Child-care apparatus with wheels

Abstract

To provide a wheeled child-care device capable of surely preventing a wire from being twisted.SOLUTION: The wheeled child-care device includes legs (11), a caster mechanism (20), and a brake mechanism (50) provided for stopping the rotation of each of a pair of wheels (40) and including a pair of lock members (70), an operation member, and a connection member (80) connecting them. The connecting member (80) includes a pair of moving members (84) moved by the operation of the operating member, an elongated member (81) connecting the operating member and the moving members (84), and a pair of driven members (90) rotatably provided to the moving members (84) and following the movement of the moving members (84). The lock member (70) is connected to the driven member (90) and is provided to be displaceable between the engagement position and the non-engagement position in conjunction with the movement of the driven member (90).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a wheeled childcare implement, and more particularly to a wheeled childcare implement having a pair of wheels spaced apart from each other in the width direction. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, strollers that employ so-called simultaneous left and right brakes, which allow the brakes to be applied simultaneously to a pair of casters aligned in the width direction by operating a single operating member, have been known. For strollers employing such casters, a technique has been proposed that applies the brakes to the wheels while still allowing the casters to swivel, as described below.

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2015-202808 (Patent Document 1) discloses that a pair of casters is each provided with a brake member, and that the brake members are connected via a wire and an intermediate member to an operating member provided on a cross member, so that by operating the operating member, the pair of casters can be braked simultaneously, and that the brake members are rotatably provided relative to the intermediate member, thereby preventing twisting of the wire.

[0004] JP 2023-548806 A (Patent Document 2) discloses that a pair of wheels are each provided with a locking member, and that the locking members are connected to an operating member by a first cable and a second wire that is rotatably arranged through the first wire, and that by operating the operating member, brakes can be applied to the pair of wheels simultaneously, and that twisting of the wires is prevented by the second wire being rotatably arranged through the first wire. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-202808 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2023-548806 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As mentioned above, both Patent Documents 1 and 2 are about casters, and are designed to prevent the wire from twisting even when the caster rotates. However, in conventional childcare equipment with wheels, friction occurs between parts, causing the wire to twist as the caster rotates.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a childcare implement with wheels that can reliably prevent twisting of the wires. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] For this purpose, one aspect of the present invention provides a wheeled childcare device comprising a main frame including a pair of legs spaced apart from each other in the width direction, a pair of arm members whose upper ends are rotatably held by the lower ends of the pair of legs via a pair of pivot shafts, a pair of wheels rotatably supported by the lower ends of the pair of arm members via a pair of axles, a pair of locking members provided to stop the rotation of each of the pair of wheels and displaceable between an engagement position in which they engage with the pair of wheels and a non-engagement position in which they do not engage with the pair of wheels, an operating member for operating the pair of locking members from their non-engagement position to the engagement position, and a brake mechanism including a connecting member connecting the operating member to the pair of locking members, and the brake mechanism is configured to be able to perform braking operation and maintain the braked state without being interfered with by the rotational movement of the pair of arm members.

[0009] Preferably, the arm member includes a guide portion that is an elongated hole, and the locking member is provided so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the guide portion.

[0010] Preferably, the guide portion is provided on a straight line connecting the rotation axis and the wheel shaft.

[0011] Preferably, the connecting member has a pair of moving members that move by operating the operating member, an elongated member that connects the operating member and the pair of moving members, and a pair of driven members that move in accordance with the movement of the pair of moving members.

[0012] Preferably, the locking member has a locking pin received in the guide portion, and a shaft portion extending in the longitudinal direction from the locking pin and provided rotatably relative to the driven member.

[0013] Preferably, the shaft of the locking member and the rotation axis of the arm member extend substantially parallel to each other.

[0014] Preferably, the device further includes an arm biasing mechanism that biases the lower ends of the pair of arm members in a direction toward the ground.

[0015] Preferably, the arm biasing mechanism is an elastic body provided between the leg portion and the arm portion.

[0016] Preferably, the connecting member further includes a pair of second biasing members for biasing the pair of moving members in a direction that moves the pair of locking members toward the disengaged position.

[0017] Another aspect of the present invention provides a wheeled childcare device comprising: a main frame including a pair of legs spaced apart in the width direction; a pair of caster holding members attached to the lower ends of the pair of legs; and a pair of caster rotation members rotatably held by the pair of caster holding members about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction and supporting the pair of wheels, thereby enabling the wheels to rotate; a pair of locking members provided to stop the rotation of the pair of wheels and movable between an engagement position in which they engage with the wheels and a disengagement position in which they do not engage with the wheels; an operating member for operating the pair of locking members from their disengagement position to the engagement position; and a brake mechanism including a connecting member connecting the operating members and the locking members; the connecting member having a pair of movable members that move by operating the operating member, an elongated member connecting the operating member and the movable members, and a pair of driven members rotatably attached to the movable members and that follow the movement of the movable members; the locking member connected to the driven member and movable between the engagement position and the disengagement position in conjunction with the movement of the driven member.

[0018] Preferably, the driven member has a rotating member rotatably provided relative to the moving member, a vertically moving member movable up and down together with the rotating member, and a first biasing member biasing the vertically moving member upward relative to the rotating member.

[0019] Preferably, the driven member is provided with a lock support portion that supports the shaft portion of the locking member, and has a rotating member that is rotatable relative to the moving member, and a first biasing member that biases the locking member in a direction toward the engagement position.

[0020] Preferably, the elongate member passes through the pivot axis of the caster mechanism.

[0021] Preferably, the connecting member further includes a pair of second biasing members for biasing the pair of moving members in a direction that moves the pair of locking members toward the disengaged position.

[0022] Preferably, the locking member has a locking pin that is displaceable between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to the wheel, and a shaft portion that extends in the longitudinal direction from the locking pin and is provided rotatably with respect to the driven member.

[0023] Preferably, the shafts of the moving member, the driven member and the locking member pass through the pivot axis of the caster mechanism.

[0024] A wheeled childcare device according to yet another aspect of the present invention comprises a main frame including a pair of legs spaced apart in the width direction, a pair of caster holding members attached to the lower ends of the pair of legs, and a pair of caster rotation members rotatably held by the pair of caster holding members around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction and supporting the pair of wheels, thereby enabling the wheels to rotate, a pair of locking members provided to stop the rotation of the pair of wheels and displaceable between an engagement position in which they engage with the wheels and a disengagement position in which they do not engage with the wheels, an operating member for operating the pair of locking members from their engagement position to the disengagement position, and a brake mechanism including a connecting member connecting the operating members to the locking members, wherein the connecting member has a long member passing through a position different from the rotation axis of the caster mechanism, a pair of moving members connected to the long member and moved by operating the operating member, and a pair of driven members rotatably attached to the pair of moving members and provided with lock support portions that support the shaft portions of the pair of locking members.

[0025] Preferably, the driven member follows the vertical movement of the moving member.

[0026] Preferably, the driven member has a rotating member that is rotatable relative to the moving member and that is provided with a lock support portion that supports the shaft portion of the locking member, and a first biasing member that biases the shaft portion in a direction that moves the locking member toward the engagement position.

[0027] Preferably, the pivot member rotates with the caster pivot member.

