CN111516746A

CN111516746A - Foldable baby carriage

Info

Publication number: CN111516746A
Application number: CN201910106572.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 关贵桓
Original assignee: Armon Ltd
Current assignee: Armon Ltd
Priority date: 2019-02-02
Filing date: 2019-02-02
Publication date: 2020-08-11
Also published as: WO2020156083A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a collapsible stroller including first and second side frames with at least one cross-bar or axle coupling the side frames together in spaced relation. Each side frame has a lower rear support bar carrying a rear wheel at its distal end and a lower front support bar carrying a front wheel at its distal end, the latter being pivotally connected at an upper pivot to a first end of the upper front support bar, the upper front support bar being pivotally connected at a second opposite end to the handle support bar by a pivot, the lower rear support bar being pivotally connected at an adjacent pivot to the upper front support bar. The handle support bar is pivotally connected at its lower end to a slider slidable along the rear tilt support bar by a pivot, and the link is pivotally connected at one end to the slider and pivotally connected at the opposite end to the lower front support bar, so that when the slider on each side frame is moved along the lower rear support bar toward the rear wheel to fold the stroller, the handle support bar pivots, with its upper end moving forward, and its lower end moving rearward with the slider.

Description

Foldable baby carriage

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a trolley or buggy and more particularly to a foldable trolley or buggy.

Background

Conventional collapsible strollers are well known and typically include two side frames, with each side frame including a front support bar having front wheels on its ends and a rear support bar having rear wheels on its ends. The side frames are simultaneously collapsible so that when folded the structure occupies a smaller volume for portability and storage. The side frames may be collapsible while remaining spaced apart from one another to form a so-called flat fold structure, or alternatively in some models, the side frames may also or alternatively be collapsed together to form a so-called umbrella fold structure. In general, the umbrella-shaped folding structure is ultimately compact in the width direction, but is generally long in the length direction, whereas the flat folding structure is compact in the length direction, while maintaining the overall width of the stroller corresponding to the constant spacing of the side frames.

The present invention relates to flat-folded strollers and it is an object of the invention to obtain a stroller that is compact and easy to carry and store in the folded position, especially when traveling (where storage space is limited, for example in a motor vehicle, train or airplane).

There are a variety of flat-folded strollers, and it is an object of the present invention to improve the performance of these strollers, particularly in relation to the compactness of the volume of the folded stroller and the convenience of pushing the folded stroller so that they can be easily carried and stored in the resulting size and shape when a parent or caregiver travels using modern modes of transportation. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stroller that is easy to operate by a user, that is, that can be used instinctively, and that requires few simple steps to convert the stroller from an operating position to a folded position and back to an unfolded, operating position. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable stroller that is easy to carry and store in a foldable state in a manner that avoids the transfer of possible impurities and dust attached to the wheels of the stroller to the surface of the user's clothing or storage compartment during use.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a collapsible stroller comprising first and second side frames, wherein at least one cross-bar or axle couples (supports) and spaces the two side frames in a fixed side-to-side spaced relationship, each side frame having:

a lower rear support bar carrying a rear wheel at a distal end thereof; and a lower front support bar carrying a front wheel at a distal end thereof, each lower front support bar being pivotally connected at an upper end thereof to a first end of an upper front support bar by a front support bar pivot, wherein the upper front support bar is pivotally connected at a second, opposite end to a handle support bar by an upper front support bar pivot, wherein the lower rear support bar is pivotally connected to the upper front support bar by a lower rear support bar pivot at a location adjacent to the front support bar pivot,

characterized in that the handle support bar is pivotally connected at its lower end by a lower handle support bar to a slide which is slidable along the rear inclined support bar, and in that a link is pivotally connected at one end to the slide by a pivot and at the opposite end to the lower front support bar,

such that when the slider on each side frame is moved along the lower rear support bar in a direction toward the rear wheel to fold the stroller, the handle support bar pivot moves rearward with the slider toward the rear wheel, and the lower front support bar pivots rearward such that the front wheel is in a position adjacent the rear wheel when folding is complete.

