Folding stroller
A stroller that accepts and supports various types of child's car seats is easily converted from its operational state to its storage state by actuating a latching mechanism. The stroller includes a lever which facilitates the removal of the child's car seat. A seat assembly can be attached to the stroller to convert the stroller from a child's car seat carrier to a toddler stroller. The seat assembly remains in the upright position when the stroller is converted from the storage state to the operational state.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/130,319, filed Oct. 1, 1993, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe field of invention relates generally to a stroller and particularly to a child's stroller with an easy folding frame that quickly receives or releases conventional child car seats and which can be converted into a toddler stroller.
Although child's strollers that receive or convert into child's car seats are well known in the prior art, there are still many problems inherent with the existing designs. Some inventions, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,064 issued to Hunter, describe a child's car seat that converts from a car seat into a stroller. The frame assembly and the wheel assembly in this type of design are attached to the car seat, which acts to increase the total weight of the apparatus even when the wheel assembly is not in use. A further disadvantage inherent in this type of design is that any dirt or mud acquired while using the device as a stroller is subsequently deposited in the car when the device is converted and used as a child's car seat.
The prior art also includes child's strollers in which the seat may be removed and used as a child's car seat. However, these inventions, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,795 issued to Mar, utilize car seats that must have specialized designs to enable their use on both a stroller and in an automobile. Also, inventions utilizing this type of technology, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,261 issued to Sadler, Jr., are difficult to convert from child's stroller to the child's car seat, making the conversion impractical in inclement weather.
Another drawback of existing strollers that receive or convert into child's car seats are their limited useful life as the child becomes a toddler. In existing child's strollers, when a child becomes a toddler, a new stroller must be used to transport the toddler.
The present invention allows the use of existing, commercially available child's car seats, thus reducing the overall cost, especially for families that have already purchased a child's car seat. The present invention is also designed for quick and easy removal of the child's car seat and a simple one-hand conversion of the stroller from an operative state to a storage state.
The present invention also allows the stroller in the child's car seat carrier mode to be converted into a toddler stroller by removing the cross bars and attaching a seat assembly. Once converted, the seat assembly can be utilized in an upright seat position or in a reclining position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the above-mentioned disadvantages inherent in the prior art for child's strollers, the present invention provides a child's stroller that contains all of the advantages of the prior art while including none of the disadvantages.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a stroller which accepts and supports existing child car seats. The stroller is made up of a simple, yet sturdy frame which will have low manufacturing costs and still provide the strength necessary to support a child's car seat and a child.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stroller that accepts several existing child car seats, reducing the cost to the consumer who may have previously purchased a child's car seat.
It is another object of the present invention to allow the transfer of a child in a child's car seat from an automobile to a stroller without removing the child from the child's car seat.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stroller with a locking mechanism that can be quickly folded into its storage state in a single one-handed movement, or unfolded into its operative state again in a single movement.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stroller that will allow the quick and easy removal of the child's car seat using one hand to release the child's car seat from the stroller and the other hand to simultaneously remove the child's car seat from the stroller.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stroller that can be converted into a toddler stroller using a seat assembly. The seat assembly can be utilized in an upright seat position or in a reclining motion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stroller with a seat assembly that will remain in an upright seat position when the stroller is converted from its storage state to its operational state.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stroller with a latching mechanism that will facilitate the conversion of the stroller from the operational state to the storage state.
Further objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent on examination of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One preferred stroller apparatus 10 of the present invention, shown in
Also shown in
The locking hinge assembly 80, as shown in
Returning to
The front wheel frame section 70 consists of the front wheel frame 72, the front wheel assembly 76, the upper support bar 78 and the lower support bar 79. The front wheel assembly 76 is attached at one end of the front wheel frame 72 such that the front wheel assembly 76 will fold compactly when the stroller is converted to its storage state. The latch hinge pin 26 attaches the other end of the front wheel frame 72 to the end of the handle frame 20 opposite the handle grip 28. Near the front wheel assembly 76 is located a lower support bar 79, and near the opposite side of the front wheel frame section 70 is located an upper support bar 78. The support bars 78, 79 are used to support the stroller 10. Also, upper support bar 78 is utilized to support a child's car seat 12 when received by the stroller 10, and as a handle to assist in converting the stroller from the operational position to the storage position. The front wheel frame 72 is shaped in such a way as to inset the front wheel assembly 76 for compact folding inside the rear wheel assembly 54 in the storage state.
The handle frame section 20 is connected to the back bar section 30 via the top hinge assembly 34. Furthermore, the back bar section 30 is attached to the rear wheel frame section 50 by the bottom hinge assembly 36. Finally, the front wheel frame section 70 and the rear wheel frame section 50 are connected approximately mid-way between by the scissors hinge pin 56, allowing each section to move in a scissors-like motion with respect to the other section.
