JP6655920B2 - baby carriage - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a baby carriage that drives wheels by a drive source.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a baby carriage with an electric motor. In the stroller described in Patent Literature 1, when the lever is pressed, the electric motor connected to the wheels is driven. In particular, the stroller described in Patent Literature 1 runs on its own using an electric motor. That is, the stroller described in Patent Literature 1 can independently travel only by the driving force of the electric motor without being pushed by the operator.

JP 2011-68336 A

  However, the stroller described in Patent Literature 1 is provided with components for driving wheels by an electric motor, so that the weight balance of the stroller deteriorates, which is not preferable in terms of operability.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and has as its object to improve the operability of a baby carriage in which wheels are driven by a driving source.

A first baby carriage according to the present invention includes a plurality of wheels including a front wheel and a rear wheel;
Seat unit,
A stroller body having a base frame supporting the plurality of wheels, and an upper frame connected to the base frame and supporting the seat unit;
A drive source supported by the stroller body and providing a driving force to at least one of the plurality of wheels,
The drive source is disposed between left and right rear wheels.

A second baby carriage according to the present invention includes a plurality of wheels;
Seat unit,
A stroller body having a base frame supporting the plurality of wheels, and an upper frame connected to the base frame and supporting the seat unit;
A drive source supported by the stroller body and providing a driving force to at least one of the plurality of wheels;
A chargeable power supply for supplying current to the drive source,
A battery holder supported by the base frame, to which the power supply is detachably attached,
The current from the power source is sent to the drive source via a terminal provided on the battery holder.

  3. The stroller according to claim 1, wherein in the first or second stroller according to the present invention, in addition to the drive source, the control device and the power supply are disposed between left and right rear wheels. 4.

  In the first or second baby carriage according to the present invention, a detection element for detecting information related to a traveling operation input to the baby carriage main body, and the drive source is controlled based on the information detected by the detection element, and the driving is performed. A control device for adjusting the driving force from the source to the wheels.

  In the first or second stroller according to the present invention, the stroller main body further includes a handle connected to the upper frame, and the detection element is provided on the handle, and transmits information on a load applied to the handle. It may be detected.

  In the first or second baby carriage according to the present invention, among the plurality of wheels, a wheel provided with a driving force from the drive source is a rear wheel, and a front wheel of the plurality of wheels is connected to a wheel via a caster. It may be supported by the base frame.

  In the first or second stroller according to the present invention, the drive source includes a first drive element that provides a drive force to at least one of the plurality of wheels, and a first drive of the plurality of wheels. A second drive element provided separately from the first drive element, the second drive element providing a drive force to a wheel different from the wheel provided with the drive force from the element.

  In the first or second stroller according to the present invention, the base frame includes a pair of side base frames spaced apart in the left-right direction, and a rear connection frame connecting rear ends of the pair of side base frames. The drive source and the control device may be housed in a housing box that is bridged between the pair of side base frames.

  According to the first baby carriage according to the present invention, since the drive source is disposed between the left and right rear wheels, it is possible to secure the weight balance of the baby carriage and improve the operability of the baby carriage.

  According to the second baby carriage according to the present invention, since the power supply is detachably attached to the battery holder, charging and detaching of the power supply can be easily performed. When the charging and detaching of the power supply can be easily performed, it contributes to suitably maintaining the charging state of the power supply and contributes to stably operating the driving source. As the drive source operates stably, as a result, the operability of the stroller is also stabilized.

The figure which shows the stroller by one Embodiment from the front in a deployment state. FIG. 2 is a side view of the stroller in the deployed state shown in FIG. 1 with a seat unit removed. The figure which shows the baby carriage shown in FIG. 2 in a folded state from the side. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of the baby carriage shown in FIG. 1. The perspective view which shows the drive element and the wheel of the baby carriage shown in FIG. 1 from the back. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a connection relationship of a DC motor constituting a driving element. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a power supply connected to a driving element and a control device. The top view which expands and shows the handle of the baby carriage shown in FIG. The figure for demonstrating the structure of the detection element provided in the steering wheel of the baby carriage shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of the detection element shown in FIG. 9. 9 is a graph showing an example of adjusting a driving force by a driving element based on information from a detection element. The figure for demonstrating the effect | action of the detection element when pushing the handle of the baby carriage shown in FIG. 1 forward. The figure for demonstrating the effect | action of the detection element when the handle of the baby carriage shown in FIG. 1 is pushed down. The figure for demonstrating the effect | action of the detection element when pulling the handle | steering-wheel of the stroller shown in FIG. 1 back, and when going down a hill. The perspective view for demonstrating the state at the time of turning the baby carriage shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the tipping bar is operated with a foot. The side view which expands and shows the back part of a base frame. The rear view which expands the rear part of a base frame, and shows typically.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 18 are views for explaining a baby carriage 1 according to one embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a baby carriage 1 according to one embodiment from the front. In a baby carriage 1 shown in FIG. 1, a baby carriage main body 2 supports a first seat unit 8a and a second seat unit 8b. The first seat unit 8a and the second seat unit 8b are places where infants sit, and are arranged side by side. Tops 9a, 9b are provided in each of the seat units 8a, 8b so as to protect the baby sitting on the seat units 8a, 8b from sunlight and wind.

  In this specification, the terms “front”, “rear”, “up”, “down”, “front-rear direction”, “up-down direction”, and “left-right direction” for the stroller 1 and its components are particularly When there is no instruction, the baby carriage 1 in the deployed state is referred to as “front”, “rear”, “up”, “down”, “back and forth”, and “up and down” with respect to an operator who operates while holding the handle 20. Direction ”and“ left-right direction ”. More specifically, the “front-back direction d1” corresponds to the front-back direction of the paper surface in FIG. Unless otherwise specified, “front” means the side to which the operator pushing the handle faces, and the front side of the paper surface in FIG. 1 is the front side. On the other hand, the “vertical direction d3” is a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and orthogonal to the ground plane. Therefore, when the ground contact surface is a horizontal surface, the “vertical direction d3” refers to the vertical direction. The “lateral direction d2” is also a width direction, and is a direction orthogonal to both the “front-back direction d1” and the “up-down direction d3”.

