초록 ▼

A stroller is described that is foldable and includes a tracking adjustment mechanism. The stroller is folded by pivoting the main frame members about one pair of main connecting brackets. Handle height adjustment can be made at the bracket. Some foldable frame cross members are formed of cable, rat

A stroller is described that is foldable and includes a tracking adjustment mechanism. The stroller is folded by pivoting the main frame members about one pair of main connecting brackets. Handle height adjustment can be made at the bracket. Some foldable frame cross members are formed of cable, rather than tubing to reduce the weight and folded size of the stroller over stroller having foldable cross members formed of tubing. A stroller having adjustable wheel spacing for tracking and stroller center of gravity adjustment is also described.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A stroller having a forward end and a rear end and a long axis extending through the forward end and the rear end, the stroller comprising: a plurality of wheels for supporting the stroller including at least one front wheel positioned forward of the stroller's centre of gravity and rear wheels;

1. A stroller having a forward end and a rear end and a long axis extending through the forward end and the rear end, the stroller comprising: a plurality of wheels for supporting the stroller including at least one front wheel positioned forward of the stroller's centre of gravity and rear wheels; a frame supported by the wheels having main frame members including (a) front wheel supports for engaging the at least one front wheel, (b) a handle bar for grasping and moving the stroller and (c) rear supports securing and extending upwardly from the rear wheels; a seat supported by the frame and a flexible, elongate cross member extending to act between at least two of the main frame members to control the spacing between the main frame members. 2. The stroller of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate cross member is substantially inextensible. 3. The stroller of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate cross member has a capability of limited stretch under loads beyond a selected level to provide a suspension effect. 4. The stroller of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate cross member is secured in fixed positions on the at least two main frame members between which it extends. 5. The stroller of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism for adjusting the length of the flexible elongate cross member to control the spacing between the at least two main frame members. 6. The stroller of claim 5 wherein the mechanism for adjusting the length of the flexible elongate cross member is operable to adjust the length while the flexible elongate cross member remains extended between the at least two main frame members. 7. The stroller of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate cross member is secured to a part connected to a main frame member. 8. The stroller of claim 7 wherein the part includes a mechanism for adjusting the extended length between the at least two main frame members. 9. The stroller of claim 8 wherein the mechanism for adjusting the extended length is operable to adjust the length while the flexible elongate cross member remains extended between the at least two main frame members. 10. The stroller of claim 1 further comprising a tension adjustment means for selecting the tension in the flexible elongate cross member as it extends between the main frame members. 11. The stroller of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate cross member is included in an over-center mechanism for providing frame rigidity between the at least two main frame members. 12. The stroller of claim 1 wherein the flexible elongate cross member acts between the front wheel supports and the rear supports to limit the spacing therebetween. 13. A stroller having a forward end and a rear end and a long axis extending through the forward end and the rear end, the stroller comprising:a plurality of wheels for supporting the stroller including at least one front wheel positioned forward of the stroller's centre of gravity, a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel; a frame supported by the wheels and configurable into an upright position for use, the frame including front wheel supports securing and extending rearwardly from the at least one front wheel, a handle bar for grasping and moving the stroller, a left rear support securing and extending upwardly from the left rear wheel and a right rear support securing and extending upwardly from the right rear wheel; a seat supported by the frame; and a relative wheel positioning means for selecting and maintaining the spacing of the at least one front wheel relative to at least one of the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel when the frame is in the upright position. 14. The stroller of claim 13 wherein the stroller includes a front wheel and the relative wheel positioning means includes a mechanism for adjusting the spacing between the front wheel and each of the left and right rear wheels. 15. The stroller of claim 13 wherein the stroller includes right-side front and rear wheels and left-side front and rear wheel s, and the relative wheel positioning means includes a mechanism for adjusting the spacing between the right-side front and rear wheels and the left-side front and rear wheels. 16. The stroller of claim 13 wherein the relative wheel positioning means is two elongate members each one extending to act between the front wheel supports and one of the rear supports to control the spacing therebetween. 17. The stroller of claim 16 wherein the elongate members are substantially inextensible. 18. The stroller of claim 16 further comprising a mechanism for adjusting the length of each elongate member. 19. The stroller of claim 18 wherein the mechanism is operable to adjust the length while the elongate members remain extending between the front wheel supports and the rear wheel supports. 20. The stroller of claim 16 wherein the elongate members each include a flexible elongate portion. 21. The stroller of claim 18 wherein the elongate members each include a flexible elongate portion. 22. A stroller having a forward end and a rear end and a long axis extending through the forward end and the rear end, the stroller comprising:a plurality of wheels for supporting the stroller including at least one front wheel positioned forward of the stroller's centre of gravity, a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel; a frame supported by the wheels including front wheel supports securing and extending rearwardly from the at least one front wheel, a left rear support securing and extending upwardly from the left rear wheel, a right rear support securing and extending upwardly from the right rear wheel, and a handle bar for grasping and moving the stroller including a gripping portion, the handle bar being connected into the frame by a pivotal connection and the pivotal connection being incorporated into a lever mechanism for driving the handle bar against a fulcrum to permit handle height adjustment with respect to the stroller, the mechanism for handle height adjustment including: a slot on the frame; a pin secured to the handle and slidably engaged in the slot, the pin being slideably moveable in the slot between a first position and a second position to drive the handle bar against the fulcrum such that the gripping portion of the handle bar is moved into a higher position when the pin is in the first position and the gripping portion of the handle bar is in a lower position when the pin is in the second position; and a releasable lock to maintain the pin in the first position or the second position during use; and a seat supported by the frame. 