Portable Child Seat
A portable children's child seat for an adult seat such as a chair, church pew, bench, or structure with a seat-like configuration. The child seat has a bottom, a back, a frame, a belt, a tray, a closing strap, a hood and an attachment mechanism for securing the child seat to an adult seat. The child seat has a deployed position where it is ready for occupation by a child, and a compact position where a child seat bottom and a child seat tray are in a raised position.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/091,968 filed on Aug. 26, 2008.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to portable seats, specifically portable seats for children.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe seats normally used by adults are often not appropriate for use by young children. Young children may not properly be secured or supported in an adult seat. Such adult seats may not be properly sized to accommodate the needs of young children.
The present inventor recognizes the need for a collapsible portable child seat that is appropriate in many adult seat applications including on a church pew and a park bench. The present inventor recognizes the need for a child seat that is light weight and carriable in one hand. The present inventor recognizes the need for a child seat that is adjustably securable to an adult seat, including a chair, pew, stadium seating, movie theatre seating, or sitting surface. The present inventor recognizes the need for a child seat, that once adjusted for a particular adult seat, retains that adjustment so repeated uses do not require repeated re-adjustment. The present inventor recognizes the need for a comfortable child seat that secures the child and provides a multipurpose tray.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention provides a portable child seat for an adult seat, such as a chair, church pew, bench, stadium seating, movie theatre seating, or structure with a seat-like configuration. The child seat has a deployed position where it is ready for occupation by a child, and a compact position where the child seat is conveniently configured for moving or transporting the child seat. In a compact position a user is able to carry the child seat with one hand by hooks, so that the user's other hand is free for handling a child.
The child seat has a bottom, a back, a frame, a belt, a tray, a closing strap, a hood and an attachment mechanism for securing the child seat to an adult seat. In a compact position, the child seat bottom is in a raised position, the tray is in a raised position and the attachment mechanism may be loosened.
In a deployed position, the child seat bottom is in a lowered position supported on the horizontal surface of an adult seat. The hooks of the attachment mechanism are placed over the back of the adult seat back. The user secures the attachment mechanism to the back of the adult seat. The hooks are adjustable vertically to configure to adult seat backs rests of differing heights. The attachment mechanism is also adjustable horizontally to ensure that the hooks do not intrude into the space behind the adult seat. If the child seat is used frequently on the same adult seat, the hooks need not be adjusted for each use, but rather the child seat may be placed over the adult seat with the attachment mechanism in a pre-adjusted state.
The child seat bottom may be made of a lightweight flexible material because, in a lowered position, the child seat bottom is supported by the underlying adult seat surface. This enables the child seat to be a lighter weight.
The tray is for providing a convenient multi-purpose surface near the child. The tray may have hooks for attaching children's toys and preventing the child from throwing the toys out of reach. In one embodiment, the tray may have a screen for displaying video. In another embodiment, the tray may have an interactive touchscreen.
The child seat back has headrest wings for laterally supporting a child's head. The child seat back is attached to or incorporates a child seat frame for supporting the child seat. The child seat also has a securing device or cable for securing the child seat to an adult seat. The cable hooks to the top of the child seat and is wrapped around the back of the adult seat and under the bottom of the adult seat and hooks to a bottom anchor on the child seat bottom.
The child seat also has a hood that is extendable, from the top of the child seat, in an arched fashion over the child seat. The hood provides privacy for the seated child. It also provides shade from the sun or protection from rain when the child seat is used outside.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
The Overall SystemThe child seat has a deployed position, as shown in
The child seat bottom 110 may be secured in the raised position by the closing strap 151. The closing strap is connected to the child seat bottom 110. In one embodiment, the strap receiver 153 is located on the child seat back 120. In another embodiment, the strap receiver may be connected to the top 124 of the child seat back 120, the top back position 128 of the child seat back 120, or the frame 170. The closing strap 151 may use a snap button 152 and button receiver 154. The closing strap 151 and receiver 153 may also use hook and loop fasteners, such as VELCRO.
When the child seat 100 is in a deployed position, the child seat bottom 110 is in a lowered position. In a lowered position, the child seat bottom 110 lays against a supporting surface 102, such as the horizontal surface or the bottom of an adult seat. The bottom 102 is connected or intersects with an upwardly extending surface or adult seat back 103. The child seat bottom 110 moves between the raised position and the lowered position in the direction G shown in
In one embodiment, the bottom 110 may be made of flexible, soft material. The bottom 110 need not be supported by hard material because the underlying adult seat surface 102 will support the bottom when in a lowered position. This reduces the weight of the child seat 100. In one embodiment, the material on the bottom 110a (
The tray 130 is attached to the frame 170 of the child seat 100 by two tray arms 131, 132. The tray 130 has a raised position and a lowered position. The tray is movable between the raised and the lowered position in the direction E of
In one embodiment, when the tray is in a lowered position, the tray may pivot about a tray pivot point 135. The tray pivot point remains at the same vertical location, allowing the tray to be more conveniently angled for the child.
