Wheel orientation mechanism and buggy

Abstract

The invention relates to a wheel orientation mechanism and a buggy, and the wheel orientation mechanism comprises a locking part which is arranged at a wheel assembly of the buggy and is used for locking or unlocking a wheel; the traction part comprises a first end and a second end which are opposite to each other, the first end is connected with the locking part, and the second end is connected with a pivoting joint of the buggy; when the frame of the buggy is folded at the pivot joint, the traction part is loosened, so that the wheels are locked through the locking part; when the frame of the buggy is unfolded at the pivot joint, the traction part is tensioned, so that the wheels are unlocked through the locking part. According to the wheel orientation mechanism, the structure is simpler, the cost is effectively reduced, and the competitiveness of products is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a wheel orientation mechanism and a baby carriage including the wheel orientation mechanism. Background Art

[0002] Baby carriages can relieve the fatigue caused by holding a baby in arms for a long time and improve the comfort of people's lives. A baby carriage generally includes a frame part and a wheel part. In order to facilitate storage and carrying when not in use temporarily, the frame part of the baby carriage is usually configured to be foldable, so as to reduce the occupied volume when the baby carriage is stored.

[0003] However, existing baby carriages generally cannot be placed upright in a folded state, or are prone to tipping over due to the sliding of the wheels when placed upright; and if the folded baby carriage is placed flat, it still requires a relatively large storage space, resulting in inconvenience in use. Especially when storing temporarily for a short time, it will bring a lot of inconvenience if the folded baby carriage cannot be stably placed upright. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of the present application is to provide a wheel orientation mechanism that is convenient to use and has a simple structure, and a baby carriage including the wheel orientation mechanism.

[0005] To this end, according to one aspect of the present application, there is provided a wheel orientation mechanism, including: a locking part, disposed at a wheel assembly of the baby carriage for locking or unlocking the wheel; and a traction part, the traction part including opposite first and second ends, the first end being connected to the locking part, and the second end being connected to a pivot joint of the baby carriage; wherein, when the frame of the baby carriage is folded at the pivot joint, the traction part is relaxed to lock the wheel through the locking part; when the frame of the baby carriage is unfolded at the pivot joint, the traction part is tightened to unlock the wheel through the locking part.

[0006] According to an embodiment, the pivot joint is connected to the upper end of the rear foot.

[0007] According to an embodiment, the pivot joint includes an outer cover and a decorative cover disposed outside the outer cover, the second end of the traction part is fixed to the outer cover and is blocked by the decorative cover.

[0008] According to an embodiment, a fixing part and a guiding groove are disposed inside the outer cover, and after the traction part is guided by the guiding groove, the second end of the traction part is fixed to the fixing part.

[0009] According to an embodiment, the fixing part is a perforation, and the second end of the traction part passes through the perforation from the inside of the outer cover and is fixed.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the pivot joint includes a gear closing mechanism, and the gear closing mechanism includes: a first gear transmission part fixed to the rider part of the stroller, and a first chute is provided on the surface of the first gear transmission part; a second gear transmission part fixed to the front foot of the stroller, and a second chute and a guiding groove are provided on the surface of the second gear transmission part; a driving gear meshing with both the first gear transmission part and the second gear transmission part; a pin passing through the first chute and the second chute and exposed from the gear closing mechanism, wherein after the traction part is guided by the guiding groove, the second end of the traction part is fixed to the pin.

[0011] According to an embodiment, the driving gear includes a first gear set and a second gear set respectively provided on its two opposite surfaces, the first gear set meshes with the first gear transmission part, and the second gear set meshes with the second gear transmission part.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the locking part includes: an orientation pin, the first end of the traction part is connected to the orientation pin; a locking hole located in the wheel seat, when the traction part is slack, the orientation pin enters the locking hole, and when the traction part is tightened, the orientation pin leaves the locking hole.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the locking part further includes: an elastic reset member fixed between the orientation pin and the fixed seat of the locking part, when the stroller is unfolded, the elastic reset member is compressed; when the stroller is folded, the compressed state of the elastic reset member is released to push the orientation pin into the locking hole.

[0014] According to an embodiment, the locking part further includes: a rotating part, after the traction part is slack, the orientation pin pushes against the rotating part to rotate so that the locking hole is aligned with the orientation pin for locking.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the rotating part is a spiral surface provided on the end face of the wheel seat, and the locking hole is located at the lowest point of the spiral surface; or a step surface is provided between the lowest point of the spiral surface and the locking hole.