  FIG. 2 shows the baby carriage 1 from the side with the seat units 8a and 8b removed. The baby carriage main body 2 shown in FIG. 2 includes a frame main body 10 and a handle 20 connected to the frame main body 10.

  In the frame body 10, an upper frame 12 supporting two seat units 8a and 8b is connected to a base frame 11 on which a plurality of wheels 4 are supported. The upper frame 12 is supported in an inclined state with respect to the base frame 11. A front portion of the upper frame 12 and a front portion of the base frame 11 are connected via a front link member 13, and an intermediate portion of the upper frame 12 and a rear portion of the base frame 11 are connected via an intermediate link member 14. I have. The front link member 13 and the intermediate link member 14 function as links, and enable the upper frame 12 to rotate with respect to the base frame 11.

  In particular, the base frame 11 is provided with left and right side base frames 11a and 11b spaced apart in the left and right direction d2. The left and right side base frames 11a and 11b extend along the front-back direction d1, and a tipping bar 11c is connected to the rear ends of the left and right side base frames 11a and 11b.

  A front wheel 41 and a rear wheel 42 are attached to each side base frame 11a, 11b. In the present embodiment, each front wheel 41 is rotatably and pivotably supported by the side base frames 11a and 11b via the casters 3. The caster 3 rotatably supports the front wheel 41 about the rotation axis Ar1, and is rotatable about a rotation axis As1 that is non-parallel to the rotation axis Ar1 and, in the present embodiment, parallel to a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis Ar1. That is, the front wheel 41 is supported by the casters 3 so as to be able to rotate and change its direction.

  On the other hand, the rear wheels 42 located behind the front wheels 41 are not pivotally supported by the casters. In the present embodiment, each rear wheel 42 is rotatably supported by a drive shaft 51b (see FIG. 5) of the drive source 5 described later, and is not rotatable.

  The tipping bar 11c is also called a rear connection frame. The tipping bar 11c is a part for the operator to support the operation of the stroller 1 with his / her feet. Further, the tipping bar 11c according to the present embodiment forms a part of the skeleton of the base frame 11, and increases the rigidity of the base frame 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the left and right curved portions 11d and 11e are connected to the rear ends of the left and right side base frames 11a and 11b as elements constituting the tipping bar 11c, and the middle between the left and right curved portions 11d and 11e. Portions 11f are connected.

  The curved portions 11d and 11e form portions that connect the side base frames 11a and 11b along the front-back direction d1 and the intermediate portion 11f along the left-right direction d2. Each of the curved portions 11d and 11e shown in FIG. 2 is curved so as to approach the center in the left-right direction d2 as it goes backward along the front-back direction d1.

  The intermediate portion 11f forms a portion of the tipping bar 11c on which the operator's foot can be hung. The intermediate portion 11f shown in FIG. 2 extends linearly along the left-right direction d2 at a position behind the rear wheel 42.

  The left and right curved portions 11d and 11e and the intermediate portion 11f that constitute the tipping bar 11c are integrally formed. Further, the tipping bar 11c is integrally formed with the left and right side base frames 11a and 11b to form the base frame 11. In this case, while maintaining the strength of the base frame 11, it greatly contributes to reducing the number of parts. However, the tipping bar 11c may be configured by connecting separately molded pipes, and the specific mode is not particularly limited.

  The upper frame 12 is provided with left and right side upper frames 12a and 12b which are spaced apart in the left and right direction d2. An intermediate frame 12c is arranged between the left and right upper frames 12a and 12b. In the present embodiment, the first seat unit 8a is arranged between the left side upper frame 12a and the intermediate frame 12c, and the second seat unit 8b is arranged between the right side upper frame 12b and the intermediate frame 12c. Have been.

  The rear ends of the left and right side upper frames 12a and 12b and the intermediate frame 12c are connected by a rear upper frame 12d. A handle 20 is attached to the rear upper frame 12d. The handle 20 is a part operated by the operator's hand. The handle 20 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  In the illustrated example, the left and right side upper frames 12a and 12b and the rear upper frame 12d are integrally formed by bending and molding a single pipe. However, the left and right side upper frames 12a and 12b and the rear upper frame 12d may be formed as separate components.

  The front ends of the left and right upper frames 12a and 12b are connected by a horizontal connection bar 12e and an upper link frame 13a. Of these, the horizontal connection bar 12e is formed linearly along the left-right direction d2, and a front portion of the intermediate frame 12c is connected to an intermediate portion of the horizontal connection bar 12e.

  The upper side link frame 13a functions as a link and has a curved shape protruding in a region forward of the horizontal connection bar 12e. The base link frame 13b is bridged between the front part of the upper link frame 13a and the front ends of the left and right base frames 11a and 11b. The base side link frame 13b is fixed at its front end to the upper side link frame 13a, and its left and right rear ends are rotatably connected to the left and right side base frames 11a, 11b via horizontal connecting link bars 13c. I have. The horizontal link bar 13c is formed linearly along the left-right direction d2, and is rotatably connected to the front ends of the left and right side base frames 11a and 11b. The upper link frame 13a, the base link frame 13b, and the horizontal link bar 13c constitute a front link member 13 functioning as a link.

  The left and right intermediate link members 14 are bridged between the middle portions of the left and right upper frames 12a and 12b and the rear portions of the left and right side base frames 11a and 11b. Each intermediate link member 14 functions as a link, and is rotatable with respect to both the side upper frames 12a and 12b and the side base frames 11a and 11b.

