Push chair

Abstract

A collapsible push chair (10) is provided, comprising: a central body (12) assembly extending substantially horizontally across the push chair and perpendicular to a normal direction of travel of the push chair (10); a handle assembly (26) connected to and extending from the central body (12); at least three wheel support legs (14, 16) rotatable about and extending from the central body (12), one or more wheel support legs (14) extending forward from the central body (12) and one or more wheel support legs (16) extending rearward from the central body (12) in a deployed state; the forwardly extending legs (14) and rearward extending legs (16) are coupled together such that they rotate in opposite directions about the central body (12) during folding or unfolding operations.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the patent application with application number 201980075819.5, application date September 18, 2019, and invention name “Push Chair”. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a push chair, in particular to a push chair with an improved folding mechanism. Background Art

[0003] Pushchairs are well known for transporting small children, and modern pushchairs are also used and adapted for carrying infants. In this application, the term pushchair is also intended to include pushchairs that are also commonly referred to as strollers or baby carriages, and is also intended to describe a system comprising a chassis to which a seat or a removable crib or other enclosure suitable for transporting an infant or small child can be added. One of the desirable features of a pushchair is that it can be folded into a compact size, making it easier to carry in a car or other mode of transportation, such as a bus, train, or airplane.

[0004] Many pushchairs are known that can be folded and stowed into a smaller size, most only folding into one or two dimensions. Many examples can be found in stores and are in common use.

[0005] US2014 / 0312599 describes a pushchair of the foldable type, in this case foldable into a backpack. The front legs are also foldable to help reduce the overall size.

[0006] DE 3147657 A (Mocking) describes an arrangement having a combination of rods connected to a main support structure to provide support, the rods being slidably connected to supports to ensure the correct relationship between the support rods. Summary of the Invention

[0007] A disadvantage of known pushchairs is that they usually only fold and are reduced in one or at most two dimensions. It is an object of the present invention to overcome at least some of the disadvantages of the known prior art by providing a pushchair that is foldable so that it is smaller in all three dimensions.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a foldable push chair is provided, comprising: a central body assembly which extends substantially horizontally across the push chair and perpendicular to the normal direction of travel of the push chair; a handle assembly which is connected to the central body and extends from the central body; at least three wheel support legs which are capable of rotating about the central body and extending from the central body, wherein in an unfolded state, one or more wheel support legs extend forwardly from the central body and one or more wheel support legs extend rearwardly from the central body; the forwardly and rearwardly extending legs are coupled together so that they rotate in opposite directions about the central body during a folding or unfolding operation.

[0009] As is well known, in many pushchairs the folding operation can be complicated and require careful manipulation of various components. The present invention provides a means of ensuring that the components, including the wheel support legs, can be folded and unfolded easily and smoothly.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, the push chair is configured such that at least one forwardly extending leg and at least one rearwardly extending leg are connected together via a transmission system.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, in a push chair, a transmission system connecting the forwardly extending legs and the rearwardly extending legs includes a main shaft, a secondary shaft, and an idler shaft, all of which are mounted with spur gears.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, in the push chair, the transmission system connecting the forwardly extending leg and the rearwardly extending leg includes a planetary gear transmission system.

[0013] A particular advantage of using a transmission system to connect the forward-extending wheel support leg and the rearward-extending wheel support leg is that it enables controlled and smooth rotation of the wheel support leg and avoids the need for slide bars and other supports that could pinch or snag a user's fingers, clothing, or other items. It also provides a more compact and smaller design than would otherwise be possible.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the push chair further includes a shaft extending through the central body assembly and having a longitudinal axis coincident with the axis extending through the central body assembly, the forwardly extending wheel support legs and the rearwardly extending wheel support legs being mounted on the shaft.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, the push chair further comprises two forwardly extending legs or two rearwardly extending legs, each of the forwardly extending legs or the rearwardly extending legs being mounted on the shaft so that a plane of rotation of the legs about the axis is not perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, and so that in the folded state, the distal ends of the wheel supporting legs are closer together than in the unfolded state.

