GB2363419A

GB2363419A - Awning support for a pushchair

Info

Publication number: GB2363419A
Application number: GB0013989A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Phillip Notschild; Suzanne Louise Notschild
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-06-09
Filing date: 2000-06-09
Publication date: 2001-12-19
Also published as: GB0013989D0

Abstract

An awning support (10) for attachment to a carriage, such as a child's pushchair, comprises a pivot member (1a, 2a) attachable to a frame (20) of the carriage and to an elongate member (11), the pivot member (1a, 2a) comprising two relatively rotatable portions of which each is provided with a bore (4a, 5a) for attachment to either of the carriage frame (20) or elongate member (11). A second pivot member (1b, 2b) is attached to elongate member 11 and carries a handle 30 of an umbrella.

Description

2363419 AWNING SUPPORT DESMIPTION 5 This invention relates to a support

for an umbrella, parasol or other shade which is attachable to a cardage, such as a trolley, perambulator, push chair or cart, and which may afford a user hands-free protection from the elements whilst operating such a carriage.

10 Umbrellas, parasols and sunshades, which may be referred to generally as awnings, are often used to protect an individual from the elements, rain, snow, sun and so on, The user holds a handle portion thereof such that the awning covering, conventionally an artificial material, such as nylon, or natural material, such as linen or cotton, is interposed between the user and the 15 wind or sun as the case may be.

However, during certain activities, such as when pushing or pulling a carriage, it is desirable to keep ones hands free to control the carriage during such locomotion. If the sun is too hot or it is raining it may become desirable 20 to utilise an awning to protect the individual. Conventionally, the user would erect the awning and hold onto it with one hand, whilst attempting to control the carriage with the other. This is obviously awkward and can lead to the carriage being improperly controlled. If the carriage is a push-chair or perambulator containing a baby or small child, or indeed a wheelchair 25 containing an elderly or infirmed person, such improper control can be dangerous.

It is known to attach awnings to push-chairs for example, which help to protect the child from direct exposure to the sun or rain, although these 30 provide no protection for the person pushing the push-chair.

It is also known from Howard's British patent application (Publication No. 2236950) that an umbrella may be attached to a golf trolley to provide hands-free protection from the elements for an individual. However, the umbrella supports do not provide a great deal of freedom in their positioning 5 once erect.

Other umbrella supports, for example Hillier el al's British patent application (Publication No. 2207347), similarly provide hands-free protection from the elements, albeit in a complicated fashion which necessitates the use 10 of many joints to realise the invention. In fact, Hillier's invention utilises many pivoting members to achieve the desired result.

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a universal awning support which is attachable to a carriage and which provides total freedom of 15 positioning of an erected awning with respect to the carriage whilst minimising the number of joint members and which provides attachment means for any standard awning.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention provides an awning support 20 for attachment to a carriage comprising a pivot member attachable to a frame of a carriage and to an elongate member, which member may comprise an awning handle or an extension means, the pivot member comprising two relatively rotatable portions each of which is provided with a bore or throughhole for attachment to either of the frame or elongate member.

A second aspect of the invention provides an awning support for attachment to a carriage comprising an extension means provided with a pivot member for attachment to a frame of a carriage and a further pivot member for attachment to an awning handle, each pivot member comprising two relatively 30 rotatable portions each of which is provided with a bore or through- hole for -3 attachment to the frame and extension means and the awning handle and extension means respectively.

The pivot members may be arranged to afford releasable attachment to 5 the frame, awning and extension means.

The extension means may comprise a tube which may, in turn, comprise two or more telescopic elements.

10 The or each pivot member may further comprise locking means to secure the rotatable portions relative to one another and may also comprise a resilient washer located between the two portions.

The locking means may comprise a nut and bolt, the bolt projecting 15 through each of the two rotatable portions and secured by the nut which may be situated adjacent one of the portions.

The bores or through-holes are preferably arranged to accept a standard carriage frame component or standard awning handle.

in order that the invention may be more fully understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which:

25 Figure I A shows a side elevation of an awning support; Figure IB shows a further side elevation of the awning support of Figure I A; 30 Figure I C shows an end elevation of the awning support of Figure I A and IB; and Figure 2 shows the awning support of the previous Figures in use.

Referring firstly to Figures IA, IB and IC, there is shown, generally 5 indicated at 1, an awning support comprising two relatively rotatable portions 2, 3 each of which is provided with a bore 4, 5 respectively. The awning support 1 further comprises a resilient washer 6 located between the portions 2, 3 and securing or locking means 7.

10 The locking means 7 comprises a bolt 8 and nut 9, the bolt 8 extending through the portions 2, 3 such that when the nut 9 and bolt 8 mate and are secured together the portions 2, 3 are securely and firmly held in their desired position, which is to say the locking means 7, when fully engaged, prevents relative rotational motion between the portions 2, 3.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown an awning support, generally indicated at 10 comprising a pair of supports la and lb and an extension tube 11 which is located in bores 5a, and 4b of the respective supports 1 a and W 20 The support la is further attached to the frame 20 of an associated carriage 21, the frame 20 being located in the bore 4a, and the support I b is further attached to the handle 30 of an awning such as an umbrella 3 1, the handle 30 being located in the bore 5b.