  The baby carriage 1 having the above-described frame structure can be folded from the unfolded state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to the folded state shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a view showing the baby carriage 1 shown in FIG. 2 from a side in a folded state.

  First, the lock between the upper side frames 12a and 12b and the upper side link frame 13a is released, and the handle 20 is lowered using its own weight. By this operation, the upper link frame 13a, the base link frame 13b, and the intermediate link member 14 rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 2 and the upper frame 12 is folded so as to overlap the base frame 11.

  As a result of the above-described folding operation, as shown in FIG. 3, the base frame 11 and the upper frame 12 are arranged close to and substantially parallel to each other in a side view of the baby carriage 1. In the state shown in FIG. 3, the handle 20 fits in a space S surrounded by the pair of side base frames 11b and the tipping bar 11c. That is, the handle 20 is inserted into the space S surrounded by the pair of side base frames 11b and the tipping bar 11c by the folding operation.

  In order to return the baby carriage 1 from the folded state shown in FIG. 3 to the deployed state shown in FIG. 2, a procedure reverse to the above-described folding operation may be performed.

  By the way, in the baby carriage 1 according to the present embodiment, the drive source 5 is connected to the wheels 4 in order to reduce the burden on the operator. However, as described in the Background Art section, the conventional baby carriage was configured as a so-called self-propelled baby carriage, so that it was not easy to operate the baby carriage as intended. Therefore, the stroller 1 according to the present embodiment is configured as an auxiliary drive type push stroller that provides a driving force to the wheels 4 in accordance with the traveling operation of the operator.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically showing a mechanism for assisting driving of the wheels 4. As shown in FIG. 4, driving elements 51 and 52 are connected to some of the wheels 4. The driving elements 51 and 52 are components that drive the wheels 4, in other words, components that provide driving force to the wheels 4. In the present embodiment, two driving elements, that is, a first driving element 51 and a second driving element 52 are provided, and the first driving element 51 drives the left rear wheel 42 and the second driving element 52 moves to the right rear wheel. The wheels 42 are driven.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the configuration of the driving elements 51 and 52. As shown in FIG. 5, each drive element 51, 52 is constituted by drive shafts 51a, 52a connected to the corresponding rear wheel 42, and DC motors 51b, 52b for driving the drive shafts 51a, 52a. Have been. One end of each of the drive shafts 51a and 52a is connected to the corresponding rear wheel 42, and supports the rear wheel 42 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis Ar2, but is not rotatably supported. The other ends of the drive shafts 51a and 52a are connected to the main shafts of the DC motors 51b and 52b via power transmission elements (for example, gears) (not shown). The drive shafts 51a and 52a may be configured integrally with the main shafts of the DC motors 51b and 52b, or may be configured as separate members.

  The direct-current motors 51b and 52b are arranged in a storage box 70 bridged between the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b, and are supported by the rear base frame 11c in the storage box 70. FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a connection relationship between the DC motors 51b and 52b. As shown in FIG. 6, the DC motors 51b and 52b of the two drive elements 51 and 52 are connected in series to a power supply 75 as a battery. The fact that the two DC motors 51b and 52b are connected in series contributes to adjusting the driving force in accordance with the load from the ground plane. This will be described later.

  Returning to FIG. 4, each of the driving elements 51 and 52 is connected to the control device 7 accommodated in the accommodation box 70 and is controlled by the control device 7. The control device 7 is further connected to a detection element 6 and receives information from the detection element 6 as an input. Then, the control device 7 controls each of the drive elements 51 and 52 based on the information from the detection element 6 to adjust the drive force from each of the drive elements 51 and 52 to the wheel 4. Such a control device 7 can be realized, for example, in the form of a microcontroller provided with a central processing unit (CPU) and a register (REGISTER), or a programmable controller (PLC).

  Control device 7 is electrically connected to power supply 75. The power supply 75 supplies current to the control device 7 and the drive source 5. Typically, power supply 75 is rechargeable, and can be charged while detached from baby carriage main body 2.

  FIG. 7 shows the power supply 75 in an enlarged manner. As shown in FIG. 7, the power supply 75 is detachably attached to the battery holder 76. The battery holder 76 is attached to the storage box 70, and is supported by the base frame 11 via the storage box 70 (see FIG. 5). The battery holder 76 has an accommodating space 76a for accommodating the power supply 75, and the power supply 75 can access the accommodating space 76a from the vertical direction d3.

  At the bottom of the battery holder 76, a holder terminal 76e is provided, and the holder terminal 76e is connected to the control device 7 and the driving source 5 via a wiring 77. When the power supply 75 is housed in the battery holder 76, the holder terminal 76e is electrically connected to the battery terminal 75e provided on the power supply 75. Therefore, in a state where the power supply 75 is housed in the battery holder 76, the current from the power supply 75 is sent to the control device 7 and the drive source 5 via the holder terminal 76e.

  The detection element 6 is for detecting information regarding a traveling operation input to the stroller main body 2. The information on the traveling operation detected by the detection element 6 is not particularly limited as long as the information is input from the operator to the stroller main body 2. As an example of the information on the traveling operation, information on the load from the hand operating the steering wheel 20 or information on the rotation speed of the wheels 4 related to the speed at which the operator travels the stroller 1 may be detected.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the detection element 6 according to the present embodiment is provided on the handle 20, and information on the load applied to the handle 20, in other words, information capable of specifying the load applied to the handle 20. Is configured to be detected. First, the configuration of the handle 20 will be described, and then the detection element 6 provided on the handle 20 will be described.

  FIG. 8 shows the handle 20 in an enlarged manner. As shown in FIG. 8, an operation member 21 on which an operator's hand is hung is arranged on the handle 20, and the operation member 21 and the baby carriage main body 2 are connected to the handle main body 22. The handle body 22 is fastened to the upper frame 12 at a connection point c1 with the upper frame 12.