[0028] Preferably, the shaft of the locking member is provided at a position offset from the swivel axis of the caster mechanism.

[0029] Preferably, the lock support portion of the rotating member protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the caster holding member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0030] According to the childcare implement with wheels of the present invention, the brake state can be reliably maintained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a wheeled childcare implement according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the periphery of the brake mechanism according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the periphery of a brake mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are perspective views of an operating member according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows the operating member in a traveling state, and FIG. 1B shows the operating member in a braking state. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the transition from a running state to a braking state, in which (A) shows the running state, (B) shows the intermediate state from the running state to the braking state, and (C) shows the braking state. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a state in which a load is applied to the main body frame while the vehicle is moving, where (A) shows the state in which the vehicle is moving and (B) shows the state in which a load is applied. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the state in which a load is applied to the main body frame in the brake state, where (A) shows the brake state and (B) shows the state in which a load is applied. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view of the periphery of a brake mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the periphery of a brake mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the periphery of a brake mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the transition from a running state to a braking state, in which (A) shows the running state, (B) shows the intermediate state from the running state to the braking state, and (C) shows the braking state. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing a state in which a load is applied to the main body frame while the vehicle is moving, where (A) shows the state in which the vehicle is moving and (B) shows the state in which a load is applied. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the state in which a load is applied to the main body frame in the brake state, where (A) shows the brake state and (B) shows the state in which a load is applied. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are cross-sectional views of a portion of a brake mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a running state and (B) shows a braking state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts and will not be described repeatedly.

[0033] First, the general structure of a stroller according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. As shown in Figure 1 in particular, the wheeled childcare equipment according to this embodiment is typically a stroller 1, which generally comprises a main body frame 10, a pair of caster mechanisms 20, a pair of arm members 30, and a pair of wheels 40. Arrow A1 in Figure 1 indicates the direction of travel of stroller 1, and arrow A2 indicates the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel, which is also referred to as the width direction or left-right direction.

[0034] In the following description, the wheeled childcare equipment will be described as a stroller as an example, but it may be any childcare equipment that has multiple wheels 40 at the bottom end of the main frame 10, such as a baby stroller, childcare chair, or tricycle.

[0035] 1, the main body frame 10 includes a pair of legs 11a, 11a spaced apart from each other in the width direction, and a cross member 12 spanning between the pair of legs 11a, 11a. The main body frame 10 is typically a leg, but may be any member that constitutes the framework of the childcare equipment.

[0036] The pair of caster mechanisms 20a, 20b are configured to turn the wheels 40a, 40b into caster wheels. The pair of caster mechanisms 20a, 20b are provided at the lower ends of the pair of legs 11a, 11b, respectively. Since it was necessary to distinguish between the left and right of the leg 11, the caster mechanism 20, and the wheel 40, the right side as viewed from the rear side has been referred to as the leg 11a, the caster mechanism 20a, and the wheel 40a, and the left side as viewed from the rear side has been referred to as the leg 11b, the caster mechanism 20b, and the wheel 40b. However, when it is not necessary to distinguish between the left and right, they will simply be referred to as the leg 11, the caster mechanism 20, and the wheel 40.

[0037] The caster mechanism 20 enables the wheels 40 to turn (change direction), and includes caster holding members 21 fixed to the lower ends of the legs 11, and caster rotation members 25 arranged below the pair of caster holding members 21. The caster holding members 21 include a vertical portion extending in the extension direction of the legs 11, and a horizontal portion that is disposed perpendicular to the vertical portion and extends in the extension direction of the cross member 12. Both the vertical portion and the horizontal portion are cylindrical, and the legs 11 and the cross member 12 are inserted into them. As shown in FIG. 2, the legs 11 are fixed in place by pins 28 while inserted into the caster holding members 21.

[0038] The caster rotation member 25 is held by the caster holding member 21 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (a turning axis) extending in the vertical direction, and supports the wheel 40 via the arm member 30. In other words, the caster rotation member 25 rotates relative to the caster holding member 21. As shown in FIG. 2, a caster axle 26, which is, for example, a hollow cylinder, is fixed to the caster rotation member 25 and rotates together with the caster rotation member 25. As shown in FIG. 3, the caster axle 26 extends upward from the upper end of the caster rotation member 25 and is inserted into the caster holding member 21. A wire holder 24, which fixes an end of an outer wire 82 described below, is fixed to the upper end of the caster axle 26. As shown in FIG. 2, the caster rotation member 25 is provided with a hole 27 through which a rotation axis 32 of the arm member 30 described below passes. The rotation axis 32 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the caster axle 26.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 1, the upper end of the arm member 30 is rotatably held by the caster rotation member 25 via a pair of rotation shafts 32 at the lower ends of the pair of legs 11. Therefore, the arm member 30 rotates together with the rotation of the caster rotation member 25. As shown in Fig. 2, the arm member 30 includes a pair of arm main bodies 31 and an arm holding portion 34 that connects the upper ends of the pair of arm main bodies 31.

[0040] As shown in the figure, a pair of arm main bodies 31 are provided at both widthwise ends of the wheel 40 and are shaped to sandwich the wheel 40 from both widthwise ends. The pair of arm main bodies 31 are substantially identical in shape and are vertically elongated plates extending vertically. The arm main bodies 31 are inclined in a direction approaching the front in the direction of travel. The arm main body 31 has three through holes, including a hole 37 provided at the upper end, an elongated hole 33 provided in the approximate center thereof, and a hole (not shown) provided at the lower end for supporting the axle 41.

[0041] A pivot shaft 32 for pivotally attaching the caster pivoting member 25 passes through the hole 37. The pivot shaft 32 passes through the hole 27 of the caster pivoting member 25 and the hole 37 of the arm member 30. This allows the arm member 30 and the caster pivoting member 25 to be pivotally connected. As shown in FIG. 3 , the elongated hole 33 is provided on a line connecting the pivot shaft 32 and the axle 41 of the wheel 40 (shown by a two-dot chain line). The elongated hole 33 functions as a guide for guiding the movement of the locking member 70, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the locking member 70 passes through the elongated hole 33, but any other structure may be used as long as it guides the movement of the locking member 70, such as a long groove. Furthermore, although the elongated hole 33 is provided in the approximate center of the arm main body 31, it is sufficient that the elongated hole 33 is provided at least along a line connecting the pivot shaft 32 and the axle 41 of the wheel 40.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 2, the arm holding portion 34 holds the pair of arm main bodies 31 with a gap between them in the width direction. By providing the arm holding portion 34, the arm member 30 forms a downward U-shape when viewed from the direction of travel. As shown in Fig. 3, the arm holding portion 34 is provided with a base portion 34a that is generally L-shaped in cross section. A corner of the base portion 34a coincides with the rotation axis 32. An elastic body 35 made of, for example, synthetic resin rubber is placed on the base portion 34a.

[0043] The elastic body 35 is disposed between the leg 11 and the arm member 30, more specifically, between the caster rotation member 25 and the base portion 34a of the arm member 30. The surface of the elastic body 35 that abuts against the base portion 34a is flat, and the surface that abuts against the lower end of the caster rotation member 25 is an arcuate surface. The elastic body 35 is an arm-biasing member that urges the lower ends of the pair of arm members 30 in a direction toward the ground. In other words, the elastic body 35 is an arm-biasing member that urges the upper ends of the pair of arm members 30 in a direction away from the ground. The upper ends of the arm members 30 are the side away from the ground, where the rotation shaft 32 is provided. The elastic body 35 also functions as an impact-absorbing member that absorbs impacts on the main frame 10 caused by loads, bumps, etc.

