GB2441750A

GB2441750A - Locking device for a folding push chair

Info

Publication number: GB2441750A
Application number: GB0618219A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shun-Min Chen; Ru-Yi Li
Original assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Co Ltd Taiwan
Current assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Co Ltd Taiwan
Priority date: 2006-09-15
Filing date: 2006-09-15
Publication date: 2008-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-15
Also published as: GB2441750B; GB0618219D0

Abstract

A safety device for a collapsible stroller is provided comprises a tube 10 fitted with a handle 20, a button 30 disposed within the tube 10 and upper 40 and lower 50 connecting members mounted on the tube 10 and carrying a plurality of pivotally mounted supports 90a,b,c,d, wherein the lower connecting member 50 is connected to the tube 10 using a latch such that it is locked in place when the button 30 is not depressed and is free to slide when the button 30 is depressed. The latch mechanism may comprise a sliding collar 62 which is mounted to the connecting tube 10 and operably coupled to the button 30. Depressing the button 30 slides the collar 62 along the tube such that it engages sprung latching members 72, 74 causing them to unlatch from a lower fixed collar 64.

Description

2441750

Safety Device of Collapsible Stroller Field of the Invention

5 The present invention relates generally to a collapsible stroller, and more specifically to a safety device of a collapsible stroller.

Background of the Invention

A stroller becomes necessary equipment for a family that has a baby when the parents need to take the baby to the outdoors, and it is usually designed in a 10 collapsible form to facilitate handling/storing. For instance, US patent Nos. 4,232,897 and 4,898,564 have disclosed collapsible strollers. However, these collapsible strollers have a potential safety concern in their collapsible structure designs. For instance, in the collapsible stroller disclosed in US patent No. 4,232,897, the stroller will be in a collapsed state once the member 27a is pulled to loosen the frame of the stroller and at 15 this moment if the stroller is subjected to an abrupt force, the stroller may accidentally collapse and cause unexpected injury to the user or even to the baby carried therein.

In order to avoid above-mentioned accident from happening and causing danger, it is necessary to provide a safety device to prevent the stroller from collapsing inadvertently. There also exist a need for a collapsing device of a stroller which allows 20 the user to effectively perform the collapsing operation of the stroller with a comfortable posture and in a one-step operation.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a safety device of a collapsible stroller which is able to prevent above-mentioned accidental collapsing 25 from occurring as well as to provide both operation convince and use safety of a collapsible stroller.

To achieve this and other objects, a safety device of a collapsible stroller having a frame is provided, the safety device comprises a connecting tube having a handle provided at a first end thereof; a button slidably received in the connecting tube and 30 disposed such that it is operable from the handle of the connecting tube; an upper connecting member coupled to the connecting tube; a lower connecting member slidably coupled to the connecting tube at a position lower than the upper connecting member; a latch assembly operably disposed in the lower connecting member; a l

sliding block assembly which is mounted to the connecting tube and partially operably coupled to the button and has an engaging structure, the sliding block assembly being further arranged such that when the connecting tube slides downwardly relative to the lower connecting member to stretch out the frame, the engaging structure will enter a 5 locking state by engaging with the latch assembly disposed in the lower connecting member to stop the sliding movement of the connecting tube relative to the lower connecting member, and when the button is operated, the sliding block assembly will be unlocked from the latch assembly to allow the connecting tube to slide relative to the lower connecting member to collapse the frame; and a plurality of supports 10 pivotally connecting the upper and lower connecting members to the frame of the stroller.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present application, the sliding block assembly comprises a engaging block fixedly mounted to the connecting tube and a movable block, the movable block being disposed such that it is coupled to the 15 button at a position of the connecting tube which is a distance above the engaging block and is operable by the button to slide along the connecting tube between an upper locking position and a lower unlocking position. The engaging structure comprises a gap between the engaging block and the movable block.

The lower connecting member comprises a central through hole having a 20 diameter through which the connecting tube and the sliding blocking assembly may pass, and a retaining structure which includes a substantially radial recess formed in a peripheral wall of the central through hole and in communication with the central through hole.

The latch assembly comprises a first positioning block disposed in the radial 25 recess of the lower connecting member; a second positioning block disposed in the radial recess of the lower connecting member at a position diametrically oppose to the first positioning block; a first resilient member and a second resilient member disposed to respectively urge the first and second positioning blocks toward each other and allow them be operably moved between an engaging position at which they 30 protrude into the central through hole of the lower connecting member and an unlocked position at which they retract in the radial recess of the lower connecting member.