Preferably, a slider connecting device is provided which is connected at one end with the slider of the first side frame and at the other end with the slider of the second side frame.

Each slide preferably includes a releasable latch which securely locks the slide to the lower rear support bar to securely hold the stroller in the deployed position and which is releasable to allow the slide to slide rearwardly along the rear diagonal support bar to fold the stroller.

The releasable latching means is preferably releasable by an actuatable release means located on the slider connection means.

Each slide may comprise releasable attachment means associated (coupled ) with the respective rear inclined support bar, and both (each slide) may be actuated simultaneously by actuatable release means on said slide connection means by means of actuation transmission means.

The actuation transmission means may be a pair of cables, each cable extending from the slider connection means to each releasable latch means on a respective slider of each side frame.

In order to prevent accidental folding of the stroller, a secondary lock may be provided which must be actuated (activated) before the actuatable release means is active.

Each handle support bar preferably includes an upper rearwardly folded portion and a lower forwardly folded portion that are pivotally connected to one another at a handle support bar pivot. The handle support bar pivot 33 may be releasably locked by a releasable latch 36 so that the handle support bar pivot 33 is locked from movement when the stroller is in use and the handle support bar pivot 33 is releasable to fold the stroller.

Preferably, a handle means 9 is provided which extends between the upper ends of the rearwardly folded portions 8b of the respective first and second side frames 2, 3.

Preferably, an actuatable latch release is provided on the handle means, which releases the releasable latch means to enable the fold-back portion and handle means to be folded back.

An upper strut secondary lock arrangement may be provided which must be actuated to be released before the releasable latch arrangement can be released to prevent accidental folding of the stroller.

Preferably, carrying handle means are provided for carrying the folded stroller on the user's shoulders.

The carrying handle device may include a strap having a first end attached to the lower end of the handle support bar of the first side and a second end attached to the lower end of the handle support bar of the second side.

Preferably, a front hitch support bar extends between the lower front support bars of the respective first and second side frames. A foot pedal may be attached to the forward hitch support bar.

Detailed embodiments of the present invention will now be described.

Drawings

FIG. 1: a perspective view of a first embodiment of a foldable stroller is shown,

FIG. 2: there is shown an enlarged side view of a first embodiment of a foldable stroller assembly in a partially folded position,

FIG. 3: there is shown an enlarged side view of a first embodiment of a foldable stroller in a fully folded position,

FIG. 4: showing a side view of the foldable stroller in a partially folded position,

FIG. 5: an exploded view showing the general arrangement of the components of the fold release mechanism of the first embodiment, an

FIG. 6: there is shown an enlarged view of the general arrangement of the components of the handle support bar pivot of the first embodiment.

Detailed Description

In the present description, the reference numerals of the common components remain the same in the respective embodiments.

Referring now specifically to fig. 1-6, in one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 1-6, a collapsible stroller is disclosed that includes first and second side frames 2, 3 with at least one cross bar 4 or axle 5 coupling (supporting) the two side frames 2, 3 together in a fixed spaced side-to-side relationship. Reference to corresponding component parts of each side frame 2, 3 will be given the same reference numerals.

With particular reference to fig. 1 to 3, each side frame 2, 3 includes a lower rear support bar 10 carrying a rear wheel 12 at its distal end. In the deployed position, the lower rear support bar 10 extends diagonally from the front of the stroller where the main seat support is formed, and diagonally downward to the rear of the stroller where it is connected to the rear wheel 12. In the folded position, the lower rear support bar 10 extends substantially horizontally.

Each side frame 2, 3 further comprises a lower front support bar 11a, which lower front support bar 11a carries a front wheel 13 at its distal end. Each lower front support bar 11a is pivotally connected at its upper end to a first end of an upper front support bar 11b by a front support bar pivot 14. The upper front support bar 11b is in turn pivotally connected at a second, opposite end to the handle support bar 8 by an upper front support bar pivot 15. The lower rear support bar 10 is pivotally connected to the upper front support bar 11b at a position adjacent to the front support bar pivot 14 by a lower rear support bar pivot 16. The lower rear support bar pivot 16 is spaced rearwardly alongside the front support bar pivot 14 by a spacing arm 19.

