JP2024126854A - Transportation vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a mobile vehicle that can prevent unintentional folding. [Solution] A shopping cart 10 includes a basket placement section 15 that is provided across a pair of frames 11, 12. A second support section 62 is provided on the first frame 11, and a first support section 61 is provided on the second frame 12, and the basket placement section 15 is supported by the support sections 61, 62. A guide passage 65 that guides the second support section 62 is formed in the basket placement section 15. As the basket placement section 15 is switched from a placement-enabled state to a flip-up state, the second support section 62 is displaced from a first position E1 to a second position E2 along the guide passage 65, and the pair of frames 11, 12 are switched from an unfolded state to a folded state. In the guide passage 65, a first passage portion 71 extending from the first position E1 to the second position E2 extends while being displaced downward from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 when the car placement portion 15 is in a state in which the car can be placed.

Description

The present invention relates to a transportation vehicle.

Examples of vehicles that assist the movement of people and luggage include walking frames that assist the elderly in walking, and shopping carts used to transport purchased goods in stores such as supermarkets.

Patent Document 1 discloses a transport vehicle that includes a first frame with front wheels attached to the lower end and a second frame with rear wheels attached to the lower end, with the frames arranged to intersect when viewed from the side. In this transport vehicle, the frames are rotatably connected at the intersections where they intersect, and the rotation allows each frame to be switched between an unfolded state in which it is unfolded forward and backward, and a folded state in which it is folded forward and backward.

In addition, the transport vehicle of Patent Document 1 has a seat section that spans each frame. The seat section can be flipped up rearward. In the transport vehicle of Patent Document 1, when the seat section is flipped up, each frame switches from an unfolded state to a folded state in conjunction with the flipping up. As a result, the transport vehicle of Patent Document 1 as a whole can be switched from a state unfolded forward and backward to a state folded forward and backward.

The mobile vehicle of Patent Document 1 is also provided with a locking member that locks the mobile vehicle in a forward/rearward unfolded state. The locking member is rotatably provided with respect to the seat, and has a recess into which an axle provided on the first frame fits. By fitting the axle of the first frame into this recess, the seat cannot be lifted up, and each frame cannot be switched from an unfolded state to a folded state. This makes it possible to lock the mobile vehicle in a forward/rearward unfolded state.

The mobile vehicle in Patent Document 1 is also provided with a release bar for releasing the locking effected by the locking member. The release bar is provided integrally with the locking member. In this case, the release bar is operated to rotate the locking member, thereby disengaging the shaft from the recess in the locking member, thereby enabling the lock to be released.

JP 2016-10501 A

However, in the mobile vehicle of Patent Document 1, if the mobile vehicle receives an unexpected shock, the release bar may operate unintentionally, causing the locking member to rotate and the shaft to come out of the recess in the locking member. In that case, there is a risk that the mobile vehicle may be folded unintentionally.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its main objective is to provide a vehicle that can prevent unintentional folding.

In order to solve the above problem, the first invention of the present invention provides a vehicle having a pair of frames with wheels attached to their lower ends, which are arranged to cross each other in a side view, and the pair of frames are rotatably connected at the intersection where they cross, so that they can be switched between an unfolded state in which they are unfolded in the front and rear directions and a folded state in which they are folded in the front and rear directions, and a specific member is provided above the intersection across the pair of frames, and the specific member is switchable between a first state in which it extends in the front and rear directions and a second state in which the front end in the first state is the upper end, and the pair of frames are each provided with a support part that supports the specific member, and the specific member is formed with a guide passage that extends in the front and rear directions in the first state, and one of the support parts is configured to be connected to the frame so as to enable the switching of the specific member. , a first support part that rotatably supports the specified member, and the other of the support parts is a second support part that is guided along the guide passage when the specified member is switched, and the second support part is displaceable between a first position and a second position closer to the first support part than the first position in the guide passage, and when the specified member is switched from the first state to the second state, the second support part displaces from the first position to the second position, and the pair of frames are switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, and a specified length portion of the guide passage that extends from the first position to the second position is a first passage part, and when the specified member is in the first state, the first passage part extends while displacing downward from the first position toward the second position.

According to the first invention, a pair of frames arranged to intersect in a side view are rotatably connected at the intersection where they intersect, making it possible to switch between an unfolded state in which the frame is unfolded forward and backward and a folded state in which the frame is folded forward and backward. In addition, a specific member is provided across the pair of frames, and the specific member is switchable between a first state in which the frame extends forward and backward, and a second state in which the front end in the first state becomes the upper end.

The pair of frames are each provided with a support part that supports a specific member, and a guide passage extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the specific member. One of the support parts is a first support part that rotatably supports the specific member, and the other is a second support part that is guided along the guide passage. The second support part is displaceable between a first position in the guide passage and a second position that is closer to the first support part than the first position. In this case, as the specific member is switched from the first state to the second state, the second support part is displaced from the first position to the second position, and the pair of frames are switched from the unfolded state to the folded state. This causes the mobile vehicle as a whole to be folded.

Here, in the above configuration, when the pair of frames switch from the unfolded state to the folded state, the second support part rotates around the intersection where the pair of frames intersect. In this case, if the path along which the second support part rotates is defined as the rotation path, and the guide passage extends, for example, from the first position to the second position along the rotation path, there is a risk that the second support part will be unintentionally displaced from the first position toward the second position when the mobile vehicle is subjected to an unexpected impact. In that case, there is a risk that each frame will unintentionally switch from the unfolded state to the folded state.

In view of this, in the first invention, a predetermined length portion of the guide passage extending from the first position toward the second position is defined as a first passage portion, and the first passage portion is configured to extend while displacing downward from the first position toward the second position when the predetermined member is in the first state. When the guide passage extends from the first position toward the second position along the above-mentioned rotation path, the guide passage extends upward from the first position along the rotation path. In contrast, since the first passage portion extends while displacing downward from the first position toward the second position, it is possible to prevent the second support portion from displacing unintentionally along the first passage portion from the first position to the second position. This makes it possible to prevent the pair of frames from unintentionally switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, and thus to prevent the mobile vehicle from unintentionally folding.

The second invention is a moving vehicle according to the first invention, wherein the guide passage has a second passage portion that is continuous with the first passage portion and extends to the second position, and when the specified member is in the first state, the second passage portion extends from the lower end of the first passage portion toward the second position while inclining upward, the length of the second passage portion is longer than the length of the first passage portion, and the inclination of the second passage portion is gentler than the inclination of the first passage portion.

According to the second invention, the second passage portion connected to the first passage portion in the guide passage extends while inclining upward toward the second position when the specified member is in the first state. Here, the length of the first passage portion does not need to be so long to prevent the second support portion from unintentionally displacing from the first position to the second position along the first passage portion. In view of this, in the second invention, the length of the second passage portion is made longer than the length of the first passage portion, and the inclination of the second passage portion is made gentler than the inclination of the first passage portion. In this case, in the second passage portion having a long passage length, it is relatively easy to displace the second support portion toward the second position. Therefore, when the specified member is switched from the first state to the second state to put the pair of frames into the folded state (i.e., during the folding operation of the mobile vehicle), it is relatively easy to displace the second support portion from the first position to the second position smoothly, and as a result, it is possible to easily fold the mobile vehicle.

