AU729732B3

AU729732B3 - Foldable seat frame for a foldable stroller

Info

Publication number: AU729732B3
Application number: AU71893/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Hsiao-Hui Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-11-29
Filing date: 2000-11-29
Publication date: 2001-02-08
Anticipated expiration: 2002-02-08

Description

.1 1 P/00/012 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention Title: "FOLDABLE SEAT FRAME FOR A FOLDABLE STROLLER" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Foldable Seat Frame for a Foldable Stroller 2 Background of the Invention 3 The present invention relates to a foldable seat frame for a foldable stroller, and more 4 particularly to a seat frame that can be detached from a foldable stroller and folded to a minimized volume.

6 A wide variety of foldable strollers has been developed, and examples thereof include 7 U.S. Patent No. 5,428,402 to Huang issued on Jun. 27, 1995; U.S. Patent No. 5,460,398 to 8 Huang on Oct. 24, 1995; U.S. Patent No. 5,553,885 to Chang issued on Sep. 10, 1996, etc.

9 However, the volume of the folded strollers cannot be further minimized, as the strollers are only foldable in the main frame, yet the seat frame is not foldable. The present invention is 11 intended to provide an improved foldable seat frame for a stroller.

12 Summary of the Invention 13 It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a seat frame that can be 14 detached from a foldable stroller and folded to a minimized volume.

A foldable stroller in accordance with the present invention comprises: 16 a foldable main frame having two side beams; and 17 a foldable seat frame detachably mounted to the foldable main frame, the foldable seat 8 frame including: 19 a pair of armrest frames each having means for releasably engaging with the foldable main frame, 21 a pair of cross-hinged members each having a first end pivotally connected to an 22 associated said armrest frame and a second end pivotally connected to an end of a member, the 23 other end of the member being pivotally connected to the associated armrest frame, 24 a support plate mounted on top of the pair of cross-hinged members including an elongated slot extending along a longitudinal axis thereof, a guide bolt being extended through 26 the slot and pivotally connecting the cross-hinged members, the support plate further including 27 two positioning holes, I the support plate further including two lateral channels each having a tube 2 slidably received therein, each said tube having an outer end securely connected the associated 3 armrest frame and an inner end to which an end plug is mounted, a spring and an engaging pin 4 being mounted in the end plug, a rocker being pivotally mounted to the end plug and operably connected to the engaging pin, an actuating rod being slidably extended in each said tube and 6 including an inner end operably connected to the rocker and an outer end releasably engaged 7 with an associated said side member of the main frame; 8 wherein when the main frame is being folded, the outer end of each said actuating rod is 9 in contact with the associated side beam of the main frame to cause the rocker to pivot and thus disengage the engaging pin from an associated said positioning hole in the support plate, 11 thereby allowing the tubes to slidable relative to the support plate to achieve folding of the seat 12 frame, and 13 wherein when the main frame is in an extended state, each said side beam is disengaged 14 from the outer end of the associated actuating rod, each said spring biases the engaging pin to engage with the associated positioning hole in the support plate to prevent folding of the seat i6 frame.

17 11-e seat frai, nw furtbe irucuhe a bkrst fraxe that icruies a pair of arrest anxrt 18 rods and a support plate that are pivotally connected to the support rods by four links. Each 19 support rod includes a lower end that is pivotally connected to the associated armrest frame. A second seat frame may be releasably attached to the armrest frames of the first seat frame.

21 Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more 22 apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the 23 accompanying drawings.

'24 Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of a main frame of a foldable stroller in accordance with the present 26 invention.

27 Fig. 2 is a front view of the main frame in Fig. 1.

1 Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a seat frame of the foldable stroller in 2 accordance with the present invention.

3 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the seat frame in accordance with the present invention.

4 Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating two straps 41 for carrying the folded seat frame.

6 Fig. 6 is an exploded view illustrating a folding structure for the seat frame.

7 Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the folding structure for the seat frame, wherein the folding 8 structure is in a state allowing folding.

9 Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, wherein the folding structure is in a state preventing folding.

11 Fig. 9 is a side view of the foldable stroller in accordance with the present invention 12 after assembly 13 Fig. 10 is a side view illustrating a modified embodiment of the foldable stroller in 14 accordance with the present invention.

Figs. 11 and 12 are partial perspective views illustrating attachment of the seat frame to 16 the main frame of the foldable stroller in accordance with the present invention.

