GB2436815A

GB2436815A - Handle arrangement for a pushchair or stroller

Info

Publication number: GB2436815A
Application number: GB0606907A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Ashley Murdoch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-04-06
Filing date: 2006-04-06
Publication date: 2007-10-10
Also published as: GB0606907D0

Abstract

A handle arrangement 1 for a pushchair 7 comprises a mounting member 3 for attachment to a pushchair 7 and an adjustable handle member 5, wherein the handle member 5 is slidably attached to the mounting member 3 to allow axial movement of the handle member 5 relative to the mounting member 3, permitting the handle member 5 to be displaced to the side of the pushchair 7 so that the pushchair 7 can be pushed by a user standing to the side of the pushchair 7. The mounting member would normally comprise a pivotal frame 11 by which it is attached to the pushchair to allow the handle member 5 to be moved from a rearward to a forward position where the handle member may then extend out from the side of the pushchair.

Description

2436815

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Handle Arrangement

This invention relates to a handle arrangement for a pushchair. In particular, it relates to a handle arrangement that allows a user to push or control the movement of a 5 pushchair from both a position to the rear of the pushchair and from a position to the side of the pushchair.

It should be noted that the term pushchair, used throughout the description, is deemed to encompass any wheeled vehicle, pushed or pulled by a user, for the transport of 10 one or more passengers, including prams, buggies, wheelchairs etc.

Generally, pushchairs are provided with a pair of handles that are fixed in a position directly behind a body of the pushchair when in use. Such designs put the user around a metre behind the front of the pushchair, which can cause visibility problems. For example, 15 if a user wishes to cross a road and there is a visual obstruction in place, such as when emerging from between parked cars, then the pushchair may be edged into the road to enable the user to gain a clear view of the road whilst retaining control of the pushchair. Such action carries the risk that the pushchair may be struck by an oncoming vehicle,

causing injury to the occupant of the pushchair.

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An object of the present invention is to provide an improved handle arrangement for a pushchair.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handle 25 arrangement for a pushchair comprises a mounting member for attachment to a frame of a pushchair and an adjustable handle member, wherein the handle member is releasably engaged to the mounting member to allow the handle member to be positioned on the mounting member such that the handle member is offset to one side of the longitudinal centreline of the pushchair, to enable the pushchair to be pushed by a user stood to the side 30 of the pushchair.

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This arrangement permits a user of the pushchair to push or control the movement of the pushchair from a conventional position to the rear of the pushchair or from a position to a side of the pushchair.

5 Preferably, the mounting member permits the handle member to be transversely displaced relative to the mounting member from a substantially central position relative to the longitudinal centreline to the offset position and wherein the mounting member permits the handle member to be displaced from a rearward position, where the handle arrangement is arranged to be conveniently located to be used by a person walking behind the pushchair, 10 to a forward position, where the handle arrangement when transversely displaced to extend to the side of the pushchair is arranged to be conveniently located to be used by a person standing to the side of the pushchair.

The above arrangement permits the handle arrangement to be displaced from a 15 rearward position to a forward position, where the handle arrangement when transversely displaced to extend to the side of the pushchair is arranged to be conveniently located to be used by a person standing to the side of the pushchair. A user may therefore, advantageously position themselves towards the side of the pushchair, unobstructed by a body of the pushchair, in order to gain a clear view of a road to be crossed without edging 20 the pushchair into the path of oncoming traffic and whilst retaining full control of the pushchair at all times.

Preferably, the handle member is slidably attached to the mounting member to allow axial movement of the handle member relative to the mounting member to provide a simple 25 self-contained operating mechanism that is unobtrusive and provides a conventional horizontal bar like handle when a user is positioned to a rear of the pushchair.

Preferably, the handle member may move an equal distance, axially, in two directions, to permit the handle to be offset to either side of a pushchair to suit both left and 30 right handed users and to allow for flexibility dependent on a situation encountered by the

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user.

Preferably, the handle member comprises a shaft with a handle at each respective end of the shaft, wherein the shaft is rotatably attached to the mounting member to allow 5 radial movement of the handle member relative to the mounting member about the axis of the shaft so that the handles may be retained in the same orientation when the handle arrangement is located to the front or to the rear of the pushchair.

