GB2220575A

GB2220575A - Carry cot

Info

Publication number: GB2220575A
Application number: GB8810731A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Carroll
Original assignee: KHALIQUE SAEED
Current assignee: KHALIQUE SAEED
Priority date: 1988-05-06
Filing date: 1988-05-06
Publication date: 1990-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 2008-05-06
Also published as: GB2220575B; GB8810731D0

Abstract

A carry cot 6 is adapted to be fitted onto a push-chair chassis 4, the carry cot 6 including a plurality of clamping devices 22 for attachment to the chassis 4, the relative positions of the clamping devices 22 being adjustable (so that the carry cot may be used with a variety of chassis). <IMAGE>

Description

"CARRY COT" The present invention relates to a carry cot for mounting on a push-chair chassis and to a carry cot/push-chair chassis assembly.

Currently commercially available carry cots are designed to be fitted onto specific push-chain chasses. The carry cots include a base, such as a hard board, which is provided with four moulded plastics self-locking clips which are fixed to the edges of the board. The clips are releasably clipped onto the push-chair chassis.

The current designs are limited in application in that push-chair chasses are prone to wear and tear and tend to be replaced more frequently than carry cots. Since the known carry cots are specifically designed only to fit one particular type or model of push-chair chassis, the user is restricted to replacing a worn push-chair chassis by purchasing the particular type of push-chair chassis that the carry cot has been specifically designed to fit.

The present invention aims to provide a carry cot which can be securely fitted to a variety of push-chair chasses of different sizes and shapes.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a carry cot which is adapted to be fitted onto a push-chair chassis, the carry cot including a plurality of clamping devices for attachment to the chassis, the relative positions of the clamping devices being adjustable.

Preferably, the carry cot includes two pairs of clamping devices and the distance between the clamping devices of each pair can be adjusted between particular limits.

More preferably, each clamping device of each pair of clamping devices is mounted on a respective slidable rail, and the two slidable rails of each pair are adjustably fixed together and to a base of the carry cot.

The clamping devices may be mouldable plastics clips which are adapted to be snap-fitted onto the chassis.

Advantageously, each slidable rail includes a slot therein and the slots of each pair of slidable rails are at least partially aligned, and a fixing means passes through the two slots and fixes the slidable rails to the base.

The fixing means may comprise a nut and bolt.

Desirably, the fixing means passes through a selected one of a series of holes provided in the base thereby to locate the slidable rails at a selected one of a series of locations.

The carry cot may further comprise an elongate anti-sliding member which is fixed to the base of the carry cot and has, at each end thereof, means for engaging a predetermined part of the chassis whereby, in use, the said means prevents longitudinal sliding movement between the carry cot and the chassis.

The engaging means may comprise a U-shaped prong which, in use, engages a connection point between a front leg and a rear leg of the chassis.

Preferably, the anti-sliding member is fixed to the base by a second fixing means which passes through a selected one of the said series of holes provided in the base.

The second fixing means may comprise a nut and bolt.

The present invention also provides a carry cot of the present invention in combination with a push-chair chassis comprising a wheeled sub-frame, a handle mounted above the sub-frame, and a chassis rail mounted on the sub-frame, the carry cot being removably mounted on the chassis rail by the clamping devices.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective side view of a push-chair/carry cot assembly in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the bottom of the carry cot mounted in the assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view from below of the carry cot of Figure 2 when separated from the push-chair chassis; and Figure 4 is an enlarged partially exploded perspective view of one pair of clamping devices of the carry cot when attached to the push-chair chassis.

Referring to the drawings, a push-chair/carry cot assembly, designated generally as 2, comprises a wheeled push-chair chassis 4 and a carry cot 6 removably mounted on the push-chair chassis 4. The push-chair chassis 4 includes a wheeled sub-frame which comprises a pair of spaced front legs 8 and a pair of spaced rear legs 10, each of the legs 8, 10 carrying a respective wheel 12. The top of each rear leg 10 is connected to the top of a respective front leg 8 at a connection point 14. A U-shaped handle 16 extends away from the tops of the two front legs 8 and generally is integral with the front legs 8. A U-shaped chassis rail 18 is mounted horizontally about the two connection points 14. The open end of the U-shaped chassis rail 18 is disposed above the front wheels 12 and the closed end of the chassis rail 18 is disposed above the rear wheels 12.