  In particular, as an element constituting the handle main body 22, a column 22a extends from the rear upper frame 12d, and side bars 22b and 22c are arranged on both sides of the column 22a. The grip 21 is configured as two grip portions 21a and 21b arranged at an interval in the left-right direction d2, the left grip portion 21a is bridged between the left side bar 22b and the column 22a, Is suspended between the right side bar 22c and the column 22a.

  FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view of the detection element 6 provided in the column 22a, and FIG. 10 shows a circuit diagram of the detection element 6. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a plurality of strain gauges 61 as the detection elements 6 are attached to the inner square bar 22d in the column 22a. The plurality of strain gauges 61 constitute a bridge circuit to measure the strain of the handle body 22. In the example shown in FIG. 11, two strain gauges 61 are arranged on the upper surface of the square inner square member 22d, and two strain gauges 61 are arranged on the lower surface of the inner square member 22d. 61 are configured identically to each other. Although the illustrated inner square member 22d is hollow, it may be solid.

  FIG. 11 is a graph showing an example of control for determining the driving force provided by the driving elements 51 and 52 according to the strain detected by the strain gauge 61. In the graph of FIG. 11, the horizontal axis represents the strain detected by the strain gauge 61, and the strain gauge 61 attached to the upper surface of the inner square bar 22 d is extended or attached to the lower surface of the inner square bar 22 d. The case where the attached strain gauge 61 shrinks is regarded as a positive value, and the case where the strain gauge 61 attached to the upper surface of the inner square bar 22d shrinks or the strain attached to the lower surface of the inner square bar 22d. The case where the gauge 61 is extended is a negative value. The vertical axis indicates the driving force for driving the wheel 4. The driving force for rotating the wheel 4 in the forward direction is a positive value, and the driving force for rotating the wheel 4 in the reverse direction is a negative value.

  As shown in FIG. 11, when the magnitude of the strain detected by the strain gauge 61 is smaller than the lower limit value α1, the control device 7 controls the driving elements 51 and 52 so as not to provide the driving force to the wheels 4. Thereby, even if a disturbance or an unintended operation is applied to the stroller 1, it is possible to prevent the stroller 1 from unintentionally moving.

  When the magnitude of the strain detected by the strain gauge 61 becomes larger than the lower limit value α1, the control device 7 controls the driving force by the driving elements 51 and 52 in proportion to the magnitude of the strain detected by the strain gauge 61. Control to provide to. In the graph of FIG. 11, when the target strain gauge 61 is extended, a driving force for rotating the wheel 4 in the forward direction is provided, and when the target strain gauge 61 is contracted, the wheel 4 is retracted. Provide a driving force to rotate in the direction.

  On the other hand, when the magnitude of the distortion applied to the steering wheel 20 becomes larger than the upper limit value α2, the control device 7 controls the driving force by the driving elements 51 and 52 to be provided to the wheels 4 as the upper limit driving force F.

  Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described.

  In particular, as understood from FIG. 2, the four strain gauges 61 constituting the detection element 6 are located above the operation member 21 in the up-down direction d3, and the operation member 21 is located behind and behind the connection portion c1. It is located at the lower position. According to such an arrangement, the strain gauge 61 operates as shown in FIGS. FIGS. 12 to 15 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the strain gauge 61 when the handle 20 is operated. In the following description, when the inner square piece 22d is divided into two parts by a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction, the upper part is defined as an upper area A1, and the lower part is defined as a lower area A2. (See FIG. 9).

  As shown in FIG. 12, when the operator grasps the operation member 21 and pushes the stroller 1 forward in the front-rear direction d1, the upper region A1 of the inner square bar 22d extends and the lower region A2 contracts. The information that the upper region A1 extends and the lower region A2 contracts is measured by the four strain gauges 61. The information measured by the strain gauge 61 is sent to the control device 7. The control device 7 that has received the information recognizes that the operation member 21 has been pushed forward or has been pushed down, and the circuit 7 in which the DC motors 51b and 52b of the two drive elements 51 and 52 are connected in series has distortion. The gauge 61 provides a current corresponding to the value measured. Thus, the DC motors 51b and 52b rotate, and the drive shafts 51a and 52a connected to the DC motors 51b and 52b rotate the rear wheel 42 in the forward direction. In this way, the drive shafts 51a and 52a assist the rotation of the rear wheel 42, so that the burden of the operator pushing the baby carriage 1 forward is reduced.

  When there is a step on the running surface, the operator pushes down the operating member 21 downward in the up-down direction d <b> 3 to lift the front wheel 41. As shown in FIG. 13, when the operator pushes down the operation member 21, the upper region A1 of the inner square bar 22d extends and the lower region A2 contracts, as in the case of FIG. The information that the upper region A1 extends and the lower region A2 contracts is measured by the four strain gauges 61 and sent to the control device 7. The control device 7 having received the information recognizes that the operation member 21 has been pushed forward or has been pushed down, and the value measured by the strain gauge 61 is applied to a circuit in which the two DC motors 51b and 52b are connected in series. Provide the current according to. Thus, the DC motors 51b and 52b rotate, and the drive shafts 51a and 52a connected to the DC motors 51b and 52b rotate the rear wheel 42 in the forward direction. That is, when the operating member 21 is pushed down, the rear wheel 42 is rotated in the forward direction, as in the case where the operating member 21 is pushed forward. As a result, the driving force can be assisted by the driving source 5 even during the operation of climbing over the step, and the stroller 1 can be pushed forward without excessive load.

