Single hand folding structure for umbrella folding stroller

[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/059,514 filed on Feb. 16, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,108,275.

[0002] The present invention relates to a structure for an umbrella stroller, wherein the structure is utilized to allow a user to release the stroller by a single hand. Moreover, the structure is handy as well as laborsaving for the user when the stroller is folded in a collapsed position for storing.

[0003] Strollers are designed for carrying babies around. Conventional strollers have a foldable structure so as to reduce the overall size of the stroller when carried around or when in storage.

[0004] The conventional foldable strollers, as shown in FIG. 1, have various types and forms and are divided into transport strollers and umbrella folding strollers according to their collapsed status. The umbrella folding strollers employ a frame 90 utilizing a pair of lower cross tubes 92 and a folding set 93 so as to fold the two sides of the frame 90 as an umbrella. The main purpose is to reduce the size of the stroller when carried around or when in storage. However, when a conventional umbrella folding stroller is folded, the folding set 93 disposed on the bottom of the back of the frame is utilized so as to control the folding of the frame of the stroller. The conventional folding set 93 includes two pairs of upper and lower steel pieces 94, 95, a conduit piece 96, a pair of connecting steel pieces 97, a driving piece 98, and a paddle 99. When the frame 90 is folded, the folding set 93 is subsequently folded by lifting the paddle 99 using the top surface of the user's shoe. The conduit piece 96 simultaneously folds the upper and lower steel pieces 94, 95 into an inverted V shape, so that the driving piece 98 pushes said pair of connecting steel pieces 97 to close the two sides of the frame 90 inward. Then, the user pushes the handle bar 91 so as to form the folding position of the frame 90. In contrast, when the user expands the frame 90, the user steps on the paddle 99 such that each steel piece 94, 95, 97 is expanded towards an opposite direction so as to form the expanding position. However, the folding process is very inconvenient, and the user's shoe may be damaged during the process.

[0005] The main object of the present invention is to overcome the inconvenience of folding the conventional folding stroller by foot and the issue of damaging the user's shoes. The present invention mainly includes a folding set which is provided with a driving lever and a driver. A connecting element connects between the driver and the driving lever, wherein the driver can be pulled to move the driving lever via the connecting element and force the folding set to fold so that the two sides of the frame are moved inward closely to each other. Thus, a user can release the folding set with the user's one hand.

[0006] In addition, the present invention provides an elastic element of the frame utilized to assist the folding of the frame such that the user can easily and effortlessly push the handle bar to fold the frame. Therefore, the user can directly push the handle bar so as to fold the frame of the stroller.

[0007] Moreover, the present invention provides an arresting member which can slidably move on the frame. The driver is rotatable by releasing the arresting member so as to prevent unexpected folding by the user.

[0008] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the present invention provides a single hand folding structure for an umbrella folding stroller so as to allow a user to fold a frame 1 of the stroller by a single hand, without using a foot to release the frame 1. The present invention includes the frame 1 which may be extendable for operations and folded for storing. The frame 1 includes front and rear leg tubes 11, 12 connected to each other, a joint set 13, a handle bar 14, a seat tube 15, a folding set 2, and a lower cross tube 18. The lower cross tube 18 and the folding set 2 are pivotally coupled on a lower side and a rear side between two sides of the frame 1 respectively for supporting the frame 1 of the umbrella folding stroller. When the frame 1 is collapsed, the left and right sides of the frame 1 are driven to fold.

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the folding set 2 is pivotally connected between the rear leg tubes 12 of the frame 1. The folding set 2 includes two pairs of upper and lower steel pieces 21, 22, a conduit piece 23, a pair of connecting pieces 24, a driving piece 25, and a paddle 26, each pivotally connected to one another. Through the expanding and releasing of the folding set 2, the expanding position or the folding position of the frame is controlled.

[0017] The single hand release structure in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention includes a hand pull driver 31, a connecting element 32, a driving sleeve 33, a driving lever 34, and a return spring (not shown). The hand pull driver 31 can slidably move on the handle bar 14 of the frame 1 or can be arranged according to the height of the user or the frame such as at upper end of the rear leg tube 12 or between the handle bar 14 and the rear leg tube 12 so as to provide the user with ease of operation within arm's reach. In this embodiment, the connecting element 32 is a flexible wire having one end connected to the driver 31. The other end of the wire is connected to the driving sleeve 33 which is capable of sliding on the rear leg tube 12. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the driving lever 34 is pivotally connected to the upper steel piece 21 of the folding set 2. One end of the driving lever 34 is connected to the driving sleeve 33, and the other end is against the driving piece 25.

[0018] Therefore, when the user pulls the driver 31 upward, the driving lever 34 rotates in relation to the connecting element 32 and the driving sleeve 33. The driving lever 34 and the upper steel piece 21 are rotated at the connecting point 20 therebetween. The other end of the driving lever 34 is a free end 341 and is located against the upper part of the driving piece 25 to form a pivot point. Thus, when the upper steel piece 21 is lifted via the connecting point 20, the conduit piece 23 moves upwardly and as the upper steel piece 21 swings upwardly. Two sides of frame 1 are drawn close so as to facilitate the folding of the folding set 2.

[0019] In addition, when the user pulls the driver 31, the folding set 2 is merely presented in a foldable position. However, none of the folding points on the frame 1 of the umbrella folding stroller have moved entirely. If the user directly pushes the handle bar 14 at this time, each element cannot rotate in relation to the handle bar 14 so as to fold the frame 1.

[0020] Referring to FIG. 3, an elastic element 4 is disposed between the lower steel pieces 22 of the folding set 2. When the frame 1 of the umbrella folding stroller is expanded, the elastic element 4 stretched. However, the two lower steel pieces 22 remain unaffected due to their same alignment with the elastic element 4. When the user releases the folding set 2, each folding point on the frame 1 becomes rotatable so that the folding set 2 can easily pass all the deadlock points through the return elasticity of the elastic element 4. Moreover, after passing all the deadlock points, the folding set 2 can further force to close the two sides of the frame 1 automatically through the return elasticity of the elastic element 4. Therefore, the user can operate the folding of the stroller by a single hand simply and effortlessly.

[0021] Further, in order to avoid operation by the user pulling the driver 31 directly and as a result to fold the frame 1 unexpectedly, the present invention provides an arresting member 35 which is disposed slidably above the driver 31. The arresting member 35 stops the rotation or movement of the driver 31 when closely against the driver 31. On the contrary, the driver 31 can be moved when the arresting member 35 is away from the driver 31. The arresting member 35 is retained above and against the driver 31 by the elasticity of a spring (not shown). Therefore, the user can never pull the driver 31 directly and unexpectedly for safety concerns.

[0022] Therefore, in the embodiment, the elastic element 4 can also be a torsion spring. By disposing the torsion spring device at the connecting point between the rear leg tube 12 and the seat tube 15, the return torsion can be utilized to release the steel pieces 22. Then, the rear leg tube 12 and the seat tube 15 can correspondingly rotate to form the partial folding position of the frame 1. Subsequently, the user can directly push the handle bar 14 so as to fold the frame of the stroller.

[0023] The above-mentioned preferred embodiments of the present invention are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Modifications and changes may be made in various embodiments of the present invention without leaving the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the language of the following claims.