[0044] The wheel 40 has an axle 41, a tire portion 42 that rotates around the axle 41, a wheel portion 43 that holds the inner periphery of the tire portion 42, and a plurality of locking recesses 44 that are provided along the inner periphery of the tire portion 42. In this embodiment, the locking recesses 44 are, for example, ribs. The locking recesses 44 extend radially from the axle 41. When a lock pin 72 of a locking member 70, which will be described later, is positioned between adjacent locking recesses 44, rotation of the wheel 40 is prohibited and the wheel is placed in a braked state. A brake mechanism 50 is provided as a mechanism for prohibiting rotation of the wheel 40 and placing the wheel in a braked state.

[0045] An example of the brake mechanism 50 used in the stroller 1 will be described in detail below.

[0046] <First Embodiment> The configuration and operation of the brake mechanism according to this embodiment will be described in detail with further reference to Figure 4. Figure 4(A) shows the state of the operating member in the running state, and Figure 4(B) shows the state of the operating member in the braking state.

[0047] The brake mechanism 50 is configured to be able to perform braking operation and maintain the braked state without being interfered with by the rotational movement of the pair of arm members 30. As shown in FIG. 1 in particular, the brake mechanism 50 is for applying the brakes to the pair of wheels 40, and generally includes an operating member 60, a pair of locking members 70, and a connecting member 80 that connects the pair of locking members 70. The brake mechanism 50 is a so-called single-action brake that can simultaneously apply the brakes to the pair of wheels 40 by operating the operating member 60. Each component will be described in detail below.

[0048] (Regarding operating parts) The operating member 60 operates the pair of locking members 70 from their engaged position to their disengaged position, and the brakes can be applied by simply operating the single operating member 60. The operating member 60 is connected to the connecting member 80, and by operating the operating member 60, the connecting member 80 is pulled up, thereby operating the pair of locking members 70 from the disengaged position to the engaged position. An existing structure is used to connect the operating member 60 and the connecting member 80.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 4, the operating member 60 is operated by the user to switch the state of the stroller 1 between a braking state and a running state. Typically, the operating member 60 has a user operation unit 62 that can take two positions. The user operation unit 62 can take various structures, but in this embodiment it is formed in the shape of a flat plate and has a vertically elongated shape that protrudes rearward beyond the cross member 12. The user operation unit 62 is connected to a holding unit 61 that has a generally cylindrical cross section, and is connected to the cross member 12 by the holding unit 61 so as to be rotatable.

[0050] As shown in Figure 4(A), when the operating member 60 is positioned approximately horizontally on the cross member 12, the stroller 1 is in a traveling state. As shown in Figure 4(B), when the operating member 60 is positioned on the rear side of the cross member 12, tilted approximately 45 degrees from the approximately horizontal position, the stroller 1 is in a braking state.

[0051] Because the user operation unit 62 protrudes further rearward than the cross member 12, when braking the stroller 1, the user can change the orientation of the user operation unit 62 to the second orientation by pressing down on the top surface of the user operation unit 62 with a foot or the like. Conversely, when releasing the brake, the user can change the orientation of the user operation unit 62 to the first orientation by pressing up on the back surface of the user operation unit 62 with a foot or the like.

[0052] (Regarding a pair of locking members) The pair of locking members 70 are provided to stop the rotation of each of the pair of wheels 40, and are displaceable between an engagement position in which they engage with the pair of wheels 40 and a disengagement position in which they do not engage with the pair of wheels 40. As shown in Fig. 2, the locking members 70 have a pair of locking bodies 71, a locking pin 72 that is received in the elongated hole 33 of the arm member 30, a pair of guide pins 74 that protrude in both width directions from the lower ends of the pair of locking bodies 71, and a shaft portion 73 that connects the upper ends of the pair of locking bodies 71.

[0053] The pair of lock bodies 71 are rod-shaped members extending in the vertical direction and are each positioned between the arm member 30 and the wheel 40. The lock pin 72 is provided only at the lower end of one of the lock bodies 71 (the left side on the paper in FIG. 2 ) and protrudes toward the lock recess 44 of the wheel 40. The pair of guide pins 74 are provided respectively at the lower ends of the pair of lock bodies 71 and pass through the elongated holes 33 of the pair of arm members 30. This allows the lock member 70 to move only along the extension direction of the elongated holes 33 of the arm members 30. Furthermore, the pair of guide pins 74 and the lock pin 72 are arranged coaxially.

[0054] Although the lock pin 72 is provided on only one of the pair of lock bodies 71, it may be provided on either of the pair of lock bodies 71. In the above embodiment, the lock pin 72 and the guide pin 74 are described as being provided separately but coaxially, but the lock pin 72 may also function as the guide pin 74. In other words, the lock pin 72 may be guided by the elongated hole 33.

[0055] The shaft portion 73 is provided at the upper end of the pair of lock bodies 71 and fixes the pair of lock bodies 71 together. Therefore, the pair of lock bodies 71 can always move in the same manner. As shown in FIG. 2, the extension direction of the shaft portion 73 is substantially parallel to the extension direction of the lock pin 72 and the guide pin 74. Furthermore, the extension direction of the shaft portion 73 of the lock member 70 is substantially parallel to the extension direction of the rotation shaft 32 of the arm member 30. The shaft portion 73 is connected to a driven member 90, which will be described later, and is displaced in conjunction with the movement of the driven member 90. The driven member 90 will be described later.

[0056] (About connecting parts) The connecting member 80 connects the operating member 60 and the pair of locking members 70. As shown in FIG. 1, one end of the connecting member 80a is connected to the operating member 60, passes through the inside of the cross member 12 and the rotation axis La of the caster mechanism 20a, and the other end is indirectly connected to the locking member 70 of the wheel 40b. The connecting member 80b has one end connected to the operating member 60, passes through the inside of the cross member 12 and the rotation axis Lb of the caster mechanism 20b, and the other end is indirectly connected to the locking member 70 of the wheel 40a. By operating the operating member 60 as shown in FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), the connecting members 80a and 80b are pulled up, and the locking member 70 is displaced from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

[0057] Since it was necessary to distinguish between left and right connecting member 80 and swivel axis L, those on the right side as viewed from the rear side were referred to as connecting member 80a and swivel axis La, and those on the left side as viewed from the rear side were referred to as connecting member 80b and swivel axis Lb, but when it is not necessary to distinguish between left and right, they will simply be referred to as connecting member 80 and swivel axis L. Connecting member 80 may be one that connects operating member 60 and locking member 70, and may also be one that connects locking members 70 together via (through) operating member 60.

[0058] The connecting member 80 is made up of a plurality of members, and specifically includes an elongated member 81, a pair of moving members 84, and a pair of driven members 90.