The carry cot 6 is removably mounted on the chassis rail 18.

The carry cot 6 comprises a rectangular base 20 which is placed on the chassis rail 18, a side wall 21 extending around the base 20 and a hood 23 extending upwardly from one end of the side wall 22. The base 20 is attached to the chassis rail 18 by two pairs of clamping devices constituted by self-locking clips 22, each of which is preferably made of moulded plastics. One pair of clips 22 is attached to a front portion of the chassis rail 18 and the other pair df clips 22 is attached to a rear portion of the chassis rail 18. Each clip 22 can be releasably snap-fitted onto the chassis rail 18 to clamp the carry cot 6 to the chassis rail 18. When it is desired to remove the carry cot 6 from the chassis rail 18 the clips 22 are snapped off the chassis rail 18. Each clip 22 is fixed to an end of a respective elongate slidable rail 24, which is preferably of steel.Each slidable rail 24 includes a slot 26 extending therealong. Each pair of clips 22 is mounted on opposing sides of the chassis rail 18 with the respective slidable rails 22 extending inwardly one over the other and with the slots 26 being at least partially aligned. A series of holes 28 is provided in the base 20 and is disposed along a central line extending between the two ends of the carry cot 6. For each pair of slidable rails 24, a bolt 30 passes between the two slots 26 of the slidable rails 24 and through one of the holes 28. A nut 31 is threaded onto the bolt 30 inside the carry cot 6 thereby -to secure the slidable rails 24, and thereby the clips 22, onto the carry cot 6.

Washers 33 are disposed on the bolt 30. The carry cot 6 is thus securely mounted on a chassis rail 18 by the clips 22.

An anti-sliding rail 32 comprising an elongate bar 34 having a U-shaped prong 36 at each end is also bolted to the base 20 by a nut and bolt assembly 38 which passes through a hole 40 through the centre of the elongate bar 34 and through one of the holes 28 in the base 20. Each prong 36 engages a respective connection point 14 and prevents the carry cot 6 from being able to slide forwards or backwards along the chassis rail 18. Each prong 36 includes two arms 42 which are, in use, disposed on respective sides of a respective connection point 14.

The foregoing description describes how a carry cot 6 in accordance with the present invention is mounted on a particular push-chair chassis 4. However, it should be understood that the primary advantage of the carry cot 6 of the present invention is that the carry cot 6 can be adjusted so as to be securely mountable on a number of different commercially available push-chair chasses 4, each of which has a respective chassis rail 18 of particular shape and dimensions which vary from model to model. In the illustrated arrangement the chassis rail 18 is of rectangular U-shape and is of substantially the same dimensions as the base 20.When the carry cot 6 is to fit a chassis rail 18 of different shape, e.g. oval, and/or dimensions, the distance between the clips 22 of each pair, and their relative angular orientation, can be adjusted so that each clip 22 is accurately disposed over the respective chassis rail 18. The adjustment is achieved (a) by loosening the bolts 30, translating the slidable rails 24 inwardly or outwardly and/or rotating the slidable rails 24 to the desired position and then tightening the bolts 30 thereby to secure the clips 22 in the desired position; and/or (b) by moving the or each bolt 30 between the holes 28 thereby to alter the translational position of the clips 22 relative to the length of the carry cot 6. In addition, the position of the anti-sliding rail 32 relative to the length of the carry cot 6 can be varied by mounting the anti-sliding rail 32 about different holes 28. The positions of the holes 28 in the base 20 are carefully selected in response to the shape and dimensions of all or practically all of the commercially available push-chair chasses 4 so that the position of the clips 22 and the anti-sliding rail 32 can be varied so that a single carry cot 6 can be securely mounted on any of those chasses 4. The arms 42 of the prongs 36 are a sufficient length such that they can engage the connection points 14 of all or practically all of the commercially available push-chair chasses. Alternatively, the anti-sliding rail 32 may comprise two bars having slots therein which permit adjustment of the distance between the two prongs 36 in a manner similar to that employed for the clips 22.

