GB2593826A

GB2593826A - Foldable stroller

Info

Publication number: GB2593826A
Application number: GB2105823.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ding Ze-Hua
Original assignee: Wonderland Switzerland AG
Current assignee: Wonderland Switzerland AG
Priority date: 2016-03-10
Filing date: 2017-03-07
Publication date: 2021-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 2037-03-07
Also published as: GB2593826B; GB2550022A; DE202017101286U1; GB201703639D0; GB2550022B; CN113799864B; GB202105823D0; CN107176197B; CN113799864A; CN107176197A

Abstract

A foldable stroller 100 has a frame 110; a seat tube 130; front 120 and rear 120’ seats; a sliding sleeve 140; and a crossbar 150. The frame 110 can be folded and unfolded by pivotal movement of front 112 and rear 111, 113, 114 portions relative to each other; and the seat tube 130 extends between the front 112 and rear 111, 113, 114 portions. The front 120 and rear 120’ seats are mounted on respective portions of the tube 130; and the front seat 120 is connected to the tube 130 via a plate 121, which is connected to a sleeve that is slidable between front and rear positions. The sleeve 140 is pivotably connected to a side portion of the plate 121 via a pivot shaft 141 to allow the plate 121 to rotate relative to the tube 130. The crossbar 150 is connected to the front portion 112 and pivotably connected to the plate 121; and the plate 121 and crossbar 150 are arranged such that the position of the crossbar 150 relative to the plate 121 is maintained when the plate 121 is slid to the rear position during folding of the frame 110 (see claim 1 for more details).

Description

FOLDABLE STROLLER

The disclosure relates to a stroller, and more particularly to a foldable stroller.

A conventional foldable stroller generally includes at least one seat securely or detachably connected to a stroller frame. When folding the stroller, the seat must be firstly removed from the stroller frame, and the stroller frame is then folded. The task of folding as such is relatively complicated and inconvenient to conduct, and an additional space is needed for storing the removed seat.

Another stroller has the seat folded with the stroller frame. Such seat would project from an end of the stroller frame after being folded. As such, the stroller is still relatively bulky even after it is folded, especially the type of stroller having an elongated seat for carrying two babies, thereby resulting in inconvenience during storage and transport.

It is therefore desired to provide a foldable stroller which has a simple construction and which is more compact after being folded.

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a foldable stroller that can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, the foldable stroller

includes a stroller frame having a rear portion and a front portion which is pivotably connected to the rear portion such that the stroller frame is foldable, by a pivoting movement of the front portion, from an unfolded state, where the front portion is remote from the rear portion, to a folded state, where the front portion is close to the rear portion. A seat tube extends from the front portion to the rear portion in a front-and-rear direction of the stroller frame.A seat plate is connected to the seat tube. The seat plate is slidable relative to the seat tube in the front-and-rear direction between a front position and a rear position. The foldable stroller further includes a linking mechanism disposed to link the stroller frame and the seat plate such that, when the stroller frame is folded from the unfolded state to the folded state by the pivoting movement of the front portion, the seat plate is slided relative to the seat tube from the front position to the rear position.

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of

a foldable stroller according to the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment taken from another angle; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an encircled portion (A) in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment taken from still another angle; FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of an encircled portion (B) in FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of

a foldable stroller according to the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 7, but taken from another angle; FIG. 9 is aperspectiveviewofstill another embodiment of a foldable stroller according to the disclosure; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 9, but taken from another angle; and FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of an encircled portion (C) in FIG. 10.

Before the disclosure is described in greater detail, it should be noted that where considered appropriate, reference numerals or terminal portions of reference numerals have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements, whichmayoptionally have similar characteristics.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 11, a foldable stroller 100 of this disclosure according to the present invention includes a foldable stroller frame 110 and front and rear seats 120, 120' disposed on the stroller frame 110 and arranged along a front-and-rear di rentinn of the strol 1 Pr

frame 110. In the following description, a sliding

structure is employed with the front seat 120 for illustration.

