GB2415938A

GB2415938A - Foldable stroller with locking mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2415938A
Application number: GB0415441A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Red Lan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-07-09
Filing date: 2004-07-09
Publication date: 2006-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2024-07-09
Also published as: GB2415938B; GB0415441D0

Abstract

A stroller frame 1 includes a locking device 3 and a releasing device 4. The locking device 3 includes a first interlocking member 31' and a second interlocking member 34' that is movable relative to the stroller frame 1 between a locking position, in which the second interlocking member 34' engages releasably the first interlocking member 31', and an unlocking position, in which the second interlocking member 34' is disengaged from the first interlocking member 31'. The releasing device 4 includes an operating lever 41 that is associated with the second interlocking member 34' and that is pivoted to the stroller frame 1 in such a manner that the second interlocking member 34' is moved from the locking position to the unlocking position when the operating lever 41 is operated.

Description

1 2415938

STROLLER FRANK

This invention relates to a foldable stroller frame, more particularly to a stroller frame with a locking-and-releasing assembly including a locking device and an operating lever that is pivoted to the stroller frame in such a manner that unlocking of the locking device and folding of the stroller frame are conducted simultaneously when the operating lever is operated.

Conventional foldable stroller frames normally include front and rear leg units that are connected to a joint unit, ahandleunit,andahandleconnectingrodunitthatisconnected to the handle unit and that extends movably through the joint unit. The front leg unit and the handleconnecting rod unit aremovablerelativetoeachotherbetweenanextendedposition and a folded position. A locking device is provided on the stroller frame for retaining the front leg unit and the handle-connecting rod unit at the extended position.

The aforesaid locking device is disadvantageous in that unlocking of the locking device and folding of the front leg unit and the handleconnecting rod unit cannot be conducted simultaneously in a single operation.

The object of the present invention is to provide a stroller frame with a locking-and-releasing assembly that is capable of overcoming the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.

According to this invention, there is provided a stroller frame that comprises: a leg unit; a handle-connecting rod unit that extends in a longitudinal direction and that is connected movably to said leg unit, said leg unit and said handle-connecting rod unit being movable oppositely relative to each other in the longitudinal direction between extended and folded positions; a locking device including a first interlocking member that is to be provided on said handle-connecting rod unit, and a second interlocking member that is mounted movably on said leg unit, that is engageable with said first interlocking member, and that is movable relative to said leg unit between a locking position, in which said second interlocking member engages releasably said first interlocking member, thereby permitting retention of saidleg unit and said handle-connecting rod unit at the extended position, and an unlocking position, in which said second interlocking memberis disengaged from said firstinterlocking member; and a releasing device including an operating lever that is associated with said second interlocking member and that is pivoted to said leg unit in such a manner that said operating leverpivots relative to said leg unit to drive said second interlocking member to move from the locking position to the unlocking position and said leg unit and said handle-connecting unit are actuated simultaneously to move from the extended position toward the folded position when said operatingleveris operated by an external force, thereby permitting unlocking of said locking device and folding of saidlegunitandsaidhandleconnectingrodunittobeconducted in a single operation.

Otherfeaturesandadvantagesofthepresentinventionwill become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. lisa schematic side view of the preferred embodiment S of a stroller frame according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment; Fig. 3isafragmentarysectionalviewtoillustrateastate where alocking device of the preferred embodiment is disposed at a locking position; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom sectional view of the preferred embodiment, illustrating the locking device when disposed at the locking position; Fig.5isafragmentarysectionalviewtoillustrateastate wherethelockingdeviceofthepreferredembodimentisdisposed at an unlocking position; and Figs. 6 and 7 are schematic side views to illustrate how the stroller frame is folded when the locking device is moved to the unlocking position.

Figs.lto5illustratethepreferredembodimentofafoldable stroller frame 1 with a locking-and-releasing assembly according to the present invention. The stroller frame 1 includes a handle unit 12, a rear leg unit 14' having a pair of rear legs 14, a front leg unit 13' having a pair of front legs 13 and a pair of joints 2, and a handle-connecting rod unit 12' connected to the handle unit 12 and having a pair of handle- connecting rods 11 that extend in a longitudinal direction and that are connected movably and respectively to the front legs 13 of the front leg unit 13' through the joints 2. The front leg unit 13' and the handle-connecting rod unit 12' are movable oppositely relative to each other in the longitudinal direction between extended and folded positions (see Figs. 1 and 7). Each of the front legs 13 is pivoted to a respective one of the joints 2 through a first pin 211. Each of the rear legs 14 is pivoted to a respective one ofthejoints 2 through a second pin 212.

