DE20001964U1 - Folding device with one-hand operation - Google Patents

Description

GRÜNECKER, KIN»KEjL&£Y _t SjCHWANHÄUSSER

LTSSOCIATION

LAW FIRM MAXIMILIANSTRASSE 58 D-S0538 MUNICH GERMANY LAWYERS

MUNICH

DR. HELMUT EICHMANN

GERHARD BARTH

DR. ULRICH BLUMENRÖDER, LLM.

CHRISTA NIKLAS-FALTER

DR. MAXIMILIAN KINKELDEY, LL. M.

SONJA SCHAEFFLER

DR. KARSTEN BRANDT

OF COUNSEL
PATENT ATTORNEYS

AUGUST GRÜNEECKER
DR. GUNTER BEZOLD
DR. WALTER LANGHOFF

DR. WILFRIED STOCKMAIR (-1996)

PATENT ATTORNEYS EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS

MUNICH

DR. HERMANN KINKELDEY

DR. KLAUS SCHUMANN

PETER H. JAKOB

WOLFHARD MEISTER

HANS HILGERS

DR. HENNING MEYER-PLATH

ANNELIE EHNOLO

THOMAS SCHUSTER

DR. KLARA GOLDBACH

MARTIN AUFENANGER

GOTTFRIED KUTZSCH

DR. HEIKE VOGELSANG-WENKE

REINHARD KNAUER

DIETMAR KUHL

DR. FRANZ-JOSEF ZIMMER

BETTINA K. REICHELT

DR. ANTON K. PFAU

OR. UDO WEIGELT

RAINER 8ERTRAM

JENS KOCH. M.S. (U of PA) M.S. (ENSPM)

COLOGNE

DR. MARTIN OROPMANN

YOUR REF.

OUR REF.

OATUM / DATE

G4247-80/IW04.02.00

CHENG, Kenny No. 16, Lane 47, Chih Feng St. Taipei, Taiwan

R.O.C.

Folding device with one-hand operation

MAXIMILIANSTRASSE 58 CJ-80J3$,^UNICH JJIJ J jKAIJERitylLH&M-Sl jlß.13 Jd.50672
TEL 089/21 2350 FAX (size 3) 089 / 22JD2 $7,J(size 4) 089/*1 6$ 9^9J JTEIJ 02J1 19\ 97 22W J=/JX I

http://www.grunecker.de - e-maü: peetm8jteF@gru*iG^ftr.dfe· ·· ·· e-Tr?ä!l: drd^nanrt®grune*cker.de * ^#

DEUTSCHE BANK MUNICH NO. 17 51734 8LZ 700 700 10 SWIFT: DEUT DE MM

Folding device with one-hand operation

The invention relates to a folding device with one-hand operation and in particular to one for a collapsible frame which can be folded by one hand.

In order to reduce the physical volume of a stroller for carrying or storing in a trunk of a vehicle, collapsible strollers are desired and are available as such products. The collapsible strollers often have a locking device so that a fixed structure is available after unfolding for use of the stroller. In one type of locking device, a trigger type sliding device is arranged adjacent to connecting portions of a handle bar frame. When the user desires to fold such a type of collapsible stroller, he or she must bend down his or her body to approach the trigger type sliding device with both hands simultaneously to press the triggers to release the locking state and therefore such a type of collapsible stroller is inconvenient to use.

In an improved one-hand folding device, a locking button is arranged on the upper part of the handlebar frame of the stroller, which cooperates with the locking device. To fold this type of stroller, the user can use one of his or her thumbs to press the locking button and twist the locking device to pull two inner wires on both sides so that the inner wires pull the sliding locking device near the connecting areas to a release position. With this one-hand folding device, a single hand is enough to release the locking state of the locking device. However, there are still disadvantages with this type of one-hand folding device. For example, if the locking button on the left side of the

Since the folding mechanism is designed for one-hand operation, this device can only be operated with the right hand, whereas if the locking button is on the right side, only the left hand can be used. In addition, the rotational movement is difficult for people whose wrists are not very flexible.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a folding device with one-hand operation, which can be easily operated with one hand and meets requirements for operating ergonomics.

To achieve this object, the invention provides a folding device with one-hand operation, which has: a displaceable pressure device with racks, pull cams with teeth on the circumference, displaceable plungers for carrying out the locking operation and wires which are attached at one end to the pull cams and at their other end to the displaceable plungers, wherein when the displaceable pressure device is adjusted with respect to the pull cams, the racks rotate the pull cams and thereby the pull cams pull the wires to displace the displaceable plungers into the open position.

In an embodiment of the folding device with one-hand operation according to the invention, a spring is further arranged in the central region of the displaceable pressure device so that a force can be exerted during the pressing of the displaceable pressure device.

In yet another embodiment according to the invention, a contour of the pulling cams has two or more arcs of different diameters, wherein the tooth portion is formed in the arc of smaller diameter and the arc of larger diameter is used to guide the drawn wires.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

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Show it:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a folding device with one-hand operation according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of a folding device with one-hand operation according to the present invention, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a one-handed folding device according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a one-handed folding device according to the present invention. A handle frame 1 is provided on a stroller. When the user wishes to unfold the stroller from the folded state, the handle frame 1 is pivotable upward to a lifting position so that the user can pull the stroller by the handle frame 1. Upper and lower handle covers 2, 3 are attached to the upper portion of the handle frame 1 by screws 6a-6d. The middle portion of the handle frame 1 is pressed into a rectangular plate 7 so that an inner space is formed between the plate 7 and the expanded middle portion 4 of the handle frame 1. The pull cams 31 and 32 with toothed portions are arranged symmetrically on the plate 7 and rotatably supported by rivets 23a and 23c. A displaceable pressure device 21 is further arranged in the interior space between plate 7 and the extended central region 4 and forms, together with the above-mentioned pull cams 31 and 32, a folding device with one-hand operation.