The handle support bar 8 is pivotally connected at its lower end to a slider 21 by a lower handle support bar pivot 17, the slider 21 being slidable along the rear tilt support bar 10. The link 18 is pivotably connected at one end to the slide 21 by a pivot 22 and at the opposite end to the lower front support bar 11a.

To fold the stroller, starting from the unfolded position in fig. 1, the slide 21 on each side frame 2, 3 is moved along the lower rear support bar 10 in a direction towards the rear wheel 12, i.e. from the left to the right in the figure. This causes the

handle support bars

8, 8a to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in fig. 2 so that their upper ends move forward toward the front of the stroller and their lower ends move rearward with the slider 21 toward the rear wheels 12. The handle support bar pivot 17 moves with the slider in the direction of the rear wheel. At the same time, the lower front support bar 11a is pivoted rearwardly, i.e. also anticlockwise in figure 2, by means of the link 18, so that the front wheel 13 moves towards a position adjacent the rear wheel 12 and terminates below the rear tilt support bar 10 generally alongside it, as best shown in figure 3. The upper front support bar 11b rotates clockwise as viewed in fig. 2 and terminates above and generally adjacent the rear tilt support bar 10.

Thus, as can be seen from fig. 3, a very compact folded-up stroller is achieved.

Referring again to fig. 1 and 5, a slider connecting device 26 is provided, which is connected at one end to the slider 21 of the first side frame 2 and at the other end to the slider 21 of the second side frame 3. By pulling the slider connecting means 26 backwards, each slider 21 on each side frame 2, 3 is simultaneously pulled back to effect folding of the stroller in one pulling action of a part of the user.

As best shown in the exploded view of fig. 5, each slide 21 includes a releasable latch 28, the latch 28 securely locking the slide 21 to the lower rear support bar 10 to securely hold the stroller in the deployed position, and the latch 28 being releasable to allow the slide 21 to slide rearwardly along the rear diagonal support bar 10 to fold the stroller.

The releasable latch 28 may be released by an actuatable release 30 located on the slide attachment means 26.

Each slide comprises releasable latching means 28 coupled with the respective rear inclined support bar 10, and the two slides 21 on each side 2, 3 are actuated simultaneously by actuatable releasing means 30 on the slide connection means 26 by means of actuation transmission means in the form of a cable 32. In this embodiment, the cable 32 is located within the slider connection device 26 and extends within the slider connection device 26, the slider connection device 26 being in the form of a hollow tube. There are two cables of a certain length, one for each slider 21, and each cable is connected to opposite sides of the actuator plate 34. The actuator plate 34 is movable within the actuator housing 36 against the return force of the actuator springs 38, with the actuator springs 38 abutting the housing 36. The opposite end of each cable 32 is connected to a releasable latch arrangement 28, the latch arrangement 28 being pivotally mounted in a latch housing 40 and pivoting against the return force of a latch spring 42, the latch spring 42 abutting the latch housing 40. Depression of the actuator means 30 by the user enables pulling of the cable 32 which cable 32 causes the releasable latch means 28 to pivot out of engagement with the corresponding hook means 44 located on the inclined rear support bar 10. Thus, the stroller can be folded by the user continuing to pull on the slider attachment means 26.

When the stroller reaches the deployed position, the releasable latch devices 28 automatically engage the corresponding hook devices 44 to secure the stroller in the deployed position as the latch actuator springs return the actuator plate 34 to the un-actuated position thereby releasing the tension of the cable 32 and allowing the latch springs 42 to return the releasable latch devices 28 to the locked position. The releasable latch means 28 and the hook means 44 are designed in combination with each other and the latch spring 42 so that they automatically engage when they are combined together.

To prevent accidental folding of the stroller, a releasable secondary lock is provided that must be actuated (activated) before the actuatable release means 30 is activated. The releasable secondary lock may be mounted to prevent movement of the actuator by arresting the transmission means or by directly preventing the releasable latch means from being released until the secondary lock is released.

