Tray Assembly With Crotch Post

The present invention relates to tray assemblies for seats, and particularly, to a tray assembly having a crotch post for use on a juvenile chair or a high chair. More particularly, the present invention relates to a removable tray assembly having a crotch post.

Tray assemblies are traditionally used with juvenile seats, juvenile chairs, and/or high chairs to provide a platform on which a caregiver can place items for a child such as food, toys, and so forth. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,807,928 to Cone and 5,527,090 to Cone. Some tray assemblies are adapted to be mounted to a seat having a crotch post molded therein. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 365,936 to Haut et al.

According to the present invention, a seat and tray assembly is provided that includes a seat and a tray assembly selectively mounted to the seat. The tray assembly includes a tray and a crotch post mounted to the tray. The crotch post is configured for movement relative to the tray between an extended position wherein the crotch post extends at an angle away from the tray and a retracted position wherein the crotch position is adjacent to the tray.

The seat includes a seat bottom with a channel formed therein. The crotch post includes a foot portion sized to extend into the channel. The foot portion cooperates with the channel to inhibit movement between the crotch post and the seat bottom.

The crotch post is mounted to the tray and formed for pivotal movement about a pivot point. The crotch post includes a front surface, an opposite back surface, and a bottom surface extending therebetween. The back surface includes a flat surface and a cam surface. Upon placement of the tray assembly on a flat surface such as a counter top, the cam surface enables the crotch post to pivot towards the retracted position.

Additional features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill of the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray assembly in accordance with the present invention mounted upon a juvenile chair including a frame and a seat mounted upon the frame, the seat having a seat back, a seat bottom, and arms positioned to lie on opposite ends of the seat bottom, and showing the tray assembly including a tray and a crotch post extending from the tray in an extended position such that the crotch post engages the seat bottom;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the seat bottom and a bottom side of the tray assembly of FIG. 1 showing the seat bottom including a channel and the crotch post including a foot portion sized for extension into the channel;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the crotch post of FIG. 2 showing the crotch post including a foot portion, a leg portion extending upwardly from the foot portion and having a notch formed therein, and a hip portion having spaced-apart pivot posts formed therein;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1 showing the tray assembly mounted on the arms of the seat, the crotch post extending from the tray in an extended position wherein the foot portion of the crotch post is positioned to lie within the channel of the seat bottom;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4 showing a bottom surface of the foot portion engaging the channel formed in the seat bottom;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the tray assembly removed from the seat and situated upon a flat surface and the crotch post positioned to lie in a retracted position adjacent to the tray such that a top surface of the tray is positioned to lie in a generally upright position relative to the flat surface;

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6 with portions broken away showing the crotch post in the retracted position, the bottom side of the tray including tabs, the pivot posts of the hip portion extending through the tabs for pivotal movement of the crotch post relative to the tray, and the foot portion of the crotch post extending beyond an inward edge of the tray assembly when the crotch post is in the retracted position;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing gravity-fed pivotable movement of the crotch post away from the tray upon manual lifting of the tray assembly away from the flat surface; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the crotch post in a hanging position when the crotch post engages neither the seat nor the flat surface.

FIGS. 10-12 show the crotch post coupled to a tray assembly having a tray and a base.

A tray assembly 10 exemplifying the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 as it would appear to a caregiver after it had been mounted onto a seat 24 of a juvenile chair 12. As shown in FIGS. 1-2, tray assembly 10 includes a tray 14, a pair of release mechanisms 18, and a crotch post 16 mounted to tray 14. Crotch post 16 is mounted to tray 14 for pivotal movement between an extended position 110 when tray assembly 10 is mounted to a juvenile seat 24 (FIG. 1), a hanging position 111 when tray assembly 10 is removed from seat 24 (FIG. 9), and a retracted position 112 when tray assembly 10 is placed on a flat surface 90 (FIG. 6). Thus, pivotable crotch post 16 allows tray assembly 10 to be removed from seat 24 and placed on a flat surface 90 out of reach of a juvenile sitting in seat 24. In addition, pivotable crotch post 16 allows seat 24 to be used with tray assembly 10 to secure a small child (or juvenile) in seat 24 or, as the child grows, tray assembly 10 can be removed so that seat 24 can be used as a booster seat (i.e., without tray assembly 10 and restrictive crotch post 16).

