U.S. patent application number 09/992821 was filed with the patent office on 2003-05-22 for stroller with a resistance providing unit.
Invention is credited to Chen, Chin-Chiao.
Application Number | 20030094792 09/992821 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25538774 |
Filed Date | 2003-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030094792 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen, Chin-Chiao |
May 22, 2003 |
STROLLER WITH A RESISTANCE PROVIDING UNIT
Abstract
A stroller includes a stroller frame, a wheel unit mounted on
the stroller frame, a resistance providing unit mounted on the
stroller frame for providing resistance against rotation of the
wheel unit, and a resistance adjusting member connected to the
resistance providing unit for adjusting the resistance.
Inventors: |
Chen, Chin-Chiao; (Taichung
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE
Suite 3600
NBC Tower
455 North Cityfront Plaza Drive
Chicago
IL
60611-5599
US
|
Family ID: |
25538774 |
Appl. No.: |
09/992821 |
Filed: |
November 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/648 ;
280/647 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B 2005/0471 20130101;
A63B 69/0028 20130101; B62B 9/085 20130101; A63B 21/015
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/648 ;
280/647 |
International
Class: |
B62B 007/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A stroller comprising: a stroller frame including a grip; a
wheel unit mounted on said stroller frame and including a plurality
of wheels, each of which rotates about an axis defined by an axle;
and a resistance providing unit mounted on said stroller frame and
engageable with a selected one of said wheels so as to provide a
resistance against rotation of the selected one of said wheels when
said stroller frame is pushed, said resistance providing unit
including a brake disc mounted securely on said axle of the
selected one of said wheels, and having opposite sides, a brake
shoe support mounted on said stroller frame and defining a disc
receiving space that receives a portion of said brake disc, a pair
of opposing brake shoes mounted movably on said brake shoe support
and disposed at said opposite sides of said brake disc,
respectively, said brake shoes being operably movable toward said
brake disc in an axial direction relative to said axis so as to
engage said brake disc and resist the rotation of the selected one
of said wheels, an actuating string having one end operably
associated with said brake shoes so as to actuate said brake shoes
to move toward said brake disc, and a resistance adjusting member
mounted on said grip and connected to the other end of said
actuating string, said resistance adjusting member including a
housing defining a string moving passage, a turnable knob mounted
turnably on said housing, a screw rod connected to said knob and
extending into said string moving passage, a nut member threadedly
engaging said screw rod and connected to the other end of said
string so as to permit said string to be movable along said screw
rod upon turning of said screw rod via said knob, and a positioning
member connected to said housing and said knob for positioning said
knob at a desired angular position relative to said housing.
2. The stroller of claim 1, wherein said housing is formed with a
retaining recess adjacent to said knob, said positioning member
including a spring-biased tongue mounted in said retaining recess,
and a plurality of equiangularly spaced apart retaining grooves
formed in said knob, said knob being turnable so as to permit said
spring-biased tongue to engage a selected one of said retaining
grooves in order to position said knob at the desired angular
position.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a stroller with a resistance
providing unit for providing resistance against rotation of a wheel
unit of the stroller.