The tray may comprise a number of attachment points 133. The attachment points may comprise hooks. Toys and other items that a child may play with may be attached directly to the hooks or may be attached with a string. These attachment points 133 allow toys to be secured to the tray so that the child does not throw them out of reach.
The tray may comprise a video screen 134. The video screen may be placed anywhere on the top surface of the tray. The video screen 134 may be protected by a transparent protective layer. The video screen may be any electronic screen capable of displaying images and or video. In another embodiment, the video screen may comprise an interactive touch screen. The screen 134 may be for entertaining or educating the child.
Electronics may be contained within the tray 130 or the child seat 100 for supporting the operation of the screen 134 or other electronic components of the child seat. The electronics of the child seat may contain pre-programmed videos or interactive programs. The child seat may comprise an electronics port 136. The port 136 may comprise a media card reader, such as a Secure Digital (SD) card reader. The port 136 may also receive an electronic connection, such as a universal serial bus (USB) or IEEE 1394 connection, for receiving information or data from another device.
Child Seat, Headrest Wings, and FrameThe child seat back 120 has two headrest wings 121, 122. The wings are adjustable radially inward toward the middle of the back 120, as shown in the F direction of
The child seat 100 has a belt 140 for securing a child in the child seat, when the child seat 100 is in a deployed position. In one embodiment, the belt may comprise two side belts 143, 141, and a center belt 142. The two side belts and the center belt connect with a connector 144. The connector 144 may be a buckle or other known methods of connecting belts. The belts 141, 142, 143 may, but need not be, connected at the horizontal center of the child seat back 120. The connector 144 may be adjustable, where excess belt lengths 141 a, 142a, 143a, of the belts 141, 142, 143 are folded back on the belts 141, 142, 143 as a result of adjustment at the connector 144. In another embodiment, the belt 140 may only comprise one belt that extends from one side of the child seat 100 to connect at a connector on the opposite side of the child seat. In another embodiment, the belt 140 may only comprise two belts. The belt may be adjustable to secure different size children in the child seat. The belt may also comprise other known methods of securing a child within a child seat.
Attachment MechanismThe attachment mechanism 160 comprises two hooks 161, 162, and a lateral adjustment device 173.
In one embodiment, the hooks are rotatable within the receiving member. The hook 161 is rotatable so that the end portion of the hook 161, which corresponds to the second inside surface 161a, is movable towards or away from the vertical midline 120a of the child seat. The hook 162 is rotatable so that the end portion of the hook 162, which corresponds to the second inside surface 162a, is movable towards or away from the center of the child seat. This rotational movement allows the hooks 161, 162 to be moved closure to the seat for compact transportation or storage. The hooks may be locked in position by tightening the compression ring 171. Alternatively, the hooks may also be secured by other known devices for locking the rotational movement of a shaft.
In operation, the hooks are placed over the adult seat back 103 and the child seat bottom 110 is put in a lowered position, the bottom 110 lays on the underlying adult seat surface 102. The hooks are adjusted vertically so that the hooks 161, 162 rest on the top 103b of the adult seat back 103. When the hooks are so adjusted, a user tightens the tightening mechanism 177, which compresses the compression ring 171 and presses the top of the receiving member 175a against the connection end 161a of the hook 161. The compression prevents the vertical movement of the hook relative to the frame 170, therefore securing the child seat 100 in position on the adult seat 101. In another embodiment, the child seat 100 may comprise any known method of adjustably connecting a vertically movable member, such as the hooks, to a frame 170.
If the child seat is repeatedly used on the same or similarly sized adult seat 101, then the hooks need not be adjusted after the initially adjustment. The child seat 100 may be placed on the adult seat 101 ready for deployment with the hooks in a preadjusted condition. The child seat 100 may also comprise different size hook pairs, selectively insertable into the frame 170 to accommodate different sized adult seat backs 103.
Referring to
In operation, after the hooks are adjusted to be in contact with the top 103b of the adult seat back 103, the lateral adjustment mechanism is adjusted so that the internal side 162c (
If the shaft is threaded with positive threads, turning the handle 176 clockwise will move the engaging member 172 in the B direction toward the adult seat back 103. At the same time, turning the handle clockwise will move the hooks and an upper portion of the frame opposite of the B direction, causing the internal sides 162c of the hooks to contact the backside 103a of the adult seat back 103. The engaging member 172 is pivotably attached to the shaft 173. This pivot attachment allows the engaging member 172 to pivot in the X direction and the Y direction so as to more fully contact the adult seat back 103.
Securing DeviceThe child seat 100 also may comprise a securing device or cable 180. The cable 180, as shown in
The bottom anchor 184 is carried by the child seat bottom 110. In one embodiment, the bottom anchor 184 may be attached to the front edge of the child seat bottom 110 or it may be attached to the closing strap 151. The top anchor 184 is carried by a top area of the frame 170. In one embodiment the top anchor may be connected to a portion of a hook.
