U.S. patent application number 11/556600 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-20 for folding device for a highchair.
This patent application is currently assigned to WONDERLAND NURSERYGOODS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Shun-Min CHEN, Hong-Bin XU.
Application Number | 20070290527 11/556600 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38896760 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070290527 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHEN; Shun-Min ; et
al. |
December 20, 2007 |
FOLDING DEVICE FOR A HIGHCHAIR
Abstract
A folding device for connecting legs of a highchair includes
first and second folding members, a toothed wheel, and an actuator.
The first folding member is formed with a positioning groove, and
the second folding member is formed with a position limiting unit.
The toothed wheel includes a wheel body that is disposed between
the first and second folding members and that has a periphery
provided with a primary tooth engaging the positioning groove. The
primary tooth engages the position limiting unit to lock the second
folding member from movement relative to the first folding member
when the second folding member is at an expanded position. The
actuator is operated to release the second folding member from the
locking action of the toothed wheel when moving the second folding
member back to a folded position.
Inventors: |
CHEN; Shun-Min; (Taipei,
TW) ; XU; Hong-Bin; (Taipei, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OSTROLENK FABER GERB & SOFFEN
1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
100368403
US
|
Assignee: |
WONDERLAND NURSERYGOODS CO.,
LTD.
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
38896760 |
Appl. No.: |
11/556600 |
Filed: |
November 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/16.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 16/54044 20150115;
A47D 1/023 20170501; Y10T 16/5402 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/16.1 |
International
Class: |
A47D 1/02 20060101
A47D001/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 20, 2006 |
CN |
200620120424.2 |
Claims
1. A folding device adapted for interconnecting foldably first and
second legs of a highchair, said folding device comprising: a first
folding member adapted to be connected to the first leg and formed
with at least one positioning groove; a second folding member
adapted to be connected to the second leg and formed with a
position limiting unit that has a first contact portion and a
second contact portion adjacent to said first contact portion, said
second contact portion forming a step with said first contact
portion and being indented relative to said first contact portion;
a toothed wheel including a wheel body that is disposed between
said first and second folding members and that has a periphery
provided with at least one primary tooth, a portion of said primary
tooth being received in said positioning groove to arrest rotation
of said wheel body relative to said first folding member; a spring
disposed between said wheel body and said first folding member; and
an actuator disposed on one side of said wheel body opposite to
said spring and accessible externally of said second folding
member; said second folding member being rotatable relative to an
assembly of said first folding member and said toothed wheel
between a folded position, where said primary tooth of said wheel
body abuts against said first contact portion of said position
limiting unit, and an expanded position, where said primary tooth
of said wheel body abuts against said second contact portion of
said position limiting unit; wherein said actuator is operable to
move said primary tooth of said wheel body away from said second
contact portion of said position limiting unit against urging
action of said spring to permit movement of said second folding
member from the expanded position back to the folded position.
2. The folding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wheel
body is further provided with at least one secondary tooth, said
second folding member having at least one protrusion that projects
toward said first folding member, said protrusion being located
near a first lateral side of said secondary tooth when said second
folding member is disposed at the folded position, and being
located near a second lateral side of said secondary tooth when
said second folding member is disposed at the expanded
position.
3. The folding device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said secondary
tooth has an inclined end surface interconnecting said first and
second lateral sides and configuring said first lateral side to be
shorter than said second lateral side, said protrusion sliding
along said inclined end surface when said second folding member is
moved from the folded position to the expanded position.
4. The folding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said wheel
body is provided with a pair of said primary teeth that are
disposed respectively at diametrically opposite positions on said
periphery of said wheel body, and a plurality of angularly spaced
apart said secondary teeth symmetrically provided between said
primary teeth; and said first folding member is formed with a
plurality of said positioning grooves that correspond in number to
a total number of said primary and secondary teeth and that receive
portions of said primary and secondary teeth, respectively.
5. The folding device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second
folding member has a plurality of protrusions that project toward
said first folding member, each of said primary and secondary teeth
being disposed between an adjacent pair of said protrusions when
said second folding member is disposed at the folded position.
6. The folding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second
folding member has a pair of protrusions that project toward said
first folding member, said position limiting unit being disposed
between said protrusions when said second folding member is
disposed at the folded position.