Preferably, there is a locking means provided so that the transverse position and 10 radial orientation of the handle member may be locked relative to the mounting member to provide a secure handle arrangement in all positions.

Preferably, when a handle is moved axially to a lateral extreme, the other handle is located proximal the mounting member in a location substantially on the longitudinal 15 centreline of the pushchair so that a user may retain balanced control over the pushchair when located off-centre to a side of the pushchair.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pushchair comprising a handle arrangement as described above, the handle arrangement preferably 20 being an integrated feature of the pushchair.

The handle arrangement detailed above may alternatively be arranged to be retrofitted to existing pushchairs.

25 Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of a pushchair featuring a handle arrangement according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a front view of a handle arrangement according to the present 30 invention in two operating positions;

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Figure 3 shows a side view of a pushchair featuring a handle arrangement according to the present invention, the handle arrangement being mounted on a pivotally mounted handle frame; and

Figure 4 shows a plan view of a pushchair featuring a handle arrangement according 5 to the present invention, the handle member being mounted on a handle frame pivoted to a position forward of the centre of gravity of the pushchair with the handle member in a laterally extended operating position.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, the handle arrangement of the present invention 10 will be described.

A handle arrangement 1, 11 is attached to a pushchair 7 via release handles 13. The handle arrangement comprises a mounting member including a releasable clamp 3, a frame 11 to which the release clamp 3 is bolted and a tube that is rigidly attached to the clamp 3 15 for receiving a handle member 5. The handle member 5 comprises a shaft 8 that is received by the tube of the clamp 3 and a pair of laterally spaced, radially extending handles 9. The tube features a spring loaded locking pin that projects radially inward. The shaft 8 is provided with a continuous groove that extends axially along the length of the shaft 8 and extends radially for a portion at each of its lateral extremes. There are three indents 20 provided that lie within the groove, one is located in a central position and the other two are located one at either end of the groove. The pin is adapted to be received by the groove and the indents.

When a user is pushing the pushchair from behind, the pin is located in the central 25 indent to lock the handle member 5 in the central position and the user may grip the horizontal shaft 8 or the vertical handles 9.

When the user arrives at a situation in which their visibility is impaired by reason of the user having to stand behind the pushchair 7, for example when crossing a road from 30 behind a parked car, they may reposition the handle to a forward and offset location and

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then position themselves to the side of the pushchair 7, to improve visibility, as shown most clearly in Figure 4.

In order to orient the handle arrangement as depicted in Figure 4 (and in broken line 5 in Figure 3), the user must transversely displace the handle member 5 and pivot the pivoting frame 11 to its forward position. Either one of these operations may be performed first.

To transversely displace the handle member 5 to the left or the right, the user simply 10 displaces the pin from the central indent to allow the shaft 8 to be slid left or right with the pin running in the groove. When the pin reaches a lateral extreme of the groove, the handle is rotated through 90 degrees so that the pin is received by a lateral indent, which locks the handle member in a transversely and axially offset position. The axial offsetting of the handle through 90 degrees keeps the handles oriented vertically when the handle 15 arrangement 1 is moved to a forward position, as most clearly seen in Figure 3. The handles 9 could alternatively extend horizontally to the rear of the pushchair and then rotation of the pivoting frame 11 to the position shown in Figure 4 would, in itself, place the handles in an upright position as shown, alleviating the need for the handles themselves to be rotated.

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The pivoting frame 11 is moved to a forward position by loosening release handles 13, pivoting the frame 11 and tightening release handles 13. The release handles 13 are annular and each comprise a textured gripping surface featuring a series of protrusions and an axially protruding threaded bolt that is received by a threaded hole provided on either 25 side of the pushchair frame. The release handles 13 provide a gripping force against the pivoting frame 11 when tightened. The gripping force is removed by loosening the release handles 13. There are protrusions provided on the pushchair frame to define the forward and rear positions of the pivoting frame 11, which contact the frame 11 to limit its pivotal movement. The protrusions may alternatively be located on the pivoting frame 11. Any 30 suitable mechanism for locking the orientation of the pivoting frame 11 relative to the

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pushchair body may be implemented.