HoodThe child seat 100 may comprise a hood 123 as shown in
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.
Claims
1. The child seat for attaching to a support structure having a bottom portion and an upwardly extending portion, comprising:
- a frame connected to a back portion;
- the back portion operatively connected to the bottom portion, the bottom portion pivotably movable with respect to the back portion between a lowered position and a raised position; and
- an attachment mechanism connected to the frame and securably adjustable in the upward direction to extend over the support structure.
2. The child seat of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion comprises a closing device connected to the bottom portion and connectable to an upper portion of the seat to secure the bottom portion in the raised position.
3. The child seat of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an upward support configured to support the seat in a predefined vertical position with respect to the support structure.
4. The seat of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a hook extendably connected to the frame and a hook securing device, the hook having at least a first position and an extended position, the hook being a greater distance from the frame when in the extended position than when in the first position.
5. The seat of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a lateral adjustment device movable relative to an oppositely facing inside engagement surface of the attachment mechanism and configured to engage the support structure between the lateral adjustment device and the oppositely facing inside engagement surface.
6. The seat of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion comprises a flexible material conformable to the support structure.
7. The seat of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion comprises an anti-slip surface configured to engaging the support structure when the bottom portion is in the lowered position.
8. The seat of claim 1, wherein the back portion comprises headrest wings displaced from a vertical midline of the back portion in opposite lateral directions, the headrest wings movable between a retraced position and an extended position, outer lateral portions of the headrest wings being further apart when in the retracted position than when in the extended position.
9. The seat of claim 1, comprising a tray connected to the frame, the tray movable between a raised position and a lowered position, the tray spaced from the seat back when in the lowered position.
10. The seat of claim 9, wherein the tray comprises a video display unit.
11. The seat of claim 1, comprising a securing device connectable to a top portion of the frame at one end and an outer end of the bottom portion at an opposite end to secure the seat around an outside surface of the support structure.
12. The seat of claim 1, comprising a retractable hood having a retracted position and an extended position, the hood extending over a portion of the seat when in the extended position.
13. A child seat, comprising:
- a frame connected to a back portion;
- a back portion operatively connected to the bottom portion;
- an attachment mechanism connected to the frame and having a support member extending laterally away from the back portion and configured to extend over the top of an external support structure,
- the support member adjustably extendable in the upward direction.
14. The child seat of claim 13, comprising
- a deployed position and a compact position;
- the bottom having a raised position corresponding to the compact position and a lowered position corresponding to the deployed position;
- a tray having a raised position corresponding to the compact position and a lowered position corresponding to the deployed position.
15. The child seat of claim 13, wherein the bottom portion comprises a lowered position and a raised position, the bottom having an upper surface, the upper surface facing the back portion when in the raised position.
16. The seat of claim 13, wherein the support member comprises a hook extendably connected to the frame and a hook securing device, the hook having a plurality of positions comprising at least a first position and an extended position, the hook being a greater distance from the frame when in the extended position than when in the first position.
17. The seat of claim 13, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a lateral adjustment device movable relative to an oppositely facing inside engagement surface of the support and configured to engage an external support structure between the lateral adjustment device and the oppositely facing inside engagement surface.
18. The seat of claim 13, wherein the bottom portion comprises a flexible material having a bottom surface conformable to an external support structure.
19. The seat of claim 13, comprising:
- a deployed position and a compact position;
- the bottom having a raised position corresponding to the compact position and a lowered position corresponding to the deployed position;
- a tray having a raised position corresponding to the compact position and a lowered position corresponding to the deployed position; and
- the back portion comprises headrest wings displaced from a vertical midline of the back portion in opposite lateral direction, the headrest wings movable between a retraced position and an extended position, outer lateral portions of the headrest wings being further apart when in the retracted position than when in the extended position; and
- the support comprises a hook extendably connected to the frame and a hook securing device, the hook having a plurality of positions at least comprising a first position and an extended position, the hook being a greater distance from the frame when in the extended position than when in the first position; and
- the attachment mechanism comprises a lateral adjustment device movable relative to an oppositely facing inside engagement surface of the support and configured to engage a external support structure between the lateral adjustment device and the oppositely facing inside engagement surface; and
- the bottom portion comprises a flexible material conformable to an external support structure.
20. A child seat, comprising:
- a frame connected to a back portion;
- a back portion connected to the bottom portion;
- an attachment means for both vertically and laterally securing the frame to an external support structure, the attachment means securably adjustable in the vertical direction, the attachment means securably adjustable in the lateral direction.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 26, 2009
Publication Date: Mar 4, 2010
Inventor: Kathleen Martini (Plainfield, IL)
Application Number: 12/548,314
International Classification: A47D 1/02 (20060101);