U.S. patent application number 10/638175 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-17 for seat for collapsible jogging stroller.
Invention is credited to Everett, Richard C..
Application Number | 20050035646 10/638175 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34135641 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050035646 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Everett, Richard C. |
February 17, 2005 |
Seat for collapsible jogging stroller
Abstract
A seat for a collapsible jogging stroller, or the like, that
does not require removal prior to collapsing of the stroller. A bar
member, unattached to the stroller frame, is located at the
juncture of the seating and leg rest portions of the seat and
extends transversely across the seat to provide lateral support to
the seat. Being unattached to the frame of the stroller the bar
member does not impede or obstruct collapsing of the stroller. The
seat is formed of a one-piece flexible cloth-like material that is
simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Inventors: |
Everett, Richard C.; (West
Lynn, OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Edward E. Roberts
P.O. Box 3206
Dana Point
CA
92629
US
|
Family ID: |
34135641 |
Appl. No.: |
10/638175 |
Filed: |
August 11, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/452.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B 7/105 20130101;
B62B 5/064 20130101; B62B 7/044 20130101; B62B 7/004 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/452.13 |
International
Class: |
A47C 007/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A flexible cloth-like seat for attachment to a three-wheeled
collapsible jogging stroller, the stroller having a main frame
assembly including an upper frame portion collapsible along a lower
frame portion, said seat comprising opposing side portions; means
coacting with said side portions for enabling attachment of said
seat to said main frame of the stroller to span said opposing side
portions in free suspension therefrom; a seating portion between
said opposing side portions; a leg rest portion between said
opposing side portions below said seating portion; and seat
defining means unitary with said seat between said seating portion
and said leg rest portion for providing transverse support of said
seat.
2. The seat of claim 1 wherein said seat defining means includes a
bar member unattached to said main frame assembly and extending
transversely of said seat to define the juncture of said seating
portion and said leg rest portion.
3. The seat of claim 2 wherein said bar member is unattached to
said main frame assembly collapses along with the fabric of said
seat thereby allowing unobstructed collapsing of said upper frame
portion along said lower frame portion.
4. The seat of claim 3 wherein said seat defining means includes
attachment means for receiving said bar member at the underside of
said seat at the junction of said seating portion and said leg rest
portion.
5. The seat of claim 5 wherein said bar member is enclosed in the
fabric of said seat and provides transverse seating support at the
juncture of said seating portion and said leg rest portion.
6. A flexible cloth-like seat for attachment to a stroller having a
main frame assembly including an upper frame portion collapsible
along a lower frame portion, said seat comprising: opposing side
portions; means coacting with said side portions for enabling
attachment of said seat to said upper frame of said stroller to
span said opposing side portions in free suspension therefrom; a
leg rest portion having means for connection to and spanning the
distance between the push tubes adjacent the lower portion of said
seat; a seating portion between said opposing side portions above
said leg rest portion; and a bar member attached to said seat and
extending transversely thereof to define said seating portion and
said leg rest portion; and said bar member collapses along with the
fabric of said seat to allow said upper frame portion unobstructed
collapse along said lower frame portion.
7. The seat of claim 6 wherein said bar member is enclosed in the
fabric of said seat at the underside of said seat and provides
transverse stability to support said seat at the juncture of said
seating portion and said leg rest portion.
8. The seat of claim 7 wherein said seat includes attachment means
for receiving said bar member at the underside of said seat at the
junction of said seating portion and said leg rest portion
approximately beneath the knees of the occupant.
9. The seat of claim 8 wherein said seat is of unitary one piece
material and said seating portion is generally contoured to the
anatomy of the occupant.
10. A flexible cloth-like seat for attachment to a stroller, said
seat comprising: a seating portion merging with a lower leg rest
portion; and transversely extending support means at the juncture
of said seating portion and said leg rest portion for providing
transverse support to said seat.