  On the other hand, when pushing the stroller 1 downhill, as shown in FIG. 14, the operator grips the operation member 21 and pulls the stroller 1 backward in the front-rear direction d1. In this case, contrary to the case of FIGS. 12 and 13, the upper region A1 of the inner square bar 22d is contracted and the lower region A2 is extended. The information that the upper region A1 has contracted and the lower region A2 has extended is measured by the four strain gauges 61 and sent to the control device 7. The control device 7 having received the information recognizes that the operation member 21 has been pulled backward, and supplies a current corresponding to the value measured by the strain gauge 61 to a circuit in which the two DC motors 51b and 52b are connected in series. 12 and 13 are provided in the opposite direction. Accordingly, the DC motors 51b and 52b rotate, and the drive shafts 51a and 52a connected to the DC motors 51b and 52b rotate the rear wheel 42 in the backward direction. In this way, the drive shafts 51a and 52a assist the rotation of the rear wheel 42, thereby reducing the burden of the operator pulling the stroller 1 backward.

  Next, when turning the stroller 1, as shown in FIG. 15, the stroller 1 can be turned by generating a difference in the force pressing the two grips 21 a and 21 b forward. In the example shown in FIG. 15, the stroller 1 can be turned counterclockwise by increasing the force applied to the grip 21b on the right side from the grip 21a on the left side. Even if different forces are applied to the two grips 21a and 21b, the upper region A1 of the inner square bar 22d extends and the lower region A2 contracts, as in the case of FIG. The information that the upper region A1 extends and the lower region A2 contracts is measured by the four strain gauges 61 and sent to the control device 7. The control device 7, which has received the information detected by the strain gauge 61, recognizes that the operating member 21 has been pushed forward or has been pushed down, and the control device 7 generates a distortion in a circuit in which the two DC motors 51b and 52b are connected in series. The gauge 61 provides a current corresponding to the value measured. In the series circuit shown in FIG. 6, when the two DC motors 51b and 52b have the same configuration, the magnitudes of the currents flowing through the two DC motors 51b and 52b are also equal, so that the two DC motors 51b and 52b It seems that the driving force provided to the vehicle is the same.

  However, when the baby carriage 1 is turned counterclockwise, a greater resistance from the ground contact surface is applied to the left wheel 4 serving as the inner wheel than to the right wheel 4 serving as the outer wheel, and the direct current connected to the left wheel 4 serving as the inner wheel is applied. It becomes difficult for the motor 51b to rotate. When the rotation speed of the DC motor 51b connected to the left wheel 4 serving as the inner wheel decreases, the back electromotive force generated in the DC motor 51b decreases, and more current flows more easily through the series circuit. As a result, a relatively large amount of current flows through the DC motor 52b connected to the right wheel 4 serving as the outer wheel, and it is possible to provide a greater driving force to the right wheel 4 serving as the outer wheel. This makes it easier to rotate the right wheel 4 serving as the outer wheel, and as a result, the turning operation can be performed smoothly.

  As described above, the stroller 1 according to the present embodiment has the stroller main body 2, the plurality of wheels 4 supported by the stroller main body 2, and the at least one of the plurality of wheels 4 supported by the stroller main body 2. A drive source 5 for providing a driving force, a detection element 6 for detecting information related to a traveling operation input to the stroller main body 2, and a drive source 5 which is controlled based on the information detected by the detection element 6, And a control device 7 for adjusting the driving force from the vehicle to the wheels 4. According to such an embodiment, since the driving force of the drive source 5 to the wheels 4 can be adjusted in accordance with the running operation of the stroller 1, the stroller 1 can be operated as intended.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, among the plurality of wheels 4, the wheel provided with the driving force from the driving source 5 is the rear wheel 42, and the front wheel 41 of the plurality of wheels 4 is connected via the caster 3. Supported by the base frame 11. Since the front wheel 41 is supported on the base frame 11 via the casters 3, the turning operation of the stroller 1 can be performed smoothly. In addition, considering that the handle 20 operated by the operator is located rearward and the center of gravity of the infant riding the baby carriage 1, it can be said that the rear wheel 42 is easily loaded and stably comes into contact with the ground surface. By providing the driving force from the driving source 5 to the rear wheel 42 that is stably grounded, the driving assistance by the driving source 5 can be stably realized.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, drive source 5 includes first drive element 51 that provides a driving force to at least one of the plurality of wheels 4 and first drive element 51 among the plurality of wheels 4. And a second drive element 52 provided separately from the first drive element 51 to provide a drive force to the wheel 4 different from the wheel 4 to which the drive force is provided. According to such an embodiment, by providing different driving forces to different wheels 4, it is possible to contribute to realizing appropriate distribution of the driving force according to the traveling state of the stroller 1.