Whilst the embodiment depicted in the figures shows a handle arrangement 11 as an integral part of pushchair 7, the handle arrangement 11 may be provided with suitable 5 adaptors and release handle mechanisms to enable it to be attached to an existing pushchair. In such a configuration, the pivoting handle frame 11 comprises a pair of mounts that each feature additional clamps, for securely fixing the mounts to the pushchair frame at locations on either side of the pushchair frame. The clamps feature a release handle that may be hand operated by a user.

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The present invention is not limited to the above detailed embodiments and may be modified or adapted whilst remaining within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the mechanism allowing transverse displacement of the handle member may comprise a mounting member that allows rotary, rather than axial, movement of the handle 15 member.

In a further alternative, the mounting member could be located in a substantially upright position to one side of the pushchair with the handle being rotated from a stored position alongside the pushchair to an "in use" position, where it projects to the side of the 20 pushchair.

In another alternative arrangement, the handle member may be separable to the mounting member and simply attached to the mounting member to provide an additional handle projecting to the side of the pushchair, as and when required.

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Claims

1. A handle arrangement for a pushchair comprises a mounting member for attachment to a frame of a pushchair and an adjustable handle member, wherein the handle member is 5 releasably engaged to the mounting member to allow the handle member to be positioned on the mounting member such that the handle member is offset to one side of the longitudinal centreline of the pushchair, to enable the pushchair to be pushed by a user stood to the side of the pushchair.

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2. A handle arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the mounting member permits the handle member to be transversely displaced relative to the mounting member from a substantially central position relative to the longitudinal centreline to the offset position and wherein the mounting member permits the handle member to be displaced from a rearward position, where the handle arrangement is arranged to be conveniently 15 located to be used by a person walking behind the pushchair, to a forward position, where the handle arrangement when transversely displaced to extend to the side of the pushchair is arranged to be conveniently located to be used by a person standing to the side of the pushchair.

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3. A handle arrangement as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the handle member is slidably attached to the mounting member to allow axial movement of the handle member relative to the mounting member.

4. A handle arrangement as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the handle member may 25 move an equal distance, axially, in two directions, to permit the handle to be offset to either side.

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5. A handle arrangement as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the handle member comprises a shaft with a handle at each respective end of the shaft and wherein the shaft is rotatably attached to the mounting member to allow radial movement of the handle member

relative to the mounting member about the axis of the shaft.

6. A handle arrangement as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 3, wherein there is provided a locking means for locking the position and orientation of the handle member relative to the mounting member.

7. A handle arrangement as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, wherein when a handle is moved axially to a lateral extreme, the other handle is located proximal the mounting member.

8. A handle arrangement as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 7, wherein the mounting member is arranged to be pivotally mounted to a main body of a pushchair.

9. A handle arrangement as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the mounting member comprises attachment means by which the mounting member is pivotally attached to the main body of a pushchair and locking means by which the pivotal position of the mounting member is locked relative to the pushchair.

10. A pushchair comprising a handle arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim.

11. A pushchair as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the handle arrangement is mounted such that the handle member may be axially offset to a position in which one side of the handle member extends beyond a lateral extreme of the pushchair.

12. A pushchair as claimed in Claim 11, wherein when the handle is axially offset, one of the handles is substantially aligned with the transverse centre of gravity of the pushchair.

13. A pushchair as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the mounting member is pivotally mounted to a main body of the pushchair and may be pivoted between a rearward position and a forward position and locked in either position.

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14. A handle arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the handle member is removable from the mounting member and is arranged to be in addition to a main handle located at the back of the pushchair.

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15. A handle arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the mounting member is arranged to be located on one side of the pushchair and the handle member is mounted to the mounting member such that it may be rotated relative to the mounting member from a stored position to an in use position where it projects to one side of the pushchair.

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16. A handle arrangement for a pushchair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as illustrated in, the accompanying figures.

17. A pushchair substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as illustrated in, the accompanying figures.