[0002] The object of the present invention is to provide a stroller
with a resistance providing unit for providing resistance against
rotation of a wheel unit of the stroller, whereby exercise can be
performed while pushing the stroller.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] According to the present invention, a stroller comprises: a
stroller frame including a grip; a wheel unit mounted on the
stroller frame and including a plurality of wheels, each of which
rotates about an axis defined by an axle; and a resistance
providing unit mounted on the stroller frame and engageable with a
selected one of the wheels so as to provide resistance against
rotation of the selected one of the wheels when the stroller frame
is pushed. The resistance providing unit includes a brake disc
mounted securely on the axle of the selected one of the wheels and
having opposite sides, a brake shoe support mounted on the stroller
frame and defining a disc receiving space that receives a portion
of the brake disc, and a pair of opposing brake shoes mounted
movably on the brake shoe support and disposed at the opposite
sides of the brake disc, respectively. The brake shoes are operably
movable toward the brake disc in an axial direction relative to the
axis so as to engage the brake disc and resist the rotation of the
selected one of the wheels. An actuating string has one end
operably associated with the brake shoes so as to actuate the
brakes shoes to move toward the brake disc. A resistance adjusting
member is mounted on the grip and is connected to the other end of
the actuating string. The resistance adjusting member includes a
housing defining a string moving passage, a turnable knob mounted
turnably on the housing, a screw rod connected to the knob and
extending into the string moving passage, a nut member threadedly
engaging the screw rod and connected to the other end of the string
so as to permit the string to be movable along the screw rod upon
turning of the screw rod via the knob, and a positioning member
connected to the housing and the knob for positioning the knob at a
desired angular position relative to the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] In drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the
invention,
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stroller embodying this
invention;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view to illustrate how a
resistance providing unit is mounted on a stroller frame of the
stroller of FIG. 1;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a partly sectional fragmentary schematic view to
illustrate how a pair of brake shoes engage a brake disc of the
resistance providing unit of FIG. 2;
[0008] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary schematic side view to illustrate
how the resistance providing unit of FIG. 2 is actuated via an
actuating string; and
[0009] FIG. 5 is a partly sectional fragmentary view illustrating a
resistance adjusting member that is engageable with the string of
the stroller of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0010] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a stroller
1 that includes a stroller frame 10 with a grip 113 and a pair of
front legs 112, and a wheel unit which is mounted on the stroller
frame 10 and which has a front wheel 13 mounted on the front legs
112 and a pair of opposing rear wheels 12. The front wheel 13
rotates about an axis defined by an axle 131.
[0011] A resistance providing unit 20 is mounted on the front legs
112 and is engageable with the front wheel 13 so as to provide
resistance against rotation of the front wheel 13 when the stroller
frame 10 is pushed. The resistance providing unit 20 includes a
brake disc 14 mounted securely on the axle 131 of the front wheel
14 and having opposite sides, a brake shoe support 21 mounted
securely on the stroller frame 10 via a bracket 16 and defining a
disc receiving space 213 that receives a portion of the brake disc
14, and a pair of opposing brake shoes 211 mounted movably on the
brake shoe support 21 and disposed at the opposite sides of the
brake disc 14, respectively. The brake shoes 211 are movable toward
the brake disc 14 in an axial direction relative to the axis upon
actuation so as to engage the brake disc 14 and resist the rotation
of the front wheel 13. A link 24 is pivoted to the brake shoe
support 21 about a pivot 241 and is operably associated with the
brake shoes 211 via a known cam mechanism (not shown) such that
turning of the link 24 in a direction about the pivot 241 actuates
the brake shoes 211 to move in the axial direction. An actuating
string 22 has one end connected to the link 24 SO as to actuate the
link 24 to turn about the pivot 241, which, in turn, actuates the
brake shoes 211 to engage the brake disc 14.
[0012] A resistance adjusting member 23 is mounted on the grip 113
and is connected to the other end of the actuating string 22. The
resistance adjusting member 23 includes a housing 239 defining a
string moving passage 2391, a turnable knob 236 mounted turnably on
the housing 239, a screw rod 231 connected to the knob 236 and
extending into the string moving passage 2391, a nut member 232
threadedly engaging the screw rod 231 and connected to the other
end of the string 22 SO as to permit the string 22 to be movable
along the screw rod 231 upon turning of the screw rod 231 via the
knob 236, and a positioning member connected to the housing 239 and
the knob 236 for positioning the knob 236 at a desired angular
position relative to the housing 239. The housing 239 is formed
with a retaining recess 2392 adjacent to the knob 236. The
positioning member includes a spring-biased tongue 235 mounted in
the retaining recess 2392, and a plurality of equiangularly spaced
apart retaining grooves 237 formed in the knob 236. The knob 236 is
turnable so as to permit the spring-biased tongue 235 to engage a
selected one of the retaining grooves 237 in order to position the
knob 236 at the desired angular position.
[0013] The use of the brake disc 14 and the brake shoes 211 as the
resistance providing means in combination with the resistance
adjusting member 23 permits an excellent control over the
adjustment of the resistance applied to the front wheel 13.
[0014] With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that
various modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit of the present invention. It is therefore intended
that the invention be limited only as recited in the appended
claims.
* * * * *