Abstract:
A detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement for a stroller for carrying an extra young child standing thereon includes a platform supported between a swinging bar and a back supporting stem of a back frame of the stroller such that a downward force which is the young child&#39;s weight applied on the platform is capable of evenly dispensing on the stroller in order to prevent the platform from insupportably breaking. The detachable hand bar is capable of adjusting its angle and location along a handle according to the standing position of the young child such that the young child is able to fitly hold the hand bar in the standing position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a stroller, and more particularly to a detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement for a stroller wherein a child is able to stand on the foot step or sit on the stroller with different standing or sitting positions respectively. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     Strollers have been known and sold throughout the United States since stroller becomes a necessity to every family having a young child or baby in which the stroller is considered as a convenience tool to carry the baby or young child during outdoor activities such as jogging or shopping. The conventional stroller contains a foldable structure to reduce its size for storing in the trunk. Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the conventional stroller  10  comprises a front frame  11  comprising a pair of front supporting posts  111  and a U-shaped handle  112  having two ends respectively connected to two top ends of the pair of front supporting posts  111 , a back frame  12  comprising a U-shaped back supporting stem  121  having two ends upwardly extended thereof pivotally connected with the front frame  11  by means of a pair of pivot joints  13 , a pair of front wheel  14  rotatably mounted on bottom ends of the pair of front supporting posts  111 , a pair of back wheels  15  rotatably mounted on a bottom of the back supporting stem  121 , a seat frame  16 , which comprises a pair of parallel seat supporting bars  161 , mounted between the front frame  11  and the back frame  12  for supporting a baby, and a pair of folding joints  17  for connecting the pair of front supporting posts  111  and the two ends of the handle  112  together to form the rigid front frame  11 , wherein by operating the folding joints  17 , the handle  112  can be folded rearwardly and downwardly towards the back frame  12 , so as to fold up the stroller  10  to reduce its size, as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     Usually, a child or baby sits on the seat frame, which faces frontwardly while his or her parent is driving the stroller at its back such that the child may not able to see his or her parent when he or she sits on the stroller. Furthermore, children normally are active that they always like to move around. After they sit on the stroller for a while, they will try to move or stand on the seat. However, it is very dangerous because the young children may get serious injury if they fall down from the stroller. The children start yell and cry if they are ignored on the stroller. Sometimes, they may just want to see their parent&#39;s face for secure feelings. 
     An improved stroller comprises a foot step mounted on the back frame such that the young child is able to stand on the stroller. However, the stroller still has some drawbacks on usage under certain circumstances. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,375 owned by Fairclough discloses a platform pivotally mounting to rear sloping bars. The front edge of the platform is supported by a pair of straps or springs which are connected between the front corners of the platform and the corresponding bars of the side frame respectively. A pair of rear wheels each having a trailing arm are rotatably mounted to trailing edges of the platform respectively. In such arrangement, the stroller is unstable since the rear wheels are supported by the platform which is merely supported by the straps, the platform will absorb the shock of the stroller while the stroller is being moved. Moreover, the platform may even break since the rear wheels are far from the rear sloping bars, all forces including the child&#39;s weight and the partial weight of the stroller will exert on the platform. So, the young child may feel uncomfortable when the platform is shaking or may even get hurt if the platform is insupportably broken. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement for stroller wherein the stroller is capable of carrying an extra young child in a standing position in the foot step arrangement. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement for stroller wherein the downward force of the child&#39;s weight applied on the foot step arrangement is evenly dispensed to the stroller so as to prevent the platform from any insupportably breaking. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement for stroller, which does not require to alter the original structure of the stroller, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the stroller. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement that is adapted to be installed to various kinds of the stroller. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement for stroller wherein the stroller is adapted to be folded up for easy storage and transportation. 
     Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement for a stroller which comprises a supporting frame comprising a front frame and a back frame, a seat frame supported by the front frame and the back frame, and a handle upwardly extended from the supporting frame, wherein the detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement comprises: 
     a U-shaped hand bar for a young child holding on the stroller in a standing position, comprising an adjusting means mounted on each end of the hand bar for detachably locking the hand bar on the handle of the stroller and for pivotally adjusting a position of the hand bar on the handle; and 
     a foot step arrangement, which is mounted on the back frame of the stroller, for supporting the young child in the standing position, comprising a pair of supporting arms integrally and rearwardly extended from the seat frame, a U-shaped swinging bar having two ends pivotally connected to the pair of supporting arms by a pair of pivot joints respectively, and a platform horizontally supported between the back supporting stem and the swinging bar. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a stroller having a detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the foot step arrangement according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the detachable hand bar according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the detachable hand bar and foot step arrangement according to preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the stroller in a folded position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a detachable U-shaped hand bar  21  and foot step arrangement  3  adapted for mounting on a stroller  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. As mentioned in the background of the present invention, the stroller  10  comprises a supporting frame comprising a front frame  11  having a pair of front wheels  14  and a back frame  12  having a U-shaped back supporting stem  121  for rotatably mounting the pair of rear wheels  15  thereon, a seat frame  16 , which is supported by the front frame  11  and the back frame  12 , having a pair of parallel seat supporting bars  161  for supporting a baby, and a U-shaped handle  112  upwardly extended from the supporting frame. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the foot step arrangement  3 , which is slidably mounted on the back frame  12  of the stroller  10 , comprises a pair of supporting arms  31  integrally and rearwardly extended from the seat frame  16  of the stroller  10  respectively, a U-shaped swinging bar  32  having two ends pivotally connected to the pair of supporting arms  31  by a pair of pivot joints  311  respectively, and a platform  33  horizontally supported between the back frame  12  and the swinging bar  32 . 
     The hand bar  21  is detachably mounted on the handle  112  of the stroller  10  and for providing a handle for a young child standing on the platform  33  of the foot step arrangement  3 . The hand bar  2  comprises an adjusting means  20  mounted on each end of the hand bar  21  for detachably locking the hand bar  21  on the handle . 112  and for pivotally adjusting the hand bar  21  on the handle  112 . 
     Each supporting arm  31  is integrally and rearwardly extended from each of the parallel seat supporting bars  161  of the seat frame  16  and is gradually extended downward such that a free end of each supporting arm  31  is suspended downwardly therefrom. The U-shaped swinging bar  32  has two ends upwardly extended therefrom wherein each end of the swinging bar  32  is pivotally connected to each supporting arm  31  at its suspended free end by a pivot joint  311  such that the swinging bar  32  is suspended downwardly from the supporting arms  31 . 
     According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the pivot joints  311 , which is adapted for pivotally connecting between the swinging bar  32  and the supporting arm  31 , comprises a triangular strengthened metal piece. Two end portions of each pivot joint  311  are firmly mounted on the supporting arm  31 , and another extending end portion of the pivot joint  311  is frontwardly and pivotally connected to the swinging bar  32 . So, in such arrangement, the swinging bar  32  is capable of swinging between a vertical position and a folding position which is underneath the stroller  10 . 
     The platform  33  having a rectangular shaped is horizontally supported between the back supporting stem  121  and the swinging bar  32  in an open position of the stroller  10 . The platform  33  comprises a U-shaped holding hinge  331  and an elongated blocking wall  332 . The holding hinge  331  is mounted on a rear bottom edge of the platform  33  wherein an opening of the holding hinge  331  is faced frontwardly. The holding hinge  331  of the platform  33  is detachably engaged from its opening with the bottom portion of the supporting stem  121  of the back frame  12  in such manner the platform  33  is hooked on the supporting stem  121  when the stroller  10  is in the open position. The blocking wall  332  is downwardly extended from a front bottom edge of the platform  33  wherein the blocking wall  332  is movably connected to a bottom portion of the swinging bar  32  by a pair of pin joints  321  such that the platform  33  is capable of slightly moving in vertical position. A pair of arc-shaped sliding slots  333  are respectively mounted on two front corners of the platform  33  wherein two sides of the swinging bar  32  are slidably mounted on the sliding slots  333  respectively such that the swinging bar  32  is capable of swinging between a vertical position and a folding position along the sliding slots  333 . 
