GB2361678A

GB2361678A - A stroller type wheeled carriage with an adaptable wheel fender

Info

Publication number: GB2361678A
Application number: GB0010469A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Red Lan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-04-28
Filing date: 2000-04-28
Publication date: 2001-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-28
Also published as: NL1015052C2; SE0001572D0; GB0010469D0; GB2361678B; SE0001572L; DE20007756U1; SE516606C2

Abstract

A wheeled carriage includes a frame body (1) having a leg (14), a wheel (16), a horizontal axle (15) connecting the wheel (16) to the leg (14), a fender (3) having a top panel (31) disposed on top of the wheel (16) and a side panel (32), a fender support (2) including an elongated bent rod which has a bottom pivotal section (24) mounted pivotally on the axle (15), and two opposite end sections (21) turned oppositely from the bottom pivotal section (24) and extending upward to the side panel (32), two spaced apart engaging members (34) disposed on the side panel (32) and engaging respectively the end sections (21), and an interlocking unit (4) disposed on the leg (4) and the side panel (32) to lock the fender (3) against angular movement relative to the leg (14).

Description

2361678 WHEELED CARRIAGE This invention relates to a wheeled carriage,

particularly to a wheeled carriage that serves as a stroller.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional stroller 9. The stroller 9 includes a frame body 91, a pair of opposite axles 94 mounted on a bottom portion of the frame body 91, and four wheels 92 mounted rotatably on the axles 94. A pair of positioning seats 911 are secured to two opposite ends of each axle 94 adjacent to the wheels 92. Each wheel 92 is provided with a fender 93 that is mounted securely on the respective axle 94. Each fender 93 is formed as an integral molded plastic piece, and is configured to have a top panel 933 which is disposed on top of the adjacent wheel 92, a coupling member 931 which is coupled with the positioning seat 911, and a plurality of supporting arms 932 which interconnect the coupling member 931 and the top panel 933.

Since the aforesaid coupling member 931 is formed as an integral part of the fender 93 and is required to couple with the positioning seat 911 in order to mount the fender 93 on the axle 94, the fender 93 can only be used for a specific type of stroller that has an axle adapted to permit the mounting of the positioning seat 911 and the coupling member 931 thereon.

2 Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a wheeled carriage, particularly a stroller type, which has a fender that dispenses with the aforementioned positioning seat and coupling member, and which has a fender support that can be constructed in different dimensions and shapes so as to adapt the fender for use in various types of wheeled carriages.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a wheeled carriage comprises: a frame body having a leg; a wheel disposed adjacent to the leg; a horizontal axle connecting the wheel to a bottom end of the leg; a fender having a top panel disposed on top of the wheel, and a side panel extending downward from the top panel between the wheel and the leg; a fender support including an elongated rod which has a bottom pivotal section mounted pivotally and selectively on one of the axle and the leg, and two opposite end sections extending upwardly from the bottom pivotal section to the side panel; two spaced apart engaging, members disposed on the side panel and engaging respectively the end sections; and an interlocking unit disposed on the leg and the side panel to lock the fender against angular movement relative to the leg.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a wheeled carriage comprises: a frame body 3 having a leg; a wheel disposed adjacent to the leg; a horizontal ax le connecting the wheel to a bottom end of the leg; a fender having a top panel disposed on top of the wheel, and a side panel extending downward from the top panel between the wheel and the leg; a fender support including an elongated bent rod which has a bottom pivotal section mounted pivotally on the axle, and two opposite end sections turned oppositely f rom the bottom pivotal section and extending upward to the side panel; two spaced apart engaging members disposed on the side panel and engaging respectively the end sections; and an interlocking unit including a bar projecting from the side panel toward the leg and extending lengthwise with respect to the top panel between the engaging members, and a locking pin projecting from the leg toward the bar, the bar having a bottom edge formed with a plurality of positioning grooves, the locking pin engaging selectively one of the positioning grooves to lock the fender against angular movement relative to the leg.

