GB2171160A

GB2171160A - Braking device for a child's perambulator

Info

Publication number: GB2171160A
Application number: GB8604083A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jean Bigo
Original assignee: Ampafrance SA
Current assignee: Ampafrance SA
Priority date: 1985-02-19
Filing date: 1986-02-19
Publication date: 1986-08-20
Also published as: FR2577503A1; BE904207A; GB2171160B; FR2577503B1; DE3604139A1; GB8604083D0; DE3604139C2

Abstract

A braking device for a child's perambulator, such as a push-chair, comprises a braking element 6, a lock member 7, a single spring 8, and a peg and slot coupling means 11 and 12 between the braking element and the lock member. The whole is such that the lock member and the braking element co-operate throughout movement from the inactive position to the braking position, at which the braking element 6 is positively locked. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Braking device for child's perambulator This invention relates to a braking device for a child's perambulator, and in particular (but not exclusively) for a push-chair.

Among such braking devices, the invention concerns the kind in which a brake element, normally returned elastically towards an inactive position at which it is disengaged from the wheels of the carriage, can be brought into contact with the tyre of at least one wheel, this movement being made against the action of elastic means; as the element approaches its braking position, the element pushes back a lock, which is also urged elastically towards its locking position the lock then returning to this position so as to prevent the return of the braking element towards its inactive position.

In the known braking devices of this kind, it is necessary to provide one spring associated with the braking element and another spring associated with the lock. Also on unlocking the braking element, the forced retraction of the lock does not automatically cause the disengagement of the braking element with the wheel, because of the high friction which is exerted between the former and the wheel, this friction being caused by partial compression of the wheel.

An aim of this invention is to minimise these inconveniences by providing a braking device for a child's perambulator which uses a single spring and which enables a sure and automatic disengagement of the braking element from the wheel when the lock is disengaged.

For this purpose, a braking device according to the invention for a child's perambulator including a tyred wheel rotatably mounted on a chassis, which device comprises a braking element pivoted to the chassis for movement to an active position where the element is forcibly engaged with the tyre of the wheel, a lock member also pivoted to the chassis and provided with a spring urging the lock member to turn in one sense about its pivotal connection, and means coupling together the brake element and the lock member, the positions of the pivotal connections of the braking element and of the lock member on the chassis and the geometry of the coupling means being arranged so that, on the one hand, starting from an inactive first position of the braking element whereat the element is disengaged from the wheel and is held there by the lock member, the braking element can be pivoted, moving the lock member against the action of its spring, to an active second position at which the brake member is pressed on the wheel and whereat the lock member moves under the action of its spring to a locking position preventing the return of the braking element, and, on the other hand, starting from this braking position, the lock member can be released by moving the member against the action of the spring, the coupling means disengaging the braking element from the wheel, so that both the braking element and the lock member may be returned by the spring into the inactive first position.

When the braking element is locked in the braking position, it is preferred for the lock member to urge the braking element more powerfully to brake the wheel, while the reaction of the wheel does not cause the lock member to move away from the locked position.

dvantageously, the coupling means comprises a slot and a peg slidable along the slot. According to one construction, the slot is provided in the lock member, while the peg is a part of the braking element. The profile of the slot may be of two portions substantially at right-angles, of which one portion serves to lock the braking element and the other of which permits the braking element to move between its first and second positions.

The junction between the two portions of the slot is preferably enlarged in order to facilitate the passage of the peg from one slot portion to the other, there being a ramp to cause the peg to disengage the braking element from the wheel.

The two portions of the slot may be of most unequal length, the locking portion being the shorter, while the longer portion has the peg slidable therealong during movement of the braking element between its two positions.

The braking element advantageously is pivoted to the chassis above the pivot of the lock member, this latter being situated more or less level with the periphery of the wheel in order to enable the lock member to be pivoted towards its locking position without causing movement of the braking element.

The braking element may comprise a shaped metallic wire or rod which has a cross member forming at the same time an operating pedal, the braking element acting directly on the wheel tyre and also serving as the part of the braking element which is coupled to the lock member. This cross member may either be pivoted to the perambulator chassis on both sides thereof (i.e. to both lateral half-chassis) to co-operate with the wheels associated with each half-chassis, or be pivoted on one half-chassis only to co-operate with a single wheel mounted thereon or with twinned wheels.

The invention will be well understood from the following description given by way of example only, of certain embodiments, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a side perspective view downward on the lower rear part of a child's perambulator provided with a braking device according to this invention, the device being in the inactive position; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but for the active braking position; Figure 3 is an inner side elevation view of the braking device of Figure 1 in the inactive position and also in the active braking position; Figures 4 and 5 show the braking device in two intermediate positions; and Figure 6 schematically shows in rear elevation an alternative form of braking device of this invention.

