CONVERTIBLE CHILDREN'S SEAT

Abstract

A convertible children's seat that can be used as a bouncer, a rocker, or as a stationary seat. The convertible children's seat provides a grow-with-me aspect to a typical children's seat by allowing the seat to change to fit the needs of the child as he/she grows and develops.

Claims

1. A children's seat for supporting a child over a support surface, the children's seat comprising a child support portion and a base portion, wherein the base portion is reconfigurable so as to allow selective use of the children's seat as a bouncer, a rocker, or a stationary chair.

2. The children's seat of claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises a base frame.

3. The children's seat of claim 2, wherein the base frame comprises one or more base members having curved or rounded bottom surfaces.

4. The children's seat of claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises a kickstand.

5. The children's seat of claim 4, wherein the kickstand is pivotally coupled to the base portion.

6. The children's seat of claim 5, wherein the kickstand is pivotable between an extended position and a retracted position, the kickstand engaging the support surface in the extended position.

7. The children's seat of claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises a bouncer frame.

8. The children's seat of claim 7, wherein the bouncer frame comprises base support members having first ends and second ends opposite the first ends, a front crossbar extending between the first ends of the base support members, and upwardly angled extending side members extending from the second ends of the base support members.

9. The children's seat of claim 7, wherein the bouncer frame is detachably coupled to the base portion.

10. The children's seat of claim 7, wherein the bouncer frame is reconfigurable between an extended position and a retracted position, the bouncer frame engaging the support surface in the extended position.

11. The children's seat of claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises one or more stoppers.

12. The children's seat of claim 1, wherein the child support portion comprises a seat assembly adapted for receiving and securing a child.

13. The children's seat of claim 1, wherein the child support portion comprises a motion control device which imparts motion to the child support portion.

14. A convertible children's seat comprising: a base frame; a seat assembly; a kickstand; and a bouncer frame, wherein the convertible children's seat is configured for selective use in a bouncer mode, a rocker mode, or a stationary seat mode.

15. The convertible children's seat of claim 14, wherein the kickstand and bouncer frame are connected to the base frame and each of the kickstand and bouncer frame is selectively reconfigurable between an extended position and a retracted position.

16. The convertible children's seat of claim 15, wherein the bouncer mode comprises the kickstand in the extended position and the bouncer frame in the extended position.

17. The convertible children's seat of claim 15, wherein the rocker mode comprises the kickstand in the retracted position and the bouncer frame in the retracted position.

18. The convertible children's seat of claim 15, wherein the stationary mode comprises the kickstand in the extended position and the bouncer frame in the retracted position.

19. A method of converting a children's seat between a bouncer mode, a rocking mode and a stationary mode, the children's seat having a seat assembly supported by a base frame with a kickstand moveable between an extended position and a retracted position and a bouncer frame moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, the method comprising: moving both the kickstand and the bouncer frame to the extended positions for the bouncing mode, moving both the kickstand and the bouncer frame to the retracted position for the rocker mode, and moving the kickstand to the extended position and the bouncer frame to the retracted position for the stationary mode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a convertible children's seat according to an example embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a bottom, side perspective view of the convertible children's seat of FIG. 1 according to an example embodiment, showing the convertible children's seat in a children's seat mode.

[0012] FIG. 3A shows the convertible children's seat of FIG. 1 in a bouncer mode.

[0013] FIG. 3B shows the convertible children's seat of FIG. 1 in a rocker mode.

[0014] FIG. 3C shows the convertible children's seat of FIG. 1 in a stationary chair mode.

[0015] FIGS. 4A-4C show the convertible children's seat of FIG. 1, showing the convertible children's seat in various modes of use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The present disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of example embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed disclosure. Any and all patents and other publications identified in this specification are incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.

[0017] Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.

[0018] With reference now to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1-4C show a plurality of examples of a convertible children's seat 100 that may be converted into a bouncer, a rocker, or a stationary seat according to example embodiments of the present disclosure. In example embodiments, the convertible children's seat comprises a support frame 10, a seat assembly 20, and a bouncer frame 30.

