Passenger transport carriers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745781-B2
Application number	US-202217738704-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2022
Priority date	Nov 26, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A child transport carrier includes a lower frame, an upper frame, a rear frame, and a first upper seat support. The lower frame includes a first end and a second end. The upper frame includes a first end and a second end. The rear frame extends from the second end of the lower frame to the second end of the upper frame. The first upper seat support includes a cross-member extending transversely across the first upper seat support and having a first end and a second end. The cross-member is configured to move the first upper seat support between a first seat position and a second seat position. The upper frame extends from an upper end of the rear frame and the lower frame extends from a lower end of the rear frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A child transport carrier comprising:
a frame assembly defining a passenger compartment, the frame assembly comprising a lower frame portion, an upper frame portion, a forward frame portion, and a rear frame portion, the forward frame portion rotatable relative to the lower frame portion, the upper frame portion comprising a left upper frame portion member, a middle upper frame portion member, and a right upper frame portion member;
a cover coupled to the frame assembly for at least partially enclosing the passenger compartment;
a first passenger seat comprising a first seat back and a first seat bottom;
a first cross-member extending in a transverse direction of the carrier and coupled to an upper end of the first seat back of the first passenger seat, the first cross-member having a first end coupled to the left upper frame portion member and a second end coupled to the middle upper frame portion member;
a first actuator positioned on the first cross-member, wherein actuating the first actuator allows the cross-member to be moved from a first seat position to a second seat position;
a second passenger seat comprising a second seat back and a second seat bottom;
a second cross-member extending in the transverse direction of the carrier and coupled to an upper end of the second seat back of the second passenger seat, the second cross-member having a first end coupled to the middle upper frame portion member and a second end coupled to the right upper frame portion member; and
a second actuator positioned on the second cross-member, wherein actuating the second actuator allows the second cross-member to be moved independently of the first cross-member from a first seat position to a second seat position.

2. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the middle upper frame portion member comprises a first middle channel disposed on a left side of the middle upper frame portion member and a second middle channel disposed on a right side of the middle upper frame portion member, and
wherein the second end of the first cross-member is coupled to the first middle channel and the first end of the second cross-member is coupled to the second middle channel.

3. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the left upper frame portion member, the middle upper frame portion member, and the right upper frame portion member are parallel to each other.

4. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the first cross-member is coupled to the left upper frame portion member by an elongate member extending from the first end of the first cross-member, and the second end of the first cross-member is coupled the middle upper frame portion member by an elongate member extending from the second end of the first cross-member, and
wherein the first end of the second cross-member is coupled to the middle upper frame portion member by an elongate member extending from the first end of the second cross-member, and the second end of the second cross-member is coupled the right upper frame portion member by an elongate member extending from the second end of the second cross-member.

5. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is positioned at a center of the first cross-member in the transverse direction, and the second actuator is positioned at a center of the second cross-member in the transverse direction.

6. The carrier of claim 1 , wherein the first cross-member is movable from the first seat position to the second seat position by actuating the first actuator and pulling the first cross-member to the second seat position,
wherein the first cross-member is movable from the second seat position to the first seat position by actuating the first actuator and pushing the second cross-member to the first seat position,
wherein the second cross-member is movable independently of the first cross-member from the first seat position to the second seat position by actuating the second actuator and pulling the second cross-member to the second seat position, and
wherein the second cross-member is movable independently of the first cross-member from the second seat position to the first seat position by actuating the second actuator and pushing the second cross-member to the first seat position.

7. The carrier of claim 6 , wherein:
when the first cross-member is in the first seat position, the first seat back of the first passenger seat is angled at a first angle relative to a horizontal plane,
when the second cross-member is in the first seat position, the second seat back of the second passenger seat is angled at a second angle relative to the horizontal plane, and
the first angle is equal to the second angle.

8. The carrier of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first lock configured to lock the first cross-member in the first seat position and the second seat position; and
a second lock configured to lock the second cross-member in the first seat position and the second seat position,
wherein actuating the first actuator disengages the first lock, and actuating the second actuator disengages the second lock.

9. A child transport carrier comprising:
a frame assembly defining a passenger compartment, the frame assembly comprising a lower frame portion, an upper frame portion, a forward frame portion, and a rear frame portion, the forward frame portion rotatable relative to the lower frame portion, the upper frame portion comprising a first upper frame portion member and a second upper frame portion member;
a cover coupled to the frame assembly for at least partially enclosing the passenger compartment;
a handle for pushing the carrier coupled to the frame assembly;
a passenger seat comprising a seat back and a seat bottom;
a cross-member extending in a transverse direction of the carrier and coupled to an upper end of the seat back, the cross-member having a first end coupled to the first upper frame portion member and a second end coupled to the second upper frame portion member;
a lock configured to lock the cross-member in a first seat position and a second seat position; and
an actuator positioned on the cross-member,
wherein the cross-member is movable from the first seat position to the second seat position by actuating the actuator to disengage the lock and moving the cross-member to the second seat position,
wherein the cross-member is movable from the second seat position to the first seat position by actuating the actuator to disengage the lock and moving the cross-member to the first seat position, and
wherein the carrier is usable in a bicycle mode in which the carrier is pulled by a bicycle and a stroller mode in which the carrier is pushed by a user.

10. The carrier of claim 9 , wherein the first end of the cross-member is coupled to the first upper frame portion member by a first elongate member extending from the first end of the cross-member, and the second end of the cross-member is coupled the second upper frame portion member by a second elongate member extending from the second end of the cross-member.

11. The carrier of claim 10 , wherein the lock is coupled to the first elongate member.

12. The carrier of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is positioned at a center of the cross-member in the transverse direction.

13. The carrier of claim 9 , wherein the actuator includes a spring that biases the actuator toward a first position.

14. The carrier of claim 9 , wherein the actuator is actuated by rotating a portion of the actuator.

15. The carrier of claim 9 , wherein the first upper frame portion member is a left upper frame portion member and the second upper frame portion member is a mi

Assignees

• Thule Sweden Ab

Inventors

• Britton Daniel William
• Stengler Matthew
• Singh Paramjit

Classifications

• B62B9/104 Primary

  with adjustable or reclining backrests · CPC title

• B62B7/008

  for two or more children · CPC title

• B62B7/006

  Carriages supporting a rigid seat (when detachable or rotatable B62B7/145) · 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

• B62B2205/22

  remotely controlled, e.g. from the handlebar · CPC title