The invention relates to a child accommodating apparatus, and more particularly, to a child accommodating apparatus with an armrest rotating mechanism.
General child accommodating apparatus, such as an infant child stroller, a cradle, a cradle bed, a child seat, a high chair, a bedside crib, a play yard, etc., is configured with an conventional armrest. Generally, the conventional armrest can be fixed on a frame of the child accommodating apparatus, detachably installed on the frame so that the armrest can be separated from the child accommodating apparatus when required, or foldably mounted to the frame so that the child accommodating apparatus can be folded for achieving reduced storage volume. As for the armrest of the child accommodating apparatus with foldability, a rotating device is often disposed in the armrest.
However, conventional armrests do not meet the requirements of utilization convenience. When taking care of an infant/child, a caregiver needs to hold the infant/child out of or into the child accommodating apparatus frequently. As for the conventional armrest fixed on or detachably installed on the frame, the configuration of the armrest is nonadjustable, which is inconvenient for holding the infant/child into or out of the child accommodating apparatus. An armrest foldably mounted to the frame also has the abovementioned problems.
Therefore, it is important to provide an armrest rotating mechanism with a simple structure, a reliable locking design, an easy unlocking design, and adjustability for the conventional armrest.
Therefore, it is an objective of the present application to provide a child accommodating apparatus with an armrest rotating mechanism which has a simple structure and an easy operation, so as to make an armrest adjustable relative to a frame of the child accommodating apparatus.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention discloses a child accommodating apparatus. The child accommodating apparatus includes a frame, an armrest tube and an armrest rotating mechanism. The armrest tube is rotatably connected with the frame. The armrest rotating mechanism is for rotating the armrest tube. The armrest rotating mechanism includes an engagement device and an operation device. The engagement device is disposed between the armrest tube and the frame and for positioning the armrest tube relative to the frame. The operation device is disposed on the armrest tube and connected with the engagement device. The operation device includes a housing coaxially and rotatably sleeved on the armrest tube and rotatable relative to the armrest tube. When the housing of the operation device is operated to rotate relative to the armrest tube, a rotating movement of the housing of the operation device drives the engagement device to disengage the armrest tube from the frame.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operation device further includes a driving groove disposed on the housing. The inserting pin is engaged with the driving groove and coupled to the engagement device. When the housing of the operation device is operated to rotate relative to the armrest tube, the rotating movement of the housing of the operation device drives the inserting pin by the driving groove to drive the engagement device to disengage the armrest tube from the frame.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engagement device includes a fixing holder, an engaging pin and a transmission member. The fixing holder is fixed on the frame. A positioning groove is formed on the fixing holder, and the armrest tube is pivoted to the fixing holder. The engaging pin is engaged with the positioning groove. The transmission member is connected to the engaging pin and the inserting pin of the operation device. The housing of the operation device is operated to rotate relative to the armrest tube to drive the inserting pin to drive the transmission member to disengage the engaging pin from the positioning groove.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engagement device further includes a sliding member and a resilient member. The sliding member is fixed on the engaging pin. The transmission member is connected to the sliding member and the inserting pin of the operation device. The resilient member is disposed between the armrest tube and the sliding member.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the positioning groove includes a groove portion and a plurality of restraining portions. The plurality of restraining portions are positioned at two terminal ends of the groove portion. The engaging pin is configured to move in the groove portion and to be restrained at one of the plurality of restraining portions.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engagement device further includes a restoring member installed on the fixing holder. An end of the restoring member abuts against the fixing holder, and another end of the restoring member abuts against the armrest tube.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an end of the inserting pin abuts against the driving groove.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an extension direction of the driving groove is inclined relative to a horizontal direction, and an extension direction of the inserting pin is substantially perpendicular to a plane whereon the driving groove is located.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operation device further includes a button body, a locking pin and a positioning hole. The button body is left and right movably accommodated in the housing and partially exposed outside the housing. The locking pin is connected with the button body. The positioning hole is positioned on a side of the housing. The locking pin is configured to protrude out of the housing so as to engage with the positioning hole.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the child accommodating apparatus further includes a leaf spring installed inside the button body.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engagement device includes a fixing holder, an engaging pin and a transmission member. The fixing holder is fixed on the frame. A positioning groove is formed on the fixing holder, and the armrest tube is pivoted to the fixing holder. The engaging pin is engaged with the positioning groove. The transmission member is connected to the engaging pin and the operation device. The operation device is operated to drive the transmission member to disengage the engaging pin from the positioning groove.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engagement device further includes a sliding member and a resilient member. The sliding member is fixed on the engaging pin. The transmission member is connected to the sliding member and the operation device. The resilient member is disposed between the armrest tube and the sliding member.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the positioning groove includes a groove portion and a plurality of restraining portions. The plurality of restraining portions are positioned at two terminal ends of the groove portion. The engaging pin is configured to move in the groove portion and to be restrained at one of the plurality of restraining portions.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engagement device further includes a restoring member installed on the fixing holder. An end of the restoring member abuts against the fixing holder, and another end of the restoring member abuts against the armrest tube.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operation device further includes a button body, a locking pin and a positioning hole. The button body is left and right movably accommodated in the housing and partially exposed outside the housing. The locking pin is connected with the button body. The positioning hole is positioned on a side of the housing. The locking pin is configured to protrude out of the housing so as to engage with the positioning hole.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the child accommodating apparatus further includes a leaf spring installed inside the button body.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the operation device further includes a button body, a locking pin and a positioning hole. The button body is left and right movably accommodated in the housing and partially exposed outside the housing. The locking pin is connected with the button body. The positioning hole is positioned on a side of the housing. The locking pin is configured to protrude out of the housing so as to engage with the positioning hole.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the child accommodating apparatus further includes a leaf spring installed inside the button body.
