Jogging stroller frame with a folding mechanism for automatically flattening wheels

A jogging stroller frame with a wheels automatic flattening folding mechanism is disclosed, which includes a foldable frame, a front wheel set, a pair of rear wheel sets and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is associated with the foldable frame for pivoting the front and rear wheels about 90 degrees away from the longitudinal direction automatically during the jogging stroller frame is converting into its folded configuration for storage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a jogging stroller frame, especially to a jogging stroller frame provided with a driving mechanism for rotating the front wheel set and the pair of rear wheel sets from a travel direction to a second direction about 90 degrees automatically to convert into a compact size for storage.

2. Description of the Related Art

Jogging strollers are generally formed of lightweight tubular frame members with three large wheels for facilitating the transportation of a child occupant seated therein by a fast walking exercise of a care-giver.

Traditional jogging stroller normally adopted a foldable frame which can be locked in an erected configuration and converted into a generally flattened configuration for compact storage. As the big diameter of wheels always prevents the longitudinal dimension from becoming smaller, the user always need to pull off the wheels from the frame before they can convert the jogging stroller into a relative smaller size for compact storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For eliminating the trouble of pulling off the wheels from the jogging stroller frame for compact storage, the present invention provides a jogging stroller frame with a folding mechanism for automatically flattening wheels for pivoting the wheels away from the longitudinal direction about ninety (90) degrees automatically, while the user converts the jogging stroller into a further smaller size.

The jogging stroller frame with a folding mechanism for automatically flattening wheels according to the present invention may include a foldable frame, a front wheel set, a pair of rear wheel sets and a driving mechanism.

The foldable frame can be locked in an erected configuration for transportation of an occupant seated therein, and a folded configuration for storage in a compact size. Specifically, the foldable frame may have a pair of rear struts and a push arm pivoted with each other at the rear end of the foldable frame, and two sleeves of the rear wheel sets are swivelably sleeved on the lower ends of the pair of rear struts respectively.

The front wheel set is swivelably mounted at the front end of the foldable frame. Specifically, the front wheel set may include a front wheel mount with a lower portion for pivotally connecting the front wheel by an extension element and a top portion for swivelably connecting to a swivel mount.

The front wheel set is swivelably mounted at the front end of the foldable frame. Specifically, the front wheel set may include a front wheel mount with a lower portion for pivotally connecting the front wheel by an extension element and a top portion for swivelably connecting to a swivel mount.

The driving mechanism is mounted and associated between the foldable frame and the pair of rear wheel sets for automatically rotating the pair of rear wheel sets from the travel direction to the second direction by folding and converting the foldable frame from the erected configuration to the folded configuration.

The rear wheel sets of this embodiment each may include a rear wheel mount either connected or formed integrally with the sleeve, and pivotally connects at least a rear wheel on one side thereof. The rear wheel sets are spaced apart from each other so as to keep the two rear wheels from overlapping or intercrossing with each other in the second direction.

When the foldable frame is converted to the folded configuration, the front wheel set is rotated about ninety (90) degrees to a direction parallel to the second direction of the rear wheel sets either by manipulating by hand or associating with the foldable frame. Specifically, the front wheel set may be associated with the foldable frame by a linking rod such that the front wheel set can be rotated to a direction parallel to the second direction of the rear wheel sets automatically as soon as the foldable frame has been converted to the folded configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 3, an embodiment of the jogging stroller frame with a folding mechanism for automatically flattening wheels according to the present invention includes a foldable frame10, a front wheel set12, a pair of rear wheel sets21and a driving mechanism6.

The foldable frame10of this embodiment can be locked in an erected configuration100for use in a transportation of an occupant seated therein, and a folded configuration200for storage in a compact size. Specifically, the foldable frame10may include a pair of rear struts2, a push arms3pivoted with each other at the rear end, and two sleeves24swivelably sleeved on the lower ends of the pair of rear struts2.

The front wheel set12is swivelably mounted at the front end of the foldable frame10. Specifically, the front wheel set12may include a front wheel mount13with a lower portion for pivotally connecting the front wheel14by an extension element15, and a top portion for swivelably connecting to a swivel mount11.

The pair of rear wheel sets21is connected or formed integrally with the sleeves24. The sleeve24are swivelably sleeved on the both sides of rear lower end of the foldable frame10for rotating and retaining the pair of rear wheel sets21in a travel direction20and a second direction30transverse to said travel direction20.

As schematically illustrated inFIGS. 4 to 7, the driving mechanism6is mounted and associated between the foldable frame10and the pair of rear wheel sets21for automatically driving the pair of rear wheel sets21to rotate about ninety (90) degrees from the longitudinally travel direction20to the second direction30by folding and converting the foldable frame10from the erected configuration100to the folded configuration200.

Referring toFIGS. 3, and5, each rear wheel set21of this embodiment includes a rear wheel mount23either connected or formed integrally with the sleeve24, and pivotally connected at least a rear wheel22on one side. The rear wheel sets21are spaced apart from each other in a way to keep the two rear wheels22from overlapping or intercrossing with each other in the second direction30.