     Accordingly, the pin joints  321  have a pair of elongated through holes  3211  and a pair of elongated pins  3212  respectively. The two elongated through holes  3211  are vertically mounted on the blocking wall  332  respectively wherein the two elongated pins  3212  are respectively penetrated through the two through holes  3211  and connected to the supporting stem  121  such that the platform  33  is adapted to have slightly movement along the through holes  3211  for easily adjusting the platform  33  engage with the supporting stem  121 . 
     The foot step arrangement  3  further comprises a holding means  34  for holding the foot step arrangement  3  in a closed position wherein the holding means  34  comprises a holding latch  341  having a catch  342  pivotally connected to the seat frame  16  wherein the catch  342  is adapted for detachably engaging with the holding rivet  343  which is affixed on the swinging bar  32 . The holding rivet  343  is affixedly protruded from a respective side of the swinging bar  32  such that when the swinging bar  32  is being swung forward, the catch  342  of the holding latch  341  is fittingly hooked on the holding rivet  343  so as to fold the foot step arrangement  3  towards to the stroller  10  in the closed position, as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the hand bar  21  has a predetermined width equal to a width of the handle  112  of the stroller  10  wherein the hand bar  21  is adjustably and perpendicularly attached on the U-shaped handle  112 . 
     The adjusting means  20  comprises a pair of bar holders  22  securely affixed at two ends of the hand bar  21  respectively, and a pair of bar lockers  23  each pivotally connected to the bar holder  22  for detachably locking the hand bar  21  on the handle  112  in position. Each bar holder  22  has a tubular upper portion  221  and a lower position  222  integrally extended from the upper portion  221  thereof wherein the upper portion  221  of the bar holder  22  has an inner diameter slightly bigger than a diameter of the hand bar  21  such that each end of the hand bar  21  is securely inserted into the upper portion  222 . A circular pivot cavity  223  is provided on the lower portion  222  of the bar holder  22  for rotatably receiving the bar locker  23 . 
     Each bar locker  23  comprises a locking arm  231  having a rotor rear end  235  rotatably received in the pivot cavity  223 , a C-shaped bar slot  232  formed on a front end of the locking arm  231  for fitly engaging with the handle  112 , and a pivot door  233  for pivotally enclosing the bar slot  232 . A pair of corresponding locking protrusions  234  extended from an edge the bar slot  232  and an edge of the pivot door  233  respectively such that the pivot door  233  is adapted for engaging with the bar slot  232  by the two locking protrusions  234  for securely holding the handle  112  in position. 
     Each bar locker  23  further comprises a locking button  224  having an operating button  224 A and a locker member  224 B having a shaft extended to the operating button  224 A through the pivot cavity  223  wherein the locking button  224  is used to lock up the hand bar  21  from rotation with respect to the handle  112  by means of the operating button  224 A. 
     So, the hand bar  21  is adapted for detachably mounted along the handle  112  by attaching the bar lockers  23  thereto wherein the hand bar  21  is adapted for rotating about the pivot axle  235  such that the different locations and angles of the hand bar  21  can be fitly adjusted with respect to the handle  112  for providing a better position to a young child to handle. 
     In view of above, the present invention can substantially achieve the following advantages: 
     1. The stroller can carry an extra young child in a standing position such that the young child is able to safety stand on the foot step arrangement with the hand bar. 
     2. The foot step arrangement is directly supported by the back frame of the stroller to form a rigid structure such that the downward force which is the weight of the young child is evenly dispensed from the platform to the stroller so as to prevent the platform from any insupportably breaking. 
     3. The detachable hand bar is capable of adjusting its location along the handle of the stroller according to different standing positions of the young child. In other words, the hand bar can be adjusted to fit the young child having different height or standing positions. 
     4. The foot step arrangement can be folded up when the stroller is collapsed so as to easy storage and transportation. 
     5. The foot step arrangement is adapted to be installed to any kind of the stroller, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the stroller employed with the foot step arrangement.