Patent Description:
There are several strollers in the market that allow the child seat to be coupled to the main stroller frame in multiple configurations, as well as strollers that are able to fold to a compact and easily transported size. Currently strollers that offer multiple seating modes for the child do not fold to a compact size that is easy to transport. Furthermore, stroller that are able to fold to a compact size, often do not have full features on the child seat or the main stroller frame, in addition to small wheels that do not allow the stroller to handle uneven terrain.

<CIT> discloses a child stroller apparatus that includes a first and a second leg portion, a handle frame having a side segment that is coupled with the first leg portion via a pivot connection, a child seat assembled on the first leg portion, the child seat being slidable along the first leg portion, and a linkage respectively connected with the side segment and the child seat, whereby a sliding movement of the child seat along the first leg portion is linked to a rotation of the handle frame relative to the first leg portion.

<CIT> discloses a stroller seat that has a seat back, a seat bottom, a seat hub assembly joining the seat back to the seat bottom, and an actuator carried on the seat. The actuator can be actuated to permit adjusting the recline angle of the seat back and seat bottom as a unit and can be actuated to permit folding the seat back relative to the seat bottom.

<CIT> discloses a foldable stroller with a seat angle adjustment mechanism, which is arranged at the pivot joint of a lower bracket and a back frame of the foldable stroller.

The object of the present invention is to provide a compact collapsible stroller, which can reduce or eliminate at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

This invention features a main stroller frame and a child seat that is attached to the main stroller frame in multiple configurations.

It is a feature of this invention that the stroller is folded in <NUM> steps because the child seat folds separately from the main stroller frame.

It is a feature of this invention that as part of the seat fold, the seat frame is released to pivot about the seat mount so that both the upper and lower seat frames hang relatively vertical in relation to the seat mount.

According to the above objects of the present invention, in one aspect, the present invention provides a child seat frame which includes: a seat mount for fixing to a main stroller frame, the seat mount having a first latch portion; a lower frame having a lower seat frame hub and pivotally coupled to the seat mount, wherein the lower frame has a second latch portion and a lower frame locker, and the lower frame locker is actuated to lock with and disengage from the first latch portion, and the lower frame pivots relative to the seat mount when the lower frame locker disengages from the first latch portion; an upper frame having an upper seat frame hub and pivotally coupled to the seat mount and the lower frame, and the upper frame having an upper frame locker, wherein the upper frame locker is actuated to lock with and disengages from the second latch portion, and the upper frame pivots relative to the lower seat frame hub when the upper frame locker disengages from the lower seat frame hub; wherein, when the lower frame pivots relative to the seat mount, the upper frame locker is locked onto the second latch portion.

In one embodiment, the child seat frame further includes a child tray that has a child tray hub and is pivotally coupled with the seat mount, the upper frame and the lower frame.

In one embodiment, the child seat frame further includes a latch pin assembly which is fixed in the seat mount and can be engaged with and disengages from the child tray hub, wherein the child tray cannot pivot relative to the latch pin assembly when the latch pin assembly engages with the child tray hub, and the child tray pivots relative to the latch pin assembly when the latch pin assembly disengages from the child tray hub.

In one embodiment, one ramped surface is formed on a side of the latch pin assembly, and another ramped surface is formed on a side of the upper seat frame hub, wherein the one ramped surface interacts with another ramped surface such that the latch pin assembly engages with and disengages from the child tray hub.

In one embodiment, the child seat frame has a seat mode and a cradle mode, wherein in the seat mode, the upper frame is tilted toward an upper side of the seat mount, the lower frame is tilted toward a lower side of the seat mount, and the upper frame and the lower frame are formed as a straight line; and in the cradle mode, the upper frame and the lower frame is formed as a horizontal straight line.

In one embodiment, a recline handle is provided on the lower frame, and the recline handle is linked with the lower frame locker, so that the lower frame locker can disengage from the first latch portion by actuating the recline handle.

In one embodiment, a fold handle is provided on the upper frame, and the fold handle is linked with the upper frame locker, to that the upper frame locker can disengages from the second latch portion by actuating the fold handle.

In one embodiment, a driving slot is formed on the upper seat frame hub, and a guide post is formed on the lower frame locker to permit it to be movably arranged in the driving slot.

In one embodiment, a spiral control surface is formed in the driving slot, and the spiral control surface gradually moves away from a center of the upper seat frame hub from one side to the other side.

In one embodiment, the guide post abuts against the spiral control surface, wherein when the upper seat frame hub rotates, the spiral control surface actuates the lower frame locker so that the lower frame engages with and disengages from the seat mount.

