Abstract:
An infant carrier apparatus includes a support frame and a seat. The support frame includes at least one latch assembly, the latch assembly being operable between a locking state where the latch assembly locks the support frame in an unfolded state, and an unlocking state to allow folding of the support frame. The seat is operable to attach with and detach from the support frame, wherein the seat includes a driving part that is connectible with the latch assembly when the seat is installed on the support frame, and the driving part is operable to cause displacement of the latch assembly from the locking state to the unlocking state. In some embodiments, a method of operating the infant carrier apparatus is also described.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/560,807 filed on Nov. 17, 2011, incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present inventions relate to infant carrier apparatuses and method of operating the same. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Most currently available infant stroller apparatuses include mechanisms for collapsing the stroller frame. For folding the stroller frame, an actuator on the handle of the stroller frame can be operated to unlock the latching connections between the different tube segments of the stroller frame. However, the conventional construction for folding the stroller frame is complex, and requires the use of two hands to unlock the latching connections and fold the stroller frame. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is a need for an infant carrier apparatus that can be easy to operate, and address the aforementioned issues. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The present application describes an infant carrier apparatus and a method of operating the same. In some embodiments, the infant carrier apparatus includes a support frame and a seat. The support frame includes at least one latch assembly, the latch assembly being operable between a locking state where the latch assembly locks the support frame in an unfolded state, and an unlocking state to allow folding of the support frame. The seat is operable to attach with and detach from the support frame, wherein the seat includes a driving part that is connectible with the latch assembly when the seat is installed on the support frame, and the driving part is operable to cause displacement of the latch assembly from the locking state to the unlocking state. 
         [0008]    In other embodiments, the method of operating the infant carrier apparatus includes providing a support frame including a latch assembly, the latch assembly being operable between a locking state where the latch assembly locks the support frame in an unfolded state, and an unlocking state where the latch assembly unlocks the support frame to permit its collapsing; providing a seat having a driving part; installing the seat on the support frame such that the driving part is connected with the latch assembly; moving the driving part to switch the latch assembly from the locking state to the unlocking state; and collapsing the support frame. 
         [0009]    In other embodiments, an infant carrier apparatus includes two front legs and two rear legs that are respectively disposed on left and right sides of the infant carrier apparatus, two front tube segments and two rear tube segments that are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the infant carrier apparatus to form a seat frame, a shaft assembled with the front and rear tube segments to define a pivot axis extending transversally about which the rear tube segments are operable to rotate relative to the front tube segments, a transversal support tube extending substantially parallel to the shaft and affixed with the two rear tube segments, and two latch assemblies and a spring respectively mounted with the support tube, the spring being disposed between the two latch assemblies. The front and rear tube segments at each of the left and right sides are pivotally connected with each other, the front tube segment further being pivotally connected with the associated front leg, and the rear tube segment further being pivotally connected with the associated rear leg. The spring is operable to urge the latch assemblies to move transversally in opposite directions to engage the front and rear tube segments for blocking rotation of the rear tube segments relative to the front tube segments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a collapsible infant carrier apparatus; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating a seat detached from a seat frame in the infant carrier apparatus; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view illustrating the seat frame without the seat installed thereon; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are schematic top views respectively illustrating latch assemblies of the seat frame in locking and unlocking states; 
           [0014]      FIGS. 6 through 8  are schematic views illustrating intermediate stages in collapsing the support frame without the seat installed thereon; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view illustrating the seat detached from the seat frame; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a schematic view illustrating the seat affixed with the seat frame; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a schematic view illustrating an unlocking operation of the support frame installed with the seat; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 13 through 15  are schematic views illustrating intermediate stages in collapsing the support frame provided with the seat facing forward; and 
           [0020]      FIGS. 16 through 18  are schematic views illustrating intermediate stages in collapsing the support frame provided with the seat facing rearward. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a collapsible infant carrier apparatus  100 . The infant carrier apparatus  100  can be exemplary an infant stroller, and can include a support frame  102 , and a seat  104  installable with the support frame  102 . The support frame  102  can include two front legs  106 , two rear legs  108 , a seat frame  113  formed from the assembly of two front tube segments  110  and two rear tube segments  112  respectively extending along the left and right sides of the support frame  102 , and a handle  116  of a U-shape. The U-shaped handle  116  can include a transverse segment  118 , and left and right side segments  120  respectively connected with two opposite sides of the transverse segment  118 . The front legs  106  and rear legs  108  can have upper end portions respectively connected pivotally with the side segments  120  of the handle  116 , and lower end portions respectively mounted with front wheels  107  and rear wheels  109 . Moreover, two bar linkages  114  can be respectively connected between the front and rear legs  106  and  108  on the left and right sides, each bar linkage  114  including a first end pivotally connected with the associated front leg  106  and a second end pivotally connected with a lower portion of the associated rear leg  108 . 