Specifically, the stroller frame 110 includes a handle 111, a front leg 112, a rear leg 113 and an armrest 114. For sake of simplicity and clarity, the front leg 112 is regarded as a front portion 112, and the handle 111, the rear leg 113 and the armrest 114 are regarded as a rear portion 111, 113, 114. Upper ends of the front and rear legs 112, 113 are pivotably connected to the armrest 114, and lower ends thereof have wheels 115 connected thereto. An upper end of the armrest 114 is pivotably connected to a middle portion of the handle 111. A lower end of the handle 111 is retainingly engageable with a locking portion (113a) of the rear leg 113. An upper end of the handle 111 has an operating portion (111a). When the stroller frame 110 is in an unfolded state, the lower end of the handle 111 is retainingly engaged with the locking portion (113a) so as to retain the stroller frame 110 in the unfolded state. When the lower end of the handle 111 is released from the locking portion (113a), a pivoting movement of the front portion 112 relative to the rear portion 111,113,114 can be made for folding the stroller frame 110. Thus, the stroller frame 110 is foldable, by the pivoting movement of the front portion 112, from the unfolded state, where the front portion 112 is remote from the rear portion 111,113,114, to a folded state, where the front portion 112 is close to the rear portion 111,113,114.

As shown in FIG. 1, the foldable stroller 100 further includes a seat tube 130 extending to interconnect the front leg 112 and the handle 111 in the front-and-rear direction. The front seat 120ismountedon a front portion of the seat tube 130 and between two front leg portions of the front leg 112. The rear seat 120' is mounted on a rear portion of the seat tube 130 and between two handle portions of the handle 111. when folding the stroller frame 110, the front seat 120 is driven to slide rearwardly along the seat tube 130 so as to render the stroller 100 compact.

Since the rear seat 120' is of a known type, description of the same will not be provided herein for the sake of brevity.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, in an embodiment of the foldable stroller 100, the front seat 120 includes a seat plate 121 connected to the seat tube 130, and s 1 idable relative to the seat tube 130 in the front-and-rear direction between a front position and a rear position. Thus, the seat plate 121 is driven to slide rearwardly from the front position to the rear position when the stroller frame 110 is being folded so as to render the stroller 110 compact.

As shown in FIGS. 1and 2, aslidingsleeve140issecurely mounted on a side portion of the seat plate 121, and is slidablysleeved on the seat tube 130 to permit the sliding movement of the seat plate 121 relative to the seat tube 130.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 6, the stroller 100 further includes a linking mechanism 150,160 disposed to link the front portion 112 and the seat plate 121 such that, when the stroller frame 110 is folded from the unfolded state to the folded state by the pivoting movement of the front portion 112, the seat plate 121 is slided relative to the seat tube 130 from the front position to the rear position. Specifically, the linking mechanism includes a crossbar 150 which is disposed under the seat plate 121 and which has two ends securely connected to the front leg 112, and a transmitting member 160 which interconnects the seat plate 121 and the crossbar 150. The transmitting member 160 extends in the front-and-rear position, and has an end which is pivotably connected to a protrusion (121a) of the lower portion of the seat plate 121 through a pivot shaft, and an opposite end which is pivotably connected to the crossbar 150 such that the crossbar 150 is disposed to be moved relative to the seat plate 121 when the stroller frame 110 is folded to the folded state. When the stroller frame 110 is being folded, the crossbar 150 is moved with the front leg 112 by the pivoting movement of the front leg 112. The movement of the crossbar 150 is transmitted by the transmitting member 160 to drive the s liding movement of the seat plate 121 relative to the seat tube 130 to the rear posi ti on liPT1CP, the re 1 ativp pnsi tinn between the crossbar 150 and the seat plate 121 is varied during the folding operation of the stroller frame 110.

When it is desired to fold the stroller 100, the handle 111 is released from the locking portion (113a), and the operating portion (111a) of the handle 111 is pressed to bring the handle 111 in a forwardly pivoting movement while permitting the front leg 112 to pivot toward the rear leg 113. The crossbar 150 is actuated to move rearwardly with the front leg 112 so as to pull the seat plate 121 to slide along the seat tube 130 to the rear position. When the stroller frame 110 is folded to the folded state, the seat plate 121 does not project from a top portion of the stroller frame 110 so as to render the stroller frame 110 compact.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, in another embodiment of the foldable stroller 100, the transmitting member 160 is securely mounted on the lower portion of the seat plate 121. The transmitting member 160 has an inclined slot 161.

The crossbar 150 is extended through and is movable relative to the inclined slot 161 to vary the position thereof relative to the seat plate 121. When the stroller frame 110 is being folded, the crossbar 150 is moved with the front portion 112 by the pivoting movement of the front portion 112. The movement of the crossbar 150 can press the transmitting member 160 through the movable connection between the crossbar 150 and an inner wall of the inclined slot 161 so as to slide the seat plate 121 relative to the seat tithe 130 to therearposi ti on. Duringthi sone ration, the crossbar 150 is moved in the inclined slot 161 so that the relative position between the crossbar 150 and the seat plate 121 is varied.

