JUVENILE SEAT WITH ADJUSTABLE TABLE

- COSCO MANAGEMENT, INC.

A juvenile seat includes a base formed to include a seat bottom and a feeding table mounted for movement on the base toward and away from a juvenile seated on the seat bottom of the base. The feeding table can be locked to the base in one of several extended and retracted positions.

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Description

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/829,696, filed Oct. 17, 2006, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to juvenile seats and, in particular, to seats including movable trays. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a juvenile booster seat including a seat back and a tray that is movable toward and away from the seat back.

SUMMARY

A juvenile seat in accordance with the present disclosure includes a base formed to include a seat bottom and a backrest, a feeding table, and a feeding table lock. The feeding table is mounted on the base for movement relative to the base toward and away from the backrest. The feeding table lock is coupled to the feeding table and is configured to mate with one of several anchor sockets formed in the base (under the control of a caregiver) to block movement of the feeding table relative to the base.

In illustrative embodiments, the base further includes first and second arm supports arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the seat bottom therebetween. The feeding table includes a tray and separate left and right slide arms coupled to the tray. The tray is movable relative to the seat bottom between a retracted position close to a juvenile seated on the seat bottom and an extended position away from the seated juvenile in response to sliding movement of the right slide arm relative to the first arm support in the base and sliding movement of the left slide arm relative to the second arm support in the base.

In illustrative embodiments, the feeding table lock includes a movable base grabber included in each of the left and right slide arms. Each movable base grabber is configured to include an anchor sized to fit into companion anchor sockets formed in the base. The feeding table lock also includes an anchor-release actuator coupled to the movable base grabbers included in each of the left and right slide arms. A caregiver can use the anchor-release actuator to move the anchors in the base grabbers either (1) into the anchor sockets formed in the base to lock the feeding table in either a retracted or extended position relative to the base or (2) out of the anchor sockets formed in the base to free the feeding table for inward or outward sliding movement relative to the base.

In illustrative embodiments, each base grabber includes an arm retainer carrying front and rear anchors sized to extend upwardly into anchor sockets formed in a stationary arm mount sleeve housed in a hollow portion of the base. Each base grabber also includes a retainer mover that is movable to provide means for raising the arm retainer to project the front and rear anchors into anchor sockets formed in the base to lock the feeding table in a first feeding position relative to the base and for lowering the arm retainer to withdraw the front and rear anchors from anchor sockets to unlock the feeding table so that it is free to be moved relative to the base to another feeding position.

In illustrative embodiments, the feeding table includes a tray and left and right tray mounts fixed to the underside of the tray. Each tray mount is arranged to slide back and forth in a companion stationary arm mount sleeve included in the base to change the feeding position of the feeding table. One base grabber is mounted for movement in the right tray mount and arranged to cooperate with the right tray mount to provide the right slide arm in the feeding tray. Another base grabber is mounted for movement in the left tray mount and arranged to cooperate with the left tray mount to provide the left slide arm. An operator can move the arm retainer (and the front and rear anchors) provided in each of the left and right slide arms to lock and unlock the feeding tray by moving the anchor-release actuator to cause movement of the retainer mover and the arm retainer included in each base grabber relative to the companion tray mount.

Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the disclosure exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a juvenile booster seat provided with a “table-adjustment” feature including a feeding table lock in accordance with the present disclosure to enable a caregiver to locate a feeding table mounted on a seat base for movement toward and away from a backrest coupled to the seat base in various positions relative to the backrest as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2-4;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the juvenile booster seat of FIG. 1 showing the table in a “retracted” position a first distance away from the backrest;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the table in a “middle” position a greater second distance away from the backrest;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the table in an “extended” position a still greater third distance away from the backseat;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective assembly view of components included in the juvenile booster seat of FIG. 1 showing that the movable feeding table includes a tray supported on spaced-apart left and right slide arms, each slide arm including a tray mount coupled to the underside of the tray and configured to slide back and forth in an arm-receiver channel formed in a companion arm mount sleeve sized to fit into the cavity formed in the seat base to change the position of the tray relative to the backrest, and each slide arm also including an arm retainer lying in a passageway provided in a companion tray mount and having anchors configured to (1) extend upwardly into anchor sockets formed in a companion arm mount sleeve as suggested, for example, in FIGS. 11 and 14 to retain the table in a fixed position relative to the seat base and (2) withdraw from the anchor sockets as suggested, for example, in FIGS. 12 and 13 to allow relative sliding movement between each slide arm and its companion arm mount sleeve to facilitate repositioning of the tray relative to the backrest;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view showing top and bottom shells included in the right arm mount sleeve before that sleeve is mounted in a shell included in the seat base and showing the movable feeding table, with portions broken away, to reveal a first base grabber mounted for movement in the right arm mount sleeve and configured to include an arm retainer including upwardly extending front and rear anchors;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGS. 6 and 11 showing the right slide arm in a companion right arm mount sleeve coupled to first and second foundation panels included in a mount foundation formed in the seat base;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective assembly view of the movable feeding table of FIGS. 1-6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the base grabber included in the right slide arm and showing the right arm retainer of FIGS. 6-8 along with a rear portion of a retainer mover showing two mover posts included in the retainer mover and sized to extend into two slots formed in the arm retainer;