The third invention is a transport vehicle according to the second invention, in which, assuming a rotation path along which the second support part rotates about the intersection when the pair of frames transition from the unfolded state to the folded state, an acute angle is formed between the tangent direction of the rotation path in the first position and the direction in which the first passage part extends.

Assuming that the second support part rotates around the intersection as the pair of frames transition from the unfolded state to the folded state, the second support part will be displaced from the first position toward the second position along the tangential direction of the rotation path at the first position. Here, if the angle between the tangential direction of the rotation path and the extension direction of the first passage part is large (e.g., greater than a right angle), it is expected that the second support part will have difficulty displacing from the first position toward the second position when the specified member is switched from the first state to the second state to bring the pair of frames into the folded state. In that case, there is a risk that the folding operation will not be performed smoothly.

In view of this, in the third invention, the angle between the tangent direction of the rotation path and the direction in which the first passage extends is set to an acute angle. In this case, it is possible to prevent the second support part from being difficult to displace from the first position to the second position during the folding operation. Therefore, it is possible to preferably perform the folding operation of the mobile vehicle while preventing the mobile vehicle from folding unintentionally.

The fourth invention is a vehicle according to the third invention, in which the acute angle is within the range of 45° to 80°.

To prevent the mobile vehicle from unintentionally folding, it is desirable that the angle (acute angle) between the tangent direction of the rotation path and the extension direction of the first passage portion be 45° or more. Also, to perform the folding operation of the mobile vehicle efficiently, it is desirable that the angle be 80° or less. In this regard, in the fourth invention, the angle is set within the range of 45° to 80°, so that the effect of the third invention described above can be obtained efficiently.

The fifth invention is a mobile vehicle according to any one of the first to fourth inventions, comprising an engagement portion that engages with the second support portion to restrict the second support portion from displacing from the first position toward the second position, a release operation portion that is operated along the front-to-rear direction to release the engagement by the engagement portion, and a displacement mechanism that displaces the engagement portion from the engagement position where it engages with the second support portion to a release position where the engagement is released based on the release operation by the release operation portion, and the displacement mechanism displaces the engagement portion in an inclined direction inclined with respect to the front-to-rear direction and inclined in the opposite direction to the first passage portion.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the engagement portion engages with the second support portion, thereby restricting the second support portion from displacing from the first position to the second position. In this case, it is possible to prevent the pair of frames from unintentionally switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, and thus to prevent the vehicle from unintentionally folding.

The engagement portion is disengaged from the second support portion by operating the release operation portion in the front-to-rear direction. Here, in the configuration of the first invention in which the first passage portion extends while being displaced downward from the first position toward the second position, it is considered that the amount of displacement of the engagement portion increases when the engagement portion is displaced from the engagement position to the release position in the release operation direction of the release operation portion (i.e., the front-to-rear direction). In this case, the amount of operation of the release operation portion also increases, which may make the release operation difficult.

In view of this, the fifth invention is configured such that, based on the release operation of the release operation unit, the engagement unit is displaced from the engagement position to the release position in a direction that is inclined relative to the front-rear direction and inclined toward the opposite side to the first passage unit. In this case, the amount of displacement of the engagement unit when it is displaced from the engagement position to the release position can be reduced, and as a result, the amount of operation of the release operation unit can be reduced. This makes it possible to easily perform the release operation.

Even if the release operation portion is erroneously operated and the engagement portion is disengaged from the second support portion, the first passage portion extends while being displaced downward from the first position toward the second position as described above, so that the second support portion can be prevented from being unintentionally displaced from the first position toward the second position.

The sixth invention is a mobile vehicle according to the fifth invention, which includes an engagement member having the engagement portion, the engagement member being rotatably supported on the predetermined member via a pivot shaft, the displacement mechanism displaces the engagement portion from the engagement position to the release position by rotating the engagement member based on the release operation, and the pivot shaft is disposed on an extension of the first passage portion.

According to the sixth invention, an engagement member having an engagement portion is rotatably supported on a predetermined member via a rotation shaft. In addition, the engagement portion is displaced from the engagement position to the release position by rotating the engagement member based on the release operation of the release operation portion. In this case, the sixth invention can be specifically realized by using a rotating engagement member.

In addition, because the rotation axis is disposed on an extension line of the first passage portion, the direction of displacement when the engaging portion is displaced from the engaged position to the released position by rotating the engaging member can be set to a direction approximately perpendicular to the extension direction of the first passage portion. In this case, the amount of displacement when the engaging portion is displaced from the engaged position to the released position can be suitably suppressed, and as a result, the amount of operation of the release operation portion can be suitably suppressed. This makes it possible to perform the release operation more easily.

The seventh invention is a mobile vehicle according to the sixth invention, comprising a slide member that is integral with the release operation unit and slides in the front-rear direction together with the release operation unit, and the displacement mechanism has a guide hole that is provided in the slide member and extends in a direction inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, and a guide pin that is provided in the engagement member and guided along the guide hole, and the slide member is slid based on the release operation to displace the guide pin in the guide hole from one end side to the other end side, thereby rotating the engagement member, and the guide hole is inclined so that it is displaced in the front-rear direction toward the opposite side to the side that is released as it moves from the one end side to the other end side.

According to the seventh invention, a slide member is provided that is integral with the release operation unit and slides in the front-rear direction together with the release operation unit. The slide member is provided with a guide hole that extends in a direction inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, and the engagement member is provided with a guide pin that is guided along the guide hole. Then, by sliding the slide member based on the release operation of the release operation unit, the guide pin of the engagement member is displaced from one end side to the other end side in the guide hole of the slide member, thereby rotating the engagement member. Also, the guide hole is inclined so that it is displaced in the front-rear direction toward the opposite side to the side that is released as it moves from one end side to the other end side. In this case, it is possible to easily displace the guide pin from one end side to the other end side along the guide hole based on the release operation of the release operation unit. This makes it possible to perform the release operation even more easily.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the shopping cart in an unfolded state. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shopping cart in an unfolded state, with the bag removed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shopping cart in a collapsed position, with the bag removed. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the shopping cart in an unfolded state. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the shopping cart in a folded state. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the periphery of a connection portion between the second frame and the basket placement portion. FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing the periphery of a second support portion, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the periphery of a support member. 11 is a side view of the arm body and its peripheral members as viewed from the outside in the left-right direction, illustrating the engaged state of the engaging members. FIG. 13 is a side view showing the state in which the first frame and the second frame are switched from the unfolded state to the folded state in conjunction with the basket mounting portion being switched from the mounting-ready state to the flip-up state. FIG. 11 is a side view of the arm body and its peripheral members as viewed from the outside in the left-right direction, showing the disengaged state of the engaging members. FIG. 5A and 5B are enlarged side views showing the engaging member, in which FIG. 5A shows the engaging member in an engaged state, and FIG. 5B shows the engaging member in a disengaged state. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing a partially disassembled state of the release devices attached to the arm bodies of the car placement portion. 4A is a front view showing the periphery of the front end frame of the car mounting portion, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration for holding the car placement portion in a lifted state. FIG.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the shopping cart 10 in an unfolded state, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shopping cart 10 in a folded state. Figs. 2 and 3 show the shopping cart 10 with the bag 13 removed. Fig. 4 is a side view of the shopping cart 10 in an unfolded state, and Fig. 5 is a side view of the shopping cart 10 in a folded state. For convenience, the bag 13 and the shopping basket K are shown by two-dot chain lines in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the following description, the direction of movement of the shopping cart 10 when it is moved in the unfolded state is referred to as the front-to-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction is referred to as the left-to-right direction. In addition, unless otherwise specified, the following description refers to the configuration of the shopping cart 10 in the unfolded state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shopping cart 10 comprises a first frame 11 and a second frame 12 that form the framework of the cart 10, a bag 13 for storing purchased items (goods), a bag support section 14 that supports the bag 13, and a basket placement section 15 for placing a shopping basket K. The shopping cart 10 can be used as a shopping cart in a store such as a supermarket by placing the shopping basket K on the basket placement section 15. After shopping, the purchased items can be placed in the bag 13 and carried home. The shopping cart 10 corresponds to a "mobile vehicle."

