Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/24—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles
  • B60N2/26—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles for children
  • B60N2/28—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
  • B60N2/2842—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle adapted to carry the child, when dismounted from the vehicle
  • B60N2/2848—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle adapted to carry the child, when dismounted from the vehicle being convertible or adaptable to a preambulator, e.g. a baby-carriage or a push-chair
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/24—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles
  • B60N2/26—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles for children
  • B60N2/28—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
  • B60N2/2803—Adaptations for seat belts
  • B60N2/2806—Adaptations for seat belts for securing the child seat to the vehicle
  • B60N2/2809—Adaptations for seat belts for securing the child seat to the vehicle with additional tether connected to the top of the child seat and passing above the top of the back-rest
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/24—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles
  • B60N2/26—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles for children
  • B60N2/28—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
  • B60N2/2839—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle having a front guard or barrier
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/24—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles
  • B60N2/26—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles for children
  • B60N2/28—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
  • B60N2/2857—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle characterised by the peculiar orientation of the child
  • B60N2/286—Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle characterised by the peculiar orientation of the child forward facing
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62B—HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES
  • B62B7/00—Carriages for children; Perambulators, e.g. dolls' perambulators
  • B62B7/04—Carriages for children; Perambulators, e.g. dolls' perambulators having more than one wheel axis; Steering devices therefor
  • B62B7/06—Carriages for children; Perambulators, e.g. dolls' perambulators having more than one wheel axis; Steering devices therefor collapsible or foldable
  • B62B7/08—Carriages for children; Perambulators, e.g. dolls' perambulators having more than one wheel axis; Steering devices therefor collapsible or foldable in the direction of, or at right angles to, the wheel axis
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62J—CYCLE SADDLES OR SEATS; AUXILIARY DEVICES OR ACCESSORIES SPECIALLY ADAPTED TO CYCLES AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. ARTICLE CARRIERS OR CYCLE PROTECTORS
  • B62J1/00—Saddles or other seats for cycles; Arrangement thereof; Component parts
  • B62J1/14—Separate pillions
  • B62J1/16—Separate pillions for children
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62B—HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES
  • B62B7/00—Carriages for children; Perambulators, e.g. dolls' perambulators
  • B62B7/006—Carriages supporting a rigid seat

Definitions

• This invention relates to a pushchair for a child, and one object is to provide a design of pushchair which is easily adapted for other uses than merely carrying a child along a pathway.
• Seats for carrying a child on a bicycle are of course known, and some of them are constituted by a moulded impact-resistant shell with a harness to retain the child in the shell.
• the shell is attached to a carrier frame which is in turn attached to the frame of a bicycle.
• the present invention can be considered to be a means of enjoying the advantages of such a child's bicycle seat, with means for using the same moulded shell in other applications, and in particular as a part of a pushchair, which in turn can provide the functions of a child's safety seat in a car.
• the pushchair frame In order to occupy the minimum of space, the pushchair frame will in general be in a folded state when it is used as a child's seat on a bicycle, or as a child's safety seat in a car.
• the present invention combines, in a single piece of equipment, the advantages and functions of a pushchair, a child's bicycle seat, and a child's car safety seat.
• Transition from one role to another can be accomplished in a matter of seconds, without the use of any tools, and the child may remain safely harnessed in the seat at all times.
• Provision of means for carrying items of shopping or other goods in addition to the child enables the pushchair to be used to advantage in places where cars and bicycles are not permitted, such as shopping malls or pedestrianised precincts. Then, on return to the car or bicycle, items of shopping can be easily transferred to whichever vehicle is being used.
• This facility is of particular value to users of bicycles, who would otherwise have no means of carrying either the child or the shopping when walking in pedestrianised areas.
• a pushchair comprising a moulded seat shell mounted on a frame, said frame being moveable between a first folded configuration and a second extended configuration, the frame having means for releasably securing it to a carrier rack on a bicycle.
• the frame may comprise a number of transverse members for supporting the seat shell, a pushing-handle assembly having a pair of pushing-handle rods, a lower rear part, a pair of front side members connected by a first transverse member, and a pair of rear side members.
• the frame may comprise a number of transverse members for at least partially supporting the seat shell, and no additional transverse members lower than those which at least partially support the seat shell, thereby enabling the pushchair to straddle the rear wheel of a bicycle in both folded and extended configurations .
• the pushchair may be provided with an additional safety latch attached pivotally to the carrier rack on the bicycle, so that when the frame is in its fully-folded configuration the safety latch engages with a further transverse member, said further transverse member being attached between the pushing-handle members of the foldable frame.
• the pushchair may also be provided with means for releasably securing the frame, in its folded configuration, to the inside of a car.
• the removable tray may be carried on an separate rack mounted on the handlebars of the bicycle.