FIG. 10 is a “reverse” perspective view of the “base grabber” components shown in FIG. 9;

FIGS. 11-14 show movement of the movable feeding table relative to the seat base from the retracted position shown in FIG. 2 to the middle position shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 1 showing elevation of the arm retainer included in the base grabber of the right slide arm to extend the rear anchor upwardly into the first anchor socket formed in the right arm mount sleeve and to extend the front anchor upwardly into the second anchor socket formed in the right arm mount sleeve;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11 showing lowering of the arm retainer included in the base grabber of the right slide arm to withdraw the front and rear anchors from the first and second anchor sockets so that the right slide arm is free to move in the companion arm mount sleeve relative to the seat base;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 11 and 12 showing sliding movement of the feeding table (to the left) to assume the middle position; and

FIG. 14 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 11-13 showing elevation of the arm retainer in the base grabber of the right slide arm to extend the rear anchor upwardly into the second anchor socket formed in the right arm mount sleeve and to extend the front anchor upwardly into the third anchor socket formed in the right arm mount sleeve so that the feeding table is retained in the middle position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A juvenile seat 10 in accordance with the present disclosure includes a base 12 formed to include a seat bottom 13 and mounted on an underlying foundation 14, a backrest 16 extending upwardly from base 12, and a feeding table 18 as shown, for example, in FIG. 1. Feeding table 18 is mounted on base 12 for movement toward and away from backrest 16 to assume various feeding positions as suggested in FIGS. 2-4. Juvenile seat 10 also includes a feeding table lock 20 that is coupled to feeding table 18 and base 12 and configured to “lock” feeding table 18 to base 12 in any one of several predetermined feeding positions. Feeding table lock 20 can be operated to “unlock” feeding table 18 as suggested in FIGS. 12 and 13 so that feeding table 18 can be moved from one locked position (shown, for example, in FIG. 11) to another locked position (shown, for example, in FIG. 14).

Base 12 includes seat bottom 13 and right and left wings 15, 17 arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate seat bottom 13 therebetween as shown best in FIG. 5. Right wing 15 includes a first arm support 21 and an arm mount sleeve 24 coupled to first arm support 21 as suggested in FIGS. 5 and 11-14. Left wing 17 includes a second arm support 22 and an arm mount sleeve 26 coupled to second arm support 22 as suggested in FIG. 5.

First and second arm supports 21, 22 of base 12 are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate seat bottom 13 therebetween as suggested in FIG. 5. First and second arm supports 21, 22 rise upwardly from seat bottom 13 and are configured to receive and hold arm mount sleeves 24, 26 to define right and left wings 13, 15 of base 12 as suggested in FIG. 5. Arm mount sleeves 24, 26 are configured to mate with right and left slide arms 23, 25 included in feeding table 18 (as suggested in FIG. 5) to facilitate motion of feeding table 18 relative to base 12.

Feeding table 18 also includes a tray 44 coupled to right and left slide arms 23, 25 to move therewith relative to base 12 as the position of feeding table 18 relative to base 12 is changed. Right slide arm 23 is configured to slide back and forth in arm mount sleeve 24 in right wing 13. Left slide arm 25 is configured to slide back and forth in arm mount sleeve 26 in left wing 15.

Each of first and second arm supports 21, 22 in base 12 is formed to include an interior region 27 sized to receive one of arm mount sleeves 24, 26 therein and accessed through front opening 28 formed in base 12. Each of first and second wings 15, 17 also includes a sleeve foundation 29 located in interior region 27 and configured to mate with a companion one or both of the first and second arm mount sleeves 24, 26 to fix such sleeve 24 or 26 in a stationary position in base 12.

