Stroller with folding mechanism for compact collapsing arrangement

Claim 2

A stroller comprising: a pair of side frames, each said side frame including: a main side tube comprised of: an upper tube portion, and a lower tube portion pivotally mounted at an upper end thereof to a lower end of said upper tube portion, a releasable locking pivot assembly for pivotally connecting a lower end of the upper tube portion to an upper end of the lower tube portion, a rear side tube pivotally connected to the upper tube portion, and a support rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the rear side tube and at an opposite end thereof to the lower tube portion; a rear articulated spreader bar means for connecting together said rear side tubes of said pair of side frames, said rear articulated spreader bar means including a pair of rear pivoting spreader bars, each pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said rear side tube and at an opposite end thereof to the other rear pivoting spreader bar; and actuating rod means pivotally connected between at least one said support rod and said rear articulated spreader bar means, whereby folding of said upper tube portions relative to said lower tube portions in a lengthwise direction of said stroller causes articulation of said rear articulated spreader bar means which results in contraction of said stroller in a widthwise direction thereof.

Claim 3

A stroller according to claim 1, wherein each said upper tube portion folds rearwardly of the respective lower tube portion.

Claim 4

A stroller according to claim 2, further comprising: front wheels mounted to lower ends of said lower tube portions, rear wheels mounted to lower ends of said rear side tubes, and handles mounted to upper ends of said upper tube portions, and wherein said front and rear wheels and said handles are adjacent each other in a folded configuration of said stroller.

Claim 5

A stroller according to claim 1, wherein said actuating rod means includes a first actuating rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the support rod of one said side frame and pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to one said rear pivoting spreader bar.

Claim 6

A stroller according to claim 4, wherein said actuating rod means further includes a second actuating rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the support rod on the other side frame and pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to the other said rear pivoting spreader bar.

Claim 7

A stroller according to claim 1, wherein said rear articulated spreader bar means further includes: another pair of rear pivoting spreader bars positioned above said one pair of rear pivoting spreader bars, each rear pivoting spreader bar of said another pair of rear pivoting spreader bars being pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said rear side tube and at an opposite end thereof to the other rear pivoting spreader bar; and a connecting bar connected between the pivot connection of the rear pivoting spreader bars of said one pair of rear pivoting spreader bars and the pivot connection of the rear pivoting spreader bars of said another pair of rear pivoting spreader bars.

Claim 8

A stroller according to claim 6, further comprising a scissor frame connected between said rear pivoting spreader bars of said one and said another pair of rear pivoting spreader bars.

Claim 9

A stroller according to claim 1, further including an upper articulated spreader bar means for connecting together said upper tube portions of said pair of side frames, said upper articulated spreader bar means including a pair of upper pivoting spreader bars, each pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said upper tube portion and at an opposite end thereof to the other upper pivoting spreader bar.

Claim 10

A stroller according to claim 8, further including an actuating rod connected between one said rear side tube and said upper articulated spreader bar means, whereby folding of said upper tube portions relative to said lower tube portions in a lengthwise direction of said stroller causes articulation of said upper articulated spreader bar means which results in contraction of said stroller in a widthwise direction thereof.

Claim 11

A stroller according to claim 1, further including a collapsible seat support structure connected between said pair of side frames.

Claim 12

A stroller according to claim 10, wherein said collapsible seat support structure includes: two rear support bars, each pivotally hinged at an outer end thereof to a respective said support rod and extending horizontally inwardly of said stroller; two front support bars, each pivotally hinged at an outer end thereof to a respective said support rod and extending horizontally inwardly of said stroller; and a connecting bar pivotally connected to inner ends of said rear and front support bars.

Claim 13

A stroller comprising: a pair of side frames, each said side frame including: a main side tube comprised of: an upper tube portion, and a lower tube portion pivotally mounted at an upper end thereof to a lower end of said upper tube portion, a releasable locking pivot assembly for pivotally connecting the lower end of the upper tube portion to the upper end of the lower tube portion, a rear side tube pivotally connected to the upper tube portion, and a support rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the rear side tube and at an opposite end thereof to the lower tube portion; a rear articulated spreader bar means for connecting together said rear side tubes of said pair of side frames, said rear articulated spreader bar means including a pair of rear pivoting spreader bars, each pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said rear side tube and at an opposite end thereof to the other rear pivoting spreader bar; a front articulated spreader bar means for connecting together said lower tube portions of said pair of side frames, said front articulated spreader bar means including a pair of front pivoting spreader bars, each pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said lower tube portion and at an opposite end thereof to the other front pivoting spreader bar; first actuating rod means pivotally connected between at least one said support rod and said rear articulated spreader bar means; and second actuating rod means pivotally connected between at least one said support rod and said front articulated spreader bar means; whereby folding of said upper tube portions relative to said lower tube portions in a lengthwise direction of said stroller causes articulation of said rear articulated spreader bar means and said front articulated spreader bar means which results in contraction of said stroller in a widthwise direction thereof.