[0059] The elongated member 81 is a thin, long member extending in the longitudinal direction, and connects the operating member 60 and the pair of movable members 84 to each other. In this embodiment, the elongated member 81 is made up of two wires, but it may be made up of a single wire. As shown in FIG. 3 , the elongated member 81 includes an outer wire 82 and an inner wire 83 provided within the outer wire 82. The outer wire 82 is fixed to the cross member 12 and the wire holder 24, respectively. The inner wire 83 is provided so as to be movable within the outer wire 82. The other end of the inner wire 83 is fixed to the movable member 84. The elongated member 81 passes through the pivot axis L.

[0060] The movable member 84 is moved by operating the operating member 60. As shown in FIG. 3, the movable member 84 is connected to a wire fixing portion 85 located at the lower end of the elongated member 81 at one end. The movable member 84 is arranged so that the entire movable member 84 can move up and down within the caster shaft 26, and a pair of protrusions 86 protruding upward from the wire fixing portion 85 are provided to guide its movement. An engaging portion 87 that engages with a rotating member 91, which will be described later, is provided further below the wire fixing portion 85. The outer peripheral surface of the engaging portion 87 is provided with projections and recesses so that the rotating member 91, which will be described later, can rotate.

[0061] The second biasing member 88 is, for example, a spring, typically a compression coil spring. The second biasing member 88 is disposed between the wire holder 24 and the moving member 84. Specifically, the upper end of the second biasing member 88 abuts against the wire holder 24, and the lower end of the second biasing member 88 abuts against the wire fixing portion 85 of the moving member 84. As a result, the second biasing member 88 biases the moving member 84 toward the downward position and biases the locking member 70 in a direction toward the disengaged position.

[0062] The driven member 90 follows the movement of the pair of moving members 84. In other words, when the moving members 84 move to the upper position, the driven member 90 also moves upward, and when the moving members 84 move to the lower position, the driven member 90 also moves downward. The driven member 90 is provided rotatable relative to the moving members 84. As a result, even when the caster rotating members 25 turn relative to the caster holding members 21, the moving members 84 do not rotate, and only the driven member 90 rotates relative to the moving members 84, preventing twisting of the wire.

[0063] The driven member 90 in this embodiment is composed of multiple members, and includes, for example, a rotating member 91 that is rotatably arranged relative to the moving member 84, an up-and-down moving member 95 that rotates together with the rotating member 91 and is movable up and down relative to the rotating member 91, and a first biasing member 99 that biases the up-and-down moving member 95 upward relative to the rotating member 91.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 3, the rotating member 91 is provided at its upper end with an engaged portion 92 that rotatably engages with the engaging portion 87 of the moving member 84. The engaged portion 92 has a concave-convex shape and rotatably engages with the concave-convex of the engaging portion 87. Furthermore, the rotating member 91 has a vertical portion 93 that extends downward from the engaged portion 92, and a lower horizontal portion 94 that protrudes laterally from the lower end of the vertical portion 93. As shown in Fig. 2, the vertical portion 93 and the lower horizontal portion 94 form an opening that opens laterally.

[0065] The vertically movable member 95 has a support portion 98 at its lower end portion that supports the shaft portion 73 of the locking member 70. Furthermore, the vertically movable member 95 has a vertical portion 97 that extends upward from the support portion 98, and an upper horizontal portion 96 that protrudes laterally from the upper end portion of the vertical portion 97. As shown in FIG. 2 , the vertical portion 97 and the upper horizontal portion 96 form an opening that opens laterally. The vertically movable member 95 rotates together with the rotating member 91, but is provided so as to be movable up and down relative to the rotating member 91.

[0066] 3, a first biasing member 99 is disposed in a space defined by the opposing openings of the rotating member 91 and the vertically movable member 95. The first biasing member 99 is, for example, a spring, typically a compression coil spring. The first biasing member 99 has an upper end that abuts against the upper horizontal portion 96 of the vertically movable member 95 and a lower end that abuts against the lower horizontal portion 94 of the rotating member 91. This causes the first biasing member 99 to bias the vertically movable member 95 upward relative to the rotating member 91, biasing the locking member 70 in a direction toward the engaged position.

[0067] 3, the second biasing member 88, the moving member 84, and the driven member 90 (the rotating member 91, the vertically moving member 95, and the first biasing member 99) are arranged in this order from above within the caster shaft 26. The moving member 84, the second biasing member 88, the rotating member (the rotating member 91, the vertically moving member 95), and the first biasing member 99 pass through the swivel axis L.

[0068] (For other configurations) The structure around the brake mechanism 50 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0069] As described above, in caster mechanism 20, caster rotation member 25 is provided rotatably relative to caster holding member 21, and caster lock 23 is provided to control the rotation. Caster lock 23 is disposed in caster holding member 21 at a position adjacent to caster axis 26, i.e., at a position offset from rotation axis line L.

[0070] When the caster locks 23 are in a state in which they allow rotation of the casters about their pivot axes, they are in an upper position as shown in Figure 3, and when they prohibit rotation of the casters about their pivot axes, they are in a lower position within the caster rotation member 25 (not shown). The caster locks 23 are connected to one end of a wire 22, the other end of which is connected to a caster lock operating part provided at any location, such as a push rod, and operating the operating part can prohibit or allow rotation of the caster locks 23. The caster locks 23 can be installed using existing methods that have been conventionally adopted.

[0071] (About operation) The operation of the brake mechanism 50 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 7. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the transition from a traveling state to a braking state, Figure 6 is a diagram showing a state in which a load is applied to the main body frame in a traveling state, and Figure 7 is a diagram showing a state in which a load is applied to the main body frame in a braking state.

[0072] First, referring to FIG. 5, the operation for changing from the running state to the braking state will be described. FIG. 5(A) shows the running state in which the lock pin 72 of the lock member 70 is disengaged from the lock recess 44 of the wheel 40. To change from this state to the braking state, the operating member 60 shown in FIG. 4(A) is pushed down with a foot or the like to the state shown in FIG. 4(B), and the connecting member 80 is then pulled up. This causes the inner wire 83 to be pulled up, as shown in FIG. 5(B). Because the inner wire 83 is fixed to the moving member 84, the moving member 84 moves upward against the biasing force of the second biasing member 88. Furthermore, because the moving member 84 is connected to the rotating member 91 so as to be rotatable and movable up and down, the rotating member 91 moves upward together with the moving member 84.

[0073] The vertically movable member 95 is connected to the rotating member 91 so as to be able to move up and down, and therefore tends to move upward as the rotating member 91 moves upward. However, the vertically movable member 95 is connected to the locking member 70 via the shaft 73. As shown in the figure, the lock pin 72 of the locking member 70 is in contact with the tip of the lock recess 44. In this state, the locking member 70 cannot move upward from that position, and therefore the vertically movable member 95 connected to the locking member 70 remains in a downward position along with the position of the locking member 70. While the rotating member 91 moves upward along with the inner wire 83, the vertically movable member 95 remains in a downward position because the lock pin 72 is in contact with the tip of the lock recess 44. Therefore, the first biasing member 99 that biases the vertically movable member 95 upward is contracted, and the vertically movable member 95 is constantly maintained in an upwardly biased state.