As suggested in FIGS. 5 and 6, first arm mount sleeve 24 includes an elongated top shell 30 configured to mate with an elongated bottom shell 36 to form a right slide arm-receiver channel 38 therein. Top shell 30 is formed to include, in series, a first anchor socket 31, a second anchor socket 32, a third anchor socket 33, and a fourth anchor socket 34 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 11-14. Each anchor socket 31, 32, 33, and 34 is sized and located to receive either a front anchor 41 or a rear anchor 42 included in an arm retainer 40 provided in feeding table lock 20 to lock feeding table 18 to base 12 in a selected feeding position as shown, for example, in FIG. 11 and also in FIG. 14. Second arm mount sleeve 26 has a configuration that is similar to first arm mount sleeve 24.

As suggested in FIG. 6, top and bottom shells 30, 36 are mated to create first arm mount sleeve 24. Then, first arm mount sleeve 24 is inserted into interior region 27 through front opening 28 and located in a space between several vertical foundation posts 29r comprising sleeve foundation 29 as suggested in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the illustrated embodiment, two rows of spaced-apart vertical foundation posts 29′ are provided in a hollow region 27 of each arm support 21, 22 as suggested in FIGS. 5-7. Fasteners 39 are used to couple bottom shell 36 to foundation 29. As suggested in FIG. 7, in an illustrative embodiment, bottom shell 36 includes first and second flanges 36a, 36b and each flange is formed to include a fastener receiver aperture 37. Each fastener 39 extends through one of the fastener receiver apertures 37 into a bore 35 formed in foundation post 29′ to hold bottom shell 36 in a fixed position relative to top shell 30 as suggested in FIG. 7.

As shown best in FIG. 8, feeding table 18 includes a tray 44 comprising a tray top 46 and a tray bottom 48. Feeding table 18 also includes right slide arm 23 and left slide arm 25 and feeding table lock 20 also includes anchor-release actuator 50 mounted for movement on the underside of tray 44. As suggested in FIGS. 12 and 13, anchor-release actuator 50 is coupled by means of a base grabber and, illustratively, a retainer mover 64 (included in each slide arm 23, 25) to each arm retainer 40 so that anchor-release actuator 50 can be moved by an operator 53 to cause first and second anchors 41, 42 in each arm retainer 40 to disengage two companion anchor sockets 31, 32, 33, or 34 to unlock feeding table 18 so it can move relative to base 12 from one predetermined feeding position to another.

Tray top 46 includes a perimeter rim 54 surrounding a top surface 56 formed to include several upwardly opening receptacles as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 8. Rim 54 includes a rear wall 58 facing toward backrest 16 as suggested in FIG. 1. This rear wall 58 of rim 54 moves toward and away from backrest 16 during movement of feeding table 18 relative to backrest 16 as suggested in FIG. 1. In an illustrative embodiment, feeding table 18 is configured to move among a “retracted” position as shown in FIG. 2, a “middle” position as shown in FIG. 3, and an “extended” position as shown in FIG. 4. The retracted position is characterized by a short first distance 181 from a leading edge of backrest 16, the middle position is characterized by a longer second distance 182, and the extended position is characterized by a still longer third distance 183 as suggested in FIGS. 2-4.

Right slide arm 23 of feeding table 18 includes a right tray mount 60 and a movable first base grabber 123 as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 8. Left slide arm 25 of feeding table 18 includes a left tray mount 60 and a movable second base grabber 125 as suggested in FIG. 8.

Each tray mount 60 of right and left slide arms 23, 25 comprises an inner frame 61 and an outer frame 62 as shown in FIG. 8. Inner and outer frames 61, 62 cooperate to define a passageway 38 therebetween as suggested in FIGS. 7 and 11-14 and base grabber 123 is configured to move back and forth in that passageway 38 as suggested in FIGS. 11-14. Base grabber 123 comprises an arm retainer 40, a retainer mover 64, and an anchor-projection spring 66 as shown, for example, diagrammatically in FIG. 5 and illustratively in FIG. 8. Each of the tray mounts 60 are configured to mate with companion mount-receiving fixtures 68 provided on the underside of tray top 46 as suggested in FIG. 8. Suitable fasteners (not shown) are used to couple each tray mount 60 to a companion fixture 68.