[0016] According to another solution of the present application, a stroller is provided, including: a frame, the frame includes a rider part, a front foot, and a rear foot, the rider part, the front foot, and the rear foot can pivotally close to each other and pivotally unfold away from each other at the pivot joint; a wheel assembly including a wheel and a wheel seat connecting the wheel to the front foot and the rear foot; and the wheel orientation mechanism as described above.

[0017] According to an embodiment, the front foot is tubular. After the traction part passes through the inside of the front foot and enters the pivot joint, the second end of the traction part is fixed to the outer cover of the pivot joint or the pin of the gear folding mechanism.

[0018] The wheel orientation mechanism according to the present application can automatically trigger an action when the baby carriage is folded, causing the wheel seat to rotate and lock the wheels (such as the front wheels), thereby avoiding interference between the wheels and the carriage frame, such as the crossbar of the carriage frame, which affects the folding of the carriage frame and making the folding of the baby carriage smoother. At the same time, the folded baby carriage can be stably in an upright state, facilitating temporary storage. When the baby carriage is in the unfolded state, the wheel orientation mechanism unlocks the wheels, enabling the wheels to rotate freely 360 degrees, facilitating the pushing of the baby carriage.

[0019] In addition, compared with the wheel orientation mechanism of the prior art, the wheel orientation mechanism according to the present application omits the driving part, thus having a simpler structure, effectively reducing costs, and improving the competitiveness of the product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The drawings are included herein to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated into this specification, forming a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention and, together with the following description, are used to explain the principles of the present invention.

[0021] In the drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a baby carriage in an unfolded state;

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic view showing a baby carriage in a folded state;

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic view showing the wheel orientation mechanism according to the present application, where the wheel orientation mechanism shown in the figure is in a state of unlocking the wheels;

[0025] Figure 4 is a schematic view showing the wheel orientation mechanism according to the present application, where the wheel orientation mechanism shown in the figure is in a state of locking the wheels;

[0026] Figure 5 is a schematic view showing the inner side of the outer cover of the pivot joint according to the present application;

[0027] Figure 6 is a schematic view showing the wheel orientation mechanism according to another embodiment of the present application; and

[0028] Figure 7 further shows Figure 6 an exploded schematic view of the gear folding mechanism in

[0029] List of reference numerals:

[0030] Baby carriage: 1

[0031] Frame 20

[0032] Front feet 22, rear feet 24, rider part 26

[0033] Wheel assembly 30

[0034] Wheel seat 32, wheel 34

[0035] Wheel orientation mechanism 10

[0036] Locking part 110

[0037] Orientation pin 112, elastic reset part 114

[0038] Fixed seat 115, locking hole 116

[0039] Traction part 120

[0040] First end 122, second end 124

[0041] Pivotal joint 40

[0042] Outer cover 42

[0043] Fixed part 422, guiding groove 424

[0044] Decorative cover 44

[0045] Gear closing mechanism 50

[0046] First gear transmission part 52

[0047] First sliding groove 521

[0048] Second gear transmission part 54

[0049] Second sliding groove 541, guiding groove 542

[0050] Drive gear 53

[0051] First gear set 532

[0052] Second gear set 534

[0053] Insert pin 58 Detailed implementation manners

[0054] In the following, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings. However, the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, but rather, the present disclosure will cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the embodiments.

[0055] In the following description, a baby carriage is taken as an example. However, the wheel orientation mechanism according to the present embodiment can also be applied to other baby equipment that requires locking of wheels, such as a baby dining chair, and can also be applied to other equipment such as a wheelchair for the disabled.

[0056] Refer to Figure 1 As shown in Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a baby carriage 1 in an unfolded state; the baby carriage 1 generally includes a wheel assembly 30 and a frame 20 provided on the wheel assembly 30. The frame 20 generally further includes a front foot 22, a rear foot 24, and a seat member 26. The front foot 22, the rear foot 24, and the seat member 26 of the baby carriage 1 are pivotally connected to each other at a pivot joint 40. Therefore, the front foot 22, the rear foot 24, and the seat member 26 can pivot away from each other so that the baby carriage 1 is in an unfolded state, or can pivot closer to each other so that the baby carriage 1 is in a folded state. In the present application, Figure 2 FIG. 2 shows the baby carriage 1 in a folded state. According to the embodiment shown in the figure, the pivot joint 40 is connected to the upper end of the rear foot 24.