[0016] By mounting the wheel support legs on the axle so as to ensure that they do not rotate in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the axle, but rather rotate at an angle thereto, it is possible to rotate either the rearwardly extending legs or the forwardly extending legs in the folded position so that the distance between the legs is less than in the unfolded state, thereby providing a pushchair which folds more compactly in all three dimensions than other known products.

[0017] According to another aspect of the present invention, the push chair is provided with two forward-extending legs or two rearward-extending legs, which are firmly mounted on a shaft capable of rotating about an axis and rotating together in the same direction; the rearward-extending leg or the other of the forward-extending legs is mounted on a second shaft coaxial with the shaft, and the shaft and the second shaft are connected by a gear device so that the forward-extending leg and the rearward-extending leg rotate in opposite directions during the folding or unfolding operation.

[0018] According to another aspect of the invention, a push chair according to any one of the preceding claims has two forwardly extending legs and two rearwardly extending legs.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a push chair is provided, wherein the shaft is hinged in the central area of ​​the central body assembly, each arm of the shaft extends from the central area of ​​the central body assembly to the outside of the central body assembly and is inclined to the horizontal to form a "V" shape, and each arm supports a forward extending leg and a rearward extending leg.

[0020] The use of an articulated axle having a "V" shape that hinges in the central region of the central body assembly enables the axle to be articulated and the wheel support legs to be mounted on the axle in such a way that when folded they are more compact than conventional arrangements.

[0021] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a push chair having an articulated shaft wherein the articulation between the two parts of the shaft is performed by a universal joint or a transmission system, or an elastomeric connector fixed to each shaft or a braided metal mesh of tubular construction.

[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, the pushchair has a transmission system which is mounted on at least one arm of the shaft towards the distal end of the dorsal articulated connection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0024] Figures 1a to 1d There is shown a push chair assembly according to the present invention in its deployed state;

[0025] Figure 2 The wheel and center folding axle assembly are shown in their deployed state;

[0026] Figure 3a and Figure 3b shows how the pushchair folds around a central axis;

[0027] Figure 4a shows a perspective view of a folding push chair; Figure 4b shows a plan view of a folding push chair; Figure 4c A view of the chassis of the push chair in the deployed position is shown from the front; Figure 4d A plan view of the folding chassis is shown;

[0028] Figure 5 A view showing a drive arrangement for ensuring folding of the components in a push chair;

[0029] Figure 5a shows various means by which a pair of shafts extending along a central axis may be coupled together;

[0030] Figure 6 Shown Figure 5 A more detailed view of the transmission;

[0031] Figure 7a 、 Figure 7b and Figure 7c Another transmission arrangement of the folding mechanism is shown;

[0032] Figure 8 An example of a push chair using only three legs and wheels is shown;

[0033] Figures 9a to 9c Shown Figure 8 Alternative arrangements for the chassis of the pushchair;

[0034] Figure 10 The chassis of FIG. 9 is shown folded into a compact folded configuration;

[0035] Figure 11 shows a plan view of the chassis of FIG9 ;

[0036] Figures 12a to 12c The arrangement of the folding handle assembly of the present invention is shown.

[0037] Figure 13 An arrangement of a pushchair chassis with a linear chassis and three wheels is shown.

[0038] Figure 14 Shown Figure 13 The folding form of the three-wheeled linear chassis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to each of the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Figure 1a A pushchair according to the invention is shown in an unfolded state. Figure 1b The backrest of the seat part is shown in a semi-reclined position. Figure 1c and Figure 1d1 and 2 show different side views of a push chair. Push chair 10 includes a central chassis assembly 12, forwardly extending legs 14 and rearwardly extending legs 16, and a handle 26, each mounted on central chassis assembly 12. The forwardly extending legs and rearwardly extending legs are rotatable about an axis 12a extending through the central chassis assembly. A seat assembly 28 is mounted on handle 26 by a seat mounting assembly 30. As can be seen, the seat will normally be in a substantially upright position, but may be at least partially reclined, as shown. Figure 1b As shown in .

