FR2564405A1 - Foldable structure for hand-manoeuvrable transport vehicle. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a foldable structure for producing a hand-manoeuvrable rolling vehicle. The invention relates more especially to a folding structure for producing a hand-manoeuvrable rolling vehicle comprising a central upright 1 supporting, at one end, several articulated connecting rods 2, 3, 4 on the base of the upright, and the upright supports a slide 6 to which are articulated leg elements 7, 8, 9 carrying (at their end opposite the said articulation) rolling means 10, 10', 11, 11', the leg elements also being supported by a link articulated to the end of the said connecting rods 2, 3, 4; two rigid supports 18, 18' interact with a flexible cover 24 for receiving the subject or object transported and whose support constitutes the rigidifying structure, this support being articulated to at least one leg element 9. Application to producing a folding pushchair for a young child.

Description

The present invention relates to a folding structure for the production of a rolling vehicle which can be operated by hand, such as a stroller or individual trolley for transporting objects.

Various mechanisms or structures are known which are made up of collapsible elements making it possible to obtain in the deployed position a carrying structure such as a stroller or trolley for transporting objects of the "caddy" type, the elements being articulated so as to allow the passage of 'a deployed and active position towards a compacted position in which the elements are assembled while occupying a reduced volume.

The currently existing systems do not, however, make it possible to reconcile the various necessary requirements in a harmonious and satisfactory manner.

It is indeed essential to obtain a certain number of conditions and in particular an easy passage from the deployment position to the folded position so that the vehicle can be brought into the active position instantly and without delicate maneuver which is particularly necessary for the mother who carries the child in her arms and who must be able to open the stroller quickly and without complex maneuver.

It is also necessary that the stroller in the deployed position provides dimensional stiffening in the space of the assembly so that the stroller can respond to stresses due for example to uneven terrain without deformation.

Finally, it is desirable to simplify the folding structure and reduce the number of parts in order to achieve cost and manufacturing prices as reduced as possible.

The enthusiasm of users for foldable hand-held transport vehicles such as strollers, in particular strollers of the "cane stroller" type, shows that this type of product does indeed meet a need in modern life, in particular the reduced storage space, have young couples requiring storage facilities, for example in a car trunk when traveling on vacation or with family.

The invention relates to a collapsible structure which can be used in particular for the production of a stroller or an individual trolley for transporting objects and which combines the various requirements mentioned above in a particularly useful and effective manner.

To this end, the invention relates to a folding structure for the production of a rolling vehicle which can be operated by hand such as a stroller for babies or young children or individual trolleys, of the type consisting of at least one central upright supporting at one end a plurality of connecting rods articulated on the base of the upright and in which the upright supports a slide on which are articulated carrying legs (at their ends opposite to said articulation) of rolling means, the legs also being supported by an articulated connection on the end of said connecting rods, 11 set of legs thus being foldable against the upright and deployable radially in a star and the structure is characterized in that it further comprises at least one rigid support cooperating with a flexible envelope receiving the subject or the 'transported object and whose support constitutes the stiffening structure, this support being articulated on at least one leg and movable' between a deployed position forming with the leg an angle close to the right and a folded position parallel and against said leg.

More particulièrel.ent, said movable support is formed of an inserted profile - sliding in a ring integral with the carrying leg and capable of rotation relative to the leg in a plane parallel to the movement of the leg in its movement of folding / deployment, said support thus being capable of sliding in its support ring against the supporting leg by projecting more or less outside of said leg and at an adjustable angle.

According to a particular form, the outer end of the support projecting beyond the carrying leg is secured to the flexible envelope while the base of the opposite mobile support is guided by a rod on which the base of said mobile support is articulated, the opposite end of the rod being itself articulated on a point of the crew constituted by the slide and the legs.

According to another earactéristique, the mobile supports are 2 in number and are twinned being arranged parallel on either side: on the other of the supporting leg by being inserted in two twin rings mounted on a common journal axis carried by said leg.

