U.S. patent number 3,692,359 [Application Number 04/882,171] was granted by the patent office on 1972-09-19 for playseat with stabilizer.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hedstrom Company. Invention is credited to Raymond Boucher.
United States Patent |
3,692,359 |
Boucher |
September 19, 1972 |
PLAYSEAT WITH STABILIZER
Abstract
An improved children's play seat is convertible between rocker,
walker and bouncer positions. It has a pair of upwardly-curved
rockers and a seat resiliently suspended from the rockers. Casters
are provided at the ends of the rockers so that a child in the seat
can propel the vehicle with his feet. Outrigger type feet are
pivotally mounted at the ends of the rockers. When the playseat is
being used as a walker, these feet are swung up so that the casters
engage the ground. On the other hand, when the seat is being used
as a bouncer, the feet are swung down below the casters so that
they engage the ground and thereby stabilize the seat.
Inventors: |
Boucher; Raymond (Dothan,
AL) |
Assignee: |
Hedstrom Company (Bedford,
PA)
|
Family
ID: |
25380025 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/882,171 |
Filed: |
December 4, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/259.4;
280/30; 280/301 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47D
13/043 (20130101); A47D 13/107 (20130101); A47D
1/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47D
1/00 (20060101); A47D 13/00 (20060101); A47d
013/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/310,270,258
;280/47.38,105.5,310 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Claims
I claim:
1. A children's playseat convertible between bouncer and walker
positions, said playseat comprising
A. a pair of parallel, spaced-apart rockers,
B. a seat resiliently suspended from said rockers,
C. means for mounting casters near the opposite ends of said
rockers, and
D. stabilizers adjustably mounted at the opposite ends of the
rockers adjacent the caster mounting means, each such stabilizer
comprising a wire member having
1. a relatively long main section pivotally connected to a rocker,
and
2. a shorter upper section oriented at an angle relative to the
main section and having an end portion bent sideways relative to
the upper section so that the portion engages the top wall of the
rocker on one side of the caster mounting means when the stabilizer
is in its extreme upper position and also engages the wall on the
other side of the caster mounting means when it is in its lower
position wherein it supports the playseat, thus providing limit
stops for the stabilizer.
2. A children's playseat as defined in claim 1 and further
including casters mounted in the caster mounting means.
3. A children's playseat as defined in claim 1 and further
including resilient bumpers mounted at the opposite ends of the
base members.
4. A children's playseat as defined in claim 1 wherein the lower
end of each stabilizer main section is upwardly curved where it
engages the ground.
5. A children's playseat as defined in claim 1 wherein the pivotal
connection between the stabilizer and the rocker is oriented at an
angle relative to a horizontal plane so that the stabilizer main
section is displaced sideways relative to the rocker when it is
swung down to its lower operative position so as to bypass a caster
in the caster mounting means and so as to increase the base of the
playseat.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a playseat for children. It relates more
particularly to a playseat which can function selectively as a baby
walker, a baby jumper, or a rocker and which also can be folded
easily into a compact package. As such, it is an improvement over
the playseat shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,331,631 owned by the
assignee of the present application.
Playseats of this type comprise a pair of upwardly-curved rockers
and a seat resiliently suspended from the rockers. Casters are
removably secured at the end of the rockers so that a child in the
playseat can propel the vehicle with his feet which extend down
between the rockers and engage the ground. The aforesaid patent
discloses a play seat with stabilizers mounted on the rockers. When
the vehicle is to function as a bouncer, the casters are removed
from the rockers and these stabilizers are swung down so that they
engage the ground and prevent the seat from rocking.
Thus, in order to convert the prior playseat between its walker and
bouncer positions, it is necessary to remove the casters. In some
cases, this becomes a tedious task, particularly when the child
wishes to change back and forth between the operative positions of
the playseat relatively often.
Also, when the casters have to be removed from the playseat, they
tend to become misplaced and lost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
children's playseat which is convertible between rocker, walker and
bouncer positions without having to remove the casters from the
playseat.
Another object of the invention is to provide a playseat which has
a wide base and is, therefore, relatively stable when used as a
bouncer.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear
hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,
combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be
exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the
scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
In general, the playseat has the usual upwardly-curved rockers and
a foldable seat resiliently suspended from the rockers. Casters are
removably secured at the ends of each rocker so that a child in the
seat can propel it with his feet.
