GB2273270A - Folding pushchair with luggage carrying capacity. - Google Patents

Abstract

A folding pushchair is provided with means (eg panniers 11, 12) to allow luggage to be carried in both folded and open positions. The chassis is folded by a scissor action, with handles folding forwards to connect with telescopic bumper bars 9, 10 being attached to side arms 8. Centrally hinged folding bars 17 incorporate a bar assembly 20 to slide horizontally in either direction to lock or unlock central hinges, (not shown). Adjustable backrest 24 and locking bars 21, fold at hinges 25 and 22. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO PUSHCHAIRS This invention relates to pushohairs and an object of the present invention is to provide a pushchair which incorporates a scissor action construction enabling luggage to remain on the chassis thereof during opening and closing operations.

Pushchairs are well known vehicles for the transportation of babies and small children. Pushchairs comprise a wheeled chassis upon which is secured a seat unit. Seat units are sometimes releasable. Some seats will have integral footrests while others have an independent footrest.

Pushohairs can have an independent or integral bod to form a perambulator, including a hood and apron to enclose the body These parts can be removed to change the appearance and effect of a perambulator into that of a pushchair.

Pushchairs are made to fold into the flattest or smallest possible form, by various hinges on the chassis allowing a closing and opening effect. Sometimes the seat unit, or perambulator body will need to be removed and dealt with separately as an independent item, not having means of staying attached during or after closing.

Luggage carrying containers are normally in the form of a tray on the bottom of the chassis, directly beneath the seat unit. fixed to the four corners of the chassis above the wheels In one known pushchair there is a luggage carrying container that is attached to the rear of the seat unit, the pushchair having been designed to fold towards the handle area, flattening against the container, the pushchair then being able to be pulled as a shopping trolley-bag on its two rear wheels. With the exception of this one design, all other pushchairs necessitate the luggage to be removed from the tray and re-placed into one or more independent containers separate from any incorporate part of the pushchair, and dealt with separately, for further transportation of the luggage and pushchair.

The disadv-antages of pushchairs. that have a tray on the bottom of the chassis for luggage, or have no incorporate container at all supplied, are that they are relatively difficult, or often physically impossible, to fold with one hand; thus requiring two hands as a general rule and often a foot as well. As pushchairs are designed for use as transportation of babies and small children it is a necessity to place the child somewhere, somehow while two hands are used to close, open, or assemble the pushchair. It is impossible to operate the pushchairs while holding the baby.

This is an inconvenience as much as an impossibility for people travelling alone with a baby, especially using public transport. Once folded the pushohairs has to be lifted clear of the ground and carried. or pulled behind. Any luggage transferred from the pushchair to any other container has somehow to be transported simultaneously. Of necessity one of these items must be transported after the previous two.

If the seat unit necessitated total removal, this too must be transported independently. Therefore the present invention will use methods to combat these disadvantages, within its design The present invention provides a pushchair which incorporates a scissor action construction enabling the contents of the pushchair, and luggage, to remain on the chassis during opening and closing operations; and the closed chassis to be wheeled from the side or front, in a forward motion thereby overcoming t specified disadvantages of existing pushrhairs.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a pushchair having a wheeled chassis, a seat unit with integral footrest and backrest, means for securing the seat unit to the chassis and means for independent adjustment of the footrest and backrest characterised in that the chassis is formed of a plurality of interconnected telescopic and hinged bars which allows the chassis to be opened and closed with a scissor action after release of the seat unit.

In one embodiment of the invention an independent, unit of bars is adapted to slide in either direction horizontally; exposing the hinges, for the purpose of unlocking, to close the chassis; or to encompass the hinges, for the purpose of locking the same, of the open chassis.

Horizontal hinges are provided at each end of the chassis requiring manual operation to open the hinges for the purpose of closing the chassis, with means to automatically pull the hinges back into the locked position once the chassis is fully opened.

A front bumper bar comprises two independent bars each attached to a side arm of the chassis by means allowing free movement around each arm, enabling the bars to slide freely in a telescopic action within each other during the opening and closing operations.

On each side arm of the chassis is a pannier with means for releasably securing the pannier to the chassis. Each pannier is provided with means to open and close independently.

The handles are provided with means of a hinge to fold forwards to connect with the front bumper bar, when the chassis is closed.