According to another characteristic, the mobile support is associated with a flexible pocket forming a receiving seat for a young child in a seated or lying position, of the type known per se, the end of the support projecting beyond the carrying leg is mounted integral with removably from said pocket in the area corresponding to the hollow of the knees or transverse front area of the seat, the rear part of the pocket being carried by at least one handlebar articulated on the upright.

According to a particular embodiment, the structure comprises three legs, ie two rear legs and a front leg situated in the middle position along the axis of advancement of the vehicle, the median front leg resting on a self-steering bearing and the front leg being carrier of two twin mobile supports whose ends projecting forward are integral with a common cross-piece the set of two supports and the cross-piece having the general shape of a T with two beams, the cross-member constituting the stiffening support of the part front of the seat.

According to a variant, the structure comprises four legs, ie two rear legs and two front legs, each front leg carrying a movable support mounted to slide on a carrier ring itself rotates in rotation on the carrier leg and the two substantially movable supports. parallel are secured at their front end on a cross member carrying the front part of the seat pocket.

According to yet another characteristic, the structure comprises a handlebar articulated at the upper part of the central upright and the handlebar is extended beyond said articulation by a return rod connected to the slide, the angular movement of the handlebar in its folded-up / deployed position being transmitted to said slide which is thus guided in its linear movement along the central upright, the folding of the handlebars thus causing the retraction of the slide upwards and the consequent folding of the legs.

According to yet another characteristic, the handlebars are themselves formed of two twin and symmetrical elements secured to each other and terminated at their active upper part by a handle of the rod type, the two symmetrical elements constituting the handlebars being bent in order to approach one of the other at their articulation on the upright and their connection on the return link, the two handlebars deviating from each other upward to form the fulcrum of the upper part of the pocket forming the seat and each ending in a grip and guide handle.

According to yet another characteristic, the transverse bar joining the two movable supports bearing on the front leg (s) is extended by two parallel longitudinal members substantially at right angles towards the front to constitute a lateral support with a flexible side extending the pocket and constituting thus a flexible support plan for the rest of the child's legs.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows and which is given in relation to an embodiment presented by way of nonlimiting example.

FIG. 1 represents a rear three-quarter perspective view of a folding child stroller, the structure of which is produced in accordance with the present invention.

2 shows a perspective and side view of the stroller showing a variant in the positioning of the seat pocket, the pocket then being brought into a position corresponding to the lying position of the child.

Figure 3 shows the structure of the stroller of the previous figures in the folding movement of the stroller to its compacted position.

Figure 4 shows in detail an alternative mounting of the support.

Figure 5 shows in detail a variant of the handlebar mounting.

According to all of the figures, it can be seen that the structure essentially comprises a central upright 1 formed for example of a tubular profile with square section.

At the lower end of this amount, the links 2,3 and 4 are articulated respectively. For this purpose the central ends of the links 2,3 and 4 are taken between the star ears of a base 5 mounted at the bottom amount 1.

On this upright 1 is movably mounted the slide 6 whose central section or bore is of complementary format and dimensions of the upright 1 and can be coated with an anti-friction lining, for example a coating of a fluorinated resin of known type to allow a smooth sliding of the slide 6 along the central upright 1.

On this slide 6 are articulated the rear legs 7 and 8 and the front leg 9.

Significantly at mid-point the rear legs 7 and 8 on the one hand and the front leg 9 are themselves taken up in articulated support by the end of the rods 2,3 and 4 respectively.

It can thus be seen that the whole of the upright, of the rods 2,3 and 4 and of the legs 7,8 and 9, by linear movement of the slide 6 along the upright allows the legs to be moved from a folded position against the central upright 1 to a deployed star position, the assembly constituting a structure of the "umbrella" type.

The end of the rear legs 7 and 8 comprises rolling means, for example balloon type tires 10 and 10 'respectively and at the front the leg 9 comprises a pair of self-steering wheels 11,111.