The locking-and-releasing assembly includes: a locking device 3 including a first interlocking member 31' that is provided on one of the handleconnecting rods 11 of the handle-connecting rod unit 12', and a second interlocking member 34' that is mounted movably on a respective one of the joints 2 of the front leg unit 13', that is engageable with thefirstinterlockingmember31',andthatismovablerelative to the front leg unit 13' between a locking position (see Fig. 3), in which the second interlocking member 34' engages releasablythefirstinterlockingmember31',therebyretaining the front leg unit 13' and the handle-connecting rod unit 12' at the extended position, and an unlocking position (see Fig. 5), in which the second interlocking member 34' is disengaged from the first interlocking member31'; and a releasing device 4 including an operating lever 41 that is associated with the second interlocking member 34' andthat is pivoted to the respective joint 2 of the front leg unit 13' in such a manner that the operating lever 41 pivots relative to the front leg unit 13' to drive the second interlocking member 34' to move from the locking position to the unlocking position and the front leg unit 13' and the handle-connecting unit 12' are actuated simultaneously to move from the extended position toward the folded position when the operating lever 41 is operated, i.e., the operating lever 41 is moved in an upward direction (X, see the curved arrow shown in Figs. 5 to 7), therebypermittingunlockingofthelockingdevice3andfolding of the front leg unit 13' and the handle-connecting rod unit 12' to be conducted in a single operation. Referring now to Figs. 5 to 7, during the folding operation, a counter force or an upward force is required to be applied to the front leg unit 13' when a downward force (Y. see Figs. 5 to 7) is applied to the handle unit 12. The required upward force is transmitted IS tothefrontlegunit13'bytheoperatinglever41uponoperation of the operating lever 41.

In this embodiment, the first interlocking member 31' includesastud32thatprotrudestransverselyfromarespective one of the handleconnecting rods 11 of the handle-connecting rod unit 12'. The second interlocking member 34' includes a latchplate34thathasapivotend341pivotedtotherespective joint 2 of the front leg unit 13' through a third pin 33, and a hook end 344 that is opposite to the pivot end 341 and that hooks the stud 32. A stud-mounting pin 31 extends through a respective one of the handle-connecting rods 11 of the handle-connecting rod unit 12' for mounting of the stud 32 thereon.

The latch plate 34 of the second interlocking member 34' has an end protrusion 342 that protrudes from the pivot end 341 of the latch plate 34. The operating lever 41 has a driving end 411, an operating end 412 that is opposite to the driving end 411, a middle pivot portion 413 that is disposed between the driving end 411 end the operating end 412 end thatis pivoted to the respective joint 2 of the front leg unit 13' through a pivot pin 42, and a tab 4111 that projects from the driving end 411 and that presses downwardly the end protrusion 342 of the latch plate 34 when the operating lever 41 is operated (see Figs. 3 and 5) . me releasing device 4 further includes a handgrip 45 that is integrally formed with end that extends curvedly from the operating end 412 to the driving end 411 of the operating lever 41.

A first urgingmember 43 is mountedinaring-shapedholding member 252 formed on a respective one of the joints 12 of the front leg unit 13', and abuts against the driving end 411 of the operating lever 41 so as to restore the operating lever 41 toitsnormalpositionwhentheoperatinglever 41 i s relieved from the external force. The operating lever 41 is formed with a spring-retaining hole 415 adjacent to the driving end 411 of the operating lever 41 for extension of the first urging member 43 thereinto.

A second urging member 35 is mounted on the respective one of the joints 2 of the front leg unit 13', and abuts against the end protrusion 342 of the second interlocking member 43' so as to restore the second interlocking member 43' from the unlocking position to the locking position when the operating lever 41 is relieved from the external force.