In accordance with the above-described stroller apparatus 10, the four hinges; the latch hinge pin 26, the top hinge assembly 34, the bottom hinge assembly 36 and the scissors hinge pin, along with the U-shaped bar 22, back bar 32, rear wheel frame 52 and the front wheel frame 72, comprise a four-bar linkage which allows the stroller to fold compactly, as will be described later, into its storage state.
The stroller design allows for easy conversion from its operational state to its storage state using one hand in a single motion. Refer to
As shown in
Next, as shown in
The child's car seat 12 is prevented from rotating around the hinge rod sheath 58 by the rear wheel frame mid-section 53, thus preventing the child's car seat 12 from accidentally flipping over the front of the stroller 10.
The stroller 10, in its operational state, receives a child's car seat 12 by the user placing the child's car seat 12 such that the hinge rod sheath 68 slides between the stationary t§b 16 and the movable tab 18 of the child's car seat 12. This action will lock the child's car seat 12 to the stroller. At the same time, is the stationary flange 14 on the child's car seat 12 will hook over the upper support bar 78, which provides support for the child's car seat 12.
Removal of the child's car seat 12 from the stroller 10 is greatly simplified by the lever assembly 60. This device, operable with one hand, can simultaneously depress both movable tabs, leaving the user with a free hand to lift the child's car seat 12 off the stroller 10. The left and right movable tabs are relatively far apart, and both movable tabs must be depressed simultaneously to release the child's car seat 12. Without the lever assembly 60, it is very difficult to release the left and right movable tabs and simultaneously lift the child's car seat 12 off the stroller 10.
The locking hinge assembly 80 is automatically activated when the stroller 10 is converted from its storage state to its operational state (refer to
There are two alternative embodiments of the present invention that allow the stroller 10 to adapt to other types of child's car seats.
The first alternative embodiment of the present invention allows the stroller to adapt to any child's car seat with a hand grip opening, such as the Evenflo Joy Ride. Refer to
By attaching a main support bar 96, a handle support bar 97 with an attached handle support bar post 98, and a seat belt 100 to the stroller 10, any child's car seat with a hand grip opening 19 can be secured to the stroller 10. In this alternative embodiment, the user attaches the child's car seat 12′ by placing it onto the main support bar 96 and the handle support bar 97 such that the handle support bar post 98 protrudes through the hand grip opening 19 as shown, then fastening the seat belt 100. The main support bar 96 supports the weight of the child's car seat 12′, while the two main support bar tabs 99 restrict unwanted side to side movement of the head end of the child's car seat 12′. The handle support bar 97 supports the weight of the child's car seat 12′, while the handle support bar post restricts unwanted side to side movement of the foot end of the child's car seat 12′. The handle support bar post also restricts unwanted front to back movement of the child's car seat 12′. The seat belt 100 holds the child's car seat 12′ firmly down on the main support bar 96 and the handle support bar 97 so that the child's car seat 12′ cannot move in any direction even if the stroller 10 is jarred. The user removes the child's car seat 12′ by releasing the seat belt 100 and lifting the child's car seat off the stroller.
The second alternative embodiment of the present invention shown in
The child's car seat is prevented from rotating around the stationary bar 94 by the rear wheel frame mid-section 53, thus preventing the child's car seat from accidentally flipping over the front of the stroller 10.
It can be appreciated that the stationary bar 94 can span the left and right sides of the stroller at other locations depending on the exact geometry of the child's car seat, thus allowing the stroller to adapt to any number of existing child's car seats with integral locking mechanisms. It can also be appreciated that the stationary bar 94 can be used in conjunction with the handle support bar 97, and the handle support bar post 98 for child's car seats that have both an integral locking mechanism and a hand grip opening 19.
Still another alternative embodiment can be seen in
Also, the lever assembly 60′ could be mounted at the end of the rear wheel frame section 50 thereby acting as both a support for the rear wheel frame section 50 and a support for the child's car seat 12 received by the stroller 10.
Another alternative embodiment of the present invention will allow the stroller which accepts car seats to convert to a conventional child's and toddler stroller. This embodiment is seen in
It can be seen that two-four bar linkages are utilized. The first four bar linkage consists of the U-shaped handle bar 22′, the U-shaped side bar 102, the rear wheel frame 52′ and the back bar 32′. The second four bar linkage consists of the U-shaped basket bar 106, the U-shaped handle bar 22′, the U-shaped side bar 102 and the front wheel frame 72′.
The locking hinge assembly 80 from the previous embodiments has been replaced by a latching mechanism 124. A close up of the latching mechanism 124 can be seen in
The latch 126 is connected to the rear wheel frame 52′ by a pivot pin 130. The latch pin 128 is located near the end of the U-shaped handle bar 22′ where the U-shaped handle bar 22′ meets the back bar 32′. The holding pin 132 is located near the middle of the back bar 32′.