2 and 4, the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are frame-shaped in front view and are arranged to cross each other so as to form a roughly X-shape in side view. The first frame 11 extends at an angle backward, and the second frame 12 extends at an angle forward. A front wheel 16 is attached to the lower end of the first frame 11, and a rear wheel 17 is attached to the lower end of the second frame 12. The first frame 11 extends upwards beyond the second frame 12, and a handle 18 is provided on the upper end side of the first frame 11 for a user to grasp when moving the shopping cart 10. The first frame 11 and the second frame 12 correspond to a "pair of frames". The front wheel 16 and the rear wheel 17 correspond to "wheels".

The first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are rotatably connected at the intersection 19 where they intersect. Each of these frames 11, 12 can be switched between an unfolded state in which they unfold back and forth (the state shown in Figures 2 and 4) and a folded state in which they are folded back and forth (the state shown in Figures 3 and 5) by their rotation. When each of the frames 11, 12 is unfolded, the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 17 are separated from each other in the front and rear directions, and when each of the frames 11, 12 is folded, the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 17 are close to each other in the front and rear directions.

The first frame 11 has a pair of left and right leg frames 21 extending vertically, a horizontal frame 22 spanning the middle of each leg frame 21, and a handle frame 23 spanning the upper ends of each leg frame 21. Each leg frame 21 has a lower frame 25 and an upper frame 26 arranged above the lower frame 25. The lower frame 25 and the upper frame 26 are formed from metal pipes or bars, and both are inclined backward. The upper frame 26 is inclined backward less than the lower frame 25, and the upper end of the lower frame 25 is connected to the lower end of the upper frame 26. In addition, a front wheel 16 is attached to the lower end of each lower frame 25.

A support member 27 that supports the car mounting portion 15 is attached to each upper frame 26. The support member 27 is made of a resin material and has a cylindrical mounting portion 28 that is attached to the leg frame 21, and a protruding portion 29 that protrudes forward from the mounting portion 28. The mounting portion 28 is attached to the upper frame 26 with the upper frame 26 inserted inside it.

The horizontal frame 22 is formed from metal pipes or bars and is hung across the lower parts of each upper frame 26. The handle frame 23, like the horizontal frame 22, is formed from metal pipes or bars and is hung across the upper ends of each upper frame 26. A resin handle cover 24 is placed over the handle frame 23, and the handle cover 24 and the handle frame 23 form the handle 18.

The second frame 12 has a pair of left and right leg frames 31 extending in the vertical direction, and a horizontal frame 32 that spans the lower end of each leg frame 31. Each of these frames 31, 32 is formed from metal pipe material or bar material. Each leg frame 31 is inclined forward and intersects with each leg frame 21 (more specifically, the lower frame 25) of the first frame 11. An axis portion 34 extending in the left-right direction is provided at the intersection 19 where each leg frame 21, 31 intersects. Each leg frame 21, 31 is rotatably connected via the axis portion 34, and thus the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are rotatably connected. As a result, each frame 11, 12 can be switched between an unfolded state and a folded state by rotating around the axis portion 34.

Next, we will explain the bag 13 and the bag support part 14.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bag 13 is formed in a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape that extends in the vertical direction. The bag 13 has a bag body 36 capable of containing shopping items, and covers 37 and 38. The bag body 36 is box-shaped with openings on the front and top, and items can be put in and taken out of the bag body 36 through these openings. The cover 37 is a front cover that opens and closes the front opening of the bag body 36, and the cover 38 is an upper cover that opens and closes the top opening of the bag body 36.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the bag support part 14 is provided on the lower end side of the first frame 11 and is disposed between the leg frames 21 of the first frame 11. The bag support part 14 is connected to each leg frame 21 via a connecting bar 45. The bag support part 14 has a placement part 41 on which the bag 13 is placed, a receiving part 42 that receives the placed bag 13 from the rear, and a stopper part 43 that prevents the placed bag 13 from falling forward. The placement part 41 extends in the front-rear direction, and the receiving part 42 extends upward from the rear end of the placement part 41. The stopper part 43 also extends upward from the front end side of the placement part 41.

The bag support section 14 is provided with a ground contact section 44 that extends downward from the placement section 41. When the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are folded, the bottom end of the ground contact section 44 is in contact with the ground surface G (floor or ground) (see FIG. 5). In this case, as the ground contact section 44 comes into contact with the ground, the front wheels 16 move upward away from the ground surface G. Therefore, when the frames 11, 12 are folded, the rear wheels 17 and the ground contact section 44 are placed on the ground surface G, allowing the shopping cart 10 to stand on its own.

Next, the car mounting section 15 will be described using FIG. 6 in addition to FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the car mounting section 15 as seen from the rear.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the car mounting section 15 is provided straddling the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 above the intersection 19 where the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 intersect. The car mounting section 15 is provided straddling the middle part of the first frame 11 and the upper end part of the second frame 12, and is disposed above the bag 13 supported by the bag support section 14 (see Figure 1). The car mounting section 15 corresponds to the "predetermined member."

As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the car mounting section 15 has a U-shaped frame shape in a plan view, and is arranged with its open part facing backward. The car mounting section 15 has a pair of left and right arms 51 that extend in the front-rear direction, and a front end frame 52 that spans the front ends of each arm 51.

Each arm 51 has an arm body 53 extending in the front-rear direction, and a cover 54 covering the arm body 53 from the outside in the left-right direction. Each arm body 53 is formed in a plate shape (flat plate) from a metal material, and is arranged facing each other in the left-right direction. The cover 54 is formed from a resin material, and is provided with a flange 54a on its periphery that extends inward in the left-right direction. The arm body 53 is arranged inside the cover 54 surrounded by the flange 54a, and in this arrangement, the arm body 53 and the cover 54 are fixed to each other.