[0074] 5(B), for example, when the wheel 40 rotates, the positional relationship between the lock recessed portion 44 and the lock pin 72 changes. As described above, the vertically movable member 95 is biased upward by the first biasing member 99, and therefore the positional relationship between the lock recessed portion 44 and the lock pin 72 changes. When the recessed portion of the lock recessed portion 44 and the lock pin 72 face each other, there is no obstacle to the upward movement of the vertically movable member 95. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5(C), the vertically movable member 95 moves upward due to the biasing force of the first biasing member 99, and the lock pin 72 fits between the lock recessed portions 44, thereby establishing a braking state.

[0075] The positional relationship between the rotating member 91 and the vertically movable member 95 of the driven member 90 differs between the traveling state (FIG. 5(A)) and the intermediate state from the traveling state to the braking state (FIG. 5(B)). In the traveling state shown in FIG. 5(A), the lower horizontal portion 94 of the rotating member 91 and the upper horizontal portion 96 of the vertically movable member 95 are completely separated, and the first biasing member 99 is extended. In contrast, in the intermediate state from the traveling state to the braking state shown in FIG. 5(B), the lower horizontal portion 94 of the rotating member 91 and the upper horizontal portion 96 of the vertically movable member 95 are closer than in the traveling state, and the first biasing member 99 is contracted. In other words, even in the intermediate state from the traveling state to the braking state, the first biasing member 99 maintains a state in which it biases the locking member 70 toward the engaged position.

[0076] In the brake mechanism 50 of this embodiment, a first biasing member 99 is provided between the rotating member 91 and the vertically movable member 95. Therefore, even if the positional relationship between the lock recess 44 of the wheel 40 and the lock pin 72 is misaligned and the brake cannot be applied, as shown in FIG. 5(B), the operating force of the operating member 60 is transmitted to the lock member 70 through multiple members and not directly to the lock member 70. This avoids a situation in which the brake is difficult to apply, and prevents failure of the members that make up the brake mechanism 50.

[0077] Next, referring to Figure 6, we will explain the operation when a load is applied to the leg 11 while the vehicle is moving. Figure 6(A) shows the vehicle moving, and Figure 6(B) shows the vehicle moving with a load applied to the main body frame. Figure 6(A) shows the vehicle moving, with the lock pin 72 of the lock member 70 disengaged from the lock recess 44 of the wheel 40.

[0078] If, in this state, a load is applied to the legs 11 or the like, for example, as a result of the baby in the stroller 1 moving, the arm members 30 held by the caster rotation members 25 rotate about the rotation shafts 32, as shown in FIG. 6(B), and the elastic bodies 35 come into contact with the undersides of the caster rotation members 25, thereby reducing the inclination angle of the arm members 30 with respect to the road surface R. At the same time, the caster mechanism 20 moves closer to the wheels 40, causing the guide pins 74 to move slightly downward along the elongated holes 33. The elastic bodies 35 bias the tips of the arm members 30 in a direction away from the ground, i.e., so as to increase the inclination angle with respect to the road surface R. Therefore, when the load on the legs 11 or the like is released, the elastic force of the elastic bodies 35 causes the arm members 30 to return to the state shown in FIG. 6(A).

[0079] In this way, since the elastic body 35 is provided between the arm member 30 and the caster rotation member 25, even if a load is applied to the stroller 1, the load can be absorbed by the elastic body 35. This operation occurs even when there is a step or the like, and can also occur in the case of Figure 7 below.

[0080] Finally, referring to Figure 7, the operation when a load is applied to the leg 11 in the braking state will be described. Figure 7(A) shows the braking state, and Figure 7(B) shows the state when a load is applied to the main frame 10 in the braking state. Figure 7(A) shows the braking state, in which the lock pin 72 of the lock member 70 is fitted between the lock recesses 44 of the wheels 40. At this time, in the braking state, the lower horizontal portion 94 of the rotating member 91 and the upper horizontal portion 96 of the vertically movable member 95 are closer than in the running state, and the first biasing member 99 that biases the vertically movable member 95 upward is in a contracted state, so that the vertically movable member 95 is always maintained in a state in which it is biased upward.

[0081] In this state, if, for example, a baby in the stroller 1 moves and a load is applied to the legs 11, the arm member 30 held by the caster rotation member 25 rotates about the rotation shaft 32, as shown in FIG. 7(B), and the elastic body 35 abuts against the underside of the caster rotation member 25, reducing the inclination angle of the arm member 30 with respect to the road surface R. Furthermore, the positional relationship between the rotation shaft 32 and the axle 73 changes. Specifically, the difference in height between the rotation shaft 32 and the axle 73 increases from L1 to L2 (L2 > L1), and the axle 73 moves away from the rotation shaft 32. In this way, the positional relationship between the arm member 30 and the locking member 70 changes. Furthermore, because the vertically moving member 95 is constantly biased upward by the first biasing member 99, the axle 73 and the vertically moving member 95 move upward by the first biasing member 99. In other words, when the rotation axis 32 is used as the reference, the shaft portion 73 and the vertically movable member 95 are moved upward by the first biasing member 99 in accordance with the rotation of the arm member 30. Therefore, even when a load is applied to the stroller 1, the lock pin 72 of the lock member 70 can maintain the braking state in which it is fitted between the lock recesses 44 of the wheels 40.

[0082] In this way, since the first biasing member 99 is provided between the vertically movable member 95 and the rotating member 91, the braking state can be maintained even if a load is applied to the stroller 1 while it is in the braking state. Furthermore, since the first biasing member 99 is provided between the vertically movable member 95 and the rotating member 91, the load on the stroller 1 can be absorbed by the first biasing member 99.

[0083] (About the effects) In the brake mechanism 50 of this embodiment, the pair of arm members 30 are rotatably held at the lower ends of the pair of caster rotation members 25 via their respective rotation shafts 35, so there is no interference with the rotational movement of the pair of arm members 30. Furthermore, even when a load is applied to the stroller 1 and the pair of arm members 30 rotate about the rotation shafts 32, the brake operation can be performed by the operating member 60, and the brake state can be reliably maintained.

[0084] Furthermore, the guide pin 74 of the locking member 70 moves along the elongated hole 33 provided in the arm member 30, thereby restricting the locking pin 72 from moving anywhere other than the elongated hole 33. Furthermore, when a load is applied to the stroller 1, the arm member 30 and the locking member 70 rotate in the same direction, but because the rotating shaft 32 and the shaft portion 73 extend substantially parallel to each other, their operation is not impeded.

[0085] Because the driven member 90 to which the locking member 70 is connected is rotatable relative to the movable member 84 to which the elongated member 81 is connected, the movable member 84 does not rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the caster rotation member 25, preventing twisting of the wire. Because the driven member 90 is made up of three members, the rotating member 91, the vertically movable member 95, and the first biasing member 99, the braking state can be maintained even when a load is applied to the main body frame 10. Furthermore, because the load can be absorbed by the expansion and contraction of the first biasing member 99, the impact on an infant riding in the stroller can also be reduced.

[0086] The long member 81 passes through the rotation axis L of the caster holding member 21, and the moving member 84, driven member 90 (rotating member 91 and vertically moving member 95), first biasing member 99, and second biasing member 88 of the connecting member 80 all pass through the rotation axis L of the caster mechanism 20, so twisting of the long member 81 can be prevented even when the caster rotating member 25 rotates relative to the caster holding member 21. Furthermore, because the above-mentioned parts are stored inside the caster shaft 26, disassembly and assembly are easy.