In one embodiment, the spiral control surface is formed such that in the state where the lower frame engages with the seat mount, the lower frame disengages from the seat mount after the upper seat frame hub rotates by an angle.

In one embodiment, the driving slot drives the guide post arranged in the driving slot to produce displacement by changing a slot width.

In one embodiment, when the upper seat frame moves away from the lower seat frame, the guide post is located at a position where the slot width of the driving slot is larger, and when the upper seat frame gradually approaches the lower seat frame, the slot width of the driving slot is gradually reduced to drive the guide post arranged in the driving slot to gradually move away the center of the upper seat frame hub.

In one embodiment, the upper frame, the lower frame, and the child tray pivots relative to the seat mount to be parallel to one another and in a vertical position.

In one embodiment, the lower frame locker is provided with an elastic member to tend to return the lower frame locker back to the first latch portion and the upper frame locker is provided with another elastic member to tend to return the upper frame locker back to the second latch portion.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a compact collapsible stroller, which includes a main stroller frame and a child seat frame that is attached to the main stroller frame as described above.

It is an advantage of this invention that the child seat frame pivot is located to allow the seat frame to be folded within the main stroller frame folding boundary.

It is an advantage of this invention that the child tray is released from a locked position and able to pivot relative to the child seat frame during the motion of folding the child seat frame.

It is an advantage of this invention that the free pivoting vertical orientation allows the seat to find an optimal storage location within the main stroller frame folding boundary.

Various objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are merely schematic illustrations of the present invention and are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings, the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar components throughout the present invention.

In order to further illustrate the principle and structure of the present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments are only provided for illustration and explanation and cannot be used to limit the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

The terms used in the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. The singular forms of "a", "said" and "the" used in the present invention and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates other meanings. It should also be understood that the term "and/or" used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more associated listed items.

The compact collapsible stroller (hereinafter referred to as "stroller") <NUM> of the present invention includes a collapsible main stroller frame <NUM> that can accommodate child seat frames <NUM> of various configurations (as shown in <FIG>).

One configuration of the child seat frame <NUM> includes an upper frame <NUM>, a lower frame <NUM>, a child tray <NUM>, and a seat mount <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). The seat mount <NUM> is configured to fix to the main stroller frame <NUM>. The upper frame <NUM> and the lower frame <NUM> are pivotally connected to the seat mount <NUM> through an upper seat frame hub <NUM> and a lower seat frame hub <NUM>. Likewise, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the child tray <NUM> is pivotally connected to the seat hub (seat mount) <NUM> through a child tray hub <NUM>. The lower frame <NUM> has a second latch portion <NUM> and a lower frame locker <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the child seat frame <NUM> has a seat mode and a cradle mode. One configuration for coupling the child seat frame <NUM> to the main stroller frame <NUM> is in a forward sitting position, which is the seat mode. In the seat mode, the upper frame <NUM> extends upward from the seat mount <NUM>, specifically, obliquely extending backward and upward, and the lower frame <NUM> may extend downward from the seat mount <NUM>, specifically, obliquely extending forward and downward. At this time, the upper frame <NUM> and the lower frame <NUM> are formed in a linear shape passing through the seat mount <NUM>. In the cradle mode, the upper frame <NUM> and the lower frame <NUM> extend horizontally from the seat mount <NUM> to both sides thereof. The child seat frame <NUM> is converted from the position shown in <FIG> to a postion where the cradle is lying down.

Referring to <FIG>, in order to convert the child seat frame <NUM> from the seat mode to the cradle position (i.e., the cradle mode), the user may manipulate the recline handle <NUM>, which uses a cable to retract the spring-loaded lower frame locker <NUM> from a position engaging with the seat mount <NUM>. This allows the entire child seat frame <NUM> to rotate to a horizontal position relative to the seat mount <NUM>, and re-engages the spring-loaded lower frame locker <NUM> with the seat mount <NUM> to lock the child seat frame <NUM> in this position.

