Power Folding Stroller Having Multiple Motors

• US 20110215553A1
• Filed: 05/17/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thorley Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Thorley Industries LLC
• Inventors: Thorne, Henry F., Daley, Robert D., Koes, Mary J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,731,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/650
• 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 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; 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 to move the at least one of the first and second stroller components from its first position to its second 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 latches in operative engagement therewith, which one or more latches are moveable 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, with the one or more latches being movable to their unlatched positions by at least one of the motors operatively connected thereto.

8. The stroller in accordance with claim 7, wherein one of the two motors serves as the drive mechanism for moving at least one of the first stroller component and the second stroller component and the other of the two motors serves as a drive mechanism for moving the one or more latches.

9. The stroller in accordance with claim 7, 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.

10. The stroller in accordance with claim 7, 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.

11. The stroller in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a disengaging mechanism for disengaging the operative engagement between the drive mechanism and the at least one of the first and second stroller components.

12. The stroller in accordance with claim 11, wherein the disengaging mechanism comprises a manual override mechanism which is selectively operable between a first position in which the manual override mechanism effects operative engagement between the drive mechanism and the at least one of the first and second stroller components, and a second position in which the manual override effects disengagement of 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.

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

14. 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 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; 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 to move the support structure from the open position to the collapsed position and vice versa.

15. The stroller in accordance with claim 14, 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.

16. The stroller in accordance with claim 15, 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.

17. The stroller in accordance with claim 14, further comprising one or more latches in operative engagement therewith, which 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 second 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 second position, with the one or more latches being movable to their unlatched positions by at least one of the motors operatively connected thereto.

18. The stroller in accordance with claim 17, wherein one of the two motors serves as the drive mechanism for moving at least one component of the support structure and the other of the two motors serves as a drive mechanism for moving the one or more latches.

19. The stroller in accordance with claim 18, 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.

20. The stroller in accordance with claim 18, 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.