Highchair

Abstract

The present invention relates to a highchair for babies or small children, comprising a lower base part (11) and an approximately bowl-shaped seat (12), which is attached in the upper area of the base part and which comprises an outer seat bowl (20) that is somewhat larger in holding volume and an inner seat bowl (21) that is somewhat smaller in holding volume and that can be fit into the outer seat bowl. The inner seat bowl can be fastened to the outer seat bowl so that also larger children can sit in the highchair after the inner seat bowl has been removed. Furthermore, an inclined position of the seat in relation to the base part is preferably provided, for which purpose the seat is moved along a brace attached to the rear of the seat or a bow (15) that defines a circular path and during said movement the brace is guided in or on a guiding device (14) connected to the base part. By means of the inclination adjustment, the seat can be moved from a position in which the child is sitting into a position in which the child is lying. Preferably, the height of the seat can also be adjusted.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. national stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2013/062114 filed on Jun. 12, 2013, and claims the benefit thereof. The international application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119 of German Application No. DE 10 2012 105 130.5 filed on Jun. 13, 2012; all applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

The instant invention relates to a highchair comprising a lower base part and an approximately bowl-shaped seat, which is attached in an upper area of the base part.

The typical highchairs of this type are provided for babies, who are not yet able to sit independently in a common chair. The highchair offers a safe place to sit, because the baby can on principle be buckled in said chair. Most of the time, a table is also present, onto which dishes can be placed, when the baby has a meal, or onto which toys or other objects, for example, can be placed. On principle, such highchairs also have an option to adjust the inclined position of the seat in relation to the seat, so that, from a position, in which the baby assumes a sitting position, the inclination of the base part can be adjusted such that the baby is then in a largely lying position and can thus also sleep in the highchair and is thereby secured against falling out.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,549 B2 describes a highchair, for example, in the case of which the inclination adjustment of the approximately bowl-shaped seat is made such that the seat is held between two support arms, which, viewed in frontal view, are embodied in an approximately U-shaped manner as a whole, so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis, which runs in transverse direction. The inclination adjustment of the seat takes place via joints comprising fixing mechanisms, which are attached to both sides in the area of the pivot axis, wherein these fixing mechanisms are operated via ties and the joints are unlocked in this manner, wherein the operating element, which acts on the ties, is located approximately in the upper end area of the seat below. In the case of such a highchair, the child can be moved from an approximately upright sitting position into a lying position by inclining the seat bowl.

US 2010/0052387 A1 describes a device for accommodating a small child, which is similar to a couch, in the case of which the small child lies on a lying surface of a textile material, which is fastened to a plurality of braces via zippers or hook-and-loop fasteners. A complex drive mechanism, which allows for different movement patterns for rocking the child back and forth or up and down, is accommodated in a base frame. In the case of this known device, a brace can also be adjusted along a circular path in relation to the base frame, in response to which the brace is moved in a guide along the circular path. This known couch, however, cannot be compared to a common highchair, because it does not provide for a sitting position for the child, in which the child consumes food, for example, plays with objects on a tray, looks through a book or the like. Instead, this known device only serves to calm down the child or to put it to sleep by means of rocking movements or to amuse the child by means of cradling movements. Due to the complex drive, the construction of this device is very extensive and expensive.

When using a rigid inherently stable seat bowl, as in the case of the highchair according to above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,549 B2, a disadvantage of the known highchairs of this type is that the usage time is limited, because, due to its size, the stiff seat bowl can only accommodate a child up to a certain size. When the child has reached a certain age, it then no longer fits into the seat bowl, so that the usage time of such a highchair is limited to babies. Even though an exploded view of the mentioned U.S. document shows that a seat bowl, which is identified as backrest therein, represents a separate component, the seat bowl is obviously removed only in response to the disassembly of the highchair or possibly for cleaning purposes. After removing this backrest, the highchair is present in a non-operational dismantled state and a use of the highchair in this unfinished state without backrest is not described.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is the task of the invention to provide an alternative highchair of the above-mentioned type, the seating area of which is variable, so that a larger child can also sit in the highchair after a conversion and so that said highchair thus has a longer useful life.

A highchair of the above-mentioned type comprising the characterizing features of claim 1 provides the solution for this task.