Referring to <FIG>, in addition to the reclining handle <NUM>, the child seat frame <NUM> also includes a fold handle <NUM> for folding the child seat frame <NUM>, as a part of the folding of the stroller. The fold handle <NUM> retracts the spring-biased upper frame locker <NUM> from its engagement position with the lower seat frame hub <NUM>. The upper frame (i.e., upper seat frame) <NUM> can now rotate around the seat mount <NUM> relative to the lower frame (i.e., lower seat frame) <NUM>. Referring to <FIG>, when the upper frame <NUM> rotates, a ramped surface <NUM> in the upper seat frame hub <NUM> acts on a ramped surface <NUM> on the latch pin assembly <NUM> to press the latch pin assembly <NUM> into the seat mount <NUM>, and separate the latch pin assembly <NUM> from the child tray hub <NUM>, thereby releasing the child tray <NUM> to be able to pivot freely around the seat mount <NUM>. In addition, referring to <FIG>, a spiral control surface <NUM> located in the upper seat frame hub <NUM> disengages the two lower seat frame hubs <NUM> from the seat mount <NUM> because it acts on a lower frame locker control post <NUM>. This allows the lower frame <NUM> to rotate around the seat mount <NUM> to a relatively vertical (upright) position with respect to the seat mount <NUM>. The spiral control surface <NUM> is formed to gradually move away from the center of the upper seat frame hub <NUM> from one side to the other, so that when the upper seat frame hub <NUM> rotates relative to the seat mount <NUM>, the spiral control surface <NUM> may abut against and push the lower frame locker control post <NUM> to move away from the seat mount <NUM>. Referring to <FIG>, this operation causes the upper frame <NUM>, the lower frame <NUM> and the child tray <NUM> to fall parallel to one another and relatively vertical (upright) to the seat mount <NUM>.

The upper seat frame hub <NUM> includes a driving slot (as shown in <FIG>, the slot forming the spiral control surface <NUM>), and the lower frame locker <NUM> includes a guide post <NUM> movably arranged in the driving slot. The driving slot is generally arc-shaped and has a certain angle range, for example, less than <NUM>°.

The spiral control surface <NUM> is formed in the driving slot and is gradually away from the center of the upper seat frame hub from one side to the other side.

The guide post <NUM> abuts against the spiral control surface <NUM>, wherein when the upper seat frame hub <NUM> rotates, the spiral control surface <NUM> can actuate the lower frame locker <NUM> so that the lower frame <NUM> engages with and disengages from the seat mount <NUM>. That is, the rotation of the upper seat frame hub <NUM> may cause the lower frame <NUM> to engages with and disengages from the seat mount <NUM>. Optionally, a forward rotation (the direction from the left picture to the right picture shown in <FIG>) of the upper seat frame hub <NUM> causes an unlocking state between the lower frame <NUM> and the seat mount <NUM>.

The spiral control surface <NUM> may be formed to disengage the lower frame <NUM> from the seat mount <NUM> after the upper seat frame hub <NUM> rotates by one angle in the state where the lower frame <NUM> engages with the seat mount <NUM>.

The driving slot changes the slot width to drive the guide post <NUM> arranged in the driving slot to produce displacement.

When the upper seat frame <NUM> moves away from the lower seat frame <NUM>, the guide post <NUM> is located at a position where the slot width of the driving slot is larger (the left figure in <FIG>). When the upper seat frame <NUM> gradually approaches the lower seat frame <NUM>, the slot width of the driving slot is gradually reduced. At this time, the moving direction of the guide post <NUM> is restricted to drive the guide post <NUM> arranged in the driving slot to gradually move away from the center of the upper seat frame hub <NUM>. The seat mount <NUM> may have a first latch portion <NUM>. When the upper seat frame <NUM> and the lower seat frame <NUM> move close to each other, the guide post <NUM> is located at a position where the slot width of the driving slot is smaller. At this time, the lower frame locker <NUM> is driven by the guide post <NUM> to disengages from the first latch portion <NUM> so that the lower frame and the upper seat frame <NUM> pivots relative to the seat mount <NUM> together. The lower frame locker <NUM> may be actuated to be locked with and disengages from the first latch portion <NUM>. When the lower frame locker <NUM> disengages from the first latch portion <NUM>, the lower frame <NUM> pivots with respect to the seat mount <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the stroller main frame <NUM> includes a handle portion <NUM>, a rear leg portion <NUM> and a front leg portion <NUM>. Each part of the stroller main frame <NUM> is pivotally connected to a central frame hub <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, a frame latch <NUM> pivotally connected to a handle plate <NUM> engages with a locking pin <NUM> on a rear leg plate <NUM> such that the stroller <NUM> is locked in the opening position. When the frame latch <NUM> rotates so that the latch surface passes through the lock pin <NUM> and disengages from the lock pin <NUM>, the handle plate <NUM> is allowed to rotate, and a front leg plate <NUM> is pulled by a link <NUM> to the folded position. Referring to <FIG>, the handle portion <NUM>, the rear leg portion <NUM>, and the front leg portion <NUM> are folded almost parallel to one anohter to obtain a compact folded size for easy transportation or storage of the main stroller frame <NUM> when the stroller is not in use. Referring to <FIG>, the upper half of the handle portion <NUM> is locked by a spring biased locker <NUM> and thus cannot be rotated, the spring biased locker <NUM> is pulled to an unlocked state by a cable anchored in a main folding release housing. In this way, the upper handle portion <NUM> and the parent bracket (the part extending horizontally from the upper handle portion <NUM> as shown in <FIG>) rotates in the folding process to obtain a more compact folding size. Referring to <FIG>, the stroller <NUM> has a folding boundary (as shown by the dotted block in <FIG>) in the folding process. When the stroller <NUM> is transformed between the unfolded state and the folded state, none of the parts of the stroller <NUM> can exceed beyond the folding boundary.

