Stroller including movable basket assembly

• US 20050225055A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Graco Children's Products, Inc. (Newell Brands Inc.)
• Inventors: Dotsey, Michael A., Newhard, Daniel N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,445,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/642
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/023 Beverage holders, e.g. for a cup, tin or bottle
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2205/22 remotely controlled, e.g. from the handlebar
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/062 Coupling unit between front wheels, rear wheels and handle
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/08 in the direction of, or at right angles to, the wheel axis
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/14 Equipment protecting from environmental influences, e.g. Hoods; Weather screens; Cat nets
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/20 Handle bars; Handles
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/245 Removable front guards, e.g. with a tray
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/26 Securing devices for bags or toys ; Arrangements of racks, bins, trays or other devices for transporting articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32361 Engaging recess in radial face
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32442 At least one discrete position

Abstract

A stroller includes a stroller frame; a basket assembly including a basket frame coupled to the stroller frame, wherein the basket frame is configured to move, without bending, between a first, in-use position and a second, access position, and a basket supported by the basket frame; and a latch assembly on each side of the stroller that movably couples the basket frame to the stroller frame, the latch assembly being configured such that application of a downward force on the basket frame moves the basket frame from the first, in-use position to the second, access position. Upon removal of the application of downward force, the basket frame can remain in the second, access position.

Claims

1. A stroller comprising:

a stroller frame;

a basket assembly including

a basket frame coupled to the stroller frame, wherein the basket frame is configured to move, without bending, between a first, in-use position and a second, access position, and

a basket supported by the basket frame; and

a latch assembly on each side of the stroller that movably couples the basket frame to the stroller frame, the latch assembly being configured such that application of a downward force on the basket frame moves the basket frame from the first, in-use position to the second, access position,

wherein, upon removal of the application of downward force, the basket frame can remain in the second, access position.

2. A stroller according to claim 1, wherein the stroller frame is configured to move between an in-use configuration and a collapsed configuration.

3. A stroller according to claim 2, wherein, when the basket frame is in the second, access position and the stroller frame is in the collapsed configuration, movement of the stroller frame from the collapsed configuration to the in-use configuration positions the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

4. The stroller according to claim 1, wherein the latch assembly includes a first engagement member to releasably engage the stroller frame to maintain the basket frame in the first, in-use position, and wherein the first engagement member is configured to be disengaged from the stroller frame by application of downward force on the basket frame.

5. The stroller according to claim 4, wherein the stroller frame includes a link member, wherein the latch assembly includes a second engagement member on the link member, and wherein the first engagement member is configured to releasably engage the second engagement member to maintain the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

6. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein the latch assembly includes a third engagement member on the link member, and wherein the first engagement member is configured to releasably engage the third engagement member to maintain the basket frame in the second, access position.

7. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein the stroller frame is configured to move between an in-use configuration and a collapsed configuration, and wherein the link member is a fold link that is configured to enable the stroller to move between the in-use configuration and the collapsed configuration.

8. The stroller according to claim 6, wherein the second engagement member on the link member is a detent.

9. The stroller according to claim 8, wherein the third engagement member on the link member is a detent.

10. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein the first engagement member is a spring-biased plunger movably coupled to an end of the basket frame.

11. The stroller according to claim 10, wherein the second engagement member is a detent.

12. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein the first engagement member is a spring element coupled to an end of the basket frame.

13. The stroller according to claim 12, wherein the second engagement member is a detent.

14. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein one of the first and second engagement members comprises a spring-biased plunger, wherein the other of the first and second engagement members comprises one or more detents that are configured to engage the spring-biased plunger, and wherein engagement of the plunger and one of the one or more detents maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

15. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein one of the first and second engagement members comprises a spring-biased plunger, wherein the other of the first and second engagement members comprises two or more detents that are configured to engage the spring-biased plunger, wherein engagement of the plunger and a first of the two or more detents maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position, and wherein engagement of the plunger and a second of the two or more detents maintains the basket frame in the second, access position.

16. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein one of the first and second engagement members comprises a spring element, wherein the other of the first and second engagement members comprises one or more detents that are configured to engage the spring element, and wherein engagement of the spring element and one of the one or more detents maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

17. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein one of the first and second engagement members comprises a spring element having two or more engagement surfaces, wherein the other of the first and second engagement members comprises two or more detents that are configured to engage the two or more engagement surfaces of the spring element, and wherein engagement of the engagement surfaces of the spring element and the two or more detents maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

18. The stroller according to claim 5, wherein one of the first and second engagement members comprises a compressible and/or retractable member, wherein the other of the first and second engagement members comprises two or more detents that are configured to engage the compressible member, wherein engagement of the compressible and/or retractable member and a first of the two or more detents maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position, and wherein engagement of the compressible and/or retractable member and a second of the two or more detents maintains the basket frame in the second, access position.