[0057] The wheel assembly 30 of the baby carriage 1 generally includes wheels 34 and wheel seats 32 for connecting the wheels 34 to the front foot 22 and the rear foot 24. The baby carriage 1 is provided with two left and right front wheels and two left and right rear wheels. For convenience, in the following description and illustration, only one front wheel of the baby carriage is taken as an example for description.

[0058] According to the baby carriage 1 of the present application, a wheel orientation mechanism 10 is provided. Therefore, in the unfolded state of the baby carriage 1 (as Figure 1 shown in FIG. 1), the wheels 34 can rotate freely 360 degrees for easy pushing, while in the folded state of the baby carriage 1 (as Figure 2 shown in FIG. 2), the wheels 34 are locked so that the folded baby carriage 1 can stand upright stably and is convenient for temporary storage.

[0059] The following refers to Figure 3 and Figure 4 to illustrate the specific structure of the wheel orientation mechanism 10 of the present application. Figure 3 and Figure 4 are both schematic views showing the wheel orientation mechanism 10 according to the present application, wherein Figure 3 the wheel orientation mechanism 10 shown in FIG. 3 is in a state of unlocking the wheels 34, while Figure 4The wheel orientation mechanism 10 shown is in a state of locking the wheel 10. The wheel orientation mechanism 10 includes a locking portion 110 and a traction portion 120. The locking portion 110 is disposed at the wheel assembly 30 for locking the wheel 34 to prevent its free rotation or unlocking the wheel 34 to allow its free rotation. The traction portion 120 includes opposite first end 122 and second end 124. The first end 122 is connected to the locking portion 110, and the second end 124 is connected to the pivot joint 40 of the stroller 1. When the frame 20 of the stroller 1 is folded, the traction portion 120 is slack, the locking portion 110 locks the wheel 34, and when the wheel assembly 30 is rotated, the locking portion 110 will insert into the locking hole 16, so that the folded stroller 1 can stand upright stably and is convenient for storage. When the frame 20 of the stroller 1 is unfolded, the traction portion 120 is tightened, the locking portion 110 will unlock the wheel 34, and the wheel 34 can thus rotate freely for easy pushing.

[0060] Specifically, the locking portion 110 includes an orientation pin 112. The first end 122 of the traction portion 120 is connected to the orientation pin 112. The locking portion 110 further includes a locking hole 116, which is, for example, opened in the wheel seat 32. When the traction portion 120 is slack, the orientation pin 112 inserts into the locking hole 116 to lock the wheel 34, and when the traction portion 120 is tightened, the orientation pin 112 leaves the locking hole 116 to unlock the wheel 34. In addition, the locking portion 110 further includes an elastic reset member 114, such as a spring. The elastic reset member 114 is fixed between the orientation pin 112 and the fixed seat 115 of the locking portion 110, and is used to ensure that the orientation pin 112 inserts into the locking hole 116 to lock the wheel 34 by means of the elastic force of the elastic reset member 114 when the traction portion 120 is slack.

[0061] According to other embodiments of the present application, the locking portion 110 may further include a rotating portion (not shown in the figure). When the traction portion 120 is slack, the orientation pin 112 pushes downward against the rotating portion, so that after the wheel seat 32 together with the wheel 34 rotates by an angle, the orientation pin 112 enters the locking hole 116. As Figure 3 shown, the locking hole 116 is located at the left side position of the wheel seat 32 when the stroller 1 is unfolded, and when the stroller 1 is folded, as Figure 4 shown, the orientation pin 112 pushes downward against the rotating portion so that the locking hole 116 rotates together with the wheel 34 and the wheel seat 32, for example, 180 degrees and is located at Figure 4On the right side of the middle wheel seat 32, then, the positioning pin 112 enters the locking hole 116. Given the above structure, interference between the wheel and the frame, such as the crossbar of the frame, can be avoided, which affects the folding of the frame, making the folding of the stroller smoother. The rotating part can be, for example, a helical surface provided on the end face of the wheel seat 32, and the locking hole 116 is located at the lowest point of the helical surface; or a stepped surface is provided between the lowest point of the helical surface and the locking hole 116. The form of the rotating part is not limited to the above-exemplified situation, and other forms are also possible, as long as it can rotate based on the downward pushing of the positioning pin 112.

