Handle assembly for infant carrier and stroller
AssigneeEvenflo Company, Inc.
InventorsShain A. Saucier, Charles H. Keegan, Meng Zhang, Xiaoyong Yang, Xiang Gao, Wenlong Lv, Bo Feng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handle assembly for an infant carrier is provided. The handle assembly allows the handle to be oriented in one of a plurality of positions, such as a stroller position, and infant carrier position and a car seat position. The handle assembly may include a locking mechanism allowing a handle extension to be extended only when the handle rotated to the stroller position. The handle assembly may also include a blocking mechanism that prevents the handle from rotating from the stroller position if the handle is extended.
Claims16
A handle assembly for an infant carrier having a shell, the handle assembly comprising:
- a shell hub, on the shell, the shell hub having an outer perimeter and a first series of teeth spaced adjacent the outer perimeter;
- a handle hub in axial alignment with the shell hub, the handle hub having a second series of teeth spaced adjacent an inner perimeter of the handle hub;
- a sprocket in axial alignment with the shell hub and the handle hub, the sprocket being located between the shell hub and the handle hub, the sprocket having a third series of teeth spaced about an outer perimeter of the sprocket;
- wherein the sprocket is axially movable from a first position locking the shell hub to the handle hub, and a second position unlocking the handle hub from the shell hub, and wherein in the second position, the handle hub is rotatable with respect to the shell hub;
- the handle assembly further comprising a spring, engageable with the sprocket, to bias the sprocket towards the first position;
- and
- a release disk, in axial alignment with the shell hub, the handle hub and the sprocket, and wherein the release disk is axially movable with respect to the handle hub, the release disk movable between a lock position where the release disk is disengaged from the sprocket with the sprocket in the first position and a release position where the release disk engages the sprocket with the sprocket in the second position, the release disk overcoming the spring force in the release position.
A convertible infant carrier and stroller assembly comprising:
- a shell having a head end, a toe end, and spaced apart sides extending from the head end to the toe end;
- a pair of shell hubs, one on each side of the shell, each shell hub having an outer perimeter and a first series of teeth spaced adjacent the outer perimeter;
- a pair of handle hubs, one in axial alignment with a corresponding shell hub, each handle hub having a second series of teeth spaced adjacent an inner perimeter of each handle hub;
- a pair of sprockets, one in axial alignment with a corresponding shell hub and handle hub, each sprocket being located between a corresponding shell hub and handle hub, each sprocket having a third series of teeth spaced about an outer perimeter of the sprocket;
- wherein each sprocket is axially movable from a first position locking the corresponding shell hub and the handle hub, and a second position unlocking the corresponding handle hub and shell hub, and wherein in the second position, each handle hub is rotatable with respect to the corresponding shell hub;
- the assembly further comprising a biasing means for biasing the sprocket towards the first position;
- and
- a pair of release disks, each of the pair of release disks in axial alignment with one of the shell hubs, the handle hubs and the sprockets, and wherein each release disk is axially movable with respect to the corresponding handle hub, each release disk movable between a lock position where the release disk is disengaged from the sprocket with the sprocket in the first position and a release position where the release disk engages the sprocket with the sprocket in the second position, each release disk overcoming the corresponding spring force in the release position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.