As suggested in FIGS. 8 and 11-14, the arm retainers 40, retainer movers 64, and anchor-projection springs 66 included in bar grabbers 123, 125 in right and left slide arms 23, 25 move relative to tray top 46 and to the tray mounts 60 during locking and unlocking of feeding table 18. Anchor-release actuator 50 can be operated as suggested in FIGS. 12 and 13 to slide the retainer movers 64 inside the tray mounts 60 to cause movement of the arm retainers 40 relative to base 12 so as to withdraw the front and rear anchors 41, 42 from anchor sockets 31, 32, 33, or 34 and “unlock” feeding table 18 so that feeding table 18 can be moved relative to base 12 among the various feeding positions shown, for example, in FIGS. 2-4. In the illustrated embodiment, the retainer mover 64 and anchor-projection spring 66 included in each bar grabber 123, 125 cooperate to define a linkage 52 associated with a companion arm retainer 40 and anchor-release actuator 50.

Retainer mover 64 includes a driver section 70 coupled to arm retainer 40, a tether section 72 coupled to anchor-release actuator 50, and a middle section 71 interconnecting driver and tether sections 70, 72 as suggested in FIGS. 8 and 11-14. Tether section 72 includes a horizontal flange 74 carrying a downwardly extending post 75 sized to extend into a post receiver 76 formed in anchor-release actuator 50 as suggested in FIG. 8 so that retainer mover 64 is coupled to anchor-release actuator 50 for movement therewith relative to tray top 46 and tray mount 60 as suggested in FIGS. 11-14. Middle section 71 includes a first spring mount 69 coupled to one end of anchor-projection spring 66 and is formed to include a horizontal guide slot 77 as shown in FIG. 8. Guide slot 77 is sized to receive a guide post 92 included in tray mount 60 and coupled to outer frame 60 as suggested in FIGS. 8 and 11-14. Guide slot 77 and guide post 92 mate and cooperate to define means for guiding reciprocating movement of retainer mover 64 in the passageway formed in the companion tray mount 60 as suggested in FIGS. 11-14. Driver section 70 includes a rail 73 and forward and rearward mover posts 78, 79 cantilevered to rail 73 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 8-10.

As shown best in FIGS. 9 and 10, arm retainer 40 includes an anchor base 82 that is formed to include a forward post-receiver slot 88 sized to receive forward mover post 78 therein and a rearward post-receiver slot 89 sized to receive rearward mover post 79 therein. Each slot 88, 89 is a “checkmark-shaped” slot in the illustrated embodiment shown in FIGS. 9-14. Each slot 88, 89 includes a lower driven surface 85 and an opposing upper driven surface 86 as shown best in FIG. 9.

Anchor base 82 also includes a bottom wall 83 and a top wall 84. Bottom wall 83 is adapted to slide on or relative to a bottom wall 80 of bottom shell 36 during movement of retainer mover 64 relative to arm mount sleeve 24 as suggested in FIGS. 7 and 11-14. Top wall 84 is coupled to front and rear anchors 41, 42. Anchor base 82 also includes a thin base plate 185 formed to include both of the slots 88, 89 and bottom wall 83 and a relatively thicker top plate 186 overlying base plate 185 and including top wall 84. Top plate 186 includes a downwardly facing “sawtooth-shaped” ridge 87 configured to mate with a complementary ridge 187 formed on rail 80 of driven member 70 of retainer mover 64 as suggested, for example, in FIGS. 9 and 10.

As suggested in FIGS. 8 and 10, inner frame 61 of tray mount 60 includes a second spring mount 90 coupled to another end of anchor-projection spring 66. In an illustrative embodiment, spring 66 is a coiled extension spring as shown in FIG. 8. Spring 66 is configured normally to urge retainer mover 64 in direction 166 relative to feeding table 18 to assume an “extended” position wherein front and rear anchors 41, 42 on arm retainer 40 extend upwardly into a pair of anchor sockets (e.g., 31, 32) formed in arm mount sleeve 24 to lock feeding table 18 to base 12 as shown in FIG. 11.

A user 53 can pull on finger grip 150 to move anchor-release actuator 50 in an opposite direction 250 to pull retainer mover 64 in that same direction 250 (and stretch spring 66) to assume a “retracted” position. In the retracted position, front and rear anchors 41, 42 on arm retainer 40 are withdrawn from the pair of anchor sockets (e.g., 31, 32) formed in arm mount sleeve 24 to unlock feeding table 18 for sliding movement relative to base 12 as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

When the user 53 releases the finger grip, then anchor-projection spring 66 will urge retainer mover 64 once again in direction 166 to move arm retainer 40 upwardly to extend front and rear anchors 41, 42 into a new pair of anchor sockets (e.g., 32 and 33) as shown in FIG. 14. This will cause feeding table 18 to be locked in a new position relative to base 12.