[0062] Referring Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the pivot joint 40 includes an outer cover 42. In this embodiment, the outer cover 42 is connected to the upper end of the rear leg 24, and a decorative cover 44 is further provided on the outer side of the outer cover 42. Product markings or other decorative patterns can be provided on the decorative cover 44. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The outer cover 42 after removing the decorative cover 44 is shown in, and in combination with reference Figure 5 As shown, the Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the inner side of the outer cover 42 of the pivot joint 40 according to the present application. A fixing part 422 and a guiding groove 424 are provided on the inner side of the outer cover 42. The traction part 120 can extend into the inner side of the outer cover 42. After being guided by the guiding groove 424, the second end 124 of the traction part 120 is fixed to the fixing part 422. According to the embodiment shown in the figure, the fixing part 422 is a perforation. The second end 124 of the traction part 120 passes through the perforation and is fixed, and then the decorative cover 44 is installed.

[0063] Of course, according to other embodiments not shown, the traction part 120 extends to the outer side of the outer cover 42, and the second end 124 of the traction part 120 is fixed to the outer side of the outer cover 42 and is blocked by the decorative cover 44.

[0064] Given the above structure, when the front leg 22, rear leg 24, and rider part 26 of the frame 20 pivot close to each other to fold the stroller 1, the traction part 120 will be relaxed. Under the elastic force of the elastic reset part 114 in the compressed state, the positioning pin 112 moves downward, pushes against the rotating part to rotate and enters the locking hole 116 to lock the wheel 34; when the front leg 22, rear leg 24, and rider part 26 pivot away from each other to unfold the stroller 1, the traction part 120 will be tightened, pulling the positioning pin 112 upward away from the locking hole 116 and compressing the elastic reset part 114. At this time, the wheel 32 is unlocked.

[0065] The following refers to Figure 6 and Figure 7 to describe the wheel orientation mechanism 10 according to another embodiment, where Figure 6FIG. 0 is a schematic view showing a wheel orientation mechanism 10 according to another embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 FIG. 1 further shows Figure 6 an exploded schematic view of the gear engagement mechanism in FIG. 1. Figure 6 and Figure 7 FIG. 2 shows a gear engagement mechanism 50, which includes a first gear transmission part 52 fixed to the rider part 26 of the stroller 1, a second gear transmission part 54 fixed to the front foot 22 of the stroller 1, a driving gear 53, and a pin 58. The driving gear 53 is, for example, a double-sided gear, and a first gear set 532 and a second gear set 534 are respectively provided on opposite surfaces thereof. The first gear set 532 meshes with the first gear transmission part 52, and the second gear set 534 meshes with the second gear transmission part 54. Thus, the rider part 26 and the front foot 22 can be simultaneously driven by the driving gear 53 to pivot and fold relative to the rear foot 24 respectively. A first chute 521 is provided on the surface of the first gear transmission part 52, a second chute 541 and a guiding groove 542 are provided on the surface of the second gear transmission part 54, and the pin 58 passes through the first chute 521 and the second chute 541 and then exposes from the gear engagement mechanism 50. Thus, the pivoting of the first gear transmission part 52 and the second gear transmission part 54 can be guided by the relative sliding of the pin 58 with the first chute 521 and the second chute 541 to assist the folding action.

[0066] The wheel orientation mechanism 10 according to this embodiment is different from the previous embodiment in that after being guided by the guiding groove 542, the second end 124 of the traction part 120 is fixed to the pin 58 of the above-mentioned gear engagement mechanism 50.

[0067] The structure of the locking part 110 according to this embodiment is exactly the same as the structure of the previous locking part 110, and will not be described in detail here.

[0068] The front foot 22 of the present application can be tubular. After the traction part 120 passes through the inside of the front foot 22 and enters the pivot joint 40, the second end 124 of the traction part 120 is fixed to the outer cover 42 of the pivot joint 40 or fixed to the pin 58 of the gear engagement mechanism 50.

[0069] Similarly, based on this embodiment, when the stroller 1 is folded, the traction part 120 will be relaxed. Under the elastic force of the elastic reset part 114 in the compressed state, the orientation pin 112 moves downward, rotates the wheel assembly 30, and the locking part 110 will insert into the locking hole 16 to lock the wheel 34; when the stroller 1 is unfolded, the traction part 120 will be tightened, pulling the orientation pin 112 upward away from the locking hole 116 and compressing the elastic reset part 114. At this time, the wheel 32 is unlocked.

