GB2216850A

GB2216850A - Improvements in sun canopies for perambulators & pushchairs

Info

Publication number: GB2216850A
Application number: GB8807313A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Percival
Original assignee: BALURN Ltd
Current assignee: BALURN Ltd
Priority date: 1988-03-28
Filing date: 1988-03-28
Publication date: 1989-10-18
Also published as: GB8807313D0

Abstract

The canopy 12 is supported on a pair of supporting arms 14, 22 adapted for removable attachment to a perambulator or pushchair frame 20. The support arms are telescopic to permit the height of the canopy above the perambulator to be altered for effective shading. Use of the telescopic arms enables a single canopy to be used on a pram or pushchair which require different angles and heights of the canopy which are particularly useful for combination pram/pushchairs. Additional support arms 24 snap fit on to the frame 20. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN SUN CANOPIES The invention relates to sun canopies for children's perambulators, and more particularly to a sun canopy for use on a combination pram/pushchair.

Traditionally prams and pushchairs have been separate conveyances for children, but in recent years a combination pram/pushchair has been available. These perambulators convert from a pushchair to a pram by making simple adjustments to the frame of the pushchair so that it accepts a carrycot. The cost of a combination pram/pushchair is substantially less than that of the two separate conveyences, whilst the perambulator itself is safe for children and convenient for parents.

It is commonly known that small children must be protected from the elements due to their susceptibility to illness.

Most pushchairs and prams are therefore provided with sun canopies to protect the occupants from excessive heat.

Whilst the designers of the combination pram/pushchair were concentrating on reducing the cost of the perambulator itself, they ommitted to take note of the different requirements of prams and pushchairs for canopies. Thus a major disadvantage with the combination pram/pushchair is that two different canopies have been necessary purchases for a single perambulator, thus partially removing the cost and convenience advantage.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a single sun canopy adaptable for use with both childrens prams and pushchairs.

According to the present invention there is provided a canopy for a perambulator comprising a canopy, which in use provides shade for the occupant of the perambulator, at least a pair of arms for supporting the canopy and adapted to be removably attached to a frame of the perambulator, wherein the support arms are telescopic to permit the height of the canopy above the perambulator to be altered for effective shading.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the perambulator is convertible to a pram, a pushchair or a carrycot support.

Preferably the support arms are of generally rectangular cross-section, having a U-shaped channel in each arm adapted to receive a sliding arm slideable within the channel, the sliding arms having means to removably attach them to the frame of the perambulator.

Preferably at least one stabilising arm is pivotally attached to each sliding arm at a distance from the attachment means, in which the stabilising arms also have means for removably attaching them to the frame of the perambulator, to provide at least a four point fixing for the canopy to the perambulator frame.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a sun canopy attached to a frame of a push chair, and Figure 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of the frame of the sun canopy of Figure 1, with parts omitted for clarity.

Referring first to Figure 1, a sun canopy 10 comprises a frame portion 11 and a canopy portion 12. The frame portion 11 comprises a number of sub-frame portions pivotally or slidably attached to each other as follows.

A support frame 13 is generally an inverted U-shape having two vertical arms 14 and a horizontal rib 15 joining together one free end of each arm 14.

A canopy frame 16 comprises two U-shaped frames each having two vertical arms 17 and a horizontal rib 18. The free ends of the vertical arms 17 are pivotally attached to each other to form a generally rectangular frame which is also pivotally attached to the vertical arms 14 of the support frame 13 adjacent its horizontal rib 15, as shown in figure 2.

The frames may be made from any suitable material, but plastic offers the best combination of light weight, low cost, flexibility and ease of manufacture.

The two U-shaped parts of the canopy frame 16 may be pivotted in opposite directions away from the support frame 13, to the position shown in Figure 1, and a canopy cover 19 fitted over the canopy frame 16 to provide a sun-shade when fitted to a perambulator.

The canopy cover 19 is made from a suitable material such as cotton or polyester or a mixture of both. When not in use the two parts of the canopy frame 16 can be pivotted toward the support frame 13 to fold the canopy 10 down for storage or ease of carrying.

By the term perambulator, we refer to either a pram, a pushchair or a carrycot support, and preferably to a single conveyence which is convertible to any or all of the above.

The canopy 10 is mounted on the frame 20 of a perambulator as shown in figure 1.

Fixed to the inner edges of the vertical arms 14 of the support frame 13 adjacent the free ends of the arms 14 are channelled portions 21. The channelled portions 21 are adapted to receive sliding arms 22, having upper and lower ends, which are slidable within the channels of the portions 21 toward and away from the horizontal rib 15 of the support frame 13. At an end of each sliding arm 22 furthest away from said horizontal rib is pivotally mounted a snap-fit bracket 23, which may be pushed onto a part of the perambulator frame 20 which is generally tubular, as shown in figure 1, to mount the canopy 10 on the perambulator. The brackets 23 comprise a body portion having two flexible arms generally formed into a circular shape, a portion of which is missing.The width of the missing portion is less than the diameter of the perambulator frame 20, such that the arms must deform to allow the frame 20 portion to enter the bracket. When the bracket 23 has been pushed onto the frame, the arms recover their original position, holding the frame 20 firmly. The brackets 23 are pivotally mounted to allow the angle of the support frame 13 to be changed with respect to the perambulator frame.

To stabilise the canopy 10, a stabilising arm 24 is pivotally mounted at one end thereof on each of the sliding arms 22 above the brackets 23. At the opposite ends of the stabilising arms 24 are pivotally mounted snap-fit brackets 23. Thus, in use, the canopy 10 has two points of fixing to the perambulator frame 20 for a rigid mounting.

The frame 10 of a pushchair, to which a canopy 10 is mounted, is generally at an angle, of say 45 degrees to the ground. This requires the arms 14 of the support frame 13 to project forward and the canopy frame 16 to be tilted in a suitable direction to shield the eyes of the occupant of the pushchair.

When the canopy 10 is mounted to the frame 20 of a pram, the length of the vertical arms 14 of the support frame 13 must be shortened or lengthened, depending on how the perambulator is adapted to act as a pram. In the combination pram/pushchair there is the option of converting it to a pram using the same seat as the pushchair, which then hangs below the perambulator frame 20. In this case the arms 14 of the support frame 13 must be shortened to provide adequate protection for the child from the sun. The frame 20 may also be adapted to receive a carrycot which is mounted above frame 20, in which case the support frame arms 14 must be substantially lengthened.

The telescopic arm arrangement of the present invention solves this problem and allows a single canopy 10 to be used in all adaptations of the perambulator.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A canopy assembly for a child's perambulator comprising a canopy, which in use provides shade for the occupant of the perambulator, at least a pair of arms for supporting the canopy and adapted to be removably attached to a frame of the perambulator, wherein the support arms are telescopic to permit the height of the canopy above the perambulator to be altered for effective shading.

2. A canopy assembly for a child's perambulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the perambulator is convertible to a pram, a pushchair or a carrycot support.

3. A canopy assembly for a child's perambulator as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the support arms are of generally rectangular cross-section, having a U-shaped channel in each arm adapted to receive a sliding arm slideable within the channel, the sliding arms having means to removably attach them to the frame of the perambulator.

4. A canopy assembly for a child's perambulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one stabilising arm is pivotally attached to each sliding arm at a distance from the attachment means, in which the stabilising arms also have means for removably attaching them to the frame of the perambulator, to provide at least a four point fixing for the canopy to the perambulator frame.

5. A canopy assembly for a child's perambulator substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.