As suggested in FIGS. 11-14, retainer mover 64 is mounted to slide back and forth in an arm-receiver channel 38 formed in arm mount sleeve 24. A pin 92 coupled to inner frame 62 of tray mount 60 as shown in FIG. 8 is arranged to extend into and slide back and forth in horizontal guide slot 77 formed in middle section 71 of retainer mover 64 as shown in FIGS. 11-14 to guide movement of retainer mover 64 relative to its companion tray mount 60.

An illustrative sequence provided in FIGS. 11-14 shows movement of feeding table 18 from a retracted position in FIG. 11 (see also FIG. 2) to a middle position in FIG. 14 (see also FIG. 3). In the retracted position, anchor-projection spring 66 urges retainer mover 64 to the right in direction 166 to position forward and rearward mover posts 78, 79 on rail 73 in a first segment 501 of each of post-receiver slots 88, 89 provided in arm retainer 40. As shown in FIG. 11, this action lifts arm retainer 40 in an upward direction above bottom wall 80 of bottom shell 36 of arm mount sleeve 24 to extend front anchor 41 into second anchor socket 32 in arm mount sleeve 24 and also to extend rear anchor 42 into first anchor socket 31 in arm mount sleeve 24. Such engagement functions to lock feeding table 18 in the retracted position.

A user 53 can “release” such locking engagement as shown, for example, in FIG. 12, by pulling finger grip 150 of anchor-release actuator 50 to the left in direction 250 against a biasing force applied by anchor-projection spring 66. This action expands spring 66 as shown in FIG. 12 and moves forward and rearward mover posts 78, 79 along lower and upper driven surfaces 85, 86 associated with post-receiver slots 88, 89 into an inclined second segment 502 of each of slots 88, 89. This “camming” action along each inclined second segment 502 causes sufficient downward movement of arm retainer 40 toward bottom wall 88 of bottom shell 36 as shown in FIG. 12 to withdraw front anchor 41 from anchor socket 32 and withdraw rear anchor 42 from anchor socket 31. Feeding tray 18 is now unlocked and free to move relative to base 12 in direction 250 as shown, for example, in FIG. 13.

As soon as feeding table 18 arrives at a new position, and front and rear anchors 41, 42 are aligned in registry with another pair of anchor sockets 31, 32, 33, or 34, then, as long as user 53 has released hand grip 150, the anchor-projection spring 66 will move retainer mover 64 relative to arm retainer 40 to “project” (i.e., urge) front and rear anchors 41, 42 in an upward direction into, for example, anchor sockets 32 and 33. This action establishes a “new” locked position of feeding table 18 relative to base 12.

In illustrative embodiments, juvenile seat includes base 12, feeding table 18, and feeding table lock 20 as suggested in FIGS. 1-5. Base 12 includes a seat bottom 13, first wing 15, and second wing 17. First and second wings 15, 17 are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate seat bottom 13 therebetween and to rise upwardly from seat bottom 13 as suggested in FIG. 15.

Feeding table 18 includes a tray 44, a first tray mount 60, and a second tray mount 60 as suggested in FIG. 8. First tray mount 60 is coupled to tray 44 to move therewith and arranged to slide back and forth in a first arm-receiver channel 38 formed in first wing 15 of base 12. Second tray mount 60 is coupled to tray 44 to move therewith and arranged to slide back and forth in a second arm-receiver channel 38 formed in second wing 17 of base 15 as suggested in FIG. 5.

Feeding table lock 20 is coupled to feeding table 18 to move therewith. Feeding table lock 20 includes a first base grabber 123 coupled to one of the first and second tray mounts 60 for movement with and relative to the one of the first and second tray mounts 60. First base grabber 123 is configured to include an anchor (e.g., 41, 42) sized to fit into anchor sockets (e.g., 31, 32, 33, 34) formed in first wing 15 included in base 12 to block movement of feeding table 18 relative to base 12. First base grabber 123 also includes an anchor-release actuator 50 mounted for movement relative to feeding table 18 to withdraw the anchor included in first base grabber 123 from a companion anchor socket formed in first wing 15 to free feeding table 18 to move relative to base 12.