  According to the present embodiment, the position of the wheel 4 provided with the driving force from the first driving element 51 and the position of the wheel 4 provided with the driving force from the second driving element 52 are different in the left-right direction d2. The first drive element 51 and the second drive element 52 each include a DC motor, and the DC motor 51b of the first drive element 51 and the DC motor 52b of the second drive element 52 are connected to a power supply 75 as a battery. Connected in series. When the baby carriage 1 is turned, greater resistance from the ground contact surface is applied to the wheel 4 serving as the inner wheel than to the wheel 4 serving as the outer wheel. Therefore, when the DC motors 51b and 52b of the two drive elements 51 and 52 are connected in series, the DC motor 51b connected to the wheel 4 serving as an inner wheel becomes difficult to rotate. When the rotation speed of the DC motor 51b connected to the wheel 4 serving as the inner ring decreases, the back electromotive force generated in the DC motor 51b decreases, and more current easily flows through the series circuit. As a result, the current flowing in the DC motor 52b connected to the wheel 4 serving as the outer wheel becomes relatively large, and it becomes possible to provide a larger driving force to the wheel 4 serving as the outer wheel. From the above, when the DC motors 51b and 52b of the two drive elements 51 and 52 are connected in series, it becomes easy to rotate the wheel 4 serving as the outer wheel during the turning operation, and the turning operation can be performed smoothly.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, baby carriage main body 2 has frame main body 10 that supports a plurality of wheels 4, and handle 20 connected to frame main body 10, and sensing element 6 is attached to handle 20. It is provided and detects information on the load applied to the handle 20. Providing the driving force from the driving source 5 to the wheels 4 according to the intention of the operator regarding the driving operation by selecting the information regarding the load applied to the steering wheel 20 as the information regarding the driving operation input to the stroller main body 2. Becomes possible.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, handle 20 has operating member 21 on which an operator's hand can be hooked, and handle body 22 connecting operating member 21 and baby carriage body 2, and control device 7 includes: When the detection element 6 detects that the operation member 21 is pushed forward or the information that the operation member 21 is pushed down, the driving element 5 is provided with a driving force for moving the wheel 4 forward. When the information that the 21 is pulled backward is detected, the driving source 5 is provided with a driving force for moving the wheel 4 backward. According to such an embodiment, the direction in which the drive source 5 drives the wheels 4 can be adjusted in accordance with the operation of the operation member 21 by the operator. In particular, even when the operating member 21 is pressed down so as to lift the front wheel 41 to get over a step or the like on the ground contact surface, the drive source 5 drives the wheel 4 to move forward. Therefore, even during an operation of climbing over a step, the stroller 1 can be pushed forward without excessive load while receiving the driving force assisted by the driving source 5.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the detection element 6 includes a plurality of strain gauges 61 attached to the handle body 22 of the handle 20, and at least one strain gauge 61 is configured such that the operation member 21 is pushed forward or When the operation member 21 is pushed downward, it contracts when the operation member 21 is pulled rearward, or when the operation member 21 is pushed forward or is pushed downward, it extends when the contraction operation member 21 is pulled rearward. According to such an embodiment, since the detection element 6 is realized by the strain gauge 61, the information on the operation of the operation member 21 by the operator can be stably detected while avoiding a complicated structure. From the viewpoint of more stably detecting the information on the operation of the operating member 21 by the operator, the operating member 21 is located at a position below and below or at a position forward and above the connecting point c1 between the handle main body 22 and the frame main body 10. It is good to be located at a certain position.

  In particular, according to the present embodiment, the operation member 21 is located at a position behind and below the connection point c1, and the strain gauge 61 is connected to the connection point of the handle main body 22 with the operation member 21. It is attached to a portion between the connection point c1. In this case, the portion of the handle main body 22 to which the strain gauge 61 is attached expands and contracts with high sensitivity in conjunction with the load applied to the operation member 21 by the operator. For this reason, the information on the operation of the operation member 21 by the operator can be detected with higher accuracy by the strain gauge 61.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of wheels 4, the seat units 8a and 8b, the base frame 11 supporting the plurality of wheels 4, and the seat units 8a and 8b connected to the base frame 11 are supported. A stroller main body 2 having an upper frame 12, a drive source 5 supported by the stroller main body 2, and providing a driving force to at least one of the plurality of wheels 4, and a chargeable power source for supplying a current to the drive source 5; A power supply 75 and a battery holder 76 supported by the base frame 11 and to which the power supply 75 is detachably attached are provided. Current from the power supply 75 is transmitted to the drive source 5 through a terminal 76 a provided on the battery holder 76. A baby carriage 1 is provided. According to such an embodiment, after the power supply 75 is removed from the battery holder 76 and charged, and then the power supply 75 is inserted into the battery holder 76 again, it is possible to supply current from the power supply 75 to the drive source 5. That is, the stroller 1 according to the present embodiment can easily charge and mount the power supply 75.

  By the way, it may be assumed that the power supply is cut off due to long-time use or the like. When the power supply 75 is cut off, the DC motors 51b and 52b of the drive elements 51 and 52 act as loads even if the wheels 4 are rotated to push the stroller 1. Not as easy as a stroller without. In particular, when going over a step on the running surface, it is necessary to lift the front wheel 41 and run the stroller 1 with the rear wheel 42. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 16, it is convenient to float the front wheel 41 using the tipping bar 11c. FIG. 16 is an overall perspective view showing a state in which the tipping bar 11c is operated with a foot.

  In the case shown in FIG. 16, the operator pushes down the operating member 21 of the handle 20 by hand and steps down the tipping bar 11c with his / her foot. By this operation, a pair of horizontal forces that are opposite to each other can be applied to two locations on the baby carriage 1. The couple consisting of a pair of forces in opposite directions generates a moment for rotating the entire baby carriage 1. As a result, the entire baby carriage 1 can be inclined rearward with respect to the vertical direction with respect to the rear wheel 42, and the front wheel 41 can be easily raised.

  After the front wheel 41 is lifted, the operator pushes the operating member 21 of the handle 20 forward by hand and pushes the tipping bar 11c forward with his foot. Thereby, the baby carriage 1 can be pushed forward relatively easily while utilizing the force of the feet.

  In particular, when the operator pushes the stroller 1 while gripping the handle 20, the tipping bar 11c is easily pushed forward by the foot when the tipping bar 11c is located slightly forward of the foot. In consideration of this point, the rear end 11g of the tipping bar 11c is disposed forward of the rear end 20a of the handlebar 20 in the deployed state of the stroller 1.

  Further, the arrangement of the tipping bar 11c will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 17 is an enlarged side view showing a rear portion of the base frame 11.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the tipping bar 11c protrudes rearward from the rotation axis Ar2 of the rear wheel 42 and further from the rear end 42a of the rear wheel 42. That is, at least a part of the tipping bar 11c is located behind the rear end 42a of the rear wheel 42. In this case, in a state where the operator pushes the stroller 1 while grasping the handle 20, it contributes to putting the foot on the tipping bar 11c in a reasonable posture. However, the tipping bar 11c does not have to protrude rearward from the rotation axis Ar2 of the wheel 41.

