Child seat and rocker

Abstract

A children's seat and rocker apparatus includes a rocker base, a support assembly, and an elevational support and adjustment mechanism operable between the rocker base and the support assembly to provide support and positional adjustment of the head end of the support assembly. The support and adjustment mechanism is detachable from the support assembly to allow the apparatus to be folded into a collapsed configuration for compact storage and transport.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seat and rocker apparatus comprising:
 a rocker base having a first end and a second end, and at least one rocker element between the first and second ends;   a support assembly comprising a head end, a foot end, and a seat, the foot end of the support assembly being pivotally coupled to the rocker base; and   an elevational support and adjustment mechanism operable between the rocker base and the support assembly to provide support and positional adjustment of the head end of the support assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The seat and rocker apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rocker base comprises first and second rocker arms extending between the first and second ends of the rocker base. 
     
     
         3 . The seat and rocker apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rocker base further comprises a brace pivotally coupled for repositioning between an extended position preventing rocking motion of the apparatus and a retracted position allowing rocking motion. 
     
     
         4 . The seat and rocker apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elevational support and adjustment mechanism comprises first and second members telescopingly extensible and retractable relative to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The seat and rocker apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elevational support and adjustment mechanism comprises at least one post having a lower end pivotally coupled to the rocker base, and an upper end coupled to the head end of the support assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The seat and rocker apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the upper end of the elevational support and adjustment mechanism is detachably coupled to the head end of the support assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The seat and rocker apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein detachment of the upper end of the elevational support and adjustment mechanism from the head end of the support assembly allows the apparatus to be collapsed into a generally flat compact configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The seat and rocker apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one entertainment feature positionable over the seat of the support assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The seat and rocker apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one entertainment feature is rotational or removable away from a position over the seat of the support assembly. 
     
     
         10 . A seat apparatus comprising:
 a base frame for supporting the apparatus upon a support surface;   a support assembly comprising a head end, a foot end, and a seat, the foot end of the support assembly being pivotally coupled to the base frame; and   an elevational support and adjustment mechanism operable between the base frame and the support assembly to provide support and positional adjustment of the head end of the support assembly relative to the support surface, wherein the elevational support and adjustment mechanism comprises a post having a lower end pivotally coupled to the base frame, and an upper end coupled to the head end of the support assembly.   
     
     
         11 . The seat apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the upper end of the post is coupled to the head end of the support assembly by an extensible linkage comprising first and second members telescopingly extensible and retractable relative to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The seat apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the upper end of the elevational support and adjustment mechanism is detachably coupled to the head end of the support assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The seat apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein detachment of the upper end of the elevational support and adjustment mechanism from the head end of the support assembly allows the apparatus to be collapsed into a generally flat compact configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The seat apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the base frame comprises at least one arcuate rocker allowing a rocking motion of the apparatus relative to the support surface. 
     
     
         15 . The seat apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a brace selectively repositionable between an extended position preventing the rocking motion and a retracted position allowing the rocking motion. 
     
     
         16 . The seat apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one entertainment feature positionable over the seat of the support assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The seat apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one entertainment feature is rotational or removable away from a position over the seat of the support assembly. 
     
     
         18 . A seat apparatus comprising:
 a base frame for supporting the apparatus on a support surface, the base frame defining a generally central lengthwise axis extending between front and back ends of the base frame;   a support assembly comprising a head end, a foot end, and a seat, the foot end of the support assembly being pivotally coupled to the front end of the base frame; and   a support member extending between the back end of the base frame and the head end of the support assembly, a lower end of the support member being pivotally connected to the back end of the base frame along the lengthwise axis, and an upper end of the support member being detachably coupled to the head end of the support assembly.   
     
     
         19 . The seat apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the base frame comprises at least one arcuate rocker allowing a rocking motion of the apparatus relative to the support surface. 
     
     
         20 . The seat apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a brace selectively repositionable between an extended position preventing the rocking motion and a retracted position allowing the rocking motion. 
     
     
         21 . The seat apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising at least one entertainment feature positionable over the seat of the support assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The seat apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one entertainment feature is rotational or removable away from a position over the seat of the support assembly. 
     
     
         23 . The seat apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the support member further comprises an extensible linkage comprising first and second members telescopingly extensible and retractable relative to one another. 
     
     
         24 . The seat apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein detachment of the upper end of the support member from the head end of the support assembly allows the apparatus to be collapsed into a generally flat compact configuration.