Safer High Chair

Abstract

Infant and toddler high chairs have saved many parents hassles involved with feeding time. These chairs, however, have a black mark on their record as high chairs are the 2nd leading cause of injury by nursery products in children under 5. In 2012, an estimated 13,200 children under the age of five were treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with high chairs, according to CPSC Nursery Product Reports. An analysis by Clinical Pediatrics reports that falling out of the chair accounted for almost 93 percent of the injuries, suggesting that perhaps a new design is needed. The goal of this project was to design a new style of chair for feeding in the hopes of developing solutions to previous failure modes or hazard patterns in High-Chairs that meets ASTM standards as well as consumer interest. Through research, the project focus was directed towards restraint system innovation.