart swivel joints  31 , generally connected and located on an underside of the feeding tray  9 . The critical features of the present embodiment is that the feeding tray  9  can pivot or swivel about either of the swivel joints  31  relative to the booster seat  1  and also adjust in a horizontal and parallel manner relative to the back member  7  and hence the child accommodated in the booster seat  1 . The feeding tray  9  is thus equally adjustable on each side by way of the swivel joints  31 , which not only permit the rotation of the feeding tray  9  about one or the other swivel joints  31  relative to the booster seat  1 , but also facilitate the horizontal and parallel adjustment of the feeding tray  9  relative to the back member  7  as well. 
   Horizontal and parallel adjustment of the feeding tray  9  is accomplished by moving the feeding tray  9  either closer to or farther from the seat member  3  by actuation of both swivel joints  31  at the same time and moving both sides of the tray  9  in a parallel manner either closer to or farther away from the back member  7  in a way for which a more complete description is provided below. The feeding tray  9  and booster seat  1  is, therefore, able to safely accommodate almost any size the child in the seat  1 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the feeding tray  9  can pivot about either of the spaced apart swivel joints  31  while the opposite swivel joint  31  is released from engagement with the booster seat  1 . Turning to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , one of the swivel joints  31  is shown engaged with the arm rest  5 . On one side, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the swivel joint  31  is provided with a spring biased detent  33  for selectively engaging a notch  36  formed in the outer side of the arm rest  5  and an ergonomic grip  35  may be provided as an actuator for the spring biased detent  33 . 
   On the opposing side of the swivel joint  31 , as seen in  FIG. 5 , the swivel joint  31  is provided with a slide  37  for engaging in a track  39  formed on an inner side of the arm rest  5 . The slide  37  is generally held fixed, relative to the tray  9 , when the spring biased detent  33  is actuated to enable parallel adjustment of the tray  9 . The slide  37  thus generally remains engaged with the track  39  in the arm rest  5  during adjustment of the tray  9 . 
   Thus, with one of these swivel joints  31  on each arm rest  5  of the booster seat  1 , the feeding tray  9  can be horizontally and parallel adjusted for accommodating different sized occupants by actuating the spring biased detent  33  on each of the spaced apart swivel joints  31  into a non-engaged position with the notch  36 , and sliding the swivel joint  31 , slide  37  and feeding tray  9  along the track  39  formed in the arm rest  5  into a desired position relative to the seat back  7 . Also, with the pair of swivel joints  31  in the non-engaged position, the feeding tray  9  may even be removed completely from slidable engagement with the booster seat  1  to facilitate cleaning or removal of the occupant. 
   When an appropriate adjustment of the feeding tray  9  relative to the back member  7  or the occupant is completed, the spring biased detent  33  is released and the detent is springably biased into the engaged position in a respective notch  36  in the arm rest  5  for securing the feeding tray  9  in the desired position. 
   Besides being slidable, the swivel joints  31  also allow the feeding tray  9  to swing about one or the other of the opposed swivel joints  31 . To understand this feature of the invention, we provide the following description relative to the engagement of the swivel joint  31  in the feeding tray  9 . The feeding tray  9  is configured to receive each of the swivel joints  31  generally in the underside of the tray  9  itself. A pair of pivot housings  41  are formed on an underside portion of the feeding tray  9  wherein the swivel joint  31  can reside. As seen in  FIG. 6 , the pivot housings  41  can be circular in design to correspond with the arcuate or circular motion of the swivel joint  31 . The pivot housing  41  has at least an outer wall  43  for generally circumferentially containing the swivel joint  31  assembly therein. A central passage  45  for receiving an appropriate portion of the swivel joint  31  is formed in the pivot housing  41 , and the central passage  45  may extend partially or completely through the feeding tray  9 , as shown. Where the central passage  45  extends all the way through the feeding tray  9 , a cap or cover may be provided on the top surface of the feeding tray  9  to cover the swivel joint  31  and the passage  13  from the occupant and for other aesthetic and functional conditions, as necessary. 
