Synchronous folding mechanism and stroller having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613291-B2
Application number	US-202017072247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2020
Priority date	Oct 17, 2019
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A synchronous folding mechanism is adapted to be mounted to a stroller, and includes a rear joint, a handlebar joint, a front joint, a swing member and a first link member. The handlebar joint and the front joint are rotatably connected to the rear joint. The swing member has opposite end portions, one of which is rotatably connected to the rear joint. The first link member is rotatably connected to the other one of the end portions of the swing member, and is rotatably connected to one of the handlebar joint and the front joint. Rotation of the one of the handlebar joint and the front joint drives a swinging movement of the swing member relative to the rear joint and a movement of the first link member relative to the rear joint.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A synchronous folding mechanism adapted to be mounted to a stroller, said synchronous folding mechanism comprising:
a rear joint adapted to be connected to a rear leg of the stroller;
a front joint adapted to be connected to a front leg of the stroller, and rotatably connected to said rear joint at a first axis that extends in a left-right direction with respect to the stroller;
a handlebar joint adapted to be connected to a handlebar support of the stroller, and rotatably connected to said rear joint at a second axis that extends in the left-right direction;
a swing member having opposite end portions, one of said end portions being rotatably connected to said rear joint at a third axis that extends in the left-right direction; and
a first link member rot at ably connected to the other one of said end portions of said swing member at a fourth axis that extends in the left-right direction, and rotatably connected to one of said handlebar joint and said front joint at a fifth axis that extends in the left-right direction and that is spaced apart from the fourth axis;
wherein rotation of said one of said handlebar joint and said front joint drives a swinging movement of said swing member relative to said rear joint and a movement of said first link member relative to said rear joint.

2. The synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a second link member, said second link member having opposite end portions, one of said end portions being rotatably connected to said front joint at a sixth axis that extends in the left-right direction, the other one of said end portions being rotatably connected to said handlebar joint at a seventh axis that extends in the left-right direction, such that rotations of said handlebar joint and said front joint relative to said rear joint are synchronized via said second link member.

3. The synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 2 , wherein one of the sixth and seventh axes coincides with the fifth axis.

4. The synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
said first link member and said swing member are disposed at opposite sides of said rear joint in the left-right direction;
said rear joint is formed with a first shaft hole; and
said synchronous folding mechanism further comprises a first shaft piece that extends along the fourth axis through said first shaft hole to interconnect said first link member and the other one of said end portions of said swing member, said first shaft piece being movable in said first shaft hole.

5. The synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 4 , wherein:
said handlebar joint and said front joint are disposed at the same side of said rear joint as said swing member;
said rear joint is further formed with a second shaft hole; and
said synchronous folding mechanism further comprises a second shaft piece that extends along the fifth axis through said second shaft hole to interconnect said first link member and the one of said handlebar joint and said front joint, said second shaft piece being movable in said second shaft hole.

6. The synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said second shaft hole is elongated along an arc of an imaginary circle that is centered at the fourth axis.

7. The synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising a protective cover that is connected to said rear joint for covering said handlebar joint, said front joint and said swing member.

8. The synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first and second axes are disposed above the third axis.

9. The synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are disposed at opposite sides of an imaginary plane that extends vertically and that contains the third axis.

10. A stroller comprising:
a snack tray;
a main frame including a front leg, a rear leg and a handlebar support; and
said synchronous folding mechanism as claimed in claim 1 ;
wherein said snack tray is connected to said first link member of said synchronous folding mechanism; and
wherein movement of one of said handlebar support and said front leg that is connected to said one of said handlebar joint and said front joint relative to said rear leg drives movement of said snack tray relative to said rear leg.

11. The stroller as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:
said rear joint of said synchronous folding mechanism and said rear leg are fixedly connected;
said handlebar joint of said synchronous folding mechanism and said handlebar support are fixedly connected; and
said front joint of said synchronous folding mechanism and said front leg are fixedly connected.

12. The stroller as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising a locking unit that is mounted to said rear joint of said synchronous folding mechanism, and that is operable to prevent rotations of said handlebar joint and said front joint relative to said rear joint when said stroller is at an unfolded position.

13. The stroller as claimed in claim 12 , wherein:
one of said front and rear joints is formed with an elongated slot;
said locking unit includes
an abutment member that is fixedly connected to the other one of said front and rear joints, that extends through said elongated slot, and that is movable along said elongate slot between two distal ends of said elongated slot, and
a blocking member that is movably connected to said rear joint;

when said stroller is at the unfolded position, said abutment member is disposed at one of said distal ends of said elongated slot, and has one end that abuts against said one of said front and rear joints, and an opposite end that abuts against said handlebar joint; and
when said stroller is at the unfolded position, said blocking member is disposed between and abuts against said front joint and said handlebar joint, said abutment member and said blocking member cooperatively preventing rotations of said front joint and said handlebar joint relative to said rear joint.

14. The stroller as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said elongated slot is elongated along an arc of an imaginary circle that is centered at the first axis.

15. The stroller as claimed in claim 13 , wherein:
said front joint of said synchronous folding mechanism has a first protrusion that abuts said blocking member when said stroller is at the unfolded position;
said handlebar joint of said synchronous folding mechanism has a second protrusion that abuts said blocking member when said stroller is at the unfolded position; and
when said stroller is at the unfolded position, said blocking member is clamped between said second protrusion and said first protrusion, and said second protrusion is disposed behind said first protrusion.

16. The stroller as claimed in claim 13 , wherein, when said stroller is at the unfolded position, said abutment member is disposed at a front one of said distal ends of said elongated slot, said one end of said abutment member abutting forwards against said one of said front and rear joints, and said opposite end of said abutment member abutting rearwards against said handlebar joint.

17. The stroller as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said blocking member includes:
a blocking portion that is received in said rear joint; and
an operative portion that is connected to said blocking portion, that extends out of said rear joint, and that is operable for driving said blocking portion to slide relative to said rear joint.

18. The stroller as claimed in cl

Assignees

• Wonderland Switzerland Ag

Inventors

• Yuan Jialiang

Classifications

• B62B7/064

  the handle bar being parallel to the front leg · CPC title

• B62B7/10 Primary

  by folding down the body to the wheel carriage or by retracting projecting parts into the box-shaped body · CPC title

• B62B7/062 Primary

  Coupling unit between front wheels, rear wheels and handle · CPC title

• B62B2205/003

  with actuation mechanisms which drive the folding or unfolding operation · CPC title

• B62B9/24

  Safety guards for children, e.g. harness (cat nets B62B9/14; devices for use in guiding or supporting children, e.g. safety harness A47D13/08) · CPC title