In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional stroller; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary exploded view of the stroller of Fig. 1; 4 Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a wheeled carriage embodying this invention; Figs. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the wheeled carriage of Fig. 3 to illustrate configurations of a fender and a fender support thereof; Fig. 5 is an exploded side view of the fender and the fender support of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-V1 of Fig. 5; Fig. 77 is another fragmentary enlarged side view of the wheeled carriage of Fig. 3 to illustrate engagement between the fender and an interlocking unit; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line W941 of Fig. 7.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a wheeled carriage that serves as a stroller and that embodies this invention. The wheeled carriage includes a frame body 1, a front wheel 12 mounted rotatably on a f ront side of the f rame body 1, a pair of rear wheels 16 mounted on a rear side of the frame body 1, a pair of rear fenders 3 disposed respectively on top of the rear wheels 16, a pair of fender supports 2 connected respectively to the rear fenders 3 and mounted on the frame body 1, and a pair of interlocking units 4 disposed on the f rame body 1 and the f enders 3 f or locking the f enders 3 against angular movement relative to the frame body The frame body 1 has a handle 112, a pair of parallel connecting rods ill which extend inclinedly 5 and downwardly from two opposite ends of the handle 112 and which have end sections that form a pair of front legs 140 that are connected to the front wheel 12, a pair of rear legs 14 which are connected respectively to the parallel connecting rods 111 via a pair of connecting members 13 between the f ront legs 140 and the handle 112 and which extend downwardly therefrom, and a rear axle 15 which connects respectively the rear wheels 16 to bottom ends of the rear legs 14. The interlocking units 4 include locking pins 17 that projects respectively from the rear legs 14 toward the fenders 3 (see Fig. 7).

Referring now to Figs. 5 and 6, in combination with Figs. 3 and 4, each of the rear fenders 3 includes a top panel 31 which is disposed on top of the respective rear wheel 16, inner and outer side panels 32, 33 which extend downwardly and respectively from two opposite sides of the top panel 31, a pair of spaced apart engaging members 34 which are conf igured as headed studs that project from the inner side panel 32 toward the respective fender support 2, and a tab 36 which projects from the inner side panel 32 toward the respective fender support 2. Each engaging member 6 34 has a frusto-conical head 343 tapering in a direction toward the respective fender support 2, a tail flange connected to the respective inner side panel 32, and an annular groove 342 formed therein 5 between the tail flange and the frusto-conical head 343.

Each of the fender supports 2 includes an elongated bent rod which has a bottom pivotal section 24 mounted pivotally on the axle 15 for rotating about the latter, and two opposite end sections 21 turned oppositely from the bottom pivotal section 24 and extending upwardly therefrom to the inner side panel 32 of the respective fender 3. The bottom pivotal section 24 of each fender support 2 is configured as a substantially inverted U-shaped folded portion which defines a U-bend 241 for receiving the axle 15, an expandable restricting section 244 formed immediately below the U-bend 241 for retaining the axle 1S in the U-bend 241, and a flared guide section 20 242 formed immediately below the restricting section 244 for passag.e of the axle 15 when the axle 15 is pushed through the restricting section 244. The opposite end sections 21 of each fender support 2 turn oppositely and outwardly from the flared guide 25 sections 242, respectively, and have respectively substantially C-shaped end hooks 22 which open downwardly and which engage respectively the annular 7 grooves 342 of the engaging members 34 of the inner side panel 32 of the respective fender 3. The tab 36 of each fender 3 is folded to cooperate with the respective inner side panel 32 to form a positioning trough 361 therebetween for receiving and engaging one of the end sections 21 of the respective fender support 2 for limiting the bottom pivotal section 24 of the respective fender support 2 against lateral movement along the length of the axle 15. In stead of mounting on the axle 15, the bottom pivotal section 24 of each fender support 2 can also be mounted on an adjacent one of said rear legs 14.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, in combination with Figs. 3 to 6, each interlocking unit 4 further includes a bar 35 which is disposed between the engaging members 34 of the respective fender 3 and which extends lengthwise with respect to the top panel 31 of the respective fender 3. The bar 35 of each interlocking unit 4 projects from the inner side panel 32 of the respective fender 3 in a direction toward the respective,rear leg 14, and turns downwardly to form a positioning flange 354 which cooperates with the inner side panel 32 to form a downwardly opening gap 351 therebetween. The positioning flange 354 of each bar 35 has a bottom edge 352 with a plurality of continuously aligned positioning grooves 353 formed therein. The locking pin 17 of each 8 interlocking unit 4 has an end flange 171 which extends into the gap 351 of the respective fender 3, which engages selectively one of the positioning grooves 353, and which abuts against the positioning 5 flange 354 for securing the respective fender 3.

