GB2346551A

GB2346551A - Inflatable booster seat.

Info

Publication number: GB2346551A
Application number: GB9903212A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adam Stephen Pope
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-13
Filing date: 1999-02-13
Publication date: 2000-08-16
Also published as: GB9903212D0

Abstract

A portable booster seat for children, comprising a back chamber 14 hinged to a base chamber 13, that can be inflated and sealed for practical use, and then deflated for compact, portable carriage. Adjustable fixing straps 10 and 11 are attached to the back and base chambers, providing a means of securing the booster seat to a chair or seat. A waist and crutch restraint 12 in the form of further adjustable fixing straps, provide a means of securing a child in the booster seat. Bottom supports 16 are provided through the strategic placing of seams in the fabric / material of the base chamber, thereby creating bulbous ridges when inflated. Rings are attached to the back chamber as an additional securing point if safety reigns / harness are required to be used in conjunction with the booster seat.

Description

Booster seat This invention relates to a portable booster seat for children (aged 6 months and older), of the type which can be easily inflated for practical use, and then deflated for compact, portable carriage.

A booster seat is secured to the seat of a chair via means of adjustable fixing straps.

The purpose of the booster seat is to raise the occupant to an elevated sitting position, thus enabling the occupant to conduct activities at an elevated level whilst in this sitting position.

Conventional booster seats are well known, but suffer from the disadvantage that they can not easily or compact be carried or moved about. These booster seats are quite heavy, cumbersome, and due to their solid and rigid construction, are certainly not designed to be compact and portable.

When travelling with children away from home e. g. when away on holiday; visiting family or friends; eating at a restaurant, in fact anywhere away from home, it is frequently necessary to require a booster seat. Unfortunately, a booster seat is often not available at these destinations, and it is just not practical to carry a cumbersome conventional booster seat of solid and rigid construction with you.

It is also worth noting that older children may require the elevation which a booster seat can provide, yet do not want to sit in a high chair, which is normally the only option available at destinations away from the home. This is one of the reasons our invention, an inflatable portable booster seat, could be so useful.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a booster seat which whilst deflated is portable, compact, and allows easy storage and carriage. It must allow quick and easy inflation to provide a safe and secure booster seat for use by children. The invention must provide a means for being safely and effectively secured to a chair. It must also provide a means for safely and effectively securing a child into the booster seat.

Accordingly, this invention provides a booster seat which whilst deflated, is lightweight, compact, and portable. It can be quickly and easily inflated by filling the base and back chambers with air, via air valves, to provide the benefits of a conventional booster seat. It can be discreetly inflated, with a minimum of effort and inconvenience, anytime, anywhere.

It eradicates the need to carry a cumbersome conventional booster seat of solid and rigid construction when away from the home.

A waist and crutch restraint is attached to the invention to provide a means of securing the child in the seat. This restraint consists two adjustable fixing straps; one attached to the edge at either side of the back chamber of the invention. A third strap with loop, is position at the front middle edge of the base chamber, and allows the above mentioned fixing straps to be fastened through its loop. The two adjustable fixing straps are secured by buckle/fastener or similar device.

A further two adjustable fixing straps are attached to the invention to provide a means of securing the Booster Seat to a chair. One of these adjustable fixing straps secures the base chamber of the invention to the seat of a chair. The other adjustable fixing strap secures the back chamber of the invention to the back of a chair. Both adjustable fixing straps are secured by buckle/fastener or similar device.

Two D-rings are provided as an additional securing point if safety reigns/harness are required to be used in conjunction with the invention.

N. B. The invention is designed to be used only on chairs with backs.

Air valves are incorporated into the base chamber and back chamber of the invention to provide a means of inflating and deflating the invention.

When inflated, the invention helps to centralise and stabilise the occupant in a safe and comfortable sitting position, through the provision of two bottom supports incorporated into the base chamber of the invention. These two bottom supports are essentially bulbous ridges; a feature achieved through increasing air distribution to these areas of the base chamber. This effect is created by the strategic placing of seams in the sides of the fabric/material for the base chamber.

The invention may be inflated by whatever means is deemed practical and appropriate.

Preferably the seat is made of a lightweight fabric/material which allows the invention to be lightweight, compact and portable whilst deflated, and strong and durable when inflated.

This material/fabric must be able to be inflated, sealed, and then withstand the weight of a child sitting on the invention.

The waist and crutch restraint, and adjustable fixing straps are preferably to be made from a lightweight, flexible fabric/material. The buckles/fasteners or similar devices, are preferably to be made from a lightweight plastic or similar material.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: FIGURE 1 shows a view of the invention in its compact, folded and deflated state.

FIGURE 2 shows an aerial view of the invention laid out flat in its inflated state.