         [0022]    The front tube segments  110  and the rear tube segments  112  can respectively have an elongated shape, and can be pivotally connected with each other on the left and right sides of the support frame  102 . Each front tube segment  110  can have a front end pivotally connected with one corresponding front leg  106 , and each rear tube segment  112  can have a rear end pivotally connected with one corresponding rear leg  108 . The seat frame  113  formed by the assembly of the front and rear tube segments  110  and  112  can be detachably assembled with the seat  104 . When the infant carrier apparatus  100  is collapsed, the front and rear tube segments  110  and  112  of the seat frame  113  can be driven by the front and rear legs  106  and  108  to fold onto each other. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating the seat  104  detached from the seat frame  113 . Each of the rear tube segments  112  on the left and right sides can respectively include a first coupling part  122  disposed adjacent to the associated front tube segment  110 , and each of the left and right sides of the seat  104  can be respectively provided with a second coupling part  124  associated with the first coupling part  122 . The first coupling parts  122  can respectively engage with the second coupling parts  124  when the seat  104  is installed on the support frame  102  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view illustrating the seat frame  113  without the seat  104  installed thereon. The front and rear tube segments  110  and  112  on the left and right sides can be pivotally connected with each other via a transversal shaft  126 , and can extend substantially lengthwise from a front toward a rear of the support frame  102 . For realizing the pivotal connection between the front and rear tube segments  110  and  112 , each of the front and rear tube segments  110  and  112  can respectively include a hole through which the transversal shaft  126  can be respectively mounted parallel to a width of the support frame  102 . The transversal shaft  126  can thereby define a pivot axis Y about which the rear tube segments  112  can rotate relative to the front tube segments  110  when the support frame  102  is unfolded and collapsed. 
         [0025]    The seat frame  113  can also include a transversal support tube  128  that extends parallel to the transversal shaft  126  across the width of the support frame  102  and has two opposite ends respectively affixed with the two rear tube segments  112 . 
         [0026]    The seat frame  113  can include two latch assemblies  130 , and a spring  132  connected between the two latch assemblies  130 . The latch assemblies  130  and the spring  132  can be arranged on the transversal support tube  128 . When the support frame  102  is unfolded, the two latch assemblies  130  can be urged by the spring  132  to slide transversally along the transversal support tube  128  away from each other, such that the latch assemblies  130  can respectively pass through the rear tube segment  112  and engage with the front tube segments  110 . As a result, rotation of the rear support tubes  112  about the pivot axis Y relative to the front tube segments  110  can be blocked. 
         [0027]    When the seat frame  113  is to be unlocked, the latch assemblies  130  can be driven to move toward a center of the seat frame  113 . As a result, the spring  132  can be compressed, and the latch assemblies  130  can respectively disengage from the front tube segments  110 . The rear tube segments  112  then can rotate about the pivot axis Y relative to the front tube segments  110  to the folded state. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are schematic top views respectively illustrating the latch assemblies  130  of the seat frame  113  in locking and unlocking states (the second coupling parts  124  have been omitted in  FIGS. 4 and 5  for clarity). Each of the latch assemblies  130  can include a latch  134  (shown with dotted lines) and a connecting part  136 . The latch  134  can have an elongated shape, and can be assembled through the transversal support tube  128 . The latches  134  can be movable along the transversal support tube  128  in opposite directions to respectively engage through the rear tube segments  112  with the front tube segments  110 , or disengage from the front tube segments  110 . Rotation of the rear tube segments  112  relative to the front tube segments  110  can be blocked when the latches  134  are engaged with the front tube segments  110 , and rotation of the rear tube segments  112  relative to the front tube segments  110  can be permitted when the latches  134  are disengaged from the front tube segments  110 . 
         [0029]    The spring  152  can be connected between the two latches  134 , and can be operable to bias the latches  134  to the locking state. 