7. A folding device adapted for interconnecting foldably first and
second legs of a highchair, said folding device comprising: a first
folding member adapted to be connected to the first leg and formed
with at least one positioning groove; a second folding member
adapted to be connected to the second leg and formed with a
position limiting unit that has a first contact portion and a
second contact portion adjacent to said first contact portion, said
second contact portion forming a step with said first contact
portion and being indented relative to said first contact portion;
and a toothed wheel including a wheel body that is disposed between
said first and second folding members and that has a periphery
provided with at least one primary tooth, said wheel body being
movable relative to said first folding member along a wheel axis, a
portion of said primary tooth being received in said positioning
groove to arrest rotation of said wheel body relative to said first
folding member; said second folding member being rotatable relative
to an assembly of said first folding member and said toothed wheel
between a folded position, where said primary tooth of said wheel
body abuts against said first contact portion of said position
limiting unit, and an expanded position, where said primary tooth
of said wheel body abuts against said second contact portion of
said position limiting unit.
8. The folding device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second
folding member has a pair of protrusions that project toward said
first folding member, said position limiting unit being disposed
between said protrusions when said second folding member is
disposed at the folded position.
9. The folding device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said wheel
body is further provided with at least one secondary tooth, one of
said protrusions being located near a first lateral side of said
secondary tooth when said second folding member is disposed at the
folded position, and being moved so as to be located near a second
lateral side of said secondary tooth when said second folding
member is moved to the expanded position.
10. The folding device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said
secondary tooth has an inclined end surface interconnecting said
first and second lateral sides and configuring said first lateral
side to be shorter than said second lateral side, said one of said
protrusions sliding along said inclined end surface when said
second folding member is moved from the folded position to the
expanded position.
11. The folding device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an
actuator for moving said wheel body along the wheel axis.
12. The folding device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a
spring for biasing said wheel body toward said second folding
member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of Chinese application no.
200620120424.2, filed on Jun. 20, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to a folding device, more particularly
to a folding device for a highchair.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a folding device for a highchair
as disclosed in CN 2624737Y includes a plastic outer cap 10, a
plastic inner cap 20 and an actuator 30. The outer cap 10 has a
lower portion connected to a front leg of the highchair.
[0006] The actuator 30 is formed with a spring chamber 33, and is
disposed between the outer and inner caps 10, 20. The outer cap 10
is provided with a button slot 12 to hold the actuator 30 and
prevent the actuator 30 from displacing relative to the outer cap
10.
[0007] The inner cap 20 is provided with a first protrusion 21 and
a second protrusion 22. The actuator 30 is provided with a first
engaging notched portion 31 and a second engaging notched portion
32. A restoring spring 40 is disposed in the spring chamber 33 of
the actuator 30. When the highchair is in an expanded state, the
first engaging notched portion 31 of the actuator 30 is biased by
the restoring spring 40 to abut against the first protrusion 21 of
the inner cap 20.
[0008] When folding the highchair, the actuator 30 is pressed
upward to disengage the first engaging notched portion 31 of the
actuator 30 from the first protrusion 21 of the inner cap 20. At
this time, the inner cap 20 can be pivoted relative to the outer
cap 10 for folding.
[0009] When expanding the highchair, the actuator 30 is pressed
upward once again to permit pivoting of the inner cap 20 in the
opposite direction for expanding.
[0010] Since positioning in the folding device is achieved through
the first and second protrusions 21, 22 of the inner cap 20 and the
first and second engaging notched portions 31, 32 of the actuator
30, it is required to operate the actuator 30 when expanding or
folding the highchair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a folding device for a highchair that is easier to operate as
compared to the aforementioned prior art.
[0012] Accordingly, a folding device of the present invention is
adapted for interconnecting foldably first and second legs of a
highchair. The folding device comprises a first folding member, a
second folding member, a toothed wheel, a spring and an
actuator.
[0013] The first folding member is adapted to be connected to the
first leg and is formed with at least one positioning groove.
[0014] The second folding member is adapted to be connected to the
second leg and is formed with a position limiting unit that has a
first contact portion and a second contact portion adjacent to the
first contact portion. The second contact portion forms a step with
the first contact portion and is indented relative to the first
contact portion.
[0015] The toothed wheel includes a wheel body that is disposed
between the first and second folding members and that has a
periphery provided with at least one primary tooth. A portion of
the primary tooth is received in the positioning groove to arrest
rotation of the wheel body relative to the first folding
member.
[0016] The spring is disposed between the wheel body and the first
folding member.
[0017] The actuator is disposed on one side of the wheel body
opposite to the spring and is accessible externally of the second
folding member.
[0018] The second folding member is rotatable relative to an
assembly of the first folding member and the toothed wheel between
folded and expanded positions.
[0019] The primary tooth of the wheel body abuts against the first
contact portion of the position limiting unit when the second
folding member is at the folded position.
[0020] Movement of the second folding member to the expanded
position results in abutment of the primary tooth of the wheel body
against the second contact portion of the position limiting
unit.
