GB2441317A

GB2441317A - Folding control mechanism for a collapsible stroller

Info

Publication number: GB2441317A
Application number: GB0617305A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shun-Min Chen; Ru-Yi Li
Original assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Co Ltd Taiwan
Current assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Co Ltd Taiwan
Priority date: 2006-09-01
Filing date: 2006-09-01
Publication date: 2008-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-01
Also published as: GB2441317B; GB0617305D0

Abstract

A folding control mechanism (3) for a collapsible stroller includes a housing (30) , a pair of cam wheels (33) 5 disposed pivotally in the housing (30) , two cables (42) fastened respectively to the cam wheels (33) , and a push button (32) disposed movably on the housing (30) . Projections (331) on the peripheries of the cam wheels (33) are biased to contact the push button (32) . When the push button (32) is operated, the cam wheels (33) pivot in opposite direction so as to move the cables (42) toward each other, thereby allowing for folding of the stroller.

Description

1 2441317

FOLDING CONTROL CHNISM FOR COLLAPSIBLE STROLLER

This invention relates to a folding control mechanism, and more particularly to a folding control mechanism for a collapsible stroller, which is operable to allow for folding of the stroller.

Referring to Fig. 1, a locking device 20 for a collapsible stroller, which is disclosed in US Patent No. 6,443, 479, includes a housing 201, a pair of driving members 202 pivotable in opposite directions, a push button 203, and a pair of cables 204. The driving members 202 are connected pivotally to a gripping portion 101 of a handle by a pivot pin 206. Each of the driving members 202 has first and second cams 2021, 2022. The push button 203 has a projected activation portion 2031 and an engagement portion 2032.

Referring further to Fig. 2, when a force is applied to the push button 203, the activation portion 2031 and the engagement portion 2032 are pushed into the housing 201. Hence, the engagement portion 2032 pushes and moves the second cams 2022 away from each other so as to pivot the driving members 202 in opposite directions. Thus, the first cams 2021 are pivoted toward each other to substantially overlay so as to pull the two cables 204 toward each other (i.e., toward the center of the gripping portion 101. At the same time, two latch pins 141 are activated in response to the pulling movement of cables 204. As such, folding of the stroller is allowed.

When the force applied to the push button 203 is released, springs 142 are expanded so as to return the push button 203 and the driving members 202 to their positions in the locked state of stroller.

In such a locking device, when the push button 203 is operated to pivot the driving members 202, since moment arm associated with the forces applied to the second cams 2022 for rotating the driving members 202 from the positions shown in Fig. 1 to those shown in Fig. 2 is equal approximately to a moment arm associated with a biasing force applied to the first cams 2021 by the springs 142, it is difficult to move the push button 203 into the housing 201.

The object of this invention is to provide a locking device for a collapsible stroller, which includes a folding control mechanism that can be operated with ease.

According to an aspect of this invention, there is provided a folding control mechanism adapted to be mounted to a collapsible stroller, the stroller including a handle, and a pair of cables biased to move away from each other so as to prevent folding of the stroller and movable toward each other so as to allow for folding of the stroller, the folding control mechanism including: a housing mounted to and communicated with the handle; a pair of cam wheels disposed pivotally in the housing, each of the cam wheels having a periphery formed with a projection that extends radially therefrom and that is biased to contact the push button, the cables being fastened respectively to the cam wheels such that each of the cables extends from a corresponding one of the cam wheels at a position near or at the periphery of the corresponding one of the cam wheels; and a push button disposed movably on the housing and operable to move the projections in the housing away from each other so as to rotate the cam wheels in opposite directions, thereby moving the cables toward each other.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a folding control mechanism adapted to be mounted to a collapsible stroller, the stroller including a handle, and a pair of cables biased to move away from each other so as to prevent folding of the stroller and movable toward each other so as to allow for folding of the stroller, the folding control mechanism including: a housing mounted to and communicated with the handle; a pair of cam wheels disposed pivotally in the housing, the cam wheels being rotatable respectively about two pivot pins that are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, each of the cam wheels having a periphery formed with a guide slot and a projection that extends radially therefrom and that is biased to contact the push button, the cables being fastened respectively to the cam wheels such that each of the cables extends from a corresponding one of the cam wheels at a position near or at the periphery of the corresponding one of the cam wheels; and a push button disposed movably on the housing and operable to move the projections in the housing away from each other so as to rotate the cam wheels in opposite directions, thereby moving the cables toward each other along the guide slots in the cam wheels.

These and other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent i.n the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a partly sectional schematic view of a locking device disclosed in US Patent No. 6,443,479, which is mounted to a handle of a collapsible stroller; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the locking device disclosed in US Patent No. 6,443,479; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a folding control mechanism for a collapsible stroller according to this invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the preferred embodiment when a pair of cam wheels are disposed in first positions; and Fig. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the preferred embodiment when the cam wheels are disposed in second positions.

Referring to Fig. 3, the preferred embodiment of a folding control mechanism 3 is mounted to a stroller frame.

The stroller frame includes a handle consisting of two L-shaped rod sections 41 flanking the folding control mechanism 3, and two cables 42 extending respectively within the rod sections 41. Each of the cables 42 is coupled to the folding control mechanism at one end, and is coupled to a latch (not show) and a spring (not shown) at the other end in a known manner. The springs bias the cables 42 to move away from each other in a known manner so as to prevent folding of the stroller. The cables 42 can be moved toward each other so as to allow for folding of the stroller.

