Connector for support frame

A child support, comprising:

• first and second leg portions extending from respective first and second rear ends and terminating at respective first and second support ends;
• a support for receiving a child thereon, said support being connected to each of said first and second support ends;
• and
• a coupler for releasably connecting said first and second leg portions wherein when said first and second legs are connected to each other, at least one of said first and second legs are predisposed to flex outwardly and away from the other, said coupler including:
• a first portion disposed on said first leg,
• an oversized slot disposed on said second leg and being adapted for receiving said first portion, said slot defining a clearance that is slightly greater than the cross-sectional dimensions of said first portion so as to allow said first portion to move freely within said slot, and
• means for retaining said first portion within said slot, said means for retaining including a protrusion disposed on one of said first portion and said slot for engaging a locking surface disposed on the other of said first portion and said slot, wherein the at least one of said first and second legs tend to flex outwardly and away from the other causes one of the protrusion and the locking surface to be urged into mating engagement with the other of the protrusion and the locking surface.

A method for providing a connectable support frame for a child support, the connectable support frame being formed from a single type of material, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first elongate frame portion with a first terminal end and outwardly projecting knob integrally formed therewith, wherein the knob is formed so as to project upwardly from the terminal end;
• forming a second elongate frame portion with a second terminal end describing a longitudinally extending first slot and locking surface integrally formed therewith, the first slot including an opening describing a height that is slightly greater than the combined heights of the left terminal end and knob, thereby allowing left terminal end to be freely received within the first slot;
• and
• connecting the first frame portion to the second frame portion by aligning the first terminal end with the first slot and inserting the first terminal end and knob into the first slot.

A connectable support frame, said connectable support frame being suitable for use as a child support device, said connectable support frame comprising:

• a frame including a first elongate leg having an end and defining a first leg axis, and a second elongate leg having an end and defining a second leg axis, wherein said frame is unconnected when said first and second leg ends are de-coupled from each other and wherein when said frame is unconnected said first and second leg ends are biased away from each other;
• a connecting portion extending parallel to the first leg axis and being disposed on the first leg end, said connecting portion including an outwardly extending protrusion extending approximately perpendicular to the first leg axis;
• and
• a retaining portion disposed on the second leg end, said retaining portion including a slot extending parallel to the second leg axis for receiving the connecting portion wherein when said connecting portion is received in said slot said leg axes are orientated approximately parallel to each other;
• wherein when said connecting portion is received within said retaining portion, said first and second legs are coupled together and at least one of said first and second legs includes a pre-load as a result of being coupled to the other, and wherein said locking member and protrusion are urged into a mating engagement by the pre-load which tends to bias said first and second legs away from the other.