First base grabber 123 includes an arm retainer 40 configured to include the anchor (e.g., 41, 42) and a retainer mover 64 coupled to arm retainer 40 and to anchor-release actuator 50. Retainer mover 64 is arranged to move back and forth in a passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 60 in response to movement of anchor-release actuator 50 relative to feeding table 18 to cause the anchor included in arm retainer 40 to move to engage and disengage the anchor sockets formed in first wing 15.

Arm retainer 40 further includes an anchor base 82 mounted for movement in passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 60. Anchor (e.g., 41, 42) is coupled to anchor base 82 to move therewith. Anchor base 82 is formed to include a post-receiver slot (e.g., 88, 89). Retainer mover 64 includes a mover post (e.g., 78, 79) arranged to extend into and move in the post-receiver slot relative to anchor base 82 to provide means for moving anchor base 82 relative to first tray mount 60 in passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 38 to extend the anchor into one of the anchor sockets upon alignment of the anchor in registry with the one of the anchor sockets in response to movement of retainer mover 64 in a first direction 166 in passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 60 and to withdraw the anchor from the one of the anchor sockets in response to movement of retainer mover 64 in a second direction 250 in passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 60.

As suggested in FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, post-receiver slot (e.g., 88, 89) includes a lower segment 101 arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to anchor 41 and an upper segment 102 arranged to communicate with lower segment 101 and lie in a space provided between anchor 41 and lower segment 101. Mover post 78 is located in lower segment 101 of post-receiver slot 88 when anchor base 82 is moved to extend anchor 41 into anchor socket 33 to lock feeding tray 18 in a fixed position relative to base 12 as shown, for example, in FIG. 14. Mover post 78 is located in upper segment 102 of the post-receiver slot 88 when anchor base 82 is moved to withdraw anchor 41 from anchor socket 33 to free feeding tray 18 for movement relative to base 12 as shown, for example, in FIG. 12.

Post-receiver slot (e.g., 88, 89) is checkmark-shaped as suggested in FIGS. 9-11. Anchor base 40 includes an upper driven surface 86 defining an upper boundary of post-receiver slot 88 as suggested in FIG. 9 and including an upper inclined edge bordering upper segment 102 and contacting a mover post 78 located therein (as suggested in FIGS. 12 and 13) and an upper horizontal edge bordering lower segment 101 and contacting a mover post 78 located therein as shown in FIGS. 11 and 14. Anchor base 40 further includes a lower driven surface 85 defining a lower boundary of post-receiver slot 88 as suggested in FIG. 9 and including a lower inclined edge bordering upper segment 102 and contacting a mover post 78 located therein as suggested as suggested in FIGS. 11 and 14 and a lower horizontal edge bordering lower segment 101 and contacting a mover post 78 located therein as suggested in FIGS. 12 and 13.

Retainer mover 64 is formed to include a guide slot 77 arranged to receive a guide post 92 included in first tray mount 60 and to cooperate with guide post 92 to define means for guiding reciprocating movement of retainer mover 64 in passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 60. First bar grabber 123 further includes an anchor-projection spring 66 coupled to first tray mount 60 and to retainer mover 64. Anchor-projection spring 66 is configured to define projection means for yieldably and normally urging retainer mover 64 to move in first direction 166 in passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 60 to cause the anchor to extend into one of the anchor sockets formed in base 12 upon alignment of the anchor in registry with the one of the anchor sockets so that feeding table 18 is locked in a stationary position relative to base 12. Anchor-projection spring 66 is located in passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 60.

Anchor base 82 further includes a bottom wall 83 and a top wall 84 as suggested in FIGS. 9 and 10. Bottom wall 83 is adapted to move relative to an underlying bottom wall 80 included in first tray mount 60. Top wall 84 is coupled to anchor 41, 42. Anchor base 82 further includes a thin base plate 185 formed to include post-receiver slot (e.g., 88, 89) and bottom wall 83 and a relatively thicker top plate 186 overlying thin base plate 185 and including top wall 84. Relatively thicker top plate 186 includes a downwardly facing sawtooth-shaped ridge 87 configured to mate with a complementary ridge 187 formed on a rail 73 included in retainer mover 64 and configured to carry mover post (e.g., 78, 79) in passageway 38 formed in first tray mount 60.