  In FIG. 17, the tipping bar 11c is at a height between the rotation axis Ar2 of the rear wheel 42 and the upper end 42b of the rear wheel 42 in the vertical direction d3. That is, the tipping bar 11c is arranged at a position above the rotation axis Ar2 of the rear wheel 42 and below the upper end 42b of the rear wheel 42. Since the tipping bar 11c is located above the rotation axis Ar2 of the rear wheel 42, the difference in height makes it difficult for the tip of the toe to contact the tipping bar 11c during the movement of the baby carriage 1. On the other hand, since the tipping bar 11c is positioned lower than the upper end 42b of the rear wheel 42, the difference in height makes it difficult for the leg shin to contact the tipping bar 11c while the baby carriage 1 is running.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of wheels 4, the seat units 8a and 8b, the base frame 11 supporting the plurality of wheels 4, and the seat units 8a and 8b connected to the base frame 11 are formed. A stroller body 2 having an upper frame 12 for supporting; and a driving source 5 supported by the stroller body 2 and providing a driving force to at least one of the plurality of wheels 4. A stroller 1 is provided having a tipping bar 11c protruding rearward from a rotation axis Ar2 of a wheel 42 located rearward. According to such an embodiment, even when the drive source 5 is stopped, the front wheel 41 can be easily lifted and the step on the running surface can be easily overcome by operating the tipping bar 11c with a foot. As a result, the operability of the baby carriage 1 in which the wheels 4 are driven by the drive source 5 can be improved.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the base frame 11 further includes a pair of side base frames 11a and 11b spaced apart in the left-right direction d2, and the tipping bar 11c includes the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b. The rear ends of 11b are connected. In this case, since the tipping bar 11c also functions as a skeleton structure extending in the left-right direction d2 of the base frame 11, this contributes to effectively increasing the rigidity of the base frame 11.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the upper frame 12 is connected to the base frame 11 via the link members 13 and 14, and is folded with respect to the base frame 11 by rotating with respect to the link members 13 and 14. When the upper frame 12 is folded with respect to the base frame 11, the handle 20 of the stroller main body 2 connected to the upper frame 12 can move the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b, the tipping bar 11c, and Is inserted into the space S surrounded by. According to such an embodiment, when the baby carriage 1 is folded, the handle 20 is housed in the space S surrounded by the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b and the tipping bar 11c, so that the pair of side base frames 11a , 11b and the tipping bar 11c can protect the handle 20. In particular, when the sensing element 6 is disposed on the handle 20, by protecting the handle 20, transmission of a physical impact to the sensing element 6 can be suppressed, and the sensing element 6 is prevented from being damaged. You can also.

  Next, the arrangement relationship between the tipping bar 11c and other components will be described. 5, the two driving elements 51 and 52, the control device 7, and the power supply 75 are arranged ahead of the tipping bar 11c in the front-rear direction d1. More specifically, the two driving elements 51 and 52, the control device 7 and the power supply 75 are arranged in a space S surrounded by the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b and the tipping bar 11c. In this case, the two driving elements 51 and 52, the control device 7, and the power supply 75 can be protected by the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b and the tipping bar 11c.

  Here, the components for driving the wheels 4 typified by the two drive elements 51 and 52, the control device 7 and the power supply 75 are heavy, and easily disturb the weight balance of the baby carriage 1. Therefore, in stroller 1 according to the present embodiment, the following contrivance has been made in order to maintain the weight balance of stroller 1. FIG. 18 schematically shows a rear portion of the base frame 11 as a rear view.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the two heavy driving elements 51 and 52, the control device 7, and the power supply 75 are arranged between the left and right rear wheels 42. According to this arrangement, the height of these components 51, 52, 7, 75 corresponds to the height of the left and right rear wheels 42. For this reason, these heavy parts 51, 52, 7, and 75 can be arranged at relatively low positions, and the center of gravity of the stroller 1 is stabilized. Further, according to this arrangement, the positions of these components 51, 52, 7, and 75 in the front-rear direction d1 correspond to the positions of the rear wheels 42 in the front-rear direction d1. In this case, the weight of these heavy components 51, 52, 7, 75 is mainly received by the left and right rear wheels 42. As a result, the left and right rear wheels 42 can be stably pressed against the running surface, and when the drive source 5 drives the rear wheels 42, it contributes to the stable driving of the rear wheels 42.

  In particular, the first drive element 51, the second drive element 52, and the control device 7 are arranged at a position lower than the upper end 42b of the rear wheel 42. In this case, these components 51, 52, and 7 can be arranged at a lower position, and the center of gravity of the stroller 1 is further stabilized.

  Further, the control device 7 is arranged between the first drive element 51 and the second drive element 52. In this case, the two drive elements 51 and 52 and the control device 7 can be arranged in a well-balanced manner in the left-right direction d2, which contributes to increasing the weight balance of the baby carriage 1.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of wheels 4 including the front wheel 41 and the rear wheel 42, the seat units 8a and 8b, the base frame 11 supporting the plurality of wheels 4, and the base frame 11 A stroller body 2 having an upper frame 12 connected to support the seat units 8a and 8b; and a drive source 5 supported by the stroller body 2 and providing a driving force to at least one of the plurality of wheels 4. The stroller 1 is provided in which the drive source 5 is disposed between the left and right rear wheels 42. According to such an embodiment, since the height of the drive source 5 corresponds to the height of the right and left rear wheels 42, the heavy drive source 5 can be disposed at a relatively low position. As a result, the center of gravity of the baby carriage 1 is stabilized, and the operability of the baby carriage 1 in which the wheels 4 are driven by the drive source 5 can be improved. In addition, since the position of the drive source 5 in the front-back direction d1 corresponds to the position of the rear wheel 42 in the front-back direction d1, the weight of the heavy drive source 5 is mainly received by the left and right rear wheels 42. As a result, the left and right rear wheels 42 can be stably pressed against the running surface, and when the drive source 5 drives the rear wheels 42, this contributes to the stable driving of the rear wheels 42.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, in addition to drive source 5, control device 7 and power supply 75 are arranged between left and right rear wheels 42. In this case, the heavy control device 7 and the power supply 75 can also be arranged at relatively low positions, so that the center of gravity of the baby carriage 1 is further stabilized. Further, by arranging the drive source 5, the control device 7, and the power supply 75 collectively between the left and right rear wheels 42, the length of wiring connecting these components is reduced, which contributes to cost reduction.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the base frame 11 connects the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b spaced apart in the left-right direction d2 and the rear ends of the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b. The drive source 5 and the control device 7 are accommodated in an accommodation box 70 having a rear connection frame 11c and being bridged between the pair of side base frames 11a and 11b. In this case, the drive source 5 and the control device 7 can be collectively arranged in the storage box 70, and the assembling work can be performed efficiently.