[0021] The actuator is operable to move the primary tooth of the
wheel body away from the second contact portion of the position
limiting unit against urging action of the spring to permit
movement of the second folding member from the expanded position
back to the folded position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a
conventional folding device for a highchair;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary assembled schematic partly sectional
view of the conventional folding device in an expanded state;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating the
conventional folding device in a folded state;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a highchair that incorporates
the preferred embodiment of a folding device according to the
present invention, the folding device being shown to be in an
expanded state;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic view of the highchair to
illustrate the preferred embodiment in a folded state;
[0028] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred
embodiment;
[0029] FIG. 7 is a perspective view to illustrate a first folding
member of the preferred embodiment;
[0030] FIG. 8 is a perspective view to illustrate a second folding
member of the preferred embodiment;
[0031] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the preferred
embodiment to illustrate relationship among a position limiting
unit and primary and secondary teeth when the folding device is
folded; and
[0032] FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but illustrating the
relationship among the position limiting unit and the primary and
secondary teeth when the folding device is expanded.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0033] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the preferred embodiment of a
folding device 5 according to the present invention, which is
adapted for interconnecting foldably first and second legs 6, i.e.,
front and rear legs, on a same side of a seat member 4 of a
highchair such that the first and second legs 6 can be converted
between folded and expanded states. The first and second legs 6
form an angle therebetween when in the expanded state, and are
close to each other when in the folded state.
[0034] Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the folding device 5
comprises a first folding member 51, a second folding member 54, a
toothed wheel 52, a spring 53 and an actuator 55.
[0035] The first folding member 51 has a coupling seat 510 that
extends from a periphery thereof along a tangential direction and
that is adapted to be connected to the first leg 6, and an inner
side formed with a central axle 511 and six angularly spaced apart
positioning grooves 512 disposed around the central axle 511.
[0036] The second folding member 54 has a coupling seat 540 that
extends from a periphery thereof along a tangential direction and
that is adapted to be connected to the second leg 6, and an inner
side that is formed with a central sleeve 5400 to be sleeved on the
central axle 511 of the first folding member 51 to interconnect
pivotally the first and second folding members 51, 54. The second
folding member 54 is further formed with a pair of position
limiting units 541 which are formed on an inner ring surface of an
inner ring wall that surrounds the central sleeve 5400 and which
are disposed at diametrically opposite positions relative to the
central sleeve 5400. Each of the position limiting units 541 has a
first contact portion 543 and a second contact portion 544 adjacent
to the first contact portion 543. The second contact portion 544
forms a step with the first contact portion 543 and is indented
relative to the first contact portion 543. The second folding
member 54 is further formed with six protrusions 542 which are
angularly spaced apart from each other and which are formed on the
inner ring surface of the inner ring wall. Each of the position
limiting units 541 is disposed between a respective pair of the
protrusions 542.
[0037] The toothed wheel 52 includes a wheel body 521 that is
disposed between the first and second folding members 51, 54 and
that has a periphery provided with a pair of primary teeth 522
disposed at diametrically opposite positions. The periphery of the
wheel body 521 is further provided with four angularly spaced apart
secondary teeth 523 symmetrically disposed between the primary
teeth 522. The height of each of the secondary teeth 523 is shorter
than that of each of the primary teeth 522. A portion of each of
the primary and secondary teeth 522, 523 is received in a
respective one of the positioning grooves 512 to arrest rotation of
the wheel body 521 relative to the central axle 511 of the first
folding member 51. However, the wheel body 521 is movable relative
to the first folding member 51 along the central axle 511, which
passes through the wheel body 521 and which serves as a wheel axis.
The primary teeth 522 are associated operably and respectively with
the position limiting units 541 in a manner to be described
hereinafter. Each of the secondary teeth 523 has first and second
lateral sides 5231, 5232 and an inclined end surface 5233
interconnecting the first and second lateral sides 5231, 5232 and
configuring the first lateral side 5231 to be shorter than the
second lateral side 5232. Each of the secondary teeth 523 is
associated operably with a corresponding adjacent pair of the
protrusions 542 in a manner to be described hereinafter.
[0038] The spring 53 is sleeved on the central sleeve 5400 and is
disposed between the wheel body 521 and the first folding member
51. The spring 53 biases the toothed wheel 52 away from the first
folding member 51 and toward the second folding member 54.
[0039] The second folding member 54 is rotatable relative to an
assembly of the first folding member 51 and the toothed wheel 52
between folded and expanded positions that correspond respectively
to the folded and expanded states of the first and second legs 6.