As shown in FIG. 1, tray assembly 10 is used with a juvenile chair 12 having a frame 22, seat 24 mounted upon frame 22, and a height-adjustment mechanism 19 formed to fix seat 24 in a pre-selected vertical position on frame 22. Frame 22 includes front legs 13 and rear legs 15 pivotably coupled to front legs 13 by pivot posts 17 and a latch 23. Front legs 13 include a plurality of height-position slots 33 to permit extension of height-adjustment mechanism 19 therein so that seat 24 can be held in a variety of elevated positions on frame 22. Front legs 13 also include a handle portion 31 extending between front legs 13 as shown in FIG. 1. Incorporated herein by reference are U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,090 to Cone II and U.S. Patent applications entitled "Juvenile Chair" to James M. Kain and Michael S. Rosko filed herewith and "Release Mechanism for Tray" to James M. Kain and Michael S. Rosko filed herewith.

Seat 24 is mounted on frame 12 and supports tray assembly 10. Seat 24 includes a seat bottom 28 formed to include a channel 34, a seat back 26 extending upwardly from seat bottom 28, and a pair of elevated arms 32 extending between seat bottom 28 and seat back 26 for supporting tray assembly 10. Channel 34 is defined by a pair of side walls 82, 84 and a bottom wall 85 formed in seat 24. As shown in FIG. 1, seat 24 includes a seat pad 20 positioned to lie upon seat bottom 28. Seat pad 20 conforms to the shape of seat 24 and includes a notch 21 that is sized to surround channel 34. Thus, seat pad 20 permits crotch post 16 to engage channel 34 as described below without interference from seat pad 20.

Arms 32 of seat 24 are configured to receive tray 14 thereon for locking tray assembly 10 onto seat 24. Arms 32 include an interior surface 45 extending from seat bottom 28, an opposite exterior surface 46, and a tray mount surface 47, shown in FIG. 4, extending between exterior and interior surfaces 46, 45. As shown in FIG. 1, exterior surface 46 is formed to include a plurality of tray-position slots 49 opening away from seat bottom 28. Slots 49 are sized to permit extension of release mechanisms 18 of tray assembly 10 therein so that tray assembly 10 can be held in a variety of positions on arms 32. It is understood that tray assembly 10 of the present invention can be used with a wide variety of seats, high chairs, or juvenile chairs in accordance with the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and mentioned above, tray assembly 10 includes tray 14, release mechanisms 18, and crotch post 16. Tray 14 includes a tray top 135, a tray bottom 36, and a perimeter surface 37 interconnecting tray top 135 and tray bottom 36. Perimeter surface 37 includes a convex outward edge 61, an opposite inward edge 60, opposite edges 51, 53 extending between first ends 55, 56 of outward edge 61 and first ends 64, 65 of inward edge 60, as shown in FIG. 2. Tray 14 further includes a pair of tabs (or mounting portion) 40, 41 that are formed integral with tray bottom 36 and are formed to include holes 62, 63 therethrough. Angled tabs 238 also extend from tabs 40, 41 to sandwich holes 62, 63 therebetween and to support tabs 40, 41. Tabs 40, 41 are also formed to include ramp sections or chamfers (not shown) so that crotch post 16 can be easily attached to tray 14 as described below. In addition, an end wall 138 connects opposing tabs 30, 41 to define a post-receiving cavity 139 sized to receive the crotch post 16 therein. As shown in FIG. 2, support members 38 and a stand-off nose 58 also extend from tray bottom 36 to provide structural support to tray 14.

Release mechanisms 18 of tray assembly 10 are mounted to tray bottom 36 of tray 14, as shown in FIG. 2. Release mechanisms 18 selectively mount tray assembly 10 to seat 24 by engaging tray-position slots 49. Thus, release mechanisms 18 cooperate with tray 14 hold tray assembly 10 in one of many predetermined positions on arms 32 of seat 24. It is understood that a wide variety of mechanisms may be used to mount tray assembly 10 of the present invention to a suitable seat or chair in accordance with the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, crotch post 16 of tray assembly 10 is mounted to tray bottom 36 of tray 14 within post-receiving cavity 13. Crotch post 16 is molded from a generally rigid plastic material. It is understood, however, that crotch post 16 may be constructed from a wide variety of materials in accordance with the present invention. Crotch post 16 includes a top surface 70, a bottom surface 71, and front, back, and side surfaces 72, 74, 76, 78 extending between the top and bottom surfaces 70, 71. Back surface 74 includes a flat surface 96 and a cam surface 98. As shown in FIGS. 2-3, crotch post 16 may be described to include a foot portion 48, a hip portion 52, and a leg portion 50 interconnecting foot portion 48 and hip portion 52. As shown in FIG. 3, hip portion 52 includes a base 53 and two pivot posts 66, 67 extending outwardly from base 53 in opposite directions. Leg portion 50 is formed to include a notch 54 in the front surface 72 thereof so that a portion of inward edge 60 of tray 14 can be received therein when crotch post 16 is in retracted position 112 as described below.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 7, crotch post 16 is mounted to tray bottom 36 by cross-shaped pivot posts 66, 67 that extend from side surfaces 76, 78. Pivot posts 66, 67 extend through holes 62, 63 formed in tabs 40, 41, as shown in FIG. 2, so that crotch post 16 can pivot between an extended position 110 (FIG. 4), a hanging position 111 (FIG. 9), and a retracted position 112 (FIG. 6). Ramp sections or chamfers (not shown) of tray 14 allow tabs 40, 41 to flex outwardly as pivot posts 66, 67 are being inserted through holes 62, 62. Once pivot posts 66, 67 have been extended through holes 62, 63, tabs 40, 41 flex back to their original position so that crotch post 16 cannot be easily removed from tray 14. End wall 138 interconnecting tabs 40, 41 provides sufficient rigidity to allow crotch post 16 to be inserted into holes 62, 63, while preventing crotch post 16 from easily being removed.

