GB2278633A

GB2278633A - Brace and lock means for doll strollers

Info

Publication number: GB2278633A
Application number: GB9226617A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Frank Chiu
Original assignee: Yip Tai Toys Ind Ltd
Current assignee: Yip Tai Toys Ind Ltd
Priority date: 1992-12-21
Filing date: 1992-12-21
Publication date: 1994-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 2012-12-21
Also published as: GB2278633B; GB9226617D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a brace and lock device for doll strollers. The brace and lock device 12 comprises a first brace member 16, a second brace member 18 which is hingedly connected to the first brace member 16, and a locking device 34, 38 for locking the first and second brace members in a fully unfolded and straightly extended position so as to prevent the doll strollers from folding up accidentally causing possible injury to players. The locking device comprises a slide 34 slidable in a slot 36 of the first brace member 16. The slide carries a male member 38 which can engage a notch 48 formed at the inner end of the second brace member thus locking the two members in a fully extended position. A ridge (44, fig 4) formed in the slot 36 holds the slide in its locked position. <IMAGE>

Description

BRACE AND LOGE MSAN FOR DOLL STROLLERS The present invent ion relates to a brace and lock means for doll strollers and in particular to a brace and lock means for holding and locking doll strollers in an unfolded and extended position so as to prevent the doll strollers from accidentalll; folding tip causing possible inju to players Doll stroller is one of the favorite toys for young children. Since this kind of stroller is foldable by players, safety is one of the inevItable concerns in designing this kind of toy.

A common safety means employed in this kind of toy is in the form of foldable crossbars or cross members connecting between a pair of opposite foldable crisscrossed legs of the stroller. When the stroller is unfolded, the cross members will also be unfolded and extended forming a straight cross member which serves to urge the pair of opposite legs apart in a fully unfolded and extended position.

Howevere, this kind of foldable cross member is usually held in a straight and extended position b insufficient frictional force or even only by gravity force.

The doll stroller using this kind of cross members may therefore easily and accidentally be folded up thereby causing injury to the body, in particular the fingers, of the players.

Another tpe of foldable crossbars or cross memebers comprises an arm portion integrally provided on a cross member and projecting generally andularls- therefrom.

A stop means is disposed at the end of the projecting arm portion at a distance from the cross members acting to stop the cross members from being fully folded up unless the arm portion, and hence the stop means, is pulled away from the plane of folding of the cross members.

An object of the present invention is to provide a better safety device for foldable doll strollers so as to prevent accidental folding up of the strollers which may cause injury to the players.

Another object of the present invention is to produce a brace and lock means for holding and locking the doll strollers in an unfolded and extended position so that the strollers are not likely to be folded up accidentally.

According to the present invention, there is provided a brace and lock device for doll strollers which comprises a first brace member and a second brace member hingedly connected to the first brace member, and a device for locking the first brace member and the second brace member in a fully unfolded and straightly extended position.

The locking device is characterized in that it comprises a switch member slideably connected to and movable along an elongated slot on the first brace member. A female element is provided at one end of the second brace member for receiving a male element extending from the swit oh member.

A boss or ridge is integrally provided on an inner side surface of the elongated slot and is adapted to abut against arid frictionalls hold the switch member in a '1 ock' position where the male element of the switch member Is penetrated into and received in the female element thereb@ holding and locking the first and second brace members in an unfolded arid straightly extended position.

A specific embodiment of the invention wi ii?. now he described bp way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings where in: FIG. 1 is an illustrative diagram of a doll stroller showing the position of a brace and lock means.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagram of a double doll stroller showing the relative position of to brace and lock means, one being partly folded up and the other being fully unfolded.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the brace and lock means according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the lock means according to the present invent Ion.

FIG. D is an illustrative diagram showing the first and second brace members in a partly unfolded position.

FIG. 6 is an illustrative diagram showing the first and second brace members in a fully unfolded and straightly extended position.

FIG. 7 is an illustrative diagram shoving the first and second brace members in a fully unfolded and straightly estended position with a switch member in a "lock" position.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 shows a doll stroller 10 having a brace and lock means which is generally indicated by refererice numeral 12. The brace and lock means 12 is connected to and located between a pair of opposite foldable legs 14, 14 of the doll stroller 10. The stroller 10 is fully unfolded in which a doll may be placed. The brace and lock means 12 is also in a fully unfolded and straightly extended position thereby urging the pair of opposite legs 14, 14 apart in a fully unfolded position.

Figure 2 shows two identical brace and lock means 12', 12' for use in a double doll stroller 10'. For illustration only, one of the brace and lock means is fully unfolded whereas the other is partly unfolded. The structure and function of each of the brace and lock means 12' in Figure 2 is the same as that of the brace and lock means 12 shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the brace and lock means 12 shown in Figure 1. The brace and lock means 12 comprises a first brace member 16 and a second brace member 18. The first brace member 16 is hinedl connected to the second brace member 18 by a rivet or a locking pin 20 so that the brace and lock means 12 can be folded up or unfolded. When the brace and lock means 12 is fully unfolded to a straightly extended position, one end of the first brace member 16 overlaps with one end of the second brace member 18.