According to the invention, provision is made for the bowl-shaped seat to comprise an outer seat bowl, which is somewhat larger in holding volume as well as an inner seat bowl, which is somewhat smaller in holding volume and which can be fixed to the outer seat bowl. This alternative makes it possible to remove the inner seat bowl from the outer seat bowl and to thus create a seat comprising a larger holding volume, whereby a larger child can be placed into the chair. This results in a use of the highchair for a longer period of time, because the seat can quasi be adapted to the size of the child.

A preferred further development of the invention provides for fixing elements at the bowl, which can snap into recesses or corresponding fixing elements of the respective other bowl for fastening the inner seat bowl to the outer seat bowl.

To create a larger holding volume after removing the inner seat bowl, the outer seat bowl preferably has a larger inner width and/or a larger inner height and/or a larger inner depth, approximately at a right-angled expansion to the inner height, and/or a lower height of the seating area relative to the ground, on which the base part stands, as compared to the inner seat bowl.

A novel design solution alternative for the inclination adjustment of a highchair of the above-mentioned type is also the subject matter of the instant invention. For this purpose, provision is made according to the invention for at least one brace or a bow to be attached to the rear side of the seat and which defines a circular path, along which the seat is moved in response to the inclination adjustment and is thereby guided in or at a guide device, which is connected to the base part. This type of inclination adjustment can also be provided in the context of a preferred further development of the invention and can be combined with the exchangeable inner seat bowl. In particular when wanting to put a baby to sleep, it is advantageous, if the possibility exists to bring the seat bowl into an approximately horizontal lying position.

The mentioned solution according to the invention results in a novel motion sequence of the seat in response to adjusting the inclined position. While the bowl-shaped seat pivots about a fixed axis, which goes through the seat in the state of the art according to U.S. Pat. No. 7,905,549 B2, the center of the circular path is located outside of the contour of the seat, that is, the movement follows a larger pivot radius and the base area of the seat bowl quasi moves further away from the guide device, which forms a fixed point, in response to adjustment into a flatter inclined position in the case of the solution according to the invention.

According to a further development of the invention, provision is preferably made for the guide device to be capable of being height-adjusted in relation to the base part. Regardless of the inclination adjustment, the entire seat is also height-adjustable in this case. This can be a telescoping height adjustment, for example. Preferably, provision is made according to a further development of the invention for the guide device to be capable of being height-adjusted linearly in relation to the base part along a track, which is inclined to the vertical. In contrast to the state of the art, the height adjustment thus does not take place in exactly vertical direction, but along a linear guide at an angle, which differs from the vertical by several angular degrees, for example. When the seat is pivoted into a flatter position, the center of gravity moves forward in the case of the highchair according to the invention. When the inclination of the height adjustment is towards the rear side, the center of gravity is moved slightly backwards again in response to raising, so that a certain compensation results here.

Preferably, provision is made according to a further development of the invention for the height adjustment to be telescopic, comprising an outer column, which is attached to the base part and which is inclined to the vertical and from which an at least one inner bar can be extended telescopically, to which the guide device is attached, or a bar attached to the base part, in relation to which an outer column, to which the guide device is attached, can be moved in height.

Provision is preferably made according to a further development of the invention for the column or bar of the telescopic height adjustment to be attached eccentrically to the base part, for example in the rear area of the base part, when the seat is arranged upstream of the bar and the guide device. The stability is increased through this and a forward tilting is avoided.

Preferably, provision is made for a foot rest element, which can be removably attached to the seat, for the child sitting in the seat. This foot rest element is embodied as having the contour of an approximately U-shaped bow, wherein in the fastened state, the bow runs partially at a distance to the lower edge of the seat, so that the child can place the feet onto the foot rest element below the seat bowl.

According to a further preferred further development of the solution of the task according to the invention, a brace-like holder can be removably attached to the seat bowl at at least two, preferably at three points, wherein a storage table for the seat can in turn can be removably fastened to this holder. In contrast to the state of the art, the holder is thus fastened to the seat bowl itself. Storage table and the holder thereof can be removed separately from the seat. If necessary, the storage table can be removed, in particular, if one wants to remove the inner seat bowl from the seat so as to make room for a larger child.

