Patent ID: 6139046
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: B62B

Abstract:
A stroller for transporting children along generally horizontal surfaces, comprising:a support frame including a seating assembly;a plurality of wheels mountable on the support frame; anda basket assembly separate and distinct from the seating assembly, the basket assembly including:a slidable basket frame having:a fixed frame portion mounted on the support frame, the fixed frame portion including a pair of elongated, parallel rods, each rod being attached at one end to the support frame and unattached at an opposite end;a slidable frame portion slidably attached to the fixed frame portion, the slidable frame portion being movable between a retracted position substantially underneath the seating assembly and an extended position in which the slidable frame portion has at least a portion which extends out from underneath the seating assembly, the slidable frame portion having four elongated rods joined together to form a substantially rectangular shape, with a front and rear rod being substantially parallel to each other and a pair of side rods being substantially parallel to each other; anda first pair of slide collars slidably attaching one of the rods of the fixed frame portion to one of the side rods of the slidable frame portion and a second pair of slide collars slidably attaching the other of the rods of the fixed frame portion to the other of the side rods of the slidable frame portion, wherein each slide collar includes a pair of parallel, cylindrical bores defined therein, with one of the bores receiving one of the rods of the fixed frame portion and the other of the bores receiving one of the side rods of the slidable frame portion; anda flexible basket suspended from the slidable frame portion to allow the basket to slide in and out relative to the support frame between a retracted position and an extended position in which the fabric basket is in an operational configuration for use in storing articles in each of the retracted and extended positions, wherein the flexible basket includes a plurality of side panels which are attachable to the basket frame, each of the side panels having a top edge, wherein a rear side panel is attached to the adjacent side panels by flexible support members to allow the top edge of the rear side panel to be selectively separated from the top edges of the adjacent side panels when the slidable basket frame is in any position between and including the retracted and extended positions to provide access to the interior of the basket through the rear side thereof via an opening at least partially defined by the top edge of the rear side panel and the support members,wherein the flexible support members include a pair of triangular fabric panels attached to each other along first edges thereof and attached to side edges of the side panels of the flexible basket along second edges of the triangular fabric panels, wherein at least one of the triangular fabric panels includes a stiffening member therein,wherein each of the side panels of the flexible basket includes a flap defined proximate to an upper edge thereof, the flap being extendable around a corresponding one of the rods of the slidable basket frame, and the flap being attachable to the side panel to allow the panel to be attached to and suspended from the corresponding rod of the slidable basket frame, wherein the flaps on the side panels of the flexible basket corresponding to lateral sides of the basket assembly are also extendable around the corresponding rod of the fixed frame portion.