The first brace member 16 is to be hingedly connected to the longer leg of one of the pair of the opposite legs 14, 14 b means of a conventional locking pin through an aperture 24 disposed at an end portion 22 of the first brace member 16; and the second brace member 18 is to be hingedls connected to the longer leg of another one of the pair of opposite legs 14, 14 bg means of a conventional locking pin passing through an aperture 28 disposed at an end portion 26 of the second brace member 18.

A switch member 34 is provided on the first brace member 16 and is slidably connected thereto. The switch member 34 is slidable along an elongated slot 36 provided on the first brace member 16 in a longitudinal direction with respect to the first brace member 16, as indicated b the arrow in Figure 3. A retaining pin 46 is employed to retain the switch member 34 at the slot 36 of the first brace member 1. The switch member 34 is generally extending from a surface of the first brace member 16 against which the second brace member 18 is abutted. The width of the switch member 34 is substantially equal to that of the second brace member 18.

A male element 38 is projecting from one end of the switch member 34. This male element 38 is adapted to be received by a complementary female element 48 provided at one end of the second brace member 18. In this preferred embodiment, the male element 38 is in the form of an elongated member having a round tip portion, and the female element 48 is in the form of a cutout portion having a shape conforming to that of the male element 38. It is appreciated that the male and female elements 38, 48 can be of an other appropriate shape and structure.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vie of the locking device of the present invention. A transversely extending boss or ridge 44 is integrally provided on an inner side surface of the slot 36. In order to lock the first brace member 16 and the second brace member 18 in the fully unfolded and straightly estended position, the switch member 34 is switched to a direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4 rendering the male element 38 to be inserted into the female element 48. When the switch member 34 is pushed towards that direction, an inner portion of the male element 38 within the slot 36 slides snugly over the ridge 44 thereby frictionally holding the switch member 34 in a "lock" position, as best illustrated in Figure 7.

A stop means is provided at the overlapping section of the first and second brace member 16, 18. The stop means comprises a projection 50 extending from an inner side wall of the second brace member 18. This projection 50 is adapted to be received in a cutout portion 52 provided on a top edge of the first brace member 16 when the first and second brace members 16, 18 are fully unfolded and straightly extended so that further movement of the first brace member 16 relative to the second brace member 18 can be limited. In this preferred embodiment, the projection 50 has a tri angular sectional view whereas the cutout portion 52 is rectangular in shape.

The arrow in Figure 5 illustrates the unfolding movemeiit of the first and second brace members 16, 18. When the pair of opposite legs 14, 14 of the doll stroller 10 are pulled apart b the players, the doll stroller 10 and the brace members 16, 18 will be unfolded simultaneously. The doll stroller 10 can be fully unfolded b further unfolding the brace members 16, 18 to an extended straight position, as depicted in Figure 6.

In order to secure the brace members 16, 1S in a straight; extended position, the switch member 34 is pushed to a "lock" position in a direction as indicated b the arrow in Figure 6, whereby the male element 38 is inserted into the female element 48.

Figure 7 shows the brace and lock means 12 in a safe and secured position in which the doll stroller can no longer be easily folded up accidentally causing injury to the players. This achieves the objects of the present invention.

While the present invention has been shown and described with particular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be noted that variolas other changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A brace and lock means or holding and jacking a doll stroller in an unfolded and extended position comprising a first. brace member, a second brace member hingedly connected to said first brace member, one end of said second brace membe abuts against one end of said firs-t brace member defining an overlapping section, and means for locking saic first brace member and said second brace member in a fully unfolded and straight extended position, said lock means is characterized in that it comprises a switch means slidably connected to and movable along an elongated slot on said first brace member, a male element integrally provided on said switch means, a female element provided at the overlapping end of said second brace member for receiving said male element therein, and a boss means being integrally provided on an inner side surface of said elongated slot and adapted to abut against and frictionally hold said switch means in a "loc" position where said male element of said switch means is pushed and received into said female element, thereby holding and locking said first and second brace members in an unfolded and extended straight position.

2. A brace and lock means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brace and lock means further comprises means for stopping further linfoldincm motion of said first and second brace members when the are in a fully unfolded and straightly extended position.

3. A brace aiid lock means as claimed in claim -, wherein said stop meals comprises a projection projecting from an inner side wall of the overlapping section of the second brace member, and a cutout portion provided on a top edge of the overlapping section of said first brace member for receiving said projection.

brace and lock means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said elongated slot is disposed longitudinally with respect to said first brace member and adjacent to said overlapping section.

A A brace and lock means as claimed in claim l, wherein said male element of said switch means is in the form of an elongated projection having a round tip portion.

6. A brace and lock means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said boss means is in the form of a transversely extending ridge.

t. A brace and lock means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch means is being retained within said slot by a retaining pin.

8. n brace and lock means as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switch means is substantially disposed on a surface of said first brace member against which salo second brace member is abutted.