In contrast to the prior art, the armrest rotating mechanism of the present invention is suitable for the child accommodating apparatus with an armrest. By operating the operation device on the child accommodating apparatus to drive the engagement device so as to shift the engagement configuration of the engagement device, the armrest tube can be disengaged from the frame of the child accommodating apparatus, which enables the armrest tube to be adjusted relative to the frame. That is, the armrest tube can be rotated to another configuration that provides utility convenience. In addition, the armrest rotating mechanism has a simple structure, a reliable locking design, and an easy unlocking design and can be applied to various fields.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, manufacturers may refer to a component by different names. In the following discussion and claims, the system components are differentiated not by their names but by their function and structure differences. In the following discussion and claims, the terms “include” and “comprise” are used in an open-ended fashion and should be interpreted as “include but is not limited to”. Also, the term “couple” or “link” is intended to mean either an indirect or a direct mechanical or electrical connection. Thus, if a first device is coupled or linked to a second device, that connection may be through a direct mechanical or electrical connection, or through an indirect mechanical or electrical connection via other devices and connections.
An armrest rotating mechanism of the present application can be applied to various child accommodating apparatuses with an armrest device, such as an infant child stroller, a cradle, a cradle bed, a child seat, a high chair, a bedside crib, a play yard, etc., and not limited to this. In the following paragraphs, a cradle bed is taken as an example for illustrating the present application, but not limited to this.
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According to a preferred embodiment, the positioning groove 1711 can be in a form of a curved channel, and two restraining portions positioned at two terminal ends of the groove portion can have forms of barb-shaped cavities to fully restrain the engaging pin 172. Preferably, the restraining portion of the positioning groove 1711 at the terminal end that corresponds to the using configuration of the armrest tube 13 can be in the form of the barb-shaped cavity, and the restraining portion at the terminal end that corresponds to the access configuration of the armrest tube 13 can be in a form of a shallow cavity that partially restrains the engaging pin 172 so as to provide a sense of restraint.
According to a preferred embodiment, the engagement device 17 can further include a sliding member 174 and a resilient member 175. The sliding member 174 is fixed on the engaging pin 172, and the resilient member 175 is disposed between the armrest tube 13 and the sliding member 174. An end of the transmission member 173 is connected to the operation device 19, and another end of the transmission member 173 is fixed on the sliding member 174 so that the engaging pin 172 can be driven through the driven sliding member 174. The resilient member 175 can be, but is not limited to, a spring and is for resiliently restoring the sliding member 174.
In practical application, the sliding member 174, the engaging pin 172, the resilient member 175 and the transmission member 173 are accommodated inside the armrest tube 13, and an end of the engaging pin 172 protrudes out of (or penetrates through) the armrest tube 13 so as to engage with the positioning groove 1711. When the operation device 19 is operated to pull the transmission member 173, the sliding member 174 and the engaging pin 172 are pulled upwards by the transmission member 173 so that the engaging pin 172 can be disengaged from the restraining portion of the positioning groove 1711. Therefore, when the armrest tube 13 is rotated downwards for adjustment, the engaging pin 172 can move in the groove portion of the positioning groove 1711 until the engaging pin 172 reaches the shallow cavity at the other terminal end of the positioning groove 1711, where the shallow cavity corresponds to the access configuration of the armrest tube 13 under a partial restraint. According to another embodiment, a restraining portion for full restraint (such as the abovementioned barb-shaped cavity) can be disposed at the other terminal end of the positioning grove 1711 instead of the shallow cavity for partial restraint, so the engaging pin 172 of the engagement device 17 needs to be driven to disengage from the restraining portion (being a barb-shaped cavity) of the positioning groove 1711 via additionally operating the operation device 19.