Referring now to fig. 4 and 6, each handle support bar 8 includes a rearward folded portion 8a and a forward folded portion 8b that are pivotally connected to each other at a handle support bar pivot 33.

The handle support bar pivot 33 may be releasably locked by a releasable handle latch 37 so that the handle support bar pivot 33 is locked against movement when the stroller is in use and the handle support bar pivot 33 is releasable to fold the stroller. An actuatable button-like latch release 39 is provided on the handle means 9, said actuatable button-like latch release 39 being adapted to release the releasable latch means 37 to enable the fold-back portion 8a and the handle means 9 to be folded back. The latch release acts against a spring (not shown) which restores the release to the rest position and this automatically locks the rearwardly and forwardly folded

portions

8a, 8b of the handle support bar in the deployed position in the correct locked position in alignment with one another to form the handle support bar 8.

A handle means 9 is provided which extends between the upper ends of the rearwardly folded portions 8a of the respective first and second side frames 2, 3.

As can be seen in fig. 4 and 6, in this embodiment, the first step in folding the stroller is to release the handle support bar pivot 33 and fully fold the fold-back portion 8b before releasing the slider latch 28 to fold the remainder of the stroller. However, in fig. 2, it can be seen that the folded-back portion 8b is only partially folded, although the handle support bar pivot has been released. The backward folded part 8b may be folded completely at the beginning as shown in fig. 4 and 6, or at the end of the fold later as shown in fig. 2. When fully folded, an attachment hook is provided on the folded-back portion 8b to hold the stroller in the folded position.

To deploy the stroller, the user simply needs to release the attachment hook and pull the handle 9 upward. This automatically restores the rearward folded portion 8b to its aligned position with the forward folded portion 8a and the weight of the

wheels

12, 13 and the rest of the structure has the effect of automatically restoring the stroller to the deployed position and the releasable latch 28 automatically locks the stroller in the deployed position.

A carrying handle arrangement 46 is provided for carrying the folded stroller on the user's shoulder. In this embodiment, the carrying handle arrangement 46 comprises a strap having a first end attached to the lower end of the handle support bar 8 of the first side 2 and a second end attached to the lower end of the handle support bar 8 of the second side 3. A carrying handle attachment means 48 is provided which in the folded position extends in a direction away from the position of the

wheels

12, 13. In this way, when carrying the folded stroller, the user can direct the carrying handle arrangement 46 away from the

wheels

12, 13, as best shown in figure 3, to avoid the risk of dirt or debris being transferred from the wheels to the user's clothing.

Referring again to fig. 1, a front coupling support bar 42 extends between the lower front support bars 11a of the respective first and second side frames 2, 3. A foot pedal 44 for an occupant of the stroller is attached to the front hitch support bar 42.

Parts list

1. Foldable baby carriage

2. First side frame

3. Second side frame

4. Cross bar

5. Shaft

8. Handle support bar

Forward folded part 8a

Backward folded part

9. Handle bar

10. Inclined lower rear support rod

11a. lower front support bar

11b. upper front supporting rod

12. Rear wheel

13. Front wheel

14. Front support rod pivot

15. Upper front supporting rod pivot

16. Lower rear support rod pivot

17. Lower handle support rod pivot

18. Connecting rod

19. Spacer arm

20.

21. Sliding member

22. Pivot shaft

26. Sliding part connecting device

28. Releasable latch device

30. Actuating device

32. Cable wire

33. Handle support rod pivot

34. Actuating plate

36. Actuator casing

37. Releasable handle support bar latch

38. Actuator spring

40. Latch housing

42. Latch spring

44. Releasable latch hook device

46. Portable handle device

48. Carrying handle attachment lug

Claims

1. A foldable stroller comprising first and second side frames 2, 3, wherein at least one cross bar 4 or axle 5 couples the two side frames 2, 3 and separates the two side frames 2, 3 in a fixed spaced side-to-side relationship, each side frame 2, 3 having:

a lower rear support bar 10, said lower rear support bar 10 carrying a rear wheel 12 at its distal end; and a lower front support bar 11a, said lower front support bar 11a carrying front wheels 13 at a distal end thereof, each lower front support bar 11a being pivotally connected at an upper end thereof to a first end of an upper front support bar 11b by a front support bar pivot 14, wherein said upper front support bar 11b is pivotally connected at a second, opposite end to a handle support bar 8 by an upper front support bar pivot 15, wherein said lower rear support bar 10 is pivotally connected to said upper front support bar 11b at a position adjacent to said front support bar pivot 14 by a lower rear support bar pivot 16,

characterized in that the handle support bar 8 is pivotally connected at its lower end by a lower handle support bar pivot 17 to a slide 21, which slide 21 is slidable along the rear diagonal support bar 10, and wherein a link 18 is provided, which link 18 is pivotally connected at one end to the slide 21 by a pivot 22 and at the opposite end to the lower front support bar 11a,

so that when the slider 21 on each side frame 2, 3 is moved along the lower rear support bar 10 in a direction toward the rear wheel 12 to fold the stroller, the handle support bar pivot 17 moves rearward with the slider 21 and the lower front support bar 11a pivots rearward so that the front wheel 13 is in a position adjacent to the rear wheel 12 when folding is completed.

2. The foldable stroller according to claim 1, wherein a slider connecting means 26 is provided which is connected at one end with the slider 21 of the first side frame 2 and at the other end with the slider 21 of the second side frame 3.

3. The foldable stroller of claim 1, wherein at least one slider 21 comprises a releasable latch 28 that securely locks the slider 21 to the lower rear support bar 10 to securely hold the stroller in a deployed position, and that is releasable to allow the slider 21 to slide rearwardly along the rear tilt support bar 10 to fold the stroller.

4. A foldable stroller according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that said releasable latch means 28 is releasable by an actuatable release means 30 located on said slider connection means 26.

5. The foldable stroller as recited in claims 2 to 4, characterized in that each slider comprises releasable attachment means associated with the respective rear inclined support bar 10 and both are simultaneously actuatable by actuatable release means 30 on said slider connection means 26 by means of actuation transmission means.

6. The foldable stroller according to claim 5, wherein said actuation transmission means is a pair of cables, each cable extending from said slider connection means 26 to each releasable latch means on the respective slider 21 of each side frame 2, 3.

7. The foldable stroller of claim 1, wherein a secondary lock is provided to prevent accidental folding of the stroller, said secondary lock having to be actuated before the actuatable release means 30 is activated.

8. The foldable stroller of claim 1, wherein each handle support bar 8 comprises a rearward folded portion 8a and a forward folded portion 8b, the rearward folded portion 8a and the forward folded portion 8b being pivotably connected to each other at a handle support bar pivot 33.

9. The collapsible stroller as recited in claim 8, wherein the handle support bar pivot 33 is releasably lockable by a releasable latch arrangement 37, whereby the handle support bar pivot 33 is locked from movement when the stroller is in use and the handle support bar pivot 33 is releasable to collapse the stroller.

10. The foldable stroller according to claim 1, wherein a handle means 9 is provided which extends between the upper ends of the folded-back portions 8a of the respective first and second side frames 2, 3.

11. A foldable stroller according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that an actuatable latch release 39 is provided on said handle means 9, which actuatable latch release 39 releases said releasable latch means 37 to enable said fold-back portion 8a and handle means 9 to be folded back.

12. The collapsible pushchair according to claim 1, wherein carrying handle means 46 are provided for carrying the collapsible pushchair over the shoulders of a user.

13. The foldable stroller of claim 13, wherein said carrying handle means comprises a strap having a first end attached to the lower end of said first side handle support bar 8 and a second end attached to the lower end of said second side handle support bar 8.

14. The foldable stroller of claim 1, wherein a front coupling support bar 45 extends between the lower front support bars 11a of the respective first and second side frames.

15. The foldable stroller of claim 1, wherein a foot pedal 43 is attached to said front hitch support bar 45.