Viewed in the side view of the highchair, the brace or the bow preferably describes a reference circle and the guide device comprises a tubular accommodation, which describes a short circular-arc section, through which the brace or the bow can be slid in response to the inclination adjustment of the seat. In the respective inclination adjustment, the brace and/or the bow can be locked in place in the guide device.

According to a further development of the invention, the brace or the bow, viewed in the side view of the highchair, preferably encompasses the contour of the bowl-shaped seat at a varying distance, if applicable, and/or the seat is fastened in the respective end areas of the brace or of the bow, at least at two points of its edge, which are located diametrically opposite in the front view. In opposite edge areas, the seat bowl is thus held at the circular arc-shaped brace, so that the pivot travel of the seat bowl is quasi maximized in response to the inclination adjustment and the seat bowl can be pivoted in both directions until the edge area in each case strikes against the guide device.

The features mentioned in the subclaims relate to preferred further developments of the solution of the task according to the invention. Further advantages of the invention follow from the detail description below.

The instant invention will be described in more detail below by means of exemplary embodiments by referring to the enclosed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of an exemplary highchair according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective side view of the high chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a highchair according to an alternative version of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the highchair of FIG. 3, in the case of which the seat was brought into a flatter inclination position;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective exploded view of the highchair according to the alternative of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows a further view of the highchair of FIG. 5, in a perspective view from the front, after removing the inner seat bowl;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a highchair according to the invention, viewed from the rear side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will initially be made below to FIGS. 1 and 2. The highchair 10 according to the invention comprises a base part 11, with which the highchair stands on the ground, and a bowl-like seat 12. A height-adjustable column 13 extends upwards from the base part 11, wherein the column does not run upwards vertically from the base part 11, but at an angle of a few degrees to the vertical, and wherein a guide device 14 is arranged at the upper end of the column. This guide device 14 is hollow on the inside, is tubular and curved in an arch-shaped manner and accommodates a bow 15, which is curved in a partially circular arc-shaped manner, which can be inserted through the guide device. This bow 15, in turn, serves to fasten the bowl-shaped seat 12, which, as can be seen from FIG. 2, is fastened to the bow in two areas, namely once at the upper end of the bow and once at the lower end of the bow. Across its length, the bow 15 describes slightly less than a semi-circular arch. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the seta 12 has an oval contour and the bow 15 is attached to the seat of the rear side of the seat bowl in two areas of the seat bowl located diametrically opposite one another. When the inclination of the seat is adjusted, the bow (or the brace) 15 is pushed through the guide device 14, thus resulting in different inclination positions, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, which correspond to a more sitting or to a more lying position of the child located in the seat. The end points of the pivot travel of the bow 15 through the guide device 14 are defined by the fastening area of the bow at the seat bowl.

The base part 11 is embodied such that an increased stability of the highchair results. The base part can thereby either comprise an outer approximately U-shaped brace 11a as well as an approximately V-shaped area 11b, from which the holder for the column 13 projects to the top, or, as in the alternative of FIG. 3, the base part comprises an outer ring 11c and also an approximately V-shaped area, from which the column, on which the seat rests, extends upwards. This column can thereby be arranged more or less eccentrically relative to the center point of the base part 11, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 3. The column 13, has a slight inclination towards the vertical of the rear side of the seat, because the seat 12 extends forward from the bow 15 and from the guide device 14, so that the center of gravity of the highchair is compensated through this and is located approximately above the center of the base part 11.

The highchair 10 furthermore comprises a storage table 16 for the small child, which can be removed from the highchair and which has a foot rest element 17, which is ring-shaped, has an approximately U-shaped contour and, as can be seen from FIG. 1, runs at a slight distance below the lower edge of the seat bowl 12, which also runs in an arc-shaped manner, so that the small child can comfortably place the feet onto the foot rest element. Preferably, the foot rest element 17 can also be removed from the seat, as will be explained below.

Two alternatives for height-adjusting the seat are shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. In the case of the first alternative according to FIG. 2, the guide device 14 is attached to the column 13 and the outer column 13 is extended upwards by means of the guide device 14, for example via a pneumatic spring mechanism, which comprises an inner bar (can only be seen in outlines in FIG. 1). In the case of the second alternative according to FIGS. 3 and 4, an outer column 13 is fixedly attached to the base part 11 and an inner bar 18 is extended telescopically from the outer column 13 when moving the seat 12 upwards. In this case, the guide device 14 is located at the upper end of the bar 18 and thus moves upwards with the bar. Guide device 14 and outer column 13 are thus separated in the case of FIG. 4, while guide device 14 and outer column are connected to one another and move up together in the case of the alternative according to FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows a lower height position of the seat 12 and FIG. 4 shows a position, which is moved up slightly, whereby the bow 15 was simultaneously moved by means of the guide device 14 and the seat 12 was thus pivoted into a flatter position, which largely corresponds to a lying position of the child.

As compared to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 shows that, due to the pivoting of the seat due to the fact that the center point of the circle, about which the seat bowl pivots, is located slightly above the seat bowl 12, based on the steeper position according to FIG. 3, the front base area of the seat bowl 12 is pushed forward into the flatter position according to FIG. 4. The pivot radius, which is defined by a circle, which goes through the bow 15, is thus comparatively large, contrary to the cases according to the state of the art, where a narrow pivot radius is created in that a joint axis goes centrally through the seat itself.

In addition to the height position and the inclination position of the seat 12, the illustration of FIG. 4 also differs in that the storage table 16 and the foot rest element 17 in FIG. 14 were removed from the seat.

Further details of the setup of the seat 12 of the highchair 10 follow from the exploded drawing according to FIG. 5. The removed storage table 16, which is removed from the seat bowl, can be seen. It can furthermore be seen that an inner seat bowl 21, which can be removed from an outer seat bowl 20 of the seat 12, is present, which encompasses an approximately smaller holding volume and which, except for an edge area 21a, can be inserted completely into the outer seat bowl 20, wherein the edge area 21a overlaps the edge of the outer seat bowl 20, as can also be seen in FIG. 3. To fasten the inner seat bowl 21 to the outer seat bowl 20, provision is made for example for fixing elements at the one bowl, which can snap into recesses of the other bowl. These fastening elements are not illustrated in FIG. 5. A brace-like holder 19 for fastening the storage table 16 is removably fastened to the inner seat bowl 21, to which, in turn, the storage table 16 can be removably attached. The brace-like holder 19 can consist, for example, of a middle brace, which rises vertically, which supports the storage table, and of an approximately U-shaped brace, which runs horizontally and which is connected to the vertically rising brace, approximately in the center in the front. With its ends, which are directed inwards toward the inner seat bowl 21, the U-shaped brace, which runs horizontally, is fastened to said inner seat bowl, while the vertical brace is fastened to the seat bowl by means of its lower end. With its bottom side, the storage table 1 bears on the horizontal U-shaped brace.

As furthermore follows from FIG. 5, the U-shaped foot rest element 17 (see also FIG. 3) can be removed from the seat 12 of the highchair. For this purpose, the foot rest element 17 can be attached from the bottom, for example, onto the outer seat bowl 20 such that it clasps the edge of the outer seat bowl 20 in the lower area in a clamping manner by means of its two U-journals, wherein, however, a distance remains between the U-arch of the foot rest element 17 and the lower edge of the seat bowl, which runs in a similar U-shaped arch as can be seen in FIG. 1, so that the child can comfortably place the feet thereon.

The purpose for removing the smaller inner seat bowl 21 from the larger outer seat bowl 20, which is shown in FIG. 5, is that the holding volume of the seat bowl can be increased therewith and that the highchair, which is suitable for babies with the inner seat bowl 21, can be converted into a highchair, in which larger children can sit as well, with comparatively little effort. FIG. 6 once again illustrates a perspective view of the highchair of FIG. 5 with removed inner seat bowl in a view from the front at an angle, so that, as compared to FIG. 1, it can be seen in FIG. 6 that the outer seat bowl 20 now offers more space, because the seat plane is now located lower than in the case of an assembled inner seat bowl and because the holding volume of the outer seat bowl 20 as a whole is larger than that of the inner seat bowl, that is, the outer seat bowl 20 preferably has a larger inner width, larger inner height, a larger inner depth, in approximately right-angled expansion to the inner height, and/or a lower height of the seat surface relative to the ground, on which the base part stands, as compared to the inner seat bowl 21.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a highchair according to the invention, similar to the alternative according to FIGS. 1 and 2, viewed from the rear side. From this view, it can be seen that the bow 15, which is guided through the guide device 14, can have a flat oval cross section, for example, and does not necessarily need to have a circular cross section. It can furthermore be seen in FIG. 7 that a locking lever 22, which is supported in a hinged manner on the rear side of the guide device, is located at the latter. When this locking lever 22, which encompasses an eccentric for clamping, for example, is pivoted upwards, the bow 15 in the guide device is loosened through this and can now be moved therein, while the bow 15 is fixed in the guide device 14 and in the lower position of the locking lever 22 and can thus not moved, so that the seat is then locked in place in the corresponding inclined position.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

• 10 highchair
• 11 base part
• 11a U-shaped brace
• 11b V-shaped area
• 11c outer ring
• 12 seat
• 13 column
• 14 guide device
• 15 partially circular arc-shaped bow
• 16 storage table
• 17 foot rest element
• 18 bar
• 19 brace-like holder
• 20 outer seat bowl
• 21 inner seat bowl
• 21a edge area
• 22 locking lever

Claims

1. A highchair comprising a lower base part and an approximately bowl-shaped seat, which is attached in an upper area of the base part, characterized in that the bowl-shaped seat (12) comprises an outer seat bowl (20), which is somewhat larger in holding volume as well as an inner seat bowl (21), which is somewhat smaller in holding volume and which can be fit into the outer seat bowl, and which can be fixed to the outer seat bowl.

2. The highchair according to claim 1, characterized in that provision is made at the one bowl for fixing elements, which can snap into recesses of the respective other bowl, for fastening the inner seat bowl (21) to the outer seat bowl (20).

3. The highchair according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer seat bowl (20) has a larger inner width and/or a larger inner height and/or a larger inner depth, approximately at a right-angled expansion to the inner height, and/or a lower height of the seating area relative to the ground, on which the base part (11) stands, as compared to the inner seat bowl (21).

4. A highchair comprising a lower base part and an approximately bowl-shaped seat, which is attached in an upper area of the base part, characterized in that the inclination of the seat can be adjusted and that, for this purpose, at least one brace or a bow (15), which defines a circular path, along which the seat is moved in response to the inclination adjustment and is thereby guided in or at a guide device, which is connected to the base part, is attached to the rear side of the seat (12).

5. The highchair according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide device (14) can be height-adjusted in relation to the base part (11).

6. The highchair according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide device (14) can be height-adjusted linearly in relation to the base part (11) along a track, which is inclined to the vertical.

7. The highchair according to claim 4, characterized in that the latter encompasses a height adjustment of the seat (12), which is telescopic, comprising an outer column (13), which is attached to the base part (11) and which is inclined to the vertical and from which an at least one inner bar (18) can be extended telescopically, to which the guide device (14) is attached or a bar attached to the base part, in relation to which an outer column (13), to which the guide device is attached (14), can be moved in height.

8. The highchair according to claim 7, characterized in that the column (13) or bar (18) of the telescopic height adjustment is attached eccentrically to the base part (11).

9. The highchair according to claim 1, characterized in that a foot rest element (17) for the child sitting in the seat, which can be removably attached to the seat, is embodied as having the contour of an approximately U-shaped bow, wherein in the fastened state, the bow runs partially at a distance to the lower edge of the seat.

10. The highchair according to claim 1, characterized in that a brace-like holder (19) can be removably attached to the seat bowl at at least two, preferably at three points, wherein a storage table (16) for the seat can in turn can be removably fastened to this holder.

11. The highchair according to claim 4, characterized in that, viewed in the side view of the highchair, the brace or the bow (15) describes a reference circle and the guide device (14) comprises a tubular accommodation, which describes a short circular-arc section, through which the brace or the bow (15) can be slid in response to the inclination adjustment of the seat (12).

12. The highchair according to claim 4, characterized in that, viewed in the side view of the highchair, the brace or the bow (15) encompasses the contour of the bowl-shaped seat (12) at a varying distance, if applicable, and/or the seat is fastened in the respective end areas of the brace or of the bow, at least at two areas of its edge, which are located diametrically opposite in the front view.

13. The highchair according to claim 1, characterized in that the inclination of the seat can be adjusted and that, for this purpose, at least one brace or a bow (15), which defines a circular path, along which the seat is moved in response to the inclination adjustment and is thereby guided in or at a guide device, which is connected to the base part, is attached to the rear side of the seat (12).