[0041] Figure 2 The center chassis assembly 12 is shown, clearly showing a "V" shape extending across the chassis in a direction generally perpendicular to the normal direction of travel. A forward-extending leg 14 and a rearward-extending leg 16 extend from a first arm of the V-shaped member, while a second forward-extending leg 14 and a second rearward-extending leg 16 extend from a second arm of the V-shaped member. For convenience and to aid in the clarity of the drawings, the handle portion, including the handle 26, which would be mounted on each arm of the V-shaped member of the center chassis assembly 12 to facilitate pushing and maneuvering the pushchair, is not shown.

[0042] At the distal end of the forward-extending legs 14 is a front wheel assembly 18, and at the distal end of the rearward-extending legs 16 is a rear wheel assembly 20. The rear wheel assembly is generally arranged so that the rear wheels 24 can rotate about a generally horizontal axis. The front wheel assembly 18 includes front wheels 22 that can rotate about a normally horizontal axis and are additionally arranged so that they can rotate about a generally vertical axis, thereby providing potential steering capability to increase the maneuverability of the pushchair.

[0043] A particular advantage of mounting the wheel support legs on a V-shaped chassis is that the pushchair assembly can be folded into a smaller volume than other known arrangements without compromising the strength or utility of the unfolded pushchair. More particularly, it enables the pushchair of the present invention to be smaller in all three dimensions when folded compared to its unfolded state, thereby making it easier to store or transport than similar designs in which the central chassis extends only in a straight line.

[0044] Figure 3a One arm of the V-shaped center chassis is shown with the forwardly extending legs 14 and the rearwardly extending legs 16 in the deployed position. Figure 3b It is shown how the two legs can be rotated about axis 12a to fold and form a compact folding arrangement.

[0045] Figure 4a A perspective view of a folding pushchair is shown, which can be seen to have particularly compact dimensions. Figure 4b A plan view of a folding pushchair is shown. Figure 4c The pushchair chassis is shown in the unfolded state from the front view; and Figure 4d Shows a plan view of the folding pushchair chassis. Figure 4c As can be seen from the dashed lines extending to the outer tracks of the rear wheels in Figure 4D, the width of the folding pushchair in the folded position is significantly less than that in the deployed position. The forwardly extending legs 14 and the rearwardly extending legs 16 are mounted on bearing arrangements that enable them to rotate about axis 12a and thereby move between the folded and deployed positions, as described in more detail below.

[0046] In order to ensure that the pushchair folds neatly and uniformly, the forwardly extending legs 14 and the rearwardly extending legs 16 are connected together by a transmission to ensure that they rotate synchronously.

[0047] In other known foldable pushchairs, the folding assembly and mechanism relies on wheel support legs and other support arms or cross support arms that are connected together by a linkage mechanism that is engaged by pivotable and / or slidable connections to maintain the relative positions between the various arms and legs. This complex connection between the arms and legs requires careful operation, and users have found that the user's fingers or other objects can become stuck or pinched in the sliding or pivoting components. This is most inconvenient if the item that becomes pinched is a finger or other part of the user's body, and at worse, it can be painful and cause injury. A particular advantage of the present invention is that the folding mechanism does not use or rely on one or more sliding arms or pivoting components to assist in folding the forward extending legs or the rearward extending legs, and no such sliding arrangement is required to maintain the strength and structural integrity of the pushchair according to the present invention.

[0048] Figure 5 There is shown an expanded view of the transmission arrangement in a pushchair for ensuring the folding or unfolding operation of the pushchair. In this particular drawing, the arrangement includes a planetary gear assembly, the detailed construction and operation of which are described below. The figure shows the arrangement on one arm of a V-shaped chassis, the same type of arrangement may be used on the other arm but is not shown for simplicity. Each arm of the chassis defines an axis of rotation 12a for a forwardly extending leg 14 and a rearwardly extending leg 16. A shaft 50 extends along the axis 12a. The shaft 50 is connected to a corresponding shaft in the other arm of the V-shaped member by a universal joint or universal rotary coupling 52. Although a universal rotary coupling is a convenient and well-known means of connecting two shafts in the chassis arms, other means may also be used and are contemplated. Figure 5aThe universal joint is shown replaced by a pair of simple bevel gears 51, each mounted on one of the shafts 50, with the gears engaging to ensure coupled rotation of the shafts. Other examples of couplings could be made of any of a flexible elastomeric material, a device similar in construction to a constant velocity joint in an automobile, or a tube made of woven metal mesh capable of transmitting torque. The forward-extending leg 14 has a hub portion 54, which includes the leg's end and is rotatably mounted on the shaft 50 extending through the center chassis 12. Hub 54 is provided with internal spur gear teeth 58, which comprise the ring gear of the gear assembly. An internal chassis 60 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 50. Planetary gears 62 are mounted on the internal chassis so that they engage with the spur gear teeth of the ring gear 58. The rearward-extending leg 16 also has a hub portion 56, which is mounted on the shaft 50 of the chassis 12. The hub portion 56 is provided with a set of outwardly facing spur gear teeth 64 comprising the sun gear portion of the gear train which engages with the planetary gears 62. The inner chassis 60 includes tongues 61 extending therefrom in a plane substantially parallel to the axis 12a which engage in slots 63, 65 in the hubs 54 and 56 respectively, thereby limiting rotation of the inner chassis relative to the hubs.

