Abstract:
The collapsible stroller uses a rear support bracket of a canvas bracket set as the main folding structure. The support bracket is fixedly connected to a rear rim section of the canopy and has two ends connecting to one end of a linkage member to drive the linkage member to fold the stroller frame. The stroller of the invention can be folded single-handedly to prevent accidental collapsing of the stroller while the stroller is moved and to avoid incidental risks.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a folding apparatus for strollers that can be operated single-handedly and can prevent inadvertent operations.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Commonly used strollers can generally be deployed in an extended position for use and a collapsed position for folding and storing. When transforming the stroller from the extended position to the collapsed position, the child in the stroller must be taken out, and the folding structure must then be manipulated. In the event that the child is too young to stand or walk, the user has to hold the child with one hand and manipulate the folding structure with another hand, which is not convenient. Hence strollers with a folding structure that can be operated single-handedly have been developed and are available on the market. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,284 or FIG. 1 illustrates such a structure. The stroller shown in FIG. 1 includes a frame  1  and a wheel set  17  for carrying and moving the frame  1 . The frame  1  mainly includes a handle tube  17 , a front leg tube  11 , a rear leg tube  12 , a seat tube  13 , a release joint set  14  and a folding controller  20 . The handle tube  10  includes a handgrip  101  and two handle lower tubes  102 . The release joint set  14  includes at least a latch bar  141  and a restoring spring  142 .  
           [0003]    The folding controller  20  is mounted on the handgrip of the handle tube to drive the latch bar  141  of the release joint set  14  through a flexible element  18  to perform release and latch operations, to thereby extend and fold the stroller.  
           [0004]    For the frame mentioned above, the folding controller is generally located on the handgrip of the handle tube. However, when in use, the user has to grasp the handgrip to move the stroller. To place the structures of two different functions on the same location tends to cause inadvertent operations and causes accidental collapse of the stroller. This results in risk to the child in the stroller. Moreover, adding an independent folding controller increases the cost of the stroller.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The primary object of the invention is to resolve the aforementioned disadvantages with conventional folding controllers mounted on the handgrip of the handle tube. The invention has a support bracket in a canvas bracket set to serve as the main folding structure. The support bracket is connected to a rear rim section of a canopy and has two ends connected to one end of a linkage member. The support bracket may drive the linkage member to release a joint set and fold the frame. Hence the invention provides stroller folding function that is operable with one hand and also can prevent mistaken operation while moving the stroller and avoid dangers resulting from accidental collapsing of the stroller.  
           [0006]    The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are only to serve for reference and illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional stroller.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stroller according to the invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the structure of the invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary schematic view of the joint set of the invention in the first embodiment.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic view of the joint set of the invention in the second embodiment.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the canvas bracket set of the invention, partly cut away.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the invention, showing the rear support bracket in a moving condition.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the invention, showing the canopy in a folding condition. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    Referring to FIG. 2, the collapsible stroller of the invention mainly includes a stroller frame  2  and a canvas bracket set  4 .  
         [0016]    As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the stroller frame  2  includes a handle tube  21 , a front leg tube  22 , a rear leg tube  23 , a seat tube  24  and a joint set  3 . The handle tube  21  has a handgrip  211  and two side bars  212  extending downwards from two free ends thereof. The two side bars  212  have an upper end portion and a lower end portion forming respectively an elongated first slot  213  and a second slot  214 . There is a through hole  216  located on an upper portion thereof corresponding to the first slot  213  to enable a screw element  6  to run through.  
         [0017]    Referring to FIG. 4, the joint set  3  includes an upper joint  31  connecting to the lower end of the handle tube  21  and a lower joint  32  connecting to the upper end of the front leg tube  22 , a latch pin  33  and a restoring spring  34 . The upper joint  31  and the lower joint  32  are separable. The lower joint  32  has at least one latch slot  35 . The latch pin  33  transversely runs through the second slot  214  at the lower end of the side bars  214  and has one end connecting to one end of a linkage member  44  of the canvas bracket set  4 . The restoring spring  34  keeps the latch pin  33  in the latch slot  35  in normal conditions to form a latch means so that the stroller frame  2  may form an extended and latched condition. When the latch pin  33  is moved away from the latch slot  35 , the stroller frame may be folded and collapsed.  
         [0018]    Refer to FIG. 5 for another type of joint set  5  of the invention. It includes an upper joint  51  and a lower joint  52 . The upper joint  51  and the lower joint  52  have a mating latch means  53 . In one embodiment of the invention, the latch means  53  includes a stub  531  and a mating trough  532 . The upper joint  51  is anchored by the latch pin  33  running through the second slot  214  of the two side bars  212 . The upper joint  51  may be moved on the lower side of the handle tube  21 . When the trough  532  separates from the stub  531 , the latched condition is released and the stroller frame may be folded and collapsed.  
         [0019]    Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6, the canvas bracket set  4  is mounted on a desired position on the stroller frame  2 , and may be formed in an extended state (as shown in FIG. 2) and a collapsed state (as shown in FIG. 8). According to one embodiment of the invention, the canvas bracket set is mounted on the handle tube  21  or on the upper joint  31  or  51 . It includes a front support bracket  41 , a rear support bracket  42 , a canopy  43  and a pair of linkage members  44 .  
         [0020]    The canopy  43  is located above the seat tube  24  of the stroller frame  2  (as shown in FIG. 2) and may be extended to block sunlight from shining directly on the child. It includes at least a front rim section  431  and a rear rim section  432 .  
         [0021]    The linkage member  44  has one end connecting to the latch pin  33  of a release mechanism  3  and another end connecting to the rear support bracket  42  of the canvas bracket set  4 . According to an embodiment of the invention, the material of the linkage member  44  may be selected based on the shape of the handle tube  21 . For instance, when the two side bars of the handle tube are straight tubes, the linkage member may be steel rods. If the side bars are arched with a substantial curvature, a flexible wire may be used.  
         [0022]    The front support bracket  41  is mounted onto the stroller frame  2  in a turnable manner, and is connected to the front rim section  431  of the canopy  43 . The front support bracket  41  may be turned to extend or fold the canopy  43  as desired.  
         [0023]    The rear support bracket  42  is fixed on the rear rim section  432  of the canopy  43 . It matches the front support bracket  41  that connects to the front rim section  431  of the canopy  43  to determine the length of the canopy  43 . The rear support bracket  42  includes two end sections  421  and a handgrip  422 . The rear rim section  432  of the canopy  43  is fixed outside the two end sections  421  and the handgrip  422 . The two end sections  421  each have an anchor hole  423 . For installation, the two end sections  421  of the rear support bracket  42  are inserted into the first slot  213  of the two side bars  213  and are fastened by the screw element  6 , which runs through the through hole  216  from the upper side wall of the two side bars  212  and fastens the rear support bracket  42  to one end of the linkage member  44 .  
         [0024]    Referring to FIG. 7, through the aforesaid structure, the rear support bracket  42  is movable in the first slot  213 . The movement of the rear support bracket  42  drives the linkage member  44  to move upwards and release the joint set  3 . Thereby the stroller frame  2  may be folded.  
         [0025]    By means of the construction set forth above, the invention provides a rear support bracket on the canvas bracket set that may be moved upwards on two side bars of the handle tube. Thus the stroller frame may be folded single-handedly, and accidental collapsing of the stroller frame may be avoided to enhance the safety of the stroller.  
         [0026]    While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.