GB2510194A - Children's furniture formed of transparent plastics - Google Patents

Abstract

An item of children's furniture 10 includes one or more portions formed of substantially clear or transparent plastics material such that a child occupying the furniture can be seen through the clear portion. The item may comprise a crib of rectangular or oval plan shape with both long sides 40 formed from substantially clear plastics and being provided with holes 30 allowing the passage of air. The item of furniture may alternatively be a highchair (210, fig. 3) with at least a back portion comprising substantially clear plastics. In another embodiment the item of furniture may be a baby bath (110, fig. 2) comprising substantially clear plastics. The clear plastics may comprise an anti-bacterial agent.

Description

Children's furniture The present inventhm relates generally to children's furniture and finds particular, although not exclusive, utility in highchairs anl cribs.

New-horn babies are often placed in cribs (luring the night time; the crib being placed at the side of the bed adjacent to the mother. The cribs are often on stands such that the top of the sides of the crib are approtmately level with the top of the mattress upon which the mother is sleeping. Such a position requires a mother to sit-up, or prop themselves up on their elbows, at least slightly to be able to see over the side of the crib lO and view the baby. Such movement may wake-up the baby and/or anyone else present in the mother's bed. Moreover, the activity of sitting-up \vakes up the mother to a greater extent meaning that the return to sleep may take longer.

For older hahie, or "toddlers", highchairs are used during meal times alloxving the chikl to sit-ui) at a table and eat with other people. The highchairs often have their own tray on which the food and drink is he placed. Due to the requirements of such chiklren the highchairs often have a relatively high back portion which extends up to at least the base of the head. Accordingly, if a parent or other guardian is standing behind the highchair attentlirig to something else such as food prepartttion the high back of the highchair can at least partially block their view of the entire chikl, or at least some of the child such as the arms and hands.

It is desirable therefore to have furniture winch allows greater observation of the baby or child from various positions around it.

In one aspect, the invention provides children's furniture including portions comprising substantially clear plastics to permit a child, when occupying the furniture, to he viewed from positions where the furniture poto is between the chikl and the observer.

For instance, a crib may have walls or sides comprising clear plastics.

Alternatively onc or more window portions may he provided within the walls or sides.

The children's furniture tnay be a crib having at least one side comprising substantially clear plastics, the at least one side including holes to allow air flow thercthrough. The holes can have an opening sized in the range 0.5mm to 10mm, more preferably 1mm. The holes can he circular or other shapes.

I

All the sides/walls may he of cleat plastics. The base may also he of cleat plastics or may comprise one or more different materials.

The crib may have a substantially rectangular ot oval shape in plan \vhetein both long sales comprise substantially clear plastics including holes to allow air flow therethrough.

In use, only a mattress and covet may be placed at the base of the ctib with no sheets or blankets positioned on the sides of the crib.

A stand may he provided for elevating the crib off the floor in a similar manner to a Moses Basket. The stand may comprise (eithet pattially ot completely) cleat plastics i0 too.

The furnitute may be a highchait including a back portion comptising substanttally cleat plastics. Holes may he provided within the back portion.

The high chair may include other portions which comprise substantially clear plastics. For instance, the tray, the arms, the seat, the sides, the foot rest and so on.

These may allow the guardian to view other parts of the child's hotly and/or clothing more easily. For instance, in use, small children are often able to squirm their way out of any restraining strap provided on the highchair and are apt to kneel on the seat and turn around to watch their retit if they are behind them. If the ptrent is able to view the child from behind they would he able to prevett them from squirming out of the restraining harness in the first place. (I)ther advantages provided by the invention are contemplated too.

The furniture may be a baby bath comprising substantially clear plastics. For instance, the walls or sides may comprise clear plastics. Alternatively one or more window portions may be provided within the \valls or sides. In one embodiment, the whole bath comprises clear plastics. lloles may he provided within the sides. A stand may he provided.

The clear plastics allow the guardian to view the occupant more easily from any angle. This also allows inspection of the occupant's body.

The plastics may comprise an anti-bacterial agent.