Similarly, in this embodiment, when the stroller frame is being folded, the front leg 112 is turned toward the rear leg 113 and the crossbar 130 is moved therewith. By the movable connection between the crossbar 150 and the inner wall of the inclined slot 161 and the movement of the crossbar 150 in the inclined slot 161, the seat plate 121 is pressed to slide along the seat tube 130 to the rear position. When the stroller frame 110 is folded to the folded state, the seat plate 121 does not project from a top portion of the stroller frame 110 so as to render the stroller frame 110 compact.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, still another embodiment of the foldable stroller 100 is shown. In this embodiment, the sliding sleeve 140 is pivotably connected to a side portion of the seat plate 121 through a pivot shaft 141 (see FIG. 11) so as to permit rotation of the seat plate 121 relative to the seat tube 130. The crossbar 150 is pivotably connected to the seat plate 121. Specifically, the crossbar 150 is journalled on the lower portion of the seat plate 121 through a connecting member 170 so as to permit rotation of the crossbar 150 relative to the seat plate 121, but the position of the cros sbar 151 relative to the seat plate 121 is not varied. The crossbar 150 is al so secured to the front leg 112 at two ends thereof.

By virtue of the movement of the crossbar 150 with the front leg 112, the seat plate 121 slides relative to the seat tube 130 and is rotated.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the connecting member 170 has a curved middle portion which is configured to fit the crossbar 150, and two ends of which are secured to the seat plate 121 such that only the rotational movement of the crossbar 150 relative to the seat plate 121 is permitted, and the relative position therebetween is not varied.

In this embodiment, when it is desired to fold the stroller 100, the handle 111 is released from the locking portion (113a), and the operating portion (111a) of the handle 111 is pressed to bring the handle 111 in a forwardly pivoting movement while permitting the front leg 112 to pivot toward the rear leg 113. The crossbar 150 is moved rearwardly with the front leg 112 by the pivoting movement of the front leg 112 to slide the seat plate 121 along the seat tube 130 to the rear position. At the same time, the seat plate 121 is rotated about the pivot shaft 141. Thus, the seat plate 121 is rotated and slides relative to the seat tube 130. When the stroller frame 110 is folded to the folded state, the seat plate 121 does not project from a top portion of the stroller frame 110 so as to render the stroller frame 110 compact.

In this disclosure, the foldable stroller 100 having front and rear seats 120, 120' is as an example. Tt is appreciated that the foldable stroller 100 of this invention may have only one seat.

As illustrated, the foldable stroller 100 according to this invention includes a foldable stroller frame 110, a seat tube 130 disposed on the stroller frame 110, and a seat plate 121 slidably connected to the seat tube 130. The seat tube 130 extends in the front-and-rear direction of the stroller frame 110. Folding of the stroller frame 110 can make a sliding movement of the seat plate 121 toward the rear end of the stroller 100 relative to the seat tube 130. Thus, when the stroller frame 110 is in the folded state, the seat plate 121 does not proj ect from a top portion of the stroller frame 110 so as to render the stroller compact for faci litating storage and transport. Besides, the stroller 100 has a simple construction, and the task of folding the stroller 100 is relatively convenient to conduct.

The following statements set out features of the

invention which may or may not presently be claimed in this application, but which may form the basis for future amendment or a divisional application.

1 A foldable stroller comprising: a stroller frame having a rear portion and a front portion which is pivotably connected to said rear portion such that said stroller frame is foldable, by a pivoting movement of said front portion, from an unfolded state, where said front portion is remote from said rear portion, to a folded state, where said front portion is close to said rear portion; a seat tube extending from said front portion to said rear portion in a front-and-rear direction of said stroller frame; and a seat plate connected to said seat tube, characterized in that: said seat plate is slidable relative to said seat tube in the front-and-rear direction between a front position and a rear position; said foldable stroller further comprising a linking mechanism disposed to link said stroller frame and said seat plate such that, when said stroller frame is folded from the unfolded state to the folded state by the pivoting movement of said front portion, said seat plate is slided relative to said seat tube from the front position to the rear position.

2 The foldable stroller of clause 1, characterized by a sliding sleeve which interconnects said seat plate and said seat tube to permit the sliding movement of said seat plate relative to said seat tube.

3 The foldable stroller of clause 2, characterized in that said sliding sleeve is pivotably connected or securely connected to said seat plate.

4 The foldable stroller of clause 1, characterized in that said linking mechanism includes a crossbar securely connected to said front portion.

The foldable stroller of clause 4, characterized in that said crossbar is pivotably connected to said seat plate, said seat plate being pivotably connected to said seat tube such that said crossbar is moved with said front portion by the pivoting movement of said front portion to slide said seat plate relative to said seat tube to the rear position.