[0049] As will be apparent, when assembled, the forward-extending leg and the rearward-extending leg are connected by a planetary gear train so that when the pushchair is folded, the two legs will rotate in opposite directions when folding or unfolding the pushchair. A cover unit 66 is provided on the end shaft 50 to protect the gear assembly. Preferably, the cover unit also provides a hub for mounting the handle 26 (not shown) extending therefrom.

[0050] A further improvement to the pushchair is provided by the addition of a spring 68, which can be used to assist in either folding or unfolding the pushchair, depending on the selected configuration. In this embodiment, the spring is a coil spring, wherein the central axis of the coil spring is parallel to axis 12a, if not coaxial with axis 12a. Spring 68 has ends or arms 70, 72, each extending tangentially from the central axis of the coil spring to provide a stabilizing or mounting arm. One of arms 70 engages a retaining block 74 in hub 56, while the other arm 72 engages a retaining slot or hole 76 in cover assembly 66.

[0051] Figure 6 A close up view of a partially assembled planetary gear assembly is shown with the inner chassis 60 positioned inside the hub 54 and the planet gears 62 engaged with the ring gear 58 .

[0052] Figures 7a to 7c An alternative form of gear assembly is shown in .

[0053] Figure 7aA cross-sectional view of an assembly using an alternative transmission arrangement including a mainshaft and countershaft arrangement is shown. This type of gear system is commonly found in many applications, such as automotive transmissions or transfer cases. In this case, a mainshaft 80 extends along a line defined by the central axis 12a. A spur gear 82 is mounted on mainshaft 80 and is fixed to, or forms an integral part of, the hub portion 54 of the forward-extending leg 14. Spur gear 82, in turn, engages with a countershaft gear 84, which is mounted on a countershaft 86 (also referred to as an intermediate shaft), which is supported in a countershaft chassis 88. Countershaft 86 is supported by and extends through chassis 88 and includes a second countershaft spur gear 90, which in turn engages with an idler gear 92 on an idler shaft (not separately shown). The idler shaft is also supported in the countershaft chassis. A second idler gear 93 is also mounted on the idler shaft and engages with a second spur gear 94, which is connected to the hub 56 of the rearward-extending leg 16. With this arrangement, rotation of the forward-extending leg 14 causes the layshaft gear 84 to rotate about its axis in the opposite direction of the rotating leg. This motion is transmitted through the layshaft and any gears mounted thereon to the idler gears 92 and 93, causing the idler gears to rotate in the opposite direction. Idler gear 93, in turn, engages a second spur gear 94 in the hub 56 of the rearward-extending leg 16, thereby causing it to rotate in the opposite direction of the idler gear's rotation. By using a transmission system, rotation of one wheel support leg in one direction causes the other wheel support leg to rotate in the opposite direction.

[0054] Advantageously, the forwardly extending legs and the rearwardly extending legs are co-axial so that the chassis presents a very compact arrangement when folded.

[0055] For construction purposes, convenience and the builder's preference is provided as to whether the main shaft is connected to the hub of the forward extending leg or the rearward extending leg, and which gear is connected to the idler gear; the operation and result are the same.

[0056] Figure 7b The operation is shown in greater detail and on a larger scale.

