Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENT~ION
1. Field of_the Invention
This invent70n relates to a safety table for use by an inFant in an
automobile primarily in cooperation with a child saFety seat which is strapped
to an automobile seat although the table may be used only with an automobile
seat. The child or infant is strapped in the seat in a conventional manner,
with the table having a recess in one edge thereof to fit around the infant.
The table is strapped to the child saFety seat when one is used.
2. Description of_he Prior Art
The prior art illustrates various tables for use in connectlon w7th
certain types oF chairs or supports so that an inFant may be held in a seated
position thereon, and at the same time be provided with a support for toys,
feeding dishes, playthings and the like. Such a construction is shown in
United States Patent No. 2,429,498 which issued to Mayna~d W. Wells on
October 21, 1947. Other types of tables located during a novelty search in
the United States Patent and Trademark Office are shown in the following
United States patents: NoO 3,S89,311 to Richard T. Medlen, dated June 29,
1971; No. 3,031,242 to William S. Sawle 111, dated April 24, 1962; No.
2,832,657 to Fermin F. Cariaga, dated April 29, 1958; and No. 2,724,427
to Raymond F. McCarson, dated November 22, 1955. However, none of the
prior art patents disclose the structural features oF the present invention as
claimed herein.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a safety table for
use by an infant or child sitting on a seat support comprising a panel-like top
having upper and lower surfaces and made from a resilient material, a plurality
of legs depending from the lower surface of the panel-like top and made from a
resilient material, and fastening means for each of the legs for removably
securing the corresponding leg to the lower surface oF the panel-like top, with
~he legs being adapted to elevate the panel-like top above the seat support to
permit the legs of the infant to extend under the panel-like top.
A further feature of the present invention is to provide a table of the
aforementioned type wherein each of the fastening means includes a pair of inter-
locking members, one oF the members being secured to the lower surface oF the
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pclnel-like top and the other of the members being secured to the top surface
of the correspond7ng leg, with the one member be7ng armed with first inter-
locking loop and hook fabric material and the other member being armed with
second interlocking loop and hook Fabric material.
A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a table
of the aforementioned type wherein the panel-like top is of generally rectangular
configuration, with a leg and corresponding fastening means being provided at
each of the four corners thereof.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a table of the
aforementioned type wherein the panel-like top has a relatively wide and a
relatively deep recess extending inwardly from one edge thereof to accommodate
the body of the infant therein.
Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a table of
the aforementioned type wherein the panel-like top and the legs are made from
a foam plastic material to cushion the impact and thus avoid injury should the
child or infant hit the top or legs of the table.
A further feature oF the present invention is to provide a table of
the aforementioned type wherein each of the legs is made from a pair of upper
and lower leg elements having opposing surfaces which abut and are removably
secured together by additional fa~tening means.
A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a table
of the aforementioned type wherein each of the additional fastening means
includes a pair of interlocking strips, one of the strips being secured to the
lower surface oF the upper leg element and the other oF the strips being secured
to the top surface of the corresponding lower leg element, with the strips being
armed with interlocking loop and hook fabric material.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a table oF the
aforementioned type wherein the legs at the front corners thereof have inner
surfaces, with the inner surface of one front corner leg facing the inner surface
of the other front corner leg, the inner surface of each leg being flat and tapered
starting at the top of the leg and extending downwardly and away from the inner
surface on the other front leg.
Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a table of
the aforementioned type wherein the panel-like top and legs are covered with a
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c,uth Fabric material, with a rim made from cloth fabric material extending
upwardly from the upper surface of the panel-like top and being located around
at least part of the periphery thereof for assisting in retaining objects used by
the infant on the panel-like top.
A further Feature of the present invention is to provide a table of
the aforementioned type wherein a stretchable strap is secured on one end there-
of to the rear edge of the panel-like top and is adapted to extend around the seat
support and be removably secured on the other end thereof to an opposite portion
of the rear edge of the panel-like top to fasten the table to the seat support.
A still further feature of the present invention is to provide an
infant~s table or appliance which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture,
pleasing in appearance, is light in weight, is strong and durable, is readily
handled in applying it to and removing the same from a seat or like support and
in which the top and legs thereof are made from resilient materials such as
foam plastic materials thus providing additional cushioning thereby helping to
prevent injury should the infant strike the table.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a knock-down
type of table in which the legs are removable from cleaning and storage purposes,
with the legs each being made in sections to accommodate the height of the
infant and the use of the table with a child safety seat or directly on a vehicle
seat.
