AU617331B2

AU617331B2 - Convertible carriage assembly

Info

Publication number: AU617331B2
Application number: AU18901/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Patrick Neylon
Original assignee: Allison Jennifer Ann; Neylon Frances; Neylon Mark
Current assignee: Allison Jennifer Ann; Neylon Frances; Neylon Mark
Priority date: 1987-07-10
Filing date: 1988-07-08
Publication date: 1991-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2008-07-08
Also published as: AU1890188A

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952 617331 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: 0 '0 TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT ame of Applicant: JAMES PATRICK NEYLON and SYBIL JUNE NEYLON Nowland Avenue, QUIRINDI, New South Wales, 2343, Australia Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: "Address 0 3 0J 00U for Service: ARTHUR S. CAVE CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY N.S.W. 2000

AUSTRALIA

o ooComplete Specification for the invention entitled: CONVERTIBLE CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY.

The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:- 1 ASC 49 ROPRINT OF RECWIP1 S00 QL-4! 00/07/SE: I i CONVERTIBLE CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a carriage assembly which is adapted for conversion from a basket carrying configuration to a stroller configuration.

There are in existence numerous varieties of strollers and stroller carriages some of which are collapsible between a work position and a folded recumbent position. The foldable variety of strollers are limited in utility to a single function that of carriage of a child in a seated or prostrate position within the stroller; the prostrate position being enabled by a minor adjustment to the backrest. Prior art strollers are also equipped with various means for adjustment of the attitude of the stroller configuration such as height, rake of the push handles.

A larger variety, of prior art strollers comprise a S relatively large carrying cradle supported by suspension springs. The disadvantage of this version of stroller is that it is cumbersome, heavy and often difficult to collapse. In addition a child carried therein mainly must be prostrate as there is no provision for seated travel in these strollers.

The prior art strollers suffer from the disadvantages that they cannot be readily adapted or converted for another practical carriage use.

It has not been previously known to provide a combination stroller and bassinet carriage assembly having the facility for conversion from a stroller configuration to a bassinet carriage configuration by simple adjustment of elements thereon.

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-i The present invention seeks to provide a convertible carriage assembly according to the aforesaid structural regime whereby it can be converted to enable the carriage of a bassinet or like article thereon thereby providing in one apparatus a facility for prostrate and seated travel of a child according to the s'lected configuration.

The present invention provides a previously unknown versatility in this type of apparatus and overcomes the problems of excessive weight as in cumbersome prior art models. In addition, the invention provides a lightweight o0o portable and foldable assembly having a mainframe structure o0o, comprised of preferably lightweight metal components.

In its broadest form the present invention comprises a o Q convertible carriage assembly adapted for conversion from a first folded recumbent position to a first unfolded wo!position thence to an optional unfolded second work position o said carriage assembly comprising: a collapsible wheel mounted mainframe having a handle portion and a lower carriage portion; said carriage portion having linked thereto at least two support members detachably adjustable mounted thereto and so as to effect the said conversion from said first work position to said second optional work position, wherein when said assembly is disposed in said first work position said assembly is adapted for carriage and support of a bassinet on said carriage portion by said adjustable members; and, when said assembly is disposed in said second work position, 3 0395E .i i .I 0247j at least one of said adjustable m;embers are positioned so as to provide support for a child, in a seated or laid back attitude.

The term laid back attitude refers to a recumbent position of the child support at an obtuse angle or at ninety degrees.

In another form, the present invention comprises a collapsible stroller adapted for conversion to a bassinet support and carrier said stroller comprising: a collapsible wheel mounted mainframe having a handle portion and a lower carriage portion, j said carriage portion having supporting beams with detachable adjustable members connected thereto for effecting said conversion.

In another form, the present invention comprises: a convertible carriage assembly adapted for conversion from a stroller configuration to a bassinet carrying configuration, or vice versa wherein when said conversion is to be effected adjustable elements on said assembly are repositioned or reconfigured so as to provide an alternative configuration.

In its broadest form the present invention comprises: a convertible carriage assembly adapted for conversion from a first folded recumbent position to a first unfolded work position thence to an optional unfolded second work position said carriage assembly comprising: a collapsible wheel mounted mainframe having a handle portion and a lower carriage portion; said carriage portion having linked thereto at least two support members detachably and adjustably mounted thereto and so as to effect the said conversion from said first work -4- 0247j position to said second optional work position, wherein when said assembly is disposed in said first work position said assembly is adapted for carriage and support of a bassinet on said carriage portion by said adjustable members; and, when said assembly is disposed in said second work position said adjustable members are positioned so as to provide support for a child via a back rest, in a seated or laid back attitude.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the said o0 detachably adjustable members or elements which form the first work position comprise a first set of struts pivotally and detachably attached in a first position to the said beams, and a bridging bar connected to a second set of struts pivotally connected to said beams at a second position along said beams.

Alternatively the sfid first set of struts are also connected by a second bridging bar.

When the first and second set of struts are located in the said positions they are rotated to an upwardly depending position so as to accommodate a baby carrying bassinet or basket. The attitude of the struts are set according to the type of structural engagement between the struts and the 4a article being supported.

