ITMI20071088A1 - STRIPPER FOR CHILDREN PERFECTED. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an improved stroller for children.

In the present description, a stroller is intended to indicate any vehicle pushed by hand and comprising a wheeled frame on which a seat, a cradle or a carrycot or the like is mounted, including prams.

Pushchairs for children are known comprising a frame equipped with three or four wheels for resting on the ground and on which a child seat is mounted.

In known pushchairs at least one of the wheels, in particular in three-wheeled pushchairs the front wheel and in four-wheeled pushchairs at least the two front or rear wheels, are of the freely pivoting type around a vertical axis.

A drawback of such known strollers consists in the fact that they have a poorly agile and maneuverable structure.

A further drawback of known pushchairs consists of the fact that they do not allow to control and modify the orientation of the freely pivoting wheels in the desired direction.

The object of the present invention is to devise an improved stroller for children which has an agile and easily maneuverable structure,

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved stroller for children which is stable and safe regardless of the conditions of the supporting ground.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved stroller for children that is versatile and easily adaptable to different uses and to the different stages of growth of a child.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved child's seat which can be opened and closed with a reduced number of simple operations.

Within the scope of this technical aim, another object of the present invention is to accomplish the preceding tasks with a structure that is simple, relatively easy to implement in practice, safe in use and effective in operation, as well as having a relatively low cost.

This aim and these objects are all achieved by the present improved stroller for children which comprises a frame provided with wheels and on which a child seat is mounted and which is characterized in that it comprises a steering device of the at least one rear wheel which is associated to a maneuvering handlebar.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a stroller for children according to the invention, illustrated, by way of example, but not of limitation, in the accompanying drawings in which :

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stroller according to the invention with three wheels;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the frame of a stroller according to the invention in an alternative embodiment with four wheels;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of a portion of the stroller according to the invention illustrating the steering device of the rear wheels;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the steering device of the stroller according to the invention;

figure 5 is a perspective view of the steering device of the stroller according to the invention in a first configuration with the stroller open; ,

figure 6 is a perspective view of the steering device of the stroller according to the invention in a second configuration for folding the stroller like a book;

Figures 7 and 8 show the frame of the stroller according to the invention in two successive steps for closing the rear wheels as an umbrella and as a book for the frame itself;

figure 9 is a perspective view of a wheel of the stroller according to the invention;

Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the wheel of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the frame of the seat of the stroller according to the invention; Figure 12 is a perspective and exploded view of the frame of the seat of Figure 11;

Figures 13 and 14 show the frame of the seat of the stroller according to the invention in two different configurations of use, respectively as a vehicle seat and as a carrycot.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the reference numeral 1 generally indicates a stroller for children.

In the present description, a stroller is intended to indicate any vehicle pushed by hand and comprising a wheeled frame on which a seat, a cradle or a carrycot or the like is mounted, including prams.

Furthermore, the adjectives "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "vertical", "front" and "rear" are to be understood as referring to the usual conditions of use and advancement by pushing the stroller according to the invention.

The stroller 1 comprises a frame 2 which is provided with at least one front wheel 3 and a pair of rear wheels 4 and on which a seat 5 is mounted in a removable manner.

The two rear wheels 4 are associated with the frame 2 by means of a steering device 6 which is provided with a maneuvering handle 7 and which allows the two rear wheels 4 to be oriented in the desired direction.

The frame 2 comprises a tubular B which extends along the axial direction of the stroller 1 and which at the front end supports one or two front wheels 3 and at the rear end carries, with the interposition of the steering device 6, the rear wheels 4. The frame 2 is also provided with a platform 9 for attaching the seat 5 and, optionally, with a platform 10 for supporting the feet of a child which is attached to the tubular 8.

The steering device 6 comprises a shaft indicated as a whole with 11 which is arranged transversely to the support plane of the front 3 and rear 4 wheels and which is associated in a rotatable manner around its longitudinal axis 11a to a support 12 fixed to the frame 2.

The shaft 11 has the upper end associated with the maneuvering handle 7 and the lower end associated with the axle 13 of each of the two rear wheels 4,

The steering device 6 also comprises means for limiting the relative rotation of the shaft 11 with respect to the support 12 described below and which, in a preferred embodiment, allow rotation of the shaft 11 and, therefore, of the assembly of the two rear wheels 4, of 35 ° in both directions of rotation.

