CN1859863A - High chair - Google Patents

Abstract

A high chair features various modes of adjustability and enhanced utility. The height of the chair can be adjusted using a single hand that engages a rear handle. The height of a seat platform of the chair can be adjusted separately relative to the tray. The tray itself is ergonomically designed for the benefit of the caregiver. A removable tray liner facilitates after-meal clean-up. Wheels on the. underside of the tray ease fore/aft adjustment. A pivoting back rest of the chair minimizes rearward shift of the center of gravity of the occupied chair, thus requiring a smaller chair footprint. Further, an accessory bar pivoted to a seat back portion of the chair provides readily accessible entertainment.

Description

high chair

Cross References to Related Patent Applications

This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Patent Application No. 60/457,325, filed March 26, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

technical field

This invention relates to child seats and, more particularly, to high chairs.

Background technique

High chairs have been provided with numerous features designed to enhance their comfort, safety and convenience. However, there is still room for improvement in several aspects of high chair design. The present invention addresses these needs.

During the course of caring for a child sitting in a high chair, it is customary for the caregiver to sit in front of the high chair and rest his or her arms on the high chair tray. High chair trays are usually made of a relatively stiff material that is not roomy and does not provide a comfortable resting place for the caregiver's arms.

The tray of the high chair can get very dirty while the child is eating. Often relatively large food crumbs are left on the surface of the tray. The problem of how to effectively and controllably remove these residues has not been adequately addressed by prior art.

The position of the high chair tray often needs to be adjusted. Trays often stick to the surface of the highchair carrying the tray or do not slip off easily.

High chairs that allow the height of the chair to be adjusted require the use of two hands for adjustment. Busy caregivers often find that only one hand is free for height adjustment. This requires the caregiver to have one hand free before adjustments can be made.

Tight stability (dumping) adjustments directly impact the high chair's footprint geometry. In general, consumers favor high chairs that have a small footprint to enable them to be more conveniently incorporated into a kitchen or table setting. Footprint size, constrained by stability factors, must be greater in high chairs with reclining features. Because a child's head represents a substantial proportion of their body weight, in a reclining highchair the center of gravity generally shifts to the rear as the child moves from a fully vertical to a reclined position. Therefore, it is highly desirable to minimize the center of gravity shift when the seat back is reclined, thereby minimizing the footprint of the highchair.

The recline mechanism that allows the seat back to pivot on the curved portion of the seat typically causes the distance between the seat back and the strut of the arm to change as the seat moves between the reclined positions. This distance is dictated by industry standards, and it is highly desirable to be able to change the angle of the seat back without significantly changing the distance between the seat back and the saddle.

Typically, children use high chairs for a considerable age range. The wide range of physical development a child undergoes during this time presents great challenges in designing a high chair that ideally meets all of a child's physical needs. This is amplified by a high chair with a reclining feature that allows the device to be used with very small toddlers and a removable arm that allows the chair to be pulled straight up when the removable arm is removed to the table to be used by an older child. One aspect of existing high chairs that does not adequately address this need is the height of the seat relative to the tray. Most high chairs are designed to accommodate larger children, which means that the tray is usually higher than the optimal height for a toddler or toddler.

Finally, a feature favored by consumers is the easy-to-achieve entertainment value of a child in a high chair. Often, the child needs to be left in the high chair after meals and quickly given toys that will not be thrown on the floor.

Contents of the invention

One aspect of the present invention relates to a chair tray that is ergonomically configured for a caregiver. The tray has an edge portion, for example a front edge portion having a contoured height. The height side has a middle part, the side of which is adjoined by two rest parts lower than the middle part. The side of the leaning portion adjoins two shoulders higher than the leaning portion, and the leaning portion may have a curved upper surface and a rounded upper edge.

Another aspect of the invention relates to removable tray inserts for easy cleaning. The insert comprises a self-supporting, flexible member shaped to generally conform to and cover the central portion of the tray. The insert may also cover at least the immediately adjacent portion of the tray edge. The insert may comprise a central portion and a raised edge surrounding the central portion, and in one embodiment the raised edge may extend over and completely cover the edge of the tray. When detached from the tray, the insert can be bent and angled to direct food debris to the center of the insert and one edge for easy disposal into a waste bin. When detached from the tray, the insert acts as a sided placemat that stands stably on any flat surface.

Yet another aspect of the present invention facilitates easy fore/aft adjustment of the tray. The tray has an upper side, a lower side and at least one wheel mounted to the lower side for rotation for movably supporting the tray on the support surface of the chair. In one embodiment, the tray may have three wheels: two spaced laterally and rotatable about a common axis, and a third centrally located and rotatable about an axis offset from the common axis. The chair may have an occupant restraint at the front of the seat and the center wheel rides on a recessed track in the occupant restraint.