11. The seat of claim 10 wherein said stroller is a collapsible
stroller and said support means is a free floating bar member
attached to the fabric of said seat wherein with collapsing of said
stroller said bar member is collapsed along with said fabric
thereby allowing unobstructed collapsing of said stroller.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The background of the invention will be discussed in two
parts.
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to seats for jogging strollers and
more particularly to a seat for a collapsible three-wheeled jogging
stroller that does not require removal prior to collapsing of the
stroller and provides lateral seating support to the user.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Strollers configured for one or more children have evolved
into vehicles that can be utilized while running or jogging. Such
vehicles are referred to as jogging strollers, whereby a person,
while pushing the child therein, may conveniently exercise by
jogging or running. Such jogging strollers are generally formed of
lightweight tubular frame members with three wheels, and often, to
facilitate transportation and storage, are designed with foldable
or collapsible assemblies.
[0006] The seats for such joggers are generally formed of a
flexible cloth-like material having configuration such that the
child is seated in a desired seated location within the stroller
frame. The seats are most often attached to the side frame members
of the stroller with fasteners such as spring-biased hooks, clamps,
snaps or other like fasteners for enabling positioning and securing
of the seat in place.
[0007] With the advent and popularity of foldable, or collapsible,
jogging strollers seat design has become more important so as to
prevent undue difficulty in collapsing of the stroller. Prior art
jogging strollers typically include seats that must be removed
prior to collapsing of the stroller. Otherwise, leaving the seat
attached to the frame members during collapsing requires the seat
to be designed for collapsing along with the frame members; thus
making collapsing more difficult and unwieldy, if not impossible.
For instance, the seats normally include transversely extending
stability means fixedly attached to side frame members to provide
seat stiffening and support as well as to maintain the seat back in
an upright position. In attaching to side frame members, and often
protruding beyond the sides of the seat, this configuration
required that the seat be removed prior to collapsing of the
stroller.
[0008] One prior art seat for a foldable frame assembly is shown
and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,212 issued to Hinkston on 9
Dec. 1997. The seat is attached to the frame assembly and must be
removed prior to preparation for transportation or storage. No
provision, other than attachment to the stroller frame, is made for
transverse support of the seat to keep it from sagging inwardly and
downwardly when occupied.
[0009] Another seat is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,934,759 issued to Smith on 10 Aug. 1999. The seat is removably
attached to the frame assembly and formed as a one-piece member of
cloth-like material. The seat must be removed prior to preparation
for transportation or storage. The side portions are configured for
attachment to frame members of the stroller to hold the seat in
proper orientation with no provision, other than attachment to the
stroller frame, made for transverse support of the seat to keep the
seat from sagging when occupied.
[0010] Such seats are illustrative of the varied arrangements
whereby attempts have been made to improve and simplify seating
configurations for foldable or collapsible jogging strollers. Thus,
prior art seating designs remain limited in providing non-removal
characteristics for foldable or collapsible strollers while
maintaining transverse seat support and integrity.
[0011] What is needed is a flexible seat for a jogging stroller or
the like that does not require removal prior to collapsing of the
stroller, provides lateral seating support to the user, and is
formed of flexible cloth-like material that is simple and
inexpensive to manufacture.
[0012] It is thus an aspect of the present invention to provide a
new and improved seat for a collapsible jogging stroller that does
not require removal of the seat prior to preparing the stroller for
transportation or storage,
[0013] It is also an aspect of the present invention to provide a
new and improved seat for a stroller having a simple transversely
extending seat member that provides seat support to prevent it from
sagging inwardly and downwardly when occupied.
[0014] It is still another aspect of the present invention to
provide a new and improved seat for a collapsible stroller having
seat means for preventing obstruction by the seat during the
collapsing process
[0015] Other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from a reading of the specification, when taken in
conjunction with the drawings, in which like reference numerals
refer to like elements in the several views.