         [0030]    Each of the connecting parts  136  can formed with a collar shape that can wrap around the outer surfaces of the transversal shaft  126  and transversal support tube  128 , and can be respectively affixed with one associated latch  134 . Accordingly, the connecting parts  136  and the latch  134  associated therewith can transversally slide in unison. It is worth noting that the connecting parts  136  may have any shape different from the collar shape, such as plate shapes, semi-elliptical shape, etc. 
         [0031]    For facilitating the unlocking operation, the latch assemblies  130  can be respectively connected with an actuator  138 . In one embodiment, the actuator  138  can be a strap. The actuator  138  can have two opposite ends respectively affixed with the connecting parts  136 . When the actuator  138  is pulled upward, the latch assemblies  130  can move toward each other to the unlocking state. It is worth noting that the latch assemblies  130  may be operated according to other different ways to unlock. For example, the connecting parts  136  or the latches  134  may include extensions that may be accessible for manual operation to displace the latch assemblies  130  to the unlocking state. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 6 through 8  are schematic views illustrating intermediate stages in collapsing the support frame  102  without the seat  104  installed thereon. The actuator  138  can be pulled upward to drive the latches  134  to disengage from the front tube segments  110 . While the actuator  138  is pulled upward, the support frame  102  can also be raised above the ground. Owing to its weight, the support frame  102  can self collapse: the front tube segments  110  and the front legs  106  can rotate in a direction R 1 , and the rear tube segments  112  and the rear legs  108  can rotate in a direction R 2  opposite to R 1 . As a result, the front and rear legs  106  and  108 , and the front and rear tube segments  110  and  112  can respectively fold onto each other. As the front legs  106  are folding onto the rear legs  108 , the bar linkages  114  can concurrently rotate in the direction R 2 , and the handle  116  can fold in a direction R 3  toward a rear of the support frame  102 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , once the infant carrier apparatus  100  is completely collapsed, the rear legs  108 , the handle  116  and the bar linkages  114  can be substantially parallel and adjacent to one another, and the collapsed infant carrier apparatus  100  can stand by itself on the ground. 
         [0033]    The infant carrier apparatus  100  can also be collapsed while the seat  104  remains installed on the seat frame  113 . For facilitating the unlocking operation, the seat  104  can include a driving mechanism that can be coupled with the latch assemblies  130  when the seat  104  is installed with the seat frame  113 . Accordingly, a caregiver can manually actuate the driving mechanism provided on the seat  104  to unlock the latch assemblies  130 . An embodiment of the driving mechanism provided on the seat  104  is described hereafter with reference to  FIGS. 9 through 12 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view illustrating the seat  104  detached from the seat frame  113 , and  FIG. 10  is a schematic view illustrating the seat  104  (shown with dotted lines) affixed with the seat frame  113 . The seat  104  can be exemplary made of a rigid frame. An upper surface of the seat  104  can include two spaced-apart openings  142  and a lower portion of the seat  104  can include two mount structures  144  that are respectively located under the openings  142 . In some embodiments, each of the mount structures  144  can respectively include sidewalls that define an inner cavity in which one driving part  146  can be movably assembled. Each of the driving parts  146  can have two opposite sides respectively provided with elongated slots  148  (only one is shown in the figure for clarity). A shaft  150  can be movably passed through the two elongated slots  148  of each driving part  146 , and affixed with two opposite sidewalls of the mount structure  144 . A spring  152  can also be mounted in each driving part  146 . The spring  152  can have two opposite ends respectively connected with the shaft  150  and an inner sidewall of the driving part  146 . With the movable assembly of the shaft  150  through the elongated slots  148 , each driving part  146  can transversally move in the mount structure  144  relative to the seat  104 . 