The wheels are ball like. When the pushchair is closed the wheels automatically become inward facing, enabling the pushchair to be wheeled from the side or front in forward motion. The wheels are provided with brakes, with means t operate for a locked or unlocked position The invention will now be described by way of example only with particular reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig 1 Is a perspective view of the schair of the present invention with seat, footrest and panniers in position on the chassis.

Fig 2 Is a perspective view of the pushchair of figure 1 in skeletal form. with the seat unit, integral footrest and panniers removed.

Fig 3 Is a perrpective view of the pushchair of figure 1 in skeletal form with the chassis in the closed position.

Fig 4 Is a side elevation of the pushchair in the closed position with the released seat unit and footrest positioned ovr the front bumper bars.

Fig 5 Is a side elevation of the pushchair of figure 1, with the seat unit, footrest and panniers attached to the chassis in the closed position.

Fig b Is a perspective view of the seat unit and footrest.

Fig 7 Is a side view of part of the chassis wIth the seat unit and footrest secured to the chassis.

Fig 8 Is a perspective view of part of the chassis shot i the support, bars of the chassis with the sliding bar. in the locked position as an open pushchair Fig 9 Is a perspective view of part of the chassIs showing the sliding bars moved to one side of the seat support bars in an unlocked position, exposing the hinges.

FIg 10 Shows the partly folded seat bars of the chassis Fig 11 Shows the hinged joint of the bars that form rie looks both ends of the chassis.

Fig 12 Is R top elevation of the hinged bars.

Fig 13 Shows the horizontal bars operating as sprung hinges for the purpose of opening and closing the chassis.

Fig 14 Is a side elevation showing the hinted bars complete with tension spring.

Fig 15 Is a side elevation showin the hinged bars moving in an upward direction, during closing of the chassis.

Fig 16 Is a side elevation showing how the downward forces operate on the hinged bars to open the chassis.

Fig 17 Is a perspective view of the bumper bars connecting the arms of the chassis, with a movable sleeve of tubing.

Fig 18 Illustrates a hinge of the handles.

Fig 19 Illustrates how the securing ring is released to effect the folding of the handles.

Fig 20 Illustrates the securing ring arid Fig 21 Is a plan view of the folding handles of the p pushchair.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to figure 1, the pushchair comprises a chassis 1 provided with four wheel units 2, a detachable seat unit 3 with integral backrest 4, integral footrest 5 and integral crutch strap 6. The seat unit 3 is secured to the chassis 1 by means of crutch strap 6 and hooks 7, but alternatively clips, straps, bolts or similar means may be used to releasably secure the seat unit 3 to the chassis 1. The two sides of the chassis form side arms 8. Attached to each side arm 8 are bars 9 and 10 which form a bumper sliding within each other telescopically during opening and closing operations.On each side of the chassis 1 a pannier 11, 12 is releasably secured to the side arms 8 by buckles 13, but it will be appreciated that other forms of securing means may be provided such as popper-studs, velcro, toggles or sirnilar fastenings. The panniers 11, 12 are in the form of bags, or box like containers, designed to remain attached to the side arms 8 when opened or closed, and during opening and closing operations performed on the pushchair. Attached to each side of the chassis 1 is a handle 14 with means to fold at hinge 15.

Figure 2 illustrates the pushchair in skeletal form, and reference will now be given to the folding mechanism in detail that allows the closing and opening of the chassis to operate in a scissor action.

Attached to the chassis 1, beneath each handle 14 is a bar 16 attached by means to allow a small amount of swivel during opening and closing as illustrated in figure 3.

Attached at a right angle to bars 16 are bars 17 centrally hinged 18 to allow an upward only folding movement, as illustrated in figures 3, 9 and 10.

Attached to bars 17, by means of tubitle 19, is a unit of bars 20, designed to freely slide in either direction horizontally, for the purpose of encompassing hinges 18 to operate as a lock to bars 17, or to expose hinges 18, to unlock bars 17, as illustrated in figures 8 and 9.

Joining the two sides of the chassis 1 beneath the point where bars 16 join the chassis. horizontal bars 21 are centrally hinged 22 to allow all upward only vertical folding movement during closing of the pushchair as illustrated in figures 8, 9, 10 12, 13, 13 14, and 15. A spring 23 is attached to hinge 22 for t purpose of pulling hinge 22 back to a horizontal position during and- after closing operations as illustrated in figures 2, 3 and 17.