The front end frame 52 is made of a resin material and formed into a rod shape extending in the left-right direction. The front end frame 52 is provided with a pair of protruding portions 56 that protrude rearward. The protruding portions 56 are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The upper surface of each protruding portion 56 serves as a support surface on which a shopping basket K is placed. In this shopping cart 10, the shopping basket K is placed straddling the upper surface of each protruding portion 56 and the upper surface of the protruding portion 29 of each support member 27. In addition, a non-slip surface 59 made of a rubber sheet or the like may be provided on the upper surface of each protruding portion 56. In addition, the distance between each protruding portion 56 is smaller than the distance between each protruding portion 29.

The upper surface of each of the projections 29, 56 is located lower than the upper end of each of the arms 51. In other words, each of the arms 51 extends upwards beyond the upper surface of each of the projections 29, 56. In this case, when a shopping basket K is placed on the upper surface of each of the projections 29, 56, the shopping basket K is prevented from slipping down to the left or right. In addition, the front end frame 52 is further provided with a pair of stoppers 57 that protrude upwards. These stoppers 57 are positioned at a distance from each other on the left and right. This prevents the shopping basket K from slipping down forwards.

The basket placement section 15 can be flipped up backward, that is, toward the first frame 11 (more specifically, toward the upper frame 26). Therefore, the basket placement section 15 can be switched between a placement state (the state shown in Figures 2 and 4) in which a shopping basket K can be placed, and a flipped-up state in which it is flipped up backward (the state shown in Figures 3 and 5). As a result, in this shopping cart 10, by setting the first frame 11 and second frame 12 in a folded state and setting the basket placement section 15 in a flipped-up state, it is possible for the entire shopping cart 10 to be folded forward and backward.

When the car loading section 15 is in a loading-ready state, the car loading section 15 extends in the front-rear direction, and when the car loading section 15 is in a flip-up state, the car loading section 15 extends in the up-down direction. When the car loading section 15 is in a flip-up state, the front end of the car loading section 15 in the loading-ready state becomes the upper end. Therefore, in this embodiment, the loading-ready state of the car loading section 15 corresponds to the "first state", and the flip-up state corresponds to the "second state".

Here, in the present shopping cart 10, the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are switched from an unfolded state to a folded state in conjunction with the basket placement section 15 being switched from a placement-ready state to a flip-up state. Therefore, the configuration for performing such switching is described below.

The first frame 11 and the second frame 12 each have a support portion that supports the car mounting portion 15. Each of these support portions will be described below in order. First, the first support portion 61, which is the support portion on the second frame 12 side, will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 7. Note that Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the area surrounding the connection portion between the second frame 12 and the car mounting portion 15. For ease of explanation, Figure 7 shows the arm 51 with the cover 54 removed (this also applies to Figures 8 to 12 described below).

As shown in Figures 2 and 7, a first support portion 61 is fixed to the upper end of each leg frame 31 of the second frame 12. The first support portion 61 is formed in an L-shape and has a horizontal plate portion 61a fixed to the upper end of the leg frame 31 and a vertical plate portion 61b extending upward from the horizontal plate portion 61a.

The vertical plate portion 61b is inserted between the arm body 53 and the front end frame 52 of the car mounting portion 15. The arm body 53 and the front end frame 52 are connected via an axle portion 64 extending in the left-right direction. A hole portion (not shown) through which the axle portion 64 is inserted is formed in the vertical plate portion 61b, and the vertical plate portion 61b is disposed between the arm body 53 and the front end frame 52 with the axle portion 64 inserted into the hole portion. As a result, the first support portion 61 is rotatably connected to the car mounting portion 15 via the axle portion 64. In this case, the first support portion 61 rotatably supports the car mounting portion 15.

Next, the second support portion 62, which is the support portion on the first frame 11 side, will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 (a) is a perspective view showing the periphery of the second support portion 62, and (b) is a perspective view showing the periphery of the support member 27.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), a guide passage 65 extending in the front-rear direction is formed in each arm body 53 of the car mounting section 15 (see also FIG. 2 and FIG. 6). The guide passage 65 is a long hole-shaped passage penetrating the arm body 53 in the thickness direction. The guide passage 65 will be described in detail later.

A second support portion 62 is provided in each guide passage 65 of the arm body 53. The second support portion 62 has a cylindrical inner tube portion 62a and an outer tube portion 62b that extend in the left-right direction. The inner tube portion 62a is inserted into the guide passage 65, and a portion of it protrudes outward in the left-right direction beyond the arm body 53. The outer tube portion 62b has a diameter larger than the width of the guide passage 65, and is inserted onto the protruding portion of the inner tube portion 62a.

The second support portion 62 is attached to the support member 27 of the first frame 11. The support member 27 is disposed on the inside in the left-right direction with respect to the arm body 53. The support member 27 is provided with a boss portion 66 extending outward in the left-right direction from the protruding portion 29. The tip of the boss portion 66 abuts against the inner cylinder portion 62a of the second support portion 62, and in this abutting state, a screw 67 is screwed into the boss portion 66 through the inside of the inner cylinder portion 62a. As a result, the second support portion 62 is fixed to the boss portion 66 and thus to the support member 27 by the screw 67 when inserted into the guide passage 65. In this case, the second support portion 62 supports the arm body 53 and thus the car placement portion 15 when inserted into the guide passage 65.

The second support portion 62 is guided along the guide passage 65 when the car loading portion 15 is switched between the loading state and the flip-up state. Therefore, the guide passage 65 that guides the second support portion 62 will be described below with reference to FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a side view of the arm body 53 and its surrounding members as viewed from the outside in the left-right direction.

As shown in FIG. 9, the guide passage 65 extends in the front-rear direction from a first position E1, which is its rear end, to a second position E2, which is its front end. In this case, the second position E2 is closer to the first support part 61 than the first position E1. The guide passage 65 has a first passage part 71 that extends from the first position E1 to the second position E2, and a second passage part 72 that is continuous with the first passage part 71 and extends to the second position E2. The first passage part 71 extends while being displaced downward from the first position E1 toward the second position E2. In other words, the first passage part 71 is inclined downward from the first position E1 toward the second position E2.

The second passage section 72 extends from the lower end of the first passage section 71 (in other words, the end of the first passage section 71 on the second position E2 side) while inclining upward toward the second position E2. The length L2 of the second passage section 72 is longer than the length L1 of the first passage section 71. In this embodiment, the length L2 of the second passage section 72 is three times or more, more specifically, five times or more, the length L1 of the first passage section 71. The inclination of the second passage section 72 (more specifically, the inclination in the front-rear direction) is gentler than the inclination of the first passage section 71 (more specifically, the inclination in the front-rear direction). In other words, the inclination of the first passage section 71 is steeper than the inclination of the second passage section 72.

