GB2351131A

GB2351131A - Stroller brake arrangement

Info

Publication number: GB2351131A
Application number: GB0013357A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bart Willem Jozef Bost
Original assignee: Maxi Miliaan BV
Current assignee: Maxi Miliaan BV
Priority date: 1999-06-03
Filing date: 2000-06-01
Publication date: 2000-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 2020-06-01
Also published as: FR2794413B3; GB2351131B; ES1046487U; ITMI20000337V0; GB0013357D0; DE20009693U1; ES1046487Y; ITMI20000337U1; NL1012228C2; FR2794413A3; IT250225Y1

Abstract

A stroller brake arrangement comprises brake mechanisms provided on two pairs of wheels 3,4,5,6 of a stroller. Two operating elements 17, 18 are provided for each mechanism, connected via a pulling cable 23, in such a manner that both braking mechanisms are engaged when one operating element 18 is operated and both mechanisms are disengaged when the other operating element 17 is operated. Each brake mechanism comprises a members 15 (16, figure 5) having a pin 28 (30, figure 5) which slidably engages a respective crown gear 27 (29, figure 5) in each wheel to prevent rotation, upon upward/downward movement of the respective operating element.

Description

2351131 A stroller.

The invention relates to a stroller comprising a frame supported by running wheels, which is to be moved by manpower, wherein axes of rotation of two running wheels disposed on either side of the frame are at least substantially in line and wherein each of said two wheels is provided with a braking mechanism, which braking mechanisms are interconnected, wherein said two braking mechanisms are engaged or disengaged substantially simultaneously.

Strollers of this kind, such as prams, walkers for disabled persons or wheelchairs, for example, are generally supported by three or more spaced-apart wheels, of which one or more wheels are frequently so-called self-centring wheels.

When the stroller is at a standstill, it is desirable is that at least two spaced-apart wheels are braked, because if only one wheel were braked, there would be a danger of the stroller pivoting about the supporting point of said braked wheel on the ground. In order to ensure when using such a stroller that the braking mechanisms are indeed engaged when the stroller is brought to a standstill, it is desirable to make the operation of such braking mechanisms as simple as possible.

With a similar stroller which is known from US-A 4,567,964, one braking mechanism includes an operating element by means of which the braking mechanisms disposed near the two wheels are engaged or disengaged. To this end the operating element is connected via a cable to a transmission mechanism which cooperates with the other braking mechanism. Since the braking mechanism is to be engaged as well as disengaged by means of the operating element, the operating element is of relatively complicated construction. In addition, different operations are to be carried out on the one hand for engaging the braking mechanisms and on the other hand for disengaging said braking mechanisms. Thus a foot pedal needs to be moved in a horizontal plane and subsequently allowed to move upwards when engaging the braking mechanisms, whilst the foot pedal only needs to be moved in downward direction when disengaging the braking mechanisms. Different operations of this kind may lead to confusion with the user.

2 The object of the invention is to provide a stroller wherein both braking mechanisms can be engaged or disengaged substantially simultaneously in a simple manner.

According to the invention this objective can be accomplished in that an operating element is provided near each wheel for the braking mechanism associated therewith, wherein said operating elements are connected to each other and to the braking mechanisms in such a manner that both braking mechanisms are engaged when one operating element is operated and both braking mechanisms are disengaged when the other operating element is operated.

By using the construction according to the invention, only one operating element needs to be operated either for engaging the braking mechanisms or for disengaging the braking mechanisms. The operating elements can thereby be configured so that each operating element is to be operated in the same manner, for example by moving it downward by foot.

When the operat i ng elements are interconnected by means of a flexible connecting element, such as a cable extending through a tube, the advantage of using two operating elements is moreover that the cable can be loaded in tension both when engaging the braking mechanisms and when disengaging the braking mechanisms, as a result of which an adequate transmission of forces from one operating element to the other operating element is ensured at all times.

With the stroller which is known from US-A-4,567,964 various springs, which are to be biassed, must be used in order to obtain an adequate transmission of forces, which makes the stroller relatively complicated.

A simple embodiment of the construction according to the invention can be obtained when the operating elements are interconnec ted in such a manner that the operating elements will move in opposite directions with respect to the frame upon being operated.

Preferably, the operating elements are slidably accommodated in the frame.

By interconnecting the operating elements by mean.Sof a flexible connecting element, for example a cable extending through a tube, the construction according to the invention can also be used in a- simple manner with strollers which comprise a collapsible frame.

3 An especially user-friendly construction is obtained when the operating elements are mounted in such a manner that they can be operated by foot by pressing down said operating elements by foot.

Operation by foot makes it possible in a simple manner to exert sufficient force for engaging or disengaging the braking mechanisms, whilst damage to the footwear is avoided in that only the sole of the shoe needs to be placed on the operating means in order to operate the operating element.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment of the construction according to the invention which is schematically represented in the accompanying figures.