"17 Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment 18 Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 9,'a foldable stroller in accordance with the present .19 invention generally includes a foldable main frame 1 and a foldable seat frame 5 that is detachably mounted to the main frame 1.

21 As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the main frame 1 includes a pair of front legs la and lb 22 and a pair of rear legs 2. A lower end of each leg la, lb and 2 has a wheel or caster 10, -23 mounted thereto. Lower ends of a pair of cross-hinged members 11 are pivotally connected to 24 lower portions of the front legs la and lb, respectively. The rear legs 2 have a pair of cross-hinged members 21 mounted therebetween. In this embodiment, as illustrated in Fig. 2, 26 two ends of a member 22 are pivotally connected to lower portions of the rear legs 2, and 27 lower ends of the pair of cross-hinged members 21- are pivotally connected to two end portions I of the member 22. Upper end of each of the member 21 is pivotally connected to a first end of 2 a member 2 1a, and a second end of each member 21 a is pivotally connected to an associated 3 rear leg 2. In addition, the member 22 includes two end sections 22c that are pivotally 4 connected at 22b. The member 22 further includes a safe 22a that connects the end sections 22c and prevents inadvertent folding of the member 22, thereby preventing inadvertent folding 6 of the cross-hinged members 21. In addition, a footrest 12 is attached between the front legs la 7 and lb. Two side beams 13 are provided on both sides of the main frame 1 and each has a rear 8 end pivotally connected to an intermediate portion of an associated rear leg 2 and a front end 9 to which an upper end of an associated member 11 is pivotally mounted. It is noted that each side beam 13 is pivotally connected to an associated front leg la, lb at 130' (Fig. Each side 11 beam 13 includes an engaging notch 130 (Fig. 1) in a rear end portion thereof and an engaging 12 portion 131 with an engaging notch 132 on a front end portion thereof (Fig. 11).

13 A substantially U-shape upper frame is pivotally mounted to upper ends of the front legs 14 la and lb and upper ends of the rear legs 2. The U-shape upper frame includes two limbs 3 having upper ends that are connected by an intermediate section. In this embodiment, the 16 intermediate section includes two sections 310 articulated to an articulating means 31 located 17 between the sections 310. Lower end of each limb 3 is pivotally connected to the upper end of 18 an associated front leg la, lb.

19 Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the seat frame 5 includes a pair of armrest frames 4 each having two pegs 40 for engaging with the engaging notches 130 and 132 of the associated side 21 beam 13. When the seat frame 5 is folded, two straps 41 (Fig. 5) may be used to canrry the 22 folded seat frame 5. More particularly, each strap 41 includes two ends for engaging with the 23 pegs 40 such that the user may bear the folded seat frame by shouldering the straps 41. Each 24 armrest frame 4 has an armrest 4a that has an engaging hole 44 in an upper side thereof and an engaging hole 46 in a lateral side thereof, which will be described later. In addition, each 26 armrest 4a includes a rod 42 telescopically mounted therein. Namely, the telescopic rod 42 can 27 be retracted into the associated armrest 4a or stretched out of the associated armrest 4a. A 1 releasable locking means 420 (Fig. 3) consisting of two arms (not labeled) and a locking 2 sleeve (not labeled) is provided to releasably engage two ends of the telescopic rods 42 to 3 protect the child from falling out of the seat frame 4 The seat frame 5 further includes a pair of seat tubes 5a and 5b each having an L-shape extension 50 that is foldable at an elbow 50a thereof. Two ends of the L-shape extensions 6 are both connected to an articulating means 500 to thereby allow folding in response to 7 position of the child (sitting or lying down in the seat frame 8 As illustrated in Fig. 3, a pair of cross-hinged members 51 a is provided and each has an 9 end pivotally connected to an associated armrest frame 4. The other end of each member 51 a is pivotally connected to an end of a member 51b, the other end of which is pivotally 11 connected to the associated armrest frame 4 or an associated seat tube 5a, 5b. A support board 12 or plate 53 is securely mounted on top of the pair of cross-hinged members 5 la and includes 13 an elongated slot 53a extended along a longitudinal axis thereof. A guide bolt 53b is extended 14 through the slot 53a and a nut (not labeled) is engaged with the guide bolt 53b. It is noted that the guide bolt 53b also serves as a pivotal pin for the pivotally connecting the cross-hinged 1,6 members 5 la.

