Hitch-Mounted Stroller Carrier for Secure Exterior Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transporting baby jogging strollers by automobile is difficult due to their size, weight, folding limitations, and awkward shape, which makes them unfit for standard automobile trunks and occupies significant interior space in SUVs, minivans, or station wagons.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical device that secures the stroller to a vehicle's hitch receiver, facilitating folding, loading, and unfolding, while maintaining the stroller off the ground and providing secure transportation, with adjustable positioning and locking mechanisms to prevent theft and accidental ejection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If stroller is placed inside automobile trunk, then stroller is protected from weather and theft, but stroller does not fit due to size and shape constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the stroller from interior storage (3D trunk space) to exterior mounting (2D vehicle surface), utilizing the vehicle's external surface area rather than internal volume. The hitch-mounted carrier positions the stroller vertically behind the vehicle, converting the storage problem from a volume constraint to a surface area utilization solution.
2Reliability
If stroller is placed in SUV/minivan interior, then stroller is secured during transport, but significant interior space is occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The stroller is extracted from the vehicle interior and mounted on the exterior hitch receiver. This removes the space-occupying object from the valuable interior space while maintaining secure transport through the hitch mounting system and carrier design that prevents movement during transit.
3Volume of moving object
If stroller is folded to reduce size, then stroller fits better in trunk, but folding limitations prevent adequate size reduction
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on folding to reduce the stroller's footprint in three dimensions, the solution mounts the folded stroller vertically in the third dimension behind the vehicle. This accommodates strollers with limited folding capability by utilizing vertical space rather than requiring compact horizontal folding.
4Area of stationary object
If stroller is mounted on vehicle exterior, then vehicle interior space is preserved, but rear visibility may be obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier design incorporates transparent or translucent panels in strategic locations to maintain visibility while providing protection. The mounting position and panel placement are optimized to minimize obstruction of rear lights, license plate visibility, and overall rear view, addressing the local quality of transparency where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment includes a travel system comprising: a first arm and a second arm, the first arm including an aperture; a hub pivotally coupled to the first and second arms; a male hitch insert, coupled to the hub, configured to insert within a female hitch; a handle bar support coupled to the male hitch insert and configured to receive a handle bar of a stroller; a void, located between the first and second arms, configured to receive a wheel of the stroller; and a post configured to (a) extend from the first arm to the second arm, (b) mate with the second arm, (c) extend between support members of the wheel and secure the stroller to the system. Other embodiments are described herein.