Claim 14

A stroller comprising: a pair of side frames, each said side frame including: a main side tube comprised of: an upper tube portion, and a lower tube portion pivotally mounted at an upper end thereof to a lower end of said upper tube portion, a releasable locking pivot assembly for pivotally connecting the lower end of the upper tube portion to the upper end of the lower tube portion, a rear side tube pivotally connected to the upper tube portion, and a support rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the rear side tube and at an opposite end thereof to the lower tube portion; a rear articulated spreader bar means for connecting together said rear side tubes of said pair of side frames, said rear articulated spreader bar means including a pair of rear pivoting spreader bars, each pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said rear side tube and at an opposite end thereof to the other rear pivoting spreader bar; a front articulated spreader bar means for connecting together said lower tube portions of said pair of side frames, said front articulated spreader bar means including a pair of front pivoting spreader bars, each pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said lower tube portion and at an opposite end thereof to the other front pivoting spreader bar; first actuating rod means pivotally connected between at least one said support rod and said rear articulated spreader bar means; and second actuating rod means pivotally connected between at least one said support rod and said front articulated spreader bar means; whereby folding of said upper tube portions relative to said lower tube portions in a lengthwise direction of said stroller causes articulation of said rear articulated spreader bar means and said front articulated spreader bar means which results in contraction of said stroller in a widthwise direction thereof.

Claim 15

A stroller according to claim 12, wherein each said upper tube portion folds rearwardly of the respective lower tube portion.

Claim 16

A stroller according to claim 13, further comprising: front wheels mounted to lower ends of said lower tube portions, rear wheels mounted to lower ends of said rear side tubes, and handles mounted to upper ends of said upper tube portions, and wherein said front and rear wheels and said handles are adjacent each other in a folded configuration of said stroller.

Claim 17

A stroller according to claim 12, wherein said first actuating rod means includes a first actuating rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the support rod of one said side frame and pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to one said rear pivoting spreader bar.

Claim 18

A stroller according to claim 15, wherein said second actuating rod means further includes a second actuating rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the support rod on said one side frame and pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to one said front pivoting spreader bar.

Claim 19

A stroller according to claim 16, wherein said first actuating rod means further includes a third actuating rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the support rod of the other said side frame and pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to the other said rear pivoting spreader bar; and said second actuating rod means further includes a fourth actuating rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to the support rod on the other side frame and pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to the other said front pivoting spreader bar.

Claim 20

A stroller according to claim 17, wherein said first and third actuating rods are connected to mid-points of said rear pivoting spreader bars, respectively, and said second and fourth actuating rods are connected to mid-points of said front pivoting spreader bars, respectively.

Claim 21

A stroller according to claim 12, wherein said rear articulated spreader bar means further includes: another pair of rear pivoting spreader bars positioned above said one pair of rear pivoting spreader bars, each rear pivoting spreader bar of said another pair of rear pivoting spreader bars being pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said rear side tube and at an opposite end thereof to the other rear pivoting spreader bar; and a connecting bar connected between the pivot connection of the rear pivoting spreader bars of said one pair of rear pivoting spreader bars and the pivot connection of the rear pivoting spreader bars of said another pair of rear pivoting spreader bars.

Claim 22

A stroller according to claim 19, further comprising a scissor frame connected between said rear pivoting spreader bars of said one and said another pair of rear pivoting spreader bars.

Claim 23

A stroller according to claim 12, further including an upper articulated spreader bar means for connecting together said upper tube portions of said pair of side frames, said upper articulated spreader bar means including a pair of upper pivoting spreader bars, each pivotally connected at one end thereof to a respective said upper tube portion and at an opposite end thereof to the other upper pivoting spreader bar.

Claim 24

A stroller according to claim 21, further including an actuating rod connected between one said rear side tube and said upper articulated spreader bar means, whereby folding of said upper tube portions relative to said lower tube portions in a lengthwise direction of said stroller causes articulation of said upper articulated spreader bar means which results in contraction of said stroller in a widthwise direction thereof.

Claim 25

A stroller according to claim 12, further including a collapsible seat support structure connected between said pair of side frames.

Claim 26

A stroller according to claim 23, wherein said collapsible seat support structure includes: two rear support bars, each pivotally hinged at an outer end thereof to a respective said support rod and extending horizontally inwardly of said stroller; two front support bars, each pivotally hinged at an outer end thereof to a respective said support rod and extending horizontally inwardly of said stroller; and a connecting bar pivotally connected to inner ends of said rear and front support bars.