Chairs and seats – Convertible – Alternately usable seat mounts
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2003-04-01
Barfield, Anthony D. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Convertible
Alternately usable seat mounts
C297S271600, C297S258100, C297S032000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06540292
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable rocking seat for children. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a rocking seat that adjusts from a more reclined to a more inclined position, which is accomplished in the preferred embodiments by adjusting the length of rear support legs for the seat.
2. Related Art
A variety of infant chairs are known in the art. Infant chairs include baby carriers that can sit on a floor at an adjustable angle and support a baby reclining on its back. U.S. Pat. No. 3,361,473 to Dudouyt teaches a chair having a seat and a back connected to legs by a clampable pivot, allowing the parts to be moved relative to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,751 to Nakao discloses a multipurpose infant's chair that can be used as a baby carriage, rocking play device or bed as desired by moving a few parts of the chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,438 to Beger discloses an infant rocking device that includes a rocking frame and a stretching frame for stretching a sheet adapted to accommodate an infant. The stretching frame is pivotably mounted on the rocking frame by at least two detachable couplers that each include a clamping sleeve adapted to be clamped on to the free end of the rocking frame to provide for pivotable movement of the stretching frame with respect to the rocking frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,599 to Wise discloses a baby carrier that includes a one-piece shell type seat having a generally U-shaped support rotatably attached to the sides of the shell by simple pivots. The bottom of the shell forms an integral pair of rockers allowing use of the carrier as a rocking cradle.
Another known folding toddler/rocker sold under the trade name “GYMBOREE” includes a folding frame and soft goods suspended from the frame.
None of the conventional infant rocking chairs provide for adjustability from one configuration suitable for small infants to another configuration suitable for larger toddlers. As a result, a problem with conventional rocking seats for infants is that during the rapid growing stage from infant to toddler, infant rocking chairs have a very short useable life span before the infant has outgrown the infant rocking chair. Conventional infant rocking chairs also suffer from the disadvantage that they do not allow for simple and rapid disassembly or folding for storage without the use of tools.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The shortcomings of conventional rocker chairs are overcome by the rocker chair of the invention, which can be readily converted between a configuration suitable for use by a small infant and a configuration more suitable for use by a larger toddler.
The multi-use chair that can be readily converted without the use of tools between a configuration in which it is used to support an infant, a configuration in which the seat is at a stationary recline suitable for various uses such as feeding an infant or supporting an infant while the infant sleeps, and a more upright configuration for use as a rocking chair by larger toddlers.
The chair can be readily folded into a small volume for storage without the use of tools.
A preferred embodiment of the rocking chair includes a seat portion supported on a support structure that is pivotably connected to a rocker base and is adjustable in height.
More particularly, in the preferred embodiments the seating portion can be supported relative to a rocking base by multiple legs. The legs can be pivotably attached to the base with at least two of the legs being adjustable in length. Preferably, the adjustable legs are pivotably attached to a rear portion of the rocking base and positioned underneath a back support portion of the seating portion. A change in the length of the adjustable legs results in a change in the inclination of the back support portion relative to the rocking base, thus allowing the seating portion to be readily adjusted between a more reclined position suitable for supporting an infant and a more upright position suitable for supporting a larger toddler.
The rocking base of the chair can include two substantially parallel elongated curved members, or rocker rails, each having front and rear ends, and each being pivotably connected at the front and rear ends to respective front and rear leg members. The front and rear leg members associated with each rocker rail are detachably connected to each other and to one end of a curved seat back tube that defines the back support portion of the rocking chair.
A transverse propping member or kickstand can also be pivotably connected between the front ends of the rocker rails that form the rocking base. In its extended position the transverse propping member prevents the chair from rocking, and thus allows the chair to be maintained in a stationary reclined position. The legs pivotably connected to the rear ends of the rocker rails are adjustable in length and are readily detached from the front legs by manual release of engagement members on the joints that connect the rear legs to the front legs.
A vibrating unit can also be provided on a transverse member extending between the rear legs in order to provide a soothing vibration to the chair. The seat portion of the chair is formed by a seat pad (generally referred to as soft goods) that includes a back support portion framed by a seat back tube and a bottom seat portion that can extend over a rigid board permanently attached to a transverse member extending between the front legs. The seat pad is readily removed from the seat back tube and from the rigid board in order to allow for easy cleaning.
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Hardcopy of webpage for MTS Products J. Mason Activity Seats and Bouncers, 2001.
Kolcraft Baby's 1st Jeep Rocker Instructions, 2001.
Kolcraft Rock 'n Play infant rockers/carriers product description and attached JPTS Retail Sales Report, 1995.
Owner's Guide, Safety 1st 3-in-1 Bounce & Rocker, 2000.
Photographs of Safety 1st 3-in-1 Bounce & Rocker, J. Mason® Expressions Bouncer and Kolcraft Baby's 1st Jeep® Rocker; Figs. 1-12; Dec., 2000, May 2001 and Jun. 2001.
Brown Bryan M.
Darling Sandra
Favorito Julia
Barfield Anthony D.
Mattel Inc.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
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