With reference to Figures 3-6, the steering device 6 comprises the shaft 11 which consists of a sleeve 14 for connecting an upper attachment 15 for the maneuvering handle 7 and a lower attachment 16 for the axles 13 of the two. 4 rear wheels,

The sleeve 14 is rotatably associated about the axis 11a to the support 12.

In fact, one or more spokes 17 extend from the outer lateral surface of the sleeve 14, the free end of which is slidingly coupled in an arc-shaped or circular guide 18 defined in the support 12.

The support 12 consists of a sort of fifth wheel or annular crown on the internal circumference of which the guide 18 is defined. The means for limiting the rotation of the shaft 11 with respect to the support 12, i.e. the means that delimit the steering angle , comprise one or more stop surfaces 19 of the spokes 17 which are defined by the sides of rim sectors 20 which extend in a centripetal direction inside the support 12.

The innermost radial end of the sectors of the circle 20 is shaped so as to define a guide for the rotation of the sleeve 14.

The upper attachment 15 and the lower attachment 16 are articulated to the sleeve 14 in a rotatable way around a respective articulation axis defined by a corresponding pin indicated by the marks 21 and 22 parallel to the support plane of the front 3 and rear 4 wheels thus to allow folding of the stroller 1.

Conveniently, between the upper attachment 15 and the lower attachment 16 there is defined a gear 23a-23b for enslaving the rotation of the two attachments, upper 15 and lower 16, with respect to the sleeve 14. Locking means 24 of the removable type are also provided. of the rotation of the upper attachment 15 and of the lower attachment 16 with respect to the sleeve 14 when the stroller 1 is in the configuration open for use.

Furthermore, the two axles 13 are associated with the lower attachment 16 with an umbrella mechanism which is also functional for opening and closing the stroller 1.

The upper attachment 15 comprises a tubular connector 25 to which the maneuver handle 7 is fixed, for example by means of screws. Below the tubular connector 25 and in a substantially median position, there is a toothed wheel 23a of the gear 23a-23b and to the whose center is defined a hole for the pin 21 for articulation to the sleeve 14. The upper attachment 15 is also provided with a rear bar 26 which, as will become clearer in the following, is part of the locking means 24.

The lower attachment 16 comprises an elongated body 27 which extends in a direction substantially parallel to the axis 11a and which at the upper end is provided with a toothed wheel 23b, which engages with the toothed wheel 23a of the gear 23a ~ 23b and is crossed by a hole for the pin 22 for articulation to the sleeve 14.

Two wings 28 for attachment of a respective axle 13 of a rear wheel extend from the elongated body 27 in opposite directions. The lower attachment 16 is also provided with a rear appendage 29 which forms part of the locking means 24.

These locking means 24 comprise a hook 30 which has one end articulated to an eyelet formed in the rear bar 26 which extends from the upper attachment 15 and the opposite end which is provided with a retaining tooth, consisting of a pin with spring 31, which engages in a corresponding seat 32 defined in the rear appendage 29 which extends from the lower attachment 16.

Conveniently in the support 12 there is a slot 33 within which, when the stroller 1 is in the configuration open for use and steering maneuvers are carried out, corresponding abutment portions of the rear bar 26 and of the rear appendage 29 slide.

By releasing the spring pin 31, the hook 30 is released, in this way the upper attachment 15 and the lower attachment 16 can rotate around the respective pin, 21 and 22 with respect to the sleeve 14 so as to close the operating handle 7 and the axles 13 to book. The gear 23a-23b asserts the rotation of the lower attachment 16 to that of the upper attachment 15, thus making it possible to simultaneously fold the maneuvering handlebars 7 and the rear wheels 4,

Furthermore, as already mentioned, the axles 13 are associated with the lower attachment 16 with an umbrella mechanism which allows them to be opened and closed "like an umbrella".

This mechanism comprises, for each of the two rear wheels 4, a glyph 34 defined in the elongated body 27 of the lower attachment 16 and which extends in a direction substantially parallel to the axis 11a. A rod 35 has one end articulated to a slide sliding along the glyph 34 and the opposite end articulated to the respective axle 13 near the end of the latter associated with the corresponding rear wheel 4. The axle 13 has the opposite end to that of attachment of the corresponding rear wheel 4 articulated to one of the two wings 28 in a rotatable way around an axis 28a parallel to the articulation axes of the two opposite ends of the rod 35.

A stop 36, of the removable type and consisting, for example, of a spring pin slidably inserted in a corresponding slot 37, temporarily blocks the sliding of the slide of each of the two rods 35 along the glyph 34. When the stroller 1 is in configuration open for use, the slider associated with the end of the two rods 35 is located in correspondence with the lower end stop of the yoke 34 and is kept locked in this position by the stop 36.