When the foldable frame10is folded and converted to the folded configuration200as shown inFIG. 6, the front wheel set12shall be rotated about ninety (90) degrees parallel to the second direction30of the rear wheel sets21either by manipulating by hand or associating with the foldable frame10. Specifically, as best shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the front wheel set12may be associated with the foldable frame10by a linking rod16such that the front wheel set12can be rotated to the direction parallel to the second direction30automatically while the foldable frame10is converted to the folded configuration200.

Specifically, the front strut1of the foldable frame10includes a front end equipped with the swivel mount11for swivelably connecting the front wheel set12, a seat support frame4pivoted to the front strut1, and a linking rod16pivotally connected between the swivel mount11and the seat support frame4, such that when the foldable frame10is folding from the erected configuration100, the seat support frame4shall drive the swivel mount11to rotate through the linking rod16, thereby rotating the front wheel set12to the direction parallel to the second direction30while the foldable frame10is folded into the folded configuration200.

In one embodiment as best shown inFIG. 1, the linking rod16may be formed with a fork-linked rod17for pivoting to both sides of the seat support frame4. The push arm3has two front lower ends pivoted with the front strut1by two lockable joints5, and a middle portion for gripping by a user's hand for pushing and controlling the foldable frame10.

The rear wheel set21may include a rear wheel mount23which is either connected or formed integrally with the sleeve24and pivotally connected with a rear wheel22on one side. Specifically, the sleeve24is formed with a skewed slot25as best shown inFIGS. 3,5and9for associating with the driving mechanism6. Preferably, the pair of rear struts2each may be formed with a long slot662for associating with the sleeve24through the skewed slot25and a first pin64.

The driving mechanism6according to the present embodiment may include a pair of driving mounts61, the first pin64, a return spring63and a linking element62. In this embodiment, the pair of driving mounts61is associated with the push arm3and the first pin64is slidably inserted and received in the long slot662with one end slidably inserted and received in the skewed slot25. The return spring63is connected and biased on the first pin64for driving the sleeve24of the rear wheel sets21through the skewed slot25, thereby normally keeping the pair of rear wheel sets21in the travel direction20.

The linking element62is associated and connected between the driving mount61and the first pin64such that when the foldable frame10is converted from the erected configuration100to the folded configuration200, the push arm3rotates the driving mounts61and pulls the first pin64against the biasing force of the return spring63thereby rotating the pair of rear wheel sets21to the second direction30.

Preferably, the driving mechanism6may further include a slider65connected with the linking element62, the return spring63and the first pin64. The slider65in this embodiment may be formed with a connectable portion652for mounting the first pin64therein and permitted the first pin64having one end protruded outward to insert into the skewed slot25and the long slot662.

By this assembly, the slider65may reciprocally carry the first pin64to move along the long slot662for rotating the pair of rear wheel sets21between the travel direction20and the second direction30.

As best shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the push arm3may be equipped with two lugs31mounted on its two sides for pivoting the pair of rear struts2. The pair of driving mounts61may be mounted on the push arm3and rotatable relative to the pair of rear struts2.

The linking element62of this embodiment may either be embodied as a flexible member or solid rod, which has one end connected to the driving mount61and another end connected to the slider65.

Referring toFIG. 3, in order to prevent the sleeve24from over-turning to any useless angles, the sleeve24may further be formed with a slot26, and the pair of rear struts2each may be formed with a connectable portion661for mounting a positioning pin66therein. The positioning pin66is slidably inserted and engaged within the slot26thereby limiting the rotation of the sleeve24within the range as defined by the travel direction20and the second direction30. In this embodiment, the slider65is formed with a long slot651for permitting the positioning pin66to pass without obstacle.

It is appreciated that the skewed slot25may be formed with a first vertical section28at one end for positioning the first pin64thereby stably locking the sleeve24in the second direction30.

Referring toFIG. 5, it would also be appreciated that the skewed slot25may further be formed with a second vertical section27at one end for positioning the first pin64thereby stably locking the sleeve24in the travel direction20, so as to prevent the rear wheel sets21from wobbling when the foldable frame10is in the erected configuration100for traveling on the road.

Referring to the alternative embodiment illustrated inFIG. 8, the driving mounts61may be replaced to further include a pair of joint arms7for associating the driving mounts61and the pair of joint arms7. In this embodiment, the driving mounts61are pivotally mounted in the rear struts, and the pair of joint arms7has one end pivoted on the push arm3, and another end connected to the driving mounts61, so as to pull the first pin64through the linking element62by rotating the push arm3.

Referring to another alternative embodiment illustrated inFIG. 9, the slider65of the embodiment ofFIG. 3may be replaced by a small and simple shaft perpendicularly connected with the first pin64. The shaft is connected to the linking element62, however it permits the return spring63to bias the first pin64directly.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications are possible that will achieve the same goals by substantially the same system, device or method, and where those systems, devices or methods still fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention disclosed.