Thus the present invention can provide a carry cot having a universal attachment with support brackets and clips enabling the carry cot to be fitted to almost any push-chair chassis, and in particular any British Standard push-chair chassis. When a push-chair chassis requires replacement due to wear and tear, it is possible to fit the existing carry cot to a different push-chair chassis and it is not necessary, as is currently the case, for the carry cot to be fitted to exactly the same type of push-chair chassis. This gives a user the freedom to purchase at the most favourable competitive rate any make or size of chassis which is marketed.In addition, a retailer does not have to stock a multitude of carry cots which are each specifically adapted to fit a respective one of a variety of push-chair chasses since the carry cot of the present invention can be adjusted to fit a variety of types of push-chair chassis.

With the carry cot of the present invention, the four moulded clips can be adjusted by moving the slidable rails, to correspond to the exact size and shape of the chassis rail of the push-chair chassis. In addition, the anti-sliding rail prevents the carry cot from sliding along the chassis rail once the clips have been snap-fitted onto the chassis rail.

In commerce, the carry cot of the present invention is marketed with instructions to the user on how to fit the universal carry cot to any of a large number of push-chair chasses. The instructions correlate which of the holes in the base of the carry cot are to be employed for mounting the two pairs of slidable rails and the anti-sliding rail. The instructions also indicate whether the clips are required to be extended or retracted and at which relative angular orientation so as to ensure that for any given push-chair chassis, the four clips accurately engage the chassis rail at the desired locations for secure mounting and the anti-sliding rail accurately engages the connection points on the chassis.

It will be understood to the skilled man that the shape and dimensions of the carry cot and the push-chair chassis may be varied as desired from the illustrated arrangement without departing from the scope of the present invention

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A carry cot which is adapted to be fitted onto a push-chair chassis, the carry cot including a plurality of clamping devices for attachment to the chassis, the relative positions of the clamping devices being adjustable.
2. A carry cot according to claim 1, wherein the carry cot includes two pairs of clamping devices and the distance between the clamping devices of each pair can be adjusted between particular limits.
3. A carry cot according to claim 2, wherein each clamping device of each pair of clamping devices is mounted on a respective slidable rail, and the two slidable rails of each pair are adjustably fixed together and to a base of the carry cot.
4. A carry cot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the clamping devices being mouldable plastics clips which are adapted to be snap-fitted onto the chassis.
5. A carry cot according to claim 3, wherein each slidable rail includes a slot therein and the slots of each pair of slidable rails are at least partially aligned, and a fixing means passes through the two slots and fixes the slidable rails to the base.
6. A carry cot according to claim 5, the fixing means comprising a nut and bolt.
7. A carry cot according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the fixing means passes through a selected one of a series of holes provided in the base thereby to locate the slidable rails at a selected one of a series of locations.
8. A carry cot according to any foregoing claim further comprising an elongate anti-sliding member which is fixed to the base of the carry cot and, at each end thereof, means for engaging a predetermined part of the chassis whereby, in use, the said means prevents longitudinal sliding movement between the carry cot and the chassis.
9. A carry cot according to claim 7, the engaging means comprising a U-shaped prong which, in use, engages a connection point between a front leg and a rear leg of the chassis.
10. A carry cot according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the anti-sliding member is fixed to the base by a second fixing means which passes through a selected one of the said series of holes provided in the base.
11. A carry cot according to claim 9, wherein the second fixing means comprises a nut and bolt.
12. A carry cot substantialy as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
13. A carry cot according to any foregoing claim in combination with a push-chair chassis comprising a wheeled sub-frame, a handle mounted above the sub-frame, and a chassis rail mounted on the sub-frame, the carry cot being removably mounted on the chassis rail by the clamping devices.