Figure 1 schematically shows a part of a frame of a stroller with running wheels supporting said frame.

Figure 2 shows a few of the parts which are shown in Figure 1 in the non-braked position of the running wheels while leaving out other parts.

Figure 3 shows a running wheel disposed on one side of the frame of the stroller, in the position in which the braking mecha nism locks the running wheel against rotation.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3, in which the braking mechanism is shown in the position in which it does not lock the running wheel.

Figures 5 and 6 are views corresponding to Figures 3 and 4 of a running wheel disposed near another side of the frame.

It is noted that Figures 2 - 6 only show the rims of the running wheels while leaving out the tyres present on said rims.

Figure 1 shows two parallel frame beams 1 and 2 of a vehicle, for example a pram or a wheelchair, which are connected to each other and to further frame parts of the stroller in a manner which is not shown. Such a pram or wheelchair can have any usual construction. Frame beams 1 and 2 will occupy a fixed position relative to each other during use of the pram or wheelchair, as for example shown in Figure 1. With collapsible strollers the construction may be such that the frame parts 1 and 2 can be moved together, for example, to a storage position.

Frame beams 1 and 2 are each supported at the 1 ower ends by a pair of running wheels 3, 4 and 5, 6, respectively. Running wheels 3 and 4 are rotatable about co-axial axles 7, by means of which 4 running wheels 3 and 4 are connected to a housing 8 disposed between running wheels 3 and 4 and supported by said running wheels. Similarly, running wheels 5 and 6 are connected by means of co-axial axles 9 to a housing 10 disposed between running wheels 5 and 6 and supported by said running wheels.

As is apparent in particular from Figure 2, housings 8 and 10 include tubular parts 11 and 12, respectively, for receiving the lower ends of frame beams I and 2.

Housings 8 and 10 furthermore include tubular portions 13 and 14, respectively, in which elongated sliding members 15 (Figures 3, 4) and 16 (Figures 5, 6), respectively, of square section are slidably accommodated in substantially vertical direction.

Mounted on the upper ends of sliding members 15 and 16 are foot pedals 17 and 18, respectively. Mounted on the lower ends of sliding members 15 and 16 are ears 19, 20, respectively, which extend substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal directionof saidsliding members. The ends of a pulling cable 23 are passed through holes 21 and 22, respectively, which are formed in said ears 19 and 20. Said flexible pulling cable 23 is passed through a, likewise flexible, protective sleeve 24, which extends partially between frame parts 1 and 2 (Figure 4) and partially through said frame parts I and 2, and whose ends occupy a fixed position with respect to said frame parts.

Stop members 25 and 26, respectively, are mounted on the ends of the pulling cable 23 that project under ears 19 and 20. For the sake of clarity said stop members 25 and 26 are shown to be spaced from the underside of ears 19 and 20, respectively, but in reality said stop members 25 and 26 will abut against the undersides of ears 19 and 20, respectively.

As is furthermore shown in Figures 3 and 4, an internal crown gear 27 is provided in the hub of a wheel 4 disposed on one side of the frame of the stroller.

A similar crown gear is provided in the running wheel 3 (not shown in Figures 3 and 4), which is disposed on the side of the tubular portion 13 remote from wheel 4, as is shown in Figure I.

Attached to sliding member 15 is a pin 28, whichextends at least substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of running wheel 4.

In an uppermost position of sliding member 15, one free end of pin 28 will be disposed in a tooth gap of crown gear 27, so that the braking mechanism formed by crown gear 27 and pin 28 will lock wheel 4 against rotation. The other free end of pin 28 will cooperate with the crown gear of wheel 3 in a similar manner so as to lock wheel 3 as well.

A pressure can be exerted on foot pedal 17 by foot to disengage the braking mechanism, so that sliding member 15 is moved downwards in housing 8 and pin 28 is thus removed from the tooth gap of crown gear 27 and the crown gear of wheel 3 and moved to the position which is shown in Figure 4, in which position the running wheels 3 and 4 are freely rotatable.

A similar braking mechanism is provided for the running wheel 6 which is disposed on the other side of the frame, as is shown in Figures 5 and 6. Also this running wheel 6 is provided with a braking mechanism including an internal crown gear 29 and a pin 30 which is attached to sliding member 16 and which cooperates with said crown gear 29, which pin will also cooperate with a crown gear of wheel 5.

Unlike pin 28, which is attached to sliding member 15 in a position above the axis of rotation of running wheel 4, pin 30 is attached to sliding member 16 in a position under the axes of rotation of running wheels 5 and 6. It will be apparent that the ends of pin 30 will thus be brought into engagement with the crown gears of wheels 5 and 6 when sliding member 16 is moved downwards into the position shown in Figure 5 by exerting a pressure on foot pedal 18 by foot, in which position the braking mechanism made up of pin 30 and the crown gears locks running wheels 5 and 6 against rotation.

