Land vehicles – Wheeled – Extensible
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-19
2001-01-23
Camby, Richard M. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Extensible
C280S030000, C280S650000, C280S658000, C297S284300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176507
ABSTRACT:
The area of the invention is that of child-rearing, and in particular that of children's push-chairs. More exactly, the invention concerns a child's push-chair on which the cradle can be inclined, and presents a sitting angle which varies in accordance with its slope.
One is already familiar with many push-chairs for inclining cradles or cots. Conventionally, the cradle is mounted on the chassis of the push-chair. A variety of means are provided on the chassis in order to guide and install the cradle, and to hold it in the desired position.
One known improvement is to cause the cradle position angle to vary in accordance with its slope. Thus when the cradle is in a more-or-less level position (the sitting position), the sitting angle (that is the angle formed by the seat element and the back element of the cradle) is of the order of 110°, so as to form a chair with a back. Conversely, when the cradle is in the extended or lying position, the angle formed by the seat of the cradle opens out considerably (of the order of 160°). In this position, the child is seated comfortably when the cradle is in the chair position, and is lying when the cradle is in the extended position. Intermediate positions can also be achieved of course.
In order to achieve this result, the cradle, viewed from the side, presents a variable triangular structure. The hypotenuse of this triangle is formed by the support element of the cradle. The other two sides (the seat part and the back part) are two stiffening elements (conventionally these are sheets of a plastic material) which are jointed at their common edge. The support element is designed so that its length can vary. The variations in this length result in the automatic opening or closure of the angle formed by the seat part and the back part of the cradle.
To be more precise, in the sitting or chair position, the support element is at its minimum length, and in the lying or extended position, the support element is at its maximum length. To achieve this, the support element is designed in two parts, an upper part and a lower part, the upper part being capable of penetrating telescopically into a portion of the lower part.
Maintenance of the cradle at a given slope, and with the desired opening of the sitting angle, is achieved by means of a set of push-rods which are attached to the chassis of the push-chair. This mechanism is relatively complex, both in respect of its assembly during manufacture of the push-chair and also in use. This proves not to be very practical in the case where the cradle is designed to be used alternatively in the sitting position when facing the road or in the sitting position when facing the mother. In such a case in fact, it is necessary first to manipulate the chassis in order to set the push-rods in the required position, and then to turn the cradle, after first detaching it from the chassis, and finally re-fitting it in the desired position.
More generally, the known systems have many such disadvantages, in respect of both their manufacture:
a large number of moving parts,
a significant assembly time, and of their use difficult to operate,
problems with reversible cradles, in achieving a position facing the road or the mother,
safety problems:
the fact that the child is able to interfere with the slope controls.
The main objective of the invention is to get round these various disadvantages of the current techniques.
More precisely, one of the first objectives of the invention is to provide a child's push-chair with an inclinable cradle and a variable sitting angle, which will also be easy to use in relation to the known techniques.
A particular aim of the invention is to supply such a push-chair, in which the cradle can be detached from the chassis with ease and then re-attached to the chassis likewise.
Another objective if the invention is to provide such a push-chair in which the cradle can be placed in the desired position in a simple and reliable manner, preferably by a person standing behind the push-chair, and so that the child will be unable to interfere with this position.
In one particular production method, a further objective of the invention is to provide such a push-chair in which the cradle is reversible, with no difficult or complex operations.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide such a push-chair where the costs of production are reduced in relation to conventional push-chairs of the same type. More exactly, the purpose of the invention is to provide such a push-chair where both the manufacturing costs and the assembly costs are reduced. A particular goal of the invention is to provide such a push-chair where the slope and the control of the sitting angle are achieved using a smaller number of parts.
Another particular objective of the invention is to provide such a push-chair which facilitates the use of optional fittings attach to the cradle.
The invention concerns a child's push-chair of a type consisting of an inclinable cradle mounted on a push-chair chassis, with the cradle consisting of a support element supporting a seat, the support being formed of two parts, an upper part and a lower part, where the said upper part is able to slide in relation to the lower part in such a manner that the maximum length of the support is able to vary between two extremes in order to allow the sitting angle of the seat to be vary.
The above objectives, and others which will appear later, are achieved by this invention by the use of a cradle which consists of a guidance element on each side which is attached to one of the said parts of the support, this element having an oblong slot in which a guidance lug, attached to the other part, can move, the movement of the said guidance lug in the said oblong slot being used to control the said length of the support element and the inclination of the said cradle.
Thus the parts used to establish and control the positioning and opening of the sitting angle are attached to the cradle only, and are therefore independent of the chassis. The guidance part is a single block, and can be manufactured and mounted on the cradle without difficulty. The production costs are therefore lower in relation to the known techniques.
In an advantageous manner, the said oblong slot presents a profile close to the arc of a circle. This shape enables an opening of the sitting angle to be achieved which is proportional to the slope of the cradle.
According to one particular method of manufacture of the invention, the said guidance lug is attached to the said upper part. The production method is described in greater detail below. However, there is nothing to prevent the roles of the upper and lower parts from being reversed.
With advantage, each of the said guidance parts has at least two stop notches, which fit together with a stop lug attached to the part of the said support element bearing the guidance lug, each of these stop notches corresponding to a stable slope of the said cradle.
Various other methods of locking the device at the desired slope position can be envisaged of course. As an example, one can contemplate locking in position by tightening the guidance stud in the said slot.
According to a preferred method of manufacture of the invention, the said stop lugs are released by the operation of a single control element, with return components returning the said lugs automatically into the locked position. Of course it is also possible to arrange for two distinct control elements, each associated with one of the said guidance parts.
To the advantage of the invention, when a single control element is used, this follows the said upper part of the support fairly closely, and has an operating handle on its horizontal part.
Thus it is possible to incline the cradle with one hand only while remaining behind the push-chair, facing the push-handle of the push-chair.
With further advantage, the said guidance parts fit together with the means by which the said cradle is attached to the said chassis. In this way, it is easy to install and combine or separat
Ageneau Laurent
Bigo Jean
AMPAFRANCE
Camby Richard M.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
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