[0087] (Regarding variants) In this embodiment, the driven member 90 has been described as having a rotating member 91, a vertically moving member 95, and a first biasing member 99, and is composed of multiple members, but the driven member 90 may also be formed integrally from the same member, and may be configured to be rotatable relative to the moving member 84 and to follow the movement of the moving member 84.

[0088] In this embodiment, the arm biasing mechanism 35 is an elastic body, but any member that biases the lower end of the arm member 30 in the direction toward the ground may be used, and not only may it be a member that biases the lower end of the arm member 30 in the direction toward the ground using a material such as rubber as in this embodiment, but it may also be an electrically or mechanically biased member. Furthermore, the location of the arm biasing mechanism 35 is not limited to that in the above embodiment, and it may be located anywhere between the leg 11 and the arm member 30.

[0089] <Embodiment 2> The configuration and operation of a brake mechanism 50A according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 10. The brake mechanism 50A of this embodiment has the same basic configuration as the brake mechanism 50 of the first embodiment, but differs in the configurations of the moving member 84A, rotating member 91A, cooperating member 96A, and locking member 70A, and the location where the elongated member 81 is inserted. The same components as those in the brake mechanism 50 shown in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and only the differences will be described in detail.

[0090] (For each configuration) In the brake mechanism 50A of this embodiment, the long member 81 of the connecting member 80A is provided at a position that is offset from the swivel axis L of the caster mechanism 20. Specifically, the long member 81 does not pass through the caster axle 26 that passes through the swivel axis L of the caster mechanism 20, but passes through a location adjacent to the caster axle 26. The long member 81 is disposed at a position facing the above-mentioned caster lock 23 with the caster axle 26 in between.

[0091] The movable member 84A is moved by operating the operating member 60, similar to the movable member 84 of the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 10, the movable member 84A is connected to a wire-fixing portion 85A located at the upper end of the elongated member 81 at one end thereof. The movable member 84A is movable up and down, and has a vertical portion 86A extending downward from the wire-fixing portion 85A and a lower horizontal portion 87A protruding laterally from the lower end of the vertical portion 86A. The vertical portion 86A and the lower horizontal portion 87A form an opening that opens in the outer diameter direction.

[0092] The driven member 90A moves in response to the movement of the moving member 84A. That is, when the moving member 84A moves to the upper position, the driven member 90A also moves upward, and when the moving member 84A moves to the lower position, the driven member 90A also moves downward. The driven member 90A in this embodiment is made up of multiple members, and includes, for example, a rotating member 91A that is rotatable relative to the moving member 84A, and a first biasing member 99.

[0093] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the rotating member 91A is generally cylindrical and is sandwiched between the caster holding member 21 and the caster rotation member 25 of the caster mechanism 20. Specifically, the rotating member 91A includes an upper housing 92A that abuts against the caster holding member 21, a lower housing 93A that is positioned below the upper housing 92A, a lock support portion 94A that is provided on a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the lower housing 93A and supports the lock member 70A, and a ring portion 95A that is provided between the lower housing 93A and the caster rotation member 25. The rotating member 91A is fixed to the caster rotation member 25 and rotates together with the caster rotation member 25. Note that although the rotating member 91A has been described as being cylindrical, it may also have a shape in which a portion in the circumferential direction is cut out, and the shape of the rotating member 91A is not limited thereto.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 10 in particular, the upper housing 92A abuts against the inner peripheral surface of the caster holding member 21 and is provided so as to be movable up and down. The lower housing 93A has an outer diameter larger than that of the upper housing 92A and is substantially the same size as the outer peripheral surface of the caster holding member 21. A step is provided between the lower housing 93A and the upper housing 92A. The lock support portion 94A has, for example, a recessed shape and rotatably holds the shaft portion 73 extending in the width direction. The upper side of the lock support portion 94A is covered by a lid portion 101A. The lock support portion 94A protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the caster holding member 21. The ring portion 95A connects the lower housing 93A and the caster rotation member 25 and fills the gap between the lower housing 93A and the caster rotation member 25.

[0095] The cooperating member 96A moves up and down together with the rotating member 91A but does not rotate together with the rotating member 91A. The cooperating member 96A has an upper horizontal portion 97A that protrudes radially inward, a vertical portion 98A that extends downward from the upper horizontal portion 97A, and a lower horizontal portion 99A that protrudes radially outward from the lower end of the vertical portion 98A. As shown in FIG. 9 , the upper horizontal portion 97A and the vertical portion 98A form an opening that opens radially inward. The lower horizontal portion 99A abuts against the lock support portion 94A of the rotating member 91A. This allows the cooperating member 96A and the rotating member 91A to move up and down. Note that although the cooperating member 96A is formed from a different part from the rotating member 91A, they may be formed from the same part as long as they are formed so as not to rotate relative to the rotating member 91A.

[0096] A first biasing member 99 is disposed in a space defined by the opposing openings of the movable member 84A and the cooperating member 96A. The first biasing member 99 has an upper end that abuts against the upper horizontal portion 97A of the cooperating member 96A and a lower end that abuts against the lower horizontal portion 87A of the movable member 84A. This causes the first biasing member 99 to bias the rotating member 91A upward relative to the movable member 84A, and to bias the locking member 70A in a direction toward the engaged position.

[0097] In this way, at a position adjacent to the caster axis 26, i.e., a position different from the rotation axis L, the second biasing member 88, the moving member 84A, and the driven member (rotating member 91A, first biasing member 99, cooperating member 96A) are arranged in this order from above.

[0098] As shown in Figure 9, the locking member 70A has a lock pin 72A provided at the tip of one lock body 71, and a lock guide 74A provided at the tip of the other lock body 71. The lock pin 72A protrudes longer than the lock guide 74A, and also functions as a lock guide. Specifically, the lock pin 72A has a length that allows it to pass through the elongated hole 33 and reach the lock recess 44 of the wheel 40. The shaft 73 of the locking member 70A is provided at a position offset from the swivel axis L and protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the caster holding member 21.

[0099] (About operation) The operation of the brake mechanism 50A according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 13. Figure 11 is a diagram showing the transition from the traveling state to the braking state, Figure 12 is a diagram showing the state in which a load is applied to the main body frame in the traveling state, and Figure 13 is a diagram showing the state in which a load is applied to the main body frame in the braking state.

[0100] First, referring to FIG. 11, the operation for changing from the running state to the braking state will be described. FIG. 11(A) shows the running state, in which the lock pin 72A of the lock member 70A is disengaged from the lock recess 44 of the wheel 40. To change from this state to the braking state, the operating member 60 shown in FIG. 4(A) is pushed down with a foot or the like to the state shown in FIG. 4(B), and the connecting member 80 is pulled up. This causes the inner wire 83 to be pulled up, as shown in FIG. 11(B). Because the inner wire 83 is fixed to the moving member 84A, the moving member 84A moves upward against the biasing force of the second biasing member 88. Furthermore, because the moving member 84A is connected to the rotating member 91A so as to be rotatable and movable up and down, the rotating member 91A moves upward together with the moving member 84A.

