Strollers for transporting small children are well known in the art. They are typically designed to carry a single child in a seated position, although versions of strollers are available to separately seat more than one child. Strollers have a plurality of wheels and a handle for an adult to push the stroller. Often, for safety and because the child is young, the child is retained in the stroller with a lap restraint.
The invention provides a stroller with a sitting area that is convertible from a smaller seat for a child into a larger seat for an adult. Strollers are used for transporting children to alleviate the need for the child to walk or an adult to carry the child. In many circumstances, however, a destination may be reached where the child no longer needs to be transported, and instead, the adult and child are located for a period of time. At such a destination, the stroller may be converted to provide a chair for an adult while, for example, the child is permitted to play outside the stroller or the child is held by the adult. In addition, the sitting area may be converted into a bassinet for a child to lay within.
The invention also provides a stroller that may operate as a rocking chair. For example, the stroller may have a rocking mechanism that permits the chair to rock back and forth when a child and/or an adult is sitting in the stroller. The stroller may have a locking mechanism that may be used to make the chair stationary, and thus, prevent the stroller from rocking at certain times. In some embodiments, the stroller seat may be rotatable from a first position to a second position for rocking side to side instead of front to back.
Referring to the figures,
The upper portion 112 can also include a forward lap bar 122 that a child can use as a grip and which also functions as a forward retaining structure. The forward lap bar 122 may also include a leg divider 124. The forward lap bar 122 may be pivotably attached or otherwise movable such that it can be moved to an alternate position if it is not needed. A restraint, such as a belt with a buckle, can be used to securely retain the child in the stroller. The upper portion 112 can also include a rear side 126. The stroller 100 can have a handle 128 coupled to the rear side 126, which can be used to propel and turn the stroller 100.
The lower portion 114 of the frame may include a structure suitable for supporting the upper portion 112 of the frame 104 above the ground. For example, the lower portion 114 may include a plurality of legs 130. The legs 130 may have wheels 132 disposed at distal ends of the legs 130 for mobilizing the stroller 100. It will be appreciated that the wheels 132 may be coupled to the frame 104 in any suitable manner, and as will be described further herein, the wheels 132 can be removable or otherwise displaceable.
As shown in
Referring again to
In order to convert the child seat 106 such that the sitting area 102 is large enough to accommodate an adult, the child seat back portion 110 can be movable to a position that increases the depth of the sitting area 102 to form a larger seat 136. For example, as shown in
To accommodate the legs of an adult, the forward lap bar 122 can be pivoted downward. In addition, the canopy 134 can be folded back or can be raised upward to a position comfortably above the head of a seated adult. The larger seat 136 can have any suitable depth and width to accommodate a seated adult. It will be appreciated that any suitable structure can be utilized to convert the sitting area 102 from a smaller seat 106 suitable for a child to a larger seat 136 suitable for an adult.
In addition to being able to be used as an adult chair, the convertible sitting area 102 may be used as a bassinet. For example, when the seat back portion 110 is arranged to increase the size of the sitting area 102, the larger seat base 138 can accommodate a laying child. In this way, a more comfortable resting option is enabled for a child to nap in the stroller 100. Although the sides 118, 120 of the upper frame 112 around the sitting area 102 are shown with openings, it will be appreciated that those openings can be covered (such as with a removable fabric) or alternately, the sides 118, 120 could be provided without large openings or any openings, such that a child cannot reach through the openings. Unlike when the smaller seat 108 is converted into a larger seat 136 for use as a larger chair, the forward lap bar 122 can be used to at least partially enclose the sitting area 102 for the child to lay when used as a bassinet. The forward lap bar 122 may also be selectively covered, such as with a removable fabric.
The stroller 100 may include a suitable structure for rocking the sitting area 102. The rocking motion can occur whether the sitting area 102 is converted to accommodate a child or an adult. The rocking motion can be used, for example, to placate a child, or alternatively, to make the chair more relaxing for an adult. The stroller 100 may be structured such that the rocking motion is only enabled at certain desired times. For example, a locking mechanism 158, such as a latch or physical stop, may be provided to restrict the rocking motion when desired. The rocking structure may be either a glider type rocker or an arcuate style rocker. It will be appreciated, however, that any suitable rocking mechanism may be utilized with the stroller.
If a glider type rocker mechanism is utilized, the glider rocking mechanism may have any suitable structure. For example, referring to
Alternatively, an arcuate rocker mechanism may have an arcuate base that rests on a generally planar surface. The seat can rock forward and backward as the arcuate base tilts respectively forward and backward on the planar surface.
In some embodiments, the sitting area 102 can be rotatable from a first position to a second position such that the rocking motion can be changed between a front and back rocking motion to a side to side rocking motion. Referring to
When the first platform 116 is rotated 90 degrees as shown in
In order to resist movement of the stroller 100, either with a child or an adult sitting in the stroller, one or more of the wheels 132 may have a braking mechanism that resists wheel rotation. In other embodiments, the stroller 100 can be made stationary with a support other than the wheels 132. For example, the wheels 132 may be removable such that the legs 130 can rest on the ground to support the stroller 100 as shown in
In other embodiments, such as shown in
One or more locking mechanisms 264 may be used with the base members 260 and wheel support members 262 to prevent the wheel support members 262 from inadvertently pivoting when using the stroller 200. The locking mechanism 264 can be released to permit the wheel support members 262 to pivot. It will be appreciated that any suitable mechanism may be used to prevent the wheel support member 262 from inadvertently pivoting. It will be appreciated that the stroller 200 may be structured in any suitable manner such that stroller 200 can be made stationary with a child or adult sitting in the stroller 200.
It will be appreciated that like shown features in the figures and like reference numbers may represent similar or identical features among the other figures.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/287,335, filed Dec. 17, 2009, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61287335 | Dec 2009 | US |