One-Hand Stroller Locking Assembly for Quick Safe Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current foldable strollers require labor-intensive and time-consuming folding processes, often risking finger pinching during the folding operation due to complex mechanisms, leading to a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
An easy-to-fold stroller design that allows users to unlock and fold the stroller with one hand by grasping and lifting a locking assembly, utilizing a sliding driving member to release locking members and enable relative rotation of frame components, ensuring stability with reset members and clamping grooves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If complex locking mechanisms with multiple components are used to ensure stroller stability, then the stroller stability is improved, but the folding operation becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into modular components: a locking assembly with individual locking members for each side frame, a driving member that can be actuated by one hand, and reset members that are independently positioned. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing the overall complexity of the folding operation while maintaining stability through the coordinated action of distributed locking points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential locking function from complex multi-component mechanisms and implements it through a simplified driving member that directly actuates locking members. The driving member is extracted as a separate, easily operable component that can be manipulated with one hand, removing the need for coordinated two-handed operations required by traditional complex locking systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional locking mechanisms with rotating frames are used, then the stroller can be folded, but the risk of finger pinching increases and user safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary locking mechanism that mediates between the user's manual input and the frame folding action. The locking members and driving member act as intermediaries that control the release sequence, ensuring that locking members disengage from clamping grooves before frame components rotate toward each other. This intermediary mechanism eliminates direct finger exposure to pinching zones while maintaining folding capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism performs preliminary action by pre-positioning locking members in clamping grooves before folding occurs. During the folding operation, the driving member first actuates to release these pre-positioned locking members, allowing the frames to rotate safely without risk of pinching. The reset members are also pre-positioned to automatically re-engage locking members after folding, ensuring safety is maintained throughout the entire folding cycle.
3Device complexity
If simplified locking mechanisms are used to reduce complexity, then the folding operation becomes easier, but the structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the stability function at specific critical points where locking members engage with clamping grooves on the frame assemblies. Rather than distributing complexity throughout the entire mechanism, the design places simple but effective locking elements at key locations where they provide maximum structural support. Each locking member locally secures a specific frame connection point, and the combination of these localized locking points achieves overall stroller stability with minimal complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates quick and safe folding of the stroller with reduced effort, enhancing user convenience and safety by simplifying the folding mechanism while maintaining structural stability.
Implementation Method 1
two first reset members disposed inside the locking housing... when the driving member is moved from the first position toward the second position by an external force, each locking member is driven by the driving member to slide from the locking position toward the released position
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an easy-to-fold stroller having a folded state and an unfolded state. The stroller includes a front frame assembly, a rear frame assembly and two side frame assemblies. Each side frame assembly includes a front top rod, a front bottom rod, a rear top rod, a rear bottom rod and a locking assembly. The locking assembly consists of a locking housing, a driving member, two first reset members and two locking members. The driving member is connected to the locking housing and slidable between a first position and a second position. The locking members are connected to the locking housing and slidable between a locking position and a releasing position to lock or release the front top rod and the rear top rod. The first reset members are disposed inside the locking housing and enable the locking members to have a tendency to move toward the locking positions.