Attached to the chassis above the bar 21 is the back support bar 24 hinged 25 for folding during closing operations. A securing hook 27 enables the closed pushchair to be kept closed when necessary. It must be appreciated that a clip strap, or similar fastening may be used as an alternative.

The wheels are ball-like in appearance. When the pushchair is in the closed position, the wheels automatically become inward facing. This enables the pushchair to be wheeled from the side or front in a forward motion.

The unique closing and opening of this pushchair by means of a scissor action due to the folding of bars 17, 21 and 24 at hinges 18, 22, and 24 simultaneously with the telescopic sliding of bumper bars 9 10 and the swivel of bars 16.

In order to fold the pushchair into the closed position the back support bar 24 is released from backrest 4 and allowed to ov 180 degrees to be left resting downwards against the chassis 1. The means securing the seat unit 3 footrest 5 and crutch strap e are released allowing the whole seat unit to be re-placed over the bumper bars i, 10 with the backrest 4 on the outside. counter balanced by the footrest 5 on the inside of the bumper bars, as illustrated in figures 4 and 5.

The hinges 15 are each folded by releasing the securing band 26 as illustrated in figures 18 and 19, allowing the handle to fold forwards and connect, with bumper bars 9, 10, as illustrated in figure 3 the sliding bar unit 20 is moved horizontally in either direction towards bars 16 exposing hinges 18 as illustrated in figures 8 and 9. Bars 21 are manually pushed upwards at hinge 22. Sliding bar unit 20 is now pulled sharply upwards lifting the chassis clear of the ground. This will automatically cause bars 17, 21, and 24 to fold at relevant hinges 18, 22, and 25. Simultaneously to this, bumper bars 9, 10 will telescopically slide within each other while turning a small arnount around side arms 8, as illustrated in figures 3 and 17. Bars 16 will also swivel a small arnount. All bars and hinges will operate sirnultaneously bringing the chassis together, scissor action, to the smallest possible size, whilst panniers and their contents remain in position throughout, if required, as illustrated in figure 5. Securing. hook 27, will hold the chassis closed as illustrated in figure 5. The pushchair can now be carried by holding bar unit 20. or. because the wheels turn inwards automatically when closed the pushchairs can be wheeled from the side, or if the handles are left fully open, the pushchair can be pushed forwards while in its closed position. The pushchair will free-stand once closed.

To open the pushchair the steps described above are carried out in reverse sequence.

Claims (11)

1. A pushchair which incorporates a scissor action construc ion enabling the contents of the pushchair and lug to rernain on the chassis during opening and closing operations: and the closed chassis to be wheeled from the SiUC or front, in a forward motion.

2. A pushchair as claimed in claim 1, where in horizontal bars connectiong the two sides of the chassis, fold of means of a central hinge, to effect a scissor 'action opening and closing of the chassis.

3. A pushchair as claimed in claim 2, wherein horizontal bars connecting the front and back of the chassis along each Sid of the chassis, turn, by means of attachment. to oc-oterate simulatneously with the folding of the hinged horizontal bars.

4. A pushchair as claimed in claim 3, wherein all independent unit of bars is. b means of attachment. able to freely slide In either direction horizontally along the folding hinged bars, for the purpose e encompassing the hinges to effectively lock the folding bars, or to expose the hinges to effectively unlock the folding bars.

5. A pushchair as claimed in claim 4 wherein a c.: support rat is attache to the chassis by means to allow a 180 degres adjustment vertically, the horizontal bar of the support having a central hinge to allow folding during opening and closing operation simultaneous with other hinges

6. A pushchair as claimed in claim 5 wherein the front bumper comprises two bars, each being attached to a side arm oT toe chassis, adapted by means 0 attachment. to 1 low free movement around the side during closing and opening operations.

7. A pushchair as claimed in claim m wherein toe two bars froming the bumper simultaneously slide together within each other telescopically during closing and opening operations.

8. A pushchair as claimed in claim 7 wherein the wheels automatically become inward facing in the closed position of the chassis.

9. A pushchair as claimed in claim 8 wherein a pannier is releasably secured to each side arm of the chassis.

10. pushchair as claimed in claim 9 wherein the handles are adapted to fold forwards and connect with the front bumper bar.

11. A pushchair substantially described herein with reference to figures 1-22 of the accompanying drawing.