By acting on the stop 36 it is possible to release the sliding of the slider associated with the end of the two rods 35 and make it slide towards the upper end of the yoke 34. During this movement, the rods 35 bring the axles 13 closer to the elongated body 27, thus closing them "to umbrella".

Each rod 35 is also provided with a shock absorber element 35a.

The operating handle 7 comprises a lever 38 which has one end fixed to the upper end of the shaft 11 and, in particular, to the tubular fitting 25 and the opposite end articulated to a handle 39.

The lever 38 consists of a tubular element closed on itself in a ring and bound, by means of screws, to the tubular fitting 25.

Advantageously, the tubular element of the lever 38 acts as an attachment for containers or bags.

The handle 39 is also constituted by a tubular element closed on itself in a ring. Between the handle 39 and the lever 38 there is a removable block of their relative rotation and which is constituted by a further spring pin 40, acting on which it is possible to bring the handle 39 close to the plane of the lever 38 for closing. of the stroller 1.

With reference to figures 11-14, the seat 5 comprises a frame comprising a base 41 which can be removably associated with the frame 2 and, more particularly, with the platform 9 by means of a dovetail coupling 42. block 43, also constituted by a spring pin, fixes the base 41 to the platform 9.

Associated with the base 41 is a pair of seat half-tops 44 and 45 and a pair of half-backs 46 and 47 between which respective means for registering their relative distance in the direction of the width of the seat 5 are defined.

The means for adjusting the relative distance of the two seat half-planes 44 and 45 comprise a rectilinear guide 48 which is defined on the upper face of the base 41 along the direction of the width of the latter and along which a row of first holes 49 is made. .

Each of the two semi-seating surfaces 44 and 45 is provided with an attachment plate 50 which is slidably inserted along the rectilinear guide 48 and in which a row of second holes 51 is defined which can be aligned with the first holes 49.

The two semi-seating surfaces 44 and 45 are fixed to the base 41, at the desired relative distance, by means of screw fixing means, not shown, which can be inserted in the first and second holes 49 and 51.

The means for adjusting the relative distance of the two half-backs 46 and 47 comprise a rectilinear guide element 52 which is defined in the direction of the width in one of the two half-backs 46 and 47 and a corresponding coupling element 53 which is slidably inserted in the rectilinear guide element 52 and which is defined in the other of the two half-backs 46 and 47. Along the rectilinear guide element 52 and the corresponding coupling element 53 a corresponding row of third register holes 54 is defined and 55, being provided for fixing means of the screw type.

Each of the two semi-seating surfaces 44 and 45 and / or each of the two semi-backrests 46 and 47 comprises a side consisting of at least two wings, respectively indicated with 56a-56b and 57a-57b, which are superimposed on each other and coupled at an adjustable distance the core with respect to the other in the sense of their length and / or their width in order to allow further adjustment of the dimensions, in particular of the depth and height, of the seat 5.

The two half-backrests 46 and 47, moreover, are hinged to the respective half-seat surface 44 and 45 around an axis 58 substantially parallel to the base 41 and which extends parallel to the width of the latter. Furthermore, stop means 59 are provided, also of the type of a spring pin, for the relative rotation of the two half-backrests 46 and 47 with respect to the two half-planes of the seat 44 and 45 in a plurality of different angular positions .

At the two opposite sides of the base 41 there are two lateral arms 60 each of which has an end articulated to the base 41 and the opposite free end.

These two lateral arms 60 are movable between a lowered configuration, in which they lie alongside the base 41 when the seat 5 is coupled to the frame 2 of the stroller 1, and a raised configuration, in which they lie on a substantially oblique plane with respect to the base 41 , when the child seat 5 is used as a vehicle seat, the two side arms 60 being provided with slots 61 for attaching safety belts.

The base 41 is also provided with an extension 62 which is slidably coupled to a drawer within a seat 63 defined in the base 41 itself for adjusting the depth of the seat surface of the seat 5.

At the upper end of the side of each of the two half-backs 46 and 47 there is an articulated frame 64 for anchoring a canopy.

With reference to Figures 9 and 10, the structure of each of the front 3 and rear 4 wheels is now illustrated which, as will become clearer in the following, does not have the usual central hub.