The movement of linear displacement of the slide 6 along the upright 1 is controlled by the return rods 12,12 '.

The links 12 and 12 'are themselves controlled by the two elements 13 and 13' together constituting the operating handle. The two elements 13 and 13 'are mounted symmetrically and it can be seen that they deviate upward to allow easy operation of the assembly while downwards the two elements 13 and 13' come together.

This approximation occurs so as to allow the articulation of the two elements 13 and 13 'together forming the operating handle on the central upright 1 along the axis of articulation 14; at the level of the hinge pin 14, each element can be held in a position slightly spaced from the central upright 1 by a sleeve forming a spacer 15.

At their base, the two elements 13 and 13 'are joined by a transverse plate 16, for example in the shape of a U, the base of which is locked in abutment against the upright 1 while the two lateral branches are positioned so as to allow the reception of the 'hinge pin 17 respectively of the base of an element 13 forming the handlebars on the one hand and the upper end 12' of a return link on the other hand.

It can be seen, in particular in the light of FIG. 3, that the folding of the two elements 13 and 13 ′ forming the handlebars in the direction of the arrow F1 (FIG. 1) causes the induced movement of the plate 16 in the direction of the arrow F2 and consequently causes the slide to rise in the direction of arrow F3; in this movement, the legs are brought back towards the center, that is to say in close proximity to the central upright 1 according to the arrows F4.

According to the invention and to allow rational use of the structure thus formed, the front leg 9 carries two movable supports 18 and 19 respectively.

These two supports are slidably mounted in the two twin rings 19, 19 ′, themselves journalled along a common axis 20 on the middle part of the leg 9.

We see that under these conditions the two mobile supports 18,18 'can move according to the arrow Ff.

At their base, on the side opposite the part which projects beyond the leg 9, each of the mobile supports 18,18 'is itself articulated on the lower end of a link 21,21'. ''
It can thus be seen that according to FIG. 1, the two movable supports 18, 18 ′ which are normally in angular position relative to the leg 9 while conforming substantially to a right angle, come to bear by their base against the upright 1.

The hinge pin 22, common to the two links 21, 21 ′ comes in fact to bear against the central upright 1. So that the mobile supports 18 and 18 ′ are in their maximum retraction position.

And this position corresponds to the use of the stroller, the child being in a seated position.

As can be seen in all of the figures, the mobile supports 18 and 18 ', via the cross-member 23 in fact constitute the fulcrum of the front part of the pocket 24 forming the receiving seat of the child.

This pocket 24 shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 is suspended on the one hand at the upper end of the elements 13 and 13 ′ forming the handlebars and towards the front at the lateral ends of the cross-member 23.

We see according to Figure 2 that the movable elements being returned to the maximum projecting position that is to say, raised and raised forward, the front part of the seat is raised so that the child previously in the sitting position is in a rest position close to the lying position.

To facilitate and enhance the comfort of the child, the cross member 23 has the side members 25,25 'which extend it forward and which support the flexible side 26 allowing the rest of the lower legs.

The mobile supports 18, 18 ′ may, in particular at the level of the rings 19, 19 ′, be associated with blocking means ensuring the desired positioning of the flexible bag 24 which constitutes the seat or alternatively the berth of the young child.

In the folding movement of the assembly, the mobile supports 18 and 18 'are extended and extend as far as possible, which allows the angular displacement of the rings 19,19' along the common journal axis 20, the mobile elements or supports 18 , 18 'then being brought into a position located in the extension of the links 21, 21' and directly parallel and against the front jamb 9.

It is thus seen that in the context of the invention, the structure thus produced makes it possible to ensure the comfortable positioning of the young child on the one hand in the sitting position but also in the lying or strongly inclined position allowing in particular sleep.

However, this complex structure while ensuring the comfort of the child nevertheless makes it possible to ensure a compacted folded position without complex maneuvering and thanks to the automatic folding movement of the assembly.