When tray assembly 10 is mounted to seat 24 as shown in FIG. 1, crotch post 16 is sandwiched between tray 14 and seat bottom 28 in expanded position 110. As shown in FIG. 4, the distance shown by arrow 114 between tray 14 and seat bottom 28 is such that crotch post 16 is prevented from pivoting relative to the tray top 14 when tray assembly 10 is mounted to seat 24. The distance shown by arrow 115 between foot portion 48 and pivot post 67 is such that a center of gravity 94 of crotch post 16 is offset by a distance shown by arrow 117 from pivot post 67, as shown in FIG. 4, when crotch post 16 is in the extended position. Center of gravity 94 shown in the figures is demonstrative of a possible location for the center of gravity. It is not beyond the scope of this invention for the center of gravity of the crotch post to be located in a variety of other positions. As shown in FIG. 5, channel 34 formed in seat bottom 28 of seat 24 prevents crotch post 16 from moving side-to-side when tray assembly 10 is mounted to seat 24. Specifically, channel 34 has a pre-determined dimension, as shown by arrow 116. Dimension 116 is approximately the same dimension as foot portion 48 so that foot portion 48 of crotch post 16 fits snugly in channel 34 between side walls 82, 84 to prevent crotch post 16 from moving side-to-side.

To mount crotch post 16 within channel 34, tray assembly 10 is positioned upon arms 32 so that foot portion 48 lies adjacent an outer edge 118 of seat portion 28 within channel 34, see in phantom, for example, in FIG. 4. At this time, hip portion 52 of crotch post 16 is positioned to lie generally perpendicular relative to tray bottom 36 wherein a back edge 69 of top wall 70 rests against tray bottom 36 of tray 14. Back edge 69 of top wall 70 prevents crotch post 16 from pivoting about an axis 44 beyond generally perpendicular in direction 80.

With crotch post 16 in this extended position 110, crotch post 16 is sized so that foot portion 48 of crotch post 16 will land in shallow channel 34 of seat bottom 28 of seat 24 when tray 14 is attached to seat 24 such that bottom surface 71 engages seat 24. Seat pad 20 is configured to allow a front edge of foot portion 48 to slide under pad 20 when tray 14 is mounted to seat 24. As shown in FIG. 5, channel 34 minimizes the side-to-side movement of crotch post 16 relative to seat bottom 28 of seat 24 because foot portion 48 of crotch post 16 is trapped between channel-defining side walls 82, 84. Side walls 82, 84 are formed in seat bottom 28 such that foot portion 48 of crotch post 16 will fit snugly in channel 34.

