NZ761014B2 - Improvements in and relating to safety stools - Google Patents

Abstract

Interacting with children is fundamental to their intellectual and social development. Small children are curious and want to observe and engage in what other people are doing. Typically, the activities a child is interested in observing and interacting in are undertaken on a bench or table that is at a height that precludes interaction by the child. Lifting a child onto a table or bench to observe and interact with some activity creates the dangerous situation where the child can easily fall and become injured. Similarly, standing the child on a chair or traditional stool is unsafe due to the potential for a fall injury. It is also desirable that whilst a child can observe and interact with parents and the activity, the parent is able to maintain control. A safety stool/learning tower and method of assembling the safety stool having a first wall, at least two side walls, a second wall, and a platform. The two side walls are configured to, in use, receive and support the platform. The two side walls configured to locate one on each side of the first wall. The second wall is configured to engage with the first and second walls, characterised in that, when engaged, the second wall interlocks the first and second walls with the first wall. The platform is configured to engage with at least one opposing pair of platform holding apertures on the at least two side walls. The first wall and the second wall include a plurality of locking apertures therethrough configured to receive the locking member. The locking member is configured to lie adjacent a bottom surface of the platform when located within the opposing pair of the plurality of locking apertures in the first wall and the second wall.

Claims (22)

Claims

1. A safety stool including: a first wall; at least two side walls; a second wall; a locking member, and a platform, wherein the at least two side walls include a plurality of platform holding apertures therethrough, the platform holding apertures configured to, in use, receive and support the platform, the at least two side walls configured to locate one on each side of the first wall, and wherein the second wall is configured to engage with the at least two side walls, characterised in that, when engaged, the second wall interlocks the at least two side walls with the first wall, and wherein the platform is configured to engage with at least one opposing pair of the plurality of platform holding apertures on the at least two side walls, and wherein the first wall and the second wall include a plurality of locking apertures therethrough configured to receive the locking member, and wherein the locking member is configured to lie adjacent a bottom surface of the platform when located within at least one opposing pair of the plurality of locking apertures in the first wall and the second wall.

2. A safety stool including: an adjustable platform; a first wall unit, and a second wall unit, and a locking member, wherein the first wall unit includes a plurality of platform holding apertures therethrough, the platform holding apertures configured, in use, to receive and support the adjustable platform, and wherein the second wall unit includes a plurality of locking apertures configured to receive the locking member, and wherein the second wall unit is configured to removably attach to the first wall unit, characterised in that: a) when the second wall unit is attached to the first wall unit a wall is formed above a surface of the adjustable platform which substantially surrounds the periphery of the platform and at least one of the plurality of locking apertures is positioned such that when the locking member is located in the said at least one of the plurality of locking apertures, the locking member is held adjacent a bottom surface of the platform, thereby preventing the second wall unit from being able to be detached from the first wall unit; b) when the second wall unit is not attached to the first wall unit at least a portion of the periphery of the platform is not enclosed by a wall, thereby providing access to the surface of the platform.

3. The safety stool as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first wall unit includes a first wall, and at least two side walls.

4. The safety stool as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least two side walls are configured to locate one on either side of the first wall.

5. The safety stool as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the second wall unit is a second wall.

6. The safety stool as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to 5, wherein the first wall includes a series of locating protrusions that extend outward from opposite sides of the first wall.

7. The safety stool as claimed in claim 6, wherein the side walls include a series of locating apertures which, in use, align with and are configured to be located onto the series of locating protrusions on the first wall.

8. The safety stool as claimed in claim 7, wherein when the locating protrusions are located in the locating apertures, the first wall is prevented from falling free from the side walls, and the side walls are prevented from falling inwards towards one another.

9. The safety stool as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the at least two side walls include a plurality of platform holding apertures therethrough, the platform holding apertures configured to, in use, slidingly receive the platform.

10. The safety stool as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the platform holding apertures includes a platform sliding portion and a platform engaging portion.

11. The safety stool as claimed in claim 10, wherein the platform is rectangular in shape and has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end and the second end each includes a wall engaging portion configured to engage with the platform engaging portion of a platform holding aperture.

12. The safety stool as claimed in claim 11, wherein when the platform wall engaging portion is engaged with the platform engaging portions of the pair of side walls, the side walls are prevented from falling away from the first wall.

13. The safety stool as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to 12, wherein the second wall includes a series of hook formations that extend outward from opposite sides thereof.

14. The safety stool as claimed in claim 13, wherein the side walls include a series of hook formations which, in use, align and engage with the series of hook formations on a side of the second wall.

15. The safety stool as claimed in claim 14, wherein the hook formations on the second wall face downward in use, and the hook formations on the side walls face upward in use.

16. The safety stool as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to 15, wherein the plurality of locking apertures are positioned so as to have a height that is adjacent to and below a height of a corresponding platform holding aperture.

17. The safety stool as claimed in claim 16, wherein the locking member is an elongate T-shaped

18. The safety stool as claimed in any one of claims 1 or 3 to 17 wherein the first wall, at least two side walls, second wall, and platform are each substantially planar.

19. A method of assembling a safety stool, the method of assembly including the steps of: a) positioning a first wall in a vertical orientation; b) locating a first side wall on a first side of the first wall such that a series of locating protrusions on the first side of the first wall extend through a corresponding series of locating apertures in the first side wall; c) locating a second side wall on a second side of the first wall such that a series of locating protrusions on the second side of the first wall extend through a corresponding series of locating apertures in the second side wall; d) sliding a platform horizontally through a first platform holding aperture in the first side wall and through a second platform holding aperture in the second side wall; e) engaging a platform engaging portion of the first and second platform holding apertures with a first and a second wall engaging portion of the platform; f) engaging a second wall with sides of the first and second side walls that are distal to the first wall, and g) inserting a locking member through at least one of a plurality of locking apertures formed in the second wall so as to position the locking member adjacent to a bottom surface of the platform.

20. The method of assembling a safety stool as claimed in claim 19, wherein completion of steps a, b and c produces a stable free standing structure in which the front wall is prevented from falling in any direction, and the first and second side walls are prevented from falling inwards towards one another.

21. The method of assembling a safety stool as claimed in claim 20, wherein completion of step e locks the first and second side walls and the first wall together.

22. The method of assembling a safety stool as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein completion of the step g prevents the second wall from being disengaged from the first and second side walls. 31 30 11 12 24 24 21 22 20 16 24 24