Still another feature is to provide a combination car seat and table
assembly in between which the infant is strapped, whereby the infant can safely
sleep, eat and play and wherein the table may be readily disassembled, cleaned
and stored in a minimum of space when not in use.
A principal object is to provide a table for use by an infant sitting
on a seat support comprising a panel-like top having upper and lower surfaces
and being made from a resilient materiai, a plurality of legs depending from
the lower surface of said panel-like top and being made from resilient material,
and fastening means for each of said legs for removably securing the correspond-
ing leg to the lower surfacs of said panel-like top, said !egs being adapted to
elevate the panel -like top above the seat support to permit the legs of the infant
to extend under said panel-like top.
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N y~/lNG5
Figure 1 is a front perspective view oF the table installed or wrapped
around a child safety seat and mounted therewith on an automobile seat;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the table, with the legs removed
and 10cated adjacent the corners of the panel-like top of the table;
Figure 3 is a rear perspecti;ve view of the table wrapped around a
child safety seat and secured thereto by an expandable strap; and
Figure 4 is a sectional view through the panel dike top of the table
taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and illustrating the upstanding rim thereon
made from a cloth fabric material.
DESCRIPTION OF A P~EFERRED_EME3ODIMENT
The novel table 10 comprises a generally rectangular panel like top9
tray or base 12 of generally uniform thickness having a flat upper surface 14
and a flat lower surface 16. The panel-like top 12 has a front edge or surface
18, a rear edge or surface 20 and a pair of parallel sides of side edges 22.
The rear edge 20 is provided with a centrally located relatively wide and
relatively deep recess 24 in between a pair of rear edge portions 26.
The table 10 is primarily designed for use with a child safety seat
30 which is strapped to the back 32 of a seat or cushion 34 of an automobile~
The child safety seat 30 has a pair of wings or sides 36 along the back 38 thereof
as shown in Figure 1. The child rests on the bottom of the seat 30 and is
retained in the child safety seat 30 by a plurality of straps 40. Once the childis strapped in the seat 30, the table 10 is placed in front of the child, with the
child or infant occupying the recess 24.
The panel-like top 12 is made from resilient material such as a
conventional foam plastic or foam rubber material. The material is firm yet
soft and provides a cushion in the event the infant or child should strike or hit
the top 12 thus helping to prevent serious injury to the child. The resilient top
12 is covered with a conventional cloth fabric material 41 which is washable.
The fabric material 14 may be made in the form of a removable casing, like a
pillow casing, or be permanently affixed to the top 12 so as to cover the top,
bottom and sides thereof. The cloth fabric material 41 has an upstanding rim
or border 43 which extends around the front edge 18, side edges 22 and around
the rear edge portions 26. The rim 43, if desired, may also extend around the
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r car periphery defining the edge of the recess 24. rhe rim 43 provides a
flexible or yieldable barrier or borcler which helps to maintain the toys,
feeding dishes and other objects and playthings on the upper surFace 14 of the
top 12.
The table 10 inclucles a plurality of removable front and back legs
42 and 44 respectively depending from the lower surFace 16 of the panel-like
top 12. The panel-like top 12 has four corners and each corner is provided
with a removable supporting leg as shown in the drawing. The legs 42, 44 are
secured to the lower surface 16 of the top 12 by Fastening means to be subse-
l 0 quent I y descr ibed.
Each leg 42, 44 is made in two sections or elements. Each of the
front legs ~i2 has a pair of upper and lower leg elements 46 and 48 respectively
which may be removably secured together when in use. Upper leg element 46
and lower leg element 48 have opposing FIat surfaces 50 and 52 respectively
which face and abut one another and are removably secured together by addi-
tional fastening means.
Each corner of the lower surface 16 is provided with a leg 427 44.
The legs 42, 44 are removably secured to the corners of the top 12 by fastening
means and elevate the panel~like top above the seat support to permit the legs
of the infant ~o extend under the panel-like top. The fastening means includes
a pair of interlocking fabric-like members 56 and 58. Interlocking member 56
is secured by an adhesive or by sewing to the lower surface 16 of the top 12 and
the other interlocking member 58 is secured to the top surface 60 by an adhesive
or by sewing to the opposing leg 42, 44. The one interlocking member 56 is
armed with First interlocking loop and hook fabric r~nlaterial and the other inter-
locking member 58 is armed with second interlocking loop and hook fabric
materi a 1.