• Figure 1 shows in perspective, the pushchair in its expanded condition, and with a goods tray attached
• Figure 2 shows in perspective, the pushchair in its expanded condition, but with the moulded seat shell and near side-plate removed, such that the the seat mounting chassis frame is visible;
• Figure 3 shows in perspective, a view of the folded pushchair from the front quarter
• Figure 4 shows in perspective, a view of the folded pushchair from the rear quarter
• Figure 5 shows in perspective, the carrier rack attached to the frame of a bicycle
• Figure 6 shows in perspective, the pushchair in its folded condition mounted on the carrier rack of Fig 5;
• Figure 7 shows in side elevation, the pushchair in its folded condition installed inside a car
• Figure 8 shows in side elevation, the frame folding mechanism geometry. Full lines denote the frame in its expanded condition and chain-dotted lines denote the folded condition.
• Figure 9 shows in side elevation, a longitudinal sectional view of the seat-mounting chassis frame, with, attached to it, a moulded side plate and the pivoted portion of the trapeze-like assembly, when the pushchair frame is in the expanded condition;
• Figure 10 shows in side elevation, a longitudinal sectional view of the seat-mounting chassis frame of Fig 9 mounted on the carrier rack of Fig 5.
• the pushchair frame is in the folded condition, such that it is engaged with, and locked onto, the carrier rack.
• a secondary latch which ensures that the pushchair frame remains in the folded condition and fully locked onto the carrier rack;
• Figure 11 shows in third-angle projection, a moulded side-plate. This item is "handed", that drawn being the left-hand part;
• Figure 12 shows a frontal view of the trapeze-like assembly which forms part of the frame folding mechanism and which incorporates hooks for engaging with the bicycle carrier rack;
• Figure 13 shows in third-angle projection, the seat-mounting chassis frame.
• the seat moulding is attached by means of bolts passing through holes marked "H";
• Figure 14 shows a rear view of the pushchair frame transverse structure, which is located behind the upper portion of the seat moulding
• Figure 15 shows a cross-sectional view through the axis of symmetry of Fig 14, with details of the headrest, shoulder-strap attachment, and tether-strap attachment;
• Figure 16 shows in third-angle projection, detail of the pushchair frame locking latch mechanism, with the frame locked in its expanded condition.
• Chain-dotted lines show the frame in a part-folded state;
• Figure 17 shows in plan and side elevation, details of a moulded goods tray and its attachments to the pushchair structure
• Figure 18 shows in plan and side elevation, details of the goods tray carrier frame fitted to the handlebars of a bicycle. In the plan view the tray is omitted for clarity.
• Safety latch Longitudinal bars 1 off each side.
• Mounting block (attaches bars 46 to bicycle frame) Support strut 1 off each side. Steadying strut 1 off each side. Clamping fishplate 1 off each side. Mounting plate 1 off each side. Support plate - safety latch 1 off each side.
• Fig 1 shows a child's moulded bicycle seat shell 10 and a harness 11 which satisfies the requirements of BS 3254.
• the seat is mounted in a foldable pushchair frame shown expanded in Figs 1 and 2, and folded in Figs 3 and 4.
• the frame comprises side rods 12 and 13, which are preferably of tubular cross-section. Attached to the lower ends of these side rods are wheel assemblies 16, of known design, and the rear wheel assemblies each incorporate a brake assembly 17, also of known design.
• the seat shell 10 is attached to a chassis frame comprising transverse members 39 and 40 and two diagonal channels
• each side rod 12 there is attached a bracket 20, which is of U-shaped cross-section.
• Side rods 15, which form part of the pushing-handle assembly, are pivotally mounted at "A" to brackets 20, and to side rods 15 there are attached brackets 21, which are also of U-shaped cross-section.
• Pivotally mounted at "B” to brackets 21 are the upper ends of side struts 13. The foregoing details are best shown in Figs 1 and 16.
• side struts 13 are pivotally attached at "C” to the radius rods 14, which form part of a trapeze-like assembly which pivots about axis "D" of a transverse torque tube 28.
• the trapeze assembly is pivotally attached to the side- plates 18 by means of pivot rod 33, and secured by capped clench washers 26.
• the trapeze assembly is best shown in Fig 12.
• Pivotally mounted at X F" are locking latches 30, one at each side, and joined together by a transverse tube 25.
• Each latch is constrained in the "locked” position by a spring 35, which engages with a striker bush 31 which also forms part of the attachment of bracket 21 to rod 15.
• bracket 20 is counterbored on both sides of the bracket.
• the ends of transverse tubes 23 and 24 are inserted into the counterbores, and on the other side the locking nuts 32 which secure the tie-rods 29 are located in the counterbore recesses.
• Figs 14 and 16 show the protruding part of these locking nuts having attached to them capped clench washers 26 of a size which will firmly grip the circular boss which surrounds the nylon inserts of the locking nuts. This feature provides protection from the protruding end of the tie rod and imparts a pleasing appearance .
• the pushchair frame is folded in the following sequence :-
• Transverse tube 25 is lifted against the tension of springs 35, so disengaging locking latch 30 from striker bush 31.
• the pushing handle assembly is swung rearwards and downwards until it ends up adjacent and parallel to side struts 13 (see Figs 3 and 4) .
• the frame will automatically lock in the extended condition due to the sprung action of latches 30.
• the weight of the child will assist in maintaining the pushchair frame in its extended condition, thereby constituting a "fail-safe" feature .
• the frame is kept in its folded condition by virtue of a sprung detent action, which requires the operator to apply an increasing amount of force to the pushing handle assembly in the final phase of folding. Similarly, an increased amount of force is required to release the handle assembly in the initial phase of extending the frame.
• This detent action is caused by the geometric design of the frame folding mechanism, and is best understood by reference to Fig 8:-
• Fig 5 shows the carrier rack attached to a bicycle, in which longitudinal bars 46 are curved at their forward end to plug into a mounting block 47, of known design.
• Transverse bars 41, 42 and 43 attach to the longitudinal bars 46 by means of welded plates 51 and 52.
• Preferably all bars are of tubular cross- section for reasons of lightness.
• Joining the ends of bars 42 and 43 are side rails 44.
• Support struts 48 and steadying struts 49 are perforated at their lower ends with holes spaced at regular intervals. Any convenient pair of holes in struts 48 can be used as pick-ups for clamping bolts which pass through similarly-spaced holes in clamping fishplate 50.
• a curved wheel guard 53 is attached to struts 48 and 49, and also serves as a mudguard.
• a safety latch 45 serves as a double-locking device when the pushchair is mounted on the rack, and its function will be described later.
• Fig 9 shows, in cross-section, the seat mounting chassis which forms part of the pushchair frame.
• Radius rod 14 is shown in the position it adopts when the frame is in its extended condition, prior to mating with the carrier rack on the bicycle.
• Two front hooks 37 are permanently attached to the front ends of the diagonal channels 36 which form part of the seat mounting chassis, and two hooks 38 are permanently attached to the torque tube 28 which, together with radius rods 14, forms part of the trapeze assembly.
• Fig 10 shows, in cross-section, the pushchair seat mounting chassis mounted and locked onto the carrier rack on the bicycle.
• FIG 10 shows that, in folding the pushchair, the torque tube 28 is caused to rotate in an anti-clockwise direction until the hooks 38 engage with the rear transverse bar 43 of the carrier rack, so locking the pushchair to the carrier.
• latch 45 should be engaged with the transverse bar 27 of the pushing handle assembly, thus preventing any inadvertent unfolding of the pushchair and consequent unlocking from the carrier rack. Latch 45 is so positioned that it will only engage with the bar 27 if the initial locking operation has been safely completed (ie: the hooks 38 have successfully engaged with bar 43) .
• Fig 7 shows the folded pushchair installed in a car. Installation and removal may be carried out either with or without a child seated and harnessed in it. However, before folding the pushchair the brakes should be applied, and the goods tray and the contents of the shopping bag must be removed and stored safely - preferably in the boot space of the car. The bottom of the car's rear seat must then be lifted and hinged forward, as shown in Fig 7. The pushchair is then folded and lifted into the car, ensuring that it stands on its rear wheels, with its back hard against the car seat back 72. The tether strap 68 may then be connected to the attachment fitting 59 at the top of the pushchair frame by engaging the "dog-lead" clip 68, as shown in Fig 15.
• the 3-point lap/diagonal harness 70/71 (which forms part of the car) is pulled out to its full extent, against the tension of its inertia reel.
• the buckle tongue fitting is then passed through the triangular apertures in side plates 18, and fastened to the buckle quick-release receptacle on the car.
• the lap portion 70 of the harness is then tightened by pulling hard on the diagonal portion 71. Once tight, the diagonal portion 71 is fed into cleat 22 and any remaining slack allowed to wind back into the inertia reel.
• Fig 17 shows a goods tray 56 in plan and side elevation.
• the side elevation shows the tray installed on the pushchair, whereby two hooks 58, which are attached to the tray, engage with existing slots in the footwells of the seat shell moulding 10.
• brackets 57 which are attached to the tray and rest on the lower ends of radius rods 14 of the trapeze assembly. Installing or removing the tray involves simply engaging or disengaging the hooks from the slots in the seat shell 10.
• Fig 18 shows the method of stowing the goods tray and its contents on a carrier frame 75 attached to the handlebars of a bicycle by means of clips 79 and a strut 78, which is of adjustable length to allow for variations in handlebar height.
• the tray 56 is located in frame 75 and retained (with or without contents) by means of an elasticated net 80. Opposite edges of the net are attached to rods 81, of which the forward one is fixed to the frame 75 by means of ⁇ P' -section brackets. The rod shown hanging free engages with brackets 82, which are of inverted V -section, when the net is stretched over the tray and any loose goods contained therein.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Child & Adolescent Psychology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Motorcycle And Bicycle Frame (AREA)
• Seats For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9887184

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2000
  • 2000-03-09 GB GBGB0005547.5A patent/GB0005547D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2001
  • 2001-03-09 EP EP01910029A patent/EP1328431A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-03-09 AU AU2001237611A patent/AU2001237611A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-03-09 WO PCT/GB2001/001030 patent/WO2001066403A2/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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