The one-handed folding device according to the present invention will be further described in detail with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the one-handed folding device according to the present invention. The device comprises a sliding pusher 21 and two pull cams 31 and 32 which are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the sliding pusher 21, respectively. The device 21 has a front side 27 and a larger rear side 26, these two sides being connected by a ■-shaped surface 28. The ■-shaped surface 28 has a wave shape so that the user can conveniently grip the sliding pusher 21 when performing the folding operation or pushing the stroller. Furthermore, the central portion of the sliding pusher 21 is formed with a rectangular central block 22e which extends downward from the central portion of the upper surface of the .-shaped surface 28 and whose lower end is aligned with the lower edge of the rear side 26. Rack portions 22f are formed on lower sides of the center block 22e and a center hole 22d is formed longitudinally within the center block 22e for receiving a spring 22g. As shown in Fig. 3, surface 27 and the downwardly extending center block 22e together form a T-shaped member which divides the larger rear surface 26 into two lugs 29, 30. Three elongated holes 22b, 22a and 22c are formed in the bottom of the center block 22e of the sliding pressure device and left lug 29 and right lug 30 correspond to the horizontal positions of the above-mentioned rivets 23a and 23c. The rivets 23b, 23a and 23c are fastened to the plate 7 of the handle frame 1 and are displaceable in these three elongated holes 22b, 22a and 22c, so that the displaceable pressure device 21 can move relative to the handle frame 1 with a certain stroke which is determined by the length L of the elongated holes 22b, 22a and 22c.

According to Fig. 2, the contour of the traction cams 31 has two arc pieces p1, p2 with different diameters and two transition segments p3, p4 for connecting the two arc pieces p1, p2, wherein the arc p1 with smaller diameter extends over an angle of 3/4π rad and the arc p2 with larger diameter extends over an angle of 1/4π rad. The toothed area 31a extends over an angle of 1/4π rad and is arranged in a region of the circumference of the arc p1 adjacent to the segment p3. The toothed area 31a is connected to the rack

22f of the center block 22e so that the center block 22e and the pull cam 31 operate together and perform a linear sliding movement and corresponding rotational movement. Since the pull cams 31 and 32 are completely symmetrical, the pull cam 32 can operate together with the center block 22e and can be rotated in a direction opposite to that of the pull cam 31. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the pull cams further have grooves 33 and 35 on the front side and on the arch p2 respectively for guiding a wire 37. The wire 37 is fixed at one end in the groove 33 of the pull cam 31 and connected at the other end to a sliding plunger 8 through a side hole 24b which is arranged on one side of the plate 7 and the inner region of the handle frame.

The operation of the folding device according to the invention will now be described in detail. In Fig. 1, the rivets 23a-23c are fixed to the rectangular plate 7 of the handle frame 1 and thus these rivets 23a-23c are static during the folding operation. According to Fig. 2, the elongated holes 22a-22c of the sliding pressing device 21 move downward with respect to the rivets 23a-23c when the pressing device 21 is pressed by a hand. The spring 22g is arranged in an inner bore 22d of the center block 22 and is in contact with rivet 22b at its lower end. Therefore, the spring 22 is compressible downward when the pressing device 21 is pressed. Accordingly, a certain force can be exerted to perform this operation. When the center block 22e of the sliding pressure device 21 is adjusted downward, rack portions 22f move the pull cams 31 and 32 in clockwise and counterclockwise directions, respectively. The sliding movement of the sliding pressure device 21 ends when the elongated holes 22a-22c touch the rivets 23a-23c and the pull cams 31, 32 rotate by 90° and -90°, respectively, during one pressing. By rotating the pull cams 31, 32, the wires 37 and 38 are pulled to the left and right, respectively, along the grooves 35, 36 on the circumference of the pull cams 31, whereby the wires 37, 38 pull the sliding plungers 8, 9 with their protruding ends into the openings 10, 11 and cancel the locking state of the locking plungers 8, 9.

While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, various changes and equivalent substitutions of elements will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is intended to include all embodiments within the scope of the claims.

Claims (3)

1. A folding device with one-hand operation with a displaceable pressure device ( 21 ) with racks ( 22f ), pull cams ( 31 , 32 ) with teeth on the circumference, displaceable plungers ( 8 , 9 ) for carrying out the locking operation and wires ( 37 , 38 ) which are fastened at one end to the pull cams and at their other ends to the displaceable plungers, wherein the displaceable pressure device ( 21 ) is adjustable with respect to the pull cams ( 31 , 32 ) and the racks ( 22f ) of the displaceable pressure device rotate the pull cams and these pull the wires ( 37 , 38 ), whereby the displaceable plungers ( 8 , 9 ) can be pulled into an opening position. 2. Folding device with one-hand operation according to claim 1, characterized in that a spring ( 22g ) is arranged in a central region of the displaceable pressure device ( 21 ) for exerting a force during the pressing of the displaceable pressure device. 3. Folding device with one-hand operation according to claim 1, characterized in that the contour of the pulling cams ( 31 , 32 ) has two or more arches (p1, p2) with different diameters, the toothed portion ( 31a , 32a ) being formed on the arch (p1) with a smaller diameter and the arch (p2) with a larger diameter being usable for guiding the pulled wires ( 37 , 38 ).