GB2480659A

GB2480659A - Bicycle seat convertible to a pushchair

Info

Publication number: GB2480659A
Application number: GB1008865A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hannah Petty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-05-27
Filing date: 2010-05-27
Publication date: 2011-11-30
Also published as: GB201008865D0

Abstract

A bicycle seat convertible to a pushchair for an infant, comprising: a seat body 101 with a seat rack location point (302, fib 3); a seat rack (401, fig 4); a locking mechanism (301, fig 3) for the seat body and seat rack 401; a seat tube bracket 102 connected to the seat rack 401; and a plurality of collapsible wheels 103. To attach the bicycle seat to a bicycle, the seat body 101 may be simply pushed on to the seat rack 401 by the user, and locked in place. To convert the bicycle seat into a pushchair, the user should unlock the seat rack 401, lift the bicycle seat from the seat rack 401 and fold out the collapsible wheels 103.

Description

Patent Application of Hannah Petty for A bicycle seat convertible to a pushchair for an infant

Background of the Invention

[1] The present invention relates to a bicycle seat for infants that may also be converted into a pushchair.

[2] Cycling as a means of transportation has significantly increased in popularity in recent years, particularly with the growing emphasis on being environmentally-friendly and cutting carbon emissions from vehicles. Many people now cycle rather than use their cars.

[3] When parents of young children wish to cycle rather than drive a car, however, they are faced with the inconvenience of trying to carry a pushchair. Pushchairs and prams have been widely used by parents to transport their children for centuries, and are a necessity when taking young infants on trips that require a lot of walking, for example, shopping.

[4] Collapsible pushchairs are known in the art.

US20070096435 to 100 Watt Limited discloses a pushchair with rotatable legs that may be folded down into a piece of luggage. Similarly, US20040026896 to Crisp discloses a pushchair with a folding frame that again may be converted to a piece of luggage. Though these are more portable than a standard pushchair, it would still be very difficult for a parent to carry such a pushchair when riding a bicycle, and both would most likely be too bulky and heavy to comfortably hold in a backpack as they are designed to be luggage items themselves.

[5] Also known in the art are bicycles with inbuilt pushcha'irs, where the bicycle section may be folded away when not in use, leaving a standard pushchair. One example of such a device is diclosed in EP1924489 to Taga Design and Development Ltd. Though these are explicitly designed to allow carers to cycle with their children and transport them at their destination, they have serious disadvantages. Many people own bicycles prior to becoming parents, and would therefore be required to buy an entirely new bicycle at great expense. Furthermore, parents do not always wish to use their bicycle to transport their infants, but these pushchair-bicycles cannot be converted to a standard bicycle.

[6] It would therefore be beneficial to have a bicycle seat for an infant, as are commonly used when cycling with infants, which can be detached and converted to a pushchair when required.

[7] Many standard, rear-fitting bicycle seats are attached to the bike by means of ties and clamps connected to a bicycle luggage rack. Bicycle seats that convert to pushchairs and attach in this manner are known in the art. FR2659616 to Normand discloses a pushchair that can be fitted to bicycles by connecting it to a bicycle luggage rack using ties. This invention requires the user to already own a bicycle luggage rack, however, and may not be very secure.

[8] An alternative means of fitting child bicycle seats to a bicycle uses a bracket mounted to the seat tube of a bicycle, typically attached by two bars to a rack integrated into the seat. BE1014981 to Lederlook discloses a bicycle seat convertible to a pushchair that attaches to a bicycle in such a manner. In order to attach and detach these seats, the seat must be rotated 1800 and the bars fixed into place, before attaching the bars to the bracket on the bicycle seat tube. It can be appreciated that this method of removing the seat to use as a pushchair and connecting it to the bike again when needed as a bicycle seat would be overly complicated and time consuming for the user. This is particularly problematic when the user has an infant to care for, and needs to attach and detach the seat frequently.

Brief Summary of the Invention

[9] It can be seen by the forgoing that a need has arisen for a bicycle seat that can be converted to a pushchair, which has a simple but secure means of attaching it to, and detaching it from, a bicycle. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such a seat.

[10] To this end, disclosed is a bicycle seat convertible to a pushchair for an infant, comprising: a seat body with a seat rack location point; a seat rack; a locking mechanism for the seat body and seat rack; a seat tube bracket connected to the seat rack; and a plurality of collapsible wheels.

[11] To attach the bicycle seat to a bicycle, the seat body may be simply pushed on to the seat rack by the user, and locked in place.

[12] To convert the bicycle seat into a pushchair, the user should unlock the seat rack, lift the bicycle seat from the seat rack and fold out the collapsible wheels.

[13] An advantage of the present invention is that it allows the user to cycle with their infants and easily transport them once the destination has been reached.