S17 Referring to Figs. 3 and 6, the support plate 53 further includes two lateral channels 530 18 (preferably square) that are formed, by two tubes 533 securely attached to an underside of 19 the support plate 53. Each channel 530 has a tube 52 slidably received therein, wherein an outer end of each tube 52 is securely connected by a pin 532 to an associated armrest frame 4.

21 An end plug 525 is attached to an inner end of each tube 52 and an end plug 529 is attached to 22 the outer end of each tube 52. A spring 521 and an engaging pin 528 are mounted in the end 23 plug 525, the engaging pin 528 having a longitudinal groove 522 in an outer periphery thereof.

24 A rocker 523 is pivotally mounted to the end plug 525 by a pin 524 and includes an end extended into the longitudinal groove 522 of the engaging pin 528. An actuating rod 526 is 26 extended through a hole (not labeled) in the end block 529 and has an outer enlarged end 526a 27 (Figs. 6 and 7) and an inner end to which an actuating block 527 is engaged. The actuating 1 block 527 is operably connected to the rocker 523. As illustrated in Fig. 7, a spring 528 is 2 mounted between the enlarged end 526a and the end block 529.

3 When the enlarged end 526a is in contact with an associated side beam 13 of the main 4 frame 1, the spring 528 is compressed and the actuating rod 526 and the actuating block 527 are moved inward to cause the rocker 523 to pivot downward to a position shown in Fig. 7.

6 The engaging pin 520 is moved downward and the spring 521 is compressed. As a result, the 7 engaging pin 520 is disengaged from an associated positioning hole 530 in the support plate 8 53 and completely in the tube 52 such that the tube 52 is slidable in the channel 533. Namely, 9 the distance between the armrest frames 4 is adjustable now In a preferred embodiment the side beam 13 will keep in contact with the enlarged end 526a of the actuating rod 526 to I1I thereby allow folding of the seat frame 5 while folding the whole main fr-ame 1. Namely, the 12 user needs not to fold the seat frame 5 when folding the main frame 1, as the seat frame 5 will 13 be automatically folded during folding of the main frame 1. It is noted that the guide bolt 53b 14 moves along the elongated slot 53b in the support plate 53 during folding/extending of the seat 1 frame 4.

1"6 When the main frame 1 is in an extended state, as shown in Fig. 8, the side beam 13 is A7 disengaged from the enlarged end 526a of the actuating rod 526. The spring 528 returns the 18 enlarged end 526a of the actuating rod 526 to an outward position, and the spring 521 returns *19 the rocker 523 to its upper position and returns the engaging pin 520 to an upper position that engages with the positioning hole 531 in the support plate 53. As a result, the tubes 52 are 21 retained in place and folding is thus impossible.

22 Still referring to Fig. 3, the seat frame 5 further includes a backrest frame 6 that includes *23 a pair of armrest support rods 6a and 6b and a support plate 60 that are pivotally connected to 24 the support rods 6a and 6b by four links 61. Each support rod 6a, 6b includes a lower end that is pivotally connected to an associated armrest frame 4. In addition, a first connecting link 62 26 and a second connecting link 64 are provided, wherein a first end of the link 62 is pivotally 27 connected to an upper end of an associated support rod 6a, 6b, and a first end of the link 64 is 1 pivotally connected to a second end of the link 62 and a second end of the link 64 is pivotally 2 connected to the associated armrest frame 4. Thus, the backrest frame 6 may be folded itself 3 and the folded backrest frame 6 may be rested on the support plate 53 of the folded seat frame 4 5, thereby further minimizing the volume of the folded seat frame The seat frame 5 is attached to the main frame 1 with the pegs 40 of the armrest frames 6 4 engaged with the engaging notches 130 and 132 of the side beams 13 (Figs. 11 and 12), as 7 shown in Fig. 9.

8 Fig. 10 illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention, wherein a further seat frame 9 5 can be releasably attached to the armrest frames 4 of the foldable stroller. The upper seat frame 5 may include a locking means in the form of a resilient hook) that is passed 11 through the engaging hole 44 of an associated armrest 4a and engaged with the engaging hole 12 46 of the associated armrest 4a. Thus, the foldable stroller may carry two children at the same 13 time.

14 Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without 16 departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

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