   The pivot housing  41  may also include an intermediate guide wall  47  and an intermediate stop  49 . The intermediate stop  49  may be a partially circumferential wall or other such protrusion as is known in the art. The intermediate stop  49  depends downwards from the pivot housing  41  and provides a stop  49  or abutment against which an appropriate portion of the swivel joint  31  abuts to stop the rotation of the swivel joint  31 , and hence the feeding tray  9 , relative to the pivot housing  41 . For all intensive purposes, the swivel joint  31  rotates within the pivot housing  41 , however in use, the swivel joint  31  is biasely engaged by the spring biased detent  33  against the arm rests  5  of the booster seat  1  and the feeding tray  9  and the swivel housing formed therein, are rotated about the swivel joint  31 . The intermediate stop  49  is necessary to maintain the rotation of the feeding tray  9  within proscribed limits when one swivel joint  31  is released to permit rotation of the feeding tray  9  about the other swivel joint  31 . 
   The swivel joint  31  nests within the pivot housing  41  and is secured therein by a stem  38  extending from the swivel joint  31  and being received within the central passage  45  in the pivot housing  41 . Observing  FIG. 7 , the swivel joint  31  is composed of two relatively moveable portions, a slide portion  51  and a detent portion  53 . The slide portion  51  includes the slide  37  as discussed above, and correspondingly the detent portion  53  includes the springably biased detent  33  as also discussed above. The slide portion  51  has a base  55  with an upper surface  57  and a lower surface  59 . The slide  37  depends from the lower surface  59  and can be generally formed as an L-shaped member which is attached to the lower surface  59  of the base  55  near an outer edge thereof. 
   The upper surface  57  of the base  55  supports the stem  38  which is shown in the present embodiment as a cylinder having a series of axial slots formed therein to provide the cylinder with a modicum of radial flexibility. The stem  38 , along with the central passage  45 , defines a swivel axis S about which the feeding tray  9  and/or the swivel joint  31  rotate with respect to one another. Also a free end of the stem  38  is provided with a catch  61 , for instance, a slope portion and a ledge portion, for securing the stem  38 , and hence the swivel joint  31 , within a lip  62  or edge of the central passage  45  in the pivot housing  41 . 
   Also positioned on the upper surface  57  of the base  55  are a pair of hinge supports  63  located on either side of the stem  38 , and a pair of detent engagements  65  also spaced apart on either side of the stem  38  and radially beyond the hinge supports  63 . The hinge supports  63  engage a corresponding hinge arms  67  of the detent portion  53  so as to define a pivot hinge axis h about which the slide portion  51  and the detent portion  53  are relatively hinged. The detent portion  53  also supports a spring mechanism  69  in the present embodiment a leaf spring, although other types of biasing mechanisms could be used as well, which is sandwiched between the detent portion  53  so as to bias the ergonomic grip  35  and the detent  53  against the underside of the feeding tray  9  and about the pivot hinge axis h so as to provide spring bias to the detent portion  53  when the swivel joint  31  is secured within the pivot housing  41 . 
   When the stem  38  is affixed within the central passage  45  and the swivel joint  31  is then secured in the pivot housing  41  the leaf spring pushes the detent portion into engagement with the notch in the arm rest so as to secure the swivel joint to the arm rest. The ergonomic grip provides a surface for a user to pull up on against the inherent bias of the leaf spring and rotate the detent portion  53  relative to the slide portion  51  about the pivot hinge axis h and so as to release the detent  53  from engagement with the notch  36  and permit sliding movement of the swivel joint  31  relative to the arm rest  5 . It is to be noted that the pivot hinge axis h about which the detent portion  53  rotates, is perpendicularly aligned relative to the swivel axis S about which the entire swivel joint  31  rotates relative to the feeding tray  9 . These axes which provide the dual capability of the swivel and adjustment features of the present invention can be positioned perpendicular intersecting or offset from another as well. 