The furniture may he moulded such that there are no sharp-angle corners to ease the cleaning of it. For instance, the furniture may have all rounded corners with no walls or portions of walls (or sides) closer together than 1.5cm to allow a finger and a cloth to enter it for cleaning purposes.

The furniture is of the kind that is uninfiatahe.

The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present inventton will ben)rne apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crib according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a baby bath according to another embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a highchair according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

The present invention will he described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings hut the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. Tn the drawings, the si2e of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative paioses. The dimensions and the relative dirriensioris do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to he understood that the terms so used are interchangeahle under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention descrihed herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to he understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the etnbodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

It is to he noticed that the term "comprising", used in the claims, should not he interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to he interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or additti)n of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising means A and B" should not he limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B. Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present i0 invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may refer to different embodiments.

Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any embodiment or aspect of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

Similarly, it should he appreciated that in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single errihoditjierit, figure, or description thereof for the puipose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects he in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims folloxving the detailed description are hereby express'y incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Furthenriore, while some embodiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments arc meant to be within the scope of the invention, and fonn yet further embodiments, as will he understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can he used in any combination.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth.

However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised \vithout these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of

this description.

Tn the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said lO less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The use of the term "at least one" may, in some embodiments, mean only one.

The invention will now he described by a detailed description of several embodiments of the invention. It is clear that other embodiments of the invention can he configured according to the knowledge of persoirs skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

In Figure 1, the crib 10 comprises a Moses Basket-like shape being approxittiately oval iii piati with side w::ilIs 20. The whole cnh iii this exainpie is made from moulded clear plastic. Small holes 30 are provitled in the side walls 20 to allow ventilation. The holes shown are provided in three rows towards the top of the sides and three rows towards the bottom of the sides. Other locations and a fewer or greater nunther of rows may he provided.

The example shows a mattress 40 at the base of the crib 10. In use, the clear plastic sides allow the occupant to he viewed from any position relative to it.

A stand, not shown, may he used to elevate the crib.

The crib may take other fonns, such as a larger cot.

Tn Figure 2 a baby bath 110 is shown on a stand 150. The stand comprises a P111 of pivoted legs. The bath 110 is an oval bowl-shape not that dissimilar to the crib in Figure 1. The bath 110 has an overturned lip around the top of the sides 120 to provide additional strength to the bath and to allow someone to grip and lift it even when there is water in it.

The clear sides 120 allow the baby to he visible front all angles relative to it. The bath may he approximately 50cm long hut may he longer.

A highchair 210 is shown in Figure 3. It comprises a seat with a tray 260 and leg holes 240 underneath, a high hack 220, and sides 230. It is supported by a set of four legs 250, one arranged at each corner of the seat.

The highchair comprises clear plasncs so that the occupant is visible from hehinJ. Also if the tray aix] front portion of the highchair compnses clear plastics it allows the parent or guardian to view the child's hands if they are underneath the tray.

Although only three examples of different types of furniture have been (lescrihed it will he apparent that the same principle of the use of substantially clear plastics in furniture for babies and children is possible. For instance, other types of lO furniture which cou'd comprise substantially clear plastics are tabkis and chairs.

Claims (10)

1. ClAIMS 1. Children's thrniture including portions comprising substantially dear plastics to permit a child, when occupying the furniture, to be seen from positions where the furniture portion is between the child and the observer.
2. 2. Children's furniture according to claim 1, wherein the fUrniture is a crib having at least one side comprising substantially clear plastics, the at least one side including holes to allow air flow therethrough.
3. 3. The children's furniture of daim Z having a substantially rectangular or oval shape in plan wherein both long sides comprise substantially dear plastics induding holes to allow air flow therethrough.
4. 4. The children's furniture according to claim 1, wherein the furniture is a highchair including a back portion comprising substantially clear plastics.
5. 5. The chuldrwi's furniture of claitu 4, including other portions which compnse substantially cleat plastics.
6. 6. The children's furniture according to claim 1, wherein the fUrniture is a baby bath comprising substantially dear plastics.
7. 7. The children's furniture of any preceding claim, wherein the plastics comprise an anti-bacterial agent.
8. 8. A crib substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
9. 9. A highchair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
10. 10. A baby bath substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.