23. The stroller of claim 22 wherein the slot is formed as an arc and the first position and the second position are the ends of the slot and the lock is a mechanism for driving the pin against the ends of the slot. 24. A stroller having a forward end and a rear end and a long axis extending through the forward end and the rear end, the stroller comprising:a plurality of wheels for supporting the stroller including at least one front wheel positioned forward of the stroller's centre of gravity and rear wheels; a frame supported by the wheels having main frame members including front wheel supports for engaging the at least one front wheel, a handle bar for grasping and moving the stroller and rear wheel supports for engaging the rear wheels; a seat supported by the frame; a connecting bracket on each side of the frame having connected thereto the main frame members and at least two of the main frame members being pivotally moveable at their connection to the connecting brackets and the connecting bracket positioned to permit the at least two main frame members to pivot about the connecting bracket such that the stroller can be manipulated between an upright position and a folded position; and a locking means for releasably locking the stroller in the upright position, the locking means selected such that its operation controls pivoting of both of the at least two frame members. 25. The stroller of claim 24 wherein the front wheel supports are rigidly connected to the connecting brackets, while the handle and rear wheel supports are pivotally connected to the connecting brackets. 26. The stroller of claim 25 wherein the connecting bracket includes a mechanism for handle height adjustment. 27. The stroller of claim 26 wherein the mechanism for handle height adjustment is incorporated into the handles pivotal connection to the connecting bracket. 28. The stroller of claim 24 wherein the locking means acts to control pivoting of the handle bar and the rear wheel supports. 29. The stroller of claim 24 wherein the locking means includes a cable and an over-center clamp to draw the cable into a tensioned configuration between the at least two main frame members to restrain them against pivoting. 30. The stroller of claim 24 wherein the locking means includes a cable on each side of the stroller and an over-center clamp extending therebetween, the cables being clampable in a tensioned configuration to lock the at least two main frame members against pivoting. 31. The stroller of claim 30 wherein the cable is connected between the handle bar and the over-center clamp and the over-center clamp is connected to one of the rear supports on each side, such that the cables can be tensioned to draw and lock the handle bar and the rear supports against stops. 32. The stroller of claim 31 wherein the over-center clamp is driven to draw the cables into the tensioned configuration by rotating it downwardly toward the rear wheels. 33. The stroller of claim 24 wherein the locking means is actuated to automatically lock as the stroller is unfolded. 34. The stroller of claim 33 wherein the locking means includes a cable on each side of the stroller and an over-center clamp extending therebetween, the cables being clampable by the over-center clamp into a tensioned configuration to lock the at least two main frame members against pivoting, the over-center clamp being drawn to over-center as the stroller is unfolded. 35. The stroller of claim 24 further comprising a second lock for releasably locking the locking means into a locked configuration. 36. A stroller having a forward end and a rear end and a long axis extending through the forward end and the rear end, the stroller comprising: a plurality of wheels for supporting the stroller including at least one front wheel positioned forward of the stroller's center of gravity and rear wheels; a frame supported by the wheels having main frame members including (a) front wheel supports for engaging the at least one front wheel, (b) a handle bar for grasping and moving the stroller and (c) rear supports securing and extending upwardly from the rear wheels; a seat supported by the frame and a flexible, elongate cross member extending to act between at least two of the main frame members to control the spacing between the main frame members, the flexible elongate cross member being secured to a part connected to a main frame member, the part including a mechanism for adjusting the extended length between the at least two main frame members. 37. The stroller of claim 36 wherein the mechanism for adjusting the extended length is operable to adjust the length while the flexible elongate cross member remains extended between the at least two main frame members. 38. A stroller having a forward end and a rear end and a long axis extending through the forward end and the rear end, the stroller comprising: a plurality of wheels for supporting the stroller including at least one front wheel positioned forward of the stroller's center of gravity and rear wheels; a frame supported by the wheels having main frame members including (a) front wheel supports for engaging the at least one front wheel, (b) a handle bar for grasping and moving the stroller and (c) rear supports securing and extending upwardly from the rear wheels; a seat supported by the frame; a flexible, elongate cross member extending to act between at leas t two of the main frame members to control the spacing between the main frame members; and a tension adjustment means for selecting the tension in the flexible elongate cross member as it extends between the main frame members. 39. A stroller having a forward end and a rear end and a long axis extending through the forward end and the rear end, the stroller comprising: a plurality of wheels for supporting the stroller including at least one front wheel positioned forward of the stroller's center of gravity, a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel; a frame supported by the wheels including front wheel supports securing and extending rearwardly from the at least one front wheel, a left rear support securing and extending upwardly from the left rear wheel, a right rear support securing and extending upwardly from the right rear wheel; and a handle bar for grasping and moving the stroller including a gripping portion, the handle bar being connected into the frame by a pivotal connection including a pin connected to the handle bar; a seat supported by the frame and a mechanism for handle height adjustment with respect to the stroller including a slot on the frame, the pin being engaged and slideably moveable in the slot between a first position and a second position to drive the handle bar against a fixed fulcrum such that the gripping portion of the handle bar is moved into a higher position when the pin is in the first position and the gripping portion of the handle bar is in a lower position when the pin is in the second position and a releasable lock to maintain the pin in the first position or the second position during use. 40. The stroller of claim 39 wherein the slot is formed as an arc and the first position and the second position are the ends of the slot and the lock is a mechanism for driving the pin against the ends of the slot.