[0070] Compared with the existing wheel orientation mechanisms, the wheel orientation mechanism 10 according to the present application eliminates the setting of the driving part, and directly fixes the second end 124 of the traction part 120 to the pivot joint 40 or the pin 58 of the gear closing mechanism 50, with a simpler structure, effectively reducing costs and improving the competitiveness of the product.

[0071] Since the features of the present invention can be embodied in many forms without departing from its characteristics, it should also be understood that the above embodiments are not limited to any details described above, unless otherwise specified, but should be broadly interpreted as falling within the scope defined by the appended claims. Therefore, all modifications and variations falling within the scope and boundaries of the claims or equivalent schemes of such scope and boundaries should be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wheel orientation mechanism, comprising: A locking part is provided at the wheel assembly of the baby stroller and is used to lock or release the wheel; as well as A traction portion, the traction portion comprising a first end and a second end opposite to each other, the first end being connected to the locking portion, and the second end being connected to a pivot joint of the baby carriage; When the frame of the baby stroller is folded at the pivot joint, the traction part is loosened to lock the wheel through the locking part; when the frame of the baby stroller is unfolded at the pivot joint, the traction part is tightened to release the wheel through the locking part.

2. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The pivot joint is connected to the upper end of the hind foot.

3. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The pivot joint comprises an outer cover and a decorative cover arranged outside the outer cover, and the second end of the traction part is fixed to the outer cover and is covered by the decorative cover.

4. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 3, wherein: A fixing portion and a guide groove are provided on the inner side of the outer cover. After the traction portion is guided by the guide groove, the second end of the traction portion is fixed to the fixing portion.

5. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 4, wherein: The fixing portion is a through hole, and the second end of the traction portion passes through the through hole from the inner side of the outer cover and is then fixed.

6. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 1, wherein: The pivot joint includes a gear folding mechanism, and the gear folding mechanism includes: A first gear transmission part is fixed to the handle of the baby carriage, and a first slide groove is arranged on the surface of the first gear transmission part; A second gear transmission part is fixed to the front foot of the baby carriage, and a second slide groove and a guide groove are arranged on the surface of the second gear transmission part; a driving gear meshing with both the first gear transmission portion and the second gear transmission portion; The latch passes through the first slide slot and the second slide slot and emerges from the gear folding mechanism. Wherein, after the traction portion is guided by the guide groove, the second end of the traction portion is fixed to the latch.

7. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 6, wherein: The driving gear includes a first gear set and a second gear set respectively disposed on two opposite surfaces thereof, the first gear set is meshed with the first gear transmission part, and the second gear set is meshed with the second gear transmission part.

8. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 3 or 6, wherein: The locking portion comprises: a directional pin, to which the first end of the traction portion is connected; A locking hole is located at the wheel seat, wherein the directional pin enters the locking hole when the traction portion is relaxed, and the directional pin leaves the locking hole when the traction portion is tightened.

9. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 8, wherein: The locking portion further comprises: An elastic return member is fixed between the directional pin and the fixing seat of the locking portion. When the baby stroller is unfolded, the elastic return member is compressed; when the baby stroller is folded, the compressed state of the elastic return member is released to push the directional pin to be inserted into the locking hole.

10. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 8, wherein: The locking portion further comprises: The rotating part, after the traction part is relaxed, the directional pin pushes against the rotating part and rotates so that the locking hole is aligned with the directional pin for locking.

11. The wheel orientation mechanism according to claim 10, wherein: The rotating part is a helical surface arranged on the end surface of the wheel seat, and the locking hole is located at the lowest point of the helical surface; or a step surface is arranged between the lowest point of the helical surface and the locking hole.

12. A baby carriage, comprising: A frame, the frame comprising a hand piece, a front foot, and a rear foot, wherein the hand piece, the front foot, and the rear foot can be pivoted and folded toward each other and pivoted and unfolded away from each other at a pivot joint; A wheel assembly, comprising a wheel and a wheel seat connecting the wheel to the front foot and the rear foot; as well as A wheel orientation mechanism as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The baby carriage according to claim 12, wherein: The front foot is tubular, and after the traction part passes through the interior of the front foot and enters the pivot joint, the second end of the traction part is fixed to the outer cover of the pivot joint or the latch of the gear folding mechanism.

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