SUMMARY
[0016] The present invention is directed to the need for an
improved flexible seat for a collapsible jogging stroller, which
seat is not required to be removed prior to collapsing the stroller
for transportation or storage. The seat has a seat back portion, a
seating portion, leg rest portion, and side portions and is
contoured to the anatomy of a child. It is formed of a one-piece
flexible cloth-like material designed for removable attachment to
the frame of the stroller by means of snaps or other suitable
fasteners placed at selected peripheral seat portions. The seat
includes a transversely extending seat-defining member, such as a
bar member, positioned between the seating portion and the leg rest
portion approximate the under-knee location of the seated child to
add stiffening and support to the seat. This stiffening results in
greater comfort to the user as it prevents collapsing, inwardly and
downwardly, of the seating portion when the child occupies the
seat. In this manner the bar member defines the interface of the
seating portion and the leg rest portion. The bar member is
embedded in or otherwise attached to the seat material in a
free-floating manner not attached to the frame of the stroller.
Thus, upon collapsing of the stroller the seat bar member does not
interfere with or obstruct the collapsing process.
DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible jogging
stroller having attached thereto the seat for embodying features of
the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the seat shown in FIG.
1 with the floating seat defining member shown in dotted lines;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a back plan view of a portion of the seat shown in
FIG. 1, illustrating a manner of enclosing the seat defining member
within the seat material;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the floating seat
defining member as taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view of the stroller shown
in FIG. 1 showing a child in phantom;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a left side elevational view of the stroller of
FIG. 1 showing the stroller in a partially collapsed position;
and
[0023] FIG. 7 is a left side elevational view of the stroller of
FIG. 1 showing the stroller in an almost completely collapsed
position.
DESCRIPTION
[0024] Shown and described is a unique and useful seat for a
collapsible jogging stroller, or the like, that embodies features
providing that the stroller can be collapsed for transportation or
storage without removal of the seat. Described and shown is an
example of a collapsible stroller to which the seat embodying these
features be adapted, however, the only requirement is for the
stroller to be constructed compatible with the seat of the
invention. Accordingly, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 5-7 a
three-wheeled collapsible jogging stroller, generally designated
10, that is compatible with the seat of the present invention. The
example stroller has a collapsible frame assembly transformable
from an erected user arrangement as indicated in FIG. 1 to a
collapsed arrangement as indicated in FIG. 7. The stroller includes
a lower structural frame assembly, generally designated 20, and an
upper structural frame assembly, generally designated 30, that
supports the seat 50 of the invention.
[0025] The lower structural frame assembly 20 includes a rear axle
member 21 coupled at opposite ends to identical removable wheels
with pneumatic tires 60. A pair of upright support members 22, 23
are fixedly attached at their lower ends to the axle 21 and at
their upper ends to respective ones of like configured push tube
inter-connectors 44, 45. Inter-connectors 44, 45 are generally
saddle-shaped and configured for enabling the stroller 10 to be
collapsed as indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7 and described herein below.
A fork assembly, generally designated 24, is pivotally coupled at
one end to the rear axle member 21 by couplers 25, 26 and at the
other end includes a pair of generally parallel fork tubes 27, 28
supporting the front wheel 61. Couplers 25, 26 are offset from the
center of rear axle 21 so that upon collapsing the upright support
members 22, 23 fold forwardly and downwardly to the outside of the
fork assembly 24.
[0026] The upper frame assembly 30 includes a U-shaped handlebar
32, opposing push tubes 35, 36, inter-connectors 44, 45, opposing
push tubes 37, 38 and footrest 40. Push tubes 35, 36 are connected
at first ends to handlebar 32 by means of hinges 33, 34 and at
second ends connected to first ends of push tubes 37, 38 by means
of inter-connectors 44, 45, respectively. Second ends of push tubes
37, 38 are connected to footrest 40 which in turn is connected to
front wheel 61 fork tubes 27, 28 by means of tubes 41, 42
respectively. Opposing push tubes 35, 36 are curved inwardly from
hinges 33, 34 to couple to respective opposing interconnect members
44, 45. Hinges 33, 34 allow the handlebar 32 to be collapsed
underneath and substantially parallel to push tubes 35, 36 as shown
in FIGS. 6 and 7. Each interconnect member 44,45 has hold and
release means for holding the upper frame 30 in an erect user
arrangement as shown in FIG. 5, or for releasing push tubes 37, 38
to collapse along push tubes 37, 38 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. As
indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 6 and 7, upon release of push
tubes 37, 38 interconnect members 44, 45 slide down along push
tubes 37, 38 to lower upper frame 30 over push tubes 37, 38 thus
collapsing the stroller.