To convert the stroller from the operational state to the storage state, pressure is applied to the foot pedal 140, to overcome the force of the cantilever latch spring 134 forcing the latch 126 downward until the holding hook 138 engages the holding pin 132. The resulting position of the latch 126 is shown in
When the stroller is converted from its storage state to the operational state, the U-shaped side bar mid-section 103 is moved away from the middle of the U-shaped handle bar 22′. During this action, the cam surface 142 of the latch 126 slides against the latch pin 128, forcing the latch 126 to pivot about the pivot pin 130, thus energizing the latch spring 134, until the latch hook 136 moves beyond the latch pin 128. At that point, the latch spring 134 springs back and the latch hook 136 engages the latch pin 128. As seen in
As seen in
As shown in a previous embodiment, (see
To convert the stroller 10′ to its conventional child/toddler stroller mode (
The U-shaped seat bar 108 also has on each side a recline latch 112 which is used to convert the stroller between an upright seat position and a full recline position.
As seen in
As can be seen in
To convert the stroller 10′ from the recline position to the upright seat position, the user continuously pushes up on the U-shaped seat bar 108 which pivots upward. As the neck 118 of the recline latch 112 contacts the U-shaped handle bar 22′, it bends in a cantilever fashion to fit through the U-shaped handle bar 22′ opening. Once the neck 118 moves completely beyond the U-shaped-handle bar 22′, it springs back and the hook 120 engages around the U-shaped handle bar 22′.
As can be seen in
It can be seen that the objects of the invention have been achieved by the structures and methods described above. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but may apply to modifications and variations obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
Claims
1. A stroller capable of accepting and supporting multiple types of child's car seats and capable of converting from an operational state to a storage state comprising:
- (a) a handle bar,
- (b) a rear wheel frame,
- (c) a back bar pivotally connected at one end to said handle bar and pivotally connected at another end to said rear wheel frame, and
- (d) a latching mechanism located on said rear wheel frame, such that said latching mechanism engages said handle bar when said stroller is in said operational state and said latching mechanism is disengaged from said handle bar prior to converting said stroller from said operational state to said storage state.
2. The stroller of claim 1 wherein said latching mechanism comprises a catch for holding the latching mechanism in a position where said stroller can be converted from said operational state to said storage state.
3. The stroller of claim 1 wherein said latching mechanism comprises a latch, a latch pin, a pivot pin and a holding pin, said latch being connected to said rear wheel frame by said pivot pin, said latch pin being located on said handle bar, and said holding pin being located on said back bar.
4. The stroller of claim 3 wherein said latch comprises a latch hook and a holding hook.
5. The stroller of claim 4 wherein said latch further comprises a foot pedal located at the end of said latch.
6. The stroller of claim 1 further comprising a hinge rod connected to said stroller and a release lever rotatively connected to said hinge rod such that said release rod can rotate around said hinge rod.
7. The stroller of claim 1 further comprising a basket bar, a side bar and a seat assembly, said seat assembly comprising a seat cloth, a seat bar and a recline latch, said seat bar being pivotally mounted to said basket bar, such that said seat bar can detachably connect to said handle bar using said recline latch.
8. The stroller of claim 7 wherein said side bar comprises a plurality of accessory mounting holes for the mounting of a plurality of cross bars.
9. The stroller of claim 7 further comprising a side cover, said side cover being connected to said side bar, said side cover having through holes and a rear pivoting hinge hole for connecting said rear wheel frame.
10. The stroller of claim 7 wherein said recline latch comprises a base, a neck, a hook and a pull ring, said hook being capable of slidably engaging said handle bar and maintaining said engagement when said stroller converts from the storage state to the operational state.
11. The stroller of claim 1 further comprising a side bar and a hinge rod such that said side bar prevents unwanted rotation of said child's car seat about said hinge rod.
12. A stroller capable of converting from an operational state to a storage state comprising:
- (a) a handle bar,
- (b) a seat bar,
- (c) a recline latch connected to said seat bar capable of slidably engaging said handle bar and maintaining engagement with said handle bar when stroller converts from the sturage state to the operational state.
13. The stroller defined in claim 12 wherein said recline latch comprises a base, a neck, a hook and a pull ring.
14. A method of converting a stroller from an operational state to a storage state, said stroller being capable of accepting and supporting multiple types of child's car seats and comprising a side bar, a handle bar, a foot petal, a latch hook, a latch pin, a holding hook and a holding pin; which method comprises the steps of:
- (a) placing pressure on said foot pedal thereby disengaging said latch hook from said latch pin, and engaging said holding hook with said holding pin;
- (b) removing pressure from said foot pedal;
- (c) moving said side bar upwardly and towards said handle bar thereby disengaging said holding hook from said holding pin.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 11, 2004
Publication Date: Jun 16, 2005
Applicant:
Inventors: Ronald Worth (Menlo Park, CA), Eric Pfaff (Redondo Beach, CA)
Application Number: 10/963,037