The additional fastening means used to secure each of the correspond-
ing leg elements 46, 48 together includes a pair of interlocking fabric-like
strips. One of the strips 64 is secured to the lower surface 50 of the upper leg
element 46 and the other strip 66 is secured to the top surface 52 of the
corresponding lower leg element 48. The strips 64, 66 are each armed with
interlocking loop and hook fabric material.
The two fabric-like interlocking members, elements or strips 56
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Fo, the rear legs ~ are parallel to one another ancl to the side edges 22 and
the two interlocking members 56 for the front legs 42 are aligned and are
parallel to the front edge of the top 12 as shown in Figure 2.
The leg elements 46, 48 of each leg are made from a resilient
material such as a foam plastic or a foam rubber materialO The leg elements
are enclosed or covered with a cloth fabric material which is washable~ The
rear leg elements are each of rectangular configuration with the sides thereof
being flat.
Leg elements 46, 48 of the front legs ~2 each has an inner FIat
surface 70 and 72 respectively. The inner surfaces 70, 72 of one pa7r oF front
leg elements 46, 48 face the inner surfaces on the other pair of front leg
elements as shown in Figure l. The corresponding pair of inner surfaces of a
pair of leg elements are tapered starting at the top and extending downwardly
and away from the other front leg or leg elements. Thus the distance between
the inner surfaces of the Pair of front legs 42 is greater at the bottom than at the
top as shown in Figure 1. Thus the tapered or angled surfaces 70, 72 provide
additional room or space for the childls legs.
An elongated elastic fabric bancl or strap 70 is permanently secured
on one end thereof to the tray or top 12 and, after the table 12 is inserted or
wrapped around the child in the child saFety seat 30, the strap 70 is extended
across the rear side of back 38 of chair or seat support 30 and is removably
secured to the top 12 adjacent the rear edge thereof. A pair of interlocking
members are provided, one member 72 secured to the rear edge or side 20 of
top 12 and the other member 74 secured to the strap 700 The members 72, 74
are armed with interlocking loop and hook fabric material. The elastic strap
70 may be made from any of the commercially available stretchable fabric
materials on the market such as ~Lykra~.
~,
The straps, strips and interlocking members described previously
are formed from a fabric material, such as nylon tape, wherein the fabric surface
is covered with minute hooks or minute loops. When a hook armed fabric surface
is pressed into con~act with a loop armed surface, the respective surfaces lock
together and can be peeled apart only by the exertion oF a certain amount of
force. As an example it follows that the fabric of strips 56 may be either hook
armed or loop armed, but that in any event the straps or members of the various
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fastening means should be equipped with the opposite armament. The loops
can be easily discerned by the fact that they form a pile surface; while the
hooks form a surface that is harsh and unyielding to the touch. A commercial
form of this fabric structure is known as IlVELCROll. The strips oF fabric
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,t are fastened flat to the sheet material by adhesive, by staples or other conven-
ient means. The extent of distribution of the locking surfaces is optional.
Where IlVELCRO'l can be used for the several interlocking members or strips,
other commercial quick opening means may be used.
~VELCROIl (Velcro S.~., Fribourg, Switzerland) is a velvet type
fabric comprising a structure including a plurality of auxiliary warp threads
of a synthetic resin material in the form of raised pile threads5 the terminal
portions of which are at least in part in the form of material-engaging hooks;
United States Patent No. 2,717,437.
As the child grows out of the safety car seat 30 where it is no longer
required, the child is strapped directly to the car seat 34. The table 10 can
still be used; however one leg element oF each leg is removed. As an example
the upper leg element 46 of each leg 42, 44 is removed and the upper surfaces
52 of the leg elements 48 are secured directly to the interlocking members 56.
In such a case the stretch band 70 is wrapped around the back of the child
and assists in holding the child in the table recess 24.
The cloth fabric material may be made in different colors and with
different designs to present a pleasing appearance. Plastic cloth materials
may also be used.
As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the rear edge portions 26 of the table
10 are wrapped around the sides 36 of the safety car seat 30, with the strap 70
holding the table 20 secured to seat 30.
The leg elements are thus easily separated From one another and
from the top 12 for cleaning and storage purposes. A minimum amount of space
is required to store the collapsed or disassembled table 10.
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