[0027] Essentially, when the stroller is in the erected
ready-for-use position shown in FIG. 1, on the right side (as
viewed in the drawing) is a continuous push tube arrangement formed
by push tube 35, interconnect 44 and push tube 37. On the other
side a complementary push tube arrangement is formed by push tube
36, interconnect 45 and push tube 38. As seen, due to the
construction of the stroller 10, there is space between the two
push tube arrangements for supporting the seat 50 as will be
described.
[0028] The seat 50 is attached to the stroller 10 by means of
screws 62, or other suitable means, and is formed as a unitary
member of flexible cloth-like material with a contour configured to
the anatomy of a seated child 80 (shown in phantom in FIG. 5). By
reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the seat 50 has a seating portion 51
and a lower leg rest portion 52. Opposed side portions 51a and 51b
are fixedly attached to push tube 35, 36, respectively, each at two
points by screws 62. One point is near the top of seat portion 51
and the other in advance of the respective inter-connectors 44, 45.
However, laterally opposed side portions 52a and 52b are attached
to push tubes 37, 38 respectively, each only at one point, that is
near the end of leg rest portion 52. This attachment arrangement
provides that upon collapsing the stroller the seat 50 portion
above the top two screws 62 above interconnects 44, 45 will remain
in place whereas that seat portion therebelow is free to fold, or
collapse as will be explained.
[0029] The lower leg rest portion 52 between sides 52a, 52b is
formed to provide a somewhat planar leg rest. Above the leg rest
portion 52 and between the sides 51a, 51b, the seat 50 is formed as
a seat back portion 58 merged with a pouch like seating portion 59.
As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, seating portion 51 and lower leg
rest portion 52 is defined by a seat bar member 70 located at the
juncture of the seating portion 51 and leg rest portion 52, and
extending transversely across the leg rest portion 52. The bar
member 70 serves to define the seating portion 51 and the leg rest
portion 52 and provides provide lateral support to the seat 50. The
bar member 70 is not attached to the frame of the stroller and thus
does not impede or obstruct collapsing of the stroller 10. That is,
with release of the interconnects 44, 45 and collapsing of the
upper frame 30 along the lower frame 24, the unattached bar 70
merely collapses along with the fabric of the seat 51 and leg rest
52 as indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7. Bar member 70 may be sewn within
the fabric of the seat, as shown in FIG. 3, or attached in any
suitable manner externally of the fabric as indicated in FIG. 4, a
across-sectional view of the bar member taken along the line 4-4 of
FIG. 1. The bar member 70 could as well be positioned in or onto,
the seat fabric such that upon collapse of the stroller bar member
70 is contained within the folds of the leg rest 52. Bar member 70
is generally formed of plastic material and may be either rigid or
somewhat flexible as comfort may indicate. The seat 50 is formed of
a material with suitable flexibility for folding as described yet
strong enough for supporting the child therein. The seat is
normally as a unitary seat, that is, the cloth material parts are
not separable. A conventional child harness assembly, generally
designated 90, is provided to secure the child within the seat
50.
[0030] There has been shown and described a seat for a collapsible
jogging stroller or the like that does not require removal prior to
collapsing of the stroller, provides lateral seating support to the
user, and is formed of flexible cloth-like material that is simple
and inexpensive to manufacture. The appended claims should not be
limited to the herein description of the invention, it to be
understood that other adaptations and modifications may be made
within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, although the
description has utilized directional references, such a up, down,
left, right, upwardly, downwardly, etc, these terms are utilized
with reference to the orientations in the figures and are not
intended to be limiting.
* * * * *