This gives a particularly suitable structure, light and of a reduced cost price thanks to the small number of parts involved.

The maneuver is very easy since the folding of the handlebars controls all of the retraction movements.

However, the stroller thus obtained can be versatile in use thanks to the movement of movement and adjustment of the supports 18 and 18 'making it possible to obtain the seated / lying or inclined positions.

The invention can also be transposed to the production of a folding structure for making rolling vehicles which can be operated by hand outside the application more specifically described and shown in the drawings which relate to pushchairs for children; it is thus possible to produce caddy type devices for the transport of objects during household shopping or even for the transport of bulky objects more specific such as caddy for the transport of golf clubs, instruments or tools for the use of walkers or professionals called upon to transport work instruments, measures, etc ...

In this case the movable supports 18 and 18 'constitute the carrying base of the bag-shaped pocket in the upper part is maintained by the upper end of the handlebars 13, 13'.

By simply loading the flexible pocket 24, the vehicle which can be rolled by hand according to the invention can be transformed alternately into a stroller or an object-carrying caddy.

In the folded position, the assembly forms a compact block 9 the side members 25, 25 ′ fold over the rolling means and give the structure a general shape of flat parallelepepedic block occupying only a short res space; the block can rest on the longitudinal members 25 forming the base or stable seat of a compact block positioned upright, the upright 1, the legs 7,, 9, the rods 2.34, as well as the supports 18, 181 and the elements of the handlebar 13, 13 'being parallel and in a vertical position But the assembly can also and depending on the possibilities and storage location be positioned flat.

FIG. 4 illustrates a particularly advantageous variant in the shape of the cross member 23 of FIG. 1.

In the assembly of FIG. 4 5 the cross-member 23 is in reality made up of two symmetrical and twin elements 23a and 23b which are independent but nevertheless kinetically connected.

For example, these two half-crosspieces 23a and 23b are made up of bent tubes to conform the side members 25,25 ′ supporting the flexible side constituting the plane of rest of the lower part of the legs as seen in FIG. 1. These two half crosspieces 23a and 23b are mounted articulated at the end of the twin supports 18 and 180 for example and to allow the kinetic connection of the two half-crosspieces 23a and 23b, each of them is fitted into a molded plastic hub; these two hubs 27,27 'are articulated at 28,28' at the end of the corresponding receiving support 18, 18 'respectively.

The two facing hubs have in their opposite part two crenellated or toothed half-cylinders thus constituting two half-pinions meshed one inside the other. And it is understood that under these conditions, the rotation or any angular movement imparted to a half-cross member 23a, 23b according to the arrow F6 of FIG. 4, automatically causes as a result of the gear of the two pinions conforming the opposite faces of the two hubs 27, 27 ′, the symmetrical movement of the other half-cross member.

Thus, a single operation is sufficient to ensure the folding of the crosspieces 23a, 23b along the support 18, 18 '.

This characteristic makes it possible to ensure greater compactness, in particular thus considerably reducing the width of the stroller once folded.

A locking core 29 is threaded on the two twin supports 18 and 18 and it is movable according to the arrow appearing on this support 29 to pe-rmm the blocking of the two pinions belonging to the hubs 27,27 '.

To this end, the block 29 comprises in its forward-facing part a nose or protuberance of triangular and symmetrical profile comprising notches which mesh with the notches of the pinions belonging to the hubs 27, 27 ′; and this locking nose 30 ensures immobilization in an aligned transverse position of the two crosspieces 23a, 23b corresponding to their working position.

Figure 5 shows another alternative embodiment of the handlebar in two elements 13 and 13 'and also allowing greater compactness of the assembly in the folded position.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the two elements 13 and 13 ′ forming together the handlebars are mounted articulated on a support yoke 31 having for example two opposite U-shaped housings 32, 32 ′ coming to embrace the uprights 13 and 13 ′ and allowing their articulation along the axis 33.33 '.