[14] A further advantage is that it the user can attach and detach the seat in a very straightforward manner without the use of tools and without having to rotate the seat 180°.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawing [15] The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings, in which: [16] Figure one shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, in its bicycle seat mode.

[17] Figure two shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, in its pushchair mode.

[18] Figure three shows the underside of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[19] Figure four shows a preferred embodiment of the seat tube bracket and seat rack.

Detailed Description of an Enibodintent

[20] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in figure one, a bicycle seat convertible to a pushchair for an infant is disclosed, comprising: a seat body with a seat rack location point 101; a seat rack 401; a locking mechanism for the seat body and seat rack 301; a seat tube bracket connected to the seat rack 102; and a plurality of collapsible wheels 103.

[21] The seat tube bracket 102 is ideally the same type of bracket used for any seat tube-fitted bicycle seat. The bracket 102 may comprise two sections which are screwed together around the seat tube of a bicycle. Alternatively, the bracket 102 may connect to the seat tube by any other suitable means known in the art.

[22] Two bars 108 extend from the seat tube bracket 102, of a length and shape sufficient to reach a point just above the back wheel of a bicycle. One bar 108 extends from the bracket 102 on each side of the seat tube. The bars 108 should be made of a very strong, rigid material able to bear the weight of the seat body 101, and an infant received by the seat body, without snapping or bending. This material could be steel, an aluminium alloy, carbon fibre or any other suitable material known in the art.

[23] The two bars 108 connect to the seat rack 401, which should then be located just above the back wheel of a bicycle.

The seat rack 401 is of a size sufficient to fit exactly into the seat rack location point 302.

[24] The seat rack location point 302 is an indentation on the underside of the seat body 101, to receive the seat rack 401. It comprises an undercut of an exact size to receive a protrusion 403 in the seat rack. Thus, when the seat body 101 is placed onto the seat rack 401, the seat rack 401 fits into the seat rack location point 302, holding the seat body 101 in place.

[25] To secure the seat body 101 to the seat rack 401, a locking mechanism 301 may be used. when a key is turned in a lock located on the seat body 101, a lock bolt is inserted from the seat body 101, through an aperture in the seat rack location point 302, into an aperture 402 in the seat rack 401, locking the seat body 101 to the seat rack 401. The lock 301 may be any suitable kind of lock known in the art, potentially a cylinder lock.

[26] The seat body 101 with a seat rack location point 302 may essentially be the same in shape as a standard rear-fitting, seat-tube fitted bicycle seat. It should be formed of a suitably strong, rigid yet flexible material, potentially a thermoplastic such as polypropylene. In line with standard bicycle seats, it may comprise foot rests 107, padding for the infant to sit on 106, a safety harness 105, a collapsible sunshade 201, a rain cover and carrier handles. Furthermore, a telescopic handle 104 for moving the pushchair when converted may be connected to the seat body 101.

[27] Connected to the seat body 101 is a plurality of collapsible wheels 103. The drawings illustrate four such wheels, though any suitable number of wheels may be used. In this embodiment, two wheels 103 are connected to the foot rests 107 of the seat body 101 and stay in the same position at all times. A further two wheels 103 are joined to two bars which are attached to an axel within the seat body. Two detents are used to locate the wheels 103 in two fixed positions. When the seat is to be used as a bicycle seat, they are folded beneath the seat, in towards the front wheels. When the seat is converted to a pushchair, the wheels are pulled backwards.

[28] A locking mechanism, potentially the mechanism 301 used for the seat rack 401 described above, may be used to lock the back wheels 103 into place. When the lock 301 is turned, a pin is inserted into the axel, preventing its movement.

Claims

Claims 1. A bicycle seat convertible to a pushchair for an infant, comprising: a seat body with a seat rack location point; a seat rack; a locking mechanism for the seat body and seat rack; a seat tube bracket connected to the seat rack; and a plurality of collapsible wheels.
2. The bicycle seat of the preceding claim where said seat tube bracket is connected to said seat rack by a plurality of bars.
3. The bicycle seat of any preceding claim where said bars comprise any of the following materials: steel; an aluminium alloy; carbon fibre.
4. The bicycle seat of any preceding claim where said seat rack location point is an indentation in said seat body.
5. The bicycle seat of any preceding claim where said seat rack location point comprises an undercut to receive a protrusion in said seat rack.
6. The bicycle seat of any preceding claim where said seat body comprises polypropylene.
7. The bicycle seat of any preceding claim where said seat body comprises any combination of the following features: foot rests; seat padding; a safety harness; a collapsible sunshade; a rain cover; carrier handles; a telescopic handle.
8. The bicycle seat of any preceding claim with four collapsible wheels.