In fact, each wheel comprises an inner rim 65, fixed and anchored, by means of screws 66 at a circumferential portion to a bracket 67 for attachment to the respective axle 13 or to the frame 2 and, in particular at the front end of the tubular 8 of the latter. The outer circle 68 is movably coupled in a rotatable manner to the inner circle 65; a tire 69 is anchored to the outer rim 68.

The outer circle 68 comprises a pair of rings 68a and 68b each of which is coupled to one of the two opposite faces of the inner circle 65 in correspondence with which a respective circular guide 70 is formed.

The two rings 68a and 68b are rigidly connected to each other to form a single body supporting the tire 69 by means of screws, not shown, which can be engaged in the holes defined along their crown.

At least one of the wheels, in particular the rear wheels 4, is provided with a brake device comprising a shoe 71 which is associated with the bracket 67 in a movable way between a rest configuration, in which it does not interact with the tire 69, and a working configuration , in which it rests with interference on the tire 69, a lever 71 for controlling the shoe 70 being provided.

The operation of the invention is as follows.

In the configuration of use of the stroller 1, the frame 2 is open and the seat 5 is applied to the platform 9.

In particular, the stop 36 blocks the sliding of the sliders of the rods 35 along the respective glyph 34 keeping the axles 13 in an extended wing configuration. The hook 30, on the other hand, blocks the rotation of the upper attachment 15 and of the lower attachment 16 with respect to the sleeve 14 thus keeping the frame 2 open with the maneuvering handle 7 extending rearwards upwards and the axles 13 extending extend posteriorly downward.

The spring pin 40 keeps the handle 39 fixed with respect to the lever 38.

In this configuration it is sufficient to act on the maneuvering handle 7 to modify, thanks to the steering device 6, the orientation of the rear wheels 4.

The dimensions of the seat 5 are adaptable, in width, height and depth, to the growth stage of the child thanks to the means for adjusting the relative distance of the two support half-surfaces 44 and 45 and of the two half-backrests 46 and 47 as well as the possibility of registering the relative distance of the wings 56a-56b and 57a-57b of their sides and the position of the extension 62. Furthermore, the seat 5 can be released from the platform 9 and be used as a car seat, in this case the two side arms 609 are brought into a raised configuration to act as an attachment for the safety belts (figure 13), or it can be reclined like a basket (figure 14).

To close the stroller 1 it is sufficient to release the stop 36 and use the umbrella mechanism to bring the rear wheels 4 closer to the axis 11a (figure 7). Then, by acting on the hook 30, the rotation of the upper attachment 15 and of the lower attachment 16 with respect to the sleeve 14 is released and, by lowering by lowering the maneuvering handle 7 towards the tubular 8, thanks to the gear 23a-23b, the two axles 13 and the maneuvering handle 7 itself close like a book on the tubular 8. Finally, by acting on the spring pin 40, the handle 39 is closed like a book on the lever 38 (figure 8).

In practice it has been found that the described invention achieves the intended aim and objects.

The stroller according to the invention, thanks to the rear steering device, allows the orientation of the rear wheels to be changed in a simple and safe way, ensuring stability when resting on the ground and without the risk of overturning.

The pushchair according to the invention can be easily maneuvered by a user both as regards its driving and as regards the opening and closing operations.

The stroller according to the invention has a structure that is easily adaptable both to different uses and to the progressive growth of a child.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

Furthermore, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent ones.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the following claims.

Claims (26)