The yoke 31 is itself mounted along the journal axis 34 at the upper end of the upright 1 and it can therefore tilt with all of the elements 13 and 13 'forming the handlebars over the upper end of this upright .

The articulation of the uprights 13 and 13 'in 33.33' ensures their folding against one another according to the arrows
F7 in the upper part of figure 5.

At their upper end, the two uprights 13 and 13 'can be braced by a compass made of two elements of known type 35.35' which ensures the locking in position of the two elements but by folding in the direction of arrow F8 allows them unlock and ensure the approximation of the upper part of the two elements 13 and 13 '.

The two elements 13 and 13 ′ are locked on the upright 1 by the symmetrical stirrups 36, 36 ′ made up of U welded on the lower part of the elements 13 and 13 ′ and whose open branches are positioned in a position on the upright.

It is understood that in the folding of the uprights 13,13 'according to the arrows F7 of the upper part, the uprights in their lower part are on the contrary spaced from one another according to the arrows F9.

In this movement, the locking stirrups 36, 36 ′ are separated from the central upright 1, which ensures their clearance from this upright.

We thus pass from a locking position which is the position shown in the figure to a position for unlocking the elements in which their upper branches are brought closer and their lower branches apart, the stirrups being released relative to the central upright, which allows the pivoting of the whole coupling formed by the two elements 13 and 13 'along the journal axis 34 as seen in FIG. 5.

The base of the elements 13 and 13 'is connected to the links 12 and 12' as in FIG. 1.

In this variant, however, since the elements are susceptible at their base of a spacing movement according to the arrows F9, the articulation of the links 12 and 12 ′ on the base of the elements 13 and 13 ′ is made by a cardan joint 37 , 37 'with two opposite articulations, which consequently allows the pivoting of the elements 13 and 13' by driving the rods 12 and 12 '"on the one hand according to the arrows F9 but also in the tilting movement according to the journal 34 in view of the withdrawal of the assembly.

An extremely compact system is thus obtained; the folding of the two elements 13 and 13 'against each other on the one hand and of the two half-crosspieces 23a, 23b on the other hand makes it possible to significantly reduce the width of the assembly and to practically double the storage possibilities of the stroller for a given volume unit.

Claims (10)