The folding control mechanism 3 includes a housing 30 mounted to and communicated with the rod sections 41 of the handle, a hollow mounting member 31, a push button 32, and two cam wheels 33. The housing 30 has an integral tubular guiding part 301, and two opposite ends for receiving respectively the rod sections 41. The mounting member 31 is disposed fixedly within the housing 30, and has two openings 314 formed respectively in two opposite end surfaces thereof. The push button 32 is disposed movably within the guiding part 310 of the housing 30. The cam wheels 33 are disposed pivotally in an accommodating chamber 313 in the mounting member 31, and are rotatable respectively about two pivot pins 34, which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The accommodating chamber 313 is communicated with the guiding part 301 of the housing 30. Two opposite ends of the mounting member 31 are sleeved respectively and fixedly on the rod sections 41 of the handle.

In this embodiment, the push button 32 has an end portion that is exposed to the outer side of the housing 30 so as to allow for manual operation by the user.

The cam wheels 33 are pivotable in opposite directions.

Each of the cam wheels 33 has a periphery formed with a projection 331 that extends radially therefrom, and a guide slot 333 (see Fig. 5) for receiving and guiding the corresponding cable 42 to move along a circumferential direction of the corresponding cam wheel 33. As such, each of the cables 42 extends from the corresponding cam wheel 33 at a connecting position (A) (see Fig. 4) near or at the periphery of the corresponding cam wheel 33, and has an end fastened to the corresponding cam wheel 33 and disposed at an appropriate position in the guide slot 333 in the corresponding cam wheel 33.

Referring further to Fig. 4, the push button 32 is formed with two integral ribs 321 that are parallel to each other. The projections 331 of the cam wheels 33 are biased to contact the ribs 32]. of the push button 32 due to the fact that the cables 42 are biased to move away from each other, as described above. As such, the push button 32 is biased to an first position shown in Fig. 4 whereat pivoting movement of the projections 331 toward each other is prevented.

When the push button 32 is pressed and moved to a second position shown in Fig. 5, it moves the projections 331 of the cam wheels 33 in the housing 30 away from each other.

Hence, the cam wheels 33 rotate in opposite directions to thereby move the cables 42 toward each other along the guide slots 333 in the cam wheels 33, respectively. In other words, the cables 42 are wound respectively around the cam wheels 33. As a consequence, folding of the stroller is allowed.

When the push button 32 is released, the cam wheels 33, the push button 32, and the cables 42 are biased to return to their original positions shown in Fig. 4 by the action of the springs coupled to the cables 42.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the moment arm associated with the force applied to each projection 331 for rotating the corresponding cam wheel 22 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5 is greater significantly than that associated with a biasing force applied to the corresponding cam wheel 33 by the corresponding spring.

That is, the perpendicular distance between the corresponding pivot pin 34 and the action line of the force applied to the corresponding projection 331 by the push button 32 is greater significantly than that between the corresponding pivot pin 34 and the action line of the force applied to the corresponding connecting position (A) Hence, the push button 32 can be moved with minimal exertion by the user from the first position to the second position.

Therefore, the object of this invention is achieved.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A folding control mechanism adapted to be mounted to a

collapsible stroller, the stroller including a handle, and a pair of cables biased to move away from each other so as to prevent folding of the stroller and movable toward each other so as to allow for folding of the stroller, the folding control mechanism including: a housing mounted to and communicated with the handle; a pair of cam wheels disposed pivotally in the housing, each of the cam wheels having a periphery formed with a projection that extends radially therefrom and that is biased to contact the push button, the cables being fastened respectively to the cam wheels such that each of the cables extends from a corresponding one of the cam wheels at a position near or at the periphery of the corresponding one of the cam wheels; and a push button disposed movably on the housing and operable to move the projections in the housing away from each other so as to rotate the cam wheels in opposite directions, thereby moving the cables toward each other.

2. The folding control mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cables are respectively wound around the cam wheels when the push button is operated.

3. The folding control mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the push button is formed with two integral ribs abutting respectively against the projections of the cam wheels so as to prevent the projections from pivoting toward each other.

4. The folding control mechanism as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each of the cam wheels has a guide slot formed in the outer periphery thereof so as to receive a corresponding one of the cables when the corresponding one of the cables is wound around a corresponding one of the cam wheels.

5. The folding control mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cain wheels are rotatable respectively about two pivot pins, which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance.

6. The folding control mechanism as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the handle includes two rod sections, the folding control mechanism further comprising a hollow mounting member disposed fixedly in the housing and having two opposite ends, the two opposite ends of the mounting member being sleeved respectively and fixedly on the rod sections of the handle.

7. The folding control mechanism as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the mounting member defines an accommodating chamber, within which the cam wheels are disposed pivotally, the housing being formed with an integral tubular guiding part communicated with the accommodating chamber, the push button being disposed movably within the guiding part of the housing.

8. A folding control mechanism adapted to be mounted to a collapsible stroller, the stroller including a handle, and a pair of cables biased to move away from each other so as to prevent folding of the stroller and movable toward each other so as to allow for folding of the stroller, the folding control mechanism including: a housing mounted to and communicated with the handle; a pair of cam wheels disposed pivotally in the housing, the cam wheels being rotatable respectively about two pivot pins that are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, each of the cam wheels having a periphery formed with a guide slot and a projection that extends radially therefrom and that is biased to contact the push button, the cables being fastened respectively to the cam wheels such that each of the cables extends from a corresponding one of the cam wheels at a position near or at the periphery of the corresponding one of the cam wheels; and a push button disposed movably on the housing and operable to move the projections in the housing away from each other so as to rotate the cam wheels in opposite directions, thereby moving the cables toward each other along the guide slots in the cam wheels.

9. A folding control mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 3 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.