The moving block and the engaging block of the sliding block assembly each has a tapered lower portion, and the first and second positioning block each has a slant 35 face formed at an upper end thereof to cooperate with the tapered lower portion of the moving block and the engaging block.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the retaining

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structure comprises two diametrically opposed protruding portions radially inwardly protruding from the peripheral wall of the central through hole of the lower connecting member; and the latch assembly comprises a latching wire bended into a specific configuration which has two opposed holding portions for engaging with the 5 protruding portions of the central through hole, and two resilient latching portions between the holding portions, wherein the resilient latching portions may resiliently deformed to engaging/disengaging with the engaging structure of the sliding block assembly.

Features and objects of the present invention other than the above will become 10 clear by reading the description of the present specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with 15 the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a collapsible stroller incorporating with a safety device according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a safety device of a collapsible stroller in a locked state according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

20 Fig. 3 is a partial enlarged view of the perspective view of the safety device of a collapsible stroller in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a safety device of a collapsible stroller in an unlocked state according to the first embodiment of the present 25 invention;

Fig. 6 is a partial enlarged view of the perspective view of the safety device of a collapsible stroller in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the safety device in a collapsed state;

30 Fig. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating the safety device of a collapsible stroller in a locked state according to a second embodiment of the present

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invention;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a partial cross-sectionai view illustrating a safety device of a collapsible stroller in an unlocked state according to the second embodiment of the 5 present invention; and

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 8.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring now to the drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated to describe the present invention.

10 As shown in Fig. 1, the safety device of a collapsible stroller of the present invention mainly comprises a connecting tube 10, a handle 20, a button 30, an upper connecting member 40, a lower connecting member 50, a sliding block assembly 60, a latch assembly 70, a step member 80and a plurality of supports 90. Referring further to figures 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the connecting tube 10 is a hollow tube which 15 has a first end, a second end and a longitudinal slot 18 formed in a substantially intermediate section of the tube. The handle 20 includes a hand-held portion 22and a connection portion 24 in a form for a hollow tube for nesting to the first end of the connecting tube 10.

The button 30 is a cylinder member and includes an operation end 32, an 20 activating end 34and an annular stopper 36 adjacent to the operation end 32. The button 30 is inserted into the connecting tube 10 through an opening of the hollow connection portion 24 of the handle 20 and a central through hole formed the first end of the connecting tube 10. A longitudinal opening 35 is formed in the button 30 at a position proximate the first end of the connecting tube. A rivet 37 passing through the 25 longitudinal opening 35 slidably couples the button 30 to the connecting tube 10 as well as fixedly couple the handle 20 to the first end of the connecting tube 10. A spring 38 is provided between the annular stopper 36 of the button 30 and the rivet 37 so as to maintain the operation end 32 of the button 30 substantially flush with the opening of the hollow connection portion 24.

30 The upper connecting member 40 includes a central through hole 42 which has a diameter substantially equal to an outer diameter d of the connecting tube 10, such that the upper connecting member 40 may be mounted to the connecting tube 10 with the connecting tube 10 passing through the central through hole 42. The lower connecting member 50 also includes a central through hole 52 which has a diameter D

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larger than the outer diameter d of the connecting tube 10 (i.e., D>d) so as to allow it to be slip onto the connecting tube 10 from the second end of the connecting tube to a position beneath and adjacent to the upper connecting member 40. In the embodiment shown in Figures 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7, the diameter of the lower end of the central through 5 hole 42 of the upper connecting member 40 is enlarged so as to be the same as the diameter D of the central through hole 42 of the lower connecting member 40. Additionally, the lower connecting member 50 further includes a radial recess 54 formed in a peripheral wall of the central through hole 52 and in communication with the central through hole 52.

