Joints and connections – Articulated members – Lockable at fixed position
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-21
2001-10-16
Kim, Harry C. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Articulated members
Lockable at fixed position
C403S100000, C280S650000, C280S642000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302613
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pivot connector for a foldable stroller frame, more particularly to a pivot connector which can be conveniently operated to permit folding of the stroller frame and which prevents untimely folding of the stroller frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
A foldable stroller frame with a pivot connector for foldably connecting frame members of the stroller frame is known in the art. A conventional foldable stroller frame is generally provided with retaining means for retaining the stroller frame in an unfolded state so as to prevent untimely folding of the stroller frame. The retaining means and the pivot connector are usually provided at different parts of the stroller frame. This complicates the structure of the stroller frame, and results in inconvenience during the folding and unfolding operations of the stroller frame.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a pivot connector which can be conveniently operated to permit folding and unfolding of a stroller frame and which is provided with retaining means to prevent untimely folding of the stroller frame.
Accordingly, the pivot connector of the present invention is adapted for interconnecting first and second frame members of a stroller frame, and includes a mounting seat, a pivot plate, a pivot shaft, an operating member, a locking pin and a biasing spring. The mounting seat has a first end portion adapted to be fastened to the first frame member of the stroller frame, and a second end portion opposite to the first end portion in a first direction. The mounting seat includes a pair of side walls that are spaced apart in a second direction transverse to the first direction and that have front and rear ends opposite to each other in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions. The mounting seat further includes a bridging wall that interconnects the front ends of the side walls. The side walls are formed with aligned elongated slots that extend in the third direction and that have front and rear slot portions opposite to each other in the third direction. The pivot plate is disposed in the second end portion of the mounting seat between the side walls. The pivot plate has a mounting section that is adapted to be fastened to the second frame member of the stroller frame, and a latching section that extends from the mounting section in a fourth direction. The latching section is formed with a locking groove that has first and second groove ends opposite to each other in a fifth direction transverse to the fourth direction, and a restricted access adjacent to the second groove end and opening at one edge of the latching section distal to the mounting section in the fourth direction. The latching section is further formed with a pivot hole proximate to the second groove end of the locking groove. The pivot shaft extends in the second direction between the side walls of the mounting seat adjacent to the rear ends of the side walls, and through the pivot hole in the latching section of the pivot plate so as to mount pivotally the pivot plate on the side walls such that the locking groove in the latching section can be registered selectively with the elongated slots in the side walls. The operating member straddles over the mounting seat, and has a parallel pair of side plates that are disposed respectively adjacent to the side walls of the mounting seat, and an operating portion that is disposed adjacent to the bridging wall of the mounting seat and that interconnects the side plates. The locking pin extends parallel to the pivot shaft, between the side plates of the operating member, and through the elongated slots in the side walls of the mounting seat. The locking pin is movable to the rear slot portions of the elongated slots when the operating member is moved in the third direction toward the bridging wall of the mounting seat, wherein pivoting movement of the pivot plate relative to the mounting seat results in extension of the locking pin into and out of the second groove end of the locking groove via the restricted access, and wherein the pivot connector is adapted to permit pivoting movement of the second frame member relative to the first frame member. The locking pin is further movable to the front slot portions of the elongated slots when the operating member is moved in the third direction away from the bridging wall of the mounting seat in order to dispose the locking pin in the first groove end of the locking groove, engage the locking pin with the latching section, and arrest the pivoting movement of the pivot plate relative to the mounting seat so as to be adapted to prevent the pivoting movement of the second frame member relative to the first frame member when the locking groove is registered with the elongated slots. The biasing spring is disposed between the bridging wall of the mounting seat and the operating portion of the operating member for biasing the operating member to move in the third direction away from the bridging wall of the mounting seat. One of the side walls of the mounting seat is formed with a resilient retaining protrusion between the first and second end portions of the mounting seat. One of the side plates is formed with a retaining hole for engaging removably the retaining protrusion on the mounting seat so as to retain removably the locking pin in the front slot portions of the elongated slots.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5474404 (1995-12-01), Chien
patent: 5524503 (1996-06-01), Ishikura
patent: 5605409 (1997-02-01), Haut et al.
patent: 5611634 (1997-03-01), Wang
patent: 5730542 (1998-03-01), Cheng
patent: 5978987 (1999-11-01), Wang
patent: 6073957 (2000-06-01), Lan
patent: 6196571 (2001-03-01), Chen et al.
patent: 6202229 (2001-03-01), Cheng
patent: 16229 (2000-01-01), None
Greenblum & Berenstein, P.L.C.
Kim Harry C.
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