Yet another aspect of the present invention facilitates height adjustment of the chair with one hand. The chair includes a seat including a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat bottom having a downwardly extending footrest. A seat frame supports the seat, the frame including a front member in supporting engagement with the footrest, the footrest being slidable relative to the front member. The frame also includes an adjustable support for the rear of the seat comprising adjustably engageable mating portions of the frame and seat. The chair may also have handles for effecting adjustment and helping to carry the weight of the seat (and occupant) with one hand while adjusting.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the height adjustable high chair includes a seat, a floor seat frame including opposite sides on opposite sides of the seat seat, and a height adjustable support assembly between the seat seat and the frame. The support assembly may include: a rack on each side of the bracket; a movable latch on the seat having a tooth on each side thereof for selectively engaging a tooth on a corresponding rack; and A handle for moving the latch between the locked and unlocked positions. The handle may be located in the middle. The latch may comprise a transverse bar pivoted transversely to the seat by teeth at each end thereof, wherein the handle is located on the bar for pivoting the transverse bar between locked and unlocked positions.

Yet another aspect of the present invention minimizes the center of gravity offset of the chair/occupant combination. The chair includes a seat including a seat bottom and a seat back pivotally mounted relative to the seat bottom about a transverse pivot for movement between an upright position and a reclined position. The two seat parts define a seat curvature region along the bottom of the seat between a first transverse axis and a second transverse axis, wherein at the first transverse axis the lower edge of the seat back is perpendicular to the seat back The first position intersects the bottom of the seat, while at the second transverse axis, the lower edge of the seat back intersects the bottom of the seat when the seat back is in the reclined position. The pivot is located above and in front of the curved area of the seat. If such a chair has armrests, the seat back may be provided with lateral extensions pivotally connected to the armrests. The seat bottom can be curved in its rearward direction, and the seat back can similarly be curved at its bottom to slide snugly over the seat bottom through the full range of seat back adjustment.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a chair includes a seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat back being pivotally mounted relative to the seat bottom about a transverse pivot such that the seat backs can be opposed to each other. Move within an adjustable range at the bottom of the seat. The seat back has a lower edge, and the lower edge overlaps the bottom of the seat. The pivot is located above and in front of the lower edge of the seat back throughout the adjustment range.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the chair includes a seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back, wherein the seat bottom has a seating surface and the seat back has a back support surface. The seat back is pivotally mounted relative to the seat bottom about a transverse pivot such that the seat back can move within an adjustable range relative to the seat bottom. The pivot is located above the seating surface and forward of the back support surface throughout the adjustment range.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the chair includes a seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back, wherein the seat bottom has a seating surface, the seating surface has a centerline and the seat back has a centerline. The seat back is pivotally mounted relative to the seat bottom about a transverse pivot such that the seat back can move within an adjustable range relative to the seat bottom. The pivot is located above a portion of the seating surface along its centerline and forward of a portion of the seat back along its centerline.

Another aspect of the present invention provides adjustability to enable the proper seat to tray distance. The chair includes: a seat including a seat bottom and a seat back; a seat platform positioned above the seat bottom; and a seat platform below the seat platform for adjusting the height of the seat platform relative to the seat bottom. Lifting mechanism. The seat platform and lift mechanism may be part of an adjustable seat combination that also includes a base attached to the bottom of the seat, with the lift mechanism located between the base and the seat platform. The lift mechanism may include a movable lift member for supporting the seat platform and a ramp surface, wherein the ramp surface is located on at least one of the lift member, the base, and the seat platform, such that movement of the lift member changes the position of the seat platform. the height of.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides easy access to entertainment for high chair sitters. This feature is embodied in the form of an additional rod pivoted to the seat around a transverse axis, the additional rod being movable between a forward position and a retracted position, wherein in the forward position, the rod The rod is positioned forwardly of the seat back so as to be accessible to a seat occupant, while in the retracted position the rod is positioned above the seat back and/or behind the seat back. Toys or other fun items can be attached to the rod.

Description of drawings

The above and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following detailed description and from the accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a highchair according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front perspective view of a tray according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the tray of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a tray and an added tray insert according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a front perspective view similar to Figure 4, showing the tray insert in place on the tray;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of a pallet according to the present invention;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the lower tray on which the tray of Figure 6 is supported;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the pallet in Figure 6 along line 8-8;

Figure 9 is a bottom perspective view of the chair of Figure 1 showing a portion of the height adjustment mechanism according to the present invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective detail view similar to Figure 9, showing the height adjustment mechanism in a locked state;

Figure 11 is a perspective detail view similar to Figure 10, showing the height adjustment mechanism in a released state;

12 is a bottom perspective view of the footrest and supports for the footrest of the chair of FIG. 1;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the seat portion of the chair of Figure 1;

Figure 14 is a front view of the backrest portion of the seat;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of an adjustable seat assembly according to the present invention;

Fig. 16 is an exploded view of the seat combination of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a partial assembly/exploded view of the seat assembly of Fig. 15;

Figure 18 is a side elevational view of another form of an adjustable seat assembly according to the present invention, shown in its lowest (folded) configuration;

Figure 19 is a view similar to Figure 18, showing the seat assembly of Figure 18 in a raised (deployed) configuration;

Figure 20 is a bottom perspective view of the seat assembly of Figure 18;

Figure 21 is a bottom perspective view of the seat assembly of Figure 18 with the base removed;

Figure 22 is a perspective view of an additional rod according to the present invention, showing it in a forward position; and

Figure 23 is a perspective view of the attachment bar of Figure 22, shown in a raised position.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the component constructions and arrangements illustrated in the following description and drawings. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Detailed ways

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals have been used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 generally shows a highchair 10 according to the present invention comprising a floor stand 20 supporting a seat 30 . A removable arm 40 on the seat supports a removable tray 50 (see Figures 2, 6, 8).