   To assemble the feeding tray  9  and swivel joint  31 , the swivel joint  31  including the detent portion  53  hingedly connected to the slide portion  51  is inserted within the outer wall  43  of the pivot housing  41 . The stem  38  is inserted within the central passage  45  until a point where the sloped end and ledge engage a correspondingly opposed lip  62  formed in the passage  45  so as to axially secure the stem  38  within the central passage  45 . This coupling occurs because the slots  40  permit a degree of elasticity to the cylindrical stem  38  and permit the free end of the stem  38  to be axially affixed by the opposing lip  62  in the central passage  45 . This arrangement, of course, still permits relative radial rotation between the stem  38  and the central passage  45  about the swivel axis S defined by the stem  38 . With the stem  38  thus engaged, the swivel joint  31  is prevented from moving further axial movement because of the base  55  of the slide portion  51  being braced against a bottom edge of the inner wall defining the central passage  45  in the pivot housing  41 . 
   With the swivel engaged in the pivot housing  41 , as described above, the detent engagement  65  is provided with a snap fitting which extends in a substantially perpendicular direction from the base  55  and can be of almost any shape so long as it can make physical contact with a detent  75  formed in the pivot housing  41 . The outer wall  43  of the pivot housing  41  is provided with the detent  75 , which for example includes a slight rib formed on a segmented portion of the outer wall  43  to provide some inherent flexibility to the rib relative to the detent engagement  65  and snap fitting. When the swivel joint is rotated relative to the pivot housing  41  to a desired point, the snap fitting of the detent engagement  65  engages with the rib in the detent  75  and locks the swivel joint  31  into a relative position to the pivot housing  41  and hence the tray. This maintains the swivel joint in a desired position relative to the tray  9  so that for example after removal of the tray from the booster seat the swivel joint  31  does not move in the pivot housing  41 , and the tray  9  can thus be easily engaged via attachment of the swivel joints  31  to the arm rests  5  with the booster seat. The locking action of the detent  75  and detent engagement  65  can be generally overcome by providing a slight force to overcome the engagement of these elements in a swiveling operation of the tray. 
   In addition, the stop  49  is radially centered about the swivel axis defined by the stem  38  and the central passage  45  at about the same radius as the hinge supports  63  on the base  55  so that at a desired point in the relative rotation of the swivel joint  3 ′ and the feeding tray  9 , the stop  49  and the hinge supports  63  will abut and impede further relative rotation in at least one direction. It is to be appreciated that the stop  49  and the hinge supports  63  are circumferentially spaced in a manner so as to provide a desired rotational freedom to the feeding tray  9 . Although the stops  49  and hinge supports  63  may be provided in some circumferential spacing to account for different rotation angles, a preferred freedom of rotation or angle range for the feeding tray  9  is between about 60-180 degrees and more preferably about 120 degrees. 
   Thus, in use the feeding tray  9  as secured in an in-use position relative to an occupant of the booster seat  1  where the spaced apart swivel joints  31  define a vector therebetween which is parallel to the back member  7 . When one of the swivel joints  31  is released from engagement with the respective arm rest  5 , the feeding tray  9  is free to swing about the other opposite swivel joint  31 . The feeding tray  9  can swing freely about the swivel or may be inhibited to a desired angle of rotation by the stop  49  and hinge supports  63  in the swivel joint  31  and the pivot housing  41 . For example, the stop  49  and hinge supports  63  may be placed in such a position that the feeding tray  9  cannot rotate towards an occupant of the booster seat  1  past the parallel vector position, nor away from an occupant more than 120 degrees so as to facilitate removal of the occupant of the booster seat  1 . 
   Concerning the back  7 , base  55 , and arms  5  of the seat  1 , all of these structural members can be constructed of polymeric or composite materials, and can be produced by the processes of, for example, extrusion, injection molding, compression molding, or conventional machining. While a variety of different processes and materials can be used in the present invention, the above simply illustrate a preferred material arrangement. 
   Since certain changes may be made in the above description without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all of the subject matter of the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted merely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shall not be construed as limiting the invention.

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