Children's vehicle with a frame with sliding elements without a space therebetween and corresponding chassis

• US 7,396,038 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ampafrance SA
• Original Assignee: Ampafrance SA
• Inventors: Zweideck, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): Bottorff; Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/511,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20050258619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 280/642, 280/647, 280/643, 280/648, 280/47.38
• US Class Current: 280/642
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/044 three wheeled
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/066 the handle bar moves in parallel relation during folding
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 7/08 in the direction of, or at right angles to, the wheel axis

Abstract

The invention relates to a child'"'"'s vehicle with a folding frame, comprising at least one front shaft provided with at least one front wheel, a rear shaft provided with at least one rear wheel, and a pushing device cooperating with a guiding handle, wherein said frame includes at least one assembly of two pieces which can slide in relation to each other without a space therebetween. A first piece of said two pieces has at least one track and the second of said two pieces has at least one slider which slides in said track.

Claims

1. Child'"'"'s stroller with folding frame, comprising:

at least one front strut on which at least one front wheel is fitted,

a rear strut on which at least one rear wheel is fitted, and

a push arm cooperating with a guide handle,

wherein said frame implements at least one assembly of two parts one sliding with respect to the other with no space between them, the first of said parts having at least one rail and the second of said parts having at least one slide designed to slide in said rail.

2. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one assembly is formed from one of said push arms and one of said front struts.

3. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein said rear strut is articulated to said front strut, and has a contact area with said front strut defined so as to be inscribed within a complementary area defined within said front strut.

4. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 2, wherein when said child'"'"'s stroller is folded, said push arm, said front strut and said rear strut form a contiguous assembly.

5. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 4, wherein said contiguous assembly has a uniform and compact section.

6. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein at least one rod with a low coefficient of friction is fitted between said sliding parts.

7. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein at least one part made from a material with a low coefficient of friction is clipped onto at least one of said rail or said slide.

8. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 7, wherein said part made from a material with a low coefficient of friction comprises at least one of a skid or a wire.

9. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 8, wherein said part comprises at least one chrome-plated or zing-plated wire.

10. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1 and further comprising a material, which is positioned between said rail and said slide, has a low coefficient of friction and is at least partially fluorescent.

11. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein means of cleaning the sliding area are provided on at least one of said sliding parts.

12. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 11, wherein said cleaning means include at least one scraper brush installed on the end of said push arm.

13. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 2, wherein said push arm and said front strut are connected by a first connecting part while said front strut and said rear strut are connected by a second connecting part, said first and second connecting parts stopping one against the other in the unfolded position of said stroller.

14. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said push arm, said front strut, or said rear strut are made from section elements.

15. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 14, wherein said section elements are made from at least one material belonging to the group comprising:

aluminimum,

anodised aluminium,

ceramic aluminium,

composite materials,

extruded materials,

pultruded materials,

PTFE,

PE,

silicone,

wood.

16. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 14, wherein the inside of at least one of said section type elements is adapted so that at least one type of special equipment can be fitted into it.

17. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least one assembly is formed by two parts belonging to the group comprising:

the front strut,

the rear strut,

the guide handle.

18. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein the stroller comprises rolling elements to facilitate sliding of said parts forming said assembly.

19. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 18, wherein said rolling elements are preferably collected in at least one carriage mounted on the end of one of said parts forming said assembly.

20. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 19, wherein the stroller comprises a first carriage installed on the lower end of the push arm of said child'"'"'s stroller and the second carriage mounted on the top end of the front strut of said child'"'"'s stroller.

21. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 18, wherein said rolling elements belong to the group consisting of balls, wheels and rollers.

22. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein the stroller comprises two similar sliding assemblies, each comprising a front strut and a push arm respectively for each of the sides of said child'"'"'s stroller.

23. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein the stroller comprises a single sliding assembly, comprising a front strut and a push arm.

24. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 23, wherein said single sliding assembly extends approximately along the longitudinal axis of said child'"'"'s stroller.

25. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1, wherein said front strut(s) is (are) articulated with respect to said rear strut(s).

26. Child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 25, wherein said front and rear strut(s) have at least partially complementary shapes so that they can be inscribed one in the other when said stroller is in its folded position.

27. Folding frame for a child'"'"'s stroller according to claim 1.