The frame 20 has an integrally molded plastic chassis 202 with spaced apart side portions 204 interconnected by a front cross member 206 . The chassis 202 also has a fixed front leg sleeve 208 that receives the tubular front leg 210 and a pivoting rear leg sleeve 212 that receives the tubular rear leg 214 . Feet or casters (not shown) are provided at the bottom ends of the legs 210,214. The pivoting nature of the rear leg sleeves 212 allows the rear legs 214 to be folded for more compact storage when the high chair is not in use.

The seat 30 includes a molded plastic seat bottom 310 adjustably supported on the chassis 20 and a molded plastic seat back 320 pivotally connected to the seat bottom 310 . The seat bottom 310 has an integrally molded footrest portion 312 and an integrally molded armrest portion 314 . Seat 30 is depicted as a bare shell, but it will be appreciated that a padded cover (not shown) would typically be used to increase the comfort of the seat.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the armrest portion 314 supports the detachable arm 40 . The arm 40 is molded from plastic, has a plurality of recesses 42 and acts as a small tray. The arm 40 also has a depending crotch bar 44 which acts as a restraint to prevent the child from sliding out of the chair. Removable tray 50 is movably supported on upper side surface 46 and central recessed surface 48 of arm 40, as described below.

Tray Features

The tray 50 may include at least one wheel mounted to its underside for rotation to movably support the tray 50 on the support surface of the chair. For example, referring to FIGS. 6 and 8 , the underside of the tray 50 may be provided with three wheels: two laterally spaced wheels 502 that ride on the side 46 of the arm 40 and a recessed track that rides on the arm 40 . Center wheel 504 on 48. Each wheel is supported on an axle 506 carried by a web 508 integrally molded into the tray. The wheels facilitate fore/aft adjustment of the tray. The tray 50 is retained on the arm 40 by tabs 510 that engage the underside edge of the arm 40 . Each tab 510 is carried by a side release handle 512 which is pivoted at 514 to the underside of the tray. The side release handles 512 are connected to the central release button 516 on the front of the tray by a pair of flexible but rigid straps 518 which are guided between the webs 520 and can transmit force along their length. A spring (not shown) may be included in the release button 516 to bias the button outward and through the strap 518 to bias the detent tab 510 inward to a locked position. To move the tray, the caregiver only needs to press the release button inward (or squeeze the handle 512 upward) to release the stop tab 510, and the tray can roll back and forth on the wheels 502 to a new position and lock there.

The front profile of the tray 50 is ergonomically constructed to enhance caregiver comfort. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the central portion 526 of the tray 50 is surrounded by a raised edge 530 with a front portion of the edge having a contoured height profile. Specifically, the middle portion 532 of the edge is higher than two adjacent leaning portions 534 , and the sides of the leaning portions 534 meet higher shoulders 536 . The leaning portion 534 has a gradually curved upper surface and a rounded upper edge. These features accommodate a caregiver's hand or arm very comfortably therein, as shown in FIG. 3 .

Additionally, as can be seen in FIG. 2 , central portion 526 of tray 50 tapers upwardly to an upper edge of rim 530 . That is, the inner surface 538 of the edge 530 is angled relative to the center portion 526 and the upper edge of the edge 530 (rather than being perpendicular thereto), making it easier to remove food debris from the center portion 526 over the edge 530 .

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 , tray cleaning or other activities after a meal are simplified by a removable flexible tray insert or liner 60 secured to the tray 50 . Insert 60 is molded from a flexible plastic or rubberized material that is shaped to generally conform to and cover central portion 526 of the tray. Insert 60 may also be shaped to conform to and cover at least the portion immediately adjacent tray edge 530 . Insert 60 includes a central (main) portion 604 to cover central portion 526 of tray 50 and a raised edge 606 surrounding central portion 604 . Raised edge 606 may cover at least a portion immediately adjacent edge 530 . In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 , the raised edge 606 extends beyond the edge 530 of the tray 50 and completely covers the edge 530 of the tray 50 . Easy tab 602 simplifies removal of the insert. The insert 60 is thus easily detached from the tray 50, carried to a waste bin, and bent and angled to direct food crumbs or other residue to the center and one edge of the insert (as is commonly done using, for example, placemats). ) for easy disposal of residues. Additionally, insert 60 is flexible enough to fit a standard size domestic sink when folded for easy cleaning. The central portion 604 of the insert 60 is generally flat so that the insert 60 can be stably supported on any flat surface, such as a table, as a sided placemat when detached from the tray. Insert 60 may be made of a material with a relatively high coefficient of friction so that it does not easily slip or slide on a table or other surface. Insert 60 may include a recess 608 to accommodate a beverage. The recess 608 is receivable in the beverage recess 528 of the tray 50 . Additional recesses may be provided to enhance the versatility of insert 60 .

chair height adjustment

9-11 depict features that enable adjustment of the height of seat 30 relative to frame 20 with one hand. The inner side of each chassis side 204 has a integrally molded rack 220 having a series of vertically spaced teeth 222 . Each tooth 222 has a support shoulder or lug 224 adapted to support half the weight of the seat. Rear bearing surfaces 226 and shoulders 228 on chassis side 204 serve to guide and position seat 30 .