[0019] In example embodiments, the frame 10 is constructed of any suitable material such as, for example, plastic, metal, wood, polymer, composite, or other suitably rigid materials known in the art. In particular embodiments, the seat assembly 20 is formed from soft goods attached to the frame 10. In some embodiments, the seat assembly 20 further comprises additional padding 28 for providing comfort and support to an infant or toddler using the children's seat 100. The seat assembly 20 also includes a harness 22 configured to be selectively attached to the seat assembly 20 to secure a child in the seat. In particular embodiments, a toy bar 24 is releasably and rotatably coupled to the frame 10. One or more toys or other soothing/entertaining devices may be releasably or fixedly coupled to the toy bar 24. As shown in FIG. 1, the convertible children's seat 10 may further include a control device 26 secured to a front portion of the seat assembly 20. In other embodiments, the control device 26 may be permanently secured to the seat assembly 20. The control device 26 may be used to impart a bouncing motion, a rocking motion, or a vibration onto the convertible children's seat 10. In some embodiments, the control device 26 may also store and play music or other sounds to soothe an infant seated in the children's seat.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows the convertible children's seat 100 in a bouncer mode 200. According to various embodiments, the frame 10 includes left and right frame or base members 12. The left and right base members or legs 12 are mirror images of each other and have a generally trapezoidal shape. In example embodiments, the left and right base members 12 have a curved bottom surface enabling the children's seat 100 to rock when placed on a support surface such as for example the floor or the ground. In alternate embodiments, the legs or base members may be any suitable shape having a rounded, rocking base or bottom surface. In particular embodiments, the curved bottom may include one or more interference members 14 such as feet, stoppers, etc., for limiting the rocking movement of the children's seat while in the rocker mode. For example, in the depicted embodiment, the children's seat 100 includes front feet 14 for limiting the forward rocking motion of the rocker. In alternate embodiments, the children's seat 100 may include front and rear feet for limiting the forward and backward rocking motion of the rocker.

[0021] In particular embodiments, the children's seat 100 also includes a rear kickstand 16. The kickstand 16 is pivotally coupled to the left and right base members 12 and is selectively moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. According to example embodiments, the kickstand 16 can be extended to engage the support surface to prevent the children's seat 100 from rocking for example in the stationary or bouncer modes. In the retracted or folded position, the kickstand 16 is selectively pivoted or otherwise moved so that it does not engage the support surface, and therefore, the children's seat is able to rock, depending upon the position of the bouncer frame 30. In example embodiments, the kickstand 16 is pivotally coupled to the frame members 12 with any suitable fastening mechanism such as screws, bolts, rivets, adhesive, welding, friction fit, etc. In some embodiments, the kickstand 16 may be releasably coupled to the children's seat 100 so as to allow the kickstand 16 to be removed entirely from the frame 10 when the kickstand is not needed.

[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bouncer frame 30 includes base support members 32 having a front crossbar 34, and a pair of upwardly and forwardly extending side members 36 that extend from the rear ends of the base support members 32. In the depicted embodiments, the base support members 32, the front crossbar 34, and the upwardly extending side members 36 are integrally formed from a suitable resilient material, such as for example, metal. Further, the upwardly extending side members 36 are resiliently deflectable downwardly toward the base support members 32. According to example embodiments, the bouncer frame 30 is selectively reconfigurable between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the bouncer frame 30 engages the support surface and provides an elastic or spring-like support to allow for example the front end of the children's seat 100 to bounce up and down, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 4A. For example, when an infant is placed in the convertible children's seat 100, the infant can be gently bounced by applying pressure to the seat assembly 20, for example the front or the back of the seat assembly, such that the upwardly extending side members 36 are resiliently bent downwardly slightly and then resiliently returned to the original position. In other words, the bouncer frame 30 is configured to facilitate a bouncing motion as shown in FIG. 4A. The bounce mode can be engaged with or without the kickstand 16 in the extended position. In the retracted position, the bouncer frame is positioned so that it does not engage the support surface and the seat is supported substantially by the frame members 12, as shown in FIG. 3B. In alternate embodiments, the bouncer frame 30 may comprise a plurality of components, for example the base support members 32, the front crossbar 34, and the upwardly extending side members 32, which can be joined or otherwise assembled together to form the bouncer frame.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 3A-3B, to convert the convertible children's seat 100 from the bouncer mode 200 to the rocking mode 300, the bouncer frame 30 is removed from the base members 12. The bouncer frame is then rotated 180°, or upside-down, and then reattached to the base members 12 so that the bouncer frame does not engage the support surface. In example embodiments, the bouncer frame 30 is coupled to the base members via a post or peg on the bouncer frame that may be inserted into openings in the base members 12. In alternate embodiments, the bouncer frame 30 may be releasably attached to the frame 10 via any suitable method. To convert the convertible children's seat 100 from the rocking mode 300 to the stationary mode 400, the kickstand 16 is pivoted or otherwise positioned so that it engages the support surface, as shown in FIG. 3C. According to example embodiments, the children's seat is supported by the front feet 14 and the kickstand 16 in the stationary mode 400. In example embodiments, the kickstand 16 elevates the rear end of the children's seat so the seat is positioned more vertically than it is in the rocking or bouncer modes to allow more of an upright seated position rather than a lying position. See FIG. 4C.

[0024] FIGS. 4A-4C depict the grow-with-me aspect of the convertible children's seat 100. The grow-with-me aspect allows the seat to adapt to fit the needs of the child as he/she grows and develops. For example, during the first few months of an infant's life, a care-taker can use the bouncer mode 200 to soothe the infant. As the infant grows and develops more muscle control, the rocking mode 300 may be used to calm the child. Finally, once the child becomes a toddler and is able to stand or stay seated upright on his/her own, the convertible children's seat 10 can be converted to be used as a stationary seat 400, with or without the additional padding.

[0025] While the disclosure has been described with reference to example embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications, additions and deletions are within the scope of the disclosure, as defined by the following claims.