The drawings show the lower rear part of achild's perambulator which comprises, in a known manner, a chassis element 1, constituted by a rear strut or support and rear wheels 2 of which the axles 3 are connected to the chassis by the intermediary of a suspension block 4.

In orderto ensure the immobilisation ofthe perambulator at the desired location, the perambulator is provided, in a generally known manner, with a braking device 5 which comprises a braking element 6 adapted to come into frictional contact with at least one of the wheels 2, and a lock member 7, arranged so as to hold the braking element 6 in its braking position.

The braking element 6 and the lock member 7 are both pivoted on the chassis 1, coupling means being provided between these two elements for the whole of the travel of the braking element 6, and a single spring 8 is arranged between the chassis 1 and the lock member 7 in order always to urge the latterto turn in direction A (Figure 3).The positions of the pivotal axes 9 and 10 of the braking element 6 and lock member7 on the chassis 1, as well as the geometry of the coupling means, are arranged so that starting from a first (inactive) position, at which the braking element is disengaged from the wheel and is maintained in this position by the lock member, the braking element can be pivoted to a second (active) braking position at which it is bearing on the wheel, the lock member being moved against its spring bias during this movement of the braking element until the braking position is reached, whereat the lock member is moved back by the spring to a locking position to prevent the return of the braking element.Now, starting from this locking position, the lock member can be unlocked on being turned against the action of the spring, the coupling means being arranged to disengage the braking element from the wheel, so as to be returned by the spring 8 to its first (inactive) position.

In the construction shown, the coupling means comprises a profiled slot 11 in the lock member and by a peg 12 which is part of the braking element 6 and is able to slide in the slot 11.

The braking element 6 comprises a shaped metallic rod which is pivoted on the chassis 1 about a transverse axis 9, while the lock member 7 comprises a plate which includes on its upper part a turned-over operating wing 7a and which can pivot in a vertical plane, being pivoted on the chassis 1 about a transverse axis 10 which is situated below the axis 9 and more or less level with the profile of the wheel 2.

The slot 11 has two portions 11 a and 11b, of unequal lengths and at right-angles the longer portion 11 a coresponding to movement of the braking element 6 between its inactive position and its braking position, and the shorter portion 11 b corresponding to the pivoting of the lock member towards its locking position.

The part 12 of the braking element 6 which co-operates with the slot 11 not only constitutes the means of co-operation between these two elements, but also the braking means, acting directly on one at least of the wheels 2.

In order to facilitate the passage of the element 12 from one to the other of the slot portions 11 a and 11 b, the junction between these two portions is enlarged and, as will be described below, has a disengaging ramp 13.

A single spring 8 is a hair-spring ortorsion spring which is wrapped around the pivot of the lock member 7 and which bears both on the chassis 1 and on the lock member7, so as continuously to urge the latter to turn in the direction of the arrow A (Figure 3).

For the inactive position of the braking device, the element 12 which co-operates with the lock member 7 is disengaged from the wheel 2, and is situated at the closed extremity of the portion 1 lea of the aperture 11, by virtue of the action of the spring 8 (Figure 3).

To bring the braking element 6to the active position the user pressues on the element 12, which causes the braking element 6 and the lock member 7 to turn in a clock-wise sense, against the action of the return spring 8. Near to the braking position (Figure 4), the element 12 comes into contact with the tyre of the wheel 2, the element 12 still cooperating with the portion 11 a. Further pressure brings the element 12 to the braking position where the tyre is locally compressed, as shown in full lines Figure 5 and in long chain lines in Figure 3.At this braking position, the element 12 has left portion 11 a and has moved into portion lib. Becausethe lock member 7 is urged by the spring 8 in the anti clockwise direction A, it then turns in this direction so as to move from the position of Figure 5 to that of Figure 3, so locking the braking device 6 in its braking position.

According to a characteristic of the invention, for the braking position of the braking element 6 and for the locking position of the lock member 7, the spring action on the lock member 7 urges the braking element towards a position of increased braking force but the reaction of the wheel 2 on the braking element exerts almost no action on the lock member 7, though if any action exists, it does not cause an unlocking couple thereon.

As shown in Figure 3, at the locked braking position, the element 12 is more or less in alignment with the axis 9 and the axis 3 of the wheel 2, while the angle between the axis 9, the element 12 and the axis 10 is more or less equal to 905.

It is to be noted that because the axis 10 is situated more or less at the level of the periphery of the wheel 2, the lock member 7 can turn, during its locking travel, under the action of the spring 8, without causing any movement of the braking element 6.

For that, the portion 11 b can be in the form of a circular arc centred on the axis 10, though it being possible to replace this circular arc by an equivalent straight line because of the clearances.