Referring to <FIG>, the upper handle portion <NUM> is pivotally fixed to the handle hub <NUM>. The spring biased locker <NUM> engages with the handle hub <NUM> so that the upper handle portion <NUM> cannot pivot relative to the handle hub <NUM>. The spring biased locker <NUM> is actuated via a cable to disengage from the handle hub <NUM> so that the upper handle portion <NUM> pivots relative to the handle hub <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the cable anchored on a circular barrel <NUM> in the handle hub <NUM> and coupled to the frame latch <NUM> rotates with the upper handle portion <NUM>, to actuate the frame latch <NUM> (an arrow in <FIG> shows a direction in which the frame latch <NUM> is actuated) and pivot it past the locking pin, and thus fold the handle portion <NUM> toward the closed position. Time for folding is controlled by an extended latch surface <NUM> of the frame latch <NUM>. The extended latch surface <NUM> allows the frame latch <NUM> to engage with the locking pin <NUM> until the upper handle portion <NUM> has rotated by a larger distance from its original position. When the extended latch surface <NUM> disengages from the locking pin <NUM>, the handle portion <NUM> may be folded toward the closed position. This results in a more natural folding movement while preventing the main stroller frame <NUM> from being accidentally folded (as shown in <FIG>). When the upper handle portion <NUM> rotates toward the opening position, an anchor end of the cable rotates backward (counterclockwisely as shown in <FIG>) along with the upper handle portion <NUM>, and the length from the cable to the frame latch <NUM> increases, which allows the frame latch <NUM> to re-engage with the locking pin <NUM>. Referring to <FIG>, the rotation of the lower handle portion <NUM> also drives a series of couplings between the seat mount <NUM> and the stroller basket for carrying the baby. An upper link <NUM> is directly coupled to the seat frame hub (seat mount) <NUM> and is connected to the handle portion <NUM> at a pivot point <NUM>. Due to the downward folding movement of the handle portion <NUM>, the upper link <NUM> is driven downward and the child seat hub (seat mount) <NUM> is pulled within a predetermined folding boundary. Referring to <FIG>, a basket frame is attached between a lower link <NUM> and a pivot point on the rear leg portion <NUM>. Through the downward folding movement (pivoting movement) of the handle portion <NUM>, the upper link <NUM> drives the lower link <NUM> in a downward movement, and further drives the basket frame downward and rotate it behind the rear leg portion <NUM>. This allows the basket frame to be installed within the folding boundary while maximizing its size so as to achieve maximum storage capacity.

When the stroller <NUM> is transformed from the unfolded state (shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) to the folded state (shown in <FIG> and <FIG>), the seat mount <NUM> gradually approaches the central frame hub <NUM>, and finally overlaps or at least substantially overlaps in a transverse direction (perpendicular to the paper surface of <FIG>). At this time, the handle portion <NUM>, the rear leg portion <NUM>, and the front leg portion <NUM> vertically extend substantially downward from the central frame hub <NUM>, and the upper frame <NUM>, the lower frame <NUM>, and the child tray <NUM> vertically extend substantially downward from the seat mount <NUM>, so that the stroller <NUM> in the folded state occupies the minimum space.

Claim 1:
A child seat frame (<NUM>), comprising:
a seat mount (<NUM>) configured to fix to a main stroller frame and having a first latch portion (<NUM>);
a lower frame (<NUM>) having a lower seat frame hub (<NUM>) and pivotally coupled to the seat mount, wherein the lower frame has a second latch portion (<NUM>) and a lower frame locker (<NUM>), the lower frame locker (<NUM>) is actuated to engage with and
disengage from the first latch portion, and when the lower frame locker disengages from the first latch portion, the lower frame pivots relative to the seat mount; and an upper frame (<NUM>) pivotally coupled to the seat mount (<NUM>) and the lower frame (<NUM>), characterized in that
the upper frame has an upper frame locker (<NUM>), the upper frame locker is actuated to engage with and disengages from the second latch portion, and when the upper frame locker disengages from the lower seat frame hub, the upper frame pivots relative to the lower seat frame hub;
wherein the upper frame locker (<NUM>) engages with the second latch portion when the lower frame pivots relative to the seat mount.