FIGURE 3 simulates the back chamber of the inflated invention being raised upwards into an upright sitting position.

FIGURE 4 shows a side view of the invention in its inflated state, secured to a chair.

FIGURE 5 shows a frontal view of the seat in its inflated state, secured to a chair.

FIGURE 6 shows a rear view of the invention in its inflated state, secured to a chair.

FIGURE 7 shows an aerial view of the invention in its inflated state, secured to a chair.

Figure 1 shows the invention neatly and compactly folded in its deflated state.

The waist and crutch restraint, adjustable fixing straps with buckle/fastener or similar device, and D-rings are tucked inside the deflated invention to make it as compact and portable as possible.

Figure 2 shows an aerial view of the invention in its inflated state. The invention can be seen laid out flat in order to illustrate its components.

10 shows an adjustable fixing strap, with buckle/fastener or similar device, used to secure the base chamber of the invention 13 to the seat of a chair.

11 shows an adjustable fixing strap, with buckle/fastener or similar device, used to secure the back chamber of the invention 14 to the back of a chair.

12 shows an adjustable waist and crutch restraint, with buckle/fastener or similar device, used to prevent the occupant from slipping out of the invention.

15 shows a strip of material, used to hinge the back chamber 14 to the base of the invention 13.

This allows the back chamber to be raised upwards into an upright position between the bottom supports 16 as shown in figure 3.

18 shows the air valves, used as a means of inflating and deflating the base and back chambers of the invention.

17 shows the two D-rings, provided as an additional securing point if safety reigns/harness are required to be used in conjunction with the invention.

Figure 3 shows the back chamber of the inflated invention being raised upwards from the horizontal position of point A, into the vertical sitting position of point B.

The invention is now ready to be secured to a chair.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the invention, in its inflated state. The invention can be seen secured to a chair by means of adjustable fixing straps, with buckles/fasteners or similar devices, 10 and 11.

The waist and crutch restraint 12 can be seen at the points it is attached to the invention.

N. B. Other components are shown for reference purposes. Please refer to previous figures.

Figure 5 shows a frontal view of the invention in its inflated state. The invention can be seen secured to a chair by means of adjustable fixing straps, with buckles/fasteners or similar devices, 10 and 11.

The waist and crutch restraint 12 can be seen from the frontal view.

Figure 5 also illustrates the bottom supports 16, which are used to help centralise and stabilise the occupant in a safe and comfortable upright sitting position.

Figure 6 shows a rear view of the invention in its inflated state. The invention can be seen secured to a chair by means of adjustable fixing straps, with buckles/fasteners or similar devices, 10 and 11.

Figure 7 shows an aerial view of the inflated invention, in an upright sitting position. The invention can be seen secured to a chair by means of an adjustable fixing strap, with buckle/ fastener or similar device 11.

The waist and crutch restraint 12 can be seen in the aerial view.

Figure 7 also illustrates how the back chamber 14 sits in an upright position between the bottom supports of the base section 16.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A portable booster seat comprising a back chamber hinged to a base chamber, that can be inflated, sealed for use, and then deflated after use, and which also provides rings and adjustable fixing straps mounted on to the back chamber, and adjustable fixing straps mounted on to the base chamber.
2. A portable booster seat as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the back chamber and base chamber are inflated, sealed for use, and then deflated after use, via means of one or more air valves.
3. A portable booster seat as claimed in Claim 1, or Claim 2, wherein the back chamber and base chamber are hinged by means of a strip of material.
4. A portable booster seat as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2, or Claim 3, wherein the strategic placing of seams in the fabric/material of the base chamber provides bulbous ridges/ bottom supports when inflated.
5. A portable booster seat as claimed in Claim 1, wherein rings are attached to the back chamber as an additional securing point if safety reigns/harness are required to be used in conjunction with the portable booster seat.
6. A portable booster seat as claimed in Claim 1, wherein adjustable fixing straps are attached to the back chamber and the base chamber to provide a means of securing the portable booster seat to a chair or seat.
7. A portable booster seat as claimed in Claim 1, wherein adjustable fixing straps are attached to the back chamber and the base chamber to provide a means of securing a child into the portable booster seat.
8. A portable booster seat as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 6, or Claim 7, wherein the adjustable fixing straps are secured via a buckle/fastener or similar device.
9. A portable booster seat as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the back chamber and base chamber are provided with at least one adjustable fixing strap.
10. A portable booster seat as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the back chamber and base chamber are made from a fabric/material which is lightweight compact and portable whilst deflated, and strong and durable when inflated.
11. A portable booster seat as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the rings, adjustable fixing straps, and buckles/fasteners are made from a fabric/material which is lightweight, yet strong.
12. A portable booster seat substantially as described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1-7 of the accompanying drawings.