Here, the inclination of the first passage portion 71 will be explained in more detail. When the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are switched from the unfolded state to the folded state by rotating around the shaft portion 34, the second support portion 62 provided on the first frame 11 rotates around the shaft portion 34. In this case, assuming a rotation path T along which the second support portion 62 rotates, the angle α formed by the tangent direction H1 of the rotation path T at the first position E1 (in FIG. 9, a straight line extending in this direction H1 is shown by a dotted line) and the direction H2 in which the first passage portion 71 extends (in FIG. 9, a straight line extending in this direction H2 is shown by a dotted line) is an acute angle. In other words, the first passage portion 71 is inclined downward from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 so that the above angle α is an acute angle. More specifically, the angle α is between 45° and 80°, and more specifically between 60° and 75°. In this embodiment, the angle α is 69° (approximately 70°).

Next, the action of the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 switching from the unfolded state to the folded state in conjunction with the car loading section 15 switching from the loading state to the flip-up state will be described with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a side view showing the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 switching from the unfolded state to the folded state in conjunction with the car loading section 15 switching from the loading state to the flip-up state. For ease of explanation, the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are shown in FIG. 10 by two-dot chain lines. Also, to make the position of the first support section 61 easier to understand, the first support section 61 is shown by a circle. Also, the second support section 62 is shown with dot hatching.

As shown in FIG. 10(a), when the basket placement section 15 is in a placement-ready state and the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are in an unfolded state, i.e., when the shopping cart 10 is in an unfolded state (as shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 4), the second support section 62 is located at the first position E1. When the basket placement section 15 is switched from the placement-ready state to the flip-up state, as shown in FIG. 10(b), the basket placement section 15 is flipped up by being rotated rearward about the second support section 62. At this time, the basket placement section 15 rotates about the first support section 61 toward the side where it is folded relative to the second frame 12.

When the car loading section 15 is switched from the loading state to the flip-up state, the second support section 62 is displaced from the first position E1 to the second position E2 along the guide passage 65. In this case, the second support section 62 is first displaced from the first position E1 to the second position E2 along the first passage section 71, and then enters the second passage section 72 and is displaced along the second passage section 72 to the second position E2. As the second support section 62 is displaced from the first position E1 to the second position E2, the second support section 62 approaches the first support section 61. Therefore, the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 transition from the unfolded state to the folded state.

As shown in FIG. 10(c), when the basket placement portion 15 is switched to the flip-up state, the second support portion 62 reaches the second position E2, and the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are folded. This causes the shopping cart 10 to be folded as a whole (as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5). Also, when the basket placement portion 15 is switched to the flip-up state, the guide passage 65 extends in the vertical direction, and the second position E2 becomes the upper end of the guide passage 65. Therefore, in this case, the second support portion 62 is located at the upper end of the guide passage 65, and in that state supports the basket placement portion 15 from below.

Next, the action when the car mounting section 15 is switched from the flip-up state to the loading state will be described. When the car mounting section 15 is switched from the flip-up state to the loading state, the car mounting section 15 is rotated forward around the second support section 62, which is the opposite of the above case. At this time, the second support section 62 is displaced from the second position E2 to the first position E1 along the guide passage 65, and the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 move from the folded state to the unfolded state. Then, when the car mounting section 15 is switched to the loading state, the second support section 62 reaches the first position E1, and the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are in the unfolded state (see FIG. 10(a)).

The car placement section 15 is provided with a locking means for restricting the second support section 62 from displacing from the first position E1 to the second position E2 in the guide passage 65, thereby locking the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 in the deployed state. The configuration of this locking means will be described below with reference to Figs. 11 and 12 in addition to Fig. 9. Fig. 11, like Fig. 9, is a side view of the arm body 53 and its surrounding members as viewed from the outside in the left-right direction. Note that Fig. 9 shows the engaged state of the engaging member 75, and Fig. 11 shows the disengaged state. Fig. 12 is an enlarged side view of the periphery of the engaging member 75, where (a) shows the engaged state of the engaging member 75 and (b) shows the disengaged state.

As shown in Figures 9 and 12(a), each arm body 53 of the car mounting section 15 is provided with an engagement member 75 as a locking means. The engagement member 75 is disposed on the outer side of the arm body 53 in the left-right direction and has a shape that extends along the arm body 53. The engagement member 75 has a hook-shaped engagement portion 76 at its tip side, which is one end side. The engagement portion 76 is capable of engaging with the second support portion 62 located at the first position E1, and this engagement restricts the second support portion 62 from displacing from the first position E1 to the second position E2.

The base end of the engagement member 75 is attached to the arm body 53 via a pivot shaft 77. The pivot shaft 77 is an axis that extends in the left-right direction, and is formed by a fastener such as a bolt screwed into the arm body 53. The engagement member 75 is rotatable about the pivot shaft 77, and the rotation allows the engagement portion 76 to be displaced between an engagement position (position shown in FIG. 12(a)) where the engagement portion 76 engages with the second support portion 62 and a release position (position shown in FIG. 12(b)) where the engagement portion 76 is released from the second support portion 62. The pivot shaft 77 corresponds to the "rotation shaft" described in the claims.

When the engagement portion 76 is in the engagement position, the second support portion 62 is restricted from being displaced from the first position E1 to the second position E2. In this case, the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are prohibited from switching from the unfolded state to the folded state. In other words, the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are locked in the unfolded state. In this case, the car mounting portion 15 is also prohibited from switching from the loading-ready state to the flip-up state. In other words, the car mounting portion 15 is locked in the loading-ready state.

On the other hand, when the engagement portion 76 is in the release position, the second support portion 62 is permitted to be displaced from the first position E1 toward the second position E2. In this case, the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are permitted to switch from the unfolded state to the folded state, and the basket mounting portion 15 is permitted to switch from the mountable state to the flip-up state. Therefore, by switching the basket mounting portion 15 from the mountable state to the flip-up state, each frame 11, 12 can be switched from the unfolded state to the folded state, and the shopping cart 10 can be folded.

The pivot shaft 77 is disposed above the first position E1 of the guide passage 65 (first passage section 71). In this case, the pivot shaft 77 is located on the extension line I of the first passage section 71. When the engaging portion 76 is in the engaging position, the engaging portion 76 is located on the opposite side of the pivot shaft 77 across the first position E1 in the extension direction of the first passage section 71. In this case, the engaging surface 76a of the engaging portion 76 that engages with the pivot shaft 77 is oriented perpendicular to the extension direction of the first passage section 71.

The displacement direction H3 when the engaging portion 76 is displaced from the engaged position to the released position (in FIG. 12(b), a straight line extending in the displacement direction H3 is shown by a dotted line) is a direction that is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction. This displacement direction H3 is also inclined toward the opposite side to the first passage portion 71, and more specifically, is a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the extension direction (inclined direction) of the first passage portion 71. In this embodiment, the release position of the engaging portion 76 is in front of the engaging position and diagonally upward. Therefore, when the engaging portion 76 is displaced from the engaged position to the released position, the engaging member 75 is rotated upward and forward, thereby displacing.

