Seat back adjustment mechanism for baby products

Claim 2

In a baby supporting device having a seat, a seat back and a frame, a seat back adjustment mechanism comprising: first means coupled to said frame at each side of the lower portion of said seat back, each of said fist means having a plurality of openings therein disposed along an arc of a circle; second means coupled to each side of the lower portion of said seat back adjacent corresponding ones of said first means; pivot means extending between each of said first means and the adjacent one of said second means, and pivotally connecting said first and second means for rotation about the center of said arc of said circle; lever means rotatably attached to said seat back and adapted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to said seat back; engaging means for each of said first means, said engaging means being rotatably coupled to said lever means, at positions radially displaced from said axis of rotation of said lever means, said positions being generally diametrically opposite each other, each of said engaging means being guided by one of said second means, and being engageable in any of said plurality of openings in the adjacent said first means when said lever means is in a first angular position, said engaging means being retractable from engagement with said openings in said first means by rotation of said lever means to a second angular position; and spring means to elastically urge said lever means into said first angular position: a stop means, said stop means being cooperatively disposed with respect to said lever means so as to stop the rotation of said lever means when being rotated from said first angular position to said second angular position, and an actuating means, said actuating means being attached to one of said engaging means between said lever means and one of said second means and projecting past the corresponding said second means so as to be accessible to an operator at the side of the stroller, said actuating means further acting as a stop means as said lever means rotates from said second angular position to said first angular position by the interference of said actuating means and the respective one of said second means.

Claim 3

A seat back adjustment mechanism for a baby supporting appratus having a seat, a seat back, and a frame comprising: first and second sector plates disposed in substantial prallelism adjacent each side of the lower portion of the seat back and each supported by said frame, each of said sector plates having a plurality of holes therein disposed in an arc of a circle; first and second sheet metal back support members each attached to one side of the lower portion of said back and partially extending adjacent and substantially parallel to said first and second sector plates respectively; a pair of pivot members, each of said pivot members rotatably coupling one of Said sector plates and an adjacent one of said back support members for rotation of said seat back about the center of said arc of said circle; a lever rotatably mounted to the back of said seat back and adapted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to said seat back; first and second generally horizontal engagement rods, each having first and second ends, said first engagement rod being slideably supported by said first back support member adjacent its first end so as to engageable into any of the plurality of holes in said first sector plates and pivotally supported at its second end by said lever generally above said axis of rotation of said lever, said second engagement rod being slideably supported by said second back support member adjacent its first and so as to be engageable into any of the plurality of holes in said second sector plate and pivotally supported at its second end by said lever generally below said axis of rotation of said lever, and a shallow U-shaped member having a base and two legs fastened to said seat back by said base, said U-shaped member being disposed with respect to said lever so that one of said legs provides a stop to said lever when rotating from said first position to said second position, said spring being fastened between said lever and the other of said legs, wherby said lever may be rotated between a first position with said engagement rods engaging a pair of said plurality of holes in said sector plates and a second position with said engagement rods withdrawn from said last named holes, and a spring coupled to said lever and to said seat back to elastically urge said lever to said first position.

Claim 4

A seat back adjustment mechanism for a baby supporting appratus having a seat, a seat back, and a frame comprising: first and second sector plates disposed in substantial prallelism adjacent each side of the lower portion of the seat back and each supported by said frame, each of said sector plates having a plurality of holes therein disposed in an arc of a circle; first and second sheet metal back support members each attached to one side of the lower portion of said back and partially extending adjacent and substantially parallel to said first and second sector plates respectively; a pair of pivot members, each of said pivot members rotatably coupling one of Said sector plates and an adjacent one of said back support members for rotation of said seat back about the center of said arc of said circle; a lever rotatably mounted to the back of said seat back and adapted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to said seat back; first and second generally horizontal engagement rods, each having first and second ends, said first engagement rod being slideably supported by said first back support member adjacent its first end so as to engageable into any of the plurality of holes in said first sector plates and pivotally supported at its second end by said lever generally above said axis of rotation of said lever, said second engagement rod being slideably supported by said second back support member adjacent its first and so as to be engageable into any of the plurality of holes in said second sector plate and pivotally supported at its second end by said lever generally below said axis of rotation of said lever, and a shallow U-shaped member having a base and two legs fastened to said seat back by said base, said U-shaped member being disposed with respect to said lever so that one of said legs provides a stop to said lever when rotating from said first position to said second position, said spring being fastened between said lever and the other of said legs, wherby said lever may be rotated between a first position with said engagement rods engaging a pair of said plurality of holes in said sector plates and a second position with said engagement rods withdrawn from said last named holes, and a spring coupled to said lever and to said seat back to elastically urge said lever to said first position.

Claim 5

The back adjustment mechanism of claim 2 further comprised of an actuating member, said actuating member being welded to one of said engagement rods between said lever and one of said back support members and projecting past the associated one of said sector plates so as to be accessible to an operator at the side of the stroller, said actuating member further acting as a stop means as said lever rotates from said second position to said first position.

Claim 6

The back adjustment mechanism of claim 2 wherein said lever is spaced outward from said seat back by an integral hub thereon and said engagement rods have an approximately 90* bend adjacent their second ends so that the said second ends project rearward substantially perpendicular to said seat back, said second ends protruding into holes in said lever and being retained therein by said lever and said seat back.