25 Therefore, in use, a handle 30 of an awning, such as an umbrella 3 1, is located within the bore 5b of the support lb and the extension tube 11 is located in the bore 4b. Locking means 7b is then operated such that the handle and extension tube 11 are firmly and securely located within the support ib.

The frame 20 of the carriage is located within the bore 4a of the support la and the extension tube 11 is similarly located within bore 5a.

Locking means 7a is then operated such that the frame 20 and extension tube I I are firmly and securely located within the support I a, the awning support 5 10 being fially assembled.

In order to position the umbrella 31 suitably with respect to the carriage such that the operator of the carriage is protected from the elements, locking means 7a is slightly released such that the components of support la 10 are relatively rotatable. The support I a is freely rotatable about the frame 20 of the carriage and the extension tube I I is movable within the bore 5a of the support. Moreover, portions 2a and 3a are relatively rotatable. Once the position of these components has been established the locking means 7a is operated such that the components are secured relative to one another.

A similar operation is carried out in respect of the support lb and the extension tube I I and awning handle 3 0. In this fashion, total control of the position of the awning 31 relative to the carriage is achieved, thereby providing the carriage operator with protection from the prevailing weather 20 whilst allowing hands-free operation of the carriage. The awning may also provide protection to the contents of the carriage as well as the operator.

When the support 10 is not in use, the locking means 7a and 7b may be released to allow the support to be folded along side the frame 20. Once in the 25 desired position the locking means 7a, 7b may be actuated to secure the support 10 and the awning 31 in the collapsed condition The supports la, Ib are configured such that it is possible to locate and secure any standard umbrella handle 30 and many carriage frame components 30 20 within the bores 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b. Therefore, the support 10 provides universality of use as well as total freedom in the positioning of the awning with respect to the carriage. Also, if desired, the awning 31 may be removed from the support I b and used in the conventional fashion, A single support 1 may be used without an extension tube 11. In such a 5 case, the support 1 is attached to the frame 20 of a carriage in the manner described above and the umbrella or other awning handle 30 is located in the other bore 5. Whilst this reduces the degrees of freedom available to the operator with regard to the placement of the awning 31, it still allows for placement in any aspect because the support 1 is rotatable about the ftame 20, 10 the two portions 2, 3 are relatively rotatable and the awning handle 30 is locatable at any position along its length.

The extension tube 11 may comprise two or more telescopic portions such as those conventionally used is umbrellas or it may comprise a simple 15 rod or tube. The supports 1, la, lb, may be constructed from a rigid plastics rnaterial with the bolt 8 and the mating nut 9 constructed from a metal or metallic alloy. The washer may comprise a synthetic or natural rubber material or a plastics material.

20 It should be understood that the term carriage in this description is intended to include push-chairs, wheelchairs, shopping trolleys, golf trolleys, perambulators or any other kind of vehicle which is operated and upon which operation the operator is exposed to the weather.

Claims

I. An awning support for attachment to a carriage comprising a pivot member attachable to a frame of a carriage and to an elongate member, 5 said pivot member comprising two relatively rotatable portions each of which is provided with a bore or through-hole for attachment to either of the frame or elongate member.
2. An awning support in accordance with claim 1, wherein said elongate 10 member comprises an awning handle or extension means.
3, An awning support for attachment to a carriage comprising extension means provided with a pivot member for attachment to a ftame of a carriage and a further pivot member for attachment to an awning handle, 15 each pivot member comprising two relatively rotatable portions each of which is provided with a bore or through-hole for attachment to the frame and said extension means and the awning handle and said extension means respectively.

20
4. An awning support according to any of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the or each pivot member is arranged to afford releasable attachment to the components attached thereto.
5. An awning support according to claim 2, claim 3 or claim 4 when 25 dependent upon claim 2 or 3, wherein said extension means comprises a tube.
6. An awning support according to claim 5, wherein the tube comprises two or more telescopic elements.
7. An awning support according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each pivot member further comprises locking means to secure the rotatable portions relative to one another.
8. An awning support according to claim 7, wherein said locking means comprises a nut and bolt, the bolt projecting through each of the two rotatable portions and securable by the nut.
9. An awning support according to any preceding claim wherein the or each 10 pivot member comprises a resilient washer located between the two portions.
10. An awning support according to any preceding claim, wherein the bores or through-holes are arranged to accept a standard carriage frame component 15 or standard awning handle.
11. A carriage comprising an awning support according to any preceding claim.
12. A carriage comprising an awning support according to any of claims I to 10 and an awning.
13. An awning support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.