The car mounting section 15 is provided with a release device 80 for releasing the engagement of the engagement section 76 with the second support section 62. The release device 80 will be described below with reference to Figs. 13 and 14 in addition to Figs. 6 and 9. Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing the release device 80 attached to each arm body 53 of the car mounting section 15 in a partially disassembled state. Fig. 14 (a) is a front view showing the periphery of the front end frame 52 of the car mounting section 15, and (b) is a plan view.

As shown in Figures 9 and 13, the release device 80 has a pair of left and right slide members 81 that are connected to the engagement member 75 and are slidable in the front-rear direction, a support bar 82 that is provided across each slide member 81, and a release lever 83 that is supported by the support bar 82.

A pair of slide members 81 are attached to each arm body 53 of the car mounting section 15. The slide members 81 are formed in a plate shape extending in the front-rear direction and are provided overlapping the outer surface (the outer surface in the left-right direction) of the arm body 53. The slide members 81 are formed with long holes 85 extending in the front-rear direction. A screw 86 is inserted into the long hole 85 and screwed into the arm body 53. As a result, the slide members 81 are attached to the arm body 53 by the screw 86, and in this attached state, the slide members 81 are slidable in the front-rear direction within the length range of the long hole 85. In this case, the slide members 81 are slidable between a rear position (position shown in FIG. 9) where the front end of the long hole 85 abuts against the screw 86 and a front position (position shown in FIG. 11) where the rear end of the long hole 85 abuts against the screw 86.

The slide member 81 and the arm body 53 are provided with cut-and-raised portions 81b, 53a that are cut and raised so as to face each other. A coil spring 91 is disposed between each of these cut-and-raised portions 81b, 53a. The coil spring 91 is provided for each slide member 81. The coil spring 91 is arranged so that its extension direction faces the front-rear direction, and both ends are attached to each of the cut-and-raised portions 81b, 53a. The coil spring 91 is disposed in a compressed state between each of the cut-and-raised portions 81b, 53a, and the elastic force due to the compression biases the slide member 81 backward relative to the arm body 53. As a result, the slide member 81 is normally located in the rear position (position shown in FIG. 9). Therefore, the rear position can also be said to be the standby position of the slide member 81.

The support bar 82 is suspended across the front ends of each slide member 81. The support bar 82 is formed in a round bar shape and extends in the left-right direction. Both ends of the support bar 82 are inserted into long holes 88 formed in each arm body 53, and in this inserted state are fixed to each slide member 81 with screws 89. The long holes 88 also extend in the left-right direction. Therefore, the support bar 82 can be displaced in the front-rear direction together with each slide member 81.

The support bar 82 is disposed behind the front end frame 52 of the car mounting section 15, as shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 14(b). The support bar 82 is adjacent to the front end frame 52 and is disposed below each of the overhanging portions 56 of the front end frame 52.

The release lever 83 is a release operation part that is operated to release the engagement part 76 from the second support part 62. The release lever 83 is made of a resin material and is attached to the center of the support bar 82. As shown in Figures 14 (a) and (b), the release lever 83 is disposed in the center in the left-right direction of the car mounting part 15. The release lever 83 is also disposed at a front position within the frame of the car mounting part 15. The release lever 83 is disposed adjacent to the front end frame 52 behind the front end frame 52, and is located between the respective overhanging parts 56 of the front end frame 52 in a plan view.

The release lever 83 has an attachment portion 83a attached to the support bar 82 and a plate-shaped handle portion 83b extending downward from the attachment portion 83a. The attachment portion 83a is cylindrical and is attached to the support bar 82 with the support bar 82 inserted inside. The handle portion 83b is where the user places his or her hand when performing the release operation with the release lever 83. The handle portion 83b extends downward beyond the front end frame 52.

The release lever 83 is operated to be released toward the front. When the release lever 83 is released, as shown in FIG. 11, each slide member 81 is displaced from the rear position to the front position against the biasing force of the coil spring 91. The engagement member 75 rotates based on the displacement of each slide member 81, and the engagement portion 76 is displaced from the engagement position (the position shown in FIG. 9 or FIG. 12(a)) to the release position (the position shown in FIG. 11 or FIG. 12(b)). As a result, the engagement portion 76 is disengaged from the second support portion 62 based on the release operation of the release lever 83, and the lock state in which the first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are locked in the deployed state is released. The release operation by the release lever 83 can also be called an unlocking operation.

Next, we will explain in detail the configuration for disengaging the engagement portion 76 based on the release operation of the release lever 83.

As shown in FIG. 12(a), the slide member 81 has a stepped portion at its rear end, and the portion separated from the arm body 53 by the stepped portion forms a connecting portion 81a that is connected to the engaging member 75. The connecting portion 81a is disposed on the opposite side of the arm body 53 across the engaging member 75. A guide hole 95 is formed in the connecting portion 81a, extending in a direction inclined relative to the front-rear direction. The guide hole 95 is inclined rearward and extends linearly. The angle β (see FIG. 12(b)) between the extension direction of the guide hole 95 and the front-rear direction is set to 60° to 80°, and in this embodiment is set to 72°.

The engaging member 75 is provided with a guide pin 96 that extends in the left-right direction. The guide pin 96 is cylindrical and is inserted into a guide hole 95 in the slide member 81. The guide pin 96 is guided along the guide hole 95. The guide hole 95 and the guide pin 96 together constitute a "displacement mechanism."

Next, we will explain the action of releasing the engagement of the engagement portion 76 with the second support portion 62 based on the release operation of the release lever 83.

When the slide member 81 of the release device 80 is in the rear position, the guide pin 96 is in the lower position in the guide hole 95 (see Figures 9 and 12(a)). The lower position is the position that corresponds to the lower end of the guide hole 95. When the guide pin 96 is in the lower position, the engagement member 75 is in an engaged state in which the engagement portion 76 engages with the second support portion 62. The engagement member 75 is normally in an engaged state.

When the slide member 81 slides from the rear position to the front position by the release operation of the release lever 83, the guide pin 96 is displaced from the lower position to an upper position above the lower position along the guide hole 95 (see Figures 11 and 12 (b)). The upper position is the upper end of the guide hole 95. When the guide pin 96 is displaced to the upper position, the displacement causes the engagement member 75 to rotate from an engaged state to a disengaged state in which the engagement of the engagement portion 76 with the second support portion 62 is released. As a result, the engagement of the engagement portion 76 with the second support portion 62 is released based on the release operation of the release lever 83.

The lower position side of the guide hole 95 corresponds to the "one end side," and the upper position side corresponds to the "other end side." The guide hole 95 is inclined rearward from the lower position side toward the upper position side. In other words, it is inclined toward the opposite side (rear side) from the side (front side) where the release operation is performed in the front-to-rear direction.

When the release operation using the release lever 83 is completed, the sliding member 81 returns from the front position to the rear position due to the biasing force of the coil spring 91. As a result, the guide pin 96 is displaced from the upper position to the lower position along the guide hole 95. Then, based on this displacement of the guide pin 96, the engaging member 75 rotates (returns) from the disengaged state to the engaged state.