[0057] Figure 7c The design is shown without the support chassis 88. In this case, the layshaft 86 and the second layshaft gear 90 can be clearly seen. The arrangement of the idler gears 92 and 93 and their shafts can also be clearly seen.

[0058] To ensure that the forward extending legs and the rearward extending legs on each side of the push chair rotate in the same direction and at the same rate, shaft 50 (or shaft 80) extends through the central area of ​​the chassis and the two forward extending legs are firmly mounted on the shaft, while the rearward extending legs are rotatably mounted on the shaft and driven by a transmission system so as to rotate in the opposite direction to the forward extending legs; or the rearward extending legs are firmly mounted on the shaft, while the forward extending legs are rotatably mounted on the shaft and driven by a gear system so as to rotate in the opposite direction to the rearward extending legs.

[0059] The concept of a single center chassis with forward extending legs and rearward extending legs can also be applied to vehicles such as Figure 8 The three-wheeled pushchair shown. In this example of embodiment, the pushchair has one forward-extending leg and two rearward-extending legs. The reference numerals of the other components are the same as those used in the previous description.

[0060] Figure 9a An example of a separate three-wheel chassis is shown, without handles and seat mountings, and Figure 10 The three-wheeled pushchair chassis is shown in a partially folded position.

[0061] Figure 9b and Figure 9c An alternative way of connecting the shafts 50 together is shown so that they all rotate in the same direction simultaneously. Figure 9b An alternative gear system is shown that includes a separate support chassis 130. Bevel gears at the end of each shaft 50 engage with a tapered idler 132 mounted on an idler shaft 134 in the support chassis. This arrangement is particularly suitable if a three-wheel design is selected. In this case, the center wheel support leg can be mounted on an idler shaft 134 in the support chassis 132. Figure 9c Shown Figure 9b 13. A perspective view of the center wheel support leg and wheel assembly is shown for clarity. As will be apparent from the figure, the center wheel support leg can be mounted on axle 134 so that it rotates with the axle. This configuration ensures that the center wheel support leg will rotate in the opposite direction to the rearwardly extending legs 16.

[0062] Figure 10 A perspective side view showing a folded arrangement of a three wheel design.

[0063] Figure 11 A plan view of the folded arrangement of the three-wheel design is shown.

[0064] Figures 12a to 12cAs can be seen from these figures, the handle assembly is provided with a plurality of hinge points, which enable it to be folded into a smaller size, in particular a narrower width, than the unfolded pushchair. Figure 12a The handle is shown in the fully extended position. Figure 12b shows the intermediate folded position, while Figure 12c A second intermediate folded position is shown.

[0065] exist Figure 12a In FIG, the hinge 150 enables the handle to extend over the top of the push chair and can be seen extending to keep the handle in the normally open position. Figure 12b , it can be seen that as the side handle members 154 are rotated inward as shown, the hinged assembly rotates the handle into a more compact configuration. Additionally, the height of the handle can be reduced. The upper handle arm 156 is arranged to telescopically nest with the lower handle arm 158, so that during the folding process, the upper portion 156 slides into the lower portion 158. The reverse operation occurs during deployment. Many different detailed arrangements are contemplated for slidably engaging the upper and lower portions to reduce the height of the handle assembly and to lock it in place in one or both of the upper and lower positions.

[0066] A locking arrangement may be incorporated into the handle assembly to ensure it remains in its folded or unfolded state.

[0067] Figure 13 Another alternative embodiment is shown in which the V-shaped chassis is replaced by a linear chassis with a single linear axis. This makes the drive system more adaptable to three-legged variations and eliminates the need for a universal joint in the chassis since a straight axle can be used. In this illustration, the handle and seat assembly are not shown for convenience, but can be attached as shown in other embodiments. Although the figure only shows a three-wheeled chassis, it will be apparent that it could easily be adapted to a four-wheeled design. The forward-extending legs would each be mounted on one of a pair of coaxial axles, while the rearward-extending legs would be mounted on the other of the coaxial axles, these being connected together by a drive mechanism of the type described above to ensure that the legs rotate in opposite directions during folding and unfolding operations. This configuration is particularly well suited to a planetary gear drive system, which would allow for a particularly compact design.