1 - Foldable structure for the production of a rolling vehicle which can be operated by hand such as a stroller for babies or young children or individual trolleys, of the type consisting of at least one central upright (1) supporting at one end a plurality of articulated connecting rods (2,3,4) on the base of the upright and in which the upright supports a slide (6) on which are articulated legs (7,8,9) carrying (at their end opposite to said articulation3 of rolling means ( 10.10 ', 11.11'), the legs being also supported by an articulated connection on the end of said connecting rods (2,3,4), all the legs being thus foldable against the upright (13 and deployable radially star, characterized in that it further comprises at least one rigid support - (18,18 ') cooperating with a flexible envelope (24) receiving the subject or object being transported and the support of which constitutes the stiffening structure , this support being articulated on at least one leg (9) and de placed between a deployed position forming with the jamb an angle close to the right and a folded ppsition parallel and against said jamb. 2 - Structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said movable support (18,18t) is formed from a profile inserted slidingly in a ring (19,19 ') integral with the carrying leg (9) and capable of rotation by relative to the jamb, said support thus being capable of sliding in its support ring against the supporting jamb by projecting more or less outside of said jamb and according to an adjustable angle. 3 - Structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer end of the support projecting beyond the carrying leg is secured to the flexible envelope while the base of the movable support (18,18 ') opposite is guided by a link (21,21 ') on which the base of said movable support is articulated, the opposite end of the link being itself articulated on a point of the crew constituted by the slide (6) and the legs (9) . 4 - Structure according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the mobile supports (18,18 ') are 2 in number and are paired being arranged parallel on either side of the leg (9) carrier by being inserted in two twin rings (19,19 ') mounted on a common journal axis carried by said leg. 5 - Structure according to claim 4, characterized in that the mobile support (18,18 ') is associated with a flexible pocket (24) forming a receiving seat for a young child in a sitting or lying position, of the type known per se, the end of the support projecting beyond the carrying leg is removably mounted integral with said pocket in the zone corresponding to the hollow of the knees or transverse zone before the seat, the rear part of the pocket being carried by at least one handlebar (13 , 13 ') articulated on the upright (1). 6 - Structure according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises three legs or two rear legs (7,8) and a front leg (9) located in the middle position along the advancement axis of the vehicle, the median front jamb (9) resting on a self-steering bearing and the front jamb carrying two mobile supports (18,18 ') twinned whose ends projecting forward are integral with a crosspiece (23) common, the assembly of the two supports and of the cross-member having the general shape of a T with two legs, the cross-member constituting a stiffening support for the front part of the seat. 7 - Structure according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises four legs or two rear legs and two front legs, each front leg carrying a movable support slidably mounted on a carrier ring it- even journalled in rotation on the carrying leg and the two substantially parallel movable supports are secured at their front end on a carrying cross member of the front part of the seat pocket. 8 - Structure according to one of claims 7 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a handlebar (13,13 ') articulated at the upper part of the central upright (1) and the -guidon is extended beyond said articulation by a return rod (12,12 ') connected to the slide (6), the angular movement of the handlebar in its folded-out position being transmitted to said slide (6) which is thus guided in its linear movement along the central upright , the folding of the handlebars thus causing the retraction of the slide upwards and the consequent folding of the legs. 9 - Structure according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the handlebar is itself formed by two twin (13,13 ') and symmetrical elements terminated at their active upper part by a handle of the cane type, the two symmetrical elements constituting the handlebars being bent to approach each other at their articulation on the upright (1) and their base being connected to the connecting rod (12,12 ') corresponding by a joint of gimbal (37.37 '), the two handlebars (13.13') moving away from each other upwards to form the fulcrum of the upper part of the pocket forming the seat and each ending in a grip and guide handle, the two handlebars (13) and (13 ') being articulated at the upper end of the upright (1) by a yoke (31) itself mounted in journals (34) at the upper end of the upright (1) and allowing the articulation (33), (33 ') of the two handlebars (13) and (13') allowing their articulated movement in a p lan containing them and ensuring the approximation or spacing of the ends of the two handlebars (13) and (13 '), the upper part of the handlebars (13) and (13') near the grips comprising a bracing form of compass in two articulated elements (35,35 '), the base of the handlebars (13) and (13') located below their articulation (33), (33 ') on the yoke (31) comprising locking elements such as U-shaped stirrups (36,36 ') able to come into the embedding position on the upright (1) in the position close to the base of the handlebars (13) and (13'). 10 - Structure according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the transverse bar (23) joining the two movable supports (18,18 ") bearing on the front leg or legs is extended by two parallel beams (25 , 25 ') substantially at a right angle forward to form a lateral support to a flexible sidewall (26) extending the pocket (24) and thus constituting a flexible support plane for the rest of the child's legs and the transverse bar (23) is itself made up of two transverse half-elements (23a), (23bj symmetrical mounted articulated each at the end of one of the two movable supports (18,18 '), the articulation of the half -traverse (23a), (23b), on the corresponding support being associated with a semi-cylindrical block provided with notches and constituting a half-pinion (27,27 '), each half-pinion meshing in the half-pinion located in look by ensuring the kinetic connection and the synchronous and symmetrical movement of the two half-crosspieces (23a), (23b) in their folded movements against the corresponding support (18,18 ') and the two half-pinions (27,27') are associated with a locking core (29) comprising a nose-shaped protuberance (30) provided with serrations able to come into the engagement position in the serrations of the half-pinions (27,27 ') while ensuring their locking in the active position.