Each of the joints 2 is formed with a rear groove 28 for extension of the respective one of the rearlegs 14 thereinto, a middle hole 27 for extension of the respective one of the front legs 13 thereinto, and a front hole 29 for extension of the respective one of the handleconnecting rods 11 therethrough. One of the joints 2 is further formed with a latch-accommodating space 20 that receives the latch plate 34 therein and that is in spatial communication with the front hole 29. The stud 32 protrudes transversely from one of the handle-connecting rods 11 of the handle-connecting rod unit 11', which is received in the front hole 29, into the latch-accommodating space 20. The pivot end 341 of the latch plate 34 is pivoted to said one of the joints 2. Said one of the joints 2 is further formed with an upper recess 200. The end protrusion 342 of the latch plate 34 protrudes into the upper recess 200. The first and second urging members 43, 35 are mounted in the upper recess 200. The middle pivot portion 413andthedrivingend411Oftheoperatinglever41aredisposed in the upper recess 200.

An auxiliary locking member 17 is provided on the stroller frame 1 for locking the front leg unit 13' and the handle-connecting rod unit 12'. A releasing controller 121 is mounted on the handle unit 12 for releasing the front leg unit 13' and the handle-connecting rod unit 12' from the auxiliary locking member 17.

With the inclusion of the releasing device 4 in the stroller frame of this invention, the aforesaid drawback associated with

the prior art can be eliminated.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A stroller frame comprising: a leg unit; a handle-connecting

rod unit that extends in a longitudinal direction and that is connected movably to said leg unit, said leg unit and said handle-connecting rod unit being movable oppositely relative to each other in the longitudinal direction between extended and folded positions; a locking device including a first interlocking member that is to be provided on said handle-connecting rod unit, and asecondinterlocking member thatismountedmovably on said leg unit, that is engageable with said first interlocking member, and that is movable relative to said leg unit between a locking position, in which said second interlocking member engages releasably said first interlocking member, thereby permitting retention of said leg unit and said handle-connecting rod unit at the extended position, and an unlocking position, in which said second interlocking member is disengaged from said first interlocking member; and a releasing device including an operating lever that is associated with said secondinterlocking member end that is pivoted to said leg unit in such a manner that said operating lever pivots relative to said leg unit to drive said second interlocking member to move from the locking 1 0 position to the unlocking position and said leg unit and said handle- connecting unit are actuated simultaneously to move from the extendedposition toward the foldedposition when said operating lever is operated by an external force, thereby permitting unlocking of said locking device and folding of said leg unit and said handle-connecting rod unit to be conducted in a single operation.
2. The stroller frame of claim 1, further comprising a first urging member mounted on said leg unit and abutting against said operating lever so as to restore said operating lever to its normal position when said operating lever is relieved from the external force.
3. The stroller frame of claim 2, further comprising a second urging member mounted on said leg unit and abutting against said second interlocking member so as to restore said second interlocking member from the unlocking position to the locking position when said operating lever is relieved from the external force.
4. The strollerframeof claims, whereinsaidfirst interlocking member includes a stud that protrudes transversely from said handle-connecting rod unit, said second interlocking member including a latch plate that has a pivot end pivoted to said leg unit, and a hook end that is opposite to said pivot end and that hooks said stud.
5. The stroller frame of claim 4, wherein said latch plate of said second interlocking member has an end protrusion that protrudes from said pivot end of said latch plate, 1 1 said operating lever having a driving end, an operating end that is opposite to said driving end, a middle pivot portion that is disposed between said driving end and said operating end and that is pivoted to said leg unit, and a tab that projects from said driving end and that presses downwardly said end protrusion of said latch plate when said operating lever is operated.
6. Thestrollerframeofclaim5,whereinsaidreleasingdevice further includes a handgrip that is integrally formed with and that extends curvedly from said operating end to said driving end of said operating lever.
7.Thestrollerframeofclaim6, wherein saidlegunitincludes a pair of front legs and a pair of joints, said handle-connecting rod unit including a pair of handle-connecting rods, each of said joints being formed with a middle hole for extension of a respective one of said front legs thereinto, and a front hole for extension of a respective one of said handle-connecting rods therethrough, one of said joints being further formed with alatch-accommodating space that receives saidlatch plate therein end thatisinspatialcommunication with said front hole, said stud protruding transversely from one of said handleconnectingrodsofsaidhandle-connectingrodunit, which is received in said front hole, into said latch-accommodating space, said pivot end of said latch plate being pivoted to said one of said joints, said one of said joints being further formed with an upper recess, said end protrusion of said latch plate protruding into said upper recess, said first and second urging members beingmountedinsaidupperrecess,saidmiddlepivotportion and said driving end of said operatinglever being disposed in said upper recess.
8. The stroller frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7.