10 Referring to Fig. 7, the sliding block assembly 60 includes an upper movable block 62, a lower engaging block 64 and an engaging structure, such as a gap G, between the upper movable blocks 62 and the lower engaging block 64. The upper movable block 62 and the lower engaging block 64 each is a hollow cylinder member having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, wherein the inner diameter 15 substantially equals to the outer diameter d of the connecting tube 10 to allow them to be sleeved on the connecting tube 10, and the outer diameter is substantially equals to the diameter D of the central through hole 52 lower connecting member 50 so as to allow them to slide relative to the lower connecting member 50 in the central through hole 52. Additionally, a tapered guide face 63, 65 is formed on the outer wall of a 20 lower end of the upper movable block 62 and the lower engaging block 64 respectively. The upper movable block 62 is fixedly coupled to the activating end 34 of the button 30 by a rivet 61 passing through the longitudinal slot 18 of the connecting tube 10, such that the upper movable block 62 may be operated by the button 30 to move along the connecting tube 10. The lower engaging block 64 is 25 fixedly installed on to the connecting tube 10 at a position below and a distance from the upper movable block 62, wherein the sliding block assembly 60 and the lower connecting member 50 are arranged such that when the lower connecting member 50 is moved along the connecting tune 10 to a locking position, the radial recess 54 of the lower connecting member 50 aligns with the gap G between the upper movable block 30 62 and the lower engaging block 64. In this embodiment, when the stroller is in an expanded state (i.e., the collapsing safety device in a locking state shown in Fig. 2) the upper movable block 62 is not entirely received in the lower connecting member 50, instead an upper portion of the upper movable block 62 is in a lower end of the upper connecting member 40 (because the diameter of the lower end of the central through 35 hole 42 of the upper connecting member 40 is D) and a lower portion of the upper movable block 62 is in the lower connecting member 50, such that the upper movable block 62 may move the upper connecting member 40 upward while it is moving upward.

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Further referring to Fig. 4, the latch assembly 70 includes a first positioning block 72 in a form of a substantially half-circle member that is disposed in the radial recess 54 of the lower connecting member 50, and a second positioning block 74 also in a form of a substantially half-circle member and disposed in the radial recess 54 of 5 the lower connecting member 50 at a position oppose to the first positioning block 72. The latch assembly 70 further includes a first spring member 73 and a second spring member 75, wherein the first spring member 73 is disposed at a position between the first positioning block 72 and a sidewall of the radial recess 54 and the second spring member 75 is disposed at a position between the second positioning block 74 and the 10 side wall of the radial recess 54 so as to respectively bias the first positioning block 72 and the second positioning block 74 toward the connecting tube 10 to make a portion of the first positioning block 72 and the second positioning block 74 protruding into the central through hole 52 of the lower connecting member 50 and the other portion thereof remains in the radial recess 54 of the lower connecting member 50. In addition, 15 a slant face 76 is formed at an upper end of the portion of the first positioning block 72 and the second positioning block 74 protruding into the central through hole 52 of the lower connecting member 50 to cooperate with the tapered guide face 63, 65 of the upper movable block 62 and the lower engaging block 64.

The step member 80 is installed to the second end of the connecting tube 10 and 20 includes a step portion 82 (see Fig. 1). In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 through 7, six supports 90a-90f are provided wherein one end of supports 90a and 90b are respectively pivotally coupled to the sides of the upper connecting member 40 and the other end thereof are respectively pivotally coupled to two frame tubes of the stroller; one end of the supports 90c and 90d are respectively pivotally coupled to the 25 sides of the lower connecting member 50 and the other end thereof are respectively pivotally coupled to the two frame tubes of the stroller; and one end of the supports 90e and 90f are respectively pivotally coupled to the sides of the step member 80 and the other end thereof are respectively pivotally coupled to the two frame tubes of the stroller (see Fig. 1).

30 When the stroller is in a an expanded state (i.e., the collapsing safety device in a locking state as shown in Figs. 2 and 3), the first positioning block 72 and the second positioning block 74 will stop the lower engaging block 64 from moving upwardly by engaging into the gap G between the upper and lower movable blocks 62 and 64 such that the stroller will not be collapsible even the hand-held portion of the handle 20 is 35 pulled, and an accidental collapsing of the stroller is thereby prevented. And when a user wants to collapse the stroller, he could push down the button 30 at the operation end 32 to make the button 30 move downward relative to the connecting tube 10, the