         [0035]    Each of the driving parts  146  can include a flange  154  extending downward. For example, the flange  154  can extend downward outside the mount structure  144 . Each connecting part  136  can correspondingly include a raised portion  156  protruding upward near an edge of the connecting part  136 . When the seat  104  is installed on the seat frame  113 , the flanges  154  can protrude outside the mount structures  144 , and respectively contact against the raised portions  156 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 10 . The transversal support tube  128  can have an upper surface provided with two spaced-apart elongated slots  157 , and a lower surface provided with two spaced-apart elongated slots  159  respectively aligned with the slots  157 . Each connecting part  136  can be respectively affixed with one latch  134  via a fastener element  160  (e.g., rivet or the like) that is disposed through a pair of the slots  157  and  159 . The fastener element  160  can slide along the slots  157  and  159  when the latch  134  and connecting part  136  are displaced transversally in unison relative to the shaft  126  and the tube  128 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 12  is a schematic view illustrating an unlocking operation of the support frame  102  installed with the seat  104 . For facilitating the unlocking operation, the two driving parts  146  can be respectively connected with an actuator  162 . According to one embodiment, the actuator  162  can be a strap. The actuator  162  can pass through the two openings  142 , extend transversally above the upper surface of the seat  104 , and have two opposite ends respectively affixed with the two driving parts  146 . When the actuator  162  is pulled upward, the two driving parts  146  can be respectively driven to displace in the mount structures  144  in opposite directions D 1  and D 2  toward the center of the seat frame  113 . As a result, the spring  152  can be compressed, and the two latch assemblies  130  can be driven to displace along the transversal support tube  128  in opposite directions toward the center of the seat frame  113 . The latches  134  can thereby compress the spring  132  in the transversal support tube  128 , and disengage from the front tube segment  110  to allow rotation of the rear tube segment  112  about the pivot axis Y relative to the front tube segment  110  to the collapsed state. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 13 through 15  are schematic views illustrating intermediate stages in collapsing the support frame  102  provided with the seat  104  facing forward. When the actuator  162  is pulled upward, the latches  134  can be driven to disengage from the front tube segment  110 . While the actuator  162  is pulled upward, the support frame  102  can also be raised above the ground, and then self collapse owing to the action of its own weight. As a result, the front tube segment  110  and the front legs  106  can rotate in the direction R 1 , whereas the rear tube segment  112 , the rear legs  108  and the seat  104  can rotate in the direction R 2  opposite to R 1 . Accordingly, the front and rear legs  106  and  108 , the front and rear tube segments  110  and  112  and the seat  104  can collapse onto one another. While the front legs  106  are folding onto the rear legs  108 , the bar linkages  114  can rotate concurrently in the direction R 2 , and the handle  116  can fold in the direction R 3  toward the rear of the support frame  102 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , once the infant carrier apparatus  100  is completely collapsed, the rear legs  108 , the handle  116  and the bar linkages  114  can lie substantially parallel and adjacent to one another, and the folded infant carrier apparatus  100  can stand on the ground. 
         [0039]      FIGS. 16 through 18  are schematic views illustrating intermediate stages in collapsing the support frame  102  provided with the seat  104  facing rearward. When the actuator  162  is pulled upward, the latches  134  can be driven to disengage from the front tube segment  110 . While the actuator  162  is pulled upward, the support frame  102  can also be raised above the ground, and then self collapse owing to the action of its own weight. As a result, the front tube segment  110  and the front legs  106  can rotate in the direction R 1 , whereas the rear tube segment  112 , the rear legs  108  and the seat  104  can rotate in the direction R 2  opposite to R 1 . Accordingly, the front and rear legs  106  and  108 , the front and rear tube segments  110  and  112  and the seat  104  can collapse onto one another. While the front legs  106  are folding onto the rear legs  108 , the bar linkages  114  can rotate concurrently in the direction R 2 , and the handle  116  can fold in the direction R 3  toward the rear of the support frame  102 . As shown in  FIG. 18 , once the infant carrier apparatus  100  is completely collapsed, the rear legs  108 , the handle  116  and the bar linkages  114  can lie substantially parallel and adjacent to one another, and the folded infant carrier apparatus  100  can stand on the ground. 
         [0040]    The infant carrier apparatus described herein can be conveniently collapsed by a caregiver. The caregiver can use one hand to pull on the actuator extending above the seat to unlock the seat frame and then collapse the support frame. Accordingly, the caregiver can hold the child with one hand, and conveniently collapse the infant carrier apparatus with the other hand. It is worth noting that the mechanism of the detachable seat and support frame described herein may be applicable to any infant carrier apparatuses including, without limitation, infant strollers, infant high chairs, chair apparatuses, swings, etc. 
         [0041]    Realizations of the infant carrier apparatus and operating methods thereof have been described in the context of particular embodiments. These embodiments are meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Many variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventions as defined in the claims that follow.