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In practical application, the housing 191 is pivoted to the armrest tube 13. An extension direction of the driving groove 192 is inclined relative to a horizontal direction, and an extension direction of the inserting pin 193 is substantially perpendicular to a plane whereon the driving groove 192 is located. Specifically, a longitudinal opening 131 is formed on the armrest tube 13 along a longitudinal direction of the armrest tube 13, and the inserting pins 193 pass through the longitudinal opening 131. An end of the inserting pin 193 abuts against a bottom portion of the driving groove 192, and another end of the inserting pin 193 abuts an inner wall of the housing 191 or a driving groove on the inner wall.
According to a preferred embodiment, the two driving grooves 192 are extended along directions gradually divergent from each other, and the two inserting pins 193 are respectively engaged with the two driving grooves 192. When the housing 191 is rotated, such as being rotated upwards or downwards, the driving grooves 192 are driven to move upwards or downwards, which drives (or guides) the inserting pins 193 to move horizontally, such as moving leftwards or rightwards, so as to pull the transmission members 173 (such as steel cables) for controlling engagement configuration of the engagement devices 17 on the two lateral arms of the armrest tube 13. Specifically, after the tightly pulled steel cable 173 pulls the sliding member 174 to drive the engaging pin 172 to disengage from the restraining portion of the positioning groove 1711, the armrest tube 13 can be rotated for adjustment. After the rotation of the armrest tube 13 is finished, the operation device 19 can be released since the armrest tube 13 has been settled as fixed by the engagement device 17.
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According to an embodiment, the armrest tube 13 can be kept unlocked at the using configuration after being restored from the rotational operation, which requires the locking configuration of the driving grooves 192 and the inserting pins 193 inside the operation device 19. For example, after the transmission member 173 is pulled by the rotated housing 191 so as to drive the engagement device 17 to disengage, the button body 194 can be moved towards the positioning hole 196 so that the locking pin 195 can be inserted into the positioning hole 196 for locking the rotated housing 191 at a configuration corresponding to the disengagement of the engagement device 17. Since the engagement device 17 is disengaged, the armrest tube 13 can be rotated downwards. After the downward rotation of the armrest tube 13 is finished, the armrest tube 13 can be released for being restored automatically by the restoring member 176. Since the abovementioned configuration between the driving grooves 192 and the inserting pins 193 inside the operation device 19 has been locked, the restored armrest tube 13 can be kept unlocked instead of being locked by a restraint from the restraining portion of the positioning groove 1711.
According to another embodiment, the armrest tube 13 can be kept locked at the using configuration after being restored from the rotational operation. For example, after the transmission member 173 is pulled by the rotated housing 191 so as to drive the engagement device 17 to disengage, the button body 194 is kept to stay so that the locking pin 195 is not to be inserted into the positioning hole 196, so the rotated housing 191 is not to be locked at the configuration corresponding to the disengagement of the engagement device 17. Since the engagement device 17 is disengaged, the armrest tube 13 can be rotated downwards. After the downward rotation of the armrest tube 13 is finished, the armrest tube 13 can be released for being restored automatically by the restoring member 176. When the armrest tube 13 is restored to the using configuration, the resilient member 175 restores the sliding member 174 to drive the engaging pin 172 to engage with the restraining portion of the positioning groove 1711, which not only locks the armrest tube 13 at the using configuration but also restores the rotated housing 191 by correspondingly shifting the configurations between the inserting pins 193 and the driving grooves 192 via the transmission member 173 connected with the sliding member 174.
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In conclusion, the armrest rotating mechanism is suitable for the child accommodating apparatus with an armrest. By operating the operation device on the armrest tube to drive the engagement device, the armrest tube can be disengaged from the frame, which enables the configuration of the armrest tube to be adjusted relative to the frame. That is, the armrest tube can be rotated from the lifted using configuration to the lowered access configuration that is opened for easy access. In addition, the armrest rotating mechanism has the advantages of simple structure, a reliable locking design, and an easy unlocking design and can be applied to various fields.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201710939284.4 | Sep 2017 | CN | national |
This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/585,486, filed on Jan. 26, 2022, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/145,215, filed on Sep. 28, 2018. The contents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17585486 | Jan 2022 | US |
Child | 18389740 | US | |
Parent | 16145215 | Sep 2018 | US |
Child | 17585486 | US |