Disposable cover for a high chair tray

Abstract

A cover for a tray of a high chair. The cover comprises a unitary cover member formed from a preselected material and having a predetermined shape for covering an entire upper surface and outer edges and a predetermined portion of an underside of such tray of such high chair adjacent such outer edges thereof and a means engageable with such predetermined portion of such underside of such tray for securing such unitary cover member to such tray of such high chair.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/699,142 filed Jul. 14, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to a cover for a high chair tray, and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a disposable cover for a high chair tray for providing a germ free, clean eating surface that is quick and easy to use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most parents and caregivers who deal with small children find themselves cleaning up after children constantly, especially after meals. When a child eats in a high chair., the tray becomes dirtied almost immediately. This constant cleaning causes parents to miss many enjoyable moments they could be spending with their children.

The high chair cleanliness is even more of a problem in public settings such as restaurants. Customers can never be absolutely certain of the cleanliness of the tray of the high chair that is provided by the restaurant for the child, since many times the tray is just wiped between uses.

Thus, it would be advantageous for parents of little children if there were a convenient and simple means of covering the tray of a high chair that could be used both at home or when eating out at a restaurant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention provides a cover for a tray of a high chair. The cover comprises a unitary cover member formed from a preselected material and having a predetermined shape for covering an entire upper surface and outer edges of such tray and a predetermined portion of an underside of such tray of such high chair adjacent such outer edges thereof and a means engageable with such predetermined portion of such tray of such high chair for securing such unitary cover member to such tray of such high chair.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a cover for the tray of a high chair.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for a tray of a high chair that is disposable.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for a tray of a high chair that is made of plastic.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a cover for a tray of a high chair that utilizes a drawstring to secure the cover to the tray.

These and various other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent after a full reading of the following detailed description, particularly, when read in conjunction with the attached drawings as described below and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the top portion of the cover according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the underside portion of the cover shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cover shown in FIG. 1 mounted on a tray of a high chair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding with the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, identical components which have identical functions have been designated by identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawings.

In a first aspect the present invention provides a cover, generally designated 10, for a tray of a high chair. The cover 10 comprises a unitary cover member 2 formed from a preselected material and having a predetermined shape for covering an entire upper surface and outer edges and a predetermined portion of an underside of such tray of such high chair adjacent such outer edges thereof and a means, generally designated 20, engageable with such predetermined portion of such underside of such tray for securing such unitary cover member 2 to such tray of such high chair.

Such means 20 for securing said cover to such predetermined portion of such underside of such tray of such high chair includes a drawstring 4 which extends around a periphery of a bottom portion of the unitary cover member 2.

The drawstring 4 further includes a means 6 for tightening the drawstring 4 so as to tightly secure the unitary cover member 2 to such tray of such high chair. Such means includes a clip 6 which can slide along such drawstring 4 to tighten the drawstring 4 to the desired tightness.

It is within the scope of the invention that such cover member can be either disposable or reusable. It is preferred that regardless of whether such unitary cover member is disposable or reusable that it be made of plastic. However, it is preferred that if the cover member is disposable that such plastic be a thinner plastic and that such plastic be polyethylene. If the cover is reusable then such plastic would be thicker and more substantial and would be selected from a group that includes polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and poly vinyl chloride. It is presently preferred that such plastic is polypropylene and even more preferred that such polypropylene be a polypropylene polyethylene impact type copolymer.

Further it is preferred that such predetermined shape of such unitary cover member 2 be substantially the shape of such tray of such high chair. This shape would be substantially rectangular but having slight curvature to the length portions of the substantially rectangular shape so as to conform to such tray of such high chair.

It is also within the scope of the invention that such unitary cover member 2 be made in various colors so to appeal to an infant. Further, it is preferred that the cover member 2 include various designs that appeal to infants disposed thereon. Such designs include blocks, balls, animals, nursery figures, and cartoon characters.

Thus, the present invention provides a means of insuring that the tray of a high chair is clean and free from germs whether it is the tray of a high chair at home or at a restaurant. Since many times at a restaurant the high chair tray is simply wiped off it may present a surface full of germs. The present invention can be used to cover the tray with a disposable cover that fits snugly over the tray and provides the child with a clean surface. After the meal the cover can be just disposed of. Similarly at home the cover could either be disposable or reusable. If the cover is disposable that the action would be the same as at the restaurant. If the cover member is reusable the parent or whoever is feeding the infant could clean the cover thoroughly and save it for another use.

As stated previously such cover would come in various colors and have designs that appeal to children imprinted thereon with either blocks, balls, animals, nursery figures, and cartoon characters.

While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments of the present invention has been described in detail above, it should be understood that various other adaptations and/or modifications of the invention can be made by those persons who are particularly skilled in the art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cover for a tray of a high chair, said cover comprising:

(a) a unitary cover member formed from a preselected material and having a predetermined shape for covering an entire upper surface and outer edges of such tray and a predetermined portion of an underside of such tray of such high chair adjacent such outer edges thereof; and

(b) a means engageable with said predetermined portion of said underside of such tray of such high chair for securing said unitary cover member to such tray of such high chair.

2. The cover, according to claim 1, wherein said means for securing said unitary cover member to such tray of such high chair includes a drawstring.

3. The cover, according to claim 2, wherein said drawstring further includes a means for tightening said drawstring so as to tightly secure said unitary cover member to such tray of such high chair.

4. The cover, according to claim 3, wherein said means for tightening said drawstring includes a clip.

5. The cover, according to claim 1, wherein said unitary cover member is disposable.

6. The cover, according to claim 5, wherein said preselected material for said disposable unitary cover member is plastic.

7. The cover, according to claim 6, wherein said plastic is polyethylene.

8. The cover, according to claim 1, wherein said unitary cover member is reusable.

9. The cover, according to claim 8, wherein said reusable unitary cover member is made of plastic.

10. The cover, according to claim 9, wherein said plastic is selected from a group including polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and poly vinyl chloride.

11. The cover, according to claim 10, wherein said plastic is polypropylene.

12. The cover, according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined shape is substantially a shape of such tray of such high chair.

13. The cover, according to claim 12, wherein said predetermined shape is substantially rectangular but having slight curvature to length portions of said substantially rectangular shape so as to conform to such tray of such high chair.

14. The cover, according to claim 1, wherein said unitary cover is formed in various colors.

15. The cover, according to claim 1, wherein said unitary cover further includes designs appealing to infants disposed on said unitary cover.

16. The cover, according to claim 15, wherein said designs include blocks, balls, animals, nursery figures, and cartoon characters.