  Note that various changes can be made to the above-described embodiment. Hereinafter, an example of the modification will be described.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which two seat units 8a and 8b are provided side by side, but the number of seat units 8a and 8b is not limited to such an example. For example, a single seat unit may be provided, or two or more seat units may be provided, and the two or more seat units may be arranged back and forth.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the DC motors 51b and 52b of the two drive elements 51 and 52 are connected in series to the power supply 75 as a battery. Is not limited to the example described above. The DC motors 51b, 52b of the two drive elements 51, 52 may be connected in parallel to the power supply 75.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the example in which the detection element 6 is formed of the strain gauge 61 has been described, but the form of the detection element 6 is not limited to the above-described example. The detecting element 6 is arbitrary as long as it can detect information on a traveling operation input to the stroller main body 2. As another example, the detecting element 6 is configured as a torque sensor, a pressure sensor, a magnetostrictive sensor, or the like attached to the handle main body 22. It may be. For example, the pressure sensor is of a type that captures a load applied to the handle 20 as a change in the pressure of the working fluid, measures the change in the pressure with a pressure-sensitive element via a diaphragm, and then outputs it as an electric signal. You may.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the column 22a formed of a single column connects the rear upper frame 12d and the operation member 21, but the form of the column 22a is not limited to the above-described example. The column 22a may be composed of a plurality of columns, and may connect the rear upper frame 12d and the operation member 21.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the operation member 21 is located at a position rearward and below the connection point c1, but the arrangement of the operation member 21 is not limited to the above-described example. The at least one strain gauge 61 extends when the operating member 21 is pushed forward or is pushed down, and contracts when the operating member 21 is pulled backward, or when the operating member 21 is pushed forward or pushed down. The arrangement of the operation member 21 is arbitrary as long as the contraction operation member 21 is extended when pulled backward. For example, the operation member 21 may be located at a position forward and above the connection point c1, and the strain gauge 61 may be attached to the handle body 22 at a position behind the operation member 21.

  Although some modifications to the above-described embodiment have been described above, it is needless to say that a plurality of modifications may be appropriately combined and applied.

Reference Signs List 1 Baby carriage 2 Baby carriage main body 10 Frame main body 11 Base frames 11a, 11b Side base frame 11c Tipping bar (rear connecting frame)
12 Upper frame 13 Front link member 14 Intermediate link member 20 Handle 21 Operating members 21a, 21b Grip 22 Handle body 3 Caster 4 Wheel 41 Front wheel 42 Rear wheel 5 Drive source 51 First drive element 52 Second drive element 51a, 52a Drive shaft 51b, 52b DC motor 6 Detecting element 61 Strain gauge 7 Control device 70 Storage box 75 Power supply 76 Battery holder 76e Holder terminal d1 Front and rear direction d2 Left and right direction d3 Vertical direction c1 Connection point

Claims (7)

A plurality of wheels including a front wheel and a rear wheel;
Seat unit,
A stroller body having a base frame supporting the plurality of wheels, and an upper frame connected to the base frame and supporting the seat unit;
A drive source supported by the stroller body and providing a driving force to at least one of the plurality of wheels;
A storage box supported by the base frame ,
The base frame, a pair of side base frames that are disposed to be separated from each other in the left and right, each extend in the front-rear direction, and support the plurality of wheels, and a rear base frame that connects rear ends of the pair of side base frames, Has,
The storage box is stretched over the pair of side base frames, and is disposed between the pair of side base frames and in front of the rear base frame,
The stroller, wherein the drive source is disposed in the storage box and disposed between left and right rear wheels.   The stroller according to claim 1, wherein the pair of side base frames and the rear base frame are formed of bent pipes. A chargeable power supply for supplying current to the drive source,
A battery holder supported by the base frame, to which the power supply is detachably attached,
The current from the power supply is sent to the drive source via a terminal provided on the battery holder ,
The stroller according to claim 1, wherein the battery holder is supported by the storage box . A detection element for detecting information on a traveling operation input to the stroller body,
A control device that controls the drive source based on the information detected by the detection element, and adjusts a drive force from the drive source to the wheels,
Further comprising a,
The baby carriage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control device is disposed in the storage box . The stroller body further includes a handle connected to the upper frame,
The baby carriage according to claim 4, wherein the detection element is provided on the handle, and detects a load applied to the handle. Of the plurality of wheels, a wheel provided with a driving force from the driving source is a rear wheel,
The stroller according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a front wheel of the plurality of wheels is supported by the base frame via a caster.   The drive source is different from a first drive element that provides a drive force to at least one of the plurality of wheels, and a wheel that is provided with a drive force from the first drive element among the plurality of wheels. The stroller according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a second driving element that provides driving force to wheels and is provided separately from the first driving element.

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