19. A stroller comprising:

a stroller frame;

a basket assembly including

a basket frame coupled to the stroller frame and movable between a first, in-use position and a second, access position, and

a basket supported by the basket frame; and

a latch assembly having first and second detents on the stroller frame and an engagement member to releasably engage the first and second detents, such that engagement of the engagement member with the first detent maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position, and engagement of the engagement member with the second detent maintains the basket frame in the second, access position,

wherein the engagement member is configured to be disengaged from the first detent by application of a downward force on the basket frame.

20. A stroller according to claim 19, wherein the stroller frame is configured to move between an in-use configuration and a collapsed configuration.

21. A stroller according to claim 20, wherein, when the basket frame is in the second, access position and the stroller frame is in the collapsed configuration, movement of the stroller frame from the collapsed configuration to the in-use configuration positions the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

22. The stroller according to claim 19, wherein the stroller frame includes a link member, and the first and second detents are on the link member.

23. The stroller according to claim 22, wherein the stroller frame is configured to move between an in-use configuration and a collapsed configuration, and wherein the link member is a fold link that is configured to enable the stroller to move between the in-use configuration and the collapsed configuration.

24. The stroller according to claim 19, wherein the engagement member is a spring-biased plunger coupled to an end of the basket frame.

25. A stroller comprising:

a stroller frame;

a basket assembly including

a basket frame configured to move between a first, in-use position and a second, access position, and

a basket supported by the basket frame; and

a latch assembly including a spring element that couples the basket frame to the stroller frame;

wherein the latch assembly is configured such that application of a downward force on the basket frame moves the basket frame from the first, in-use position to the second, access position, and

wherein, upon removal of the application of downward force, the basket frame can remain in the second, access position.

26. A stroller according to claim 25, wherein the stroller frame is configured to move between an in-use configuration and a collapsed configuration.

27. A stroller according to claim 26, wherein, when the basket frame is in the second, access position and the stroller frame is in the collapsed configuration, movement of the stroller frame from the collapsed configuration to the in-use configuration positions the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

28. The stroller according to claim 25, wherein the spring element is configured to releasably engage the stroller frame to maintain the basket frame in the first, in-use position, and wherein the spring element is configured to be disengaged from the stroller frame by application of downward force on the basket frame.

29. The stroller according to claim 28, wherein the stroller frame includes a link member, wherein the latch assembly includes a first detent on the link member, and wherein the spring element is configured to releasably engage the first detent to maintain the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

30. The stroller according to claim 29, wherein the latch assembly includes a second detent on the link member, and wherein the spring element is configured to releasably engage the second detent member to maintain the basket frame in the second, access position.

31. The stroller according to claim 29, wherein the stroller frame is configured to move between an in-use configuration and a collapsed configuration, and wherein the link member is a fold link that is configured to enable the stroller to move between the in-use configuration and the collapsed configuration.

32. The stroller according to claim 29, wherein the spring element comprises a spring-biased plunger, and wherein the spring-biased plunger is configured to engage the first detent to maintain the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

33. The stroller according to claim 30, wherein the spring element comprises a spring-biased plunger, wherein the spring-biased plunger is configured to engage the first and second detents, wherein engagement of the spring-biased plunger and the first detent maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position, and wherein engagement of the spring-biased plunger and the second detent maintains the basket frame in the second, access position.

34. The stroller according to claim 28, wherein the spring element comprises a drop spring, wherein the stroller frame includes a link member, wherein the latch assembly further includes one or more detents that are configured to engage the drop spring, and wherein engagement of the drop-spring and at least one of the one or more detents maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

35. The stroller according to claim 28, wherein the spring element comprises a drop-spring having two or more engagement surfaces, wherein the stroller frame includes a link member, wherein the latch assembly further includes two or more detents on the link member that are configured to engage the two or more engagement surfaces of the drop-spring, and wherein engagement of the engagement surfaces of the drop-spring and the two or more detents maintains the basket frame in the first, in-use position.

36. A basket apparatus for use with a wheeled transport comprising:

a basket assembly including

a basket frame configured to move between a first, in-use position and a second, access position, and

a basket supported by the basket frame; and

a spring element that couples the basket frame to the wheeled transport;

wherein the spring element is arranged with respect to the basket assembly and the wheeled transport such that application of a downward force on the basket frame moves the basket frame from the first, in-use position to the second, access position, and

wherein, upon removal of the application of downward force, the basket frame can remain in the second, access position.

37. A basket apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the spring element comprises a spring-biased plunger.

38. A basket apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the spring-biased plunger is configured to engage one or more detents formed on the wheeled transport.

39. A basket apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the spring element comprises one or more engagement surfaces.

40. A basket apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the spring element is configured to engage one or more detents formed on the wheeled transport.