Claims

1. A juvenile seat comprising

a base including a seat bottom, a first wing, and a second wing, the first and second wings being arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the seat bottom therebetween and to rise upwardly from the seat bottom,
a feeding table including a tray, a first tray mount coupled to the tray to move therewith and arranged to slide back and forth in a first channel formed in the first wing of the base, and a second tray mount coupled to the tray to move therewith and arranged to slide back and forth in a second channel formed in the second wing of the base, and
a feeding table lock coupled to the feeding table to move therewith, the feeding table lock including a first base grabber coupled to one of the first and second tray mounts for movement with and relative to the one of the first and second tray mounts, wherein the first base grabber is configured to include an anchor sized to fit into anchor sockets formed in the first wing included in the base to block movement of the feeding table relative to the base and an anchor-release actuator mounted for movement relative to the feeding table to withdraw the anchor included in the first base grabber from a companion anchor socket formed in the first wing to free the feeding table to move relative to the base.

2. The juvenile seat of claim 1, wherein the first base grabber includes an arm retainer configured to include the anchor and a retainer mover coupled to the arm retainer and to the anchor-release actuator and arranged to move back and forth in a passageway formed in the first tray mount in response to movement of the anchor-release actuator relative to the feeding table to cause the anchor included in the arm retainer to move to engage and disengage the anchor sockets.

3. The juvenile seat of claim 2, wherein the arm retainer further includes an anchor base mounted for movement in the passageway formed in the first tray mount, the anchor is coupled to the anchor base, the anchor base is formed to include a post-receiver slot, and the retainer mover includes a mover post arranged to extend into and move in the post-receiver slot relative to the anchor base to provide means for moving the anchor base relative to the first tray mount in the passageway formed in the first tray mount to extend the anchor into one of the anchor sockets upon alignment of the anchor in registry with the one of the anchor sockets in response to movement of the retainer mover in a first direction in the passageway formed in the first tray mount and to withdraw the anchor from the one of the anchor sockets in response to movement of the retainer mover in a second direction in the passageway formed in the first tray mount.

4. The juvenile seat of claim 3, wherein the post-receiver slot includes a lower segment arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the anchor and an upper segment arranged to communicate with the lower segment and lie in a space provided between the anchor and the lower segment, the mover post is located in the lower segment of the post-receiver slot when the anchor base is moved to extend the anchor into the anchor socket to lock the feeding tray in a fixed position relative to the base, and the mover post is located in the upper segment of the post-receiver slot when the anchor base is moved to withdraw the anchor from the anchor socket to free the feeding tray for movement relative to the base.

5. The juvenile seat of claim 4, wherein the post-receiver slot is checkmark-shaped, the anchor base includes an upper driven surface defining an upper boundary of the post-receiver slot and including an upper inclined edge bordering the upper segment and contacting a mover post located therein and an upper horizontal edge bordering the lower segment and contacting a mover post located therein, and the anchor base further includes a lower driven surface defining a lower boundary of the post-receiver slot and including a lower inclined edge bordering the upper segment and contacting a mover post located therein and a lower horizontal edge bordering the lower segment and contacting a mover post located therein.

6. The juvenile seat of claim 3, wherein the retainer mover is formed to include a guide slot arranged to receive a guide post included in the first tray mount and to cooperate with the guide post to define means for guiding reciprocating movement of the retainer mover in the passageway formed in the first tray mount.

7. The juvenile seat of claim 3, wherein the first bar grabber further includes an anchor-projection spring coupled to the first tray mount and to the retainer mover and configured to define means for yieldably and normally urging the retainer mover to move in the first direction in the passageway formed in the first tray mount to cause the anchor to extend into one of the anchor sockets formed in the base upon alignment of the anchor in registry with the one of the anchor sockets so that the feeding table is locked in a stationary position relative to the base.

8. The juvenile seat of claim 7, wherein the anchor-projection spring is located in the passageway formed in the first tray mount.

9. The juvenile seat of claim 3, wherein the anchor base further includes a bottom wall and a top wall, the bottom wall is adapted to move relative to an underlying bottom wall included in the first tray mount, the top wall is coupled to the anchor, the anchor base further includes a thin base plate formed to include the post-receiver slot and the bottom wall and a relatively thicker top plate overlying the thin base plate and including the top wall, the relatively thicker top plate including a downwardly facing sawtooth-shaped ridge configured to mate with a complementary ridge formed on a rail included in retainer mover and configured to carry the mover post in the passageway formed in the first tray mount.