In the stroller configuration the first set of struts is relocated to an intermediate position along the beam and rotated to form a mainframe for a backrest. In addition, armrests are connected between the said first strut position and the second set of struts, the armrests are intermediately anchored to the said first set of struts when they are disposed in the said intermediate position. One end of each of the beams has a radiused portion which is connected to a plate which serves as a child's footrest.

o The opposite end of each of the beams has a second radiused portion which engages with ends of the handle portion.

i The invention will now be described in detail according to oo ~a preferred but non limiting embodiment with reference to the accompanying illustrations wherein: S..Figure 1 shows the assembly of the present invention adapted for carriage and support of a bassinet; Figure 2 shows the assembly of figure 1 with a bassinet 00 mounted and supported thereon; Figure 3 shows the carriage assembly in the stroller configuration; Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the bassinet support.

Referring to figure 1 there is shown a wheel mounted carriage assembly 1 comprising a carriage portion 2 and a handle portion 3. The carriage portion 2 of the assembly adapted for conversion from a bassinet carriage configuration (see figure to a stroller configuration (as shown in figure 0395E uLrpiu~- In the bassinet carriage configuration the carriage portion 2 comprises a first pair of struts 4 and 5 and a second pair of struts 6 and 7. Struts 6 and 7 are interconnected by means of a bridging bar 8. The struts 5 and 7 are anchored at one of their ends to the parallel beams 9 and likewise struts 4 and 6 are anchored to the parallel beams Each of the struts are pivotally attached to the respective parallel beam allowing orientation of each pair of struts so as to accommodate the bassinet 11 (see figure 2).

The struts 4 and 5 preferably engage a flanged portion of the bassinet at one end. The bridging bar 8 engages a flanged o oportion of the bassinet at its other end to thereby provide o support for the bassinet 11 on the carriage portion 2. Figure 2 shows the carriage assembly supporting the bassinet 11.

Figure 3 shows the carriage assembly in the stroller configuration. The conversion to this configuration is effected in the following wdy.

0 The struts4 and 5 are removed from their forward most position and repositioned at an intermediate point along parallel beams 9 and 10 respectively. The struts 4 and 5 when in this position form the mainframe for a back rest. The back rest is completed by insertion of a backing material such as canvas or other synthetic material as shown in figure 3. The struts are prevented from rotation by the weight of a child leaning against it by securing to armrests 12 and 13. The forward ends 14 and 15 of armrests 12 ,nd 13 are attached to beams 9 and 10 respectively at the point at which struts 4 and were previously 03956 039 SE connected. The armrests 12 and 13 engage struts 5 and 4 respectively at points 16 and 17 approximately midway along their lengths.

The opposite ends 18 and 19 of the armrests 12 and 13 are connected to struts 6 and 7 respectively. When in this configuration a hood can be attached to the struts 4 and 5 by means of gussets 20 which in turn are connected to hood support rods (concealed). The parallel beams 9 and 10 towards their forward end have downturned radiused portions 21 and 22 to which is attached a foot stand 23.

The opposite ends of the parallel beams 9 and 10 also S terminate in radiused portions 24 and 25 which are in turn o connected to the handle 3.

When the assembly is to be folded the bassinet 11 is removed. All of the struts are folded downwards so they lie substantially parallel to parallel beams 9 and 10. Handle 3 is folded forward and down such that it overlies beams 9 and o The carriage portion 2 collapses downwardly to complete the folding.

Figure 4 shows an alternative configuration of the convertible carriage assembly.

In this configuration the first set of struts 4 and 5 are interconnected by bridging bar 26. Bridging bar 26 engages as flange or channel (now shown) on the bassinette to be carried and supported.

It will be recognised by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and modification can be made to the 0395E invention as broadly described herein without departing from the overall spirit and scope of the invention.

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Claims

2. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim 1 wherein said carriage assembly is also adapted for conversion from the said unfolded second work position to said first unfolded work position thence to said first folded recumbent position.
3. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim 2 wherein said first folded recumbent position is formed by the coincidelit rotation of said handle about said lower carriage portion and the collapsing of said carriage portion such that when folded, said handle and members forming said carriage portion are disposed substantially parallel with the ground. gysW 9 i .j i i I
4. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim 3 wherein said first work position is formed by rotation of said handle away from said carriage portion and contemporaneously unfolding said carriage portion until said handle is locked to said carriage portion, said adjustable support members being rotated to a selected attitude relative to said carriage portion so as to receive a bassinet or baby carriage cradle. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim 4, wherein when said carriage assembly is to be converted to said second work position one of said support members is repositioned on said carriage.
6. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim wherein said repositioned support forms a back rest for a child when seated on said carriage portion.
7. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim 6 wherein when said carriage is in said second unfolded work position an a roIest is connected to both sides of said carriage.
8. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim 7 wherein each of said armrests are connected at one end to said lower carriage portion and at the other end to either one of said adjustable support members.
9. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim 7 wherein the lower carriage portion has a foot support extending from the front end and formed by a continuation of beams on said lower carriage. A convertible carriage assembly according to claim 9 wherein each of said adjustable support members comprise a pair of spaced apart struts interconnected by a bridging bar, each 10 0395E of said struts being connected at one end to a bear on either side of said lower carriage.
11. A convertible carriage assembly as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying illustrations. DATED this 6th day of July, 1988. JAMES PATRICK NEYLON AND SYBIL JUNE NEYLON By Their Patent Attorneys, ARTHUR S. CAVE CO. S- 0395E