Since each fender support 2 is in the form of an elongated rod which is structurally flexible, the restricting section 244 of each fender support 2 is thus expandable when the axle 15 is pushed therethrough. Each fender 3 can be positioned at different angular positions with respect to the respective rear leg 14 by moving the respective fender support 2 upward to free the bar 35 from engagement with the respective locking pin 17 and by subsequently moving the fender 3 to a desired position and reengaging the locking pin 17 with one of the positioning grooves 353 in the fender 3 to locate the locking pin 17 in the desired position.

Moreover, since the aforesaid fender support 2 can be easily constructed to form a desired dimension and shape according to the dimension and shape of the axle and the configuration of the wheeled carriage upon which the fender 3 is to be mounted, the use of the fender 3 of this invention is not limited to a specific type of wheeled carriage, thereby enhancing adaptability of the fender 3 for various types of wheeled carriages.

9

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A wheeled carriage, comprising:

a f rame body having a leg; a wheel disposed adjacent to said leg; a horizontal axle connecting said wheel to a bottom end of said leg; a f ender having a top panel disposed on top of said wheel, and a side panel extending downward from said top panel between said wheel and said leg; a f ender support including an elongated rod which has a bottom pivotal section mounted pivotally and selectively on one of said axle and said leg, and two opposite end sections extending upwardly from said bottom pivotal section to said side panel; two spaced apart engaging members disposed on said side panel and engaging respectively said end sections; and an interlocking unit disposed on said leg and said side panel to lock said fender against angular movement relative to said leg.

2. The wheeled carriage as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said rod is bent, said two opposite end sections being turned oppositely from said bottom pivotal section and extending upward to said side panel, said bottom pivotal section being configured as a substantially inverted U-shaped folded portion which defines a U-bend f or receiving said axle, an expandable restricting section formed immediately below said U-bend for retaining said axle in said U-bent, and a flared guide section formed immediately below said restricting section for passage of said axle, said opposite end sections turning oppositely and outwardly from said flared guide section and respectively having substantially C-shaped end hooks adjacent to said side panel, said engaging members being conf igured as headed studs projecting f rom said side panel to engage respectively said end hooks.

3. The wheeled carriage as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said interlocking unit includes a bar disposed between said headed studs and extending lengthwise with respect to said top panel, said bar projecting from said side panel in a direction toward said leg and turning downward to form a positioning flange which cooperates with said side panel to form a downwardly opening gap therebetween, said positioning flange having a bottom edge with a plurality of positioning grooves formed therein, said interlocking unit further including a locking pin projecting from said leg and having an end flange which extends into said gap, which engages selectively one of said positioning grooves, and which abuts against said positioning flange.

4. The wheeled carriage as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said side panel further has a tab which projects from said side panel adjacent to one of said end sections of said bent rod and which is folded to embrace said one of said end sections.

5. A wheeled carriage, comprising: a frame body having a leg; a wheel disposed adjacent to said leg; a horizontal axle connecting said wheel to a bottom end of said leg; a f ender having a top panel disposed on top of said wheel, and a side panel extending downward from said top panel between said wheel and said leg; a f ender support including an elongated bent rod which has a bottom pivotal section mounted pivotally on said axle, and two opposite end sections turned oppositely from said bottom pivotal section and extending upward to said side panel; two spaced apart engaging members disposed on said side panel and engaging respectively said end sections; and 20 an interlocking unit including a bar projecting from said side panel toward said leg and extending lengthwise with respect to said top panel between said engaging members, and a locking pin projecting from said leg toward said bar, said bar having a bottom edge formed with a plurality of positioning grooves, said locking pin engaging selectively one of said positioning grooves to lock said fender against angular movement relative to said leg.

6. The wheeled carriage as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said bottom pivotal section is configured as a substantially inverted U-shaped folded portion which defines a U-bend for receiving said axle, an expandable restricting section formed immediately below said U-bend for retaining said axle in said U-bent, and a flared guide section formed immediately below said restricting section for passage of said axle, said opposite end sections turning oppositely and outwardly from said flared guide section and respectively having substantially C-shaped end hooks adjacent to said side panel, said engaging members being configured as headed studs projecting from said side panel to engage respectively said end hooks.

7. The wheeled carriage as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said side panel further has a tab which projects from said side panel adjacent to one of said end sections of said bent rod and which is folded to embrace said one of said end sections.

8. The wheeled carriage substantially as hereinbef ore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 3 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.