[0101] The rotating member 91A is connected to the locking member 70A via a shaft 73. As shown in the figure, the locking pin 72A of the locking member 70A is in contact with the tip of the locking recess 44. In this state, the locking member 70A cannot move upward from that position, and therefore the rotating member 91A, which is connected to the locking member 70A, is positioned downward in accordance with the position of the locking member 70A. While the rotating member 91A moves upward as the inner wire 83 is pulled up, the rotating member 91A remains in a downward position because the locking pin 72A is in contact with the tip of the locking recess 44. Therefore, the first biasing member 99, which is located between the moving member 84A and the rotating member 91A and biases the rotating member 91A upward, is in a contracted state, and the rotating member 91A is constantly maintained in a state in which it is biased upward.

[0102] For example, if the wheel 40 rotates from the state shown in FIG. 11(B), the positional relationship between the lock recess 44 and the lock pin 72A changes. As described above, since the rotating member 91A is biased upward by the first biasing member 99, when the positional relationship between the lock recess 44 and the lock pin 72A changes, there is no obstacle to the upward movement of the rotating member 91A. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11(C), the rotating member 91A moves upward due to the biasing force of the first biasing member 99, and the lock pin 72A fits between the lock recess 44, thereby establishing the braking state. Even when the lock pin 72A fits between the lock recess 44, the positional relationship between the rotating member 91A and the moving member 84A is different from that in the traveling state (FIG. 11(A)). In the traveling state, the first biasing member 99 is extended, whereas in the braking state, the first biasing member 99 is slightly contracted.

[0103] In the brake mechanism 50A of this embodiment, a first biasing member 99 is provided between the movable member 84A and the rotating member 91A. Therefore, even if the positional relationship between the lock recess 44 of the wheel 40 and the lock pin 72A is misaligned and the brake cannot be applied, as shown in FIG. 11(B), the operating force of the operating member 60 is transmitted via the first biasing member 99 and not directly to the lock member 70A, thereby preventing failure of the components that make up the brake mechanism 50A.

[0104] Next, with reference to FIG. 12, we will explain the operation of the brake mechanism 50A when it is in a traveling state and a load is applied to the main body frame 10. If, for example, a baby in the stroller 1 moves and a load is applied to the legs 11 while the stroller is in the state shown in FIG. 12(A), the arm member 30 held by the caster rotation member 25 rotates about the rotation axis 32, as shown in FIG. 12(B), and the elastic body 35 abuts against the underside of the caster rotation member 25, thereby reducing the inclination angle of the arm member 30 with respect to the road surface R. The elastic body 35 biases the arm member 30 in a direction in which its tip approaches the ground, that is, so that the inclination angle of the arm member 30 is as shown in FIG. 12(A). Therefore, when the load is removed, the elastic force of the elastic body 35 causes the arm member 30 to return to the state shown in FIG. 12(A).

[0105] In this way, since the elastic body 35 is provided between the arm member 30 and the caster rotation member 25, even if a load is applied to the stroller 1, the load can be absorbed by the elastic body 35. This operation occurs even when there is a step or the like, and can also occur in the case shown in Figure 13 below.

[0106] Finally, referring to FIG. 13, the operation when the brake mechanism 50A is in the braking state and a load is applied to the main body frame 10 will be described. If, for example, a baby in the stroller 1 moves and a load is applied to the legs 11 while the stroller 1 is in the state shown in FIG. 13(A), the arm member 30 held by the caster rotation member 25 rotates about the rotation shaft 32, as shown in FIG. 13(B), and the elastic body 35 abuts against the underside of the caster rotation member 25, thereby reducing the inclination angle of the arm member 30 with respect to the road surface R. Furthermore, the positional relationship between the rotation shaft 32 and the axle 73 changes, and the difference in height between the rotation shaft 32 and the axle 73 increases from L1 to L2 (L2 > L1), and the axle 73 moves away from the rotation shaft 32. Furthermore, because the rotating member 91A is constantly biased upward by the first biasing member 99, the axle 73 and the rotating member 91A move upward due to the first biasing member 99. In other words, when the rotation axis 32 is used as the reference, the shaft portion 73 and the rotating member 91A move upward by the first biasing member 99 in response to the rotation of the arm member 30. Therefore, even when a load is applied to the stroller 1, the lock pin 72A of the locking member 70 can maintain the braking state in which it is fitted between the lock recesses 44 of the wheels 40.

[0107] In this way, since the first biasing member 99 is provided between the moving member 84A and the rotating member 91A, the braking state can be maintained even if a load is applied to the stroller 1 in the braking state. Furthermore, in the braking state, the first biasing member 99 can also absorb the load.

[0108] (About the effects) In the brake mechanism 50A of this embodiment, the pair of arm members 30 are rotatably held via the rotation shafts 32 at the lower ends of the caster rotation members 25, so there is no interference with the rotational movement of the pair of arm members 30. Furthermore, even when a load is applied to the stroller 1 and the pair of arm members 30 rotate about the rotation shafts 32, the brake operation can be performed by the operating member 60, and the brake state can be reliably maintained.

[0109] Although the elongated member 81 in this embodiment is provided at a position different from the pivot axis L, it is connected to the driven member 90A that is rotatably provided with respect to the moving member 84A to which the inner wire 83 is connected, and the driven member 90A is connected to the locking member 70A, so that twisting of the elongated member 81 can be prevented.

[0110] In this embodiment, connecting member 80A passes through a position different from the swivel axis L and is positioned adjacent to caster shaft 26, so that brake mechanism 50A can be retrofitted. Furthermore, because rotating member 91A protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of caster holding member 21, even if it malfunctions, it can be easily repaired.

[0111] <Third Embodiment> The configuration and operation of brake mechanism 50B according to embodiment 3 will be described with reference to Figure 14. Brake mechanism 50B of this embodiment has the same basic configuration as brake mechanism 50A of embodiment 2, but differs in the configurations of moving member 84B and rotating member 91B. The same components as brake mechanism 50A shown in embodiment 2 are assigned the same reference numerals, and only the differences will be described in detail.

[0112] (For each configuration) The brake mechanism 50B of this embodiment is moved by operating the operating member 60 (FIG. 4) in the same manner as the moving member 84A of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14(A), the moving member 84B has an end of the elongated member 81 connected to its upper end. The moving member 84B is a member that can move up and down, and includes a wire fixing portion 85B to which the end of the elongated member 81 is connected, and a groove portion 86B for rotatably holding the rotating member 91B. The groove portion 86B is provided radially outward.

[0113] The rotating member 91B has approximately the same shape as the rotating member 91A of embodiment 2, but the upper housing 92B is held in the groove portion 86B of the moving member 84B, so that the rotating member 91B moves up and down in accordance with the up and down movement of the moving member 84B, and rotates relative to the moving member 84B as the caster rotation member 25 rotates.

[0114] The lower cylinder body 93B has a storage space therein for storing the shaft portion 73 of the locking member 70A and the first biasing member 99. The first biasing member 99 biases the shaft portion 73 toward the upper position, i.e., the engaged position, and supports the shaft portion 73 from below.

