Power folding stroller having multiple motors

• US 9,731,745 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thorley Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Thorley Industries LLC
• Inventors: Thorne, Henry F., Koes, Mary J., Daley, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US13/109,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,282 Days
• Field of Search: 280642, 280643, 280647, 280648, 280650, 280657, 280658
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2205/003 with actuation mechanisms which drive the folding or unfolding operation
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2205/12 Collapsible wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2205/18 Geared articulations
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/068 by sliding a bushing along a rod, e.g. like folding means of an umbrella
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/08 in the direction of, or at right angles to, the wheel axis
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/083 the wheel axes being moved from each other during folding
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/10 Perambulator bodies; Equipment therefor collapsible or foldable B62B7/06; convertible B62B7/12
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 9/24 Safety guards for children, e.g. harness cat nets B62B9/14; devices for use in guiding or supporting children, e.g. safety harness A47D13/08

Abstract

A stroller includes: a first stroller component and a second stroller component. At least one of the first and second stroller components is movable from a first position to a second position. The stroller also includes: a drive mechanism operatively engaged with the at least one of the first and second stroller components to move the at least one of the first and second stroller components from its first position to its second position; and a disengaging mechanism for disengaging the operative engagement between the drive mechanism and the at least one of the first and second stroller components to facilitate manual movement of the at least one of the first and second stroller components.

Claims

1. A stroller, comprising:

a first stroller component;

a second stroller component;

at least one of the first and second stroller components being movable from a first position to a second position;

a drive mechanism comprising at least two motors, a first one of the at least two motors is operatively engaged with at least one of the first and second stroller components to move the at least one of the first and second stroller components from its first position to its second position;

one or more latches in operative engagement with at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component, which one or more latches are moveable by a second one of the at least two motors between a latched position in which the one or more latches prevent movement of at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component toward their second positions, and an unlatched position in which the one or more latches allow movement of at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component toward their second positions; and

a control system operatively engaged with the drive mechanism to actuate the drive mechanism to provide actuation of the at least two motors upon actuation of a control switch such that the first one of the at least two motors causes the at least one of the first and second stroller components to move from its first position to its second position and the second one of the at least two motors causes the one or more latches to move from the latched position to the unlatched position.

2. The stroller in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first position is an open position and the second position is a collapsed position.

3. The stroller in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a frame coupled to at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component.

4. The stroller in accordance with claim 3, further comprising an object sensor operationally coupled to the control system and configured to detect the presence of objects within an interior portion of the frame and send a signal to the control system to prevent actuation of the drive mechanism if an object is detected in the interior portion of the frame.

5. The stroller in accordance with claim 3, further comprising at least one position sensor provided at a selective location on the frame to send a signal indicative of the positions of at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component to the control system.

6. The stroller in accordance with claim 5, wherein the at least one position sensor sends a signal to a display to provide at least one of a visual indication and an audio indication to a user as to a current position of at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component.

7. The stroller in accordance with claim 1, further comprising one or more latch position sensors which detect when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the one or more latch position sensors sending a signal to the control system to stop actuation of the one or more latch drive mechanisms upon receipt of the signal.

8. The stroller in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a display and one or more latch position sensors which detect when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the one or more latch position sensors sending a signal to the display when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the display providing visual confirmation to the user that the one or more latches are in their latched positions.

9. The stroller in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a microprocessor.

10. A stroller for movement between an open position and a collapsed position, the stroller comprising:

a support structure;

a drive mechanism comprising at least two motors, a first one of the at least two motors operatively engaged with at least one component of the support structure to move the support structure from the open position to the collapsed position and vice versa;

one or more latches in operative engagement with the support structure, the one or more latches moveable by a second one of the at least two motors; and

a control system operatively engaged with the drive mechanism to actuate the drive mechanism to provide actuation of the at least two motors upon actuation of a control switch such that the first one of the at least two motors moves the support structure from the open position to the collapsed position and vice versa and the second one of the at least two motors moves the one or more latches to prevent movement of at least one component of the support structure to the collapsed position.

11. The stroller in accordance with claim 10, further comprising at least one position sensor provided at a selective location on the support structure to send a signal indicative of the positions of at least one component of the support structure to the control system.

12. The stroller in accordance with claim 11, wherein the at least one position sensor sends a signal to a display to provide at least one of a visual indication and an audio indication to a user as to a current position of at least one component of the support structure.

13. The stroller in accordance with claim 10, wherein the one or more latches are moveable between a latched position in which the one or more latches prevent movement of at least one component of the support structure to the collapsed position, and an unlatched position in which the one or more latches allow movement of at least one component of the support structure toward the collapsed position.

14. The stroller in accordance with claim 13, further comprising one or more latch position sensors which detect when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the one or more latch position sensors sending a signal to the control system to stop actuation of the one or more latch drive mechanisms upon receipt of the signal.

15. The stroller in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a display and one or more latch position sensors which detect when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the one or more latch position sensors sending a signal to the display when the one or more latches are in their latched positions, with the display providing visual confirmation to the user that the one or more latches are in their latched positions.