Chairs and seats – With table – desk – or easel – Table supported on both arms
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-01-30
Nelson, Jr., Milton (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
With table, desk, or easel
Table supported on both arms
C297S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179377
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to high chairs and seats for feeding infants, and is more particularly directed to an improvement in a high chair relating to prevention of spills and overturning dishes on the high chair tray.
At mealtimes, infants and small children are often placed in a high chair to be fed. The child may be strapped of into the seat portion, and then the high chair tray is attached in front of the child. The tray usually has a raised rim or flange around its circumference to form a recessed main tray area, with the rim keeping spilled food and liquid from running off onto the floor.
One main problem has been that small children may grab a bowl or dish of food, and then dump or fling the food onto the floor, or else may hit or knock against the dishes to push them off the tray. One attempt to control this has been to use dishes and cups that have vacuum or suction cups on their bases, so that the suction cups will hold the dishes on the high chair tray. Unfortunately, the vacuum does not hold for long on these, and after a short while the dishes come loose and the child can knock them off the tray. Also, the soft rubber material of the suction cup can wear out, especially if the dishes are washed at high temperatures in an automatic dishwasher. An alternative technique is a feeding tray that snaps onto the rim of the main high chair tray. An example of this is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,374. However, these are rather cumbersome and are difficult for the parent to place on the tray and remove during a meal. To date, no one has proposed a system of high chair, tray, and dishes that are simple for the parents to use in feeding their child, but which avoid the problems that come from the child knocking against the dishes or trying to pick them up. Also, no one has proposed a system that uses dishware that is durable, stays on the tray, can be machine washed without damage to it, and is as functional as children's conventional dishware.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system of a high chair, tray, and stay-on-tray children's dishes, that avoids the drawbacks of the prior art.
It is another object to provide a high chair tray that accommodates magnet-footed dishware, and which is durable and relatively light weight.
It is a more specific object to provide a high chair tray or tray table together with children's dishes, which stay put on the tray during the child's meal, and resist being picked up and emptied onto the floor by the child, or being knocked off the tray.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a high chair for feeding infants or young children has associated stay-on-tray children's dishware. The high chair has a child seat is provided with a tray member supported over the child seat. The tray is formed of a durable plastic resin material and raised peripheral rim that defines a supporting surface for holding the children's dishware during the meal. Here, the high chair incorporates an improvement wherein the tray member includes a ferromagnetic sheet insert molded within said plastic resin material and which is substantially co-extensive with the supporting surface. The children's dishware, i.e., at least one children's dish, has a permanent magnet incorporated into its base or bottom to attach magnetically to the tray member. The permanent magnet holds the dish firmly down on the tray. The dish will not move or tip over when bumped, and will not leave the tray when struck or knocked. To lift the dish off the tray, the child's parent can tilt the dish slightly so that the magnet is lifted off the tray, and then the dish can be lifted up.
In a preferred embodiment, the insert can be a sheet of about seven-gauge steel, and can have an array holes drilled or punched through it, for example, ⅜ inch round holes. This relieves some of the weight of the steel insert, but does not affect the magnetic properties. The dishes can have a permanent magnet that is coextensive with the base or bottom of the dish, or else can have a number of coin- or medallion-size permanent magnets incorporated into the base.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 355827 (1995-02-01), Liu
patent: 3143374 (1964-08-01), Carboni
patent: 3508183 (1970-04-01), Pinckard
patent: 3610459 (1971-10-01), Hanson
patent: 5405004 (1995-04-01), Vest et al.
patent: 5975628 (1999-11-01), Russell
Jr. Milton Nelson
Molldrem, Jr. Bernhard P.
LandOfFree
High chair with magnetic dishes and tray does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with High chair with magnetic dishes and tray, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and High chair with magnetic dishes and tray will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2497348