As shown in FIG. 6, tray assembly 10 can be removed from seat 24 and placed on a flat surface 90 so that tray top 135 is positioned to lie generally parallel to flat surface 90. When tray assembly 10 is removed from seat 24, crotch post 16 pivots (or swings) from the extended position 110 (FIG. 4) to a hanging position 111 shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 9, crotch post 16 swings towards inward edge 60 because, in the extended position 110 of FIG. 4, foot portion 48 is offset from pivot post 67 by distance 115 and is offset from the center of gravity 94 of crotch post 16 by distance 115 plus distance 117. Then, when tray assembly 10 is removed from seat 24 foot portion 48 is no longer restricted by seat 24 and crotch post 16 is free to pivot so that the center of gravity 94 of crotch post 16 is in a vertical position relative to pivot post 67 as shown in FIG. 9.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the hanging position 111, crescent-shaped crotch post 16 may be placed on a flat surface 90 without requiring further action by a caregiver. The caregiver simply needs to lay tray assembly 10 down on a flat surface 90 and crotch post 16 automatically pivots out of the way to a position adjacent to the tray 14 as shown in FIG. 6. This automatic pivoting is possible because foot portion 48 extends outwardly from leg portion 50 and does not block the pivoting action when tray assembly 10 is lowered vertically onto the flat surface. In addition, crotch post 16 is crescent shaped so that cam surface 98 of crotch post 16 engages a flat surface 90 as shown in FIG. 8 when tray assembly 10 is initially placed on flat surface 90. If pivot posts 66, 67 of crotch post 16 were to be positioned such that crotch post 16 hung exactly vertically so that bottom surface 71 of foot portion 48 hit flat surface 90 first (instead of cam surface 98), the caregiver would have to perform an additional step (such as manually pivoting crotch post 16 towards inward edge 60) prior to placing tray assembly 10 on flat surface 90. When tray assembly 10 is placed on flat surface 90, crotch post 16 pivots in direction 79 so that cam surface 98 causes crotch post 16 to continue to pivot. Crotch post 16 continues to pivot until flat surface 96 of back surface 74 is flat upon surface 90 or tray assembly 10 is supported by means other than the crotch post 16. Eventually, crotch post 16 pivots so that front surface 72 of crotch post 16 engages tray 14. At this time, crotch post 16 is in the retracted position 112 so that crotch post 16 extends substantially parallel relative to tray bottom 36 or tray top 135 and is adjacent to tray 14.

In the retracted position 112, crotch post 16 does not support tray 14 on flat surface 90 and hip portion 52 and foot portion 48 are, in fact spaced-apart from flat surface 90. Tray assembly 10 instead provides a three-point support system that includes stand-off nose 58 and release mechanisms 18 to support tray 14. Nose 58 and release mechanisms 18 extend from tray bottom 36 a predetermined distance 120 that is greater that the height of side walls 76, 78 of crotch post 16. When tray assembly 10 is lowered onto flat surface 90, cam surface 98 of crotch post 16 hits flat surface 90 first and pivots about axis 44 towards inward edge 60 of tray 14. Cam surface 98 continues to engage flat surface 90 until flat surface 96 of crotch post 16 engages flat surface 90. When the three-point support system of stand-off nose 58 and release mechanisms 18 fully support the weight of tray assembly 10, flat surface 96 engages flat surface 90. Back surface 74 of crotch post 16 does not support the weight of tray assembly 10 in retracted position 112, although it is not beyond the scope of this invention for crotch post 16 or any other portion of tray assembly 10 to serve as one of the three support members 38.

Notch 54 formed in crotch post 16 allows inward edge 60 of tray 14 not to interfere with the pivoting action of crotch post 16. As shown in FIG. 6, notch 54 receives inward edge 60 of tray 14 when crotch post 16 is in retracted position 112. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, side surfaces 76, 78 are configured to engage surface 90 when tray assembly 10 is placed on surface 90 to prevent further pivoting movement of crotch post 16 toward expanded position 110.

In FIG. 8, tray assembly 10 is shown as it would appear in the process of lifting tray assembly 10 off of generally flat surface 90. As shown in FIG. 8, gravity causes crotch post 16 to pivot in the direction of arrow 80 about axis 44 when tray assembly 10 is lifted off of flat surface 90. When tray assembly 10 is lifted completely off of flat surface 90 such that crotch post 16 is no longer touching flat surface 90, crotch post 16 pivots to the hanging position 111 as shown in FIG. 4 so that tray assembly 10 is ready to be installed onto seat 24 of juvenile chair 12.

The crotch post of the present invention can be coupled to a variety of different tray assemblies or trays typically used for high chairs or juvenile chairs. As shown in FIGS. 10-12, a crotch post 216 is coupled to a tray assembly 210 having a tray 214 and a base 215. Tray 214 can be coupled to base 215 using a coupling mechanism 218. Coupling mechanism 218 allows tray 214 to move relative to base 215. Crotch post 216 can be coupled to base 215 so that when base 215 is mounted to a seat 224 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, tray 214 can be movable upon base 215 without disrupting the positioning of crotch post 216 relative to seat 224. U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,090 to Cone II provides a more detailed description of the operation of this type of tray assembly. In addition, although seat 224 is shown to be mounted on a frame 222 to define a high chair 212 in FIGS. 10-12, it is understood that the crotch post of the current invention can be used on a wide variety of trays and tray assemblies that are typically used for high chairs or juvenile chairs.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.