Sliding member 16 and the pin 30 attached thereto will have to be moved upwards to the position shown in Figure 6 in order to disengage the braking mechanism of running wheels 5 and 6.

As already described above, the two sliding members 15 and 16 are connected by means of cable 23. The construction is thereby such that when the braking mechanism of wheels 3 and 4 occupies the position shown in Figure 3, in which the ends of pin 28 engage in one of the tooth gaps of the crown gears of wheels 3 and 4, the braking mechanism of wheels 5 and 6 will occupy the position shown in Figure 5, in which the ends of pin 30 engage in one of the tooth gaps of the crown gears of Figures 5 and 6, whilst, as already mentioned before, the stop members 6 and 26 will abut against the undersides of the projecting ears 19 and 20, respectively, of the sliding members 15 and 16 in question. In order to disengage the braking mechanisms, a pressure can be exerted on foot pedal 17 by foot, as a result of which sliding member 15 will be pressed downwards in the housing 8 in question so as to release pin 28 from the crown gears 27 in question. It will be apparent that sliding member 15 will exert a pulling force on pulling cable 23 via stop member 25 thereby.

Consequently, a pulling force in upward direction, seen in Figure 5, will be exerted on sliding member 16 via pulling cable 23 and the stop member 26 provided at the end of the pulling cable, so that said sliding member 16 will move upwards in the housing 10 in question. The ends of pin 30 are thereby released from respective teeth 29. Thus the braking mechanisms of wheels 3 - 6 are disengaged simultaneously by exerting a pressure on foot pedal 17.

is If it is desired to lock the two wheels again, a pressure can be exerted on foot pedal 18 by foot, as a result of which sliding member 16 will be moved downward in housing 10 and the ends of pin 30 will be brought into engagement with the internal crown gears 29 of wheels 5 and 6 again. It will be apparent that when sliding member 16 is being moved downward, an upward force, seen in Figure 4, will be exerted on sliding member 15 via pulling cable 23, as a result of which the pin 28 attached to sliding member 15 will be moved up again to the position shown in Figure 3, in which the ends of pin 28 are in engagement with the crown gears of wheels 3 and 4 again. Thus the braking mechanisms of wheels 3 - 6 are engaged simultaneously by exerting a pressure on foot pedal 18.

Since only one operating element in the form of a foot pedal 17 needs to be operated in order to disengage the braking mechanisms of the wheels and only one operating element in the form of a foot pedal 18 needs to be operated in order to engage the braking mechanisms of the wheels, a very simple and user-friendly operation of the braking mechanisms has been obtained. Only the operating element needs to be pressed downwards for operating the operating elements formed by the foot pedals 17 and 18, so that it suffices to place the sole of the footwear on the operating element without, as is often the case, having to pull the operating element 7 upwards with the upper side of the footwear, which may cause damage to the footwear.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment as described above with reference to the figures, of course. Thus it will be conceivable, for example, to provide manually operated operating elements instead of operating elements in the form of foot pedals. Furthermore it is possible to use pivoted operating elements instead of sliding operating elements.

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Claims

1. A stroller comprising a frame supported by running wheels, which is to be moved by manpower, wherein axes of rotation of two running wheels disposed on either side of the frame are at least substantially in line and wherein each of said two wheels is provided with a braking mechanism, which braking mechanisms are interconnected, wherein said two braking mechanisms are engaged or disengaged substantially simultaneously, characterized in that an operating element is provided near each wheel for the braking mechanism associated therewith, wherein said operating elements are connected to each other and to the braking mechanisms in such a manner that both braking mechanisms are engaged when one operating element is operated and both braking mechanisms are disengaged when the other operating element is operated.

2. A stroller according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating elements are interconnected in such a manner that the operating elements will move in opposite directions with respect to the frame upon being operated.

3. A stroller according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said operating elements are slidablY accommodated in said frame.

4. A stroller according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said operating elements are interconnected by means of a flexible connecting element.

5. A stroller according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said operating elements are mounted in such a manner that they can be operated by foot by pressing down the operating elements by foot.

6. A stroller according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said braking mechanisms include crown gears connected to the wheels and locking members cooperating with said crown gears, which can be moved in a direction perpendicularly to the axes of rotation of the wheels by means of said operating elements, wherein the locking members of the two wheels disposed on either side of the frame are disposed substantially diametrically opposite each other, seen in the direction of the axes of rotation of the running wheels in question.

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7. A stroller according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that sliding members supporting said locking members are connected to the operating elements, which sliding members are slidably accommodated in housings supporting said running wheels.

8. A stroller according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating elements are disposed near the wheels provided with said braking mechanisms.