As shown in FIG. 9, when the second folding member 54 is at the
folded position, i.e., the first and second legs 6 are at the
folded state, an end face of each of the primary teeth 522 of the
wheel body 521 abuts against the first contact portion 543 of the
respective position limiting unit 541, and each of the primary
teeth 522 further abuts against one of the protrusions 542 disposed
adjacent to the first contact portion 543. At this time, the second
contact portion 544 of each of the position limiting units 541 is
registered with one of the secondary teeth 523 of the wheel body
521, and another one of the protrusions 542 disposed adjacent to
the second contact portion 544 is located near the first lateral
side 5231 of the registered one of the secondary teeth 523 of the
wheel body 521. When the second folding member 54 is moved relative
to the first folding member 51 in the direction (I) shown in FIG. 9
about the wheel axis to the expanded position shown in FIG. 10 so
as to convert the first and second legs 6 to the expanded state,
said another one of the protrusions 542 slides along the inclined
end surface 5233 of the adjacent secondary tooth 523 of the wheel
body 521, thereby pressing the wheel body 521 toward the first
folding member 51 and compressing the spring 53. When said another
one of the protrusions 542 moves past the adjacent secondary tooth
523 of the wheel body 521 so as to be located near the second
lateral side 5232 of the adjacent secondary tooth 523 of the wheel
body 521, said another one of the protrusions 542 further abuts
against one of the primary teeth 522 of the wheel body 521, and the
end face of each of the primary teeth 522 of the wheel body 521 is
registered with the second contact portion 544 of the respective
position limiting unit 541. At this time, the spring 53 causes the
toothed wheel 52 to move along the wheel axis toward the second
folding member 54 to result in abutment of the end face of each of
the primary teeth 522 of the wheel body 521 against the second
contact portion 544 of the respective position limiting unit 541.
As best shown in FIG. 10, when the second folding member 54 is at
the expanded position, each primary tooth 522 is confined by the
first contact portion 543 of the respective position limiting unit
541 and an adjacent one of the protrusions 542, and each secondary
tooth 523 is confined by an adjacent pair of the protrusions 542.
As a result, the second folding member 54 is unable to rotate
relative to the wheel body 521 and the first folding member 51,
thereby locking the second folding member 54 at the expanded
position.
[0040] To move the second folding member 54 from the expanded
position back to the folded position, the locking action of the
toothed wheel 52 on the second folding member 54 must be released
first. In this embodiment, the actuator 55 is mounted movably on
the second folding member 54, has four posts 551 (see FIGS. 6 and
8) that extend into the second folding member 54 and that abut
against one side of the wheel body 521 opposite to the spring 53,
and is accessible externally of the second folding member 54. The
actuator 55 is operable to move the wheel body 521 away from the
second folding member 54 against urging action of the spring 53 to
release the locking action of the toothed wheel 52 on the second
folding member 54, i.e., to move the primary teeth 522 of the wheel
body 521 away from the second contact portions 544 of the position
limiting units 541 and to move the secondary teeth 523 away from
the protrusions 542 so as not to obstruct movement of the
protrusions 542 when the second folding member 54 is moved relative
to the assembly of the first folding member 51 and the toothed
wheel 52 in the direction opposite to the direction (I) in FIG. 9.
The second folding member 54 is disposed at the folded position
once the primary teeth 522 of the wheel body 521 abut against the
first contact portions 543 of the position limiting units 541 and
further abut against the protrusions 542 disposed adjacent to the
first contact portions 543 of the position limiting units 541, and
once the protrusions 542 disposed adjacent to the second contact
portions 544 of the position limiting units 541 are located near
the first lateral sides 5231 of the adjacent secondary teeth 523 of
the wheel body 521.
[0041] In this embodiment, the positions and numbers of the primary
and secondary teeth 522, 523 on the wheel body 521 were chosen to
achieve balanced forces during conversion of the first and second
legs 6 between the folded and expanded states. In another
embodiment of this invention, the wheel body 521 may be provided
with only one primary tooth 522 and one secondary tooth 523 that
cooperate with one position limiting unit 541 and one protrusion
542 on the second folding member 54 in the aforementioned manner.
In yet another embodiment of this invention, the wheel body 521 may
be provided with only one primary tooth 522 that cooperates with
one position limiting unit 541 formed with a step of the second
folding member 54 to achieve the same result.
[0042] In sum, in the folding device 5 of this embodiment,
positioning is achieved through the primary and secondary teeth
522, 523 on the wheel body 521 and the position limiting units 541
and the protrusions 542 on the second folding member 54. The
actuator 55 is provided to release the second folding member 54
from the locking action of the toothed wheel 52 when moving the
second folding member 54 from the expanded position to the folded
position. However, in the folding device 5 of this invention, the
second folding member 54 can be moved from the folded position back
to the expanded position by simply pulling apart the first and
second legs 6 without the need to operate the actuator 55.
[0043] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *