GB2254118A

GB2254118A - Interlocking brake structure for perambulators.

Info

Publication number: GB2254118A
Application number: GB9106452A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenny Cheng
Original assignee: NICHOLS JOANNA ARIADNE
Current assignee: NICHOLS JOANNA ARIADNE
Priority date: 1991-03-26
Filing date: 1991-03-26
Publication date: 1992-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2011-03-26
Also published as: GB9106452D0; GB2254118B

Abstract

An interlocking brake structure for perambulators comprises a pair of rear supporting rods 11, a pair of mounts 12, a pair of engaging elements 14, and a pair of brake levers 13. One end of each rear supporting rod 11 is mounted to a respective mount 12, and each brake lover 13 is mounted to a respective mount 12. The mounts 12 and the brake levers 13 are connected by a wheel shaft 16 to achieve simultaneous rotation of the brake levers 13 and the wheel shaft 16. If one of the brake levers 13 is pressed, the wheel shaft 16 rotates together with the one brake lever and the other brake lever 13 is simultaneously rotated, and each brake lever 13 will simultaneously actuate the associated engaging element 14 mounted thereon to rotate such that the blocking element 141 of the engaging element 14 is engaged into one of the spaces formed by protruding elements (151, Fig. 2) to prevent the wheel 15 of the perambulator from rotating and to produce a synchronous braking function. <IMAGE>

Description

INTERLOCKING BRAKE STRUCTURE FOR PERAMBULATORS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an interlocking brake structure for perambulators, in particular, to a brake structure utilizing a pair of brake levers which are engaged with a wheel shaft to simultaneously operate a pair of engaging elements for locking the wheels in order to ensure safety when using the perambulator.

In most conventional perambulators, the two front wheels can swivel to facilitate the change of direction of the perambulator while pushing it. In order to prevent the perambulator from rolling when unattended, two braking means are respectively mounted to separate supporting rods for locking the wheels. However, such braking means merely provides separate braking ability, that is, it is necessary to successively operate each braking means to lock two wheels. There is a serious problem with this method in that if only one of the braking means is operated without operating the other braking means, that is, only one wheel is locked, there is a great possibility that the perambulator together with a baby will turn to one side about the locked wheel as a center of rotation due to an unbalanced braking force exerted on the wheels.In particular, if the perambulator is located on a sloping area, there is the danger that the perambulator may collide with or hit other objects or may incline to one side and fall down due to the abnormal rolling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an interlocking brake structure for perambulators which mitigates the above drawbacks.

Another object of this invention is to provide an interlocking brake structure for perambulators by which pressing any brake lever will simultaneously operate two engaging elements to lock two wheels.

A further object of this invention is to provide an interlocking brake structure for perambulators which is easily operated and assures high safety.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the written specification and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interlocking brake structure for perambulators in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded view illustrating component parts of an interlocking brake structure for perambulators in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 3A is a schematic view of an interlocking brake structure for perambulators in accordance with the present invention illustrating an engaging element being disengaged with a wheel; and FIG. 3B is a schematic view of an interlocking brake structure for perambulators in accordance with the present invention illustrating the blocking element of an engaging element being engaged into the space formed by protruding elements of a wheel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TME INVENTION Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an interlocking brake structure for perambulators in accordance with the present invention comprises a pair of rear supporting rods 11, a pair of mounts 12, a pair of brake levers 13, and a pair of engaging elements 14.

Each mount 12 has a cavity (not shown) on the top thereof such that one end of the rear supporting rod 11 is engaged and fixed in the cavity. The mount 12 has a groove 121 on the bottom thereof, and both sides of the groove 121 have a hole 122 thereon. The brake lever 13 is mounted to the groove 121 of the mount 12, and the brake lever 13 has a hole 131 at a position corresponding to the hole 122 of the groove 121. A wheel shaft 16 has a punched flat portion 161 near both ends thereof. The wheel shaft 16 successively passes through the hole 122 of the mount 12 and the hole 131 of the brake lever 13 to connect the mount 12 and the brake lever 13.It should be noted that the hole 131 and at least one hole 122 (preferably the hole located on the inner side of the groove) have a pair of notches opposite each other to fit the flat portion 161, that is, the distance between each notch on a hole corresponds to the width of the flat portion 161 such that the wheel shaft 16 can pass the inner side of the groove 121 of the mount 12 so that the flat portion 161 of the wheel shaft 16 is engaged in the hole 131 of the brake lever 13 to simultaneously operate the wheel shaft 16 by torquing the brake lever 13.

Both ends of the wheel shaft 16 have a wheel 15 pivotably mounted thereon, each wheel 15 is provided with a plurality of protruding elements 151 radially arranged at equal intervals around a axis of the wheel 15. The wheel 15 is positioned on the wheel shaft 16 by a pair of fixing elements 24, 26 located on both sides of the wheel 15. A washer 25 can be set between the fixing element 26 and the inner side of the wheel 15 such that the wheel will rotate smoothly.

The engaging element 14 is substantially C-shaped, wherein one side of the engaging element 14 is provided with a blocking element 141 at a middle position and a pair of holes 142, 143 are respectively provided on both ends of the engaging element 14. One end of the engaging element 14 is fixed on the brake lever 13 by a bolt 22 successively passing through the hole 142 of the engaging element 14 and a hole 132 provided on the brake lever 13 at a location corresponding to the hole 142 in combination with a nut 221 locked on the bolt 22; the other end of the engaging element 14 is fixed on the mount 12 by a bolt 23 successively passing through the hole 143 of the engaging element 14 and a hole 123 provided on the mount 12 at a location corresponding to the hole 123 in combination with a nut 231 locked on the bolt 23.By such arrangement, the engaging element 14 will rotate about the bolt 23 as an axis while torquing the brake lever 13.

With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, if the blocking element 141 of the engaging element 14 is separate from the wheel 15 (as shown in FIG. 3A), then the wheel 15 can rotate freely. If the wheels 15 are to be locked, it is only necessary to press one of the brake levers 13 to actuate the wheel shaft 16 to rotate together and the other brake lever 13 is simultaneously swayed downwards along with the first pressed brake lever 13 due to the rotation of the wheel shaft 16, and each brake lever 13 will simultaneously actuate the engaging element 14 to rotate about the bolt 23 such that the blocking element 141 of the engaging element 14 is engaged into the space formed by the protruding elements 151 to prevent the wheel 15 of the perambulator from rotating and to produce a synchronous braking function. If the wheels 15 of the perambulator are to be released from the locked position, the brake lever 13 is torqued in the reverse direction, thus, the blocking element 141 will disengage from the space between the protruding elements 151 to let the wheel 15 rotate freely.

Of course it is understood that the above is merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that various changes and alterations can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An interlocking brake structure for perambulators comprising: (a) a pair of mounts, each having a cavity on the top thereof and having a groove on the bottom thereof; (b) a pair of rear supporting rods, one end each of said rear supporting rod being engaged and fixed in the cavity of the mount; (c) a pair of brake levers, each being mounted to the groove of the mount; (d) a wheel shaft passing through the mount and being engaged with the brake lever; both ends of the wheel shaft having a wheel pivotably mounted thereon, said wheel being provided with a plurality of protruding elements radially arranged at equal intervals around a axis of the wheel; and (e) a pair of engaging elements, each engaging element being substantially C-shaped and having a blocking element provided on one side thereof, one end of the engaging element being fixed on the brake lever and the other end of the engaging element being fixed on the mount; whereby one of the brake levers is pressed to actuate the wheel shaft to rotate together and the other brake lever is simultaneously swayed downwards, and each brake lever will simultaneously actuate the engaging element to rotate such that the blocking element of the engaging element is engaged into the space formed by the protruding elements to prevent the wheel of the perambulator from rotating and to produce a synchronous braking function.

2. An interlocking brake structure for perambulators substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.