Connnecting device for auxiliary member of a baby carrier

A connecting device for linking an auxiliary member, such as a tray or a front handrail, to a baby carrier. The connecting device is capable of making the auxiliary member pivotally movable between a usage position across the first and second side arm and a storage position in front of one of the side arm of the baby carrier. It reduces possibilities of nipping or injury to the occupant's fingers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1A, a connecting device is used to link an auxiliary member (such as a tray) 30 , to a baby carrier (such as a stroller). The baby carrier includes a first side arm 40 and a second side arm 40 ′. The connecting device includes a pivotal mechanism 10 and a latch mechanism 20 . The pivotal mechanism 10 , which will be detailed shown in FIG. 2 , includes a cylinder 11 mounted on the auxiliary member 30 , and a recess 12 fixed on the end of first side arm 40 of the baby carrier. The recess 12 receives the cylinder 11 to make the auxiliary member 30 attach to the first side arm 40 of the baby carrier. The auxiliary member 30 attached to the end of first side arm 40 of the baby carrier selectively rotates between a usage position of horizontally placing across the baby carrier, and a storage position of vertically laying in front of the first side arm of the baby carrier (see FIG. 1B ). The latch mechanism 20 locks another end of the auxiliary member 30 to the second side arm 40 ′ of the baby carrier, so as to fix the auxiliary member 30 in the usage position. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the cylinder 11 has a larger head portion 111 and an adjacent neck portion 112 . The recess 12 includes a hole 121 for receiving a movable pin 122 and a retaining element 123 . The cylinder 11 inserts into the recess 12 and is blocked by the pin 122 . The pin 122 is pre-loaded by the retaining element 123 , such as a compression spring, to be normally moved inwards the hole 121 so as to be against the neck portion 112 and block the head portion 111 . The latch mechanism for fixing the other end of the auxiliary member 30 to the second side arm 40 ′ of the baby carrier is illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B as two embodiments. In FIG. 4 A, the end of the auxiliary member 30 is formed with a slot 22 to be mounted on the second side 40 ′. A hook 21 is formed on the auxiliary member 30 and latches into the slot 22 to fix the auxiliary member 30 on the second side arm 40 ′ of the baby carrier, so as to fix the auxiliary member 30 in the usage position. In order to release easily the hook 21 from the slot 22 , a handler 211 is extended from the hook 21 for easy handling. In FIG. 4 B, the hook 21 latches at the bottom of the second side arm 40 ′, so that the slot 22 as in FIG. 4A is omitted. As shown in FIG. 5 , the auxiliary member 30 is in the usage position. The recess 121 of the pivotal mechanism 10 receives the cylinder 11 . And the pin 122 is against the neck portion 112 and blocks the head portion 111 . The hook 21 latches into the slot 22 formed on the second side arm 40 ′, so as to fix the auxiliary member 30 in this horizontal position. When the auxiliary member 30 is to be stored, the hook 21 is released from the slot 22 of the second side arm 40 ′ by pulling the handler 211 . Then, the auxiliary member 30 can be rotated by the pivotal mechanism 10 to a storage position in front of the first side arm 40 , as shown in FIGS. 1B, 6 . And the pin 122 maintains the blocking state by the retaining element 123 to prevent the auxiliary member 30 detaching from the baby carrier during rotating. Further, pull the movable pin 122 to release the head portion 111 of the cylinder 11 so as to remove the cylinder 11 from the recess 12 . And, the auxiliary member 30 is totally removed from the first side arm 40 (or the baby carrier). To reinstall the auxiliary member 30 , insert the cylinder 11 into the recess 121 . There are accommodating fillets at the front end of the head portion 111 and at the inner end of the movable pin 122 . So, the movable pin 122 is guided easily to pass over the head portion 111 of the cylinder 11 and finally is against the neck portion 112 and blocks the head portion 111 . Then, the auxiliary member 30 is selectively moved between the storage position in front of the first side arm 40 and the usage position across the first side arm 40 and second side arm 40 ′. As shown in FIG. 7 , the head portion 111 is a key-type portion. And the recess 12 has an accommodating opening 124 to allow the head portion 111 pass when the direction of the key 114 accommodates to the opening 124 . The head portion 111 is blocked by the opening 124 excluding the key-accommodated direction. So the auxiliary member 30 rotates relative to the baby carrier without detachment (see FIG. 8B ). And the head portion 111 of the auxiliary member 30 attaches or detaches when the direction of the key 114 accommodates to the opening 124 (see FIG. 8A ). As shown in FIG. 9 , the latch mechanism 20 has a pin 23 on the second side arm 40 ′ and a hole 24 on the auxiliary member 30 . The pin 23 penetrates the hole 24 to fix the auxiliary member 30 on the second side arm 40 ′ of the baby carrier. And there is a retaining element 25 for retaining the pin 23 in penetrating the hole 24 . By push the pin 23 , the pin 23 releases the hole 24 and unlocks the auxiliary member 30 . The auxiliary member 30 is totally removed from the first side arm 40 (or the baby carrier). In conclusion, the invention provides a connecting device for linking an auxiliary member, such as a tray or a front handrail, to a baby carrier. The connecting device is capable of making the auxiliary member pivotally movable between a usage position and a storage position in front of the baby carrier. It reduces possibilities of nipping or injury to the occupant's fingers. The auxiliary member is totally removed from the baby carrier. And the cylinder or the recess can selectively set on the first side arm or the auxiliary member. The latch mechanism is the same. The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.