System, apparatus, and method for a convertible child high-chair and step stool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11259648-B2
Application number	US-202117175534-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2021
Priority date	Jan 26, 2018
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

The convertible child high-chair and step stool can include a frame having a front leg stand and a rear leg stand. A height adjustment mechanism can be coupled to the front leg stand or the rear leg stand and can be adjustable along the vertical axis of the front leg stand or the rear leg stand from a raised position to a lowered position. The apparatus can also include a booster seat and removable platform step. In the raised position, the booster seat can be coupled to the height adjustment mechanism to provide a high chair. In the lowered position, the booster seat can be removed and the removable platform step can be coupled to the height adjustment mechanism and the frame to provide a step stool. The apparatus can also include wheel assemblies coupled to the frame that limit the potential for tip hazards in the step stool configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a stand comprising
a front leg stand; and
a rear leg stand configured to rotate with respect to the front leg stand;

a height adjustment mechanism movably coupled to the stand, and adjustable from a first vertical position towards a second vertical position with respect to the stand;
a booster seat coupled to the height adjustment mechanism in the first vertical position; and
a first platform step coupled to the stand, wherein the first platform step abuts and is supported by a first crossbeam support member and a second crossbeam support member, the first crossbeam support member extending between a first leg and a second leg of the front leg stand, and the second crossbeam support member coupled to the rear leg stand,
wherein the apparatus is adjustable from a high-chair to a step stool.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the height adjustment mechanism is movably coupled to the front leg stand and the rear leg stand.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the stand comprises:
a first housing defining a first cavity for receiving a first portion of the height adjustment mechanism therethrough;
a second housing defining a second cavity for receiving a second portion of the height adjustment mechanism therethrough.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 ,
wherein the booster seat further comprises:
a booster seat base comprising a front end, a rear end, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side;
a seat back coupled to the booster seat base along the rear end;
a first tab extending from the first lateral side; and
a second tab extending from the second lateral side;

wherein the stand further comprises:
a first booster seat receiving slot configured to receive the first tab; and
a second booster seat receiving slot configured to receive the second tab.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the height adjustment mechanism is slidably adjustable with respect to the front leg stand.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the rear leg stand comprises a first leg and a second leg and wherein the height adjustment mechanism is slidably adjustable with respect to the first leg and the second leg of the rear leg stand.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the stand further comprises:
a first rotation hub comprising a first rotation portion coupled to the front leg stand and a second rotation portion coupled to the rear leg stand; and
a second rotation hub comprising a third rotation portion coupled to the front leg stand and a second rotation portion coupled to the rear leg stand.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first platform step comprises:
a first step panel configured to be coupled to the stand;
a second step panel coupled to the first step panel and rotatable with respect to the first step panel, the second step panel configured to be coupled to the stand; and
a panel release latch rotatably coupled to the second step panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first platform step is adjustable from a folded configuration to an unfolded configuration.

10. A method of converting an apparatus between a high-chair and a step stool comprising:
providing a convertible high-chair comprising:
a stand comprising:
a front leg stand;
a first crossbeam support member extending between a first leg and a second leg of the front leg stand;
a rear leg stand rotatable with respect to the front leg stand; and
a second crossbeam support member coupled to the rear leg stand;

a seat removably coupled to the stand via a height adjustment mechanism; and
a first platform step adjustable with respect to the stand;

decoupling the seat from the stand; and
adjusting the first platform step to abut and be supported by either the first crossbeam support member or the second crossbeam support member.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
decoupling the first platform step from the first crossbeam support member; and
removably coupling the booster seat to the stand via the height adjustment mechanism.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the convertible high chair further comprises a height adjustment mechanism comprising a storage area and wherein the method further comprises slidably inserting the first platform step into the storage area of the height adjustment mechanism.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a stand comprising
a front leg stand; and
a rear leg stand configured to rotate with respect to the front leg stand;

a seat configured to be removably coupled to the stand;
a first platform step coupled to the stand, wherein the first platform step abuts and is supported by a first crossbeam support member and a second crossbeam support member, the first crossbeam support member extending between a first leg and a second leg of the front leg stand, and the second crossbeam support member coupled to the rear leg stand,
wherein the apparatus is adjustable from a high-chair configuration, wherein the seat is coupled to the stand, to a step stool configuration, wherein the seat is decoupled from the stand.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 ,
wherein the front leg stand further comprises:
a second platform step extending from the first front leg to the second front leg; and

wherein the rear leg stand comprises:
a first rear leg;
a second rear leg; and
the second crossbeam support member extending from the first rear leg to the second rear leg.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first platform step comprises at least one channel disposed along a bottom side of the first platform step and wherein the second crossbeam support member is disposed through the at least one channel.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein in the step stool configuration, the first platform step extends from the first crossbeam support member to the second crossbeam support member and a bottom side of the first platform step abuts the first crossbeam support member and the second crossbeam support member.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the stand further comprises:
a first rotation hub comprising a first rotation portion coupled to the front leg stand and a second rotation portion coupled to the rear leg stand; and
a second rotation hub comprising a third rotation portion coupled to the front leg stand and a second rotation portion coupled to the rear leg stand.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first platform step is configured to be either permanently coupled to or removably coupled to the stand.

19. An apparatus comprising:
a stand comprising
a front leg stand; and
a rear leg stand configured to rotate with respect to the front leg stand;

a child seat configured to be removably coupled to the stand; and
a first platform step, wherein the first platform step abuts and is supported by a first crossbeam support member and a second crossbeam support member, the first crossbeam support member extending between a first leg and a second leg of the front leg stand, and the second crossbeam support member coupled to the rear leg stand,
wherein the apparatus is adjustable from a high-chair configuration, wherein the child seat is coupled to the stand, to a step stool configuration, wherein the child seat is decoupled from the stand.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 ,
wherein the front leg stand further comprises:
a second platform step extending from the first front leg to the second front leg; and

wherein the rear leg stand comprises:
a first rear leg;
a second rear leg; and
the second crossb

Assignees

• Graco Childrens Products Inc

Inventors

• Dziak Daniel Emil
• Gu Connie Yuanfang
• Kasam Shahnaz Selena
• Hsu Ming Cheng
• Chen Chiyuan

Classifications

• A47D1/023

  of high chair type · CPC title

• A47D1/006 Primary

  dismountable · CPC title

• A47D1/004 Primary

  in height · CPC title

• A47D1/0085

  removable · CPC title

• A47D1/10

  capable of being suspended from, or attached to, tables or other articles · CPC title