10. The juvenile seat of claim 2, wherein the retainer mover includes a driver section coupled to the arm retainer, a tether section coupled to the anchor-release actuator, and a middle section arranged to interconnect the driver and tether sections, the driver section includes a rail and a mover post cantilevered to the rail and arranged to extend into a post-receiver slot formed in the arm retainer to define means for raising the arm retainer upwardly in the passageway formed in the first tray mount to extend an anchor included in the arm retainer into one of the anchor sockets when the anchor is aligned in registry with the one of the anchor sockets in response to movement of the retainer mover in a first direction in the passageway to lock the feeding table to the base and for lowering the arm retainer downwardly in the passageway formed in the first tray mount to withdraw the anchor from the one of the anchor sockets in response to movement of the retainer mover in an opposite second direction in the passageway to free the feeding table to move relative to the base.

11. The juvenile seat of claim 10, wherein the tether section includes a horizontal flange carrying a downwardly extending post extending into a post receiver formed in the anchor-release actuator to couple the retainer mover for movement relative to the first tray mount in the passageway formed in the first tray mount in response to movement of the anchor-release actuator relative to the first tray mount.

12. The juvenile seat of claim 10, wherein the middle section includes a first spring mount, the first tray mount includes a second spring mount, and the first base grabber further includes an anchor-projection spring coupled to the first tray mount and to the retainer mover and configured to define means for yieldably and normally urging the retainer mover to move in the first direction in the passageway formed in the first tray mount to cause the anchor to extend into one of the anchor sockets formed in the base upon alignment of the anchor in registry with one of the anchor sockets so that the feeding table is locked in a stationary position relative to the base.

13. The juvenile seat of claim 10, wherein the rail includes an upwardly facing sawtooth-shaped ridge configured to mate with a downwardly facing complementary ridge formed on the arm retainer and the rail further includes a top wall coupled to the anchor and arranged to lie between the anchor and the upwardly facing sawtooth-shaped ridge.

14. The juvenile seat of claim 1, wherein the feeding table lock further includes a second base grabber coupled to another of the first and second tray mounts for movement with and relative to the another one of the first and second tray mounts and the second base grabber is configured to include an anchor sized to fit into anchor sockets formed in the second wing included in the base to block movement of the feeding table relative to the base and the anchor-release actuator is coupled to the second base grabber for movement therewith relative to the base to withdraw the anchor included in the second base grabber from a companion anchor socket formed in the second wing to free the feeding table to move relative to the base.

15. The juvenile seat of claim 1, wherein the first wing includes a first arm mount sleeve formed to include a channel and the anchor sockets therein and the first tray mount is arranged to extend into the channel formed in the arm mount sleeve in the first wing to align the anchor in registry with one of the anchor sockets formed in the first arm mount sleeve.

16. The juvenile seat of claim 15, wherein the first arm mount sleeve includes an elongated top shell formed to include the anchor sockets and an elongated bottom shell coupled to the elongated top shell to form the channel therebetween and the first wing further includes a sleeve foundation coupled to the bottom shell to fix the first arm mount sleeve in a stationary position in the first wing.

17. The juvenile seat of claim 15, wherein the first wing further includes a first arm support arranged to lie alongside the seat bottom and formed to include an interior region sized to receive the first arm mount sleeve through an opening formed in the first wing of the base and wherein the first wing also includes a sleeve foundation located in the interior region and coupled to the first arm mount sleeve to fix the arm mount sleeve in a stationary position in the first wing.

18. A juvenile seat comprising

a base including a seat bottom, a first wing, and a second wing, the first and second wings being arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the seat bottom therebetween, and
a movable feeding table including a tray and spaced-apart left and right slide arms coupled to the tray to move therewith relative to the base, each slide arm including a tray mount coupled to the underside of the tray and configured to slide back and forth in a companion arm-receiver channel formed in a companion arm mount sleeve located in one of the first and second wings and formed to include anchor sockets opening into the companion arm-receiver channel, each slide arm also including a base grabber configured to include an anchor located in the arm-receiver channel and mounted for movement in a passageway formed in a companion tray mount to extend the anchor into one of the anchor sockets to block movement of the movable feeding table relative to the first and second wings and to withdraw the anchor from the one of the anchor sockets to free the feeding table to move relative to the base.
Patent History
Publication number: 20080088162
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 17, 2007
Publication Date: Apr 17, 2008
Applicant: COSCO MANAGEMENT, INC. (Wilmington, DE)
Inventors: Ward Fritz (Chelsea, MA), Richard Bastien (Cumberland, RI), John Ristuccia (Plainville, MA), Andrew Marsden (Hingham, MA)
Application Number: 11/873,917
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 297/256.150; 297/119.000
International Classification: A47D 1/00 (20060101); A47D 3/00 (20060101);