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spring 38 is compressed and the upper movable block 62 coupled to the activating end 34 of the button 30 is together moved downwardly along the longitudinal slot 18 of the connecting tube 10 and the tapered guide face 63 is brought into contact with the slant face 76 of the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74. With the downward 5 movement of the upper movable block 62, the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74 are gradually pushed back into the radial recess 54 and completely accommodated in the radial recess 54 while the upper movable block 62 is moved to a lower end of the slot 18 to reach an unlocking state, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this state, the first and second resilient members 73 and 75 are compressed. In this unlocked state, with 10 the button 30 remained being pressed down and the connecting tube 10 being pulled upward by the user, the lower engaging block 64 may pass the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74 without any obstruction in its upward movement because both the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74 are entirely retracted into the radial recess 54 of the lower connecting member 50, and allow the connecting tube 10 to be 15 moved upwardly relative to the lower connecting member 50. In the mean time, because the outer diameter of the upper movable block 62 is greater than the diameter of the central through hole 42 of the upper connecting member 40, thus when the connecting tube 10 is moving up relative to the lower connecting member 50 the upper movable block 62 will bring the upper connecting member 40 to move upward 20 together, and the two frame tubes of the stroller coupled to the supports 90a-90f are moved toward each other to collapse the stroller. Then, after the lower engaging block 64 passes the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74, the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74 will be biased toward the connecting tube 10 and partially protruding out of the radial recess 54 of the lower connecting member 50 once again 25 by the compressed first and second resilient member 73 and 75.

When the collapsed stroller needs to be expanded for use, the user only needs to step on the step member 80 with his leg or push down the connecting tube 10 with his hand grapping the handle 20 to cause the connecting tube 10 to move downward, the two frame tubes of the stroller coupled with the supports 90a-90f are moved away 30 from each other to extend the stroller, and the upper movable block 62 and lower engaging block 64 are moved downward together into the lower connecting member 50. At this time, the tapered guide face 65 of the lower engaging block 64 is pressed against the slant face 76 of the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74 first and the first and second positioning block 72, 74 are gradually pushed back into the radial 35 recess 54 of the lower connecting member 50 to allow the lower engaging block 64 passing between the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74. Right after the lower engaging block 64 passing through, the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74 are immediately pushed toward each other by the compressed first and second resilient

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member 73 and 75 respectively and stick into the space between the upper movable block 62 and the lower engaging block 64 to achieve the locked state as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. In this locked state, the lower engaging block 64 is unable to move upward because of the obstruction of the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74, 5 and thus the connecting tube 10 is unable to move upward relative to the lower connecting member 50 and the stroller is locked in the expanded state.

Although the present invention has been described above according to the preferred embodiment thereof, this does not mean that the scope of the present invention is limited to specific structure described above. For instance, a second 10 embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 8 through 11. In this embodiment, the latch assembly 70 includes a latching wire 72' bent into a specific configuration, for example, the latching wire 72' is bent into a substantially U-shaped configuration in place of the first and second positioning blocks 72, 74 and the first and second resilient member 73 and 75 of the first embodiment described above. The 15 latching wire 72' includes two opposed holding portions 74' and two resilient latching portions 76' between the holding portions 74', wherein a distance between the two latching portion 76' is smaller than the outer diameter of the lower engaging block 64 as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In addition, the lower connecting member 50 is correspondingly modified to include two protruding portions 56 each radially inwardly 20 protruding from a diametrically opposed position of the peripheral wall of the central through hole 52 of the lower connecting member 50 to restrict the holding portions 74' within the lower connecting member 50 and hold the latching wire 72' in position. Further, in this embodiment, a slant face 66 is formed in an upper end of the lower engaging block 64 so as to cooperate with the tapered guide face 63 of the upper 25 movable block 62 while the upper movable block 62 is moved downward, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11.

In use, when the button 30 is pressed down by the user, the upper movable block 62 is accordingly moved downward to elastically expand the latching portions 76' of the latching wire 72' (as shown in Figs. 10 and 11) to achieve an unlocked state. At 30 this time, the user pulls the connecting tube 10 upward by grapping the handle 20 and pressing the button 30, the lower engaging block 64 may pass the latching wire 72 without any obstruction in its upward movement and the connecting tube 10 is moved upwardly relative to the lower connecting member 50 to collapse the stroller.

When the collapsed stroller is expanded for use, the user steps on the step 35 member 80 with his foot or push down the connecting tube 10 with his hand grapping the handle 20 to cause the connecting tube 10 to move downward and make the upper

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movable block 62 and the lower engaging block 64 moving into the lower connecting member 50. At this time, the tapered guide face 65 of the lower engaging block 64 is pressed against the latching portions 76' of the latching wire 72' and with the continuous downward movement of the lower engaging block 64 the latching wire 72' 5 will be elastically expanded to allow the lower engaging block 64 to pass through. Right after the lower engaging block 64 pass through, the latching portions 76' will return to their original configuration because of their resilient nature and engage into the space between the upper movable block 62 and the lower engaging block 64 to achieve the locked state as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. In this locked state, the lower 10 engaging block 64 is unable to move upward because of the obstruction of the latching portions 76' of the latching wire 72', and thus the connecting tube 10 is unable to move upward relative to the lower connecting member 50 and the stroller is locked in the expanded state.