The transverse bar 350 is pivoted about its longitudinal axis 352 to the lower rear of the seat 30, in U-shaped recesses 354 on each side of the seat. The stop tabs 356 on each side help hold the rod 350 in position in the recess 354 while allowing the rod 350 to pivot. The tooth 360 at each end of the rod 350 engages the shoulder 224 of a selected tooth 222 in its corresponding rack 220 . Leaf spring 357 biases transverse bar 350 to the locked position, ie, the position where tooth 360 engages tooth 222 (see FIG. 10 ). The central handle 358 is integral with the transverse bar 350 . The handle 358 has a handle portion 358a adapted to be grasped by the fingers of one hand and a heel portion 358b adapted to be engaged by the heel of the palm when the fingers engage the handle portion 358a. The curved extension 362 on each side of the seat 30 wraps around the corresponding chassis side 204 . Extension 362 has a bearing surface 366 and a shoulder 368 that cooperate with bearing surface 226 and shoulder 228, respectively.

To change the height of the seat 30, the central handle 358 is grasped with one hand, with the fingers encircling the handle portion 358a and the heel of the palm engaging the heel portion 358b. The heel 358b then rises, which pivots the transverse bar 350 in the direction of the arrow in FIGS. 10 and 11 to move the tooth 360 out of engagement with the tooth 222 (see FIG. 11 ). Substantially the total weight of the seat (and occupant) can be borne by the fingers engaging the handle portion 358a of the handle 358 so that the seat can be raised or lowered to a new position with one hand. When the new position is reached, the handle 358 is released, allowing the lever 350 to pivot back to the locked position where the tooth 360 engages the new tooth 222 . The mating support surfaces 226, 366 help resist tilting of the seat 30. Additional stability of seat 30 is provided by chassis front cross member 206 (see FIG. 12 ) having guide support slot 207 on footrest 312 that slidably engages support flange 313 . The dashed lines in FIG. 12 illustrate how the footrest 312 moves relative to the front cross member 206 .

backward feature

Figures 13 and 14 depict the reclining feature of the high chair. Seat back 320 is pivotally mounted to seat bottom 310 about a lateral pivot (eg, axis 322 ) for movement between an upright position (as shown in FIG. 14 ) and a reclined position. Seat back 320 and seat bottom 310 together define a seat curvature region, generally indicated at 316 , along seat bottom 310 . The seat bending region 316 is defined as the area between the first transverse axis A1 of the seat bottom 310 and the second transverse axis of the seat bottom 310, wherein at the first transverse axis, the lower edge 323 of the seat back 320 is in the The seat bottom 310 is intersected when the back is in the vertical position, while at the second transverse axis, the lower edge 323 intersects the seat bottom 310 when the back is in the reclined position. Pivot 322 is located above and forward of the curved region of the seat, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 13 . According to another aspect of the present invention, the pivot 322 is located above and in front of the lower edge 323 of the seat back 320 throughout the entire range of adjustment of the seat back 320 .

Seat back 320 has integrally molded side tabs or extensions 321 that extend forward and are pivoted to armrest portion 314 about pivot 322 . Unlike conventional configurations where the seat back is hinged to the seat bottom in the seat flex region, the geometry of the chair 10 greatly reduces the rearward movement of the seat back 320 when reclined. This minimizes the rearward shifting of the center of gravity of the seated high chair, so that the high chair meets the stability requirements with a small footprint. The rear of the seat bottom 310 curves upward in the seat flex region 316 and the rear 324 of the seat back 320 similarly curves to slide snugly over the seat bottom 310 throughout the entire range of adjustment of the seat back 320 .

The seat back 320 is selectively lockable in various positions. This is conveniently accomplished by a series of notches 318 near each side of the seat curve 316 near the seat bottom 310 . The notches 318 are engaged by retractable bolts 326a, 326b carried by the seat back 320 . The bolts 326a, 326b are generally the ends of guided flexible but rigid straps 328a, 328b similar to those used for the underside of the tray 50 (see Fig. 6). The straps 328a, 328b are connected to the central release button or handle 330 on top of the seat back 320 by a central strap 329 that bisects and guides laterally at its bottom to engage the straps 328a, 328b. As seen in FIG. 14 , bolts 326 a , 326 b are biased to engage notches 318 under the influence of coil spring 332 , which acts indirectly through central band 329 against bands 328 a , 328 b. Downward pressure on the release button 330 moves the central band 329 downward against the action of the spring 332 . This downward movement translates into a sideways pulling movement of the straps 328a, 328b, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. A stop 334 associated with the release button 330 engages a window edge 336 at the seat back 320 to limit upward movement of the release button.