Next, the configuration for holding the car mounting section 15 in the raised state when the car mounting section 15 is in the raised state will be described with reference to FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the configuration for holding the car mounting section 15 in the raised state.

As shown in FIG. 15, a recess 99 that opens upward is formed in the protruding portion 29 of each support member 27 of the first frame 11. The recess 99 is open on both the left and right sides. When the car mounting portion 15 is in the raised state, the support bar 82 of the release device 80 fits into the recess 99 of each support member 27 from above. This holds the car mounting portion 15 in the raised state.

The configuration of this embodiment described above provides the following excellent effects:

The first frame 11 and the second frame 12 are provided with support parts 61, 62 that support the car mounting part 15, and a guide passage 65 extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the car mounting part 15. One of the support parts 61, 62 is a first support part 61 that rotatably supports the car mounting part 15, and the other is a second support part 62 that is guided along the guide passage 65. As the car mounting part 15 is switched from the mountable state to the flip-up state, the second support part 62 is displaced from the first position E1 to the second position E2, and the pair of frames 11, 12 are switched from the unfolded state to the folded state.

Here, in the above configuration, when the pair of frames 11, 12 switch from the unfolded state to the folded state, the second support portion 62 rotates around the intersection 19 where the pair of frames 11, 12 intersect. In this case, if the path along which the second support portion 62 rotates is the rotation path T, and the guide passage 65 extends, for example, from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 along the rotation path T, there is a risk that the second support portion 62 will be unintentionally displaced from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 when the shopping cart 10 receives an unexpected impact. In that case, there is a risk that each frame 11, 12 will unintentionally switch from the unfolded state to the folded state.

In view of this, in this embodiment, a predetermined length portion of the guide passage 65 extending from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 is defined as the first passage section 71, and the first passage section 71 is configured to extend while displacing downward from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 when the car loading section 15 is in a loading state. When the guide passage 65 extends from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 along the above-mentioned rotation path T, the guide passage 65 extends upward from the first position E1 along the rotation path T. In contrast, since the first passage section 71 extends while displacing downward from the first position E1 toward the second position E2, it is possible to suppress the second support section 62 from unintentionally displacing from the first position E1 to the second position E2 along the first passage section 71. This prevents the pair of frames 11, 12 from unintentionally switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, and thus prevents the shopping cart 10 from unintentionally folding.

The second passage section 72, which is continuous with the first passage section 71 in the guide passage 65, extends while inclining upward toward the second position E2 when the car placement section 15 is in a state in which the car can be placed. Here, in order to prevent the second support section 62 from unintentionally displacing from the first position E1 to the second position E2 along the first passage section 71, the length of the first passage section 71 does not need to be so long. In this embodiment, in consideration of this point, the length of the second passage section 72 is made longer than the length of the first passage section 71, and the inclination of the second passage section 72 is made gentler than the inclination of the first passage section 71. In this case, in the second passage section 72 with a long passage length, it is possible to relatively easily displace the second support section 62 toward the second position E2. Therefore, when switching the basket placement section 15 from the placement state to the flip-up state and placing the pair of frames 11, 12 in the folded state (i.e., when folding the shopping cart 10), the second support section 62 can be relatively smoothly displaced from the first position E1 to the second position E2, which makes it easier to fold the shopping cart 10.

Assuming that the second support part 62 rotates around the intersection part 19 along a rotation path T when the pair of frames 11, 12 move from the unfolded state to the folded state, the second support part 62 displaces from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 along the tangent direction H1 of the rotation path T at the first position E1. Here, if the angle between the tangent direction H1 of the rotation path T and the direction H2 in which the first passage part 71 extends is large (for example, if it is larger than a right angle), it is assumed that the second support part 62 will be difficult to displace from the first position E1 to the second position E2 when the basket placement part 15 is switched from the placement state to the flip-up state to place the pair of frames 11, 12 in the folded state. In that case, there is a risk that the folding operation cannot be performed smoothly.

In view of this, in this embodiment, the angle α between the tangential direction H1 of the rotation path T and the direction H2 in which the first passage portion 71 extends is set to an acute angle. In this case, it is possible to prevent the second support portion 62 from being easily displaced from the first position E1 toward the second position E2 during the folding operation. Therefore, it is possible to preferably perform the folding operation of the shopping cart 10 while preventing the shopping cart 10 from being folded unintentionally.

To prevent the shopping cart 10 from unintentionally folding, it is desirable for the angle α to be 45° or more. Also, to facilitate the folding operation of the shopping cart 10, it is desirable for the angle α to be 80° or less. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the angle α is set to 45° to 80°, so that the above-mentioned effects can be obtained in an optimal manner.

By engaging the engagement portion 76 with the second support portion 62, the second support portion 62 is restricted from being displaced from the first position E1 to the second position E2. In this case, the pair of frames 11, 12 can be prevented from unintentionally switching from the unfolded state to the folded state, and thus the shopping cart 10 can be prevented from being unintentionally folded.

The engagement of the engaging portion 76 with the second support portion 62 is released by a release operation of the release lever 83 in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, based on the release operation by the release lever 83, the engaging portion 76 is displaced from the engaged position to the released position in a direction inclined with respect to the front-to-rear direction and inclined toward the opposite side to the first passage portion 71. In this case, in a configuration in which the first passage portion 71 extends while displacing downward from the first position E1 toward the second position E2, the amount of displacement of the engaging portion 76 when displacing from the engaged position to the released position can be reduced, and as a result, the amount of operation of the release operation by the release lever 83 can be reduced. This makes it possible to easily perform the release operation.

An engagement member 75 having an engagement portion 76 is rotatably supported on the car mounting portion 15 via a rotation shaft 77. In addition, the engagement member 75 is rotated based on the release operation of the release lever 83, so that the engagement portion 76 is displaced from the engagement position to the release position. In addition, the rotation shaft 77 is disposed on the extension line I of the first passage portion 71. In this case, the displacement direction when the engagement portion 76 is displaced from the engagement position to the release position by the rotation of the engagement member 75 can be set to a direction approximately perpendicular to the extension direction of the first passage portion 71. Therefore, the amount of displacement when the engagement portion 76 is displaced from the engagement position to the release position can be suitably suppressed, and as a result, the amount of operation of the release lever 83 can be suitably suppressed. This makes it possible to perform the release operation more easily.

