Land vehicles – Wheeled – Occupant propelled type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-15
2001-10-16
Boehler, Anne Marie (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Occupant propelled type
C280S047380, C280S214000, C280S263000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302421
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND-FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a vehicle with casters, particularly to a convertible swivel control for enabling the vehicle to be properly controlled, whether rider or externally steered.
BACKGROUND-PRIOR ART
Many vehicles are constructed with casters-rotatable wheels which can swivel-so that the vehicles can be rolled over a surface. The axle of the wheel is usually horizontal while the swivel axis is usually vertical. A caster can be attached to the underside or leg of any vehicle or rollable item, object, or device, such as a piece of furniture, a cart, a dolly, or other heavy object, to make it easier to move.
Casters are commonly employed as the front wheels in externally propelled rolling vehicles, such as strollers, wheelchairs, dollies, office chairs, etc., which are commonly pushed or pulled by someone or some source separate from the vehicle. Each caster typically includes one or more vertically oriented wheels rotatably held by a generally vertical fork, which is in turn attached to a generally upright swivel pintle, pin, or bolt. This vertical pintle is usually perpendicular to but offset horizontally from the wheel's horizontal axle. The pintle is journaled in bearings for rotation about a vertical axis within a fixed cylindrical vertical housing. When the vehicle is moved in any direction, the caster will swivel so that its wheel trails its pintle. This causes the wheel always to be oriented in the direction of motion of the vehicle so that it has high degree of maneuverability, regardless of the direction in which the vehicle is pushed or pulled.
While casters are very desirable in externally steered and propelled vehicles, such as noted above, they are a hindrance or a hazard in rider-steered vehicles, such as tricycles, pedal cars, bicycles, go-carts, etc. This is because a caster can be turned completely around (360°) and such a range is not needed in and may actually destabilize the vehicle. To ensure stability, a swivel wheel for a rider-propelled vehicle should not be turnable more than about 45° in either direction.
Thus the two types of vehicles, rider and externally steered, are considered separate and one type is rarely used in place of the other.
E.g., vehicles with casters, such as strollers, are used to transport infants and children. They are passive; i.e., they are pushed. The children are not challenged to participate in the propulsion or guidance of their vehicle. Tricycles and pedal cars become useful only after the child fully develops coordination skills and adequate size and strength to allow their feet to reach the pedals and propel the vehicle. Thus, existing vehicles are either propelled and guided by others while the child is compelled to remain a passive occupant, or are of the type which require full development of mental and physical capacities to become an active independent and unassisted driver. In most cases, the transition process from a passive occupant to an unassisted driver is abrupt and takes place with a minimum of training. The child, anxious to use the new rider-steerable toy, concentrates on making it go-an unsafe operation.
Thus such vehicles are of use for a limited time because children outgrow the passive vehicle at about 20 months of age. Then it becomes necessary to acquire a rider-steered vehicle, which puts a burden on families of limited means, and with limited storage space, to purchase and accommodate the multiple vehicles. This need, however, has been addressed to some degree by attempts to devise combination vehicles, but none have been commercially successful due to their complexity.
Strollers: Strollers in general are very well known, and provide a valuable mode of transportation. With swiveling front caster wheels, they provide high maneuverability in such places as shopping malls. Bigger children also ride strollers but soon get tired and also get bored quickly by just sitting.
U.S. Pat. No. D 365,313 to Mosetich et al. (1995) shows a toddler stroller but it is not steerable. U.S. Pat. No. D 388,367 to Polak et al. (1997) shows a sport vehicle stroller; however it has a steering wheel that doesn't work. U.S. Pat. No. D 382,837 to Haut et. al. (1997) shows an all-terrain stroller with swivel wheels. This is a typical baby stroller that can't be steered by the child. U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,760 to Pickering (1997) shows a child transport device, but it doesn't have casters and hence is difficult to maneuver.
Jogging Strollers: Jogging strollers have become a very popular product for sport-minded adults with children. They can be used while the adult walks or runs. However they can't be steered by the child and the child gets no exercise while the adult runs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,389 to Baechler (1993) shows a foldable baby stroller and axle assembly. The drawback to this design is the absence of a directionally pivoting front wheel, which makes the simple task of turning the stroller an arduous one. A non-pivoting front wheel makes steering cumbersome and difficult. Thus the operator must push down on the handle bar to raise the front wheel off the ground in order to steer.
U.S. Pat. No. D 385,514 to Eyrman et al. (1997) shows a folding stroller with a front caster; the stroller can't be propelled by the child-rider.
U.S. Pat. No. D 356,760 to Brechter (1995) shows a baby stroller frame, which again can't be propelled by the rider.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,212 to Hinkston (1997) shows a collapsible baby jogging stroller with casters. This stroller can't be steered by the child and the child gets no exercise while the adult runs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,009 to Eyrnan et al. (1995) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,896 to Eichhom (1997) show collapsible folding strollers, which, having casters, cannot be propelled by the rider.
Bicycle Trailers: Trailers for use with bicycles are well known and are useful for carrying small children or for transporting goods. On some of the trailers a stroller wheel assembly is mounted on a bicycle trailer tongue to permit operation as either a trailer or a separate three-wheel stroller. There are many types trailers available, but children get no exercise while the propelling adults do. Typical devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,597 to Bemer (1995) (convertible infant stroller and trailer with quick-release hitch), U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,744 to Berry et al. (1993) (stroller wheel assembly for bicycle trailer), U.S. Pat. No. D 356,761 to Jacobs et al. (1995) (combination stroller and trailer for infants and children), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,316 to Britton (1995) (folding trailer).
Runabouts: In a runabout, a steering wheel turns and the rider must use their feet to control direction and propulsion. The feet can get caught under vehicle. Thus these devices are difficult to use and do not provide children with much fun.
Tricycles: For the very young and very old cyclists, and for people, who have insufficient strength or balance to maneuver a bicycle, the tricycle provides a stable and safer mode of transportation. However it can be dangerous to allow a child to ride alone on the street without adult supervision. U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,066 to Garth (1991) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,713 to Li (1999) provide guiding systems, but do not enable the tricycle to be maneuverable easily since they don't have casters. If one is pushed from the back without the rider holding onto the steering bar, the front wheel will flip to one side and will skid. Thus a tricycle can be pulled only. U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,005 to Vanore (1979) discloses a tricycle for a handicapped individual, which is adjustable to an optimum position for almost any user. However its front wheel is not a caster and thus cannot be propelled and steered by someone who is not riding it.
Children's Pedal Cars And Ride-On Toys: Steerable cars are desired by children, but are not practical to own due to their large turning radii and the relatively small area of most back yards. It is dangerous to ride them in streets. Examples are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,338 to Kuchenbeck
Boehler Anne Marie
Pressman David
Winner Tony
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