The seat bottom 310 has a seating surface 310S on which a child sits, and the seat back 320 has a back support surface 320S on which a child's back rests. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the pivot 322 is located above the seating surface 310S and in front of the back support surface 320S throughout the entire adjustment range of the seat back 320 . The seating surface 310S may have a centerline (not shown) that bisects the seat bottom 310 into left and right halves and extends from the front edge of the seat bottom 310 to the edge of the seat curved portion 316. front edge. Likewise, the back support portion 320 may have a centerline (not shown) that bisects the seat back 320 into left and right halves. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the pivot 322 is located above a portion of the seating surface 320S along its centerline and forward of a portion of the seat back 320 along its centerline.

It can be seen from FIG. 13 that, within the entire adjustment range, the angle of the seat back 320 relative to the seat bottom 310 changes as the seat back 320 moves between the upright position and the reclined position. However, the distance between the back of the seat and the saddle did not change significantly.

Seat to tray height adjustment

15-17 depict a first embodiment 70 of an adjustable seat assembly suitable for supporting a seat occupant at a selected height relative to the tray. As clearly seen in FIG. 16, the seat assembly 70 comprises three main components: a base 710 for supporting on the seat bottom 310; a seat platform 730 adapted to cover the base 710 and support the occupant; and An intermediate lifting mechanism 740 to adjust the height of the seat platform relative to the base. These components may be made of injection molded plastic material. The base 710 is upwardly dished and has a central opening 712 that accommodates the crotch bar 44 (see FIGS. 1 and 7 ) and a mesh crotch restraint (if so configured). Seat platform 730 also has crotch bar holes 732 for the same purpose. Side stakes 714 on the base 710 extend through side holes 734 in the seat platform 730 to prevent separation of the parts, and the stakes 714 can be used to secure the seat assembly to the seat bottom 310 by suitable means (not shown) . Front notch 718 is aligned with central recess 720, and both structures coordinate with a portion of lift mechanism 740, described below. A plurality of wedges 722 have ramped surfaces 724 on which a portion of the lift mechanism rides. The lift mechanism is guided into two parallel notches 716 in the base 710 .

The lift mechanism 740 includes a bracket 742 surrounding a large central aperture 744 through which the hip bar 44 can pass. At the front end of the bracket 742 is a threaded hole 746 whose side is connected with the guide pin 747 . The shaft 748 has a threaded portion 750 that engages the threaded bore 746 , wherein the rear end 752 of the shaft 748 is received in the recess 720 . The shaft 748 also has a slot 754 received in the front notch 718 of the base 710 . A knob 756 at the front end of the shaft 748 facilitates rotation of the shaft 748, which causes the bracket 742 to move back and forth. At the rear end of the bracket 742 is a rod 760 whose lower surface 762 rides on the ramp 724 and whose upper surface 764 supports the seat platform 730 . Thus, as the knob 756 is opened, the bracket 742 and rod 760 move back and forth on the wedge 722 to change the height of the seat platform 730 .

18-21 illustrate a second adjustable seat assembly embodiment 80 . The embodiment 80 includes a base 810 , a seat platform 830 and an adjustment mechanism 840 . In this embodiment, the element that moves back and forth to adjust the seat platform height is a U-shaped slide 844 with a wedge 845 (see FIG. 21 ). The crotch bar holes 812, 842 are provided the same as in the first embodiment. The slider 844 has a front cross member 846 with a slot 848 . The wheel 850 is centrally pivoted to the underside of the seat platform 830 and has an eccentric pin 852 that resides in a slot 848 . Rotation of the wheel 850 moves the pin 852, causing the slider 852 to move forward or backward with its wedge, thereby causing a change in the height of the seat platform 830.

Additional rod

Figures 22 and 23 depict the U-shaped attachment bar 90 and its use. Additional rod 90 may be made of plastic or other reasonably rigid and lightweight material. The shown additional pole 90 is covered by a soft sleeve 902 and supports a number of toys 904 . The end 906 of the rod 90 is pivoted to the seat, for example, to the seat back 320 about a transverse axis as shown. Any suitable pivot can be used. Each pivot may have two stops that limit the movement of the rod 90 . The first stop prevents the rod from falling onto the tray 50 when the rod is in the forward (use) position ( FIG. 22 ). The second stop prevents the lever from falling back below the vertical (inactive) position (FIG. 23). Thus, an additional bar with a toy or other accessory can be quickly swung down in front of the occupant or quickly moved into a vertical position out of the way. In addition, the pivot connection that pivots the rod 90 to the seat back 320 may be disengaged so that when the rod 90 is inadvertently pivoted rearward past the second pivot, a predetermined pressure on the rod 90 (for example due to mischief) The force exerted by a child trying to hold or step on the rod 90 ) allows the rod 90 to disengage from the seat back 320 . In this way, the high chair 10 will not be pulled over if such a force is applied to the rod 90 .

The preferred embodiments have been set forth herein for the purpose of illustration. However, this description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various modifications, adaptations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the claimed inventive concept. The true scope and spirit of the invention should be determined by the claims.