It will be apparent to people skilled in this art that many modifications can be 15 made to the disclosed structures without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is the intent of the appended claims to cover all such variations and modifications as come within the sprit and scope of this invention.

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Claims

What We Claim is:

1. A safety device of a stroller having a frame convertible between an extended and a collapsed state, the safety device comprising:

a connecting tube having a handle provided at a first end thereof;

a button slidably received in the connecting tube and disposed such that it is operable from the handle of the connecting tube;

an upper connecting member coupled to the connecting tube;

a lower connecting member slidably coupled to the connecting tube below the upper connecting member;

a plurality of supports pivotally connecting the upper and lower connecting members to the frame of the stroller;

a latch assembly operably disposed in the lower connecting member; and a sliding block assembly mounted on the connecting tube and partially operably coupled to the button, the sliding blocking assembly having an engaging structure; wherein the sliding block assembly is further arranged such that when the frame is in the extended state, the engaging structure is engaged with the latch assembly to block the sliding movement of the connecting tube relative to the lower connecting member, and the sliding block assembly is disengaged from the latch assembly while operated the button and the connecting tube is slid relative to the lower connecting member to cause the frame to the collapsed state.

2. A safety device of a collapsible stroller according to claim 1, wherein the sliding block assembly comprises an engaging block fixedly mounted to the connecting tube and a movable block slidable mounted the connecting tube, the movable block is disposed above the engaging block in a distance and is coupled to the button so as to be operated by the button to slide along the connecting tube between an upper locking position and a lower unlocking position.

3. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 2, wherein the engaging structure comprises a gap between the engaging block and the movable block.

4. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 2, wherein the lower connecting member comprises a central through hole having a diameter through which the connecting tube and the sliding blocking assembly may pass, and a retaining structure for accommodating the latch assembly.

5. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 4 wherein the retaining structure includes a substantially radial recess formed in a peripheral wall of the

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central through hole and in communication with the central through hole.

6. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 5, wherein the latch assembly comprises a first positioning block disposed in the radial recess of the lower connecting member; a second positioning block disposed in the radial recess of the lower connecting member at a position diametrically oppose to the first positioning block; a first resilient member and a second resilient member disposed to respectively urge the first and second positioning blocks toward each other and allow them be operably moved between a locked position at which they protrude into the central through hole of the lower connecting member and an unlocked position at which they retract in the radial recess of the lower connecting member.

7. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 6, wherein the moving block and the engaging block of the sliding block assembly each has a lower portion that is formed with a tapered guiding surface, and the first and second positioning block each has a slant face formed at an upper end thereof to cooperate with the tapered lower portion of the moving block and the engaging block.

8. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 4, wherein the retaining structure comprises two diametrically opposed protruding portions radially inwardly protruding from the peripheral wall of the central through hole of the lower connecting member.

9. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 8, wherein the latch assembly comprises a latching wire bended into a specific configuration which has two opposed holding portions to restrict the protruding portions of the central through hole within the lower connecting member, and two resilient latching portions between the holding portions, wherein the resilient latching portions may resiliently deformed to engaging/disengaging with the engaging structure of the sliding block assembly.

10. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 1, wherein the connecting tube further comprises a step portion provided at a second end opposed to the first end of the connecting tube.

11. A safety device of a stroller according to claim 9, wherein the movable block and the engaging block each has a tapered guiding face formed at a lower portion thereof, and a recessed slant face is formed at an upper end face of the engaging block for cooperating with the tapered guiding face of the movable block.

12. A safety device of a stroller as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A safety of a stroller as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

a connecting tube having a handle provided at a first end thereof;

an upper connecting member coupled to the connecting tube;

2. A safety device of a collapsible stroller according to claim 1, wherein the sliding block assembly comprises an engaging block fixedly mounted to the connecting tube and a movable block slidable mounted the connecting tube, the movable block is disposed above the engaging block in a distance and is coupled to die button so as to be operated by the button to slide along die connecting tube between an upper locking position and a lower unlocking position.

central through hole and in communication with the central through hole.