[0115] (About operation) 14(A) and 14(B), an operation for changing the brake mechanism 50B according to the third embodiment from the running state to the braking state will be described. FIG. 14(A) illustrates the running state, in which the lock pin 72A of the lock member 70A is disengaged from the lock recess 44 of the wheel 40. To change from this state to the braking state, the operating member 60 shown in FIG. 4(A) is pushed down with a foot or the like to the state shown in FIG. 4(B), and the connecting member 80 is then pulled up. This causes the inner wire 83 to be pulled up, as shown in FIG. 14(B). Because the inner wire 83 is fixed to the moving member 84B, the moving member 84B moves upward against the biasing force of the second biasing member 88. Furthermore, the rotating member 91B is movable up and down together with the moving member 84B and is rotatable relative to the moving member 84B, so the rotating member 91B moves upward together with the moving member 84B.

[0116] The rotating member 91B holds the shaft portion 73 of the locking member 70A. As shown in Fig. 14(B), the locking pin 72A of the locking member 70A is in contact with the tip of the locking recess 44. In this state, the locking member 70A cannot move upward beyond that position, and therefore the first biasing member 99 is contracted by the shaft portion 73 of the locking member 70A.

[0117] 14(B), for example, if the wheel 40 rotates, the positional relationship between the lock recessed portion 44 and the lock pin 72A changes. As described above, the shaft portion 73 of the lock member 70A is biased upward by the first biasing member 99. Therefore, when the positional relationship between the lock recessed portion 44 and the lock pin 72A changes, the shaft portion 73 of the lock member 70A moves upward due to the biasing force of the first biasing member 99, and the lock pin 72 fits between the lock recessed portions 44, thereby entering a braking state. Note that the operation when a load is applied to the main body frame 10 is the same as in the case of the brake mechanism 50A of the second embodiment.

[0118] <Regarding modified examples spanning multiple embodiments> In all the above embodiments, the wheels have been described as casters, but they may be wheels that do not rotate around a pivot axis. Also, while a single-wheel configuration has been described as an example, a dual-wheel configuration in which two wheels are provided for one caster mechanism 20 may be used, and the number of wheels is not limited. Even when multiple wheels are provided, the arm members 30 only need to be provided at both ends of the wheels in the width direction and positioned to sandwich them.

[0119] In all of the above embodiments, the arm member 30 has been described as being held by a pair of caster pivoting members 25 of the caster mechanism 20, but it does not necessarily have to be held by a pair of caster pivoting members 25, and may be held, for example, via another member on the lower end side of the leg 11, as long as it is held by at least a pair of the lower ends of the legs 11.

[0120] In all of the above embodiments, the connecting members 80, 80A, 80B of the brake mechanisms 50, 50A, 50B have been described as each having a long member 81, a pair of moving members 84, 84A, 84B, and a pair of driven members 90, 90A, 90B. However, the connecting members 80, 80A, 80B may be any members that connect the operating member 60 to the pair of locking members 70, 70A, and the operating member 60 and the pair of locking members 70, 70A may be directly connected by, for example, a wire or the like.

[0121] In addition, in the above embodiment, two biasing members 88, 99 are provided, but these do not necessarily need to be provided in the brake mechanisms 50, 50A, 50B, and can be selected depending on the required accuracy of the brake mechanism.

[0122] In the brake mechanism 50 of embodiment 1, the connecting member 80 passes through the rotation axis L, and in the brake mechanisms 50A and 50B of embodiments 2 and 3, the connecting members 80A and 80B pass through a position different from the rotation axis L, but the brake mechanism 50 may pass through a position different from the rotation axis L and the brake mechanisms 50A and 50B may pass through the rotation axis L.

[0123] Furthermore, in all of the above embodiments, the locking member 70 has been described as being a rod-shaped member extending vertically, but other members may be interposed between the locking pins 72, 72A and the axle portion 73. Furthermore, the locking recesses 44 of the wheel 40 have been described as being provided radially along the inner circumference of the tire portion 42, but they may also be provided on the axle 41 side or may be holes, and the shapes and locking directions of the locking recesses 44 and the locking member 70 are not limited.

[0124] In the second embodiment, it has been described that the driven member is constituted by the rotating member 91A, the first biasing member 99, and the cooperating member 96A, but the driven member does not necessarily have to have all of its components rotatable relative to the moving member 84A, and a part of it may be fixed and not rotate relative to the moving member 84A.

[0125] Although a plurality of embodiments have been described in this specification, the configurations of the embodiments may be extracted and combined with each other.

[0126] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Various modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiments within the same scope as the present invention or within an equivalent scope. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 1 stroller (childcare equipment), 10 main body frame, 11 (11a, 11b) legs, 20 (20a, 20b) caster mechanism, 21 caster holding member, 25 caster rotation member, 26 caster shaft, 30 arm member, 32 rotation shaft, 33 elongated hole (guide portion), 35 elastic body (arm biasing mechanism), 40 wheel, 41 axle, 44 lock recess, 50, 50A, 50B brake mechanism, 60 operating member, 70, 70A, 70B lock member, 72, 72A lock pin, 73 shaft portion, 74 guide pin, 80, 80A connecting member, 81 elongated member, 84, 84A, 84B moving member, 88 second biasing member, 90, 90A, 90B driven member, 91, 91A rotating member, 94A Lock support portion, 95 vertically movable member, 99 first biasing member, L(La, Lb) pivot axis.

Claims

1. a main body frame including a pair of legs spaced apart from each other in a width direction; a caster mechanism including a pair of caster holding members provided at the lower ends of the pair of legs, and a pair of caster rotating members that are rotatably held by the pair of caster holding members around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction and support a pair of wheels, allowing the wheels to rotate; a brake mechanism including a pair of locking members provided to stop the rotation of the pair of wheels and displaceable between an engagement position in which they engage with the wheels and a disengagement position in which they do not engage with the wheels, an operating member that operates the pair of locking members from the disengagement position to the engagement position, and a connecting member that connects the operating members and the locking members; The connecting member is a pair of moving members that are moved by operation of the operating member; an elongated member connecting the operating member and the moving member; a pair of driven members rotatably provided relative to the moving member and following the movement of the moving member; The locking member is connected to the driven member and is movable between the engaged position and the disengaged position in conjunction with movement of the driven member.

2. The driven member is a rotating member provided rotatably relative to the moving member; a vertically movable member that is provided so as to be vertically movable together with the rotating member; The childcare apparatus with wheels according to claim 1, further comprising a first biasing member that biases the vertically movable member upward relative to the rotating member.

3. The driven member is a rotation member provided with a lock support portion that supports a shaft portion of the lock member and that is rotatable relative to the moving member; The childcare apparatus with wheels according to claim 1, further comprising: a first biasing member that biases the locking member in a direction toward the engagement position.

4. The childcare implement with wheels according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the elongated member passes through a rotation axis of the caster mechanism.

5. A wheeled childcare device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connecting member further has a pair of second biasing members for biasing the pair of movable members in a direction that moves the pair of locking members toward the disengaged position.

6. The locking member is a lock pin that is displaceable between the engaged position and the disengaged position relative to the wheel; The childcare apparatus with wheels according to claim 1 , further comprising: a shaft portion extending in a longitudinal direction from the lock pin and rotatably provided relative to the driven member.

7. The childcare apparatus with wheels according to claim 6, wherein the shafts of the moving member, the driven member and the locking member pass through a rotation axis of the caster mechanism.

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