Collapsible support frame
AssigneeCosco Management, Inc.
InventorSamuel Blackburn Pearce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A collapsible support frame particularly for an infant pushchair comprises in an erect configuration at least a centrally located elongate spine and a seating cavity within the support frame in which to receive a seat. The spine being coupled at or towards one end to a coupler and at or towards its other end to a handle assembly.
Claims18
A collapsible support frame for an infant pushchair, the support frame having a width and comprising at least an elongate spine located substantially centrally with respect to the width of the support frame, the width of the support frame being substantially transverse to the elongate spine, and a seating cavity within the support frame in which to receive a seat, the elongate spine being coupled at or towards one end of the elongate spine to a coupler and at or towards the other end of the elongate spine to a handle assembly, characterized in that, the spine comprises at least first and second, elongate, rigid spine members mutually interconnected at a pivot defining a moveable spine joint lying part-way along the length of at least one rigid spine member and, on at least one side of the moveable spine joint, subsidiary spine members each pivotably connected to one of the rigid spine members, the subsidiary spine members being pivotably secured together remote of the movable spine joint such that the spine defines at least one closed loop kinematic linkage being moveable between an erect configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members diverge and a collapsed configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members generally lie adjacent one another along their lengths, the connections of the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members being such that the closed loop kinematic linkage is uniplanar, wherein the first and second rigid spine members are curved such that, in the erect configuration of the spine, the pivotal interconnection defining the moveable spine joint is an over centre pivot and locks the spine in its erect configuration.
A collapsible support frame for an infant pushchair, the support frame having a width and comprising at least an elongate spine located substantially centrally with respect to the width of the support frame, the width of the support frame being substantially transverse to the elongate spine, and a seating cavity within the support frame in which to receive a seat, the elongate spine being coupled at or towards one end of the elongate spine to a coupler and at or towards the other end of the elongate spine to a handle assembly, characterized in that, the spine comprises at least first and second, elongate, rigid spine members mutually interconnected at a pivot defining a moveable spine joint lying part-way along the length of at least one rigid spine member and, on at least one side of the moveable spine joint, subsidiary spine members each pivotably connected to one of the rigid spine members, the subsidiary spine members being pivotably secured together remote of the movable spine joint such that the spine defines at least one closed loop kinematic linkage being moveable between an erect configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members diverge and a collapsed configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members generally lie adjacent one another along their lengths, the connections of the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members being such that the closed loop kinematic linkage is uniplanar, wherein the support frame comprises a pair of support arms extending from the coupler, each support arm carrying a wheel at or towards one end and being pivotably coupled to the coupler at its other end, the wheels in use of the support frame in its erect configuration being spaced from each other and providing ground engaging support below the seating cavity, wherein the spine is foldable and each support arm is linked to the spine such that the support frame is collapsible in a single movement from its erect configuration into a collapsed configuration in which the support arms are pivoted relative to the coupler to locate the wheels adjacent each other, and the spine is folded to lie adjacent the support arms.
A collapsible support frame particularly for an infant pushchair, the support frame in an erect configuration comprises at least a centrally located elongate spine and a seating cavity within the support frame in which to receive a seat, the spine being coupled at or towards one end to a coupler and at or towards its other end to a handle assembly, characterized in that, the spine comprises at least first and second, elongate, rigid spine members mutually interconnected at a pivot defining a moveable spine joint lying part-way along the length of at least one rigid spine member and, on at least one side of the moveable spine joint, subsidiary spine members each pivotably connected to one of the rigid spine members, the subsidiary spine members being pivotably secured together remote of the movable spine joint such that the spine defines at least one closed loop kinematic linkage being moveable between an erect configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members diverge and a collapsed configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members generally lie adjacent one another along their lengths, the connections of the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members being such that the closed loop kinematic linkage is uniplanar;
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- characterized in that the first and second rigid spine members are curved such that, in the erect configuration of the spine, the pivotal interconnection defining the moveable spine joint is an over centre pivot and locks the spine in its erect configuration.
A collapsible support frame for an infant pushchair, the support frame having a width and comprising at least an elongate spine located substantially centrally with respect to the width of the support frame, the width of the support frame being substantially transverse to the elongate spine, and a seating cavity within the support frame in which to receive a seat, the elongate spine being coupled at or towards one end of the elongate spine to a coupler and at or towards the other end of the elongate spine to a handle assembly, characterized in that, the spine comprises at least first and second, elongate, rigid spine members mutually interconnected at a pivot defining a moveable spine joint lying part-way along the length of at least one rigid spine member and, on at least one side of the moveable spine joint, subsidiary spine members each pivotably connected to one of the rigid spine members, the subsidiary spine members being pivotably secured together remote of the movable spine joint such that the spine defines at least one closed loop kinematic linkage being moveable between an erect configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members diverge and a collapsed configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members generally lie adjacent one another along their lengths, the connections of the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members being such that the closed loop kinematic linkage is uniplanar, wherein the collapsible support frame comprises a flexible seat member secured to the handle assembly and the coupler so as to define a seat within the seating cavity in the erect configuration of the support frame, and the handle assembly comprises a pair of elongate handle sections, each handle section being pivotably connected at one end to the spine and at its other end to the flexible seat member.
A collapsible support frame for an infant pushchair, the support frame having a width and comprising at least an elongate spine located substantially centrally with respect to the width of the support frame, the width of the support frame being substantially transverse to the elongate spine, and a seating cavity within the support frame in which to receive a seat, the elongate spine being coupled at or towards one end of the elongate spine to a coupler and at or towards the other end of the elongate spine to a handle assembly, characterized in that, the spine comprises at least first and second, elongate, rigid spine members mutually interconnected at a pivot defining a moveable spine joint lying part-way along the length of at least one rigid spine member and, on at least one side of the moveable spine joint, subsidiary spine members each pivotably connected to one of the rigid spine members, the subsidiary spine members being pivotably secured together remote of the movable spine joint such that the spine defines at least one closed loop kinematic linkage being moveable between an erect configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members diverge and a collapsed configuration in which the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members generally lie adjacent one another along their lengths, the connections of the rigid spine members and subsidiary spine members being such that the closed loop kinematic linkage is uniplanar, wherein the support frame comprises a secondary wheel mounted on the coupler to provide, in use of the support frame in its erect configuration, ground engaging support below the coupler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.