When in the locked position, the portion 11 b is directed more or less towards the axis 9, so that, in order to be disengaged, the braking element 6 acts by its element 12 on the lock member 7, transversely to the length of the portion 11 b, following a line of action which is below the axis 10. This geometric arrangement prevents the element 12 from releasing the lock 7.

In the construction of Figures 1 to 5, the braking element 6 constitutes a cross member which extends for the full width of the push-chair and which can therefore act as an operating pedal, while in the construction of Figure 6, it is associated with a single side wheel, or with a pair of side wheels.

In these two constructions, in order to free the braking element 6 in relation to the wheel 2, the user presses with his foot on the wing 7a of the lock member 7 so as to turn this member in the clock-wise direction, against the action of the spring 8, so bringing the lock member beyond the position of Figure 5. The ramp 13, which is inclined more or less at 45" to the two portions 11 a and 11 b, disengages the element 12 from the tyre of the wheel 2, and initiates its movement towards the inactive disengaged position shown in full lines in Figure 3. When the user releases the lock member 7, the spring 8 returns the lock member 7 as well as the braking element 6 towards the inactive disengaged position, the braking element 6 being driven, during this displacement, by sliding in the portion 11 a of the slot 11.

With the device according to this invention, the single spring 8 and the lock member 7 enable the guiding and maintenance of the braking element 6 towards and at the inactive disengaged position, the locking of the braking element 6 in the braking position, the strengthening of the braking effect at this position, and the positive disengagement of the braking element away from its braking position.

Naturally the invention is not limited to the particular construction described above; variants can be devised whilst still falling within the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A braking device for a child's perambulator including a tyred wheel rotatably mounted on a chassis, which device comprises a braking element pivoted to the chassis for movement to an active position where the element is forcibly engaged with the tyre of the wheel, a lock member also pivoted to the chassis and provided with a spring urging the lock member to turn in one sense about its pivotal connection, and means coupling together the brake element and the lock member, the positions of the pivotal connections of the braking element and of the lock member on the chassis and the geometry of the coupling means being arranged so that, on the one hand, starting from an inactive first position of the braking element whereat the element is disengaged from the wheel and is held there by the lock member, the braking element can be pivoted, moving the lock member against the action of its spring, to an active second position at which the brake member is pressed on the wheel and whereat the lock member moves under the action of its spring to a locking position preventing the return of the braking element, and, on the other hand, starting from this braking position, the lock member can be released by moving the member against the action of the spring, the coupling means disengaging the braking element from the wheel, so that both the braking element and the lock member may be returned by the spring into the inactive first position.

2. A braking device according to claim 1, wherein, when locked in the second position, the braking element is urged by the lock member more powerfully to brake the wheel, while the reaction of the braking element does not cause the lock member to pivot.

3. A braking device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the coupling means comprises a slot and a peg slidabletherealong.

4. A braking device according to claim 3, wherein the slot is provided in the lock member and the peg is a part of the braking element.

5. A braking device according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the slot has two portions substantially at right-angles, one of which serves to lock the braking element and the other of which permits the braking element to move between its first and second positions.

6. A braking device according to claim 5, wherein the junction between the two portions of the slot is enlarged in order to facilitate the passage of the peg from one portion to the other, and has a ramp to cause the peg to disengage the braking element from the wheel.

7. A braking device according to claim 6, wherein the ramp is inclined at about 45' to the two portions of the slot.

8. A braking device according to any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the two portions of the slot are of unequal lengths, the shorter portion serving for locking of the braking element.

9. A braking device according to claim 8, wherein the shorter portion is arcuate and is centred on the pivotal axis of the lock member, or has an equivalent rectilinear shape.

10. A braking device according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the braking element is pivoted to the chassis above the pivot of the lock member, which is situated substantially at the level of the wheel periphery, in order to allow the locking movement of the lock member without movement of the braking element.

11. A braking device according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein, for the braking position, the part of the braking element which engages the wheel tyre is more or less aligned with the pivot of the braking element on the chassis and with the pivotal axis of the wheel.

12. A braking device according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein, for the braking position, the pivotal axes of the braking element and of the lock member on the chassis, and the part of the braking element which engages the wheel tyre more or less form a right angle.

13. A braking device according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the braking element comprises a shaped metallic wire or rod which has a cross member forming at the same time an operating pedal, the element acting directly on the wheel tyre and also serving as the part of the braking element which is coupled to the lock member.

14. A braking device according to claim 13, wherein the cross member is pivoted to the peram bulatorchassis in both sides thereof to co-operate with the associated wheels on both sides.

15. A braking device according to claim 13, characterised in that the cross member is articulated to the chassis on one side thereof only, to act on one side wheel or on a pair of twin side wheels.

16. A braking device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

17. A child's perambulator whenever fitted with a braking device according to any of the preceding claims.