[0068] Figure 14 Shown folded into a compact size Figure 13To ensure the compact size of the folding pushchair, the rearwardly extending legs can be mounted on the chassis so that the plane of rotation of the legs is not perpendicular to the axis of the central axis 12a. If mounted in this way, the legs do not extend perpendicularly from the axis 12 but splay outwards at an angle to the axis so that in the extended position the distance between the wheels is greater than when they are folded, as in Figure 13 As can be seen in Figure 14 As shown in FIG, when the legs are rotated and folded, it can be seen that the folded size of the pushchair is smaller than the unfolded state.

[0069] In the straight center chassis embodiment, no universal coupling or other device is required to connect each arm of the "V". A single main shaft can then be used, extending across the entire width of the chassis, with the two forward extending legs fixedly mounted on the main shaft, or the two rearward extending legs fixedly mounted on the main shaft, with the other of the two legs rotatably driven by the above-mentioned gear system to rotate in the opposite direction.

[0070] In a further alternative example of the invention, it is possible to have only one set of gears located in a portion of the chassis and connected to the legs, with rotation of each leg being achieved by coupling each of two coaxial shafts to the appropriate wheel support leg.

[0071] In order to enable the push chair to be folded in three dimensions, it is also desirable that the handle assembly can also be folded to be narrower than the push chair.

Claims

1. A foldable pushchair comprising: a central body assembly extending generally horizontally across the push chair and perpendicular to the normal direction of travel of the push chair; a handle assembly connected to and extending from the center body; at least three wheel support legs rotatable about the central body and extending from the central body, wherein in a deployed state, one or more wheel support legs extend forwardly from the central body and one or more wheel support legs extend rearwardly from the central body; The forwardly extending legs and the rearwardly extending legs are coupled together so that they rotate in opposite directions about the central body during a folding or unfolding operation.

2. The push chair according to claim 1, wherein the forwardly extending leg and the rearwardly extending leg are connected together by a transmission system.

3. The push chair of claim 2, wherein the transmission system comprises spur gears mounted on the main shaft, the counter shaft and the idler shaft.

4. The push chair of claim 2, wherein the transmission system comprises a planetary gear transmission system.

5. A pushchair as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there are two rearwardly extending wheel support legs.

6. A push chair according to claim 5, wherein the rearwardly extending legs are mounted on the central axis so that a plane of rotation about the central axis is not perpendicular to the central axis and so that in the folded state the distal ends of the wheel support legs are closer together than in the unfolded state.

7. The push chair of claim 5 , wherein the forwardly extending legs are mounted on the central axis so that a plane of rotation about the central axis is not perpendicular to the central axis and so that in the folded state the distal ends of the wheel support legs are closer together than in the unfolded state.

8. The push chair according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the two forward extending legs or the two rearward extending legs are firmly mounted on a main shaft capable of rotating around the central axis, the legs mounted on the main shaft rotate together in the same direction, and the other of the rearward extending legs or the forward extending legs is mounted on a second shaft coaxial with the main shaft, the main shaft and the second coaxial shaft are connected by a gear device, so that the forward extending legs and the rearward extending legs rotate in opposite directions during folding or unfolding operations.

9. A push chair as claimed in any preceding claim having two forwardly extending legs and two rearwardly extending legs.

10. The push chair of claim 8, wherein the central axis is V-shaped, each arm of the V-shaped member includes a shaft supporting a forwardly extending leg and a rearwardly extending leg, and the two shafts in the arms of the V-shaped member are coupled together.

11. The push chair of claim 10 , wherein the shaft is hinged in a central region of the central body assembly, each arm of the shaft extending from the central region of the central body assembly to the exterior of the central body assembly and inclined to the horizontal to form a “V” shape, each arm supporting a forwardly extending leg and a rearwardly extending leg.

12. The pushchair of claim 11, wherein the connection is made by a universal joint.

13. The push chair of claim 11, wherein the connection is made via a transmission system.

14. The push chair of claim 11, wherein the connection is made by an elastic connector fixed to each shaft.

15. The push chair of claim 11, wherein the connection is made by a braided metal mesh secured to the tubular construction of each shaft.

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