Stabilizing arms are pivotally mounted at the ends of the rockers.
When the seat is being used as a walker, these arms are raised up
above the casters so that the seat is free to roll along the
ground. On the other hand, when the seat is being used as a
bouncer, the stabilizing feet are swung down so that they extend
out like outriggers to extend the base of the seat and stabilize it
as the child bounces up and down in the seat. The stabilizers are
angled outwardly away from the rockers so that they can be swung up
and down between their two operative positions without the casters
interfering.
Of course, when the playseat is functioning as a walker, the
stabilizing feet are placed in their upper position and the casters
are removed so that the child can rock back and forth in the
playseat.
Thus, the present item of juvenile furniture can be converted
between its operative positions with a minimum amount of effort on
the part of the mother. Furthermore, there is less likelihood of
the casters becoming lost or misplaced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in
which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a children's playseat embodying the
principles of my invention;
FIG. 2 is a view along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view along line 3--3 of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the playseat showing
the stabilizer in its upper walker position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the playseat comprises a
rocker assembly shown generally at 10 and a seat assembly indicated
generally at 12 resiliently suspended from rocker assembly 10 by
the usual resilient means, herein helical springs 14.
The rocker assembly 10 includes a pair of parallel, spaced-apart,
upwardly-curved rockers 16. Each rocker has an upturned rear end
16a and an upturned forward end 16b connected to a crossbar 17.
A pair of tubular caster mountings 18 are installed near the
opposite ends of each rocker 16 just inboard of the upturned end
portions 16a and 16b. These mountings 18 are arranged to receive
the usual swivel-type casters 19. Also resilient bumpers 20 engage
around the rocker upturned end portions 16a and 16b.
The seat assembly 12 is a conventional construction shown in
complete detail in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,631 and the
entire unit is foldable for compact storage.
As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, outrigger-type feet 24 are connected
by pivots 26 to rocker 16 adjacent the caster mounts 18. Each foot
24 is in the form of a stiff rod having a relatively long straight
main portion 24a, and a shorter upper portion 24b which is bent at
an obtuse angle relative to portion 24a. The upper end 24c of each
foot is bent at right angles to portion 24b and transverse to
rockers 16. Also, the bottom end 24d of each foot 24 is bent
parallel to rockers 16 in a relatively gentle curve. At the
junction 32 of portions 24a and 24b, the foot is flattened so that
it lies flat against rocker 16 and can be secured thereto by pivot
26.
As best seen in FIG. 3, each foot 24 is secured to rocker 16 so
that the pivot 26 makes a slight angle A with the horizontal axis.
Accordingly, when the foot is swung down toward its lower bouncer
position shown in FIGS. 1 - 3, the foot, and more particularly its
main portion 24a, swings out sideways and clears the adjacent
caster 19.
The foot swings down until its portion 24c engages the top of
rocker 16. At this point, the curved end of 24d of the foot
engaging the ground is positioned forwardly (or rearwardly) of the
end of the associated rocker 16 as shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the
weight of the child in the seat biases foot portion 24c toward the
rocker so that the feet tend to remain in this operative position.
Moreover, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 the feet 24 all engage the
ground outboard of rockers 16 thereby increasing the base of the
playseat and making it quite stable despite violent movements of
the child sitting in it.
Referring now to FIG. 4, when it is desired to convert the seat
from its bouncer to its walker position, each foot 24 is swung up
until the foot portion 24c again engages the top of the associated
rocker 16 on the other side of the associated pivot 26. The pivotal
connection at 26 is sufficiently tight so that there is minimum
tendency for the foot to swing down again of its own accord. As
seen in FIG. 4, with the feet 24 in their upper position, casters
19 are free to engage the ground and the vehicle can be easily foot
propelled by a child sitting in the seat.
The present seat can also function as a rocker simply by placing
the feet 24 in the upper position shown in FIG. 4 and removing
casters 19.
It will be seen from the foregoing then, that I have provided a
simple playseat which is readily convertible between a baby jumper
and a baby walker and which may also function as a rocker.
Furthermore, when converting between the bouncer and walker modes
of operation, there is no need to remove the casters. Therefore,
the conversion can be accomplished with a minimum amount of effort
and without any likelihood of the playseat parts becoming lost.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those
made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently
attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above
construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it
is intended that all matter contained in the above description or
shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended
to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention
herein described.
* * * * *