Claims (80)

1. A chair comprising: a seat comprising a seat base; and a tray comprising a central portion and a raised rim surrounding said central portion, wherein the tray is detachably supported in front of the chair above the bottom of the seat to can be reached by the occupants, and Wherein a front portion of the edge has a contoured height profile. 2. The chair of claim 1, wherein said front portion of said edge includes a middle portion flanked by two leaning portions lower than said middle portion. 3. The chair of claim 2, wherein said front portion of said edge includes two shoulders higher than said two reclining portions, each of said reclining portions flanking said middle portion and a corresponding shoulders meet. 4. The chair of claim 3, wherein the reclining portion has a gently curved upper surface and a rounded upper edge. 5. The chair of claim 4, further comprising a removable flexible tray insert substantially conforming to and covering said center portion of said tray and at least immediately adjacent portions of said edges. 6. The chair of claim 5, wherein the central portion of the tray and the portion of the insert covering the central portion of the tray are generally flat. 7. The chair of claim 5, wherein said insert includes an edge to conform to and cover said edge of said tray. 8. The chair of claim 5, wherein said insert is self-supporting, whereby said insert can be stably supported on any flat surface as a rimmed dish when detached from said tray pad. 9. The chair of claim 1 in the form of a children's high chair. 10. A pallet comprising: a central part; and a raised edge surrounding said central portion, and Wherein a portion of the edge has a contoured height profile. 11. The tray of claim 10, wherein a front portion of the edge has a contoured height profile. 12. The tray of claim 10, wherein the tray is adapted to be removably supported on the front of a chair so as to be within reach of a seat occupant. 13. The pallet of claim 10, wherein said front portion of said edge includes a middle portion flanked by two leaning portions lower than said middle portion. 14. The tray of claim 13, wherein said front portion of said edge includes two shoulders higher than said two rest portions, each of said rest portions flanking said middle portion and a corresponding shoulders meet. 15. The pallet of claim 14, wherein the resting portion has a gently curved upper surface and a rounded upper edge. 16. A removable insert for a pallet comprising: a central part; and a raised edge surrounding the central portion, the insert is a shape that generally conforms to and covers the A self-supporting flexible member covering a central portion of the tray. 17. The removable insert of claim 16, wherein the insert is shaped to generally conform to and cover at least an immediately adjacent portion of an edge of the tray. 18. The removable insert of claim 17, wherein the raised edge of the insert is shaped to substantially completely cover the edge of the tray. 19. The removable insert of claim 16, wherein said central portion of said insert is generally flat, whereby said insert can be stably supported on any flat surface as it is detached from said tray. A placemat with a rim. 20. A chair comprising: a seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back; and a tray detachably supported in front of the chair above the seat bottom so as to be within reach of the seat occupant, and Wherein the seat includes a supporting surface that can be adjusted to support the forward and backward movement of the tray, and the tray includes an upper side, a lower side and at least one wheel mounted to the lower side for rotation, and the wheels support the The tray moves back and forth on the support surface. 21. The chair of claim 20, wherein said seat includes an occupant restraint at said front of said chair above said seat bottom, and said support surface comprises a portion of said occupant restraint. part of the upper surface. 22. The chair of claim 21, wherein the occupant restraint includes at least one recess to act as a lower tray when the tray is removed. 23. The chair of claim 20, wherein the tray includes a plurality of wheels mounted to the underside for rotation, the wheels supporting the tray to move back and forth on the support surface. 24. The chair of claim 23, wherein said support surface includes a central longitudinal portion and two side longitudinal portions, said tray has two transversely spaced wheels and a central wheel, and each wheel rides on a on the corresponding longitudinal section. 25. The chair of claim 21 wherein said central longitudinal portion of said support surface has a recessed track for said central wheel. 26. A tray adapted to be removably supported on the front of a chair within reach of a seat occupant, said tray comprising: one upper side; lower side; and At least one wheel mounted to the underside for rotation, for moving the tray Supported on a support surface of the chair. 27. The tray of claim 26, wherein the tray includes a plurality of wheels mounted to the underside for rotation about parallel axes, the plurality of wheels for movably supporting the tray on the on a support surface of the chair. 28. The pallet of claim 27, wherein said plurality of wheels comprises three wheels, two of which are laterally spaced and rotatable about a common axis, and a third wheel is centrally located and rotatable about a Axis rotations that are offset from the common axis. 29. A height adjustable children's high chair comprising: a seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back, said seat bottom having a downwardly extending footrest; a floor frame supporting said seat, said frame including a front end member in supporting engagement with said footrest, said footrest being slidable relative to said front end member; and An adjustable support for the rear of the seat comprising an adjustable meshing fit of the bracket and the seat. 30. A height adjustable children's high chair according to claim 29, wherein said adjustable engagement fit comprises vertically spaced support members carried by one of said seat and said frame and an adjustable A latch assembly selectively engageable with the support member, the latch assembly being carried by the other of the seat and the frame. 31. The height adjustable children's high chair of claim 30, wherein said support member comprises a toothed rack on said bracket and said latch assembly comprises a movable A movable tooth selectively engages a tooth on the rack. 32. A height adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 30, wherein said support member comprises a toothed rack on each side of said frame and said latch assembly comprises a rack carried by said seat A pair of movable teeth, each tooth of the latch assembly selectively meshing with a tooth on its corresponding rack. 33. A height adjustable children's high chair according to claim 32, wherein said latch assembly comprises a transverse bar pivoted transversely to said seat, said bar having said movable teeth at each end thereof centered, and the lever includes a handle for rotating the lever between locked and unlocked positions. 34. A height adjustable children's high chair according to claim 33, wherein said handle comprises a handle portion and a palm heel portion, said handle portion being adapted to be engaged and supported by fingers of one hand, whereby The heel portion is adapted to be lifted by the heel portion of the same hand when the handle portion is engaged, and wherein upward movement of the heel portion releases the teeth of the rod to allow the seat to move relative to each other. Move vertically on the bracket. 35. The height adjustable children's high chair of claim 29, wherein said seat and said frame have mating guide surfaces that remain in contact throughout the seat height adjustment range and resist tilting of said seat. 36. The height adjustable children's high chair of claim 29, including a handle positioned rearward and centered on said seat bottom and operably coupled to at least one of said mating portions, wherein said The handle includes a handle portion adapted to be engaged and supported by the fingers of one hand and a heel portion adapted to be held by the palm of the same hand when the handle portion is engaged. The heel portion is raised, and wherein upward movement of the heel portion disengages the mating portion to allow vertical movement of the seat relative to the frame. 37. A height adjustable children's high chair comprising: a seat; a ground frame comprising opposite sides on opposite sides of said seat; and a height-adjustable support assembly located between the seat and the bracket, the support assembly The combination includes: a rack on each side of the bracket; a movable latch on the seat having a tooth on each side for selectively engaging said teeth of said corresponding rack; and A handle for moving the latch between locked and unlocked positions. 38. The height adjustable children's high chair of claim 37, wherein the handle is centrally located on the seat. 39. The height adjustable children's high chair of claim 37, wherein said latch comprises a transverse bar pivoted transversely to said seat, said handle being located on said bar so that said bar is Rotate between locked and unlocked positions. 40. A height adjustable children's high chair according to claim 39, wherein said handle comprises a handle portion and a heel portion, said handle portion being adapted to be engaged and supported by fingers of one hand, and wherein The heel portion is adapted to be lifted by the heel portion of the same hand when the handle portion is engaged, and wherein upward movement of the heel portion releases the teeth to allow the seat to move relative to the frame Move vertically. 41. The height adjustable children's high chair of claim 38, wherein said handle includes a handle portion and a heel portion, said handle portion being adapted to be engaged and supported by fingers of one hand, and wherein The heel portion is adapted to be lifted by the heel portion of the same hand when the handle portion is engaged, and wherein upward movement of the heel portion releases the teeth to allow the seat to move relative to the frame Move vertically. 42. The height adjustable children's high chair of claim 37, wherein said seat and said frame have cooperating guide surfaces that remain in contact throughout the seat height adjustment range and resist tilting of said seat. 43. An adjustable children's high chair comprising: A seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back pivotally mounted relative to the seat bottom about a transverse pivot between an upright position and a reclined position moving, the two seat portions define a seat curvature region along the seat bottom between a first transverse axis and a second transverse axis, wherein at the first transverse axis, the seat the lower edge of the seat back intersects the seat bottom when the seat back is in the upright position, and at the second transverse axis the lower edge of the seat back is in the reclined position of the seat back intersects the bottom of the seat when Wherein the pivot is located above and in front of the curved area of the seat. 44. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 43, further comprising an armrest portion, wherein said seat back includes a lateral extension pivotally coupled to said armrest portion about said pivot axis. 45. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 44, wherein the armrest portion is integral with the seat bottom. 46. An adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 43, wherein said seat bottom is curved upwardly at its rear and said seat back is similarly curved at its bottom to Tightly slides over the seat bottom throughout the entire range of adjustment relative to the seat bottom. 47. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 43 including a releasable latch mechanism for selectively securing the seat back in a desired position. 48. An adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 47, wherein said latch mechanism comprises a row of notches on said seat bottom and an optional latch mechanism carried by said seat back. A retractable bolt that engages with a fixed notch. 49. An adjustable children's high chair according to claim 47, wherein said latch mechanism comprises: two rows of notches spaced laterally on said seat bottom; retractable bolts each engageable with a selected notch in its corresponding row of notches; and a handle on the back of the seat operably connected to both bolts for simultaneous actuation of the bolts. 50. An adjustable children's high chair comprising: A seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back, the seat back being pivotally mounted relative to the seat bottom about a transverse pivot such that the seat back can be moved relative to the seat the seat bottom moves within an adjustment range, the seat bottom has a lower edge, the lower edge of the seat back overlaps the seat bottom, Wherein the pivot is located above and in front of the lower edge of the seat back throughout the adjustment range. 51. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 50, further comprising an armrest portion, wherein said seat back includes a lateral extension pivotally coupled to said armrest portion about said pivot axis. 52. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 51, wherein the armrest portion is integral with the seat bottom. 53. An adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 50, wherein said seat bottom is curved upwardly at its rear and said seat back is similarly curved at its bottom to Tightly slides over the seat bottom throughout the entire range of adjustment relative to the seat bottom. 54. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 50 including a releasable latch mechanism for selectively securing the seat back in a desired position. 55. An adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 54, wherein said latch mechanism comprises a row of notches on said seat bottom and an optional latch mechanism carried by said seat back. Retractable bolt engaged by deadbolt. 56. An adjustable children's high chair according to claim 54, wherein said latch mechanism comprises: two rows of notches spaced laterally on said seat bottom; retractable bolts each engageable with a selected notch in its corresponding row of notches; and a handle on the back of the seat operably connected to both bolts for simultaneous actuation of the bolts. 57. An adjustable children's high chair comprising: A seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back, wherein the seat bottom has a seating surface and the seat back has a back support surface, the seat back is opposite to the seat bottom pivotally mounted about a transverse pivot such that said seat back is movable relative to said seat bottom within a range of adjustment, Wherein, within the entire adjustment range, the pivot is located above the seating surface and in front of the back support surface. 58. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 57, further comprising an armrest portion, wherein said seat back includes a lateral extension pivotally coupled to said armrest portion about said pivot axis. 59. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 58, wherein the armrest portion is integral with the seat bottom. 60. An adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 57, wherein said seat bottom is curved upwardly at its rear and said seat back is similarly curved at its bottom to Glides snugly over the seat bottom throughout the entire adjustment range. 61. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 57 including a releasable latch mechanism for selectively securing the seat back in a desired position. 62. An adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 61, wherein said latch mechanism comprises a row of notches on said seat bottom and an optional Retractable bolt engaged by deadbolt. 63. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 61, wherein said latch mechanism comprises: two rows of notches laterally spaced on said seat bottom; two rows of notches carried by said seat back; retractable bolts each engageable with a selected notch in its corresponding row of notches; and a handle on the back of the seat operably connected to both bolts for simultaneous actuation of the bolts. 64. An adjustable children's high chair comprising: A seat comprising a seat bottom having a seating surface and a seat back, wherein the seating surface has a centerline and the seat back has a centerline, the seat back relative to the seat back the seat bottom is pivotally mounted about a transverse pivot such that the seat back is movable within an adjustment range relative to the seat bottom, Wherein the pivot is located above the portion of the seating surface along its centerline and in front of the portion of the seat back along its centerline. 65. An adjustable children's high chair comprising: a seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back; a seat platform above the seat bottom; and A lifting mechanism, which is located under the seat platform, is used to adjust the relative position of the seat platform at the height of the bottom of the seat. 66. An adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 65, wherein said lift mechanism comprises a moveable lift member positioned below said seat platform and supporting said seat platform, and said lift member positioned and an inclined surface on at least one of the seat platforms, whereby movement of the lifting member changes the height of the seat platform. 67. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 66, wherein the lift member is movable back and forth on the seat by a rotatable actuation member located forwardly of the seat platform. 68. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 67, wherein the lift member includes a slot and the actuating member includes a wheel having an over-center pin that engages the slot. 69. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 67, wherein the lift member includes a threaded hole and the actuation member includes a knob attached to a threaded shaft, the threaded shaft engaging the threaded hole. 70. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 65, wherein the seat platform has an aperture through which a crotch restraint member can extend. 71. An adjustable children's high chair comprising: a seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back; and an adjustable seat assembly above said seat bottom, said adjustable seat assembly comprising: a base attached to the seat bottom; a seat platform on said base; and A lift mechanism between the seat platform and the base for adjusting the height of the seat platform relative to the base. 72. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 71, wherein said lift mechanism includes a moveable lift member supporting said seat platform and a lift mechanism between said lift member, said base, and said seat platform. an inclined surface on at least one of the seat platforms whereby movement of the lifting member changes the height of the seat platform. 73. An adjustable children's high chair as claimed in claim 72, wherein said lift member can be moved back and forth on said seat by a rotatable actuation member located in front of said base and pivoted to said base move. 74. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 73, wherein the lift member includes a slot and the actuation member includes a wheel having an over-center pin that engages the slot. 75. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 73, wherein the lift member includes a threaded hole, and the actuation member includes a knob attached to a threaded shaft, the threaded shaft engaging the threaded hole. 76. The adjustable children's high chair of claim 71, wherein the adjustable seat assembly has an aperture through which a crotch restraint member can extend. 77. A children's high chair comprising: a seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back; and an auxiliary rod pivoted to the seat about a transverse axis, the auxiliary rod movable between an advanced position and a retracted position, wherein in the advanced position, the rod is disposed on the chair The front of the seat back is so as to be accessible to the occupant, while in the retracted position the rod is arranged above and/or behind the seat back. 78. The children's high chair of claim 77, wherein the auxiliary bar is padded. 79. The children's high chair of claim 77, wherein said auxiliary bar is pivoted to said seat back of said seat. 80. The children's high chair of claim 77, wherein the auxiliary bar is generally U-shaped.

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