The slide member 81, which is integral with the release lever 83, is provided with a guide hole 95 extending in a direction inclined with respect to the front-rear direction, and the engagement member 75 is provided with a guide pin 96 guided along the guide hole 95. Then, by sliding the slide member 81 based on the release operation of the release lever 83, the guide pin 96 of the engagement member 75 is displaced from one end side (specifically, the lower position side) to the other end side (specifically, the upper position side) along the guide hole 95 of the slide member 81, thereby rotating the engagement member 75. In addition, the guide hole 95 is inclined so that it is displaced in the front-rear direction toward the opposite side (specifically, the rear side) from the side to be released (specifically, the front side) as it moves from one end side to the other end side. In this case, the guide pin 96 can be easily displaced from one end side to the other end side along the guide hole 95 based on the release operation of the release lever 83. This makes it possible to perform the release operation even more easily.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be implemented, for example, as follows:

(1) In the above embodiment, the engaging member 75 is rotated by sliding the slide member 81 based on the release operation of the release lever 83, but the configuration for rotating the engaging member 75 based on the release operation of the release lever 83 is not necessarily limited to this. For example, instead of the slide member 81, a wire may be provided that connects the support bar 82 and the engaging member 75. In this case, the wire is pulled forward based on the release operation of the release lever 83, causing the engaging member 75 to rotate.

(2) The engaging member 75 may be omitted, and the slide member 81 may be provided with an engaging portion that can engage with the second support portion 62. In this case, the engaging portion is provided at the rear end of the slide member. Then, by sliding the slide member forward based on the release operation of the release lever 83, the engagement of the engaging portion with the second support portion 62 is released.

(3) The engaging member 75 does not necessarily have to be provided. Even in this case, the first passage portion 71 of the guide passage 65 is inclined downward from the first position E1 toward the second position E2, so that the second support portion 62 can be prevented from being unintentionally displaced from the first position E1 toward the second position E2. In addition, in this case, the release device 80 can be dispensed with, which simplifies the configuration.

(4) In the above embodiment, the second frame 12 is provided with the first support portion 61, and the first frame 11 is provided with the second support portion 62 guided along the guide passage 65. However, this may be reversed, and the first frame 11 may be provided with the first support portion, and the second frame 12 may be provided with the second support portion. In this case, when the car mounting portion 15 is switched from the mountable state to the flip-up state, the second support portion on the second frame side is guided along the guide passage. Specifically, the second support portion is guided from the first position toward the second position, which is closer to the first support portion side (rear side) than the first position. Even in this configuration, when the car mounting portion 15 is switched from the mountable state to the flip-up state, the second support portion is displaced from the first position to the second position, thereby realizing a configuration in which each of the frames 11 and 12 is switched from the unfolded state to the folded state. Also in this case, by configuring the first passage portion of the guide passage to extend at an angle so that it is displaced downward as it moves from the first position toward the second position (rear side), it is possible to prevent the second support portion from displacing unintentionally from the first position toward the second position.

(5) In the configuration of (4) described above, the front-to-back relationship of the first and second positions of the guide passage is reversed from that of the above embodiment, with the first position being located at the front end and the second position being located at the rear end. Therefore, in this case, it is also possible to reverse the arrangement of the engagement member 75 and the release device 80 in the front-to-rear direction from that of the above embodiment. In this case, the release lever 83 is located at the rear end of the car mounting section 15, and is configured to be released toward the rear.

(6) In the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a shopping cart 10 as a mobile vehicle, but the present invention may also be applied to a mobile vehicle other than a shopping cart, such as a walking vehicle that assists the elderly in walking, or a carry cart. For example, some walking vehicles are provided with a seat (corresponding to a specified member) that can be lifted up across a pair of frames. Some such walking vehicles are configured so that the pair of frames switch from an unfolded state to a folded state based on the seat being switched from a seatable state (corresponding to a first state) in which a person can sit to a lifted state (corresponding to a second state). Therefore, the present invention may be applied to such walking vehicles. In this case, a first support part and a second support part that support the seat part are provided on the pair of frames, and a guide passage is provided to guide the second support part to the seat part.

10...shopping cart as a mobile vehicle, 11...first frame, 12...second frame, 15...basket placement portion as a specified member, 19...intersection, 61...first support portion, 62...second support portion, 65...guide passage, 71...first passage portion, 72...second passage portion, 75...engagement member, 76...engagement portion, 77...rotating shaft, 81...slide member, 83...release lever as a release operation portion, 95...guide hole, 96...guide pin.

Claims (7)

A pair of frames are provided with wheels attached to the lower end and arranged crosswise in a side view,
The pair of frames are rotatably connected at the intersecting portion, so that the pair of frames can be switched between an unfolded state in which the frames are unfolded forward and backward and a folded state in which the frames are folded forward and backward,
a predetermined member provided across the pair of frames above the intersection portion,
The predetermined member is a vehicle that can be switched between a first state in which the predetermined member extends in a front-rear direction and a second state in which a front end portion in the first state becomes an upper end portion,
The pair of frames are each provided with a support portion for supporting the predetermined member,
A guide passage extending in the front-rear direction in the first state is formed in the predetermined member,
one of the support portions is a first support portion that rotatably supports the predetermined member so as to enable the switching of the predetermined member;
the other of the support portions is a second support portion that is guided along the guide passage when the predetermined member is switched,
the second support portion is displaceable in the guide passage between a first position and a second position that is closer to the first support portion than the first position,
When the predetermined member is switched from the first state to the second state, the second support portion is displaced from the first position to the second position, whereby the pair of frames are switched from the unfolded state to the folded state,
a portion of the guide passage that extends from the first position toward the second position by a predetermined length is a first passage portion,
The first passage portion extends while being displaced downward from the first position toward the second position when the specified member is in the first state. The guide passage has a second passage portion that is continuous with the first passage portion and extends to the second position,
When the predetermined member is in the first state, the second passage portion extends from a lower end of the first passage portion toward the second position while inclining upward,
2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a length of the second passage portion is greater than a length of the first passage portion, and the inclination of the second passage portion is gentler than the inclination of the first passage portion. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, assuming a rotation path along which the second support part rotates about the intersection part when the pair of frames transition from the unfolded state to the folded state, a tangent direction of the rotation path in the first position forms an acute angle with a direction in which the first passage part extends. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the acute angle is within the range of 45° to 80°. an engaging portion that engages with the second support portion to restrict displacement of the second support portion from the first position toward the second position;
A release operation portion that is operated to release the engagement by the engagement portion along a front-rear direction;
a displacement mechanism that displaces the engagement portion from an engagement position where the engagement portion engages with the second support portion to a release position where the engagement is released based on the release operation by the release operation portion,
5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the displacement mechanism displaces the engaging portion in an inclined direction inclined with respect to a front-rear direction and inclined toward an opposite side to the first passage portion. an engaging member having the engaging portion,
The engagement member is rotatably supported on the predetermined member via a rotation shaft,
the displacement mechanism displaces the engagement portion from the engagement position to the release position by rotating the engagement member based on the release operation,
6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the rotation shaft is disposed on an extension of the first passage portion. a slide member that is provided integrally with the release operation portion and slides in the front-rear direction together with the release operation portion,
The displacement mechanism includes:
A guide hole provided in the slide member and extending in a direction inclined with respect to the front-rear direction;
a guide pin that is provided on the engaging member and guided along the guide hole,
the sliding member is slid based on the release operation to displace the guide pin from one end side to the other end side in the guide hole, thereby rotating the engaging member,
7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the guide hole is inclined so as to be displaced in the front-rear direction from the one end side toward the other end side toward the opposite side to the side where the release operation is performed.

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