CLAIMS 1. Improved stroller for children, comprising a frame provided with wheels and on which a seat is mounted, characterized in that it comprises a steering device of the at least one rear wheel which is associated with a maneuvering handle. 2. Stroller according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a pair of said rear wheels associated with said steering device. 3. Stroller according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said steering device comprises a shaft which is arranged transversely to the support plane of said wheels and which is associated in a rotatable manner around its longitudinal axis to a support defined in said frame, said shaft having the upper end associated with said maneuvering handle and the lower end associated with the axle of said rear wheels. 4. Stroller according to claim 3, characterized in that said steering device comprises means for limiting the relative rotation of said shaft with respect to said support. 5. Stroller according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that at least one of said maneuvering handlebar and said axles is associated in a rotatable manner about an articulation axis substantially parallel to said support plane respectively to said upper end and to said lower end for the book-like closure of said stroller, with removable locking means of the relative rotation of said maneuvering handle and / or of said axles with respect to said shaft when said stroller is in an open configuration. 6. Stroller according to one or more of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said axles are articulated to said lower end of the shaft with an umbrella mechanism for closing and opening said stroller. 7. Stroller according to one or more of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said shaft comprises a sleeve for connecting an upper attachment for said maneuvering handle and lower attachment for said axles, said sleeve being rotatably associated with said support. 8. Stroller according to claim 7 and claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said upper and lower attachments are pivoted to said sleeve around a respective pin defining said articulation axis of the maneuvering handlebar and of the axles, respectively. 9. Pushchair according to claim 8, characterized in that between said upper attachment and said lower attachment there is defined a gear for enslaving their rotation with respect to said sleeve. 10. Pushchair according to one or more of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that said means for locking the relative rotation of said operating handlebar and said axles with respect to said shaft comprise a hook having an articulated end such as one between said upper attachment and said lower attachment and the opposite end provided with a retaining tooth which can be inserted in a corresponding seat defined in the other between said upper attachment and said lower attachment. 11. Stroller according to one or more of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that said sleeve comprises at least one spoke which is defined as projecting from its external lateral surface and which is slidingly coupled in an arc-shaped or circular guide defined in said support. 12. Stroller according to claims 11 and one or more of claims 4 to 10, characterized in that said means for limiting the rotation of said shaft with respect to said support comprise at least one stop surface of said at least one spoke defined along said arch guide circle or circular. 13. Stroller according to claim 6 and one or more of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that said umbrella mechanism comprises, for each of said rear wheels, a glyph which is defined in said lower attachment and which is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said shaft, a rod, which has one end articulated to the axle of said rear wheel and the opposite end provided with a slider associated in a sliding manner along said glyph, and a detachable type of stop for the sliding of said slider along said glyph, said axle being articulated at one end to said lower attachment. Stroller according to one or more of claims 3 to 13, characterized in that said operating handlebar comprises a lever which has one end fixed to said upper end of said shaft and the opposite end articulated to a handle. 15. Stroller according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seat comprises a base which can be removably associated with said frame, a pair of seat half-tops and a pair of half-backrests which are associated with said base with respective means for adjusting their relative distance in the direction of the width of said seat. 16. Stroller according to claim 15, characterized in that said means for adjusting the relative distance of said seating half-planes comprise a rectilinear guide which is defined in said base along the direction of the width of the latter and which is provided with a plurality of first holes, an attachment plate of each of said seating half-planes which is slidably inserted in said guide and which is provided with a plurality of second holes and screw fixing means which can be inserted in said first and second holes. 17. Stroller according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that said means for adjusting the relative distance of said half-backrests comprise a rectilinear guide element which is defined in the direction of the width in one of said two half-backrests and a corresponding element of coupling which is slidably inserted in said rectilinear guide element and which is defined in the other of said two half-backs, with removable fixing means being provided for said two half-backs. 18. Stroller according to one or more of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that each of said seat half-surfaces and / or said half-backrests comprises a side comprising at least two wings overlapping each other and coupled at an adjustable distance. 'with respect to each other in the sense of their length and / or their width. 19. Stroller according to one or more of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that each of said half-backrests is hinged to the respective seat half-plane around an axis substantially parallel to said base and which extends parallel to the width of the latter, being provided with means for stopping the relative rotation of said half-backrests with respect to said half-planes of seat of the removable type. Stroller according to one or more of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that said seat comprises a pair of lateral arms which are articulated to the opposite sides of said base and which are movable between a lowered configuration, in which they lie alongside said base, and a raised configuration, in which they lie on a substantially oblique plane with respect to said base, said arms being provided with attachment slots for safety belts. Stroller according to one or more of claims 15 to 20, characterized in that said base comprises an extension coupled to it, sliding for adjusting the depth of the seat surface of said seat. 22. Stroller according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said wheels comprises an inner circle, fixed and anchored at a circumferential portion to a bracket for attachment to the respective axle, an outer circle, movable and coupled in rotatable to said inner rim, and a tire supported by said outer rim. 23. Stroller according to claim 22, characterized in that said inner circle comprises at least one circular guide for said outer circle. 24. Stroller according to claim 23, characterized in that said outer circle comprises a pair of rings coupled to the opposite faces of said inner circle along a respective circular guide and rigidly connected to each other to form a single supporting body of said tire. 25. Stroller according to one or more of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that at least one of said wheels comprises a brake device. 26. Stroller according to claim 25, characterized in that said brake device comprises a shoe associated with said bracket in a movable way between a rest configuration, in which it does not interact with said tire, and a working configuration, in which it rests with interference on said tire, and a control lever of said shoe which is associated with said bracket.