6 The foldable stroller of clause 5, characterized in that said crossbar is journalled on said seat plate so as to only permit rotation of said crossbar relative to said seat plate when said stroller frame is folded to the folded state.

7 The foldable stroller of clause 4, characterized in that said linking mechanism includes a transmitting member interconnecting said seat plate and said crossbar such that said crossbar is moved with said front portion by the pivoting movement of said front portion and such that the movement of said crossbar is transmitted by said transmitting member to drive the sliding movement of said seat plate relative to said seat tube to the rear position.

8 The foldable stroller of clause 7, characterized in that said transmitting member extends in the front-and-rear position to have two ends which are respectively and pivotably connected to said seat plate and said crossbar.

9 The foldable stroller of clause 7, characterized in that said transmitting member is securely mounted on said seat plate, said crossbar being movably connected to said transmitting member such that said crossbar is moved with said front portion by the pivoting movement of said front portion and such that the movement of said crossbar is transmitted by said transmitting member to drive the sliding movement of said seat plate relative to said seat tube to the rear position.

The foldable stroller of clause 9, characterized in that said transmitting member has an inclined slot, said crossbar being extended through and being movable relative to said inclined slot to press said transmitting member to slide said seat plate.

11 The foldable stroller of clause 8 or clause 9, characterized in that said crossbar is disposed to be moved relative to said seat plate when said stroller frame is folded to the folded state.

12 The foldable stroller of clause 4, characterized in that said front portion and said rear portion respectively include a front leg and a rear leg which are pivotable relative to each other, said crossbar being securely mounted on said front leg.

13 The foldable stroller of clause 12, characterized in that said crossbar is disposed to be actuated by the pivoting movement of said front leg to slide said seat plate to the rear position.

14 The foldable stroller of clause 12, characterized in that said rear portion further includes a handle which is pivotably connected to said front leg, said rear leg having a locking portion which is reta ni ngl y engaged with said handle to retain said stroller frame in the unfolded state.

The foldable stroller of clause 14, characterized in 1 4 that said handle is disposed to have a lower end being retained to said locking portion when said stroller frame is in the unfolded state.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A foldable stroller comprising: a stroller frame having a rear portion and a front portion which is pivotably connected to said rear portion such that said stroller frame is foldable, by a pivoting movement of said front portion, from an unfolded state, where said front portion is remote from said rear portion, to a folded state, where said front portion is close to said rear portion; front and rear seats disposed to said stroller frame; a seat tube extending from said front portion to said rear portion in a front-and-rear direction of said stroller frame, said front seat being mounted on a front portion of said seat tube, said rear seat being mounted on a rear portion of said seat tube; said front seat including a seat plate connected to said seat tube, characterized in that: said seat plate is slidable relative to said seat tube in the front-and-rear direction between a front position and a rear position; said foldable stroller further comprising: a sliding sleeve interconnecting said seat plate and said seat tube to permit the sliding movement of said seat plate relative to said seat tube, said sliding sleeve being pivotably connected to a side portion of said seat plate through a pivot shaft to permit rotation of said seat plate relative to said seat tube; and a crossbar securely connected to said front portion of said stroller frame, said crossbar being pivotably connected to said seat plate, said seat plate being pivotably connected to said seat tube such that, when said stroller frame is folded from the unfolded state to the folded state by the pivoting movement of said front portion of said stroller frame, said crossbar is moved with said front portion to slide and rotate said seat plate relative to said seat tube to the rear position so as to permit said front seat to be slided rearwardly along said seat tube, and to only permit rotation of said crossbar relative to said seat plate so as to keep the position of said crossbar relative to said seat plate.
2. The foldable stroller as claimed in Claim 1, further characterized by a connecting member which is securely connected to said seat plate, said crossbar being fitted to said connecting member to be journalled on said seat plate through said connecting member.
3. The foldable stroller as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said front portion and said rear portion respectively include a front leg and a rear leg which are pivotable relative to each other, said crossbar being securely mounted on said front leg. 1 7
4. The foldable stroller as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that said crossbar is disposed to be actuated by the pivoting movement of said front leg to slide said seat plate to the rear position.
S. The foldable stroller as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that said rear portion further includes a handle which is pivotably connected to said front leg, said rear leg having a locking portion which is retainingly engaged with said handle to retain said stroller frame in the unfolded state.
6. The foldable stroller as claimed in Claim S, characterized in that said handle is disposed to have a lower end being retained to said locking portion when said stroller frame is in the unfolded state.